Stream of Consciousness

Michael Buble "Crazy Love"

2009-11-03T07:01:00.001-08:00

Angie's List

2009-11-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

So have you heard of Angie's List? There's probably a listing for your area. Angie's List is a great way to find a service company, pediatrician and so much more in your area that is recommended by other consumers. I've used it a couple of times and have been very happy with the results.

Angie's List

(And no, I wasn't paid to write this - it would be a much better post if I was, though! lol)

I may be crazy...

2009-11-01T07:46:00.001-08:00

OK, I know I’m crazy, but I have made a commitment to do it. I have been through a lot these past few months with illness, pain, etc. Now that everything seems to be back on track, I’ve committed to getting myself back to a healthy weight. I have a few goals:

1. Kick the sugar habit. This is the #1 reason I have put on extra pounds and probably a big factor in the pain I experience all the time.

2. Start to dance again. I loved dancing growing up – but over the years with kids, extra pounds, etc. I’ve not been able to, much.

Now, the crazy part is, yes, I know the holidays are coming up and it’s the hardest time of year to lose weight – but hey, if I can do it this time of year the rest of the year should be simple, right?

My first goal is 15 pounds. I’m actually afraid to put a time frame on it. What I want to do it watch/control what I eat and exercise in some way every day and see how quickly it comes off. So here goes!

Let me know if you have a goal you’re trying to reach right now, too – we can do this together!

Times are a'chanin!

2009-11-01T07:45:00.001-08:00

I started this blog as a wife and mother – now I’m downsizing to just mom! At the time I was living in the Seattle area – now I’m in Dallas!

My 4 boys still keep me quite busy and we’ve all adjusted well to our life changes.

On a side note – I saw Metal Shop and Swan Song in concert last weekend. Metal Shop is a really cool 80s cover band – spandex, hair and all. I had a great time! The lead singer really nailed the songs – and please by all means, ladies, check out the biceps on the bass guitarist!

Swan Song is a Zepplin cover band. The lead singer here, too, was great. I was never a huge Zepplin fan, but the ones I did know sounded great.

I also recently went to the re-grand opening of Stonehorse in Richardson. It’s a sushi, sake, steak restaurant – and had a great time! It was a bit loud, but I imagine it was just for that night. They had a DJ, firedancers, free champagne and shots, free sampler trays. I’m not much of a sushi person so I stuck to the tried and true California rolls – and they were fabulous! Around the table there wasn’t anyone complaining about their food.

Let me know if you’ve seen either of these bands – or have been to that restaurant – I’d love to hear your experience!

Cooking - not eating out!

2009-02-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

I am terrible at coming up with my own meal plan for the week. Rather than spend time thinking about it, I'll just run and get a pizza or some other fast food. Horrible, right?

For quite some time I've been using Menus4Moms to help me with that. You can print your grocery list, meal plan/recipes and there is also a YahooGroup for questions. For someone as busy as I am, it can't get much easier than that! Oh, the best part is it's free!

There are other lists on the site available for a small fee, but for now I'm using the free one. I'll change things out here and there for a bit healthier choices or something I know the boys will eat - but the foundation is there and it makes evenings so much easier!

Let me know if you try it and what you think!

Tag-spang-fr-lish

2009-01-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

One of my goals for the year is to refine my language skills. Yes, even my English could use some help!

I took three years of French in high school and can only recall "Je m'appelle Michele" and "Tu es tres gentil!" OK, maybe I can remember other things, too, but probably not appropriate for any of you that can speak French. Who doesn't love the sound of the French language? (If you don't, I don't want to know!)

I also took Spanish in college. Now that I work with a lot of Spanish speakers, I probably should ramp up those skills, too. Most of the guys that speak Spanish at my work just come to my office and ask, "Cheque?" or "Trabajo?"

And now I'm around many friends that speak Tagalog! I must be a really nosey person because if I'm around someone that's not speaking English, I think to myself, I should really learn that language! So, I've started and I have about 13 useful phrases so far. "Ang pangalan ko ay Michele!" I've also started a new list of probably no so useful phrases, but I guess it's a start. I'm not really sure I need to ask anyone around here where the museum is in Tagalog, but just in case I'm ready!

Too much? Maybe so, but it's fun! So, magandang gabi, buenas tardes, & bon soir!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

I hope you are excited about the New Year! As you can imagine, I'm glad 2008 is over. While I do believe last year was an important life experience, I'm glad to be moving forward.

