Sometimes you need a change of scenery to find your joy once again. We decided a mini-road trip to G-Ma's was in order.
After arriving in K-town, we picked up DMIL and rode up to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. There is only one Chick-Fil-A in Wisconsin. You have to break your diet rules and get a chicken sandwich and waffle fries. It truly is the best chicken sandwich you will ever eat. I'm sure my friends in the south, who can eat them anytime they want, are thinking, what's the big deal? I've heard through my Illinois family, Chicago is getting two Chick-Fil-A restaurants. Maybe someday they will open one in Madison,WI or Janesville,WI.
To work off some of those calories, we headed to Petrified Springs Park. This park has very cool hiking paths through hilly forest and a beautiful stream running the length of the park. We took another wishbone photo for the scrapbook. Somewhere I have the same photo of the boys making a wish when they were younger.
I didn't have on my hiking shoes, but did okay in my Birkies until we hit mud. I had to try and wash my foot off in the stream and now DH is joking I'll get fish foot, whatever that is. Actually my would be blister is feeling pretty good. Maybe those petrified springs have healing powers?
We stopped at a new super Walmart on the way back to G-Ma's. DH needed new t-shirts and frankly, they have the best price. I usually don't like Walmart, and here's another reason why. They are now doing that annoying receipt check at the door like they do at Sam's Warehouse and Costco. I know this is for loss prevention, but if you are going to have 10 check out lanes open, you need to have 10 highlight marker checkers at the ready, at the door! It infuriates me to have to first wait to pay and then wait in an even longer line to exit the store. Target, please build more Target Greatlands so we can avoid Wal-Fart.
We headed back to G-Ma's to watch her Chiller TV cable channel. We don't get this channel and that for my family, is a travesty. This cable network was made for us! We watched cheesy horror shows and worked on a puzzle with G-Ma.
We picked up thin crust pizza for supper. You can't go to Kenosha and not get thin crust pizza. There are so many great pizzerias to choose from. Kenosha thin crust, IMO, is the best. Its cracker crisp thin, not New York folding, or Chicago -you have to eat like lasagna- style.
We drove home after supper, missing most of the severe thunderstorms, but still rolling through enough to make the drive interesting.
One final dose of cheesy horror- Devil Dog- and then it was off to bed.
This photo shows why I'm allowing the milkweed to grow up through my deck. We have two chunky Monarch caterpillars that have so far made it through the earwig attack. I really hope they make it!
I woke up too early and my brain was racing with spastic thoughts, like that commercial with the people with internet search overload. I couldn't shut down and chill. My eyes didn't want to be left open, but my brain wouldn't shut off, so I just decided to stay up. Now I'm paying the price. I probably won't be too much fun for our family fun night, but I'll give it my best shot.
DH is hoping we can find a decent fish fry for supper. We're going to try our luck finding a back road bar & grill located on a small lake that is rumored to be a good spot. Its actually easier to find if you have a boat.
Its a wonderful feeling heading into a weekend knowing there is absolutely nothing we are committed to doing. We can go with the flow and see where life takes us.
I do hope I can tackle our book shelf dilemma. How is it I love books but a bookshelf to me looks cluttered and uninviting? On the the other hand, I want the books to be in plain sight so they get picked up every now and then.
I haven't gotten around to stringing up wire for our vertical garden frames. Maybe I'll be inspired this weekend to tackle that, or maybe not. I don't mind really if the plants sprawl out over the lawn. Maybe I'm being lazy, but our Square Foot garden box is so overgrown with tomatoes, you can't make out the squares anymore. I was born to break rules, I'm an unschooler!
Going to try jumping around and see if that wakes me up. DH will home soon and I'll need to have my Friday Fun Game face on!
Our homemade pizza came out so good!! The thin crust was homemade, but the pesto did come from a jar. I topped it with a little Parmesan and mozzarella cheese and threw on a few fresh tomatoes on my side. Pesto sauce is simply chopped basil with olive oil and chopped garlic.
It didn't feel like a Friday at all, since we aren't used to having DH home all day. I could get used to this. I should start playing the lottery and maybe someday we'll win big and DH can retire.
We've been watching the Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci Fi network and tonight's F.F.Friday movie was An American Werewolf In London. I'm too pooped out to stay up much longer though.
