Writer's Workshop--What's for Dinner?

I'm joining with Mama Kat for her Writer's Workshop.  She gives five prompts and you get to pick the one you want to write about.

The Prompts:

1.) Compile and share a list of your favorite tweets.
2.) Share a story of a memorable dinner.
3.) What I know for sure.
4.) You stole WHAT!?! Spill it!
5.) The house that built me.

I'm choosing #2. A memorable dinner.

Nick and I have had many memorable dinners.  Our first was on the first anniversary of our first date.  We have done something like that ever since.  But the most recent really memorable dinner happened New Year's Eve 2008/2009.  I was about 8 months pregnant with Bruiser, Turbo was five and knew that new Year's was special, just not really why.  Because of Bruiser, I was in no shape to go out anywhere so we planned to spend the evening at home eating lots of seafood.

However, I knew there was no way a large dinner was going to fit in my stomach, what with the active occupant in there already.  Nick looked at me when I said this and asked what I wanted to do.  I thought about it and asked him if he thought spreading out the feast into something like courses would be OK.  He took to the idea and thus was born our New Year's Tradition.  

Course one is Shrimp Cocktail and bacon wrapped scallops.  Served at around 1:00 pm with crudités or a veggie tray to munch on.  We then clean up from cooking the Shrimp and get things ready for the next course around 4:30 or 5:00 pm. 

For course two we have lobster tails and either pasta or potatoes as a side.  Again we clean up from that and rest, play games, watch a movie and then we start on the final course.

For the final course we have crab legs and bread (for absorbing some of the butter).  I make a fancy loaf of bread or rolls to go with the crab legs earlier in the day and at about 8:30 pm we start to cook the crab legs.   After we finish eating we watch the ball drop in New York City around 10:00 and then send Turbo to bed.  And we soon follow.  I know, we are regular party animals.

So there is the most recent memorable dinner.  It was born out of necessity, but was so much fun we do it for every New Year's now.  We are able to truly enjoy the different types of seafood and cleanup after each one so at the end of the evening there is not a pile of dishes to face and things are really relaxed(and there's no pressure to have everything done at the same time).

Now go link up at Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

April hodgepodge is no fool

Time for the Hodgepodge.  Join Joyce at From This Side of the Pond and hodge it up.

1. April rolls in at the end of this week and in celebration of that infamous date (April 1st) answer this question-What is something foolish you've done?  Foolish?  Me?  I'm never foolish.  What?  You don't believe me?  Oh all right, my most recent moment of foolishness was getting caught crawling around on the floor chasing Bruiser while growling at him.  Turbo caught me and then decided that I would make a great horse.  I didn't really agree with him, but I went with it.  It was a great moment of silly, foolish fun with my boys.  The moment it turned into a wrestling match--I was up and off the floor--I don't do wrestling.

2. With April comes Easter and that classic edible treat known as Peeps...so tell me...what's your favorite way to fix/eat chicken? That wasn't what you were expecting, was it? I 'fooled' you. Tee hee.  I love chicken--my favorite is chicken wings, any style.

3. What's the best museum you've ever visited? Or your favorite? Or the one you'd most like to visit?  I would love to visit the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.  I could spend days there.  But then I love museums. 

4. You know what they say about April showers...what's your preference-a shower or a bath?  I love the quick clean off of a shower, but to relax and warm up a bath with a book and a glass of wine is the best.

5. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"...fact or fiction? Why?  It was fact for me and my hubby the first summer we knew each other.  He was 300 miles away--a good 5 hour drive.  All that distance made us keep in touch by phone and letter--snail mail type--for the whole summer and made the few visits we had all the more meaningful.

6. What's your favorite product made/grown in your home state/province?  Hmm, not much locally grown products in Wyoming--we tend to export a lot of energy material like oil and coal, but there's not much farming and such.  There are lots of small crafters and that sort but really, we just don't manufacture very much.  Although the Trona mines produce about 90% of the nation's soda ash--which is made into baking soda and used in a myriad of products.  So I guess my "favorite" would have to be baking soda--so versatile and useful.

7. What is going on in the world today that affects you the most?  Rising oil prices means that getting more oil out of the ground is more economical.  Since I work for the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, it means job security.  Of course a trip to the pumps affects my pocketbook too.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Just a note to say Turbos tummy troubles were of the less than 24 hour kind.  He is much better, thanks for the well wishes.  Now if only we could get the weather to perk up.

Random Tuesday Without the UnMom

OK so this is the first Tuesday without an Un Mom led random.  Let's see where this takes us shall we?

