Monday Listicles: Ten Photos of Life With Kids

So...I have been absent for a while from Stasha's Listicles. And it hasn't been intentional...I've simply been too lazy to do it.

But I'm so glad to be back! And between last week and this week, it was an easy-breezey way to ease me back in, so that was even better!

Well, I said it was easy...and it should have been easy...but I have too many pictures of my kids that I think are cute so it was actually a lengthy process. The trip down memory lane was enough to send me over the emotional edge ("Where did my babies go?!?"), but I managed to pull it together and give you some of the more candid photos...thanks for taking a look!

At the Indy 500 in 2012...first time to see the 500 for the PBA.

HHI 2005...and yes you are correct...his goggles are completely fogged up.

Fall 2012, playing a game at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon

Yes, his face is painted like a tiger (I think it's supposed to be a tiger) and he's growling.
We were at a free even hosted by Animal Planet...face painting was included and he was ALL IN. He was also only 5...he's now 12.

Vacation this year...resting from a strenuous hike, no doubt...

2008 First Day of School (clearly when they were going to public school)

Winter 2007...and obviously he built this without any help ;)

Fall 2004 (Obviously at the pumpkin patch...and quite excited about it!)

At Family Camp 2010...they were preparing for the PBA to be baptized in the lake. Don't they look ready for a baptism?

I think this speaks for itself, don't you?

If you know me at all, you are probably surprised that I did not include any sports shots...and I have to say that was intentional. I think I share those often enough during the actual seasons and did not want to overdo it. Plus, like I said...there were too many other cute ones I wanted to include!

Have a fabulous day!

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Monday Listicles: Things We Should Buy More of Every Week

Oh, look at me...late to the party but at least I got here. It's been quite a while, so thanks for having me back!

And, I'll have you know, I have my post for next week up and ready as well. 

OK, it's not UP but it's scheduled...how about that?

I know, you're jealous, right?

There's a first time for everything...and a last time too. I doubt it will ever happen again, but I did enjoy it while I could!

So...I won't delay this any more than I already have.

Today's topic is Ten Things We Buy Every Week. But I decided it should be a variation on that theme (and someone else very well has already done this but I don't read anyone else's until mine is finished...that way I won't be tempted to borrow any ideas; so if you already did this very idea, I assure you I didn't copy!).

So my list today is Things We Should Buy More of Every Week:

1.     Fruit...I never seem to buy enough when I am on my weekly trip to the grocery. Part of it is that I know it may spoil before the week is up and I H.A.T.E. to throw food away. I will do whatever I can to prevent that travesty from occurring. And yes, it IS a travesty.

2.     Veggies…same problem. Spinach, especially, gets all slimy before a week is out and we either muddle through without it or I end up making a special trip for spinach. Which seems kind of lame. And I also rarely JUST get spinach...I usually get something like ice cream at the same time...

3.     Milk…I always buy skim milk (for three of us) and whole milk (for my 10yo). When my now 10yo was 5, he was approximately the size of a 2.5yo. We went to a specialist and had all the testing done and everything came back negative (in the good way…that’s always so confusing…why do they say it like that?)…and so ever since then he’s been on whole milk. It’s to the point now that he refuses to drink anything but whole. All that to say, he drinks at least a gallon (by himself) a week. Can you fathom how large I would be if I drank a gallon of whole milk per week?  As an aside, he is up to the 10th percentile...he was 2nd percentile when he was 5. Wahoo! My point of this being…I almost always have to go to the store and get another gallon of milk. And sometimes I have to get more skim milk for us as well…especially during the week that the Girl Scout cookies are distributed…don’t judge.

4.     Gas for the car…now this is more about buying it at a lower price. WHY don’t I buy it when I see that the price has gone down, thus eliminating the self-loathing I experience EVERY WEEK when the price pops and I have needle buried below the “E”?

5.     Cheese…I love the dairy products, but cheese especially. I find that often, by the end of the week, I am rationing out the shredded cheese so that we will have some for the entire week. Yes, I ration.the.cheese. You're finding out all sorts of interesting things about me, aren't you?

6.     Ice Cream…buckets of ice cream. I think this is self-explanatory, don’t you?

And yes, your eyes do not deceive you…I only have six items. I would delve into silliness and say things like “candy bars” and “frozen pizzas”…but that would indicate that I buy them at all.

