verybusymomwith4

Getting off this Crazy Fun Ride for a While

2011-04-01T06:21:00.000-05:00

My life has been insane. Between dealing with insurance, general contractors, home schooling, special tutoring for Dino, the constant doom and gloom of the news, and Easter--I am about to collapse. I have been reading the book “The Jesus Habits" and the book discusses the need for quiet time. And I need the quiet time.

So for the next four days, I am going to step away from Twitter, Facebook, Blogger and the entire internet--along with all TV (really!) and focus on what really matters this time of year.

I will be back next week with a great review and give away from “Sing A Lingo”

God bless you and Happy Easter!

PS--No, I am not on the computer on this posting day--I wrote this post yesterday ;)

I wave at my life as it passes me by everyday.

2010-04-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

My heart is not in this. It’s really that simple.

I began this blog as a way to express myself but it slowly turned into more--ways to get new readers, reviewing products, keeping the blog going because I had ads.....it turned into something I wasn’t. And it wasn’t very fun.

My life has been crazy these days. Between shopping for literally everything that was in home before the fire to redesigning our home from the studs to homeschooling to the numerous activities to marriage to well sleeping; blogging has not been in the schedule.

I have gone days without even opening my laptop--I twitter or facebook on the iPhone because it’s quick easy and not much to it. If only all comments were limited to 140 characters. ;)

Blog posts are different. I don’t want to offend. I need to be careful about what I say about my older kids because they have friends on the internet that read my blog (!). And it all takes time.

I know there are many of you who do have the time, the energy and wit to spit out those blog posts. That’s just not me. I can’t do it. At least right now.

I am not sure. I do want to help my husband with his real estate website. He is so busy running his business, he has little time to really care for it. And because he is also an appraiser, he has such a vast amount of knowledge in real estate--I could take his thoughts and share them with the world (and hopefully get a few clients out of it--hey don’t fault me, his commissions are literally our bread and butter!). The added bonus here would be more time with my husband--I love that guy!

My kids have been pushing me to do You Tube cooking videos. It might be fun in the newly designed kitchen. I don’t know. I’d like it because I could do the videos with the kids but I am not sure.

And then there’s that political side of me. To be honest, I am getting sick of the main media outlets painting me as some whacko terrorist because I disagree with our current president and congress. But that’s another story.

Or maybe I will just breathe.

So farewell for now. I wish everyone the best of the best and I love and appreciate you all!

((HUGS))

(Don’t worry--I am not disappearing, I will be stopping by the blogs--even if only from my iPhone!)

CD Winner

2010-04-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

OK--we have a winner!!!!

It is comment #4 from 'Susan'.

'Susan' please contact me at verybusymomwith4@gmail.com so I can get your address. I cannot find a link to your name.

Thanks to all for playing!

Spanish Learning CD Giveaway!

2010-04-06T09:32:00.001-05:00

I have always been a big fan of using different types of media to help enhance learning--half the apps on my iPhone are designed to help pre-school and grade school children--really drooling for that iPad but that's beside the point ;)

Anyway you can imagine I jumped at the opportunity presented by Business 2 Blogger to review a Spanish learning CD by Sing-A-Lingo. Learning Spanish via music was too good to pass up!

Sing-A-Lingo is a cute cd set to popular nursery rhymes tunes in Spanish. The songs are actually filled with common phrases such as ‘Are You Hungry?’ (Tienes Hambre) or ‘Wash Your Hands’ (Lava las Manos). I love this part because it's things you actually say on a daily basis!

Because my kids homeschool and already listen to some grammar CDs, it was pretty easy to switch the CD at lunchtime and start listening. Now before I continue, I must point out my kids do not know Spanish even if we do live in Texas. They are currently learning Latin (et tu?) which I am sure does help but for the most part, they are experiencing Spanish cold here.

When the CD first started, the kids giggled for the first few minutes. They thought it was cute and funny! It wasn’t long before one of my children asked what they were saying so I pulled out the CD case that included the words in Spanish and English. Quickly she and the others were identifying specific words and having fun, even if they were learning. We were using music to learn Spanish!

For the next few weeks, I played the CD and they got pretty quick with many of the common phrases. I find this quite amazing because I basically did nothing but play the CD.

Now I will say, I am sure the CD alone will not fully teach a child Spanish. As most homeschooling parents know, you need multiple venues to really teach a language. The website offers a ‘Spanish All Day’ product that features sticky note word cards, 2 CDs, lyric and vocab cards along with a good night singable book. These items will really enforce the language concepts, especially if your child is learning Spanish at school or it is part of your homeschool program. Also, this CD can really help young children get interested in Spanish--and getting kids interested in a subject is half the battle!

I can really see this CD helpful if you are raising bilingual children--the music just becomes a part of day to day life and the lyrics in the songs are the same things we say daily but the thing I love best about the CD is how I can pop it in the car and we can just listen (and learn Spanish) while driving from place to place to place.......

Today, I am giving away one of these great Sing-A-Lingo CDs! All you need to do is comment and you are entered in the drawing. Mention this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook and get an additional entry :)

I will select a winner this Saturday, April 10.

Buenas Suerte!

A Colorful Menu

2010-04-05T06:14:00.001-05:00

The other week I was tweeting with a friend about the Food Revolution show and how shocking it was that the kids had meals no colorful fruits or veggies. Neither of us can even handle one meal without some color other than brown--it’s just ugly to even look at much less eat!

It reminded me of when Miley just started to really eat foods and how I would always make sure she had every color of the rainbow at least once in a three day period. It was my little way to make sure she had some good variety and lots of different anti-oxidants. Little did I know this is actually a method many nutritionists use to make sure their clients have a healthy diet.

In honor of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) I have a menu that follows the well known scheme of the rainbow. I am focusing mainly on veggies here because we usually eat most of our fruit at breakfast.

Monday: RED and ORANGE Pasta Pepperonata (the red and orange peppers look beyond lovely here!)

Tuesday: YELLOW and GREEN Chicken stir fry with yellow and green squash (along with a host of other veggies like carrots, asparagus and sweet peas) served on brown rice

Wednesday: BLUE and INDIGO A very yummy green spinach salad with blueberries, blackberries and nuts and feta cheese. The nuts and cheese add the protein to make this a full meal!

Thursday: VIOLET and RED (going full circle) Pasta with Eggplant and Tomato

Friday: ORANGE and YELLOW and GREEN and WHITE Chicken fajitas with carrots, yellow peppers, spinach and mushrooms

Saturday: BLUE and INDIGO Bison burgers paired with a nice GREEN salad and coupled with blue (and black) potatoes

Sunday: VIOLET Purple cabbage in Confetti Rice and Rye along with sauteed salmon

For more meal plans, check out Jen at Chive Talkin’ :)

No I am not the fool

2010-03-30T12:57:00.001-05:00

So here’s the deal. I have been giving the whole ‘organic, lots of veggies and fruits’ diet a lot of thought. Then I turned on the TV and watched Jamie Oliver’s ‘Food Revolution’ . You all know how I love Jamie Oliver (my brother-in-law just replaced my favorite cookbook of his that I lost in the fire and I have been over the moon but that’s another story) so I had to watch.

Jamie visited kids in West Virginia that didn’t know what a potato much less a beet was. The kids in school had pasty skin and flabby muscle tone. The parents were literally dying from heart disease (the number ONE killer of men and women) because of their food choices.

Jamie visited one family, got out the food she fed her children and in the sweetest way possible, informed her she was killing her children.

I looked at my children--cheeks so rosy it looks like they had make up on, bright eyes and hair, generally glowing. I feel so blessed to have ability and knowledge to give them a diet to help them thrive. Because of post about saving money, I was about to ignore that blessing.

So we are doing our Dave Ramsey budget. The grocery portion will stay generous and we will sacrifice on other things--my SUV and its 127,000 miles will need to last at least 15,0000 miles more, our home (when we get back to it!) will be our tiny little one story home for longer than expected.

And that’s OK.

As Dani mentioned, if you are healthy, you are rich. I always knew this. It just took some help from y’all and a TV to remind me!

I want to thank all of you so much for the great tips on the grocery post. I am going to make the time to hit the farmer’s markets, the local farm that has fresh eggs and compare compare compare my prices with my newly created ‘price journal’.

Now back to the kids and the parents who don’t the time or energy or money to get the ‘right’ food. I am going to be taking a few days off during Holy Week (details on a later post) and pray on a way to help. I just can’t sit back and watch these kids die an early death because of something so easy to prevent.

"Income Equality"--An Analogy for Kids

2010-03-26T11:29:00.003-05:00

Take your typical classroom. There are the kids who get straight A’s--some of these kids are just naturally smart and the tests and papers come easy to them; but more often than not, these kids work hard. They get to class on time, complete their homework and really strive to be the best they can be. They like the A.

Then there are your ‘C’ students. For some of these kids, they do try hard and school is a struggle. They just can’t seem to get it but they put fourth the effort and do the best they can which equates to average. There are also those 'C' students who could be 'A' students but would rather not put forth the effort

Finally you have your ‘F’ students. Now some of the kids are in bad situations--possible victims of abuse, parents who don’t care, or truly mentally disadvantaged. But let’s be honest (and if you’ve been in school you know this is true) most of these kids don’t care, are lazy and just would rather do something else than their homework.

Now let’s say a couple of the ‘A’ students feel badly about the ‘F’ students. They don’t think it’s fair they get an ‘F’ because they have bad homes or true mental disadvantages. The ‘A’ students are smart and focus on these children rather than the lazy ones even if there are some ‘A’ and “C’ students who have similar bad circumstances.

These students start the cry of unfairness pointing to those ‘naturally’ smart kids--they usually always dress nice, mom is always at school helping and they tend to break the curve in class. They are careful not to mention those 'A' students who do have a tough life but work very, very hard for that 'A'.

This gets the ‘F’ students, and even a few ‘C’ students, attention. Now the majority of the class sees an unfair situation.

The teacher decides to make things ‘fair’ She talks all the points in a test and divides them among the students until everyone has a low ‘C’--all the same grade (many of the ‘A’ students who protested the ‘unfair’ system petition to get extra points for bringing up the cause to bring their grades up slightly higher--not mentioned to the other students of course).

Now, no one waits to see how they did on the test. They already know what they got.

The hard workers start to relax a bit---if the work they do is going to be taken away, why bother? Right?

Slowly, the individual test scores drop until almost everyone is close to scoring the same every time--Ds and Fs. Even the naturally smarter students are doing worse--they feel unvalued and cheated.

Life is not fair, we know that. There are horrible circumstances out there. The glimmering hope out of the hard life is hard work--like it or not. ‘Giving’ someone not doing well by taking away what other kids earn is not right. And helps no one. The kids who never tried will continue never try and the kids who did try will give up. A tragedy.

So does this mean we should just ignore those kids who really got the bad brakes and are stuck with the 'F's? No, but hand-outs won't help. Personally giving them a hand and helping them experience success for themselves is what will help. Everyone deserves a shot at success but to punish those who do find success is just silly.

What are your thoughts?

You can't Spoil a Child who just Lost her Home

2010-03-22T06:14:00.000-05:00

After our fire, our children received a parade of visitors and gifts. Neighbors we never met dropped off bags of toys, fellow moms took my children shopping and bought them whatever they wanted, relatives sent packages daily filled with lots of fun little treats. Even I was more laid back--they got soda at restaurants along with dessert, every store we visited, we got them a toy. I remember taking them to get shoes a fews after the fire and Sarah pulled down some UGGS while Miley grabbed some Michael Kors dress shoes and the boys begged for these fancy light up shoes with a special sole. I bought them not even caring how much they were. They had been in either hand me down shoes or no shoes since the fire. (I did get the boys some very cheap shoes at Wal-mart but they got some pretty bad blisters--flat footed kids!)

And then there was bedtime. They did not want to be alone and strangely neither did Mike or I. We all piled into one of the hotel beds every night. A tight fit but we did manage to sleep.

There was some attitude creeping in about a week after the fire. I got concerned that maybe we needed to bring back our ‘real’ lives and stop living in this fantasy kid world.

I remember asking a friend who went through her own fire a few years back if she was worried about spoiling her child.

She laughed, “You can’t spoil a child who just lost his home!”

I paused to think about what she was saying. I hadn’t really thought much about how they felt about losing their HOME. I was so concerned making sure we had food, clothing and something to put a smile on their faces, I didn’t remember that the place they have been their entire lives was burned and half destroyed. I knew because of insurance our house and all the items in it would be replaced, eventually but then I am an adult. My kids, even the oldest, really have no concept how home insurance works.

I talked to them and we talked about what happened. Spanky, the three year old, cried about how spiderman (his Christmas present) was burned. Dino tearfully said he missed his bed, and the girls--oh the girls--they were sad they didn’t have the stuffed animals they have had since little babies.

And then it really hit me how devastating this was for them. Their world was destroyed. Any sort of comfort Mike and I could provide was needed.

So we continued the toys and the desserts for a while.

Three months later, there are not as many gifts nor as many desserts (yes even the kids got sick of sugar) and we are starting to reach a new normal. The kids are helping to pick things for the ‘new’ house and are eagerly excited to have a big party when we get home.

And they know we will be HOME soon.

In Honor of Spring--flashback to an earlier Spring Post

2010-03-20T12:06:00.000-05:00

Ahhhh..finally time to discard the lightweight coats in favor of short sleeves. Yes, it's that one week in Texas when we can frolic about outside under the big blue sky without fear of freezing rain or heat stroke. It is the perfect week. But which time honored spring tradition shall we do?

Take an invigorating bike ride?

Pick up a bat and enjoy America's great past time?

Prepare our feet for open-toe shoes with a pedicure?

OR wallow in the mud like a spring piglet?

Pennywise and Pound Foolish or am I the Fool?

2010-03-17T09:03:00.000-05:00

As I may have mentioned Mike and I are following the Dave Ramsey plan to save and prosper. Anyway, I have been looking for more ways to save and stumbled on another frugal grocery shopper who followed Dave Ramsey via ‘the web’.

It turned out, I spend three times as much on groceries per week as her. Now true I have a larger family (by 2) but still--three times as much?! I read her money saving tips and one thing stood out. Her fresh produce consisted of one item--3 yellow onions. My produce on the other consistently represents 60-70% of my entire bill. She went on to discuss buying discounted milk in bulk (she freezes it) and then any mark-down meat which seemed to almost always be ground beef--I am not sure what mark-down or discounted means but I am thinking it means about to go bad. She also mentioned she went to a health food store and bought a few items like organic whole flour (no meat, eggs, dairy or produce) but only bought items that were marked down--actually she said she only bought items that were marked down.

I told Mike about her grocery bill and rather than saying ‘we should try that’, he actually said ‘I bet she goes to bed every night feeling like crap."

Now we are not the world’s greatest eaters but I try very hard to get the best organic produce, dairy and meat (sometimes the meat is only hormone free but it is at least hormone and preservative free---the animal and animal by-products are actually my biggest ‘must’ for being organic (and humanely treated--but that’s another issue)). I honestly feel this has helped our family stay healthy. We don’t have any sort of indigestion issues--no meds or over the counter medicine are in our cabinets (except baby Motrin for when our kids might get sick with very high fevers--and that Motrin always expires half-full).

But is this worth spending three times what this frugal shopper is?

I would love to save more money but I certainly don’t want to risk my health doing it.

But am I?

Is it really better to keep your kitchen free of high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artifical food colorings and flavors, growth hormones and animal antibiotics with a smaller bank account or is it better to eat whatever the FDA says is acceptable and have extra money in the bank?

I don’t know. I can tell you I feel well. Head aches, stomach aches, groggy feelings are pretty rare in our home---they mostly show up during a vacation or after a serious ‘out food binge’. But I can also tell you I’d like to save more money. I have talked with other shoppers who shop like me and my budget is much less. This gives me comfort....but spending three times more than this other person----geesh, I dunno know.

Blogger world--what’s your take? Is the healthy diet worth it? Will spending all this money be an asset for my body 20 years from now or will it make no difference?

A Meal Plan for Spring and The Tourney :)

2010-03-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

Our weekend has been amazing--sunny skies, low seventies, birds chirping, flowers blooming. And what’s even more exciting? The spring produce is starting to find its way to to the farmer’s markets and produce section. Asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, spring peas--all fresh and yummy!

Yes, it’s true you can get these produce any time of the year but they have been either stored for months or shipped from the other end of the world--both of these affect the nutritional value and taste.

In Texas, we get the seasonal fruit and veggies a bit earlier than most because of our weather but cheer up my north of the Mason-Dixon line friends, spring is right around the corner :)

(Remember if there is not a link, email me for the recipe!)

Monday

Salmon Teriyaki with Asparagus

Tuesday

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and fennel (make your own tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes, garlic, wine and basil)

Wednesday

Radicchio, Endive and Asparagus Salad with Grilled Chicken (if I can find a little grill, if not, broiling it) (and of course it’s green--Saint Patty’s Day people!)

Thursday

Left over rigatoni with a fun salad including fresh berries and nuts (first night of the tourney--no way am I cooking!)

Friday

Take-out (yep, more basketball)

Saturday

Roast Leg of Lamb (yep--meats have seasons too) with some roasted spring veggies (it cooks mostly on its own so I can watch basketball)

Sunday

Tortilla crusted goat cheese and asparagus quiche (hoping it works with corn tortillas to keep it gluten free) ( a quick dish so I can watch them games)

For more recipes, check out Jen at Chive Talkin’.

And GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!

Handwriting Tips for Little Hands

2010-03-13T16:07:00.002-06:00

Handwriting Matters.

One of the most overlooked things in school is penmanship. I find this heartbreaking.

Penmanship does so much more than create neat handwriting. It helps with discipline and focus--both traits needed to get the perfect loops, the perfect lines and the correct spacing.

I admit I am that mom who will crumble a paper my girls have spent time on simply because the handwriting is sloppy. How can you be proud of your work if you can barely read it? Yes, it is a little harsh but trust me, it takes less than a couple times for them to get the handwriting legible!

Dino, on the other hand, has issues with his fine motor skills. The pencil grip is extremely difficult for him. To be honest, the tripod grip is next to impossible so we have adapted using just two fingers on top. The one thing I won’t let him do is the fist grip--using three (or more) fingers to hold the pencil. You press down too hard with this grip and you can’t get a solid fluid control. If you see your kids holding the pencils this way, please keep reading. (If you are completely in the dark with all of this--check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM_dia8QGr0 ).

I have a number of tools to help Dino hold his pencil right--a grip, a special pencil and ‘flip-crayons’. I love all of these because they force Dino to hold his pencil correctly.

Another thing to help is something as simple as Play-Doh. Making shapes, rolling and other Play-Doh activities actually build muscles in little fingers. A very favorite activity here is rolling letter shapes and placing them on cookie sheets---phonics lesson and fine motor exercise at the same time!

“Handwriting Without Tears” is an excellent program to help kids with handwriting. I love the stamp and see board. They use one of four shapes to ‘build’ letters. It teaches how the letters are made and of course more fine motor exercise!

Dino is not a fan of handwriting but it’s one of those “has to be done” things. With the tools above, hopefully Dino will get the hang of it!

You Can't Always Get What You Want

2010-03-07T07:35:00.001-06:00

About six years ago, Miley started a new activity, skating. I put her in skating because she had good balance and was upset she couldn’t wear glitter during her ballet recitals (yes, glitter).

I was surprised that was actually really good, except that she wasn’t quick enough for her cross overs. The coach explained she needed figure skating skates, not the hockey skates that came with the lesson. So I shelled out a bit of cash for skates, and of course the money required to get the blades sharpened on the usual basis.

Miley continued to skip levels, but was getting frustrated because she wanted to do more, and she wanted to be in a competition.

I asked the coach how we do this, thinking maybe they sign up and then do their own little dance.

Oh silly me.

I was told Miley needed a private coach. And she needed private lessons at least 3-4 times a week.

I decided to go with the private lessons, thinking it couldn’t be that bad.

Ha--add the $35 per half hour lesson plus the $10 ice time plus the program fee plus the costume plus the figure skating membership plus the skates plus the sharpening and multiply the first two numbers by about 12-15 per month......and you have a car payment.

Because I was pregnant with my third at the time, I decided to give it a go for one summer. Miley loved it. She had so much fun---jumped around excitedly for each lesson. And then had her first show.

She did some Chinese spirals, little jumps and twists. Then she fell and did the most amazing thing. My just turned six year old just got up and continued like nothing happened. Smiling and happy the entire time.

I was so proud.

Then came school time, schedules, a third sibling and of course the tuition that comes with school.

And we had to stop figure skating. She has never stopped asking to go back in the past years. It’s not every day but at least once a week, she asks if there is any way she can go back. It’s heartbreaking---we have neither the time or the income to support this completely.

Fast forward to now. I signed up Miley for track for her physical activity. She hates it. It’s almost every day and she complains each and every time, even if I let her wear glitter (yes, that still matters to my Miley).

I know she can do track. I know she can handle her tough schedule. But she needs better focus.

We discussed focus with her and she asked daddy if she focused really hard and fought for a minimum 92 average at school (this is not a small feat--she has a classical Christian education) along with not complaining but really trying at track, could she please please go back to figure skating during the summer?

Daddy added a few more requirements along with trying gymnastics for a season. Then added he would send her back to skating if he saw true dedication in everything.

I gulped.

She has held up her grade average. She is trying in track.

And summer is closer.

And I am praying. Praying if skating is what God wants Miley to do (she insists it is), that the Lord will find the time and money for us to get it done.

And if He doesn’t bring that, if He could please put the idea in Miley’s head that track is the coolest thing ever? Please?!

Monday Meal Plan---Cookbooks are not written in stone

2010-03-01T16:18:00.002-06:00

I really love cookbooks, really! I love learning new recipes and then throwing on my own twist because that is where you can really do something different. Unless you are baking deserts (specifically pastries), you can really shake things up! (Deserts usually need to be followed to the letter or you end up with a flat, chewy cake or a blob that is supposed to be pie crust.)

This week I am going to try some new stuff with of course my own twist. The link provides the actual recipe; the information that follows is my own personal additions. If there is no link and you are dying to find the recipe, make a note in the comment box :)

Monday

Ham and Asparagus Frittata--After looking this over I am leaning toward just using 6 whole eggs with two additional egg whites. I am also skipping the onion because I am not an egg and onion fan

Tuesday

Taco Salad--My own take---crushed tortillas chips topped with some baby spinach, and then bison meat sauteed in taco mix (yes a packet--just make sure it’s no MSG or ad stuff) and then some Mammoth cheddar

Wednesday

Pasta Bolognese--I am skipping the bacon (gasp) and upping the carrots. After the veggies soften, I’ll add a few glugs of wine. (no link as it is not yet available---from Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution')

Thursday

Cinci Chili--This one is mine---I might replace the paprika with just chili powder as I don’t have that spice yet

Friday

Lasagna--Using some left over bolognese here. Curious as to how it will work without mozzerella. Not messing with much else here. (no link as it is not yet available---from Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution')

Saturday

Mexican Stew--Adding more chili powder and some diced jalepenos :)

Sunday

left-overs

For more meal ideas, be sure to check out Jen at Chive Talkin’

What's In a Name?

2010-02-25T13:31:00.001-06:00

At my kids’ school, there are some specific rules, especially in the older grades. For one thing, all the students must shut their mouths and stand whenever an adult enters the room. I didn’t find this odd as it is a sign of respect I thought still took place but apparently it’s not the case.

The other instance is addressing the teachers. Now I personally try very hard to make my kids include each comment, answer, request, etc. with a ‘m’am’ or ‘sir’. Again, something I found common and here in Texas, pretty common. The school is not different. Now there are times students feel very comfortable when the teacher says a joke or the classroom atmosphere gets relaxed.

The other week, one of the boys in Miley’s class addressed the teacher as ‘dude’ as in ‘dude, I had the right the answer’. Immediately, the teacher asked ‘Did you just call me dude?’ and the boy slowly nodded his head. The teacher then said, ‘Sit down and see me after class’. The boy ended up getting written up-- a very big deal at our small school.

My first thought was the teacher was a bit extreme. I see kids in public addressing older people in that manner often--it kind of creates a more familiar, relaxed relationship.

Does it really matter if you call an adult ‘sir’ or ‘dude’?

Well, that depends on the relationship you want. When a child addresses you with a formal title, it keeps in mind who is in charge but when you start to speak as ‘friends’, the person is charge is up for grabs. And the adult’s authority goes out the door.

I am personally a big believer in not being my child’s friend--I am her biggest fan, her biggest helper, her biggest admirer---not a friend. She can walk out the door and get a friend. She can’t just get a new parent.

As a parent (and also part-time home school teacher), I know it is critical to have her respect. I don’t have her respect, she won’t listen. She doesn’t listen and all is lost.

It’s that simple.

So no, a teacher should not be called ‘dude’ or ‘buddy’ or by her first name. Beside the full last name (with the Mr. or Mrs. of course), the only thing that really works is ‘sir’ or ‘ma’m’.

And that is my soap box for today.

It's Not the Pan that Makes the Chef

2010-02-19T13:19:00.003-06:00

The rental pots and pans and knives we got from insurance are about the cheapest, low quality stuff you can imagine. I am sure most college kids have a saute pan than me.

Cooking is the one thing I really love to do. The one thing that relaxes me and helps me to focus on the good things in life and forget the bad, at least for a little while. It has been a challenge.

The cooktop and I got off to a bad start. I burnt bacon. I never burn bacon, that borders sacrilegious here. And then I burnt scrambled eggs--who the heck burns scrambled eggs. Apparently me. So I have been adjusting levels, moving around pans, compensating for the very thin tin that makes up the pan and it's gotten a little better.

Last night I decided to go with a classic red beans and rice. I admit I struggled a bit with the cheap chef knife, not my 5 star pro Henkels that can slice paper. Using a cutting board the size of a small writing tablet, I managed to dice the celery, green pepper and garlic pretty well.

The bacon had a bit of issues in the pan but all in all, it worked. (I am not getting into the rice--I'll just say I miss my rice cooker.) The family was happy and felt a bit better about my favorite hobby even if I was a stranger in a strange land ;)

And today my husband brought home the new Jamie Oliver 'Food Revolution' cookbook. I got this book for Christmas and I had barely a chance to glance at it before it went up in smoke. Glancing through the pages, I am actually starting to feel a bit of me coming back. I found quite a few things I could make without all my fancy tools.

I know it might sound silly to so many of you but this small victory is just one step making me feel normal again. And it feels good!

Falling

2010-02-15T15:48:00.003-06:00

The hardest thing for me to watch during the Olympics is someone falling, no matter what the sport. I can almost see dreams crashing to the ground as they hit the ground in the middle of a jump, down a slope or on the ice. It kills me. I physically put my arms out wanting to hug whoever it is because I can just feel that pain.

The thing is, the athletes don't let a fall destroy their career even if it's at the Olympics, when all they have worked for most of their young life is on the line. They just brush themselves off and try even harder. And when you hear them talk about the fall later on, they consider it something that helped them in the long run. The fall made them a better athlete.

Watching athletes fall is kind of like watching your kids fail. It really sucks to watch. I want to be like the 'Catcher in the Rye' and catch my kids before falling off the imaginary cliff whether that be grades or sports. But if I am always there to catch them, what happens the time I am not there.

There are positive lessons in failure. Last semester, Miley bombed and I mean bombed a geography test labeling all the countries in Africa. She insisted she did not need to know placement. She knew the spelling so she figured it would be a piece of cake. Wrong. I hated driving her home the day she got that grade. She cried and cried and cried more.

I tried not to cry with her.

She decided on her on to study her next continent, South America, much more intently. She made fake maps, found online quizzes, used index cards. And got a perfect. Had she gotten a B on the Africa test, she would not have tried as hard the next time and would not have been rewarded with her amazing results.

It was a lesson for both of us.

So there is a positive side to failure and falling. It's just really, really hard to watch.

My Little Tim Gunn

2010-02-11T13:41:00.002-06:00

One of my very good friends gave me some sweat pants after I lost my clothes in the fire. I have not worn sweat pants in forever. I do have the cute yoga pants, the stretchy legging workout pants but sweat pants, I have not worn those in forever. Not because I hate them but because in pilates or running, sweatpants just seem kind of cumbersome.

So fast forward to this morning. The snow is pouring, I mean pouring outside. I know I will be going absolutely nowhere today. I pull out the grey sweat pants my friend gave me an put them on, along with a pink hoodie. Because if there was ever a day to dress down, this is it my friends.

I was sitting on the couch enjoying some coffee and in bounds little Spanky. He smiles and gives me a morning kiss and hug. He sits by and then looks at my clothes.

"You should get dressed mommy," he smiles.

I laugh. "Sweetie, I am dressed, see?"

He laughs, really hard. "Those aren't clothes mommy."

I guess the fashion bug has hit him pretty early.

(And speaking of clothing, has anyone see the hoodie-footie? Goodness, if I got that as a Valentine's gift I'd have to question my husband's sexuality or at the very least be concerned about out marriage. )

WW--Our December 24th Texas 'Blizzard'

2010-02-10T11:55:00.002-06:00

Just 5 minutes of the 4 hours spent in the car the other day

2010-02-07T06:24:00.003-06:00

"I am going to see Tyrone, and Dino you can see Pablo."

Spanky is jabbering away behind me in the car, deciding his plans for the rest of the day with his brother.

Dino chimes in "Yes, and we will play vikings. Sarah, you can play with Tasha."

Sarah (who may have been annoyed that she was yanked out of the girls' dressing room after ballet class because she was still chatting with her friends about only-she-knows-what for the past 18 minutes after class, or was even more annoyed that after a day of school work followed by dropping her sister off after an activity and then driving for 45 minutes to get to her only class only to find herself back in the car) shouted "The Backyardigans aren't real. They are ani-mat-ed (she accented every syllable). You can't meet them."

"Oh yes I can," Spanky (who was amazingly chipper after spending over 90 minutes straight in the car driving back and forth and back again) disagreed.

"No you can't," screamed Sarah (yes, screamed).

"I know you can't," Dino, the boy sitting in the middle wanted to make peace. "But we like to play Backyardigans."

Sarah wanted no peace. "Well you know Dino, Lightning McQueen is not real either. Did you know that?"

"He is too, I saw him. He's a car and cars are real," my usually very calm Dino was getting his feathers ruffled at this point.

"He can't talk. Does our car talk? Does it? Do you hear it talking?" Yes, she is still screaming.

"Well our car isn't Lightning McQueen," Dino began.

"Just stop OK," insisted Sarah.

And Sarah looked out the window hoping for the tornado that would take her to OZ, which is real (in Sarah's world).

So there is a country song I like

2010-02-02T16:12:00.002-06:00

I'm shocked to even write that. I can't stand country. Really can't. I can listen to all the old time big band stuff with Dino, the rock with Spanky, the showtunes with Miley and the classical with Sarah. But I can't listen to that country stuff with. At least all of it but one song.

The other night I turned on the Grammys to try and act under 35. Didn't work too well, I was lost and confused during most of it. Then The Zac Brown Band took the stage and they were really good--guitar playing that really blew me away. Kind of like a Lynard Skynard sort of Southern Rock.

And it was a lot of fun.

The next day I shocked my whole family and downloaded one of the songs, adding it to the 'morning glory' playlist and the 'hanging out' playlist and yes even the 'clean-up time' playlist. The kids even liked it. And they hate country just like me. Well we did. I just may download this entire cd and enjoy it with some Shiner in my Wranglers and Ropers (OK, more like Joe's Jeans and Sudini Italian boots but close enough, right?).

No, you can't stay in your house while they repair fire damage

2010-01-31T17:52:00.004-06:00

I was a deer in the headlights when we had our fire. I remember standing across the street watching the firemen parade through my home and suddenly remembered I did not have a purse, a debit card, a phone or even shoes (and we were standing in snow). I was wearing my Santa apron and had raw meat on my hands from the meatballs I was making. It would be a few hours til I realized I needed to wash my hands and a day until we remembered we needed to eat.

I had a mild panic, wondering where we would go for the next few days while they cleaned everything up. I was lucky and a fireman brought out my working iPhone (Mike's melted but that is a different story). I texted my friend 'house burning down' and she texted 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?' followed by a phone call. I asked her if we could stay with her for a few days while they cleaned up the home.

Then Red Cross came and asked if we had a place to stay until we found temporary housing. I said we would stay with friends for a few days and then maybe head up to see my family in Ohio for a little while since it was Christmas break. He gave me a weird look and a number to call if we wanted counseling for ourselves and the children along with a debit card to help with immediate expenses.

I called the insurance company to let them know what happened. They asked how long we needed to be in a hotel. Not thinking I said, 'I guess til Monday' (it was Friday)' . They just gave us the name of a hotel and confirmation number followed by the comment that they would check back on Sunday to see how we were on finding temporary housing.

I kind of ignored the temporary housing comment. We could just go to Ohio for a couple of weeks.

Then the firemen left and a 'disaster repair' company came by to look at the house with us. There were still some walls and I was thinking how we could sleep with a large gap in the exterior wall in the kitchen. We'd have to get it fixed quickly. It was very cold outside.

The man from the company told us they would have people to board up the house that day and to remove all valuables and firearms (because there are real jerks who watch the news and rob people who just had a house fire).

He went on to discuss how they would take the stuff and clean anything they could and even store it til we moved back in.

I was caught off guard.

"You mean we can't move back in after you board it all?" I asked.

He bit his lip and said, "Ma'm you won't be able to move back in here for at least four to six months. They need to take out everything to get rid of the smoke smell, demo the walls, remove the installation and ........."

His voice trailed off and I suddenly realized we would not be home after a quick vacation to Ohio. The term 'temporary housing' now made sense. This would not be a quick job.

He then mentioned to try an salvage a few clothes to put on a rush job. I don't even know what I grabbed. I put them in a basket and he said they would get the clothes to us in a few days and the rest of the stuff in 30-45 days.

Neighbors brought clothes and shoes. I don't know what we would have done without them. Honestly don't. None of us shoes on when we ran out of the house. Neighbors took us in their home and gave up their plans to help us. And it was Christmas, nothing, not even Wal-Mart was open.

That night when we checked into a hotel, I don't remember much but getting into their bathtub and trying to get out the smoke smell (it really is the most pungent smell you can imagine). I slept like the dead, we all did.

The next morning was even more of a blur. A neighbor brought me to Wal-Mart the day after Christmas to get things we needed to live. I thank God she was there. I had no idea--we needed toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair brushes, underwear (!!!!), socks, shirts, shoes. I honestly did not even think about fashion or what was cute. I just needed stuff. A month later, I don't even remember what I bought.

