Fall

Is it really already halfway through September? Seems like I've spent the last several weeks in a fog. Days pass without my knowledge.


Hmm... that means I really need to start thinking about Christmas presents. And budgeting to get Jeff back into school. And buying Braeden winter clothes.


--->slight rant<---


I hate shopping for Bebo in the winter! The child is so insanely skinny that finding pants to fit him is nearly impossible. This is complicated by the fact that he's only four, but the height of a six-year-old. If the pants are long enough, they are so big in the waist they just fall to his scrawny little ankles. It's been this way from the very beginning. Poor little guy never had one ounce of baby fat. Summer is no problem; in fact, he often wears shorts sizes 2 years behind what you would expect.

I usually buy up clothes for next year when they go on sale at the end of the season. When I pulled out the stuff intended for this summer, it was all waaaay too small, so I didn't stock up this year. He's got no jeans or dress pants for winter at all, and maybe 2-3 pair of sweatpants. We're a little better on shirts, but not by much. I'd better get going - cool weather can't be too far away now.

--->end rant<---

I do so love this time of year. When the air cools down and dries out it just makes me happy. Last night brought a soft rain that's continued falling through the moment. It will make for a wonderful afternoon nap, not to mention moistening down the dust that has plagued us for weeks.

I live right on my town's main road, and I love listening to the sound of tires driving through the rain. It's so soothing.... so calming.... so relaxing....

Oh, dear - I need earplugs or something, because I'm going to fall asleep before work is over!

Human Tornado

This is what happened when I was stuck in the computer room:

Resolutions Update

One of my resolutions was to read more this year, which I have done. Here's what I've dug into so far:

Fiction:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
All 7 of the Harry Potter books (twice each)
White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick
The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans
The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

Religious Nonfiction:

God as He Longs for You to See Him by Chip Ingram
For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn

I have an entire blog dedicated to weight loss, so that should give you a good enough picture how I am (or am not) doing there.

As for the photography, I have run more than 5000 pictures through my camera since I bought it early this spring. I'm amazed everyday at how much better I've gotten, and wonder how I could have debated the film vs. digital issue for so long. If you're in doubt, and can afford it - go with digital. The simple ability to learn immediately from your pictures is worth the extra cost. I've paid for the camera several times over in the cost of film & developing that I've saved.

I haven't quite scrapped 2 layouts a week - it goes in spurts. Before CKU, I'd started my "me" album, and I created another one that's more journaling-based at CKU. I have done several layouts, though. My scanner crashed so I haven't been able to upload all of them to 2peas, but hopefully I'll be getting a new one soon and can catch up.

No go on the autobiography yet - but I'm blogging rather consistently, and I enjoy it. I don't do it on every post, but some are more focused on the writing style than others. Keeps me in practice, ya know?

Spiritually I'm not doing as well as I'd hoped - but I suppose I never will. I'm trying, though. It's a rather personal thing.

Overall, I am pleased. For once I made reasonable resolutions, and have done a decent job of keeping to most of them.

I Hate Bugs

In case you didn't hear me the first time, let me repeat myself so there can be no doubt:


I hate bugs.


I learned about the whole Circle-of-Life thing in science class years ago, but I still hate bugs. They are not natural. I can tolerate ants and flies, and that's about it. Anything with more than four legs just gives me the willies. I can't even bear to squash them - the crunch sends shivers up to my hair. I swear I can feel it for days. Ew. My typical Death to Buggy method is spray them with bug spray - or, if I'm out, to suffocate them in AquaNet.

Unfortunately, my house is old and drafty, so at any given time I have a veritable menagerie of bugs to keep me company. The bathroom and kitchen seem to be the congregating points for the critters that take up residence here. No amount of bug spray, ant traps, or insect bombs eradicates the problem. I'm still not used to it.

So. . . this morning I decided to shower before work. Normally I shower at night or on my first break (one of the many advantages of working at home), because most days I am not coherent enough to tell the difference between the razor and the shampoo at the ungodly hour of 6 o'clock in the morning.

I stumble from the bed, miraculously missing spinal injury on the train Braeden left in the hall, and blunder my way into the bathroom. As usual, I toss my towel over the shower curtain - and then I see it, brazenly lounging in the bottom of the tub.

A meatbug.

Of course that's not the technical name. Years ago we had an infestation of these ultra-fat crickets. Think Danny DeVito with six scrawny legs. My sister and I christened them meatbugs, and that's what I've called them ever since.

Now I know that this insect is not going to harm me. But I have to get it out of the tub before I can shower, and this poses a problem. Crickets jump, you see, and if that thing lands on me, you'll be reading my obituary in the paper - death by cardiac arrest. It's getting late, and I know I'd better hurry if I'm going to start work on time. I look around for something to zap the bug. (Hubby had the AquaNet squirrelled away somewhere, and it takes too long, anyway.) I decide to grab a hand towel and try to trap the bug underneath it. Maybe I can wad it up in the towel and safely deposit the whole thing on the front step without having to feel it squirming through the terrycloth.

But the cricket is faster than my aim. I throw the towel down, and it jumps out of the way. Thank God it stayed in the tub! After a few minutes of this game, I realize it's time for Plan B. It's in the shower already, so maybe I can convince it to take a leisurely swim down the drain.

Turns out this is one seriously stubborn cricket. I can see the darn thing straining against the flow of water, hanging on for dear life. So I turn on the shower head and aim it right at him. He reaches for the shampoo and belts out "Singing in the Rain."

Okay. . . so it wants to play dirty. By now, the hand towel is soaked, and I have a moment of brilliance. Physics says the wet towel will be faster and more effective than the dry one, so I should be able to bury my little contender in a sea of wet purple. Praying that my aim will be slightly more accuracte, I lob the towel into the tub as hard as I can.

Bingo! The meatbug is trapped!

But what to do with the towel? I'm not about to wring out the water with the cricket wadded inside and risk the crunch of exoskeleton. So I head to the bedroom in search of a container for the wet towel and drowning cricket. Finally I yank the garbage bag out of my wastebasket, carefully wad the cricket up in the towel, and deposit it in the trash. Then I place the whole thing outside the bathroom door. Don't want to risk another invasion while I'm nekkid in the shower.

By this time, I have exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds to clean up. So much for waking up easy.

I still haven't moved the trash can, though I did inspect it for signs of cricket later. Apparently it made a valiant attempt to escape, but I guess a leg got snagged in the towel. It lay where it fell, having died an honorable death.

Next time I'm waking Jeff. He can squish the bug.

Sleepin' In!

Jeff worked at a party at the restaurant last night, and Bebo went up "da mountain" with Grannie & Peepop. This left me at home, relishing the quiet and doing nothing that could possibly be construed as useful. I probably gave up around 2:30 this morning and went to bed.

Then I slept until I wanted to wake up! (Which was exactly 11:17 am.) Oh, bliss! Oh, delight! No four-year-old wanting apple juice, no alarm reminding me to get ready to work, no nothing. Just sleep & laziness.

Tee-hee! For a minute there, I felt like I was in college again!

Brain Cells

I'm afraid this post will sound narcissistic - but I certainly don't mean for it to come across that way. Here's the deal: I think my brain cells are beginning to atrophy. As dorky as it sounds, I really want to learn something. I need a challenge.

I'm reasonably intelligent (here's the narcissistic part). Though never formally measured, my IQ usually ranges from 130-140 in informal testing. I did well in school, and I have a pretty darn good memory (except when it comes to birthdays). But it's been eight years since I was in school, and I miss it! I find myself browsing bookstores for the classics and working logic and sudoku puzzles, but it just isn't quite what I'm looking for.

I need calculus or something like that. Perhaps that's why nursing school is so appealing right now - the prospect of digging into complicated biology and memorizing drug dosage calculations and creating care plans is intriguing.

Unfortunately, I can't go to school right now. I've got to get Jeff through first, which leaves me wondering how to proceed. Wish I had that Brain Age game - but I don't have the console. I'm bored, and I need something intellectual to do.

Yeah, I know I am weird. Nerdy. Dorky. Whatever. I could easily be one of those "professional students," given unlimited time and resources.

Bye now. I'm off to search for more puzzles.

Yes, I'm Crazy

I was feeling a little stir-crazy last night. It's one of the downsides to working at home, especially when the weather is rainy and dreary for several days in a row. Jeff had the night off, and he didn't want to do anything but veg in the recliner (not that I blame him after a 70-hour work week), so I loaded myself up and drove to Chattanooga. Trips there used to be a frequent occurrence, but I rarely go more than once a month now. I didn't have any particular goals - just look at something besides the four walls of my disaster-area house.

