Like Little Elves

Yesterday was a half day of school. Why they didn't schedule that half day for last Wednesday I don't know, but anyhoo.
E took it into her head to hand make Christmas cards. I guess now I'll have to send some. The weather has been unseasonably warm (that's info, not complaining) so the others played outside. C and S walked to the scout cabin and river and brought me back pinecones. I am to use them to decorate. Um, have they noticed that their mother is sadly lacking in artistic ability? I gave L and A (who I babysit) glitter and glue and now they are beautiful. I think I'll be really creative and sit them in a bowl on the piano, lol. The church gave us a really nice felt advent calendar so I don't need to download one. It seems like Christmas will get itself taken care of without to much effort on my part. I never decorate too much and like to wait until after the middle of the month to go buy a tree. That is one of our few traditions. We gotta have a real tree! I usually get it up around the 20th. If I had to look at decorations for a month before Christmas I would be sick of them. I did click away with my mouse and get some shopping done. I don't really like shopping. It occurred to me that what I really don't like is too much choice. It's wonderful to have so much to choose from but then I dither about whether it's exactly right, and the best price and if somewhere or something else is better. Very frustrating! I would rather be frustrated at home with a cup of coffee however, than in an actual store.

Putting The Fun in Dysfunctional

A typical American family after a holiday-Possessed, Drunk, Frightened or Angry

A successful Thanksgiving. The weather could not have been better. It was sunny and probably 45 degrees. The kids all played outside ALOT-cops&robbers, capture the flag, soccer, football, tag--they were tired and that was a good thing. We had plenty to eat but not a crazy amount, more like a good Sunday dinner. We took it easy today. We went to the library and I finally raked the leaves and trimmed the hedge. Yes, I know summer and autumn have passed, but I didn't want to rush into anything :=)

The younger contingent taking a break from running around like idiots.


A killer game of euchre. It's a Hoosier thing.

Preparation

No one wants to attend Thanksgiving without appropriate make up and manicure.

And a pedicure would be important too.

Conglomeration

I have about 17 different posts floating around in my head, but no way to make one coherent one appear.

I went on the annual Cub Scout Food Drive Saturday, which always makes me feel good. I hope my boys learned something from the experience. I pointed out to them that the most generous givers were not always those who lived in the nicest homes or had the nicest cars parked out front.

Dh is working on Thursday but the kids and I are going to my dad's and his wife's house. I'm not sure what to bring. No one will commit to what they are making, argh! I think I'll go with a pumpkin roll and cookies for all the kids (ok, except for one all the kids are mine, but you know.)

I tried to find Thanksgiving paper plates today to send to F's kindergarten feast on Wednesday. I had to go to three different stores before I found some. I was thinking I would have to resort to drawing hand turkeys on each individual plain paper plate. (Yes, they were specific that they be Thanksgiving plates.)

I need to think about what to get the kids for Christmas. I've had no requests for anything, and when I ask they say they don't know. This of course makes me think that they must already have enough stuff so why bother. Have I mentioned how much I loathe Christmas shopping? I have a feeling that the oldest two have asked for nothing because they think maybe we can't afford it. We have had some unexpected bills but I don't want them to be all noble and stuff.

I am shocked that no one is slowing down for the long holiday weekend. We have all our regular activities, with extra church thrown in, except Cub Scouts which happens on Thursday. I had a couple boys ask me if we were meeting. Umm, no, I plan on being in a food coma.

Which brings me to a worry. I've lost 26 pounds since April. I know it's not possible to gain them all back in one day, but it's bugging me. Not to mention that every weekend through New Years is already booked with some event. I'm hoping for lots of strength.

Have You Ever

I got this from Paula at Full of Life.

Have you Ever?
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
*03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
*06. Held a tarantula
*07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
*08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
*11. Visited Paris
*12. Watched a lighntening storm at sea
*13. Stayed up all night and watched the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
*15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
*16. Walked the stairs up the Leaning Tower of Pisa
*17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
*19. Slept under the stars
*20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
*22. Watched a meteor shower
*23. Gotten drunk on champagne
*24. Given more than you can afford to charity
*25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
*26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
*30. Had a snowball fight
*31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
*32. Held a lamb
*33. Seen a total eclipse
*34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
*36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
*38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
*41. Taken care of someone who was drunk.
*42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
*45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe.
*47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
*49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
*53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
*56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
*59. Lounged around in bed all day
*60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
*62. Kissed in the rain
*63. Played in the mud
*64. Played in the rain
*65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
*68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
*69. Toured ancient sites
*70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
*72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
*77. Made cookies from scratch
*78. Won first prize in a costume contest
*79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
*82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
*83. Got flowers for no reason
*84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
*88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
*90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
*92. Buried one/both of you parents
*93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
*95. Performed in Rocky Horror(in the aisles)
*96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
*102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
*110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
*116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
*117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
*118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
*123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
*127. Eaten sushi
*128. Had your picture in the newspaper
*129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
*130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
*132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read the Iliad-and The Odyssey
*135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
*138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
*141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
*142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
*146 Dyed your hair
*147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
*149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

I guess my life has been more interesting than I thought.

