Cell Phone Pics

I keep getting error messages that all the space on my cell phone is filled.  So I began the process of deleting old text messages and photos.  It pains me because I like to save everything.  For example, I have one text message from my son that actually uses the word "love."  I will not be deleting that.  He isn't very affectionate so I treasure the few moments that he is.

Some of the pictures on my phone were quite interesting.  About halfway through the big delete, I thought Man, I should have posted some of these on my blog!  So even though several are already trashed, I decided to go ahead with the project.  Here are the kind of pictures I save:



Baby Girl's first Carousel ride at the Fair



Baby Girl's first "roller coaster" ride.  She was so excited to
ride the dragon.  Poor thing screamed her head off!



While walking past the bathroom one day, this is what I saw.



While cleaning out the basement, we discovered

this old police scanner radio.  I sent this pic to
Hubby telling him I found his very first cell phone.



Also while cleaning out the basement, I found these sweat

pants that I hid from Hubby years ago.  Yes, he wore these

on one of our first dates in 1992.  I couldn't bear to actually

throw them away but I don't want to take a chance that he

might wear them again.



Son #1 bragging that he knew his piano lesson so well, he
could do it blindfolded.  (That is a throw blanket on his head.)

 

Another discovery of the crazy things Baby

Girl does in her spare time.



Potty training at its best.

+ & -

+  I spent last evening at the first birthday party of a little girl who calls me "Mama She."  When she was just a few months old, her mother required a hospital stay for several days.  With all their family in another country, I offered to take care of the baby until mom came home.  Ever since, they have adopted me as part of their family and say that I'm the baby's second mom.  There's nothing quite like being accepted into someone else's family.

-  On the way there, I rear-ended another vehicle.  I don't really know how it happened.  I was stopped at a red light, glancing at an ice cream parlor we used to love as kids.  The light turned green and the car in front of me started moving.  I started moving too, even though I was still looking at the ice cream parlor.  When I looked back, the car in front of me was at a complete stop.  It was just a little bump but enough to knock my gift and purse on the floor.

+  The woman in the other car could not have been nicer.  There was absolutely no damage to her car, not even a speck of dirt.  So she kindly let me go.  She even asked if I was OK first.  Thank God for nice people.  She could have been a real witch.

-  My car, however, did not fare as well.  The woman had a hitch on the back of her car which is probably why she had no damage.  I now have a deep, square indentation on my shiny, black bumper that perfectly matches the shape of her hitch.  My licence plate is pretty torn up too.

+  No one was hurt, my kids are safe, and Hubby wasn't all that mean about it.  He was disgusted but it could have been a lot worse.

-  I have had a headache for about the last 24 hours.  I have been getting them almost daily and am tired of taking pain medication.  I tried to let this one go away on its own but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

+  Partly due to the headache, I took today as kind of a lazy day off.  I spent a lot of time on the patio playing Kindle Scrabble.  I watched Baby Girl run around the yard for hours.  She adores moving golf balls from one location to another.  She recently learned how to carry them in her shirt, which I think is adorable.

-  I didn't eat dinner last night because I was upset about the fender bender.  So I ended up binging on a large sandwich right before bed.  If I don't change my eating habits soon, I'm going to weigh as much as a cow!

+  The thing I love most about August is the cool nights and cool mornings when you can leave your windows open.  I enjoyed some more Kindle time on the patio this morning with a cup of hot tea.

-  The middle of August means that summer is almost over.  I'd like to have another go at summer this year.  It just did not last long enough.

Share with me your biggest + or - about today.

Potato Stories

What's the deal with couples fighting and potatoes?  I read this blog post by Hillary last night before going to bed.  It made me smile, even though I understood her immense frustration.  She hoped to arrive home from work in time to mash the potatoes that her husband started for dinner.  Relieved that they were still boiling, she looked inside the pot to find whole, unpeeled potatoes.  Of course, they weren't cooked because they were whole.  This sparked a great fight between husband and wife.  It immediately reminded me of a story my mother has told hundreds of times throughout the years.

My parents had only been married a few months when she decided to make a nice roast for dinner.  She put the meat on to cook earlier in the day and asked my father to add the potatoes at a certain time.  When she arrived home, the wonderful aroma of perfectly cooked roast beef filled the house.  She peeked at the cooking dinner but was shocked by what she saw.  Around the roast were several whole potatoes.  Floating around in the rich broth were little brown specks.  Dirt.  Not only did my father not peel and cut up the potatoes, he didn't even wash them!  My mother remembers crying as she threw the entire dinner in the trash.  Confused, my father didn't understand why she was so angry.  (He probably would have eaten the dirty food.)  "You said to put potatoes in with the roast.  You didn't say to wash or peel them."  Today, she is able to laugh at this story, as Hillary will too (some day).  But back then, it surely wasn't funny.  So for years and years to come, she wrote notes in great detail.

