X is for eXpress Yourself through Poetry

Today is not only X day, but it is also Nation Poetry Day!  I used to write.......a long time ago.....had a little book and even had other people write in it and swore that someday i would have it published.  I'm pretty sure i still have it somewhere.  Should pull it out and see what the high school version of me and my friends thought of the world then.  That will be a post for another time.....,but for today, I thought I'd share a favorite....

Hector the Collector
Collected bits of string,
Collected dolls with broken heads
And rusty bells that would not ring. Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks,
Twists of wires, worn-out tires,
Paper bags and broken bricks.
Old chipped vases, half shoelaces,
Gatlin' guns that wouldn't shoot,
Leaky boasts that wouldn't float
And stopped-up horns that wouldn't toot. Butter knives that had no handles,
Copper keys that fit no locks
Rings that were too small for fingers,
Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks.
Worn-out belts that had no buckles,
'Lectric trains that had no tracks,
Airplane models, broken bottles,
Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks.
Hector the Collector
Loved these things with all his soul--
Loved them more then shining diamonds,
Loved them more then glistenin' gold.
Hector called to all the people,
'Come and share my treasure trunk!'
And all the silly sightless people
Came and looked ... and called it junk. 

Shel Silverstein

W is for Wondering About Random Things

Ever just have thoughts?  Unexplained?  Odd?  Or, explainable, but probably something you wouldn't say out loud in public?

Like....

-  In a work restroom.......not a public one, but one shared by about 10 women with 2 stalls......there are actually women who would rather hover over the seat than use a seat cover.......and they are the ones that spray and then don't clean-up after themselves........who are these women?  Who failed them?

-  Who along the historical line decided that block-like shapes was the idea shape for buildings and dwellings?  Why? 

-  Why does the dog lay in the middle of the floor, sees me coming, doesn't budge, then decides to stand up just as I'm already stepping over her?

Just a few.......

V is for Very Relaxing

So, our weekend away was wonderful!  If you are going to be near or want a destination near the George Washington National Forest, I would highly recommend this little cabin.  It is in Monetery, Va in Highland County, VA (Maple capital of VA).  The little cabin is fabulous and the farm it is on is lovely and cute.  They raise beef cattle, so if you are in to eating local, which we are (well, when on vacation) then you can buy meat right from the source.  We did run into one issue, though.  If you desire produce......like anything not frozen or canned........bring your own.  The grocery options were limited to the Dollar General and Evelyn's Pantry (which never seemed to be open) and the 'store behind Evelyn's Pantry' (also, never open and mysteriously without a name of its own).  There is also the Video/Gift/Gun shop which has a modest selection of potatoes and onions.  The town is cute and everyone is very friendly.  High's Restaurant should also be noted.  Wonderful breakfast!  We didn't go for lunch or dinner, but I'm sure as much love goes into that menu as well.  BTW, the restaurant complete with inventory, kitchen furnishing, and furnished apartment above is for sale.  $275k.  been in business for 60 years.  Just in case this blog reaches that special buyer!  Below are pics i took of the cabin and the website where you could contact the owners if you are interested in renting.

Riven Rock Farm
Laurel Run Cabin

 

Actually didn't take that many pics, sorry.  The dear is missing from the pics on the website, so i thought i'd bring him to you here.

U is for Us

this weekend, the hubby and I will embark on a little us time that we haven't done in about 10 years.  Well, not since the first honeymoon.  Super excited! Not thrilled that it is supposed to be cold and rainy, but being just us without anything else going on will be nice.  Take a moment to hug your significant! I'll report in on Monday!

T is for Taking a Moment

Ever take a moment to think about why you are the way you are?  Who shaped you?  Who did you think you were going to be?  Who are you determined to be?  What you said you would do but have kicked off the to-do list?  What have you added now?

hmmm....

S is for Spring Already!