Tomorrow we'll have to get up early and bring our blanket down to Main street, reserving our spot for the 4th of July parade. Our little town's Independence Day parade is Norman Rockwell all the way. Color guards, police cars, firetrucks, floats, bands, Dairy Princesses, politicians, boy scouts, girl scouts, crazy Shriners in little cars, scary clowns, horse clubs, dog clubs, church groups, and of course, farm tractors, trucks and huge combines! The boys will bring bags because almost everyone throws out candy and each year at least one float throws out string cheese! Only in Wisconsin!
After the parade, we'll hop in the car and drive to Grandma's for a cookout. The watermelon is ready and we'll bring our swimsuits for perhaps a quick dip in freezing cold Lake Michigan before the fireworks begin on the lakefront.
We have more partying to do on Sunday too! I'm sure by Monday I'll be ready to be a homebody.
So with a pizza happy tummy, I'm heading to bed to rest up for a busy holiday weekend. Happy 4th Of July!
I'm relieved its Friday. Its the one day I plan nothing so I can catch up. Its the one day I know I will be with my family for "Friday Family Fun Night." Its the day before I have my husband home all weekend so its like Christmas Eve in spirit, waiting for that gift!
Today's Friday will be great because its also going to warm up to above freezing temps! I need spring so badly, I cannot tell you! DH asked if we should take the plastic off the windows, but I'm scared if I do that, we'll drop back down into another cold snap. I'd take out my spring clothes, but I'm worried that too will curse the warming trend heading our way hopefully.
Yumi just reminded me its Friday the 13th. She threw up on the floor vent! Like I really want to dismantle that and try to clean out the vent now?! UGH! Why the floor vent cat??!! You had the entire kitchen floor!!
No, I will stay positive. Even about Supper. If you read my free writing 2 exercise, you know I'm stressing over preparing healthy, tasty meals my entire family will enjoy. I don't feel like playing short order cook, and I've discovered when I stress over a meal's preparation, I can't sit and enjoy it. Menu planning is one of the few things I don't enjoy about being a Domestic Diva.
I don't want to eat out though either. The food really doesn't taste that good to me, eating out. I'm really trying to taste, enjoy and connect with the food I eat. Its part of my learning process working through Karen Koenig's Rules of Normal Eating and The Food & Feelings Workbook.
DH mentioned we should try stir fry at home, only I don't own a wok. I'll be really tempted to look for one at Goodwill when I drop off this week's purge load. I could make stir fry in a regular pan right? I wish I knew how to make homemade stir fry sauces though. Add that one to my autodidact list.
I keep a list of things I want to learn more about. Challenging myself helps me to continue to learn and grow. Plus I'm hoping that my boys will be inspired and model my actions. I saw part of a show on PBS, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, with Dr. Amen. He pointed out each time you learn something new your brain makes another neuro connection, keeping your brain healthy and active. I really believe it.
Becoming an autodidact- a self directed, self taught, person has really helped me in so many ways. Gone are my depression, anxiety attacks and low self esteem. Its freed me to find the path I need to be on, not where someone else thinks I need to be.
"Fridays Are Fresh Days" is a favorite lyric of mine. I hope you all have a Fresh Friday today and a fab weekend!
First Off- Mommycore- I owe you an apology. Scott is a ROCK STAR HOTTIE!!! His 6 pack is gone as well as his hair, but he wasn't emaciated either. How do I know this you ask?
Once again God smiled on me, and I ended up front row, up against the stage rail. I had been second, standing behind a dude half my age when I guess he decided he couldn't wait anymore. That's another benefit to staying sober. I don't drink at concerts and therefore do not need to pee!
I mentioned to DH its odd that now as I approach 40, I've been front row at the past 3 rock concerts we've been too. How have I pulled this off?
Oh... I caught another guitar pick as well!!
One more brag..... I TOUCHED SCOTT! You see he's quite the entertainer, climbing around, moving all over the stage. Well, he jumped down and walked right up to me. I placed a hand on his tattooed shoulder. It was bony as I expected, yet strangely, he felt cold to the touch. Maybe he is part lizard to be able to move that way.
Its amazing how many incredible songs STP has. They are such an under rated band. After the concert was over, I turned to DH and asked when's the next show. Sorry Ashlynn. I will be crashing your concert fun with Uncle Popcorn if STP returns.