There was also a flurry of people who stopped by our hotel that day. Every single one of them was so incredible and kind. I was in such shock---I don't remember what we even talked about.

Even on Monday when we met with the adjuster (Mike had already spoken with him a few times), I was still in a daze. The adjuster told us to stay in the hotel til we found a rental house (luckily Mike did that stuff for a living so it was easy) and not stress about finding one over the holidays. I had completely forgotten it was the holidays by this point. The whole situation was getting clearer as he explained anything with plastic would be trashed and they would try and salvage whatever we thought was important.

Slowly I was grasping things. A company would take all that needed to to cleaned and then demo the damaged areas. And we would need to live in a different home, for a while.

I have the best blog post ideas.....

2010-01-29T10:28:00.002-06:00

when I am away from my computer. I'll be sitting in car line, waiting for the kids, driving around or just getting ready to fall asleep. And bam, I have an awesome idea! I even think about the title, that 'hook' phrase and then, then when I sit in front of the computer, I go blank.

It drives me crazy. There is so much I want to say. Then I start censoring myself---can't write about that (too boring), don't mention that (too confrontational), and for sure don't go there (people will think you are nuts!).

So I end up just leaving my blog posting page and saying some random stuff on Twitter and sometimes Facebook.

And now I am wondering. Who is the blog for? Is it for readers--well let's be more honest--to get readers? Or is it for me? I started blogging to get things out of my head and to, in a sense, clear out my thoughts. But that's not what I do anymore. I began this blog trying very hard to open and honest.

But I haven't been able to do that, especially recently.

I could tell you how I feel like I am going to throw up if I see anything related to Christmas or how my sons have about 5 or 6 accidents a day right now. Adjustment has not been that 'fantastic'.

So depressing. I don't feel going there.

I could tell you about the remodeling we are doing and how I have learned the difference between French Country and Provential (I know I spelled it wrong!) French. And why the latter is just a really really bad choice if you have kids.

But what if someone reads this and has that style with lots of kids. I hate ruffling feathers.

I could tell you I truly fear the check and balance system in our government is in danger and that our leader is anything but.

Whoa--talk about ruffling feathers! That's politics and a big can of worms I don't have the strength do deal with.

So I'll just keep brain storming. Maybe going back to menus or wordless Wednesdays. Or better yet, devote the blog to LOST. LOST will be on soon. LOST will be on soon.

Do you love your stove?

2010-01-26T20:21:00.004-06:00

The 'plus side' of the fire is remodeling the entire home. Now if I had lots of time and discussions with Mike, this could be fun but....no. I pretty much need to decide things like flooring, counters, cabinets and appliances now.

And I don't have a clue.

I am lucky Mike is in real estate. He knows what looks good. He even hooked me up with an interior designer. But I am concerned about the cost. Because insurance will not just replace our laminate countertops with high quality granite ya know ;)

Be forewarned, I am going to have lots of posts asking your thoughts on hardwoods, terracotta and even installation grades but I will spare you from that today.

My biggest issue right now is the appliances. We need a refrigerator, a range, a microwave, and a dishwasher. We have a scratch and dent outlet out here that we want to check out but I want to make sure I buy appliances that work. My dishwasher was running just fine and it was 12 years old. My mom has had the same Kitchen Aid for the past 25 years. Three of my friends all bought the same pricey dishwasher about a year ago. All have seen a repairman twice, at least. I do not want to deal with repairs.

I went out looking today and fell in love with a stove only to talk with a friend a few hours later to hear how her friend had issues with it. *sigh*

So my question---do you love your stove, your dishwasher, your fridge? Did you buy something expensive that you feel is worth every penny or did you find the best value that turned out to be a gem?

Share, share, share.

And make it snappy, I need to get my appliance measurements to the cabinet guy.

Clearly I am Completely Out of It

2010-01-24T15:30:00.002-06:00

With all this focus on getting our home together and moving around like nomads, I have missed apparently a lot. Here's the random thoughts going around my blonde brain these days.

* Brett Farve plays with his pants on the ground. Not sure if this means he is consistently sacked or if he just likes to pull his pants down.

* A Republican won the Kennedy seat in MA. According to Robert Gibbs, this is because the people of MA really support what President Obama wants to do. I can't even describe what this thought process might be.

* Lots of people like 'Jersey Shore'. I can't get past the hair. Or that dialect.

* LOST is going to be on soon. LOST is going to on soon. I repeat this phrase every time I turn on the TV looking for anything to watch (after I watch '24' at least).

* Two weeks ago it was the coldest in decades here. Two days ago we were in the 70s. By the end of this week, we are supposed to be below freezing. Just how to you organize your closet space with that type of forecast?

* Our rental is a quite large home. I have always wanted a large home. Now I want my small home. The extra space is highly overrated. And cold. Especially on the coldest day in decades.

* I miss my Wii Fit Plus that is sitting in the salvage shop getting fixed. I sigh with each and every tweet, post and status update that mentions Wii.

* I am actually wondering if anyone has even had just one of these thoughts.

We are in a rental and we finally have internet

2010-01-15T10:09:00.002-06:00

I think the title pretty much covers it. We are at our temporary house. We have all had some ups and downs. Luckily our biggest ups are our friends and family who have been there for us!

We would not have made it if it weren't for y'all!

I got cable just when the earthquake struck Haiti. My heart breaks for them (as I am sure your does too!). We lost all of our stuff but we are rebuilding and getting much restored. They will not be as lucky. We had help from our friends and family. Their friends and family are either dead or in the situation they are.

I really hope you have a chance to give to the Red Cross or other organization that will help them. You can text 'HAITI' to 90999 (Red Cross) and you give $10 (on your next cell bill). It's not a lot but if we all help, it is.

God bless and hug your family!

Quick Check In

2010-01-06T14:33:00.002-06:00

Things have been crazy here! I want to share so much. From the bad stuff like Spanky melting down everywhere to the super incredible stuff like the people in my life that are doing just about anything to help up get through!

But I am still in a two bedroom hotel far away from school, ballet and church. I am usually in a car or not here. And if I am here I am doing my best to try and keep things semi-organized. My main thing is being able to see the floor ;)

As a whole, we are OK. Your prayers are helping! The situation is not the greatest but it is getting better. This weekend we will be moving into a rental.

The kids are counting the minutes for this!

I am just happy I can cook again---did I mention I was making a lasagna with a homemade sunday gravy and homemade gluten free meatballs when the fire started. I morn that meal.

I wish you all a very happy 2010 and I will be back on line very very soon!

Promise Me This One Thing Please!!!!

2009-12-29T07:19:00.003-06:00

On Christmas morning at about 10:45 am, approximately half of our house burnt down.

It was not electrical, stove fire or even sparks from the fire place. No, it was a small ember from a a small match that broke in half after it didn't light from Mike was trying to light at least five feet away from a live Christmas tree. The ember managed to hit the tree (remember this ember was not ever a flame) and within seconds, the tree was on fire. My daughter immediately yelled 'the tree is on fire' and I walked about 7 feet to grab the fire extinguisher. When I turned around, the tree was completely ablaze and the flames were curling and licking the kitchen ceiling (Mike had managed to move the tree a couple of feet trying to get it out the back kitchen door.).

I heard the fire roar, yes it really roared(!), and I just grabbed a kid and ran (side note: if you ever wonder what you want to grab in a fire, I can tell you right now the only things you will grab are people, nothing else will even be on your mind---not your cell phone, not your pictures, not even your wedding rings--just your family!). We all got out without a scratch but the home is unlivable right now.

Later the firefighters told us that it is common for a live Christmas to burst into flames from the smallest thing--a spark from a fireplace, anything. Even if you constantly water and feed the tree, like we did. Mike found this video on You Tube. This is really how it is. And again, I want to stress we watered our tree, gave it Super Thrive and made sure it was not 'dry'.

So I want you to promise me you won't put a live Christmas tree inside your house. If you buy one keep it outside, away from the house. Now is a great time to buy a fake tree by the way (dirt cheap).

Take care and God bless all of you!

Christmas Music Old School Cool

2009-12-22T19:43:00.002-06:00

Like I may have mentioned (wink), I have a great deal of Christmas music--just about everything (well not really the 'pop' stuff) but when it comes down to it, the music the kids and I listen to over and over again usually features Bing, Dean or Frank. Total old school.

So if you are adding some tunes to the playlist, be sure to check out these lesser known favorites:

"The Christmas Waltz" Frank Sinatra

"Christmas in Killarney" Bing Crosby

"Greensleeves" (very cool instrumental jazz version) Vince Guaraldi Trio

"Mrs. Santa Claus" Nat King Cole

"We Wish You the Merriest" Frank Sinatra

"A Marshmallow World" Dean Martin (Dino loves singing this one!)

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" Bing Crosby

"Away in a Manager" Nat King Cole

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Dean Martin (no one does this song better!)

"Mele Kalikimaka" Bing Crosby

No idea what to buy for Christmas for kids? These are toys they will play with for years!

2009-12-19T12:57:00.009-06:00

Throughout my 12 years of buying Christmas gifts, I have spent tons of money of toys that are less enjoyed than the boxes they came in, toys they love for about a week and then they quickly collect dust in a basket and toys that are handed down from child to child and enjoyed by friends of all ages for years!

This post is about the latter of these toys. So if you are at a loss as to what your children will really want this Christmas, get out your list and copy these ideas.

1. Wooden Blocks

I bought this set of wooden blocks with the wagon for my oldest daughter's first Christmas 11 years ago. It is currently being played with by three of my children as I type this. It rarely sits on a shelf. My older kids, the girls, love to build things with the blocks--my oldest likes to make castle type things for her dolls; and the boys, the younger kids, love making towers and smashing them down. We also like to put the blocks in alphabetical order. I know wood blocks seem so simple but I am amazed how many people just never thought of buying this imaginative toy!

2. Little People

I played with Little People as a child so I made sure my kids got them as gifts early on! The 6th grader will not admit this but even she has fun putting together different towns. The third grader and the boys still do lots of play acting and from the barn I bought 11 years ago to the new addition to the Christmas Village I bought this year, all the toys see plenty of play time. True they are plastic but they are made well, not like most plastics. Kids really get to create and make up stories and towns. And because they are using their hands, the little muscles in those hands get a great work-out (those who homeschool or work with hand writing understand how important this is!).

3. Automoblox

My mom introduced these toys to my family when Dino was little. I love these little cars. You can build them by fitting in the right shapes. The kids play with them for hours because 1. they're cars (even girls love cars--they have pink ones) and 2. they can create different cars from different parts. (Glancing at the website, I see they now have hot rods---oh my I think I have birthday presents ready now!)

4. Pattern Blocks

I love these blocks because they build up by the level--from pre-k to middle school. I suggest pattern sheets to help make pictures but you can also make your own designs like my Sarah loves to do. These pattern blocks are always taken out and played with when we have friends over. I am not sure why they love them so much but they just do. They have been an active part of the playroom for almost ten years!

5. Dress Up Trunk

This may be the simplest of all!! Gather old dresses, hats, shoes, ties and sport jackets to create a dress up trunk. All kids love dress up---my 6th grader and her friends only recently slowed down on playing dress-up but the others are still dress-up fans! Get creative--old towels can be a super cape, old jewelry can be fixed up to make a crown. Hit the good will stores and find some very cool items that will keep them busy for hours!

This year, my kids are getting what I like to call "Zhu-Zhu Land" from the grandparents--only time will tell if they are as much as a hit of the above five items :)

This will happen before your company arrives.....

2009-12-15T07:14:00.001-06:00

There's not many guarantees in life but these things are bond to happen before your big party or out of town guests arrive.

1. Your toddler will cram toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper and cotton down the sink, clogging it. He will walk away and you will discover the mess as you step into the hallway near the bathroom and notice your new (or just cleaned) carpet it soaked. The cabinets in the bathroom will also have water.

2. Your kids will be continuously hungry and desire pain-in-the-butt messy foods to prepare and they will decide to eat it anywhere you just cleaned.

3. Your husband will add water to the wrong part of the coffee maker (the grinder) and will pull it apart blowing coffee grinds everywhere. On the plus side, you will be able to clean it out and quickly fix it. Negative side, there will be little black coffee grind specks everywhere that you will continue to find when you host the 4th of July bar-b-q.

4. Your kids will again be 'starving'.

5. You will force the kids to stop the imaginative play of taking every pillow in the house to create a 'jumping pit' and make them watch television non-stop so they will not destroy everything in the house.

6. A door, drawer cover or chair will break. No matter how new it is. On extra special visits, the oven door might even fall off ;)

7. Your kids will watch you mop and scrub down the kitchen floor. Then they will say they are once again 'hungry'.

8. The cat will have a hair ball issue and throw up wherever the carpet is not soaked.

9. Your husband will have to run to the office to pick something up when you are in the middle of scrubbing the shower.

10. You will be ready for your guests, the house again spotless and then discover your toddler found the chocolate and got it all over him, the walls, the floor and the busted door.

11. You will be so happy to see your guests' smiles, you will forget all about the first ten items on the list.

For Your Viewing Pleasure--One of the Best Dance Scenes in one of our favorite movies

2009-12-13T15:42:00.002-06:00

My kids really love the old classics, like mom. Think 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'Sound of Music' and 'A Christmas Carol (c. 1938)'. That old.

When it comes to Christmas, of course we love 'It's a Wonderful Life' and that movie I saw the world premier of with the stars 'A Christmas Story'; but a movie that really has the kids' hearts in 'Holiday Inn' with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Now I was going to share with you the clip of Bing singing 'White Christmas' (it came from this film, not 'White Christmas' oddly enough). You can find that anywhere.

No, what you are about to see is Fred Astaire doing what he does best, doing what even contestants on 'So You Think Can Dance' don't even think of doing, this well. It's a scene where he is upset and drunk. And I mean drunk. See, Fred was so good, they had to give him a half dozen shots (or possibly more) to really look drunk. Really. Check out this scene and I am betting you will want to see the whole movie :)

Looking for a Way to Entertain Kids in the Car This Christmas--There's an App for That!

2009-12-07T18:45:00.003-06:00

One of the perks of bragging about your obsession on Christmas music is getting to check out a Christmas music product---this week I got to add the iCaroler app to my iPhone if I could write a review about it.

ICaroler is a really cute app that shows little cartoon people singing a few popular Christmas carols. You can tap on the figures to mute them, move them around or just enjoy the song. You can also carol with fellow iPhone friends. I didn't have time to do this but did find a video of someone did do it.

For 99 cents, I thought it was cute but nothing to really go nuts over, but then I handed it to my two girls (8 and 11). They absolutely love this thing! They aren't networking but they love figuring out the different chorale parts--muting some,moving the characters around. And Santa even flies by every now and then--they go crazy when that happens.

As a matter a fact, I handed them the iPhone after homeschool work to see what they would do. They giggled and sang and giggled more for a good hour! A quote from Miley (11), "this is the coolest thing ever!". Now that is totally worth 99 cents!

You can find the app by clicking here.

No One Puts the Orange Shirt Guy in the Corner

2009-12-04T15:17:00.004-06:00

There is one scene in the Charlie Brown Christmas that gets our entire family off the sofa. This one.

I love to be the girl in pink, the girls are the twins and Mike is the guy in the green. The boys are usually Linus but switch to the guy in green.

We have all tried to dance like Orange Shirt Man but to no avail. We don't have those mad skills. Do you? And if you can, tell me how--I am sure I'd be the talk of our next Christmas party if I can pull that off ;)

Why We Missed Jazz Class Today

2009-12-02T15:41:00.003-06:00

Dear Sweet Jazz Teacher,

Yes, Sarah did miss class today but I have a very good reason.

See when we woke up this morning, we were shocked to find snow, actual snow on the ground. I am sure you noticed. But that's not why we are missing class.

No, see my kids have no mittens (because we are in Dallas and we usually don't see snow til January or never!) so they raided my sock drawer and took all my socks for double and triple protection. When all was done, I had no socks and I spent the early morning with cold feet. I was not pleased.

They came in from the snow soaked, especially their shoes. Miley actually discovered she had a hole (a big hole) in her uniform shoes.

So I did what a good mother is supposed to do. I took all four of them on a mission to find warm mittens, scarves and shoes.

Our first stop, we found uniform shoes along with cute boots, light up super hero shoes and lots and lots of fun socks.

Then we stopped by Belks for mittens and other fun stuff. We found none but we did find Santa (shhhhh, we aren't supposed to tell to many people we saw him) shopping for gifts for Mrs. Clause (seriously it was Santa in a leather jacker, boots and cowboy jeans).

So off to Old Navy to pick from the remaining hats, scarves, and of course mittens. And I managed to grab a hoodie and some of those cute warm and fuzzy house socks.

When we got home, I realized Sarah had to do a book report on 'The Man in the Iron Mask', a tough read for a third grader even if it is abridged, Miley still needed to work on her 'to scale' map of the world, and I was tired.

So we are taking a pass from class today--beside my feet are loving these cozy socks and I'd rather not take them off ;)

Thanks for understanding!

Lisa

International Christmas

2009-11-30T18:20:00.004-06:00

Sarah has always loved watching people speaking in different languages. And she loves to imitate them.

