that i've posted more this week than just about the whole calendar year of 2009 combined? weird!
well, i was struggling with depression and colds for most of the spring up until this week. so i guess it makes sense. can we say i've done my time and refuse to be sick for the next 2 years? wouldn't it be nice?!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
karma
a few months ago, my precious darling princess got hold of a dry-erase marker. and what did she ruin with it? none of her winter clothes, outgrown clothes, hand-me-downs, or even nice things someone else bought. no. nothing i bought ON SALE, even (which is the majority of my spending).
she drew on the front of her BEAUTIFUL pink shirt i bought at FULL PRICE. the second time she wore it.
i tried hair spray (takes out most inks), OxyClean (takes out most everything else), spray-n-wash, multiple washings with the above, combining every cleaning product in my arsenal. just about any other marker would have been gone or mostly gone by now.
but no. DRY-ERASE markers apparently are the most tenacious things around. we should all mark our personal property with them in case of burglary! black marks on this adorable blouse. every time i see it i kind of want to scream.
but all i can do is thank karma, because i did worse than that to my mother (and sister's hand-me-downs, for which she has yet to forgive me). and save the blouse for a quilt-to-be-named-later.
*sigh*
she drew on the front of her BEAUTIFUL pink shirt i bought at FULL PRICE. the second time she wore it.
i tried hair spray (takes out most inks), OxyClean (takes out most everything else), spray-n-wash, multiple washings with the above, combining every cleaning product in my arsenal. just about any other marker would have been gone or mostly gone by now.
but no. DRY-ERASE markers apparently are the most tenacious things around. we should all mark our personal property with them in case of burglary! black marks on this adorable blouse. every time i see it i kind of want to scream.
but all i can do is thank karma, because i did worse than that to my mother (and sister's hand-me-downs, for which she has yet to forgive me). and save the blouse for a quilt-to-be-named-later.
*sigh*
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
full-time feelings (day 2)
#1 son: i have to do too much helping
#2 son: what?
princess: WHERE IS MY MOMMY? I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!
DH: why are you so tired?
me: i can do this. i just wish i could do it better.
#2 son: what?
princess: WHERE IS MY MOMMY? I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!
DH: why are you so tired?
me: i can do this. i just wish i could do it better.
healthcare
everybody go read this article:
so somebody else did that and i read their information. and it's good.
comments encouraged!
Universal Health Care is neither Universal nor understood
seriously. i've heard so many people who don't know anything about it who TALK as if they DO. i didn't know much about it, but i figured why worry about something unless i'm willing to do the research and find out what it's about?so somebody else did that and i read their information. and it's good.
comments encouraged!
zac efron
what GIVES? i don't see any appeal in him at ALL. he's not cute, he has bad hair, he dresses like a throwback (and NOT a good one like MY era was).
i have no trouble with sharkboy or harry potter being young enough to be my SONS and still thinking they're awful damn cute, but zaccy is just a flash in the pan that needs to be OVER already.
that is all.
i have no trouble with sharkboy or harry potter being young enough to be my SONS and still thinking they're awful damn cute, but zaccy is just a flash in the pan that needs to be OVER already.
that is all.
Monday, July 27, 2009
and an update
we have a new car! it's a beautiful new mazda5, just what i wanted only MORE, b/c inventories are disappearing rapidly with the government money available. got great discounts b/c i took delivery from dealer stock.
we have a new (old) house, too! we'll be moving late september (must put in 60-day notice at apartment complex), and i'm super excited for it. i daydream about where i'll put what all the time.
one wonderful feature is that there is a daycare ACROSS THE STREET from the new/old house. i talked to them before we put down the deposit about the neighborhood and their rates, and they are much more affordable than anyone i've found previously, PLUS they will do part-time, PRO-rated, not some 75% for half-time deal. serendipity again!
and i'm sposta be werkin but had to take a break to update my internet buddies!
we have a new (old) house, too! we'll be moving late september (must put in 60-day notice at apartment complex), and i'm super excited for it. i daydream about where i'll put what all the time.
one wonderful feature is that there is a daycare ACROSS THE STREET from the new/old house. i talked to them before we put down the deposit about the neighborhood and their rates, and they are much more affordable than anyone i've found previously, PLUS they will do part-time, PRO-rated, not some 75% for half-time deal. serendipity again!
and i'm sposta be werkin but had to take a break to update my internet buddies!
my little omnivore
DH made a "light supper" last night: pasta salad with olives and onions, and some grated cheese, and a green salad. (i mention this primarily because it's not a combination i would have come up with.)
