Random Tuesday Musings

Hey, Hey, Hey!  We made it to Tuesday.  Let's get all random:

• Our furnace has been a problem since the insurance company told us we needed to update the 1960s version the house came with. So, yes, it was old, but it worked.  The new one is really temperamental and we would much prefer if we had one that worked better. Example: Friday night the furnace stopped blowing hot air and Nick went to check on it.  There was a spark and the whole thing sort of went kaput.  Lovely.  We do have a wood stove for back up and luckily we still have wood to burn in it, so we cranked it up and at least had heat for the night.  Nick got his internet google hat on and spent time looking at other people's feelings about this model of furnace.  Not great reviews out there, but he did find a schematic that showed a small 3 amp fuse.  Nick found it and, sure enough it had blown.  We were able to get the furnace up and running again after a trip to Ace.  Once again, I love having a handy hubby!
• I exercised 3 times last week and two of them were in the morning.  Now to keep it up this week. Can't say I like the mornings, but it does seem I am more consistent when I get up and do it in the morning.
• This: Cause of geology reasons...

•  Nick also get the picture printer running again.  This entailed ordering ink, setting up a stand and making sure the printer would talk to the computer.  That last one can be the most frustrating part.
• I'm very good at this:

•  Nick brewed a batch of beer Saturday.  He now has happy burping yeast turning it into something tasty.  It's going to be a grapefruit pale ale.  I'm almost looking forward to trying it, even if I'm not a huge pale ale fan.

Well that covers my random for the week.
Join in on the random fun  with  Stacy.

Easter and An About Me MMMM

So we had Easter.  There was egg dying, egg hiding and hunting, chocolate bunnies and jelly beans.  There was a lovely brunch with Nick's folks.  Later, I made cornish game hens.  Those were a huge hit with the boys.  It was fun to eat a whole tiny chicken all by yourself.  Makes you fell a bit like a giant, or so Bruiser said.

Truthfully, I was tempted to do this for the egg hunt, we've had enough snow:

But the fun of egg dying won out for the kiddos.  This year I had help hiding the eggs though--Turbo asked of he could help hide eggs for Bruiser.  I let him help hide most of them, but I still hid a few so he could look for them too. The best one was hiding the orange egg with the oranges.

Now for the MMMM.  This week the challenge is to find 5 songs that are about me.  Here goes:

First up, Brad Paisley with Mud on the Tires.  We are all about finding the dirt road to bumble down, be it in the truck or on a four wheeler:

Next, Shania Twain with Forever and For Always.  This one is all about Nick and I.

Another Brad Paisley, Anything Like Me.  I am the mom of two boys.  Heaven help if they are anything like their father.  I love them anyway!

Next up Martina McBride This One's For the Girls:

And just for the fun: Frankie Ballard with Young and Crazy:

Have a great week!

 

Tuesday, Random Time?

So yeah, let's get all random up in here, or something like that:

• We are still getting snow.  It really has been a snowy winter for us.  There are 5-9 inches predicted for us over the next 24 hours. This one will come with wind.  So spring blizzard.  It does make for better conditions in the mountains this summer.
• My motivation seems to be coming in fits and starts.  I think I need to make the commitment to exercise in the morning before my shower. Not so much on the getting up early to exercise, but not finding the motivation to do it when I get home.  What with making dinner, guiding homework efforts and the siren call of the Kindle reading calling my name, exercising is easy to procrastinate on. So early morning looks to be the time again. Yuck.
• THis:

• And I really should get more organized about meals again.  I'm trying, but again the motivation hasn't come back for the summer yet, it's still hiding from winter.
• Like this rock:

• It almost time for a girl get together, although I had a fun night of wine and coloring with a  friend this weekend.  I'm thinking that getting together and having drinks and dinner is needed here soon.

Have a good week all!
Join in on the random fun  with  Stacy.

Spring Breaking

So, we had Spring Break last week, even if it snowed a bunch on us.  We did run away with the kiddos for a couple of days.  We headed out to Moab, UT and hiked in Arches National Park.  The kids had fun and even if it was a short trip they got to feel like we got away for a bit anyway.

When we got back it was snowy and cold the rest of the week.  It's not so much spring here right now, but then again, spring is a very short season around these parts.

MMMM is a freebie this week so let's see what tickles my fancy:
Joe Nichols with Freaks Like Me:

Trace Adkins with Jesus and Jones:

Luke Bryan with Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day

Have a great week!