When she was three years old, she was in a singing group. At the start of the season, they got to try-out for a solo part. I started playing songs from the CD they gave us 'Christmas Around the World'. Luckily most songs were American--'Up on the Housetop', 'Sleigh Ride', 'What Child is This?' and I worked tirelessly with her...but she showed little interest. Then I was searching through the tunes and 'Mele Kalikimaka' started (you know...'Mele Kalimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day'). She sang it almost right away, again and again.

On the day of try-outs, my little three year competed with kids double her age to solo that particular song. I waited nervously outside wondering how she did. Her leader came out and told me she really sang up there in front of everyone. I smiled, not knowing if she was just being nice or if my very shy Sarah belted out the tune.

Two days later, I got word that she would SOLO that song for the troop for the entire Christmas season. And yes, she sang it everywhere!

I thought it might just be the tune but then noticed she favored all the songs in anything but English.

Fast forward to this year. She finally gets to study a language (beside English), Latin. It is officially her favorite course. And for Christmas, they are learning different songs. Almost all of course in English but one, 'Panis Angelicus'. I cannot even pronounce the title, much less sing the lyrics. But Sarah, Sarah has managed to sing every word flawlessly.

And she loves to sing it over and over again.

I may need to introduce her to 'Petit Papa Noel' for some variety.

For Your Viewing Pleasure--The Christmas Story as told by Muppets

2009-11-28T21:10:00.002-06:00

One of my very favorite Christmas shows is "John Denver and the Muppets--A Christmas Together". I have two copies of the CD plus the music is downloaded to my iphone. I tried for years to get the video. Last year, my sister found a copy and sent it to me.

And tonight I found one of my very favorite scenes from the TV show. The scene that actually tells you what Christmas is all about.

Enjoy and welcome the Christmas season with this quick clip!

Overheard on Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T12:40:00.004-06:00

"Can I just have one, two, three marshmallows?" Sarah when helping with the baked yams.

"Maybe the parade is a little better in person." Miley after watching the fourth interview of the latest NBC 'star'.

"Has the parade gotten bad or is it my memory?" Me watching the parade.

"There's a little boy running down the street" Random neighbor who walked into house to alert us Spanky had walked out the front door and taken off.

"There's too much food on this day." Dino seated at the table staring at the numerous gluten-free dishes.

"I still have more blessings." Spanky after saying his three blessings (we base blessings we say on age).

"I know what I'm getting you for Christmas, a shrink!" Husband to me after spending the whole day with us!

Hoping you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Praise God for all His blessings!

WW--A Rare Look at That First Thanksgiving (well not really)

2009-11-25T07:07:00.001-06:00

My Favorite Things

2009-11-23T13:30:00.002-06:00

Unless you've been under a rock, you know Oprah will be ending her show in 2011 and this brings the big question---what will you know to buy without the Favorite Things List?

I am here to help! Below I am listing gifts your friends and family will love just like Oprah, and with a budget in mind, not like Oprah :) (oh and I don't get paid or free samples from the mentioned products so you know my thoughts are real!)

For the Cook:

Jamie's Food Revolution

This is Jamie Oliver's newest book and like all the rest, amazing!

Le Creuset Cookware

Yes, this does have a big price tag and is therefore a very special gift but I promise this cookware investment is worth every penny. I have had 9 pieces in the collection for over 9 years and they are still as good as new. They cannot be beat when it comes to browning, poaching, simmering---they will make you want to cook!

For the Fashionista:

Charming Charlie's Gift Certificate

This is such a fun store! Every section is divided by color. Clothes, shoes, purses and of course jewelry are perfectly matched and ready to take home. And the prices let you get completely different sets without breaking the bank!

Michael Stars Long Sleeved Tunic

I am a big fan on Michael Stars tees--they can dress up the blandest jeans for a hot date yet are cozy enough to wear from pre-school drop off, to coffee with friends, to the park and everywhere in between! I am loving this new tunic. I am betting it would go great with long strand necklace from Charming Charlie's!

For the Fitness Buff:

Wii-Fit Plus

Picture Wii Fit on steroids! This is loaded with games to keep you and the whole family fit on those cold winter nights! Much better than just crashing in front of the TV with a bow of chips!

C25K Iphone App

I have mentioned this before. if you have dreams of running a 5k or even a marathon one day, this is a great place to get started! You will be a success with this one!

For the Music Lover:

Elvis Presley's White Christmas

I have a ton of Christmas music and this is by far the best CD of all of them! Not only do you get the fun Christmas tunes like "Here Comes Santa Claus", you also get the religious "Peace in the Valley" and the bluesy "Santa Claus is Back in Town". Buy this CD--I promise you will not regret it. No one does Christmas like the king!

For the Gadget Lover:

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones

This is truly the gift of peace and quiet. On the pricey side, this is a gift the receiver will cherish along with be amazed at how easy it is to take a mental break from the rest of the world!

For the Young at Heart:

Wizard of Oz (70th anniversary edition)

This movie was dedicated to the young at heart and still speaks to us 70 years later. Digitally remastered, this movie will take you back to a more simple time. When good and evil was clear and home was the best place on earth!

For the Teacher:

Pannettone Bread

I love buying these boxes of 'cake' bread for my kids' teachers. Inexpensive yet yummy and unique. Give the bread with a print out of recipe in a fancy font. Teachers will love it!

And there you have it a few of my favorite things!

Encountering Angels

2009-11-20T06:07:00.000-06:00

I firmly believe God places angels around us from time to time, and if they aren't angels in the whole 'eternal' sense, He fills some of our hearts with such joy and love, they may as well as be in that moment.

I will never forget my encounter when my third child, Dino, was a mere 10 months old. I had dropped the girls off at pre-school and first grade. I was tired and needed a break. Sadly items like milk, turkey and bread were more needed than my break that day. So I spent my precious time to 'relax' in our favorite grocery store (and still is if you can believe that ;) ).

Dino was in the cart strapped to his fancy cart cover I found on Ebay and he began to cry. He wanted to be helped, nursed and loved. I just wanted to get out of the grocery store.

Quickly he decided to distract himself with items in the cart. One of these items was the peppers inside the plastic bag.

Scurrying between aisles, grabbing the items from the list, Dino continued playing with the bag. I didn't know how long the bliss would last so I rushed.

An older woman stopped my cart and began to shake her finger at me saying my son should not be playing with a plastic produce bag.

"You know what, "I snapped bag. "At this moment, I really don't care. I have exactly 40 minutes to pick up my two daughters and this keeps him quiet."

She gave me a look of pity and I started to cry, really cry.

"I am so tired, "I sobbed. "He won't sleep. I have so much to take care of. I do love him and I don't want him to get hurt. I am just tired."

She put her cart to the side and hugged me. She began talking with Dino and then suggested we walk over to the bakery case and get him a roll. She found a big tough Kaiser roll and gave it to him. The plastic bag was gone and he was happily gumming a giant roll.

I thanked her and apologized for being so terrible earlier.

She hugged me again and told me she completely understood.

She explained, "Helping you just made my day. I just came back from doctor's and my cancer has spread. They are giving me 3 months."

My world froze when she said this. I didn't know what to say. She was dealing with the most tragic news a person can get and I here I was whining about my lack of sleep.

I hugged her and told her how sorry I was. She told me she was unafraid and eager to meet the Lord.

We soon parted ways but our chance meeting made a huge impact on my life.

The rest of the day I savored every scream, whine, fight and traffic jam. It was life and I was honored to be involved.

I never saw my friend again, even though I tried looking for her every time I shopped.

She has also made my grocery shopping sane, if not fun. The second I get in the store, even the kids know, we head straight for the bakery for a roll or baked treat of their choice. And every time they pick something, I smile and remember the lady who put everything into perspective.

A Gluten Free Thanksgiving for All

2009-11-15T17:00:00.002-06:00

I have always loved Thanksgiving. I love switching out dishes, trying new things. Thanksgiving is usually just as all family lives somewhere else and our girls are usually in 'The Nutcracker'.

This year, I am facing the issue of gluten. Gluten is in so many of my Thanksgiving favorites---the stuffing, the rolls, the gravy, the desserts. But the good news is many of the big dishes can get away with none--thankfully turkey is not usually wrapped in bread!

I have been scouring the internet looking for just the right recipe. I have decided to forgo the traditional 'pie' dessert and switch to creme brulee--simple, easy delicious and already gluten free!

I am also doing most of my favorites that I have put on my website, Whatsfordinnermommy.com. But many are still puzzling me. I usually do 'trial runs' of my dishes but to be honest gluten free bread crumbs are so expensive I don't think that will be happening. I did read of one blogger who uses toasted gluten free waffles for the stuffing but I am not sure still. It sounds interesting but I just don't want to chance it. I purchased some gluten free croutons from Whole Foods and noticed they had a stuffing recipe. Because I have had great luck with their recipes, I am going to give it a go :)

Anyway, here is my gluten free Thanksgiving menu.

Starters:

Baked brie with a cranberry chutney (served with gluten free crackers)

Salad:

Spinach salad with dried cranberries and walnuts (no dressing)

Main Meal:

Maple Turkey with Bacon with Gravy

Sauteed brocollini with garlic slices

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Minted Cranberry Sauce

Gluten-free Stuffing

Dessert:

Creme brulee

Possible Clarity

2009-11-14T10:35:00.002-06:00

Thank you so much for your kind words the other day on my last post. I know your prayers helped us!

I am not sure exactly what direction God wants us to go right now. My feeling is He wants us to work harder, to persevere (oddly, my daily bible title for the day after I wrote my post!). We are very happy with kids' present school situation. We love the school and also love getting to have them home for the homeschool days.

Mike and I are working with the children to create some real goals. We are talking with other parents, many of whom with the same issues, and setting up 'study' groups. And of course we are praying, a lot!

I wish I could just know what the future is, to know God's plan but then where what would be the fun in that? ;)

So for now, the word is 'persevere' and meet our challenges with hope and joy.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend. I am off to start trying recipes for our very first gluten free Thanksgiving.

Bending to the Wind

2009-11-10T10:38:00.003-06:00

Tree branches, and even big tree trunks, tend to bend when faced with large gusts. The ones that are too old and rigid refuse to budge and end up breaking in half.

I am near a breaking point.

As I have mentioned a couple of times, my children go to a half-homeschool Christian school. They have classes two days a week, study at home two days a week and have electives one day a week. On the days home, work is planned by the teachers and we are there to carry out reviews, studies and projects.

I have always enjoyed it but this year has been a challenge.

The earlier years at the school, basics are pushed and pushed and pushed. I honestly think the school is slower than other schools because they just keep engraining the basics over and over and over again. Slowly, the studies pick up and this year Miley is in sixth grade doing the material most high school freshman are tackling.

She has a math book three courses above her grade level, a history and geography book I personally need to read twice just to understand, literature that includes King Arthur and Homer, Latin, and for bible, 'Pilgrim's Progress'.

It's not easy and she's not doing well, at all.

Yesterday, we worked for 10 solid hours, not including the work she did over the weekend. I'm still not sure we did a 'satisfactory' job. By 8 pm, I was about to just do the King Arthur questions for her but forgot why Sir Gareth was good and which examples from text to site.

Now if I just had Miley, I'd be OK. It would be very hectic, but we'd live.

But I have Sarah. Sarah is just starting to face to the tougher grades. She needs my help, desperately but I am trying to figure out just how oceanic and continental crust converge. Her grades are suffering too.

Then there's Dino. Dino is in the pre-k. Basics, basics, basics. Not too intense but he has some learning issues and getting him to put numbers in order from 1-10 is still a challenge. He really needs me.

Let's not forget Spanky. Spanky the busy, busy, happy, loud boy who wants to play and find anyway for us to drop what we are doing and laugh at his antics. My wild thing needs me too.

So what is a mom to do? We can't go on this path anymore. I have been talking with full-time home school moms asking for tips, and I have gotten a ton. The obvious tip is slow down but we can't do that because I don't make the schedule. Next tip, get up with Miley around 5:30 am so you can work with her in peace and then focus on the others during the day. Early morning is my God time and my exercising. Late night is when I spend time with my husband and relax. Work some after school and one weekends? I would do that if we weren't so booked with theater, ballet and music. Find ways to keep the younger ones busy with special games. Hmmmm...Spanky's favorite game when no one is around is 'empty the pantry, drawer or whatever happens to be open'.

I'm not sure what I am going to do. I know God is pushing us to make some sort of change. A more strict schedule the kids have to respect completely (even Spanky). A switch to complete homeschool so we can actually slow down (however I could lose my mind). Get up with Miley and find a new time to exercise or work with Miley at night and give up time with Mike. Dumping the extra activities so we would spend every waking minute on school (and driving the girls nuts). Spend a ton of money on crafts and new toys to keep little ones busy.

I don't know. I just pray for an answer soon!

Dining Out Gluten Free

2009-11-09T17:37:00.002-06:00

One of the hardest things about not having a very common food allowed in your diet is the all popular past time, dining out.

I panicked at first wondering where the heck we would go--do you know how many sauces are thickened with flour? And asking a waitress if something had gluten in it? Most chefs can't answer as gluten is in some of the oddest spots.

I did what just about everyone does--googled "gluten free and dining out". I was shocked at just how many gluten free spots there are out there!

I found a gluten free restaurant awareness site that listed many spots, I found a site that listed popular chains (did you know PF Changs has its own gluten free menu or that Olive Garden now has gluten free pasta available?), and then the best luck of all--a local pizza place near me has a gluten free option!

So it turns out dining out and avoiding gluten can be done, quite easily--you just have to google first :)

Buyer Beware

2009-11-06T15:21:00.002-06:00

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I am not observant enough at the stores. Maybe no one else has these issues. Since I have been on a cash-only basis, I have noticed many prices are not the same as I feel they are labeled in the 'racks'.

There is a clothing store I tend to buy a lot of items at once and they have great sales. Last week, I decided to take advantage of one of the sales, 2 pants for $12.99. Yet when they were rung up, the pants were $10 each.

I got out my cash and was embarrassed. I didn't have enough. I asked how much the pants were and told the cashier I thought they were two for $12.99. The cashier calls someone from the back who looks at the pants and explains those particular pants are not part of the sale; it clearly states 'select styles' under the sale sign; it just doesn't tell you what styles.

I put both pants back.

Today I was looking at dishes on the clearance rack (hey, I have four kids that tend to drop things, I don't care to spend big buck on china right now). Two styles were side by side. One was bright red flowers and a pretty white background. The description 'cherry blossom' was overhead along with small discounted prices. Beside it were dark blue dishes with pretty black designs and white flowers and the description 'indigo (something, I forget)'. These dishes were really marked down--we are talking $2.99 for a nice bowl. I counted out my cash and headed to the register.

The cashier began ringing up the items and I noticed 'cherry blossom' showing on the register screen and the bigger price to go with it. I commented that it wasn't right. These were indigo. She called for help. Another lady came back and said these were the 'cherry blossom' design'. The 'indigo' dish was a plain striped one--I saw no dishes like this.

I told the cashier to remove the items from my bill, even though it annoyed the 'in a big hurry' person behind me, bought my cheap spoons (we always seem to be out of) and left.

So I am wondering---does this happen to anyone else? Is this some sort of buying trick or should I possibly leave all the shopping to my husband? And who thinks of dark blue and black when they think of cherry blossoms?

What Do You Eat When You Can't Eat Wheat?

2009-11-01T20:21:00.003-06:00

This question baffled me when I made my first weekly menu after taking Dino off gluten. No pasta, no sandwiches, no panninis, lots of potatoes.

That was how it started.

Then I noticed all the 'gluten free' products out on the market. There is pasta--Pasta Joy is excellent. There is bread--not the normal 'fluffy' bread but a thick dense bread that makes great panninis. And there is so much you can do with potatoes.

I decided to focus my meal plan on all we could eat and avoid the items we just could not eat.

Breakfast has almost always been eggs, salsa and chicken sausage. That was all gluten free. I mourned the loss of pancake day but quickly discovered some Van's frozen waffles that are wheat free-- the apple cinnamon are the best choice.

Lunch I learned to get a bit more creative. We have embraced the Tex-mex spirit of the state and have had more taco salads and nacho meals than I can count. Luckily, the kids are bigger fans of Tex-mex than Italian. We also became very big fans of fruit and cheese plates without any crackers. It took a while but I think the kids are not missing too much.

Dinner was very easy thanks to all the gluten free pastas and the 'low carb' meals so popular these days!

Following is this week's dinner plan:

Monday: Mike's b-day so we ordering out (I will post gluten free restaurants next week)

Tuesday: Chipolte with dried cherry sausage and roasted potatoes with a green salad

Wednesday: Taco Salad (tortilla chips, spinach, bison meat seasoned with taco seasoning (gluten free), and freshly shredded Mammoth cheddar) On the side, salsa and guac (gluten-free)

Thursday: Butternut squash with Kale Casserole (quite possibly my favorite fall dish using gluten-free brown rice pasta and no bread crumbs)

Friday: Sweet Chicken Soup (rather than noodles, I added peeled, diced sweet potato with the veggies in the beginning)

Saturday: Pizza (the crust is already pre-made courtesy of Whole Foods and only $4.95!)

Sunday: Chicken Curry Soup with a salad

Next week, I will be discussing learning how to eat out and being gluten free--it's not as hard as it sounds!