There are three stores that I always try to visit when I'm in town: Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Books-a-Million. I wish Wolf Camera wasn't in the mall. I hate navigating the parking lot, so I only go when I have to be at the mall for something else. Anyhoo... I love craft stores, especially at this time of year. Hobby Lobby in particular puts an insane amount of holiday decorations on their shelves.

You guessed it - I'm about to say the "C" word.

Yes, I know it's still only August (barely). Yes, I know we still have almost four months to go. And yes, I know that most of you think I'm insane.

But I simply love Christmas! Nothing makes me quite so giddy as to wander down aisles of baubles, tinsel, and lights. It doesn't matter if it's 100 degrees outside. Christmas is the promise of cooler weather, and family, and home, and baking cookies, and creating cards and homemade gifts. I can't help it - it makes me smile! Knowing that soon XM radio will add back the Christmas music station, and that in a few more weeks I'll be seeing Frosty & Rudolph on TV again. . . what a happy thing. I love my annual game of searching out unique snowmen to add to my collection. I love that Braeden is old enough for Santa Claus this year. I love crafting homemade presents to give to my family. I love perusing endless cookie & fudge recipes in pursuit of the perfect treat.

Maybe it's because I hate the summer so much, but the promise of Christmas is simply delightful. I am always happier then than any other time of the year. For as long as I can remember, Christmas has been all about tradition and fun.

And I don't care if you think I'm nuts!

Sounds I Love

Inspired by CKU...

1. Braeden's laughter
2. tinkling of Christmas bells
3. cars driving through the rain-soaked streets
4. piano music
5. click of a shutter
6. wind in the trees
7. '90s music
8. feet crunching on new snow
9. wind chimes
10. a cappella music
11. ocean surf crashing on the shore
12. pop of opening a can of soda

Right Now...

1. It is 10:53 pm.

2. I am wearing one shoe.

3. My shoeless foot is tucked up under my other leg.

4. I am listening to Tchaikovsky on XM Pops

5. It's sprinkling outside.

6. I can smell my Starbucks French Roast coffee in the kitchen. It's brewing now so I can have iced coffee in the morning.

7. My dog is pacing the floor.

8. My stomach hurts a little bit.

9. I am sipping on Diet Mountian Dew from Taco Bell.

10. I am rocking slowly in the recliner.

11. There's a bouquet of flowers on the piano that my husband sent to me yesterday.

12. Sitting on the endtable next to me is the following: a folded paper towel, the aforementioned Taco Bell cup, my makeup, my thyroid medicine, the DirecTV remote control, my cordless phone, a glasses case, a travel-size can of shaving cream, two different brands of solid deodorant, four pens, a box of tissue, my Weight Watchers book, my Weight Watchers points slider, a small plastic container that had hummus in it earlier, three ponytail holders, the edge of a pack of mild taco sauce, and a few crumbs leftover from lunch. Amazingly, I can still see the table underneath all that.

13. I am rocking faster.

14. I am wearing three rings: my temporary wedding ring (until I can afford to replace the one that mysteriously disappeared when Bebo was just an infant), a sapphire ring Jeff gave me for Christmas a few years ago, and my mother's ring.

15. I have scratches on both my arms. They were probably self-inflicted.

16. The curtain is folded up a little and needs to be straightened.

17. The lights behind me are on, but not the ones in front of me.

18. I am really starting to need to use the bathroom.

19. I am the only one at home.

20. The door is unlocked and will probably remain that way.

21. I'm still not feeling the effects of the sleeping pill I took 45 minutes ago.

22. My contacts are still in, and I'm debating whether to sleep in them tonight.

23. My skin is dry and itchy, mostly on my tummy. Weird.

24. The dog is getting more intense about going outside.

25. It's 11:10 pm.

26. I'm going to bed.

The Elusive Sleep

Somehow, it seems that I have forgotten a basic lesson: how to sleep. In truth, it's not so much how to sleep as it is how to go to bed.

I stay up ridiculously late for someone who has to start work at 6:30 am.

Take last night, for instance. I had the worst headache of my life yesterday, starting around 2pm. I tried to sleep it off, but could only lay in bed wishing my head would just go ahead and explode. Finally giving up, I took half a bottle of Aleve and two Sudafed (in case it was sinus-induced). Somewhere around 8pm the headache subsided enough to return to semi-normal function. At that point I had to go to Wal-Mart for a new iron and Pull-Ups, then returned home to do my nightly posting and attempt to clean my house before FEMA showed up thinking it was a natural disaster zone.

It was well after midnight before I finally got to bed, and closer to 1:30am before exhaustion tamed my racing brain and forced me into nothingness.

So here I sit, in my comfy recliner, laptop in hand - supposedly "working," but so sleepy I can barely hold up my head. I simply must start going to bed at a reasonable hour - 10pm would be best - but I just can't make myself do it. I look around at all the things that need doing and I cringe. The stupid thing is I barely got anything accomplished last night, in spite of staying up so late. Trash was picked up from around the house, the dishwasher was loaded and ran, and I squeezed in a load of towels. That's it. I must be the most inefficient woman on the planet.

Tonight I am not going to eat after church. I am coming straight home, doing my nightly post, and going to bed.

Yeah, right.

Childhood Books

On a whim, I ordered A Wrinkle in Time from Amazon the other day. I'd remembered liking the book as a kid, but couldn't recall what the book was about. I'm a few chapters into it, and now I remember why I liked it so much. It's highly imaginative and really quite intriguing.

It's made me think that it's time to slowly start collecting books from my childhood that I would like my kids to read. Do any of these sound familiar?

by Judy Blume:
Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing
Superfudge
Freckle Juice
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

by James Howe:
Bunnicula

by Beverly Cleary:
Beezus and Ramona
Ramona the Pest
Socks

by Maurice Sendak:
Where the Wild Things Are

by Sid Fleischman:
The Whipping Boy

by Patricia MacLachlan
Sarah, Plain and Tall

Those are the ones I can remember right off the top of my head. I just hope they're all still in print!

Back from CKU

If you read all my blogs, you will see a common theme for today - it's my back-from-CKU exposition...

Anyhoo, I had a blast! We came back with roughly $350 worth of various and assorted goodies, from albums to rubons to paint daubers. We stayed at the lovely Opryland Hotel, indulged in decadent Haagen-Das ice cream (who knew there was such a thing as Bailey's ice cream??), and gabbed about life in general until late at night. It was amazing. I so desperately needed that break.

I also got ideas for Christmas presents - but I'm not telling here! :) Don't worry - it actually doesn't involve scrapbooks.

On other slightly different topics. . . I've been wondering what to do with my photographs of stuff - flowers and bridges and night lights, et al. I had a brilliant idea - I will put them into a digital scrapbook! After I collect 50 or so, I will send it to a book binding company and have it bound into a coffee table book. Coolness, huh?

Anyone want a coffee table book?

An American Tragedy

Where are the readers?

New Country

I'm going to start a new country, and I'm going to call it Procrasti-Nation. Okay, bad pun.

It might be my worst habit. I am notorious for taking my good ol' easy time, then rushing around at the last minute.

Which is exactly where I am right now - rushing. I'm scrambling to get my pictures together before Wednesday. Then I have to pack my scrapbook bag (and my clothes). Jeff's birthday is tomorrow, so I won't have much time then.

So why am I blogging????

Primer on Email Etiquette

I'm a little hot under the collar right now, and the air conditioner is working just fine. I received an email that wasn't intended for me - but it was about me. It came from someone I genuinely liked, and that someone was rudely accusing me of lying.

I didn't lie to her. The situation was beyond my control. Furthermore, had she responded months ago to the questions I'd asked, the problem would probably have already been rectified.

In case you didn't already know, it is extremely unprofessional to bad-mouth anyone via email. Not only do you run the risk of the wrong person seeing it, you also make yourself look very stupid.

I emailed back with a simple message: "I'm confused. Are you talking about me or someone else?" I don't expect a response, but I'm sure she'll get the hint.

On scrapbooking (and air conditioning)

Thank God, the air conditioner is fixed. It is really beyond how people survived 100 years ago - wearing layers and layers of clothing with no a/c. Am I spoiled? Yeah, probably. Do I care? No.

Now that I can actually work in the computer room again (it's been unbearable the last several days), I have to spend some serious time working out my photographs for CKU next week. I have seven days left to get ready, and a LOT to be done. I must admit that I am looking forward to the weekend. The intense scrapbooking sessions always seem to awaken my inner artist. There's just something special about the process - it's way more than the glue dots and papers. Each page I complete is leaving behind a piece of myself for future generations. I hope they enjoy the glimpse of the life I live right now. Sometimes I wonder how long the albums will last and who will eventually see them. It's nice to think that they will become some descendant's treasured books.

