Painful Moments

One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared.
~ Merlin Olsen

This is something that Mr. A learned painfully last night. Not at school, but at home.

Mr. A's school lets parents sign on to a secured site and check out their student's grades. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm a slight bit anal, and I check it daily. Well, yesterday afternoon, I was doing my daily check, and what to my disbelieving eyes should appear? A "D". Yes, a "D". Now, Mr. A is one of those kids who has things come easily to him. He reminds me of both me and his father in that regard. Neither X nor I had to learn to study until college, and by then it was almost too late.

I vowed that my boys would learn to study and to WORK for their grades. It's a constant battle.

Now Mr. A's "D" is in a class that he has a desperate hatred for. A class that I can't relate to his hatred for. It's Literature...otherwise known as Reading.

I read constantly. Always have. I read nightly to the boys until they told me they were too old, and they wanted to read on their own. Bugaboo did, but Mr. A decided it was too "hard". He's always been the one who wants to be entertained, rather than entertain himself.

Now, part of his grade maybe my fault. Last Thursday night both of the boys had practice and we did homework from 3:45 to 4:45, ate a quick dinner and went to practice. I knew that Mr. A still had to complete his homework for Literature, but he promised that he could get it done in Study Hall the next morning. I let it slide.

He did do it in Study Hall, but without Nonnie there to double check and see how much effort was put into it, he did the bare minimum to turn it in, and his grade reflects that.

I got home yesterday after picking Bugaboo up at school, and removed all electronic privleges from Mr. A. He was sent to his room with the instructions to do his homework, practice his trombone and to stay there, only to be allowed out for dinner and the bathroom.

He wasn't happy. Not that I cared. He tried bargining with me. He said it was only the first grade and he had all quarter to improve, so I should give him a break this once. He said that it was too much of a punishment, and that I should let him have one of his electronic devices. You name it, he used it for a bargin.

I didn't budge. Oh, I wanted too, because I was tired and crabby and the effort was just more than I wanted to give. But I'm his Nonnie, so I knew I couldn't.

During dinner, he kept trying to bargin. I told him that if he really thought my decision was too harsh, we could call his dad and find out what he thought. LOL! I knew that would stop him, because while I might discuss things and explain my position, X yells and yells. Mr. A didn't want to deal with that, so he finished eating and went back down to his room.

Then his dad called. I spoke with him and rather than agreeing with me, he took Mr. A's side. I was full of WTFery. Apparently, something sucked X's brain out over the summer, and he decided that a "D" was an okay grade. Okay then.

So Mr. A and I talked after his dad hung up. I asked him if he wanted me to back off and leave him alone, wait until report cards came out and then bring the hammer down (if necessary) or if he wanted me to pay attention and knock sense into him as I noticed him needing it. He picked me paying attention.

Somewhere there is a quote about pain and growth. I'm too lazy to look for it now, but it's also true. Mr. A and I both grew yesterday. And we're better for it.

Until later...

Chaos and Whim

A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time.
~ Annie Dillard

This quote is so true for my family. We NEED a schedule. Okay...the monsters might not, but I certainly do!

I have a severe Type-A personality. I work best when things have a place and are in their place. If everything is "just so" I can deal better with the chaos and whim that pops up from time to time.

The first few weeks back to school have a huge relearning curve for my little family. After three months of living basically on my own, I need to relearn how to deal with the needs of the monsters. I need to learn how to balance my crazy work hours (will there ever be a time when I don't bring work home?), helping with math facts, quizzing on spelling words, helping with French vocab, making dinner, washing clothes...well, I don't have to tell most moms how it is.

I admit that I get very selfish over the summer. I do what I want, when I want. I eat what I want, when I want. The monsters? Not so much. For whatever reason, they expect to have a three course snack after school and a five course meal for dinner...of course those courses are just seconds, thirds and fourths of what's on the menu, but still.

I have been more tired these past two weeks then I have in a long time, and I know that it is because the monsters are back home and we're learning to live together again.

I'll be glad when chaos and whim are only sometime visitors, instead of the guests that refuse to leave.

Until later...

Blending Effortlessly

A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.
~ Phil Jackson

Sunday was Mr. A's first fall ball double header. First, let me just say that I never knew that baseball for kids could last as long as baseball for the pros. Is it October yet?

Mr. A played on the "B" team this summer. For the most part, the boys that he played with have talent and love the game. It was a good fit for Mr. A, his first time out for travel ball. He had a wonderful season, stepping up and making himself invaluable to the team. The team went to State, missed the championship game of the league by 2 runs and Mr. A was elected to the All-Star team. And I thought baseball was over.

Then, the words "fall ball" entered our vocabulary, and Mr. A decided that playing fall ball was better than even thinking about playing football. Fall ball is supposed to be more laid back than regular ball. The boys are told to look on it as a spring training of sorts, and to practice the things that they wanted to do during the regular season, but were unable to, due to the needs of their team.

Not all of the boys who play regular ball end up playing fall ball. And that's where the coaches come in. They need to take 13 boys who love the game, and are good at it, and blend them effortlessly into a team that can go out and play together.

The fall ball coaches, based on just one double header, seem to have done that. There are five boys from Mr. A's regular team and eight boys from the "A" team on the fall ball team. They seem to play well together. Well enough that they won both of their games on Sunday.

I didn't see a huge difference in the abilities of the boys on the "B" team and the boys on the "A" team. It appears to be one of those "it's who you know" things that land you on the "A" team. Since this was the first year that Mr. A played ball with his classmates, being on the "B" team was apparently a given. Our coaches from the regular season have said that four of our boys have a legitimate chance to move up to the "A" team next year. Part of me hopes that happens for Mr. A, as he really wants it, but the rest of me almost hopes that he stays on the "B" team, as I know the coaches and think that ultimately, he'd have a better year. We'll see what happens.

For now, I'm enjoying watching the blend of these two teams, and while I might wish to be sitting in my warm house the next five Sundays as fall descends on the Hinterlands with a vengeance, Mr. A enjoys it too much for me to not.

Until later...

Intimate Acts

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.
~ M. F. K. Fisher

Sharing food is an intimate act. I think that's why families gather around the table...to share their days and to grow closer. I know that I enjoy hearing about the monsters' days as we eat.

This week is a little different from normal. We'll be celebrating Mr. A's birthday this weekend, so that's been added to the mix.

Monday ~ Scouts for Mr. A

Hamburgers...I got an excellent deal from Omaha Steaks for these.

Tuesday ~ Football Practice

Orange Chicken

Wednesday ~ Relaxing at Home

Open-faced Lasagna Sandwiches

Thursday ~ Football Practice

Spicy Southwestern Pasta

Friday ~ Chore Night

YOYO

Saturday ~ Football Game & Mr. A's Birthday

Pork Roast Yucatan Style with Mexican Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad. For dessert, we're going to have Apple Pie on the birthday monster's request.

Sunday ~ Baseball Double Header

Up in the air. Mr. A's games aren't until 2, which means we'll need to be at the fields at 1. We'll see how I'm feeling when it comes to lunch, but I know that we'll probably grab McDonalds or Subway on the way home for dinner.

So that's what's up for this week. Stop by this week's MPM to see what others are planning. Who knows? You might get some good ideas for yourself!

Until later...

Collision Sport

Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.
~ Duffy Daugherty

Yesterday was Bugaboo's first football game of the season. He has a wonderful coach...the same coach who spent so much time and energy as Mr. A's baseball coach this summer, so I feel confident that Bugaboo will learn a lot this year.

They had an okay outing for the first time. And while the coaches want to win, the focus this season isn't winning, but rather learning the fundamentals, which will give them a winning edge as they move on to school football.

Bugaboo's team is the Wildcats...they've got yellow jerseys with a blue wildcat on front. Their sponsors didn't want to have their name prominent on the jerseys, and it almost looks like they're part of the school teams.

It was a clear, sunny and cool day. Just the kind of day for fall football. By the time I got to the fields this morning, Bugaboo and his team were warming up and I didn't get a chance to say good morning to him.

Bugaboo got moved from left tackle to center today, and it was easy to see why. He's the biggest, both in height and weight on the team. He looks so big out on the field.

The boys had some troubles getting into the game at the start, but by the end of the game, you could see that their confidence level had improved and they were tackling much better.

Bugaboo got quite a few accolades thrown at him by the coaches during half time. "Watch Bug...see how he does it. That's the way we want you all to do it", and so on.

