Thursday, February 28, 2013

Toodles February!

2.28.13 The day the poop was in the bath chair.

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Yo yo yo!  February is outta here!  Who else is totally excited about that?  Any takers? 

Why am I so gleefully happy February is almost gone with the wind?  Because it means SPRING is sure enough on the arrival screen of your local weather board!  (Disclaimer:  I know not all of you are in the South so just pretend for a little while you are....your mood will lighten immensely!)

Let us get ready for that beautiful month that is.....MARCH!

March is a terrific transition month for we humanoids.  The weather starts to show signs of having a little crush on us.  It starts giving us little gifts like sunshiney days and warmer temperatures.  But it also plays the games all young lovers do - it will make us think it has suddenly taken great disdain towards us and give us a dose of winter with some rain only to be back at our doors smiling and offering up beautiful buttercups.  Ok now that I think about it March is kind of schizo huh?  It's that bad girl in the bunch....you know her!  The one who leads the boys on....all the boys.  Oh well you gotta love her because a little bad girl lives in us all. 

March in Brownie World promises to bring you more recipes (already working on some in my kitchen and getting ready to fire up the grill).  I hope to incorporate some of my jar fetish into March as well (thanks for the emails, I am not alone in my glass contraption love).  Next week is the spring cleaning series brought to you by Brownie.  All you need to clean along with me?  Some good music and a few bottles of your preferred grape nutrition.....or water.

We're going to do some organizing in March.  This is a passion and a struggle. 

And yes I'll be throwing more stories and pics of my kidlets, doggie poo, bichens, and life on here because remember it did start as a memory blog.

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Important dates in March:

March 4th my baby boy's 6 month appointment (time needs to be recycled)

March 5th soccer season starts back.  That should pose some interesting blog topics.

March 10th my wedding anniversary - ok I think that should word My husband and I will celebrate our wedding anniversary....really there's nothing singular about it.

March 25th (I'm pretty sure that's the date on my calendar) my baby girl has kindergarten orientation (note to self purchase more wine for this occassion, invite other moms to partake we'll call it "babyhood is over communion for hot mamas")

March 31st Easter Sunday (yeah there will be some posts post that event)

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Before I totally write off the second month of the thirteenth year I must say it was a good month of cold weather, rain, and fun times and struggles with the kids.  I did some nice things like starting back to the YMCA and had a fun date night with the hubbs.  I also took my citizenship class for having a weapon (not sure if I'll ever get the permit but it was interesting to see how many nut jobs exist in my county). 

It was a good month.

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Here are some pictures from the past twenty-four hours to share of my small humans.
Remain calm.  That is her "I'm scared" face.

Next time I will get me a grande coffee and friend and enjoy ths time for what its worth!

Look its a poo bear.  And when I say poo I mean poo as in the prize he left in that bath chair which led to another bath.

I'm not saying anything but I don't think I was driving this morning.  Just kidding you know his feet cannot reach the pedals - or can they????

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Until we meet again -


Brownie

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Chapters

2.27.13 Today was so beautiful.

Today was Girl's Day.  I asked my blonde baby doll what she wanted to do and all she said was -

"Go to the mall"

Five...the new fifteen.

We didn't go to the mall.  We went to Toys R Us.  I have decided we could easily spend an entire day in that store and my child would agree with me and fall in love with her mommy all over again. 

She wanted to look at every single square inch of that toy haven and that includes the Babies R Us section that is nestled in with the traditional store.  I was taken aback when she said she needed to look for things for Harper.  No, she wasn't on the Barbe aisle....she was making her way to the infant toys.

Here's the clincher of today's time in Toys R Us - I had a good time. Seriously, I did.  No, I did not have a labotomy.  I was in awe. It is amazing how toys have evolved - and not - since I was five.

My little blondie gives me a lot of cramps in the pit of my stomach but today she gave me a lot of growing pains.  The kind that pull at your heart a little as you look at her and see the baby has left and the big girl is in. Sure she still has that cute lisp and innocense is still totally intact (and will remain that way until she is fifty-five) but the baby girl is now a little girl with fun opinions and the type of seriousness that you wish more adults had. 

Today I realized just how quickly this chapter of our lives has opened and closed.  It seems her time being her brother's age was just a couple weeks ago and then at other times I feel like it was eons ago. As I watched her eat her salad at lunch I thought about when she was a baby girl eating her jarred veggies.  As I watched her look at the baby toys I remembered when they had first enamored her heart.  I also realized that the critical first five years of life were quickily moving away from me and soon she would be starting the school aged years.  The growing pains were spiked as they penetrated my heart.

All too soon she'll be wanting to keep up with other girls.  She will be wanting to watch those tv shows.  She'll care who some teeny bopper pop star is.  I'll get a little more dumb as the months pass.  She will start the trek all girls take to get farther from their moms.  All too soon she'll be a big girl.

Right now I'll just enjoy the little hand in mine as we walk through her favorite stores.  I will also enjoy those little cards she makes and hides beside the coffee pot that say Mom on one side and I love you on the other.  I will also relish the request she gives at bed time to kiss all over her face.  Her giggles will be my music that I just pray to God I can channel when she is a big girl. 

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Until we meet again -


Brownie

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Photos from a good weekend.

Friday morning C introduced H to bubbles.

Saturday morning Ihop trip....things we should do more.  Happiness to a five year old:  eggs, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and maple syrup.....throw in crayons and a placemat and your golden.

Target trip was a success until check out time....

Unearthing some stuff from days gone by - including DDT. 

Playing with her Pappaw's dog (English Bulldog) Beefy.  He's a huge baby.

His first day of being six months old. 

And all she can think about is Mtn Dew

2.26.13 Redbox promos end today.

It is still winter.  I hate to report that to anyone.  This morning I awoke to two things:

1.  Two hour delay to school
2.  Heavy ice laden branches on trees

I nearly cried.

Ok I didn't nearly cry but I was totally unhappy about the whole winter is still here thing.

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My kid's preschool follows the public school in calendar and delay/closing decisions.  Today, they were to come in at 10:30 and go home at 12:30.  I opted against taking my child to preschool.  It would have been a total sad mommy fest had I done the "right" thing but I figured she'd get more learning on here and we would all e happy if the baby's schedule wasn't blown out of the water.

Today has been the smoothest day ever.

 I'm going to praise the chid I often refer to (in my mind) as my little demon.  (She isn't a demon - she's pretty far from it according to her teachers and leaders and friend's moms --- but our children take on different personalities once the parents pop up don't they?  Oh stop lying to yourself your little piece of perfection does it too.

All day long my little diva has been a pure pleasure and perfect assistant!!! 

Entertain the baby?  She did without a complaint! 

Assist me in going through all her summer clothes?  She did and actually enjoyed it --- She didn't even try to keep everything by deeming it her favorite or the best ever! 

Clean her room?  She didn't even moan and groan! 

Ate her lunch?  Without going "Eww this is disgusting" 

Right now - as we speak - she is up in her brother's room playing with him - ok it is more of a playing with his toys while I drools in awe of her great voice throwing for the Barbies and stuffed animals - but she's not complaining and she is happy.

I'm so happy my sister is home today.

This is a rarity.

You don't know how many times I hear grunts, groans, moans and my husband's favorite - a mild convulsion as she says THIS IS THE WUST DAY EVAH.  I know her age has a lot to do with it and I spend all this time reading all this crap about how to deal with it and how to treat it and how her birthday has screwed her over - but today....this one day that I opted to not let her to go to play at a church and work on writing V's.....has been a Godsend.

(We did do worksheets.)

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I am still spring cleaning because in my mind this is really just spring showers and it really isn't icey and cold out.

I love spring cleaning because I really do move things out of this house.  I mean move them out!  Sale/consign the good stuff and Goodwill others! 

