Are You Ready for Springtime?

      Who is ready for springtime? I have a hunch it will be a lot of you. We still have an ice berg in front of our house. And as much as I would love to see it melt, springtime leads to summertime and that is my least favorite time of year. Why you ask? Because it gets hot. I am anti-hot. I don't like to sweat.
      I would rather be cold and able to slip into a sweater than be hot and unable to cool down. Plus, my air conditioner, which is only five and a half years old needs work. Can you hear the ca-ching, ca-ching. Yes, expensive work.
      So as much as I would love to see my tulips coming up, I am perfectly content to feel the cold air on my face when I walk outside. And I will totally miss my three car refrigerator when the temps get higher.

Why Leave?

     Did you see the headline on MSN about the American couple that has disappeared while on a biking trip to Peru? And this comes right after the New York mother who went to Turkey by herself was murdered.
     This is why I have no desire to travel outside of the USA. There are a lot of places in the world where the people don't like Americans.
     There a lot of places in the US I wouldn't go either. Harlem, east LA. Chicago's southside and Detroit.
     When Detroit's police chief warned people to not come there due to crime and the police department being downsized due to budget cuts, I listened. Not that I would go there anyway, but still.
     I have several friends who have traveled extensively and when I listen to them laugh and talk about the awful toilets and bad hotels I think I can have all that in the US and save a lot of money. I can also be treated rudely by teenagers working in restaurants. I can be confused by strange traffic rules and I don't even need to leave Utah for that, thanks to SLC and their one way streets.
     I could spend a lifetime traveling the good ole US of A and never see it all, so why leave? And biking trips to Peru are never gonna happen.

I'm So Far Behind

     Here we go again, the start of a new week. If I wrote down all the things I need to get down this week it would be as long as my arm. In reality, I know I won't accomplish all these things and most will go back on my mental list for next week, but you have to start somewhere, right?
     Here's a few things on my list.
     Write
     Exercise
     Write
     Clean out the cupboards above the desk
     Write
     Plan my meals for the rest of the week
     Write
     Get my nails done
     Write
     Get my hair done
     Write
     Do an inventory for my food storage stuff
     Write
   
     As you can see I have a lot on my list. It's never-ending. I complete one thing and two more take its place. I seriously could have filled this page. If the old saying which reads, If God sent us here to accomplish a certain number of things, I'm so far behind I may never die. If this is true, I'm in good shape.

My Endless Search For Mac and Cheese

     There is one thing I have been looking for my whole life that has escaped me. No it's not the secret to losing weight, or the way to get kids to actually finish their chores, but if you have the answers to those let me know. The quest I'm talking about is the recipe for really good homemade Mac and Cheese.
     I have tried so many different recipes and none of them have made me cry out, "Eureka! I have found it."
     Some have been to dry and others have been just too darn expensive to make. A la Martha Stewart.
     I thought I found one once but on the second try it failed.
     Mac and Cheese has to live up to the scientific method. The recipe has to hold up time after time with the same results to be proven worthy.
     So if you have a "to die for" Mac and Cheese recipe, maybe one that has been passed down in your family for generations, that you would like to share, let me know. As long as I don't have to drive to Salt Lake for some weird cheese that costs $8.99 a pound, I'm willing to give it a shot. It must be creamy, tasty and totally worth the calories for me to love it.
   

My Superhuman Power

     If I could choose a superhuman power I think it would be to control time. Think about it, I could slow time to a crawl and never be late or stressed again. I could turn back the hands of time and make my adult children babies again and then I would spend days and days hugging and kissing and playing with them and when I was tired of the baby phase I could make them into adults again.
     I could be a teenager again and appreciate the body that I thought was fat back when I was fourteen. :)
     I could go back in time a see historical events take place. I could really experience the old west, or the sinking of the Titanic, and so many other things. I could even find out the winning numbers for the lottery and...never mind.
     What would your superhuman power be if you could choose?

I Know It's Important But???

      Well, I did it. I once again got all sweaty and tired this morning working out on my treadmill. I'm on day eight of my next thirty day challenge. I have to give it a special name or I won't give it the importance it deserves.
      Which brings me to my next thought. Why is it that something that makes you feel so good after doing it is so hard to make yourself do? I have been giving this a lot of thought lately. Before my treadmill broke, I was in the zone. If I couldn't workout in the morning it just felt wrong. It took four long months to find someone to come and fix it, during that time I lost it. My enthusiasm, my drive, being in the habit.
      Now I find myself in the dreaded position of having to lose weight that I already lost once. If my treadmill hadn't broken down I might be at my goal weight now. Arrrggg!
      Is it laziness that makes it so hard to go at it? How do you make yourself do it. At what point does it become easier for you? Any and all suggestions will be taken seriously. :)