Nothing New

As usual, a week has gone by and that pesky real life got in the way of posting. Nothing too awesome, just the usual detritis of life I blather on about here. I did get alot of batch baking done that I wanted to take care of. I would rather get everything dirty once and freeze the extra than make a little every day. I made lots of bread, muffins, cookies and cup cakes so there is no carbohydrate shortage on the horizon here. I also ordered wood and got it all stacked. I fixed a couple loose shingles. I ran the kids to all their stuff. Saturday E had to be at the high school at 6:45 to make the bus for her debate meet. That made for an early day. (She got 1st place in novice congress by the way. I knew she was a good arguer). Since I was up and around I took the other kids to the free movie. The local theater plays a kid's movie Saturday mornings. We saw Over the Hedge which pleasantly surprised me as being amusing. Usually if I'm not stupefied when I leave I consider it a victory. We spent the rest of the day tucked inside with a fire. It was ugly and cold. Sunday was church and Brownies in the afternoon. This week probably won't be any more exciting. I did finally buy a new digital camera this morning. I need to get it out and read the instructions. Yeah right.

Taking My Day of Rest

Well, I have now handed over most of dh's check to the shoe store. I have purchased four pair this weekend. What happened to the days when sneakers were the cheap shoes? They really needed them though. The least anyone's shoe size increased was a size and a half. You would think they would have mentioned that their shoes were too tight. C's had actual holes in the bottom. Did he tell me this? Duh! I was quite shocked when I had to buy S size 12 men's shoes. Your shoe size shouldn't match your age. His foot is now bigger than dh's. My gosh!!

Yesterday was a full day too. Dh dropped E off at the high school at 7am. It was her first debate match. Eight students participated in her forum and she placed fourth. Not bad for a freshman in her first debate. While dh did that I dropped off S for a Boy Scout bike event. They biked a 27 mile river greenway. After I dropped him off I took F,L and C to sign up for basketball. We changed leagues this year. I just felt where they were playing was ridiculously competitive. It's just kids recreational basketball for heaven's sake, not the NBA. I have no illusions that they are going to win a scholarship, this is for fun. The league we changed to also has Saturday games so no more running around like crazy during school nights. I have enough we are committed to then already. Hopefully this will lead to less stress. S opted not to play this year. He thinks he would like to try swimming at the school. That's alright by me. E is just too consumed with her grades, student council, dance and now debate. I think not playing was probably a good decision for them.

Dh took the older three to see a movie this afternoon. The Prestige. Sounded boring to me so I'm hanging out reading and drinking tea. That's really my perfect day anyway.

In Defense

I'm feeling the need to defend my favorite holiday. Anybody remember Thanksgiving??? I knew I was in trouble when I had to shop for Halloween candy among the trees and reindeer but geesh, every magazine, commercial, pop up ad, etc seems to be for Christmas. Along with articles on how to make it memorable, perfect, awe inspiring and stress free? Huh? Give me a day that involves eating, napping, sports or family games, oh and gratitude and I'm good.

Halloween Happenings

Well between town Halloween festivals, teen parties, church bonfires, and pre-school parties I'm holidayed out before it's even here. Everyone seems to be having fun and I just keep making all the junk disappear when they go to bed.

I've been trying to buy a new treadmill. I've had no luck. After much research Dh decided on a model, and low and behold now it is discontinued. I'm looking again.

I'm also arguing with the insurance company. I suspect they are in cahoots with either the blood pressure medicine cartel or the prozac lobby, because you need on or the other after speaking to them.

It is time for basketball sign ups. Argh, just argh!

For the record, my 5yo is adorable. He's been calling my ma'am. Then he says "How do you like that ma'am stuff ma'am. You like it, huh? huh?

Last question: Who decided six kids, six pumpkins and sharp, pointy implements would be a good idea?

Twenty Years Ago Today

The weather was cold and stormy and my now dh had the flu. I wondered if universal karma was trying to send me a message. It seemed we had not chosen a propitious day for marriage, but here we are. Not bankrupt, not abusive, not having affairs, even sharing a bedroom. Dr. Phil and Oprah would find us unique, LOL. Anyway, Happy Anniversary to us.