So now I have to get back to the mom business today. I'm sleep deprived but not really hung over. We have to head into town on errands; picking up a card game we had ordered, filling up a popcorn tin for someone who may be reading this, and DS9's doctor's appointment. I also have to pick up computer parts so DH can fix mine tonight. This Dell is so slow.
Have a great Friday!
I have no idea how the interview went. If nothing else comes of it, at least it made me buy these pretty shoes! (Yes there are a black pair hiding underneath as well! Payless has those great deals!) I'm thinking of them as my ruby slippers, and hopefully I clicked my heals enough times before I went into that interview! "There's no place like working near home...there's no place like working near home..."
I had scheduled an appointment, but the manager of the new hotel was hosting two days of open call type interviews. I was somewhere around candidate 50. I know I'm more than qualified, but with so many in the playing field, I'm worried. My hair is gray and thinning. I'm overweight. I don't have a hotel management degree.
On the positive, I did point out the advantages of my age- maturity, patience, flexibility, experience, the ability to work with minimal supervision. I also threw in there I live close enough to walk to the hotel. I'm going to write a great thank you letter follow up and hope for the best. Its in God's hands.
The ants have invaded. Every summer they usually do look for water in the bathrooms, but this year they were in the kitchen!! Outside, I used up the last of the "black market" Diazon right on any ant nest I could find. (My dad still had some of the banned, good stuff.) Inside I discovered Simple Green kills ants!!
I love Simple Green! Its a better alternative to toxic cleaners. I buy a gallon jug at the hardware store for about $10. Its mega concentrated so it lasts me over a year. I started spraying the ants just to wipe them up and discovered the ones I didn't wipe up quickly had died. So I sprayed a line of Simple Green around the perimeter of our kitchen and this morning I noticed the swarm was down to a few stragglers. I know this was just the first battle though. The war's not won yet.
I have to vow to stop reading and listening to news! It just depresses me. Stock Market plunge, oil prices surge, gas may go to $7 a gallon... This morning I found myself wondering, will we be a 3rd world country soon? Or will the government step in and before you know it, we're headed towards... I don't know...Communism? That system of government historical has failed as well. I think the answer is we're not prepared to play on the global playground.
I realize I can't let all this garbage worry me. I have to focus on what's in front of me right now on my little plate.
I'm going to focus on taking better care of myself today, drinking lots of water, getting back on my Wii, and taking time to play with my boys. Its Friday Fun Day/Night after all! Maybe we'll go for a swim too.
Hope you have a great Friday Fun day too and a great weekend! Peace!
(Ironic title given the previous blog post, I know, but it got your attention.)
I'm dragging their butts to craft stores! Mwa,ha,ha....
I plan on hitting Hobby Lobby first. I've been wanting to check them out, but I usually don't think of it until Sundays, the day they are closed. I haven't really shopped a Hobby Lobby before and there's a brand new store near us.
Next on the list is the serious craft store, where most likely I will drop my serious cash. Its a 30 minute drive, but I love shopping the Nasco factory outlet store in Fort Atkinson. They give a homeschooling discount too! They have two outlets within one block and if you don't see what you want in the store, they will hand pick your order from their warehouse. I love Nasco! We usually make an event of it and grab lunch out.
I need this craft store shopping pick me up after yesterday's snowfall. Its so depressing to look at my swing and realize its going to be out of commission for even longer. Look at my sad flower boxes too. :( The snow should melt this weekend, but then it will be rainy.
Last night I got another Christmas Cactus flower from a nice homeschooling family that comes to the pool for lessons. Isn't it beautiful! I walked in the door last night and DH's first words were, "Who gave you that!" Ahhh...jealousy. Hmmm... I wonder if more blooms will be in my future? I told him it was from a homeschooling family. They are really great kids and really great swimmers. I think in a few years they will be ready to become teachers themselves and they'll be my co-workers!
DS12 has a sleepover tonight. :( My gut reaction of course was- ITS FAMILY FUN NIGHT- but I have to let him go. He's growing up. So it will be DH, me and baby (DS9) makes 3. We'll watch the Badgers win and eat finger food for supper. For some odd reason, DH is craving Tator Tots. I don't think I've had these since I was a kid.
I'm sure after the victory we'll watch Corneil and Bernie cartoons. DS9 got several DVDs in his Easter basket. (Gotta love shopping Preplayed for used DVDs!) Hopefully tonight I'll be carving away at stamps too.
Have a great weekend! Peace and blessings!