LaLa ate my cucumber, which she has tried once before and didn't like. i removed the rind so she could get a good first bite, and that was the last i was allowed to touch the thing. then she wanted to try the olives. and that was the last anyone else saw of OLIVES. she ate all of mine, then DH's, then foraged through the boys' dinners and ate them all. meanwhile, she tried green onions (liked taste, and they were STRONG, but not the texture, gave back some slippery layers), and Pepperoncini off DH's plate. kept going back for more tastes until all the interesting food was gone.
she ate 2 noodles and one lettuce leaf, as well. i told her to eat more pasta intermittently during the olive expedition, but was told No, I eating OLIVES! last new food was a tomato (also in a salad), which she similarly loved.
i could have worse troubles than a kid who will only eat vegetables. she is SO 2!
we did have a similar experience with #2 son when he first encountered olives, but he didn't do the 2-year-old thing and accepted other foods. we just had to order a side dish of olives for him at restaurants if we wanted him to eat for a while...
LaLa ate my cucumber, which she has tried once before and didn't like. i removed the rind so she could get a good first bite, and that was the last i was allowed to touch the thing. then she wanted to try the olives. and that was the last anyone else saw of OLIVES. she ate all of mine, then DH's, then foraged through the boys' dinners and ate them all. meanwhile, she tried green onions (liked taste, and they were STRONG, but not the texture, gave back some slippery layers), and Pepperoncini off DH's plate. kept going back for more tastes until all the interesting food was gone.
she ate 2 noodles and one lettuce leaf, as well. i told her to eat more pasta intermittently during the olive expedition, but was told No, I eating OLIVES! last new food was a tomato (also in a salad), which she similarly loved.
i could have worse troubles than a kid who will only eat vegetables. she is SO 2!
we did have a similar experience with #2 son when he first encountered olives, but he didn't do the 2-year-old thing and accepted other foods. we just had to order a side dish of olives for him at restaurants if we wanted him to eat for a while...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
some good luck
and now for NEW news, lol.
on the job front, my supervisor called me yesterday and asked if i was still interested in first shift. YES! i can move to first shift if i'll work full-time, she said. what a dilemma!
child care is the first hurdle. and my fervent desire to finally get a degree is another.
since traveling, and pondering life choices and goals, my Far Eastern brother had mentioned some of his dreams and goals (online). and that provoked some thought, and i had decided to go after a teaching degree. i'll never get rich, but i'll never be out of work - because my best skills are math and science, and there has been a shortage of such teachers since before I was a kid. so.
because of the way the community college teaches anatomy and physiology, i have to take both at the same school in order to transfer them. knew this going in. finished A but not P. so i need to take P, but chemistry would make it lots easier. so i had realized i wanted to take chemistry fall '09 and physiology spring '10, and do my damndest to find a way to get to school full-time in fall '10.
and on reflection, full-time employment shouldn't preclude those courses, b/c they're available online and i'll only have to travel for exams, if that (we moved 80 miles east of that comm. college last august).
the housing luck makes the employment full-time more possible. we have spent a year living on each others limbs in a nice apartment, but with 3 kids AND a work-at-home me, way too small. viewed a house for rent (SAME PRICE) this week with 4 bedrooms, only 1-1/2 baths, but an office, a dining room, an unfinished basement (storage), and a sunroom. DH will be viewing Mon. and i'll be transferring the deposit to my checkbook so we can apply. can't beat it, can live in it until we can buy (probably after degree obtained).
i am SO excited about the house! i can't really describe it here. but it would make our lives so much easier. especially the working!
and car news: who hasn't heard about the Cash for Clunkers program? i have wanted a Mazda5 since its introduction. now it's a possibility. especially with the increased work hours, we can afford it. so many things are coming together for us, it's just bound to work out. (we haven't quite qualified yet, and i probably can't get a manual transmission which i'd really rather have, but i'll take a new car over an old and about-to-break-down van any day!)
on the job front, my supervisor called me yesterday and asked if i was still interested in first shift. YES! i can move to first shift if i'll work full-time, she said. what a dilemma!
child care is the first hurdle. and my fervent desire to finally get a degree is another.
since traveling, and pondering life choices and goals, my Far Eastern brother had mentioned some of his dreams and goals (online). and that provoked some thought, and i had decided to go after a teaching degree. i'll never get rich, but i'll never be out of work - because my best skills are math and science, and there has been a shortage of such teachers since before I was a kid. so.
because of the way the community college teaches anatomy and physiology, i have to take both at the same school in order to transfer them. knew this going in. finished A but not P. so i need to take P, but chemistry would make it lots easier. so i had realized i wanted to take chemistry fall '09 and physiology spring '10, and do my damndest to find a way to get to school full-time in fall '10.
and on reflection, full-time employment shouldn't preclude those courses, b/c they're available online and i'll only have to travel for exams, if that (we moved 80 miles east of that comm. college last august).
