MariaSoleil

4th of July

2010-07-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

We are on vacation...up north. Up north - where all is calm and relaxing. The beach is perfect, the pace is slow, the ice cream is to die for.

There are no stop lights in the whole county. Fast food restaurants do not exist. The stores are quaint and lovable. The roads are lined with grape vine fields and cherry trees. Every few miles there is a road side stand selling cherries and raspberries with a little box to put your money in.

This place is summer to me. I've been coming here each summer since 1987. 24 years...the land stays the same while I age.

Today we got to witness the quirky fun parade in town that almost seems to have a cult following. As I walked to the grocery store at 8 am I noticed that chairs were already put out to hold a spot for the 3 pm parade. You would think that would be a symbol for a do not miss event and that is true...to miss it would be unpatriotic. It would be a slap in the face of the county of Leelanau. For this parade truly highlights all things that matter...

Like the snow plow...

And the septic company...

And the Fishtown Tap Dancing School and Bait Shop...

We were so fortunate to get a performance right in front of us. Which got this reaction from my very hard to please father...who wasn't quite sure what to make of it all...

The kids had to work for their candy this year since they were neck and neck with a whole slew of kids who were decked out in red, white, and blue. The competitors were aggressive and started the 2010 "war of the Toostie Roll". Just look at them with their acquired yellow cups...vultures.

Elise had a good time. She clapped for both the democrats and the republicans, danced to the kazoo band, and had a Disney flashback when the Huntington Bank mascot walked by.

So, the 4th of July 2010 was perfect. A day at the beach, a great cheesy parade, and a hefty dose of ice cream. Tomorrow is road side cherry stand day!

Shirtless Spaghetti Night

2010-07-01T11:43:00.001-07:00

Straight from the chair to the tub!

Teeth

2010-06-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Last evening Maria lost her front tooth. Both of them have been loose for awhile since she was reluctant to hurry them along. Since losing the first one, the other one has migrated to the middle. She looks hilarious!! I think the tooth fairy is going to make a repeat visit soon!

Elise the Artist

2010-06-15T14:06:00.001-07:00

~Picasso in Training~

Recipe Time

2010-05-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

We've been working around the house - trying to catch up on 14 months of clutter and neglect.

So, until our project "Home Recovery" is complete, I'm going to side track you with a yummy recipe you should try. I cooked it the other night and it was the best grilled chicken I've ever made.

Marinade:

2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tb. liquid smoke
2 Tb. spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 chicken breasts

I pounded the chicken breasts flat and cut them into several pieces each. Then I marinaded the chicken with the above ingredients for 4 hours in the fridge. I popped them onto a hot grill until they were cooked. Serious yum. Enjoy!

Disney Cruise

2010-05-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Disney Cruise - fun, but short. And that was just fine since we had just hit 5 days of Disney pretty hard and had a 19 month old with us. We were ready for relaxing, having some fun in the sun, and to continue our pigging out. I think we accomplished 2 out of 3.

The room was awesome. It had much more room than I ever imagined with 2 bathrooms (one with a toilet and sink, and another with a bathtub and sink), lots of storage space, and a nice veranda with chairs and a table. Our room guy came twice a day to clean, leave chocolates, make towels into animals, and turn down our beds. They say a cruise is the only vacation where the women doesn't have to work and I just about believe it.

The food was very good. We didn't stuff ourselves too crazy.

The kids loved the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab. We dropped them off many times to play, do activites, and see characters. Elise went to Flounder's Nursery - a day care for children 3 and under. She was so busy there, she never took a nap.

The best part of the cruise was Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. We spent the whole there. First we all went swimming at the family beach.

Here is the Black Pearl from the Pirates in the Caribbean movie. Very cool details are on it - every window is the mouth of a face.

The pools on the ship were a lot of fun. Maria loved the Mickey Pool, and Elise had a great time at the splash area.
We can't wait to go back. Just gotta save up some money for it...we seem to be out!!

More Disney

2010-05-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

I love watching the kids grow through our Disney trips. Each time, they are interested in different things and want to try new stuff.

This year for Luke, it was the year of the dinosaur. He tried the scariest (so I've heard) ride called Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom. Cross that off the list.

He also enjoyed the Boneyard there and would have stayed there digging for fossils all day if I had let him.

Luke also got up the nerve for the Tower of Terror (once). He questioned us for hours afterward about The Twilight Zone.

Luke's all-time classic favorites are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Thunder Mountain Railroad. He is a roller coaster kid!

Maria got real brave this time and went on Thunder Mountain Railroad. After the first ride, I wasn't sure she'd do it again, but she ended up riding it 6 times.

One thing Maria wouldn't go on was Toy Story Mania, which is one of my favorites. She does not like the 3-D stuff, and when stuff explodes in her face, she is not happy.

Elise got to try Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Winnie the Pooh, and Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride. She rode the Triceratops Twirl at Animal Kingdom and saw lots of shows. The rest of her time was spent in the stroller.

New for Chris this year was Splash Mountain. He said it was stinky. I was thrilled I got out of it.

New for me this year was the Primeval Whirl. It was a crazy doomsday spinning roller coaster. Too fun!

The most special new thing we did this year was take the kids to the barber shop on Main Street. Elise got her first haircut there. They distracted her with stickers and toys and chopped away those long bangs. She got a sassy new look along with a cute set of mouse ears!

The barber shop also has some fun hair paint. Luke and Maria wanted in on the action. Luke's was pretty cool, but Maria's was over the top (as per her request.) This stuff takes a long time to dry, and an even longer time to wash out. So it was a one time thing for us...I think.

(Luke is thinking, "Can we go ride Space Mountain now??)

Maria getting her pixie dust.

By the end of the day, Maria had her hair gooed up and her face painted. She was the epitome of Disney Flair.
So, that is it for the parks! On to the cruise...

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

I could not think of a better place to celebrate Mother's Day than at Disney World. It beats Chuck E. Cheese big time (for those of you who have been reading since last Mother's Day.)

We started the day at Hollywood Studios (my least favorite of the 4 theme parks.) Knowing it would be a short day there (because of our lack of interest) I planned for a big time dinner - The Hoop-Dee-Doo.

We took a bus from the theme park to Fort Wilderness, a campground in Disney World. That place is so huge, we had to take an internal bus to get to the other side of it for dinner. We got there right on time and checked in.

Luke was in a mood, but after some lizard chasing while we waited for the restaurant to open, he perked up slightly. He was not about to be entertained, and certainly intended to be a sour-puss.

He had no power. The performers of the dinner show had us laughing so hard we were nearly in tears. I had no idea the song "The Hokey Pokey" could be so funny.

We were sitting right up next to the stage which made us in the direct line of fire for heckling. Luke got the worst of it. One lady took a real liking to Luke and that got to be a hilarious tangent for the show.

He didn't realize he had received one of these:

So the entertainment was great, but how was the food? Awesome~! All of my favorites - fried chicken, BBQ ribs, baked beans, cornbread, salad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. All served on metal plates (great for babies who love to toss their dishes!)

Sangria and beer were included in the price. That's a Disney-unusual. But of course, this dinner didn't come cheap, as you can imagine. It takes 2 sit down dinner credits if using the dining plan. We charged our bill to our credit card and it put us out about $180 with tip. You're damn right I'm drinking sangria.

Hands-down this was our favorite memory from our trip. I would do it again in a heart beat. In fact, I am making ribs for dinner tonight, per Luke's request. I think a family hokey pokey is in order!!

Eating at Disney

2010-05-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

I love eating at Disney. But I hate paying Disney prices. You really don't go there on vacation to save money though...so you suck it up and charge it to the room.

Or you can get the Disney Dining Plan. I have a love/hate relationship with this though. Essentially, you pay upfront for your food, and get a set amount of meals with it. For us, it was $40 a day for a grown up and $10 for a kid. That got us one snack (pretty much anything under $5), one counter service meal (usually between $10 - $15), and one sit down meal (these can run anywhere from $15 - $40.) If you use it well, you can save a lot of money.

The one thing I hate about the sit down meals (whether using the dining plan or paying out of pocket) is that you have to make your reservations months in advance (180 days at the earliest.) So, you really have to know which park you are going to be at on which day. And then you have to guess about when people in your family are going to be hungry, not taking a nap, and not outrageously cranky.

This trip went pretty we for us with meals. No one went hungry, and only one time did the food go to waste.

Here were my favorites on this trip:

Boma - This was at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We ate here for dinner and for breakfast. Lots of yummy African type food, but normal enough for the kids to eat. It's a buffet, so for us that meant Chris and I practically eating separately since either he or myself had to run up for food for the kids. The desserts were delish - especially those zebra domes!

Liberty Tree Tavern - This is in the Magic Kingdom and was hands down our favorite meal. For one, it was served family style so we didn't have to keep running up to a buffet. But, mostly we loved it for the food - Thanksgiving Dinner! We had rolls with honey butter, salad, turkey, ham, roast beef, stuffing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and chesse, green beans, and the apple crisp with ice cream. Perfect!

The Crystal Palace and Askerhaus were places that Maria went to "on dates" with Chris and I. The Crystal Palace, in Magic Kingdom is always Chris' favorite. The characters from Winnie the Pooh come around to visit each table and the food is always classic and delicious.

I took Maria to Askerhaus for breakfast (which I enjoyed much more than a dinner there previously.) There the princess characters come around to chat and take pictures. I fell in love with the potato casserole.

Now, here is the biggest disappointment for us: Le Cellier at Epcot. This is the most sought after reservation in all of Epcot, if not all of Disney. I was thrilled to have landed one here. This meal was the one I anticipated the most. What could be better than pretzel bread, cheese soup, and steak?

To be fair, most of the problems here were our fault. We had a cranky baby and an even crankier Luke. No one was really hungry. Most of our food had to be boxed up to go so we could get our circus show out of there. We skipped dessert (which I was really looking forward to - maple creme brulee.) The server was excellent though. But the food was nothing that really made us feel like we need to go back.

Tomorrow, I will highlight the most incredible dining "experience" we had all week.

Disney

2010-05-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am a Disney addict. I spent almost a year planning out this trip and the minute I got home, I got on the computer to check out prices for the next time. I'm insane - I know.

Each time we go it is different. (Our spoiled children have been there 4 times in 3 years.) We try new places to eat. We ride different rides and see different shows. We now know the things we avoid to streamline our days.

So, for the next few times I write, I am going to review our trip. That will help me decompress...and get me excited for next time.

****
This year, with all of the military discounts going on, we decided to splurge and stay at a deluxe resort. We picked The Animal Kingdom Lodge (over the one I wanted which was The Wilderness Lodge...maybe next time!)