For more menu ideas, check out Jen at Chive Talkin'

National Novel Writing Month

2009-11-01T10:58:00.002-06:00

Because I seem to have so much free time (ha!), I am going to join the NaNoWriMo for November and write a 50,000 word novel. Really.

Before I had kids, I used to love to write. I was writing stuff all the time. I even put together a writing group at a local book store. It was my form of relaxation.

Then I had kids, um 4 kids to be exact. And my primary form of relaxation was sleep. Any sleep!

I got more involved in my kids' lives. More involved in how to help them, feed them and shelter them. There is nothing wrong with that. I will continue to focus most of my energy on my children but I need a little 'me' time.

I am going to devote one full hour everyday to doing something that brought me so much joy before kids. I am going to write.

I know I will be rusty. I know most of my writing will not be Pulitizer Prize worthy. I know most of it will not even be worthy of publishing. But it will mine.

And it will give me joy. Joy I can share with my family.

Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo out there?

The Greatest Night of the Year (It's not about candy or ghosts)

2009-10-30T19:04:00.002-05:00

If you've read me for even a week, you know I love Christmas--my favorite time of the year but there is one specific night I dream about every year.

This night is heaven for me.

Yes, I do love taking the kids out in their little costumes, meeting neighbors and watching their excitement as they dump all their candy on the fireplace for the Great Big Pumpkin, but that is not what I am dreaming about.

No, I am dreaming of that magical night where daylight saving time ends. That silly tradition started to give us more daylight in the summer. And the night I get an entire, extra hour of sleep.

Sleep is one my favorite things to do these days and since children, I don't get as much of it. That is what makes this night so special. A whole extra hour.

When I first had Miley, I didn't know how to handle the extra hour. She was up anyway so it didn't matter and the whole thing completely messed with her day. I completely cursed dst until the next year when she slept through the night and I knew to get her ready for 'the big day'

This year, I have spent the last few weeks prepping the kids for the change. Up a little later at night, sleeping in a bit longer in the morning. Just to make sure this change goes off without kids waking up far too early on Sunday (or any day after that!).

So tomorrow while the kids are giddy with joy over Halloween, I will have my own giddiness over an extra hour of sleep!

Thank you dst---you are forgiven for causing me to lose an extra hour of sleep last spring--just don't do it again ;)

How to Get Your Kids to Give Away Their Halloween Candy

2009-10-28T11:34:00.002-05:00

This is a repost from last year---I am on a mission to make the Great Big Pumpkin a household name ;)

Halloween is a huge event in my kids lives' --I am betting in almost all kids lives (except those who do not celebrate which seems to be more common than you'd think in Texas). My kids love to dress up--this year Miley wants to be Nancy Drew so Sara wants to be Nancy Drew; Dino plans to be Michael Phelps and Spanky may very well be Spanky from 'Our Gang' if I can find the right golf hat and pants. And then they love to trick'r'treat and bring back bags and bags of candy.

After they trick 'r' treat, we go through the bags and they tell me what their favorite ones are. They each eat one piece of candy. And then they take their entire bag of candy, dump it on the foot of the fire place and excitedly run to bed.

The next morning, the candy, except for a few of the favorites, is gone and replaced with a toy.

Confused? Let me explain. We have more than Santa, the Easter Bunny (they never fell for her), and the tooth fairy. We also have the Great Big Pumpkin.

The Great Big Pumpkin as you Peanuts fans might remember, lives in the Great Pumpkin Patch. He comes out on Halloween and searches for candy. If you leave a little bit of candy for him, he leaves a little gift. If you leave all your candy, he leaves the gift you asked for in a letter earlier that month. (Naturally, the gift has to be in reason--he is not allowed to upstage Santa so nothing to be big or special. Santa gets mad when the Great Big Pumpkin gets more attention.)

And that candy? Well, it turns out The Great Big Pumpkin has access to the conference room at a real estate office. He leaves it there. And the Very Busy House with 4 is almost candy free on November 1.

So does the Great Big Pumpkin visit you?

It's Gluten Free for This Family

2009-10-27T11:51:00.002-05:00

In August, I was commenting on Dino's learning issues and got an email from a friend who commented that his issues sounded like auto-immune issues, specifically gluten issues (aka Celiac).

I was curious and remembered reading how dyspraxia patients had amazing results cutting wheat out of their diets. So I decided to give it a try.

He started holding his pencil with the correct grip. He spoke more in class. He began conversations (that weren't about cars!).

I was impressed and thrilled. One day, he slipped and had some cake at a party. This followed severe stomach pains and Dino now refuses any sort of cake at a gathering. I am guessing it hurt pretty bad.

At the same time Dino went off gluten, Mike did too. Within one week, the arthritis in his hands were gone along with IBS issues he had dealt with for years. I began to suspect Celiac and did some research on it.

It amazingly quite common and if a parent has it, there is a 25% chance offspring will also have it. It made perfect sense for Dino to have it. It also appears to have a major effect on muscles--this would effect Dino's muscle tone for writing and speech.

But I still wasn't sure if it was what helped his learning. When I took Dino off gluten, I also started a more intense home school day routine, he began taking fish oil every morning and he was growing up. Maybe the gluten didn't matter on the learning end.

Well a few weeks ago, Mike took Dino to the neighborhood block party. In a momentary lapse of reason, both ate mac and cheese thinking about the cheese part of the dish not the gluten heavy pasta!

Within two hours, Mike was in pain and Dino literally spiked a fever and threw up. After that, Dino felt better (no fever, no vomit) but Mike was still in pain.

I sat down with Dino the next day to do a little work. The pencil grip he mastered so well was now a struggle. Simple letter writing led to tears and Dino spoke little the entire day.

I'm not a doctor but I know my son. He was not the same son the day before the block party. Dino struggled for almost a week with his speech and learning but slowly got better. The gluten did something to him. Something that hindered him, big time.

Gluten free is anything but easy but I am determined to make it work. I believe it is truly making a difference!

I am getting a lot of help from friends. I am finding more and more gluten free products including a special gluten free area at my grocery story. I just discovered a local pizza joint with very overpriced gluten free pizza. And ya know what, it is worth every penny :)

My Most Controversial Post--It is All about the Food

2009-10-25T10:44:00.002-05:00

This summer I heard a radio personality mention he lost all his weight via diet and without any real 'exercise'. He went on to point out an article that said the same thing. The writer had spent countless hours and money with personal trainers but saw little actual fat loss; now there was some muscle gain and overall heath but not much else. So he really watched his food intake and then magic happened.

So during September, I ran. I ran all the time. And when I ran really well, I let myself have those cheddar fries with bacon and jalepenos. I felt great and felt more muscle but not much change in my jeans or my scale.

Then for the past two weeks during my kids' crazy production schedule of the Halloween play I had zero time to exercise. I decided to test the diet theory and ate very carefully. Annoying myself looking at calories, fat content and making sure a portion was a correct portion.

I have to admit, the food lover in me hated doing this. I did have a very small treat every three days so I wouldn't go crazy but overall, I stuck to whole grains, protein and very little fat and of course plenty of fruits and veggies. I quit snacking and cut out most my coffee.

Two weeks after the show, three pounds lost and loser jeans.

So as much I dread writing it, diet, at least for me, plays a bigger role in weight loss.

But does this mean no more running? Absolutely not! Exercise is invaluable for the heart, mind and soul. I truly believe that. It also gives your body muscle which in turn gives a better shape, even if you do have a few pounds of that high volume fat on your butt!

I just won't use a long run to justify a hot fudge sundae.

Diet and exercise work together to make a more fit you. Diet just has a bigger say in your pant size.

At least for this girl ;)

Randomness by Spanky

2009-10-20T17:53:00.002-05:00

Every morning, Spanky asks for breakfast. His siblings ask for bacon, sausage, eggs or waffles. Spanky tends to wake up and say 'how about pizza?' or 'do we have french fries?' and my favorite 'we have hot dogs' --uh no honey we don't 'oh, but we have hot dogs'--no hot dogs all gone 'OK. Can I have one (puts up a little finger) hot dog?'

I am pretty sure he thinks if he says asks for it enough, we will suddenly have it. Wish it worked that way.

And then just yesterday at dinner, we were talking about the day and after we asked him about his, he said 'I'm going to be Spider Man and then go to Whole Foods and get a brownie.'

OK then.

And I said 'Spanky, can I have a million dollars? We have a million dollars. Can I have just one million dollars.'

He said, NO.

Can't Sleep

2009-10-19T00:47:00.002-05:00

I am not usually the type who can't fall asleep. Seriously, I am that person who falls asleep before my head hits the pillow.

But not tonight.

And I don't have a clue why.

I had my last cup of coffee around 2 pm so I can't blame caffeine.

I had a full day. I should be tired.

I am tired. I just can't sleep.

Anyone else ever get this? And if you do, how do you fall asleep?

Weekend Story Part 4 (A Couple Whipper Snappers)

2009-10-17T15:29:00.002-05:00

Start from the beginning.....

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

So all in all, London was perfect, amazing and everything else :) We did as many touristy things as we could. Riding the top of the double decker tour bus, visiting the Tower, Big Ben, Scotland Yard, Harods and a dozen other things.

And then it was time to move on to our tour. Before we got married, Mike and I met with a travel agent that convinced us joining a tour was the way to go for our first (and so far only) European adventure. We wanted to see the castles, specifically the castles of King Ludwig. There was a tour that featured the castles and visited Munich during Oktoberfest. We thought this would be perfect.

We landed in Zurich, Switzerland and immediately noticed a distinct difference no other city could compare. It was clean and by clean, I mean you could lick the trash cans clean. Even the toilets were spotless; after you flushed a mechanical arm attached to the seat and cleaned it. I was a very relaxed germaphob.

The hotel was nothing too special. It was incredibly modern with a giant life size chess board at the entrance (yes, we did play a game!). We looked around the hotel and then waited on the rest of the tour group.

I was a bit nervous. The hotel was almost empty, save a few older people with canes and us.

"What do you think the tour group will be like?" I asked Mike over a traditional fondue meal.

"I'm guessing honeymooners like us. Maybe some just married couples," Mike shrugged his shoulders and cracked some fresh pepper over the cheese pot.

I popped some bread covered in cheese in my mouth and nodded.

"Yeah, I bet it will be fun."

"I wonder if all of Europe is this clean?" Mike mumbled.

*********************

The next morning, we packed up and got ready to visit our tour group in the clean, sleek , lobby. As we got out of the elevator, we noticed a sharp contrast to the modern surroundings. Approximately 35 'older' people we congregated on the sofas and chairs. Was this our tour group?

I scanned to crowd and noticed a younger than high school boy calling a woman next to hime grandmum and then a younger couple with the buttons given to us in the tour guide. Were we supposed to wear those?

Naturally, we went beside the younger couple.

"Are you with the INSIGHT tour?" the girl from the couple asked us.

We nodded and introduced ourselves.

"Thank God, you're here," began Scott, the boy from the couple. "Everyone here is OLD. I mean dinosaur old."

Tracy, the girl, nodded. "If we didn't put on these stupid buttons, we would have left."

"It can't be that bad, hee, hee" I giggled looking around knowing it could be that bad.

Suddenly a younger, like in his thirties, man stood up and spoke. His name was Lars from Norway and he would be our tour guide. He briefly discussed the tour and then asked if anyone would need handicap assistance. Half the group rose their hands.

Mike and I slowly began to realize we would be spending the majority of our honeymoon on a giant bus with people almost four times our age.

I turned to our new friends. Our best friends for the next two weeks.

"Want to get a drink before we get on the bus?"

Will Spanky Be Where the Wild Things Are?

2009-10-15T08:46:00.003-05:00

For the past year, Spanky has religiously asked for one book to be read to him throughout the day, Where the Wild Things Are. We read the book about seven times a day to him.

To say he loves the book is an understatement. He lives for the book. Every line, every illustration. He laughs as Max makes mischief of one kind or another and chases the puppy with the fork.

Spanky saw an ad for the Wild Things movie and has since been begging us to 'play it' on our TV. I was all ready to take him to the movie until I noticed the PG rating.

Why on earth would my son's very favorite book be PG? I asked Twitter. Everyone who responded said it looked too scary for a three year-old. I asked Facebook. Almost everyone thought it wasn't right for Spanky.

But Spanky still wanted to see it.

So I took the boys to see the Sleepy Hollow play the girls were in. Dino got scared and had to be taken out but Spanky...Spanky laughed. He imitated the 'evil' laugh of the headless horseman and called him 'the funny guy with no head'. He even wanted to meet him after the show.

Surely he could handle Wild Things.

And then just last night I heard a blood curdling scream from Sarah in the other room followed by cries of Spanky. It seemed Spanky decided to play Max and stabbed his sister right under the eye with a fork.

He got in the biggest trouble of his life. Since he was playing Max, I sent him off to bed with out eating anything.

Now I don't know what mischief Max makes in the movie but I know I don't need it in our house.

So the Wild Things may have to roar their terrible roars alone while we wave 'good bye'.

Oh and don't worry about Spanky. When he woke up, he found a bowl of steel cut oats waiting for him. And it was still hot.

A Challenge for Today

2009-10-13T10:20:00.002-05:00

We do not wear our hearts on our sleeves. As a means of protection, pride or something else, we keep our wounds hidden.

But we all have them, especially these days in the midst of ahem 'jobless recovery'.

The good news is the bad times never last forever. We know this yet they can be so hard to get through.

One thing that helps is a random act of kindness.

You may or may not know someone who might need a friend right now. But I can promise you, you ran into someone that would love to sit and chat with you. To do something fun. There may even be someone who needs help putting food on the table next door.

So here's a challenge. Do something for someone. If a neighbor just lost a job, drop off a plate of cookies or invite her over for some coffee. Laugh and bring some joy into a rather grim mood. Better yet, have your neighbor for coffee and send her home with cookies because 'you just can't have those things around the house or you'll eat them all' ;)

(One note: Never ever act like you are doing something out of pity. Honestly, they'd rather have nothing than that!)

Maybe there's a mom you see a pre-school drop off that looks kind of sad. Invite her to a local coffee shop and treat her to a danish and your company. A conversation with a caring friend can brighten anyone's day!

If you home school and don't get to see many people, call an old friend to see how she is.

And if you are just too busy or your current needs are too great, do the best thing possible. pray for them! Keep a list by your bed and make sure to pray for their welfare every day. It will help more than you know!

Weekend Story Part 3 (Beyond the Velvet Rope)

2009-10-10T20:11:00.001-05:00

Need to catch-up?

Part 1

Part 2

Martin Miller greeted us at the door. Inside, we saw a small yet tastefully decorated hall. A young girl appeared out of of nowhere and offered to get our bags.

"Welcome," began the girl. "I'm afraid our suites are taken so you will need to stay at the Byron room. It's right on the second level."

I was holding tight to Mike's hand. The out of the way bed and breakfast without a sign was small and looked more like a humble home than a place that provided accommedations for strangers.

Martin broke in, "We have cocktails in the main room tonight at seven."

We glanced to out left and saw the main room and pretty much gasped. I am not sure how I would describe this room. It was like looking at a well preserved room from the seventeenth century in a museum but without the velvet rope to keep you out. It turned out Martin Miller was involved in the world of beautiful antiques. My fear of being robbed or kidnapped was quickly replaced with the fear of breaking a hundred year old vase.

Martin quickly disappeared as the young girl checked us and filled us with the details of the bed and breakfast. She also asked how we found the bed and breakfast--we mentioned Captain Bucko, and we climbed the tiny stairs to our room.

The Byron room was yellow and blue and once again, tiny. The difference, just about every item in the room was a lovely antique. Even the giant quilt on the bed looked different. The one weird thing--the bathtub was also antique. Clawfooted and stand-alone, the tub was beautiful but I was more concerned as to how I was going to shower--dragging bags through the Tube is a workout, trust me.

When the girl left the room, we began to unload our bags.

"See, "Mike grinned. "I told you."

"Yeah, yeah," I smiled and gave him a kiss.

After finding a way to clean up in the tub, we got dressed and decided to check out the cocktails downstairs. We were expecting one or two people, but let me tell you the place was packed. And these folks were dressed. We walked in and were handed wine. Really, really really, good French wine.

My ever social new husband began to introduce himself to the various guests, almost all good friends of Martin stopping by before hitting the town. In about 20 minutes, we met a publisher, author, artist, professor and other incredibly interesting people. At moments I felt like we were in a different world, sitting on a chair more than likely 200 years old, drinking some awesome wine and speaking with truly successful Londoners. We were beyond the infamous velvet rope. There was no other place we wanted to be but then we were hungry.

We ended up bidding farewell to the guests as checked out the Brazillian Meat restaurant next to the b and b. When we arrived, we were a bit nervous. The place was fairly empty and it was 7:30 pm. Our fears were reduced when we saw the food. Maybe Britain wasn't into the big stick of meat. But by nine, the place was standing room only with a line out the door. Again, we noticed the lingering diners that were engrossed in their conversations-not their plates. We decided to do as they did and lingered at our table soaking in the atmosphere and our own conversation.

Back at the b and b, cocktail hour was still going strong with new guests. After our long trk through London and knowing we wanted to hit lots of sights the following day, we opted to head to our room.

By midnight, I am pretty sure every actor and actress who performed on London's West Side was in the main room. There was singing (incredible singing even if I was tired), laughing and crashing of empty bottles dumped in the trash. We both fell asleep to the sounds, almost like a lullaby.