the housing luck makes the employment full-time more possible. we have spent a year living on each others limbs in a nice apartment, but with 3 kids AND a work-at-home me, way too small. viewed a house for rent (SAME PRICE) this week with 4 bedrooms, only 1-1/2 baths, but an office, a dining room, an unfinished basement (storage), and a sunroom. DH will be viewing Mon. and i'll be transferring the deposit to my checkbook so we can apply. can't beat it, can live in it until we can buy (probably after degree obtained).
i am SO excited about the house! i can't really describe it here. but it would make our lives so much easier. especially the working!
and car news: who hasn't heard about the Cash for Clunkers program? i have wanted a Mazda5 since its introduction. now it's a possibility. especially with the increased work hours, we can afford it. so many things are coming together for us, it's just bound to work out. (we haven't quite qualified yet, and i probably can't get a manual transmission which i'd really rather have, but i'll take a new car over an old and about-to-break-down van any day!)
fabulous vaca
We had a wonderful trip, nearly 2 weeks away from home. It was GREAT to get out of our routine. LaLa shared her cold with all of us except #2 son, which WASN'T great, but i'll take a vacation + sick over no vacation and no sick any day!
visited the family, saw everyone except my Far Eastern brother, his wife, and their halflings (in Japan they call mixed-race kids "halfs" so this is my term for them). it's several months' salary to travel to the U.S. so it's a rare event. *sigh* our trip was less than 1 month for DH, and we spent his bonus to do it. woohoo!
not much exciting other than visits. #1 sister's dog had to make emergency trips to the vet twice for an allergic reaction and a chocolate disaster. LaLa fed the 8-pound dog a mini Dove bar, but 1 ounce of chocolate is toxic in a mini daschund, so off she went for purging. and not one, but TWO nephews broke their arms the first day we were together.
my craft project above (a reunion shirt) was very popular and consumed mass quantities of time, energy, and space. i'm so proud. but it provoked some neat creativity and originality, and was lots of fun. (the toes are just extra; it's a camera phone and not the best resolution, but gives you the concept.) the tree has one branch for each of my parents' children, and one leaf for each member of the respective families.
got to meet one of my e-BFFs, and sadly i was ill and couldn't love on her baby (super-preemie, age 8 months/5 months adjusted). but still awesome to meet up and be able to put a FACE to the person i know so well!
been home 5 days and life has upheaved and rearranged itself and put a new pudding in the middle - eclipsing some of the nonsense i would otherwise have posted about the trip. DH and I are doing lots better since having a break from routine and each other (he only stayed 7 days). we even had a DATE last night, the first in well over a year! woohoo!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
RIP
what a week! first ed mcmahon (a relief he won't have to shill for "Cash for Gold" anymore), then farrah (not unexpected, but so sad she didn't get to marry Ryan when she had finally said yes), and finally the shocker of the day/week/month - MICHAEL JACKSON!
i miss him when he was a man, before he became a caricature and a punchline. he was a genius of an artist, and he was planning a comeback in London next month. who knows what could have been? but his kids might be a little less abby-normal without the strange-man he had become, and i hear his oldest is also talented... time will tell.
but i am sad for his loss.
i miss him when he was a man, before he became a caricature and a punchline. he was a genius of an artist, and he was planning a comeback in London next month. who knows what could have been? but his kids might be a little less abby-normal without the strange-man he had become, and i hear his oldest is also talented... time will tell.
but i am sad for his loss.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
first day of summer vaca
for the kids, at least; not me!
we got out to lunch to celebrate, and went to AC Moore to pick up the essential items for the family T-shirt. everyone got new drawing pads, and LaLa got a COLOR WONDER coloring book. she thinks it's pretty spiffy - and so do the rest of us. we're fighting over who gets to 'help' her color in her tinkerbells.
ordered a new phone so we'd have a "house" phone/text back and forth when i leave the kids alone for 30 minutes straight, and #1 son can take it with him when he's out.
and got ticked off at the rental agent who thinks he shouldn't have to WORK for his job.
i even got the kids to do some housework AND some educational exercises. now, if we can keep up our energy and manage to accomplish more than "maximum possible games of Farkle played with our summer," i'll be happy.
we got out to lunch to celebrate, and went to AC Moore to pick up the essential items for the family T-shirt. everyone got new drawing pads, and LaLa got a COLOR WONDER coloring book. she thinks it's pretty spiffy - and so do the rest of us. we're fighting over who gets to 'help' her color in her tinkerbells.
ordered a new phone so we'd have a "house" phone/text back and forth when i leave the kids alone for 30 minutes straight, and #1 son can take it with him when he's out.
and got ticked off at the rental agent who thinks he shouldn't have to WORK for his job.
i even got the kids to do some housework AND some educational exercises. now, if we can keep up our energy and manage to accomplish more than "maximum possible games of Farkle played with our summer," i'll be happy.