Woot woot!  We get some nice weather, i get the seeds in........and then it's going to be freaking cold with a freeze advisory?!!  Sigh.  Last year I was so late getting everything in the ground and this year, apparently, i'm super early.  Someone even told me i should have waited to Mother's Day.  What?  I give up.  So, maybe something will come and maybe it won't.  Cheers!

R is for Running Across Tarmacs

Tonight was the Tiger Cub field trip to the airport.  Yesterday, a helicopter had to make an emergency landing in our area.  Today, the people (army) who would fix it arrived in black hawks.  Lucky us, they were at the airport we went to.  We even got to see a helicopter (not a black hawk, but bigger from the army) come in.  We were looking at planes and then the guy told us the helicopter was coming in and he had to go to it and that we needed to get back in the building now.....what? why?  All parents are looking at each other like, crap, are we about to be in the flight (or landing) path and this idiot just put us and the kids out here when he knew it was coming?  so, "run guys, let's go!" we ran/scurried across that tarmac as fast as we could only to find out the guy just wanted us away from the planes and we were NO WHERE CLOSE to being in ANY DANGER.  Luckily there was another guy in the building who escorted us to a better location outside where we could watch the action.  Nothing like a little bit of terror to liven up a field trip, eh?

Q is for Quieting the Mama Bear

My boys had their first 'fight' with other children yesterday.  This fight involved my eldest son standing up for my younger son after one child apparently 'shot' him.  I will keep my soapbox low to the ground for tonight, but i do not believe that children playing with guns is in anyway appropriate.  Guns are serious and should remain so.  They are a tool for certain activities.  Activities that should require training and respect for the device.  Hunters, Military, Law Enforcement.  Done.  When i ask where my son is and I am told "he's hiding because he's the victim"......that's not OK.  Not at all.  OK, I'm done with that.  Anyway, i heard the arguing from outside and went to the front door where i......did not rush outside to straighten it out......i, instead, watched from the screen door as my eldest laid down the laws and then announced that he was 'done!'  and came marching in the house.  We had a talk later, where i warned him about getting too much into people's faces because not everyone will always show restraint and he could have ended up with a black-eye, but i also told him how proud i was of him and how much maturity he showed in not only standing up to someone but standing up for his brother.  But back to my title......i squashed the instinct to rush out and fix it all and am proud of myself as am i proud of my boy.

P is for Post Game

What a FABULOUS game!  I think every kid got at least a piece of the ball and got to run to at least first.  We were organized, i had a crew of FANTASTIC dads doing all the hard labor and I was the Manager!  I hold the clipboard with the line-up and the field rotations and make sure it all works.  The dads, who actually know how to play, teach and coach and assist boys and it all came off without a hitch!  I even only had to apply one band aid!  Feeling much better about it all!  And...my little guy even volunteered to be catcher.  I had actually been relieved when the spreadsheet thing we use didn't put him in as a catcher.  That ball is coming to fast and that's my baby!  But, he wanted to do it and he did a great job.  Season, here we come!

O is for Organizing is Everything!

Where's my list makers out there?  Ever have a really difficult thing coming up and you really have no clue what to do or how to do it?  I think I've mentioned before that I've signed up to be my son's baseball coach.  I played softball for 11 years as a catcher/back-up pitcher, but as my dad (coach) pointed out.....i barely took direction, how on earth am I supposed to give it?  Well, tomorrow (OK, I'm cheating and catching up and I'm pretending this was yesterday) is our first game and I'm a nervous wreck.  I figure if I get myself as organized as i possibly can, it will all go fine, right?  Stay tuned....

N is for Naps

Here's a short one for you.  I keep thinking about this statement my husband made to me the other day and I'm sure there is got to be a minion thingy for it. I'm not sure it's original, but i like it anyway.

Any day is a good day if I wake up.

It's a great day if I wake up twice!

My hubby and his naps.  Wish i had that kind of time!  :)

L and M are for Letter to My Kids

So, I'm catching up with a combo post.  I'm actually not sure why this topic popped in my head today, but i had my entire commute to think about it and, well, here goes...