One one of the last plays of the game, two of our players ended up laying hurt on the field. I'm still not sure what exactly happened. Bugaboo was one of those players. It took a few minutes for the two players to get up off the field, and Bugaboo sat out the rest of the game. The coach said that it sounded like his neck snapped the wrong way when his body went another, and that Bugaboo seemed more scared than hurt.

I'm not one of those moms who rushes out to check on their kid when he gets hurt during a game. In fact, I didn't go over to Bugaboo until after the coaches talked to all of the boys after the game. X's wife however was right on top of him, and I could see that Bugaboo was getting upset with all of the attention. I might have gotten a sideways look or three from X's wife, but I know my child, and I know that he hates to have extra attention called to him.

When I finally talked to him, he said he was fine, just a little sore and didn't want anyone asking him any more...that's my boy! LOL!

So, the team might have lost, but I think Bugaboo built some confidence, he learned what it's like to be hit and he learned that he can take it. I'll take that kind of game over a win any day.

Until later...

A Book MeMe This Saturday

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

Both. I buy hardback for my favorite author, plus the HP series and the Inheritance series, but otherwise is it paperback...preferably mass market.

Amazon or brick and mortar?

Both. Amazon for the most part any more, but if I'm out of something to read, I'll run to a brick and mortar.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I always liked B&N, but the Borders here is a better store.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

Neither. I usually stop at a chapter or a break within a chapter and remember where I was by page number or chapter number.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

Alphabetize both by author and within author.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I've been keeping, but I think eBay is calling my name for getting rid of the ones I won't read again.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

Keep.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

I read without the dust jacket.

Short story or novel?

Novel. Definitely. Short stories are just too short for me.

Short story collection (short stories by the same author) or anthology (short stories by a different author?

I don't read many of either. The only anthology I read is the one that comes out each fall with the new JD Robb story.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

I've read all of the HP, but none of the Lemony Snicket.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I try to make it to the end of the chapter, but if I'm really tired, I'll just stop anywhere.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Most of what I read probably falls into the second category, with a strong influence from the first.

Buy or Borrow?

Buy. I have a book fetish.

New or used?

Only new.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

Generally through browsing, but sometimes I use recommendations.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

I don't mind a cliffhanger if it is an on-going series.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?

Yes.

Standalone or series?

Both.

Favorite series?

JD Robb's In Death series.

Favorite books read last year?

Any that pulled an emotional response out of me.

Favorite books of all time?

The Trixie Belden series from when I was a child, the In Death series and Northern Lights.

Friday!

I woke up to 40° temps in the house this morning...at least it felt that way. Fall has arrived in the Hinterlands with a vengeance. I'm planning on actually breaking out the long pants for work today.

The monsters have had a good first week at school.

Bugaboo really likes his teacher, which is a wonderful thing, given how horrid his teacher was last year. There hasn't been any problem with homework yet...and yes, I know that there have only been two days of school for him, but he's coming home and reading his book...probably more than is assigned. That makes my heart happy, as I've tried for years to get the monsters to read for pleasure. Bugaboo is enjoying patrol too, and he's standing there like a new recruit, at attention and very focused. I wondered how that would be, but then it IS only the first week!

Mr. A seems to be enjoying his classes too. He's got French this semester, and they had to pick names...why their own names aren't good enough, I'm not sure, as it just seems weird that you need a different name to learn a language, but then I'm not the teacher. Mr. A picked out Samuel. He wanted Raphael, but someone else got to it first. Homework for Mr. A has been light, although last night he had three subjects to get done, and only got to two before practice. He says he'll finish the other in Study Hall tomorrow. We're going to have to buckle down a little better I think as the year progresses, so he gets it done at home.

Today is another day in the trenches for me. I've got a feeling that I'll be bringing home work this weekend, but we'll see what happens.

Until later...

Thursday in the New Year

It's Thursday here...okay, it's Thursday everywhere...and that means that it is a busy day for the Nonnie household. I've got to get things together to send to the monster's dad's for the weekend, get homework checked, follow up on chores, the whole gamut.

Tonight is also practice night...for both of the boys. I'm so glad that they're both practicing at the middle school. It's hard to get them to two different places at the same time.

Bugaboo has been loving football this year. I think it is because this is the first year of tackle and his body size makes for an excellent tackle. He is actually a crucial part of the team, and I don't know if he's ever felt that way before this year.

His first game is on Saturday. I'm hoping it will be a good one for him. X has to work on Saturday (all Saturdays for that matter) and won't be there. I'm both happy about that and a little sad. Happy because X won't be yelling at him from the sidelines. I hate that. Hate it. He does his best, and while it might not be the best that X wants him to do, it's good enough for me. He'll improve as the season progresses I'm sure. I'm a little sad, because X won't be there to yell at him. Waffle much? Why yes, I do. I'm sad about that, because it has always seemed to me that Mr. A gets the bulk of X's attention and Bugaboo is left with the crumbs. It'd be nice if he had his dad's attention during these games.

Mr. A is playing fall ball this year. Not with the team that he played with this summer, but a conglomeration of that team and the "A" squad. It'll be interesting to see the boys from the "A" squad and see how Mr. A measures up. Given how competitive Mr. A is, I'm guessing he'll do some improving this fall, so he measures up, should there be any gap.

I'm hoping that work is quiet today, so I don't end up with a lot to bring home...but we'll see. As it is, I'd best get myself motivated to leave for the day.

Until later...

Bugaboo's First Day

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world"
~ Albert Einstein

This quote is something that really personifies Bugaboo. His imagination is wonderful. He loves to create things...worlds for play, art, you name it. School on the other hand? Not so much.

Bugaboo isn't the child his brother is. He's more reserved, more shy and doesn't make friends as easily as Mr. A does. But he tries. He really does.

This year, he's the top of the school pyramid. He's the oldest class in school, which means that he's part of the School Patrol. He's the one seeing your precious Johnny and Jane across the busy street. He's the one sending people to the principal's office for infractions. I think it'll do him good to have this experience, even if it is a required part of school.

Bugaboo is starting to look like a young man too. He's almost as tall as I am, he's filling out across the shoulders, and he's at least six inches taller than any of his classmates. His face is losing that baby look that I've loved for so long and that saddens me, almost as much as it fascinates me.

He is the child that needs things just "so" and if they aren't, it can send him into a tailspin. He's had things planned for this day for a while, and I just smile when he double checks.

He's my baby who is entering his last year of elementary school. I didn't cry when he started kindergarten, because he wanted it so bad, but I think I'll cry just a little at the start of this year. He's growing up so fast.

So we're off to school in a little while. I'm hoping this year will meet, if not exceed, all of his expectations and desires.

Until later...

Mr. A's First Day

Back To School by Unknown

Today I hurry off to school,
To work and learn and play.
I'm in a brand new grade this year.
What a happy day!

Okay...to be truthful, that describes Nonnie more than it does Mr. A. He's not happy to be going back, but neither is he upset. I think he thrives on a schedule, just like his Nonnie, and going back to school means that he's with his friends again.

It's hard on Mr. A to build these friendships during the school year and to have no hope of keeping them going during the summer when he moves out of town to live with his dad.

He decided that riding the bus this morning wasn't for him. And that's fine...I'm home today anyway, but tomorrow...it's back to the bus.

He looks so old to me this year. He is taller than I am now, and he just has a young man's carriage. He's a good looking child who never seems to have problems meeting new people. He's funny and he's sweet and he's my first born.

I tear up from time to time wondering where the years have gone, but I also enjoy watching him grow, as it proves that even when I think I've screwed up, his father and I have done a good job with him.

So off to school he goes...I hope he has a wonderful day!

Until later...

September!

It's been a busy summer here in the Hinterlands...I've not had a moment to spare what with baseball and everything else that the monsters have been involved in. That meant that Notions went by the way-side for me, but that's okay...family is much more important.

With September comes the start of school. The monsters will be home from their dad's at 8 tonight, and life will get back to normal. Mr. A starts school tomorrow, but Bugaboo doesn't start until Wednesday.



Also with September comes a return to MPMs for me. So without further ado, here's this week's menu.


Monday ~ Monsters not yet home.

YOYO ~ I'm not sure what's in the fridge, but I'll be eating it.

Tuesday ~ Mr. A's first day, football for Bugaboo

Pizza ~ Mr. A's pick. It'll be homemade sausage and pepperoni.

Wednesday ~ Bugaboo's first day

Chicken nuggets and fries ~ Bugaboo's pick

Thursday ~ Football & Baseball Night

Spaghetti

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~ First School Weekend

Just me for the weekend. Bugaboo has a game on Saturday, Mr. A has a double header on Sunday. I'll probably eat whatever leftovers are in the fridge.