LMAO
so, we have a nighttime ritual; of course, we have a 2-year-old! no matter what else she gets at bedtime, she insists mama rock her and sing "lu-la" (Tu-Ra-Lu). every night. even if my voice is gone with bronchitis and whatnot, MAMA must sing.
only we're being contrary tonight. and i've dragged her into her jammies and tucked her in properly in "blank" so we can sing, and i'm singing. and daddy comes by and drops her "poppy" (formerly known as Pop) in her lap. and she pipes up:
Daddy, Help, Help, I stuck in rocking chair! Ow Ow Ow!
what a little twerp! then when her song is over and we're on our way to her bed she is trying to convince me to sing again.
it's a fun age. laughing and cussing, all day long.
only we're being contrary tonight. and i've dragged her into her jammies and tucked her in properly in "blank" so we can sing, and i'm singing. and daddy comes by and drops her "poppy" (formerly known as Pop) in her lap. and she pipes up:
Daddy, Help, Help, I stuck in rocking chair! Ow Ow Ow!
what a little twerp! then when her song is over and we're on our way to her bed she is trying to convince me to sing again.
it's a fun age. laughing and cussing, all day long.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
sick stories
for those of you who are unaware, i have had BRONCHITIS and been ill for 3 weeks. it seems like 3 years. the baby gave me her cold, and i felt a little better 5 days in, then turned around and got bronchitis. have seen dr. 3 times as of yesterday, finished 10 days of antibiotics and 6 days of steroids, and started new steroids yesterday; FINALLY turned a corner and am on the mend.
everybody get up and do the happy dance! because being so sick is really a drag. you feel awful, and you are bored and restless but you know if you do the slightest thing you'll be back in bed anyway so you may as well stay there in the first place. the person who may be the MOST happy about this turn of events, so to speak, is DH, because he wasn't picking up slack, he was carrying the whole darn rope.
so i have hilarious stories to tell about how stupid you get while sick and how it affects you to have a 2-year-old around while trying to recupe (hint: not positively).
***********
the first time i went to the doctor for this illness was my first trip to the doctor since we moved last August, and i had to establish care with the new family physician everyone else had already seen. and i listed off my meds and allergies and thought i did a good job - until he started writing a prescription for antibiotics. and my brain FARKLED right out and said i was allergic to the drug we had cleared years ago and that we had cleared the one i had a reaction to years ago. and he wrote me up and sent me on my way.
i toddled off to the pharmacy to pick up the meds and the pharmacist met me, quite concerned, as their system had flagged the medication as an allergy (THIS IS WHY WE USE THE SAME PHARMACY ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE!). my reactions were all as an infant so i felt like i could take the medication anyway (the two in discussion are related), and i'd just wait for DH to come home before i took it. (i had no reaction in 14 days)
what makes this hilarious to me is my type-A personality has NEVER forgotten an allergy before. and i have a list of 6, which i list off in descending severity order. because i'm type A. i had to be seriously cement-headed to screw that one up!
************
i had another incredibly amusing story which i told DH and have promptly forgotten, most likely LaLa details which were going to bore most of my random readers anyway...
************
but yesterday, at my third (yes, THIRD) trip to the dr. for this stupid illness, we had FUN. the antibiotic had seemed to clear the infection but my stupid asthmatic lungs did NOT want to feel good or like i could oxygenate adequately or even take a deep breath. i was coughing constantly, sleeping poorly, and felt like i was going to die (a common feeling at this stage of bronchitis!).
so the doctor is befuddled why i'm not responding to medications and rest. and so he ordered some blood work to check things like Lyme disease, and a chest x-ray in case he was missing something with the stethoscope. and i toddled off to the resident vampire to do the blood draw.
where i tried my darndest to pass out (AKA vasovagal reaction). i sometimes get lightheaded and have to put my head down with blood draws, but i've probably had hundreds over the years (i also used to give blood) and less than a half-dozen reactions, so i recognize it when it happens but don't expect it.
and it was bad. i lost about 80% of my vision, and stuck my head between my knees and drank the juice they offered, but i wasn't coming back. had to step into a wheelchair and off that onto an exam table (staff did NOT know quite what to do with me!). ice to the neck and wrists and knees elevated and the whole shebang for 15 minutes while i waited for my arms to stop tingling and my vision to return to normal. which it does - a vasovagal reaction is NOT serious, just inconvenient.
the adventure was compounded by having my precious princess LaLa along. i had to throw her out of bed and into the car to get to the appointment, and she was actually very well-behaved waiting for the appointment. she got concerned when the nurse took my blood pressure, LOL! and she wanted to play with the computer but instead sat in the doctor's stool and stared at it. when he came in the room she looked as guilty as she ever had and slunk onto my lap. it was adorable.
then i went to the blood draw and the staff gave her a short stool and stickers to keep her busy instead of jumping on me while needles were about. and she did great - no worries with mom trying to fall out of the chair, no worries about the needle or blood, just did as she was told and followed the wheelchair to the other room.
when they came back to check my blood pressure again, THAT worried her. so as long as you don't wrap things around my arm and pump them up, you can do just about anything else to me and she won't mind. LMAO!