So, random:

• It's awful when kids get the vomits.  Turbo got sick last night.  It started with a tummy ache and resulted in four trips to the bathroom to empty his stomach.  There was nothing I could really do for him, but be there.  Poor kid.  He hates throwing up.
• It snowed here.  No surprise really.  The weatherman said we had a chance of snow tonight.  That meant we were bound to get at least an inch.  We got almost two.  Makes for a slippery drive to work.
• I won the battle against the laundry this weekend--even the towels.  All of it is folded and put away.  Absolutely astonishing.
• I've become fascinated by the video game Just Dance.  I like dancing and think it might be a good way to get all of us up and moving.  We might have to rent it and see if we like it.  Of course I might just win the one that Kmama is offering over at The Daily Dribbles.
• I'm getting so excited for the Favorite Things swap.  Packages get sent this Friday or Saturday.   It's so fu to get stuff.  Fun to send stuff too, but then there's the whole will she like what I sent part that's not so fun, but I think I've done well--I know I'd love all the stuff I've picked.
• I think I'm starting to get a routine down for doing dishes, cleaning, and all those domestic things that have to be done.  Amazing isn't it? 

I think that's all the random I have for this week and you know what?  Stacy at Stacy Uncorked is hosting Random Thoughts until Keely decides she wants to do it again--yeah, I'm so linking.

Why is it....Monday?

Why is it that a two year old can't make up his mind?

Why is it that I can get great ideas for a blog post in the shower, but can't remember them when I can actually write them down?

Why is it that getting all the laundry done can feel so good?

Why is it that a seven year old can focus for hours on video games, but can't focus for ten minutes on a book?

Why do weekends go by in a flash, but weekdays crawl by like a snail?

Why do the longer days result in far more complaints from small boys--But it's not even dark yet!

Why is a two year old so fast?

Why is shopping, even thrift store shopping, so much fun?

Why are baby chicks so appealing to little boys?

Why is Monday so hard to face?

Friday Confessions

I love getting things off my chest before the weekend.  It means I can go and do more stuff so I can confess next week.


Here goes for this week:

• I don't understand Twitter.
• It kind of intimidates me.
• So I just don't worry about it.
• I'm happy with my blog and Crackbook.
• It's laundry weekend again.
• Some have asked how I can only do laundry every two weeks.
• It's not hard.
• I let the piles grow and then do a massive sort and then start doing loads one after the other.
• I usually have about seven loads to do.
• I have to do it all at once.
• If I didn't, I'd forget what's clean and what's dirty.
• I'm not disciplined enough to do laundry every night.  
• And I hate laundry more than the dishes, so why do it all the time?
• I'll admit I have the occasional load to do other times, but those are easy loads to do--sheets, throw rugs, bathmats, Bruiser's clothes(which I do about once a week, or the kid would be naked--not that he wouldn't like that), you know the odd loads you don't have to do that often.
• Having a new dryer has made doing laundry much faster than it used to be--only running clothes through one dryer cycle instead of two does save time.
• I have not really cooked dinner all week. 
• Sunday I was sick, sick, sick.  No cooking for mommy.
• Monday I was still sick and Nick brought home chicken from the store.
• Tuesday, Nick went to his archery league--I made something quick for the boys.
• Wednesday night, I again made something quick for the boys.
• Last night--we crock potted a chicken and boned it for chicken tacos.  I made the chicken, Nick made the fixin's for the tacos.
• One out of five isn't bad--is it?

OK, now go confess with Glamazon and Mamarazzi.

Springtime Limbo

Spring time around these parts doesn't really start until May.  March and April are a bust because the weather is brought to us by Sybil--we can honestly get all four seasons in a day.  There is no knowing what is going to happen, the weatherman has been very unreliable.
So we are waiting for the good weather and that puts us in a sort of limbo.  Not really able to make outdoor plans and tired of being inside.  We really are just waiting.  Waiting for warm sunny days to go to the park, go for drives, go four wheeling, go camping, really just go.
In the meantime, here are some pictures of the kids and a couple of what we would rather be doing.

Bruiser loves using a fork to eat everything.

A rare genuine smile.

Four Wheeling fun.

Boys and water--they just go together.

Here's hoping that the good weather comes our way soon--at least more consistent good weather.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Sunday was the first day of spring. So they say. Ahem.

What is your favorite outdoor springtime activity?  When we finally get to do it I like to plant flowers.

2. Who would you want to come into your kitchen to cook dinner for you?  At this point anyone who can cook and will make the decision on what to make for dinner.  But if I really had to choose one person, I'd go with Alten Brown.

3. When did you last fly a kite?  I think I flew a kite once when I was maybe 9.  It was not that memorable an experience.

4. What topic puts you to sleep faster than anything?  The economic history of anywhere.

5. Which flowers do you associate with specific people, places, or events?  I associate gladiolas with an aunt of mine.  Roses are for weddings and dates.  Carnations smell good and are associated with simple dinners out when I was a kid. 

6. What significant historical events took place during your elementary school days?  The big one I remember was Ronald Regan was elected president when I was in second grade.  I was living in California and this was a big deal.  MTV began, Hostages were freed,  South Korean airliner is shot down by the soviets,  Mary Lou Retton wins gold in LA Olympics.  These are the things I remember, kind of.  Yes, I was in grade school in the early 80s, why do you ask?