And we all know that I am the bastion of healthy eating...minus all the cheese, ice cream and Girl Scout cookies to which I alluded above...

OK, I buy them sometimes but not with great regularity. So I didn’t think they fulfilled the parameters I had established for my list.

And I am a little bit staunch on following rules...even my own rules. I am an "only" in case you couldn't tell...some habits never die.

So there you have it: Things We Should Buy More of Every Week...what are the things YOU run out of by the week's end?

Have a fabulous day!

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Monday Listicles: Imagined Band Names

Today’s Monday Listicles from Stasha is Ten Real or Imagined Band Names.

And perhaps it’s due to all the time I’ve been spending at the lacrosse and soccer fields, but my inspiration this week only allowed for things I was hearing on the sidelines.

I’ll begin with lacrosse (and there are actually 19 name suggestions, BTW…I couldn’t reign it in to only 10 because the options were too plentiful). And, I’ll have you know that in spite of my best efforts to learn this game, I don’t know what many of these lacrosse terms mean. Not even my ‘Lacrosse for Dummies” has been terribly helpful.

And in fact, I don’t know that some of these are “official” terms… a former lacrosse coach has a son on the same team as my 11yo, so we have the “luxury” of hearing him scream (and yes, I do mean scream) through the e.n.t.i.r.e. game; I suspect that he's just making some things up.

Regardless, someone should really offer a Tootsie Pop to him.

And especially fortunate (I say through clenched teeth) for us on Saturday, he stayed for BOTH games (he usually leaves after the “A” game…but not Saturday)…we were all treated to two solid games-worth of him. Which gave me plenty of fodder for the blog, but also gave me a headache.

But I digress…because without him and his chatter, I wouldn’t have been able to come up with some of these F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S. band names.

Without further delay, here is my list of “Lacrosse-Inspired Band Names”:

1. Set a Pick
2. Don’t Just Stand There
3. Fast Break
4. Guard Your Man
5. Dump It
6. Roll the Cage
7. Better Passes
8. Drag It Out
9. Failure to Advance
10. Set Up the Zone
11. Watch the Crease
12. Lift His Stick
13. Go Lefty
14. Middie Back
15. Shoot It Low
16. Scoop Don’t Shovel
17. Go to the X
18. Stretch Your Heels
19. V Cut

And not to be left out, soccer also has it’s fair share of sport-specific terms. However, a) we do not have a token former coach who stands on the side with the fans and incessantly coaches the boys in a voice louder than the actual coach; and b) I actually have a fairly decent handle on the game so my ears are not trying to pick up a bunch of seemingly-random terms and attempting to discern what they all mean.

And for the record (because I know you are all keeping score at home), I do know what each of these things mean. This is a small smattering what what I heard this Sunday.

Wait...one more thing…all that being said, the “Soccer-Inspired Band Names” is a much shorter list…totaling only nine. Don’t judge.

1. Mark Up
2. Man On
3. White Ball
4. Red Ball
5. Far Post
6. Incidental Play
7. Nice Touch
8. Settle It
9. Down the Line

I must say that if any nameless band seeking a name selects one of my offerings here, I do expect a percentage of all initial, as well as future, profits. I'll gladly accept it in tens and twenties, if you don't mind.

Have a fabulous day!

Note from the Editor: By no means is anything suggestive intended by these names, but apparently they are having that affect on some of you...if I offend in any way, please know that is not my intent. I'm simply the messenger from the sidelines.

Monday Listicles: Ten Things I Love That Are Free

So...I'm not sure how many have even missed me over at Stasha's, but I have missed doing the lists. It's not for any particular reason that I have declined, other than I have had something of a bird infestation at my house and this previously-random blog apparently now has a theme: For the Birds.

OK, not really, but that was my main source of material.

Even I, in my often-blatent disregard for following the list as described, couldn't figure out a way to fit it into the themes.

However, if you'd like to get caught up on all the fun/madness (potato/potatoh) around here, you can sort by the labels; I have one entitled "Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds" and it will allow you to catch up nicely.

There are too many at this point for me to link up each one.

OK, I actually could but I am lazy.  And tired.