For previous trips we've stayed at a value resort (All-Star Movies) and a moderate (Port Orleans Riverside). Being at a deluxe was a big step up! Inside halls, elevators, a great pool, a fitness center, a balcony, and a total luxurious feel. It was very nice.

The lobby was impressive. African music was playing and the smell of a nice wood burning fire filled the large room. We found a hidden Mickey on one of the chandeliers. Can you find it?

Here is the view out of our window. It was very relaxing to sit on the balcony and watch all of the animals doing their thing!

We'd love to stay here again someday. But there are so many other great places to stay! Plus, there is one downside to this resort - it is very far away from all of the parks (except Animal Kingdom) so traveling on buses to get everywhere seemed to take a long time.

Day 427 - The Big Day

2010-05-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today is the big day. Chris is driving his last few hours as I write this. Pretty soon, all will be right with the world again...well, at least some things.

This has been quite the weird week. Chris' Dad was in the hospital all week. I'm so glad that Chris was there to help with that. His Dad is home now, and hopefully is getting back up to speed.

Then there is me. I've had blood drawn this week for my mysterious ailments. My hands are in so much pain I can't even open a bottle of water. Today is day 5 of that. It makes me a little nervous to be leaving on a vacation knowing that I'm not right, but Disney is now or never. It will be a good distraction, and maybe even a cure.

Then there is the issue of my new glasses. On Monday when I picked them up and put them on and could tell right away that they weren't right. The nice lady at the office said to give my eyes some time to adjust. After a few hours, I called again...and said again that I'm not sure that they are right. She said to give it a couple of days. So today, day 4, I still couldn't see. I called again and insisted that I come in to get rechecked. Another nice lady put me on hold, checked my file, and told me that yes, there was a mistake and they would reorder my glasses in the right prescription. After fuming about that for a bit, I decided to cancel the order, return the original ones and get my $400 back. My eyes are happy back in my old glasses.

Chris is getting here just in time.

Day 421 - Cinnamon Rolls and Toilet Seats

2010-04-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

The other night I made cinnamon rolls. I still haven't decided if it was worth all of the fuss. I got the dough to rise and I had fun making them. But, my taste expectations were higher. Maybe it was the frosting. (I only used powered sugar and milk, even though I had a whole box of cream cheese in the fridge begging to be a part of it all.)

But, it was a good first try. And cost wise, it was pretty cheap. I got 3 pans made for about $2.50. However, the kids didn't eat them up like they do the Pillsbury ones...and those take only 15 minutes start to finish...hmmm...

In other news, this seems to be the year of the toilet. You already know that I am close to being certified as a professional plunger. Well, now I can add "toilet seat changer" to my list of reluctant accomplishments. It took me longer than expected, because "lefty loosy, righty tighty means crazy things when you are upside down hugging a toilet. Oh well, I did it. We are now, for the moment, up to 3 working toilets.

And we are also in the final countdown.

6 days until Chris gets home.
7 days until we leave for vacation.

That means I only have to take out the trash one more time!!

Day 417 - My Day Off

2010-04-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday! No kids! Did I sit around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. Ha!

I kicked butt today though.

After doing a sort through all of the baby's clothes and Maria's old clothes (which meant emptying numerous bins and drawers) I ended up with a huge pile of clothes tagged and boxed for the garage sale, a huge pile for the donation center, and nice organized drawers full of size 18 - 24 month clothes. I rewarded myself with a nice uninterrupted shower. (I get one a week.)

Then I went to Walmart (grrr) to order some cheap prescription sunglasses.
Then I went to Panera Bread - mmmm....black bean soup.
Then I went to Kohl's. How does that place make any $? I spent $25 and saved $50. Weird.
Then I went to Target and found a fun white flowing skirt...perfect for a tropical cruise!
Then I went to Payless to take back a pair of shoes for the baby's (fat) feet.
Then I went to the grocery store and the pharmacy. Gotta have food and pills!
Then I mowed (most of) the grass. I didn't have time for the back yard, but the front looks good.
Then I picked up the kids from the bus stop and day care.
Then I cooked steak and rice for dinner. (The kids ate it all up!)
Then I took everyone out for a mile walk.
Then I did the dishes, cleaned up the toys, gave the baby a bath, read everyone's library books and reading homework, made sure everyone brushed their teeth, sang lullabies, read bedtime stories, gave back scratches, and tucked everyone in.
Then for some crazy reason...I decided to start making cinnamon rolls from scratch.

So, that was my day off. I think I might have worn myself out.

Day 412 - I Love Mondays

2010-04-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

I love Mondays. All of the kids are at daycare/school and I get to have some free time. This week I went on Luke's field trip with his class. After that I had lunch and got a pedicure with my friend Melissa.

I love Tuesdays. Most of all because L O S T is on. What am I going to do without that show?

I love Wednesdays. The cleaning lady comes and helps my house become sanitary again. But the best thing is being able to pound tennis balls for an hour at the gym.

The rest of the days are just so-so.

Day 408 - The Last Visit

2010-04-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

Chris flew in yesterday morning for his last visit. We went out for breakfast, worked around the house, went grocery shopping, and then decided we wanted to go out to a fancy dinner.

We took Luke and Maria to the gym for a Kid's Night Out, and had our neighbor come over to watch the baby.

Table for 2 please.

Candle on the table, river flowing right outside the window - a perfect setting.

2 glasses of wine for me - $14... I could buy at least 2 bottles of wine for that...

The food was yummy - I ate it all. Creme brulee for dessert - one of my favs.

Our next fancy dinner...in 2 weeks at DisneyWorld. We are THAT close!!

Day 406 - Cloud Lifting

2010-04-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

The countdown is in motion. The light is at the end of the tunnel. Some of the funk that surrounded me has left, but there are still anxieties that I need to work out (i.e. moving.)

I think the weather has been helping. We are getting outside more and maybe the Vitamin D I missed out on all winter is perking me up. The sunless tanning lotion is erasing that pasty, "I've been locked away with 3 kids for 13 months" kind of look.

Chris is coming home tomorrow for his last visit. The next time he comes home, it will be for good.

Day 400 - 400 Already?

2010-04-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

I hate to admit this, but today was a wonderful day. I'll tell you why in a minute. But, first I need to try to explain why this whole Marine thing is ending up longer than 400 days. Last year during March and April, Chris was on a different set of orders from the Marine Corps. His real activation started May 1, which is why we have a little ways to go yet. I just wanted everyone to know that in case I get accused of not being able to count or something.

OK, back to the good day.

It started with a miracle. Last night I was blessed with 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. (First time in nearly 2 years!) How can you not wake up happy when that is so rare??

Next, I got a good workout in and discovered that another pound had left my body. I'm getting there.

I got a lot of little things done today that I had been putting off, like making an eye appointment, ordering the swimsuit I wanted, and washing the juice dribbles of the dining room wall.

I made a dinner that everyone ate - meatloaf, beer bread, green beans, and strawberries. Maria cleared her plate - unbelievable.

In the evening our favorite neighbor girl came over to play with the kids which occupied them while I cleaned up after dinner. Not too long after that her mom came along with a bottle of wine. We played some fierce rounds of Bananagrams, cause we're cool like that.

2 more days of spring break. I'm almost sad that it is ending.

Day 399 - Spring Break

2010-04-08T17:36:00.001-07:00

Spring break this year is 12 days. I think "they" are trying to kill me! These kids need to be in school learning (i.e. out of my hair!)

We killed many days at Grandma's and Grandpa's where we met up with Chris. We kept them busy with fishing, wii time, a (short) trip to a museum, playing outside, eating out, and all of the fun Easter stuff like the egg hunt and decorating eggs.

sick Elise

lego addict Luke

fancy girl Maria

Today, Elise went to day care so I took Luke and Maria to a place for big kid fun. For $25 bucks each we got 5 hours of go-karts, bumper cars, laser tag, frog hopper rides, and got to eat as much food as we could at an awesome buffet.

The kids and I had the most fun with the laser tag. For the first round, we were all on the same team and slowly figured out how to play. Eventually we got the hang of it. In later rounds the kids and I were on different teams making it a fierce competition. It is 5 minutes of total adrenaline.

The best thing about today was seeing Luke smile. Those are few and far between, but he had an awesome time today, even though it was just with mom.

Day 398 - Anti-Climatic?

2010-04-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

Last time Chris was deployed (in 2003), there was a distinct beginning, middle, and end. The beginning was the worst, because we never knew when the last goodbye was going to be, so each goodbye was heartbreaking. The middle was OK. After the scary stuff (the whole march to Baghdad thing) it became nice. We had a once a week phone call and daily e-mails. The end (8 months later) was fun - a big welcome home bash with signs, balloons, and jubilation. A few days later, we had a party for him here, and a few weeks later his parents had a big party for him in his hometown.

This activation/deployment has been so different. First off, we eased into it. Chris came back to visit a few times before going to California. He had a long visit in September before going overseas. The overseas part was shorter this time, but the communication was a pain. Then more California time which gave him a couple of short visits. For the last 2 months he's only been 8 hours away, so visits have been more plentiful.

So, it all seems very anti-climatic to me. Kind of blah. No fan-fare. No welcome home parties. No big tears/hugs/kisses kind of thing you see on TV.

30 days from now everything will go back to the way it was 14 months prior. It feels like a time warp - almost like we've been living in a coma for the last year. We'll see if we can pick up where we left off.

Day 391 - Overdue

2010-03-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

Luke decided today that he wanted to get a haircut. After school, we drove straight to the nearest $4.99 haircut joint and got it done, no hesitations.

Before. Wavy. Wild. Rock-star.

In the chair ordering up a short cut he can "brush forward".

The end product plus some chocolate pudding face.
5 pounds lighter, ya think?

Day 383 - I'll Figure it out Later - Whew!

2010-03-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

I'm behind. Way. Behind.

Things have been beyond busy.

Mostly, I have been busy being the "co-chair" of the school carnival (which was yesterday, which is why I have time today to actually write a bit here.)

"Co-chair" is how to passive-aggressively say, I did way more than 50%.

"Co-chair" also means I don't have any power and couldn't do anything other than "this is the way we've always done it."

"Co-chair" means you "get" to do everything the other person doesn't want to.

"Co-chair" means you have to communicate with another person over every little decision, yet it is extremely hard because they don't return your calls or e-mails for weeks.

So, "co-chair" was a pretty sucky job.

And it shouldn't have been, because the school carnival is such an iconic part of my childhood. (Except for that year that I missed it since I had the chicken pox.)

So, for anyone that has been around me the last few weeks - I'm sorry that I complained about every last detail of carnival hell. I have not been pleasant. (Plus, I've had strep throat.)

I'd like to find my smile again in the near future.

Day 382 - Food Revolution

2010-03-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last night I stayed up so late watching TV. I got sucked into Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I loved it. I'm hooked. I'm a sucker for British accents, but the message was even more captivating.