I do have many goals for this year. I hesitate to actually write them out for fear I'm going to have to explain why I didn't meet them! Maybe I'll get to them in a future post so that I will have accountability...

I have one that I will share now, and honestly, it's nothing really new. I just hope to put more focus on it. I believe many people have the same goal - to be more cognisant of my money. Saving (es muy importante), spending wisely on the variables such as groceries, etc. I have some websites that I refer to often and I hope to post them soon.

Again, Happy New Year!

Long time no blog

2008-11-12T12:31:00.000-08:00

I looked back and realized I haven't posted since March! There are many reason, as you may have noticed by the change in title and the "About Me" section.

In April my grandmother passed away - and that was heartbreaking to me. She meant the world to me.

And now I'm a single mom. My ex-husband and I still work together for the benefit of the boys. That's all I'm really going to say about that - I don't want to dwell on it.

The boys entered public school at the beginning of the year. I'll elaborate on that in a future post, but for the most part it's been a very positive experience. The elementary school has been great, and middle school is well... middle school. I think that speaks volumes all on it's own.

I'm working full time now, too. I couldn't have asked for a better place to be. My job is perfect for my skills and my boss is very flexible and understanding. It has been an absolute blessing.

That's it for the quick update - I'll post more again another time.

Have a blessed day!

Back to Texas we go!

2008-03-05T09:04:00.001-08:00

We'll be on the road to Texas over the next several days. Hopefully we'll find some fun things to see and do along the way I can tell you about!

Just wrong, so totally wrong...

2008-03-03T17:03:00.001-08:00

But hilarious!

I'll call it Breaking Up - Web 2.0 style

ICE

2008-03-03T12:05:00.001-08:00

When I went to the doctor's office the other day, I saw this poster on the wall. As I was waiting, I went ahead and added the numbers into my phone. There, done. Husband, Mom and Friend.

I'm glad someone else posted this, and I can help spread it around. Why didn't I think of blogging about it?

I know, you're totally curious as to what I'm talking about now, aren't you? Well, first go get your cell phone then click here! ICE - In Case of Emergency

It's OK to ask!

2008-03-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to humor me how people will tip-toe around asking me about my kids. My first was born during my first marriage, his biological father is black. My husband now is white and we have 3 very white - very red-headed boys (you can view archives for pictures). You can imagine when I'm out with them, some of the looks I receive. Here are some of the questions/comments I get:

"How'd you get three red-heads but he has brown hair?"
"Is he adopted?"
"He must spend more time outdoors!"

Now, I get that most people just wonder, and that's o.k., I have no problem with that. If I saw a family like mine, I'd probably wonder, too. But a word of advice, don't just make assumptions! Just ask - I promise it's o.k. At least for me anyway. It's more concerning for me to have to explain why someone would ask if he's adopted later on to my sons.

Talking about skin-color is fine! It doesn't define who a person is. You shouldn't have to tip-toe around the subject. I tell my boys they could all be purple for all I care - I wouldn't love them any less.

Posh Mama

2008-02-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

I found this really cool group called Posh Mama - and no, you don't need to be a Mama to join (although, you do have to be female - sorry guys!) I haven't scratched the surface of this group yet, but looks like a lot of fun. So far, I've joined a couple of groups - Lost fans and Entrecard Posh Mamas. Come join me!

Posh Mama is an online magazine and social network exclusively for women from all around the world. The network is a supportive, interactive, and highly engaged community of Posh Mamas who share information on fashion, beauty, style, home interiors, art, book reviews, author interviews, fitness, nutrition, unique products for women, cool gadgets, high-tech toys and important product recalls. You don't have to be a "Mother" to be a "Posh Mama". Come hang out with me at www.poshmama.com.

Posh Mama

Are you Lost?

2008-02-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

I am! I have been following Lost from the beginning - and I love it! Last night's episode really confused me, though. First Desmond has flashes from the future in the current 2004 time, now he's in 1996 and is flipping back and forth between 1996 and 2004!

Also, if time is longer on the island (Faraday telling Jack that on the island it was a day for Sayid and Des to get to the ship, but really it didn't take that long) why is it the Losties know they've been on the island 90-something days, and the calendar on the ship supports that (Christmas Eve). Maybe I'm missing something!

I love this show!