Top Five Reasons I'll Keep DH
1) He goes to work everyday so I don't have to.
2) He makes sure I have an ice scraper and candy bars in the glove box come winter.
3) We have good "chemistry".
4) He bought into the 'let's have six kids' logic.
5) He tactfully refrains from pointing out my possibly annoying habits.

Slowing Down?

Why do I always think that things are going to slow down. I guess I've got a flat learning curve on that one. What has been going on? No surprise trips to Europe or anything. L was sick until yesterday when her fever FINALLY went away. Six days of fever is miserable. I did take her to the doctor on Friday. They did a quick strep test, but it was negative. I guess it was just some virulent virus.
Friday night I went camping with the Boy/Cub scouts. It was fine if a bit chilly. The boys have good sleeping bags but I had the Kmart/slumber party number. I slept in about three layers, though, and did ok. I. of course, crept out early and got COFFEE!!!!. How do people camp without coffee. (My addiction is a sad thing.)
Saturday evening we went to a bonfire/cookout/Halloween party. We left L home with E who is far too cool to attend this sort of event anyway. The kids who went had a good time playing football, climbing trees and doing the hayride thing. The weather Saturday was great. That of course ended sometime Sunday morning because by the time I got up it was spitting snow. We went to church and then came home and made a fire, watched football and finally gave Mel her cake. She turned three on Friday but we were too busy that day. I had planned on having people over on Sunday but called them and told them they probably didn't want to come to the House of Illmess. I don't think Mel cared at all. She got cake and presents. That is pretty much all you need when you are three. I didn't get any pictures because my digital camera seems to have died. I'll need to get another one, but I don't know when. I keep thinking that if I just push enough buttons it will work again.
Monday morning C vomited all over his sheets. Not my favorite way to be awakened, so he stayed home from school too. Maybe today will be slower? Yeah, right!

Famdemic!

Famdemic is the word coined by S for the family pandemic we are currently experiencing. I seriously think the last time any of the kids were sick was two years ago. I don't think Mel has ever been sick and she turns three on Friday. They have broken that streak however. Some sort of croupy, fevery beasty is making its way through the house. So far E, S and I have been spared but the others have succumbed. It's nothing serious, but you can't send them to school hacking with a 102 fever. Of course the really scary, seal-like coughing, gasping for air stuff is left for 2am. I really detest sitting in a steamy bathroom, checking their nail beds to see if they are cyanotic. I must have missed that page in the parenting brochure. Otherwise things are fine. The weather has been gray and chilly. Since I've been stuck home I've been keeping a nice fire mulling all day. That along with medicinal doses of chocolate and fiction are keeping me sane. Here's hoping others are faring better.

Finale

We have crossed the sports finish line...at least for autumn. Football concluded last week and the boys enjoyed a lock in on Friday night. No word as to whether the coaches enjoyed it. Elementary cross country was to finish Wednesday, but they called the race for snow. Ack! Saturday included the final soccer games and we finished up with that awards ceremony last night. Sigh--made it. Now I'll breathe before basketball (the sport that never ends) begins.
Saturday I went with the Brownies to a Pumpkin Kingdom. I'm proud to say that my group left the corn maze with the same number of girls that entered. My nerves are still laying in shreds somewhere inside. This coming Friday I am supposed to go with my Cub Scours to a Boy Scout camp out. Let us all now bend our knees and plead that the weather warms up, ALOT! Hopefully now that things are slower I will be able to blog more often, though what there will be to talk about if we actually stay home I don't know.

AUTUMN

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town. 20
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I ’ll put a trinket on.
Emily Dickinson

We had it today. We wait all year for it. We had that one perfect weather day for autumn we get in Indiana. Lots of sports, laughing, leaves, bright cheeked, sweaty children and pumpkin pie for dessert. Now I only have to wait for the next perfect day in, oh, May.

Random Thoughts

I was a bit shocked to hear F from the living room shouting about condoms. Relax, he meant condors-those big ugly buzzards.

I have lately found myself saying things that make me want to bite off my tongue. Things like:
Because I'm your mother, that's why!
Go out and bring back some cash from the money tree and then we'll talk.
When you are 18 you can pierce and tattoo your whole body, until then you're stuck with ball point pen.

These were things my parents would have said. I am just as weird as my parents. Good Grief!

I've been working on weight loss. I like quotations, thus I have collected weight loss quotes. Another sign I'm weird.




