Sheesha's Spot

The Agony of ......?

2009-11-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

I've been struggling with something for quite awhile now and even now as I begin this journey I'm scared out of my wits. I have the ability to do it. I want it. For me! How is it you can be so conscious of something and yet not have the power to overcome it? How can you want something more than anything, yet never take a step towards it? These are questions I ask myself on a daily basis. Over and over I fill my head with these questions.....

Am I afraid of success or failure? Isn't success something you create in your own mind? Don't we create our own reality? If that's true, why do I agonize myself.... Self sabotage is an awful thing. The dictionary definition of sabotage is "an act or process tending to hamper or hurt" or "deliberate subversion". Well I'm saying today.... I'm done with that. I'm going for it! It's going to hurt like hell - but I'm going for it. This is it!

"Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes. We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, when we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all,we do only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. So stop. Try something you've never tried. Risk it. Enter a triathlon. Write a letter to the editor. Demand a raise. Call winners at the toughest court. Throw away your television. Bicycle across the United States. Try bobsledding. Try anything. Speak out against the designated hitter. Travel to a country where you don't speak the language. Patent something. You have nothing to lose and everything everything everything to gain. JUST DO IT." - 1992: Barry Sanders

A Poem

2009-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

A Poem Of You Tell On Yourself...

You Tell On YOURSELF By Friends You Keep
By Simple Very Manner In Which You Speak
By How You Employ Your Leisure Time
By How You Spend Your Dollar And Dime

You Tell On Yourself By Things You Wear
By Spirit In Which Your Burdens Bear
By The Things At Which You Laugh
By Music You Play On Your Record Player

You Tell On Yourself By The Way You Walk
By Things In Which You Delight To Talk
By The Manner In Which You Bear Defeat
By So Simple A Thing As How You Eat
By Books You Choose From Well Filled Shelf
By Dumb Or Great Poem That You Write

In These Ways More You Tell On Yourself
So,There Is No Particle Of Sense In Effort To Keep Up False Pretense...
Make Peace With Your False Pretense!

Author Unknown

Put Your Hands Up!

2009-01-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

You just can't help but laugh! The more I hear the funnier it gets!.... When the call came in on Tuesday of last week I was a little panicked. Knowing that my husband and son where traveling on the wintry roads I was prepared for anything. But when the gal on the phone explained that she was calling from Chico PD I knew I was okay as far as my family was concerned. Of course she did not have her facts straight and could not answer most of my questions. Huh?.... She was the one calling me, right?..... Short of it was - that during the course of a high speed chase (stolen vehicle) the vehicle driven by a 16 year old missed the corner and ran up on my neighbors yard, grazed the side of their house and ran into our fence. Of course they knocked out our irrigation system, thus the water had to be shut off. Unfortunately/Fortunately neither the neighbor nor us were home at the time! We ended up coming home 2 days early so we could take care of the repairs - that was our saving grace! It literally took Kevin 3 days to get it working again. I have the muddy clothes and boots to prove it!.....

So I was a little surprised yesterday afternoon when we were leaving the house and hearing someone say "Can I talk with you for a minute". I looked up and saw a Police car sitting across the street and an officer walking towards me. He introduced himself as the arresting officer. After a few minutes of story comparison..... He tells me that they arrested the driver hiding inside our boat at gunpoint. Apparently the older guy jumped the fence and hid behind someones air conditioning unit. I had heard from a neighbor that they thought they were hiding behind ours - which I found disturbing! But the younger driver had run through our yard and jumped into our old boat and hid under the carpeting and was using his cell phone to "phone a friend", guess he was looking for a ride....! From what the officer told me they nailed him by following his muddy footprints..... Now if that isn't funny I don't know what is! Dumb criminals!

And now this morning we woke up to a broken window in the front of the house. Apparently we have enemies! Or at least the dispatcher is obligated to ask me that question. It was the bedroom window on my side and either I'm a deep sleeper or it happened when we were gone but never noticed until this morning. Oh well - it's covered under our "lifetime guarantee" So no harm no foul!.... Starting the year off right!.....

You Should Try This!

2008-12-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

I did try some new recipes for the Thanksgiving Day feast..... And I have to say the Sweet Potato Casserole that I tried from Pioneer Woman Cooks website was the best thing. Ever. And then I made this delicious Apple Pie. Whoa Nellie! I've been reading this blog for a couple years. I have tried many of the recipes. And to be quite honest - there isn't anything I wouldn't make again. They have all been great recipes. I love her stories. She has a way of writing that makes you feel like you are best friends. She is an amazing photographer. She's my hero! Now if only I could win one of her many prize give-aways!....

Whew!

2008-12-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

It's only going to keep feeling like a race until the first of January, right?.... We had a perfect Thanksgiving break. I really would have enjoyed a few more days off with the kids. They only have 13 more days of school before the next holiday break. I'm looking forward to that. We spent our Thanksgiving up at the cabin - the weather was just amazing. Unusual for sure. We ended up not leaving to go up until Monday - but I opened the cabin by myself for the first time. Inside was only about 38 degrees when we got there at 5 PM. But was already up to 60 degrees by 9 PM. We just piled the blankets on and wore stocking caps to bed.... I was a bit worried when we woke up at 6:30 AM and it was still only 65 degrees - but alas we reached a warm 70 degrees at some point that day!

So of course we ate too much, relaxed, played hours of Wii and had some fun! We ended up going to Hauns Meadow (or Van's pond) for some fishing and shooting practice!.... A Thanksgiving tradition with Kevin's family. On Friday we did the tradition of going into town and viewing the 2nd Annual Parade of Lights and than the Merchant Walk (Chester's take on Christmas Preview). Really brings in the Holiday spirit. I've never gone out on Black Friday to shop - so I didn't feel left out of that at all! And than of course it was all over and time to head home. I was talking with the kids about that on the drive home - we are all on the same page - we all love going up there - but we love coming home too! It was weird for me this time...... When we got back into town I was looking around and thinking how different everything looked - after only a week. Happy to be here - thankful, grateful and relaxed! Hope I'm still feeling it in a few weeks!.....

4 More Days!

2008-10-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

I'm so ready for this election to be over I can hardly stand it..... It's the first time in my 23 years of voting that I can actually remember so much debate amongst the parties. Very well could have been there before - maybe I was better at ignoring it. Maybe I disagree more with what I'm hearing? I'm a little offended by the email forwards - like this one I received last night. (I'm not correcting their spelling or grammar errors!)

Many of you know I'm not an Obama supporter. In the beginning, I kept an open mind but their ARE too many unanswered questions. I researched some of this on the net and it's true, I could not find one of these inquires. Something to think about especially if you are leaning toward the Obama side. I'm not saying McCain is great either but at least hes not hiding information. Look it up and see for yourself. -(name removed for privacy) ps. if you find anything, let me know. I would be very intrested.

She was responding to this email she received.

As we come to the last week of this very long Presidential Race, I dreamed I was "Joe The Plumber" .Here are my questions for Mr Obama:

Sorry to bother you Mr. Obama, Sir Excuse me Mr. Obama, Imean Senator Obama, sir. Um . . know you are busy and importantand stuff. I mean running for president is very important and .. . ah . . . I hate to bother you. I will only take a minute ok,sir? See, I have these missing pieces that are holding meup, and I was wondering sir, if you could take time out of yourbusy schedule and help me out. You know, no big deal, just someloose ends and things. I can't seem to get someinformation I need to wrap this up. These things seem to eitherbe 'locked' or 'not available'. I'm sure it's just someoversight or glitch or something, so if you could you tell mewhere these things are . . . I . . I . . . have them writtendown here somewhere . . . oh wait. Sorry about the smears. Itwas raining out. I'll just read it to you. Could you helpme please find these things, sir? 1. Occidental Collegerecords -- Not released 2. Columbia College records -- Notreleased 3. Columbia Thesis paper -- not available, locked downby faculty 4. Harvard College records -- Not released, lockeddown by faculty 5. Selective Service Registration -- Notreleased 6. Medical records -- Not released 7. Illinois StateSenate schedule -- 'not available' 8. Law practice client list-- Not released 9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate- - Not released 10. Embossed, signed paper Certification ofLive Birth -- Not released 11. Harvard Law Review articlespublished -- None 12. University of Chicago scholarly articles-- None 13. Your Record of baptism-- Not released or 'notavailable' 14. Your Illinois State Senate records--'notavailable' You couldn't get a job at McDonalds and becomedistrict manager after 143 days of experience. You couldn'tbecome chief of surgery after 143 days of experience of being asurgeon. You couldn't get a job as a teacher and be thesuperintendent after 143 days of experience. You couldn't jointhe military and become a colonel after 143 days of experience. You couldn't get a job as a reporter and become the nightlynews anchor after 143 days of experience. BUT.... 'From thetime Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to thetime he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratorycommittee, he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate.That's how many days the Senate was actually in session andworking. After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed hewas ready to be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World.... 143 days. We all have to start somewhere. The senate is agood start, but after 143 days, that's all it is - a start. AND, strangely, a large sector of the American public is okaywith this and campaigning for him. We wouldn't accept this inour own line of work, yet some are okay with this for thePresident of the United States of America ? Come on folks, weare not voting for the next American Idol! Please, pleaseforward this before it's too late!!!! Until he answers these questions,
I would NEVER vote for him.....Would You???

Vern Wigley - I don't know Vern - so I'm leaving him in there.

So than this morning I get this awful "reply to all" email.

Here is how I feel...
McCain scares the hell outta me.. plus what kind of foreign policy experience does Plain have???? ZERO.....do we really want someone with NO experience dealing our foreign commanders???? I don't... Biden at least is brilliant and very experienced in foreign policies...
I watched the special last night on Obama... and he does answer alot of questions I had in my mind.......I have been a sceptic since the beginning... saying very closeminded comments about Obama and why he should not even be allowed to run for president.. so I was on your side... but ...... I have been doing my research and trying to be fair.. and in the process.... I have really learned alot... and NOT from the internet...... all that information you describe below is available to see... its just not so easy to acquire...especially when you are running for president.... it's not being hidden..don't you think if all that information was unaccessablie to anyone of authority in this country.. it would be all over the news??.do you really believe half the crap that is out there on the internet??? the majority of it is posted by McCain/Palin supporters to deter anyone away from learning any truth about Obama.. What I have seen and heard myself from watching the actual candidates speak is that the Mcain/Palin side sure spends alot of time trying to slander their opponents and less time explaining who they are and what they offer...... while Obama/Biden spend alot of time really trying to explain who they are and what they are about. What they believe in and why... How things can change and when....
Bottom line is...... Is anyone ever going to be 100% truthful in politics... probably not.... but.... I gotta tell you.. I believe in Obama and what he stands for.... and this comes from many hours of really listening to Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin...
I'm sure some of you will not agree with me... but be honest.... those of you who dont agree.. how much true research have you done? Or have you just been listening to "internet rumors" or "half truths" or being swayed by others around you and their opinions.... Cause I know I would be right where I was in the beginning of all this had I not really taken the time to find out for myself....

I say OBAMA 08

Lynda (again don't know Lynda - so I'm leaving her in there)

Do these people have no shame? Do they honestly think I want to hear what they are saying. How dare they "reply to all" - tacky! You know I can put up with a friend feeling the need to reach out to people. But when your friends friends turn around and "reply to all" that is when I lose it. Kind of like last night - when the phone rang at 8:45 PM and I looked at the caller ID and it said "protect marriage". Are you kidding me? Now these people are whacked. It's a good thing I couldn't get the phone to answer - I may have unleashed on the person! I have been so offended by there tactics it makes me not want to vote at all. These people have come to my door and spewed their garbage in front of daughter - to which I than had to have a conversation with her because of what she heard - one I was not ready to have. I than received some unpleasant mail from them as well. They will no doubt keep trying - I may get my chance..... Where do these people come from. Enough. I'm done. I voted weeks ago and I have to be subjected to this. I want a button to push - Yeah sorry I've already voted - go away!

Oh Yeah!

2008-10-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Baked Brie "Special"

This is my new favorite appetizer...... Again a friend shared the recipe with me. My kind of cooking - Easy! You just take one of the big Brie rounds from Costco. You than get a Pillsbury French Loaf in the dairy case of any grocery store - except of course the market in Greenville. I've tried that and it didn't work out for me. We had a party to go to in Taylorsville and stopped in at the market on the way home and the selection was a bit slim! So I had to run into Chester to get that one thing before the next party of the day - two parties in one day = too much! The Greenville Market is a nice quaint store if you only need the basics. We actually shopped there a few times this summer to try something different. It's about the same distance for us on our side of the lake to go to Greenville or Chester. Oops! Off subject....

Okay - so where was I? Brie from Costco - check, Pillsbury French Loaf - check. Apricot Jam, now I choose the Low Sugar version because you also sprinkle brown sugar on the top before baking. You can choose any kind or flavor. Of course you'll want to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. First you place the brie in a pie dish (or round baking dish), take the French Loaf and stretch it around the brie. You can roll it between your hands to lengthen it. You then spread the Apricot Jam over the top, even spreading on the French Loaf. Next step is to sprinkle the top with brown sugar. Now just pop it into the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of baking you toss slivered almonds over the top too! Enjoy!

It's What's For Dinner

2008-10-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

This has become a family favorite over the last year or so. My friend Mary shared it with me. It's so perfect for so many different settings. Like last night when I didn't get home until 5:40 from dragging my kids all over the place. Oops! Did I say dragging - I really meant driving. Kevin had a meeting to go to at 6:30 so I was trying to get him fed as well - but since it takes 30 minutes to cook and I didn't get it into the oven until 6:00 - I struck out on that one. Which really was okay - because then the kids were able to take the leftovers for lunch! Which if you ask me, that's a grand slam for mom! I packed their lunches last night and avoided the great debate this morning! Yeah for me! It's really feeling extra special this morning since Kevin took the kids to school!

I've made this dish for larger groups as well. We had a couples Bunko a few weeks ago and I made enough for 18. It's perfect with a nice salad, some pasta or just a loaf of french bread! It's super easy - I made it last night while on the phone, I had it in the oven in less than 15 minutes.... So give it a try!

"Easy" Chicken Parmigiana

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce (I like the one from Trader Joe's)

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Pour Marinara sauce evenly in bottom of ungreased 12x8 baking dish. Place chicken breasts over sauce.

In small bowl combine cheeses, bread crumbs and oil. Mix well. Sprinkle evenly over chicken.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender & juices run clear

Enjoy!