Total Ramblings

2008-02-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Did you miss me? Aww... missed you, too! I would have much rather been blogging than worrying about my grandmother. Well, the worry isn't over, but the wondering is. She has a little while longer, and at least now it doesn't seem like she's in as much pain as she was. The boys and I are going to drive down to Texas and help take care of her these last few months she has. Talk about a learning experience - and homeschooling is making it possible.

Speaking of homeschooling, I checked out a "Junior Timeline" book from the library, and we're going to explore all the things that have happened in my grandmother's lifetime. Since 1915, a few exciting things have happened =)

Did I mention I got a new Entrecard widget? I think it's absolutely perfect for my blog, and I can't thank Nan enough. It's the little things that mean so much, right?

Thank you to each of you that left comments for me. As far as moving my blog - well, that's on hold for now. I'll get a new .com name eventually because I really hate trying to spell out my blogspot name. But, that's on my plate for a later time. I think I'll give WordPress a spin, but we'll see. Maybe by the time I get around to it, something better will be available! And a big thank you to those that wished me well on my weekend trip. I'm glad I decided to just up and go. We had an 11:55pm flight that arrived in Texas at 5:30am. It was my 7 year old and me - and he had a great time. It was his first time on a plane.

So for now, I think I'm up to date on dropping cards. I noticed that my advertising cost went up for a while after I left, but then dropped to the low 60s. Fickle Entrecard!

Thank you Nan!

2008-02-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

Thank you Nan for my adorable new Entrecard widget! I gave Nan creative freedom to make a new widget for me and she did such a wonderful job!

If you haven't read Nan's blog, Life Is Like A Lunchbox, you simply must... right now! Go! What are you waiting for?

Goodbye for the weekend!

2008-02-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be heading to Texas for the weekend (I do miss home!), however, it's not for a much needed vacation. My 93 year old grandmother is in the hospital, again, and I really want to visit with her before... Well, I just want to visit with her.

So, for those of you that get regular drops from me - I'll be back (ok, that was corny, I know.)

Also, I figure that the credits to advertise on my blog will go down, not that 83 is all that high, so take advantage of it!

Need your input!

2008-02-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

So I've been researching, exploring and well - overwhelmed!

I'm looking to move my blog somewhere else such as WordPress or something similar so I can have more options. Don't get me wrong, I like Blogger and it was great to get me started, but I would really like to expand! I need some elbowroom!

What do you recommend? I've been playing with WordPress, but I don't know much of what's out there past that.

I also have a domain name I could use rather than the .blogspot.com or .wordpress.com which I would love to do. It's hard to recommend socwm.blogspot.com to your friends, you know?

So fill me in on all the juicy details - I'm all ears!

Entrecard Credit Giveaway

2008-02-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a contest/giveaway yet, and I've been watching how other bloggers do theirs. Over at Mummified Times Five she is having a very simple giveaway. Just blog about the 2000 Entrecard Credit Giveaway, link to it, and you're entered!

Don't just stop there - she has a great blog and definitely worth your time to stick around and check it out!

Entrecard

2008-02-20T22:06:00.000-08:00

Entrecard has been great for my blog - if you don't know about Entrecard yet, visit the site!

From Entrecard you can view you stats and see your Best Value By Widget. I was in the top 5 for Watch me! No watch me!

So, this is my first meme! Here are the "Best Value by Widget Meme Rules:"

* Link back to this post so people will know where the Meme came from and who tagged you. (No, I did not make up these rules).
* Link to each of the blogs listed on your Best Value By Widget stats page. Once you’ve linked to them, send them a message to let them know they have been tagged. (Of course, if they use Google Alerts or something like it, this step may not even be necessary).
* Go through each of the blogs you link to and stumble, digg, sphinn, zoom, or any other means to help bring them traffic. It is also recommended to favorite them on Technorati.
* Visit each of the sites listed in the meme, and offer up some social media love taps.
* If only half of these rules are followed, it will still help bring well-deserved traffic to these blogs.

And, here are my Best Values:

Looking towards Heaven
Homeschooling Four
So, the thing is...
Fabulous Mommy
Life is Like a Lunchbox

In all fairness, I'm still running on Watch Me! No Watch Me! which was #6 on my list.