I think the majority of the people in my family are pack rats.  I did not get that gene.  I believe that LESS IS MORE!  To me there is nothing more gross than walking into a house that has piles of plain out junk laying around.  I'm sorry if this offended anyone - ok I'm not you need to buy some Hefty and get to pitching!

Depression era children keep everything - just go to my grandma's house.  Should you need to reference the Fall/Winter JCPenney Catalogue from 1984 you should visit her library - I mean home.  I can understand wanting to keep everything when you grew up in a time where what you had was what you had and there was no getting anything more.  But lets not be taking our underwear with holes in it and making scrubbing cloths.  Lets just let that cotton return to the earth and hit up the Dollar Tree for some microfibers.

If there is one thing I do have a hard time letting go of......it is jars.  I must admit I have an unhealthy obsession with jars.  Mason, Ball, Atlas, baby food, sketti sauce, jam, jelly....you name it I want it!  They serve many purposes for me.  Including:  daily vitamin/medicine holders, grain recepticals, silverware holders, toiletry item dispensers, and of course gifts.  Right now I probably have 55 jars in my collection....and I am not throwing them away.  My name is Brownie and I have an obsession with glass jars.

What is your obsession?

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I also have an obsession over Mountain Dew today and it is probably because I am not allowing myself to have one.  I know this is stupid.  Got the education to back it up.  If your body says give it to me and it isn't an illegal or lethal substance (Mtn Dew probably is) then you shouldn't deny yourself or the craving will intensify and instead of a few sips you'll end up killing the bottle.

Ok thanks I will fix a nice four ounce glass.

I've heard it makes your innards glow - ok screw that glass.

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I had a sweet email from a reader of the blog who made some comments about my constant cleaning.  Are you OCD?  A tad bit yes.  It does mean Often Cleaning Disorder right?

She also asked if I would share some of my cleaning/tidying in a blog.  I decided to dedicate next week to that.  So next week Brownie will take cleaning and tidying to a whole new crazy level of funness (shhhh I know that isn't word).

I also got an email that said:  I need more recipes they seemed to stop.
Ok hunny pot pie I will whip you up some dinners.  Until I can get you something up here I'll just put this out there:

Last night we had

Johnsonville Chicken & Pork Chipotle Brats with Preacher Taters and Green Beans.

Preacher Taters are my husband's favorite food.  The name came from the fact a preacher gave this recipe to a family member of mine and she referred to them with his name in the title.  I never much cared for that preacher so I just took his name out and made them Preacher Taters.  Considering most of today's preachers are pretty portly I imagine any preacher would enjoy these taters.  If you have a non portly preacher he will appreciate them too because they aren't health havoc artery clogging carbs.,

Take several red potatoes, cut them up into small chunks, line a cookie sheet with olive oil and throw your taters on it.  Sprinkle whatever seasoning you want all over those delicious carbohydrates.  You may need to put a tad bit more olive oil on them if you were shortchanging the pan the first time with the bottle.  Set your oven to 400 degrees and cook those babies for thirty minutes.

DELISH!

My seasoning of choice:  McCormick's Kickin' Chicken.

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Until we meet again -


Brownie

Monday, February 25, 2013

Phone Apps

2.25.13 The last Monday of the second month of the 13th year.  (Dating things like this is back in the day....like really far back in the day)

Good afternoon or if you feel like I do - good evening!

Notes from the weekend:

Never get your feelings hurt before date night - it turns date night into a not so fun event.
Start spring cleaning now - we're about three weeks away from spring!!!
Purchase a shower cap for your kid - its amazing the fun joy that comes from plastic on your head.
Where can I get a French Bulldog?

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Ever do something you haven't done in a long long long long long time and when you do it it feels just great and makes you think - why don't I do this anymore?

I did.

On Friday night I made up my mind.  Get my YMCA membership back.  I had had my fill of doing my exercising according to Mother Nature's schedule instead of my own.  I was having to use my livingroom to do exercises I had cultivated from Pinterest and work out DVDs from Wally World.  I am not slamming that approach to physical health - its a great starting and maintaining point - but I am not cut out for it.

Waiting on the weather to cooperate with your schedule is wasting time.  I would be pumped to go run and then it would rain for eight days.  I would be ready to do my bootcamp five hundred jumping jacks/250 mountain climbers/100 push ups/250 sit ups only to get started and have the phone ring or the baby decide to fill the diaper past the 18 pound minimum listed on the box.

Then came the whole - I'm doing my DVD's and that pile of laundry is starting to glare at me. 

When I am home I only think of all the chores that need to get finished.  Each jumping jack was turning into a reminder of what to do -

1 -laundry
2 -dishes
3 -dinner
4 -vaccum
5 -bottles
6 -dusting
7 -bathrooms
8 -bichens need food
9 -bichens need water
10 -dog needs walked
11 -are the beds made up
12 -got to balance check book....

I was battling myself - and not in the way I had intended.

I am sick of this weird post pregnancy body I have - I am sick of being tired all the time - I am sick of feeling worn slap out - and I am sick of making my livingroom into a wanna be gym.

I got my membership to the YMCA back.

This morning I used it.

And it felt good.  I did the things I used to do every day.  I used to LOVE exercise.  I found out I never stopped loving it - I just stopped doing it (last year, because I had to) and I'm ready (more than ever) to get back to it.

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A few months ago I downloaded an app on my (thinks its)smart phone.  It was to get me back on track.  Some of you may have it - C25K Free!

I love that whole Free! on the end.

So I downloaded it and on my phone it sat.  I never opened it until today.

I had a nice time doing day one of week one.  It had me spurting out runs betweens brisk walks.  I like interval training so it was a good match - I just couldn't help but think how all these golden years folks were viewing me.

See, it was me and four other souls on that track this morning.  My guesstimation:  three were at least 80 and one was probably near 75.  They were doing what I refer to as the heart walk - casually lapping that track in their old Nikes and Asics Gels to keep that ticker that probably gave them a scare a good chance to work its battery.

All I could think was - these people are going to think I am insane.  I'm walking then running two laps, walking then running two laps.  I was embarassed and I apologized for constantly passing one lady who obviously had battled a stroke.  When it came to a walking spurt I made a point of getting next to her to walk and told her I was doing a training exercise off of my phone.  All that came out of her mouth were words of encouragement.  When my phone said run I said "gotta go!" and took off.  Apparently in that running spurt she informed the other three on the track what I was doing.  Within the next cycle of running I had four cheerleaders pushing me along as I decided to stretch my running out a bit longer than what the phone was telling me.  The youngest decided to join me for run spurt.  Before long we were all cutting up and making funny comments about Dannica Patrick and my t-shirt (NCSU).

I never looked at the clock while I was up there with my golden girls and guys.  I was having too much fun - getting healthy so I can (hopefully) be someone else's golden cheerleader one day.

The weightroom got the rest of my time as I was trying to do some stuff for my problem areas.  My lover - the eliptical - let me take it for a whirl.  I used to spend endless amounts of time with that machine - oh the memories we have.  In my single days I met many fellas while I was elipticalling my way along....I just hope that I can get the body I had then back!

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My baby is six months old!  Where does time go?  He had some beautiful photos shot yesterday.  Nicole Koontz Photography cannot be beat - her work is amazing and she's a down to earth mama so you feel comfortable with her.  A lot of photographers make you feel anything but comfy - she has shot photo sessions for us three times and every time has been an amazing experience with remarkable photos that I know each of us will treasure as the years pass us on by.

I cannot wait to show off her work on here!

It is hard to believe my little fella is now a bouncing little man who loves cherry apples and watching his big sister do sthe oddest things (you don't even want to know).  He's pretty much perfect to us and you cannot complain about that.

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Friday we did find out that our little princess has some type of hypersensitivity going on with her sound.  We are doing a few odd things around our house now to help alleviate the issue.  The good news is this is totally OK and she will get past it.

