What I Learned This Week

Hello friends! It is time once again for me to impart my hard-won wisdom. Or to give you a list of random things you might not have known. Whatever. Not everything was learned in the last week, but are things I feel compelled to share. You're welcome.

• I read about this first thing over at Chic Critique many months ago. And I've been doing it ever since, but not sharing. Because it is about shaving. Gross. But, it was recommended to try using conditioner instead of shaving cream or gel. I am all about the cheap options, and minimizing the clutter in the shower, and no longer having rust stains in the shower. So I tried it and I have never looked back. You get a fabulously close shave and your skin is not all dry when done. And you can get conditioner for cheap.

• Next, exercise is really good for the skin! I have always had a problem with break outs. I would get a few blemishes every month or so, or when stressed. But since I have been running and exercising regularly this has been much less of a problem. My skin is generally clear and even. It makes me happy.

• Finally, RecipeZaar is my new favorite recipe website. I have had two successes in the last week using recipes from the site. I like the many sort options, including five ingredients or less and total time from prep to eating. If you are in a pinch and need to find something to cook for dinner, give it a shot.
  

To read what others have learned, visit Musings of a Housewife.

Nerdy Nicole

I have often declared myself a nerd in this space, but I don't know that I give much evidence to back up my claim. Until now.

I had the rare opportunity to be in my house alone for about an hour this weekend. Husband and four kids were at the in-laws house, while IndieGirl was at a birthday party. Due to the location of the party and the location of the grandparents, it made more sense for me to hang out at home until the party was over before joining the family.

The Mavs were playing the Spurs in the playoffs. It was a back and forth first half. I had a large Coke to keep me company. I could have easily enjoyed the quiet time. Except something was missing. A big something.

I had nothing to read.

Well, I had things to read, but no fiction to take me to another world. This kind of relaxation called for fiction, not something that would enlighten me. But I had nothing. So I took the only reasonable course of action. I went to the library.

That's right. I left an empty house to go somewhere with people, possibly even children. But the opportunity to go to the library alone and unhurried is about as rare as an empty house. Besides, I had finished reading John Adams (fascinating) and needed to turn it in, because my goal this year is to not have late fines. Or to have less late fines.

Okay, so maybe that is not so nerdy. But it gets worse. I perused the shelves and tried to remember if there were any books I was dying to read. I remembered a few authors I had liked and found three books (for some reason I have to get at least three at a time). I looked forward to a day of reading on Sunday.

I read the first book yesterday. Odd Hours was excellent. Funny, poignant, thought-provoking, mysterious, and so on. Everything you could want in a Sunday read. Husband was a bit stunned that I finished in one day. But that is still not the worst part. After finishing that book and killing some time online, I picked up my second pick, Son of a Witch. And as I read the first few paragraphs, it all seemed familiar. And then I realized I had already read the book, but did not remember. How sad is that? I read a book and then read so many more after that I did not remember reading it. And that is not the first time that has happened. I think I read too quickly sometime.

So, to summarize. I gave up time in an empty house to go to the library and check out a book I had already read. You may feel free to leave and never come back now. My nerdiness can be overwhelming.

Adventures in Kindergarten

Yesterday was the annual kindergarten trip to the Fort Worth Zoo. I went with Princess last year, and this year was IndieGirl's turn. I love this zoo, but on this particular kind of field trip I end up seeing very little of the animals, it seems. Of course we were not the only school there. Thankfully, there were a lot of chaperones for the class, so I only had to keep up with my daughter and one other sweet girl. Still, there are so many kids running around that I felt like all I did was count heads. We walked around with another friend and her two charges, one of whom was a bit more active and easily distracted.

We spent as much time eating lunch as looking at animals. At least that is what it felt like. We had to skip the entire Texas Wild section of the zoo because we were going to miss the big animals if we didn't book it. We managed to see the elephans, rhinos, giraffes and big cats. For once the white bengal tiger was out prowling around. There were several lions. Pretty giraffes. I didn't take pictures though, because my camera is not special and the pictures would not be any more interesting than looking at the website, and perhaps even less so.

