Girls' Weekend - Success!

This is a little late, but just wanted to give a shout out to my mom, my sis, my cousin, and my little girl. 

Y'all know I hate to shop (except for groceries and running clothes, go figure...), but I was really in need of some new clothes, and these ladies spent part of our girls' weekend helping me find some.  Four {four!} pairs of jeans, several tees, tops, & tanks, and even a summer dress (on clearance!) later, I'm well ahead of the game.  Most of y'all are thinking, "Isn't girls' weekend all about shopping?"  Maybe, but not of the "I'm desperate, the seasons are changing and I have no pants" variety.  And besides, we like to eat and then check out the clearance racks at Target.  These ladies took me to the mall! 

And my little girl, well, she is not only growing up into a responsible young lady, but she's got a great sense of style, too.  Not to mention her awesome sense of humor!  We had some awesome mom-and-daughter time on the drive down and back.

It would be a shame if I didn't mention that my husband and son enjoyed their weekend, too.  My son asked me last night if we could have kid-and-parent time every weekend!  Or at least more often :)

I think it's a wonderful idea!

Summer is winding down! (Brain Dump Edition)

I cannot believe that Mister J returns to school in two weeks and Miss M in just 9 days!  This is the part of summer that usually has me getting excited, but I can't start the back-to-school countdown just yet.  You see, M is away at her first spend-the-night - and she got to stay for two nights!  She's been having a ball, which makes me so happy!  Also, I've had some one-on-one time with J.  I think we should make time to do this more often, but somehow we manage to let our "free" weekends get away from us.  They are few and far between, and we often spend time enjoying the simple fact that they are unplanned.  But even a few hours one-on-one would be something to celebrate.  Hmmm...  Food for thought.

I've managed to continue running throughout the summer, and even improve my pace!  I cannot wait for cooler weather - I love to run in the fall and winter.  Actually, I just love to run - which is how I've managed to keep up the routine over the summer (though I did take a bit of a break early on).  I am thankful for the cooler-than-normal summer, and think that's a big reason I've been able to continue running.  I have also reached the point that I don't ditch a run just because my running buddy can't make it.  I'm tackling those mental roadblocks and learning to enjoy being out there even if it's just me.  However, I do have a bit of a physical roadblock - so I'll be taking at least a few days off.  I've managed to deal with (and treat) pain from a tight quad and I've conquered plantar fasciitis, but I've been sidelined because I took a spill on (or rather, off of) a bike yesterday.  Ouch.  Most of the impact was to my elbow and shoulder, but I also have a bruised hip.  I'd love to say I'll be back out there Wednesday morning, but that may be a bit too ambitious.  Darn.

And - surprise! - I've taken a part-time job at our church.  It's 4 mornings a week, and when school is in session it will be during the kids' school day - perfect!  I'll do drop-offs and pick-ups just like always, and I'll be home for homework in the afternoons.  I started about 3 weeks ago, so we've had to do a bit of juggling with camps, transportation, and child care - but thankfully Big J has some flexibility with work and the kids are able to entertain themselves if he is working from home.  I think the transition to the school year may be a bit challenging - I'm used to grocery shopping on Monday mornings, going for a run in the late morning, and spending a day doing laundry.  I know that part of my schedule will necessarily change - and I'll still need to fit in volunteer hours at school on my day off - but I'm certain we'll figure it out.  I have to admit, these first few weeks have left me worn out in the afternoon.  It seems odd to me - because it's an administrative position - that I should be so tired in the afternoons.  Again, another adjustment and I know it'll just take a little time. 

For now, I'm looking forward to getting the last of the school supply shopping complete, meeting the kids' new teachers, and getting back into a routine.  Summer is fun, and I love that we can send our kids to camps that feed their interests, but some of us around here seem to operate better with a routine.  (Um, that would be me and Mister J!)  Also, I love fall.  Jeans weather!  Camping weather!  Running capris weather! 

So, how've you been doing?  What do you love about this time of year?  Or do you prefer summer?

First Day of Summer Break - 2013

Technically, it's not M's first day of break - last Thursday was her last day - but today was J's first day of break.  To me, it's the first day of summer because the lunch-packing and taxiing about is over for just a little while. 

Today has been such a fun, cool, special day that I wanted to post a quick rundown. 

Here's my Facebook status from mid-afternoon:

Today's Top 5 (and it's not even 5pm):
1) Getting my run in first thing this morning
2) Getting the boy off to camp (big smile from him and no tears from me!)
3) Making orange-mango creamsicles with the girl
4) Chocolate cayenne protein bites in the fridge (recipe from A Foodie Stays Fit)
5) Fun things in the mail from new friends
That's a pretty good start to summer vacation, I think!

I met my best running friend at 6:15am.  It was already warm then, and I've had a short break from running, so today seemed especially hard.  But I was out there and I got the miles in.  And going for a run just makes me feel good!

(I didn't even include the yummy breakfast I made in the top 5.  I did that as soon as I got home - I was hungry!  Bacon, roasted lemon thyme asparagus, and baked eggs.  A one dish meal, and I put some sliced tomatoes on the side.  My husband ate it, but I don't think he's convinced that meal is really 'breakfast.')

(Nor did I mention the three paintings M worked on this morning.  She was so happy to get paints and canvases out!) 