Being in the right place at the right time

2008-02-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

Today wasn't supposed to be anything special - really. 3 of us are sick and I'm battling the ever constant pain in my neck and shoulders. We've been sharing strep throat over this past week, and even after my full 5 days of antibiotic, I'm still not feeling well. Since my husband stayed home from work today sick, too, I decided I would go up to the doctor's office and check to see if the strep was gone and hopefully I was just feeling lousy. Of course, there's not any appointments available, everyone's sick. Feeling rather dejected, I left the doctor's office and started to drive home. I pulled into the left turn lane at the light and watched as a lady crossed the crosswalk in front of me. All I wanted was for the light to turn green so I could go home. I just happened to look to my right and this lady was on the curb rolling around and crying! Luckily, there were no cars to my right, so I pulled over to the curb, put my hazards on and got out to see if I could help. Meanwhile, a man in a van that saw it pulled in at the same time. He called 911 while I tried to help her up - which she couldn't do.

The ambulance came and got her foot supported with an icepack on it. She asked me if I could take her to the hospital instead of the ambulance and I agreed. I stayed with her the entire time, which ended up taking over four hours. She broke her leg bone (can't remember what it was called - not the main shin bone, but the one behind it) and got a boot and crutches with orders to go to an orthopedic doctor. I drove her to get her prescription and drove her home. To my knowledge neither she nor her boyfriend had a car, so I couldn't just leave her at the hospital.

I really don't believe in coincidences. I honestly believe I was meant to be there at that moment in time. She talked about her boyfriend, her kids and her baby. She was able to vent some things to a total stranger that she probably had been holding onto for quite a while.

I'm glad I decided to drive to the doctor's office instead of just call. Sometimes you just know you're supposed to do something out of the ordinary - then you find out why!

Perspective

2008-02-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

There you are, going about your day to day life, talking with a friend about activities going on... The next day you find out their daughter was involved in a car accident and now fighting for her life. A few days ago, this precious daughter went home to the Lord.

It just never seems fair when a child passes before her parents.

In Memory of Whitney Bellinghausen

Apparently I have hairy feet...

2008-02-18T16:13:00.001-08:00

OK, well, maybe that wasn't the point. Funny that I'm The Hobbit and the boys over the past several nights watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy again (extended versions).

You're The Hobbit!

by J.R.R. Tolkien

All you wanted was a nice cup of tea when some haggard crazy old man
came into your life and told you it was time to do something with yourself. Now you're
all conflicted about whether to stick with your stay-at-home lifestyle or follow this
crazy person into the wild. While you're very short and a little furry, you seem to be
surrounded by an even greater quantity of short folks lately. Try not to lose your ring,
but keep its value in perspective!

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Don't come looking to me for help!

2008-02-18T16:03:00.001-08:00

I don't have a great chance of survival!

44%

Confused about all the tax rebate talk?

2008-02-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

I found this to be very helpful from Change Counts.

Tax Rebate Stimulus Details Explained

I have been looking for ways to save more. Change Counts looks like a great place to get very helpful ideas. It's definitely being added to my list of blogs to read.

Things I never thought I'd say...

2008-02-17T21:08:00.000-08:00

As a typical little girl growing up, I had dreams of the Cinderella story - happily ever after and all that. Never did I, in my wildest imagination, think I would say the following to my dear children...

---Please stop licking the car
---Why did you put that in your nose?
---Don't climb the curtains
---Yes you need to flush the toilet, no it's not scary
---Pull your pants up, showing your boxers isn't cool - I don't care what your friends are doing
---Get your fingers out of the peanut butter
---If you already have a whole Twinkie in your mouth, you shouldn't try to fit another in.
and please use your imagination for this last one...
---Put that away, it's not a loaded weapon.

Yay for being the only female in a house full of boys.

I'm a City!

2008-02-17T20:11:00.001-08:00

I lived in (and loved) Miami when I was a kid! Woohoo! A reason to return!

You Are Miami

Sexy and beautiful, you turn heads wherever you go.

A little spicy and a little exotic, you're fully aware of your unique appeal.

Totally high energy, you keep the party going early into the morning.

Famous Miami residents: Anna Kournikova, OJ Simpson, Enrique Iglesias

What American City Are You?

And my husband, much to his dismay...

You Are Boston

Both modern and old school, you never forget your roots.

Well educated and a little snobby, you demand the best.

And quite frankly, you think you are the best.

Famous people from the Boston area: Conan O'Brien, Ben Affleck, New Kids on the Block

What American City Are You?

Now that was fun!