Bringing Down the House

2008-10-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

Fall has Arrived

2008-10-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

I toured the backyard yesterday picking up remnants of summer. All the patio cushions and umbrellas have been stowed for the winter. All the various balls that seem to litter the yard are now back in the basket - for how long is any ones guess. I noticed when I went out yesterday morning (before daylight) that it had rained during the night or very early morning. And now they are predicting a big storm to start off our fall/winter season. I did hear it raining again this morning too. I'm a bit happy/sad for it. While we really need the rain and snow - we have our annual Harvest Fair at school on Friday afternoon when the heaviest rain is scheduled to fall. I can't help but think of all the time and effort that goes into planning and putting on an event like that. To have it spoiled by rain would just be such a bummer.....

Anyway, while out again this morning I noticed the darn squirrels have been eating my Fuyu Persimmons already. I think I need to take up target practice. My cats seem to take care of the rat population, but they can't fly from tree to tree like those squirrels. I love watching them up in the trees trying though!

A Week Old and Still Funny!

2008-09-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

I laughed at my timidness this morning. I realized as I jumped into the car to run the kids to school that I had my hair up like Sarah Palin and I had on my Tina Fey glasses. All I needed was my beauty pageant sash! I was a little worried about getting out of the car for fear someone might notice. Don't get me wrong - I look nothing like Sarah Palin. My husband recently commented to me on how pretty he thought she was. I was just worried for a brief moment that someone could think I might be trying to copy her. Not. I'm not going to get into a political debate - there is no need for me to tell you that I am a voting republican - much to my families dismay. Honestly, I've never felt that my vote matters much - does the State of California count at all? So there you go - just a Monday morning funny!

Just For Fun

2008-09-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Found this in my draft folder.....

The idea is to make a copy of this list and highlight via boldface or underlining all the things you have done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (in the process)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Para sailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

2008-09-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well fall is certainly in the air these days and I've started working on the Omega Nu Fall Project at what seems to be the perfect time. I've got posters to get up around town. I've got food to price and tickets to sell..... Somehow I've ended up as the Food Chair....? How did that happen? Thankfully I've got great people on my committee to help - and Kevin is heading up the BBQ! We are hoping to sell around 600 tickets. It should be lots of fun - many people have been asking to have the barn dance brought back and here we go! The last time we did it was 2003 and only had about 450 people in attendance. This time we are at the Patrick Ranch in a real barn - so we'll see! Our biggest hurdle is selling tickets! So let me know if you need one!

Ouch!

2008-09-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm getting more sore by the minute..... It's never fun doing something you haven't in a really long time. All those muscles you've neglected come roaring back at you..... I find it a bit discouraging. So we did ride our bikes to the school yesterday - it took us 30 minutes to get there. Not bad. We then rode around downtown because it was "Taste of Chico" - we had a little lunch and then headed over to Bidwell Park for the kids to take a dip at one mile. We got home a little before 3:00 and headed straight for our own pool. It felt pretty good. That was until this morning when the kids jumped out of bed at 6:00 AM - because they wanted to ride their bikes to school this morning. So I of course did not discourage their excitement. That's when I started feeling the pain of the day before - now I've done a little whining lately about the bike situation. I clearly stated I wanted a new bike seat at the least. Oh my goodness. Yikes! Hoping up on that seat was painful..... Sure I'd like a new bike that I don't have to bend over the handlebars to ride. I'm pretty sure from the pain in my neck and back that that is almost a necessity at this point. Now this morning we took about 27 minutes to get there. Again that was all well and good. Now the ride home after dropping off the kids - not so much. Because I of course had no slow poke that I needed to wait for - I peddled the whole entire way - with the exception of a few lights. Oh and the guy who almost took me out at the intersection of Palmetto and Neal Dow! I had a few choice words for him - him covering his eyes when he realized he was about to hit me did nothing for my disposition. So I made it home and now time is flying by and I'm going to have to get back on that @#$% bike and ride back to school so I can turn around and ride home...... And it's gonna be hot. And I'm gonna be more sore. And. And. I think I might cry. Maybe I should take the car and put the bikes on the rack!.... Yeah! That's the ticket! But my kids would probably be disappointed.... So I'll be riding that bike back down there.........sigh......

Six Things

2008-09-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Oh No! I've been tagged by Tricia. It's my first time..... Can I do it?

Six Things about me that I haven't shared before?

1. That I use to run 7 miles a day without even thinking about it....

2. I now wish I had never stopped...

3. I have obsessive compulsive tendency. (I have to buy 3 tomatoes, 3 avocados, 3 cans of chili and so on)...

4. I love to watch and follow NASCAR.

5. I love to sing and secretly want to be a rock star.

6. In 1986 as the talent portion of the Miss Lassen County Contest I did the uneven parallel bars....

Whew..... I'll tag, Dad, Shan, Sistah, Michelle and?..... Okay we are off on our bikes to see how long it takes us to ride to school. We have to calculate what time we'll need to leave in the morning..... Not sure how this will work out since the traffic is totally different in the mornings! And a friend and I just set up a carpool for 4 of the days in the week!.....

Things are a Wee Bit......

2008-08-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well nothing like throwing me some curve balls lately. I would like to remind you all to back up your computers today, tomorrow and everyday after that. You can see how my dad reacted to my loss - here. Because guess what?.....Your hard drive can crash with NO warning at all. I have unfortunately lost everything except some web pages I bookmarked?...... That was a wee bit strange. Yep - not a single photo back to Nov. 2004. I honestly have felt like a member of our family has died. Not a single word document that I typed up. Gone - all of it...... After a day of many tears I'm moving forward. Or I was until I realized that all the music I'd uploaded to iTunes (2004 songs) were gone as well. The thought of sitting there and adding all those CD's again - was not appealing. I guess I didn't realize that my iTunes library was on my hard drive - I thought it was on the web. And on top of that - Apple would only help me transfer the songs I purchased from them. So just be warned. And copy your library often...... There was some good news there - I found this website. And it's all back! Yeah! So it's true - when you hit bottom - things start to look up!

Ps. That would also mean I've lost everyone's email address - so if it's not too much trouble - drop me a line so that I can add you back into my address book:)

You Don't Say.....

2008-07-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

What is it with our society that we always have to have new and better all the time. Now articles like this frustrate me - me the consumer. I thought I had the best camera available. I don't like reading a few years later that it's no longer the best..... What do I do now? Actually I know the answer to that one. Nothing - I love my camera. But I do feel a wee bit slighted now. Will I be embarrassed each time I pull it out of my bag. Will people point and stare?

We've become such a disposable society. I really hope that changes with our faltering economy. I know I have a new job around here and that is taking in the recycling for cash - we'll no longer use the curbside can except for newspapers and things they won't take at the recycling plant. We also a few months ago stopped using the plastic bags for groceries. I have my Chico bags that I use for everything. It seems lately I keep hearing about another city banning the plastic bags and charging people for using them. I love it! If I'm not mistaken - the city of San Francisco tried that a few years ago - here's an interesting article on it. But recently Seattle proposed a ban and a 20 cent tax. And a few days later Los Angeles county is trying the same thing. All I can say - is you go!

Such a Peach

2008-07-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

(We) made this last night for dessert. It of course was delicious. We have peaches galore on our tree. I prefer to make a crisp vs. a cobbler. I think the oatmeal makes it feel more wholesome for me. So stop by if you want some peaches - nectarines are next!

edited later to include the recipe!:

Lots of Peaches to fill a 9x13 in. dish

2 cups Quick Oats

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Stick Butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Bring pot of water to a low boil, drop in peach for approximately 1 minute, drop into cold water and skin will peel right off. Repeat until you have enough peaches to fill pan. In a separate bowl, cut butter into oats, sugar, flour, salt and spices until crumbly. Spread peaches into 9x13 in dish. Sprinkle crisp topping over top and bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 35 to 40 minutes. Serve topped with Vanilla Ice Cream. Enjoy!

We didn't even get a chance to take a picture of it after it came out of the oven - too delicious! It.Must.Be.Eaten.Now!

Stranger Amongst Us?

2008-06-16T09:07:00.001-07:00

This is really freaking me out

I have never (or until today) seen my husband without his mustache. I seriously think he would have left this morning without me seeing him if he could have. I am so freaked out by it. He has shaved a few years off his look if you ask me. He would not cooperate for a picture this morning. I'll have to keep trying. Who knows how long this might last - considering my reaction this morning. He's probably already started growing it back - just to shut me up. I've asked many times over the years for him to shave it off so that I could see him without to no avail. I think I mentioned last week that the goatee needed to go as it had so much gray in it that it was making him look older than he is. But oh my goodness - this is not what I expected! It will take some getting use too! I think I love it?!.....

Humboldt Fire

2008-06-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what I was doing yesterday to have not noticed the huge looming black smoke cloud. I was getting ready to take Karlee to reading at 4 PM and looked out the window for the first time and saw what looked to be the south end of Chico burning. It was a bit strange driving to the California Park area with that huge gathering of smoke right there. As I got closer I could tell it was actually on the other side of Hwy 32 and the wind was definitely blowing southeast. The smoke was certainly deceiving - from my house it looked so much closer. We dropped Karlee off and went to the Galley over off Park Avenue. From that viewpoint you could tell the fire was burning in the canyon going towards the Skyway. After stopping by the Plant Barn to check up on things with my sister (who wasn't there) we decided to go up the Skyway to turn onto Bruce Road and see the fire from there. They had actually closed the Skyway at Bruce Road at that point. So we drove along Bruce and you could see the helicopters dropping the water. You could tell that the Doe Mill area appeared to be out of danger. We came out at Hwy 32 to head back to California Park to pick Karlee up. Kyle and I noticed that the helicopters were dipping into Sierra Lake . We had about 15 minutes until it was time to pick up Karlee so Kyle and I decided to head over and see if we could catch the helicopters coming in for the water. When we got there is was mildly crowded. Kyle and I crossed the street, and this was the moment I regretted. As I was stepping up onto the bridge I misjudged the height and fell flat on my face. Not a good moment for me..... So I now have a skinned knee and bruised wrist. And of course my ego was hurt a little. Good thing I have such a sweet boy! He of course ran back over to help me up and kept asking if I was okay. Fortunately we were quickly distracted by the helicopters coming in. At one point there were 4 helicopters hovering and taking turns getting the water and heading back to the fire. It was pretty awesome to see up close like that. I soon realized the crowd that had gathered was now triple the size. Some had even brought lounge chairs.....? We ended up bringing Karlee back to hopefully get a glimpse as well. But that wasn't the case - after waiting about 10 minutes we realized they had obviously moved on to another water source. On the 11 PM news reports they stated that no structures we involved but the fire had quickly grown to 6000 acres. I hope they get a handle soon. The winds don't seem to be as gusty as yesterday but they are still blowing and that is never good for fire. I'll be looking for updates here.

Electra

2008-06-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Electra Townie

Electra Cruiser Daisy

This is what I have-only dark blue and about 15 years old

Okay I have a new obsession! I really want a Townie.... What a cool bike! I think even my mom could ride this bike. She hasn't ridden a bike in many years - but I know this could be the bike for her...... Anyway back to my obsession! We went to Baskin Robbins one afternoon and this large group - what looked like two families came riding up on these bikes. Oh my gosh. Talk about cool. They each had there own theme and colors. But what struck me as cool was the ergonomic ease of the bike. The handle bars and foot peddles were so perfect for the rider. So of course I came home and researched them. And the Townie is all about flat foot technology. Which I know isn't new but they seem to have increased in popularity. Or maybe it's the marketing of other products that has gotten the bikes popular, like this commercial. Here is an article on the bike craze from the New York Observer. And yes I have a perfectly good bike - but it's a mountain bike and not designed for commuting. The handle bars make you bend over to far. You can't touch the ground when you stop. And if that weren't enough - the seat is far to small for my derriere!.....I know I can get a bigger seat. But that is simply not the point! Of course the price of gasoline has gotten me thinking about bikes these days. We got rid of our SUV when it started costing me $ 60.00 each time at the pump. And now my sedan is taking $60.00 worth at each fill up. I'm seriously considering riding our bikes to school next year. And Kevin is talking about getting the Honda 90 going again...... Personally I think he should be walking - and have felt that way for 9 years. He is so close to work. I'd be doing it if it were me...... So will we be making that 10 mile round trip commute in the future? It would be double for me. We'll see! It certainly wouldn't hurt!

We have a visitor.....

2008-06-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

If you haven't met Sophie yet - here she is.....

This is my sister's dog. We are dog sitting this weekend. It think the same thing can be said about dogs as is said about children - God made them so cute - so you don't hurt them. Is she not so adorable. She slept from 10 PM to 7 AM this morning - that was great! You know there is a but right? But she's pooped 3 times on my carpet and it hasn't even been 24 hours yet! And she's been outside a dozen times - for long stretches of time! So when my sister gets home I'll be recommending this book to her. I haven't had a puppy in the house for so many years! Although Sophie is already 8 months old - she is still very much a puppy. Kevin and I had a Yorkie for just over a year (unfortunately he was hit by car). He was great. But he too had pooping issues. I'm not sure if that is common for the breed or not. But I had the hardest time getting him to poop outside. Good thing we just LOVE Sophie. We'll get through this weekend - no problem! Thankfully I have the carpet cleaning guy already scheduled for Monday at 9 AM! That was just a coincidence.......

Fast Food Nation

2008-06-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

We watched this movie the other night. It was something I had recorded on the DVR. I've been doing that lately - I look ahead on the guide and record movie's we haven't seen before. I really wish I had just read the book. It looks far more interesting than the movie. The movie was just bizarre. It had so many story lines going I couldn't keep it straight (actually I could, I just didn't want to) - nor could I figure out what they all had to do with each other. And it had all these big name people in the movie with these tiny little parts. Weird I tell you. Kevin and I talked about it after and decided they were trying to say - you can't change things? Why........

And if that weren't enough there was lots of unnecessary cussing - which always makes me shake my head. Not that I'm opposed to cussing - I do plenty on my own. But in this case a 1/3 of the movie was in Spanish and you had to read the subtitles - which had foul words too. So not only were you hearing it you were reading it as well..... And now I'm curious how different the book is from the movie. I guess I'll have to hit the library!

But back to the DVR - now if that isn't a little slice of heaven than I'm done for! I just love it. I don't watch all that much TV anymore - but the TV I do watch is all done on my time schedule. And with no commercials! I had for a while been recording Law & Order: Criminal Intent because I had stopped watching TV for a bit and missed so many episodes. And now I'm all caught up and it's set to only record new episodes now. It only takes about 1/2 hour to watch a full hour show. How nice is that. Plus I can pause it when I need to. I'll have to find another show that I want to catch up on....... So I guess it's back to reality - today is the first day of summer vacation!

Edited to add another link (Thanks Dad!)

Our Salutatorian!

2008-06-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Durham Intermediate

Class of 2008

Definition: In the United States and Canada, the title of salutatorian is given to the second-highest graduate of the entire graduating class of an educational institution. This honor is traditionally based on grades and overall GPA, but consideration is also often given to other factors such as extracurricular activities. Or further clarification from my sister - she got a 3.96 or higher grade point average in 6th, 7th & 8th grade.....

