Category Archives: Life in general

Happy…

Posted on May 18, 2013 | 3 comments

Toi, from Life of TOI, is participating in “Blog every day in May” from storyofmylifetheblog.blogspot.com and I am loving the prompts and her posts, which makes me wish I were participating, but realistically that is just not happening… but I am going to get some inspiration from one of the prompts from last week…

10 Things That Make Me Really Happy

Great family days where you get to the end of them and you can just smile thinking about all the fun that was had. Mother’s Day was one of those days for us.
Spending time with my girlfriends – my Rooks girls from college, my other college friends, my MOPS friends, my small group friends – nothing refreshes the soul like talking with friends.
Afternoons at the beach
Creating – whether it’s crafting, doodling, graphic design, cooking
Reading – magazines, novels; hard cover, soft cover, on the Kindle, on my phone
Sunny days that are cool enough to have the windows open with a cool breeze coming through.
Live music – in a coffee house, praise band at church, concerts
Really good food, especially Mexican or Tex-Mex
Things that make me unexpectedly laugh
Good hair days

Speaking of hair – it’s almost the day when I’ll be getting my hairs chopped off to donate. Check out my hair board on Pinterest and come back here and let me know which short haircut you like…

3 Comments

Posted in Gratitude, Life in general

Our month via Instagram

Posted on May 15, 2013 | 1 comment

Before you get lost in the wonder that is my Instagram stream – I wanted to tell you that I hate mosquitoes and I hate that our crazy rainy/warm/cold/warm/hot weather seems to have created the perfect environment for them to thrive. Do not like.

This song, first thing in the morning means it’s going to be a good day.

Jack finds it impossible to take a normal photo lately. Right before this picture he tried to knock over the Statue of Liberty at Red Robin. Never a dull moment.

Liam loves the whipped cream at Spoonlickers, I could just get him a bowl of that with some sprinkles and I think he would be happy (and it would cost a whole lot less).

George, ever at my side, always ready to bark at whatever he sees out the window – a person walking, a bug, a dog 6 times his size – at eight years old he still acts like a puppy.

My favorite sight on our drive home – I’m going to miss seeing this on a daily basis.

Liam at his school music performance. They performed a bunch of songs but my favorite was their version of Rockin’ Frere Jacques where they must have been encouraged to dance however they wanted and my son threw horns like a good little AC/DC fan.

My boys and my dad – makes my heart happy.

We’ve rediscovered the park by our house thanks to house showings and needing to entertain ourselves with the dog in tow.

After wanting to do it for ages, I finally painted the door leading to our upstairs (from our kitchen) with chalkboard paint. It’s funny the things you do when trying to sell your house that you could have and should have done ages ago.

My birthday tribute to my sweetie – taken on Easter morning when he fell asleep while everyone else was hanging out in the living room – his ability to fall asleep in seconds and in the middle of chaos is admirable (if not slightly annoying).

Bayou Brownies – yes please.

I got to decorate my table for the last day of MOPS – proving I can sometimes be crafty given a deadline and opportunity.

One of my favorite things: Creamy Chicken Taquitos. This was a triple batch… perfect for making ahead and freezing.

See – the kid cannot make a nice face for the camera.

For some reason my kids love posing with sculptures, though I can’t get them to just hug each other and smile.

As good as his face will get for a picture.

I adore looking at Jack when he’s asleep – it’s so rare to catch him unguarded.

We’re also big fans of his sleeping in the car (and our own cheesiness).

My kick ball boys – a perfect Mother’s Day afternoon/evening at a local school playground and topped off with a visit to Spoonlickers for dinner. Doesn’t get better than that!