1.  Wash potatoes.

2.  Wrap them in aluminum foil.

3.  Put them in the oven.

4.  Turn on the oven to 350.

5.  Close the oven door.

As I thought of these two stories, it brought back a potato memory of my own.  When Hubby and I were first married, we were in the middle of a huge, horrible fight.  Right now, I can't remember what it was about.  I just remember that it was big.  It seems like I even refused to make dinner because of how angry I was.  So Hubby took it upon himself to fix something to eat.  He put a whole potato on a plate, put it in the microwave, pushed 10:00, and went upstairs.  (I had never microwaved a potato at any point of our marriage so I have no clue where he got this idea.)  About seven minutes into this process, I entered the kitchen to discover a horrible smell.  There was smoke billowing from the microwave.  I quickly opened the door to find a potato immersed in flames.  Hubby was nowhere around.  I started yelling about the same time the smoke detector started beeping.  He ran down, completely shocked that ten minutes in the microwave was too long for a potato.  The smoke left black soot all over my white wallpaper with green ivy on it.  The white and green plate was burnt black.  The potato ended up as ashes.  I had to call off work the next day to scrub down my entire first floor.  The microwave was ruined, the plate was ruined, and the smell lasted for several days.  But after this event, neither of us could remember why we were fighting in the first place.  But I must say, a new fight resulted.

So I don't know what's the deal with potatoes.  But I will warn you, if a potato discussion arises between you and your spouse, LOOK OUT!  Trouble may lie ahead!

Over the Weekend

I had such a fabulous weekend, although most if it is stuff that you probably wouldn't care about.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to hear my cousin speak to a crowd of about 10,000 people.  It was such a neat experience!  I drove my Grandpa to the event and enjoyed getting to listen to him talk for hours on end.  I learned a lot about my family heritage.  My great-great uncle immigrated to this country because he was hiding from the German army.  Soldiers came on the boat looking for him.  But he was hiding behind the large hoop skirts of two women.  How interesting is that?

I saw so many friends on Friday and got to have lunch with a cousin from another state.  We ate here, a place I had never heard of.  They send you home with a free muffin!  How awesome is that?

On Saturday, I went shopping for $10.00 jeans.  How cheap is that?  We ate at our favorite pizza place and acted goofy with the kids.  The kids and I waited outside the restaurant with a piece of paper and Sharpie in hand.  When Hubby exited with aviators and an iPhone, the boys swarmed him, asking for his autograph.  He obliged and patted them on the heads, never putting down his phone.  Then I snapped a picture of them together and Hubby walked away.  A woman dining on the patio yelled for my attention, "Ma'am, ma'am!  Who was that?"  I answered honestly and gave her Hubby's real name.  "Wow, how awesome!  Congratulations, little man!"  Still laughing, I rounded up the kids and hurried to the car.  Just then, I realized that Hubby was the one with the keys!  Son #1 ran around to the side of the restaurant to get the keys.  The kids and I drove around the building and quickly picked him up.  He hid on the floor of the van until we cleared the restaurant.  It was one of the funniest things I've done in a long time!  How goofy is that?

On Sunday, I met my little cousin's new boyfriend.  He was adorable and full of personality.  I am so happy for her and hope he is The One.  I got to eat at Chipotle for lunch and you all know how awesome that is for me!  Also on Sunday, Son #1 officially joined the youth group at church.  He now sits with the other kids instead of with me.  On Friday, he will attend his first youth service.  The youth staff will load the kids up on vans after service and take them out to eat.  It seems like I was just in the youth group a couple years ago.  Now my kid is so grown up!  How crazy is that?

Today, I got to have lunch with a new friend.  You guessed it, Chipotle again.  I know, I have a serious problem.  It was really nice getting to know one another.

So, that's what I've been up to.  It may not have been interesting enough to blog about but it was perfect for me.  What's the best thing from your weekend?

Old Navy Jeans

Every year before school starts, I visit the Old Navy jean sale and stock up!  You can't beat $10 jeans!  Just this morning, I bought 8 pairs to last my boys the entire school years (hopefully)!  I also bought them athletic pants for $7.50 and dress shirts for $8.00.  I didn't find the girls sales to be quite as good so Big Sis only got one t-shirt dress.  She contemplated a backpack ($7) and lunch box ($4) but wanted to shop around a bit first. 

So if you can make it out to Old Navy today, you won't be sorry.  If you can't make it out, you can find the same deals online!  Happy shopping!