I don't always journal on my pages, but it is easily my favorite part of the process. Writing has always come naturally to me, and I enjoy telling the stories of my everyday life - sometimes funny, sometimes poignant. Those words are the soul of my scrapbooks. Without them, there just wouldn't be the same life. I will likely never be the type who gets published in every magazine, but I'm okay with that. I know I'm reasonably good at what I do, but even if I wasn't it wouldn't matter. Being famous isn't the point, is it?

Yippieeeee!!!!

Thank goodness, the air conditioner is finally fixed. It's slowly cooling down. The thermostat maxed out at 95, so I don't know how hot it actually got in here. It's back into the 80s now. Amazing how cool that feels after 95+!

Now I'm off to the PC. I need to work on my pictures for Creating Keepsakes University (CKU). I have barely scratched the surface of what needs to be done, and I only have a week left. Yikes!

Day Three

Still no a/c. The repairman came back fairly early this morning, only to tell me that the fan motor was burned out. Turns out it's a special, oddball motor. They only see a couple every year. He didn't have any in stock and had to order them from Chattanooga.

Naturally.

I have the crappiest luck. I just had a feeling that it wouldn't get fixed. Again. It has been an utterly miserable day. Since I work from home, there is no escape. My car doesn't even have air conditioning. The best I could do was lunch at Subway and supper at Taco Bell. Then I hung out at Wal-Mart for an hour or so, until I'd looked at everything I could possibly want to see.

I got home, planning to hop into a cold shower. Guess what? It's so hot that even the water in the lines was warm!

Yes, I know I'm whining, and I don't give a d*mn. I simply do not handle heat well. And it seems like every year this stupid air conditioner goes out during the hottest time of the summer. This has been by far the worst episode. It's never taken so long to fix it before. I'm just praying that they'll be here in the morning and I don't have to wait all afternoon for the repairman.

I need football season, and orange leaves, and crisp breezes. I need cold, clear autumn mornings, hot apple cider, and chili cooking on the stove. I need to wear my comfy old Harding sweatshirt, and my pink windbreaker, and my ratty brown Doc Marten wannabes.

In the meantime, I need Prozac. Better yet - tranquilizers. Put me in a coma until October. Please!

Now I really, really, REALLY hate the summer!

We spent $170 for our a/c to be fixed. It worked for about twelve hours. Now it's dead again. We do not have the money to fix it. We'll have to wait until tomorrow to fix it, which means trying to get ready for church in a stinky, sweaty house.

Excuse me while I go cry.

I REALLY hate the summer!

Our temps have been hovering at 100 degrees. Heat index is upwards of 105.


Would you believe that our air conditioner has gone out? The repairman is here. I couldn't believe he was working on the weekend. I was so grateful! I just hope it's fixable. I don't think I could take a whole weekend of this.

Dear Lord, please make fall come quickly!!!

OW!!!

I hurt all over! I don't mean a little irritating hurt - I mean aching down to my bone marrow hurt. My butt, my arms, my neck, my legs, my shoulders, my waist - all of it. Yeeee-ouch!!!

The cause of all this agony can be contained in a small box of free weights and one DVD case. In an attempt to improve upon my shapeless self, I bought the newest FIRM series - if you are up watching infomercials at the ungodly hour of 6am, you'll know what I'm talking about. I had an older set, but my dearest son accidentally broke one of the DVDs. Besides, I wanted something new and different to motivate.

The cost of motivation is high! I am going to become a stockholder for FlexAll at the rate I'm using the stuff. I expect the soreness to wane eventually. I'm so horribly out of shape (but really, when have I ever been in shape?) that it doesn't exactly come as a surprise that the workouts are kicking my tail with a vengeance.

I'm telling myself this is all a good thing. Soon enough I will start seeing results, and the lovely new me will be worth all the pain and gain.

In the meantime, bring on the FlexAll!

Invention

They've invented self-cleaning ovens. Now will someone please invent a self-cleaning house?? It never ends. Jeff is off work today, and by tomorrow my house is going to look like leftovers from a trailer park hit by a tornado. There's laundry to fold, dishes to wash, carpet to vacuum, tile to mop, supper to cook, sheets to change, furniture to dust....

I'm getting tired just thinking about it. One of these days when I strike it rich (ha!) I am hiring a maid.

And I will not be the type who cleans the house before the maid gets here, either.

Recipes

I haven't posted much in the way of cooking goodness lately, and since I've tried several new recipes in the last few weeks, I thought it was high time to share the wealth.

Aromatic Couscous & Veggies

3/4 c . orange juice
1/2 c. water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. whole-wheat couscous
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 med. zucchini, cut into 1/4-in slices
1 med. yellow squash, cut into 1/4-in slices
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 15.5oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes

Bring the orange juice, water, and 1/2 tsp. of salt to boil in a small saucepan. Add couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff couscous with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add zuchcini, squash, onion, garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and remaining salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until veggies start to soften. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Serves 4. PER SERVING (3/4 c. couscous & 1 1/4 c. veggie mixture): 366 cal, 7g fat, 11g fiber. 7 WW pts per serving.


Chicken Souvlaki with Rice and Yogurt Sauce

8 chicken tenders
2 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3/4 c. plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 c. finely diced cucumber
1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
2 tsp. olive oil
2 c. hot cooked brown rice
2 c. shredded lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion

Combine chicken, vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, oregano, and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, remaining minced garlic clover, and remaining salt and pepper in small bowl.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side.

Arrange 1/2 c. rice on each of 4 plates; top with 1/2 c. shredded lettuce, 2 chicken tenders, 1/4 of tomato and onion, and 1/4 c. of yogurt sauce.

Serves 4. PER SERVING: 282 cal, 6g fat, 4g fiber. 5 WW pts per serving.


Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes

2 c. shredded cooked skinless chicken breast
20 small seedless grapes, halved
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 onion, grated
1/4 c. plain fat-free yogurt
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
4 c. mesclun salad greens

Combine chicken, grapes, carrot, celery, parsley, and lemon juice in medium bowl.

Combine onion, yogurt, curry powder, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss to combine. Divide mesclum among 4 salad plates and top with chicken salad.

Serves 4. PER SERVING: 171 cal, 4g fat, 2g fiber. 3 WW pts.

(Note: I add 1/4 c. fat-free Miracle Whip to keep the salad from being too dry. It does not affect points.)


All these recipes came from Weight Watchers Ultimate Flex & Core Cookbook.

So Much to Do...

So little time.

I really hate gospel meetings. I know, I know - I should be thrilled to listen to God's word, right? I do enjoy that - I just hate being subjected to four days of some country preacher's soapboxes. That's what our gospel meetings usually entail. It completely shot my whole week. So now I have to play catch-up.

Besides the usual mounds of housework, I have to prepare my "homework" for Creating Keepsakes University. I'm actually quite excited about it - Mom & I are going in August. Friday we'll be taking various classes, and Saturday we'll be making an entire album. To prepare, we have to collect quite a few pictures, all specific subjects and sizes. I'll be helping Mom do the editing on hers, since she'll never figure that out on her own, and I'm the one with Photoshop, anyway.

If I'm lucky, my new workout equipment will come in the mail this week. I ordered the new FIRM set that you see on the infomercials when you're awake at 4:30 in the morning. (Should I say if?) I know it will kick my tail, but the new versions have an "express option" that cuts the workout time in half. Otherwise I'd never have ordered them. 55 minutes is longer than I can spend or survive!

My stomach hurts. It kept me up all night, too. Ugh.

I can be really random, can't I?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Don't worry - I'm not going to put up spoilers just yet.

As I'd planned, I stayed up all night to read the book. It took roughly 5 1/2 hours. (Granted, I'm a pretty fast reader.) It was everything I'd hoped for and expected from the last book. Rowling is simply brilliant. Don't think I've ever read anything that engrossing. I started crying a hundred pages or so from the end and didn't stop until I read the last words and closed the book. At one point, I was absolutely sobbing. No book has ever made me cry like that before.

I truly hope she decides to create a totally new world and a new series of books. It would be a shame if this is the last we see of J. K. Rowling.

Now I'm off to start Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. That will take considerably longer; I believe there's 14 books in the series, with the last coming out in November. Never saw myself as a fantasy fan, but if you like Harry Potter, you will most likely enjoy the Goodkind books as well. He, too, will be wrapping up the series this year - an end to a long, arduous, exhilarating, and sometimes heart-breaking journey. I'm looking forward to it.


On a slightly different note - I had a fabulous time last night. I tried tofu for the time (loved it), saw the HP movie (it was very much like I'd imagined in the book), and most importantly, gabbed for several hours with a friend that I believe is a "kindred spirit." It's been a long, long time since I had that much fun crammed into one evening. Probably going to make this week feel rather mundane! LOL

Big Day Tomorrow!