In the morning, we saw empty bottles everywhere as I young boy was setting up for breakfast. The breakfast room was sadly nothing special but they had some quick meals and we were pleased. (Side note--the website shows a breakfast room now--we did not have this; guess we need to go back). Our breakfast companion was a younger man from Colorado. He was on business regarding an internet start up he was working on.

"Can you believe you found this place?" he began as he took a swig of his coffee (the coffee was in beautiful tea cups).

"No, "Mike laughed. "how did you hear about it?"

"My boss has a friend who knows the guy. And you?"

So we told our new friend the tale of Captain Bucko. He listened and then stood up, grinning.

"That's so cool," he shook our hands and left. He was in a hurry to get to a flight.

I looked over at Mike and noticed he had yellow streaks in his hair. Apparently, antique pillows should not be laid on after a shower.

After cleaning off some fabric bleeds, we headed off for a day of site seeing. We had to see as much as possible--we would be joining our tour in Zurich tomorrow. And who knows who else we might meet?

Guessing Game Answer

2009-10-09T15:20:00.002-05:00

We love a parade! Especially when it's for the the local high school football team!

Yes, it was the small town high school homecoming parade. And if you've ever seen the show 'Friday Night Lights', you know just how big of a deal this is in our town!

The main streets are shut down for a couple of hours and all the neighbors come out to cheer on the team, see the court, listen to the band, and oh, get some candy the football players and others pelt us with :)

We've been doing this since Miley was born 11 years ago! The parades are always fun, festive and full of treats---one year we got so many treats, we just passed them out for Halloween :0

And now, time to get ready for the big game. It is Friday afterall ;)

A Guessing Game -- What Are They Waiting For?

2009-10-07T12:21:00.002-05:00

Here's a couple hints:

1. It is not Halloween but does involve candy.

2. It is associated with something that is a very big deal in small town Texas.

Got it? Go ahead and guess.

Staying Healthy During the Cold and Flu Season

2009-10-06T11:02:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's that time of year again. A time of sniffling, sneezing, fevers and coughs.

Ugh.

But it doesn't have to be that way or at least not for the entire 6 months.

When You Aren't Sick at All

This is the time to make sure your immunity is strong. Take in as much fresh fruits and veggies and possible. Limit sugar intake---sugar can reduce your immunity for up to 24 hours. According to Dr. Sears, the busiest time of the year is the week after Halloween. There is a link.

Keep your stress as low as possible too. Stress is also an immunity killer. Relax, give your problems to God. Don't try to do it all. Give others a chance to help :)

Wash hands in public, especially before eating. I am a big fan of this spray (Cleanwell) for on the go (much better than the alcohol based hand sanitizer).

When You Feel You Might Be Coming Down With Something

If you do catch something, it is a big signal from your body to rest. We come into contact with thousands of germs everyday. When one makes you sick, quite often, it's your body saying slow down. Take the hint and do.

Put 1-2 drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ears. If you hear 'popping', it means it's killing germs. If you still hear popping after 5 minutes do it again. Repeat for up to 20 minutes. This has stopped a virus in our family's systems more times than I can count!

Bulk up on some herbs and vitamin C. I give our family Umcka at the first sign of a cold every few hours. I have had amazing luck with it! I also like Emergen-C.

If you have a really sore throat, chew on some raw minced garlic. It tastes awful but it can really help your throat and kill those germs.

Most importantly, rest. Rest. Rest.

When You are Really Sick

Hot baths are wonderful along with hot showers. The steam and water help with congestion.

Chicken noodle soup and clear liquids are required at this point. You need to stay hydrated or you get even worse.

Use a Neti-pot to help with the congestion.

Drink Mother's Milk tea. It contains fenugreek which also loosens congestion. You can take straight fenugreek but drinking the tea helps with the fluid intake! Please ask a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.

For a really bad cough, try eating some high quality bitter sweet chocolate. Actually proven to work!

Again, most important thing. REST. The world can carry on without you for a few days. Stay home until you feel ready to take on the world. Your immune system will be down after your cold/flu so take it easy or you'll end up sick again!

I am personally not a fan of OTC meds. I do not think they help; I think they only prolong a cold/flu. Once Mike and I got sick at the same time. I did the stuff above. He took OTC meds. I was better within 48 hours. he was sick for 10 days.

I hope this helps you get through the cold/flu season!

Weekend Story Part 2 (The dollar is not a heavy as a pound)

2009-10-03T10:54:00.001-05:00

Catch up ---part 1

We landed in London, late morning (London time). We began to walk through mazes and were truly lost puppies looking for home. Mike turned to a guy next to him that looked like he rode Harleys for a living.

"You're new to this, aren't you, " he smiled.

"Yes, could we follow you?" Mike the ever trusting husband said.

"Sure," he nodded us through a gate and began to explain the whole customs process.

Mike, being his usual chatty self asked if our new friend would care to join us for coffee to thank him for his help. He would be delighted to.

So sitting down, I learned our friend, Captain Bucko, was a truly interesting individual. According to him, the good captain, he had been abroad several times and had visited many countries we were going to see.

"So where are you staying?" he inquired.

"This place called The Athenaeum," Mike answered as he pulled out the itineary the travel agent gave us.

The captain rubbed his chin, "Don't know anything about that place."

"According to our travel agent it's somewhere between a Hilton and say the Ritz--nice but not too nice, we're not the Trumps, "I was getting into the conversation.

"And it's really not too pricy, "Mike chimmed in. "It's only 380 pounds a night so that's what $185 or so?"

Captain Bucko started to laugh, "My friend, you are confusing your math. As you will quickly learn, two dollars is worth one pound, not two dollars per pound. "

Mike and I were speechless. He continued.

"The room is actually more like $760 a night. A bit OTT as they say here."

Mike and I both looked at each and mouthed 'Oh my goodness'.

I turned to Captain Bucko, "Maybe it's a mistake on this sheet. Maybe it's really dollars. A little too high but."

"We are staying there for four nights--that's like three grand," Mike blurted out.

"Well," Captain Bucko scratched his beard. "I do have some friends, the Millers. They are into antiques and have a little bed and breakfast. Let me write down their info for you. The guy who runs it is a great fella. I wouldn't be surprised if you called him and he came and picked you up himself in his land rover and took you about town."

"That would be great, "Mike was smiling. I was unsure.

"Well honey, "I began. "Why don't we see if it's a mixup at the hotel and take it from there?"

"But this seems..."

"I want to try the hotel, "I forced a smile. I was going to play the bride card and he knew it. Mike nodded and we got up from our chairs.

"Well the travel agent said we need to catch a train to the other airport because it's closer to our location and take a cab from there."

Captain Bucko nodded and got up. "I understand. Now when you get to the other airport, you exit to the left and find a que, that's a line, for cabs called blackies. Blackies are great cabs but they again are OTT."

"Oh great," Mike smiled.

"It was great meeting you again," I shook the captain's hand.

"Yes and thank for your help," Mike said pulling out his wallet.

Captian Bucko, pulled out his wallet and motioned Mike to put his away and paid for our coffee and pasteries. "You're own your honeymoon, allow me," he smiled. "And remember if you call the Millers, tell them Captain Bucko sent you they'll give you a good rate. And you can't get in without a referral."

Captain Bucko went back to the plane to catch his connection to France and we proceeded to take off for our train. Before boarding we exchanged our dollars for a small sum of pounds. Mike went to buy the tickets for the train, coach again.

"I don't know about that bed and breakfast, "I said as we were waiting.

"He seemed nice and come on three grand is going to kill us. We'll be broke."

"I'd rather be broke than on the British news as a serial killer victim, "I mumbled. "The whole thing seems like a scam. I mean who is really that nice?"

Mike sighed, "I guess you have a point. It did seem a bit odd that he knew about bed and breakfast. Well here's out train."

We got on the train and saw it was bumper to bumper people. I mean pressed to the glass so many people. There was no way we could even fit. I looked to my left and saw the other car was almost empty.

I grabbed Mike's sleeve.

"Come on, looks like no one saw this side," I was very eager to sit on one of the cushy benches I saw.

We got in and sat down across from an older man, a professor at Duke we later learned, and gave each other subtle high fives. We could not understand how the people in the other car were so well stupid to be all crammed like they were.

As the train began to roll, I was mesmorized by the beautiful countryside. It was truly lovely, The green was amazing and the little home adorable. I was getting really excited to soak in this new land.

"Tickets," the polite (and by the way, all British are polite--very polite) conductor asked our table.

The professor pulled out his ticket and then Mike pulled out his.

"Sir, "polite conductor addressed Mike. "These are for coach. You are unfortunetly in first class."

I glanced back at the crammed car behind us, and then I gave Mike my please don't-make-me-go-there look.

"Um, "Mike began. "I am so sorry. Is there anyway I can pay you the additional fee now."

Surely it's only a few bucks.

"Of course sir. That will five pounds, each."

Mike sighed and took out the wallet. Our pounds were dropping faster than a weight watcher meeting.

I smiled and continued to enjoy the countryside.

We arrived at the station and true to Captain Bucko's words, found the Blackies. We looked for the que but found nothing. We began to walk right up to the cabs when I noticed a rather large line way behind us. Our first lesson in England. You don't stand right up at the cabs for que. You poiltely wait well back. Now no one said anything as we walked straight to the front (very polite remember) but felt uneasy stares so Mike and quickly ran to the back of the que.

We got in the Blackie and drove for about a block to our hotel. Five pounds.

The Athenaeum was pretty, I will admit that. A door man went straight to our cab and grabbed our bags. He scanned our luggage tag and greeted us by Mr and Mrs last name and then led us to the lobby where he introduced us to the front desk by name and began our registration. I was impressed but not $780 a night impressed.

Will we stay at the hotel or trust Captian Bucko? Will we go see the queen? All these questions and more will be answered next week!

****Quick Update: I was reviewing old stuff and I am about 100 pounds off on the hotel room--it was 280 pounds. I thought $780 seemed too high :0****

Very Different Playlists

2009-10-01T12:09:00.002-05:00

My kids have the most unique musical tastes. They don't seem to care for the genre of their siblings. It makes for very difficult music choices in the car.

Miley is my pop girl. She loves the stuff on Radio Disney and is always happy to hear a Top 40 countdown. I hate to admit this, but I tend to shy away from her stuff the most. I just cannot get into it.

Sarah loves the 'pretty music' aka classical. She is very into the morning 'march of the day' and likes to guess the composer when a piece is played. I am guessing it is because of her love for ballet. The music and the dance go hand in hand. I do like classical and yes we do listen to it a bit more than pop in the car for the main reason that is calming (or so I tell myself).

Dino like his name loves the vocal music like Michael Buble (his Halloween costume a few years back) and the jazz. He loves watching Peanuts for the music and yes we have the Peanuts music at home. It tends to put us in happy moods.

Spanky is my classic rock fan. I have already head him sining the 'woo hoo' for 'Sympathy for the Devil' and he gets angry when I change from the classic rock station in the car.

As for me, I sometimes listen to talk radio--it keep the arguments to a minimum, at least in the car.

Just cannot get the hang of Facebook

2009-09-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

I have tried, really really tried to join all the moms, the friends from the past, the friends of the husband on Facebook.

But I just can't get it.

I don't know if it's because of all the longer messages, the quizzes, the games....I just feel confused. Am I supposed to help someone find a henchman for his mafia war? Do I bake a virtual pie with fruit someone makes on the farm?

And then there's the whole 'chatting'. I did not figure that out until a few dozen people 'messaged' me. Do I tell them I'm sorry with a general message, writing on their walls or sending them a message in their inboxes?

I think I may need to stick to get ol' fashioned email ;)

A Weekend Story Part 1

2009-09-26T17:10:00.002-05:00

A while back I started writing stories to tell the story of our honeymoon. Then life came in the way and I stopped.

While, Mike and I just had our anniversary. I was thinking back to our honeymoon and I noticed I was forgetting certain things. I do not want this to happen.

So in order to remember, these great weeks, I am bringing back my 'Sunday Story' now known as 'A Weekend Story'. I am going to back track and include my old posts for the next few weeks and then add more. Please note these are longer than normal posts, but hey, it's the weekend. The perfect time to get lost in a story ;)

The day after our wedding, my wonderful new husband and I were enjoying breakfast in out stunning honeymoon suite overlooking Dallas via a floor to ceiling window. The sun shone in the sitting room as we basked in the warm glow of new marriage. I wanted to stay in this place forever but I knew if we did we would miss out flight. Our honeymoon . We had booked a European castle tour with a brief stop in the fairy tale land of London.

We loitered as long as we could before we had to leave for the airport. We gathered our bags, checked out of the lap of luxury and climbed in the SUV. Because it was an international flight, we thought getting there two hours before would be plenty of time. Yes, it was our first international flight.

After we passed customs, a quick baggage check (the pre-9/11 baggage check), we checked in at the front desk. Because we wanted to spend three weeks overseas, most of our honeymoon allowance was spent on the tour and hotels, leaving us in coach. But how bad could that be? We flew coach to Cleveland, Florida, everywhere else. Coach is just fine.

We asked the clerk, for two seats by the window. She laughed.

"Those seats filled up hours ago," she smiled. "We only have the center seats left."

"Center can't be too bad," I smiled. Nothing was going to break my spirits. I just got married.

We got on the plane and realized the center section was five seats across and we were seats 3 and 4. I said a silent prayer that maybe seat #5 or even seat #2 would miss the flight. They did not.

Seat #5 was a young, single girl traveling for business. She seemed sweet. Seat #2 was a British man traveling with his wife in seat #1. He was a bit bigger than the average Joe but looked nice. The couple was coming back from vacation. They looked happy and relaxed.

Shortly after take off, seat #5 pulled called for stewardess and got a cup. She proceeded to pull a mini bottle of scotch out of her carry-on. I thought she might have a good idea--it was a ten hour flight after all. I noticed my new husband glancing through a magazine and decided to do the same. When the captain announced we were about to pass over New York City, I peered up from my magazine to try to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. I looked over seat #5's tray and saw two empty bottles of scotch and a third half full. I said another prayer hoping she could her liquor.

Once we started our journey over the Atlantic, both my husband and I noticed a rather foul smell. I began to worry it was our dinner. Then my husband tapped my shoulder and tilted his head toward seat #2. He had made himself more comfortable by taking off both his shoes and socks. And he really should have kept them on. The odor was worse than a boys' high school locker room (according to my husband--I've never been in one, really). I picked up the bag of chips they had just passed out and put it against my face to kill the smell. I wondered if it bothered seat #5--she was reaching for her fourth mini. And exposed a rather hairy arm pit that was suddenly giving seat #2's feet a run for their money. Lovely.

Eventually the cabin began to darken and we were entertained with a second rate movie (no I do not remember). Once it was over, I began to dooze off between my movie watching husband and sleeping seat #5.

And then Mr. Bean came on. If you are not familiar with Mr.Bean, he does zany physical comedy. Britain puffy hearts Mr. Bean or so I've been told. He was widely successful at the time. But as an American, Mr.Bean is not funny--I'm sorry my overseas friends. He's not, he's really not (at least in this Texas gal's simple mind). Well seat #2 was a HUGE Mr. Bean fan. Both my husband and I found Mr.Bean to be the perfect sleeping pill, not seat #2. Every time, I felt myself drifting away from the smell, the tight quarters, the hum of the plane...I was awakened with the sound of the most loudest gut-filled laughter I had ever heard in my life. It was a joyous laugh I would have enjoyed during daylight hours but not when I had not slept in at least 20. I was wondering if seat #5 would notice if I snagged a mini--not to drink but to break over seat #2's head. Hey, I was tired.

Finally Mr.Bean was over and 'Friends' came on. I heard seat #2 mutter about how silly the show was and put on an eye mask. And ya know what my new husband and I did. We laughed at every single joke .

Tune in next week as we visit the Queen's house and learn our dollar is not so great in the world of pounds.

The Cheapest Dish Ever That's Actually Healthy

2009-09-22T11:22:00.002-05:00

Soups are a godsend to just about any budget shopper. You can take the veggies that are on their last legs, you know still good to eat but a little limp, chop 'em up in a broth and voila, a meal!

As for the broth, I like to boil the bones from whole chicken meals. Not only is this essentially 'free' but you also get the added bonus of calcium from the bones. I usually like to make my chicken noodle soup from this broth but yesterday, it occurred to me I had too much broth for the soup. So I saved some for later.

Then I remembered I had left over spinach leaves from the night before and I started to think I could make a stracciatella, an Italian egg soup.

Basically, you take chicken broth seasoned (salt, pepper, thyme, oregano) and cook spinach in it. Then when it's simmering, drop in egg white and some grated parmesan. Let the egg white cook (almost like poaching) and serve with extra cheese. You can add rice or orzo at this point but I opted to leave it out.

Because of the spinach and broth, it was full of calcium and folate among other great vitamins. Because of the egg white, lots of protein. But the real amazing part--it cost me pretty much nothing. The bones and the wilted spinach were pretty much trash but I added an egg and some cheese.....yummy soup! And then I made the yolks from the egg into a custard for dessert.

So I encourage you to look at your veggies before you trash them for being past their prime. They just might make a great soup!

My sarcastic side sneaking out

2009-09-20T13:26:00.004-05:00

I try really hard not to ever be sarcastic in real life. I tend to have a poker face and people tend to think I am truly serious when I suggest to friends we let our kids fend for themselves in a car while we go drink tequila. I get some mean glares.