The end of the school year for J meant saying goodbye to J's teacher of the past two years.  I thought I would be a wreck - she is such a treasure, and she loves not just J, but all of us!  I made it through yesterday okay, but figured sending him off to camp this morning would really be hard on my mama heart.  After breakfast and a shower, I dropped him off for his ride to camp (he rode with a couple other boys and their dads/leaders).

M and I spent some time in the kitchen today.  I haven't been in the kitchen for anything besides just regular meals lately, so making some special treats was wonderful!  We took a basic recipe and made our own variation with what we had on hand - that became the creamsicles.  We had fun tasting as we went, deciding how much vanilla we needed and realizing we didn't need all the honey the recipe called for (glad we only added a little at a time!).

A friend of mine from college organizes a fun little "swap" between her Instagram friends called #flappymail.  I'm trying it for the first time, and my goodies came today.  They are just perfect!  I will send my package off pretty soon, and I'm excited for my 'person' to get her package.

And the rest of the day kept on in the same vein.  M and I went to the local running store.  I picked up my new running shoes, a belated Mother's Day gift, and also found a new pair of shoes for M, too (on sale!).

Mizuno Wave Inspire 9

Maggie had a little bummer of a situation to deal with, the result of a misunderstanding, and she was very calm and mature in working through her disappointment and finding the silver lining.  I was so proud of her, and I'm not sure that I can even express to her just how proud.  But I did take my big girl - whose love language is gifts - out for a sweet treat at her favorite local ice cream shop.  As we were headed in for ice cream, we happened to see J's teacher coming out of another store in the shopping center.  We had a brief visit (Maggie had actually called out to her to day hello) before heading into the ice cream shop.  

After that, we headed home to try out our new shoes with a quick dash up the street and back.  Of course, with those speedy new shoes on, M was the fastest!  Our plan is to really break them in at the Popsicle Fun Run tomorrow evening.  

Shortly afterwards, M's fourth tooth fell out!  We knew it wouldn't make it to the weekend :)

And then - then! - we worked together on dinner.  Spaghetti and meatballs (M helped mix and shape the meatballs), a salad (M helped prepare nearly every item), and popsicles for dessert (ones we made earlier in the day; and yes, she had dessert before and after dinner!).  I adjusted the meatball recipe a bit, but started with the basic recipe from The Mom 100 Cookbook.  This cookbook is fantastic!  It was a gift last Christmas, and it's the one I pull out most often right now. The vinaigrette recipes - yum!  The marinated flank steak - tasty!  The chicken tenders - oh, my!  I have even given this one as a gift - I love it that much!

Big J and I enjoyed every bit of dinnertime conversation with our girl this evening.  She is just a riot - and she really has some time to shine while her brother's at camp.  

Then she watched a bit of a hockey game - to the extent of cheering for a particular team - before declaring hockey "violent"!  So then we switched to a show about building tree houses and snuggled a bit on the sofa.  Love her....

Switching gears to the boy at camp - wow, it's different with him gone.  I had the opportunity to go with him, but I am so glad we decided that he should attend solo if possible (we had to find another parent going who would be J's "adult" for the week, which we were able to do).  But this is a time for him to shine, too.  He really needs this chance to just be himself, be responsible, and make his own choices.  Of course, I spent time with him packing, talking about some of the non-negotiable things (like brushing teeth, sunscreen, etc.), and telling him that I know he can do it.  And I tucked a note into his bag when we wasn't looking.  He should find it tomorrow night :)  And we have seen a picture of him with a smile on his face waiting in line for dinner - so that did a mama heart good.

This is an all-over-the-place post, so here's the summary:

What an awesome first day of summer break - for all of us!

10k - check!

Just popping in with a quick update to say -

Woohoo!  I did it!  The 10k was yesterday, and I can check it off of my list now!

It was a beautiful day, but 10-15 degrees warmer than any day I've gone running in preparation for this race.  That made it a little harder, especially in miles 3 and 4.  I also didn't do the best job pacing myself (running about 25 seconds per mile faster than usual) - I had lots of butterflies beforehand and the closer it got to race time, the more excited I got.

Still.... I finished 5 minutes faster than my estimated time - which was pretty exciting!

The best part - my family coming to see me!  I got to see them at 4 different points during the race, and my sweet husband even ran with me for a bit of the last mile so he could check in on how I was feeling and give me some encouragement to make it to the end.  And there's nothing like having high fives from your kids or having them run alongside for half a block!

Next up, increasing speed!  I'm running a 5k in May, and I need to set my time goal for that race.  I'll have to go back and look at my old 5k times, my current 5k pace, and figure out a good goal to work towards.  Although I'm not excited about hill repeats and track workouts, I know they are good for me!  And when I reach that goal it will all be worth it!