7. Do you swear? Do you pseudo-swear? (You know crap, shoot, friggin'?)  It depends on my audience.  If it's just me and my hubby I swear mildly--I avoid the F-word but will use most of the others.  If I'm around my boys, I will try to sensor myself and use the pseudo swear words.  However, swear words do pop out on occasion.  I really have to remember that small parrots are listening.  Last night Bruiser dropped a cup in the kitchen.  He looked down at it and, with perfect inflection, said" Dammit"  and then said it again.  I tried to correct him to say Darn it, but I'm sure the idea did not stick.  Always remember little ears are listening.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I'm finally feeling better.  Thank you for all the well wishes.  Knowing everyone was thinking good thoughts helped me feel better, and less guilty for taking time to feel better.  Thanks again!

RTT: Under the influence

It Random Tuesday time.  It makes Tuesday worth while.  At least I think so.  Go see Keely at the Unmom for more Random.

My random for this week:

• I'm doped up on the good sinus medicine--the kind you have to sign at the pharmacy for now.  It makes it so I can breathe, kind of.  I blame it for the things I think are random this week.
• Changing altitude with a head cold is miserable.  I went from 7200 ft to 4600 ft this weekend to visit family. then I got to come back up.  My ears hate me.
• Bruiser loves to ride push bikes.  Nick found him a three wheeler that Bruiser rides around the house and he loves it.  He looks absolutely adorable wheeling around.  Of course it's not so cute when he gets it to the top of the stairs and says Hi Daddy! as he prepares to go see daddy.  Nick made it up the stairs in .2 seconds to stop the little dare devil.  We might have to start calling him Evil Knievel.
• Commercials are kind of annoying--or that could be the non stuffy medicine.
• We hit 67 degrees in the back yard today.  It truly was a heat wave.  Nick took the boys outside to play and they had fun, but Bruiser did not want to come in.  He could be trouble this summer.
• I lost a contact last week.  Didn't realize it until I went to take my lenses out before bed.  There is a reason for this.  I have two very different eyes.  One eye is very nearsighted, the other is very far sighted with astigmatism.  There is just enough astigmatism in the near sighted eye that they  had to correct it finally the last time I got contacts.  When I finally got glasses (when i was 11) I was amazed that lights did not have halos around them.  Well, one eye saw lights at night clearly--mostly--the other saw a blur.  Makes having someone try my glasses interesting.  The contact I lost was from the far sighted eye.  If it had been the near sighted eye, I'd have know immediately that it was gone.
• In other news Keely has decided to put Random Tuesday on hiatus for a while(she did not specify how long--darn her) so the lovely Random Thoughts Tuesday will not be around--but let's hope she brings it back soon.

Now since it's the last one go see the other linkers and get your random fix.

Monday, Shmunday

After a fun weekend visiting family, none of us were really ready for Monday.  Especially since last week was Spring Break around these parts.
And I am not helped in my Monday appreciation by the nasty head cold I have.  I feel as though I'm trapped inside a fish bowl stuffed with cotton.  Such a fun place to be.  Makes sleeping very difficult.  However, because I'm mom, there has been no avoiding all mom duties.  I've gotten out of a couple, but not that many.  The joy of being mom.
Anyway, I hope everyone's Monday is better than mine.  Of course, that won't take much.

Confessing It All...

...or most of it.  It's Friday and that means confession time with Glamazon and Mamarazzi.  So grab the button and confess it all--it'll make the weekend more fun.



I confess:

• I hate cleaning around the toilet.  
• Cleaning inside is no problem.
• Outside on the other hand--well, I live with boys.  
• Enough said.
• I'm taking the boys to visit family this weekend.
• Nick gets a whole day and two nights all by himself.
• I'm jealous.
• I haven't had a by myself overnight for about three years now.
• I love my boys--all of them, but being able to sleep all by myself with out interruption sounds heavenly.
• It also sounds selfish.
• Our spring break is almost over.
• We didn't really do anything this year.
• I have to admit, I don't really like it when the snow melts away.
• All the dust and pollen from last fall gets all stirred up again and my allergies go nuts.
• I know it's the dust because nothing is growing here yet.
• I'll have the new pollen allergies in June.
• Fun, fun allergies.
• Claretin is my friend.

Now go link up--go on, it's lots of fun and doesn't hurt a bit.

Cherries and Awards

OK, so I got another award--from Beth at Living a Goddess Life.  Thanks so much!  As with all awards there are a few rules--I have to share three things I love about myself, a picture of myself, and then share the bounty.

