Forget the Sound of Music - these are a few of my favorite things. (By the way - who really like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens - please.)
Burt's Bees lipgloss
Smartwool socks
Heidi's recipe for homemade pumpkin bread
Mackenzie River pizza (available in Montana only, alas)
Norwex cleaning cloths - still amazed at how well they clean
Arnica montana homeopathic remedy for bruises - it really works
Trader Joe's lavender salt scrub
Nad's hair removal paste (be prepared though...)
smell of sheets hung on the line (wonder if anyone's managed to bottle that)
pretty much anything written by John Ortberg, Kevin Leman or Mark Buchanan
Ipod - jamming to ABBA had got my through many a miserable day
Air One or even better the Refuge Radio (but I can't get it in out here)
Miriam's Massage
Knitpicks.com - best yarn prices I've found
Facebook - but it's a time sucker
Sudoku
Malarky - great family game, especially when you spend more time arguing about the rules than playing the game
Kohl's clearance racks
Duluth, MN - one of my favorite places to visit
Caribou Daybreak coffee - mmmmmm!
Costco - I find deals and the kids like the free samples
Dove chocolates (need I say more - it's chocolate!)
Ghirardelli chocolate chips - they make all the difference in the world
Macintosh computers
Mercer Mayer books - love looking for the little spider or mouse on each page
Dr. Suess - Bartholomew and the Oobleck is still one of the best
Behr and Benjamin Moore paint - still prefer this to just about anything else - I don't care what Consumer Reports says
Wooster's little purple brush - the best angled brush for a woman's hand
Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece yarn - best for baby hats
Aveda Replenishing Body Lotion - works great for dry skin and I love the smell
Tea tree oil - works great on canker/cold sores (if you can get past the taste/smell) and on cuts to disinfect
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
in the wash today...
Fingernail clippers! That's where they went. Wonder who the guilty culprit was?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
quote of the day
"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
good morning
This is why I am not a morning person.
Hubby's alarm went off at 6:15 a.m. and he shut it off without getting out of bed. My boys (by some freak of nature) are early risers and were out of bed before him. Not so quietly out of bed, I should add.
The morning drill around our home is for everyone to go quietly downstairs, pour cereal and milk and remain quiet until Mom gets up, at...well I won't tell you what time because it, ahem, varies. This morning, they all decided to pile into the bathroom while Dad turned on the space heater and climbed into the shower (warmest room in the house, you see.) Only this morning, the pipes were froze, hubby was running late, Thing #4 had poop in his pants and all Thing #2 could whine about was the bacon he didn't eat for supper last night and wanted now for breakfast.
Mom was dragged from deep underneath the down comforter and a not-so-deep sleep, having figured out precisely what was going on, and rather kicking herself for not putting the heater going next to the pipes that perpetually freeze in winter, particularly in temperatures like what we're experiencing right now.
Note the picture to the left as proof of Minnesota's ridiculous winters and the fact that I was out of bed before 7:30 am. Actually had I thought of this sooner, I would have photographed proof at the actual time I got out of bed - 6:45 a.m. I can't even remember the last time I was up this early.
So, hubby is trying to get to work with no running water. Things 2-4 are hungry and Thing #1 has gone outside to start the truck. The pipes are still frozen as I'm writing this, so hubby would have had no chance to shower this morning and still make it to work on time. My solution for his situation? I found a pitcher of water in the fridge, dumped it into a stockpot and had to reprogram the stove since apparently the power went off last night. A few minutes later, I'm dripping semi-warm water over his head in the ktichen sink so he can manage the bed head a little bit.
Then, like the good wife I am, I even styled his hair with way too much mousse. But, he actually looked pretty good, all things considered. Next came dealing with the reek coming from Thing #4 and we are off to the races this morning. Kids got fed. I got my picture. And a blog entry to boot.
Good grief. So, here I sit, freezing cold and I'm not even close to hungry at this time in the morning. Think I'll go back to bed and get up in a couple of hours - then it WILL be a good morning.
Hubby's alarm went off at 6:15 a.m. and he shut it off without getting out of bed. My boys (by some freak of nature) are early risers and were out of bed before him. Not so quietly out of bed, I should add.
The morning drill around our home is for everyone to go quietly downstairs, pour cereal and milk and remain quiet until Mom gets up, at...well I won't tell you what time because it, ahem, varies. This morning, they all decided to pile into the bathroom while Dad turned on the space heater and climbed into the shower (warmest room in the house, you see.) Only this morning, the pipes were froze, hubby was running late, Thing #4 had poop in his pants and all Thing #2 could whine about was the bacon he didn't eat for supper last night and wanted now for breakfast.