Big catch-up post in photos

And it's in reverse chronological order, because that's how blogger uploaded them :)


March 2013 - Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet - B&G is the celebration of scouting's birthday, so we ask families to bring desserts to our banquet.  Miss M took pictures of some of the other desserts (a couple of the scouting-themed desserts were made to look like campsites!), but this particular one is mine.  Since B&G happens near my birthday, this is *my* birthday cake, too.  Big J baked it, I frosted it and made the decorations.  And thankfully, Big J made sure I got a piece for dessert :)

I really enjoy trying recipes that I find on food blogs - especially if they involve baking!  For this particular recipe, I was experimenting with a new-to-me ingredient: cardamom.  The blogger suggested buying cardamom in the pods and grinding it yourself - it's less expensive and it's fresher this way.  I realized that I think I sold my tiny coffee grinder in one of our garage sales, so I broke out the mortar and pestle.  Only took a few minutes - and talk about feeling super-accomplished!  (I. Have Made. Cardamom!) {Can you name that movie?}

I've picked up running again - see previous post - and I am loving it more than ever!  10k prep is going great, and I've even logged a few decent solo runs.  This was my run on Valentine's Day - check out that "Love to Run" shirt!  Sometimes I'm so stinkin' happy I just have to take a picture - even if I'm sweaty!

The first weekend of February is destined to be a crazy one for our family.  For the past two years, it's been both Cub Scout Pinewood Derby and Girl Scout Cookie day.  And I've been the cookie mom.  I was so thankful to have the help of three other moms and several girls with the pick-up and sorting this year.  Our troop has 30-ish girls, so we had a LOT of cookies!  And, also thanks to their help, I was able to go to the PWD races, as well - including the leader race!

Mister J participated in the Derby for the 3rd year in a row.  Big J and I are on the committee, and for the first time competed in the Leaders and Parents Race.  Miss M was bummed that she didn't get to make a car, but as it turns out she got to race after all.  One of the boys was out of town, but boys in our troop are able to race cars if they can get someone to race the car for them.  M raced for a scout a rank ahead of her brother, and that car made the championships!  So, we got to race a LOT that day!

Back in December we took a trip to see my dad in FL.  It was *so* nice to have warmer temps for a couple of days.  We had a great visit!  The kids loved hanging out on the screen porch (with a swing!) and playing in the rain.  Take a peek at the bottom of the downspout - the rain had stopped but they still found some running water.  And - if you couldn't tell - they totally posed for this photo.  They are so funny!  (And yes, still in pjs!)

Mister J reading the story of the wise men at our church's Children's Christmas Eve service.

Miss M playing the role of Maggie.  Our children's service allows all children to participate - as readers, characters in the stories of Christmas, animals, angels - everyone can have a part.  It's a really sweet service.

And this is how I've spent several mornings during the fall and winter - at my favorite coffee shop (aka "my office") working on Bible studies, meal plans, and much of the other work of being a mom, wife, and volunteer.  Even in the middle of a busy coffee shop, I find a peace that allows me to focus and tackle my to-do list.  The scone and hot tea don't hurt, either.

 

One other thing that hasn't made it here with a photo - but I don't want to forget - Miss M lost her first tooth yesterday.  There was some - ahem - drama with it.  She was not content to just let it hang and hang and hang there until it fell out (like another little person who lives here).  She pulled it out even though it hurt and bled.  :)  She's had a LOT of questions about how her new tooth will get here - I am impressed with her curiosity.  And - most charming of all - calls the tooth she lost her "gone tooth."

And one more...  Mister J is at his first spend-the-night birthday party.  Mom is handling it ok, seeing as how it's been a crazy busy week and she's just impressed that she was able to stay awake past 9:15 (unlike last night).  And Miss M is handling it ok, too, since she's controlling the remote and watching what she wants to on Netflix. 

No promises that I'll be back here regularly - or any time soon - life is very full!   I haven't given up on Mom's Magic, but it's taking a back seat to several other things right now.  I'll be back when I can.  Thank you for stopping by!

8 weeks and counting!

My BRF (best running friend) has convinced me to run a 10k.  It's 8 weeks from today. 

She surprised me, back in December, by helping me run 2 miles non-stop.  I thought I was months and months away from that.  I'd been running intervals on my own and had been struggling - pushing myself too hard - and wearing myself out very quickly.  I was lucky if my workout total was two miles.  Earlier this month, I was convinced that the 10k was within my reach. 

Today, we ran 4.14 miles after a roughly 1 mile walk to warm up.  And honestly, today wasn't a great run.  It was at a time of day I don't normally run, I didn't fuel properly, the air was drier than it's been in several days - blah, bah, blah.  For a host of reasons, it wasn't a great run.  But we got out there, and we did it!  And for me, that feeling of accomplishment - that I got out there, whether it was a great run or not - is the reason I keep going. 

Training for the 10k - the official, we're-using-runner-terms-to-describe-our-workouts kind of training - starts on Monday.  I'm so excited, even though I'm still aching from running today (I told you, it wasn't my best).  I think that's when you know you have found something you love! 

10k, here I come!

7, 5, 1

Well, I started this post on my phone ages ago (probably about a month ago), and now it's gone.  Oops.  It was really a lot (a lot) of babble - which is why I didn't post it then.  But I think it's important enough - just for my own memory - to post a little bit here about what 7, 5, 1 means.  The definition, and also why it's important to me.

1
This number is more symbolic than an actual definition, and it represents a large group study that I started earlier in the fall.  We are reading The Story, and this study will take us through the spring (we meet every other week, taking a longer break for Christmas).   It was important for me to participate in this study because I've never read the Bible all the way through, and at times it is difficult for me to understand passages without having all of that background.  The Story is a chronological, novel-type version of the Bible - still with much of the text of the Bible, though some parts are summarized.