1 Comment

Posted in Instagram, Life in general

Thursday Randoms

Posted on May 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

I had a highly disturbing dream last night where we were at the new house and out of the woods and onto our deck slithered/crawled a disgusting looking creature that was a cross between a large lizard, with a snake-like neck and a round mouth filled with sharp teeth. I flipped myself up onto the railing (like a ninja – it was amazing) and someone else grabbed the thing and threw it into the woods while I shrieked, “What in the h*ll is that!?” And then I died… no, then I decided that we made a grave mistake and that we would have to move or else never, ever go on the deck again without a pitchfork.
Whatever you do, do not Google, “lizard snake head teeth” and look at the resulting images. You will be scarred for life. Shudder.
Why does it drive me crazy when Jack refers to his bodily functions as poopie and peepee? And why does he always have to announce that he needs to do these things at top volume? And more importantly, why did he decide to pee on the tire of Liam’s bike while it was parked in our garage (yes, that happened).
You know when you try a new food you’ve never had before and it is unlike anything you’ve ever had at all and it is so good? I had that happen at lunch yesterday. We tried a new-to-us Mediterranean place (Sheshco for the locals) and they give you these fresh-made mini pitas served with what they call garlic sauce. It’s roasted garlic whipped with olive oil and some other things and is the consistency of butter. I am in love. How did I never know you could whip olive oil into a butter-like form? I will not go as far as the server and say is is nearly healthy, but it is definitely delicious.
I reeked of garlic all day yesterday – my apologies to anyone I saw.
We opened a new checking account yesterday and I was adamant that my SSN was a certain number but it came back as close but not quite right when she entered it in. I ended up calling our payroll company to verify the number (I was one digit off) but I don’t think Simon will let me live it down that I got it wrong. Too many numbers. I can still tell you my 16-digit credit card number from when I lived in Chicago and worked for Einstein Bros. Bagels [I traveled a lot for work and had to enter it so many times online that I memorized it and still know it – at least I think I do, I guess I can’t be too certain]
Can I rant for a moment… our current house is in my name (because I bought it by myself) and on our current bank accounts, I am the primary account holder (because they were established long before I met Simon) yet, when setting up our new mortgage and bank accounts, the bank listed Simon as the primary person for everything. What the what? I’m not wrong to question why he was the automatic primary person when I’m the one who made contact, set everything up and had everything in my name. It’s not ridiculous that this ruffles my feathers a little, right? Fer dumb. I cannot talk about it at all without getting worked up. It just makes Simon laugh because he could care less if they listed me as the primary for everything (and yes, I know that it really doesn’t matter and actually his credit score is slightly better than mine – ironic since when we met he had ZERO credit score being that he was from out of the country; but it is the principle of it all).
Simon’s trying to figure out the companies we’re going to go with at the new house for cable/satellite and Internet and each evening he details to me the options and I make interested noises but really, it doesn’t matter so long as I don’t have to take care of it, it doesn’t cost worlds more than what we are currently paying and when I turn on the TV, it works and my stuff connects to the Internet. This must be how he feels when I tell him about menu options and grocery lists.
My calm parenting class must be working (aside from this morning when I shouted at the kids to be quiet on the way to school since they were both crying because the other one wasn’t listening to them) because the kids are actually excited to go and ask a few times a week if that night is the night for the class (or, the “be a better parent” class as they call it). In this week’s class I learned to really fear the teenage years. I joke, but the class is pretty great and it is showing me how we really need to get things right so that when we do have teenagers, they won’t be a couple years away from jail time due to poor parenting now.
I’ve been paying the children to pull dandelions – best idea I’ve had in a while. I can’t wait until they are better at other things like folding laundry and putting dishes in the dishwasher (the right away because you know there is a right way).
Last Thursday the men from our small group all went out to dinner and when they got home, each were asked by their respective wives what they talked about and each of them responded with something along the lines of, “I don’t know… stuff.” Conversely, the ladies got together at our house on Friday night and it was my turn to tell my “life story” the tidbits of what makes me who I am. Our husbands all laughed at this and said something along the lines of, “That will never happen with men.” So true.
Did you Google that phrase and see those images? I told you not to do it.

And more funny text exchanges

Posted on May 8, 2013 | 5 comments

It’s been a while since I did one of these, not for lack of content, just for lack of time to find the funnies. Past editions can be found here and they still make me laugh. As usual, names withheld to protect the innocent.

Me: Okie dokie… I can get there around thenish
Her: Thenish… nice. I’m stealing that.

Me: [Photo of our clogged bathroom sink] Definitely not going down.
Him: I’m eating dinner… but thank you.

Me: I’m hoping people in my family have really good lists prepared that correspond with really good sales.
Her: That would be very nice of them.
Me: Thoughtful

Her: I textured earlier to see if she was coming
Her: And while I was texturing, I also texted her.
Me: Oooh, multitasker.

Her: I’m lucky to have a perfect friend like you.
Me: Yes, we should all be so blessed.

Her: Yes! Dessert
Me: Shoot!
Me: I meant whoot
Her: Ha! Autocorrect strikes again.

Her: I’m going rather crazy around here. I know I should cherish these times but they’re not being very cherishable.
Me: I know, at least I have gotten to go to work the last two days.
Her: You know I was desperate for a break if it meant I had to go running.

Her: I want to chew on things… like chocolate, cookies and chips
Me: Do not do it… you’ve got this.
Her: Yes. I WILL enjoy this totally awesome glass of water.
Her: Previous statement heavy laden with sarcasm.
Me: I noted that…

Her: I am so behind with enews… kim k is having kanye’s baby???
Me: I feel like kanye procreating is like asking for the world to end.
Her: This is really awful news.
Me: The worst.

Her: Just picked up my first bag of chia seeds. Getting more “granola” everyday
Me: I have some in my cupboard, too.
Her: Yes! We’ll be crunchy together!
Her: Wait, that sounded weird.

Her: This is seriously nasty.
Me: At least it should be quick(ish)
Her: Yes, fast and furious.
Me: So the vin diesel of stomach flus

Me: Monday is the official start but I’m going to start cleansing the house of stuff.
Her: By eating it I hope.