What Frustrates Me

This.  I can't stand it when my family members pile up dirty dishes in the sink when there's a perfectly good, empty dishwasher two feet away.  And guess where the dish brush is that I need to use to scrape off these dishes?  Underneath the pile!  So I must unload everything, retrieve the brush, and load everyone's dishes in the dishwasher.  I've tried explaining how much extra work this causes me but they just don't seem to get it.

~~~~~

Spam emails-  I am so sick of spam I can barely stand it!  I receive one spam email every few minutes.  When you're working on the computer all day, it's not so bad.  Every little while, you click over and delete them.  But when you haven't been on for a couple days, it takes a ridiculous amount of time to delete them all.  The sad thing is, a couple family members and I believe we were all sabotaged by a former friend and that's why all this spam exists.  But is it really worth changing your email and trying to let every contact (except the former friend) know your new address?  Deleting the spam is probably easier.

~~~~~

Name Droppers- I know two people who I consider to be name droppers.  You know how there are certain people that you would never call by their first name.  Well, these people do.  "Oh, well I was talking to Luke and he said..." or "Yes, I've known Travis for years."  I would never call either of these men Luke or Travis.  It's too disrespectful considering their positions.  One of the name droppers mentioned something about visiting El Salvador.  I mentioned the name of someone I know from El Salvador.  Of course, she knew her.  But the funny thing was she said, "...and she never married."  With a sly smile, I replied,"Oh yes, she's been married for years!  They have three children together!"  It was quite enjoyable to see her look uncomfortable while uttering an "Oh."

~~~~~

"What's for dinner?"  I know that might not sound like something that would frustrate you.  But when I hear that question nearly a dozen times a day, it starts to wear on me.  My three oldest children tend to ask that question several times a day.  My husband always calls from work to ask.  Lately, even my Baby Girl has started asking, "What for supper?"  I feel like answering, "Something you won't like anyway.  Just eat whatever I make."