And we are so proud of her! Congratulations Meghan!

Happy Anniversary Baby!

2008-05-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Jan. 1992

Today marks the day of our 15th Wedding Anniversary.....

WooHoo!

Our Wedding Day - May 29, 1993

I met Kevin in February 1988. I was living in So. California at the time. I had come up to Chico to visit my sister on a 3 day weekend. We were introduced at the Blue Max, which is no longer around - it's a music store now (across from Chico VW). We danced the night away. That was back in the day of the Ice House, which stayed open until 4 AM (It's now the Jesus Center). I remember thinking to myself what a great guy he seemed to be - to bad I was leaving to go back to Newbury Park come Monday morning. It was a couple months later when I received a phone call from this guy named Kevin, he asked if I remembered meeting him. Honestly we were in a large group and I had met a lot of people that night - so no I didn't remember him exactly. He also didn't say "I'm the one that danced with you all night". Anyway, he asked me if I'd like to go out to dinner with him. He was coming to Woodland Hills to help his Aunt move to the bay area. Because he didn't have a vehicle there he asked if I would meet him at his Aunt's house. I remember when I got there I was thinking I really don't know who it is that I'm meeting here. But when he came out of the room I was so relieved it was him. He was the one I was hoping it was - and that was it for me. I knew he was the one that I was going to marry. I went to work the next day and told the ladies that I worked with the same thing...... So I guess you can say the rest is history.

And here we are now - 2 kids, a home - Life's great! Easy? Never! Worth it - yes!

Farewell My Friend

2008-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

We'll miss you girl!

2-28-96 / 5-26-08

Jade.......

Round-Up!

2008-04-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

We went to the Red Bluff Round-Up today - and all had a great time. It was an eventful day for the crowd. I'm going to try to stay awake to watch the 11:00 news - just want to be sure no one was seriously injured - I don't think they were but it was hard to tell. They had a bull jump a 6-8 foot fence into the stands. Scary! Two young kids were carried off and at least two adults were injured as well. The event came to a halt at that point as they waited for the ambulances to return. In my nearly 20 years of attending - I'm going to put it all out there and say - that's never happened before. It was the 87th year - so maybe it's happened before - I seem to recall an incident in the North arena one year - but I don't think it was this extreme. I was just commenting to Kevin on the drive up there that I'd sure like to get seats in the section in front of us (it's all bleacher style seating - but the front section has backs to there seats). I think I'll stay right where we are.

Today they had the Clydesdale Budweiser Wagon Show - those horses are truly amazing. No matter how many times I've seen them - it's just spectacular! They also had the One-Arm Bandit again. He is a pretty talented rider. And he brings in two huge Buffalo that are also a part of his act - which I forget they are even around anymore. And of course the show started from the air - my favorite part of the day. A skydiver brings in the American Flag - it's a very nice tribute. We happen to enjoy going on Sunday, the final day of the event. The theme for the day is "Are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink". It's also a fundraising day for Breast Cancer. I learned today that in the last five years (the National Rodeo Association?) they have given 4.6 million dollars to the Susan G. Komen fund. I think that is awesome! Someone in the stands today bought a pair of pink chaps for $22,000.00! All for a good cause..... Also a fun part of today's events are the Wild Ride and the Wild Horse Race. The Wild Ride - the riders dress up in crazy outfits on bareback broncos - what a hoot! With the Wild Horse Race they have 10 teams and they try to saddle up a wild horse and ride it around the track and the first team to succeed wins - usually the horse comes around without the riders. They had lots of winners today. And some that traveled great distances to see their efforts over in less than 8 seconds.....

Surprise

2008-03-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

Just a regular cake mix
Ready for the oven
Yup - there done
Now the fun begins
Looks like stiff peaks to me
Be sure to put enough in the middle
Yummy!
This resembles my son's hair at times.....

My father-in-law celebrates his birthday on St. Patrick's day. And this year he happened to be in Puerto Rico. So I decided to surprise him on Wednesday evening with a cake sitting on his counter top when he got home...... He was definitely surprised and much appreciated! My husband's family started this tradition many, many years ago. I believe Kevin's grandmother use to make it for his dad when he was a little boy. I do remember Saralee telling me that Kent use to always say (I think only in the beginning) that it never tasted like the way his mom made it. I've had both Kevin & Kent tell me that mine doesn't taste like Saralee's. I'm okay with that - I'm using her exact recipe - and they never let a morsel go to waste...... It's been a few years since they've said that. But I have to tell you the way these men act over this cake - you instantly see 40 years shaved off their age. And the manipulation they use to get the most cake. They will fill your dinner plate with seconds and thirds if it means you won't have a slice of cake after dinner. It's really hilarious. My husband will break into song when he sees the cake - singing the Bill Cosby song "(Dad) Mom is great, give me some chocolate cake". I'm not quite as generous with my cake making - Kevin's parents when hosting the birthday child would make two cakes - one for the celebrant only and one for the guests! I'd rather make it and give it away. For me it's really only good on the first day. Yummy - Enjoy!

Seven Minute Frosting (I make 1.5 times) enough to frost 2 9-inch cakes

1 1/2 cups sugar (2 1/4)

1/3 cup cold water (1/2)

2 egg whites (3)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/4 + 1/8)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In the top of a double boiler combine sugar, cold water, egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
2. Place over boiling water (upper pan should not touch water), Cook, beating constantly with the electric mixer on high speed about 7 minutes or till frosting forms stiff peaks. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes more or till it reaches spreading consistency.

Dear.....

2008-03-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog,

I'm so sorry to abandon you. I think about you everyday with hopes of catching up with you. But it just doesn't happen. I will try harder in the future. I really think April will be a good month for me. I sit down at my computer and spend so much time reading other blogs that I just lose track of time and before you know it - times up! Please forgive me.....

Fondly,

Sheesha

Put a Fork in me.....

2008-03-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

This is how I'm feeling today.

I've been home with a sick child for 4 days now.......I'm done. I've had someone home with me pretty much since Feb. 11th - that's 3 weeks. Take your germs and go away! I don't want them.... The germs that is. I suppose it's the flu bug that has taken my children captive. We've had the high fever that has been knocking them down flat on there backs - followed by a lovely nasal thing. And poor Kyle, he now has pink eye. Yuck! And of course you mention the word Pink eye and my eyes start twitching. Now my hands are rough and dry - they've been scoured so many times. I'd really like to go back to my routine. A good night sleep would be just as lovely. It's not much to ask for. I miss the gym - I know it's missing me......I miss the peace of my quite home from 8 to 2:30......Maybe tomorrow......

You Know Your A Tater Tot When.....

2008-03-01T19:46:00.001-08:00

Tater Tot Casserole

Here is something I made the other night. I had a meeting to go to and my parents were coming to watch the kids because Kevin was working at the Burlingame office on Thursday and Friday. It's super easy and has only 5 ingredients! I set the timer on the oven to have dinner done by 6:15 - so when they got back from Basketball practice it would be all ready. The table was set and dinner was in the oven - what more could you ask for.... As I left for my meeting I told my parents I would be dazzling them with my cooking expertise! I found the recipe here. Of course I cut the recipe in half as I really don't need two 9x13 pans of the stuff! With a side of veggies you are set to go! Dinner in a flash. Not sure how much dazzling I did, but they had time to eat dinner, clean up and then run off to ice cream before I got home at 7:10. It is a perfect solution for our busy lives between school, sports and homework!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

1 lb ground turkey cooked, seasoned, drained

1 1/2 2lb bags tater tots

1 cans cream of mushroom

1 cans evaporated milk

1 cans cream of chicken

Brown meat & place in 9x13 dish. Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together. Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour. Enjoy!

There Goes Another One

2008-02-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well this one certainly came and went without a hitch! The dark cloud I was under last year seems to have lifted. I had no weeks of depression like I did last year. And that's such a good thing! We were invited to go to Kevin's dads' for dinner on my birthday - but earlier in the day it changed to dinner out my choice and they brought a German Chocolate Cake from Upper Crust - nice treat! I believe it's the next best thing to homemade.....I didn't bring my camera to dinner, but I thought it was so lovely I just had to snap what was left when we got home! This song below is the first thing I thought of when I started this post - reflecting back over the last year - I'd have to say I've song these words many times. They seem very true for me or they must be sticking in my head! Or we have Hannah Montana on way too much! Bottom lines is: Life's What You Make It.

Don't let no small frustration

Ever bring you down

No no no no

Just take a situation

And turn it all around

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay mad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

Laugh about it and you'll see

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Why be sad, broken hearted?

There's so much to do

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Life is hard or

It's a party

The choice is up to you

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay sad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

I know you wanna party with me

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on

Lets celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide 'Cause life's...what you make it

Things are looking up

Any time you want

All you gotta do is realize that

It's under your control

So let the good times rock and roll

Ow!Da da da do it nowAaaaaaaaaaaaaahOW!

Alright

Yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Let's celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide'Cause life's...what you make it

Life is what you make it

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

You are my heart, my hope, my help,

The passion that is me,

The whole of which I am a part,

My peace, my ecstasy.

You are my future, present, past,

My ship, my sail, my ocean,

The wind that brings me home again,

The home for every motion.

You live within me, yet I am

Without you all alone.

With you I am full of light;

Without you I am stone.

Is this foolish? Yes, perhaps,

But also it is true.

I think of life as something I

Can spend with only you.

Ah, my love! Love longs for such

Sweet celebrants as this!

Love is a burden and a joy,

Slavery and bliss.

This day of love come love with me,

Come sing with me my song.

Come be my Valentine, and I

Will love you my life long, my love,

Will love you my life long.

Headlines

2008-02-13T09:44:00.001-08:00

Kevin brought home Sunday and Mondays' paper yesterday which was a real treat for me. I'm not really sure how long it's been since we gave up the daily paper. At first it was a real struggle for me as I savored my morning routine of breakfast and reading the paper. I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover - something you really can't do via the internet. The paper comes to the office and no one reads it so Kevin had said he'd just bring it home for me. A few times I've grabbed it when down there and there have been a few times that he's brought two weeks worth home for me. Sadly, I carried it right back outside to the green recycle can. Thanks for the thought - but really old news is just that!

So today I got around to reading Sunday's paper and came across this article. And AP Writer Ted Anthony pretty much summed it up for me! This is exactly why I've not missed the paper - or the news for that matter. I have the attitude that if it's important someone let me know. The rest is just too much! Seems to me that my dad found a site for happy news - I need to find that again. I'm so sick of celebrity news, which seems to have the front run these days. Who cares!

And to completely contradict what I've just said - I have found a new TV program that is at the top of my DVR list. It's Chelsea Lately. This gal is laugh out loud funny! She has a great (dry) sense of humor - and so sarcastic! Love it! I know it's not nice to make fun of other people - but she is so right on you can't help but laugh! Yes it is celebrity news - but it's more about the celebrity tales that won't end...... And she really makes fun of the media and there overhype on everything! So if I have to endure celebrity news - I'll take it this way - Laughing out Loud!

BTW - does anyone know why Blogger spell check is no longer working?.......

Must or Dust

2008-02-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Standing here like soldiers
Priced at 31 cents - they have got to be old
Here you can see the varying ages - by price of course

Considering the fact that I have issues with germs - it's really surprising to me that I found these in my cupboard recently. The spice cupboard has never really been my source of attention - it's Kevin's really, he's the spicer in the family. Not to say that I don't use spices I really do, but only when it's called for! And I have to use a stool to reach anything above the first shelf anyway. So imagine my surprise when I started emptying the cupboard when I was cleaning and relining the shelves. Good heavens! One of the brown boxes has a date of Aug, 1980 on it. Clearly, the 31 cent boxes are from the 60's or possibly the 50's. Kevin's grandmother was a big time canner. A weekend project two weeks ago was cleaning out the basement - and boy was that a treat! There are still lots of treasures down there. But we did toss out a huge amount of glass jars (I shouldn't say toss out - we recycled them). Our basement has never been that clean - it's probably been decades since it has been that clean. It was a great source of accomplishment. I wish I could say the same for the boxes of cinnamon.......I'm having a hard time throwing them away now.........I must have other issues as well........ Now if you are worried about how old your spices are do a little reading here. You can also find lots of colorful ads for sale on ebay of your old spices. I'll keep working on tossing those boxes of old, very old cinnamon sticks - that no longer smell of cinnamon!

Yummy!

2008-02-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

Only 6 ingredients
These remind me of the scones I use to get at Steam & Bean

My kids just love these - could it possibly be the Chocolate Chips in them?...... They are always requesting Chocolate Chips in there pancakes. Around the holidays I found some Milk & White Chocolate Chips at Raley's and have been using them - nice twist! I'll share the recipe with you. They are super easy and yummy!

Chocolate Chip Scones

2 cups Original Bisquick mix

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Additional whipping (heavy) cream

Additional sugar

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray with cooking spray or grease cookie sheet. Stir Bisquick mix, chocolate chips, 1/3 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, the egg and vanilla until soft dough forms.

2. Pat into 8-inch circle on cookie sheet (if dough is sticky, dip fingers in Bisquick). Brush circle with additional whipping cream; sprinkle with additional sugar. Cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate.

3. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown; carefully separate. Serve warm. 8 scones.

Enjoy!

More From the Magic Kingdom

2007-12-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

So we finished off our first day (and I'm only highlighting the big ones) with the Tower of Terror and the Grizzly River Run. For me the best thing of the whole trip was the Tower of Terror. I hope to never forget the experience. The unexpected thrill of the ride was amazing. I think I was so scared that it gave me the giggles. I could not stop laughing. Kyle was sitting next to my dad and the poor kid was just terrified. I had my purse with me and had stuck my leg through the strap and it was a darn good thing I did because first thing it went flying up and got caught on my knee. My mom said my hair was standing straight up. When I think about it even now two months later - I get the biggest smile on my face and have to hold the giggles in. My kids even forgave me by the next day and wanted to go back for more! If you haven't been on that ride - you have just got to go! I think for me the greatest thing I got from the trip would be the 1st time experiences my kids had - to see the expressions on there faces was priceless.....And lets not forget the Grizzly River Run - our last ride of the day. And don't think we didn't plan it that way - we were soaked!

And then it was Wednesday and we were off to Disneyland! And our first stop was Goofy's Kitchen to see if we could get a table and how long we'd have to wait for it. I had called the night before to make reservations and the guy kinda laughed at me....But we did great - only about 40 minutes, if that. It was very fun - I'm glad I didn't let the guy on the phone discourage me. We took advantage of all the photo ops too!