So that's what's up for this week. Stop by this week's MPM to see what others are planning. Who knows? You might get some good ideas for yourself!

Until later...

Last Week Of School

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.

~ B.F. Skinner

So this is the start of the last week of school for the monsters. Overall, it's been a good year, but each has had their personal highs and lows. We'll see how much of their education survives this summer.

And with the start of the summer, there are changes to our lives. The boys will begin their summer living arrangements on the 8th. That means that they live with their dad from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon. This was the compromise that we came up with when we got divorced. This keeps the boys from jumping from house to house during the school week, but causes a lot of loneliness on my part. Oh, I can't deny that the first week or so, I'm excited that I don't have to cook for two endless pits, that I don't have to harp about chores or homework, but by Week 3, I'm ready for them to come back home where they belong.

This being the last week of school, also means the end to huge planned meals. Cooking for one isn't always fun, but I'll be attempting it.

This week's menu is as follows:

Monday ~ Scouts for Mr. A

Alfredo Bake We didn't get to this last week, so it's on the menu again.

Tuesday ~ Baseball Night

Monster's Mexican Meatloaf

Wednesday ~ Baseball Night

It's lasagna tonight...I'll post the link when it gets posted.

Thursday ~ Baseball Night

YOYO - You're on your own!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~ First Summer Weekend

My plans are to go to my parents' place and give the monsters their birthday present...yes, I know that their birthdays are two and three months away, but I think that this gift is worth giving to them early. So with going to my parents' place, that means I don't have to cook! WhooHoo!

So that's what's up for this week. Stop by this week's MPM to see what others are planning. Who knows? You might get some good ideas for yourself!

Until later...

New Look!

So today, I'm unveiling my new look.

A little trendy, a little bit Nonnie. I made the header meownself, but the rest is just a standard template. I like it and I hope you do too.

Until later...

Learning About Blogging

Shannon is discussing pet peeves of the bloggy kind today over at Rocks in My Dryer.

She's going to be in San Francisco this summer for the She Speaks Conferences to co-teach a few blogging classes. Today she's asking for those in Bloglandia to tell her what our pet peeves are and what form of blogiquette people feel most strongly about.

I'm new to this whole thing, so while I don't have strong feelings about the latter, I do have quite a few of the former and so I shared those with her.

But it was interesting to go through her comment section today and see what I'm doing wrong when I visit blogs, what I'm doing right here at my own blog, and what I might want to think about incorporating eventually.

I'm going to be keeping an eye on this post for the next while. Between it, Blogging Basics 101 and a few other things I've stumbled upon, I might actually have a blog worth reading some day.

Until later...

Food!

So, yesterday I mentioned that I'd update you all when I figured out what and if I was going to be cooking this weekend. I'm cooking. The what? Well, its going to be a simple, but delicious meal.

How hard is it to pull out the crockpot, toss in a roast and cook it during Friday's game? Not very. Then, before the game on Saturday, I can pull it out of the fridge, shred it and turn the crockpot back on, so we have French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches.

I'm also going to throw a quick pasta salad together. I love balsamic, so I went on a recipe hunt for pasta salads with a balsamic dressing. I found Summer Pasta with Corn, Tomatoes and Basil. So I'll have that for a side to the roast beast. I'm not sure I'll use the basil, and if I do, I'll use just a smidge, not the whole amount the recipe calls for. Basil and I? Well, we don't get along.

My whole family loves lemons. I wanted some new recipe with lemon, but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. So, I took a little bit of this one, a little bit of that one, and some more of the one over here and came up with a complete recipe. If it turns out as tastey as it sounds, I'll share the information.

So that's what's on my food agenda this weekend. If you can find the Scandahoovian Hinterlands, you're welcome to join us!

It's Monday!

Nearly everyone wants as least one outstanding meal a day.

~ Duncan Hines

How true is that quote? Many of us have our stand-bys when it comes to meals, because we know that they are good meals. Some of us stick to our favorites because of that quote, while others go in search of the new and different to find the outstanding meal.

This week, we're having a little bit of both the new and old, but let's recap last week's menu. The Cheese Manicotti was a hit with the boys. I thought it was okay, but I think I'd want to jazz up the cheese filling just a little more next time. The Fantastic Taco Casserole was a repeat for us and the boys scarfed it down as usual. The Divine Chicken Divan is a family favorite, and hits our menu every month or two. I tried a new recipe for my grandmother's party also. It was Cheesecake Pops. It wasn't a hard recipe, just tedious and the results were fantastic...I'll try to get the recipe up within a week or so.

This week's menu is as follows:

Monday ~ Memorial Day

The boys are with their dad, so I'll be eating whatever is in the fridge.

Tuesday ~ Baseball & Soccer Night

Tex-Mex Gooey Casserole

Wednesday ~ Chore Night

It's a breakfast for dinner night. We'll be having Simple, Perfect French Toast, Hashbrown Casserole and sausage.

Thursday ~ Baseball Night

Alfredo Bake

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~ Baseball Tourney

Mr. A has a baseball tourney here in town, so the boys are going to be home for dinner Friday night. We'll have spaghetti that night. Saturday, Mr. A has a minimum of two games, but my parents and my grandma will be here for the tourney, so I'm not sure what we'll do for food yet. I'll talk to my mom this week and see what's what and I may have to amend my menu for something that night. Sunday is more of the tourney if Mr. A's team does well, but I'm guessing that it'll just be me that day, so I'll forage for whatever is in the fridge.

Don't forget to head over to Organizing Junkie to see the rest of today's meal plans!

Until later...

The Matriarch

When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.

~ Victor Hugo

Today my grandmother turns 80. It's hard for me to believe that fact. When my mom's parents hit that age, they were OLD. In fact, my mom's parents were always old to me.

Not so much for my dad's mom. She has always been young to me, and she has as much stamina now as I do.

Grandma was only 19 when my dad was born. She was only 42 when I was born and at the time, her youngest child was 8. She's just been young, if that makes sense.

Last night the family got together as a surprise for her birthday. My uncle brought her over to the American Legion where the rest of us were waiting, but she wasn't surprised. She said she knew something was up when she didn't get any cards in the mail. Smart lady, my grandmother.

The kids all gave her money for a trip - or whatever she wants to do with it. My grandma enjoys traveling, but hasn't been doing a lot of it lately. I hope she takes a trip that she'll really enjoy with this money.

In another post, I talked about the book I was putting it together for her. It turned out wonderfully, and while I got a few facts wrong (my cousins graduated from a different school than I'd listed), my grandmother truly loved it. She was crying into the first few pages, because I'd found pictures that she didn't remember ever having, and she kept saying how precious it was to her. I'm truly happy that she enjoyed it.

I made the cake for the celebration, and while it was a good cake, I wasn't entirely pleased with it. Grandma, however, loved it, and that's what matters isn't it?

We managed to take a family photo of us all also. We were missing two, and that seems to be standard any more. I don't remember the last time all of us were together. Hopefully we'll get the full family picture before much more time passes.

My grandmother has lived the kind of life I wish for myself. She loves her children, her grands and her greats. Better, she is loved by us all. She freely admits though life was hard when she and my grandfather started out, she'd do it all over again, and really, there's nothing more fulfilling that a person can say about their life, is there?

So to my grandma...Happy Birthday. You mean the world to us all.

Until later...

Speaking In Tongues...

Here's another meme...

1) What languages can you speak other than your native language?

Well, since my minor in college was languages, the answer would be four. French, Spanish, German and Russian.

2) Which languages would you like to learn?

An Asian language, proably Japanese.

3) What is your favorite thing to say in another language?

That would be "Thank You". I rarely use the English words.

4) Could you be an interpreter at the United Nations?

Ummmmm...No.

5) When you get nervous, do you babble?

Sometimes...other times, I shut up.

Until later...

Make A Joyful Noise

This is the first year of "actual" music concerts in the Hinterlands. Mr. A started playing the trombone last August and also joined the choir in middle school. It's been interesting getting him to practice and to listen to that practice. He's gotten better, but it's still noise.

Last night was the last concert of the year for the 6th grade students at Mr. A's middle school. It was a combined choral/band concert. The first 45 minutes the choir students sang and then we sat for 15 minutes while they rearranged the stage for the band. Once that was complete, the band performed five songs and then the choir came back out and they performed together.