Our once quiet house is becoming quite the noise pit - isn't it ironic how mom's say they just want peace and quiet - now I just need it to be noisy as all get out for a while.

Here's to hoping and praying we move past this in the next four months.

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Happy Monday you guys.

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Until we meet again -


Brownie



Saturday, February 23, 2013

One year ago today

2.23.13 How is it I remember this day.

One year ago today I was:

Lying in bed, shaking, scared, crying

I was begging God with each breath I took that I wasn't experiencing what the ER doc had told me I was the night before.

I was trying to give God some deals.  If you do this I'll do this.  Something I learned that God doesn't really give too much credit for (thank goodness - because today I cannot tell you what deals I offered up).

One year ago today I was afraid to move my body.  If I made one wrong move it would be my fault that what had been growing would immediately stop and I would be to blame.

One year ago today in some odd way I was bracing myself the impact so many women feel every day.

I did not get up and get dressed that day.

I stayed down and cried like I have never cried before.

Every bathroom trip I felt I was looking down the barrel of a gun.

Every walk to get water I felt like my body may just give out and down I would go.

"Please God I cannot handle this."

It would take a car ride from my mother with my husband (a scared mess as well) in the backseat at 2pm to take me to see God does promise to take care of us and those promises he keeps though he may have to let us suffer through some of the battles for a little while.

A reassuring doctor
A cold table
A mini tv screen

A baby - who 18 hours before I was told was dying - was thriving.

My anatomy had made for some problems but the baby was just fine.

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And now that baby is upstairs reminding me now is when he'd like his morning bottle.

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I know I was spared a horrific event that so many other women go through - some numerous times.  I do not know why - I know my pleading didn't weigh on the Universe's decision to allow this baby to not be lost at 13.5 weeks gestation. 

But I do count my blessings.

Maybe you should try it too.

You don't count your chickens before they hatch - some never break the shell.  But you do count your blessings every day and as your mama or grandmama or daddy taught you - always say thank you.

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Happy Saturday.

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Until we meet again-


Brownie

Friday, February 22, 2013

Anyone in my area that reads my blog!

Many of my friends and people in my home area read this blog!
 
I have a lot of children's clothes for sale for spring and summer!
 
Little Girls sizes 4,5,6 shorts, shirts, dresses, bathing suits, etc
 
Little Girls shoes 10-12
 
Baby Boys clothing 3-9 months
 
Baby supplies
 
Everything I believe is under $10 - most things under $5.
 
Interested? 
 
Thanks!

French words, flowers analogies, and common sense

2.22.13 Little tink tink got bail.

It is done.

I quote the Good Book with those short one liners.  My two favorite:

And Jesus wept.

It is done.

Today I am happily using the powerful IT IS DONE!

What is done?  I'll tell you what is done!  We are going away for our anniversary!  Woot woot!  Yes I had blogged on this issue (weeks ago) and then you noticed it faded away and now I am happy to announce we are gettin' outta dodge later on in the season to come to celebrate six years of wedded bliss.

OK that wedded bliss part is the biggest load of BS you've ever heard of.  When does wedded bliss actually hit?  I think it hit on the fifth year of marriage for us.  My best friend is my husband.  My confidante is my husband.  My shoulder is my husband.  My sounding board is my husband.  When something happens the first person I want to call is my husband.  Don't worry... it wasn't like this from day one.  I am not Barbie and he isn't Ken and this world isn't made by Mattel.  I am made of flesh and bones and blood and have this huge flaw called human and so does he so nothing is just peaches and cream every day but most days its berries yogurt now days!

Instead of spending time in the Smokies we're going to enjoy boat drinks at the Atlantic.  Bring it on!!!  I can taste the rum - yum yum!  (Quite possibly I was a runaway Brit girl in my past life and lived with a Johnny Depp look alike pirate...)

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Marriage Tip #348  Get the hell away.

I didn't have to put "the hell" in that sentence but I was taught in a communication class in college that if you want to grab attention you have the power of words to draw that attention in.  I also learned that by using (French) words you are going to grab attention because it is taboo to use such (French) words.  So if the "hell" offended you see the next line.

Marriage Tip #348 Get away.

I also do not see why a college class had to teach that blippit because you learned that those (French) words grabbed attention when you were four years old and said your first naughty (French) word and had to eat Dial soap for snack time that day.

Now that wording can have a few meanings....

1.  The PMS meaning - Get the hell away - as in I may stab you with this butter knife if you don't leave my presence in a very quick fashion.

2.  The "this day has sucked" meaning - Get the hell away - as in if you don't present me with a glass of wine really fast and a back massage that is only a back massage I may knee you in your family jewels.

3.  The final meaning - Get the hell away - as in we need to get out of this house for a while before we burst.

Ok back to Marriage Tip #348  (related to translation number 3)

Get away.  This is not singular.  This get away is you and your hubby exiting the home.  Each instance mentioned below is you and your significant other not you and your mister or mistress or you alone.  (Had to put it out there people!  Not every one is playing fair ya know.)

Every day:  get away from the television, kids, computer, cell phones and just talk.  I love when my husband and I have dinner later than the kids so we can sit at the table - chew, talk, sip, talk, chew talk, sip, talk....

Every month:  get away at least one time just the two of you - this is what we call date nights in my house.  This includes the kids going elsewhere for the evening so you don't have to cook them dinner, change their diaper, scrub their heads, read the story, play Barbies, play baseball, etc.  You can mail the kids off for the night to grandma or you can hire a babysitter to come in and make sure the kids are fast asleep by the time you get home. There should be no diversions for date night and the topic of conversation should NOT be the kids.  If you have issues with that then I need to blog more on this topic huh?

At least two times per year:  Get away for at least 2 days - go somewhere together and makea few child free memories.  The reason you want to be kid free is simple - you are your best wifey poo or hubby bear when you are away from the house and kids.  You cannot divert your attention to a boo boo or a project out in the shop.  You and your lovah are in a neutral spot with no laundry piles, honey-do's, or screaming kids. 

Why?

Remember those days before you had the spawn of your loins running around?  When it was just you and your man/woman?  Remember why you fell for that man/woman?  Do you miss those days?  If you say you don't then you may be lying or you may have had a really bad experience (and I'm sorry about that but I feel ya). 

The kids love you and they always will (with the exception of those preteen and teen years).  But one day those babies are going to go on their own paths that will lead them away from you.  They will want to start their own lives and that means you won't be cooking them dinner, driving them to soccer, or signing off on their homework. 

The one person you hope to hell doesn't leave you is that person you created those little people with.  If you don't nurture the relationship that is known as marriage now - while your children seem to rule your lives - what will you have to look forward to down the road when the kids are grown and gone?

If you say - we'll have plenty of time to rekindle when the kids are in high school then you are putting off something that is so important - giving necessary care to the relationship of man and wife that unfortunately and so easily can dissipate as quick as a child growing up and going out into the world on their own.

Your marriage is a flower (this is not a Kenny Rogers song keep reading).

Every day that flower needs: 
light & water (attention)
the dead blooms needs to be plucked away (revitalization)
and this never needs to be neglected or the flower will wilt away (love)
When the flower dies you cannot bring it back....

Check your relationship's soil - is it dry?
Check your relationship's petals and leaves - are there a lot of dead blooms?  browning leaves?
Check your relationship's position - does it need more light?

Get to work.

When it's dead.....it's dead people.

Keep that in mind. 

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Have an excellent weekend. 

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Until we meet again -


Brownie



Thursday, February 21, 2013

Having a little girl.

2.21.13 Friday is nearing!  What do I care? HA!

Earlier in the week I posted bout my trying times with my five year old.  We instated the new schedule and it is working extremely well.  It didn't take too long to adapt to this schedule and as long as we don't go lax it should continue to be successful.  Yay!!!