Fast forward to today - my day with no kids and extra time to prep a good nutritious meal. It didn't go as planned...the chicken wasn't thawed so it took forever to cook. By the time it was ready, Maria had already devoured the left over Kraft Mac & Cheese, and Luke had a peanut butter and jelly. {Disclaimer - I only use 1 Tb. of butter and not the whole seasoning packet in the mac & cheese. And the jam is homemade by us...raspberry freezer jam - super low sugar.}

The chicken dish will make a lovely dinner for tomorrow.

I took some nibbles and it was scrumptious. Healthy? It's relative. It's homemade and doesn't have a million scary foreign ingredients in it. Maybe Jamie would think it was a step in the right direction.

Chicken Angelo

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
12 ounces Muenster cheese, sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Dip chicken breasts in egg, then roll in bread crumbs to coat. Lay in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Layer cheese on top of chicken. Spread soup on top of cheese. Bake covered in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 20 to 30 minutes more, until juices run clear.

Days 380 & 381 - Weekend

2010-03-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

We bought Chris a plane ticket so he could come home this weekend. (Do you know it costs $25 a bag on United Airlines? Insane! You'd think you'd give a guy with a sea bag a deal...)

He came especially for the kid's Odyssey of the Mind performance. Glad he saw it because the kids did a fantastic job - the best they've ever done. It was months of work boiled down to a 5 minute performance. I am now free of any after school obligations!! Yippee!!

The OM problem this year was "Surprise Party." The group had to give a surprise party for something that doesn't usually have one. Then they had to give that person 3 gifts that fit the type of party. They also had to make noisemakers and a song.

Luke and Maria's group were things in a closet. Luke was a pair of pants. Other kids were things like shirts, underwear, socks, and shoes. Maria was a dog, and a little girl was a cat.

After the pants get scratched by the cat (because of a dog chasing it), the other members of the closet throw it a surprise party for getting worn for the first time. They gave the pants a belt, a patch, and an iron. The noise makers were made from hangers, buttons, and safety pins. The kids had to do everything themselves, from brainstorming the idea, writing the dialog, making the costumes, and background, and then of course, performing it. Well done everyone!

So, back to Chris being home.

This weekend, because he was home, I got out of:

changing at least 2 dirty diapers
plunging one toilet
changing one light bulb
taking out batteries out of an annoying toy
driving
folding 1/2 of the laundry
some dishes

However, I did miss my chance to sleep in, and take a long shower. I will have to wait until next weekend I guess. That's when he will be flying back again. (I hope he brings carry-on luggage this time!)

Days 376-379 - Knee Deep

2010-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

I'm still here. Well, in body - not in mind. Because I have officially crossed over to the insane way of life.

This week I've been so busy with school carnival planning, Odyssey of the Mind dress rehearsal shuttling and costume making, basketball pool hustling, getting 84 baby things into a local consignment sale, and then the normal cooking, cleaning, laundry sort of thing.

So, this is the last place I've been. But after all of this craziness goes away, I'll be back.

Days 374 & 375 - Another Bout of Funk

2010-03-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to snap out of my grumpy mood lately. The last few days have been surrounded by stress (about silly things), poop (and other various messes), and death (a husband of a teacher at school). Pile on a load of various aches and pains, zero weight loss, and a complete lack of sleep and you have one cranky me.

Hopefully the sun will come back out to play and lift the funk.

April will be better.

Days 372 & 373 - Ewww

2010-03-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

There is something stinky in Luke's room.

I can't unclog the toilet. I've been working on it for 2 days. (Thank goodness we have 2 others.)

I just realized I haven't taken a shower in 48 hours.

I've been cleaning all morning and the house is still a mess.

{Hurry home honey. Things are going downhill fast.}

Days 370 & 371 - That's Lucky

2010-03-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I had my usual Wednesday tennis and adult chat time at the gym. I wasn't in too big of a hurry to get home because I knew the cleaning lady would still be there finishing up. (Wednesdays are always my favorite days of the week.)

When I finally returned home, the cleaning lady said that the kids' school was trying to get a hold of me because Luke was sick. Uh-oh. Bad mom.

I zipped back out to pick up the boy with the 99 degree fever who had been waiting on me for 2 hours. Oops.

The fever went away quickly, and he was fairly perky (but bored) for the rest of the day. But, all day I thought ahead to today...do I send him or not? The policy is "fever free for 24 hours." Hmmm...that's going to be a close call.

Luck was on my side today. I looked out the window and saw a nice thick 2 hour delay layer of fog out there. I flipped on the TV to confirm and (yippee!) there was a delay! So, that meant when I sent him to school at 10:30 it was exactly 24 hours. Perfect. I love how things just work out sometimes.

Day 369 - Ache

2010-03-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

In all of the history of canker sores, I have hosted the most painful one ever the last few days. This thing has literally hit a nerve. Thankfully, Chris hooked me up with some super powered ibuprofen that took the edge off the last few days. Those also came in extra handy today with the mother of all headaches that had her way with me. I think headaches are in the air today as some of my favorite people have suffered from them. Too much sun perhaps??

Day 366 - 368 - The Weekend

2010-03-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

Chris wanted to come home this weekend for our anniversary even though it was an 8 hour drive on Friday and an 8 hour drive back on Sunday. So it was short and sweet, but totally worth it.

First he brought me chocolate covered strawberries. They were for sure plumped up with steroids...look at these crazy things. They took about 4 bites each to devour. But they were perfect.

Then he played with the kids. Helicopter time with Luke and girly time with Maria.

My favorite part of the weekend was our annual trip to the Melting Pot. I never get tired of that place, even though I still have to cook my own food. At least I don't have to do the dishes there.

After Chris left on Sunday, Luke lost his other front tooth. Now he talkth hilariouthly. Not an "s" sound to be made.

Today I took the kids to a local museum which was a lot of fun. (I'm glad I forgot my camera, because both of them were having serious bad hair days.) Luke reads everything now, so he soaks up so much more than he used to. We get to take our time now because of that.

So that was our weekend, plus one. Back to the grind tomorrow.

Day 365 - A Year Has Come and Gone

2010-03-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that a year has come and gone already. To me, it now seems like a blink of an eye, but to the kids it must feel like an eternity. A year is more than 1/2 of Elise's whole life, and 1/5 of Maria's.

But we are still here, still standing, still functioning.

There are so many things that have helped me get through this past year without too much misery. So, I made a list - one of my favorite things to do. (Insert drum roll...)

#5 The Computer - This little piece of gear has kept me connected to the outside world for the past year. It's been a good addiction, I mean, distraction. Having cyber-friends is a good thing.

# 4 The Extras - I've been fortunate to get to have Elise go to day care once a week. That gave me a day to get things done, like grocery shop, go to the doctor/dentist, or splurge and take a nap. Elise is also benefiting by being in a structured social setting. The other extra (best thing ever) is our cleaning lady. Although, within 24 hours there is not much evidence that she's been here, I do appreciate not having to clean toilets. I'm too spoiled now...will Chris be able to take over the duties?

#3 The Family - Always willing and able to babysitting even though they live hours away.

#2 The Kids - Life would be pretty boring without them. Who needs sleeping in anyways?

#1 The Gym - Biggest savior ever. Going there and beating out my frustrations, spending time on me, and being able to talk to real live grown ups...it's a wonder I didn't live there. Plus, there is a hot tub. And showers...ones where I don't have little people trying to interrupt me.

2 more months of this. Thankfully Chris' visits are more frequent now and the weather is starting to break. Hibernation season is almost over! Then life can get back to "normal."

Day 364 - Happy Anniversary

2010-03-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

10 years ago, on a sunny warm day like today, I married Chris. Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart.

My present to you is to share the 10 songs from the past 10 years that make me think of you when I hear them. Enjoy! I think they will put a smile on your face like they did mine.

yellow

sabotage

peaches

ode to my family

fade into you

guerilla radio

spoonman

the man comes around

hotel yorba

cowboy take me away

Day 300something - Are You Smarter Than A 1st Grader?

2010-03-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

Luke is getting too smart. Smart in that I have to run to Google many times a day. Way to make me feel like an idiot.

Here is a sample from today. I'll put my non-knowledge right out there for you.

Example #1

Luke: How can the dinosaurs have lived millions of years ago when it's 2010?

Me: The years have to do with Jesus. It's like positive and negative numbers. People have been around a million years, but some lived before Jesus and some lived after - like the Romans...who lived in say, 900 BC.

Luke: How did they know they were living in 900 BC when Jesus hadn't been born yet? What numbers were the years back then?

Me: I'm going to have to Google that.

Example #2

While reading a page out of a dinosaur book it mentioned that a somethingasaurus was 20 tons. Luke asked me how much that weighed. I tried to channel 6th grade math...but I couldn't blow the dust off that one. 2000 lbs. x ton or 4000 lbs. x ton. "I'm going to have to Google that."

Then he broke out into the diarrhea song, and all was balanced again.

Day 300something - I Survived

2010-03-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

I just survived

a party

that was 3 hours long

for 75 boy wrestlers under the age of 10

and their families

at a bowling alley

that doesn't serve drinks

but plays a lot of Lady Gaga songs meaning a medley of "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance" will be living in my head the rest of the night

along with a killer headache

and sheer exhaustion.

But, the kids had fun.

Luke got his trophy.

They got to dance, bowl, and do the "YMCA."

Just a word of caution...it's a full moon out there. Be wary of crazy kids on slush puppy sugar highs.

Day 368 - Care Packages

2010-02-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

{I think my days are off. It's not been a year yet, but my number says 368. Hmmm...I messed up somewhere along the way. Although, I can testify that this past year really does feel longer than usual.}

OK...today's soap box has to do with care packages. I'm sure when you think of care packages, you can easily think of the standard list of goodies to send to the troops. Beef jerky, phone cards, baby wipes, hard candies...you know the drill, right?

Well, I am here to start a new trend: Care packages for the wives! (Why, oh why, didn't I think of this earlier??) We are the ones who fight the war of keeping the family and home in tact while the the husband is away. I think we are most deserving of a little treat once in a while, um...for moral...and sanity. And don't forget your freedom. (Is that too far of a stretch?)