As we entered Disneyland I had that overwhelming urge to recognize something - but it wasn't until we got to Frontier Land that I was finally able to say "Okay, I remember this". Not sure if it's changed that much - I just wasn't able to recall it from my memory. Surprise, Surprise! We did all of the big attractions - although we never made it back to the Finding Nemo ride - that was the only ride that had a tremendous line. I did force my family to take the Jungle Cruise - they really didn't think it would be fun. But of course, after we exited they agreed with me - it's hilarious! I think I liked Splash Mountain and the Matterhorn the best. No wait I liked Space Mountain too! That was great. Karlee and mom skipped that one. For some reason Karlee got it into her head that she didn't want to go on it. I think she would have really liked it - but she and mom had fun wandering the nearby stores while waiting for us to exit.

We again ended our day with the Grizzly River Run which had no line and we went on it 4 times in a row and just drenched ourselves! Karlee and I had started on the ride first while Kyle and Kevin went to Soarin' Over California again. Karlee and I happened to see Kyle and Kevin take off as we exited, so we ran up to the viewing point and watched them get absolutely soaked by the big geyser! Then we talked them into going again with us - Kevin was pretty sceptical at first - but then figured he was already soaked to the bone what difference did it make.....

That evening we ended the night with the downtown Disney Parade. What a treat. We had trouble finding a place to eat and were worried that we'd miss it or be so far back as to not be able to see anything - but it all worked out in the end! Definitely worth it! Hindsight I think I'd try harder to get there earlier for curbside seating.....

Table Talk

2007-12-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

We were listening to Christmas music while eating dinner tonight and the song Merry Christmas from the Family by the Dixie Chicks came on and this discussion ensued.

Me: I just love this song, I think it's funny

Karlee and Kyle: Me too!

Kevin: I'm not a big Dixie Chick fan

Karlee: Why daddy?

Kevin: Well I think they sing fine, I just don't like there political view point

Kyle: Do they sing about that daddy?

Kevin: Well.....

Karlee: Do they say cuss words daddy?

Kyle: Like P!nk? She says a** (he didn't say it - he spelled it)

Karlee: Yeah Daddy P!nk says lots of French words - she uses all the French words in her songs

Kevin: French words?

Karlee: You know daddy, like when you say "Excuse my French" after you say a cuss word.

Lovely!......Proud moment! I guess my kids have figured out why I turn the volume down and then back up on certain songs.....

The Happiest Place on Earth

2007-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

So we got to Disneyland with no troubles. I sat in the van on the way from the airport looking for something familiar and never found it. I lived in Brea, not far from Disneyland, until I was 9. I did live in the valley for about 2 years after high school - but that is very far removed from Orange County. But I do have some fond memories of going to Disneyland a couple of times with Carolee and Koriann when I lived with them - our favorite ride was the Jungle Cruise.

So the first day we did California Adventure and I have so say, all in all, that was my favorite part of the park during the day. We did the Soarin' over California first to warm the kids up, then went straight on to California Screamin'.....See how much fun we had......

I'm not sure really who had the most fun: the adults? or the children? I guess I didn't say that part.....My parents treated our kids to Disneyland and we just tagged along. My parents have taken each of their grandchildren when they turn 8 to Disneyland. We saved them a trip and waited until Kyle was tall enough to go on all of the rides (we only stuffed his shoes with paper towels on one ride - Autopia). What a blast. Okay more later!

On Our Way

2007-12-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

Kyle in the cockpit!
Trying on the face mask....

Well the time has come for me to finally post about our trip to Disneyland in October. This may be the first of a few installments because I have decorations to put out and things to do today! So our trip began at the Sacramento Airport and as we were loading onto the plane, the stewardess grab Kyle and took him into the cockpit with the pilots. He was in there for quite a while. I finally handed my camera to her and asked her to take some pictures. On his way out they handed him a packet with crayons and coloring book - and of course his own set of wings. We were flying Southwest and were all pretty shocked that they treated Kyle to going into the cockpit. At the time I wasn't sure if this was now standard practice or not. But when heading home they took Karlee in there as well - didn't get a picture of that - but she got to talk over the intercom and said hello to all of us from inside the cockpit. So I'm still not sure if its common practice to do that these days, my kids happened to be the only kids on the flight both directions. All I know is that they will remember it for a long time. I'll be back with more!

A Bit Strange

2007-11-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

Do you ever check out who comes to see you on your blog each day?... The places they live - Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Poland, New Zealand, Brazil, Dallas, TX and Europe.....And how they find you?.....Apparently Sheesha's Spot when using google generates a lot on it's own. Like: broke sheesha (I wanted to write back and say "How did you know") or sheesha recipe (they must know I love to cook, but do they know I can't follow a recipe to save my life). And sheesha fabric? It's interesting when someone googles and ends up on my blog, some I saw were: brown sugar and contractions (huh?), 50's Martini Art and Vodka Martini - Dirty (yes I posted about Martini's, but I don't know anything about Martini Art - nor do I like Martini's) and someone googled "Johnny, Jack, Jim, Jose" and got another one of my posts. And oddly enough another google attempt landed someone on my blog with "recipe for la hacienda dressing....." Good luck with that one! I hear the owner is the only one that has that recipe and only he makes it daily!..... I only know this because Kevin worked there many years ago. I do hope they find what they're looking for.....

I choose Sheesha's Spot as I'm not very creative and went with it - my oldest niece named me Sheesha when she first started talking and it stuck with her. My sister still calls me that and my brother sometimes - my parents never. And I have a few friends from high school that still call me that. My youngest niece and nephew I'm not sure if it'll stick with them. I've always felt special when called Sheesha - maybe I should rethink that!

The definition of Sheesha is:

Noun: sheesha
An oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water- hookah, narghile, nargileh, shisha, chicha, calean, kalian, water pipe, hubble-bubble, hubbly-bubbly
Type of: pipe, tobacco pipe
Encyclopedia: Sheesha

And might look something like this:

This is an Egyptian hookah. So now I've learned something new! My day is complete.

Pecan Sticky Buns.....Yummmm.....!

2007-11-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

My friend Mary gave me this recipe over the phone last spring because I was having a Breakfast meeting at my house and wanted something sweet to go with the fruit and strata's. And this instantly became a family favorite in our house. We even made it while camping this summer. I made it the day after Thanksgiving because my husband insisted that my family needed to be treated to the deliciousness. I'm pretty sure my sister and youngest niece had had it before with us - but not my parents and brother. Everyone was fine with a light breakfast after the day before - but no! So my dad was asking for the recipe before I had finished and snapping pictures after it came out of the oven - we joked a bit about just leaving it on the counter for photo ops.....And the multiple flashes were messing up the picture taking as Shannon was in there as well with her camera phone! And then Dad was emailing me before I got home that he had already bought the biscuits and really needed the recipe - please, please he said. So I ran into him on Monday and quickly scribbled it out for him from memory. Not sure if he's made it yet - but he did do this. Beat me to it....Can you even believe it! So here is the recipe if you are so inclined to make it yourself!

1 (4-pack) Buttermilk biscuits
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 1/2 cubes Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 to 1 1/2 cups Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350. You'll need a gallon size Ziploc bag and a bundt pan. First sprinkle bottom of pan with nuts. Pour 1 cup sugar & 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon into Ziploc bag - shake until equally mixed. Using kitchen shears - cut biscuits into 1/4 and drop into bag while shaking to coat evenly. About a handful at a time - too many and they will clump together. Continue layering with more pecans interspersed throughout. In a sauce pan over medium to low heat add butter, brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Stir until melted and mixed together. Pour evenly over bundt pan. Bake for 20 minutes (this is what the recipe calls for - I've never had it cook for less than 40) or until golden brown (I remove from oven and use a knife to check biscuits in the middle). Enjoy!

We Miss You....

2007-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

God saw you getting tired and

a cure was not to be, so He put

his arms around you and

whispered, "Come to Me"...

With tearful eyes we watched

you and saw you fade away:

although we loved you dearly,

we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Your hard working hands put

to rest. God broke our hearts to

prove to us He only takes the

best.

11-16-04

China Free Christmas

2007-11-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.chinafreechristmas.info/

For anyone buying gifts this year - I think it's worth your time to read.

What can you do....

2007-11-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling the need to post to this blog. But my life has been so crazy busy lately where would I begin.....I still haven't even downloaded the pictures from Disneyland. That's what happens when you buy a 4 GB card.....I think the last time I looked I had 376 pictures on the card. Yikes. That sounds like a sorting nightmare!

This was in the paper the other day..... I had emailed the article & photo a few weeks ago and had completely forgotten about it until I went to school to drop off the kids and a few people came up to me and said "Hey great picture in the paper". And of course I had the deer in the headlights look. Yikes - I don't like to have my picture taken. But what can you do! We are off to Kyle's last Basketball game this morning!

Coffee Drinks Illustrated | Lokesh Dhakar

2007-10-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking all coffee shops should have this posted somewhere - awesome. I'm always intimidated when I get to the counter. There is always an awkward moment for me. Like I'm going to be judged on how quickly and accurately I can order. And then the (unintentionally I'm sure) pressure from the person behind me if I'm not decisive enough......Yikes! This is probably why I prefer the drive through! Check it out for yourself! Thanks dad for sending me the link - it was just what I needed!

Coffee Drinks Illustrated Lokesh Dhakar

Check out the Chicks!

2007-10-02T15:44:00.001-07:00

The Flower Floozie's are just a bit crazy!....You can find lots of friendly folks at the Barn!
Wow! One year and counting!....

The last year has been great fun at the Plant Barn. My sister has done an amazing job turning it around and really making it a great nursery. She has people coming there on a daily basis in droves. What an amazing accomplishment - she had a dream and now she's living it. Not a lot of people ever get to achieve that. She is very much in her element - she's putting her teaching degree to use everyday by teaching people about plants as well. So anyway - just wanted to wish her a happy anniversary and tell her how proud I am of her! And, You Go Girl!.....

Monster Cookies

2007-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Dough - Kevin wouldn't stay out of it....
Karlee having a taste - she loved it....

The finished product!

The weather just seemed right for baking cookies this afternoon. I found this recipe on Bisquick.com and thought we'd try it out. Not sure it's something I'd make often as I don't always have M & M's around the house. I had bought everything to make up at the cabin last weekend and then couldn't find the recipe until we were ready to go home. And then all week I've tried to interest the kids into making cookies with me with no luck. I tried last night and then realized that I had no brown sugar.....

They were very easy to make - but we only got 16 cookies out of the recipe. Which really is enough. And fresh out of the oven they are delicious. So here's the recipe for you too.

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening - I used 1 stick of butter

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups Original Bisquick mix

1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1 cup candy-coated chocolate candies - I used plain M & M's

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired - I used walnuts

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients.

2. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart. Flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness with bottom of glass that has been greased and dipped into granulated sugar.

3. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; carefully remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 11 to 14 minutes.

The Birthday Girl!

2007-09-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

And then she was nine!....

Wow how time flies! I can't believe my kids are 9 and 7 already....I really miss the baby stage at times - though not enough to have more. We are at a really good stage and life sometimes seems more simple. If that's possible really. I just love my kids though - and it seems weird that you think you couldn't love them anymore and yet each day brings more. And I love their unconditional love for everyone......

I've told the story of Karlee so many times that it still seems like yesterday. I was due to have Karlee on Oct. 20th. And on the morning of Sept. 12th my sister picked me up at 6:30 AM to go yard saling (sp?). Around 9 AM we were north of town, out off of Garner Lane and my little bladder could handle it no more. I made someone ask the homeowners if I could use the bathroom. So short of giving you the graphic details I came out and told my sister it was time to get me home (as it appeared that my mucus pull was starting to descend). Oddly enough we'd gone to our 2nd Lamaze class on Wednesday and I'd learned about that. I had also on Friday been to interview our pediatrician - whom I loved instantly and had said "I'll see you in about 6 weeks". I wasn't really concerned at this point and didn't really discuss it to much with anyone and I didn't call the doctor. I really had just decided that it would happen sooner rather than later. And besides I had a big day ahead and had things to get done. We were at the time a part of a dinner club that met every other month and tonight was our turn. So I was having 16 people for dinner and needed to finish the preparations. Of course two hours before the guests were set to arrive my husband decided that now would be a good time to tear out the bathroom floor in our bedroom. So I had to stop what I was doing and run to La Hacienda to get the dressing, then to La Comida to get the bucket of chips and then to his parents house to get the table toppers and more folding chairs. We were making a little cantina in our summer house. My sister had helped me with the decorations and we even had a stuffed guy sitting on sand in a chair with an umbrella, and a bucket of corona's. Too cute! So anyway - dinner went off without a hitch and the last couple left at 11:45 PM and I was in bed by Midnight. I remember waking up around 3 AM and hearing a popping sound and then feeling a trickle - I woke Kevin up and he came over and did a little looky loo and informed me that I had just wet myself. So I got up and waddled to the other bathroom (because remember I now have NO floor in my bathroom) and was still having trickling down my leg. So again - no need for the graphics here - I called the hospital at this point and said that I was 34 weeks along and had signs of the mucus plug and water breaking and they said I'd need to come in. Of course I'm thinking I've only had 3 hours sleep after being up for more than 18 hours and I want to go back to sleep. So we go down to the hospital and I remember telling Kevin that this was just practice as there was no way they would keep me I still have nearly 6 weeks to go - I didn't even pack a bag (which I would later regret) And all they would tell me is to take it easy and no baths or swimming!..... So we get into my room and it's just before 4 AM - I try calling my sister a couple of times and they aren't picking up. So we are just waiting around for a doctor to come in, my water has broken and I'm dilated to 2 and completely effaced. Of course they are telling me it's too early and they want to stop the contractions and labor.

So after nearly 24 hours of trying to stop the labor by giving me magnesium sulfate (which was just about the worse thing ever - I remember the nurse apologizing to me before injecting me with it) and getting two doses of steroids in to develop the lungs quicker, our Karlee Grace was born on Monday, September 14th at 7:22 AM. She came out with the cord wrapped around her little neck twice - yikes! But the little peanut was 5 lbs. 3 ounces and breathing on her own! And Dr. Tedford was right there when she came out - and he is just the most calming person anyone could meet. Nothing like the female doctor that delivered Karlee and never said a word about anything that was going on - just barking orders like "roll over onto your hands and knees". Huh? I thought I was pushing this baby out....Karlee only stayed in the Neonatal unit for three days and then Dr. Tedford was able to get us a private room in the pediatric unit until Friday so I was able to stay with her. She was about 4 lbs. 8 oz. when we came home - we had one home visit on Saturday and that was it - no complications what so ever. I remember going to her 8 week check up and Dr. Tedford telling me that if I went to another pediatrician they'd never know she was a preemie. She caught up in record time. Of course she slept for about 20 hours a day for the first few weeks home - which of course was heavenly! She is still the best sleeper in the house! And I love it..... And I love her even more! She is independent, stubborn, curious, artsy, smart and beautiful in my eyes! She has beautiful blue eyes and the greatest curls you've ever seen - which she tries to hide everyday. She's not afraid to try things and is a huge animal lover. She thinks everyone is her best friend and is very caring. Just a love I tell you......Happy Birthday, Karlee Grace!