2008-02-17T20:03:00.001-08:00

77 words

Touch Typing

Sometimes I wonder about these things...

2008-02-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

These are fun to take, and fun to find out what it thinks of you. Politician? Um, no. Businesswoman? I think I do that now. Any successful stay at home mom (basically, a home manager) has the skill to run a business! Salesperson? No way. I couldn't sell fire to an Eskimo. Counselor? Possibly. I feel like a counselor to my kids anyway!

Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence

You shine in your ability to relate to and understand others.

Good at seeing others' points of view, you get how people think and feel.

You have an uncanny ability to sense true feelings, intentions, and motivations.

A natural born leader, you are great at teaching and mediating conflict.

You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

And my husband, who is a computer programmer... (ahem, software engineer seems to be the more accurate term I'm told)

Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

You are great at finding patterns and relationships between things.

Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments.

You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it.

You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle.

You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Blog Party!

2008-02-10T21:32:00.000-08:00

Are you coming to the Ultimate Blog Party? I am! I didn't do this last year, so I'm looking forward to it! Sounds like a ton of fun!

Not sure how I feel about this...

2008-02-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

Grew up in Texas, transplanted in Washington state two years ago... And this is how I speak? And where is my other 5%? It must be where all the socks went that were eaten by the dryer.

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

20% Dixie

10% Yankee

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

That's Strength

2008-02-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

5 years ago, we were living in Texas when the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster took place. Just listening to the news broke my heart. I couldn't even imagine what the families were going through. Not only had wives lost husbands, children lost fathers, family members lost loved ones - it was all over national and international television.

I was listening to Evelyn Husband Thompson's story on the radio last night, and was really moved. I've struggled a lot with my faith since I was a teenager. I've been through wonderful high points, and very deep valleys. I know I should count it all joy, but there are times when I just couldn't. I feel very blessed, now, that I've gone through all this. I truly believe it has made me a much stronger woman. Now, I don't have it all together, nor do I think I ever will, but I know one day I will know why I've been through it all.

If you get a chance to hear Evelyn's story - it's inspiring. Listen here.

Here's a little blurb about her:

Evelyn Husband Thompson is the former wife of deceased Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband. Evelyn is a stay-at-home mom, a speaker and author of the book High Calling: The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband. She and Rick were married for 20 years and have two children.

For My Family Back Home...

2008-01-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

I forgot to print these pictures while you were here! Here are the boys playing the new Wii they received from Santa for Christmas!

Who's that handsome boy with the glasses?

2008-01-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

My dear 9 year old got his first glasses today! He has very mixed emotions about it. Yes, he's glad he can see better and things aren't fuzzy, but the downside is having to be so careful, and the possibility of snide comments from peers. We talked about it, and he knows not to worry about what others might say (who knows, that kid might have to get glasses soon!) but I remember what it was like to get glasses at nine, too! Personally, I think he's adorable!

Help with Dinner!

2008-01-25T12:44:00.000-08:00

I have been using Menus4Moms now for quite some time. It has been such a wonderful thing for my family. I struggled with what to cook, what sides to make with it, grocery lists and all the craziness that is preparing for dinner. Menus4Moms has made that so much simpler for me! There is also a YahooGroup where you can ask questions of Mary Ann Kelley, the owner, and all the members of the group are so helpful! At the Menus4Moms website, you can access the menus for free (including archives), or you can subscribe to an ad free version and there is also menus if you receive food from Angel Food Ministries. On the website there is so much helpful information ranging from how to stock your pantry and freezer to special dinner nights such as the SuperBowl and Valentine's Day. The beauty of the menu is if you have special needs for your diet such as gluten-free, you can ask the members on the YahooGroup how to change it up to meet your needs! Give it a try, I know you'll love it!

Yes, Me Too

2008-01-21T22:13:00.000-08:00

I've joined the countless numbers of people who have decided to lose weight in '08. That's why I quit drinking Dr. Pepper so much (sorry Dr. Pepper! I'm sure your revenue will decline greatly without me! ...ok, maybe not.) Over at Pink Lemonade of Life she has "Weight Loss Wednesdays." I'm going to have to keep an eye on that and see if I can keep up!

New Year's Resolution - Check!