I am so excited about tomorrow I can hardly stand myself. A friend is meeting me tomorrow afternoon, and we are going to see the new Harry Potter movie, eat at PF Chang's (a new experience for me), and . . . drum roll, please. . . wait in line at midnight to pick up the newest and last Harry Potter book! I am just nutty excited. I get to spend time with a friend, catch a movie, eat out, get a new book. . . and spend time with a friend. That is a rare thing for me these days.

Don't expect to hear from me anytime soon. I plan on staying up all night tomorrow to read the book!

Thirty

So it's really not as bad as people make it out to be. I feel no different now than I did before my birthday. Actually, it was a pretty decent day. I had a couple of disappointments, but since my birthdays are historically rotten, thirty was a definite improvement.

Jeff got me a book I wanted and a CD set from one of my fave Christian groups. I was impressed, because I had given him no clues whatsoever. We headed to Chattanooga and saw Transformers, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was probably the best movie I've seen since Star Wars Episode I. 'Course, I am a child of the 80s - as were most of the people in the theater. I was amused - the only kids there were with their 30-something parents, and there were multiple mobs of 30-something guys there. It was just plain cool.

I really really really wanted hibachi grill for lunch, but the place was actually closed. I was annoyed - after all, they're Japanese, not American! It was the only restaurant in town that was closed for the holiday. Grr.... I told Jeff he'd better give me a rain check, and we wound up at Chili's.

We don't go to Chattanooga without hitting the bookstore, and I bought Bebo some books from the clearance rack. He hasn't put one of them down since I gave it to him. Cute. Then came the sucky part - I had to buy something to wear to a wedding I'm going to tomorrow. I really despise clothes shopping. It's frustrating and depressing. If I find something that fits, it's cut too low in the neckline. Makes me utterly crazy. But I did manage to find an acceptable (if somewhat dorky) shirt to wear. I'd like to beat in the brains of today's fashion designers.

We went to church - oh, rah! - ate out at Shoney's - oh, rah! - and attempted to set off a few fireworks in the backyard. Braeden was, as usual, terrified, so we aborted the show early and called it a night.

So that was how I closed out my 30th birthday. No big deal, really. I was surprised (and maybe a little disappointed) that no one at church noticed, 'cept my Grannie and Peepop. Oh, well. Such is my life - I tend to fly under most people's radar.

Yawn. Must go back to work now. Ugh. Fridays suck.

Baaaaad Monday

I am not having a good day. (I am also a master of understatement.)

I woke up 15 minutes early from a ridiculous bad dream about an HIV-positive vampire who broke into my house and said he'd bite me or my son. If I didn't choose, he'd kill us both. I couldn't go back to sleep.

After 15 minutes of futilely trying to go back to sleep, I finally stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen, where I began to gather up the trash. On the way out the back door, I managed to piss off a wasp. It proceeded to sting me on the temple a quarter an inch from the edge of my eye. Holy crap, that hurt!

I'm supposed to be preparing a major training presentation for Thursday, and I can't seem to get going on it - I've had one stupid interruption after another. I'm going to wind up waiting until this evening when nobody can call and bother me.

Jeff was supposed to get paid today, but because of tax confusion - he's working in Alabama and Tennessee - they didn't do his check. The accountant is trying to figure out how to tax his income. It may be tomorrow before he gets paid - and we need it now!

Oh, I need a nap!

Bible Class

I've been teaching a girls' class this summer, using the book "For Young Women Only." While it's been enjoyable so far, this morning's topic is going to be difficult at best, impossible at worst. I almost skipped this chapter, but then decided I'd better not.

The topic is modesty - but it goes deeper than that. The point of the book is how guys react to girls and the things they do. I already know I'm going to offend several girls this morning - probably the ones wearing necklines so low I can see their underwear. In fact, if I don't have a few parents breathing down my neck afterwards, I'll be more than a little surprised.

I know that in my day I have worn things I shouldn't, but the reality is that fashion has changed significantly in the last ten years. I simply didn't have the same choices when I was in high school. Even today, as a Big Girl, I find shopping for clothes to be a complete exercise in futility. You'd think it wouldn't be so hard to find a shirt without a plunging neckline, or a pair of shorts that didn't threaten to reveal your underwear to the world. All I can say is thank God for capris. I have approximately 5 shirts in my closet. I own one pair of jeans and one pair of capris. That's it. That's all I can find to wear that doesn't make me feel any more self-conscious than I already am.

Back to the topic at hand...

How am I supposed to convinced these girls to tone it down and cover it up when their parents are letting them out of the house looking like that? How do I get through to them that the boys around them are having a hard time worshipping in church because of the girls' attire? (I know it's tough on the guys - I've been watching their reactions for months now.) I just have a distinct feeling I am going to be the target of some serious post-class grumbling.

Oh, well. It needs to be said, and I guess somebody's gotta do it.

On my mind today

I freely admit that my mind wanders a lot, especially when it's quiet at home, with nothing going on, and XM radio playing quietly in the background.

Topics of interest swirling around in my gray matter tonight include:

Jeff sent me flowers the other day. I wonder how long they'll last. More importantly, I wonder how long his niceness will last this time...

My sister is an absolute idiot. I used to think she was smart. I've changed my mind.

I need to get Braeden's new dresser cleaned out and loaded up. Dad brought it a couple of weeks ago, but I still haven't had a chance to put it to use.

I hate VBS. Our VBS sucks. Really. I don't know why we don't just let it die already.

Do I eat the cookie dough ice cream in the fridge or should I take Bebo to Sonic for a treat?

Is it worth a trip to Wal-Mart to buy the 50-cent box of spaghetti that I forgot when I went grocery shopping?

I really can't wait for my birthday. I am so excited about seeing Transformers, but I can't decide what to do about Braeden. He won't sit through the movie, but I don't want him at a babysitter's all day either. Maybe we'll catch a matinee and then get Bebo for the fireworks. I'm looking forward to taking pictures again. Hopefully I can snag a good spot without too much light to watch.

Did Doege read my blog?

I hope the ant traps work in the kitchen. We go through the bug problem every summer. It's a fact of life when you live in an old, uninsulated house - no matter how clean you keep the kitchen. If I absolutely have to, I'll call the exteriminator. I just hate the smell of their spray.

I really like listening to the US Country radio station on XM. It's all the 80s & 90s stuff that I grew up with. It's country before it got obnoxious.

I feel so sorry for my poor dog. We still haven't figured out exactly what happened, but it looks like someone tried to detach his tail from his body. He had a massive gash that went almost completely around the base of his tail. The skin separated nearly two inches. The poor fella got shaved around his butt, so it looks like somebody tried to give him a French poodle haircut and gave up. He's got tons of stitches, and thankfully he hasn't tried to chew them out. I just feel awful for him - he can't get comfortable no matter how he sits, and he's afraid to go outside. I really wish I knew what happened to him. The cut was fairly clean, which makes me think a person was responsible - but Buddy is so territorial that I can't imagine he'd let anyone get close enough to hurt him without chewing the idiot to pieces. Guess I'll never know what caused it.

That's enough randomness for now.

Home

Funny, isn't it? You don't necessarily have to like home, but it still feels good to return when you've been gone for a while. There's just something about your own pillow, and your own recliner, and your own hairdryer. After a few days on the road, those things feel comfortable like an old friend.

Our trip went as well as could be expected. Bebo & Gabe went from giggling to fighting and back to giggling the entire trip. Katie spent a lot of time blowing raspberries, which left drool running down her chin and Braeden cackling like an old hen. Actually, when you consider that Gabe & Katie are not the road warriors that my child is, the journey went quite well. We arrived at my aunt's house Saturday morning to find Grandma already there. Bless her, she looks so tired now. The years have certainly caught up to her. She's lost weight and moves very, very slowly - and only with much assistance. Even so, she was glad to see the little ones. We only stayed a few hours. It was obvious that she was getting tired, and we had a long way back, anyhow.

More than a few comical moments occurred, so allow me to share a couple:

One night I had the kids in the room with me while Mom was getting ready. I was tweezing my brows in the mirror, and Gabe asked me what I was doing. When I told him, he said, "Cool! I want to do that when I'm a girl!"

I hadn't said much to Braeden about our trip, because I didn't want to listen to an endless barrage of "We go see Grandma Gates now?" Mom, however, told Gabe all about it, so he was very excited about seeing her. It didn't take long for his exuberance to rub off on Bebo, and before long I heard them singing "Grandma Gates, Grandma Gates, Grandma Grandma Grandma Gates" to the tune of the old 70s-version Spiderman cartoon. I had to laugh - Braeden has the remarkable ability to sing a tune perfectly.

I closed the weekend feeling quite proud of Bebo. He behaved very well, for an utterly exhausted 4-year-old who'd been tied to a carseat for four days straight.

Oklahoma

...where the wind comes sweepin' down the plane....

