Food Shortage

So, I went back to bed.

I went to the gym.

I went to the store and bought all the makings for a proper Irish supper.

Kiss me quick, for I am indeed Irish. On me pappy's side and truth be told, the Irish, or at least the Irish I know, are full of blarney and booze.

I am not.

Okay, well not full of booze anyway.

But, back to the story at hand...

In about twelve hours food will be in short supply around here.

It's all because of these guys:





Don't get me wrong, I am terribly excited to have my three favorite guys back under my roof, it's just the food thing. Or the lack of food thing. Maybe that is why I was thinking about cupcakes earlier today.

Mmmmmm cupcakes...

Boys

Our nephews are here for the weekend, which gave Master Smiley the opportunity to post on his blog. Read all about it HERE. My mind is fast forwarding to spring when Soldier Mommy deploys. There are some big changes a comin' and I hope we're all ready for them.

It's funny that the last time we had invaders they were wee girls. This time it will be a 14-year-old and a 3-year-old boys. I feel the balance of power shifting. When I consider homeschooling girl through her last year of high school, working at the gym, making sure Game Master does his homework, and keeping Master Smiley smiling it seems a little overwhelming.

During a loud and teary fit this morning (Smileys not mine) I said to Beloved, "I think I'm too old for this."

"Nah, you're young and beautiful," he replied.

whatevah!

(Don't forget my sock giveaway! Comment away!)

Before Times Runs Out

We had the pleasure of Master Smiley and the Game Master's company over the weekend. Soldier Mommy had Drill and thus the boys arrived bag and baggage for a couple of days. We hadn't seen the Game Master since late last spring as he had spent some time with his father in California. Imagine my surprise when he walked in the door, looked me in the eye, and laughed.

Yep, he'd grown!

Considerably, I might add.

It was also the first time in a very long time that our Boy was home, meaning we had a houseful!




In other news:

Twenty pounds people. That's right, finally, at long last, I've lost twenty pounds. The amazing diet I'm following? I stopped taking that blasted steroid inhaler and lost three pounds.

The hip, while sometimes still hippy, isn't giving me too much trouble. Lovely. I'm one lap away from running that mile. Sadly, it's not my hip that's stopping me, but my lungs. I hope to overcome this minor set back by building them up and kickin' that mile by early next week.

I'm still trying to grasp being the parent of an adult male. Hmmm...what can I say? New choices, new people, new decisions to be made. It's sometimes overwhelming and I've become very good at keeping my pie hole closed.

Stop laughing it's true.

The coming week brings a four day work week, a meeting with the Chef, and our first week of school.

If you'll pardon me, I need to go iron my cape.

Hand Me My Cane, Will Ya?

The weekend came and went. The downside of Saturday was that I got really sad about something and I’m still having trouble shaking it. I know it’s not a BIG deal, but it feels big.

Yesterday was doctor day, finally! So, for all of you who have been waiting breathlessly for news of the ol’ hip we, not-so-happily, announce the arrival of Bursitis. For all those young uns out there Bursitis by definition means: inflammation of a fluid-filled sac bursa of the body, particularly at the elbow, knee, or shoulder joint. Lucky me, I’ve got it in my left hip joint.

So, while I’m not doing any damage by walking two miles, it’s not getting any better. The hip is a very difficult spot to stretch. High ho, high ho off to physical therapy I go.

The workout at Curves is actually pretty good. I didn’t know what to expect but I have found that if you do it the way you are supposed that you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Speaking of Curves, the homework is going to kill me. This week alone I have to memorize the machines names, which muscles they work, and where those muscles are located. I have pages and pages to read, a video to watch, and work pages to complete.

You know I hated PE in high school and I was never all that crazy about homework. Add into the mix that I’m trying to plan a huge event for 200 people, write for the other site, and I have company in the form of Master W. There’s a lot going on. If I can pull all this off, well, I may indeed be Wonder Woman!

I leave you with some pics of Soldier Girl and her boys. The coming year is going to bring some big changes to all our lives. I hope we’re all up to the challenge!

The Monday Skinny

The Dude and brood will be here in a few hours. Miss C abandoned me to work at camp, attend play practice, hang with her buddy, and go to Bible study. I dropped her off at 7:30 this morning and won’t see her until after 9:00 tonight. Who told her she could have a life?

Master W. spread his cuteness all around, impressing and amazing a vast collection of admirers. He’s a doll, cute as a button and stubborn as a mule. Soldier Girl did what soldiers girls do. That and she was first to respond to a nasty car accident on her way home. We also learned that she may be deployed to parts hot and sandy earlier than we had anticipated. Hmm...

I also learned that I am old and falling apart. It was bound to happen, I know, I know (sadly shaking head) but I wasn’t ready. I’m NOT ready!

It’s my hip. It hates me. It hates jogging. It hates runners stretches. It’s not very fond of Pilates. Anyone have a walker they can loan me? I only want it if it has one of these:



I’ve been putting off going to the doctor. I had a goal I wanted to meet first, but now, sigh, I have to go. Will you visit me when I have hip replacement surgery?

Prospective Employees Be Warned

The economy, being what it is, has been forcing me to deal with a growing dilemma: to find a job or not. It’s not that we are destitute, but we’re feeling the pinch like everyone else. It’s reminding me of when we first had babies and I quit my job. We were so broke alllll the time. I still wonder how we made it. I really do.