This week has been a turning point for my big blue eyed girl.  Things have came to a head and a new phase has been entered.  It is bringing with it tears, confusion, and the feeling of inadequacy - not just for her but for her mom as well.

I don't feel completely horrible, detestable, or badly equipped for the challenges I have because all week I've been getting notes from God telling me I'm ok and better yet we're ok.  Every email, first tweet of the day I read, and what I have been hearing every time I cut on the television is someone saying -

"You have just what you need to be a good mama. Just keep moving forward and looking up."

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Hypersensitivity - not a fun idea if you really think about it.  Trust me it is not.  I've been doing a lot of research as I prepare for an upcoming doctor's appointment for my little princess.  Since she has been able to communicate effectively with adults she has expressed a huge desire to not be around anything loud - and when I say loud I do not mean cannons bursting or decibles on the heavy metal rock concert sound.  Minor raises in volume - even when she knows they are about to happen - send her into a whirlwind of emotion.  Yesterday this whirlwind hit Kansas tornado speed and she could not be consoled.

I felt bad as her teacher told me what had happened.  The kids were doing a music exercise and wre given balloons and they were going to pop them by stomping or sitting on them.  Sure balloons popping isn't my idea of a fun time but kids generally enjoy such things.  Well....not my kid.  As the balloons began popping she began the freak out of her life.  Holding her ears, sobbing, and asking for it to stop.  It was a culmination of school instruments being clanged and banged and balloons being popped and she was over the limit.

I felt bad because I didn't realize her sensitive ears were making this big of an impact.  If anyone should know shouldn't it be me ---- her mother?

No.  Here is why.  Our house is generally quiet.  Now, yes we have exceptions such as the baby screaming in anger because the bottle is not ready at the exact second his brain says - TIME TO EAT!  On a very rare occassion our dog will bark but he's a shihtzu so um I guess that doesn't count either.  The tv stays below 50 when it is on.  There is just no really loud noise in our home or around our home.

When she got in the car - still crying - I asked her if she was ok and her response was "Mommy sob) the sound (sob sob sob) hurts my (sob sob sob sob) ears."

I didn't know what to do!  I had no clue what to do!  Isn't it ironic how one of the blessings in this life - hearing, the ability to hear other people, animals, cars, trucks, music - can be a curse at times?

So I asked her if she needed some time in quiet to feel ok.  She said yes through the tears.  I asked if I could turn on the radio softly as we drove home.  She was silent.  I waited til we were half way home and slowly turned the volume of the radio up to what I deem "Grandma Level" and with every beat of the drum I heard a little sob in the backseat.

My heart broke.

She went to her room when we got home and pulled her books down and sat on her bed looking at them, wiping the remaining tears away.  After about thirty minutes she was ok.

Then I learned - that was the wrong thing to do.  When a child is hypersensitive to sound you shouldn't take sound away by placing them in quiet - you are just conditioning the auditory response to not grow stronger and drown out certain bothersome sounds.

I never thought I'd be that mom who had some different issue going on with her child.  We'll be going to the doctor to find out what we can do to help this issue to deterioriate.

I'll keep you posted.

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The tears didn't end there.  Another lesson was learned yesterday.  Every one of us females know this lesson.  It generally is taught around age five or six.  It is critical that you learn it so that you can cope throughout life.  I guess it is the first psychology lesson you get as human.

Or maybe sociology lesson?!

Once again I went to pick up my child from her Wednesday night church group.  She loves that group.  I think she wishes every day were either Wednesday or Thursday (dance night).  Every week she is so eager to learn her Bible verse and sing her song and she cannot wait to see Ms. Meta.

Last night was no different!  6:30 PM could not come quick enough. 

I dropped her off - it is amazing to watch the transformation of child as they leave your care and go into another person's care!  There is this amazing cloak that falls over that child that makes them suddenly so angelic and peaceful.  Raise their voices?  Never!  Defy you?  No way!  Always listen?  For the strangers yes.  Always mind their p's and q's?  You know it because they aren't mama!

When I returned to pick her up once again I was greeted with wet cheeks from tear filled eyes and sobs.  "Good grief more loud noise?" is what I thought.

No.  It was....a boy.

A missionary had came to talk to the kids and she just happened to be pregnant.  The children hosted a little "babyshower" for the mommy to be.  As is customary some food was served.  The food - cupcakes.  Pregnant women and children adore cupcakes so it was perfect! 

Little boys like to be little boys and that includes being a little on the gross side with food.  Some little fella beside my little blondie decided to show her what cupcake looks like during stage one of digestion - mastication.  So he opened his mouth up wide and showed her his mushy cupcake.  She told him to quit doing that.  That just egged him on - he is a boy! - and he decided to do the whole tongue stick out, kinda spit thing kids do.  (I could show you but putting it into words is kind of hard)....

Needless to say she took this act of being a little boy as a "He doesn't like me" gesture. 

So in the car we had that age old talk about how boys act.  They don't mean anything malice by it - its just how boys roll.  They think its funny to do gross things and sadly enough many of them continue that pattern of humor way past the tender age of 3, 4, 5 years and on past elementary school as well.  It is just the boy code.

And all you mamas will remember this comment:

If a boy likes you he's going to pick on you.

At five you just do not get it.

I think this is the beginning of the end of those critical years and the beginning of the worldly years.  No more is she covered by the umbrella of mommy and daddy.  Now she is rather wearing a poncho of all the things we've tried to instill in her to prepare and somewhat protect her from what life will rain down on her.

When we got home her daddy did a good job of having a talk to her about how awesome of a girl she is and how boys do gross things.  He also did a great job of lifting her little heart up.  I must admit I teared up at hearing him talk to her - I never had a dad that did that for me.

Oh the lessons we learn when we're the parent.

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Today will be less of a drama infused loud day but a good day.  I can feel it in my bones.  I hope your day or evening is too.

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Until we meet again -

Brownie

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Is it really Wednesday?

2.20.13  Holy moly it isn't raining on a Wednesday!

Here's to a run of good events! 

Yesterday- a good play date that reminded me how important it is to giggle and squeal.  Sometimes it is over neon pink paint or the fact your playmate actually has a Ken doll.  Even as adults we should really find something that makes us giggle and squeal each day.

Realizing high school was light years behind you and being grateful for that but also so scared to admit that on the corner of blink and deep breath your kid will be there....yes, I went to a high school function.  I went to see my kid brother perform in the talent show.  My ears bled, my eyes are blurred, but I did laugh at the right times and tweet when I couldn't take much more of what was on stage.  A really bad interpretive dance and a girl with garbage disposal grinding vocals that just repeated the same seven words over and over (thanks Rhiana for that one) made me thanking sweet Jesus for not having to sit through much more.  I clapped at the end of each one.  They may not be that great but they have some killer self esteem to do that in front of their peers.

The touching part of the event was a couple of guys from the special education classroom were given a fake award from the the MC's - but they took it as if they had just received an Oscar.  The one who spoke was so full of gratitude and happiness.  I kept thinking - that kid can teach these other "normal" kids a lot.  They can also teach a lot of parents a lot too.  It is the same simple reminders of this life that two little five year olds can teach a mom just by being totally happy in one another's company.

The secrets of life are not secrets.  They are the every day lessons that we could learn just by taking five minutes to watch those who share this world with us.  Those who we may not really pay our attention to because their "level" sits below ours.  If you take the time you'll see they are actually miles above our self created pedestals.










Tuesday, February 19, 2013

You know I don't like my chicken fried.

2.19.13 - Jamming to some 80s country.

Ahhh another morning greets me with rain and very limited sleep.  Just another day in the Real Housewife of Rural America - hey Andy like that idea?