I do have funny recollections of my hospital stay. The magnesium sulfate made me feel like I was burning up and everyone in the room had sweaters and sweatshirts on as the thermostat was down to 68 degrees. I remember my friend Susan was putting wash cloths on me after dipping them in an ice bucket and the wash cloth would turn warm in a matter of seconds. And then of course there was the puking that came with it as well - though not quite so funny there. But then there was also the time when it came time for coaching and Kevin and my sister got in my face and we're telling me this and that and I told them they needed to both go brush there teeth or stay out of my face (and I heard later how they were insulted by this as I had been puke girl and had not brushed my teeth either), whatever!

Mommies Checking Out

2007-09-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

So I'm heading up to the cabin this weekend after a long absence for a Girl's Weekend with friends. And I'm bringing all my rowdy friends with me. You know Johnny, Jack, Jim, Jose, Captain Morgan and Franny! And don't forget Sgt. Peppermint - now that's my fav! Just kidding!....

But seriously, I have to say I'm ready! Not that I want to be away from my kids - they've been great. It's just that life has been throwing me some curve balls lately and I'm completely run down. And need to checkout for a bit. Since school started on the 21st of Aug. I've not stopped running. I only wish literally. But really how do I fit going to the gym into my day - and frankly with the loss of my iPod - do I really want to go anyway......

Yes I did say iPod (it was right up there near the top of precious things to me) and it's gone. It was stolen from my car, parked in my driveway. Yes darn it I forgot to lock it when I got out, and yes I left it in my car, but gosh darn it - you took my joy. Can I have it back, please? And you can leave my son's backpack too! He'll be happy to have it back as well! You loser. Okay, see I feel better, yeah well not really.

Would you really believe me if I told you about my day last Friday? Probably not, but I'll give it a shot - ha, that was truly the beginning of it. Last Friday I dropped the kids off at school and went to my doctor's office to get my TB test done. I had left my cell phone in my car - because you see that's just what I do, I don't want to bother other people with my phone ringing, if it's important you can leave me a message and I'll call you back (when I get back to the car - get over it). So naturally I have a message - it's my husband, he broke down on the freeway and needed a ride. So I promptly give him a call, but I've missed the boat and his dad is already on the way to pick him up - I actually passed him on Mangrove and wondered to myself - wonder where he's going......So I continued on with my day and then picked the kids up at 12 o'clock. Of course sometime in between there my phone rang and I didn't hear it or I had no service - so sure enough I have another message from my husband. While heading out to the car we called him as we had planned to meet for lunch. But apparently when he was dropped off at home to get the truck, it wouldn't start. So we decide that I'm going to stop and get some lunch and bring it home. No problem, we pull into Chipotle and grab some lunch, I noticed when turning into the parking lot that it's really tough to turn the wheel. And thinking that I have a service appt. for next week I'll just have them check it out. But of course as I'm walking past the car I noticed that I have a flat tire......We climb back into the car and I decide that I'll limp home and all will be fine (really it was okay - it wasn't on the rim). We get home and go into the house to have lunch and this is when I messed up and forgot to lock the door - in my mind I was coming back out to take the car in to be fixed. We'll one thing led to another and it didn't happen. It wasn't until we came home late Sunday night after dinner with friends that I had my keys in my hand and hit the lock bottom on my car - which was odd as we hadn't even been driving it. So Monday morning we decided to head to Lake Oroville on the boat and I'm thinking I need the iPod. But no. The. iPod. Is. Gone.

And now all I can think about is the time I spent loading 2200+ songs on there so far......Fortunately, if I ever get another one the songs are still on my iTunes account. And I can play that from my computer. But the reason I got the iPod is to go to the gym and to play in my car - I don't have a CD player in my car, I only have a cassette deck. Go figure. Oh and the radio. And I love music. I love to sing at the top of my lungs when no one is around (and sometimes even when they are), I always have music playing. I know all the words to songs and if not I find them on the Internet and memorize them. Funny thing about that, I can memorize words to songs no problem - but I struggle with the whole "where are my keys or where is my cell phone".....Hmmmmm.........So I guess I'm the loser - in more ways than one.....

Sunrise....Sunset....

2007-08-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

Sunrise.....
Sunset.....

This is the beautiful sunset my niece was talking about on her blog. It seems like those are the pictures I always take.....I forget to grab the camera when the kids are doing something fun or what not. My collection has years and years worth of sunsets. This year I messed with the settings on my camera and got some different pictures and that was cool. This sunset picture was taken during the Antelope Complex Fire and the sky was just beautiful. We were fortunate enough to only have one day of smoke in the air, the rest of the time the smoke was hanging over the mountain ranges that surround the lake. The sunrise picture - surprising that I caught it really - was more about the mist that was hanging over the lake. I had never really seen it like that in the summer time. And sure enough about an hour later the mist was gone. The kids and I were so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend a good deal of time up at the lake. And the best times are during the week when the population goes down so much. You can have a whole day and see only 1 or 2 boats on the lake - now that is peaceful!

Back to reality! The kids start school on Tuesday. Yeah! - They got the teachers I wanted for them....! On Monday they have a back-to-school picnic that I hope that I can make - if civic duty interruptous doesn't take that away from me - I'll be happy. I thought about postponing my jury duty but last time my group was dismissed the Friday before, no such luck this time! Bummer. I had a scheduled appt. for service on my car for Monday, that I'll have to reschedule now. And I can't miss the first day of school on Tuesday. What fun is being a stay-at-home mom if you miss the first day of school......I'm already dreading the drive out there. Had it not been for this article in the paper a few weeks ago I probably wouldn't be so anxious about it. All that mess makes me nervous. The Butte County Fair starts on Wednesday so I know we'll be making a few trips to Gridley and have to pass through there multiple times. Yuck! So I'm having a change of heart - yesterday it was that my group would not be called - now I'm going with "I'll be dismissed within the first hour"!....Now say that with me...."She'll be dismissed within the first hour".....Keep going.....The power of the secret.....I should finish that book!

Our Fashionista

2007-08-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

This is how I found Karlee one day in the kitchen watching the boob tube..... This is the girl that changes her clothes 5 times a day.....She can't just throw a shirt on - it's two shirts minimum and layered just so.....Usually with a belt around her waist. And apparently this is the appropriate way to lay on the kitchen floor when wearing a skirt!

I'm sure I have a little to do with the fashion thing - although I fail miserably at it myself - so not sure where she's gotten that part of it. But when she was little I loved dressing her up. I had some great hand me downs from my sister and I liked shopping for her. Which is kind of funny considering how much I dislike shopping all together! I think it's the art smart thing coming through. Now if I could get her to care about her room the same way she does her clothes I'd have it made!.....She's always good for putting a smile on my face though.....

Happy Birthday Baby!

2007-08-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

I can still remember this day exactly from seven years ago. At this time (2:15 PM) we were just getting into the room at the hospital. I remember not really knowing what would actually happen. I remember telling my sister early in the morning that I thought today was the day and she left to go to Westwood to pick up my 16 year old niece who was going to view the birth (we called it good birth control). Anyway I called my husband around 9 AM and told him that the pain was about every 5 minutes and he said he'd finish things up around the office and come home. I called my mom who had spent the weekend with me as Kevin had been out of town, she'd gone home on Monday and here it was the next morning and it was time - I guess it was all the walking around Costco we'd done the day before. I then called my mother-in-law at work and told her she'd need to come to the house and watch Karlee as it was time. Of all days, she car pooled and didn't have a way home. My sister called about 10 AM to tell me that she'd had road construction all the way up there but that she was on her way back and she'd get there as soon as she could - I told her that Shannon would have to stay with Karlee until Saralee got there from work. Around 10 AM I called the doctors office and explained that the contractions had been every 5 minutes for the last hour. She told me that I'd need to get the hospital before too long. About an hour later Kevin still wasn't home and I called him again as now I was doubling over with each contraction and he said he'd be there before too long. My sister got there around 12:30 and Kevin was still not there. We were considering leaving without him but he finally got there about 1:30 and they jumped into the car and off we went - I remember how weird it was driving down the street towards the hospital in the middle of the day - everyone carrying on in there normal lives as we were on our way to bring a new life into the world. Strange! Anyway the nurse checked us into the room and left us and then the pain was really coming. My sister went out into the hallway looking for the nurse because she thought I was ready to start pushing and the nurse came back into the room like a 1/2 hour later and she was like "oh, I guess we better get the doctor here". At one point my sister whispered into my ear that she had a meeting to go to at 5:30 and could I hurry it up a bit. And sure enough there was my beautiful baby boy - Kyle Warren, 7 lbs. 8 oz., 21 inches, born at 4:08 PM. The nurse said at one point that it was a good thing I got into the car at the time I did or I might have had my baby at home.... I got to hold Kyle before they cleaned him up and it was amazing. I think I knew it was a boy the whole time. It was the same for me with Karlee - I was sure it was a girl the whole time. We didn't have any girls names picked out. Just Kyle - and so there it is......He's my love!

Matching DNA?

2007-07-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

I think this is so funny.....They seriously have matching heads!

My boys.....

Okay so here's the story behind this. One evening I was sitting at my desk and Kevin & Kyle were sitting in the chair behind me. I turned around only to see the backs of there heads and was astonished to find that they matched. They have the same smile as well. When Kevin's aunt sees Kyle she tells me that he looks just like Kevin when he was a little boy. She says the same thing about Karlee but I'm not convinced.....The color in Kyle's hair is from the color gel they put in it when he gets his haircut. Oh joy....! Must have been a hair cut day for the boys.

And We're Off (Part 2)

2007-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

And this is our room (and now it really is a room with a door)
My sister's favorite bed.......
The livingroom with the new windows
The kids room (or sort of).....

And We're Off!

2007-06-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

And this is where you'll find us.....

So the bags are getting packed and the last bit of shopping will be done in the morning. And then it's "See Ya!" We're getting out of the heat - I hear it's coming. We leave in the morning and aren't coming back until the 15th. We are going to the lake for our annual 4th of July trip - later than usually - but I'm going to let that one go...... I'm looking forward to spending time on the boat, going for walks, hanging out in the sun and playing with my kids on the lawn. We found our Bocce ball set last weekend and plan to have a game or two! We have our bikes up there too.

And there are just a few things left to do from the remodel - hang up a tool holder and finish the electrical in the lean-to. And then it's done! I guess I still have to pick out window coverings for our bedroom - the windows are so beautiful now I hate to cover them up. Kevin did such a great job on all of the wood work. I love how he kept as much of the old knotty pine wood as he could. It's been a long haul, but so worth it. Last year at this time we spent our nights on the floor in the living room. We'd roll up the sleeping bags in the morning and lean an old mattress against the wall til night fall. We basically camped inside the cabin last summer. We didn't have running water until mid June and no shower until the 3rd of July. Having Kevin's Aunt & Uncle nearby saved us from stinking up the neighborhood. Prior to that we stayed in a trailer. We love being there that it didn't deter us. It was funny to us that know one else wanted to come and stay unless they had a bed to sleep in......Oh Well!

So be sure and visit me again after the 15th - I'm sure I'll have some new photos to share and I'll give you the update! Happy 4th of July!

Toothless Grin

2007-06-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

2 hours, 59 minutes later......

Kyle had to have 4 teeth pulled last Thursday. My kids have both missed a step when it comes to teeth - they get new teeth before the old ones come out.... So we took Kyle in for his teeth to be pulled and I had know idea what to expect. We had a follow-up visit to the orthodontist on Monday and they sent us back to the dentist. Since they are both in the same complex we just went straight over to make the appt. When I asked Kyle if he wanted to do it on that Thursday he flew under the coffee table in the waiting area and said "I'm not getting my teeth pulled". Of course I was mortified and thought great....... So anyway it all worked out we made the appt. and on Thursday morning Kyle woke up early, got dressed and came into my room and said "Mom is today the day?" I'm thinking how do I answer that one - So in my big girl grown up voice I tell him - you bet it is....!?! So we go through the process and Kyle was great - no tears, no screaming, no kicking - and thankfully no shoe print on his forehead! You know from my foot on there holding him down!.....

So on our way out the door Dr. Lange tells me to keep him out of the pool until at least 3 pm - of course this is when I go into panic mode. He also says have him rest for a couple of hours, you know take it easy. Yeah right! My kids practically live in the pool these days and half the pool water ends up on the outside from all the jumping. Had I been smart I'd have fed the kids before the 12 noon appt., but remember I just said I wasn't smart. So I took them to Blockbuster to get a video and then next door to get a milkshake at Baskin Robbins and we were still in the pool by 2:59. Whew!

Happy Father's Day!

2007-06-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my Dad!

Make it a great day!

We Love you!!

Fresh Pik'd

2007-06-13T09:00:00.001-07:00

These will be crisp by sunset.....
And these will be mine very soon......

I love this season. Though it's far too short. And if your not diligent you'll miss it all. You have to go out really early or it's far to hot to enjoy picking them. I love to go out first thing in the morning when the sprinkler dew is still around. You have to have a lot of patience picking. If you grab to fast you'll stick yourself or drop the fruit. This morning I had the cats with me - a new experience. They just get right in there - which I figured was good for me, keeping any critters at bay! Once when my sister was picking she came across a snake - yuk! So I'm always a little apprehensive. But my bowl was full quickly this morning and I didn't have to work so hard at it. We missed the vital weed picking and now if you pull them the fruit will drop so it's somewhat challenging - but worth it. So please come pick!

Summer Lovin'

2007-06-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Summer lovin' had me a blast, Summer lovin' happened so fast, I met a girl (Karlee) crazy for me, Met a boy (Kyle) cute as can be, Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights, Uh Well-a well-a well-a huh, Tell me more, tell me more.......

Hit Me Baby One More Time

2007-06-09T11:15:00.001-07:00

From my "Omega Nu Sisters".....

And from my husband.....

It's a little strange to have two new pieces on my mantel. I was first shocked at my last Omega Nu event when I was presented with the beautiful green vase as a thank you to my past year as president. It was so thoughtful, I was just delighted and shocked. It was certainly unexpected. I just love Orient & Flume and am very intrigued by the work the artists do. You can see a little of that here. We'll have to make it to Orient & Flume this summer and sit outside the windows and watch them work. I once saw a documentary on the discovery channel of glass blowers and it was amazing to watch. I remember going to some sort of flea market, carnival?....when I was younger and seeing an artist blow glass. Seems like we then poured different colored sand into the bottles and kept them. And maybe they were old soda bottles....My memory is cloudy, could be I'm thinking of two separate things here. Anyway very cool! And to think I've lived here all these years and never gone and watched the glass blowers - I need to get out more!