2008-01-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

Yay for New Year's resolutions kept! I have been a Dr. Pepper addict for years. There I finally admitted it! 3-4 a day would not be an understatement. This year, my goal was to quit by the end of the first week of January. I did it! Now, I know it's much healthier, and I'm drinking more water, but I just don't FEEL it. I miss the "happy" feeling that I had when I would drink one. Doesn't that sound very strange? I guess it's just that "kick" that I miss that most people I know get from their morning cup of coffee (I've never been a coffee drinker).

But at least I can say I kept a resolution! I did try one after a week and a half just to test myself, and it tasted like medicine, so I won't be going back - so hopefully soon I won't miss the kick anymore!

Busy-ness

2007-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

So most people when they find out I'm a homeschool mom of 4 boys will react with "oh, my, you must be busy!" or "wow, crazy woman!" or "how do you do it all?" (the last one is usually a rhetorical question.) Here is the answer I'd love to have time to tell when I'm asked:

Yes, it's crazy busy. My house is never completely clean and any realtor would probably have heart failure on a spur of the moment check of my house. There is usually always someone upset at someone else and wrestling is a daily activity (check off PE). Yes, my oldest is very helpful -- when he wants to be. When we get everything done in one day that we're supposed to, that's the exception, not the norm. We detour a lot to investigate something of interest and that's OK. I get tons of hugs, usually in tackle form. I get to see their eyes light up when they figure something out - usually after a long and very frustrating on the verge of giving up period of time (those are the most exciting). There are days when the noise level is .... well, very noisy. But there will come a day when there is no more noise, no more tackle-type hugs, no more wrestling in the house no more busy-ness. And I will miss it - with my whole heart.

As my grandma always said, "They're not little long!"

The Perfect Christmas Picture?

2007-12-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Yep, it sure is! We took at least twenty, and each time someone was looking away, blinked, had a hand over someone elses face... Merry Christmas!

That's Comfort

2007-12-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

Talk about comfortable! And how did he get a cast you ask? So, Duke was laying on my bed on top of another blanket. The boys came running into my room chasing eachother, and Duke decided he wanted to be a part of the fun. He lept off the bed, got tangled up in the blanket, and landed on his side on the floor. After a trip to two vets (the first one the doctors were out to lunch) he received emergency cast, overnight stay and home the next day, purple cast and all. My sweet 7 year old was so excited that Duke had a purple cast, just like he had last year on his arm. Duke hasn't let the cast slow him down, or detract from his comfort. ...he's so spoiled!

Oh boy(s)!

2007-11-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

Just showing off the boys! Moms can do that ya know. And the giant bandaid on the little head is covering a scar from where he had a fight with the desk. Apparently, the desk won. They are all still cute little babies in my eyes!

A really bad day

2007-11-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

...and yes, I let him out after snapping the picture! No, I didn't put him in there =)

2007-11-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

These pictures were actually taken during the summer. As the youngest of four boys, he doesn't always get to be the center of attention for pictures - but this day was all about him!

Our Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T15:03:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was a ton of fun for me! It was the first Thanksgiving where I was able to do all the food on my own - yay! Not only was the eating part fun, but the Cowboys won - what more could a girl ask for? hehe

Homeschool Buyers Co-Op

2007-11-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

I just recently joined the Homeschool Buyers Co-Op! What led me there in the first place was a link someone sent me where you are able to create your own homeschool ID. You can print your own, or for a nominal cost, order laminated cards to be mailed to you. Then I started milling around the site. I admit, I don't think I've even scratched the surface of the information available there, but it looks great! I love supporting and being a part of the homeschool community, and this looks to be a great place to do so!

Homeschooling's
#1 Way to Save

Our Schedule

2007-11-12T13:32:00.001-08:00

I've been asked many times how I schedule our homeschool day. I guess it's just something we wonder about eachother as homeschool moms, to see if there's some way we can make our own days more productive, useful, better... whatever the case may be. I struggled with this over the years. There are many different types of schedules that I've tried; more structured ones , ones I find searching the internet, etc. What I have found to be most useful is to have certain things I want/need accomplished in a day written out - and check them off throughout the day. Our day usually goes something like this, but not necessarily in this order:

Wake up, eat breakfast, morning chores (which are on a list - these are my dailies)
Start school with pledges and prayer
Math
Language Arts
Social Studies
Science
Bible
Art/Health (Art is 2 days a week, Health is 3)
Reading Time (20 minutes)
Penmanship

Around 12 or 12:30 we will have lunch and I'll check to see what's for dinner. We'll have a break after lunch and I'll use that time to reboot laundry and do dishes, and any other task that needs to be accomplished. I'll call the boys in for their parts.

