Today

Today has been full and it's only 1:42 right now. This morning we had Kindergarten Round up for Sam. He and Ed rode their bikes to the school. It was so very strange going into an actual school and dropping Sam off at his little class and then meeting with the principle and a bunch of parents for an hour and a half. It still seems so far off until Sam gets on that huge bus (they went on a bus ride today and he looked so small in that big bus!), but I know this summer will fly by. He didn't want to go into his class today. He stood right outside the door. My heart went out to him because he doesn't like new situations and gets very quiet, but once he's comfortable, he has no problem. And this was the case, of which we were very relieved about. So I sat in the meeting while Ed took Alina around the school to keep her occupied. Ed and Sam went on the bus (and Alina was very upset about this as SHE wanted to get on the bus too!). Then we headed to Dog Town for a special lunch.

The kids are actually in bed right now, which is a huge relief. Ed went on a long bike ride to get out in God's creation to be quiet and pray. Life is getting very interesting right now and some major/life changing decisions are going to probably need to be made in the next couple of weeks that could change the course of our lives. Hence why Ed needed to get away and pray. I felt the other day that God was going to take us on an adventure in our family, and anticipated a fun one. I don't think this one will be a fun trip, but an adventure none the less, that will grow me, us and our family in trusting God.

I know that is going to be much easier said than done.

On a lighter note, I made this delicious dessert last Friday. I got it off of Mark's blog. It's a trifle and OH SO GOOD! AND super easy. It's all gone now. Sorry to disappoint anyone who was dropping all their work to come over and try some. :)

Getting old...

This past weekend my husband and I and two friends went for a practice ride for the adventure race we are going to be doing in two weeks. We went on back "mountain" trails (there are no mountains where we are), full of tree roots and rocks and sand. My legs were like water (not even jello...they were well past that stage) and my arms and shoulders ached from holding onto the handle bars for dear life in hopes I wouldn't fall off. The only injuries suffered were scrapes up the back of my knee from my bike pedals. So all in all, it was a great ride and I recovered.

Yesterday I went grocery shopping and took the big cooler with me to store the cold foods as I had several stops to make and didn't want my food to spoil before I could enjoy it. So unloading the truck, with kids in bed, I got all the groceries out, the big cooler out and all unpacked. While taking out the little ice packs in the bottom, I was on my way up from bending over and heard a couple of pops. Then I realized I felt them too. Right in my lower back. I could barely manage climbing the 5 steps to get inside the house.

Oh this old body is really starting to fall apart! Why is it that I could mountain bike for 3 hours, unload a full ice chest cooler thing and all's it takes to throw my back out is a little ice pack. So very, very sad this old body....

picture album

Just some recent pictures I'd like to share that I took this past week (and Anne's ice cream). :) Easter and a day at the park.

my tag

So I was tagged by Anne a couple of days ago. I'm just now getting to write.

Rules

**Go write weird facts/things/etc. about yourself in my comment box and on your blog, then tag more people!
**Then leave a comment that says ‘You are tagged‚’ in their comments telling them to read your blog.

1. I used to eat raw mushrooms out of the can. Maybe that's why I can't stand to eat them now.

2. I used to pull all the legs off daddy long legs and watch them wiggle.

3. I like catsup on my bologna sandwiches.

4. My nickname in highschool was Mean Jean Oakerland or just Mean Jean. I really wasn't mean.

5. I had a pet chicken. It's name was Chicken Little and I used to carry it under my arm.

6. I go grocery shopping at either 10 at night or 5 in the morning so I can be by myself with no chillins. It's great!!

I tag no one. So all those out there nervously shaking in their boots, no need to worry, no tagging shall cometh hence forth from herest though. :)

one of my favorites

This is one of my absolutely favorite restaurants. We venture there at least once a week. Last night happened to be our once a week night. It was a Joey Bag of Doughnuts for me. The Other Lewinsky for Ed. Sam had Puff the Magic Dragon (taco) and Alina had a Mini Me (quesadilla). They make your food right in front of you (kind of like Subway, but with taco ingredients). Beans, rice, meats, guac., and all sorts of toppings. Their steak is so yummy and you can even get tofu. And did I mention cheap? I didn't think so. Last night the total was $19.97 for all four of us and we were all stuffed. The best thing about Moe's? They yell at you when you open the door. "WELCOME TO MOE'S!!!". Sam loves this the best, because every time the door opens when we're eating, he gets to yell in the restaurant "Welcome to Moe's!!". They know us now as we're there so much. It's great!!