Here are some things I think military wives would most appreciate in their care packages:

*chocolate
*lots and lots of alcohol...specifically a 12 pack of Smirnoff Ice (hear me neighbor gals?)
*invitations to play dates for the kids...ones where the military wife doesn't need to show up for at least 4 hours
*someone to come over and haul away my recycling that is taking up the entire garage
*a pedicure or some form of foot rub
*do you plunge toilets? my son has a problem
*a chance to take a shower longer than 30 seconds before some emergency arises in the other room
*food. cooked food.
*a diaper genie...and i'm not talking about the thing you stick dirty diapers in...it's a guy who changes them
*a self cleaning house
*ear plugs
*more alcohol
*shock collars? (they might come in handy for something, right?)
*a gift card to the Bahamas
*did I say chocolate?
*a nap - although most of us don't really know what that is

Ok, that about takes care of the general list. So get on that everyone! Do your country a favor by supporting the (poor/lonely) people who support our fighting guys the most. Thank you.

Day 367 - Fun in the Kitchen

2010-02-27T08:33:00.000-08:00

It seems as if I live in the kitchen. I am constantly cooking, feeding someone, cleaning up spills, doing dishes, putting away groceries. I've accepted it. {However, I am in the market for a self-cleaning house if anyone knows of one.}

Sometimes wonderful things come out of that room though...like these no bake cookies I was craving yesterday. That was my breakfast this morning.

I also get to put my creativity to the test there. Today I had canned carrots (gag) on the counter for the baby as I was making some mac & cheese. **lightbulb** Oh, yes I did...I mashed up those carrots so fine and plopped them right into the pan. No one even suspected. Score.

Most the time the kids are in the kitchen while I'm working. Luke and Maria keep busy cutting, folding, coloring, and painting while Elise does whatever it is she does...

Day 366 - I Work Alone

2010-02-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

I stewed for 24 hours about yesterday's tennis fiasco. But it only took a 10 minute walk with my friend Sarah today to give me a major revelation:

I am a single's player.

That's it! That is my life wrapped up perfectly.

I don't like depending on others. I don't like letting other people down. I like things my way. I like to be in control.

Even looking back on my sports of choice - swimming and track - I realize that I prefer to work alone.

But this is more about tennis or sports really. It is about how I tick. I think that is why I don't feel so vulnerable or lost without Chris around - because I am hyper-independent.

Despite all of that, I love it that Chris and I can both do our own thing, (run our own races so to speak), and yet still be a part of the team. Now, where's my trophy?

Day 365 - Learn to Say "No"

2010-02-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

Today I had the unexpected misfortune of seeing my future Wimbledon hopes go down the drain. I know, a 38 year old novice at Wimbledon is laughable, but a girl can dream right?

Thursdays are usually "boot camp" day at the gym. After dropping off Luke at school, I drop the girls off at the play center and walk the track until my torture begins at 9.

While walking this morning, one of the tennis instructors caught me and said, "I left you a message this morning."

"Oh?"

"We need a sub for the woman's double league today at 9. Can you do it?"

"Um..."

"Jason (my tennis instructor) said that you'd be fine."

"Um...Ok...I'll go get my racket."

And that is when my day went to the crapper.

First of all, I can't serve. I ended up with only 2 or 3 double faults, but still - my serves are weak compared to the Venus Williams wannabes on the other side of the net trying to take my head off with theirs.

Second of all, my racket shrunk today. Well, the part with the strings did. The rim on the other hand grew incredibly thick and the ball continuously thumped off the edge of it.

Lastly, the net would not allow many of my balls over it. It was being nice to everyone else though...stupid net.

Did I say lastly? Because I could really keep going...I felt like a fish out of water for sure.

But maybe it's good that I got that first stressful experience out of my system. I won't be so easy to convince the next time I'm heading off to boot camp.

Days 361 - 364 - Time Well Spent

2010-02-24T17:38:00.000-08:00

Chris just left after his "96". That's a 96 hour leave for all you non-military types. He will now be within reach (an 8 hour drive) and out of harm's way. We are getting close.

So what did we do all weekend?

Laundry
Cleaning and throwing away stuff
Tax prep
More laundry
Went to the mall
Went out to lunch
Grocery shopping
More laundry
Dishes
Watched "Up"
Watched "LOST" and some Olympics
Folded and put away laundry

(And after all of that work, I still have a bed full of laundry to fold and put away.)

The kids are loving all of the time with their Dad. Elise seems like she's never been without him. In fact today she blew right by me when we picked her up from the gym's day care. Instead, she ran over to Chris and grabbed his legs.

Luke and Maria loved having him home so they could wrestle with him and do crazy science experiments together. (Right now we have an egg sitting in vinegar in our kitchen windowsill. *Shivers with disgust.*)

I don't think there is any long term damage. Kids are so resilient aren't they? Chris and I need to iron out some parenting/discipline/management nuances, but that will come with time. It will all work out.

Day 360 - Looking Back

2010-02-20T10:50:00.000-08:00

Looking back, having one child was pretty easy. Luke was a pretty good baby and was easy to cart along on errands. That was so long ago I can hardly remember.

Maria came along 21 months later and I felt a little more challenged to go out into the world successfully.

Then we had number 3, and I thought I'd never be able to leave the house again. To run out for groceries seemed impossible. I tried to avoid taking all 3 kids with me anywhere. Anywhere!

But, in the last year, the only choice I've had is to cart all of these little people with me everywhere. I finally think all of this reluctant practice is paying off.

The kids had an extra long winter break this weekend, and a few months ago I would have completely dreaded it. But we conquered this weekend. I took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese, Target, a church fish fry, and the grocery store all by myself.

{We also went to the bowling alley, but because Luke had a meltdown about not getting a strike or spare I can not include this experience in the success story.}

Anyhow...one more day until the kids go back to school. Thank goodness Chris will be flying in later tonight and will be able to share the rest of the weekend with us. I think I deserve a nap.

Day 359 - Naughty

2010-02-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Elise, who has been a very easy baby, is entering a new phase. The Naughty Phase.

Problem #1 - The climbing.

She suddenly wants to climb on everything and do dare-devil moves like standing on one foot on top of her 3-wheeled bike. She constantly crawls up on the couch and then goes behind to stand on the windowsill (and then gets stuck and cries.) She's even been caught on top of the kitchen table.

Problem #2 - Her nose.

This is not only a big problem, but it is incredibly gross. At every meal, Elise tries to shove her food up her nose. Many times, depending on what we are eating, she is successful. So when she has mac & cheese, rice, or anything else small, I have to watch her like a hawk. Today she had the chance to get 2 pieces of corn up there. They came out when she sneezed. Disgusting.

I am bracing for the terrible twos.

Day 358 - Giving Up

2010-02-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

It's Lent. A footstep away from spring, and summer, and therefore bathing suit season. Gah!

After much consideration I came up with this list of things I am giving up until Easter:

1) Fast food (Oh, how I will miss you Arby's...but this will be a good thing, really.)
2) Donuts (These having been creeping into the house more frequently and it needs to stop!)
3) Coke (I am switching to Diet Coke instead - gag. This one will kill me the most, but I'll love the calories saved.)
4) MafiaWars (I am not going to whack anyone for a whole month.)

Things that were considered but didn't make the final cut were sweets and Bejeweled. I figured my kids would not want to live with a monster, so they had to be eliminated from the running.

The kids on the other hand are giving up video games on Thursdays. I think Luke is going to have some serious withdrawal issues with that...but so far so good.

Days 356 & 357 - Wild

2010-02-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am that parent that does not care what my children wear to school. I am happy that they get dressed themselves, despite what the final outcome may be.

Maria was about 2 minutes away from being dragged to school in her Sleeping Beauty pajamas, but she whipped up this outfit that got her off the hook.

Is that a fashion statement or what??

Days 353 - 355 - 55 Hours

2010-02-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful 55 hours together.

It started with donuts and a surprise at the airport.
It was speckled with snuggly naps on the couch.
It was filled with activities like wrestling, sledding, swimming, and giggling.
It was busy with errands and the typical mundane.

It was a wonderful weekend.

Can't wait to do it again next weekend.

Day 352 - Sayings

2010-02-13T18:16:00.001-08:00

Today was the first day Elise said "Mama." Awwww...

But my favorite thing today was Luke saying, "Be quiet! I'm trying to look at the constellations."

Days 350 & 351 - Still Counting

2010-02-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

We are about 24 hours away from seeing Chris. I think everyone in the world knows except for the kids. I decided not to tell them until we are on our way to the airport. Can you imagine the huge disappointment if something were to change?

We don't have any plans made for the weekend. I'm sure Chris will just want to hang out and play with the kids.

I've been so good at not over-planning (my usual way of doing things) that I've not planned a single thing. Not even a meal. Heck, I don't even have any groceries really. I thought about making bread pudding (the one that he says is better than his mom's), but that would mean I'd have to go shopping. And really, I don't have time!

Tomorrow, I have to be the room mom for Luke's Valentine's Party. I hope it goes smoothly. The girls are coming with me so it could get hectic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the kids have a fun time and that the time goes by quickly!

Then tomorrow night, I am taking the three kids to Luke's wrestling tournament. Am I cRaZy??

The one thing I've learned about myself from all of these months is that, yes - I am crazy. Completely.

Day 349 - Bracing

2010-02-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

We are having a pretty good snowstorm right now. By the end of it all we should see another 3-100 inches of snow.

So, in preparation of being snowed in for a couple of days, I took the girls to the grocery store to stock up on...donuts, cereal, and fried chicken. It doesn't get better than that!! We are set!

I really do hope we have a snow day tomorrow. The biggest reason is that I am the room mom for Maria's class and her Valentine's party is tomorrow. I think Monday would work out better for me. Pretty much it boils down to me not being done with the game for the party. It's just a candy walk (like a cake walk), so it won't take much time...but I am the queen of last-minute. Also, Chris can come to the party if it is on Monday...so it's not me being too selfish there.

Also, if there is no school tomorrow, I won't have to haul everyone to wrestling.

So come on snow...we are ready for you! We are ready for junk food and being lazy!

Day 348 - Excited

2010-02-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

5 more nights until Chris comes for a visit. I was so happy to go to the store and buy him a couple of things for his short visit home. (Bars of soap and roasted red peppers...a weird combination!)

89 more nights until we leave for Disney. (That's exactly 3 months away.) Although everything is set, I couldn't resist buying 2 Disney guide books today. The one for the cruise is sort-of necessary since it is our first time. We don't want to miss out on something important! (I spent all day reading it, so I didn't have time to get the blog done on time!)

Days 344 - 347 - Random Weekend

2010-02-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to catch up here.

It's official - I'm sick. Sore throat, coughing, headache, running stuffy nose. I am furiously taking Tylenol and Zicam, but I think I just have to live this one out.

The good news came the other night - Chris is not going to Haiti. His activation is remaining as planned. This means he'll be coming home next weekend and the weekend after! Plus, our Disney trip is no longer in any jeopardy, so that makes for a happy me.

The in-laws were here this weekend. It was perfect timing since they could help out while I was sick.