It was a nice way to end the music year, and I'm very glad that Mr. A decided to participate in both. Apparently, this year was the biggest year for the middle school when it comes to participation of 6th grade students. There were nearly 200 students at the concert last night, many of them playing both in the band and performing in the choir. It certainly sounded as though most of the students would be continuing on next year...Mr. A is continuing with band, but dropping choir.

It was also interesting to see some of these kids who Mr. A has grown up with. The girls are so tall, and most tower over the boys. Mr. A is head and shoulders taller than a good third of the other boys himself. It helped me realize that yes, my baby IS getting older, no matter how I want to deny that.

There was a time that I preferred to not listen to some of the noise Mr. A made and told him to play quieter...I wish I could go back and redo that. Because noise, whether it is a child having fun playing, or created as part of an end of the year concert is joyful. Sometimes you just have to remember that and not get caught up in the "noise" part of the deal.

Until later...

Take It or Leave It

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.

~ Buddy Hackett

My family's menu consisted of pretty much the same thing. I've not done that to the monsters, and this menu shows it...We're having manicotti...again. Can I tell you how tired I am of manicotti? LOL!

Last weeks' menu was a 50/50 success rate. The Crispy Ginger Beef was given two thumbs up and then one of the monsters changed his mind and gave it a thumbs down. It gets two thumbs up for me. The Salisbury Steak gets three thumbs in the meh zone. I won't be making it again unless it's all I have in the cupboard. The Chicken Manicotti got two thumbs up from the boys. I didn't end up having any of this, but given the way they scarfed it up, it had to be good.

This week's menu is as follows:

Monday ~ Scout Graduation!

Bugaboo is bridging up to the next Scout level, so we'll be at the picnic while Mr. A goes with X and grabs something on the way to his game.

Tuesday ~ Soccer & Band/Choir Concert Night

Cheese Manicotti

Wednesday ~ Baseball Practice

Fantastic Taco Casserole

Thursday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Divine Chicken Divan

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~

It's my grandmother's 80th birthday, so the boys are with me Friday and Saturday. Friday will be leftovers as I make a Brown Butter Cake with Buttercream Icing to take to her party on Saturday. We'll be eating out that day.

Don't forget to head over to Organizing Junkie to see the rest of today's meal plans!

Until later...

Yeah, It's Another One...

Lasts....

1. Last beverage → Brisk bottled tea
2. Last phone call → my mom
3. Last instant message → my coworker
4. Last song you listened to → Tears are Falling ~ KISS
5. Last time you cried → today
6. Last text message → Libby


Have you ever...

1. Dated someone twice → yes
2. Been cheated on → yes
3. Kissed someone & regretted it → yes
4. Lost someone special → yes
5. Been depressed → yes


Three favorite colors...

1. Green
2. Brown
3. Black



Have you ____ this month...

1. Made a new friend → no
2. Fallen out of love → no
3. Laughed until you cried → no
4. Met someone who changed your life → no
5. Found out who your true friends were → yes
6. Found out someone was talking about you → yes
7. Have you kissed anyone on your friend’s list → no
8. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life → all
9. How many kids do you have → 2
10. Do you have any pets → yes
11. Do you want to change your name → no
12. What did you get for your last birthday → a chair
13. What time did you wake up today → 4:30am
14. What were you doing at midnight last night → sleeping
15. Name something you CANNOT wait for → summer
16. Last time you saw your father → Sunday
17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life → be a better mother.
18. What are you listening to right now → conference call
19. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → yes
23. Who’s getting on your nerves right now → too many to mention
24. Most visited webpage → depends on mood

It's Tourney Time....

Don't tell me about the world. Not today. It's springtime and they're knocking baseballs around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball.

~ Pete Hamill

Until later...

Braces Off, Braces On

So Mr. A got his braces off two weeks ago. He has beautiful teeth now. Bugaboo is the same age Mr. A was when he got his braces...

Which of course meant that when we went to the dentist yesterday, I asked them to give me an opinion on if he should have his first ortho consult or not.

The decision was that he should. Which isn't a bad thing, but it means I need to race to get those family pictures taken before we have metal in the familial mouth again.

Bugaboo seems a little apprehensive about the whole braces idea. I hope he'll warm up to it before the time comes for him to have them put on.

Oh, and it was a "Look Ma! No Cavities!" type of appointment too.

Until later...

A Mom Always Knows & Aren't I Civil?

We got home from school last night, and I realized that I didn't have any milk in the house. Now, that's not such a big deal, as none of us really like milk, but we were scheduled to have mashed potatoes for dinner. Since I'm such a gourmet, the instant mashed tators I'd bought needed milk instead of water to make. That meant I was off to the grocery store after giving the boys instructions to "Get Your Homework DONE!".

I wasn't gone ten minutes. I got back and Mr. A is on the phone with his dad, who had apparently called 3 times while I was gone. Three times!

Mr. A wanted to know if he could go out to dinner with his dad. Part of me wanted to tell him absolutely not, but that's the mean and petty part, so I told him I didn't care. I'm nothing if not gracious. Ha! Mr. A proceeded to tell his dad that was okay and hung up. I asked when his dad would be there, and Mr. A says that he just pulled in the drive. Hello?!?!?! It's a quarter after four in the afternoon.

Apparently, X wasn't sure how long it would take him to cross the bridge that separates his town from the rest of civilization now that it is closed except for one small lane that has to serve 50,000 commuters a day. The hour he gave himself as extra time was just that...extra time, which is why he was on my doorstep way before he was expected.

Mr. A hadn't even started getting ready for his ball game, so I went out to the car and invited X and his daughter into the house to wait. Mr. A is a teenager, so him getting ready could take 3 minutes to 30. They stood in the foyer like bumps and I kept having to brush past on my way to find whatever it was that Mr. A had lost, so I finally told them that they were more than welcome to go sit upstairs on the couch and wait. I'm not exactly sure which one of us was more surprised by my civility, but the invitation had been offered. X sat and watched me race around to help Mr. A, cook dinner and correct spelling all at the same time. I wanted to smack him and ask him to at least correct the spelling, but I didn't...see, civility!

So, they finally left for Mr. A's game and Bugaboo and I scarfed up our yummy instant potatoes before heading off to soccer. We had to cross the same bridge and had a little more trouble than X did, but we were still on time.

Bugaboo and his team won their game, and they were all happy. I raced him off the field as fast as I could to see if I couldn't catch the tail end of Mr. A's game.

Estimations were it would take 30 minutes to cross the bridge back to civilization, so I called X to tell him I didn't think we'd make it. It was already 7:10, and the ball field was at least 30 minutes from the OTHER side of the bridge. I was told that it was only the top of the second inning (in an hour and ten minutes????) and they were losing, so I said I'd see how quick we got across the bridge.

Well, we got across and I got us to the game by the top of the fourth. We walked up just as Mr. A made a spectacular catch in center field. The boys were all pumped because they'd managed to get ahead since I'd talked to X.

It came time for Mr. A to get up to bat and I walked up to where X and another of the dads were standing. I asked X if he'd been hit by a pitch yet. The answer was no and I informed them both that he'd get hit this time. The other dad just looked at me. I laughed and said that it was starting to appear that Mr. A didn't think it was a game if he hadn't gotten hit by a pitch at least once.

Mr. A took the first two balls, swung at the next, ducked down to miss getting hit for pitch four and was nailed in the head by pitch five. I just laughed. X looked at me and just shook his head. The other dad gave a shocked little laugh and said, "You weren't kidding, were you?" Um...No.

A mom always knows.

Until later...

Are We Sure The Day of Rest is Sunday?

It was a lovely evening last night. LOVELY.

Why, you ask? Because I did NOTHING all evening.

Okay, that's not really true. I cooked dinner for the boys...but Mr. A helped, so it doesn't count as a true full meal. Once the boys had eaten, I cleaned up the kitchen and then my book and I retired to the bathroom.

In my clean tub, I ran some really hot water and just relaxed. Just me, my book and a glass of tea (can you really call it iced if it is just the tea without the ice?). I lazed in that tub with its scented steam from the apple cider bath salts I'd used and just let myself be. The boys were playing Risk downstairs and getting along quite well, so I wasn't needed to referee.

I think we all needed the down time. We've been on the go since the middle of April, and it takes a toll out of you. The boys needed the time to remember they're kids and not crazed, over-scheduled athletes. I needed the time to remember that while I might be a mom who has 50 kajillion things going on any given day, I'm also a woman who needs to remember to pamper herself.