Dear Kids,

     Hello my babies; you will always be my babies.  There are so many things I want in life for you and so many things I really don't want for you and so many things I hope I can pass on to you.  Roll your eyes if you must, but at least consider what I have to say:

1.  Take time to look around.  Don't be the one in the car who didn't see the ducks or the helicopter or the flowers.  Always be aware of what's around you and take time to notice things without judgement.  Just look and see.

2.  Believe in something; even if that means you believe in non-belief.  Don't believe in just anything someone else tells you to believe, either, unless you really feel it, but remember, keep an open mind to other ideas anyway because, surprise, you just might be wrong.

3.  Plant stuff.  Flowers, vegetables, ideas.  It's good for the sole and for the planet.

4.  It's pretty safe to say that the Golden Rule is universal and will always apply.

5.  Love who you love.  Don't ever be afraid to admit you love someone.  And remember, you live in a different time now and you don't have to hide your love.  Man, woman, black, white, rainbow, alien....doesn't matter.  If you love them, that's that.  In any case, your momma is going to throw one heck of a party!

6.  Bullies exist.  These are people afraid of something.  They want you to be afraid too so they aren't alone and they feel like the world is more even or that they have something to be powerful over.  Feel sorry for them, but don't put up with it.  Don't fight, though.  Tell someone in charge and tell your Mom and Dad.  Momma and Papa Bear will come out and handle it.

7.  We had you because we wanted you very much.  We had more than one of you because we wanted to give you a team.  You are each other's playmates and the only other people in the world who understand the craziness that are your parents.  You need each other.  Love each other.

8.  Get a credit card and lock it up.

9.  Have dessert.  Not too much, but do enjoy the lovely flavors this world has to offer.

10.  You WILL do something beyond high school.  This was a promise from my parents to me and I pass it on to you.  You DO NOT have a choice to live in my house and do nothing.  College, military, trade school.  Pick one.  You're going.  It is my job to make sure you have the best foundation possible.  A high school diploma doesn't cut it, so start planning.  You can always come home, but that's only a temp solution!

and finally..

11.  Babies.  Here's the short story.....if you have sex, you will eventually get or get someone pregnant.  If you get pregnant, you better have a way to support that baby, because I've already done my time. Don't have a baby until the thought of mucus, puke, and other bodily fluids that YOU have to clean up doesn't totally disgust you.  Wait until you or the mom have the luxury of taking off 6-8 weeks to be with that baby and you know you have a job to go back to and some form of income still coming in.  Don't have to hide a pregnancy.  It's a very exciting time, make it the best it can be!

That's it (for now).

So, my babies, I love you and will always be in your corner, whether you want me there or not.  Live your life the best you can and learn a thing or two along the way!

Love, Mom

K is for Keep Going

So, tonight was certainly a Monday night!  Had this great idea for dinner.  Lasagna rolls.  Sounds cute, right?  Totally would have been but I completely forgot the spaghetti sauce!  Keep moving, right?  Made the sauce-less rolls and put them in the fridge for tomorrow.  Then baseball practice.  For 2 years I've been a team mom.  I'm good at that.  This I'm coach...by default, sucker-dom, guilt.....or whatever.  I'm not good.  I suck.  No one else would step up and I know the commissioner.  Ta-da.  Coach Jenna.  It's probably one of the most uncomfortable places I've been.  I do have a bunch of supportive parents, though.  Tonight I thought I was going to have to get into it with one dad because he swore he had been doing this for years and he knew what needed to happen (wasn't what I happen to be doing).  Decided on a different strategy.  Instead of hating him or telling him off.....I shall abuse him.  "What do you think we should do next?"  "Can you manage that game?"  I'm happy to do paperwork and organize team stuff as long as I don't have to get on the field!