Mom was dragged from deep underneath the down comforter and a not-so-deep sleep, having figured out precisely what was going on, and rather kicking herself for not putting the heater going next to the pipes that perpetually freeze in winter, particularly in temperatures like what we're experiencing right now.
Note the picture to the left as proof of Minnesota's ridiculous winters and the fact that I was out of bed before 7:30 am. Actually had I thought of this sooner, I would have photographed proof at the actual time I got out of bed - 6:45 a.m. I can't even remember the last time I was up this early.
So, hubby is trying to get to work with no running water. Things 2-4 are hungry and Thing #1 has gone outside to start the truck. The pipes are still frozen as I'm writing this, so hubby would have had no chance to shower this morning and still make it to work on time. My solution for his situation? I found a pitcher of water in the fridge, dumped it into a stockpot and had to reprogram the stove since apparently the power went off last night. A few minutes later, I'm dripping semi-warm water over his head in the ktichen sink so he can manage the bed head a little bit.
Then, like the good wife I am, I even styled his hair with way too much mousse. But, he actually looked pretty good, all things considered. Next came dealing with the reek coming from Thing #4 and we are off to the races this morning. Kids got fed. I got my picture. And a blog entry to boot.
Good grief. So, here I sit, freezing cold and I'm not even close to hungry at this time in the morning. Think I'll go back to bed and get up in a couple of hours - then it WILL be a good morning.
Friday, January 9, 2009
cupped
There is a downside to hubby's job. And to the fact that my kids are way too smart for their own good.
A few days ago, hubby thought it would be funny to bring in his handcuffs from the truck and cuff the ankles of two fighting boys together. The other two howled in amusement.
Tonight, Thing #4 didn't like it when I told him that he couldn't just take vitamin C out of the bottle and take it whenever he wanted. (Although, it was nice of him to be health-conscious.) Anyway, he got a disgusted look on his face and told me, "Then I going to hand-cup you!"
Unfortunately, hubby thought this was a great idea, so here I am, trying to tell you all an amusing story about how my son talks, and I've got a heavy metal handcuff weighing my arm down, while Thing #4 tries to drag me into the living room to show Dad. When that failed, he grabbed a stool from the kitchen and took down Dad's keys. Now I'm typing with one hand as he tries to "un-cup" me. He even knew which key was the right one. Man this thing is heavy!
I got released and now the cups are going after Dad. But that didn't last long - as Dad is interrogating him about how I got loose. He's ignoring all questions, simply telling Dad, "Now, it's your turn!"
So nice of him to share.
A few days ago, hubby thought it would be funny to bring in his handcuffs from the truck and cuff the ankles of two fighting boys together. The other two howled in amusement.
Tonight, Thing #4 didn't like it when I told him that he couldn't just take vitamin C out of the bottle and take it whenever he wanted. (Although, it was nice of him to be health-conscious.) Anyway, he got a disgusted look on his face and told me, "Then I going to hand-cup you!"
Unfortunately, hubby thought this was a great idea, so here I am, trying to tell you all an amusing story about how my son talks, and I've got a heavy metal handcuff weighing my arm down, while Thing #4 tries to drag me into the living room to show Dad. When that failed, he grabbed a stool from the kitchen and took down Dad's keys. Now I'm typing with one hand as he tries to "un-cup" me. He even knew which key was the right one. Man this thing is heavy!
I got released and now the cups are going after Dad. But that didn't last long - as Dad is interrogating him about how I got loose. He's ignoring all questions, simply telling Dad, "Now, it's your turn!"
So nice of him to share.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
enhancements
I hardly ever follow a recipe as it's written. Not sure if it's because I just like to "improve" things a bit. Or if my taste buds are just so much more refined that I know better than a recipe's creator about what will taste better. Or if I just can't leave things alone. Or, well you get the idea - I'm ridiculous really.
I add more salt and pepper to everything I cook, unless it's cookies or bars. I add garlic powder to almost everything, including bread. I don't even make the infamous green bean casserole as it's written on the recipe. (You guessed it - garlic powder and sometimes minced onions.)
Last night I was scratching at the bottom of the pantry, finding nothing to make for supper. We'd already had Italian and Mexican this week, so spaghetti was out and no one wanted soup. (Why this is, I just can't understand. I LOVE soup, especially during the nine months of the year it's cold around here, but no one else does. I have to beg to make chicken noodle. They even consider chili soup. The only way I can get anyone to eat tomato soup is by adding in cream, basil and my home-canned stewed tomatoes - and even then they won't eat it without grilled cheese sandwiches...grrr.)