After school they play outside, or if it's raining inside. I only let them play video games on Fridays after school and on weekends - around their chores. I'll start dinner around 5 or 5:30 depending on what we're having, and we'll eat usually around 6:30 when Dad gets home. Bedtime chores after that, and Dad reads them a story before bed.

While it sounds very structed, it's loose enough for me to be flexible and make changes as needed. Some things have certain times, while others, like each subject aren't bound by time.

It works for me!

For Once...

2007-11-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

I finally have a week's worth of lesson plans done ahead of time! I am a procrastinator, I admit it. I also know that even though I've planned this week's lessons in advance, something is going to change. It always does.

Take last week for instance. We are studying sight for science. In a few weeks, as an option, is to dissect a cow's eye. The boys were excited about this, and we decided to watch a dissection online. It was cool, gross, awesome, disgusting - depending on who you asked.

So that's the beauty of homeschooling. Taking a detour when needed to learn in fun ways, and get excited about it!

Tomorrow is Veterans Day and I personally want to say a thank you (which doesn't quite seem like enough) to all Veterans out there. My grandfather was a Navy man during WWII. He passed away my senior year in high school, but his stories still stick with me. He wasn't the kind of man that would sit around telling stories about those days, but there are a select few that did get told -- and I'm so glad they did. The boys are going to learn about how Veterans Day became a holiday, and make a craft to hang outside. We just moved and don't have our flag stand up yet to hang our flag =(

We'll see if I stick to the lesson plan this week. Wish me luck!

New Favorite Recipe

2007-10-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Feeding 6 people with vastly different tastebuds is no small feat. I can't please everyone (my mantra while I'm cooking), but alas! Something that they all like! I found this on www.allrecipies.com I actually served this over orzo and I bet it would be great over brown rice as well. One note also, I only used about 1 tsp of chili powder.

Chicken Breasts Pierre
Submitted by: Nancy
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 670 members Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

"Chicken steeped in a sweet and savory blend of tomatoes, spices and herbs. Serve with crusty French bread to mop up every last drop."
INGREDIENTS:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with
liquid
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Coat chicken breasts with flour mixture. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown chicken on all sides. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
2. In the same skillet, combine the tomatoes, water, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, chili powder, mustard, celery seed, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and return chicken to skillet. Cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender, no longer pink and juices run clear.

I just love Mark Lowry

2007-10-19T14:12:00.001-07:00

Have for years and years... I let my two oldest boys listen to this... They said it sounded familiar. Go figure!

This song...

2007-10-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

haunts me. In a good way - I've always loved his version...

I have become "One of Those"

2007-10-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, It's official... I've become "one of those". One of those that dresses their dog up for the holidays. Here is Duke in all his cowboy grandeur. He actually didn't seem to mind it, except he did try to take the hat off after a while.

We got Duke from the animal shelter. Normally, it's pretty hard to find a small dog at the shelter, but on a whim back in June I just decided to go and look around. Duke was in a kennel with several other big dogs, and was just sitting there, looking up, and looking so pitiful! So, my son and I asked to see him. He was reserved and his hair was very overgrown. We told the lady we'd take him.

The next thing I did was take him straight to a vet, and boy, I'm glad I did. He had an extremely high fever and needed antibiotics right away. We got him healthy and all his vaccines, and now he's so happy! He puts up with the boys and is a wonderful part of our family.

I know that someone took very good care of him before he became a stray. I wish he could talk so we could find out what happened! He was already potty trained, knew basic commands and is such a good little doggie.

And that's how I became "one of those"!

Back to Homeschooling!

2007-10-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

Looks like we will be back to homeschooling afterall! I don't have anything bad to say about the school district we live in, it's just a family decision and again, we'll take it year by year.

I enjoyed homeschooling very much. The boys all agree that it was part of the best memories that they have. This past year seems to be more of a struggle with school, homework, activities, PTA, etc. etc. Homeschooling for us makes school more enjoyable.

Every family has to make that decision based on their own needs. Homeschooling isn't for everyone. Public school or private school, either. Every family has unique needs and must base their decision on those needs.

I'm excited about starting. We have to turn in our intent to the school district, get everything organized, and get started! Can't wait to post about how it's going!