So imagine my surprise when my husband came into the house carry the distinct bag from Orient & Flume on our anniversary. We'd had a fabulous lunch together earlier in the day and both said - "cards only right". We've never really been big gift buyers for each other to mark the day. Usually just dinner or lunch and cards. Maybe over the last 14 years a gift or two - maybe something for the family. So to say the least I was blown away. And the vase couldn't be more me....I just love it! Of course what he said to me made me cry, and I'm keeping that to myself. But I can't wait for the next 14 years! And the next, and the next......

Building Sandcastles

2007-05-24T10:36:00.001-07:00

I just found this post that I started some time ago. I guess I got distracted. Not sure where I was going with it but - here's an updated photo of my kids all the same! This is at Bodega Bay. Karlee, Kyle and Kevin went there while I was out of town on a "Girl's Weekend". They went horseback riding on Uncle Craig's horses, right on the same beach. They flew kites in the sand and built sandcastles too!....So much fun!

An Average Joe....

2007-05-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

1. Starbucks' first store opened solo in Seattle in 1971. How many locations of this popular coffee hotspot are serving up java today?
a. 1,326
b. 7,102
c. 25,478

2. The cappuccino is a product of this country:
a. Italy
b. France
c. Japan

3. Good news! A recent study showed that coffee has health-enhancing benefits including:
a. Lowering blood pressure
b. Improving vision and hearing
c. Supplying disease-fighting antioxidants

4. Americans drink an average of how many ounces of coffee a day?
a. 32 ounces
b. 16 ounces
c. 8 ounces

5. Coffee beans are actually seeds harvested from:
a. Coffee tree cherries
b. Coffee tree pods
c. Coffee tree roots

6. The world's largest coffee exporter is:
a. Brazil
b. United States
c. China

7. Which famous composer wrote The Coffee Cantata, a satirical commentary about coffee addiction?
a. Ludwig van Beethoven
b. Johann Sebastian Bach
c. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

8. How many pounds of coffee can the average coffee tree yield per year?
a. 1-2 pounds
b. 5-10 pounds
c. 20-25 pounds

9. The term "cup of Joe" was coined during:
a. World War I
b. World War II
c. The Vietnam War

10. If you ordered a latte in Italy, you'd likely be served:
a. A cup of black coffee
b. A tablespoon of sugar
c. A glass of milk

Test yourself - think you know! I'm okay with being an "Average Joe". I knew that I had guessed on some, knew others and was just plain clueless on a few! Here are the answers if you need them....

You're An Average Joe! You know enough about coffee to keep you grounded, and can rattle off the calorie count in your favorite coffee drink. However, when it comes to coffee trivia, you're completely clueless. Here are a few notable nuggets to keep you informed:

1. Starbucks is the largest chain of coffee shops in the world, boasting 7,102 locations.
2. Cappuccino is an Italian beverage made of espresso, a little bit of hot milk and lots of milk foam.
3. Drink up! A study conducted by the University of Scranton revealed that coffee is the number one source of disease-fighting antioxidants. It has more than any other food or beverage in the American diet.
4. Sip on this: Americans drink an average of more than eight ounces of coffee a day.
5. Coffee beans are harvested from the cherry-like fruit that grows on coffee trees.
6. In November 2006, Brazil shipped 2.79 million bags of coffee, making it the largest exporter of in the world.
7. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote The Coffee Cantata in the 1730's in jest of coffee addiction.
8. A coffee tree can only produce 1-2 pounds of coffee each year.
9. The term "cup of Joe" was coined during World War II when American military men (G.I. Joe's) were said to drink large amounts of coffee.
10. If you ask for a latte in Italy, you'll likely be served a glass of milk.

Outdoor Living

2007-05-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks I've been working hard getting the outdoors ready for summer. With less than 15 days left of school - I want to be ready. So recently Kevin and I decided that it was time to actually purchase patio furniture....After 12 years in this house we needed something to call our own! When we moved here in January, 1995 we were lucky enough to be left with some treasures! You know the round metal white table - though ours was more rust colored than white. I found a great table cloth for it and put a slit in it for the umbrella that was left - a nice yellow vinyl one!... That spring while out doing the Saturday morning yard sale excursions I found a great wicker set in a natural tone - I painted it a great green color with my Wagner sprayer - it set me back $20.00, or $5.00 a piece. I definitely got my monies worth on that one as it only went to the dump this spring.... So needless to say we were in the market for a new set. We have a large brick area and also a separate summer porch. My dad helped me last week with the annual haul out of the summer porch - I pull everything out of it and hose it down. I have always done this myself as I was able to move the furniture on my own - we now have bigger pieces and I can't do it anymore. It too is all brick and screens all around. Unfortunately in the winter it becomes the storage for outside things and gets really grungy. There is nothing better than sitting in there with the morning paper and my morning yogurt. We have a great wicker set in there that was Kevin's mom's set. Not my favorite pattern on the fabric, but it is a great reminder of her and when Kevin's brother and sister visit we like to sit out there and reminisce....

So we recently went to a birthday party and were outside and I noticed their new patio furniture (it was cousin Amy's) and had to ask where they got it. She told us KMART - which I knew over the years I've been tempted by there selections. So I said to Kevin one day last week that I'd really like to get a new patio set - which I'm certain I've probably said it at least 11 times in the last 12 years. My annual spring nag! I asked him if he'd meet me at KMART to look at this furniture - of course he was more along the lines of show it to me online.... I was able to find it and he too liked it. It has these great tile pieces instead of a glass table top, the cushions are pretty neutral and I love the chair style. So one day on my way home from picking the kids up from school he called to say that I should go home, get the truck and head to KMART and pick up the furniture I wanted - call it my "Mother's Day Gift" he said.... He'd meet me at home and start putting it together. Yeah!....

Now this is were the story just gets interesting.....The kids and I go to KMART and head right to the patio furniture section, we walk around looking for someone to help us - of course know ones in the general vicinity. I do see a gal in the Health & Beauty section putting things on the self and I track her down. I indicate that I'd like to purchase a patio set and could she help me. Or course you know the answer to this - no, but she'll page someone to help you. So I plant myself near the phone that she has just paged from and wait......and wait......and wait. She pages someone, she pages the manager, she pages customer service, she pages the "runner" - all who ignore her pages as I continue to stand here. After the fifth page I told myself that at 4:10 I was walking out. At 4:10 that would be 30 minutes of standing there - too long. And of course just as I'm ready to walk off the girl comes back up and says "well I guess I can page someone again", to which I say "please don't - I've waited here too long I'm leaving now". Of course she did not reply to this and went back to what she was doing. And naturally I have to walk past the customer service desk to get back to my truck - and since I do have my kids with me I'm really containing myself, but I do stop at the counter and tell the young man that I have just been waiting by the patio furniture waiting for someone to help me and that I think it's ridiculious that someone should have to wait over 30 mintues to get some help. And why after 5 pages has know one come to help me. Ridiculious! So sorry I'm not spending my money here! To which I walked away at this point with my kids trailing behind me. So I get the kids back into the truck and Kyle says to me "Mommy why did you say that to that guy". So I told Kyle that I was upset that I couldn't get anyone to help me. Kyle then proceeds to tell me that the guy told him "to get out of my store and don't come back" And I'm like WHAT? So Karlee and Kyle explain to me that as they walked past this guy behind the customer service counter at KMART that he tells them "to get out of my store and don't come back" with a wave of his hand shooing them out - I'm am floored! And thinking what do I do now. I know I can't go back in there and give him whatfor - I have my kids with me! Not a good example! So we head home and Kevin is not 5 minutes behind us. Of course the first thing out of his mouth is "where's the furniture". To which I say "Well wait until I tell you this"..... I give him the abbreviated version and he says fine I'll go down there to get it. And of course I'm like you couldn't pay me to spend a dime in there. But I did like the set - I'm weak! And also thinking do I pass this opportunity by - he said yes - how many years would I have to wait to hear it again!....

So every night last week Kevin spent time putting the furniture together. A little bit each night. He apparently can get the service when needed. He did call KMART on his way out the driveway and the manager met him at the front door! How special.....The unfriendly guy wasn't behind the counter when Kevin got there and he didn't appear until the end - at which point my son pointed to him and said to the manager - "that's the guy who was mean to me". Kevin did have some satisfaction in the "deer in the headlights" reaction from him! It doesn't pay to be mean to anyone! I wish I could say it ends there - but not! When we pulled the last chair out to piece together it was damaged, as were a few tiles and the table top had a split in it. So Kevin boxed those back up and took back down there to be exchanged. I'd like to say this was a good experience for him but can't - I'll give you the short version. I called him at 4:25 on Saturday to ask him when he was coming back - he'd been gone for quite some time - enough time for me to wonder when he was coming back. Anyway he said to hang on as a gal had just come up to him to let him know what was up, this is what I over heard on my end - "it seems the guy that was looking for your table got off at 4:00 and he's left". Priceless huh! The best part though is that my family made a special "Mother's Day" dinner for me and we all ate outside on the new furniture! I was telling my family this story on Saturday and mentioned that I'm not really a frequent KMART shopper - only when I've forgotten that one of the kids has been invited to a birthday party and we need a gift. The toy section is in the front of the store - convenient. However at this point I'm steering clear. Thanks anyway, I'm sticking to Target!

What a Muffin

2007-04-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

And here's the recipe to go with it.....These are very tasty. My daughter likes them - Kyle ate it but then threw the last bite away saying he was full. The same boy who would eat 4 waffles for breakfast every morning if I let him. At first he was full of praise....Then in the last bit of conversation he threw in that he liked the chocolate chip part but wherever the zucchini was he didn't like that part.....hmm........I giggled with that one! Funny guy!

Zucchini Muffins

3 cups shredded zucchini (3 medium)
1-2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (approx) mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put muffin papers in muffin tins.

Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Add chocolate chips last after all other ingredients are well stirred.

Pour mixture into muffin cups about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake 12-15 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if done; should pull out clean. Cool completely.

Store at room temperature for 4 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Makes about 2 dozen depending on fullness.

Media Clip

2007-04-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this link on another blog I was reading and clicked on it not realizing that in not more than 90 seconds or less of watching this clip I'd be in tears. Wow! Very powerful.... I guess having a 6 year old it hit me hard. It makes me very thankful for the people who serve in our armed forces. It's too bad we don't have more people stepping up to the plate to eliminate the burden that to few families suffer with. I'm not interested in weighing in on this debate other than to say how sad it is that children have to suffer this way. And this little boy is one of the lucky ones - he's parent came home! And thank goodness for that....

Camellia's!

2007-04-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Picture of the house from 1966

This I know is a full double
As is this one....

This is the only one (above) that I know the name of - It's called Mother of Pearl and it is absolutely my favorite of all the 60+ we have in the yard....
And this would be a speckled one

When we moved here 12 years ago we had over 100 Camellia's and Azalea's - we've lost a couple of the Camellia's and a good portion of the Azalea's over the years. We had these two great big Azalea's by the front door - someone once told me they were bigger than ones you see at Chico State. There were and still are very old plants in our yard. We have the good fortune to live in the house that Kevin's mom grew up in. The yard is so established with so much greenery. I have a picture from 1966 and you can see when the Magnolia tree was only about 20 to 25 feet high and all the Camellia's lined up along the south side of the house, they are still there. It's pretty amazing - there really are not that many changes from the picture. Here I'll scan it and download it..... Oops! They don't go where you want them to, do they. Well there you go. I guess now I'll have to stand in that spot or there about I suppose, because in 1966 I was not born but I bet I could get pretty close.....And give you the same shot as it is today. I love the awnings on the windows. From the picture you can't tell the house was a great yellow and not our boring gray. My mistake. But since the house needs to be painted, I'm thinking it needs a happy yellow again! Well I guess I've gotten my fill of spring and the yard. I'm not much of a green thumb. I leave that to my sister. But I do love the camellia's. I guess because they come out when it's still winter. They are the first inkling that spring is coming. I can stand at the kitchen sink and see color everywhere. They do brave the cold too. And this year we had a very good and long season with them. We've had them since Christmas time and some are still going. And the Camellia's are so much less work than the roses - and I've noticed they are coming out in full bloom too!

A Belated Spring Post

2007-04-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

This tree is truly a treasure in our yard! It's a Japanese Magnolia -

or sometimes called a Tulip tree - at least from what I'm told

I took these pictures the first week of March because I was so excited to have the opportunity to enjoy the blooms - and then it just got a little crazy! We had the school auction where I helped on the committee. Then Omega Nu had there big luncheon with Biba the following weekend. And then the next weekend I was out of town in Modesto for a luncheon - Omega Nu again. I came home that Saturday and started packing for our week up at the lake. I went with the kids to the cabin for there Easter Break. We had a very relaxing time - lots of walks along the beach, a little bowling and so forth. It was so peaceful and quite. There wasn't a single boat on the lake until Thursday. Kevin was able to come up on Friday - but he brought the rain with him. Which was just crazy as we'd had such wonderful weather the whole time! So now we're back once again in the thick of it. We have baseball 3 times a week and Karlee has reading 2 times a week. 'Tis the season....

I've had thoughts of posts but haven't taken the time to make them. But I did clean out the linen cupboard in the hallway, cleaned Karlee's room, cleaned out the big hall closet by the front door and cleaned up the laundry room. All very good things for me these days. I made another trip to the thrift store for a deposit today and have another bag for some friends. I guess you could say I've been hit with the Spring Cleaning bug. Though I can't say my house is any cleaner - just purging some! It seems it's always a work in progress these day - but I'm making some noticeable changes - at least for me! And that's what really matters right... I've had a mental list of things to do recently and have been disciplining myself with computer time. It just didn't seem right to spend the few hours each day that I have lurking around the blog world - when I still had my taxes to do, needing to balance my checkbook that I hadn't done since Aug - what's that like, 8 months - yikes! But they are all done as of Thursday - and we filed our taxes today! No biggie! Procrastination at it's worst I tell you! But I do see the light at the end of the tunnel! I'm going to try and upload some other photos I took earlier in the month from our yard. And I'll try to update my other blog - since I've read a few more books as well.

Hitting the Slopes

2007-03-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

I was so incredibly impressed with my kids this weekend. We took them to Boreal to ski. And they did so good! Something I never did as a kid. It was great. We got them up at 5 AM and left the house about 45 minutes later. They were tired but never complained. We tried getting them to nap in the car - but they wouldn't hear of it. And then we got to the hill and they skied for hours! Karlee got to take a semi-private lesson due to lack of participants, just herself and a girl two years older. And Kyle did the Kid's Park class, a large group broken down into smaller groups. I was so proud of them. They rode the chair lift by themselves and skied down the hills. It was great fun! I was talking with Karlee before her lesson and said "so what life skills should you use today Karlee?" And she said "perseverance" and I said "patience". And then I said "can you think of one other?" And she said "Pride" and I was thinking wow! It wasn't what I had expected her to say - but it made me feel really proud of her myself. And now reflecting back on it I have to say it's great that she's found something that she has confidence in doing.