Three things I love about myself:

1. I love my quirky sense of humor.  I like to laugh and find things funny that some would not.  I also don't find funny things most do.  But it's all good, cause my hubby gets my humor--most of the time.
2. I love my creative side--I don't exercise it very often--more now that I'm blogging, but I am becoming a more creative cook, and when I find the time again, I'm going to start scrap booking again.
3. I love my fact retaining brain.  I have a knack for remembering random facts--I'm a mean trivia player.  My hubby swears that I need to go on a game show and make our fortune.

Now for a picture of me.  This one is a bit harder--just because I don't get in front of the camera very often.

I'll go with this one, I hope to be able to do this lots this summer.

Now for the blogs I think need an award:
Amanda at Because That's How It Happened
Krista at Mommy Doesn't Wrestle
Vanessa at JFam Blog For the Soul
April from Straight from the Heart
Amy from Amy's Life
Stacy at SLMPetersen

Hope you all enjoy the award.  Everyone can use a little cherry on top sometimes.

Pour Your Heart Out

Shell over at Things I Can't Say hosts Pour Your Heart Out.  It's a place where you can say anything with out ridicule or judgment.  And it's one year old today!


So here's mine:
I talked about the troubles Turbo had last year in school.  He had a, well I'll just say it, a lousy teacher.  She should have retired years ago.  Turbo is an active kid and he had difficulty settling into the demands of first grade.  And the demands of his teacher.  Things got so bad that she would send home daily notes about his behavior.  Nick was worried about this, wondering if Turbo had something we needed to deal with, but I had seen at pick up time that there were other kids in the class who got notes too.  If Turbo had been the only one, I would have been more concerned for him, but since there were other kids getting notes as well, I decided that the teacher was to blame as much as the kids. 
And these notes were not official write ups about behavior--if they had been we would have had to talk to the principal and take action.  No, these notes were all about how Turbo did not meet the teacher's standard for behavior.  They really did not get along.  And as I was picking up something for Turbo at the end of the year, I ran into his first grade teacher--she asked what we had planned for the summer and I told her he would be home and we would be doing normal summer things--she said to me, "I wish you luck with him"  meaning Turbo.  I really didn't know how to respond to that.  Although later I got all kinds of offended.  I can deal with my son just fine, and I don't need your wishes for luck.
Fast forward to this year.  Turbo started out behind in reading.  He has been getting extra help in reading since last year.  But he has a wonderful second grade teacher--she is interested in all her students, but seems to enjoy the energy and fun that the boys bring to her class.  Turbo has really blossomed under her guidance.  We had a meeting with the reading coordinator, Turbo's teacher, and the principal last week.  Turbo has reached the benchmarks and is borderline to step back into regular reading with supplemental help.  He'll stay where he is but he's doing so much better than last year.  And if he stays on track, next year will be a good one too.
I have to admit that at the beginning of the year, when I went to pick him up, it broke my heart a bit when he came out of the class and said,"Guess what mom!  I don't have a note to give you!"  I had to tell him that the notes were just for last year and that teacher.  He got a whole clean slate this year.
Good teachers make all the difference.  We are planning on sending a short letter to Turbo's teacher at the end of the year thanking her for all she has done for Turbo.  Now we can only hope that next years teacher is as good.

Hodgepodge--Irish style

Joyce at From This Side of the Pond has a St. Patrick's Day Hodgepodge.  Check her out and answer the hodgepodge for yourself.

1. What would you do if you found a pot of gold? Let's pretend this pot of gold is worth exactly $1500 (which would actually be more like a cup of gold at current values). Anyway, let's also pretend you have to spend it as opposed to making a donation someplace. Now tell me what you would do with that cup pot of gold?  Buy a kindle and load it up with books, get Turbo his own DS so he stops using mine on long trips, use the rest to get fun stuff for the camper so it's all ready to go this summer.

2. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form?  We wear green, and have corned beef and cabbage for dinner.  Once we made it out for green beer, but with the kiddos, going out just does not happen all that often any more.

3. Have you been bitten by the Spring Cleaning bug? What spring cleaning job most needs doing at your house? What spring cleaning job are you most dreading? Since it is not that warm or nice here spring cleaning is on hold for now.  The task I really have to do is wash the outside of the tops of the windows--the only part I can't reach from the inside.

4. Lime-shamrock-sage-forest...your favorite shade of green?  I like all shades of green--but lime/yellowy green is probably my least favorite.

5. Thomas Jefferson once said, "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." So...do you believe in luck or do you believe we make our own luck?  I think there is an element of luck we can't control, but we can control how we react and if we recognize luck when it's staring us in the face we can act on it.

6. Monday (3/14) was Pi Day. Get it? Pi =3.14. Those math types are so clever aren't they? Since I'm not one of them tell me what's your favorite piE (the edible kind). Blueberry or pizza pie.  Depends on how I'm feeling--savory or sweet.