Bon Voyage

2007-08-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy week here at my house! My Brother-In-Law came to town to move my Mother-In-Law back to Texas. He came in on Saturday, we took him to see the sights of Seattle on Sunday, Monday was pack and load day and on Tuesday was to be the day they picked up the car to drive to Texas. However, as she was putting her stuff in the trunk of the car, she yelled, fell backwards onto the pavement and had a seizure. Scary, yes? The amazing news is she was released that day from the hospital with two staples and a new prescription for seizures. We went to the car rental place again on Wednesday and did it all over again with the exception that she was to only move from one car to the other.

Here's the fun in Seattle we had:

Just for Fun

2007-07-18T18:01:00.001-07:00

In case you thought I was becoming too serious =)

Another thank you - to my DH's new employer

2007-07-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

There's not alot of companies out there that value not only the employee, but the family that goes along with it. While my type A personality wanted to know about his salary, benefits, drive time, etc., they sent me flowers!

He's been there just over one week now, and he is loving it. All things have worked out better than could be expected.

To the company I hope he is with for a very long time to come -- Thank you.

Thank you teachers!

2007-07-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

This past school year was the first that my boys spent in public school. I was nervous, but these teachers made me feel so comfortable with this decision. I can't thank them enough. Coming from homeschooling, the decision to send my boys to public school was huge. Like I said from the beginning, I take it year by year.

Last Year's Trip

2007-07-17T11:29:00.001-07:00

Last year, we moved from Texas to Washington state. We drove through New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon then finally Washington! Here is a slideshow of the trip. I wish I could have taken a video of my husband and the gas station attendant in Oregon. It was a "Who's On First" routine - how were we to know it was illegal to pump your own gas in that state? The conversation started out with the gas station attendant saying, "Hey! You can't do that!" To which my husband replied, "Can't do what?"

GSA: "You can't do that, it's illegal."
DH: "What's illegal?"
GSA: "THAT'S illegal, you can't do that."
DH: "WHAT is illegal?"
GSA: Points at signs wrapped around poles "It's against the Oregon state law, you can't do that."
DH: "WHAT IS AGAINST THE LAW???"

Finally, after watching this carry on, and watching the cars around us, I figured out what the GSA was not-so-eloquently trying to say. Apparently, the sign must have said that it was illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon. The GSA said it was for our safety. So does this mean that Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California and Washington have no regard for our safety?

I love Rachel Ray

2007-07-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

Watching her shows made family dinner time more of a reality around here (healthier, too!) and I've learned some great cooking techniques that have become a part of my routine in the kitchen. Below is one of my favorites. You can also view Crazy Hip Blog Mamas for more lasagna recipies.

Rachel Ray's Not-Sagna Pasta Toss

Easier than lasagna, because it's not, this pasta, meat sauce and ricotta toss-up is just as hearty and comforting as the layered Italian fave, but it's ready in a fraction of the time and with much less effort.

1 pound curly short cut pasta (recommended: campanelle by Barilla, fusilli or cavatappi)
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound ground sirloin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it in your palm
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice, eyeball it in your palm
1 teaspoon, several drops, Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine, a couple of glugs
1/2 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at table

Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form sauce before draining.
Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the meat and break it up into small bits as it caramelizes. Once meat has good color to it, 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes and season with salt, pepper, allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with red wine, cook off a minute, then combine about 1/2 cup of stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.

Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan to the ricotta and mix it in.

Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with cheeses. Add half the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and combine. Tear or shred the basil and add to the meat and pasta, toss again. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parmesan to pass at the table.

Well played YouTube video...

2007-07-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

but I love it...

The Boys - June 2007

2007-07-16T16:32:00.001-07:00

Boys Jun07
Originally uploaded by mommy_mh

Yep, here they are in all their glory. They don't looked spoiled, do they?

The School Year Ended...

2007-07-16T15:59:00.001-07:00

Boys in front of the school
Originally uploaded by mommy_mh

I was pretty teary eyed the last few days of the school year. The oldest is headed to middle school next year. Another has finished Kindergarden (only one more to go *sniff*). The boys are getting bigger - faster and faster. Where is that book my grandma threatened to put on my head to make me stop growing...?

Well, here I am...

2007-07-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

I've finally started a blog. After prodding from my DH (... that's supposed to mean Dear Husband) here it is. It will definately be a stream of consciousness, because, well, I guarantee no order to my writings. I will, however, add the punctuation so as to not fry your brains.