What's your favorite restaurant?

If you...

If you like to cook, here's two blogs that I found recently. Lane and Mark. I have ingredients for one chicken recipe (Lane's blog) all ready and am looking forward to making it. I found the 2nd blog yesterday (Mark commented on Lane's). Enjoy looking and maybe trying these recipes and drooling over this scrumptious food!!

the intruder

So last night we were sitting downstairs watching LOST. Ed fell asleep. I was all worked up and mind was a-workin' away after the episode was done, so I started flipping through the channels to see what was on that could calm my brain down. I found a REALLY old episode of Friends, so snuggled down deeper in the blanket to watch. Halfway through, I was getting sleepy and was ready to head for bed. I then saw something. Something moving out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head and there was a mouse happily walking along the top of the bookshelf. I about fell over, scared me half to death. It scampered back behind the duct in the ceiling and I could hear it back there scratching away. Grrrrr.....It's probably back there making babies that will invade our house. I was wide awake then and it took me a good 45 minutes to get sleepy enough to go back to bed. I do not like mice. Especially mice in my house. I threw two mouse traps away last year b/c I couldn't handle emptying them of the dead mice. My dad even killed one with a board. I thought our mouse issue was settled after killing at least 4 last year, but I guess not. Watch out mouse. That peanut butter is deadly and I WILL get you!!

There's more

Read the previous post below FIRST or this one will make no sense and then you'll think I'm really off my rocker!

But WAIT!!! There's MORE!! Another truck just pulled up. A BIG truck with another BIG trailer full of leaves. Maybe they're taking the leaves away??? Could it BE?? Lemme go look...

Well...they're taking an awfully long time blowing those leaves, but they haven't been blown in our yard yet. I did see rakes and a blue tarp, so maybe. JUST maybe, the leaves will go somewhere else. To some other happy place. Other than our yard.

Is it that time already?

Right now it's 43 degrees out. Cold in my books. And the lawn guys are out next door. It must be lawn season? It's 43 degrees out!! I don't think the grass would be growing. But all the dead leaves are now being blown into our yard. And there are lots of them. Oh well. The wind just blows them right back. It's been interesting to see over the past couple of years this lawn maintenance service. When we first moved in, it was a little pick up truck with a riding mower in the back. Last year it was a pick up truck pulling a small trailer with enough room for two riding mowers and a blower. Now I look out and see this years lawn maintenance with a full trailer and a large pick up truck. I think it's a new service. Yes, I know. I'm pretty pathetic. But when there's no school to watch all the buses and cars, what else is a girl supposed to do to keep occupied? Laundry? HA! I think not. ok...well maybe, but that's not nearly as exciting as watching leaves get blown about!!

treats

Last week at the zoo, I found that eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich outside makes it taste better. I think the same goes for ice cream. I'm looking forward to taking bike rides to the local ice cream place and getting a treat of mint chocolate chip ice cream cone dipped in chocolate. If you were an icecream cone, what kind would you be?

my haven

So this weekend, one of my to-do list items and one of my desires was to create a little haven that I can call my own. With Ed's help moving the big chair (that came from his dad's storage unit up north and was a lovely brown and gold 70's print, but oh so comfy) from the basement, my haven was made. With things from around the house like a wing back chair cover that was in our garage sale back in September, to a little table cover that is scrap fabric I found in a bag a friend gave me, to a throw that we received when we moved into this house two years ago, to a lamp that was from Ed's dad's old place, to some dried flowers I received for my birthday from a friend, total spending on my little getaway? $7. Just don't look at the border or the lovely blue blinds. We have yet to paint and redo this room.

BEFORE

AFTER

My little haven was cristined this morning with 20 minutes of peace, quiet and lots of time to think, read and pray. It was wonderful!

Yay for Saturdays!!

Today starts out with our Saturday breakfast that consists of pancakes (chocolate chip mind you), scrambled eggs, sausage and potatoes. Not totally healthy, but oh so fun tradition!!
Make a 9 am wake up call.
Bring up the chair and rearrange our bedroom for my little haven.
Put the carpet in the basement (free from Sam's preschool).
Laundry.
Finish spring cleaning. It's been in my blood all week and I HAVE to finish (or go insane if I don't. Better for the household if I finish).
Head bang to Me First and the Gimmee Gimmees.
Enjoy the family!!