We left the zoo around 1:30. I rode with a friend and her neighbor, and our three kids rode back with us. We were all looking forward to getting home early. Until we heard a terribly loud noise and then a distinctive thumping sound. We had a flat tire. By the time we could get over, it was shredded. And we were in a very bad place for changing a tire. The shoulder was just wide enough for the minivan, but not wide enough to safely get out on the drivers side. Roadside assistance came, but realized how dangerous it was to try to change the tire and had some concerns. The traffic going by was going highway speeds of course. We were told a police officer would be on the scene eventually, and we hoped that they would be able to maybe block traffic. But, the police were in no hurry to help us, as they had real emergencies to address I guess. Our ninja guy somehow managed to change the tire in fits and starts, risking his neck to do so. We were a bit worried about being exposed on the shoulder, so we had the kids get out and we all stood behind the guardrail, just in case someone swerved and hit us (traffic sometimes backed up ahead of us). All in all, it was quite the adventure. I'm sure the teacher is getting an earful this morning from our kids.

After all that, I just wanted to sit on a patio and drink margaritas and eat chips and salsa. Instead I had to get kids ready for tee ball and softball. We all survived, but exhaustion was our companion that evening.

Oh, the picture kind of shows my hair. I got it cut last weekend, and colored. The color is much lighter than before, but the cut ended up not looking as different as I hoped. Especially when windblown. Oh well.

Way Back When-esday #3

This is one of my favorite pictures ever. I believe it was taken around spring of 2004, putting Princess at 2.5 and IndieGirl at 18 months or so, which is just about my favorite kid age. I love it because they are in overalls, which is a favorite kid outfit of mine. This picture captures something of the personality of each girl. Princess is talking, looking like she is making great plans, while IndieGirl is listening, but also looking like she is thinking about her own plans.

But the reason I really love this picture is because it captures what I hope will be a lasting friendship for my girls. While there are certainly challenges to having kids so close in age, one of the greatest blessings is the built-in friendship they have, most days anyway. I have a sister too, but she is about 3.5 years older than me, and it wasn't until adulthood that we really grew close to each other. So when I look at this picture, I think/hope/pray that theirs is a friendship that is close from childhood through the rest of their life.

Besides, they are incredibly cute. :)

For more walks down memory lane, visit Twinfatuation.

What I Learned This Week

Here are two things I learned recently.

1. I get very grumpy when I don't exercise. My poor family was subjected to far more shortness and impatience than usual last week, as I was lazy and only worked out twice at the beginning of the week. So this week I'm going to try to get to the gym more often. Except today, because I'm about to eat a biscuit with some sausage. I'm a slow learner.

2. I found a meal my kids and husband enjoyed. Coat some chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken bre@st) in ranch dressing. Then dredge in bread crumbs. I added Parmesan cheese and garlic powder to my bread crumbs. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes. Delicious. The chicken stays moist and has great flavor. We'll definitely be eating it again in the future.

Visit Musings of a Housewife for more What I Learned posts.

Calling All Decorators

Happy Monday people! Today has already been a victorious day because I overcame my natural inclination to laziness and went to the gym. My legs are burning and I might have to allow extra time to answer the call of nature, but it is all good.

I need some help.


These three crystal vases/bowls sit on our bar. During Christmas, I put glass ball ornaments in them and it is pretty. I decided I wanted to keep the pieces out year-round for decorative purposes. But there is a problem with that. As you can see, the bowl has become a repository for various bits of detritus found around the house. And while I love my family and my home, that is not the statement I want to make with my decorative glassware.

So any ideas? I don't really want to do the fake flower thing. I want something a little funkier, a little more original. Maybe if you give me an idea that works (and is affordable) I will give you a little something in return. We'll say a $5 gift card to Michael's or Hobby Lobby. So stun me with your mad decorating skillz.

Quick Takes Friday

I have been a lazy blogger this week. It almost continued through today, but I rallied and managed to cobble together a post. It might be a little heavy on pictures though.