NB- my bp was only 90/60, which may have contributed to this reaction.
everybody get up and do the happy dance! because being so sick is really a drag. you feel awful, and you are bored and restless but you know if you do the slightest thing you'll be back in bed anyway so you may as well stay there in the first place. the person who may be the MOST happy about this turn of events, so to speak, is DH, because he wasn't picking up slack, he was carrying the whole darn rope.
so i have hilarious stories to tell about how stupid you get while sick and how it affects you to have a 2-year-old around while trying to recupe (hint: not positively).
***********
the first time i went to the doctor for this illness was my first trip to the doctor since we moved last August, and i had to establish care with the new family physician everyone else had already seen. and i listed off my meds and allergies and thought i did a good job - until he started writing a prescription for antibiotics. and my brain FARKLED right out and said i was allergic to the drug we had cleared years ago and that we had cleared the one i had a reaction to years ago. and he wrote me up and sent me on my way.
i toddled off to the pharmacy to pick up the meds and the pharmacist met me, quite concerned, as their system had flagged the medication as an allergy (THIS IS WHY WE USE THE SAME PHARMACY ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE!). my reactions were all as an infant so i felt like i could take the medication anyway (the two in discussion are related), and i'd just wait for DH to come home before i took it. (i had no reaction in 14 days)
what makes this hilarious to me is my type-A personality has NEVER forgotten an allergy before. and i have a list of 6, which i list off in descending severity order. because i'm type A. i had to be seriously cement-headed to screw that one up!
************
i had another incredibly amusing story which i told DH and have promptly forgotten, most likely LaLa details which were going to bore most of my random readers anyway...
************
but yesterday, at my third (yes, THIRD) trip to the dr. for this stupid illness, we had FUN. the antibiotic had seemed to clear the infection but my stupid asthmatic lungs did NOT want to feel good or like i could oxygenate adequately or even take a deep breath. i was coughing constantly, sleeping poorly, and felt like i was going to die (a common feeling at this stage of bronchitis!).
so the doctor is befuddled why i'm not responding to medications and rest. and so he ordered some blood work to check things like Lyme disease, and a chest x-ray in case he was missing something with the stethoscope. and i toddled off to the resident vampire to do the blood draw.
where i tried my darndest to pass out (AKA vasovagal reaction). i sometimes get lightheaded and have to put my head down with blood draws, but i've probably had hundreds over the years (i also used to give blood) and less than a half-dozen reactions, so i recognize it when it happens but don't expect it.
and it was bad. i lost about 80% of my vision, and stuck my head between my knees and drank the juice they offered, but i wasn't coming back. had to step into a wheelchair and off that onto an exam table (staff did NOT know quite what to do with me!). ice to the neck and wrists and knees elevated and the whole shebang for 15 minutes while i waited for my arms to stop tingling and my vision to return to normal. which it does - a vasovagal reaction is NOT serious, just inconvenient.
the adventure was compounded by having my precious princess LaLa along. i had to throw her out of bed and into the car to get to the appointment, and she was actually very well-behaved waiting for the appointment. she got concerned when the nurse took my blood pressure, LOL! and she wanted to play with the computer but instead sat in the doctor's stool and stared at it. when he came in the room she looked as guilty as she ever had and slunk onto my lap. it was adorable.
then i went to the blood draw and the staff gave her a short stool and stickers to keep her busy instead of jumping on me while needles were about. and she did great - no worries with mom trying to fall out of the chair, no worries about the needle or blood, just did as she was told and followed the wheelchair to the other room.
when they came back to check my blood pressure again, THAT worried her. so as long as you don't wrap things around my arm and pump them up, you can do just about anything else to me and she won't mind. LMAO!
NB- my bp was only 90/60, which may have contributed to this reaction.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
ew yuk
i can tell this story b/c it doesn't reflect badly on ME...
#1 son is currently emptying the clean dishwasher. the dirty dishes on the counter above the DW fell off, and he was picking dishes up off the floor.
he says to me, "there's a plate way under the dishwasher... i think i can get it."
as he pulls it out, he sees what appears to be grunge on it, and says "EW, it's OLD!" and backs away as though it had hairy legs and was bouncing around on the floor.
i go to look. yes, it IS old. it has what appears to be DRIED-UP CAT FOOD - we no longer have a cat - on a plate that never belonged to us (we moved in 9 months ago). i tell him this. he says "we don't have to KEEP it, do we?" i laugh. no, we can throw it away.
sometimes one's sensibilities are more important than the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle).