15 Weird Questions

I saw this on Kenzie's blog Chasing My Extraordinary.   It looked fun and a bit different so here goes:

1.  Nickname you get called? Boober.  Nick calls me this quite often and yes it is the same name as a Fraggle.
2. A weird habit.  I fiddle with my necklace and must always be wearing one or I feel quite undressed.
3. A weird phobia. Making cold calls--even for things like doctor's appointments and such.
4. A song you are ashamed to like so you blast it in private. There's some 90s pop stuff that I like but I will play and sing along to just abut anything I like so, yeah, I share my music with who ever is around.
5. A pet peeve.  Slow drivers--the ones who believe that going 10 miles under the speed limit makes them a "safer" driver. Really, they are just a hazard to those of us who drive the speed limit.
6. A nervous habit.  I twist knots in my hair.  Bad enough sometimes that I have made whole sections noticeably shorter than the rest.
7. What side of the bed do you sleep on? I sleep on Nick's left side so the left side of the bed (as you sit in bed).
8. The name of your first stuffed animal. Tedders.  It was a blue and yellow teddy bear and I had him until I left for college.  He was quite worn by then.
9.  What do you buy at Starbucks. Chai Tea
10. Beauty rule.  Simple is better--I am quite the minimalist as far as make-up and even hair goes.  Easiest is best and my whole routine take like 20 minutes and I'm ready to go. That includes shower and getting dressed too!
11. Which way do you face in the shower?  I tend to have my back to the water, but I do rotate as well.
12. A weird body skill. I can fold my little toe over the toe next to it and I have very dexterous toes. I could write my name with my toes if I had to.
13. Comfort food. Chili when it snows, Stew on cold nights, Baked Mac & Cheese made with love and real cheese.
14. A word or phrase you use all the time.  Really?!
15. What do you sleep in. Pajamas, but ones that have capri length pants.

Random and Have You Ever...

We got six--6!!!-inches of snow yesterday and last night.  It looks like a winter wonderland out there. It was the nice wet heavy snow that looks picture perfect when it falls too. The roads are a mess. Too bad I couldn't call a snow day and stay home.
Now for a few random thoughts:

• I'm getting my hair cut this afternoon.  By someone new.  I wasn't too thrilled with the lady who has been cutting my hair for the last 14 years.  It's time for someone new to look at my hair and maybe make a suggestion or two. I like my hair, but I'm a bit bored with it.  So someone new.
• We are doing a short trip for Spring Break next week.  Off to Moab, UT and Arches National Park with the boys. I was counting the other day and Turbo has been to 11 National parks so far and Bruiser has been to 5 National parks. Bruiser gets to add Number 6 next week.  Turbo was in Arches when he was not quite 2, but this trip he will actually remember it.
• So road trip with the kiddos.  We almost have these down to a science now.  Turbo is excited to have me read and be able to read himself. I'm thrilled Turbo has discovered youth fantasy books.  He seems to like the epic fantasy books he has been finding in the school library. I'm happy he's reading.

Now on to COffee Chat and a run at Have You Ever:
1.   Got lost in an amusement park?
I did once in Disneyland when I was about 5. It was near the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Didn't take long for my mom to find me though.

2.   Shared a meal with your pet.    Drive thru acceptable.
Not exactly shared, but they have gotten the leftovers--frequently.

3.   Scuba dived in the ocean.
Nope.

4.  Saved someone who was in danger.   
Well, does saving a little girl who got a bit too deep and lost hold of the side of the pool while I was lifeguarding count?  If so, then yes.

5.   Sang karaoke.  (before alcohol, 2 bonus points)
Never been brave enough.

6.   Seen a pyramid.  (1 point for each step climbed)
Nope.

7.    Went camping in a tent.
More than I ever thought I would.

8.   Won a contest for a big prize.  (no, toys in Happy Meals don't count)
Nick won a really nice Broilmaster Grill.

9.   Eaten a strange food.   Broccoli is not a strange food.
How strange are we talking here?  No to bugs and such, but I have eaten brains and Menudo.  Those were strange. Of course we eat Antelope and Deer and Elk and to lots of people those are strange.

10.   Pulled a prank you were later sorry about.
Not really a prank puller.  The most I do is occasionally jump out and surprise the kids and Nick.

11.  Went on an African Safari.
Nope.

12.   Met a celebrity (TV, Movie, Music, Sports, Arts)
Does meeting Gretchen from Second Blooming count?  She's an actress and I have seen her on national commercials and such.

13.  Been on TV or the radio.
I was on the radio back in high school for drama class or some such thing. Maybe to advertise a play.  Anyway it wasn't that exciting.

14.   Been in a fight.  
Well, there are all sorts of fights.  I haven't been in a physical fight, but verbal fights, yeah had one or dozens of those.

15.   Fallen asleep while talking on the phone.
Nope.

Have a great week all!
Join in on the random fun  with  Stacy.

Monday Hits Again

So, yeah, that was a weekend.  We didn't do a whole lot.  Nick finished the floor in the basement.  All the nasty carpet is out of the family room.  That poor carpet saw more dog and cat indiscretions than any carpet needs to. So, no more carpet:

I love the look it gives the basement. Just a touch more finished than the cheap carpet we put in when we first moved in over 15 years ago.
Nick then spent Saturday night watching The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian with Bruiser.

Saturday I hit the local thrift stores with a good friend.  It was really good to get out and do something girly.  Getting new to me clothes is fun too.
Sunday was a day of not doing much.  I organized the stored clothes for Bruiser to grow into, did dishes, and lazed around.  Got a really nice nap in and sort of dreaded Monday.

Now for MMMM:  Freebie week!
Dirks Bentley with Somewhere On A Beach:

Chris Jansen with The Power of Positive Drinking

Jake Owen with American Country Love Song

Have a great week Everyone!