5
Our church has been studying The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (by Robert Schnase) - both in small groups and with church-wide devotions.  As part of an ad hoc group that meets to specifically explore the Passionate Worship aspect of the five practices, I also wanted to participate in a small group study to learn more about what other members of the congregation thought about the five practices.  My small group has exactly two people - myself and the leader.  Not a popular time, I suppose, but she is still faithful to lead our very small study even though I would certainly give her the "out."

 
7
This book (7: A Experimental Mutiny of Excess by Jen Hatmaker) makes me want to pretty much toss out everything we own.  I think the only reason that I haven't (so far) is that I want to sell what I can to raise money for our adoption* and I have a long-standing (genetic?) history with clutter and "stuff."  I'm studying this book with a group of ladies meeting every other week in the home of a friend.  Some of the ladies I already know, some are new - as an introvert, this is the perfect setting for me to get to know new people.  But back to the book...  I couldn't really get into Chapter 1 - it was about Food.  I can't really put a finger on why I wasn't into it, except that I was chomping at the bit to get into the chapters about clothing, spending, media, and waste.  We started Chapter 2 this evening  - Clothing.  I couldn't help myself, I cleared out about 1/3 of my closet over the weekend.  Decent, wearable stuff that I'm just not wearing (Hello, Goodwill!).  I could probably eliminate about 1/2 of what's left, but I haven't decided exactly what this chapter will look like for me.  (We are each deciding what significant, meaningful actions we will take during the time period we study each chapter/topic - typically, three to four weeks.)

Why three studies at once?  Hmmm...  They all sounded good, and since I read Five Practices over the summer, I was already prepared.  I've always wanted to read the Bible, but that's a bit of a daunting task - so The Story seemed like the perfect way to get the background I have desired and that would be helpful in other studies.  This doesn't mean I won't ever read the Bible, but this makes it accessible to me now.  And 7, well, I've been trying to conquer the excess for about two years now.  I've got plenty of reasons to be motivated, but Jen just adds another layer to it all that kind of rocks my world.

Y'all, three studies at once is kind of crazy, but it is a beautiful kind of crazy.  Even cooler?  The three studies and the Sunday school class I taught last month all included the same part of the Bible - and my favorite part of the Bible at that!**

All of these studies are groups of women, though Five Practices was open to everyone.  I am really enjoying the opportunity to meet new women and get to know acquaintances even better.  As we discussed in our study this evening (7 - small group), women tend to judge each other - and we judge ourselves, too.   But once we get past that, we can be genuine with each other - and that is when our true beauty shows through.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to be genuine with these women, and my courage grows each time we meet. 

*things are progressing slowly, because we have needed to put things on hold for a bit. We are returning our focus to the process, though, and hope to have it officially in motion very soon.
**from what I've read so far - I did read the actual Bible to about 2 Kings

Honestly, 1st ed.

If you are my friend on Facebook, you already know that I put the good stuff in the coffee maker this morning.  I usually try to drink decaf (Honestly!), but since I nearly took Prilosec instead of Claritin this morning, I decided that I needed the caff after all.

 And the reason for the Claritin?  Some kind of allergy or cold going on - not sure which - but the Claritin is proving some relief.  Some.  Which is why I brought along a box of tissues with me today.  And honestly, you should know that having a dinged-up box of tissues is just annoying to me.  Do you see that little crease on the edge of the box.  Can't stand it.  Bent-up cereal boxes annoy me, too. 

And this is honestly what the passenger seat of the car looks like right now.  It's a library!  Clockwise from top right - book study, reading to M, "auditioning" a book for J, and potential Girl Scout books which I'm now pretty sure I'm not going to use.  There are more books in the bag on the floor.  And then, later on, I actually went to the library!



And this, for a small portion of the morning, was my office.  (Please don't interpret this as a political statement, I just like chicken and free wifi.)  I needed a change of scenery and some breakfast.  And it was convenient to one of my late-morning stops. 



And that gets you through about 11am today!  Afterwards, I was busy at church, school, and then the library until it was time to pick the kids up from school.  Even though it's the first week that both kids have been in school, I can honestly say that it's going well.  So proud of my kiddos for that!

One last thing.  I honestly think Grass Stains is letting one of her kids play me in Hanging with Friends.  I rarely win (she's great at these games!), and never without almost losing first.  (Go ahead, fess up!)

Now, tell me how your day/week has been - honestly.

(Hmmm... Maybe I'll turn this into a little series - the honest truth about me, or how my day is going, or parenting, or any other thing I need to be honest about.)

Overheard #42 and #43

My 8.5 year old son: "Mom, Michaelangelo is one of the Ninja Turtles' names!"

Me: "I know - the Ninja Turtles have been around since I was a kid!"

My dear, sweet, 8.5 year old son: "But in black and white, right?

Heh.  Maybe I am that old ;)

And other good one for you - it's one that he doesn't like for me to mention but that I find utterly adorable. 

Last school year, Mister J's class had studied a bit of history that really stood out to him.  That day, he came home explaining that he had learned about some things that happened, "...way back in the Nineteens."  Big J and I now use this phrase when we talk about things that happened a while back - like graduating from high school, getting married, buying our first house.  We find it so sweet, and just a little funny - and it just gives us a happy feeling to remember our boy saying it. 