#1 son is currently emptying the clean dishwasher. the dirty dishes on the counter above the DW fell off, and he was picking dishes up off the floor.
he says to me, "there's a plate way under the dishwasher... i think i can get it."
as he pulls it out, he sees what appears to be grunge on it, and says "EW, it's OLD!" and backs away as though it had hairy legs and was bouncing around on the floor.
i go to look. yes, it IS old. it has what appears to be DRIED-UP CAT FOOD - we no longer have a cat - on a plate that never belonged to us (we moved in 9 months ago). i tell him this. he says "we don't have to KEEP it, do we?" i laugh. no, we can throw it away.
sometimes one's sensibilities are more important than the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle).
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
the farm tour! (PIOG)
we are whole-heartedly embracing local/organic food (back story posted below), doing our best not to re-bankrupt ourselves in the process. this weekend there was a local farm tour, sponsored by the local "local" market, among others. we had a BLAST touring farms within 30 miles or so of home. there were about 60 to pick from in the "triangle" area - all the way toward raleigh.
the first farm we went to was a cow farm. they did a neat tour on an open bus-type ride, pulled by a tractor, in amongst the calves and cows, and steers, and within sight of the bulls' paddock (but they were off in the shade so we couldn't see them). it was interesting, educational, and fun! LaLa said "COW! hi cow! hi cow!" a lot. tried to climb down whenever the farmer would stop the ride and talk. we distracted her with the camera and i'll try to upload later. picked up a couple of roasts at $5/pound (for grass-fed, organic beef). picnicked on leftover pasta salad we'd packed for the ride in the cooler they advised we bring for bringing home products of the farms. yes, i'm feeling virtuous.
then we went to the prawn farm. prawn are freshwater shrimp. they showed us how they farm them, told us what they feed them, but it was over 90 saturday and the kids were getting peaky. so DH did most of the tour while i distracted the overheated children with sodas and learned about prawns. brought home one pound of prawns ($10) for dinner. (could've used 2 pounds but we were trying not to blow the budget)
then we went to a farm that had a little of everything. we'll be going back out for strawberries to this one soon! they aren't very far from us, and they showed us the greenhouse for starting baby plants and the herb gardens. #2 son had really overheated and waited in the car for us to look around, and #1 son was sweet and stayed with him. LaLa loved the herb garden, plucked a nasturtium. the lady farmer said "now that you've picked it you have to eat it!" so she stuck it in her mouth. (she had previously mentioned they are edible, good on salads, a little like radishes.) LaLa spat the petal right back out, but i felt that if she tasted one, i should too. they have a nice clean crisp taste, with a sharper ending flavor. they would be nice sprinkled on a salad. we bought some hamburger for dinner sunday.
finally, we wanted to see a farm that was just a couple of miles from home. it was really neat. they have in the last two years totally reclaimed a worn-out farm, designed it, and are providing organic produce and meat to local restaurants. the map really didn't work for this one and despite its being very very close to home we had to go around it at least once to find the turn that was marked wrong. but the kids played with their australian collies until they were bright red and flushed. working dogs are FUN for littles and mediums! they kicked the soccer ball for the dog to retrieve and just had a blast. we didn't buy anything here.
then we came home and had a BIG nap (LaLa). DH cooked up the prawns in a garlic sauce with red pepper and they were fabulous. right up there with scallops. they are supposed to be protein-rich and very healthy, and easy to cook b/c they take on the flavor of most of what they're cooked with.
sunday we went to church, worked, played, and had hamburgers for dinner. we wanted to get an idea of what the meat tasted like on its own. it was slap-your-momma good! like burgers used to taste. we slurped them up.
the driving around was one of our favorite kind of things to do, so it was a great weekend. if we had had room in the apartment for our chest freezer (sold when we moved) we could really stock up on some local and organically-raised produce and protein. as it is, we'll have to drive around on a somewhat regular basis - darn!
the first farm we went to was a cow farm. they did a neat tour on an open bus-type ride, pulled by a tractor, in amongst the calves and cows, and steers, and within sight of the bulls' paddock (but they were off in the shade so we couldn't see them). it was interesting, educational, and fun! LaLa said "COW! hi cow! hi cow!" a lot. tried to climb down whenever the farmer would stop the ride and talk. we distracted her with the camera and i'll try to upload later. picked up a couple of roasts at $5/pound (for grass-fed, organic beef). picnicked on leftover pasta salad we'd packed for the ride in the cooler they advised we bring for bringing home products of the farms. yes, i'm feeling virtuous.