I am heading out with Mom, Braeden, and my sister's two youngest kids. They've never met my grandmother, and it's been about six years since I last saw her. It will be a wild trip - we're leaving this afternoon and will return Sunday. Keep us in your prayers - for a safe trip and quiet kids!

My Obsessive Personality

It's really Kevin's fault. He's a good friend of my husband's. He loaned us Smallville seasons 1 & 2. It took - oh, about half the first episode to get totally and completely hooked. I have a bit of a thing for the whole superhero genre, anyway. The Superman-as-a-kid angle is simply fun. It doesn't hurt that Tom Welling is so stinkin' hot. Be still, my beating heart!

Anyway, so now that I'm reduced to watching reruns while waiting for the start of Season 7 this fall, I've let myself slip into total Smallville stupidity. I'm watching all the old shows again, regularly checking in at the cult websites for rumors & spoilers (Supergirl is going to make an appearance next season), and anxiously awaiting September.

All this is actually symptomatic of my overly obsessive personality. When I get into something, I really get into it. I'm doing the same thing with the Harry Potter books. I read all six books, then the speculations book that Jeff got me for our anniversary, and I am currently halfway through Book 3 again. Yeah, I know - it makes me utterly dorky. But I felt an overwhelming compulsion to scour the books one more time, searching for the elusive clue that might tell me if Sirius is really dead, and who might die. . . well, you get the picture. It seems that I move from one obsession to the next, happily immersing myself in a universe far more exciting than my own. I've done it with books, TV series, video games. . .

Now if I could just channel that same energy into keeping my house clean!

You put your left foot in....

I love light-hearted humor. Mom sent this to me today, and even though rarely give heed to forwards, this one just cracked me up. Enjoy!

Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote "The Hokey Pokey" died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started.

Shut up. You know it's funny.

Not a Reject

Something interesting and entirely unexpected happened in my last two days at the office.

People were actually happy to see me. It caught me completely off guard to have so many folks walk in the office, see me sitting there, and say something like - "Where have you been? We've missed you!" I even had one person try to convince my boss to make me work in the office again!

See, here's the thing: I am actually a shy person. I clam up like a frightened mollusk when I'm forced to endure parties. I don't mingle well when mingling is the only purpose. Even though I occasionally enjoy an alcoholic drink, I'm not at all interested in social drinking. You couldn't drag me into a club or a bar if you chained me to a dolly and rolled me in the door. Because of this, a certain someone (who shall remain unnamed) has informed me that I am a social reject; I'm anti-social and people don't like me.

I was starting to believe this person - until today. I do enjoy people; I am just more comfortable in controlled situations, particularly when it's one-on-one. And people do like me. Surprise, surprise.

I really needed that!

Ugh

I gotta get up early 3 days in a row.

I happen to work with one of my only friends in this town, and she's going on a cruise this weekend. Lucky dog. Since it is vacation time, half the office is going to be out, too. This left me to fill in at the office. Naturally, I would not deprive my friend of her cruise, but I have grown fond of my solitude at home. It's so much more pleasant not to have to answer stupid questions face-to-face (I can stick out my tongue when I'm on the phone), and I love not having to wear makeup. Now I have to get up, dress up, and otherwise put on a fake smile for every character that walks in the door - and let me tell, I will see quite a few. Because my employer is not exactly high-paying, we get lots of riff-raff, and their lives are colorful to say the least.

I suppose it will be nice to see people - Jeff thinks I need more interaction than I get - though I've been away from the office for nearly a year now, and the vast majority of the people I knew are long gone. Ah, well. It's just Thursday, Friday and Monday. I suppose it could be worse. I just hope that the end of the month duties that she sees to don't wind up slamming me along with the regular job that I have to do.

Perhaps by this weekend I'll have an opportunity to take some pictures (and edit the ones I've already taken). Though I should be doing housework, scrapbooking and picture-taking definitely hits higher on my list of Fun Things to Do.

Every now and then I get in these phases where I can't sleep. Usually I can just take a light dose of an OTC sleeping pill (like Unisom) for about a week and I'm fine.

Not so this time.

I was so tired all day yesterday that I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and just stay there. But I was strong! I resisted! Surely if I didn't take a nap I'd sleep well come bedtime. I even took my trusty little blue pill. I yawned all the way to bed last night, laid my head on the pillow, and

ding!

I was wide awake.

I tossed and turned, stared at the clock, counted sheep, recited poetry... nothing helped. Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning I finally drifted into la-la land, but didn't stay there. I still woke up several times after that.

Somehow I stumbled out of the bed and made my way to computer this morning. I'm struggling to keep my eyes open again, kind of like Mr. Bean at church (if you haven't seen that sketch, you simply must. It's hysterical.)

Tonight, I'm taking two pills - at 5pm!

Back in the Saddle Again

It's been a long time since I felt like scrapbooking. After the convention, though, I felt inspired, and let me tell you - I have been going to town on some scrapbook pages!

I decided to make an album just about myself. Everything to this point has been my son, or my family, or something besides me. So I bought a funky pink plaid binder just for pages about me. So far, there's only one pic of me in there, but that's okay. I'm giving myself permission to scrap about the things I love and the things I hate. It's not about being witty, or having perfect design, or even getting published. It's about giving my grandchildren and great-grandchildren a picture of myself. It's about creating something that people can thumb through long after I'm gone and learn about who I was. No, I don't think I'm anything fascinating or worthy of acclaim, but I'd like to think that my descendants will be as interested in me as I am in my ancestors.

In all this, I'm learning to enjoy it again. Because I'm letting all of my pages (not just the ones about myself) be a little more real, I'm finding joy in it again. Sure, there will always be event pages - you know, birthdays and Christmas and first day of school - but I want my books to tell the story of our lives. The everyday things that made us who we were - in 100 years, those will be far more interesting than endless pictures of birthday cakes and candles.

Weight Woes

My heart just isn't in it.

I simply do not have the drive to lose weight. Instead, I'd rather bury myself in an avalanche of Krispy Kremes and pizza. I just don't have the energy to be healthy right now.

Mom accosted me for not updating my blog, so here goes.

Um. . .

Ah. . .

Well. . .

There's nothing to tell, that's what! I have done a bit of scrapbooking. I hope I can get out with the camera again this weekend. I'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms!

Mostly I'm feeling a little down in the dumps. It's partly the onset of summer. Muggy, steamy, hazy weather does that to me. It's partly because I'm mad at hubby.

Sigh. I need chocolate.

Weight Loss Challenge

I'm officially down 8.2 pounds now. This week will be a challenge, though - Mom & I are going to a scrapbook convention. Though I am eagerly anticipating the weekend of paper and glue, I am not so excited about the food options available to me. Realistically, I don't know what we will get into. We'll be taking some snacks, but meals will be the real problem. With both of us trying to diet, maybe we can keep each other on track. No doubt, it will be a challenge.

Day out with Thomas

Because of circumstances well beyond our control, the trip didn't live up the the expectations we'd had for it. Between sick kids, lawyer's appointments, and a very uncooperative sister, our group was whittled in half. Even though there was a bit of a cloud over the day, we still had a great time.

Words cannot adequately describe my son's obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine (and trains in general), so it goes without saying that he had a blast. The event was held at a railroad museum. It had lots of engines and cars on display, and Braeden took to deciding which one of Thomas's friends each engine was. We rode the train, of course - and had pictures with Sir Topham Hatt & an inflatable Percy (those of you with Thomas-obsessed kids will know exactly what I'm talking about), visited a petting zoo, and tore through a hay maze. Though Branden is almost too old for Thomas, there was no doubt he had a good bit of fun. Bebo was on cloud nine, and is still talking about it today.

There's nothing like seeing the light in your childs eyes when he's doing something he loves. I guess that's why my sister makes me so sad. She's never taken that joy in her own children.

A Big Party

Yesterday we went to a party. At least that's what Braeden called it. Actually, it was a smallish carnival set up for the Cornbread Festival. Let me take this moment to reiterate how hilarious I find it that the only thing we have to celebrate is cornbread! But I digress...

Carnivals are interesting things. I suppose if a philosopher-type were to study the psychology of carnivals and how people react to them, it would be an interesting study in human depravity. Throngs of people will spend $4 to ride a cheap, thrown-together kiddie ride that can do little more than some version of running in circles, and they will do it over and over again. They plunk down money for rigged games that only produce cheaply made toys that will burst at the seams if the fuzziness doesn't rub off first and eat food so laden with grease that it makes riding the aforementioned attractions a recipe for a vomit fountain. Lovely, eh?

In spite of the absurdity of the whole thing, there is something about it that's just plain fun. And really, that's why we go, isn't it? Even though it had rained and every step risked soaking my feet in nasty mud (and every ride posed a threat of a wet bottom), and even though I'm on a diet and the funnel cakes were seductively calling my name like a siren, and even though in the back of my mind I kept wondering how much money we were spending - despite all of that, it was a great deal of fun. Just to see Braeden laughing and squealing on the rides, running from one to the next as fast as his skinny legs would carry him was worth any perceived sacrifice on my part.