So, even though I wonder some days if I am "old," I keep reminding myself of what I've always believed - age is a state of mind.  Apparently, I'm not alone.  Hop on over and read this great post by Tsh over at Simple Mom.  I, too, agree that the 30s are my favorite decade so far.  And I think the 40s are gonna totally rock!

Out of My Comfort Zone

Oh, y'all, I just have to admit it. Meeting new people makes me nervous.  If you know the job I used to have before I became a full-time mama, you will probably find this pretty darn amusing.  But it's the truth. 

I stepped a bit outside of my comfort zone on Wednesday, though.  As Miss M and I were walking back to the car from after-school pick-up, I saw another mom walking toward us.  I had seen her at Back-to-School Night, knew I recognized her, but couldn't pinpoint where - so I said nothing.  Totally easy for me to do since the classroom was crowded.

As an aside, Miss M started 1st grade at a new school this year.  Haven't addressed it here yet - and still may or may not - but I'm thinking I will share first-day-of-school pics after Mister J starts back to school next week.  An-y-way.... I'm a newbie at this new school.  So that's why I couldn't immediately place the other mom from Back-to-School Night.

Moving right along - I eventually figured out that I recognized the other mom from the dance class that Miss M took two years ago.  When I saw her again a couple of days ago, I just said hello, remarked that I recognized her from the dance class that our daughters had taken together, and that now they were in the same 1st grade class.  We chatted for just a bit - she reminded me of her daughter's name and then, this is the part that I could not believe, THANKED ME for stopping to say hello.  I don't think that has ever happened to me before. It sure helped me feel not-so-nervous - so I'll take that any day!

I just might have to introduce myself to some of the other moms and try this thing out a bit more. 

Does meeting new people make you nervous? How do you deal with being a "newbie"?

Am I old yet?

No, this isn't a post for my "Overheard" series.  It's actually a comment I left on a blog post I read earlier today.   I've actually been thinking about this a good bit lately, since it's a milestone year of sorts....

My 20th high school reunion is happening right now, and as far away as I am from being a teenager (an age to which I don't wish to go back), I still don't feel like an adult.  I still feel very different inside from how I think that person in the mirror should feel.  And yet, 40 is coming soon.  I have a rising 3rd grader and 1st grader.  The college students that I used to work with now have jobs and spouses and graduate degrees and families of their own.  My husband and I have two paid-off vehicles, wills, and a comfortable home.  My family looks to me for homework help and dinner each evening.  I'm a reading partner and prayer partner at bedtime - my husband is the pro at tucking in the kids. 

Where did all of those years go?  And with so much that has happened in those in-between years - shouldn't I feel older?  But perhaps it is a blessing that I do still feel so young inside - I've got a lot left to do!

A little dose of my crazy..

I saw a mom at camp drop-off today that was wearing a pair of shoes that I've been pining over (Keen Harvest MJ II - though she had the pink stripe and I want gladiola).  So I looked at them online tonight.  Kind of like picking up a few things at Target and walking around the store with them to see if I really need to take them home (I call it "temporary ownership" - sort of like test-driving a car, I guess) - and I usually put back whatever it is I've picked up.  Yes, I really do that.

Unfortunately, this strategy isn't working with the shoes.  Probably because I can't actually hold them.  Man alive, do I love Keens (And several other brands of shoes that make you think "cha-ching!" when you look at the price tag.  All of them pretty rugged and outdoorsy-looking.  Or just uber-comfy.  No heels or anything like that....)!

Back to reality - time to get the kiddos off to bed.  Early day of day camp drop offs tomorrow!

Reality TV?

I am not a fan of reality television.  In the last year, I've become someone who really doesn't watch much television.  When I do watch tv, it'll be the news, evening game shows that we can watch with the kids (WoF and J!), or something "nerdy" like a documentary. 

However....

Sunday night after the Superbowl - which I hardly watched, even for the commercials - was over, I ignored the tv while The Voice came on.  It didn't take long for me to be very interested.

You see, I've quit watching tv - especially reality shows - because they seem to be full of mean people, greedy people, or people that make very poor decisions.  Sitcoms, evening dramas, even morning talk shows - I get so annoyed by all of the "drama" that fuels these shows.  So I just quit watching them.  (And maybe I traded them for facebook and twitter and blogs and pinterest - but even there I try to get away from the drama, taking bloggers off my reading list, unfollowing tweeps, hiding or unfriending folks on fb.)

But The Voice - so far - seems different.  The artists/judges are encouraging.  OK, so Christina was a little mean to that Maroon 5 guy - but to the artists that are auditioning, the judges are generous and caring.  It is such a nice change to see 'good' on television!  

Before Sunday night, I had no idea who Cee Lo was (is?).  I still don't, really, but I know that he was in the Super Bowl halftime show with Madonna.  And when I googled Blake Shelton, I found out that he and Miranda Lambert sang before the Super Bowl.  I missed that part.  And apparently, he's a country musician.  I did know of Christina prior to seeing the show.  In fact, she's the reason I thought I wouldn't like it.  Let's just say that her style is different from mine.  (Here I am blogging about a show that's "nice" and I feel mean for saying that.)

My husband found this last bit terribly funny.  I am pretty out of touch (obviously) with current music unless it's contemporary Christian music.  It's the only thing on the radio that's appropriate for our kids to listen to, so that's where my radio station is set.  Don't get me wrong, I like a variety of music, but I usually listen to it when I'm driving.  And a lot of that time, the kids are with me. 