So here in the Hinterlands, Monday was the night of rest...not Sunday.

Until later...

Monday...What's for Dinner?

It's Monday and that means MPM!

Last week's menu went over pretty well. The Crispy Onion Chicken got one thumb up and one thumb down from the monsters. I gave it a thumb up, so we'll be having it again. The Penne With Chicken and Roasted Asparagus was absolutely wonderful, and the cold leftovers were just as good. The Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake was wonderful too, and if you don't like apples, the cheesecake without the apples would be just fine! In fact, I'm likely to make it without the apples next time.

It's not as busy this week as last week, which is a good thing. We have two school nights empty and while the weekend is full with a tourney, it's the weekend, so I'm okay with that.

This week's menu is shaping up as follows:

Monday ~ Relaxing!

Crispy Ginger Beef

Tuesday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Salisbury Steak The monsters have always liked the frozen kind, so we're going to test out the from scratch kind.

Wednesday ~ Chore Night

Chicken Manicotti

Thursday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Spaghetti

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~

Mr. A has a tourney, so I'm guess I'll be eating out. I'm headed to my parents for the weekend, as the tourney is closer to their house than mine, and every little bit of saved gas helps!

Don't forget to head over to Organizing Junkie to see the rest of today's meal plans!

Until later...

M O M

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

~ Washington Irving



Thanks Mom. I love you.

I'm Following In Mrs. Cleaver's Footsteps

Eons ago, there were specific days for the housewife to get chores done...and to a point, that's still true...but I don't only do laundry on Monday and I iron as needed, rather than all day Tuesday. However, today is Saturday, which means it is Baking Day! And I'm going to be baking that cheesecake mentioned in MPM earlier this week.

I also have to clean (and that was supposed to be yesterday, but oh, well...) the house before my parents show up tomorrow. Luckily, it isn't dirt, just a little cluttered.

It's a cold and dreary day here in the Hinterlands. As I suspected, Bugaboo is angry with me, so he wants nothing to do with me. That means that I'll likely curl up with a book, unless he decides he actually does want my company. I've learned that you can't push him out of his moods, rather that you have to wait him out...we'll see what happens.

So, I'm off to do some cleaning and then later this afternoon I'll make that cheesecake...June would be proud of me.

Until later...

One on One Time

This weekend Mr. A is going away with his Boy Scout Troop to do some Community Service. Each may the troop goes out to the Wisconsin Dells and takes care of things at the Easter Seals Camp. It's a good experience for him and for the troop.

With Mr. A being gone, that give Bugaboo and I some one on one time. We don't often get that time together, and I enjoy it when we do.

Bugaboo wants to go to the drive in to see Iron Man and 10000 BC. I wouldn't mind going, but once again, the CS check is late and it just isn't possible for us to go without it.

I'm hoping he'll be willing to sit at home watching movies and playing games. It'll give us time to just talk. Likely, he'll not be happy when I put the kabosh on his drive in desires...we'll have to see.

Until later...

You Never Really Forget Old Friends, Do You?

Yesterday was the 38th birthday of a man who was at one time very dear to me. So dear, that I named my first born son after him. I lost custody of this friendship when my ex and I split up, and that hurt almost as much as the dissolution of my marriage.

This man was a childhood friend of my ex. In high school they were like one animal with two heads. You rarely saw one without the other and they considered each other brothers. In fact, their birthdays are just four days apart. He accepted me into his life when my ex and I started dating. Accepted me so much that he treated me like a little sister.

He was there on our first date, on my graduation day, at our engagement party, he was the best man at my wedding. He was one of the first we told when I became pregnant, and one of the first to visit us in the hospital when Mr. A was born. He is Mr. A's godfather and to this day is part of my ex's life.

Our friendship couldn't withstand the twists and turns of my divorce from his oldest friend. And really, at the time, knowing that he was being pulled between us, I told him that I knew the time was coming when he'd need to make a choice, and I understood that I wasn't going to be winning that battle.

Most of the time, I don't think about him, but each May 7th, his face pops into my head and I remember the years of friendship we enjoyed together. I hope this year is good to him.

Until later...

Cuz I'm Worn Out

With all of the Spring Sports Sanity Snatching...well, I've got nothing, so I thought I'd treat you to the following, cuz you know you want to know more about me...

1. First song you remember hearing on the radio as a child-- This is easy...it would be Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band.

2. First album you remember listening to as a child-- I don't know the exact album, but it was always Roger Whittaker on the 8-track player in the car when we went on trips.

3. Album that takes you back to junior high-- Billy Idol's self-titled album...I can see myself and my friends thinking we were cool walking through town with the "boom box" blasting that tape to all and sundry.

4. Most played album in high school-- By this time we were more into mix tapes than actual albums. However, we listened to a lot of what is now called "Classic Rock" ~ AC/DC, KISS, Motley Crue, Poison...all of the 80's hair bands.

5. Favorite album in college-- College was the Country years for me...Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Alabama, Kentucky Headhunters...

6. Song that reminds you of what it was like to feel cool-- Guns 'n' Roses' Welcome to the Jungle...I can still see the 8 of us crammed into Chris's Cutlas...ah, the memories!

7. Favorite albums to road trip with-- That would be Kansas, Queen, AC/DC, KISS, Europe, The Doors, Boston, etc...

8. Best relationship angst album or any other albums worthy of mention-- Chicago, Bryan Adams...most of the AOR Bands had good slow songs.

9. Your personal soundtrack today includes-- Everything listed above plus some Celtic music, some folk music a great variety, I'd like to think...not to mention the Best of School House Rock!

10. So if this is your personal soundtrack, what's the plot of the movie in 50 words or less-- Girl grows up and learns to be happy with herself.

Until later...

Take Me Out To The Ball Game...

Last night was the first regular season game for Mr. A and his team. It was over the river, but not through the woods and Grandmother's house was no where to be seen, but we got there.

The boys were raring to play. They'd practiced, they'd improved and they wanted to show what they were made of. And they did. They looked so wonderful out there...the first three innings, Mr. A was on first base. The pitcher faced a total of 10 batters in those first innings (quite a change from the Early Bird Tourney) and Mr. A was part of all nine of the outs, two of which were very close.

The bats were swinging...and connecting too. Mr. A managed to once again get hit by a pitch. I'm starting to believe that he thinks a game isn't complete without getting to base at least once in that manner.

Starting in the fourth inning, Mr. A was catching. He's a good catcher, with good blocking abilities for those dirt pitches, but he needs to coil that spring a little tighter and jump out of the crouch faster. The new pitcher was wonderful that first inning and with a 3-0 lead, everyone was feeling good.

Unfortunately, the pitcher lost his momentum and control starting in the fifth, and a few early season miscues gave the other team a 4-3 edge. The boys were feeling a little down, but the coaches rallied them, and they came back out with swinging bats at the top of the sixth. We pulled ahead 6-4 and were racing to get the game in before the ump called it off because of the approaching dark.

Whatever edge the boys pulled back out during the top of the sixth they lost again, and the game ended up 7-6. All in all, they did a wonderful job, and I hope they all know that they can be pleased with their performance.

Sadly, the umping wasn't the best. The strike zone was impossible to figure out, and I was sitting directly behind home plate, so I had a very good view of what was being thrown. Then some of the parents got into it with the ump during the sixth, and that was all she wrote. I really believe that some of the calls the ump made that inning were a direct result of the parental shouting. I'd bet you can't figure out exactly which of the parents almost got booted from the fields, can you? Not me! The coaches were told however, to control the other 'rent that the boys can lay claim too, and I kept muttering under my breath for him to SHUT. THE. HELL. UP.

The boys and I discussed such behavior on the way home. I let them know that the irritation and disgust that a parent has is okay, but it is never okay for a parent to directly challenge the officiating. If anyone should be challenging that, it should be the coaches, and while the coach was upset, and did talk to the ump, he didn't make a major stink. I made sure both the boys knew that should either of them display such behavior in front of me, there would be consequences.

It's early in the season though, so hopefully this was just opening jitters...but I'm not holding my breath on that...

Until later...

Where Did The Weekend Go?

It's Monday (and that means MPM, too, so stay tuned!) and I have no idea where the weekend went. I can cheefully say I did nothing, so why is it over?

It's a busy week again, and I'm not sure how we're going to attempt getting the monsters to their various activities, but we'll manage some how.

Mr. A has his first game of the regular season today. I'm interested to see how things end up, especially after watching them practice last week.