Maybe that's the real appeal of carnivals - for a few brief moments, even a 30-something can feel like a kid.

From the Mouths of Babes

My child is a piece of work. Allow me to illustrate:

Yesterday when I picked him up at the sitter's, she gave me a strange look. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "I didn't expect to see you. Braeden said his daddy was picking him up because you were hurt and had to go to the hospital." Needless to say, I am perfectly okay! No clue where he got that idea!

A few days ago I asked him what he wanted for supper. "A-fee-esa potatoes (fiesta potatoes from Taco Bell) and a drink and a straw for my cup." Guess he was worried he'd have to suck his drink through the lid...

I decided to grill for supper one night, and he wanted to play outside with me. I agreed. Then he asked me if he could play in the dirt. I said no; I didn't want him getting his hands dirty before suppertime. His response? "What about my foot?"

Four-year-olds. Gotta love 'em!

Bored, bored, bored

There can be no doubt that Friday is my slowest day. In fact, I've only received one phone call and only four or five emails today. I find myself inventing things to do to earn my paycheck. But I can only invent so much, so here I am, blogging about being bored.

And in that spirit, here are some things I often do when I'm bored. Some are better than others, I admit.

• Sleep
• Eat
• Take pictures of anything and everything
• Watch Star Trek reruns on TV, or worse -
• watch the Maury Show
• Read (currently working on The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien)
• Surf the internet
• Drive
• Sit quietly and do absolutely nothing
• Stare at the pantry, hoping something delicious will magically appear
• Go to Wal-Mart
• Scrapbook
• Play piano (only when I'm alone - Bebo won't let me play without his "help")
• Talk to Mom
• Spend time on Yahoo! Answers

What I should do when I'm bored:

• Clean the house
• Catch up on laundry
• Spend time outside
• Take pictures
• Scrapbook
• Play piano

What's just plain dangerous when I'm bored:

• Going to Wal-Mart (spend $ I don't have)
• Eating (gain weight I don't need)
• Staring at the pantry, hoping for something delicious to magically appear (see above)
• Watch the Maury Show (lose brain cells)

Oh, will three o'clock never get here???

Virginia Tech

Like everyone else, I'm saddened by the events Monday. My heart goes out to the parents of not only those who died, but also the parents of the killer. They not only lost their son, but have to bear the burden of knowing he was responsible for so many deaths.

I just hope that our lovely politicians don't capitalize on the event in their run for the presidency. That would be the ultimate height of tackiness - and sadly, I expect nothing less from them.

American Idol

I have succumbed.

Didn't think I ever would give in to the American Idol craze. Thought it was dorky. But this season has most definitely drawn me in. I've been eagerly anticipating this week's performances - I couldn't wait to see what the divas would do with country music, and I was excited to see Martina McBride, anyway.

In case you're wondering, I'm all for Melinda to win. Jordin would be a close second. None of the guys are doing anything for me, though I admit that Phil surprised me tonight. Sanjaya lived up to his usual mediocre expectations - so much for his surprise performance last week.

Now I realize that you really care what I think. I promise - no more Idol commentary until the end of the show.

Progress Report

This week: down 1.8 pounds
Total: down 6.2 pounds

I'm averaging 2 pounds a week. I can tolerate that.

Randomness

Not much today. Jeff's parents came for a visit. FedEx will deliver a new camera lens Monday. I got 3 2-gig SD cards for $13 each. I think I'm going to have a good weigh-in Monday if I don't blow it between now and then. It's raining.

That's 'bout it.

Revamping Recipes

The downside of the Flex program is that you have to count points for everything - which can be a little complicated when you're trying to deal with casseroles and other multi-ingredient dishes. I finally set up Excel to calculate points per serving for me (never could get the Weight Watchers recipe builder to work) and I've entered all of maybe three recipes so far. It's just a pain in the neck, because you have to get all the nutritional info, blah, blah, blah.

Last night I took what could potentially be a fattening mess of goo and toned it down considerably. It's worth it to reduce the amount of cheese and use low-fat instead of fat-free. The fat-free stuff just doesn't melt. Instead it creates little pockets of cheese-like goop that freakily manages to retain its shape. Ew.

So here ya go: Cheddar Chicken Spaghetti. Sounds delish, eh? Only 5 points per serving!

7 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. low fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 small jar pimientos, drained
1 c. fat-free milk
1 1/2 c. diced cooked chicken
salt & pepper to taste

Break spaghetti in pieces and cook according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup, 1 cup cheese, pimientos, milk, chicken, and salt and pepper. Drain spaghetti and mix well. Pour in a greased casserole dish (8x11 would suffice). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese on top and bake 5 more minutes, or until cheese melts. Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Another Weigh-In

Bad week. No, just bad Amanda. It is so hard to be good! I heard someone say that it's harder for those of us who are addicted to food. Unlike other addictions, you can't just quit eating cold turkey. The source of your problem is always in your face, like it or not.

That being said, I gained .6 lbs. I'm actually happy with that. I wore heavier clothes than usual because of the weather, so in reality I probably just maintained. Given the Easter candy that's been singing my name, the baby shower with ultra-healthy tuna croissants and cake (tongue firmly planted in cheek), and the late-night fast food runs, I am thankful it wasn't far worse. I suppose it's something I will always struggle with.

But this is a new week. I'm going to try planning menus. I should have done that last week, but obviously it didn't happen. Perhaps it will help to plan out breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks.

One more thing. Please pray for my family. My sister is being undeniably stupid right now, and a lot of people stand to get hurt from her shenanigans.

Happy Easter!

So tired...

All this past week I've felt I could sleep like Rip Van Winkle and it still wouldn't be enough. I guess I'm just behind on my beauty rest - ha! - but I am so freakin' sleepy! Granted, I haven't been getting into bed as early as I should - but I'm still getting a solid 6 hours of sleep a night. I shouldn't be this tired. I guess the diet is throwing me for a loop?

I cautiously went to Curves yesterday. My right wrist is still hurting quite a bit when I put any pressure on it. I did manage to do the workout with no major problems. But last night every muscle in my body was screaming at me. I bent down to close a dresser drawer and my back knotted up like I'd had baseballs stuck under my skin. The crazy thing is, I didn't really work out that hard at Curves! In fact, it was a "light" workout because of my wrist.

I know, I know - mumble, mumble, groan, groan. I really am a stunning ray of sunshine this morning, eh?

Go, Lady Vols!

I said I wasn't going to watch the game, but I couldn't help myself. Tennessee was awesome last night against Rutgers!

Yesterday I had a headache. That seems to be happening a lot lately. Anyway, Braeden felt the need to speak several decibels above normal, so I finally shushed him. As sweet a maple syrup, he said, "Mommy, I love you. But Mommy, you just can't shush me like that."

That child! He can always make me smile!

Weight, Pictures & Toys

I had my first weigh-in at Weight Watchers last week. Despite having two birthday parties to deal with, I still managed to lose 5 pounds! Granted, most of that was probably water weight, but it was still a good start. It should be easier this week - I don't have anywhere to go and no special events to attend.

The couple who sat for engagement pictures liked them so much that they asked me to take pictures at their showers and luncheons. (Yes, plural.) That is going to stretch me a bit, but will be good practice. I'm excited to return the favor - when I got married, her family pretty much ran my wedding for me.

Jeff had the day off yesterday, so he played with Braeden all day long. They decided to go fishing, and Bebo was thrilled to get his Finding Nemo fishing pole out. I asked him to pick up his toys before they left, and he informed me, "It's not a toy. It's a fishing pole!" I had to laugh at that one! (He still had to pick up his other toys, though!) I think they must have gone everywhere in the county yesterday, winding up at Grannie & Peepop's, where he of course had to spend the night. I didn't mind - it was nice to have a quiet evening with Jeff. He whupped me at a game of Monopoly, but we still had a good time. I enjoy those rare moments - no TV, no hollering preschooler - just me & the mister, talking & playing board games.

Now I need to go find my new checks. I put them in a Safe Place. Do I need to say that I can't for the life of me figure out where the Safe Place is?

Rainy Days and Mondays

...always get me-e-e down...

Not entirely true. But a rainy Monday is tough stuff. Especially when you don't get a good night's sleep Sunday evening.

I'm concerned about a situation I see developing at church. Two men were put forth for the eldership, but certain folks are raising cain because a third man wasn't put forth. I know God is in control, but I am afraid of what this might mean.

My sister is going to make us all crazy.

Jeff had a "situation" at the house while I was gone that wound up with the police at the door in the middle of the night. Not his fault and nothing he could have done about it, but still not good.