But please give me a break...it's Monday morning. And we're just coming off a week-end of 5 lacrosse games and 3 soccer games. This being between the 2 members of the PBA. (I'm sure you were confused and thought that it was I, myself, who played...I appreciate you thinking that I could. That's so nice of you!)

Oh, and I might add that all those games were in about a 26 hour time period.

And not exactly local.

I'm as tired as if I had played all those games.

That's a lie...I would probably still be in bed because I couldn't move if I played all those games.

Here's a picture (courtesy of my fabulous photographer father) of each boy in action on Saturday (Sunday was rainy and didn't make for good photo opportunities); I'm sure you wanted to see them. No need to be shy...just ask next time.

This is the 11yo..he had 3 soccer games and 2 lacrosse games...he's even claiming to be a little sore today.

This is the 10yo...he had 3 lacrosse games...he's not claiming to be sore. Only slightly bruised.

That being said, my list today may have something to do with the nature out my back (and front) doors.

So without further delay, here's my list of Ten Things I Love That Are Free:

1. Owls hooting in the middle of the night
2. Robins building their nests in various and sundry places around my house
3. Newly-hatched baby cardinals cheeping in the nest on my front porch
4. Bunnies taunting Indy because they seem to know he's chained up and can't reach them
5. Squirrels in the bird feeders, covering their heads with their tails to keep off the buckets of rain
6. Five different kinds of woodpeckers eating suet at the feeders (OK, this one does cost a little bit for the seed, as does #5; please don't sue me)
7. Chipmunks scampering scross the deck
8. Hummingbirds (haven't seen them yet this year but should be soon!) flitting from flower to flower in my perennial garden
9. Deer living in the wooded area behind us (but RARELY make an appearance)
10. Racoons waddling out of the drain pipe at dusk, following their worn path into the trees

Hope you get to see some wildlife of your own...have a fabulous day! 

Monday Listicles: Springing Up

Stasha gave us the Listicles of "Ten Things Spring" for today.

Frankly I wasn't feeling it.

So yeah, I went really off-road with this. Sure, there are tons of things I could have talked about relating to spring: Robins, green grass, sweet purple and yellow crocus poking their little heads between the river rocks in my front yard.

All those things I’m eager to see…but without the looming knowledge that they will all be hidden under a blanket of snow the next day.

It sure doesn’t look like spring here in Indiana (it did on Saturday but not today), and I have no spring in my step.

And frankly, I am getting sick of having sick kiddos in my house, and I’d love for them to “spring back” from this stomach bug a little bit faster, please.

So…call me ornery, but for today, instead, I chose Ten Things With Springs…

1. Pens: the clicky kind of course…you know what I mean. The ones that if you keep them in your purse, you end up with ink all over the lining of said purse because things inevitably get bumped around and the pen gets “clicked” and the tip is exposed. Not that I’ve ever done that, but I’ve heard stories about such things happening.

2. Slinky: This is simply a spring disguised as a toy that children begged their parents to buy because of the catchy jingle in the ads. And I don’t know about you, but I could never get this thing to work like it does in the commercials.  That song will be stuck in your head all afternoon, even if you didn’t watch the youtube video. You’re welcome.

3. Trampoline: Don’t even get me started on these things.

4. Mattresses: I actually do not have a mattress with springs in it. I have a foam mattress. I bought it from overstock.com, and it was shipped to me for $2.95. It weighs 45 lbs and was vacuum-sealed in plastic for its journey to our home. Rolled up in a box measuring approximately “15 inches x 15 inches x however long a mattress is” for shipping, the PBA and I wrestled it onto the bed before I carefully cut the plastic to release it. It was fully-inflated in about a minute. And it is WONDFERFUL to sleep on. Well-worth the $350 spent. And no, I don’t get any royalties from Overstock.com for saying all that. But I probably should.

5. Those little suction-cup toys you push down to the table and they pop up (sometimes). I don’t know what they’re called, but you know what I mean. They’re little junky prizes that your kiddos end up bringing home from parties at school or friend’s birthday parties. I’m not a hater…I’m well-aware that I have sent home my fair-share of junky toys from my kiddos birthday parties. Maybe not this type specifically, but I’m not above sending home junk. 