So I limit my sarcastic side to my laptop.

She pops out when I read certain things on the internet. She tends to love questions from new or almost new moms, esp. ones like this:

I am looking for a safe car seat. I know there are many out there but I want to the safest one made because this baby is very important to us and I don't want her to get hurt in a car accident.

(sarcastic me) Safety of our newborn is not a big deal. We are more into the look of the car seat. And if she gets hurt, at least she'll look good. But then our baby is not as important to us.

There are lots of 'safety' requests from the new moms. I am not sure if they think they are the first to truly love their children and want to keep them safe or if they are certain no one else has really considered safety. News flash--every mom loves their children and every mom wants to keep them as safe as humanly possible.

Then there's food.....

I am making dinner for friends and it has to be really good. I need something they will really like.

(sarcastic me) Shoot, I was going to post a recipe that people feed the dog and vomit for hours after eating but since you want to make something people actually enjoy, I'll share this....

It's stating the obvious. Of course you want to make something yummy. Duh.

Finally, education.

We are looking at schools and I want to find one that will make our child a success. I don't want the minimum. I want the best so he can be his best.

(sarcastic me) Oh we want our son to be average for his whole life. We use the phrase 'good enough for government work' daily to inspire him to reach as far as he is comfortable.

Again--the obvious. What parent does want her child to reach his full potential and have a successful life. We all do.

So there's my snippy side. A little ugly, a little rude but it's just a part of me I share with my laptop---OK maybe a little with the TV too. Yeah, I'm talking to you competitive reality stars of Amazing Race and Survivor who hate to lose--and tell us you hate to lose every chance you get. (What I would not give to be on Amazing Race and say 'I keep getting in first place and I hate it because I just feel better when I lose. I'm just not a competitive person yet I'm on this competitive show.......')

WW--The Last Messy Ice Cream of the Summer

2009-09-16T13:12:00.002-05:00

Great Budget Meals (No Ketchup Required)

2009-09-13T13:55:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was searching for some great low cost meals. About 2/3 of them began with a cup of ketchup. One lovely recipe for 'tomato' soup was literally ketchup and water. OK, I'm sure it was cheap but exactly how healthy is a combo of sugar, chemical sugar and processed tomato product?

So I decided to mix and match and find some unique meals that would be healthy and would not send us to the poor house.

My first weapon--beans. Beans are such a cheap, low cost protein and they are healthy to boot.

I sauteed red and green peppers with some cumin and oregano. Then I added minced garlic, followed by canned tomatoes with hatch chilis and some kidney beans.

I served it with grated cheddar cheese and a few tortilla chips. My kids loved it.

Second weapon--multi-purpose ingredients. I love getting a whole chicken (the organic ones are on sale at Whole Foods this week) and making something like this. The next day, we pull off some of the meat and make sandwiches by heating up the meat with some BBQ sauce. And then I take the bones and make a stock. Then with the remaining meat I make chicken noodle soup with it. Three meals from one chicken (granted I have to buy one of the bigger birds but there are six of us here!).

Also, when I menu plan for the week, I search for items with similar ingredients (such as peppers, parsley, etc.) so I can use all of.

Finally, I keep lots of veggie cuttings. You know the leaf side of the celery, the extra carrots or spinach that seems to be on its last leg? Don't throw it out! Keep it all together and make it into a veggie soup! First saute your veggie cuttings than add a little red wine, diced tomatoes (canned is fine), some veggie broth and finally some beans. And if you want to add some carbs, you can add some pasta or potatoes. All from stuff you were going to trash. Pretty cool, huh?

So there are some menu ideas to help keep the grocery bill down and you don't have to use any ketchup :)

Yes, You Can Save Money at Whole Foods

2009-09-10T11:36:00.002-05:00

A little over a year ago, Denise wrote a great post about saving money at Whole Foods. I love that post. You would not believe how much money I have saved buying the frozen wild caught salmon over fresh. And don't even get me started on the bulk.

Anyway, I'd like to share some of my own tips on this Thrifty Thursday.

1. Shop in the perimeter of the store--the produce, the dairy, the meats, the bread. The processed foods in the center should be visited quickly and toward the end. They cost more and aren't as good for you!

2. Allow one special prepared treat for each visit. The prepared stuff is really yummy but also very pricey. To keep from binging on tons of it, allow yourself one 'treat' a visit. It could be as simple as a death by chocolate brownie or as filling a hatch chili quesadilla. Allowing yourself one treat lets you sample and not feel deprived...because we all know what happens when you are deprived for too long!

3. Discover frozen fruits. Frozen fruits are frozen right after being picked so they are actually more in season than the strawberries shipped 500 miles away! I like to use frozen fruit in smoothies, muffins and pancakes. And you can get a bag of organic frozen fruit for $2-$3!

4. Speaking of produce, stick with items in season. Fresher and cheaper. Right now, that would be apples, tomatoes (for a wee bit longer), grapes, squash and potatoes (today I got some organic yukon gold new potatoes for 70 cents a pound!).

5. Bring your own bags. You get 10 cents off your bill for each bag you bring!

6. Eat before you go and stick to your list.

7. Pay cash and leave all cards and checks at home. When you reach the amount of money you have, that's it!

Lots of these tips will work in any grocery store too--esp. #6 and #7. A list is key when you want to stay in budget!

OK So How Do You Do It?

2009-09-08T11:45:00.002-05:00

I can't seem to find time for anything any more. I see bloggers with kids (some more than me) and bloggers with jobs and tiny babies. And y'all seem to be able to post pics, add links some witty prose and keep the home spotless.

So I need to know what you're doing.

Because I cannot get a handle on doing it all.

Is it extra coffee? A secret time machine?

How do you manage? Please share your tips!

I have so much to share but never the time. And the ironic thing is even without the blogging, my house is still a mess, my kids still need my time and I am lucky to get in a shower.

HELP!

The $4.98 Boot Camp Revisited

2009-08-20T19:46:00.002-05:00

About two months ago, I described my own two app work out I was going to do at home in lieu of the gym or a pricy boot camp. I bought iFitness and C25K and set out to work.

At first I was really good at using iFitness, setting up routines and doing different exercises based on their advice. However, I did not count reps. Instead, I used a timer instead and did exercises for 3 one minute spurts. It was a great work out but I have to admit, it was hard. This was primarily my own fault; Spanky was always up and grabbing an arm or a leg while I was trying to lunge or do some chest presses. I do like the app and feel it was worth the $1.99 though. It is full of great ideas. I could see it coming in handy at a gym weight room or anywhere there is not a toddler running around around ;)

C25K was different. I set up my walk/run time with some playlists that could get me pumped up. The first three weeks were super enjoyable, almost too easy. I was not a runner but was quickly going in 3-minute bursts without problem. Things started to get tricky in week 4--a 13 minute run. It was hard but I huffed and puffed my way through. The following weeks were challenging but I kept it up. As of today, I am on Week 8, day 3, starting with a 5 minute warm-up, a 28 minute run and 5 minute cool down. I am in shock that I am actually running for that long. I would have never thought this would happen but I almost feel like a runner (if my marathon-running sister is reading this, I am sure she is laughing ;) ). There are bells and a voice that tells you what to do during the run so you don't have to check your timer or anything. And it never stops the music. It just quickly plays over it. For $3.99, I declare, this one of the very, very best things you can buy to get into shape. (*Note, in my first post on this I said C25K was $2.99, I am not sure if it went up by a dollar since or if I misquoted. Consider this a $5.98 workout of I was wrong!)

But the real question. Am I losing weight? Well, for the pricey boot camp I got as a gift in the spring I lost a little over 2 pounds. With my running (which is only three days a week as compared to five day a week boot camp), I have lost SIX pounds. Woo-hoo! My clothes are also looser and again I can run 28 minutes solid.

So in closing, I would highly suggest iFitness for the routines and I would say C25K is a must for anyone who wants to exercise!

Well, she has found her hobby

2009-08-14T13:25:00.003-05:00

Like most everyone on the planet, we are cutting back on expenses. Mike and I have been going through the budget, taking out this, trading this service for that service--all to keep us in black rather than red.

I am now looking over the kids' activities. We have trimmed many of the classes, and now the kids get to choose one. This has proven difficult for Sarah. The one ballet class she wants to take with the instructor she wants to work with (the only one she wants to work with because 'she's good') is a two-day a week class; therefore the price of two classes. This is on top of a jazz class.

I have mentioned dropping jazz and she gets upset saying she needs it to balance the ballet. I say OK, how about one of the one day a week ballet class with one of the other very good instructors?

An absolute NO.

I try and explain to my eight-year old we are cutting back and taking a few things out to make sure we have money for the really important things like electricity, insurance and groceries.

Her response--fine, I won't eat as much. Just take it out of the grocery money. Or sell my American Girl dolls (yes, she really said this). Problem solved.

Uh, yeah right.

I am not selling her dolls nor I am going to take away her food.

Sarah is my first child to show me a true love for something. This morning she said 'ballet is better than dessert'.

How can I possibly deny her ballet?

I think we can trim the fat from somewhere else. Right?

Things I am not understanding

2009-08-07T19:51:00.002-05:00

I went to wash my hands at a 'spa' haircut type place and there was a pile of rocks in the sink. I asked if they were cleaning stones for hot stone massages but no, they were meant to be there. Why the heck do you put rocks in a sink--it's going to collect dirt, soap and germs. And then get moldy and smelly. I just don't see the point of rocks in a sink.

All everyone seems to talk about right now is how hot it is. Like every August. Ummm, we're in the South, it's August-----I'm thinking if it suddenly started to snow, THAT would be news. Complaining about the heat in Texas in August is like going to Alaska for Christmas and complaining about the icicles hanging off your car. It's HOT. OK. Can we please discuss something other than weather?!

I saw Thanksgiving and yes, Christmas decor at the decorating store last week. I love Christmas quite possibly more than anyone in the entire world and this bothered me. Having 'back to school' supplies right next to Santa seems just unnatural.

But I will admit I listened to a little bit of Nat King Cole's 'Christmas Song' (hey, it was HOT and it made me feel a little cooler ;) ).

I have seen the future and it takes place in a black SUV

2009-08-03T18:36:00.002-05:00

I am trying to set up all the extra-curricular activities my kids want for the school year.

Oddly, they all seem to fall on the same days in the same two--three hour time frame.

Sarah has insisted to be in a two day a week ballet class because her favorite instructor, the school director, teaches it. She refuses to even sign up for a second choice. In her words "I will only be in that class and if that class if full, they need to make room for me."

Exactly 30 minutes after that class starts, the music class Dino wants to join begins. And there are no other options here. Music is one of the few things Dino truly loves, enjoys and looks forward to. I just cannot stop this class.

Then there is Miley. The theater we went to over the summer is putting on a fall play. Miley has been bitten by the acting/singing bug and wants to desperately be a part of the fall production. Before they go to every day practice, they have three day a week, two of which take place exactly 45 minutes after Sarah's ballet starts and 15 minutes after Dino's music class.

Oh and did I forget to mention this classes are not near each other, not even close. And the class time is right around evening rush hour?

I am thinking if I drive, drop-off, drive, drop-off, drive, drop-off, pick-up, drive, pick-up, drive and pick-up drive, Spanky and I will be spending exactly three hours in the car two days a week (it won't be so bad both days as Dino's music class is just one day a week).

We may need to buy some books on CD.

August. The weirdest month of the year.

2009-08-01T11:50:00.002-05:00

I hate August. No, I love August. I cannot wait for August to just end. I wish it could stay August forever.

August is hot, really hot. It's that last month of summer, and as always summer saves the real heat for the end. I wish the leaves would just start changing.

August is the last month of summer vacation. Soon, I'll be swamped with home schooling stuff, buying books, busy school year activities and driving everywhere. Getting up early, really early, so I can work out. Having to go to bed really early, like the same time as the kids.

August is football camp. This morning, NFL players got back on the field. College teams are gearing up. Pro teams are prepping for pre-season games. The Browns have not lost any games. The Buckeyes could be national champs.

August is weird. I can't decide if I am overjoyed that today is the first day of August or if I am just trembling with fear about what the month is about to bring.

Now You Know Why We Avoid Shopping Together

2009-07-30T09:10:00.001-05:00

Mike has been doing a great deal of work at home (which I love by the way!), and this afternoon, Mike had to prepare for a big meeting.

I decided to take the kids out of the house so he could focus in peace. Since we are starting school very soon I thought going ahead and getting school supplies would be an awesome idea.

The kids were of course, thrilled.

So we get there and the usual patterns begin.

"Can I have this?"

"Wait, I need to see if there's anything new at the dollar stop!"

"They have Mcqueen stickers!!!!!"

And so my three older children began the constant questions, chatters and begging. Spanky never bothered to ask. He was far too busy filling up the cart with things he needed (the things all two year old need--water bottles, post it notes, balls, glue, markers, crayons, locker mirrors, protractors, erasers.....).

Trying to make sure I was getting everything on the extremely specific lists, I let the kids continue and went on with the shopping.

I was glad I came early because all the kids seemed to start wondering, especially Spanky who had his hands full with 5 lunch boxes (one for each day I suppose).

So anyway, I ended up letting the three older kids get a special 'school' treat. The girls got fancy folder covers and Dino got a Cars notebook (their school keeps most supplies plain so this was a big deal). I figured I would try to barter with Spanky with something he already put in the cart.

At the check-out line, I mentioned to the cashier, I did not need everything in the basket and would be giving her a few items. It was easy to do at this point since Spanky was very distracted with candy by the register.

I handed her:

23 bottles of glue
7 bottles of clear glue
5 mini-post it packs
9 boxes of 24 count crayons
3 water bottles
6 lunch boxes
2 Hello Kitty back packs (guess he was thinking of his sisters?)
1 Koosh ball
7 packages of markers
2 index card packs
1 soup container

Miley commented as she was trying to wrestle Spanky away from the candy that she understood why I never liked to go to Target during the day and I only went at night when Daddy was home.

"I have a head ache and my legs hurt chasing that boy," she mumbled as we got in the car.

Sarah of course chimed in saying she would be happy shopping online from now on.

I smiled, thinking this would end the endless quests to go to Target on a lazy day.

And when I got home, I had everything we needed for the school list plus:

4 extra index card packages
3 extra sets of jumbo markers
2 folders
1 extra set of erasers

I'm sure I'll find a use for those items somehow ;)

WW--What a Toddler Does When He is Stuck in a Theater for Weeks

2009-07-29T06:07:00.000-05:00

Cannot Live Without Foods

2009-07-27T13:06:00.002-05:00

We are trying some new items out at the Very Busy with 4 household right now so bear with me as I must once again miss Menu Monday. In lieu, I 'd like to share some of my items I always have handy just in case.

For breakfast, I always have eggs on hand. Honestly eggs are the miracle product. I can scramble 'em, fry 'em, bake 'em or whatever. I almost always serve eggs with salsa too--a house in Texas cannot be without salsa (pretty sure it's a state law ;) )

For quick lunches, I always make sure there are tortillas and cheddar cheese for quesadillas. I can whip these up pretty quick with a pannini press too. I tend to keep at least one package of tortillas in the freezer and we always have Mammoth Cheddar on hand :)

For snacks, I try to keep all ingredients for a smoothie on hand--that would be milk, fat-free plain yogurt and frozen berries. My kids live off these esp. in the summer!

For dinner, I always have a boneless skinless chicken breast (in freezer) and baby spinach. With these items and some various veggies, I can whip up a grilled chicken salad in a matter of minutes (just have to remember to thaw the chicken!).

For quick desserts (and if I know friends are stopping by), a container of heavy whipping cream and fresh berries. I can whip the cream with some sugar and vanilla (also always here) and serve over berries. I also like to grate some Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate over the dessert (yes, the chocolate is always here!).

And of course, there are always some French roast coffee beans. I need my coffee!

Now if you are really wanting a meal plan this week, check out Jen at Chive Talkin' :)

Split Personality

2009-07-25T11:55:00.002-05:00

I have been leading two very different lives on the internet. There is the mommy of 4 here on the blog and Facebook, and then there is the very political and opinionated girl from Texas on Twitter who sometimes discusses a bit of her other life. I even use a different name but do reference my blog.

A while back I did do a political post on here and then another. It just didn't feel right. My blog is a journal of my life with my husband and kids. I know I do not share the same political views as my friends on this blog (and thank goodness, how terrible would the world be if we never spoke to those who think differently?). I'd rather discuss other issues here--things we can all relate to in some degree.

Twitter I am all-together different person. Different name, different attitude. I rarely 'hold back' and do speak my mind. It's my place to let loose and discuss world events. Not the day to day mommy stuff I usually talk about. It's a refreshing change.

And then came Facebook.

Facebook includes so many of in-real-life friends along with blogging friends. I decided from the start I would use Facebook more like my conversations I have with my friends. I admit when I see some 'status' messages that include anything remotely political, I am tempted to say something, but I will not. Beside, talking all politics can be really tiring. Is it just me or do you get emotional after watching too much news?

There are times when path cross and I do have many blog friends who also follow me on Twitter (and bless those who think differently then me and still follow me!), and I do list my blog on Twitter, and my Twitter handle is named on Facebook. But for the most part I keep it separate.

