Out to Lunch

Hurry.  Hurry.  Hurry.
Always in a rush.
Rushing for nothing, really.

Anybody else have those kind of moments?

After school, we were in a "rush" to start and complete homework.  We were in a hurry to start, complete, and eat dinner.  We were in a rush to finish a project.  To do dishes.  To make lunches. 

My daughter unpacked her backpack and brought me her lunch box.  I checked it.  Pretzels left over from today's lunch.  Check.  Water bottle replaced with a new water bottle.  Check.  I put the lunch box in the refrigerator.  To get it off the counter and out of the way.  And there it stayed.

Daughter:  "How was your day?"
Me:  "Busy.  And yours?"
D:  "Do you really want to know how my day was?  Because I am tellling you that it was great until 11:45am.  And do you want to know why it was horrible after that?"
Me:  "Wellllll...."
D:  "I'll tell you why.  BECAUSE I'M STARVING.  I MEAN REALLY STARVING.  LIKE SUPER, SUPER HUNGRY!" 
Me:  "Oh no!"
D:  "I wondered why my lunch box was so light.  I had no idea what was going on."
Me:  "It's an early April Fools!"  ha ha ha.  "Thank goodness you had pretzels and water still in there."
D:  "My friends couldn't believe their eyes.  How embarrassing!"
Me:  "You could have at least eaten your pretzels!"
D:  "I couldn't eat after looking inside my empty lunch box."

wacky wednesday waffs - my all time favorite

wacky wednesday waffs

wacky wednesday waffs

Go and get yourself a bottle of wine.  Hurry, it is exactly:  1-11-11 at 1:11 a.m.

And open a second bottle of wine on 1-11-11 at 1:11 p.m.

{Pause "Days of Our Lives" and ... oh, wait a minute!  I realized it was the wrong year AFTER the second bottle of wine.  At least, I didn't remember before the first bottle was tapped.}

HaPpY fErMeNtInG dAy!

wacky wednesday waffs

Now that the holiday season is officially over, I say, "Screw the New Years Resolution"!

wacky wednesday waffs

My New Years Resolution:  MORE LAUGHTER! 

Screw fine lines.

I am looking forward to craters!

Oh, and new panties!

Merry Christmas

wacky wednesday waffs

To honor and cherish the upcoming holiday:

wacky wednesday waffs

wacky wednesday waffs

Happy December 1st

Hope your 1st of December is extra sweet!

And as the old cliche goes:  ONLY 24 more shopping days til Christmas!

December also means that we are on the downhill slide to an end of another year.  2011 will be closing another chapter in everyone's personal book of life.  I want to cherish the memories.  The laughter.  The love.  Because in 20 years time, I don't know if I will remember the "little things" that make each day special.  And frankly, that makes me want to cry.  The kind of crying that can only make one look absolutely and dreadfully UGLY. 

So, there are also plenty of moments I don't want to remember either or for you to remember.   Like the time I had surgery.  Three surgeries, to be exact.  Just 6 weeks ago.  Three incisions.  This was so NOT elective.  I had two hernia repairs and another prolapsed something or other.  For some unknown reason, my 45 minute surgery was 180 minutes in length.   And my wakeup was not easy.  In fact, I did not want to wake up.  The recovery nurse spent five hours trying to get me to wake-up and go home.  Apparently, I had overstayed my welcome.  Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I only slept three hours the night before surgery.  I sure was tired! 

Now that I am somewhat healed.  I ventured out on a 5K with my family.  The Turkey Trot was a great way to begin the Thanksgiving holiday -- running before a day of feasting.  It was a beautiful morning and I believe that is what the other 11,995 people were thinking too as they donned their running shoes.  The crowd!  I don't believe the streets in my city are wide enough for that many people.  Perhaps, 2000 runners wore chips to actually try and compete... while the other 10,000 runners were just there for the *fun*.

At the race's end, my darling husband and elated eldest daughter were waiting for me and my two riding littles to cross the *finish* line. 

Me:  "How did you do?"

DH:  "We did okay, but there were a lot of people to *run* around?  How was your run?"

Me:  "I don't know... WHY don't you try SHOVING 120 POUNDS UP SIX HILLS?  Oh, and did I mention that the front wheel sprung off its quick release hinge and I had to carry the wheel while balancing those 120 pounds of children and stroller?"

Other than the mishaps and the hills, it was a great run.  Luckily, the endorphins were kicked in and I was just happy!  And then the results:  My eldest placed in her age group.  I am so proud of her. 

What I Have Realized

...that on school holidays, when all 5.3 of us exist in one common area called the "home", I have realized this:

There is NOT enough CAFFEINE in the house to get me through a day!  Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, diet coke... really, it's just NOT enough!   My body does not even respond to anything less than 52 ounces of some sort of caffeine. 

But on the flip side, my bladder is probably thankful.

wacky wednesday waffs

wacky wednesday waffs

give.thanks.seven

Today I am thankful for sounds.  The gift of hearing.  Selective or Not. 

*I am thankful for the humming of purrs. 

*The gentle breathing of children and pets. 

*The music streaming from the radio.  Well, preferably my radio and not the radio of the car who is three lanes over.

*The ringing of the telephone.  The consistent tone that reminds you to give a silent nod of thanks to Alexander Graham Bell.  With all the texting going on, one can forget to be thankful for the simple non-ring-tone telephone rings.