J is for Jenna is Going to be Sore

I ran my first 5k today!  I'm feeling OK now, but I'm sure i will think differently tomorrow.  Thank goodness, tomorrow is Sunday and I'll have time to recover.

 

Getting Started....Tutu is on, color packs in hand.......(pink already broken open all over us)

Team craZbiZmommaZ

Start

 

End

I is for Icky Icky Pool

My day off.........last day of spring break for the kids......i wanted to go to a museum or to the zoo......no, we go to the pool.  I am not a water person.  I don't mind it, but it's not like my favorite thing in the world.  Just like, I love the beach, I just don't really dig being in the ocean (we could also rethink the sand).  I know I'm odd.  My hubby said we were going to just go until we were pruney.  I don't know about you, but I'm pruney following a shower...so, 20 minutes in, i was content that i had been to the pool and was ready to go....1.5 hours later, we finally left.  My kids love it, so it was worth it, but man.......i missed the baby panda!

H is for Hooray, i'm off tomorrow!

I don't think this counts to write about an H thing, that should have been written 2 days ago before my day off, but i got busy and didn't write it and am writing it 2 days later as if I were 2 days ago.  So, hip hip hooray for my flex day!!  I'm not really sure what i even did on Thursday that was so busy.....hmmm.

G is for Grass

Grass.  Horrible, useless, pointless, nuance.   We bought our first house thinking we wanted a yard and have spent the last 5 years trying to figure out what to do to it so we don't have to mow it or think about it.  If you ask the environmentalists, they'd probably agree with me and give me a variety of other plants that would be of better use to us and the environment.  thing is, that costs money....that i would rather spend on anything else but my dumb yard.  anyway, what made me think of grass, you ask?  This new commercial on the radio about some turf builder stuff.  The people are literally singing about not have to weed their lawns...i want to know who in their right mind goes out into the yard and cares that freaking much that they get down on hands an knees and weeds their stupid grass?  I want that kind of time in my day!  I'd probably use it go blow those dandelion buds in their yards!  *evil laugh*

F is for Faerie Garden!

And a fabulous F day to you and yours!  Tis the time to once again work on my faerie garden.  I started it last year and the best of intentions, but I tend to be stubbornly simple and basic and adamantly non-consumerist (is that a word?) when it comes to stuff like my garden, my flowers, my home projects.......oh let's face it, everything.  i'm tend to be one of the true crunchies.  I prefer to make do or re-use and i will avoid buying anything if at all possible.  I also don't spend a ton of money to make it look like I don't, no organic (that's a gimmick), ect.  Wait, where was i going.....oh yeah,the faerie garden.  So, last year, we looked at the set-ups they had at nurseries, but i'm not spending that kind of money on my inner 12-year old, considering, my inner 12-year actually spent a great deal of time in her grandfather's garage using up whatever scraps of materials i could find, so, anyway (i promise i'll get there) last year the boys and i built houses out of real sticks we found in the backyard and Popsicle sticks.  they looked cool.  i had great plants that added that special touch, but guess what?  I live where there is this nasty thing called a winter.....snow, ice, rain, wind.....so, needless to say, in cleaning up the flower garden this year, i picked up a bunch of Popsicle sticks and twigs, totally demolished.  This year i'm looking for different strategies.  Any thoughts? maybe I could find a birdhouse at a thrift store and build on it.....hmmmmm.

Last year's houses:

E is for Easter (and Peep Dueling)

I'm a day early because I don't know what this week might hold for me.  So, Easter!  We have this little-known tradition in our family.  It's called Peep Dueling.  "Peep dueling?" you ask?  Yes.  Take 2 peeps, face them to each other, put a toothpick in each of their wings, and stick them in the microwave.  They get really big and then when the cycle is done (about 30 seconds), they deflate and whichever one stabs the other, wins.  Call us crazy, but do it with love! :)







(don't mind the conversation in the background)

Red Wins!!