I'm tired of trying to function like an astronaut. I don't want to be bundled up anymore. You don't realize how wonderful manual dexterity is until you try to buckle your seatbelt wearing gloves. Dialing a cell phone is out of the question.
I think I may need a spring makeover. Last night a guest at the pool asked me if I remember when the Beatles made their U.S. debut. I admit my hair is going gray, but the Beatles were way before my time! I was screaming for Bono not Paul, George, Ringo or John.
I really don't want to color my hair again with chemicals. I did the bottle blond thing for years. DH says he likes the gray, but am I prepared for this aging gracefully thing?
I feel like giving away everything in my closet and starting over. Of course I don't have the money to do this. I have no sense of style either. I'll buy the same shirt in the same colors.
I told DS12 I was turning 40 this summer and he said to me, "You still have another 60 years left." I love his optimism! This is how I should look at this. I can get in shape and take care of my body and hopefully make it to 100! I did have a great aunt who reached 104. She said her secret was lots of sleep. Of course she never married or had children. Getting sleep would not have been a problem for her.
Its time I stop feeling so old and bundle up yet again. We're heading to the sledding hill for our need for speed. It will be great to feel like I'm 10 again, although something tells me the climb back up will remind me I'm not.
Have a great Friday!
If I haven't been online as much its because I've been having to share the computer with DS9. He is obsessed with the Poptarts website, playing Poptart games. He saw me working on ATCs and then decided he wanted to make Poptart ATCs.
Starting at the top & then left to right; Strawberry Milkshake, Blueberry, French Toast, Cherry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Chocolate Caramel, Smores, Sprinkles with brown sugar cinnamon, Wild Berry, Chocolate cinnamon & sprinkles, Double Berry, Chocolate Chip, Hot Fudge Sundae.
I think they are cute! He's asked me to join his Poptart ATC club. I'll have to make some Poptart cards to trade with him.
I had a hilarious dream. I was working for Hugh Hefner. I was a Playmate, and I was making an appearance at a convention. At the same hotel there was a homeschooling conference going on. I was terrified people from my homeschooling circle would find out I was working for Playboy! Apparently my subconscious is struggling with my dual identify as homeschooling mother/sexy momma! LOL!
I want to spend money I don't have. I want to buy new spring clothes and new pjs. I had changed into floral flannels right after supper on Wednesday and DH said, "What's with the Granny pajamas?!" Hey, it was stupid cold outside and I wanted to hibernate, but after my Playboy gig, I'm thinking I deserve something nice.
I also feel like going crazy in a craft store. I want new papers. I want to make new cards and maybe even scrapbook. I haven't made a scrapbook page in forever. Last year I bought this pack of themed paper thinking I would at least make one page for every month of 2007. Well here we have one month down in 2008 and 11 to go.
Of course that means I should be taking photographs as well! I am so ashamed when I look at my pictures and realize I have nothing good. I think I'm too hyped up on having everything look perfect in a picture. I think I just should go for the candid look this year.
Maybe I'll sneak out of Family Fun movie night to go shopping. DH's weekly movie rental haul doesn't excite me; Saw IV, Dragon Wars, Hatchet, 13 Tzameti. He also picked up Bug's Life and Scooby Doo Zombie Island, but I've seen those.
Well, I better get moving here and stop babbling. Hope you have a great weekend!
I took this photo of Houdini through the bars of the cage. I used my zoom and I was surprised it worked. He doesn't really stay still on command.
I was domestic goddess today. I scrubbed bathrooms, scaled the laundry mountain, restocked the nest with groceries, vacuumed, cleaned the kitchen and baked cookies. I also cleaned up Houdini and Tornado's nest too. I've been motivated by watching "How Clean Is Your House." I'm scared to death those ladies will jump across the pond and ring my doorbell!
The Posse Rats weren't so bad today. Maybe I was too busy to notice. I did hear they broke the Popsicle limit.
Work went much better last night and it helped to know my manager was having the same feelings I was. Sometimes that's all it takes. To know you're not the only one who's getting dumped on by the general public. Plus, I now have 4 days away, 2 nights on, and then 5 days away!
As long as the heat stays on, I'll be able to handle the arctic blast. I've got plenty of creature comforts and indoor activities to keep me busy. I hope everyone can stay warm and cozy this weekend.
I gotta run. DH just pulled up and Family Fun Night can now begin! Yeah!
