Olympic Thoughts

As I've done nothing but watch the olympics. (Seriously, for breakfast yesterday I had leftover refried beans and rice.) I'm sure all of you have also, although possibly not to the same extent. So here are a few of my random thoughts.

*I'm glad I'm not the only girl who looks like a guy in a speedo, cap and goggles.

*News commentator quotes about Michael Phelps "He's got good racing blood" (What is he, a horse to breed?) and "He's harvesting golds." What's he planting to do that? I could use a little of that.

*I hope I'm not the only one who cried when Nastia Lukin won the gold. (I like Shawn Johnson but LOVE Nastia. She's so graceful and beautiful.)

*Dara Torres is literally supermom. She's 41 and swimming in the Olympics! She has a 2 year old, NO stretch marks and man muscles. (Like most of the female swimmers.)

*I've probably gained weight this week. I've joined the millions of certified couch potatoes. Doritos and all. No man muscles for me.

*If I were a Chinese gymnast, people would probably question my age as well. What with the underveloped physique and the apparent young face. (Someone on Sunday told me I looked 16. What?? You've got to be kidding me!)

*Boxing, Wrestling and Baseball/Softball are still boring, even it is the Olympics. I mean, come on, it's like 2 minutes between each pitch, at least.

*I may get negative comments for this but does anyone else harbor the secret fear that Michael Phelps may fail a drug test? I love him, I love watching him win, it's amazing, maybe too amazing?

Favorite Things by Eden

Yes, I know.
Her birthday was almost 2 months ago.
We never had cake.
She opened 2 presents. (One from her Nana and one from Uncle Seth and Megan. They get bonus points. )
But, as she is now one, I must do something to recognize all that she is so here goes. . .

(Hum "Favorite Things" from Sound of Music please . . .)

Pulling out clean dishes from the dishwasher

Tearing down towers made by my bro Asher

Eating the dog's food but spitting my own

These are a few of my favorite things
(She dumped out the dog water and is drinking it off the floor.)


playing with tampons and splashing in toilets

pulling the clothes off and eating my barrets

pouring out spices and extracts and oils

These are a few of my favorite things
(She opened the vanilla and emptied it on the floor.)


When the door opens

then I head out

to the garage alone

I climb on the tricycle heading downtown

escaping to my

FREEDOM!

11 Years and Counting . . .

Last night as I was going to sleep I did the math. In 8 years, I will have been married for half my life. Crazy! I don't know exactly what to think of that but it is hard to think of my adult life without Jason. I know there are so many things I would not have been able to do if it wasn't for him. (Not counting having kids!) So here is a top ten list for my husband--warning: cheesy alert

10. He has great fashion sense. Don't you love that shirt? Don't you wish your husband could have one?

9. He's the best at playing monster with the kids. (And it saves me from doing it, I'm a killjoy.)

8. He provides me with a lavish lifestyle. All the DI and Savers clothes I could ever want!

7. He's given me 3 redheaded children. Blondes may be beautiful but redheads are remembered!

6. He's clean. Good thing! 9 times out of 10 his closet is cleaner than mine. Okay, probably more like 10 out of 10 but for that rare chance . . .

5. He's a hard worker. Because of him I don't have to hire ---a water softener guy, a hot tub mechanic, an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter, a carpet cleaner, and so on. The list goes on and on.

4. He's a great dad and gives me LOTS of breaks. Because we all know I need it!

3. He's handsome and in good shape. I wouldn't want redheaded kids if I didn't think they were cute!

2. He's an excellent musician. But he lets me feel like I'm the better of the two by pretending he can't read music!

1. He makes me laugh. You can't make it through life without this.

I'm SO glad we're in this together and so grateful I have him.

Happy Anniversary J!

PS I just thought of an honorable mention that I couldn't forget. Jason is the BEST about going out for late night runs. I know that sounds insignificant but I LOOOOOOVE that about him. Whenever I'm jonesin' for some Salt and Vinegar Chips and Cottage Cheese (don't knock it 'til you've tried it) or whatever, he's so great about getting it.

