We Weren't Crazy

20 years ago, I said yes to that first date. 17 years ago I said "I do."  6 years ago we moved halfway across the country. We were young, we were wild, we were restless. We were a lot of things, but we weren't crazy....

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When Good Ideas Go Bad

The idea:

Use leftover coffee to fill ice cube trays creating coffee cubes that won't water down the flavor of your iced coffee. 

The ugly truth:

I have a brown sticky mess in the freezer. 

The cubes required so much force to pop out of the tray that more than one went flying across the kitchen. 

The takeaway:

Maybe the $1 trays from Target were the problem. While they were cute, the quality was questionable.  Maybe I'll try one more time. Then again I really don't mind watered down iced coffee. 

The Whole Chicken Thing

I'm a bit more censored on Facebook than on my blog. Shocking I know.  But this is totally my space to say whatever comes to mind and know nobody really reads it anyway.  So. Here are the thoughts I won't put on Facebook...not today anyway. 

*I don't care who marries who. Sorry Baptist friends. I really don't think that is worth fighting over. I do however care that people try to tell me where I should and shouldn't eat my chicken. I'll eat my chicken wherever I choose to do so. 

*I think ALL business owners have a right to voice their opinions. Even if they aren't popular.  If I feel strongly enough about them to boycott their establishment based on them, then I will but that is MY choice. Only mine. I'll be danged if any government or church is going to tell me I have to protest this or that based on this or that. In fact, if you tell me to protest it- you can bet I'll probably be there the next day just to show you how I feel about that. Take your marbles and go home now. 

*The above goes for both the left and the right wing. I have my own moral compass and it isn't swayed by party lines. 

*How dare people who preach tolerance become so intolerant of differing opinions. That's ironic, don't you think?

*Now I think I'll go by Starbucks first and then Chic-fil-a. Wow. I'm such a rebel to both parties. Or maybe I just like good coffee with my rockin chicken?

Missing AirBear

This is going to be a gushy post. If you don't like reading about how awesome other people's kids are then you might as well just X out here right now.  Go on.

For those of you that stayed, you must love my kids too. They are pretty great, aren't they?  Well this gushing is about Aaron, also known as AirBear.  He spent the night with a friend last night and then went with them to the lake today. Anyone that knows me understands how hard it was for me to let him go. I like to keep my chicks pretty close to the nest. Sleepovers are cool but the lake...that really pushed my comfort zone. Brad forced urged me to let him go and I do trust this family and knew they would be just as cautious as I am (if that is possible).

It's been a long 27 hours.  As I type this I'm waiting for him to walk in the door.  Because he is such a good boy I think he'll even let me hug on him and ask a million questions and maybe even watch some TVLand with me as he drifts off to sleep.  Aaron is one of the most considerate, compassionate, generous kids I have ever known.  He is smart (like super- we have no idea where it came from- smart) and really funny too. He has the best sense of humor. I think back to when the kids really were babies and that was a good place but right now, even with Maci and Aaron being in these teen years, we are really enjoying hanging out with them.  They have this maturity about them. They make us proud.  It's not only an honor-- but a joy to be their mom.

While I've been missing him today I have been listening to a little Scotty McCreery...yeah, he reminds me of my Aaron...and I can so see this story unfolding in a few years....

What a difference a week makes.  Last week the big events included tide charts and sunscreen. This week they include $1 movies and the grand opening of Aldi. Oh well. For everything there is a season. That just means there will be more time for blogging- including an Aldi Tutorial for all you newbies.  You know who you are. Don't be ashamed, it can be intimidating the first time but I'll walk you through it. Yay for lazy summer days.

~Happy 15th Birthday Maci Joy~

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No More Family Fun?

We've been getting the Family Fun magazine in the mail as far back as I can remember. Admitedly they have been hitting the trash the last few several months, but I finally opened up the latest issue to see what fun ideas I could get for our family.

I thumbed through the cutesy ideas for snacks, games, and craft projects when it finally hit me. We have outgrown the Family Fun magazine. Yeah. When did this happen? I'm not really sure but if I tried to decorate the kids PB&J to look like a watermelon they would totally make fun of me. Even Andy. Especially Andy.

Humph. Well then. Ok. So. Now what? I need a new magazine. I need the "Fun Yet Cool Things to Do So Your Kids Won't Laugh at You" magazine. It's a little sad but it's also a lot of fun...and much less mess.

Happy 13th Air Bear

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Ah, It Feels Good to Be Home

Whew. Last year is a blur. I worked morning, noon, night, and midnight- all year.  My family forgot who I was.  They referred to me as that lady that works in her office. It wasn't pretty. So I made some tweaks, adjustments, all out overhauls to my work schedule and here I am. Back. Whew. It feels good to have some time for a life again.

What has changed? Everything. I "retired" after 10 years of teaching Kindergarten to be a work at home / stay at home mom.  I terminated my contract with a vacation booking company in lieu of getting plans together to work for myself.  I stepped back to get the priorities back in order. I stepped out of the insanity to find some peace.

I sleep a little now.

My kids are learning who I am again. My husband says he had really missed my cooking. My dogs even feel a difference.

Part of this priority arranging means getting this blog up and going again. I love it. I love having an outlet for my thoughts.  I love sending words into cyberspace not knowing or even really caring if anyone else ever reads them. This blog is a selfish thing to a large extent but it is also a way to journal and create a niche for our family memories to hang out there indefinitely.

So. If you used to read me, I'm back. For real this time. I'm not promising a post every day or anything but I am up for a little healthy blogging therapy.

Good to see you again world.

Blonde Brothers

That is what Andy thought about naming his band. Music Maniacs is the other option. Aaron didn't like either one. It didn't help when I said they were both "cute." Who knew that after 3 weeks of guitar lessons, we'd be naming a band? Love that ambition. :)