Lots to pray about today.

Things That Smell Good (at least to me!)

• Starbucks Sumatra blend coffee
• fresh carnations
• molasses cookies
• freshly washed babies
• grilled onions
• baking sourdough bread
• Surf laundry detergent
• Christmas trees
• root beer from the tap
• wild onions
• tomato juice
• new cars
• brand-new cardstock
• Bath & Body Works stores
• Papa John's garlic sauce
• tea bags
• the air right before & after a spring rain
• the neighbors grilling in their yard
• fresh paint

The Great Positive Thinking Debacle

For the endless horizon of positive thinking that inundates us every day - I say 'Pphhhhbbbbbtttttt!!!!"

To listen and read some of the "just believe in yourself" jargon reminds me of listening to a high school valedictorian's address. "You can achieve anything you dream - just believe in yourself!" Hug, hug, smooch, smooch. Pass around the warm fuzzies!

Puh-lease.

In a previous attempt to lose weight, I fell prey to the "I can do it if I set my mind to it" lie. Yes, folks, that's exactly what it is - a lie. I can believe in myself all day long, but at the end of the day, I am destined to fail.

Why?

Because I am a dumb homo sapiens. Because since Adam and Eve, man is predisposed to sin. Because when I rely on my own strength, I come up painfully short.

So I'm going to take a different approach this time. Instead of focusing on losing weight, it's going to be more about not seeing food as an idol. I'd be lying if I tried to convince myself otherwise. I had gotten to the point where I was sneaking food, and that's not good.

Forget "believe and you can achieve." I have a new motto: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

My Baby Is Four!

It is so cliche, but my, how time flies! We decided that instead of bestowing our child with surplus toys, we would spend the day together and just have a good time as a family.

It was a great idea.

We started at the Creative Discovery Museum. Braeden was too little to get a lot of it, but it is such a cool place! We will definitely take him back when he's a little older. The first thing you do is play in the water. They have a series of mini-locks, dams, and all kinds of fun water activities. Above this is a play gym big enough for adults. I didn't think we'd get Bebo out of this room. After that, it was a blur of him running from one station to the next.

Then we decided it would be cool to see Deep Sea 3D at the Imax. I'd never seen a 3D movie, and it was only 45 minutes, so we thought Braeden would do well. He was a little freaked out by the noise, and we couldn't get him to wear his glasses. Still, he didn't cry and run away screaming, either.

By then, the sky had clouded over somewhat and a breeze had begun blowing (it's been unusually hot for March), so we tromped over to the Aquarium to play in the fountains out front. I snapped a couple hundred pictures (not an exaggeration) of Jeff & Bebo splashing and chasing each other.

It was a fun day. I would much rather play together as a family than spend 20 minutes opening more toys that he didn't need. This will be a much more memorable day.

Here we go again...

The "5 Things to Do" post has to wait.

It was 85 degrees today. My air conditioner is broke. Again. It happens every single year, and it never gets easier. Because of the way this house sits, absolutely no air can circulate through it. It sucks.

On the bright side...

Tomorrow I am doing engagement pictures for a couple of my "kids." They were in the youth group when Jeff & I first came here 8 years ago. I told them I needed somebody to practice on, and asked if they'd mind if I used them as guinea pigs. I am really excited about it - I'm just hoping for a breezy and overcast day tomorrow. We'll be outdoors probably all afternoon, and an overcast sky makes for better pics. Even so, after seeing the pics from the beach, I'm not too worried about it. We should have fun - it will be nice to take pictures of someone actually willing to pose and hold still!

5 Places

There are some places I want to see.

1) Scotland - yes, I've been there before, but I couldn't get enough, even in six weeks. I'd love to backpack through the Highlands, wander the streets of Edinburgh, and photograph the gorgeous spring countryside.

2) Paris - only to see the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. I could care less about France! LOL But the art - oh, how I would love to spend days staring at the art in the Louvre!

3) China - If adoption works out, this is one country I hope to visit. The culture is mysterious and fascinating and frightening all at the same time.

4) the Grand Canyon - coming back home to the U.S. - I haven't been west of Oklahoma and Kansas (except for a flight to Phoenix, and all I saw there was the road between the plant and the hotel), and there's a lot left in this big country that I want to see. The majesty of the Canyon is high on the list.

5) Montana - there are times when the thought of wide open spaces is so very appealing.

Next time: 5 things I want to do before I die.

Making a Break

I have officially split into two blogs. The pictures were overwhelming this one, so I will only post pics here as relevant to the topic and save the other blog for photographical experimentation. I don't have any posts on the other one yet, but check it in a day or two and I should have something.

Moving on to other things...

It's entirely possible that I will lose my mind before summer sets in. Yes, I know the topic of weather is so mundane, but I can't help it. Two nights ago, we had to run the heater. Last night I woke up under a sheet and light blanket (and no heater), soaked from head to toe in sweat. My hair was wet, the sheets were wet, my T-shirt was wet. Yuck. So much for showering before bed. I hate that! It just keeps reminding me that summer is drawing near.

*sigh*

I do not enjoy the summer. As I frequently tell people, I would be perfectly content to move to Alaska and never be forced to endure temps higher than 80 degrees again.

At the moment, the skies above Tennessee are enjoying their usual early spring games. One day it's 50 and cloudless, the next it's 80 and raining. No wonder I can't shake my allergy problems.

Enough grumbling. I've been in quite a funk lately. Don't know why, but I need to chill out a little.

I think I need to do a photo-only blog. I didn't intend for this to become all pictures!

Maybe tomorrow. I want to share some fireworks pictures. It was my first time to attempt photographing them. I knew the show would be short, so I was snapping off pictures as fast as I possibly could. Wish I had a remote for the camera - It would be nice to use the bulb setting (I control when the shutter opens and closes) without jarring the camera.

A Brief Synopsis of My Florida Excursion

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Florida. Truthfully, I never expected to like anything in Florida, but I think I understand its appeal to the masses a little better. Port Orange was one of the most immaculate cities I've ever seen. The weather was perfect - temps in the low 80s, cloudless skies, and a pleasant breeze constantly blowing. Quite a change my usual small-town pace of life - my friend has access to Starbucks, Target, Ritter's, and nearly everything else you could imagine. I admit that I am quite jealous.

Of course, I didn't go to see Starbucks. The whole point of the visit was to see Mr. Iain - Aimee's perfectly gorgeous 3-week-old. What a cutie! Braeden was absolutely adorable to observe - he kept Iain under close surveillance at all times. He'd sing to him in the truck, rock him when he was in the car seat waiting to leave, and even brought wipes, bottles, and pacifiers when needed. One of these days, Bebo is going to make an awesome big brother.

I wondered how I would do with the baby - would I forget everything I'd learned when Braeden was that age? I was a little concerned that four years would render me incompetent. Turns out I had nothing to fear. It felt so natural to be making bottles, changing clothes, and comforting the little guy. In fact, it felt pretty good.

Of course, I was glued to my new camera. I got some fabulous pictures of Iain, which of course I will share in a moment. We set up a makeshift backdrop using a clothes hamper and crutches (don't ask) and got some very sweet pictures of both Iain and Braeden.

The highlight was really the beach, though. I wasn't sure Braeden would do well. He tends to be a little timid about new things. At first, he only wanted to build a sandcastle. He would run to the edge of the water with his shovel, fill it up, and run back to dump it on his pile of sand. He did this countless times. Finally we got him interested in the water. I took him to the edge where the surf was coming in and we sat down in the water together to let it splash us as the waves rolled in. He would emit this high-pitched squeal every time he was a wave coming. Sometimes he'd yell "Shark-whales! I'm afraid of da shark-whales!" We both had a blast. There was hardly anyone on that stretch of beach. It was quiet and wide open for us to play. Now I know why people love it so much.

I needed that break. It was good to hang out with a friend (something I rarely get to do these days). Braeden was so good all weekend. I really needed that chance to relax.

As promised, here are the adorable baby (and Bebo) pics:

Camera Heaven

I am so stinkin' excited about this new camera! I was absolutely floored at how well it does - after only a couple of days and using only automatic settings, I got some fantastic shots. I can't wait to really learn how to use the thing. I couldn't be happier with what I chose. I went with the Nikon D40 instead of the D80 for cost reasons. At this point, I see no need to upgrade anytime soon. I absolutely love it - having the freedom to take as many pictures as a card will hold and not having to worry about wasting money on crappy film pictures is thrilling.

So, now that I've rambled a bit, allow me to post some more pictures. I'll tell more about the Florida trip tomorrow.

Notice his feet - they aren't touching the ground.

Bebo in the kitchen, just being silly

How is this for cute? (I got catchlights on a baby! Woohoo!)