Yesterday I did something I have never done before.  You may be shocked if you are a reader from a Northern location or Florida.  You may be appalled if you are from NC, VA, SC, TN, GA, AL, AR, LA, TX, KY, WV...nah scratch WV - just kidding, MI (that is Mississippi right?).  OK (as in okay not Oklahoma but hell lets throw Oklahoma in there too, I'm down with the Indian Reservation state, I have a friend from high school who ranches the plains now) - alright here's what I did.......ready, set....DISCLAIMER:  I am pro heart health and that's part of the reason I never do this!  I am also proud of my Dixie Land Delight heritage of being a Belle but this isn't something I particularly care for but ok....here goes it.

I made fried chicken.

Whew I said it.  It felt good to say it. 

Fried chicken - the staple of the South and not a staple of my palate or kitchen.  I grew up on the stuff.  My Mammaw (God rest her clogged arteries) used to go every week to the Lowes Foods that once resided in our small home town and buy it from the deli counter.  A box of Southern Fried Chicken with a side of Tater Logs!  Yes Tater Logs!  God Almighty there better be Lowes Foods Tater Logs in Heaven or I'm going to be a little miffed.  We would go home from the store and for lunch we'd have:

Tomato Sandwich - which was two gummy pieces of white bread slathered in mayonnaise and dappled with pepper loaded down with tomato slices fresh from a mater that was picked from the garden back by the shop.

A chicken leg - deep fried Lowes Foods goodness

Four or five Tater Logs drenched in ketchup (and it wasn't the good ketchup but the cheapo ketchup).

We'd wash it down with sweet tea.

My God Dixie Land I hear you calling. 

If it was the colder months the mater sammich would be replaced by macaroni and cheese (which was generally reserved for salmon patty night). 

So yesterday I set some organic chicken thighs out to thaw.  I didn't know what I was going to make with them.  It seemed fitting that when you have a nice set of organic meat you should do something that Dr. Oz would approve of and not what Paula Deen would feel more comfortable with. 

Every single time I opened the fridge and saw that meat thawing the same picture crossed my mind - golden fried chicken.

Now that is an oddity.  I never really eat fried chicken (with the exception of some Chicfila on occasion but seriously - that aint no real fried chicken people).  If you set out several options of meals for me and one was fried chicken - sorry Zac Brown but we are at odds - I don't like my chicken fried.  I like it grilled, baked, boiled.....never fried.

But never is a promise and I cannot afford to lie (Fiona Apple said that, no she sang it). 

So last afternoon at 4:50 I pulled down my salt and pepper, the all purpose whole wheat (sorry Mammaw) flour, cracked a couple eggs to serve as a binder, and toss a tad bit of milk in.  I poured in my Louanna oil in my skillet, let it get to sizzling and slowly dredged my meat saying a silent prayer:

Dear Lord in Heaven
I appreciate my good health I have been blessed with
I realize my genes hold the code to heart disease
I just ask you bless this fried food to the nourishment of my body
And please spare me from arterial death
Amen.

The chicken started frying up.

I couldn't bare the thought of eating fried tater logs - eventhough 20 years ago it was par for the course with this main meat.  So I wedged up some potatoes and covered them with some herbs and baked them.

Then I threw some collard greens in the pot for a heart saver - I do not cook mine in grease.

The smell of the grease - - - -

Isn't it amazing how a smell can take you to a place in a past time?  I realized the smell of my Mammaw's house was predominantly the smell of frying oil.  My house suddenly took on the aroma that rushed down the hall and into every bedroom of her home.  If you wanted to get away from it you had to go outside (and smell cigarettes) or to the basement (and smell the laundry or the wood stove). 

A smell can make you remember so much - conversations, songs, meals, fights, quiet times.

The smell made me remember Breck shampoo and standing in a chair over her brown kitchen sink while she scrubbed my head and then took a comb and "combed my ears off" = she wasn't a gentle kitchen sink beautician.

When my husband got home we sat down to the table....

The chicken wasn't that buttery goodness of salt, grease, and bird but my little girl loved it and my husband ate two pieces.

I'm not a fried chicken connoisseur but I gave it the old college try.  I'll never perfect the meal of my childhood summer days and well....that's ok with me some memories just cannot come back to life.

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Yesterday I took my kitchen apart.  Looks like I'll be buying some paint soon....soon as in May maybe?

I hate to paint.  Its a good job for prisoners if you ask me - I just don't want prisoners in my house so I guess I'll do it myself.  Barefoot Wines - if you are reading this go ahead and send a few cases of Pinot Grigio my way.  Hell, if the ABC Board is reading this send me a few cases of dark sweet rum please.

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I have been off Facebook for 11 days - haven't even missed it!  I am so shocked!

The only question....how will I sale off all these baby and little girl's clothes?

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Enjoy your day and I'll see ya later on homies.

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Until we meet again -

Brownie

Monday, February 18, 2013

Dreaming of dreaming

2.18.13 Why are there huge sales for dead presidents?

Happy Monday. I am a tad bit tired. Baby has a cold....a bad one. Bad cold = no sleep. We were up all night with boogers, snot, coughs. Being a good wife I told the husband to sleep downstairs and I would handle the little man.

And Jesus wept.

So, how was your weekend?

My daughter was possessed by Satan over the weekend. She was full of mean taunts and brutal honesty. She refused to do what she was told to do. She was pushing me to the edge with every baby blue bat of her eyes.

By Saturday afternoon I had to get away from all humans under 6 years old. The hubby bid me farewell and I took to the interstate. Three hours away....three hours of no mouthy, boundary jumping blondes or diaper changes and bottles. Liberation.

When I, reluctantly, returned home she was so dripping nice that I just had to roll my eyes (Boehner style) and not let down my guard.

The hubs and I held a parental unit meeting and decided we had to buckle down on some things. I am far from perfection and happily admit my shortcomings as a mother. I am not embarrassed and can totally share my issues and perceived resolutions.

1. Bed time cannot fluctuate.

A long time ago (last year), I was one of those moms that felt like the kid would fall asleep when she wanted to and get enough sleep.  That had been working for us - with beauty!  But like all good things - it ended.  The need for a set bedtime - prior to 9pm - came after the baby was born.  The first set bed time?  8:00.  That was fine.  But as the joys of being a stay at home mom began to wear on me the bed time moved to 7:45.  That was not fine.  7:45 gave me reprieve but not my child.  She would lay in her room (and I use the word lay very lightly) until 11:00 looking out towards the light of the livingroom.  Never once closing an eye.  I tried to make the 7:45 bed time stick.  However, its hard to have an early bed time when you have extracurriculars.  Dance class was from 6-7.  We generally eat after dance.  Considering the child gets out of dance at 7 then is in the car for fifteen to twenty minutes to come back home bed time had to be changed.  Then we added in church night which doesn't end until 8pm so we were going from bed at 7:45 to bed at 8:15.  It wasn't working.  I wanted it to work so badly that I was parenting badly.  I was using my time, our time, her time badly.

The end result:  bed time every night of the week - weekends no longer excluded - 8:30pm.

How does this work?  Soccer, church night, and dance will be over at least thirty minutes before bed time.  There will be no fluctuation in the bed time at all.  Yes, there will be times when she is ten minutes later getting her lights out but it won't be a drastic amount of time as it has been in the past.  She needs plenty of rest and I need at least some sabbatical time in the evenings too.  It is a happy balance.

2. Bye bye movie at rest.

We took all her DVDs out of her room.  You would have thought we were leading her to the electric chair by the way she reacted.  Quickly we loaded down our arms with Veggietales, Hello Kitty, Disney, Barbie etc in and took them into a secret bunker.  (A gift bag in a closet). 

Television is fun and wonderful and you all know of my addictions (tonight Dallas and Monday Mornings and How I Met Your Mother).  However, television can negatively impact the little brain and sleep cycle of these tiny humans.  There are no more nights of falling asleep to Priness and the Pop Star.  Wait, there will be nights of that but it will be a reward system.