I’ve been looking here and there at various positions and I have to say I’m shocked at the amount of NON-disclosure that lace the want ads these days. Seriously. I found an ad that looked interesting so I fired off my resume and sure enough received a call the very next day.

When I started asking probing questions, I found that this prospective employer had left out a few major details in their ad. Details like: Must be will to travel, must be willing to work 40 hour weeks which doesn’t include drive time, must be willing to drive own car to job locations (which ranges from 15 minutes from home to over 3 hours) and my favorite: must be willing to forgo lunches on a regular basis.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I could afford to skip a few lunches. The problem is, according to the LAW employees must take a lunch break if they have worked six hours or more. How does this company get away with it? Simply put, because the employee is working on site at different schools throughout various districts, the employer allows the school to set the schedule. If the school doesn’t schedule a lunch break specifically for the employee, no lunch will be given. There was even some doubt as to whether or not the mandatory 15-minute break would given.

Just for the record, I passed on the job offer. I do have my volunteer work that may turn into a paying position but you know how these things work! And I applied to intern with a writer’s website. I’m about as qualified as my cat is, but I have a better sense of humor, so who knows!

In other news:

I’m still waiting on the BIG news. When I know, you’ll know.

The company’s comin’! The company’s comin’!

The bathroom is only missing the new light fixture for the ceiling and a mirror over the vanity. Then, we are finished. The guests will be arriving on Monday leaving this weekend to wrap it up.

I painted one wall of my kitchen/dining room area and love it. I’ll be painting another wall and the cupboards next. Sadly, they won’t be done before company comes.

I jogged 1.5 miles yesterday and walked an additional 1.5 miles. Hoorah me! And I lost another pound. One more pound to go to first goal. (Man this has taken forever!)

This weekend Master W will grace us with all his cuteness while Soldier Girl goes to drill.

Spoke to those two tiny tyrants on the phone yesterday. Sigh. Missing. Them. Lots.

Off to do something productive like clean the house!

Wordless Wednesday

Last week I posted a picture of Master C. This week, I present his brother, Mr. W. He is equally handsome and brilliant.

For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday

My nephew, Master C, who spent the weekend with us.
He's brilliant and handsome!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom

Saturday Confessional

So, let me ask you, if someone asks you for help and even though it might cause you some slight inconvenience, do you help them? Say the person needing help is a felon, do you still help? What if that person is trying, regardless of past mistakes, to stay on the straight and narrow?

Does it make a difference if the person is a relative?

Yeah, that’s what I thought. You would help. The person asked for your help, not your neighbors, not your brothers, but your help. It’s not going to cost you much, well gas being what it is, but in truth, it won’t cost you more than a little time and a drive. You’d do it.

Why? Why do we help those in need? Is it because they are family? Is it because we feel a sense of duty? Is it because even though they’ve made some pretty poor choices, you love them anyway? Is it because God would really want you to?

It’s the Golden Rule, do unto others…

And we do. All of us, or at least most of us, will help someone out who is in need. I read a blog recently that was posted over at Rocks in My Dryer about how a stranger stepped in and offered water and any other assistance to this blogger when her purse was stolen. It was a great story about people helping people.

I think it’s important to reach out, to help, to encourage, but as you all know, ahem, I can be slightly judgmental and just a wee bit mean sometimes. I come across a little too pushy, too knowing, too mom like. It’s a curse and a blessing and apparently my cross to bear. Growl. Yet, I’m learning!

She can be taught!
I spent the morning driving a younger relative to a job interview. He’s having a really hard time finding a job. He’s a felon. You try putting that on your application and see how far you get! Now, I am not dismissing what he’s done, nor do I condone it (trust me, he knows how I feel). But you know what? The kid is trying! He’s trying!

For perhaps the first time in my life, I kept my opinions to myself. I didn’t offer advice. Shocking, I know. (shut up Amber) I told him I was proud of the effort he is making and encouraged him to keep climbing this very difficult hill. He’s going to have to make more sacrifices to get things straightened and his record will haunt him for years, I don’t think he really needed an of my “stern wisdom”. He’s getting enough judgment from every other side.

And don’t get me wrong. I am hardly the hero here. I’ve been hard on this young man. I’ve rolled my eyes and snickered, honest and ugly, isn’t it? So, why the change of heart? All it took was another family member to act judgmental for me to get a real good picture of what I look and sound like sometimes.

Not a good look for a Christian girl, if you know what I mean.

There you go, confessional Saturday is done.

Wonderful Wednesday

Mid-week, is a lovely time here on the farm. The babies have gone a vistin', Beloved is doing what he does in his bright orange safety vest, Miss C is chomping through Algebra, and peace reigns secure. All is well in Whoville.

The boys were here over the weekend. Yes, that means I had a 1-year-old, a 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, a 13-year-old, a 15-year-old, to contend with. Thankfully, the older two were a delight while the younger ones were busy attempting to strain what's left of my brain through their toy shopping baskets.

Master C celebrated his 13th birthday last Thursday and Miss C baked him a cake. It turned out well considering that parts of it broke when we tried to assemble this four layer monster and we ran out of frosting.

Frosting, like a baggy shirt or make-up hides a multitude of sins!



Aren't they cute!



It looks better than we thought it would!



He wanted the center of the cake, so I took a glass and "cut" it out for him.



Although it looks like he is about to sneeze, he's really just blowing out the candles.



Yummo!