6. Clipboards: those things can pack a brutal pinch if the spring is too tight. I’ve caught a finger in a clipboard more than once and it’s not so fun. That's really all I have to say about clipboards. We've probably all used one once or twice in our lives.

7. Those really dangerous metal animals on old-school playgrounds …they still make things that look like them but aren’t nearly as dangerous. Hot metal which gives third degree burns in the summertime heat…because of course you’re wearing shorts. It is summer! And just metal in general…perfect for chipping a tooth or two. I say let’s bring back the old ones!  (Really, I assure you that I’m kidding…)

8. Jack-in-the-Box: Don’t get too excited…I don’t mean the restaurant. I’ve never actually been to the restaurant. My children have, however, with their grandparents. More than once. They go to all the fancy places we can’t afford. No seriously they do…Jack in the Box isn’t one of those fancy restaurants…that was an aside comment. Sorry for the confusion. Anyway…I’m talking about a real jack-in-the-box with the crank and the music and the “surprise ending”. I always think of Buddy the Elf when I think of this toy. Not that I’m sitting around and thinking about this toy. Well, now I am. Sorry…I’d better stop the rambling on this.

9. Upholstered Couches & Chairs: what else can I say about this? You want them to have springs otherwise they are a little flat and/or lumpy. But covered springs only…an uncovered springs makes for an uncomfortable seat…I’m sure we’ve all been there. Think college or new-graduate apartment seating…I guarantee that either you or someone you know has had a piece of furniture with a spring that jutted out, right? Point made.

10. Ride-on horse…frankly, I don’t know what they are called, but I do know that I had one. It lived in the garage. It was from a neighbor (and I hesitate to say hand-me-down because my parents might have paid good money for it, but I don’t even know…I should probably ask). Anyone else have one? My horse was called Trigger. This is not him, but it captures the essence of him. I could ride like the wind on that horse.

Well, that’s enough. I’d better check on child #2 and I'd better spring to it! Have a fabulous day!

Monday Listicles: Reasons Mr. Always Random is Awesome

This week’s assignment from Stasha was probably the easiest Monday Listicles I have ever had to write: Ten Ways My Husband Is Awesome.

So, without delaying it too much, I will jump right in. OK, in just a minute I will. First I have to say that since I am not one to follow the directions on the Listicles (everything else, yes, but not so much this…sorry, Stasha), I did go slightly over my allotted list of Ten.

While I was at it, I thought I’d go ahead and make this an all-around love-fest for Mr. Always Random, and had the PBA list 10 Reasons Why My Dad is Awesome. Should I have withheld their writings to utilize for a special Father’s Day post? Yes, I should have. But truthfully, what are the chances I would have remembered that I had something already in the hopper? Slim to none.

So, that being said, I went ahead and put it in with my list. And no worries, you’ll see their lists in June…if I remember. If you remember, long about June 13 or 14, would you be a sweetheart and remind me? Thanks so much!

But I am also going to double-up on this one and utilize it as a platform to wish Mr. Always Random a Happy 15^th Anniversary! (The actual date is Thursday but he doesn’t always get to the blog each day so by the time he reads this post, it might only be a day early, if that…trust me...I know what I’m doing. I am a trained professional. And I have met my husband.)

Now, without anymore extraneous ramblings, I give to you our lists of why Mr. Always Random is Awesome:

My List First:

1. Flooring project…say no more, say no more. But I will…there are lots of other reasons but I am only going to name a few.
2. He lets me pretend to be in charge.
3. He usually backs up what I have already told the children (Just to clarify, the only time he doesn’t is when the children don’t tell him what I already said, and thereby it appears that he is usurping my authority…which, of course, he never would do.)
4. He doesn’t complain even when a meal I fix is less-than-stellar.
5. And not only does he not complain, but he eats it all as well. And he makes the PBA eat it too. (This is all contingent upon my assessment of the meal; if I refuse to eat it…that gives him, and the PBA, the right of refusal also).
6. He will often drive the PBA where they need to go in an evening, because I already have my jammies on.
7. He understands that when I make a suggestion about something, that I am really telling him to do whatever it is I appear to be suggesting. Case in point: Texting him I might say, “Feel free to stop at Target and pick up a bucket of ice cream.” And he always shows up at the house, maybe a couple minutes late, but always with a bucket of ice cream from Target.
8. He’s a great homeschool principal…he’s the Heavy for me when I need it. The PBA may be a little afraid of me, but kind of terrified (in a healthy way) of their father. It is as it should be.
9. He takes his lunch every day because it is cheaper and healthier….and I kind of put my foot down on it. But he doesn’t complain…that’s what makes him awesome.
10. He doesn’t complain when I don’t feel like cooking. He’ll sometimes even offer to cook, even though we both know that I will say no. He doesn’t really know how to cook.
11. He can get a fire going faster than anyone I’ve seen. And no, that is not an allusion to anything. I mean an ACTUAL fire in the fireplace in our living room. And he’s teaching the 11yo how to start one too…that right there should be the only proof you need for what I’m talking about. Otherwise, that is beyond inappropriate, to say the least.
12. He loves the Lord first and his family second.
13. I have to make this a last-second entry...Sweet Mr. Always Random was up several times last night with a sick child (belonging to both of us), and he never woke me up to tell me. He just took care of him. THAT alone makes him awesome.

11yo’s List of 10 Reasons (you see, he is my black and white child who follows the rules):

1. The first reason is because he takes me to the archery range.
2. He puts more than enough food on the table.
3. The third reason is because he takes time out of his things so my brother and I can do things we want to do.
4. He plays sports with me.
5. He takes care of me when I am sick. (Yeah, I’ve kind of got to disagree with him on that one…but it is his list so I will let it stand.)
6. The 6^th reason is because he makes me laugh when he tries to dance!  (I L.O.V.E. that he used an exclamation point on that; it’s also really funny because Mr. Always Random can dance. I, however, am like Elaine…no.joke….but the PBA have no clue because I don’t think I’ve ever danced in front of them. Maybe when they were toddlers and didn’t know they could judge me. Phew…I have skirted that one so far!
7. The 7th likes to play soccer and lacrosse with me.
8. He likes to go on roller coasters at King’s Island with me.
9. He loves to try foreign foods just like me.
10. The last reason is because he loves me.    

9yo’s List of 13 Reasons (And he’s my “swims in a sea of grey” child…no black nor white going on here…so 10 or 13…I’ll give you as many reasons as I feel like; I can’t imagine where he gets that from…):

1. He helps me with school.
2. He pays taxes. (I don’t know why this one is in here…do a lot of people NOT pay taxes? Actually, there are many people who don’t…so I guess that does make him awesome…I won’t tell the 9yo that we BOTH pay the taxes…that will be our little secret.)
3. He pays for our sports. (Again, not true, but why burst the kid’s bubble, right?)
4. He helps with roads. (This is alluding to his job as a project inspector…I’ll explain. When you see a bunch of guys doing road construction and everyone’s working really hard, except this one guy who’s just standing there watching…and you think to yourself, “Why doesn’t he pick up a shovel?”…that would be my husband’s job. Stand around and watch other people work. I am teasing him but it is kind of true.)
5. He starts our fires (see, I’m not the only one who appreciates a nice fire.)
6. He does Spanish with me.
7. He does NERF WARS with us.
8. He put in new flooring. (Again, I’m not the only one in the household who appreciates the new flooring…mostly it might be because Mommy kept talking about us needing new flooring, so the 9yo…well, all of them actually, are just glad that I’ll finally stop talking about it. Don’t they know that I’ll move on to another project once the flooring is done?)
9. He and I like to watch sports together.
10. He helps me with sports.
11. He encourages me to do things.
12. He makes some of our dinners. (Also not really true, but I’ll again let it slide.)
13. And last but not least he cares about us.

What else could I say to top their lists? Nothing, so I’m pulling the plug. Have a fabulous day!

Yes, I included a picture with me too, since this is doing double-duty as the Happy Anniversary post too!

Monday Listicles: Ten Fantastic Smells

So for today, Stasha has assigned us the task of “Ten Fantastic Smells”.

Well, living with boys, I could easily come up with a list of Ten NON-Fantastic smells. But I won’t. Instead, I actually opted to ask the PBA to each write their own list of Top Five Fantastic Smells and Top Five Worst Smells. I have typed them exactly as they were written (which perhaps tells me we might need to work a little bit harder on our spelling).