1. I mentioned a wedding in the family. IndieGirl was a blushing bride last week. Yes, she's only six, but we figure these times in our society call for early betrothal. Or maybe she was just playing a part at school. Mr. Q married Miss U in a lovely ceremony at the school. All the girls were 'U' and all the boys were 'Q' in the kindergarten activity. They processed into the cafeteria in pairs, the boys were giant paper bowties and the girls wearing paper veils. After an exchange of vows in which they agreed to work together in spelling, they were pronounced "kwah." It was a very fun little ceremony, with cake and punch afterwards. I took a picture of IndieGirl with her groom, but do not have parenatal authorization to post it. I imagine this is one activity that will be remembered.

2. It is rainy here today and I am loving it. First, because we really need the rain. Second, because it fuels my laziness in a good way. I'm looking forward to a day at home with no pressing obligations. Husband and I will enjoy a quiet evening at home (well, once the kids are in bed), watching a movie if our Rangers get rained out.

3. Speaking of the Rangers, we went to a game Wednesday. It was Mean Green night, and we got tickets for four dollars! Thanks to a family connection we parked for free, and it was dollar hot dog night. This is pretty much the only night all year that we can afford to take the kids. Butterfly's godparents graciously agreed to spend the evening with her, so we had a really great time. Our good friend and her four kids (including our goddaughter) joined us for the fun. The Rangers had lost 5 in a row, but they busted out of that slump big time at this game. We missed Ian Kinsler's history-making triple, but we had to get our kids home and in bed. Something about being responsible parents on a school night or something. Here are some pictures.



4. Well, Easter came and went. And as I caught up on blog reading this week, I realized that our family has yet to participate in one quintessential Easter activity. We have never dyed eggs! I guess I have always felt like it was just an exercise in frustration, where I would have to fight my urge to do it for the kids and try to minimize messes. But I realize the kids are older and we will definitely get in on the dying action next year.

5. Butterfly turned one in February and I never posted the traditional eating cake picture. She had a cupcake, and her initial response was not a happy one. But once the realized there was chocolate she was all in. Here she is, making quick work of it.


6. More Easter talk. We got a bit crazy and decided to go to Mass at 7 a.m.! I don't really know what we were thinking. The kids did great though. Well, Butterfly was not happy the whole time, but she never is. It was rainy and cool, so we had to make some wardrobe adjustments. Friends of ours gave Butterfly a precious bunny coat that did not fit all winter. It finally fits now, just when we don't need it. We used it on Easter morning though, and she looked pretty stinkin' cute.



7. And here she is, sans coat. My mom bought this pretty dress when Butterfly was born and I was very excited to put it on her finally. It is gorgeous.


For more quick takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary.

Way Back When-esday #2

Once again, I'm visiting our past. Here are pictures of each kid, sometime in their first year of life. I tried to get similar ages, but we don't label our pictures so I have no idea about some of them. They are in birth order, so Princess (2002), IndieGirl (2003), Buddy (2004), Monster (2006)and then Butterfly (2008), the dates are the year the picture was taken, not year of birth. When I thought of doing this, I was sure I would find pictures that showed how much alike they all look. But I didn't find that. I guess it is more in certain expressions or mannerisms that we see the similarities among them. In photos, it seems clear to me who each kid is. Although, maybe I will dig up newborn pictures of each and see what they look like. For now, this will have to do.


















Visit Cheryl at Twinfatuation for more blasts from the past.

More Things I Like

I know I haven't posted anything original in several days. My brain is tired. My blogging mojo is waning. I have stories to tell, but little desire to do the telling. In the interim, here are some things I like lately.

• BBQ Chicken: Thanks to the friend who suggested this to me for dinner. Chicken in a dish, covered with sauce, baked in the oven. Delicious and unspeakably easy.
• Dove milk chocolate bars. One little square is divine.
• My Soul Sings, DVD/CD from Delirious, performing live in Bogota. Possibly the best band ever, or darn close.
• Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. I just read it for the second time. The woman can write a love story, for sure. I read that a movie might eventually happen. It is doomed to disappoint.
• Rangers baseball on TV. Okay, I didn't like the last three games, but I am still happy that baseball season has arrived.
• Sunshine. The potential for cute spring/summer clothes is in the air. None too soon, in my book.
• The fact that I miss running and look forward to moving again tomorrow. I like feeling good and taking care of myself. Imagine that.

What do you like these days?