3. No more visits to undermining.

I love my family that loves my child.  They are golden.  However, I have to admit there is a problem when mom and dad are teaching one way and the golden family members are totally throwing out all strive to instill in our child. 

On the way to town on Saturday my child said to me - "I wish _____ was my mommy.  I would love her and I would do what she told me to."  This icey comment came after my child was given orders to finish cleaning up her room - straighten up her closet and put her bows in her bow box.  It was apparently too difficult a task for a five year old.  I told her she wouldn't be allowed to play until she had finished what I told her to do.  This caused a very drama infused melt down.

My brain started up its engine.  A few days before the child had been at one of the golden family member's homes and I had witnessed how terribly RUDE my child had been to the adult.  I mean rude - we're talking mouthy and ugly.  To which the adult responded - "That's how little ones are.  She doesn't mean anything by it."  I bit my tongue.  I knew if I said something it would be taken completely out of context.  As soon as we were in the car and buckled I made a few remarks to the child about the events I had witnessed.  Including:  "You know you never talk or treat anyone that way!"  "I am so embarassed!"  -----

We teach her how to carry herself and treat others and then she goes to see the goldens and its all blown out of the water.  No, I do not allow my child to talk rude or mean to me or any other person but when I'm not around and patroling the waters the goldens are allowing her to be everything I teach her not to be.

End result:  nix the visits.

There will be a few weeks before the child is allowed to visit the goldens again.  She has to learn that rude, annoying, dispicable behavior is not warranted anywhere....whether mom and dad are around or not.

4. We have a room for sleep and a room for play - discriminate.

Toys are only allowed in the Play Room.  Sleep/rest is allowed in the bedroom.  We have no tolerance for play in the bedroom anymore.  The reason behind this is simple:  her room was becoming a disaster area that she wasn't cleaning up because Barbie, Lala Loopsy, and Polly Pocket had had a massive rave in there and the Lego police marked it a condemned area so it wasn't getting cleaned up.

If there are toys in her bedroom - she's not sleeping she's playing.  The bedroom is for sleep.  She has some stuffed animals in her bedroom but all the other stuff is only in the play room.

5.  No more lax style on the schedule.

I had fell into the "I have a baby and therefore anything goes for a while" pattern.  I have to own up that yes I have baby but he's not five weeks old - he's five months old and he has a schedule therefore the five year old must be back on her strict schedule.  I sat down over the weekend and tweaked the old schedule.  I am not allowed to deviate away and neither is she.  Children need regular routines - she's getting back on it.  It will help me out too! 

6.  You are the princess but I am the queen.

This is so important.  Children are not our rulers.  They are our students.  So many times we allow our princes and princesses to reign over us and that is such a terrible kingdom to live in.  I am thirty one I think I know a little more about life than a five year old.  We have to teach our young royals that no matter what they think - they are not Queens and Kings, they are princes and princesses who if they pay attention to their mommies and daddies then they will eventually be Queens and Kings all too soon. 

The Queen and King make rules so that the young royals can grow to be strong, healthy, smart, hopefully happy rulers of their own homes one day. 

So I'll keep you up to date on the child and the mom and the household and let you know how things go.

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Other exciting events of the weekend included going to watch the competition dance teams practice their routines.  Let me just say - dancing has went ummm....dancing has changed since my days of the early 90s.  Here's hoping recital costumes will be dirt cheap considering bras and panties are the new attire!

Target had their formula dirt cheap over the weekend!  Last weekend I scored a five dollar gift card (thanks Jen for telling me about this) after spending $5 per pack of Pampers ($10 total, minus $5 back on a gc = 70 diapers for $5).  So this week I applied my $5 gc to a canister of formula (sorry breastfeeders you can go on with your milk producing self) $8 spent!

I went to church for the first time in a few weeks.  Leave it to that place to make you feel like you are subhuman if you don't get to come regularly.  Many people snubbed me - got to love that "Christian love" feeling.  It has been on my heart for a long time to find some where more fitting for myself and my family.  I think I'm getting all the messages it is ok to do so....guess its how the Pope was feeling ha!  It was refreshing that the Sunday I get to go back the church is welcoming in two new members and also two Baptisms.  One follows my blog - congrats girl!

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Cooked food - I love you like I love cooked food!

Saturday was Baked Sketti - because my hubby loves my baked sketti.  I did a simple version this time.

1/2 box of whole wheat spaghetti
1 jumbo jar of Prego mushroom sauce
2 cans of mushrooms (drained and rinsed)
1 package of mozzarella
1package of four cheese blend
1 package of Armour Traditional Meatballs

Cook your noodles
Heat your sauce with meatballs on the stove top
Move your cooked noodles to the 9x13 dish
Top noodles with mushrooms
Pour the sauce and balls on
Cover in your cheeses
Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes (let that cheese melt)

Eat.

Sunday I baked some deliciousness - White Pineapple Cake (put me in a kitchen and watch what I can do baby)....

Get ya a white cake mix & can of pineapple tid bits or chunks or crushed - separate the fruit from the juice and save the juice
Prepare as directed - when you see a 1/3 c oil exchange it for 1/4 c oil.
Mix it with your mixer then dump in your pineapple tidbits
Bake as directed

Glaze:
Take your pineapple juice you reserved and dump in a box of powdered sugar (10x) in and mix it with a mixer, add in a teaspoon or two of vanilla flavoring.  It should be a glaze not an icing.

When you take your cake out of the oven let it rest for about 10 minutes then pour the glaze over the cake lightly.

The glaze will melt into the cake and you will experience a palate of pure happiness.

Yummy!

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Until we meet again -

Brownie

Friday, February 15, 2013

Mid February Notes

2.15.13  Get your Valentine candy today!

Ahhh the day of love - as specified by marketing and advertising and retail - has passed.  How are you feeling?  Violated by assault of these large companies making you think you must buy these roses, that bracelet, and those chocolates?  Yeah me either.

Our Valentine's Day was spent enjoying the sunshine and upper cold temps.  What is upper cold?  It was over 45 but under 60 degrees yesterday - upper cold people.

My husband and I do not celebrate the holiday.  We don't go out to eat or exchange gifts or give cards.  This year I did, however, make him a little card which I trashed after he read.  I'm such a sentimental sap huh?
Stop this chocolate, candy, cupcake madness!
The baby doesn't care about Valentine's Day so it wasn't a big deal there.

The princess is another story.  Thanks main stream media for making my child think that Valentine's may be the next best thing to Christmas.  She wasn't very thrilled with her Veggietales Book, rubber ducky (she requested), and box of chocolates.  She said a very weak thank you...you know the one that you feel pressured to say but you aren't sure if you really mean it?   Yep that one.

A trip to Dunkin Donuts (because I decided Happy Valentine's to me I'm not cooking breakfast) seemed to turn her Valentine's Day a total 180 and she was lets-do-backflips-happy.  One measily dollar donut.  Next year I will not spend $5 like I did this year.  We will go to DD and I will keep my lovely crown of awesome mommy on that day.

So see...the way to a child's heart is just like a man.....food.

Her preschool did a Valentine's party.  She came home with a small supply of diabetic coma in a paper bag.

My Valentine's to myself consisted of meeting my friend Jen for breakfast.  She went to a couponing class and was filling me in on some tips and tricks.  We discussed spring sports for the kidlets - she has a son my daughter's age (well for another week he will be) - he's doing baseball.  All the things I have to look forward to I guess.  My monkey is a soccer girl.

The afternoon was lovely - February in the South is a hard month.  We generally get some awesome weather in February - I bet we inch toward 70 at some point this month.  Signs of spring are abounding every where!  I even started my mental garden as I looked at my two plots that I grow a few things in each year.  The princess and I took full advantage of the baby's three hour nap - not kidding you, he never naps and yesterday he was like super napper! - we fed and watered the bichens (who do not like Valentine's, they were at each others heads literally), we cleaned out my car, we went looking for "signs" of spring, and we played some soccer.