Now for the big news! It's done! All of the grandparents have contributed to the building of this:

It's ready to store lots of crafty goodness, and maybe some of Chris' stuff too. My craft store moratorium is now over!! (Not that I need anything, really!)

Days 342 & 343 - Big Mistake

2010-02-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first day of having a one on one personal trainer. For months a friend and I had done it together, but her love of running (and keeping money in her pocket), forced her to stop.

Last week in preparation for my session I told my evil trainer, Elaine, to "go hard on me."

Now, as I hobble around like someone in their 3rd trimester, I am thinking that might have been a mistake.

Today I am having to carefully consider each urge to sit down knowing how painful it's going to be. Walking is sheer torture, and I don't want to even think about stairs.

I think a nap is going to be the best medicine for this one.

Day 341 - Sleep

2010-02-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Last night was the first night in at least 18 months that I got a FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP. I didn't wake up once. I didn't have to pee or take a Tums (like when I was pregnant.) I didn't have to feed the baby or change a diaper. I didn't have to get anyone a glass of water. The baby didn't stir or fuss at all. I didn't leave my bed for 8 whole hours!! Amazing.

In other news, Maria lost that second tooth. Looks like the tooth fairy will be joining us again tonight. (That reminds me that I need to hit the ATM tomorrow. These people are breaking the bank with their teeth and their job charts.)

We spent the evening at Chuck E. Cheese tonight for a school fundraiser. It was 2 hours of pizza eating, token spending, kid chasing fun. And that leaves me just plain tired. Please, please, please keep your fingers crossed that the baby puts in another solid night of sleep!

Day 340 - The Cookie

2010-01-31T10:56:00.000-08:00

This is the cookie

that knocked out this tooth

of this cute little girl.

She is hoping for a pink tooth fairy.

Days 338 & 339 - Projects

2010-01-30T11:18:00.000-08:00

I've been working the last couple of days on the project list. (It's a mental list since a written down list would be too daunting.)

Project #1 - The Desk
My mom and I got 2 of the 8 pieces put together. I'm always happy when I have a chance to use power tools. This stuff went together so easily thanks to clear directions and an occupied baby.

Project #2 - The Allowance Chart

I worked on this while sitting at Luke's wrestling tournament. I have a list of jobs the kids can pick from each day and if they do 5 they get a buck. $7 a week should help Luke pay off the repair fee for his Nintendo DS quite easily. It will also support Maria's lip gloss and gum habit.

Project #3 - Maria's Costume
Luke and Maria are in a program called Odyssey of the Mind where they are creating a skit with certain guidelines. Today we finally got to Maria's costume which is a dog. We (uh, that really means my mom) took some old cat ears and transformed them into dog ears with some lovely brown fur. Luke's costume has been an on-going procrastination. His character is "The Pants". I'll let you know how that one turns out.

Day 337 - Crappy

2010-01-28T17:19:00.001-08:00

I feel crappy today. So my normal wit and wisdom are out the window.

Today was spent couch bound. I'm not sure if playing on the computer all day helped me cope, or helped contribute to the feeling crappy. Hopefully I will wake up to my normal self tomorrow.

In other news, Luke threw down his Nintendo DS one too many times today, and it took its last electronic breath. Tomorrow, I am going to finalize the allowance chart so he can start saving for a new one. I'm thinking he'll be more careful with the next one.

Day 336 - Uh Oh

2010-01-27T13:32:00.001-08:00

Remember the whole craft room makeover/organization thingy?

Maybe I didn't think it through all the way.

Let's start the bets on how many pieces there are in these boxes.

Day 335 - Luke

2010-01-26T16:24:00.000-08:00

Of all the kids, Luke is the one acting out the most with Chris being gone. He is tired of being surrounded by girls. I don't blame him. He's got 2 sisters. His classroom is girl heavy ~ out of 20 kids, 13 are girls. In our neighborhood the seven kids closest to his age are girls.

Someday, he might like those odds, but right now he hates it. Girls just don't "get" him.

Two nights a week I take him to a wrestling club to have some boy time. (The girls tag along too.) Last weekend he had his first taste of a tournament. He wrestled three times. He pinned the first two boys. He lost to the third boy (who was 20 pounds heavier) but he didn't get pinned.

When I am in that room I feel what he feels for the rest of his days. I am out of my element. It's 100% male. It is stinky, sweaty, rambunctious, and has a forceful energy. It is loud, chaotic, and hypnotically busy. He doesn't get in trouble there. He obeys. He listens. It's perfectly fine that he is ADHD.

We've tried karate and we've had one miserable season of soccer. But I think wrestling is going to stick. I am looking forward to Chris getting home, roughhousing with him, and seeing how strong he has become.

Day 334 - Surprise Cupcakes

2010-01-25T05:53:00.000-08:00

Today is Maria's 5 1/2 birthday. She has a July birthday so I decided to have her take treats into school today. Also, it was just a fun excuse to bake.

These cupcake are so easy and highly addictive. If you know me at all, you know that I despise canned frosting. This frosting is what absolutely puts them over the edge. I'm not sure kindergarteners will 100% appreciate them, but it's never too early to encourage "from-scratch." (Thank you to my neighbor Joey for the recipe.)

Heavenly Surprise Cupcakes

2 eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (I can't find a 5 oz can, so I used part of a 14 oz.)
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

1.) First beat the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to the wet. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Lick off extra batter.

2) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 22 minutes. Cool completely.

3) For the frosting, cream the shortening, butter and sugar. Stir in milk, water, and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Be sure to taste.

4) For this part a pastry bag with a star tip or a decorator tube is helpful because you are going to shove frosting down into each cupcake until they are stuffed like a jelly-filled doughnut.

See how they are fat and happy now!

5) Use the extra frosting for the tops.

I had plenty of frosting left over. I might make another batch of cupcakes so that it doesn't go to waste. In the future, I might cut down the recipe for the frosting so I don't have as much left over.

This makes about 24 perfect cupcakes. Enjoy!

Day 333 - A Better Day

2010-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

This was one ugly up and down emotional weekend. It was enough to turn me into a regular Dr. Jekyll. No wonder no one wants to hang out with me. I think I need to work on that permanent scowl I've had going on for the last few months. I guess the 3 kids cramp up my social life as well. Yeah...we'll blame it on them. OK, moving on...

To help get myself out of a funk, I put down the computer and my somewhat imaginary friends, and got to crafting.

And with the stars all aligned and the kids finally asleep, I got some new items listed in my etsy shop.

Chocolate Silhouette Tags

Back to Nature Tags

Day 332 - The Ups and Downs

2010-01-23T05:18:00.000-08:00

The last 11 months have been quite the roller coaster. We've adapted to the situation and are making the best of it. Sometimes it seems easy, other times its miserable. For the most part, our lives are on hold until Chris gets back. We are just holed up in our little house waiting for things to be normal again.

Yesterday, normal seemed so close. Last we knew Chris was coming home for 96 hours in February. The biggest worry was that the guys would come off active duty 2 months early and mess up our vacation. (Our vacation is planned for the period between his active duty and going back to his real job. It was also purchased with a military discount, which would not get if he's not on active duty.)

Then, last night came the bombshell. Haiti. It's a little more solid than a rumor, but still up in the air.

So now we wait. The visit in February, the return home in May, and the vacation for May are all in serious jeopardy. And you can kiss any last trace of sanity left in my body goodbye. Let the on-going funk continue.

Day 330 & 331 - Tooth Fairy

2010-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

Luke lost his tooth the other night. But he swallowed it while he was sleeping. He ended up writing the tooth fairy a note which said:

der toth fare
i aksadentlee swoalood my toth
luke

The tooth fairy came last night and retrieved the note and replaced it with $1. (That's the going rate at our house...I know there are some very generous tooth fairies out there, but I like getting the tooth fairies that have their heads on straight.)

The latest tooth fairy was orange. We know that because she dipped her wing into the glass of water he put next to his bed.

That is a lot for the tooth fairy to remember. Dip, retrieve, replace, and scoot...all without being noticed. Talk about pressure!

Days 328 & 329 - The On-Going Funk

2010-01-20T18:42:00.001-08:00

I'm bored. I'm tired. I'm feeling stuck.

I'm lonely. I'm thinking about running away.

I want a break from dishes, laundry, cooking, diapers, and picking up toys.

I want friends. I want to be able to socialize. I want normal.

I want to stop being miserable. I want to be able to breathe, and smile.

Soon...

Day 327 - Bananagrams

2010-01-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

When my mom visited this weekend we played a new game called Bananagrams instead of our usual Boggle.

I got hooked. Serious addiction.

When she left she took it with her. Serious withdrawal.

But then, I found it on Facebook. I have not been productive since.

Thanks, Mom.

Day 326 - More Than You Want to Know

2010-01-17T06:20:00.001-08:00

I was tagged by a fellow blogger of Christopher and Tia to write about 7 things about me. So today, I am going to turn even more ego-centric than ever and write all about me!!

1) The "how I met my husband" story ~ I was teaching in Illinois and applied to go on a Rotary Club trip to Taiwan with 4 other teachers. One of the other teachers was Chris' mom. For that month as we toured temples, schools, and ate infinite numbers of 14 course meals (of insane food), I got to know a little bit about Chris through her. Soon after we arrived back in the states, his mom had a party for all of us and that's when I finally got to talk to him and realized he was pretty interesting. About a year later we were married.

2) I am left handed. And I was born on sweetest day, which back then no one even knew about. I'm not even sure people know about it now, do they?

3) I drink one Coke every day at lunch. No more, no less.

4) I bought my first house in 1996 for $27,000. Then I sold it 3 years later for $33,000. I was ecstatic to have made that huge profit.

5) I completely fit the description for my Chinese horiscope - the metal pig.

6) I've been in 48 states - Hawaii and Oregon still need to get checked off the list. I've lived in 3 states - Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. I am 100% midwestern.

7) My favorite tv show ever is LOST. I'm sad that this is the last season, but I am also looking forward to seeing how they end it!

Now it's time to tag some fellow bloggers so they can reveal all of their fun facts too. Feel the pressure ladies...

1) Avery and Winslow
2) A Window into Whimsy
3) Shiny Happy Fit of Rage
4) Mom n Mia Quilts

Day 325 - Sock Monster

2010-01-16T06:24:00.000-08:00

Years ago, my friend Patti admitted to never putting her family's socks away. Instead she put them into a big communal bin and when they needed socks they sought them out. At that time, we did not have 3 kids like she did, so this process seemed unimaginable. Yet I tucked the hint away for later use.

Socks have a way of disappearing, don't they? A year ago we had a small mesh bag that would hold the mismatched socks until their mates would cycle through the laundry process. Unfortunately, that pile grew and grew.

Then Elise came along and a sock explosion happened. And more socks lost their partners.