Healed

"He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24

Then and Now

As parents, we have all had those moments where we find ourselves doing something we always said we would never do. Usually they are related to discipline or sleeping or something along those lines. Sometimes, though, they are more random things.

I was pushing the buggy through Target yesterday with a very tired baby girl and two boys. Butterfly was so ready to be done, but I needed to grab some groceries. So I did something I never would have done with my older kids. I grabbed a bag of m&ms from the checkout lane and let her eat them while we shopped. I certainly would not have given them m&ms at 13 months, but I know what works with this baby girl. I used to be that mom that always had a snack ready, and if not, the kid could wait. And usually my kids would go along with that. Butterfly has broken the mold though. She is way more high-maintenance that the other kids were at this age. And of course I had the cashier scan the empty bag so I could pay for the m&ms she ate.

What else is different? Butterfly has tasted iced tea from my cup way younger than the other kids. I am pretty firm on the idea that my kids don't drink from my cup or eat my food. I don't want to listen to them whining for my soda or tea or whatever, especially when they have their own drink. I think it is important to assert that not everything has to be shared by Mommy. But when your baby is screaming and you are about to watch 'Q' and 'U' get married (more on that tomorrow), you have to make a concession. So Butterfly has had her tastes of unsweet iced tea.

Generally speaking, things are much the same now as they were when the big kids were younger. But I am more relaxed, or more willing to do what it takes to keep a baby quiet, than I was then. But I also had 3 kids in 23 months and had to impose order to keep my sanity. I just couldn't help noticing how things had changed as Butterfly munched on m&ms in Target.

Way Back When-esday

This is my first time to participate in Cheryl's carnival. I finally figured out how to use my scanner!

Well, I clearly barely managed to use the scanner, since the picture is crooked and not all that clear.

This is Princess and IndieGirl, Christmas 2002. Princess is 14 months old and IndieGirl is 2 months old. It looks like Princess is thinking "Um, can we take her back please?" Little did we know that less than two months later Buddy would be growing inside and Princess would wonder who exactly was running this crazy train. I'm pretty sure I had days when I felt like screaming like IndieGirl, and days where I felt a bit confused by it all, much like Princess.

13.1

Holy cats I finished a half-marathon!

My official time was 2:21, which was lower than my goal time of 2.5 hours. I was so excited! It was a great race. My BIL ran it too, which was fun. We ran together for the first 2.5 miles, then we were on slightly different paces. I was able to run the first six miles in one hour! It felt so good to see the seven mile marker, and know that I was halfway done. Miles 8 and 13 were the hardest. During mile 8 I definitely had moments of wanting to just quit, but I pushed through. After essentially running all of the first six miles, I finished miles 7-10 by running ten minutes and walking two minutes. After mile 10 it got harder, and I was running five minutes and walking two. So I finished slower than I started, but that was okay. I ran across the finish line of course.

My parents and my brother and Husband were all there to cheer me on. It was great encouragement to see my parents just before the 10-mile point. It gave me the boost I needed to keep pushing. Husband and Brother were at the finish line. My SIL and nephew were there too, with flowers for the runners (BIL and myself). Running these events is so fun. People cheer for everyone, not just the runners they know. And those running are cheering each other on, offering encouragement when someone is struggling. If you haven't run a race before, you should give it a try. The environment is a good one.

I'm planning to take this week off from the gym. I'm actually feeling pretty good, just a little stiffness in my knee. But I'm looking forward to a week where I don't have to worry about getting a specific workout in my schedule. Next week I'll be back to my classes and doing some running too. I feel too good to give it up. I'm already thinking I'll enter another half marathon in December!

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement through the whole process. I was thinking of my readers when I was running. I couldn't wait to post my success!

Quick Takes Friday

1. This will be the second to last time I talk about the race, I promise. It is two days away. I am alternating between confidence and complete anxiety. I keep telling myself to take it one mile at a time. There is no shame in walking some of the course. I know this. And the most important thing is to just keep moving. So on Monday I will post my recap and then I promise not to talk about running again for a long time. Or at least a week.

2. If I had all the disposable income I could want, I would be shopping. I love clothes. Y'all know that. But, alas, we must pay the bills and put food on the table and so on. So I just read Big Mama's Fashion Friday and imagine I am buying new looks for spring. Jo-Lynne has a good spring fashion trends post up this week too.