7. That same date (3/14) happens to be the birthdate of the late physicist Albert Einstein. I bet he knew the value of Pi. So...what do you think is more important and or valuable in life... intelligence or common sense?  Intelligence is important but it's nothing without common sense.  Of course common sense is nothing without intelligence.  To be well rounded, you need both.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  The time change is really kicking our butts this year.  I really wish they would just leave the time alone--pick one way and stick with it.  And I have my partner for Mamarazzi's Favorite Things swap.  Brandy at You Don't Know.  Now I just have to get to shopping and figuring out which of my favorite things to send.  There's reading, eating/cooking, time with little boys, camping, oh so many favorites to choose things from....

RTT: Friends, Time and Spring Break.

Time once again to random things up around here.

And my random thoughts:

• We had a very busy weekend.  We had friends to visit Thursday--dinner was wonderful and the conversation was even more fun.  And then on Saturday we had another set of friends come to town to visit.  I took Turbo swimming with the kids of our friends and some cousins--well sort of cousins, the relationship is a bit more complicated, but we just say cousins, it's easier.  We then went out for the annual Chinese dinner and then back to our cousin's house for lots more conversation.  A good time was had by all.
• We got 5 inches of snow on Saturday night.  We were supposed to get 1-2 inches.  The weatherman was smoking the funny stuff again.
• I loathe the time change.  It really screws with the kids--especially Bruiser.  I'm not the perkiest right now either, but that poor kid is all messed up.  Sigh, he will adapt, then we get to do this all over again next fall.  What fun (this is when a sarcasm font would come in handy)!
• We had good news about Turbo last week.  He has been behind in reading and getting extra focused help at school.  At this meeting we found out that he has managed to hit most of the bench marks, so he has minimum competence, and is borderline to go back to the class for reading, with some supplemental help.  We are just thrilled.  What a difference a good teacher can make.  Last year Turbo never meshed with his teacher, but this year he loves his teacher.  It is making a difference.
• It's spring break here.  It never seems like spring, we always get snow during spring break. 
• And Happy St. Patrick's Day, early. 
• Bruiser has fallen in love with Mamma Mia!  He wants to watch it before bed now.  He likes the songs.  but then the kid likes music.  I'm going to have to find some music that is kid geared that doesn't make me want to gouge my ears out.
• And in other Bruiser news:  Friday the kid ate Desitin Creamy.   He was playing with his toys and Mom could see him, but he had his back to her.  Nick and I got home from work and could see him playing and then Nick asked what Bruiser was eating.  We discovered he had gotten the tube of Desitin and was covered in the stuff.  And had it in his mouth.  One frantic call to Poison Control later, the kid had a few tummy troubles but nothing serious.  My mom felt awful.  However this could have happened to any of us, the kid is quick and I've caught him with the Desitin before.  Poison Control is now a prominent number on the refrigerator.

That covers my random for this week.  Go see Keely, she has more random.

ABC's of Me

Saw this on Raven's blog--Stuperhero Extraordinaire, she got it from Living a Goddess Life who got it from somewhere else.  OK, so here goes:
*Age~ 37.  38 on August 22.  I'm far closer to 40 that I ever imagined.  I also don't feel at all that old.

*Bed~ King. Spring Air that I got for a good deal when I was selling furniture.  The day after it was delivered and paid for, they fired me.  I'm not pushy enough to sell furniture.

*Chore you hate~ It's a toss up between dishes and laundry, because they are never ending.

*Dogs~ We have one right now.  Guiness is a collie/lab mutt.  He's ten and has arthritis in his hips, but still tries to heard us all together all the time.

*Essential to start your day~ My quiet time in the morning after I'm up and dressed--I get about 15-20 minutes to read, surf the net, or just stare at the wall if I want to without small people demanding my undivided attention.

*Favorite color~Green.

*Gold or Silver~ Silver mostly, but I do like gold too.

*Height~ 5'7. I thought I was 5'6 1/2" until my physical this last year when the nurse told me I was 5'7".  I'm not going to argue with her.

*Instrument~ I attempted to play the trumpet in 5th grade.  Not my first pick--all the cool girls played the clarinet.  Didn't stick with it at all.

*Job Title~ Mother/wife/friend/geologist--the last one is the one I get paid for.

*Kids~I have 2 boys--Turbo, almost eight; and Bruiser just two, yes I am outnumbered in my own home, thus the name of my blog.

*Live~ In Laramie, Wyoming.  We are one of the few towns in our state to have more than 20,000 people in our town--hey we only have two towns with more than 50,000 people in them in the whole state.

*Mom's name~ Mary

*Nickname~ Boober, Mom.

*Overnight hospital stays~2 for childbirth, one for kidney stone removal--which resulted in 8 additional days in the hospital for what for most people is an out patient procedure.  Fun times.

*Pet Peeve~The biggest one is slow drivers.  Going slower than the speed limit is not safer--you are a hazard to those of us who follow the rules.