" When life hands you lemons - make lemonade ... and then go find someone whose life has thrown them vodka and have a party!" ~unknown

"Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one of the pieces." - Judith Viorst

"Never eat more than you can lift." - Miss Piggy

"I don't diet. I just don't eat as much as I'd like to." - Linda Evangalista

" Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart." - Erma Bombeck

"By today's beauty standards, of course, Marilyn Monroe was an oil tanker." - Dave Barry

"I've been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet." - Erma Bombeck

"Japanese food is very pretty and undoubtedly a suitable cuisine in Japan, which is largely populated by people of below average size. Hostesses hell-bent on serving such food to occidentals would be well advised to supplement it with something more substantial and to keep in mind that almost everybody likes french fries."-Fran Leibowitz

"I don't exercise. If God wanted me to bend over he'd have put diamonds on the floor." - Joan Rivers

"An Englishman teaching an American about food is like the blind leading the one-eyed."-AJ Leibling


"When I buy cookies I eat just four and throw the rest away. But first I spray them with Raid so I won't dig them out of the garbage later. Be careful though, because that Raid really doesn't taste that bad." - Janette Barber

Wonderful Weekly Post

Well, it's weekly, I can't vouch for the wonderful part.

* The high point of the weekend was L scoring her teams two goals at soccer. They won 2-1. The weekend also included Boy Scout events, trips to libraries, movies and another family soccer game.

* I took green grapes to my Sunday School class. I thought it was kind of a pathetic offering but the kids went nuts for them. Don't these kids have fruit at home?

* Tonight is open house at the school. I already know all the teachers so it seems like a waste of time, but they are serving ice cream so the kids want to go.

* Paula asked what I'm doing that is so interesting. I'm not sure interesting is the word, but maybe more useful than computer time. Mel is going to preschool two days/week at the YMCA (the days F goes to kindergarten) so I'm working out and/or doing errands and grocery shopping during that time. I've been really trying to step up the exercise so I'm spending more time on my yoga and taking bike rides hauling the trailer with F and Mel. I'm also working on turning the basement into two separate areas because S has decided he'd like his room to be down there. He has his own room now but he wants to move. I joined a book club at the library. I'm doing some professional continuing education and of course there is still laundry, cooking, etc around here. If I spend 3 (ok, or 4 or 5) hours on the computer the other stuff doesn't get accomplished. I'm trying to keep it to an hour/day. As ds pointed out, I think that's plenty of video time for him. I hate it when they are right.

As Advertised

Sunday we had one of those golden days they would advertise in parenting brochures, if there were parenting brochures. Sun, picnicing, family soccer, and for the kids, swimming in REALLY cold water. We finished up the day with milkshakes for dinner and somehow we managed to make it through without anyone being snarly. The worst thing that happened was F asking to see the tennis ball just as it sailed over and hit him square between the eyes. No harm done though, and he referred to it as a 'battle scar' all day.

I won't be blogging much in the coming weeks. The 'puter sucks up too much time and I have interesting things to do. It seems silly to give that time to a machine....but the pull is strong. I think I know where my kids get their love of video games, I'm just as bad with surfing the net.

The Week in Recap (or why I haven't posted)

Mon-
Take dd to first day of preschool. Discover digital camera has died.
Cross country, football and soccer practice
Empty swimming pool
Wash muddy clothes created by swimming pool
Take dd to dentist

Tues-
Take ds to dentist
Return movies and books to library or just buy them and be done
Soccer practice
Middle School Football game
Buy a huge amount of food to fill up football player

Wed-
Take dd to first preschool field trip
Make note I still need to buy new digital camera
Pay exhorbinant fees to dentist and mechanic
Call washer repair man and beg him to come so I can pay him exhorbinant fees
Read letter describing kindergarten son's poor test results and decide whether to send him to extra kindergarten classes
Find and deliver dd to new dance class since former studio closed (after 9 years, sob)
Buy more food while dd dances to replace food inhaled by the walking stomach, er ds

The rest of the week shapes up pretty much the same. No deep analyzation of the world's problems or even new ways to degrime your sink will be found here.

Out Of Commission

Maybe it was the taxing nature of hanging laundry, but I've been out of commission with migraines and the mist that follows. Honestly, if I'm going to be hung over I wish it was more fun getting that way. Of course there were the trips to football games, soccer games,Sunday school, etc. Oh, the excitement just rolls.

I also exercised great restraint in not becoming embroiled in an internet 'debate'. This is hard for me, because in real life I will argue any point into the ground with anyone. I love to 'debate'. (Fight and argue have been suggested terms for it.) I value these internet aquaintances though, and since making nuances clear in writing is beyond my ability, I stayed out of it. Unfortunately my petty self has conducted the argument in my head. It makes one wonder if I will ever grow up, LOL. Will not! Will too! Will not! Will too!