This week's menu is shaping up as follows:

Monday ~ Baseball Night

We're eating out tonight. Bugaboo has a doctor's appt at 4, Mr. A needs to be at the field at 5:30 and the game is 45 minutes away...no time for a home-cooked meal.

Tuesday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Meatball Hoagies and Chips

Wednesday ~ Chore Night

Crispy Onion Chicken

Thursday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Monsters' Mexican Meatloaf

Friday & Saturday ~
I'm not quite sure what's happening this weekend. Mr. A has a Scout Outing, so I know he'll be gone until Sunday. Bugaboo may, or may not, go to his dad's Friday night. Either way, we'll be eating leftovers Friday night and possibly Saturday as well.

Sunday ~ Mother's Day

It's looking like my parents will be coming over to celebrate Mother's Day. Mr. A should be back from his outing by 3, and doesn't have practice until 6, so that gives us 3 hours to spend together. I'm going to make Penne With Chicken and Roasted Asparagus and for dessert, Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake.

Don't forget to head over to Organizing Junkie to see the rest of today's meal plans!

Until later...

Here Comes The Sun!

Whoo Hoo! The sun is out! It's a pretty sight after all the rain we've been having!

I need to get myself motivated today. I really should do something...anything. About the only thing I have on my agenda is to run downtown and pick up a windshirt to wear for Mr. A's games I might stop and pick up some more coffee creamer too.

I know, I know, don't wear myself out! LOL!

I also need to stop and grab the mail...I forgot to grab it Friday, and since I didn't leave the house yesterday, it's still sitting there. When I talked to my dad yesterday, he said that my cousins had sent out invitations to my aunt & uncle's 25th wedding anniversary party and he wanted to know if I was invited. Apparently, the RSVP date is this weekend, so I'd best figure out if I got an invitation or not, so that I can RSVP if necessary.

Other than that, I think a few loads of laundry are asking to be done. If I can motivate myself for that, we'll be in good shape for the coming week.

Until later...

Blogiquette

I was running through my check of the blogs I read daily and found one of the bloggers had entered into a realm of rudeness that I can't imagine.

This blog is a recipe blog, and I read it not for the other blog items, but rather for the recipes that are the general fare. There was a recipe posted this week, that while it wasn't something that I like, nor would I make, I know that many people would.

Apparently, an anonymous commenter slammed the blogger for the un-healthiness (is that a word?) of the recipe and took her to task for the fact that most of the recipes aren't healthy and that the blogger (who is admittedly over-weight) really needed to stop creating and posting such recipes, because by doing so only added to her problems, but would teach her child the same things.

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the commenter at all. I believe in using my mouse to vote my opinion. If you're doing something that I don't like, I quit visiting your blog. I've quit visiting a number of blogs for this reason, because while at first blush, they seemed like something I could enjoy, I later found that they weren't. I'm sure many of you were taught the same that I was...If you can't say anything nice... The commenter obviously wasn't.

However, the blogger compounded this issue, but making an entire post about this commenter. COMPLETE with the commenter's ISP information and all other information that you can get from an ISP look-up service. The blogger came across as defensive and just as rude as the commenter. And to be honest, if the blogger hadn't made an "in your face" deal out of the comment, I never would have noticed, because I generally don't read the comments on a post, unless I want to comment about it myself.

This display has made me wonder if I should continue reading the blog. It is something I have to think about...I'm leaning towards not, as I don't appreciate and personally wouldn't take part in, behavior like this.

So what do you think? If a commenter was that rude, would you make a big issue out of it? Or would you, as I believe I would, moderate that comment and move on as if nothing happened?

Until later...

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's been raining for a week...okay, there've been intermingled spots of sunshine through the gloom, but it's seriously been raining longer than necessary.

Bugaboo snuck his soccer game in under the wire last night (they lost) before the rain started again and Mr. Attitude got his baseball practice in also. I missed Bugaboo's game, as it was my turn to cart Mr. Attitude to ball and sit and watch twelve 12-year-olds come together as a team.

Mr. Attitude had a tourney in the middle of April that Did. Not. Go. Well. Oh, my, but did the sight of that tourney make me wonder if we'd done the right thing putting Mr. Attitude into traveling ball this year. There was no pitching, precious little wood meeting cowhide and more errors than I want to think about. They received a arse-whooping the likes of which I haven't seen since Les Steckel was the Vikings coach.

Granted, the boys had one whole outside practice before the tourney. ONE. The Hinterlands have conspired against us mortals with the weather gods this year, and it has been one of the coldest and wettest springs I can remember in a while.

But last night watching these boys practice? They're now a team. There is chattering going on in the outfield...you know the whole "Play's at first!" and "Two outs!" kind of thing. There was chatter from the bench...the "Nice cut!" or "Now you've seen it!" thing.

I watched the boys split up into two teams and run a relay race against each other. It appears they have two sets of wheels. The coach split them up so each team had one set of wheels, and the wheels ran the anchor laps in this race. It both filled me with pride and set me to wondering, that Mr. Attitude is one of the wheels on this team. Man, watching him run is special, but can someone please tell me where in the heck he got the speed? As far as I can remember, his dad never had that kind of speed, and well...what I know about running comes from sitting on the couch and watching the Olympics. LOL!

As Mr. Attitude and I went home, the rain started again. And the radio weather came on to inform us that the rain would stop on Saturday...but we'd get snow first. Sigh.

Until later...

Smiles

Most smiles are started by another smile. ~ Author Unknown

I can't tell you how true that is. Yesterday was a day full of smiles here in the Hinterlands.

Almost two years ago, Mr. Attitude had braces put on. It has been an interesting ride to say the least. I can't tell you how much we've discussed the wearing of the headgear, the rubberbands, the even more importance of brushing, etc. Mr. Attitude has seriously missed corn on the cob (he says it doesn't taste the same cut off the cob) and chewing gum.

In March, we went in for his usual check up and to our surprise, they informed us that he'd be getting his braces off the next visit...almost three months early. Mr. Attitude was beyond excited.

Yesterday, I dropped my metal-mouthed son off at the ortho's office and ran to Target to pick him up some gum as a celebratory gift. Target had gum on sale this week. Five minutes later, Mr. Attitude had 30 packs of different flavored, sugar-free gum to choose from. I stuffed it all in a cheap gift bag and went back to the ortho's office. In the time I was gone (approx 30 minutes), they'd taken off the brackets, sanded away the cement, taken x-rays and casted the molds for his retainers. Mr. Attitude was ready to go.

He kept his mouth shut, refusing to open it and smile at me...though he did have a huge smirk on his face. Once we got in the car, he smiled and it was so nice to see those straight teeth without the hinderance of the brackets and wires.

It makes him look even more grown up if that is possible. Hard to believe that he's only twelve some days...

But his smile? It makes me smile too.

Until later...

Money For Nothing...

Yeah, it's another song title...

It correlates to last week's Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. I LOVE me some Bloggy Giveaways. LOVE them. They are the highlight of each quarter for me, and even though I've never won, I love running through new blogs and checking out both what they have to offer...as a giveaway and as their normal content.

What I don't get is the fact that some blogs can't be counted on to actually name a winner when they say they will...or at all for that matter. And I dislike the fact that some blogs rename their original Mr. Linky title when it comes to finding out who won what. It would seem to be easier (to me at least) for the giveaway enterers (yeah, it's a made up word) to find the contests they entered...

I have been spending a few moments here and there for the past few days running through the links I saved to a document, to see if I won. Now I know that most, if not all of the blogs email their winners, I still like to know who won the giveaways I entered.

One of those blogs disappeared. Disappeared! As in Blogger no longer shows any evidence of it even having been a blog! How does that happen? Does the blogger just decide that they don't want to give away the prize any longer and quits blogging?

Another blog posted the winners to four of her five giveaways. The fifth just has a curt "This contest is over" posted on the original post. In fact, the post doesn't even show what it was originally for. Did she also decide to no longer give away the prize and this was her way of getting around that?

And finally, I can't count how many have said, "I'll pick a name and post it Saturday (or Sunday, or....) and hasn't followed through with that. If you're going to say you'll do something, do it!

This is a huge peeve for me and one I counsel the monsters on quite a bit. A commitment is a commitment is a commitment. You may decide you no longer want to do something, but until you follow through and complete what you've said you're going to do, you're still on the hook for it. Maybe it has it's roots in the failure of the commitment my ex and I gave each other. I don't know. What I do know, is that if I commit to something, you're guaranteed that I'm going to finish out what I've started.