*Quote from a movie~ "Back off man, I'm a scientist!"  Ghostbusters.

*Righty or lefty~ Righty.

*Siblings~ One younger brother.

*Time you wake up~ right around 6:00am.  I am physically awake, but the mental part of the equation does not usually catch up til about 8:00am.

*Underwear~ Bikini, the occasional thong--depending on what I'm wearing and for whom.

*Vegetable you don't like~ Onions.  Raw ones.  I can about stand green ones, but the rest--ewww.

*What makes you run late~ Dawdling little boys.  It's amazing how much time it can take to find a pair of shoes.

*X-rays~I have had many x-rays, after the great kidney stone adventure of 2007, I have had several abdominal x-rays and a few chest x-rays thrown in for good measure.  It's never a good thing when your doctor looks at your x-ray and says,"Hmmm, we don't usually see that."

*Yummy food you make~Clam chowder, chicken cordon blue, lasagna, sausage and peppers, pork chops, ribs, the list could go on--I do pretty good in the kitchen anymore.

*Zoo animal~ The tigers, lions, bobcats, cheetahs, any of the cats. What can I say, I like cats--big and small.

Confessions

I confess:

• I almost never wear make up.
• Sometimes it would be nice to.
• However looking dead or like a hooker who put her make up on in the dark is not a good look for anyone.
• It's laundry weekend again.
• I've been ignoring the taunts of the towels in the dryer, but I'm going to have to shut them up soon and fold them.
• Just in time to start all over again with the sorting and the washing and the drying and the folding and the putting away.
• Geez, that sounds like a lot of work.
• At least the new dryer dries faster than the old one did.  
• I get obsessive about keeping the toy parts together.
• Like the ones in sets.
• It's kind of silly, but it makes me feel better when everything is put back together like it's supposed to be.
• So Bruiser can scatter it all over again.
• Talk about a losing battle.
• I dread the time change that is coming this weekend.
• The only saving grace is that our spring break is next week.
• Makes the blow a bit easier to deal with, not much but some.

Well that's my confessions for this week, whew, I feel better.  You will too if you go confess with Glamazon and Mamarazzi.  Go on, confess!
P.S.  Please keep Japan and Hawaii and all others who are impacted by the earthquake and tsunami in your thoughts today.  Just another reminder we live on a dynamic planet.  The geologist in me is fascinated, the human in me is shocked and sadden by the devastation.

Awesome Blogger

Stacy over at SLMPeterson has gifted me with an award. An Awesome blogger award.
 See:

 The rules are I get to share seven things about myself that you might not know and then give it to those blogs I think are awesome.
So here goes:

1. I have dexterous toes.  I can pick things up with them and if I tried really hard I bet I could write with them.  Oddly, Nick thinks this is a bit weird, but Turbo can do the same thing with his toes.
2. I love reading true crime books, most especially the short story anthologies.  I love reading about how the bad guys were caught.
3. I love cats.  Most particularly my cat Piper.  She is one of those cats that will demand attention, but is relatively patient with little boy love too.
4. I like to do research--digging into libraries or archives.  If I had it to do over I think I would have pursued a library science degree so I could work in a library.
5. I have a good memory for numbers.  Phone numbers, codes for various jobs, things like that.
6. I like to scrap book--it is the one creative thing I am good at--but have not done it for about 4 or 5 years now.
7. I like old movies--the Thin Man series, old musicals like Hello Dolly, the Topper movies, these are great fun to watch.  I have a harder time with new movies, I've been disappointed too many times.

And now for who to pass this on to:
Krista at Mommy Doesn't Wrestle
Amanda at The Most Fabulous News
Vanessa at J.Fam...blog for the Soul

Hodgepodge Wednesday

 

1. The season of Lent begins on March 9th this year...do you participate and if so, in what way?  No I don't participate in Lent.  I had a great aunt who was catholic and I know she gave up meat for lent every year, but I don't.

2. Traditionally pancakes are eaten on the day known as Shrove Tuesday which is the last day before Lent (March 8th this year). So....butter and syrup? Blueberry? Chocolate chip? ewww, no thanks!! What's your pleasure when it comes to eating pancakes?  I like plainpancakes with butter and syrup and link sausage--cause I like to dip the sausage in the syrup.  But blueberry ones are pretty good too.

3. Spring is coming. (It is coming, right?) What's your favorite springtime flower and do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Two questions I know, but they're lightweights.  I like daffodils.  And I get allergies from the dust that is kicked up when the snow melts away and the wind blows.  I also have allergies to the cottonwood trees that we have everywhere here.

4. "Our opinion of people depends less upon what we see in them than upon what they make us see in ourselves." Author unknown. Agree or Disagree? Why?  I think there are people who I dislike, but it is usually how they act not what I see of them in me.