By the end of it all, I had the communal bin. But I'd say 50% of it was full of single socks, with no matches. It drove me nuts every morning to go hunt for matching socks for everyone. Some days the kids wore socks that didn't match. I didn't care too much until the day came when a 6 year old at the gym ridiculed Elise for wearing one pink sock and one white sock. I needed to tackle that sock monster once and for all.

Last night my mom and I took on the sock bin and matched what we could. We sorted them by sizes and bagged them up to save for the baby. We put away the ones that are wearable now. We bagged up others to give away (57 pairs!!)

And in the end there were 71 single socks left with no matches. How in the world does this happen??? Where in the heck are they??? I'll never know.

Day 324 - Movie Thoughts

2010-01-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

The other night I splurged and rented a movie for myself. If you looked at my history of rentals at Blockbuster, you would not see any grown-up movies at all. Instead, you would see plenty of Disney, Barbie, and Transformer cartoon rentals. Riveting stuff. (This same trend can be noted in the theater movies I've seen. My last 3 movies seen at a theater were Chipmunks, G-Force, and Wall-E.) I need to remedy this.

So, back to the movie. I picked out Julie and Julia. I'm not sure why I picked it out because I hadn't heard that much about it. So, I was surprised at how enjoyable it was.

I'm not going to use the phases "I had a connection to the movie", or that "it spoke to me", but I was tickled that so many things in it seemed to consequently mean something to me.

Starting with my fondness of Julia Child. This came about when Chris and I would watch her on TV early in our marriage. We used to find comedy in the way she gushed over food and described its tastiness. I've never cooked a Julia Child recipe. I'm more of a "30 minute meals" (minus about 25 minutes) kind of gal. But, this movie made me realize I should probably cook more "real food."

The other funny thing for me was how the mother of the character, Julie, reacted to her blog. I have a feeling my mom would have the same knee-jerk reaction. My mom wouldn't be cruel like the mom in the movie. Mine just wouldn't get why I do this. That is why I haven't told her I've been doing this for the last 324 days. (She just thinks I'm addicted to the computer. True, but I'm "working" here.)

The success of the blog in the movie is what my dad would like to see for me with my blog. But, as much as I enjoy sharing every meal and parenting flub with the unknown world, I really just love the process of journaling every day. Chris told me that now he is back in the states that "I can take it down." But for now, I will keep going with this. I like that I am sticking with something for once.

Day 323 - Chillin'

2010-01-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

The house is so quiet. Luke is at school. The baby is sleeping. And Maria is at a saint's house...I mean, my friends Kim's house. (When you invite people over for lunch and a play date, you don't expect them to take your child with you when they leave...but I'll take it!!)

I didn't feel much like diving into the cleaning/reorganizing project today~ surprise, surprise. Instead I took a few minutes and made these:

The main reason they didn't take very long is that I was able to find things in my craft room! Imagine that! (I also found a stash of mini Heath bars that my friend Becky gave to me for Christmas...yum-yum!!)

I'm learning that the more time I put into this reorganizing project, the more time I will save in the future when I go to get something done. I just have to remember where I put my motivation though...I think I left it around here somewhere...

Day 322 - Phone-a-Friend

2010-01-13T14:02:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up like any other morning (at 5:30 grrrr) with the baby. I was prepping for the cleaning lady and looking forward to tennis. After getting the baby her breakfast, the wackiest thing happened - my back went into total crippling spasms. It was the second worst pain I've ever been in right behind being in labor. The pain turned me into a "please have pity on me" kind of mom. I think Luke was moments away from calling 911.

Somehow I whipped together some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while the kids took orders from me about getting ready on their own.

Meanwhile I put my neighbor Melissa on call - just in case. Then I called my neighbor Brandie, who thankfully was able to cart Luke and Maria to school for me.