So we all made it home in one piece - exhausted but good! Kyle was the only one to sleep on the way home and it was only for about 1/2 hour. Kyle and I were a bit sunburned on our faces too! As much as I'm enjoying these beautiful days I hope we get the chance to get another ski day in before all the snow goes away again.....!

I'm Tired.....

2007-03-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

I had a really rough night last night....To much going on I guess. I've been overbooked and running ragged. I guess it's affecting my sleep. That or the fact that Kevin came home last night after being gone since early Saturday morning. He had gone on a fishing trip to the Smith River again. So I guess after 4 nights alone - which now that I think about it I wasn't really only except the first two nights. The 3rd night I had my youngest come in around 1:30, and on the 4th night my oldest arrived with a tummy ache after repeated trips to the potty and then the youngest was there about an hour later. I have to say with Karlee I never really mind because I can probably count on both hands how many times she's come into our room in the night and she's 8. Now Kyle his is a totally different story. He'd be there every night if he could. We have been laying down the law for about the last 5 years - oops! He's 6...... Just kidding (okay, maybe slightly). He goes in phases. He really hasn't been in during the night for a couple weeks. I think he tunes into the fact that dad is missing and I need company. It always starts the trend again. I had a while back said no more sleeping in my bed and said he could sleep on the floor next to me, but he can't wake me up. That way I'm never surprised when I put my feet down in the morning and I don't feel carpet. And so last night having Kevin back must have thrown me off. I was awake from 1 am to 4:30 am - that I know of.... Of course the other obstacle is the dog. She's been back in the house for about 3 or 4 months - and she's on thin ice with me. I'm really trying for my families sake to keep her in. But lately she wakes me up sometimes 3 times in a night. And this is after I've let her out before going to bed. I think she just likes checking out the yard. It's driving me crazy. I can hear her wondering around the house on the hardwood floors and drives me nuts! So of course last night I finally drifted off about 3:30 and was startled awake with someone standing over me.....I just moaned and said "no, no, no. You go back to your room, mommy can't sleep and you are waking me up - go back to your room, I love you son - but you have to go to your room". And then I told Kevin that he had to deal with it. Which meant following behind Kyle and turning off all the lights he turned on to get back to his room! But you see Kevin couldn't hear me because his snore machine was making soooooo much noise that he hears nothing. Sometimes I wish for the snoring again. That thing can be so noisy. Kevin insists it's white noise. But I'm hear to tell you it's not! When that thing is pointed in your direction about a foot from your face - it is not white noise. It's really like a persistent wind blowing above your head. The thing needs to be glued in place at night, because when it gets moved just a hair - it starts howling. So I'm a bit grouchy today - and Kevin's solution was that I take the kids to school and come home and go back to bed......Yeah right! Since I have such a life of leisure, maybe I'll stop off at the store on the way home too and get some bon bons!

The Big 4 0

2007-02-25T19:28:00.000-08:00

Kevin made my favorite - German Chocolate Cake!!
At La Hacienda with 15 of my friends for a "Girls Night Out"

I now have nearly 2 weeks under my belt of being 40. This was the hardest one yet. I really got into a funk....Can't explain it really - just struck me like no other. I really had a great day. Just mid way through I hit an emotional wall and fell apart. But I'm all better now! I apparently have moved on.....! And that's a good thing. Still seems weird to say 40. I'm 40. I'll have to practice that. NOT! I remember when I was in the 5th grade we had a new student - my friend Cherilyn - anyway she told us her parents were in there 20's - I don't remember now how old they were - but I do remember thinking how young they were and that my parents were so much older. When I do the math now, my parents would have only been 35 and 38. And now I realize they really weren't that much older than my friends parents - silly me. I remember trying to figure out how old you'd be in the year 2000 - I was the ancient age of 33. I wish I were 33 today! But since that's not going to happen - and I'm not much for lying - even about my age, I guess I'll have to work on embracing 40.

Clean your Room

2007-02-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

I was lurking on one of my favorite blogs and came across this news tidbit. This is seriously not funny - just so there is no misunderstanding. It just made me think about my efforts this weekend to get my daughter to clean her room. This girl can come up with an excuse faster than you can sneeze. She asks to take a break about every 5 minutes. It got to the point were I was actually offering her $20.00 to clean her room - to which she said "I'll pay you $10.00 to clean if for me"..... Her dad and grandfather were not helping my situation - of course egging her on. I'd like to think she didn't really have any idea what she was saying to me..... We talked last night before she went to bed about the fact that she basically spent a good portion of the weekend (a 4 day weekend at that) in her room "cleaning" it - or in my opinion "not" cleaning it. I couldn't help but laugh when she smiled up at me and said "But mom, aren't you glad you can at least see the floor now?". A true Pollyanna moment..... In this same conversation she reminded me that I have piles on my floor too! Gotta love it.

Nothing like being slapped in the face with reality. In my bedroom it's probably a stack of books, no stacks in the living room, bathrooms, dining room - and then there is the family room. In here is a whole lot of filing..... I'm in the process of cleaning out the drawers. And I'm also working on our taxes, reimbursed medical expenses and then the school work I just can't seem to part with. I have big Rubbermaid tubs in the basement that I put the kids school work into but always seem to have a basket full that needs to go down there. And on top of that I have an extra filing cabinet and big plastic container that has Omega Nu stuff in it. Neither which go with my decor. I'm not counting the days when my presidency is over - I'm counting the days until the filing cabinet goes! And let's not even discuss the desk.....Someone once told me that a clean desk is the sign of a blank mind - apparently I took that to heart! But I do know where everything is on it. Ask me for anything and I will find it for you! Maybe I'm waiting for someone to offer me $20.00 to clean it.....

Bidwell Mansion

2007-02-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

Today I went on a Field Trip with my daughter to the Bidwell Mansion. I have to say it's my favorite so far this year! Our tour guide, Amber did a great job taking us into the past. She really told the stories of John and Annie Bidwell as if she had been there. It was a delight! I had taken this tour years ago. I can't even remember when I did it it was so long ago. We got the school tour - the "3rd grade tour", so we were not able to go to the third floor nor to all of the rooms that you get with the other tour. But again a great tour all the same.

The one thing I enjoyed the most were the photos throughout the rooms of the rooms themselves. Bummer though they didn't have the actual dates of when the photos were taken. I love looking at old photos. It was fun imaging living at the mansion. It's a great home with so many details. It's amazing how old it really is.... I was just telling my parents that I wanted to go to the Chico Museum as I have not done that. Chico really does have a great historical past. Another fun thing I want to do - and hopefully I'll do it this year! I'd like to go the the Patrick Ranch and see the Bee threshing. Sounds like a good thing to do this summer with the kids. This will be my first summer not working in 5 years! We should pick a historical thing to do each week. I'm already looking forward to it....!

Days Later and still a little?...

2007-02-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

For some reason I haven't been able to let this one go. Maybe some relief is in sight. I ran over to Trader Joe's the other night to get some last minute things for dinner preparation. You see I can do that! And I love it. It's sooooo close to my house! We use to have a Lucky's store which turned into an Albertson's - which then closed as there is another one further down the road. When we first moved here there was also a little Holiday Market where In Motion Fitness is now. I have missed the little stores, I knew them like the back of my hand and could run in and get something quickly. And now I have Trader Joe's - though I did see the other day that they've put up a "Grocery Store Outlet" sign on the old Lucky's building..... We'll see. We have one of those south of town. I've been there once in 12 years! So anyway, back to what I was saying...

I came out of Trader Joe's and I was putting my grocery bag into the trunk when this man on a bike came walking between my car and another. He's smoking a cigarette. I don't really remember what he was wearing, doesn't matter. So he says to me "Excuse me ma'am, can you spare some change". And I smiled and shook my head and said "No". Before I could finish what I was going to say he was onto the next person. I was actually going to add "Sorry" into my response. So he's dismissal of me caused me to turn around and look at him more closely. And I have to tell you this guy was on a really nice bike. Huh? I'm sure I've been approached by this guy before in this same parking lot. So I must of had a bewildered look on my face because the next thing I knew a woman walking by said to me "Don't feel bad, he just did the same thing to me, and honestly if he spent the time he spends begging looking for a job he wouldn't be in this position". To which I replied, "I was just checking out his really nice bike". So she continued on to her car and I got into my car. I kept replaying the encounter over in my head, not really understanding why it was affecting me. I just kept going back to the bike. It made me think of the time a few years back when Kevin was doing the annual food basket deliveries for the Salvation Army - something he does every year. He was helping this lady out to her car with this box of food and she stops at a brand new Ford Excursion. It seemed so out of place. Could be she was borrowing the car? Maybe he was borrowing the bike. For me I am not comfortable giving people on the street "spare" change. I'm very uncomfortable with the begging. Even though I'm an ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging-Myers-Briggs Type) or as my family refers to me an Extrovert. The only one in our family of 5. Anyway, I'm really only comfortable in my environment - I'm somewhat shy towards people before I get to know them. So I don't want to be approached by people on the streets. They are invading my space and I didn't invite them! We have had conversations in the car about people begging on the street corners. My kids have lots of questions about them. They read the signs and want to know what it means. There is a couple that stands at the intersection of Cohasset and Pillsbury, a corner that we frequent often. And this couple has been there for a while. And the kids have a million questions about them as we wait for the light to change. I answer honestly from my prospective - because I've never had a conversation with them personally. What would I know - I've never been in there situation - heck I don't even know what there situation is. But for me I choose not to give that way. They stand there with stone cold looks on there faces and won't make eye contact with you. It's sad, I get it - but isn't there something they can do? I'm also thankful I have tinted windows! I do wonder how they can stand there for hours at a time. And why isn't one of them out looking for a job while the other is begging? I did work for a (horrible) woman once - oops! Did I say horrible?... Anyway, we were coming back from lunch one time and she made this big to do about giving to this man standing on the side of the road. It was so much more about making herself look good then it was about giving - it totally turned me off! We have chosen our charity causes and stick to them. Plus with school and Kevin involved in Kiwanis and myself with Omega Nu - we are tapped! These days everyone wants your money! So I guess what I wanted to say was that a) I don't like when people beg - I don't let my kids beg, I certainly don't want an adult begging b) I don't need anyone knowing that I gave, nor do I need to be thanked, acknowledged or what not. I give because it's the right thing to do and it brings me joy. Period. I wish I could say end of story - but it brings up a whole new post idea. Maybe tomorrow!

Nothing Nice to Say

2007-02-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

I was having a conversation the other day with my parents and my dad mentioned that I hadn't posted in a while. And the first response I could come up with was "I guess I have nothing nice to say". How sad is that.... Last week I was embroiled in the trenches of banking. Which apparently put me in a pretty bad mood. It was one of those double edged sword moments. We got a call Monday (1/22/07) telling us that they suspected fraudulent activity on Kevin's debit card - he still had his card in his possession too. And that was good and all. But here we are now over 3 weeks later and it seems to be getting worse by the day. I called the bank a week ago and advised them that the card they reissued was attached to my account. Not a good thing! Kevin has an account that his payroll goes into and I have the joint account that I use for groceries and household things. Sadly, not much in there. And certainly not enough to cover my spending and Kevin's too. So imagine my surprise when I looked up my account this morning online and saw all of Kevin's activity this weekend pulled from my account! Yikes! I was too angry to call myself. I had just had this conversation with the bank last week when the first transaction hit. And he we are 6 days later and nothing! I guess I shouldn't say nothing - they did reverse the fees they charged me when they returned the check Kevin had written me on the same day we got the original phone call! And I thought I was frustrated then. I thought I might blow a gasket this morning. Talk about incompetency. Last week when I called I was thinking, here I am the customer, why do I have to do her work for her! I really wanted to say - !@#$%^&*()_+. But I didn't..... And I'm making Kevin call today - and I'm biting my tongue!

Have we Gone to Far?

2007-01-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Interesting article - but give me a break. I say this after I spent some time this afternoon at Cash & Carry - getting ingredients for my Mocha making. Working on some new recipes!....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16827665/wid/11915773?GT1=8921#storyContinued

I had a thought about getting a job as a barista - you know just a part-time gig. Get the recipes down and then be on my merry way.... I think I could get down the coffee art thing too....! Check this out http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonx/sets/48921/

Teaching to a Test

2007-01-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

Well I just couldn't resist this morning. I was reading my niece's blog and the comment from my Aunt Kitty really stirred me up! She was right on in her response. I love her lurking - but I'm hoping she'll blog someday too. I love her stories...

So her comment was "As long as our schools have to "teach to a test" (No child left behind)I am afraid life skills and Yoga will be relagated as an extra curricular activity. So many young people are ill prepared for life after school. Change is in the wind, though, if other young people think as you do. Fixing our education system should start with your generation demanding it."

If you know me you'll know that I am very passionate about my children's school and their education. I had the good fortune to enroll my daughter into preschool at Chico Country Day School. I didn't know much about schools at the time, but knew the teachers from a Mother's group I was in. That winter I received a notice in Karlee's cubby that Chico Unified School District was holding a Kindergarten Workshop at CSUC. At the time I taught "Great, some direction". Not. This was rooms full of people - no direction. No instructions. Nothing. It was literally wall to wall people. I came back with some literature and read through it. Our neighborhood school was a year-round school. I knew right away that was not for us. We like spending our summers at the cabin. So that was out. So I decided to enroll Karlee into Chico Country Day School. They are a charter school. Which at the time they were 1 of 2. I had heard both good and bad - about the same for all the other schools I'd inquired about. They had a different teaching method (ITI, integrated thematic instruction) then all the others. CCDS was in the middle as far as test scores. Much higher than our neighborhood school. And they were around the corner from our house. This was our pick. They had a lottery system. So our daughters name was (literally) put into a jar with about 100 others. They held the drawing in there multipurpose room - which was shabby to say the least. But sitting there you could see how much care and effort they had and were putting into there school. This school had taken over an old commercial space that once held a motorcycle shop and turned it into a school. Now back to the drawing. When Karlee was entering Kindergarten, two classes had 10 boys and 10 girls each. That's 40 total. They no longer do that as someone cried foul and it's now discrimination to divide the classes that way - go figure! So Kyle in first grade has only 18 other boys out of 60 kids. With 3 classes that is only about 6 boys per class - now I find that discriminatory! Anyway then you take away the spots for siblings, employees children, retention and two extra spots in case they hire someone that needs the spot. That year the only thing available was 6 girl spots and 8 boy spots - I did say there were about 100 names in the jar right. The drawing begins, people are sitting there on pins and needles hoping they hear their child's name - it was so tense (now I can't help but laugh about it). And then the second name was drawn and it was our Karlee. Oh my gosh, I burst into tears. Crazy huh? Well not for the other 86 people on the waiting list.... Fortunately, I only had to do that the first year and then Kyle was in automatically.