On a side note, just a week ago, in anatomy, we were talking about the nose and the sense of smell, and how it is so closely tied to the ability to taste. And we also talked about “scent memories” and how certain scents can remind of us things or people from the past. All that being said, these lists were no big deal for them, as it tied in nicely to what we just recently discussed.

Just had to toot my own horn there for a second.

And explain to you that I'm not a Mean Mommy, unable to write her own blog but makes her poor, innocent, defenseless children write it for her.

So without further delay, here it goes:

The 9yo’s List of Top Five Best Smells (Reminder: I included spelling mistakes which were in the original transcript as it was given to me):

1. “Peanut butter cause I like eating it.” As an aside, he’s not the only one who loves to smell it or eat it…the dog comes running in the kitchen and remains glued to my side, licking his chops, anytime I open a peanut butter jar. Or anything which may remotely make a sound as though I were opening a peanut butter jar.
2. “Chocolat candles because I like chocolate.”  I don’t know why he didn’t just simply say “chocolate” because I hardly ever burn candles, and when I do, they are scented something like “Clean Cotton” or a light, fresh, clean scent. I don’t need anything, least of all a candle, tempting me to eat something chocolate.
3. “Coffe because it is like I am watching 'Dangerous Grounds'.”  In case you are not aware, “Dangerous Grounds” is a show on the Travel channel (that we obviously watch on occasion), and the premise is that this coffee shop owner (mogul, if you will) travels the globe looking for the best coffee for his shops…and “often” is in dangerous situations as he is attempting to find, and then purchase, the beans. I think it’s interesting that he selected the show for his “why” because his own mother and father brew and drink coffee every.single.morning. One might assume that the smell of coffee maybe, perhaps, would remind him of home or family, or something like that. Nope…a tv show. My children are not jaded in the slightest bit.
4. “Strawberry because it reminds me of lunch.” Interesting because except in the summer when they are more readily available and inexpensive, we don’t have strawberries all that often. Nor do we necessarily have them at lunch. It doesn’t really matter because at least he didn’t say “because it reminds me of a Pop-Tart.”
5. “Fresh beds because it makes me want to lay down.” In addition to working on spelling, we apparently need to work on the difference between “lay” and “lie”. But this does encourage me in the task of weekly stripping sheets and washing them does not go by unnoticed. Actually, truth be told, the PBA strip the beds, I wash the sheets, and then they remake the beds. So with all that involvement on their part, it would be difficult for it to be a task going by unnoticed. But I'm still taking some credit.

Now for the 11uo’s List of Top Five Best Smells (and yes, I’m calling him out on this but he didn’t quite follow my instructions of the “why”):

1. "Strawberries." Now I didn’t say this on his brother’s list, but it doesn't make it less-true...I don’t really think strawberries have a strong scent…but maybe that’s just me.
2. "Mint." No disagreements.
3. "Cinnamon." This spice is in many of his favorite fall and winter sweet treats, so that’s probably why it made it on his list.
4. "Pineapple."  I’ve got nothing on this. Yes, it’s nice but still an interesting choice.
5. "Tacos."  This one kind of throws the list off, doesn’t it? He’s going along with light, fresh clean scents (I’m thinking light fruit and toothpaste or Altoids…and then he throw in “tacos”. I mean, I love me some Mexican food, and after eating it, the fruit he listed, or a piece of gum in the flavor of either mint or cinnamon would be refreshing. 

I am making the assumption that he was hungry when he made this list.

Now we move on to the list of Worst Smells. This was ALL the PBA wanted to do, actually: to list the Worst Smells…which should not have surprised me, nor did it surprise me; they are boys, after all.

But when push came to shove, I insisted that they do both lists. And being the dutiful, diligent, upright, eager-to-please, pliable boys that they are (you should notice the sarcasm here because I’m laying it on pretty thing…and as an aside, may I point out that I know the difference between “lay and “lie”)…

So here is the 11yo’s List of Top Five Worst Smells:

1. My brother’s farts
2. Dog poop
3. Rotten food
4. Gas station bathrooms
5. Wet dog

I’d say he pretty much nailed that list…any disagreements on any of it? I mean, you wouldn’t really know about the first one, but you can probably imagine…especially once you read the 9yo’s list.