Me: Our squirrel was never caught but also never heard from so here’s hoping it’s dead or moved on.
Her: Oooooor, bedding down to start a nest of little squirrels.
Me: Shut your mouth
Me: Dead, I tell you, dead
Her: Those squirrels, whores, I tell you!
Me: Truly.
Her: If you’re not smelling rotting carcass, death is probably not likely.
Me: I think dead elsewhere, like hit by a car. That happens, squirrels are dumb. And that is how it works in my head, I will not hear alternative theories.
Her: Dumb and whores… squirrels most certainly got the low end of the animal chain.
Me: Just above bats (crazy and despised) and emus (tiny brains and butt ugly)

Me: I cleaned the guest room so Simon can’t snit around about it has he has been doing.
Her: That was moderately loving of you.

Me: I have sour cream and guac and chips
Her: I do love guac and cops.
Her: Well that too. But I meant chips.

Her: Saw Matt Kirkwood [local weather guy] jumping at skyzone
Me: Awesome.
Her: For all the hype, you’d think it was the biebs

Me: In other news, I just picked up my kitchen timer and checked it for a text when I heard my phone chime.
Her: I definitely tried to answer my phone this morning when my alarm went off.

Me: Confession: My kids have been in the same clothes since Sunday afternoon.
Her: Love that. We are such kindred spirits you and I.
Me: And full disclosure. I am in the same clothes but I did take them off to shower yesterday and then put them back on. Sad, but true.
Her: I have you beat. I was in the same clothes from fri afternoon to sun and didn’t shower. Sad, but gross.

[during the Grammys]
Her: Did you get to Adam Levine with Alicia Keys
Me: Even Simon had to say he didn’t mind that version of Alicia Keys
Her: Her boobs may have helped.
Me: He pretty much hates her so much he wouldn’t be swayed by the boobage but the sheer hotness of Adam transcends it all.
Her: I don’t know… even I thought she was hot on those drums
Me: Not sure we can be friends then… on Simon’s behalf.
[later]
Me: I hate Chris Brown
Me: Like want to maim him
Me: Or at least lock him in a box.
Me: Called a jail cell.
Her: I could help. Plus, he’s ugly.

Me: (I cannot stop.these stupid periods from popping up between my words, it irks me but I am too.tired to go back and delete them)
Her: But not too tired to write that whole long parenthetical statement…
Me: Clearly
Me: Just thought you should know I was aware of them.
Her: I was definitely silently judging you.
Me: I could tell.

Her: My girls drive me Barry!
Her: Wow, ‘batty’
Me: But driving someone Barry sounds dreadful, that is a terrible name.

Me: Just to make you feel guilty in case you’re not working out, I am currently on the elliptical.
Her: Ugh. I am totally not working out. I am the worst ever. And you are the best.

Her: Kids still alive?
Me: n
Her: Is that a no?
Me: Sorry, yes, they are doing relatively well

Me: Are we still on? I am planning on it!
Her: Me too.
Me: I’m like the USPS… neither rain nor snow will keep me from my… friends
Her: hilarious because I just wrote (and erased) “with usps intensity, I will be there.”

Her: We are on our way
Me: Just put our name in. Lots of families here right now, dumb kids
Her: Kids are the worst.
Me: Seriously.

Her #1: I had chocolate on my lip the whole time and nobody told me! Are you my friends?!
Her#2: I totally thought it was like a blemish or something, something that real friends don’t draw attention to.
Her #2: Or, I just thought you had herpes
Her #1: I’m questioning my friendship with both of you.
Me: We are awesome friends.
[a day later]
Her #1: Remember that time I had chocolate on my face and nobody told me.
Her #2: I have no recollection of that. I must not have been there. But I imagine if I had been, I would still be laughing about it.
Me: I remember it fondly… an alternate theory I had was that you got a tiny lip ring.

Me: My eyeballs hurt, I think because of the coffee Simon brought me. I am that person now.
Her: Welcome to the “that person” club
Me: It’s like I don’t even know myself.
Her: Perhaps you should take yourself on a date and get to know yourself. a very extravagant date, spare no expense; after all, it is the first date.
Me: I am worth it.

5 Comments

Posted in Life in general, Texting

Multiple reminders

Posted on May 7, 2013 | 2 comments

I’m in need of multiple reminders this week that despite my worries, God is in control of everything. I have done my part and now I need to have patience and wait for what is to come. Waiting is so hard. Trusting is so hard. Having patience is so hard. Not worrying is so very hard.

But I have no choice but to wait, trust and have patience. And I can choose not to worry. It’s all good. It’s better than good.

Jeremiah_29-11

I choose to count my blessings (could you remind me of that). I choose to have faith and confidence and know that even the worst case scenario of not selling our house is still not the worst thing that could happen to us. The worst case scenario is easily something we can deal with, just not something we’d like to deal with. Yes – I hear you – it’s only been a week that our house has been on the market, but foolish me had hoped for more interest and a quick sale but I have no control over those things so what good does all the worry do me? No good at all. Second verse, same as the first.

2 Comments

Posted in Faith, Life in general