5. Since it's "March" and also the season of Mardi Gras....have you ever been in a parade? What's the best parade you've seen?  I marched in a parade when I was about six.  I remember that the road lines were a lot bigger than they seemed from the car.  I haven't seen any really great parades in person, but I would love to go see the Rose Bowl Parade--those floats look fantastic.

6. You would jump up and down and shout for joy right now if someone told you___________?  I won a million dollars--goodbye debt, hello comfortable living.

7. How clean is your car on the outside? Inside? Is there junk in your trunk?  Very dirty from road gunk from the snow this winter on the outside.  On the inside, cluttered and in need of a detailing.  The first warm--over 65 degree day--I will be detailing both the car and the truck--vacuum, Windex and Armor All to the interiors.  I drive a Saturn Vue, so no trunk,  just a  hatch back that has an umbrella stroller in it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Last Halloween Turbo got a York Peppermint Patty as one of his treats.   He was quite excited about it.  He asked to try it, I said sure.  A few moments later I could smell the mint in the car.   Shortly there after Turbo said, "That was good, but I didn't get goose bumps."  I asked him what he meant and he said, "You know like in the commercial, Mom!"  I had to tell him that that was just in the commercial.  (This memory brought to you by a York Peppermint Patty commercial last night on TV.)
 Now go see the other hodgepodgers at From This Side of the Pond.

Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap!

Spring has sprung and Mamarazzi at *Dandelion Wishes* is hosting her Favorite Things swap.



I'm excited to participate.  Looking forward to meeting a new blog friend.  And of course sharing my favorite things with whomever that is.  And it never hurts to get things either.
So let the swap begin!

Tuesday Random

Random Tuesday thoughts, brought to you by Keely, The Unmom and Me.  Well at least the thoughts here are from me.

And to start the madness off:

• I give you Baconnaise.  Personally, if I want a sandwich to taste like bacon, I'll just add bacon.
• You haven't lived until you've been ordered about by a two year old.  Bruiser is very demanding nad pushy.  Sit!  Snack!  Bath!  All commands I've gotten in the last 24 hours from Bruiser.
• And then last night I went in to check on him after he was asleep and I found him in his crib, using his pillow as a blanket in just his diaper.  Now I put him in bed, in his footie jammies, head on the pillow, covered by his blankets.  The kid is Houdini, and he moves around a lot getting to the sleep stage.  It worries me when he finally decides to escape the crib.  He's going to fall out of bed a loot.
• I'm looking forward to toe baring season.
• Turbo can clean his room, and do a go job of it.  Who knew?  Of course now he all neat freakish.  We shall see how long that lasts.
• We watched Alice in Wonderland this weekend--the one with Johnny Depp.  I liked it more than I thought I would.
• Migraines suck!
• Oh, and today is Mardi Gras!   Party it up everyone!

With that I think I'm done, but head over to Keely's place, she who hosts this random stuff, and check out the other random happening on her part of the webs today.

Happy List

Sometimes you just need to sit back and think of the things that make you happy.  After a relatively quiet weekend in which I felt pretty blah, I'm going to perk myself up by thinking of the things that make me happy.
Here goes:

1. Spontaneous hugs from either or both of my boys.  Turbo is getting bigger and I know he's going to outgrow the hugs sooner rather than later so I need to enjoy them now.  Bruiser just loves to snuggle into hugs.  They make my heart glow.
2. Reading books, any book that interests me, makes me happy.  I've recently started to find my reading mojo and It feels good.
3. Seeing good friends makes me happy.  I had a visit from an old friend a couple of weeks ago and we will be seeing more friends the end of this week.  This makes me happy down to my toes.
4. These guys make me happy

    5.This guy makes me happy

     6.  Sunflower seeds make me happy--I'm a nibbler and I nibble while I read.  With out sunflower seeds I'd nibble on chips and crackers--things that go straight to my hips.
     7.  Cooking makes me happy.  We tried a new lasagna recipe the weekend and it tasted wonderful.
     8.  A long hot soak in the tub, without interruptions from little boys, is wonderful.  A glass of wine and a good book can make it perfect.
     9.  Dark chocolate Turtles make me very happy.
     10.  A good chai latte can make my morning.  But I usually settle for a chai teabag and french vanilla creamer.  It tastes almost as good and it doesn't cost nearly as much.


Well that is a list of what is making me happy right now.  Next week it may change. I'm fickle like that.


Go join Momarazzi for more happy lists.

Confessions

 Time to confess it all with Glamazon and Momarazzi.  Grab the cute button and confess away.