Even for the songs I like, it's rare that I know the title or artist.  I guess I'm just not that into music.  But I am into The Voice.  At least for now!

My Recipe Collection

I have a mish-mash of recipe cards, cookbooks, pages torn from magazines, and notebooks of pages I've printed out.  Search engines, blogs, and pinterest make it really easy to find recipes online these days, but I'm still a fan of having them on paper in front of me.  Much easier to make notes that way - to double a particular recipe next time, use only half as much of a particular ingredient, or any other note on how I may have varied the recipe. 

Some of my cookbooks and recipes remind me of particular people.  These lists of ingredients and instructions are more than just how I turn basic ingredients into something wonderful.  They come together to form a scrapbook of sorts.

Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese
Mom's Chocolate Frosting
JA's Blueberry-Orange Muffins
The cookbook that N gave us as a wedding gift
Zucchini bread - reminds me of our friends, B and S.  My recipe makes two loaves, and until they up and moved across the country, I'd always give them one when I made it. 
 
Tonight, I was making JA's muffins.  The house was fairly quiet - the kids already in bed and my husband working late - so I was alone with my thoughts.  I realized I was out of orange zest (I usually keep some in the freezer), and wondered if the same thing had ever happened to JA.  I thought about her family.  Thought about how we originally connected (through the internet - I've never met her) and what we had in common (peanut allergy).

As I measured, sifted, poured, and mixed, I had a chance to not only be thankful for my full pantry, but also to be thankful for my friends and family.  As big and busy as the world can seem, sometimes something as simple as a recipe from a friend can remind me of what's most important.

Keepin' It Real

Not complaining, but not doing a happy dance right now.  Just telling it like it is.

• The adults are sick.  We had an appointment with the dr this afternoon, and now have 2 z-packs, 4 packs of tissue with lotion, a bag of cough drops, and one bottle of prescription cough suppressant.  We should be fine in a few days.
• In the meantime, we are eating like ... Well, like no one feels like cooking.  Toast, eggs, cereal, oatmeal.  Cookies.  Yes, cookies.  They are oatmeal, at least!  We tried to clean out the fridge before our holiday travel, and came home not feeling well.  It was the weekend, then the holiday, so the dr office wasn't open.  We sat around and felt icky while the kids enjoyed (too many) movies, (not enough) outdoor time, and their new Christmas gifts.  
• Christmas was nice.  I did not stay up until the wee hours of the morning ... waiting ... for Santa, which was nice.  But we still didn't get enough sleep, considering that it was vacation :)  
• The kids got plenty of super-nice things.  Not too much.  That part of Christmas was pretty perfect.  Oh, and I got a new 50mm lens for my camera.  That was very perfect :)  Haven't gone out to do anymore "photo shoots" - I've just been playing around with it and really don't have anything cool to share yet.  Yet.
• Even though I told everyone that M didn't need anymore art supplies, someone (ahem) got her some watercolor paints and paper.  And suggested to a certain aunt-to-be that a crayon tower would be pretty cool.  I just can't help it that I'm in my mid-30s and love crayons.  Also?  We need to add on an art room for the girl.  It's the first thing she does when she walks in the door from school.  Yes, even before unpacking her lunchbox and doing her homework - unless mean Momma is on patrol.  
• We also signed her up for a weekend art class.  She's totally excited - and I'm excited for her.
• Basketball is in full swing this week, with the first game this Friday!
• Miss M asked, "When do we go back to school?" (or some variation of that question) for the first several days of the holiday break.  I think she was pretty happy to go back to school.  I'm sure J was glad to see his friends again, too.
• I did not miss packing lunches - I'm always glad for the break.  I also considered - but only for a moment - letting J and M eat the hot lunch at school.  I read the menu and quickly changed my mind - it would have been a waste of money.  Another reason I considered it...  It was COLD today.  And I typically pack a sandwich, fruit, vegetable - basically, a cold meal - so I was thinking that it would be nice to have something warm in their tummies.  And since we are low on groceries, that wasn't really an option (see above).
• Hoping to get back to a regular exercise schedule - I've already got plans to walk with a friend twice in the next couple of weeks.  We've got quite the cold snap now, but hoping for biking when it warms up a bit.
• And, just because I want to end on a good note, I have to add this thought that I shared with a friend recently.  I was writing a note - probably in a Christmas card - about how big the kids are getting, what keeps us busy lately (school, church, scouts, basketball),  and how much fun they are right now.  I have always loved every stage of their growth and development, though for a long time I would tell folks that my favorite age was "from sitting up to saying no."  That was really a fun time, and I still really enjoy others' kids who are that age.  But I have come to realize that every age - whichever one my kids are currently in - is my favorite.  There's something unique and special about each stage, and it's so much fun to watch each of my kids develop.  Even though M is where J was about 2-2.5 years ago, she does it differently.  And so, while developmentally things progress along pretty much the same path, they each do it with their own style, which makes it brand new and special - and fun.  Love them!

So - there's the 'first installment' - hope to be back with another post sooner rather than later!