We have plans to join our homeschooling friends for Game day. DS8 is hoping we can round up enough players for Apples to Apples.
When we get together for Game days, we also have "Open Mike" which is a sort of show and tell. The kids can share something, perform, bring something they've created, whatever they like. DS8 is thinking of introducing Domo and sharing his latest greatest homemade toy. He blew up the balloon he got from Trader Joes and added a Jelly Belly inside. We've been playing balloon volleyball, keep the balloon from hitting the floor, and making cool sounds as the Jelly Belly bounces around inside. Our favorite is when you get the bean spinning really good with centrifugal force. Who needs high tech?
For supper tonight they have requested we take dad to Taco Bell. Oh yeah! I'm all about that! Yo Quiero Taco Bell!
Hope your Friday is fun too! Have a great weekend!
We braved the negative wind chills to get our need for speed fix. We have a wonderful place to go sledding at our local golf course. We made it up and down only half a dozen times before we needed to get back to our warm home. We'll try to go again today since it should be a little warmer with a high of 32.
Crazy thing is by the end of the weekend, all our snow could melt as we reach almost 50 degrees! This has the boys worried their sledding days will be over, but I reminded them its still only January. We could still have blizzards through March in Wisconsin.
Before we go back to the hill today, I have to be a grown up and meet with our insurance agent for an insurance check up. Blah... I hate these kinds of things. I hope it doesn't take too long. I want to get back to having fun this Friday.
Aren't these cool?! My parents had a birch tree branch from their land, drilled into candle holders. Now I need to get new candles. I love outdoorsy, natural things like this.
My parents arrived safely last night, but this morning wanted to risk the snow to drive to Stoughton. The town is about 12 miles from us. Its chock full of Scandinavian goodies which is why my mom wanted to brave the snow. I've decided to stay home with the boys and sniff dangerous fumes.
You see it wasn't the ceiling fan that was noticed, it was the mildew on the underside of our tub mat. I promise you right now, if I'm blessed enough to live long enough to visit the homes of my sons' families, I will not point out any dirt or grime I see.
Last night DS8 took out his new Bananagrams game. Its sort of like a portable scrabble. He just wanted to play with the letters. He ended up spelling words and writing sentences on the floor. My favorite was "Soda pop makes you fat." I was glad he did this in front of Mormor and Grandpa. Maybe now we won't hear, "When are you going to do school?"
DS12 played his new Trama game for the Wii. You get to play surgeon! His patient had been attacked by a bear and had broken bones and deep wounds. You have to work quickly, cutting open the wound just so, removing the pieces of bone and putting them back together. You have to stitch up the wound and inject medications. Its not too bloody, but its pretty realistic. You could point out the educational value as well. Its very cool!
When my parents return, my sister will come over and we'll bake Vetebrod, a Swedish coffee bread, very yummy! I can't wait to start smelling the cardamom.
My only worry today is how DH will get home from work. We are expected to get up to 5 inches today with temperatures hovering around 30. I'm sure this will make for heavy wet snow. I really wished he could have stayed home today.
Tonight's family fun will be amped up since our grandparents are with us and my sister and her family will come over. We'll pig out one last time, and I'm sure a marathon session of Apples to Apples will be played. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a great weekend!
It's Friday. Funday. At least it will be once I can get past my dentist appointment this morning. I'm scheduled for my final crown fitting. Ahh, the things a Queen must do.
To reward myself for my time in the chair of pain, I am planning on stopping at our used book store. They are offering a special teacher's discount that homeschoolers qualify for. Don't worry. My boys will be able to drag me out. (I'll be sure to kick and scream.)
Its been really stormy but the weekend looks like it will be nice. I just hope there are some leaves left on the trees to enjoy. Of course, I guess we could always enjoy them on the ground too!
I won't be able to spend all my time outdoors. I have to sew the crab suit. I will have to dust off my sewing machine which is probably as old as I am, and hope for the best. I'm ashamed to say the poor Singer only gets to play at this time of year and maybe once again around Christmas. If I had room, if I had a SEWING room, maybe I'd use it more. Having to drag it out of the box and set it up on my kitchen table takes away from the fun.
My mom has an awesome sewing room. Half of their basement is finished and she has multiple machines set up. Of course she is a quilter. It looks like a fabric store actually. Speaking of mom, I've got to call her before we head out today.
Have a great weekend!! Peace and blessings!!!