My List

     Have you ever wondered how you remain sane with all the stuff you have to remember? I mean as the mother and absolute ruler of my household, I have a list you wouldn't believe.
     What am I going to fix for dinner? Did I take meat out of the freezer for dinner? I put this wayward screw in the desk drawer over a year ago, intending to screw it back in, but into what? Did I buy envelopes? Yes, but I forgot the stamps because my kids were bugging me for candy at the check out counter. I forgot to check to see if I have gas in the car. Am I going to run out before I remember to check? Did I put new socks on the list? The boys have holes in all their socks. Did I pay the cable bill? Am I low on toothpaste? What's on sale this week that I can add to the food storage pantry? When was the last time I cleaned out the fridge, because there is something alive and moaning in the crisper? Did the boys finish all their homework packets last week? Are they ever going to truly kill Lori off on the Walking Dead? Is it time to re-order grandma's meds? Did I remember to tell the hubby that I think the front driver's side tire looks low and it's supposed to snow on Wednesday? 
     You see what I mean? It's a never-ending, vicious, life sucking cycle of questions that if they aren't answered, life as we know it may end and it's driving me insane. I'm so glad I got this off my chest. You may now return to your own list of never-ending, life-altering questions. Have a nice day. :)   

Happy Valentines Day

     Happy Valentines Day to everyone. I hope your having a great one. Valentines Day is one of those holidays you either love or hate. There have been many years when I hated it. It seemed so fake. I love when the hubby brings me flowers for no reason, not just because he's expected to. It means more when it comes from the heart.
     Of course, I wouldn't turn down See's candy no matter what. :) So much for the diet.
    So far this one has been good. We had dinner last night at Texas Roadhouse. And today we're just going to do whatever we want to do.
     What is your best Valentines Day so far, or what would be your dream Valentines Day if money were no object. 
    

I Object!

     I have to admit that I didn't watch the state of the union address last night for several reasons. First of all, I can't stand the way President Obama talks. It's like watching William Shatner over act as James T Kirk. His little pauses for dramatic effect drive me crazy. Is that the right effect, or is it affect. I can never remember the rule for that one.
     Second and the biggest is, I don't like being lied to. Which is also the reason I didn't make it a point to watch the debates. If the old rhyme, liar, liar pants on fire, had come true, it would have been a fire storm of epic proportions.
     And I am not bashing one political party here. They are all liars and I've had it up to my eyeballs. I'm sick to death of our nations leader manipulating the facts to their advantage.
     And the media, which used to try to be unbiased, putting there own spin on everything. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!!!!!
     If I want to be lied to, all I have to do is listen to my nine-year-old who cracked open a Sprite with his breakfast and then had the nerve to tell me to my face, "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to have soda with my breakfast."
    And my eleven-year-old who couldn't believe I was freaking out when I found, once again, clean and folded clothes in the hamper. "You said to put the clothes in the hamper."
    "NOT THE CLEAN ONES!!!"
     It amazes me how they twist reality to suit their naughtiness. 
     Oh my gosh, I'm raising politicians!  NNNNOOOO!!!

They Best Laid Plans

     I had high hopes yesterday when I told you all the we were going to take a little time for ourselves. Now, it ain't happenin'. The hubby has the flu and we just remember his flight tomorrow won't be landing until almost six at night, so there's no point it spending the money to stay at a hotel.
     It seems like these things always happen to us. I think this is why I'm so afraid to commit to anything. We make plans and they blow up.
     Oh well, maybe next month. On the bright side the hubs will be here for Valentines Day. He has missed a lot of important dates the last couple of years, my birthday, our anniversary, and he almost missed Christmas. It should be fun having him home for the most romantic day of the year.

A Little Time For Ourselves

     The hubby and I are going to try to take a night for ourselves this Wednesday. We're going to call it a Valentines Day getaway. Boy, do we need it. It has been a stressful year so far and I am hoping and praying that it gets better from here on out.
     We used to go away more often when our kids were little. We can't quite figure out why it's so much harder now that they are older and able to take care of themselves. It should be the opposite.
     I'm looking forward to the peace and quiet. Something that is in short supply here.
     I would love to say we have these great plans to do something really cool, but what we usually do is take a nap. An uninterrupted, no one fighting in the next room, the TV isn't blasting, kind of nap. It's worth every penny. We may take in a movie if there is anything worth seeing, but other than the nap and eating out we don't do much.
    This really makes us sound old, doesn't it. Maybe it lack of imagination that keeps us from doing something better than this, I'm not sure. We really should try to broaden our horizons and do something different. 
     When you go away for the weekend do you have a go to plan that you could share. Preferably something that doesn't cost too much. I will consider any and all suggestion. 

Filling Up the Pantry

     We ran to Costco this morning, so I am late getting to this today. One of the goals I set for myself for the new year, was to build up our tiny little food storage supplies. We used to have a large food storage, but we have gone through a lot of it and now it's time to rebuild.
     Last month I added 250 pounds of rice to what we already had. I have to laugh at this because the hubby doesn't like rice, but I do, so there. I also added six bags of barley. They are small bags, only 28oz each, but I got a great deal on Amazon. I have been looking for barley in the stores around here but they don't carry it anymore and when they do it is mucho expensive.
     I have a list as long as my arm of things we need to restock, but I figure be like the tortoise and not the hare and by the end of the year I hope to have a full pantry to show for it.
     And interesting side note, I also bought three big bags of Costco toilet paper which cost me $14.99 each while the sugar cost me only $11.59 for a 25 pound bag. I consider this a deal because the sugar is going to last a lot longer than the TP but it just seems wrong to pay more for the TP, considering its purpose compared with the sweet goodness of sugar. :)   

I Need a Vacation

     Here's my list of the top ten reasons I need and deserve a vacation.