~~~~~

As I was wiping down the bathroom countertop today, Son #1 asked, "Why are you cleaning the bathroom?"  With a puzzled look, I said, "Why?  Because it's dirty."  He replied, "But you usually only do that for special occasions."  "Special occasions?!?  Uh, no!  I clean it all the time!" I exclaimed.  "You do?" he asked doubtfully.  That conversation really irritated me.  OK, I confess- I do have different levels of bathroom cleaning depending on the situation.  A regular Tuesday warrants a wipe down of the counter.  Before the weekend, I will clean the sink and toilet and maybe wipe down the floor.  The bathtub doesn't get done as often as it should.  When company is expected, I wipe everything from the ceiling to the floor.  But I definitely do it more often than On Special Occasions.

~~~~~

What frustrates you today???

My Hero

Throughout life, if I was ever asked who my hero was, my response would have been my father.  And he is.  But lately, I have really begun to admire and appreciate my grandfather.  I have always thought he was one of the most awesome men to ever walk this earth but I realize it more and more each day.

In his younger days, he worked a full-time night job at a tire factory.  He came home early in the morning to his wife and three kids.  He always made sure to spend time with them, never missing a school event, birthday, or holiday.  Two nights a week and twice on Sunday, he delivered a sermon to the congregation he pastored.  He was also the choir director, janitor, and handyman for the church.  After services, he went home to change and pack his lunch.  Then he headed back out the door for another night's work.  The man rarely slept.  He never complained.  He didn't cheat on or leave his wife.  He didn't abandon his children.  He worked hard to provide as best as he could for those he loved. 

This honorable man has been let down by some of the closest people to him.  Two different men that he practically raised as his own sons have betrayed him in the most painful ways.  I don't know how he survived these events or how he found the strength to face the next day.

Presently, he spends every waking moment taking care of an ailing wife who only recognizes him half of the time.   He monitors her like a child to make sure she doesn't wander away.  He patiently attempts to explain to her that he is her husband of 61 years and he looks different because he's getting old.  He cooks and cleans for her.  He takes her to a salon to have her hair washed. 

And yet, he goes on.  He complains very little; he just vents his frustrations occasionally about how difficult caring for my grandmother is.  I look at all the people around me who complain about the smallest of things.  Some people complain about every little thing in their lives.  "How bad is it really?" I want to ask them.  Maybe they should walk a mile in someone else's shoes today.

Today, I have the honor of cooking a meal for my hero.  How many people can say that?  I will take chicken, potatoes, salad, bread, and sweet tea up to his house where my parents will join us for dinner.  I truly consider it an honor and wish I had the ability to do it every day.  More than the food, he will appreciate the company and the conversation.  My kids will get to spend another evening with their great grandparents.  Maybe some day they will write a story like this about how their grandfather was one of the greatest men they ever knew.

Driver's Seat

I just realized it's nearly 6:00 PM and I haven't posted yet today.  I'm not really sure why.  I think my brain is just a little overloaded right now.  I've even been a bit crabby.  Don't worry, I won't take it out on you.

Going through my file of pictures trying to decide what to post on short notice, I stumbled upon this picture of my two beautiful daughters.  They get along so well right now and I hope that continues into adulthood.  This photo shows a cute game they play together.  Big Sis made it up one day as a way to entertain her baby sister.  It's called Driver's Seat.  Each of the girls sit in between the banister rails on the steps.  Together, they singsong "Driver's Seat, Driver's Seat" as they lean from one side to the other.  That's it.  I don't really get why it's fun but apparently it is.  Baby Girl will even ask throughout the day for her sister to play Driver's Seat with her.  She asked me to play once but didn't understand why I couldn't fit in between the banister rails. 

I just love little creative things my kids do.

Randomness

Today, we finally cracked open the summer homework packets.  Yes, my children have to read several books, complete story maps and diagrams, complete math packets, do flash cards, and other activities.  Yes, the summer is more than halfway over.  I just found out today that Son #2 even had a summer homework packet.  I'm not worried about Son #1 because he reads like no one's business.  The math might take a bit of coaxing.  Big Sis has been reading a bit this summer and I've kept track of the books.  I did have to flub the dates but who really cares about that.  So in summation, I am a bad mom.  Thanks for the award.

----------

My towels stink.  I totally can't stand it!  When you step out the shower, clean and refreshed, the last thing you want to do is immerse your face into a stinky towel.  That's what you get from leaving them in the washing machine for far too many hours (I blame the kids).  I thought I could get the smell out but nothing works.  I really don't want to go invest in all new towels.  (Well, I want to, it's just not monetarily feasible right now.)  Anyone have suggestions of ways to freshen stinky linens?

----------

I have officially plunged into the small business world, I guess.  I haven't filled out any official forms or anything but my new photography business is finally off the ground!  I had another appointment on Saturday for family portraits.  It was with a good friend so I gave her a discount.  Thankfully, she was happy with the pictures!  Her exact words were, "You rock!"  I couldn't be happier!  I still get very nervous while taking photos because I worry that the customer won't be happy.  I spent all weekend getting my website up and running.  And I must say, it looks pretty awesome!  Next, I need to get some business cards and start advertising!  I decided that 100% of my profit will go into a fund to purchase new camera equipment.  I realize I need to upgrade if I want to keep truckin'!

----------

I'm pumped because I just bought a Groupon for $30 that includes a full chiropractic visit, including x-rays, an adjustment, and consultation along with a 1 hour massage!  Wowzers!  My back and shoulders can't wait!   Do you Groupon?  If not, you should!  I just started earlier this year but haven't been disappointed yet!

----------

Thanks to Hillary, I have discovered the heavenly bliss that is pretzels and Nutella!  Why I didn't know about this before is beyond me!  It's simply the best snack ever made!  I am going to have to start buying pretzels and Nutella in bulk now because my kids can't get enough of it either!  And when you think about how bad for you some snacks can be, I think we're doing pretty good here!

----------

Thinking about how far into the summer we are makes me pretty sad.  I'm not even close to being ready for it to be over.  I'm going to stop complaining about this excessive heat and try to soak some of it up to last me through another cold, snowy winter!

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I told someone the other day that there is no lack of laughter in my marriage.  I have the funniest husband who keeps me cracking up at all times.  The person responded that laughter is the most important key to a happy marriage.  I told her that we will always have a successful marriage then because all we do is laugh.  Maybe Hubby has a bit of a corny sense of humor but I totally appreciate it.

He does voices.  Not quite Robin Williams status, but close.  He loves to imitate Ben Stiller's different characters, which sets him off quoting movie lines.  There's a guy we know who has a very distinct voice and Hubby does it perfectly.  It always makes me laugh...UNLESS he busts it out when he's kissing me or being romantic.  It instantly gives me the heebie-jeebies and leaves me running away, screaming!

We also have tons of goofy little games we play.  Our newest game started when we were in Las Vegas.  There are lots of very interesting people to be seen in Vegas, to say the least.  When passing a unique couple, we would simply say one word: "him" or "her."  It always amazes me when you see a couple where one of them is significantly better looking than the other.  It makes me wonder why.  In this picture though, it's pretty obvious.  We would chime in with a unanimous "Her!"

I'm so glad I have a life full of laughter.  I would take that any day over a life of wealth or even a life of success.  If I had to choose between a gorgeous hunk with killer abs but no personality, or an overweight unattractive dude who kept me rolling in laughter, it would be an easy decision.  Somehow, the Lord blessed me with both- a gorgeous guy who is the funniest person I know.  When people see us, they certainly shout out, "Him!"  I guess I'm just blessed!

What one thing do you most share with your spouse- laughter, romance, intellect, hobbies, talents, OCD?