Random Ramblings

Only my mind works this way....
- I can figure out a puzzle on Wheel of Fortune with only 4 letters in place
- I can answer the Final Jeopardy! question about a sci-fi movie when I'm not even a sci-fi fan (unlike the other 75% of our household)
- And then this....  While starting a load of jeans, I decide to wash the pair I'm wearing.  So I take them off in front of the washer (this part is important).  When moving the load to the dryer, I realize that my jeans are not in the load.  What?!?  That's right, I took them off standing in the laundry room yet did not put them in the washer.  Yep, that's me - the easily-distracted one. 

"I Can't Believe She Said That" moment of the day - #1
While playing a video game with her brother - one in which the car you control shoots exhaust/fire at other cars: "Taste my hotness!" 
I suppose it's the fire version of 'eat my dust'?

"I Can't Believe She Said That" moment of the day #2
To her brother - "You know, you really make me mad a lot!" 
So glad she's expressing herself, but it still makes me giggle because I know that she loves him a lot!

M has always been a little dramatic, but lately the drama/attitude has been increasing.  Although it's challenging, I sometimes find it hard to keep a straight face.  She's only five, but sometimes she sounds soo much older!

Made Me Smile Moment:
After J went to bed, I sat down to finalize some of the plans for his birthday and send out a few email invites.  When I realized - due to some scheduling details - that our plans would have to be adjusted a bit, I was worried about J being disappointed.  I scooted back upstairs to do a quick check-in with him before he fell asleep (really needed to get emails out tonight!).  I explained that part of the plan might have to change, and suggested an alternative.  The darkness of his room could not hide his excitement.  Even better - the thank-you that I got when I told J that I have an email address for someone new to his class this year.  He was so worried he would not be able to invite his new friend (since we aren't supposed to hand out invites at school).  For as often as I have to be the homework/rule/schedule enforcer, it sure was nice to spend a few moments talking about something really exciting!

I'm in an exercise slump lately.  Even though I'm volunteer coaching with the same program I used to train with, I'm just not loving running right now.  I enjoy bike riding, but seriously need to get some appropriate gear (read: shorts with the appropriate cushioning for trail riding...) before I do much more of that.  I'm also hoping to purchase a new-to-us bike trailer for M, who is a reluctant rider.  I hear they can be challenging to tow, but it's either that or no family rides until she's more confident.  With days like today (high near 70!), I don't want to waste the opportunity to get outside and get moving.  We won't have many more days like this for a while!

I love Thanksgiving.  I don't like that so many stores and homes have their Christmas decorations up already.  It seems we practically ignore this holiday.  I know - it's just not a retail-heavy holiday, so stores are looking ahead to the next money-maker.   Perhaps I'm also a little sensitive since there's a December birthday in this family, so I want to give that celebration the attention it deserves, too (though J did ask last year why we were so late decorating for Christmas). 

If you're still reading - wow.  And thanks!  And Happy Thanksgiving!

Love!

Y'all.  I have fallen in love with Pinterest. 

Oh, my, the recipes I want to try!  From breakfast to lunch box ideas to dinner and all sorts of other yummies.  Oh, my, the crafts I want to make!  Some to give away for Christmas gifts.  Party ideas, quotes I like, ways to reuse things, books to read, my camping wish list.... 

Today I cleaned my kitchen - a real good, scrub the stove cleaning.  And, sorry, but it already doesn't look like that any more.  You see, when I have a nice, clean kitchen - and especially a shiny stove - I get the urge to cook.  And cook.  And....  You get the idea.  And thanks to Pinterest, I tried two new recipes tonight.  (I love trying new recipes!)

Here's what was on my list this evening:
Chicken Nuggets - these were supposed to be like eating the Christian Chicken at home.  Not quite, but the kids still enjoyed them.  Mister J at at least a dozen! 
Comeback Sauce - this is some tasty stuff!  I had to sub sriracha for the chili sauce, so only used 1/2 of the amount called for.  And onion flakes instead of powder.  I figure once it's had time for all of the flavors to marry, it won't really matter so much.  After just an hour, it tasted so good!  I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in my house who will eat this, so I'm glad it works on everything!
Pepperoni Roll Ups - these are for tomorrow's lunch boxes.  J can reheat because there's a microwave in the cafeteria in his building.  M will just have to eat hers at room temp. 

All of those recipes were found on Pinterest!  I also made ranch dressing a sweet tea, but those are recipes we use so much that I know them by heart.  (Can one actually have a 'recipe' for sweet tea?  I just make it without really thinking about it!)

So, what's next?  I'm going to try new recipes, of course, but I'm also excited about making some plans for Christmas gifting.  Since Thanksgiving comes next, though, and it's my favorite holiday, I might hold off a bit on the crafting (if possible).  And then there's a special kid's birthday coming up, too.  I'll be searching Pinterest for ideas, once he decides what he wants to do!

If y'all aren't on Pinterest yet, I'm happy to send you an invite.  Just let me know you want one - and make sure I have your email address!  If you are already on Pinterest, come and find me!  That link above goes directly to my boards.  Happy Pinning!

Busy, busy, busy!

Well, not really....  We have about 8 weekends where we have plans (other than stay-at-home, family time), and this just happened to be one of the busiest!

The boys were at a Parent-Son Campout with Cub Scouts.  I attended a photography workshop with a friend.  And thanks to those two out-of-town events, my parents-in-law came to hang out with M.