then we went to the prawn farm. prawn are freshwater shrimp. they showed us how they farm them, told us what they feed them, but it was over 90 saturday and the kids were getting peaky. so DH did most of the tour while i distracted the overheated children with sodas and learned about prawns. brought home one pound of prawns ($10) for dinner. (could've used 2 pounds but we were trying not to blow the budget)
then we went to a farm that had a little of everything. we'll be going back out for strawberries to this one soon! they aren't very far from us, and they showed us the greenhouse for starting baby plants and the herb gardens. #2 son had really overheated and waited in the car for us to look around, and #1 son was sweet and stayed with him. LaLa loved the herb garden, plucked a nasturtium. the lady farmer said "now that you've picked it you have to eat it!" so she stuck it in her mouth. (she had previously mentioned they are edible, good on salads, a little like radishes.) LaLa spat the petal right back out, but i felt that if she tasted one, i should too. they have a nice clean crisp taste, with a sharper ending flavor. they would be nice sprinkled on a salad. we bought some hamburger for dinner sunday.
finally, we wanted to see a farm that was just a couple of miles from home. it was really neat. they have in the last two years totally reclaimed a worn-out farm, designed it, and are providing organic produce and meat to local restaurants. the map really didn't work for this one and despite its being very very close to home we had to go around it at least once to find the turn that was marked wrong. but the kids played with their australian collies until they were bright red and flushed. working dogs are FUN for littles and mediums! they kicked the soccer ball for the dog to retrieve and just had a blast. we didn't buy anything here.
then we came home and had a BIG nap (LaLa). DH cooked up the prawns in a garlic sauce with red pepper and they were fabulous. right up there with scallops. they are supposed to be protein-rich and very healthy, and easy to cook b/c they take on the flavor of most of what they're cooked with.
sunday we went to church, worked, played, and had hamburgers for dinner. we wanted to get an idea of what the meat tasted like on its own. it was slap-your-momma good! like burgers used to taste. we slurped them up.
the driving around was one of our favorite kind of things to do, so it was a great weekend. if we had had room in the apartment for our chest freezer (sold when we moved) we could really stock up on some local and organically-raised produce and protein. as it is, we'll have to drive around on a somewhat regular basis - darn!
GOING GREEN
i swore i'd never do this. i couldn't even think about it b/c of the expense. but...
the back story: DH borrowed The Omnivore's Dilemma from a guy at work who read it in a book club. he read it and passed it to me, has recommended it to my veggie aunt, and we both recommend it highly. (click the link for more deets than i can give)
it is a book about the industrialization of our food supply and how terrible it is ecologically. also presents alternative sources but doesn't preach. still, reading how our food is raised, and how the industrial and political controls it, rather than nutritional or ecological, we have changed our purchasing pattern already, and we plan more improvements.
the goal is to eat local foods whenever you can. organic local is best. but if your organic food has to travel far to reach you, it has wasted the ecological benefit in fuel consumption. you will never want to eat a chain hamburger again after reading this book - and that's a healthier change already!
we have changed our dairy and produce purchasing and are working on meat (baby steps). when we eat local and organic food several days in a row, i can tell the difference in how i feel. deleting hormones from your diet can make a huge difference! extra hormones just aren't good for us - especially those of us who battle depression!
the back story: DH borrowed The Omnivore's Dilemma from a guy at work who read it in a book club. he read it and passed it to me, has recommended it to my veggie aunt, and we both recommend it highly. (click the link for more deets than i can give)
it is a book about the industrialization of our food supply and how terrible it is ecologically. also presents alternative sources but doesn't preach. still, reading how our food is raised, and how the industrial and political controls it, rather than nutritional or ecological, we have changed our purchasing pattern already, and we plan more improvements.
the goal is to eat local foods whenever you can. organic local is best. but if your organic food has to travel far to reach you, it has wasted the ecological benefit in fuel consumption. you will never want to eat a chain hamburger again after reading this book - and that's a healthier change already!
we have changed our dairy and produce purchasing and are working on meat (baby steps). when we eat local and organic food several days in a row, i can tell the difference in how i feel. deleting hormones from your diet can make a huge difference! extra hormones just aren't good for us - especially those of us who battle depression!