D is for Destination

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out what to write tonight.  D is just not happening for me right now.  Usually, when I blog, I already know where I want to go before I start writing.  Only, tonight, I don't seem to have much of a destination.  Truth is, I'm exhausted.  We had a crazy busy day and we kicked some spring booty!  My friend came over with her truck, we finally cleaned out a bunch of stuff from the back yard, then colored her Easter eggs, then got plants, planted some flowers in my faerie garden, cleaned out the garage, and got my gutter (which fell off during the snow storms) re-hung.  Also, managed to negotiate a contract with a decent place to get a lot of work done around the house.  All in all, I'm feeling a little closer to my intended 2015 destination of simplified and calm.  Anyone else have an awesome Saturday?

C is for Candy wrapper Creativity

Boom!  2 C's in the title!  So, what seems like forever ago, we asked friends and family to save up food wrappers from popular junk food.  Once we got enough together, we were going to make something with them, only I forgot to read the WHOLE project and then needed to order both iron-on vinyl AND zippers.  Then, i needed to wedge in some time to figure it out.  Guess what?  It finally happened.  I have so far made 2 bags.  First one was the intended project........turned out to be too hard......so the second one is the new intended project.  Eventually, I'll manage to make the rest of them.

 First, I laid the wrappers together, tetris style and used a little tape to hold them in place

 then followed the directions with the vinyl and ironed them.

this is what a sheet of them looks like together.

 this was the first bag.  supposed to be a triangular pencil bag,  those end pieces are freaking hard.

 so, i went with flat the next go around.

much easier!

I got the idea and followed the basic directions found on this blog: Sweet Tooth Pouch

B is for Basic

So, I had all these wonderful plans for decorating Easter eggs this year!  As usual, I researched a bunch of possibilities.  In the past we've done the white crayon technique, the melted crayon drippings, and I've made angry birds.  This year i contemplated those totally glitter ones from Martha Stewart.  My son had to have stuffed eggs for preschool and we got he pack of glitter ones from walmart and for some reason they just stuck in my head as the most gorgeous things ever, but alas...nah.  You know, glitter = craft herpes.  So, then last night I settled on 3 different creations.  6 of each for each kid.  We were going to do 6 ninja turtles, 6 minions, and 6 ladybugs.  Cute, right?  Then my eldest, not thrilled with the idea of minions (because my younger son is a turtle fanatic) came up with the brilliant idea of using half of the 18 eggs to make planets!  I actually tried to figure out how this would be accomplished.  But then when i realized how much time and patience I didn't have this year because I would rather be doing other stuff (imagine that) we came back to basic.  Not too bad if i do say so myself.  And, between boiling water, and waiting for the color to set, 20 minutes tops.  Woot Woot!

Hope your eggs-dying adventures are fantastic too!

A is for Anniversary!

And so the blog challenge begins again!  I do love this challenge since it gets me back into the habit of writing and that is so good for my brain!  I apologize if these first couple of posts are a little rough as i shake out the cobwebs and learn to put words together again into these complex, but darling little creations called sentences and paragraphs that don't have a thing to do with part numbers, labor hours, and meetings a.k.a. work crap.  Anyway, so, today is April 1 and we begin with the letter A.

For me, A is for Anniversary!  I suppose it should always be since the 2nd day of April is always going to be my anniversary and the 1st is always going to be an A, however, this year is especially special (wow, I'm sorry for that).  The hubby and I said our "I do's" 10 years ago tomorrow!  10 years as a Mrs.

Now, I do have to point out that I also still track our original anniversary since we've never broken up (nope, never) and we put a great deal of time and effort and butt-kicking and love into each other prior to heading up the aisle (October will be 16 years).  As of today, I only know of one other couple who gives consideration to that original date.  I wonder why?  hmmm.

any who...

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life, my best friend, to the only person who I may have considered strangling (on multiple occasions), the father of my 3 little works of art, and to the man who I look forward to growing old with (and watching go gray faster than me!)  Smooches!