I have to remind myself this is the South not the deep South so a snow or ice is probably in the cards before March 20th.

We rounded out the day with getting the car cleaned by guys who like to clean cars.  Dance class.  A Lowes Foods trip.  A Papa John's run.  Then we were home.....to watch movies and crash.


The child watched Ice Age for the millionth time.  My hubby and I watched Seven Psychopaths.  That is one gross, dark, weird movie.  All I can say is....the things a shihtzu will make you do!

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And here we are at Friday.  It is the middle of February and that baffles me.  Time sure doesn't slow down....unless you are in pain I guess!

Things to be thinking about: garden, vacation, anniversary getaway, buying more bichens, children's clothing exchanges.....

I hope your plans will lead you on safely to where ever you may be going and whatever you may be doing. 

I may be in the kitchen some this weekend if so I'll try to work on something yummy to share.

Take it easy friends!

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Until we meet again -






Brownie



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Rain on a Wednesday? Never!

2.13.13  My car is mine!!!

I woke up to rain.  That's how I knew it was Wednesday.  Every Wednesday my baby boy and I take to the grocery store to stock up on some bottom dollar goodies and baby stuff.  Every Wednesday that we venture out....it is raining.  If we were ducks it would rock out!

Today was a totally unplanned day, aside from the preschool thing.  My aunt responded nicely to the question of "Can you watch the baby?" - I picked up the princess from school and she was totally happy that she had some Mommy n Me time minus the baby.

I must admit it wasn't the best mommy n me day ever but it was a good time.

Once again she will be hitting the soccer field this spring.  We got her all registered up. 

She wanted some Chicfila for lunch, not a problem!  I have a love hate relationship with CFA.  I love the fact my child enjoys them so much, I love their chicken, I love their fruit and their brownies.  I hate how chaotic the place is.  The kids are screaming, adults are like lost lab rats in a dead end maze, the "Christian" eating establishment is more like let's see how unChristian we can make you want to be after that kid keeps jutting out in front of you as you try to make your way to a table with your child who is paying no attention to you because they are captivated by the other children, large cow costume that is harassing everyone, or the play area. Today wasn't the worse experience but I reminded myself why I don't go there much after watching other moms squirm.

We then hit up Sam's Club.  Everyone has to love this massive Walmart.  My little girl loves it because...."they have examples!"  That's what she says and I die laughing every time.  She knows exactly where to go to get her "examples" too!  Straight to the freezer cases.  Today we really racked up because they were "exampling" Valentine's treats from the bakery.  Let me just say the coconut vanilla cupcakes are to die for.  I only had a two teaspoon size sample but it rocked.

Where do two ladies go after exampling at Sam's?  Lowes Hardware of course!  We paid off daddy's bill.  My little girl wasn't pleased with the idea of paying the bill and going on our merry way....no siree!  We had to examine their lighting department and the mailboxes. 

I started feeling some of that mommy guilt.  See, she was taking this afternoon as a girl's day out.  To me it just wasn't.  She was all excited about some mommy n me time and what had we done?  Paid bills, grabbed some lunch......and?  My mind was saying - "She's going to equate time alone with you as boring.  She's not supposed to do that for another six years."

On the way home she fell asleep.  She had on a Valentines/Zorro-esque mask, head tilted back, sitting in her zebra booster seat.  A picture would have been great but I was driving and safety before Instagram is a good practice.

When she woke up I told her we would have a real girl's day soon - not a time of paying bills and being in a rush.  She looked at me a little puzzled and then she said, "Can we go back to Sam's and get examples?"

Mommy guilt eased.

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Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian Church.  Are you giving something up?  I have given up bread.  As I type this I realize tonight I have turkey wraps for us to make for dinner - sans the wrap for me I guess!

Today is the official Easter countdown in my house.  To me Easter stands for warmer weather and longer days - we are at 40 and counting my loves.

Looking at my calendar I'm a little jealous of my Jewish friends because Passover is before Easter therefore the countdown could be 35 days.....enticing!!!

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And yes....my car is now officially MY CAR.  I paid her off today.  Having said that I now hold my breath because everybody knows once the vehicle is yours and paid for something is bound to happen. My aunt also had another school of thought on having paid for your vehicle:  So what will you get now?

I really could use an Odyssey....yes a Honda van shut up people.  The space would be excellent for the two children I know have to show for my fruit bearing capabilities. 

I'll hold off...payments are something I'm over!

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Need a delicious sweet recipe for Valentine's Day?  How about this one, its an old favorite of mine. Very simple and will cost you....$2.50 to make!  It is also a healthy option to all that junk out there this time of year.

Island Angel Food

1 Angel Food Cake Box Mix
1 can of crushed pineapple

Dump the cake mix in a bowl
Dump the can of crushed pineapple in the bowl
Stir it up by hand
Pour into an ungreased 9x13 baking dish

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Leave your thank yous in the comments section of this blog.

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A family in our community lost their home to fire yesterday morning.  This is the second fire in our county in about two weeks.  I think this is a good time to remind everyone to take extra precautions to make sure their home is safe.

Check your smoke detectors!  If you're like me you will change out the batteries when we spring the clocks forward and then again when we fall back.

Is your wiring up to date?

Check the stove!!!

Make sure your washer or dryer is in good order.  My washer had a short it in and it is only 4 months old!  I would have never known this had it quit cycling correctly.  I called the place we got it at (local and small) and they fixed it the same day I called.

Unplug stuff when you aren't using it.

Keep dust off vents.

Keep paper away from heavy electrical areas.

Don't leave burning candles unattended.

Keep the matches, lighters, and all other fire starters away from ALL kids, even those older ones.

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Have a safe evening! 

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Until we meet again -




Brownie

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Slowly suiciding

2.12.13 Not going to coupon class.

Lets just jog first.

A jog to me was a run to him.

It'd been over a month since I last pounded any pavement.  Before that it had been a month.  Before that it had been two months.  Before that it had been 10 months.  Slowly sickening of my new physique and physiological changes I was ready to get back to me pre pregnancy.

Diet changes - done.

Exercise - habits needed to be adjusted.

January isn't my month to start a change.  Too many people fall for that whole New Year New Start BS the media plays to a hilt.  February is my month to rexamine and reshape.

Realization number 1:  I don't need to change anything.

Change is a big word.  Change takes a lot of determination and self trust.  My word for this mission is revert.

I needed to revert to the way I viewed working out 12 months ago.  It was a daily ritual - just as taking the morning piss after rolling out of the bed is..  I had continued working out until three months into my pregnancy when my doctor told me I had to stop due to placental issues.

My realization is I need to revert back to my old ways.  I need to plot my exercise that I will do every day.  And no....housework doesn't count.

Realization number 2:  My nutrition needs to be tweaked.

I'm a pretty healthy eater.  Nutrition has been a huge fascination for me for over ten years.  You are what you eat. Your blood cells, bones, and certain organs regenerate brand new every day/month/year and what are those cells made of?  What you are taking in!  So, yes you are what you eat!!! I do not want to have bones made out of Oreo cookies and white bread and Mtn Dew.  So I have to tweak my choices again.

Important tip:  Never withhold anything from yourself. (Ok unless its smoking, meth, crack, bath salts, etc) You only need two to three bites to have craving satisfaction.  But if two or three bites leads to two or three rows of oreos ---- back away.

Realization number 3:  I am so damn out of shape.

Thinking I was still my 29 year old self I felt like I should readily be available to pound the pavement with little to no issue.  Asthma attack and angina later (ok maybe not that far) I realized once the ark has been broken apart you can't sail it with ease again.  It takes picking up each piece of wood and slowly nailing it all back together to get a usable ship.