*The familiar sound of the garage door opening.  It tells me that my husband is home.  Family time begins.  The memories flow as we sit down to dine together and share our day.  I am thankful for the garage doors.  And particularly thankful that I have only hit two out of three. 

*The pitter patter sound of rain on the rooftop. 

Today, I am thankful.

Only two more days until Thanksgiving Day!
And only three more days until BLACK FRIDAY!!
{Is your shopping list ready?}

give.thanks.six

Because life is so busy ... and my kitchen floor ALWAYS has *stuff* on it from every meal, every in-between meal, every pre-meal and every post-meal.  I am THANKFUL for SWIFFER.  The quicker mopper.  Because God and I know that it is impossible to spend three hours thoroughly-on-my-hands-and-knees mopping every day!

One day, not that long ago... I used 24 Swiffers in one mopping.  Is that a record?  It should be a record!!  It's not like I used 24 Swiffers in an entire 5,000 square foot, all-tiled, home.  It was in ONE room; the kitchen, with 24 Swiffers, and the Mother. 

{CLUE should have a new domesticated theme for MOMMIES!}

I am also thankful for the smooth, rich, creamy, warm taste of Nestle Hot Chocolate.  Hot Chocolate is a great beginning to any day.  Add a handful of mini marshmallows.  Ahhh!  Perfect.

GU is a great addition to any length of run.  GU gets me through when my legs feel like running home.  And my feet grow heavy.  And my knees start shaking.  And my lungs are exhaling faster.  And my head shouts NO.  But remember:  It's the run that counts!  A run to start your day.  Or evening.  I am thankful for GU! 

I love LED.  Love, love, love.  LED lights up my life!  These wireless LED portrait lights are a fantastic invention.   No more cords hanging above/below your beloved portraits or paintings or pictures.  {I found these on Amazon.com!!}  I am thankful for LED. 

And I am thankful for Kayak.com.  They are so sweet to send enticing travel adventures to my *inbox*.  Adventures I consider, contemplate, and dream about.  Did you know I can fly to Madrid for roughly the same price that I can fly to Milwaukee??  Madrid is sounding like an excellent travel destination.  I love Madrid.  Hmmm.... maybe I can take my daughter to Madrid for her birthday?!   And as a close second, Milwaukee would be *fun* too!

give.thanks.five

Giving thanks. 
There may be days that it seems difficult to come with just one reason to be thankful.  Especially if a person is going through a difficult time.  A death?  An illness?  A divorce?  A funk?  A depression?  A hangover?

Or perhaps a dryspell.  Anonalcoholickindofdryspell.

So for day 5, I give thanks for laughter.   The sound of laughter.  The teary-eyed-effects of laughter.  The look of laughter. 

A:  What are you wearing?
B:  Shorts.
A:  What kind of shorts are those?  A brown kind?
B:  They are shorts.
A:  The UGLY kind?
B:  What?
A:  Well, they sure are AWFUL?
A:  Is AWFUL a naughty word?  Can I use that word?
***
B:  These shorts are also called 'hand-me-downs' AND you will see these in your room someday.

My youngest started walking at a very young age.  10 months.  Fluent walking.  And we find her in the strangest places on an hourly basis.  The bathroom sink.  The desk top.  The cat tower.  The fireplace hearth.  The beds.  The workbench.  The patio table.  The mini trampoline which is on top of the patio table (we moved it up there so the littlest little would not be tempted to jump on it after she escaped through the cat door).  And we laugh.  And take photos.

And if finding humor is a bit of a chore today... watch TV... the laugh tracks may MAKE YOUR DAY!!

HAPPY DAY FIVE OF GIVING THANKS!
FIND THE PIECE OF HUMOR IN YOUR DAY TODAY!!

wacky wednesday waffs

give.thanks.three

Giving thanks for the little things today.  The small things.  The itsy bitsy things. 

The things that matter to you -- and possibly, only you -- nevertheless, they matter.

The quick, natural smile from your child.

The email from a friend, who just wanted to say hello.

The phone call from a cousin, who just wanted to wish you a "happy-anything-kind-of-day".

The muffins from a student who wanted to say "thankful for you...".

The snack from a coworker who just wanted to share (the calories).

The goodnight kiss from your spouse.

The goodnight hugs from your child.

The purr from your feline.

The lick from your canine.

The perfect trash find by the curb.

The "couldn't pass up" bargain while shopping.

The jeans that still fit.

And, giving thanks for even these little things...

The fleas from your neighbor's pet.

The curses from the driver who cut you off.

The driveling blah, blah, blahs from a friend amidst her third divorce.

The coincidence that a cousin married on her father's birthday (apparently she wants to remember that date forever even through her divorce proceedings?!)

The irony that another friend married her second cousin (is that even legal??)

The sarcasm that wants to get the last word.

The unsolicited help from people.

And I am Thankful on Day Three.

give.thanks.two

I love celebrating holidays.

'Tis the Season!

I am thankful that I have three sweet girls to help me plan, prepare, create, and celebrate. 

The girls have chosen picture #2.  An edible turkey.  

We will be making this adorable turkey to quench our appetites as we prepare the big meal.  

His name will be "sweetheart lippies".  

(I, honestly, cannot even begin to explain that one...)

What are your Thanksgiving Day plans?

Decorations?

Menu?

Games?

{Make a wish -- it is exactly, 11/11/11 at 1:11 am)

{Make another wish -- it will be, 11/11/11 at 11:11am, 1:11pm, and 11:11pm}