Anyway, I only had one chicken breast left in the freezer, which wouldn't feed me, let alone the four carnivores begging for supper. So, I did what moms everywhere have done since the day Cain and Abel learned to beg for food - I improvised.
One can of cream of mushroom soup left. One chicken breast, spiced up with chipotle seasoning. Half a can of french fried onions. Two cans of beans. A third a bag of frozen corn. And barely two cups of milk left in the jug. Whew - I've got rice left! Dump in a cup. Add salt and pepper. Add garlic powder. Add worcestershire sauce. Add some minced onions (this is green bean casserole, after all). Cover and bake.
The entire house smelled downright yummy as it baked. And somehow, it tasted just as good as it smelled. I have to brag - it was fabulous.
What was not-so-great: everyone had seconds except hubby (who was sick, so it wasn't the food) and I was left with an entire 9x13 pan devoured with only one teeny spoonful left - not even enough to feed the cat.
That's what I get for enhancing.
I add more salt and pepper to everything I cook, unless it's cookies or bars. I add garlic powder to almost everything, including bread. I don't even make the infamous green bean casserole as it's written on the recipe. (You guessed it - garlic powder and sometimes minced onions.)
Last night I was scratching at the bottom of the pantry, finding nothing to make for supper. We'd already had Italian and Mexican this week, so spaghetti was out and no one wanted soup. (Why this is, I just can't understand. I LOVE soup, especially during the nine months of the year it's cold around here, but no one else does. I have to beg to make chicken noodle. They even consider chili soup. The only way I can get anyone to eat tomato soup is by adding in cream, basil and my home-canned stewed tomatoes - and even then they won't eat it without grilled cheese sandwiches...grrr.)
Anyway, I only had one chicken breast left in the freezer, which wouldn't feed me, let alone the four carnivores begging for supper. So, I did what moms everywhere have done since the day Cain and Abel learned to beg for food - I improvised.
One can of cream of mushroom soup left. One chicken breast, spiced up with chipotle seasoning. Half a can of french fried onions. Two cans of beans. A third a bag of frozen corn. And barely two cups of milk left in the jug. Whew - I've got rice left! Dump in a cup. Add salt and pepper. Add garlic powder. Add worcestershire sauce. Add some minced onions (this is green bean casserole, after all). Cover and bake.
The entire house smelled downright yummy as it baked. And somehow, it tasted just as good as it smelled. I have to brag - it was fabulous.
What was not-so-great: everyone had seconds except hubby (who was sick, so it wasn't the food) and I was left with an entire 9x13 pan devoured with only one teeny spoonful left - not even enough to feed the cat.
That's what I get for enhancing.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
design work
Here's why I love my mac. :) Hope you like the end results as much as I did. (My services are for sale.)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
boys winter pics
Thought I'd share some of the latest images my new camera has captured. I usually do fall pictures of the boys, but this year (as you can see in the background) it got done a little late. I was still pleased with the results...
With this many kids, it usually takes quite a few shots before you get one decent one, but this year went much quicker. Maybe the cold is incentive for them to smile their best so they can get back inside. Lest you think I'm a horrible mother, let me tell you that they had on long-johns and long-sleeved shirts under their blue dress shirts and it was ONLY 20 degrees outside.
I love the blues and browns together in all these shots and after seeing how they turned out, wasn't even upset about the snow in the background.
I should tell you though, that we "scrambled" around quite a bit to find something for the boys to wear. I wasn't organized enough this year to find them anything matching or even coordinating. So, we dug in closets to see what we could find. Luckily they all had long-sleeved white shirts and some form of blue dress shirt. The only trouble was that the smallest one's shirt was, well small. So, I ripped shirts off the other three's backs and passed them down the line, knowing I had a hand-me-down shirt for the oldest boy from one of his cousins. Viola! They're all wearing shirts at least one or two sizes too big, but it made for a much better picture. And a much happier photographer/mother.
And, here's my trick to get four boys to cooperate for the next few shots - let them make a funny face for at least one picture. It turned out so well, I had to include it.
Friday, January 2, 2009
the pastor's ass
I get into trouble all the time for being myself and being misunderstood. The little bit below really tickled my funny bone. Hope you enjoy it too.
The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.
The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT.
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race. The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent. The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.
The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10. The next day the paper read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild. The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.
The bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is...being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery...even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life.
Author unknown
The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.
The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT.
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race. The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent. The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.
The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10. The next day the paper read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild. The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.
The bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is...being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery...even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life.
Author unknown
Thursday, January 1, 2009
lessons from 2008
This year for once I am actually relieved to put the past 12 months behind me. In spite of a difficult 2008, it hasn’t been without its lessons.
I have learned:
The UP can be very cold in August when the wind comes the wrong way off “the Lake.” Next time I venture that way I will pack clothes for at least three temperature ranges - warm, cold and colder.
The grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. I used to romanticize working outside the house, imagining that getting out would be both fun and fulfilling - and it was, to a point. (The extra income was fabulous!) After that, you still have laundry to do and floors to scrub. And you can’t wear pajamas all day.
You get what you pay for. This goes for power tools and toys (sometimes they’re one and the same). Cheap tools just aren’t worth the trouble or the struggle or the noise they make as they protest cutting through 2x4’s or plywood.
Safety first. Two-by-fours can be projectile weapons that cause much pain. I should probably take this one to heart and get back in the garage to put the guards back on my table saw. Maybe I will when the weather warms up.
Parenting is a bit of a guessing game. Discipline? Activities? Sports? Bedtime? But, when you finally realize what a child loves to do and what he is good at (and if you’re lucky enough to have it be the same thing), you really need to, as a parent, encourage that. Who knows, you could have the next Wayne Gretsky or Jimi Hendrix on your hands.
You will never, ever be able to guess what might be required of you as a parent. That might be mopping up puke in the middle of the night or it might be playing referee/coach to two little wanna-be wrestlers, trying to teach them a double-leg takedown or a half-nelson. (Aren’t you impressed that I even know that much?) All you can do is go with the flow and do your best, even if it requires you to get down on all fours on a wrestling mat.
Saunas are a necessity to life.
Construction projects will take twice as long as you planned and cost you twice as much as you hoped.
Good music soothes the soul - somtimes lyrics can carry you through the day. Right now I’m humming Sanctus Real’s “Whatever You’re Doing” - (Whatever you’re doing inside of me/It feels like chaos but I believe/You’re up to something bigger than me/Larger than life something heavenly.)
Internet shopping is a lifesaver (and saves on the pocketbook too.) What did we do before Amazon and free shipping on orders over $25?
God is with us always, even if we don’t feel like He is, and maybe even especially when we don’t feel like He is.
And finally - there is power in prayer. Thanks so much for your prayers for us this year - you have blessed us and helped us through 2008.
I have learned:
The UP can be very cold in August when the wind comes the wrong way off “the Lake.” Next time I venture that way I will pack clothes for at least three temperature ranges - warm, cold and colder.
The grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. I used to romanticize working outside the house, imagining that getting out would be both fun and fulfilling - and it was, to a point. (The extra income was fabulous!) After that, you still have laundry to do and floors to scrub. And you can’t wear pajamas all day.
You get what you pay for. This goes for power tools and toys (sometimes they’re one and the same). Cheap tools just aren’t worth the trouble or the struggle or the noise they make as they protest cutting through 2x4’s or plywood.
Safety first. Two-by-fours can be projectile weapons that cause much pain. I should probably take this one to heart and get back in the garage to put the guards back on my table saw. Maybe I will when the weather warms up.
Parenting is a bit of a guessing game. Discipline? Activities? Sports? Bedtime? But, when you finally realize what a child loves to do and what he is good at (and if you’re lucky enough to have it be the same thing), you really need to, as a parent, encourage that. Who knows, you could have the next Wayne Gretsky or Jimi Hendrix on your hands.
You will never, ever be able to guess what might be required of you as a parent. That might be mopping up puke in the middle of the night or it might be playing referee/coach to two little wanna-be wrestlers, trying to teach them a double-leg takedown or a half-nelson. (Aren’t you impressed that I even know that much?) All you can do is go with the flow and do your best, even if it requires you to get down on all fours on a wrestling mat.
Saunas are a necessity to life.
Construction projects will take twice as long as you planned and cost you twice as much as you hoped.
Good music soothes the soul - somtimes lyrics can carry you through the day. Right now I’m humming Sanctus Real’s “Whatever You’re Doing” - (Whatever you’re doing inside of me/It feels like chaos but I believe/You’re up to something bigger than me/Larger than life something heavenly.)
Internet shopping is a lifesaver (and saves on the pocketbook too.) What did we do before Amazon and free shipping on orders over $25?
God is with us always, even if we don’t feel like He is, and maybe even especially when we don’t feel like He is.
And finally - there is power in prayer. Thanks so much for your prayers for us this year - you have blessed us and helped us through 2008.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)