I confess:

• I've been reading more and it feels almost like I'm getting away with something.  
• Of course Bruiser hasn't told me to put down the book yet. 
•  He has told me to pause the computer though.
• And that I'm "Done Compuer!" 
• Pushy kid.
• We did the dreaded taxes last night.
• I hate getting the taxes done.
• It's just something I dread--even when it comes out in our favor.
• I avoided the dishes for the last couple of days.
• We really hadn't dirtied a whole lot so it was easy to do.
• I caved this morning and did them and ran the dishwasher--I put things I hate doing in there--plates, silverware, glasses, bowls.  
• I do the pots and pans myself, cause their big and mostly easy to wash.
• And our dishwasher is the most basic model going--hey it was the floor model so it was cheap when we got it.
• I also haven't vacuumed in over a week.
• The carpet in the living room could probably make a whole new animal, but I'm not going to look that close.
• Since we have company coming over for dinner tomorrow, I'll be cleaning like crazy tomorrow before they come.  
• But I'll probably still ask them to excuse the mess.
• I live with two little boys.  No matter how I clean the living room will look like a disaster five minutes later.

So that covers my confessions for this week.  Go confess for yourself--it feels good and all the cool kids are doing it (not to put any pressure on or anything).

Pitcures of the Crazy Kids

We had pictures taken last week of the boys.  I promised to share so here we go:

We had cooperation from Bruiser for most of them.  And there is evidence of the ham that Turbo can be when ever he sees a camera.  The photographer described him as having so much personality, he was almost bursting with it.  She's right the kid definitely does not lack for personality.
The pictures of Bruiser were harder to get.  This two year old doesn't really like to have his picture taken at the slightly scary photo place.  The photographer was really patient and got some good shots even with his general noncompliance.
Those are my boys.  Different but so much alike at the same time.  Hope you enjoyed seeing the pics we got.

A Suess of a Hodgepodge

 

1. March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday so I'm wondering...do you like green eggs and ham? Okay-how about this instead...how do you like your eggs? Or don't you?  For St. Patrick's Day I like to dye the scrambled eggs for the boys green.  So we do like green eggs and ham.  As for eggs, I like mine scrambled, but not overcooked.

2. Is March coming in like a lion or something less ferocious where you live?  More like a lamb, which makes me worried for the rest of the month--traditionally March and April are the months we get a lot of snow in the mountains.  We already have 120% snow pack.  The flooding is going to be bad here this spring I think.  And by spring I mean the end of May first part of June.

3. Do you work better or worse under pressure?  Probably better under pressure.  I procrastinate until it is necessary to get it done then work frantically, but well, until it is done.

4. March Madness-are you a fan? It's college basketball in case you're wondering. And if you're outside the USA tell us-is there any sort of 'madness' taking place during March in your part of the world?  No not a big March Madness fan, but then I don't really follow college basketball--the team at our university stinks this year.  So much so that they fired the coach about a month ago.

5. Under what circumstances do you do your best thinking?  Nick and I come up with fabulous ideas after we have had a glass of wine or two.  We have some great discussions.  As for thinking at work--I'm not good when put on the spot.

6. What item of clothing from your wardrobe do you wear most often?  My Keen shoes--they are the most comfortable shoes I have right now.  And since I don't have to dress up for work, they are just fine.

7. Do you use sarcasm?  Oh, never.  (If there were a sarcasm font, I'd use it all the time.)

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Last week we had pictures taken of the boys.  I'm going to show more tomorrow, but here is a teaser:

Turbo does not have the smile nicely thing down well yet.

Now go link your own Hodgepodge with Joyce.

Random Thoughts on Tuesday

So lets get ready to random!!  Or something like that.  Go see Keely, she of the funky purple button, and get your random on.

Here's my random for the week:

• I'm positive that Bruiser's toys are mating in the dark.  I swear that there are more of them every day.
• February flew by, didn't it?  I'm not sure I'm really ready for March.
• Why is it that you can have 250 channels and still can't find something you want to watch?
• My mom has taken to bringing breakfast to us about once a week.  This is not bad when the breakfast comes from say, McDonald's.  It's not so great when she stops at the convenience store for it.  The donuts for the boys are OK, but the sandwiches--not so much.  
• She is also giving us some of her leftovers.  However she does not cook as well as she once did.  Actually, she just doesn't cook like I do.  And she comes up with really weird combinations of food.  Leafy things in stew, not enough chili powder in chili, veggie soup with unidentifiable vegetables in it.  I love my mom dearly and she takes great care of Bruiser and Turbo, but some of the food she shares makes me shudder.  I can't tell her I don't want it because that will offends her and she's awfully touchy about stuff like that.  So we smile and take what she offers and dispose of it when she is not around.
• We have mild weather for the beginning of March.  THis means that the end of the month will be nasty--right?  In like a lamb, out like a lion?  Or in like a lion, out like a lamb?  Something like that.
• Did you know that today is:  National horse protection day, Peace Corp birthday, Pig day, and Plan a solo vacation day.  Tomorrow is Dr. Suess day.  Turbo gets to wear a crazy hat to school and they will be doing all kinds of things for Dr. Suess.  Sounds kind of fun.

Well that does it for my random.  Go see Keely, she holds lots of random.