Once I popped some ibuprofin and snuggled up with the heating pad, my life was more bearable. So I took it real easy today. I made some meatloaf and banana bread, then took a nap and played on the computer. By the time the kids got home, I was feeling much better.

~~~~~~

Here is the scoop about Chris now that I've had a chance to chat with him. He'll be out in California until late February. Then he gets to come home for 96 hours. Then, he'll most likely work in St. Louis throughout March and April. He can probably fly home for visits on some weekends. Then in May he'll be done.

And done is really just the beginning, since in June he takes over being the battalion's commander. 2 years of that and then he can retire!

Day 321 - Maine

2010-01-12T11:49:00.001-08:00

I got the call late last night. Chris was on the other line and said, "I'm in Maine."

By now he should be in California. Things are still fuzzy as to when he'll be back for good, back for a visit, or when he'll have to go back to his real job. I can't wait to hear the answers to all of those questions!

Day 320 - Getting Close

2010-01-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

Today, my head is in Disney mania. A week ago, I had the entire upcoming trip planned out in its entirety. Meal reservations made, deposits dropped down. Finished.

Then last night, I got the best news ever bomb shell - another military discount! Brain swirl all over again.

This discount isn't as deep as the last one. We each get a 4 day pass at $99 and can upgrade to a park hopper for an extra $25 each. The rooms were 40% off. Splurge!

But by the end of it all we are paying $700 less out of pocket. We upgraded our room to the one with a view, and we got the dining plan (which also has a military discount!!)

So now I get to tweak the dining reservations a little bit. Here are some of the places I picked out to eat: Libery Tree Tavern, the Hoop-dee-Doo Review, Whispering Canyon, LeCellier, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, and Boma. Tack those onto a 3 night cruise and I'm coming home a little bit heavier I'm thinking!!

Days 318 & 319 - Family Weekend

2010-01-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderfully dull weekend here. It was welcome after the shock of our first post-vacation school week.

Saturday was spent in our pj's. We finally got out of the house to go pick up pizza and movies for "family night" ~ isn't every night family night?? The kids found the root beer to be the biggest treat ever.

We watched Night at the Smithsonian together which was cute and entertaining. Much better than anything with talking chipmunks.

Sunday was pretty lazy too. (Although I still was making baby steps in the organization department...I don't want to imply that I sat around on Facebook all day or anything.) At about 4 o'clock I foresaw a night of craziness if I didn't get the kids out of the house. So I took them to the gym for a swim which really helped tire them out. I got to sit in the hot tub for about 2 minutes which was the perfect ending to the weekend.

Now we are ready for another whirl-wind of a week. Bring it on!

Day 317 - Noon

2010-01-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Things I learned by noon today:
Assuming you have a snow day can bring a rude awakening when there really is school.

Even a powder sugared doughnut can not help Maria to eat faster.

Getting to the bus stop with 3 kids with packed backpacks, packed lunchboxes, snow pants, boots, gloves, hats, coats, library books, and folders by 8:00 a.m. is the most stressful part of the day.

The van does not make it through snow drifts like the SUV used to. (No Chris, I am still not going to drive the truck.)

Glitter on the floor is a truthful way to say that my floors sparkle.

My mom always is fun to talk to when I am feeling stressed.

The baby will take a nap when she is good and ready, not when I need her to sleep.

I wonder what else I will learn today.

Days 315 & 316 - A Little of Everything

2010-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying getting back into the routine this week. Kids going to school, going to the gym, and spending more time on my ongoing fight with the clutter in the house.

In Luke news ~ He has been getting stellar reports from school this week. That makes me so happy. Now if he would just stop giving his sister wedgies! Another big thing is his top front tooth is loose. Shouldn't be long before there is another visit from the tooth fairy.

In Maria news ~ The tattoo on her forward which was applied 2 days before Christmas is slowly starting to come off. I think most people assume she fell and skinned herself until they look close and see remnants of butterfly wings.

In Elise news ~ She has 2 teeth popping in on the bottom bringing her grand total to 6. She is starting to let me feed her with a spoon again (after about 6 months). This is opening up a whole new world of tastes for her - like yogurt and applesauce.

In me news ~ I have just been treading water as usual ~ cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, providing a taxi service, refereeing, bill paying, grocery shopping, diaper changing, and whatnot. The deal I've made with myself is that I will not step into a craft store until that room downstairs is in order, so any extra time I have is spent down there tossing.

Day 314 - Craft Room Chaos

2010-01-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

The craft room (aka the guest room/office) is in serious need of some TLC. The fall craft shows have taken its toll on the area, and now it's time to tame the mess before I end up on an episode of Hoarders.

Chris, you might want to turn away. I promise to have this under control by the time you get home.

Catherine. These pictures are for you. I hope my craft room is more messy than your craft room after all of my gloating.

The queen sized pile of paper. And, yep - that's a pink mattress.

The desk. A catch-all for so much stuff you can't roll the top down to hide it all. Aww...look it's our wedding picture.

The most respectable corner of the room. Bins, bins, and more bins.

Here's where it gets really scary. The 6 foot table of disorganization. Not even an inch of workspace. Looks like something out of an Eye Spy book.

And this is what lies under the table. Scary...very scary.

So, before another craft gets made - this room will get respectable. In fact, it's going to look something like this. Gorgeous!!

Day 313 - Baby Clothes

2010-01-04T18:55:00.000-08:00

All the kids were healthy enough to be in their classrooms and at daycare today, so I had the whole day to myself at home. I had thought about getting a massage to alleviate any left over holiday stress, but I didn't. I thought about taking a nice long nap, but I didn't. The mission today was organization. (Pats self on back for being restrained and dutiful.)

I intended to spend one hour cleaning the bedroom, and one hour cleaning the craft room/guestroom/office/storage room. (And I am totally that kind of person who has to set a timer for myself in order to stick to a task, otherwise I end up clipping my toenails or reading a magazine that has been unearthed. I am so A.D.D.)

When it took me a whole hour just to fold and put away all of the laundry that was sitting at the foot of the bed I had to revise the plan. It was then, that I realized I'd be spending the rest of my day in this room.

When we had Elise, we moved some furniture around our bedroom to make room for a rocking chair in the corner. The chair has since been removed, but the space that remained became a catch-all for every living piece of clothing that was too big or too small for these bodies that are growing up way too fast.

Back in the day of one kid, and a little bit into having two kids, I had the mother of all organization when it came to baby clothes. I had separate totes in each size for each sex all labeled with nice labels that I had made on the computer. We had the totes stacked neatly from floor to ceiling in the basement. I could find things so easily when I needed them, but more importantly, it looked good.

For a while it seemed like Luke and Maria were going to be the only kids we would create, so I started selling off, little by little, the least favorite of the clothes in those totes, yet I still hung on to a lot of my favorite outfits...just in case.

And then Elise happened. For the first few months, I kept up with it all...the processing of the clothing sizes. But as abruptly as my world was turned upside down with being a "single" mom of three...my keeping up with non-fitting clothes (for any of our children) seized to exist. The best I could do for the time being, was to process out the non-fitting clothes by throwing them in the corner.

So, after being quarantined in my room most of the day, and throwing things into piles such as "give away", "garage sale", "consignment sale", "keep for Elise", "keep cause it's my favorite outfit ever", and "oh, this fits ____ right now - I forgot that I had bought this!" my work was done.

2 bags are going to Goodwill.

1 basket is ready to be tagged for the garage sale and the consignment sale.

1 huge load was rejoined with those totes in the basement for Elise to wear later.

And I created 1 little pile of sentimental outfits I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to part with...like this one which was given to me by one of my students, Mackenzie, at a surprise baby shower in my classroom. This outfit was worn by each of our children the day they came home from the hospital. I'm too sappy to give it up! (It's not stained...it's the lighting...darn lightbulbs keep going out on me.)

So, that was my day. And really, not very many thoughts of having another baby crossed my mind. 'Cause if we had 4 kids, you can just lock me away for serious!

Now, who wants to come over and help me match socks?

Day 312 - Jinx

2010-01-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

(I am predicting tomorrow there being a blog post about lack of sleep stemming from Maria's ongoing vomiting tonight. I am hoping there is an end in sight. So far she's been sick about every 15 minutes for the last 5 hours. Gatorade awaits when her fragile tummy is ready, and our green machine carpet cleaner is waiting in the wings.)

I tried to do a reverse psychology move on my future last night. I was just sure that if I counted on being awake all night and shared that fact with the world, that the powers that be would prove me wrong.

Nope. My prediction was spot-on.

Maria threw up constantly from 4:30 last night until 3:30 in the morning, then went right back to it when she woke up at 7:30. She took a nap today, and has now kept down a few sips of Gatorade.

Luke joined the vomit party at 3:30 in the morning. He chose to not open the lid to the toilet, so I had a wee-bit of housecleaning in the middle of the night. He got sick again when he woke up, but after his nap he was feeling much better.

Dark circles under the eyes...it's the new black.

Day 311 -

2010-01-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

Chris called us twice today. Sometimes we don't hear from him for weeks, so 2 times in one day was pretty special. The calls are very hard to hear. Not only is there a delay, but it is through a computer, so you can only hear one word from every sentence. Luke's end of the conversation went something like this...

"Hi Dad."
"What?"
"Uh-huh."
"What?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Wanna go?"
"Love you, bye."

Tonight we tried the video camera thing which was a gift from his real life co-workers. It's cool to be able to see him and he gets a kick out of seeing us in action.

And tonight he got a lot of action.

He got to see the baby walking around and drinking from her sippy cup. She babbled a bit to him, then she tried to eat the camera.

Luke did a show and tell with off some of his new toys. It completely sounded like another language with all the Bakugan/Digimon/Pokemon verbiage.

The highlight of the call was when Maria came throwing up down the hall and into the bathroom. While I cleaned up things, I had Luke do more entertaining with Japanese cartoon figure talk. Maria did get to say a quick hello before heading off to bed again.

I think tonight he got a taste of how crazy life is here at home. I'm sure he is missing it. It is always interesting around here.

(I am predicting tomorrow there being a blog post about lack of sleep stemming from Maria's ongoing vomiting tonight. I am hoping there is an end in sight. So far she's been sick about every 15 minutes for the last 5 hours. Gatorade awaits when her fragile tummy is ready, and our green machine carpet cleaner is waiting in the wings.)

Day 310 - After Shot

2010-01-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Something got in me today and I decided to take the neglected fridge head on. I could not bear to take a before shot, because, well...I embarrass myself enough on here. Just imagine that it was very, very bad. You know...leftovers, expired things, and lots of other colorful things lurking about.

Every shelf and drawer got a bubbly bath and the whole thing gleams. And now I can see what I have...which isn't much. (But I do have 14 sticks of butter for some reason.)

Now if I can go get those loads of laundry folded and put away, we'll be looking good around here.

Day 309 - Goodbye 2009

2009-12-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

I'm glad it's the last day of 2009. For me, it signals the end of a crappy hard year. Don't let all my happy blogs fool you...this has been tough. It's been a long, lonely road. But somehow the changing of the year signifies a closeness of getting back to normal. I am looking forward to getting reintroduced to normal.

Today while Elise was a day care, I got to play with the big kids and do big kid stuff. That is something we don't normally get to do, since the baby is always around to hinder our big kid fun.

First, I took the kids sledding. We have a park with a giant hill that eases from steep to mild. Luke had a new sled that goes faster than anything I've ever seen. And he loved the thrill.

Maria got a little brave this year and started going by herself. She even eased over more into the steep territory.

(Tammi - Thank goodness I didn't give away these mittens. They were so warm!)

After sledding we went to the movies to see the Chipmunk movie. They loved it. Notice, I said "they." I'm craving an adult movie here. Craving. (My last 3 theater experiences...Chipmunks, G-Force, and Wall-E. Gee...get out much do ya?)

The rest of the day was spent playing with all kinds of new Christmas toys and visiting with neighbors. Not a bad way to end the year.

Days 304-308 - Catching Up

2009-12-31T18:44:00.001-08:00

On Christmas day I packed up the kids and started the 6 day round trip of visiting grandparents. It's all a blur looking back on it now...but a couple of days were spent at my mom's then a few more at the in-laws. Too many presents, too much food, and a lot of miles. Can you say exhaustion?

However, the new surroundings, the new toys, and the extra attention doled out by the grandparents were all very welcome distractions.

Day 303 - Christmas Day

2009-12-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

We had a good Christmas morning...

Chris even joined us for a little while.

Everyone was happy with their presents. Santa was tired, but still managed to get it all done.

Elise loved all of the paper. It is her favorite food.

Yes, that is a tattoo on her forehead. Thanks, Aunt Julie.

Yes, that is a smile on Luke's face - really.

Day 302 - Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T14:52:00.000-08:00

Today we spent the day in our pj's. It was nice and calm, but slow moving.

Luke found a love for his legos again. Today he spent half the day making Wall-E, his lunchbox, his house, the garbage, and the cockroach. Amazing. It's all "from scratch" - no kits here.

Tonight we had a very fancy Christmas Eve dinner. (I made a big stink about it all day hoping it would entice them to eat...I think it worked!)

First we had appetizers.

Strawberries, gouda cheese, kalamata olives, artichokes, salami, and crackers stacked any way you like!

Next up, the kiddie drinks. We toasted to Chris.

Then the yummy stuff. Beef tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, and crescent rolls. They ate it all!

For dessert we got to eat my neighbors famous buttermilk cookies with cream cheese frosting. I am lucky to get a dozen of these every year!

I am excited for the kids to go to bed. I have a lot to do tonight to prep for Santa's arrival!

Day 301 - Dressing Up

2009-12-23T19:25:00.001-08:00

I'm trying to get the blog all prettied up for its last 99 days. About time, huh? I am not the most technically savvy gal around, so this was quite a feat.

Ashley, who took our picture here, always makes our family look relaxed and normal. If you got a Christmas card from us this year, she took the picture for that too. She is awesome. I am thinking about having her join us at the airport for some reunion pictures. Just ones to capture the moment...nothing staged or anything. (What do you think Chris - you game?)

Christmas, 99 more days, and Disney. My brain is full of happy right now.

Day 300 - 300!!

2009-12-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