So what got to me this morning was the "teach to the test" comment. I know I'm dragging alone here. Sorry! That's it - that is what I love about our school! We do not teach to the test. Here is some info on the ITI Method. Now what I love about this ITI method is that they learn by seeing, doing, touching, hearing, building, and even gardening. Yes they do have to include the standards, but it's how they teach that is different. At our school we have Lifelong Guidelines and Life Skills. This is introduced at the Preschool level and continued on throughout the years. We have even adapted them at home. And definitely the thing that stays with me is the community feel we have at our school. Every Friday we have an "All School Sing" where the entire school comes to the multipurpose room and sings together. This is where kids are also awarded "Life Skill Awards". If you've been seen demonstrating a Life Skill you are awarded a certificate. It's really great to see the kids come together, everyone is treated equally. You see a lot of the older kids encouraging the younger kids on the playground. Each day the entire school recites the pledge of allegiance in front of the flag together. Since my daughter was in 1st grade, I've done that with them nearly each day. Even Kyle could recite the pledge before he could write his name... These are all good touchy, feel things. But the bottom line is our test scores are flying off the charts. Here are the most current records (API). When we first started at CCDS it was about 7 years old and was about 7th in standings out of 14. We are now 2nd in the district. Each year it seems our test scores have gone up double digits, last year we went up 58 points. We are also in our new site as the district accepted (after much debate) our Prop. 39 request and put us in a school site after some shuffling and school closures. It has seemed over the years that the Charter School up rise has caused so much negativity - but why take away such a great thing. I read our newsletter last week and we will finish the year with a $100,000 surplus, and a balanced budget. How many other schools can say that? Our school ROCKS! But then again, I'm really passionate about it. As I'm sure other people are about there school's as well. You've got to find what's right for you and give it all you've got because that's what will matter most. We have some great leaders at our school and we are very fortunate that we can govern ourselves. Yes we have to answer to the district and they pretty much treat us like the redheaded step child. There loss is our gain! But how can you argue with our great success! Well long winded, but I think I got it all out there. Trying to do too much today in between writing....

And she's down...

2007-01-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

Wow! I got hit with something. My head started hurting about noon on Sunday and hasn't stopped at this point. When I finally took my temperature around 5 pm last night it was 102. This was after hours of the chills, shakes and body aches. I had thought around 11 am I'd take a shower and maybe shake it - wrong! That only intensified the chills. I had on a long sleeved shirt, a fleece sweater, sweat pants and my favorite fuzzy purple socks - but to no avail. About 2 pm I climbed under the down comforter and dozed. A girlfriend had called yesterday morning and when she realized I was sick, had offered to pick up the kids for me! Thankfully. There was no way I would have been able to drive. My kids did so good after they got home. From my horizontal position in bed I instructed the no TV until your homework's done rule. And they actually did it. Usually they don't get to watch TV during the week - but I wasn't in a position to fight it yesterday. They came in a couple of times to ask questions and they were so quite it was worrying me. So I'd call for one or the other for an update. And if the TV was on - it was so low I never heard it. My kids were better than the telephone. Of course I had a handset next to me and it must have rang 8 times between 2 and 5. Ugh! One call from Louisiana really got to me. They must have called 3 times. Never leaving a message. So you know it's just a computer waiting for someone to pick up. And when I see that I'm getting a call from Louisiana - I don't pick it up. I don't know anyone in Louisiana. About 6 years ago I signed up for Privacy Manager through SBC. This was really slick. It was supposed to stop all computer dialed calls. It also prevents people calling that have a private number (which in the past was telemarketers). So if you have your number blocked, you either have to go through Privacy Manager or reveal your number. How the Privacy Manager works is if you can't reveal your number you go through an automated operator, you have to state your name and were your calling from. Then my phone rings and I can press "1" to hear who's calling, then press "2" to ignore the call or press "3" to send to my answering machine. This in the past eliminated all of those pesky telemarketers. I see now they have caught on....Bummer.

So today, I'm vertical for now. I have a 10 am doctors appt. The fever is gone. My ears are still bothering me and the nose and sinuses are full! The throat is not so bad - but the yucky dry cough is starting in. And lying in bed yesterday did nothing for my sore aching body. The good thing is I may be down - but not out!....

The Art of the Martini

2007-01-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I went to the "Art of the Martini Party" class held at Shelley's Creative Catering. I've done this once before with my mother-in-law a few years ago. It's was really fun - both times. Yesterday I did it with a group of woman that I know from a community service group we are in together. I had a sitter yesterday since Kevin was also at a meeting - so I knew that I had to maintain myself as he wasn't going to be able to pick me up as he had done the previous time. I took the sit back and watch approach. There were 22 woman - I knew about half of them as our group was unable to fill all 24 spots (some of the gals invited friends). How this works is the group is divided into two groups, and then you partner up with someone. One group starts by making appetizers, the other group stays and makes Martini's. Then they switch and the ones from the kitchen go the the bar area and the one from the bar area head off to the kitchen. When it's all done - you have a party! We had the A group and the B group. Now the A group has special appetizers to make (they are harder), because by the time the B group comes in to make there appetizers - they've tasted 8 different martini's. Now I don't even like vodka, but I do enjoy trying the different ones. You really are only getting a taste - but keep in mind that a martini is really just vodka shaken over ice and then poured into a glass. Yes, we made Cosmo's, Lemon Drops, Apple Tini's and my fav - the Chocolate Martini. But prior to that we had Gin Martini's, Vodka Martini, Dirty Martini - and those are just straight booze! When our group finished in the bar area, we happily went to the kitchen to test our culinary skills. But first we giggled and laughed and giggled and laughed. Apparently we thought we were pretty funny. We did end up cooking, we decorated our table and got our food out to the table. Then we hooked up with the A group again - and this is where my watching people antenna came out. Now keep in mind that I am one of two in the room who is younger than all the rest by 15 to 20 years or more..... The gal that was my age (or younger) had proceeded, shall we say flirt with the bartender teaching the class, to keep drinking throughout the session. Somehow she was drinking from the martini glasses on display. We only sipped from disposable glasses. So anyway, it was funny to watch the A group interact and talk to one another. They had just finished there drinking and we had (well except the young gal and her partner) finished well over an hour or more like two hours ago. The thing that intrigued me most was that most of these woman were in there late 50's, early 60's - acting just like I might if I'd kept drinking.

At this point you can make a full size martini for yourself. And the A group was having a really hard time keeping the liquid in there glasses. It's funny to watch people who have had drinks when you are sober. And I'm sure they were thinking the same thing about us nearly two hours earlier. How all of a sudden we'd gone from the quite group listening to the guy in front of us, to the laughing, giggling group. But since I was driving - I opted out of the big martini - no big loss really - I don't even like martini's...But I'd take the class again - it's a kick! All the appetizers and drinks that we made yesterday are put into a booklet and you get to keep it. And I'd definitely make the "Wild Mushroom Pizza" appetizer again! And I signed up for some other cooking classes that Shelley puts on. I'm looking forward to it!

Coffee's On

2007-01-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

One of my newest obsessions is coffee drinks. Now to some that may not seem like such a strange thing, considering I am nano seconds away from turning the big 4 0 ..... But I honestly never pictured myself ever drinking coffee. I'd tried it one other time in 1985, and pretty much swore I'd never (see you should really not commit yourself to never - it's way too long) drink the stuff. To me at age 18 it tasted like burnt water. I only tried it because at that time I was commuting to Reno from Janesville (72 miles) and work started at 7AM - you do the math. I worked on a construction site with my dad, by the way he did the driving. So we'd get there about 7 AM and into this dusty little trailer I'd go. So long story short I was really cold as the trailer had no heat and my dad said "Well you should drink some coffee it will warm you up" So off to the corner store I went. I remember thinking how grown up that seemed. Drinking coffee. Wow. I made the journey back with this precious thing that would not only wake me up but warm me up as well. I took one sip and that was it for me! Yucky. It took a long time to get the taste out of my mouth. And I hadn't had the desire to try it since. Even when my kids were younger and I needed a jolt to stay awake from sleepless nights I avoided it. That's probably when I decided caffeinated drinks were the thing - but never in the morning..... I would also say I wouldn't even try Mocha flavored ice cream.

Mocha....Now that is the beginning of my demise to coffee. My girlfriend introduced me to blended mocha's (my favorite, the "Cable Car Chiller", from CR Beans). I would drive across town to have one for lunch. Then winter came and I couldn't do the blended thing and the hot chocolate drinks just weren't doing it for me anymore. So I tried the "Cable Car Mocha". More pleasure! Now I'm really becoming a Mocha snob. And living in Chico where there is a coffee house on nearly every corner it's hard. My first choice is always going to be CR Beans, it's only a drive thru, which I really enjoy. I'm not a big fan of Starbucks (it's that corporate thing), however I can go to either Safeway's and get a drink and after my 7th one it's free! I like Higher Ground but I think really just for the Cranberry Orange Scone - there coffee is really bad... And I'll go to Dutch Bros. if I'm on that side of town. How lazy am I - these all have drive thrus! In my effort to be frugal I'm now making (trying) coffee at home. We've had our current coffee maker for about four years and until the first of the year we'd probably only used it 6 times, maybe! When Kevin makes coffee he uses the French Press - that's too much coffee for me. However, I just can't seem to get the mocha taste. And I still think I dislike the taste of coffee. I use lots of additives! I guess you could say I really drink creamer and have coffee with it! I'm still working on perfecting the Perfect drink. I need to find the best coffee - too many choices! I can't wait for summer and I can go back to my blended mocha. But then I'll want to figure out how to make it at home, I feel like the pig and the pancake with the maple syrup. Or if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to need milk to go with it and.....

Yikes!

2007-01-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

Before....

After....

See - This is my struggle. Now before I release the pressure here, let me first say..... My husband is wonderful! I never (rarely) have to worry about going to a meeting, girl's night out, bunko, etc. Only when work, hunting and fishing get in the way!.... Anyway, he spends a lot of time with our kids, taking them places, spending time with all of us. You name it. But there is this one small THING! Now I know I should be thankful that he fed our kids, read to them and put them to bed. The omitting of this one small thing is so huge to me. I always tell my self "no expectations", then I come home and see the mess and it all goes out the door!

This is seriously the difference between most men and woman. He sees no big deal in this. He'll do it later - sadly later never comes (and yes I can say never in this instance-because Kevin says never is a really long time). I'm the type that can't go to bed until the dishes are done. I can't even cook a meal without a clean slate. I load the dishwasher as I'm making dinner. So once again we are back to before! And yes I got us there. Should I say this is unfair? I'm sure I could say a lot of things but the reality is that I love this guy and I said yes - good, bad and indifferent! And he had me with "Wow honey, the place looks great" when he got home tonight....

Sidetracked Mama!

2007-01-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

So here I am again not making good use of my time. This has been a topic of conversation in my house lately. Funny thing is I'm usually the one bringing it up! I told Kevin (my husband) that I was reading a new book called "Sidetracked Home Executives". This was last week when I started it, I'm on page 8 and have read 3 other books since I started it.... And here it is what feels like Monday even though I know it's Tuesday and all I've managed to do is some dishes, turn on the dryer and....Well I guess that's it. Oh and I did take the kids to school and work in my son's class for 2 hours. So see I have done somethings. Just not the things that need to be done or that I want to have done!

Anyway, back to the book. I happened to notice it on my bookshelf and pulled it down - obviously the title grab my attention. Not sure where the book came from (probably from the books my mother-in-law had) but it's first copy right date is 1977. The photo on the back just cracked me up - the authors are two sisters, and they are wearing the typical 70's outfits with typical 70's hair! Here is one more reason I thought I should read the book (from the back of the book) - "They started each day with the best intentions, swore that today they'd really clean their homes, get their kids' clothes in shape, and, for once, have dinner ready when their husbands came home from work, but...they never made it because they were SIDETRACKED HOME EXECUTIVES caught in the disorder of misplaced priorities, half-completed chores, and undirected energies. Two smart ladies who'd never used their heads in coping with their homes. So, they analyzed their lives, set up a rotating card system that scheduled their chores on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. They changed their attitudes, and it changed their lives. Now, with the understanding, humor, and patience of people who were not born organized, they show you how you can change yours!"

So are you inspired? Motivated? Life changing huh? We'll see...I just thought it was funny that this book was written in the late 70's - woman have been struggling for generations I suppose. I know I'm not alone - though I do think I'm in the minority....

Since quitting work and making the decision to once again be a stay-at-home mom I have struggled daily with this. This isn't something that has always been a problem for me. But definitely since I've had children....I never seem to finish anything I've started. I remember once I finally made the decision to not work anymore I daydreamed about all the organizing I would once again do - that has always been something I have enjoyed. My house would finally have order and I could do the crafting things I like doing. Well......I just haven't found the groove yet I suppose. But I'm staying positive - I'll get there!.... Maybe this book will be the answer I've been looking for - if I can get past page 8.....

Here goes nothing

2007-01-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

After spending the last 6 or so years reading my dad's blog I've decided to give it a try. We'll see. Do I really have time to keep something like this up? Does it matter if I don't?

I've been having thoughts lately of writing - maybe this will be the starting point. My thoughts on writing have stemmed from all of the reading I've been doing lately. Not necessarily reading more than usual, which is probably on average 4 to 5 books a week, but it's gotten me thinking about what it takes to write a book. Could I do something like that? I've read a couple of memoirs in recent weeks (not my usual) - one by Nicholas Sparks, which I found to be a very enjoyable book. And the other by??? Ah, Augusten Burroughs, Running with Scissors. I've tried to erase it quickly from my mind as I found it to be completely vile. Ironically it's about to become a major motion picture starring Annette Bening and others. And it was also #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. How can that be? Am I the only one who didn't get it? I found myself turning the pages and actually saying out loud "Why am I reading this book". I felt obligated to finish it as I had started it. Which is just crazy, no one was holding a gun to my head or forcing me to read it. And even more crazy was each time I'd finish a chapter I would go to the back of the book and re-read the reviews, I guess to try and encourage myself to keep reading. The one review I read over and over described the book/author as "Wickedly, ridiculously funny". I could not for the life of me get that. It was truly disgusting. Maybe I should stick to my mystery, thriller, and happy books and steer clear of the memoirs.... Oh gosh and I just don't see my self in line to see the movie - Video (maybe)!

So back to my original thought of "Gee maybe I could write a book". I can't imagine the time involved and how many times you'd start and stop. How close you'd come and then scrap the whole thing. The way my life is these days - it would probably take me many, many years to finish it. So for now I guess I'm going with the blogging!