I missed the boys like crazy, but it was totally worth it because they had a great time!

BB Shooting

 Every shot hit the target!

Boulder Room and Rock Climbing Wall

Big J tried this one out - and made it to the top!

Fishing

Apparently, a big hit!

Food

Baked chicken and baked potatoes with all the fixings for Saturday dinner.  

Hotdogs and mac and cheese for the kids. 

And that's just what the boys did!

I attended a fantastic photography workshop and learned how to use my DSLR in manual mode!  I went with a friend, which made it even more enjoyable.  Now that I know a little more about what I'm doing, I want to try out my dad's old SLR.  That's right - a film camera!  I'd love to see what kind of results I could get now that I understand what I'm doing just a little more.

Miss M was not left out of the fun.  Although she was just hanging around at home - which wasn't a bad idea since she spent 3 days out of school last week - she was also getting undivided attention from the grandparents!  They played inside, they played outside, and they even got treats from the ice cream truck!  No, I'm sure she wasn't spoiled at all.... 

Huge thanks to the grands for helping make this busy weekend possible!

Running in the Rain

A tweet from this morning:

Resisted the lure of drive-thru coffee this morning. In favor of going running. This is big.

I dropped the kids of at school, actually drove past the place where I was going to buy an iced vanilla coffee, and kept going.  I went home, changed into my running clothes, grabbed my iPod and my Garmin, and walked out the front door.  It was sprinkling, but there wasn't that stuffy kind of humidity - the temperature is finally dropping around here.  I did a short walk to warm up, and off I went. 

I ran intervals for 2 miles, keeping up my pace until I got a little warm (I wore a long-sleeved short thinking I might get cold in the rain - should've stuck with layers with a short sleeve underneath).  I used a shorter rest interval than the 5K training program is using right now.  I'm a volunteer coach/mentor, so I sort of feel like I need to be a step ahead!  My pace wasn't great today, but even my best pace isn't as fast as the other volunteer coaches.  That means I'll be working with the slowest pace group - fine by me!  My pace suffered over the summer when it was too hot to run : /  Hopefully, I'll be back to my personal best pace soon.  

Things I loved about my run today:
It was so peaceful to run in the rain - perhaps because most other folks decided against going out in the rain!  I've run in the rain a few times - and today was not the hardest rain I've been out in - and I love it. 
I ran past a house in the neighborhhod adjoining ours.  I said hello to the gentleman out front, and he actually said hello back and asked how I was doing!  I said good and asked how he was doing - he was also fine, thanked me for asking, and then said I was "hard core out running in the rain."  Total ego boost!  As I was running by his house at the time, that was about the end of the conversation - but dude was also pretty hard core himself - washing his car in the rain!  Ha!
I rocked at crunches in my post-run core work.

Things I didn't love about my run today:
Dressed too warmly.
Couldn't stick to intervals near the end.
I did not rock at plank and push-ups in my post-run core work.

Always room for improvement - small goals!  But hey - I'm (back) out there, and it feels great!

Reluctant Reader?

Mister J is a good reader when he wants to be.  He can read the notifications on my cell phone, he can read anything video-game or Lego-related, and he can read comics, Boys' Life, and other "fun" stuff.  I know there's something to be said for "fun" reading to help him learn to love reading - like his current favorite "Lunch Lady" books - but I know that he also needs to be reading things that challenge him. 

He is supposed to read for 15 minutes every afternoon as part of his homework.  He is also supposed to complete a reading log entry each day, noting the title and author of the book as well as answering a open-ended question (What did you think about what you read?).  It's that question that seems to be the stumbling block, and we are concerned that the reason for this is that J may be reading for accuracy, but not for comprehension.  Last year he was also supposed to read 15 minutes per day for homework, after which we were supposed to ask questions about/discuss what he'd read (What is the author's purpose?  Summarize what you read.  Fiction or non-fiction?  Etc.)  It was not pleasant then, either. 

Since it's difficult for me to gauge the accuracy of J's answers if he's reading something I have not read, I decided that J would need to select a book which I would read first.  Then I could have an informed discussion with him, perhaps prompting as needed to get the discussion going.

After a(nother) discussion this evening about our new reading plan, J selected a book.  We will begin reading the Magic Tree House series, starting with book 1.  (We have quite a few in the series, and we have read some of them before, but not as independent reading.)  As I explained to J that I would start reading tonight, and read a bit each day, he perked up.  He decided that he will try to catch up to me each evening during his reading time!  I'm thankful for how excited he seemed when he made it into a competition.  Of course, we will see how it goes, but I think I may have just gotten a peek into his motivation.  And I can relate, having been a teensy bit nerdy when I was in school.  I am also aware that he may get disappointed if I get too far ahead of him, so this will be a bit of a balancing act for the first little bit. 

I'm looking forward to:
Working through a series of books
Having academic discussions with my "little" boy
Tackling a variety of books - nonfiction?  more challenging chapter books? 

I'm wondering about:
Am I underestimating his ability?  Is the book we selected too easy?
Am I overestimating  his ability?  Should we be reading short stories?

Is this plan even going to work?

Some days I wish I had studied elementary education instead of higher ed administration.  Then I remember that I'm not really cut out to be a teacher.  Except that, as parents, aren't we all?

What's your biggest homework struggle?  What strategies have worked for you?