It's already day 300. 300 is sooo much better than 100, or 200. Only 100 more days (give or take a few) until Chris comes back to us for good.

To celebrate, I booked our reunion Disney trip/Disney cruise today. 2 trips in one year's time...why not? The kids are only little once, right?

Sorry to those around me who have to hear me go on and on about Disney. I know I am a little obsessed. And "little" might be not a strong enough word...

Day 299 - Took

2009-12-21T19:32:00.001-08:00

Today -

Took Elise to day care.
Took Luke to the doctor.
Took Luke and Maria to the gym to swim.
Took them to McDonald's for lunch.
Took them bowling with friends.
(Picked up Elise.)
Took the kids plus Grandpa to Logan's for dinner.
Took everyone to see the Christmas lights at the ball park.
Took the kids to see Santa.

I am now taking myself to bed.

Day 298 - New Stuff

2009-12-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to redecorate the bathrooms in our house for a long time now. (It's crazy that we've been here 9 years already!)

I wanted to share what I bought for two of them. I bought these things a long time ago, but finally bought the frames last week and put them together. Now, I just need to paint and buy some new towels and I'll have a little mini home makeover to share. (But don't hold your breath for that!)

First up, are these awesome photographs by Alicia Bock. I have loved her photographs for a long time, so it was fun to finally pick some out for myself. They have the coolest metallic sheen to them and are just lovely. Check out her Etsy shop here.

Next up are these fun mixed media pieces made by Karin from AWindowIntoWhimsy. She sews cute paper shapes on colored mat boards. I fell in love with all of these when she started making them because they were so similar to one of my long time favorite shops on Etsy called Moonmum. Fun stuff!

Day 297 - Getting Lazy?

2009-12-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas break for the kids and I am not finding the time to get things done - including the blog. Messes are being made faster than I can clean them. Diapers are being filled faster than I can change them. Food is being eaten faster than I can cook it.

A giant to-do list looms over me and the chances to cross things off it are rare. For instance - I haven't balanced the checkbook in 2 months because I can't find one of the books. Elise plays in the drawers that stores them, and one is still missing.

I finally found my registration sticker for my license plate buried in a pile of papers. It should have been on my car since October. It's still not on the plate, but it is at least in the car now.

I'm getting a mysterious charge on Chris's credit card for freecreditreport.com. Guess what? It's not free. It's $15 a month, and it's a pain in my butt to get it canceled when the owner of the card is at war. All I need to do is fax over the power of attorney and then I can cancel it. Sure...in my free time.

Nothing is easy. Everything seems complicated. But each day I write this and see that number go up and I have hope that things will be easier when we reach day 400.

Day 296 - Friday

2009-12-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

It was a pretty good day. Tennis in the morning, and drinking wine with friends at night. A lot of other fun and not so fun stuff happened in between (decorating cookies and taking Elise to the doctor for her on-going ear infection.)

I am just looking forward to getting these 2 weeks, winter in general, and this deployment over and done with.

Days 294 & 295 - Christmas Parties

2009-12-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday and today were dedicated to being the room mom to Luke and Maria's classes. Long lists of craft items, game components, and snacks filled my brain. Thankfully the parties are over and 40 kids are now satisfied with holiday party goodness.

Maria's class had a snack, then made 2 crafts and heard a story. Then we played a game of unwrapping presents. I had placed a dollar coin in a small box and wrapped it. Then I placed it in a bigger box and wrapped it, etc. until I had a huge box full of wrapped boxes. The kids got to take turns opening the presents until one lucky student got the prize.

Luke's class was doing a Christmas Around the World theme. We had a big snack, then did 4 crafts and games based on traditions in different countries. My station was frosting a sugar cone to make it look like a Christmas tree (which had a little German/gingerbread tone). Yummy, messy fun!

Valentine's day is only 59 days away. Time to start planning!

Days 292 & 293 - Gifts

2009-12-15T19:24:00.001-08:00

I think it is now safe to reveal what Chris and I got each other for Christmas.

So, what did we send him?

He received a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, tuna fish, peanut m&m's, nuts, and a bunch of Clif bars. (Better than socks, huh?)

But this is what we got...

I got a tennis racket (by giving a big hint). I just could not be more excited about this.

Then today we got 2 big boxes from Iraq.

This is how we divided it up. I got to keep the Iraqi coins, the wooden jewelry box, the genie lamp (it didn't work - we all gave our 3 wishes anyways), and the marble cups.

Luke chose the marble chess set and the gold Jesus plaque (which Luke said he blessed and then prayed to).

Maria picked out the Iraq jewelry box and the wooden fan. That left Elise with the Dora "Operation Iraqi Freedom" camo backpack.

"Operation Overseas Gift Giving 2009" is pretty much complete.

Day 291 - Great Weekend

2009-12-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Today was a great, but busy end to the long, long weekend we just survived. The best part of the day was the annual cookie exchange down at the neighbor's house. What could be better than rowdy neighbor girls, shots served in chocolate shot glasses, and a table full of sugary goodness?

My cookies this year were easy. I made a chocolate chip cookie recipe but added tons of chopped up white chocolate pretzels and mini m&m's along with the chocolate chunks (forget those little bitty chips!) I think they were pretty tasty!

This is my haul. Chris is going to say as soon as he sees this picture "You might as well tape those cookies to your butt." Ha! I work out Chris...don't you know?

The other fun thing about today was making this video with my kids. My dad sent one to us earlier in the day. The kids loved it so much that they wanted to make another version with their dad in it. Click here to see it.

Day 290 - Crafty

2009-12-12T14:18:00.001-08:00

The cleaning lady came today. It never fails - when the slate is clean, I get a jump start on crafty.

This morning the kids and I made these Wilton gingerbread houses. These little guys were hard to make! I'll remember that next year to buy 1 or 2 of the big ones instead of this set of 5 little ones. (Plus, there is more room for candy on the big ones. That is all the kids care about anyway!)

Next came some sugar cookies. I got them baked, but not frosted. That will be tomorrow's project. These are getting bagged up and sent into school for teacher treats.

While I was baking the kids were crafting at the table with a fresh package of construction paper. A lot of fun stuff was being made and will be given to the grandparents for Christmas gifts.

All of that and the house is not in too bad of shape. We still have a few more hours until bedtime though...there is still plenty time for destruction.

Day 289 - Going Out

2009-12-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, after being snowed inside for 48 hours we got word that the kids had another snow day. (3 days in a row, if you are counting.)

For my sanity, I had to get out. I took the baby to daycare. Then I took the other 2 to the gym with me so I could pound tennis balls for an hour. After that we hit the (snow covered) road to go to the post office and Michaels. We had some Sonic for lunch and called it a day.

My sanity really increased by going to my neighbor's fabulous party. The kids had a great time, the baby slept (amid all of the noise), and we all tried to remember the 80's with our standard neighborhood get-together trivia game. (The girls won!)

Days 287-288 Snow Days

2009-12-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

We are in blizzard mode here. The kids did not have school yesterday or today. So we've been home bound, but not too stir crazy.

The kids have been surprisingly independent and busy. Luke found love for his Legos again. Maria is keeping entertained by debuting a new dress-up outfit every hour complete with accessories.

I really hope there is school tomorrow.

Day 286 - The Post Office

2009-12-09T04:31:00.000-08:00

Last week, I sent Chris a box of goodies for Christmas. It was the box that didn't want to be sent. After turning a Mary Kay box inside out to avoid any manly embarrassment, I packed in all of the items. While sealing up the box I completely ran out of packaging tape, which turned out to be a good thing since I had forgotten to put in all of the Clif Bars that Chris has asked for. So I popped them into my half-open box and headed to the hardware store for more tape.

It was then that I realized I had forgotten to bring along Chris' mailing address. I had to go all the way back home to fetch it. No biggie...he's worth it.

I finally am at the post office with a sealed box and an address. I fill out my customs form firmly and legibly. $37 later and my package is on it's way to Chris.

Three days later...

I see the box sitting on my front porch. It has a note attached that I need to fill out a customs form for it to be sent. (Hmmm...I know that!) I hear the engine of the mail truck so I grab the package and head out to the end of the driveway to meet it. I explained to the driver that I already had filled one out, but that the teller must not have attached it to the box. (I had my receipt right inside if there was any trouble...I did not want to pay the postage again.) She came back for my new customs form and zipped off with the package. So, I figure everything is fine now.

Three days later...

Chris sends me an email about my package. It has arrived, but he is wondering why the contents don't match up with my customs form. Instead of Clif Bars, tuna fish, Christmas decorations, a uniform, and magazines he has a back massager in his box.

So that first customs form ended up on someone else's box and is now in Iraq.

(I know it's too late for long story, short, but..) Now we are in a bit of a mess with this mystery package. Chris is going send it back here to try to get it to it's real owner and the Postmaster is going to reimburse us if he gets charged to mail it.

So if you are missing a back massager, speak up! Too bad we are not finders keepers kind of people...

Day 285 - The Flip Side

2009-12-07T10:35:00.001-08:00

I am far from super mom. (This is your feel good moment...you will feel good about yourself after you read this - trust me.)

I will only let you into my house on Wednesdays from 12 pm - 5 pm unless you give me at least a half hour's notice. Otherwise, bundle up and know that you're staying on the porch since my house is too messy to let you in. (Cleaning lady comes on Wednesdays...and the "look" only lasts until the kids get home.)

I brush the baby's four teeth every few days. (I need to get better at this...poor third child.)
She wears the same clothes until they get dirty. She's been known to wear the same thing 2-3 days. She's never worn shoes. And we watch Baby Einstein movies all the time.

My kids are picky eaters. Maria eats less veggies than I do. I think her short list consists of potatoes, corn on the cob, and a nibble of raw broccoli or a raw carrot. Luke won't eat any form of potato - not even a McDonald's french fry (which is probably a good thing.)

I'm terrible about reading to my kids. Shame on me since I was a 1st grade teacher all those years. We read the weekly library books, but finding time to sit down to do this is so hard. I see a New Year's Resolution here.

I spend too much time on Facebook, although it is less time than it used to be. I got in a bad habit while I was nursing and it's hard to shake. I especially do it at night while the kids are getting to sleep. (In my defense, I only watch 1 hour of TV a week...so this might be a wash.)

There you go...some of my anti-supermom secrets.

So...do I delete the while thing and find something else to write? Or do I hit "publish post"? Aw...what the heck...

Day 284 - Getting There

2009-12-06T17:31:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing more and more lately things like "I don't know how you do it", "You make it look easy", and "Whenever I start to complain about my husband being gone, I think of you and get over it."

It's kind of nice to know people are thinking about our family living through this deployment. I'd like to think people appreciate Chris for the whole defending-our-country thing, but I really didn't realize people appreciate me too.

And while people are sympathetic to us and our situation, I look to other people's lives and feel sympathetic towards them. It can always be worse. There are many positives for us living like this. And to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel makes it that much easier.

I've been day dreaming lately about our reunion. The last one was filled with a lot of fanfare. We (just a year-old Luke and I back then) waited outside on a cold night with a handmade sign for the charter buses to arrive from the airport. The guys were still in their uniforms. It took forever for Chris to find me with all of the people in the crowd. But we found each other...(and nine months to the day later we brought Maria home from the hospital.)

I imagine this homecoming will be much different. I think we will be at the airport waiting for him. I think he will look like a civilian and no one around us will know what we had to endure for the last 14 months. And I know there will be a lot of hugs, lots of hugs...(but no more babies!!)

Days 282 & 283 - Open House

2009-12-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

For the last few years my friends and I have had open houses this time of year to sell off all of our crafty projects. It never fails - it snows. And it snows like crazy.

On Friday we woke up to this:

It was an official no school snow day. That goofed my schedule up for a bit, but I got it all worked out.

The open house was amazing! Great sales and many people came through. I think we have a cult like following. People love our slightly-country, modern, whimsical, cutesy kind of style. I'm glad the snow didn't slow the shoppers down!

I think I am about sold out now. I have a year to get my stock pile back up. Now to find the time...

Day 281 - Christmas Program

2009-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

(Luke is the first one in the front row.)

Tonight was a night that I feared. The school Christmas Program. So many things could've gone wrong. Would Luke be able to handle himself up on stage for 45 minutes with the entire community watching? Would the baby be able to not fuss during the show, which was scheduled for her bedtime? Would Maria drive me mad with her whining that she wanted to be on stage too?

I didn't want to take him. It would have been an easy off-the-hook this year since we have so many excuses.

But he had a part. He was a drummer boy. And he was "the best drummer" according to him.

So we went. And as soon as the singing began I breathed a huge sigh of relief. He was singing. He was doing the movements. He was almost smiling. He was not pushing anyone off of a riser. He was not wiggling his butt at the audience. Oh yes...the things I imagined he would do, he did not do. So I was relieved. And I nearly cried. Because for once, he looked and acted normal. And that made me feel like all of the hard work everyone has been putting into him is finally paying off a little.

Day 280 - New Meds

2009-12-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

My son is a human guinea pig. In 9 months he's been on 4 different medications in many different varieties of dosages and combinations.

Tomorrow, comes his 5th. I hope it is the one.

Tomorrow it's an increase in the Tenex plus a new prescription of Vyvanse.

I hope this is the magic combo for us to survive tomorrow's Christmas concert.

Day 279 - I Believe

2009-12-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

The full moon makes everyone crazy. It does. I'll blame it all on that today.

Day 278 - I'm Done

2009-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

I've reached my breaking point. I'm so done with this. 5 more months, are you kidding me? And with winter right around the corner - my least favorite time of year - I am in a dreaded state of major funk.

So, if anyone wants 3 perfectly charming kids, they are up for grabs. I'm thinking about heading to a deserted island somewhere where there is a never ending flow of slushy drinks. No cleaning, no bills to pay, no cooking, no taxi service, no 5 am wake up calls, no kids sitting on top of me at any time, no meltdowns, no fighting, no Sponge Bob, no grocery shopping, no laundry, no light bulb changing, no floor scrubbing, no toys to pick up, no Baby Einstein, no recycling, no movie returning, no sock sorting, no diaper changing, nothing...

NOTHING.

That is all I want for Christmas, please.