No....I'm not going for any out of the gate runs but I am going to be smart and not hurt myself.  I'll be building back up open door running crazy-mad-until-I-hit-runner's-high-and-not-even-knowing-I-am in-motion-on-my-own-accord and that includes doing more walking before sprinting.

My cardio has got to get back in check.
My strength is long gone.

It will all come back.

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So channeling my younger self of a decade ago I picked my eggs up out of the fridge and some ham, threw it in the pot this morning, drank 16 ounces of water and a half a cup of coffee.  I ran my mommy errands.  Then came home to slowly suicide away the melting candle me to hopefully see the me I know quite well and am proud of in a bathing suit....... within the next three months.

100 Jumping Jacks, 40 lunges, 40 squats, 100 high knees, 40 butt kickers, 40 side lunges, 20 leg lifts, 100 crunches..........and call the ambulance I may die now.

I kicked my own ass.  I laid in the floor telling the baby - "I love you.  I hope I don't die now."

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And that's the whole point:  I hope I don't die now.

Look, I am fully aware and competent of the fact that we can go at any moment.  Every day, hour, minute, second is a gift.  For all intents and purposes I want my passing to be one of those - well that wasn't her fault....she did everything she could to be a healthy humanoid.

Cardiovascular disease took my paternal grandma (2.9. entry) and maternal grandpa.  It has already rocked my maternal uncles and one paternal uncle, and it has awakened my paternal grandpa.

The crappiest part of the heart story:  heart disease does not wait until you are older!  It can hit you at 20, 30, 40, 50.  Genetics play a part but your personal choices make a HUGE impact.

Your heart is a muscle - kick it into gear.

Even though I fell on the floor and screamed out in what felt like a dying moment it was a living moment - I made my heart jump start itself back on the path of strong beating....and it was forcing that blood to all my hidden muscles. 

My scream, my cry, my death groan from forcing myself to push on and get the exercise to completion was a cheering section from my Mammaw Della and my Dadd-o Edd up in heaven - they were cheering me on and it came out of me as a cry - a life cry.  They were saying YOU CAN DO IT! While I was screaming I'M GOING TO DIE!  They were screming back, NO YOU'RE NOT!  While I moaned back:  I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!  I'M GOING TO DIE!  They kept yelling:  APPRECIATE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR BODY!  TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

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To be accountable for my health and to help other people on this journey I've got a new blog starting up....its going to be crazy fun (I hope). 

It is called Ramblings of a Bottle Blonde and you'll be able to link to it from this blog.

I'm taking my education, personal experience and personal trials and errors and successes to hopefully help everybody else.  Anyone can join me virtually.  You won't hear anymore of my exercise/healthy living rants on this blog.  It will all be found on Ramblings of a Bottle Blonde.

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Love yourself. 
Your existence depends on no one else in this world but 
you.
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Ramblings of a Bottle Blonde

Until we meet again -


Brownie


Monday, February 11, 2013

Guns, wine, & donuts

2.11.13 Raining again.

Good Monday to ya!

A little housekeeping - I share my blog link via Twitter nowdays.  So if you are a Facebooker who is wondering why I haven't posted links - read yesterday's blog post.  I am no longer a part of the FB land. 

48 hours post FB - still breathing and living.  Its been a great choice thus far!

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I hope you guys had a terrific weekend!  We did.  Saturday was probably the longest day on the planet for my husband and I.  We decided to be good law abiding citizens and take our conceal to carry course.

The word boring doesn't do that class justice.

We had nearly 9 hours of brutal boredom.  The only time that seemed to catch our attention and keep it was the thirty minutes on the range.

My husband and I have either great luck or bad luck, we don't get that in between luck ---- ever.  So when we took our handgun, which we purchased a few days before because the other one is very crappy, to shoot on the range portion of the class - it jammed up.  Jammed up handgun - uncool.

Needless to say my husband ended up using the instructor's gun.

I used a larger caliber, smaller bodied gun.  And it kicked......the recoil was out of this world.

My husband's target.

My target - bad recoil for me.  I think plastic surgeons would appreciate me.


As you are reading this you are probably thinking out of one of two schools of thought:

School 1:  Gun nut.

School 2:  Cool.

Let me clarify my stance here -

I took the conceal to carry class because I want to have the permit in the event my gun is in my car when I get pulled for a taillight being out.

I took the conceal to carry so if the day ever comes that carrying a gun is truly warranted, I can do it.

I didn't take the class because I'm some freakshow who is in love with guns and bang bang blow 'em up.

I didn't take the class because I'm paranoid.

I took the class to be a law abiding citizen who has a couple handguns.

And P.S. I'm pretty good with it - so don't mess with me.

And P.P.S. I never want to have to use it against anything other than a distempered fox, rabid raccoon, or a big fat bad copperhead.

I advise anyone who wants personal protection to take the class because you'll find out - you cannot shoot anyone at any time unless they are breaking into your home (NC) or they have beat you to a bloody pulp and won't stop.

Anyway, the class was an eye opener.  Many of the people in it - personal thought - didn't need a gun within 150 feet of them....due to advanced age, questions they asked, and some of them had strong paranoia going on....tis the world today.

I left with a stronger idea of what to do in a situation - run.  If you run you'll probably keep your life and stay out of jail.  If I had to pull a gun I think that would be a hard task....my job isn't to take life but to respect it.

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Post Law Abiding Citizen training we had to celebrate....glass of wine was much needed.  The buffalo chicken dip was an added incentive.



Then a trip to the grocery store for more wine.

Why is it when you meet someone in person for the first time you have to look bad?  A friend of my little darling's is up for a play date with us one weekend when the weather starts looking more spring flowers than spring showers.  I had conversed with the dad at school drop off and pick up.  The mom, only through email.

So it was only fitting that I should meet the mom on my wine run....in the beer section....of the grocery store.  In my arm are two bottles of wine, gingerly cradled.  In my husband's hand a box of beer.  I of course had to blow it off with humor.  Then I realized - hey they are in the alcohol section too!  My two bottles of wine and my husband's box of beer all in our arms matched up to their six pack....yeah feeling like real winner now.

Ok so only one bottle was for me - the other a thank you to my mom for watching my children and her demential riddled mother.

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I didn't even break the seal on that wine....I was too tired.  I passed out on my own accord.

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Do you know why I love my husband?  (Valentines Day is around the corner, lets talk love)

I love my husband because Sunday morning was spent in peace in Target.....alone.  The mission - to purchase some dirt cheap Pampers, get a giftcard for buying said Pampers, and come on home.  Target at 8:45am on a Sunday is a blessed place.  No children, no annoying voices, no long lines....just a few people in a big store. 

I was able to aimlessly roam the store....score the diapers, the giftcard, and two shirts for my Hulk baby on clearance for $2 a piece.  The little princess even score a pair of yoga pants for dance and or soccer.

I even had time to run in Michael's - and get great ideas for the design of my kitchen when we tear it apart.

How did I celebrate this lovely time to myself?  The picture says it all.  When I got home with heaven's melt in your mouth gifts of love.....my little princess was pleased as punch.  (And the baby was asleep!)

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Yesterday I made a London Broil.  It was my first attempt at this cut of meat.  I can perfect it as I try again however it went over rather well.

I made my own marinade -

1/3 c worcestershire sauce
3 cloves of garlic cut up
1/2 a large yellow onion cut up
Black Pepper

It soaked for about four hours in that.

I scored it.
Then broiled it for about 10 minutes per side.

Served with couscous (I buy Near East, yummy) and sauteed yellow squash and portabellos.

Delish!

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Have a good Monday.....tv tonight:  How I Met Your Mother (CBS 8e), Dallas, Monday Mornings!

<----- TV cannot stand a chance when my little man is jumping his heart out! Then the sister joins in...pretending she's in one too......hilarious.



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Until we meet again -


                                     Brownie