Thursday, April 02, 2009
broken
it's been quite a year, hasn't it? i just keep coping, keep on keeping on, and doing my best to cope.
well, i kinda feel broken inside. there are parts of me that really feel happy every day, enjoy the best of life. there are parts that are just getting by. and there are parts that want to cry all of the time and can't get over the hard things that i didn't have time to do more than just barely cope with.
it's so hard feeling all of these emotions all of the time. and i don't know what to do about it.
life is good right now. but i think things are catching up to me. and my hormones are trying to balance themselves. and i'm kind of lost.
any suggestions?
well, i kinda feel broken inside. there are parts of me that really feel happy every day, enjoy the best of life. there are parts that are just getting by. and there are parts that want to cry all of the time and can't get over the hard things that i didn't have time to do more than just barely cope with.
it's so hard feeling all of these emotions all of the time. and i don't know what to do about it.
life is good right now. but i think things are catching up to me. and my hormones are trying to balance themselves. and i'm kind of lost.
any suggestions?
pout
who loves the dentist? don't everybody shout at once!
i've never minded going. i'm 39, i've had 3 fillings. i could've prevented only one if i flossed.
now, who flosses every day? again, don't deafen me?
this is between two back teeth, and it has given me problems since it was first filled. the filling broke (bad dentist), i had it fixed, and the tooth has remained somewhat sensitive. i felt plenty of guilt b/c if i would floss, it would never have happened. and i keep trying to resolve to floss more often (twice a year is a LOT!). but it doesn't happen.
well, i went in yesterday for a cleaning, no worries, figured no cavities.
the tooth NEXT TO the one with the old filling now has a cavity on the surface facing the filling.
damn it. i REALLY have to start flossing! it's just a little cavity, minor fix. but if you've ever had back teeth worked on, it's really uncomfortable. and i'm so dang MAD!
now, who's going to start flossing after hearing my experience? yeah, that's what i thought.
i've never minded going. i'm 39, i've had 3 fillings. i could've prevented only one if i flossed.
now, who flosses every day? again, don't deafen me?
this is between two back teeth, and it has given me problems since it was first filled. the filling broke (bad dentist), i had it fixed, and the tooth has remained somewhat sensitive. i felt plenty of guilt b/c if i would floss, it would never have happened. and i keep trying to resolve to floss more often (twice a year is a LOT!). but it doesn't happen.
well, i went in yesterday for a cleaning, no worries, figured no cavities.
the tooth NEXT TO the one with the old filling now has a cavity on the surface facing the filling.
damn it. i REALLY have to start flossing! it's just a little cavity, minor fix. but if you've ever had back teeth worked on, it's really uncomfortable. and i'm so dang MAD!
now, who's going to start flossing after hearing my experience? yeah, that's what i thought.
panic button
so, while i was typing my LAST entry, LaLa managed to get herself in a fix.
she had a pen i had found in an OLD box. it's probably 17 years old. roller ball, still works, no worries.
well, i looked at her 1 minute later and her lips are navy, her tongue is navy, and she doesn't have the pen anymore.
apparently the seal broke and her chewing the pen got ink all over her mouth.
YES, i called poison control. immediately. (scrubbed her with wipies as best i could first.) i was ON HOLD for 5 minutes. i wasn't worried about immediate effects, just whether i had to take action. imagine being on hold for 5 minutes if she'd ingested something scarier! just wow.
so, they said, yes, pens are toxic. no, there's not enough of the bad ingredients in a WHOLE PEN CARTRIDGE to worry about. even in a 25-pound toddler.
however, she will look like a maori for a week. pix to follow!
she had a pen i had found in an OLD box. it's probably 17 years old. roller ball, still works, no worries.
well, i looked at her 1 minute later and her lips are navy, her tongue is navy, and she doesn't have the pen anymore.
apparently the seal broke and her chewing the pen got ink all over her mouth.
YES, i called poison control. immediately. (scrubbed her with wipies as best i could first.) i was ON HOLD for 5 minutes. i wasn't worried about immediate effects, just whether i had to take action. imagine being on hold for 5 minutes if she'd ingested something scarier! just wow.
so, they said, yes, pens are toxic. no, there's not enough of the bad ingredients in a WHOLE PEN CARTRIDGE to worry about. even in a 25-pound toddler.
however, she will look like a maori for a week. pix to follow!
wicked
i'm a wicked, wicked mother; wicked Zoot!
my son will complain his joints hurt. "oh good, you're growing!"
lately, it's been extreme frustration with being clumsy. "oh good, you're growing!"
he's almost 12, and the frustration is just beyond his capacity to deal. he's always been very coordinated and athletic, and now he's walking into walls and stubbing toes. it really does mean he's growing (he's grown about 2 inches this year already!). could i be nicer about this? maybe.
but this is the mom he's got, the mom he knows, and how things work around here!
wicked, wicked zut!
my son will complain his joints hurt. "oh good, you're growing!"
lately, it's been extreme frustration with being clumsy. "oh good, you're growing!"
he's almost 12, and the frustration is just beyond his capacity to deal. he's always been very coordinated and athletic, and now he's walking into walls and stubbing toes. it really does mean he's growing (he's grown about 2 inches this year already!). could i be nicer about this? maybe.
but this is the mom he's got, the mom he knows, and how things work around here!
wicked, wicked zut!
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