Cooking Blunders

I cook a lot. At least 2 meals a day every day of the year. That's a lot. And I consider myself fairly competent in the kitchen. But alas, I am not perfect. (Despite the lingering nickname from my 3rd grade teacher of Little Miss Perfect.) So, every once in a while, even I mess up. Just a bit. This evening as I was making THE Broccoli Beef with leftover roast beef, as I had on that infamous evening and I couldn't help but think of one of my worst and most memorable mess-ups. It was all because I was talking on the phone. Surprise, surprise. I'm afraid I will miss out on some big opportunity in life because I will be talking to someone. I remember it well, and for those of you who don't know me well, I don't remember anything well. It was a Tuesday night, I had book club that evening and was making the aforementioned broccoli beef. Everything was done. Almost. The rice was keeping warm in the rice cooker, the broccoli beef was on the stove simmering nicely. I reached down into my cupboard to put in the LAST ingredient. The cornstarch. Which really isn't even essential. I have Clabber Girl Baking Powder and Clabber Girl Cornstarch in the same size container, same labels, everything (although the Baking Powder is 5 lbs and cornstarch is 3.5, who would've known it takes up more space and weighs less?) you can figure out where I'm going with this. I get my 2 Tablespoons, put them in the pan and instead of it thickening, it starts bubbling. Baking Powder. Ugh. It tasted awful. I had to throw the whole pan in the garbage. That hurt. I hate wasting food. Jason was happy though. He got to run to Del Taco for Tuesday Taco night, and he loves it. (I don't get it, crappy Mexican food, huh?)

So that was the memorable event. Just to think about it bugs me because I wasted all that food.

So, what are some of your more memorable cooking blunders?

PS And Seth, you better post!

They have eyes but they just can't see

Before you think that I'm talking about some species of snake let me tell you I'm talking about men. And kids as well. Have you ever noticed how you ask them to look for something, in plain sight, and yet they just "can't" see it. (Or choose not to.) I was reminded of this when I was shopping and came upon this teenage boy in the freezer section who was on the phone to his mom.

Boy: Mom, are you sure it's here because I can't find it.

Mom: ??? (I don't know, I wasn't that close!)

Boy: Mom, it's not here, I'm looking everywhere. It's NOT HERE.

Me: Excuse me, sorry to interrupt but can I help you.

Boy: Yes, I'm trying to find the sweet corn.

Me: open the door DIRECTLY in front of the boy and grab a bag of white corn, at eye level Is this what you need?

Boy: Mom, is it supersweet white corn, OK. Click

Boy: Thanks.

I feel bad making generalizations but I've really noticed a pattern.
Since I'm talking about shopping, shoplifting must be really bad lately because at Albertson's they now put a sticker on every shopping bag and non-bagged item you purchase that says "Thank you for shopping with us today" which is obvious for "This item has been paid for." And at Walmart the "greeter" accosts people as they are leaving and looks at their receipt and then goes through the items in the bags. Next thing you know, they'll install the machines like at the airport and make everyone walk through security to leave. So good luck to any old people trying to steal batteries!

On a different note

Doomed or Destined

Today in church I was asked to be the Children's Chorister. (Primary Chorister in mormon speak.) It may be a new record in that I attended the full church meetings one time before being called to help with the kids. I can't quite figure out if either I did something really bad in a previous existence and so am doomed to repeat the same things over and over or that I am just destined to this because of some special skills. I guess it depends on your perspective.

On a different note

Defying Modern medicine
Happy birthday today to my Father-in-law who is now 79. It's amazing that he has lived to such a ripe old age when you consider that he exists on soda, cheese, pickles, cheetos, hershey bars and fried chicken and his daily exercise regiment consists of pulling himself out of bed with his walker and heading over to the recliner for a hard day's worth of TV watching. It truly is a miracle that he has lived this long and I'm grateful that my kids get to know him because you really haven't lived until you've experienced a little Delbert!

On a different note

Decisions, decisions

My kids got haircuts this week thanks to the talented and skilled Jenn. Mara is still getting a bob to even out her haircut she gave herself and Asher has the nice buzz for the summer. (I couldn't get the kids to stop being silly for the picture.)

But what do you do with a baby whose hair is a little longish in the back,

a little baldish in the front (she was mad b/c she wanted the camera)

and a bit sticky-outish on the sides?

On a different note

Delivery time

We've been doing a lot of furniture shopping and we will be getting a dresser delivered and finally have our furniture situation figured out. In a new house it is always hard to see what fits where and we've had to sell a few pieces and then purchase new ones. My kids have enjoyed the shopping as you can see from the attached picture. I found this in the car and Mara must have drawn it as we were heading to the pictured location. Maybe we've done a little too much shopping as this appears to be their new "home away from home."

So here is a little update on some of our recent (boring) happs. What's up with you?

Music for the Masses? Apparently.

I don't want to make my blog all about my children but I know people like hearing Mara stories.

In unpacking Mara found a cute little walkman. And when I say walkman, I mean the original 80s walkman. You know, cassette player. Before CD players, before MP3 players and way before IPODs, there were tapes.

Anyway, as you all know, she loves music so we tried to find some age appropriate tapes for her to listen to that were "cool", just as she requested.

Unfortunately the music we picked out wasn't "cool" enough so she went to find her own, unbeknownst to me. Today she was rocking out to something so I asked her what it was. She said she found it in a box somewhere and she really liked it. (Big surprise.) I popped it out and lo and behold . . .

Apparently.