Mom to the Screaming Masses

Sometimes, Life Just Leaves You Puzzled

I am (sometimes, not too often) surprised at what people will do.

There was a funeral at our church today. It was for a man my husband's age, who died of a massive heart attack completely unexpectedly - although, hello, that sounds REALLY ridiculous, for what heart attack is expected? - that we had seen at our fancy formal party last week.

I sat in the lot after the school had emptied out and watched the attendees file into the church and I thought about the man who died. I didn't know him except for in passing, but he could have been my husband.

Voluntary Survey

I passed a sign on the road.

Voluntary Survey, it read. I'd heard about those Volunteer Surveys.

My son, whose career path is solidly on the Criminal Justice/Police Officer Path, has done multiple ride alongs with the officers in various precincts in our fair city. He once told me, "If you see a sign that says Voluntary Survey, take it. They pay you cash."

My inner tightwad is immediately interested when you say the word Cash.

Running With Riley

Oh, this was SUCH a different set of circumstances than Running With Emma...

Riley begged to run with me. Riley pleaded to run with me. "Please, Mommy, please? I promise to run, I promise not to complain, please let me go with you!"

I knew that she'd run the half mile in PE class, and so I thought that she'd at least be able to run that, and we'd walk some of what I'd planned to be a mile.

You know what they say about the best laid plans and all that...

The Pictures That Probably Won't Make the Card

Before you see the pics, please don't forget to check out my review site, where there's an interview up with Nik and Allegra, one with Mackenzie about her new contact lenses, an opportunity to win a copy of Petz Nursery 2 for Nintendo DS, and where I'm giving away $150 CASH MONEY. I dunno, if there was a way I could enter for cash, I'd do it in a heartbeat - but maybe you have too much cash laying around?  You can always send it my way...

 I took the pictures for the Christmas cards this past weekend. I set a couple of different rules.

Wear black or white. Be prepared to spend about an hour. No irritating the most easily irritated one of the family.

I'll let you see how those rules were followed, but be prepared - there's a LOT of pictures here....

Picture, if You Dare

A random kitchen, early in the morning. Well before dawn. In the five o'clock hour. 

The woman makes her way downstairs. She has a new, very small coffeepot. It makes Vietnamese Coffee - the very favorite of the woman, who had mentioned it to her wonderful tailor - who just happened to be Vietnamese, and had hooked her up.

The set up looks like this.

Basically, you put two spoons of coffee into the small pot, fill it with boiling water and let it sit on top of the cup for a few minutes. (I forgot that you put some condensed milk in the bottom of the cup first.) A few minutes later, the pot is empty, you stir the coffee and condensed milk, add some warmed milk and you are on your way.

Back to the story.

The woman grabbed the pull out faucet to fill the pot. The faucet came out of the sink in her hand. Completely free of any hose of any type.

Under the sink, where the bottom of the faucet had come undone, sat two inches of water.

Now, in addition to freshly painted trim in her kitchen, please to admire the lovely, tidy, sparklingly clean under the sink cabinet.

Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!

(The woman is thankful for her husband, who had a career as a plumber before his current occupation.)

Stress is The Mirror of Calm

I had so, so much to do on Tuesday. The morning began in a negative place and continued downhill until I was convinced it could go no further, and still, the morning eroded into the bedrock of horridness. 

I had slept poorly. I woke early - if you could say that I woke, because you'd have to be asleep to be woken, and there was really none of that happening. My husband had oh so graciously volunteered me to make 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies for the Santa Something or Another (I listen so well) and I had to bake them before I woke the kids. No one wanted to wake up, everyone was irritable, I fought with my husband (who, yes, I know, is very stressed, but WELCOME to my world) and Riley wanted Dora Chicken Noodle Soup for breakfast.

FINE by me.

Dear Children: The Church Edition

Don't forget - I'm giving away CASH MONEY and I'd love to give it to someone I know here. Also, did you participate in the NFL post, and the interview of my kids (the one where you all were able to ask them questions) is now live. ALSO - want to enter to win a copy of Petz Nursery 2 for DS - go nooooowwww!

 

Dear Children:

I know that you have been going to church since before you can remember. Today we saw absolutely no evidence of any of the lessons that you've learned growing up - not to mention the lessons of your Catholic school teachers. So, in order to avoid any further trouble, I present to you a list of what is and is not appropriate behavior. Please take a few minutes to study this - after all, the holidays are almost upon us and you know we will be at church even more.

Saturday Evening Festivities

I wanted to post these pictures of me in a beautiful dress from my very good friend, Kendra, the Headless Mom. I'm attending a fundraiser for my kids school. Hope you are having a good weekend. Let me know what you are up to!!

It's Friday - What's on YOUR Agenda??

I can tell you what I'm doing. Jumping up and down from excitement.

But before I could do my fun stuff, I had to "do work" at the gym. Todays workout was t-o-u-g-h.

The first set was squats. Set the timer for 4 min. Do squats for 20 seconds, rest in squat position for 10. Repeat until the 4 minutes are up - so, 8 sets total. Rest one minute. Repeat with Push ups.Rest in plank. Repeat with Ball Slams, using a 16 lb medicine ball. Rest with ball overhead. Repeat with sit ups. Rest in curl. End (oh, hahaha, with 16 kg kettle ball swings. Rest with kettle bell at chest level.

So of COURSE I had to take a nap. So that I could be ready to go with my mom for our annual concert for my birthday - to SEE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA!!!!!!

I love, love, love the music of this group and they have the MOST amazing show.

So, that's where I'll be tonight - and I won't get to bed until after 2, and I have to be up at 7. It'll be worth it, though.

Before I go, Gabriel wanted me to show you that he achieved his first belt rank up in Jiu-Jitsu. He was extremely proud. As part of the ceremony, you get flipped by the instructor.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Making Ricotta Cheese

It all started one day on Facebook.

I posted what I was making for dinner that night. Eggplant Parmigana, something I make not all that often that my family, especially those older than 13, wish I'd make more often.It just takes an AMAZING amount of time, but I have to admit that it's really good when I do make it.

My friend Greg told me

Hey, I just made Ricotta Cheese. Bet that'd taste amazing with the eggplant.

He brought me over some and it was DELICIOUS. After I begged him for the recipe, I decided to try to make it myself.