3. Husband has been working his lawn business for two weekends now. And I am officially an ungrateful woman. I have to work hard to focus on what a blessing it is that he has this opportunity to earn extra money for our family. I am surprised there are people out there still paying for lawn care, when it seems people would be cutting back on things like that. We can definitely use the money, and so I am grateful for the work. But it is hard on all of us to have him working all weekend. Saturday and Sunday have essentially become regular work days, where he is gone all day. Thank goodness for evening Mass! This weekend he is juggling his schedule a bit so he can cheer me on at the race. I'm glad for that. And I will be grateful for the business opportunity. I just might have to remind myself of that from time to time.

4. Speaking of Husband and work, we are entering another new phase in his employment. He is now working from home, but not really. He is on full commission for his full-time job, and that gives him more flexibility in work hours. He is still putting in full days, but now he can work from here. Instead of working from home, though, he is working in the office that his mortgage company keeps here in town. This is great for us though, because he no longer has an hour commute. He can go to games and practices during the week now. And, he can come home for lunch or when I need to run a quick errand. He has the option of working at home too, actually in the house, and will do that so I can go on field trips and stuff. It is such a blessing, and it makes handling the weekend craziness a little easier. This change has given him confidence that everything will work out for us financially and for him professionally, juggling his full-time job with the part-time mortgage work and lawn business. God is good!

5. I never gave a followup on our dental excursions. Buddy had his appointment last Thursday. He was very excited to get his turn. But the visit didn't last long. His mouth is just too tiny for the tools this office had. They went to do the x-ray where the film is in a bracket in the mouth, but it was digging into the roof of Buddy's mouth before he even tried to bite down on it. They didn't want to traumatize him and suggested seeing a pediatric dentist. We'll do that eventually, but I'm not in a hurry. This office is part of a national chain and is not strictly pediatric; in fact, the chain subcontracts pediatric dentists but does not have its own on staff. So, we are done with the dentist till June, when the girls get cleanings. And I am glad.

6. I stole an idea from El-e-e and made trail mix for the family. I used chex, pretzels, three kinds of goldfish, raisins, cashews, peanut butter m&ms and regular m&ms. I love it. The kids like some parts of it. None of them love the pretzels, but I like the salty taste. Butterfly was picking out the m&ms immediately, even though she had never had them before. Guess the colors were a clue to the goodness within. I put the mix in snack-size bags and have them ready to grab and go when going to practices or errands. Very handy. I'll keep tinkering with the mix to find the right balance.

7. I have to go to Sam's today. I may have made snack mix, but that won't meet all of our snacking needs. With five kids eating regular food we needs lots of snacks on hand. And large quantities of toilet paper. That's not related to the snacks, just another reason I need to go to Sam's.

Bonus: Albertson's in TX is having a great promotion. Get seven boxes of Kellogg's cereal and a box of pop-tarts for fourteen dollars if you use the coupon in the circular. When you check out you get three coupons, each for a free gallon of milk. So that is seven boxes of cereal (big boxes), one box of pop-tarts, and three gallons of milk (any brand up to $4.99) for fourteen dollars!

For more quick takes, go to Conversion Diary.

What I Need

Is a beach. In a bad way. Watching the Biggest Loser last night was torture, as one group did their last chance workout on Venice Beach. I would willingly do all kinds of painful exercises if it meant I I was hearing the sound of the waves in the background.

We haven't taken a vacation really ever, and it is the time of year when people are making their summer plans and making me green with envy. Not that they are bragging, or trying to make me miserable. I don't begrudge them their opportunity to sit back and relax and have some fun. I just wish I could hide in the suitcase and tag along.

Instead of going to the beach, I will read about the ocean. I'm currently reading The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey. It is a fascinating book about a group of islands off San Francisco where great white sharks gather every fall to eat until they are fat and ready to swim away. The book is not a science book though. It is written by a journalist and relates the history of the islands as well as stories about the researchers living there. Husband says it might be the biggest sign of my nerdiness yet, and I might agree. But it is fascinating. And does not make me want to avoid the ocean. Just the sharks.