I love baby fingers. This is Iain and his daddy.

Back from the Beach!

I'll post more pics later, but I couldn't resist tossing in a couple right now - 'cause I finally got the Nikon and I simply must show off a little!

Whooo boy...

My child is a piece of work. He has a "pow" (a toy rifle) that is one of his favorite toys. It came with batteries, but we removed those after the first ten minutes. He never forgot that the pow was supposed to have sound effects, though. So Monday night this is what he says to us:

"Daddy, you're gonna hafta go to Wal-Mart and buy badderies for my pow. I'm gonna go wif you, and I'm gonna cry, so you're gonna hafta buy me a toy."

Perhaps we should have scolded him, but instead we looked at each other in bewilderment and asked, "did he just say what I think he just said?"

Somebody needs to explain to him that you don't give away your strategy before the game.



By the way, he didn't cry, but we did buy him a $2 book.

Books I've read

Part of my resolutions for this year included reading. I'm a little behind where I wanted to be, but still it seems good to me to post about three that I have read.

The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle

This is an interesting fiction read. The story revolves around a widowed mother of two who unexpectedly takes in her best friend's son when the woman and her husband are arrested for child molestation and child pornography. It's engrossing - I couldn't put it down. The horror of what happened to the boy in the story kept me turning pages. The family eventually adopts the boy. What I found sad is that this is about a Jewish family who has no more faith in God than they do in Jesus. Instead of relying on their faith, the experience pretty much destroys it. Still, I'd recommend the book. While it's not terribly graphic, I would not let a teenager read it.

White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick

I normally love Lori Wick's books, but I prefer her stories to take place over a few months instead of several years. She starts the book with main character at 11 years old, and takes her into her late 20s. The story is interesting, but slow. Nothing stands out about it, but sometimes I like to read mindlessly, and this book fit the bill.

The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

It has nothing to do with divorce - instead, it's one of those lovely twists where you realize at the very end of the story that it was all a dream. A man travels from Hell to Heaven, and has to make the decision whether or not to stay. The fascinating part of the story is the interactions of others in the story - their own internal battles against God and themselves. It's a short book, but it leaves you thinking for a long time afterward.

Playing Nurse

Hubby came home from work last night with the flu. He was chilled, achy, and sick to his stomach. He didn't feel any better today, but he went into work anyway. I tried to convince him to come home early, but he said that everyone else at work was sick, and somebody had to work. While I greatly admire and appreciate his tenacity, I still wish he'd just stayed home in bed.

I did everything I could for him, though. I bought medicine, cooked oatmeal, and made the bed. I brought him water, DVDs, and even the cell phone so he could get me if I was needed without having to get out of bed. I figured it was the least I could do. He was working awfully hard for us despite feeling awful.

Now if I can just keep the germs isolated to him so that Braeden & I don't get sick before our trip next weekend...

I am happy to report that my college roomie & her hubby have a brand-new baby boy, Iain! Of course, it would unrealistic to expect me not to actually visit the little guy and his momma, so a week from today I will load up my own not-so-little bundle of joy and drive to Florida for a few days.

Now, it is quite possible that I am the only adult living in the South who has not been to Florida. I'm feeling a tad bit apprehensive about trekking to Daytona at the beginning of Spring Break season, but my friend tells me that I have no need to feel intimidated by the beach. I'm praying that she's right and I can avoid a total freak-out.

In the meantime, I have one week to finish the baby album that I'm giving to her. Did I say "finish?" Step back to avoid lightning - I haven't even started yet. I'm having trouble deciding how to fit journaling and pictures and accents on a 6x6 page. Never fear - I have a plan, and somehow I always manage to make it happen.

Hmm... Florida. Somehow the warm weather sounds rather nice....

Tricycle Motors

You should know that my maternal instinct stays in overdrive. I adore my son - he makes my world go 'round. But dangit, I want more! My love for him is so strong that I want to share it with other children.

I guess it's part of who I am. I think about Nanny, who wanted a big family and never had one. Maybe I got it from her. Or maybe it's just that biological clock that God made a standard feature on the female human. All the talk over the years about having a career, and the best job I can think of is just being a mama.

Honestly, I'd love to fill my house with kids. It wouldn't embarrass me in the least to have to buy a mini-bus to cart my kids around. I'd like at least one more, but I'd take several more. And I still want to adopt, though I may be cooling my jets a little about the international adoption. Maybe I'll get just one from out of the country and adopt the rest from in-state.

Jeff says I watch too much Discovery Health, but I can't resist Birth Day and Adoption Stories and House of Babies. I just love that stuff! It makes me laugh and cry at the same time.

Braeden has recently taken to flipping through his scrapbooks several times a day. I hadn't looked at them in a while, but the pages about his birth bring back so many wonderful memories. I'll never forget the first time I laid eyes on the skinny little troll. (Jeff's words, not mine!) He was perfect, even if he didn't have enough of a rear end to hold up his diaper. I loved him far beyond what I could ever articulate, and I knew the moment I held him that my job was to be a Mother. That was my calling. I knew I wanted more, and my heart began to ache for all those children who would never know the love for their child that I have for Bebo. It's not that I think I'm supermom. I just think every child deserves to be adored.

I'm taking applications for the position, if anyone's interested! :)

Nothing much

Just a pic. Braeden had someone new to play with this weekend. For some reason I just really like this picture.

Decorating Blues

I have a sense of style. It's true; I didn't make that up. Unfortunately, I am somewhat limited on time and resources. But it doesn't hurt to dream a little, does it? For fun (and to see how much I change my mind later), here's what I'd like my rooms to be:

Braeden's Room
He likes trains and cars, so a transportation-themed room would be cool. Paint the walls charcoal gray. Add yellow stripes down the middle like a road. Decorate with road sign replicas. Make wall art with hubcaps. Sound like fun?

Bathroom
Khaki colored tile walls with aqua glass tiles randomly dropped in for color. Copper fixtures. Aqua towels. White pedestal sink. Shelving recessed into the walls. Dressing area with plenty of drawers for makeup and toiletries.

Master bedroom
Red, tan and black asian-themed room. Black four-poster bed. Red silk bedding. Linen-textured wallpaper painted tan and rubbed lightly with dark brown to pick up the texturing. Asian prints on the wall. White Asian-style screen.

Kitchen
Black granite countertops. Cherry cabinets. Island. Grape tile backsplash. Hardwood floor.

I can dream, can't I?

A Wee Bit of Gloating

Tonight hubby was playing his guitar in the bedroom. Bebo ran into his room and yelled, "What are you doing, old man?"

I laughed till I cried.

Twenty minutes later, I was showing Bebo how to stamp hearts on his Valentine cards. When I lifted up the stamp to show him the image, he said, "Wow. You're smart, Mommy!"

Tee hee. Daddy's old and I'm smart. Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaaaah nyah!

Last night we went to Cracker Barrel with a group from church. Immediately Braeden tells me he has to go potty. I should take this opportunity to add that he'd eaten half a bag of marshmallows before church, courtesy of Peepop, so he was bouncing off the walls and talking a mile a minute. While I washed his hands, an older lady came into the restroom. She went into a stall and proceeded to let out the longest string of flatulence I've ever heard. Bebo's eyes got huge, and with complete seriousness, said, "Wow. That was a big one!"

What am I going to do with this child?!

More Pictures

This photography thing is going to drive me crazy! I am having trouble getting the lighting right. In spite of myself, I managed to get some rather comical pictures of Braeden. I really need a new subject - preferably one that isn't a study in perpetual motion! LOL I should add that the color and focus are better in real life - the blog doesn't quite do them justice.

This was taken by my house:

This was at a park just up the road:

This wasn't as good, but his expression was so

funny I had to post it anyway:

And my favorite:

February 1

The strange thing about February 1 was not that that my daffodils had been in bloom for a full two weeks. No, what made it strange was the snow that coated the ground when I woke that morning. I proceeded to tromp outside at 6am to take pictures before it melted away. Here's a couple that I especially like:


I wish it was a little sharper - you can actually
see the ice drops on the leaves if you look at
the real photo.




Granted, it's not an exciting pic, but I wanted
to get as much of the view as possible.

Good Things

Today is a happy day! Why?

We have snow!!!!! It's been eight years since I've seen snow, but we have it now! I am so happy! I have missed Indiana's snows so badly since I moved down here. The white stuff just makes me giddy. I love it!

Secondly, it was announced today that the last installment in the Harry Potter series will be released July 21. I'm already planning a celebration that day - movie (Harry Potter, of course), dinner, and book with a friend. I am excited beyond reason.

Finally, tonight's Smallville episode promises to be wonderfully exciting - Clark is going to fly Lois around Metropolis, and I cannot wait!

. . . Please excuse the overuse of exclamation points. I am feeling a little silly today.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!