So am I alone here? Anyone else guilty of split personalities? And if you are on Facebook, let me know! (If you dare to follow me on Twitter, I am Lisaindallas -- but don't say I didn't warn ya!)

Well that's different

2009-07-23T18:48:00.002-05:00

We parent differently. We are as unique as our children. I believe God gave us our children because we will know the best way to parent them (whether through birth or adoption--His hands brings us together).

Unless there is abuse, I see different parenting methods as just that. Different methods. Maybe not for me but maybe for them.

So at the pool the other day I saw a mom with three young boys, ranging from say 6 months to 5 years. She was 'playing' with them in the shallow portion of the pool. 'Playing' for this mom consisted of kicking (yes, kicking) her oldest in the stomach so he fell back in the shallow water falling completely in. He came out coughing from air he swallowed. She stopped, asking if he was OK. He nodded so she did it again. And this time, when he came out coughing, she laughed. Then she threw one of those balls soaked with water to her middle son, well not threw, more whipped it at his chest. Once again, fell over. And more laughter.

I turned to some life guards. The teenage boys were watching the mom with their mouths dropped open.

Then she sat back down with the baby she was holding the entire time and let the boys play. Please note, the baby never even touched the water or got splashed--both mom and brothers were very gentle and sweet to the little guy (he was very cute!).

I am still not sure what to think. I know my husband has bugged me about handling my kids, especially the boys, with kitten gloves. I am just not the 'rough house' type. I could never imagine doing this with my kids.

So I'm wondering. Is this normal? I mean they all seemed to happy and laughing (when not coughing). Am I just too 'soft'?

But what is normal?

2009-07-20T14:09:00.003-05:00

The kids have taken their final bows, I have penciled the last Siamese eyebrow on the last child. The play is over.

Now we can get back to normal.

After we wash the piles of clothes that have been waiting. After we wash all those bed sheets that have been waiting. After we scrub the floors that seem to have taken on new colors. After we wash the mountain of dishes. After we catch up on all the mail I've left in a giant pile. After I return those 40-50 phone calls. After I respond to the emails.

Then I can get back to normal.

The days when my kids go to bed at a decent hour and wake up at decent hour. The days when the kitchen stays clean. The days when I have some summer school work ready. The days I have that one load of laundry and I am totally on top of it. The days the kids do their 15 minute clean-ups plus their chores. The days we go a quick fun activity. The days everything is together.

Do you have a lot of those 'normal' days?

I have to be honest. I cannot remember my last 'normal' day.

Our new 'normal' always seem to include some sort of snag. Kids staying up too late. A broken AC. A quick errand that turns into a four event. Running out of milk right when I am about to make muffins is 'normal'.

Maybe I should think about wanting an 'abnormal' day. Those days when everything seems to be perfect......but then how boring would I be?

Someone was going to say it sooner or later

2009-07-17T12:19:00.003-05:00

It finally happened last night.

"I've been watching him. I don't know if it's ADD or tourettes or just discipline, but I know something is wrong with him," a mom said looking at me.

She was talking about Dino.

Dino, my sweet lovable boy who seems to be a little delayed in almost everything but kindness. His gait is getting better, his speech is getting a little better. But he's still not up to snuff.

I know he's not. We've been to doctors. His special ed teachers don't know what it is. They think maybe dyspraxia, maybe mental cognition. The doctors think it might be the low muscle tone--that he will get better, it will just take longer and more work. I have asked about autism--every doctor and teacher has said no, not in the slightest. Some friends think he make have selective mutism because he has moments of perfectly clear conversation with me but very few other people.

I know because of the delays, he has confidence issues. We are trying to build him up. We have been blessed with this theater experience to have so many kids run up and hug him. His older sisters praise him constantly.

Things just aren't clicking.

He has had a few outbursts on stage because someone is out of place, and usually in his spot on stage, or his clothing gets messed up and he tries to fix it.

The other night when I was putting him to bed it took every bone in my body not to shake him and scream 'what is wrong with you?' but I held back, spoke to him. I did most the talking as his looked at me and nodded his head, occasionally whispering a quick response.

He does have a few friends at school. He laughs, he plays but rarely actually talks with them. It's more gestures and smiles.

I don't know what I should be doing to help him. I fear I am the reason he is having so many issues. I don't do enough with him. I don't give him the care and help he needs. I wish I could just wave a magic wand and he would be 'normal'.

COMMUNITY Theater

2009-07-14T15:19:00.003-05:00

When I first signed up the kids to be in the summer musical at the local theater, I will admit it was because of two primary reasons, 1. keep them busy 2. cheap (near free) alternative to pretty much everything else out there.

I was first surprised when I found how much both the kids and I were enjoying it. No community theater is not Broadway, but I challenge anyone on Broadway to come up with half the quality of set design and costumes with the shoe string budget our little community theater has! The director has amazed me too--taking my very shy, Dino and bringing home on the stage to perform, taking my lovely girls and showing them the magic that happens when you step on stage and the audience claps. I could go on but I am sure you get the point!

But even if these things were not there, this experience would be worth it. For a reason I did not see until we spent hour after hour with the older children in the green room. The real feel of community.

The older, more seasoned performers seem to take on a natural, loving, older sibling role to the younger, less experienced cast members. I have looked around the room and seen the prince (a middle schooler) sit down and chat with Dino about whatever, the King (an amazingly talented senior) calm down a crying Spanky telling him 'one day I tell you, you will be king', one of the wives gently fixing Sarah's wig, and another wife sitting and telling jokes with pre-schoolers. And that is just the tip of ice burg! There is so much encouragement and love from the older kids to the younger and vice versa. No one thinks they are 'better' or 'too good' to settle down and hang out with the different age groups. They hang out together and have a good time! I don't know if it theater magic or the community feel that seems to radiate in everything there--whatever it is, I wish I could bottle it and share it with the world.

Chatting with another parent, he made the following comment regarding the older children, "I can only hope my children will act that way when they are older."

I could not agree more.

And now--back to the green room!

WW--When a baby boy is left alone with his big sisters

2009-07-08T20:59:00.002-05:00

It's 9:50 pm and my kids are wide awake...

2009-07-06T21:50:00.002-05:00

And it's not going to change anytime soon.

It turns out the play they are in, 'The King and I', lasts at least three hours. Night performances start at seven pm and they are all in the last scene.

The last practice ended around 8 pm, and Dino fell asleep in the middle of the stage in the bow position.

I need to change their clocks and turn them into temporary night owls.

If I heard another mom tell me this, I would say she was insane. Why would ever want your kids to break into your 'me' time?

Well, maybe I have gone a bit batty. The thought of letting my five year old son stay up as late as me (if not later) is a bit crazy.

But there is bright side. They sleep in. This morning they slept until 8:45 am. Really.

Guess for a little while, I'll just have morning 'me' time. Until I have to change the clocks back for school which sadly is closer than it looks.

Wish me luck on that one ;)

This is America

2009-07-05T13:51:00.006-05:00

**Please click on the above picture if it's not all showing. I am once again having sizing issues :0

I cannot think of a better picture of the Fourth of July. No there aren't any fireworks or flags but to me this is America.

The smiling boy, full of hope, optimism and joy, like the American spirit so many are drawn to around from around the world. The standard American fare beside him--Coca Cola, nachos, junk food. Symbols of America. The blur next to him--America is never slowing down. The mix of the crowd--we do not have a national language, we don't have a similar look (OK most of do have big, blonde hair in the Lone Star State). We are a melting pot, of cultures, ideas, traditions.

And of course, the football field lit up with the bright lights. This is small town Texas. The only place to be on Friday nights in the fall; the only place for our small town to be on the Fourth of July.

Happy Birthday America!

Suddenly I'm Bright and Breezy

2009-07-02T21:28:00.002-05:00

I am not a stage mom. Not in the least.

But three of my kids are in a big musical production this summer. And we have been sitting at the theater for over three hours almost every day practicing. I've even downloaded the songs they sing for the play and we practice at home.

The meeting of the royal prince and princesses, Getting to know you, Home Sweet Home, The Temple, the procession, the tearful ending. We practice the dancing, the bowing.

And they are having a blast. And guess what? I am too!

I never would have thought sitting in the theater watching the scenes over and over again would be magical. Yet they are.

I can honestly say neither I or the kids have 'Hollywood dreams' --we love the Lone Star State far too much. However, as an activity--this may be right up there with ballet.

So on with the show...what show, you ask.

Here's a clip from the movie, based on the musical. It is not puzzlement, I think it's one we've all gotten to know ;)

So Different, Yet So Alike

2009-06-30T19:45:00.002-05:00

All my kids have their differences, they are different people.

But there's one weird thing Sarah and Spanky have in common.

When Sarah was two, she would wake up say 'swimsuit' and wear a swimsuit all day. She also stood by the door later saying 'swimming' because 'I in my swimsuit'. I'd giggle, she'd giggle and then it was forgotten.

Now every morning Spanky wakes up and says 'wimsuit' (can't say he's 's's) and then walks to the door and says 'wimming. I dressed'. I giggle, he pouts, cries and starts to hit the door.

Well maybe not too much alike......

Billy Mays, Entertainer Wherever He Went

2009-06-29T08:36:00.003-05:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Rest in peace Billy Mays--you made the informercial fun. You will be missed!

The $4.98 Boot Camp

2009-06-25T10:07:00.003-05:00

Last month, my wonderful, generous husband treated me to a full month at one of the more pricier boot camps in our area.

It ended this week and I left 1 pound lighter, 6 1/2 inches smaller and 5% less body fat.

Not bad.

But now it's over. And unless our money tree comes to life, I won't be going back anytime soon.

So I have been trying to come up with a replacement.

I now know the boot camp 'routine' light cardio mixed with intense cardio and a variety of muscle building work-outs done in specific amounts of time. Variety being the key.

At first, I went from memory. I remembered a few of the routines and I mixed in those routines with some light to hard running. Two mornings later, I was at a loss.

I needed some variety along with a good timer. On a whim, I wondered if there was 'an app for that' on the good ol' iphone. Surprise, there are quite a few 'apps for that'.

For cardio, I found an app called 'C25K'. This running program takes you from literally the couch to a 5K 30 minute run in 9 weeks. For $2.99, I figured why not and downloaded it. I got to play my own music (something that really annoyed me about boot camp--the instructor seemed to love Beyonce--me, not so much) and do some running/walking combos. I finished covered in sweat.

OK, that covered the cardio but my main issue was the strength exercises. I searched the apps long on this one and found the most popular one, 'iFitness' for $1.99. Even without stepping foot in a gym, I have quickly found a number of different exercises that I can build into routines and keep track of them. I have paired these with the timer already on the phone, mixed in some cardio bursts (jumping jacks, jump rope, burpees) and I have my own little boot camp.

Now there are some things that I just can't substitute from boot camp. The social aspect of boot camp is missing. I don't get to huff and puff while chatting with others about summer vacations, kids, etc. so I might try to rope in some local friends. Even if I can't, maybe you might want to join me. If you are interested in trying this $4.98 boot camp, email me at verybusymomwith4@gmail.net . If anything, we can compare routines, time and helpful tips. Who knows--maybe we could even do posts with our routines and some encouragement like my instructor did.

So in short, it's not not perfect but for $4.98 plus tax, this boot camp is hard to beat!

WW-Typical Morning in Small Town Texas

2009-06-24T05:33:00.001-05:00

Letting Spanky Be Spanky

2009-06-22T07:55:00.002-05:00

Spanky is a very strong-willed, independent little boy. He likes things his way. It's how God made him. And that is OK.

Except we don't go to many public places with him.

The other week, we decided after a pretty good behavior day in church (aka no children pulled hair or pushed siblings head-first into pews) to take the entire family out for Tex-Mex. Including Spanky.

The meal started out OK. The kids gorged on chips and queso with guac followed by stuffed jalepenos. I enjoyed a frozen margarita with Mike.

And then some Tom Petty hit the speakers.

Spanky loves classic rock.

He quickly got down from his seat and began to waltz around our table to the beat. And of course a waltzing toddler has no concept of personal space. He began to bump into waitresses carrying the hot plates of fajita meat and other patrons enjoying their meal.

It was at that moment I had a decision to make.

Pull him back up the table which would result in screams and kicks or let him continue and enjoy the show.

I took a breath and chose the latter. I motioned Miley to guide Spanky to less busy areas. Before I took another sip of my frozen drink, all four of my kids were dancing to 'Last Dance With Mary Jane'.

A couple beside us smiled. The waitresses, who carefully watched their footing, smiled. A family in front of us turned and smiled. It was working out.

And then Spanky found a giant half dead june bug.

He screamed "Bug, bug," directing all attention to the rather unappetizing insect.

Of course all four children had to investigate, poke and comment.

I focused on my stuffed shrimp and tried to coo the kids back to their seats for the quesadillas. No dice.

After what seemed liked hours, the kids came back to the table and ate. I had another margarita.

When the meal was done, I noticed people still smiling at us. I smiled back and gratefully got the kids to the nearby fountain to get out the rest of the energy they seemed to be full of. Lynyrd Skynard was playing so Spanky really wanted to dance. (Can you blame him though--I mean 'Sweet Home Alabama'--come on!)

Mike and I plopped down on the bench and let the kids go nuts, Spanky leading the way.

I looked up and saw the couple that sat across from us walk over to our bench.

They actually thanked us for letting the kids have fun and dance. They told us they thought the kids were entertaining and made them smile.

I was over the moon with pride.

Then they pulled out a card and told us they are the owners of the restaurant and wanted to to treat us to our next meal.

I looked down and saw a very generous gift card.

All for letting Spanky be Spanky.

Watching TV as History Repeats

2009-06-21T18:00:00.003-05:00

The past few days, I have been shocked and saddened by the protests in Iran, especially things like this. People protesting for a fair election are being beaten, jailed and killed.

It make me so grateful to live in a country where my vote does count and where I can protest without fear of harm.

But I grieve for these poor people. They need our prayers.

The event reminds of the protests in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago. College students protesting for something we were given at birth. College students killed for wanting what we take for granted.

Please take a few moments to pray for the men, women and children who are risking their lives to speak out, and pray it does not end as horribly as Tiananmen Square.

Since the protests began, the following song has been in head. When the song first came out, I found it as the awful truth--here we are watching TV without a care in the world while people are facing horrors to have their voices heard.

People are dying for freedom, won't you grieve with me.

***Warning--this video contains graphic images, please make sure your children are not near the computer screen!!!!****

Vowing to spend less means doing so much more

2009-06-18T19:57:00.003-05:00

For the first time since the weekend, I am sitting on the couch with the lap top, TV on and a Shiner in my hand. The kids are outside playing in the hose.

And I am relaxed......

Really.

It's ironic. This summer I vowed to spend the lowest amount possible on summer activities. I did--seriously, I have spent about 1/4 what I usually spend. Yet, the insanely cheap activities the kids are doing seem to have about triple the time commitment. Really.

A very cheap small town track club is three days a week--2 hours each time.

Community theater ranges from 3 to 6 days a week--anywhere from 2 to 5 hours each time.

Vacation Bible School for the whole week, always cheap.

Swim lessons from an awesome friend for about 1/2 what everyone else charges--four times a week, four weeks.

And this leaves me amazingly pleased and tired all at the same time. I am thrilled to have found such great alternative activities for the kids I don't feel like I should complain at all. So I won't.

I'll just lift up this Shiner and wish you all a very fun-filled summer and a bit of advice--check out the cheap and free stuff your hometown offers, if you haven't. I promise--you will be shocked and thrilled all at once.

Thank you, we'll be here all summer

2009-06-15T15:33:00.002-05:00

To say the last week or so has been hectic, would be like calling the Hindenburg a sad event. Between near tornados, days without electricity, ballet recitals, potty training and Vacation Bible School, we've barely had a moment to breathe, much less sleep.

But we still need to eat.

So today after my 5 am boot camp, I made some blueberry bran muffins, loaded up the kids for Vacation Bible School, dropped Spanky off at the nursery and then proceeded to take care of a group of kids who had a real love for life for a few hours (a real bright spot--everyone should be lucky enough to work with kids who aren't their own for at least a little while).

Once I helped send the other kids home, and after making sure everyone went to the bathroom, we drove out to Whole Foods to get our groceries for the week. Now usually I would never take four young children to the grocery store on an early Monday afternoon during the peek shopping hours after spending an entire morning in a loud, fast paced VBS setting. But because the loss of electricity had destroyed every item in the fridge, we had no choice.

So there we were.

Naturally, the kids wanted a car cart--the great carts that are impossible to maneuver yet manage to hold almost nothing. Miley decided to chase Spanky down aisles and then I got to chase them hoping Dino and Sarah were behind me.

After carefully placing items on top of items and walking with the most careful grace, we made it to the cashier. I sighed, giving myself a silent 'You did It' reward and feeling pretty darn proud, right on que, Spanky started to scream, Miley took off to grab a different salad dressing (the girl lives for salad), Sarah began tugging my shirt to ask for the 'treat box' and Dino scanned to groceries looking for his favorites.

I smiled, trying to hold myself together and turned to the people behind me and I got the comments I seem to always get.

"They're so entertaining."

"Y'all are a hoot to watch!"

"Wow--they sure are fun!"

"This is fun watching them!"

"I am just having a ball just watching y'all!"

It appears my chaos brings a smile to some people's faces. Now if only I could paid based on the amount of chaos I deal with on an hourly basis, I would be a very rich mommy :)