Next quarter, I've decided to offer up my own giveaway...and you can rest assured that I WILL follow through.

And there will be money for nothing...but no chicks for free.

Until later...

Wii Belong...

♪♪♪Whatever we deny or embrace
For worse or for better
Wii belong, Wii belong
Wii belong together♪♪♪

Ha! There I go again with pulling the songs outta my arse when it comes to post titles...

Last week as I was happily minding my business running through the various blogs I check daily, what to my wandering eye should appear? Not a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, I'll tell you that! No, Mir over at Want Not had listed a Wii package that Circuit City had for sale on their web page (as in, not available in stores). For way too much money, you could get a Wii console, two remotes, two nunchucks, Wii Sports and two other Wii games.

I caved.

The monsters have been begging for MONTHS...pleading desperately for me to buy them a Wii. I contemplated it for a short time at Christmas, but turned from the dark side and purchased other "things".

Then my mom started in on me..."Buy those precious, perfect grandsons of mine a Wii! I wanna play it." LOL!

And like I said I caved.

The monsters have birthdays a month apart from each other at the end of summer, so when I cave in this manner, they share the item as a combined birthday gift.

"Wait!" you say, "If their birthdays aren't until the end of summer, and you bought it now, how are you going to keep it quiet?"

Well, that's the thing. Remember my mom? And her pitiful whining telling me that I should buy the monsters a Wii? I sent it to her house. AND...AND I gave her permission to open it and play it now.

The Wii shipped Friday. It's currently in the same state as I live in. My parents should have it later this week. I figure that they'll spend all weekend bowling or golfing.

♪♪♪Whatever we deny or embrace
For worse or for better
Wii belong, Wii belong
Wii belong together♪♪♪

Do you suppose Guitar Hero Encore has any Pat Benatar? Of course, I'm more of a...



than a Guitar Hero, if truth be known.

Until later...

Milestones...

My grandmother turns 80 at the end of May. You wouldn't be able to tell however. She's as active and spry as I remember her being in my youth, when she still had three young children at home herself.

There's a big hullabaloo with the aunts & uncles about a surprise party for her. Where to have it, what to eat, what the family should buy. I've stayed out of it, thankfully enough. Once I started hearing rumblings about the potential of this, I started looking for a gift to do for just the monsters and I...I'm selfish that way.

I remembered that a friend had spent some time creating a book for her graduating son just a little while ago, and I thought, "HEY! What a cool idea!". So a couple of weeks ago, I started asking the family for pictures and information to use in creating this book. I wished I'd just shown up on some doorsteps and said, "Here, I want that picture and that one, and...". It'll get done though, I'm sure of it.

Well, I went out to Shutterfly and spent all weekend putting together a 40 page hardbound book, designed just for Grandma. I'm truly hoping that she'll enjoy it. I know that I think it's the coolest, but then, I'm a little bit biased.

The ease of putting this together (family idiosyncrasies not withstanding) was like making a cake from a boxed mix...SIMPLE. Of course there are many out there who have a hard time with that, but really...if you're looking for a WOW gift, check out the photo books at Shutterfly!

I'll let you know how it actually turns out!

Until later...

Can't Trust That Day...

It always seems to bring the beginning of another week that the word "pell-mell" can describe quite easily. Scouts, soccer, baseball, homework, the removal of braces...sigh. It's a never ending amusement park ride around here. BTW, can you name the song that verse came from...or the group? One of my all-time favorite groups to be honest. I so should have been born years before I was.

Last week during the Bloggy Giveaways, I found a new blog... I'm an Organizing Junkie. She's got quite a few great ideas that I can't wait to spend some more time checking out. She's also got a carnival that she runs each Monday, along the lines of Rocks In My Dryer's WFMW...It's called Meal Plan Monday, and I'm going to start participating.

You might ask why...Why do I need another item on an overly scheduled day? Well, that's easy. Last week, I realized that the monsters and I had Rotini Alfredo for the past 3 weeks running. If you are what you eat, I'm...



So, we're starting it off this week to make sure that the monsters and I are eating a more varied diet...

Monday ~ Scout Night

Mexican Queso Dip

Tuesday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Wednesday ~ Braces Off

This will be Mr. Attitude's decision for a celebration dinner...he's still thinking about it.

Thursday ~ Soccer & Baseball Night

Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Friday, Saturday & Sunday ~ Clean Out The Fridge

The monsters will be with their dad, so I'll be eating whatever is leftover from the week...if there isn't anything, I'm going to make Shrimp Scampi Pizza for myself, as the monsters don't really enjoy it.

So that's what's up for this week. Stop by this week's MPM to see what others are planning. Who knows? You might get some good ideas for yourself!

Until later...

Add Another Log To The Fire...

Or actually, a candle to the cake...it's that time of year again when my birth certificate reminds me that I am on a speeding, head-on collision course with middle age.

How in the world did I end up here? Seriously? I'm 37, single and busier than hell. This wasn't the plan when I was 15, sitting in my friend's bedroom during an overnighter and playing with a OUIJA board. It wasn't the plan when I was 18 and hyped up on the fact that I just graduated from high school and I had experienced THE BEST senior year I could have imagined. It wasn't the plan when I accepted a marriage proposal on that Christmas Day so long ago. Some time after that, life ~ as it is so apt to do ~ changed the plan on me without first letting me in on the detour.

I'm 37. THAT I have no control over. It's not like I can stop the clock at 25 or 35 and say, "I'm done. This is as old as I want to be!" I know some people would enjoy that, but as life moves on, I find that I enjoy the aging process. The learning never stops and the experiencing never stops...it's life. I enjoy life and the growth that you should be reaching for, if you look for it.

I'm single and I like it that way. I do what I want, when I want, how I want...the only people I have to take into consideration are the monsters and while their lives are busy, some how I enjoy and WANT to do what they are involved in. I've decided I'm more selfish now than I was as a self-absorbed teenager, and I don't care. Truly, I've learned the hard way that I have to be happy with myself to be happy, no matter who is in my life and I've taken that lesson to heart.

I'm busy as hell. I have a full time job that I enjoy 85% of the time...who wants to enjoy their job all of the time? That's where ruts happen, and if you get in a rut, you don't grow. I have two very active tweeners. They are involved in all sorts of activities and I find myself enjoying the experience with them.

Life is what you make of it, and if you're lucky, you make it good. I've learned this past year that while nothing stays the same, if you work at it, it will most likely be better than what you imagined...even if that OUIJA board tells you that you'll one day be an OB/GYN and have twins and you actually end up an editor with two monsters...

Until later...

So, I Ended Up Getting...

Hello again Bloglandia! I've been away for quite a while...

The wedding I asked for help on has come and gone. All I can say about that, is thank god! I'm wedding free for another five months.

I appreciated your ideas on gifts and I ended up going with a set of BBQ Utensils and stuck a set of metal skewers for kabobs inside. I also picked up a few (okay, 8 of the small bottles) different spices from Penzey's and threw (well, maybe not threw...)it all in a basket. We'll see what the bride thought when the thank you note arrives.

Life has certainly picked up the pace, but now that I can pre-write Blogger posts, I just may do that, so I'm not ignoring my notions due to baseball or soccer or scouts or....sleep.

Until later!

Capturing A Leprechaun

It's Wednesday, and that means it's WFMW over at Rocks In My Dryer. I almost didn't participate, but then I remembered that next Monday, everyone is a little bit Irish, so I thought I'd share what the Monsters and I do to celebrate.

I am Irish...my grandfather was a first generation American and my mother grew up in a town that was Irish-Czech in its history. So there is a lot of pride in their Irish history. However, my Irish has been severely diluted by the addition of my dad's German heritage and the Monsters are a Heinz 57 mix due to the conglomeration of their father's heritage.

When the Monsters were little, I decided to make a big deal out of St. Patrick's Day and pull that piece of our history into the Monsters' lives. It started out with green milk at dinner and little pieces of chocolate disguised as gold coins left around the house.

However, one year the Monsters were taught at day care that if you catch a leprechaun, he must give you his pot of gold. The Monsters immediately conceived the idea of creating a "trap" to catch a leprechaun on St. Pat's. Before they go to bed on the 16th, they set up their "trap", and "bait" it with "gold" The gold has been anything from yellow Lego pieces that I invariably step on the next morning, to torn strips of yellow construction paper.

The first year the Monsters thought of this idea, I thought it was very clever. They thankfully had been talking about it for days before St. Pat's, so I was able to stop by Target and pick up some sort of a "prize" for each of them. I've been doing that ever since, but now the prizes have escalated to CDs or other items more enjoyed by pre-teens than toddlers.