     10. It's winter time and it's been dark and cloudy with really bad air quality. I would love to see the blue sky.
      9. I live with 15 people.
      8. Sometimes you just need to be alone to have some time to think by yourself in peace and quiet.
      7. I have a long reading list and I need to make some headway on it.
      6. My kids are driving me crazy.
      5. I'm tired of cooking dinner every night.
      4. I live with 15 people.
      3. I really need to take a couple of long naps.
      2. I have never been to a real vacation destination, Hawaii, New York, Yellowstone, Mexico...nada.
      1. I live with 15 people.

     I think those are some pretty good reasons for wanting and needing a vacation. What's you're number one reason?

An Empty Pantry

     I hate to admit this, but the shopping carts at Walmart just aren't big enough. I know I should be grateful they are the size they are because, in theory, a smaller cart keeps you from spending even more money. In my case, however, it only means I have to go more often because I can't fit everything I need into the cart in one trip.
     I spent over $200.00 there yesterday and I only got two dinners and a few necessities. I already have a new list going and I vowed to stop going there so much in an effort to save money. The only thing it has accomplished is we are out of stuff all the time. For instance, I was making enchilada casserole the other day and I didn't have enough cheese. I HATE that. It drives me crazy. I was so much happier when my food storage was up and running, but little by little we have run out of things and since I have been trying to save money when we go to the store I haven't been restocking, just getting what I need for now.
    It's a double-edged sword and it cuts both ways. So this year is the year of re-stocking food storage, both long term, anybody need to borrow some rice, I have 400 pounds of it, to the daily stuff.
     Here in lies another problem for a family my size, I have to make a special trip just for food storage.
     When you buy 150 bags of sugar it takes up a cart or two, so there is no room left for things like bread, eggs and cereal.
     So I am back to square one, off to Walmart I go to stock up.
     I think this would qualify for a first world problem.
    
    

Onion Distance

     It was a crazy weekend around here. Both of my married daughters and their families were here just to hang out and because of the Superbowl. We always have a great time when we are together, but with over 25 people in the house, including a lot of grandkids, it can get really hectic.
    Yesterday my daughter Katie and I were discussing the pro's and con's of several of the houses she and her husband have put offers on. I made the comment that three of the houses were great, but I thought one was just a little too far away.
    I said, "If you get the Clearfield house and it's Sunday and you're making dinner and realize you're out of onions and you need to borrow one, it's just a little too far. While Kristin and Karly live close enough that they could come and get an onion if they needed it."
   Out of no where my son popped up. "We have too many people in this family that live in onion distance."
   After thinking over what he had said we started to laugh. I always thought living within onion distance was a good thing, but apparently I may be alone in that. 
    As crazy, hectic and chaotic as it gets I'm happy that my kids live within onion distance. That was my master plan when we moved here and I hope it stays that way for a long time.

The On Going Differences Between Women and Men

     Since the beginning of time men and women have been mulling over their differences. Sometimes we wonder if the other gender is worth the time and effort. Let's hope at the end of the day the answer is yes.
     The nice thing about this is that most of us go through it. Get a group of women together and we wind up discussing our hubbies and the little things they do that drive us crazy. I'm sure they never do that. hahahaha
     If you have a few minutes today take a look at this video of Ray Romano on the Ellen show. If it doesn't make you laugh you need a vacation.
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjPkAzEXE_o

Where Have I Been My Whole Life

     Do you ever have those moments when you think, 'Where have I been all my life?' That's not a typo.
     Last night my son Eric made us watch a dvd of Pink Floyd in concert. I LOVED it. The music was awesome. Of course, I had heard of them. They were popular when I was a kid, but I never really got into them. I was more a John Denver kind of girl.
     It was the same way when Seinfeld went off the air. I remember the whole country was in mourning. Everyone was crying, "What are we going to talk about at work without Seinfeld on TV anymore?"
     The hubs and I had never, ever watched even one episode of Seinfeld in the nine years it was on.
     We looked at each other and said, "What have we been doing for the last nine years."
     "I don't know. What night was Seinfeld on?"
     "I have no idea."
      That's how that went. Then guess what? We discovered Seinfeld in reruns and fell in love with it. We now have all the seasons on dvd and we watch them regularly.
      I keep hearing all these people talk about shows like Downton Abbey, Vampire Diaries and Dexter and I wonder how many years from now it will be before I break down and watch one of these shows, get addicted, and buy all the seasons on dvd.
     Do be like me. I'm socially out of the loop.