The Monsters have never caught the leprechaun who visits our home. Each year, they wake up excited to see if they have, but they find that their "trap" has been demolished and Sean the Leprechaun leaves them a note telling them "Good Try!". Sometimes Sean's friend Paddy stops by instead. This fueled their excitement the first year, and the traps have grown more elaborate ever since. Their single-mindedness toward catching Sean was very much like their excitement in waiting for Santa.

Both of the Monsters now know (or are at least very suspicious in the case of my 10 year old) that the Easter Bunny, Santa, the Tooth Fairy and Sean the Leprechaun are not real, but the magic of St. Pat's continues the tradition of creating a trap and Sean leaving a prize. It's something that I've come to look forward too, almost as much as the Monsters, and I hope it is a tradition that they continue when they have children.

So that's what works for me when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to see what works for other busy Bloglandians.

Until later...

Wedding Gift Help

It's Wednesday, and that means it's WFMW over at Rocks In My Dryer. This week however, it's a back-wards WFMW and that means that you can offer help and tips to those of us needing questions answered.

We've all been under the weather for the past two weeks and there were times when I'd have felt better if someone had just placed me in a coffin and buried me. Luckily, that's behind us...or at least it seems that way.

Unfortunately, it means that my grandiose plans for my cousin's wedding gift will not come to fruition. I just don't have the time any longer to cut out and put together the quilt I'd planned. You might ask why I left it until so late, but I'm a card-carrying member of Procrastinator's Anonymous, so that explains everything.

So, I need help. Besides cash (which I may have to fall back on), what is your favorite wedding gift to give? And what was the best gift you were given when you were married? You know, the one that really meant the most to you, the one that makes you think fondly of the person who gave it to you every time you see it.

Any help would be appreciated on this! I think the illness stripped all creative juices from my brain.

There's more help to be given over at Rocks In My Dryer this week too, so head over there and see if you can help anyone else out!

Until later...

Keeping To A Grocery Budget

As I'm sure you've come to expect, Wednesday means time for a new installment of WFMW! This week, it's being hosted by Don't Try This At Home because Rocks In My Dryer is in Uganda on a live-blogging relief mission.

So...what works for me this Wednesday? Well, I decided at the end of summer that I was going to make more of an effort to make and stick to (and that's the hard part of me!) a budget, especially a grocery budget. It shames me to admit that last year we ate more than our fair share of crap and that might account for the fact that my arse has expanded to unknown proportions!

So this year, I created a budget. I'm still fine tuning it, as I find things that I really should budget for, but when it comes to the grocery portion, I'm doing exceptionally well.

What's working for me, is that each Sunday, I create a menu for the following week, run out to the grocery store, pick up what I need for those meals, and I don't go back until the following Sunday. Not once. That means I'm not tempted to pick up a quick fix for dinner, or stop at McDonald's on the way home, because I KNOW what is for dinner when I wake up in the morning. It's not a scramble to try at 5pm to dream up something for the monsters to eat.

I'm hoping to stretch this to a two week shopping excursion shortly. Then all I'll have to pick up (maybe) in between major trips is milk. But for now, I'm doing very well on a weekly plan.

I've got another tip for creating menus, but that will have to wait until next week. Because this Wednesday, keeping to my grocery budget is what works for me.

Head on over to Don't Try This At Home to find out what works for others in Bloglandia.

Until later...

Free Stuff...

Don't forget that this week, Chased by Children is having give-aways all week to celebrate her 200th post and Valentine's Day...

So go over and win stuff...or leave it for me to win...

Until later...

Friday Snow...

This morning dawned early, as all mornings do. And I really shouldn't say "dawned" because I'm at my desk furiously working (okay...I'm really slacking today) by the time the sun creeps beyond the Hinterland horizon in the winter.

I got the monsters out of bed, ready and out the door. As we pulled out of the garage, I noticed that a light dusting of snow was falling.

As is our routine, Bugaboo and I stopped for coffee and hot chocolate before heading off to the school to drop him at Before Care. We couldn't have been in the store for more than five minutes, but when I came out, the car was covered in the snow. It was no longer a light dusting.

I'm not sure how long the snow is supposed to last, but I'm actually quite happy about it. That first few hours after the snow stops, everything is so pretty and fresh. After a while, it turns grey and dingy from the melting and the spray from the roads.

If the snow keeps up throughout the day, it'll be nice and quiet tonight as I laze in my comfy clothes reading my book. There's something special about the quiet as snow falls on a Hinterland winter evening.

I've got no real plans this weekend, so the quiet and the coziness of a Friday evening is looking pretty good to me right now.

Until later...

Why Don't You Get Married Again???

It's my favorite question. Okay, I lie. But I've heard it a lot lately. From friends, from family, from the guy who delivers my eBay purchases...okay, maybe not that last one, but I swear I hear this question often.

The monsters have asked me it a few times lately too. When their dad first got remarried they asked a lot. When their baby sister was born, they asked again. Now, it was family this last weekend. I think part of that is the fact that my cousin is getting married in March and another cousin announced that she was getting married in June.

Me? Not getting married. Not any time soon.

I can't say that I haven't thought about how nice it would be some days to have someone here at home when I'm overwhelmed and just need a break from the hectic life. Or someone to listen to me kvetch about how work went that day. Or someone to just put their arm around my shoulders as we watch tv at night after the monsters have gone to bed.

Then I look at my life as it is, and think about how it was when there was someone here to do those things. And you know what? I don't miss it enough to give up my independence. I like being able to eat whatever it is that I want on the weekends when the boys are gone. I like not having to tell someone why I didn't come home right after work. I like not having to explain why I just spent money on clothes that I might not need, but really wanted. And maybe when I open up my email to a particularly idiotic email from my ex and it reminds me of everything I went through when I was married, I just get the feeling I don't have the patience for another individual's quirks and idiosyncrasies.

I've decided that I'm just too selfish any more to give enough of myself to build a relationship with another person, to the extent that I believe that marriages deserve.

I have interests and hobbies that I enjoy. I have friends and family that I spend time with doing things that interest us all. I'm by no means a solitary individual.

And I think that's what those who want to put me on the Marriage Ark can't believe. I don't think they understand that I'm happy and satisfied with the way things are. They're all paired up with their spouses and fiancés, shouldn't I be? And my only answer is, "Maybe...some day...but don't count on it."

And I'm really okay with that.

Until later...

Shopping!

It's funny how much I've started looking forward to Wednesdays. They used to be just another day to go to work, but now with WFMWs, I have a lot of new hints to look at, which might help out my busy little family.

This week however is all about online shopping. The mall used to be my life. From the time I was in Junior High until sometime in my twenties, I could spend hours, if not days, in the mall.

Now? Now, I prefer to shop in the comfort of my flannel pj pants and a sweatshirt. Most of the time I do it late at night, or early in the morning.

And my favorite sites to browse?

Well there's WOOT which has some decent deals...but only for a limited time. And WOOT's sister site, Shirt WOOT has some cute tshirts now and again. I found Fresh Trend during the holiday shopping season, and it's fun to go and read their blog to see the unique items they've found. Amazon isn't just for books any more, and since I'm usually spending $25 each time I shop, the shipping is free! I've had good luck with Target online, but then I never seem to go wrong with Target, even its brick and mortar stores.

Those are just a few of the online shopping sites that work for me. Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to see what others in Bloglandia deem their favorite sites.

Until later...

Just Once....

It's winter in the Hinterlands...and I mean it is winter! We've had some of the coldest weather I can remember in the past two weeks and almost no snow, which if I'm going to have cold, I want snow to go with it.

Since the boys began to roughhouse and play outside, I've not made it through a winter without having to buy another coat, or another pair of snowpants, or another hat, or another pair of gloves. Not one winter.

Apparently, this winter is no exception. Bugaboo came out of school yesterday with his jacket open. The Nonnie in me was getting ready to lecture about the fact that it was cold and he NEEDED to zip up, when he got in the car and said, "I need a new coat." Yes, the zipper had broken on his coat.

Now, some other mom might take her son to the fabric store, grab a new zipper and spend the evening ripping out the old one and putting in the new one. I'm not one of those moms. Bugaboo and I went up to a neighboring town and bought him the same jacket he started the winter with, albeit on clearance.

So, he'll go to school again today with a jacket that zips and I'll start dreaming those parental dreams of something lasting more than one season...It does happen, doesn't it?

Until later...