And now the 9yo’s List of Top Five Worst Smells:

1. “My dog’s medicine cause it stinks!” I do have to agree with him there…it is a topical flea and tick medicine which got really great reviews, but some people did mention that the odor was strong for the first couple/few days. But they also said it was a “spicy” scent…and they related it to cinnamon or nutmeg…only stronger. And I thought, “For a large savings over what we were using, how bad can the smell be?” Well, let me tell you…it is wicked strong. But it does save us BEAUCOUP de dollars, so regrettably we may have to continue to suffer with it.  Sorry to my dear family!
2. “Ham because it smells like pigs.” I have to disagree with him on that. He’s clearly never smell a pork rind, because that smells more like a pig than anything...except an actual pig. Clearly my child has blocked out every time we have visited the Indiana State Fair and gone through the hog barn, because ham smells nothing like those big sweaty things. And if it does, it’s rancid and should not be eaten.
3. “Detergent because it stinks.” There seems to be a disconnect between the clean sheets and enjoying that scent, and what is used to actually clean the sheets. Doesn’t matter…he likes the end result, which is more important to me anyway.
4. “Ink because it smells like a grave.” I have no words to describe this. I don’t know what he’s doing smelling ink (I assume he means ink pens); and he has spent very little time at any graves. Those he has visited have been freshly dug graves. I may be slightly concerned about this boy…
5. And last but not least: “My farts because they are toxicating.” The kid speaks truth (with the exception of the obvious typo, but I believe you get the point; on second thought he might simply be giving us the opposite of INtoxicating, which would be a good thing…but who really knows. I doubt that he even does.)…Regardless, his gas is pretty vile.  I should really talk to the person who is feeding him…

On that note, I think I should end. Have a fabulous day!

Monday Listicles Without Linking Up: Being Proud

So I usually participate in Stasha’s Monday Listicles. And today I am halfway participating. I am kind of (ok, not really) hitting the topic, and I am not linking up, if for no other reason, I am just so way off the track today, even for me.

Today’s topic was "Ten Things You Are Proud Of". I could think of three: Mr. Always Random, my 11yo and my 9yo. I could lump them all together under the umbrella heading of “my family” which would include everyone in my family (hence the clever title) and that would have been accurate as well. And I would have one thing on my list.

I realize that being proud of something isn’t necessarily bad, though I have to confess that I was somewhat convicted about it. I felt like God was reminding me of what His word has to say about being proud.  It is typically paired with such words as arrogance, haughty, conceited…none of which are really positive attributes...at least where I come from.

And not to get all high-and mighty (and, dare I say, PROUD) about my attempts at humility, all I had to do was go to God’s word and seek out the truth there.

So here it is if you want to read it. And frankly, it’s still there even if you don’t.

So here are just a FEW of the verses I found addressing the issue of pride...and on a sidenote, BibleGateway.com is one of the best resources online, I have to admit.

Read at your own risk…and don’t say I didn’t warn you:

• Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. 1 Samuel 2:3
• But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 32:35
• Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Job 40:11-12
• Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. Psalm 94:2
• Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate. Psalm 101:5
• The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
• Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Proverbs 16:19
• Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin. Proverbs 21:4
• When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Hosea 13:6
• He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. Luke 1:51
• Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16
• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.       I Corinthians 13:4
• But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
• In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5
• The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. Revelation 13:5

Wow…how’s that for a whole bunch of coals being heaped on your head? I know that I, for one, have a whole bunch of work to do with my pride issues.

Well, this was random for me, and not funny in the slightest bit. And just so I don’t leave you feeling slighted, I will flip it over to shallow just to wrap it up:

I’m obviously proud of my dumb dog, Indy.

Monday Listicles: Ten Dumbest Purchases

So just a heads up: This is NOT the greatest blog post I have ever written. But I don’t think it’s the worst one either, so there’s that.

But if you think it's my worst one, keep those comments to yourself, Peanut Gallery.

Today’s Listicles with Stasha is asking for our “Ten Dumbest Purchases”. I have many dumb purchases which did not receive the proper amount of care and thought prior to purchase, and I could easily list them here. However, most of them I returned before ripping off the tags, so those don’t count, right?

Well, I'm not counting them.

So, I went with Ten Dumbest Food Purchases list. You cannot be shocked, surprised, amazed, or horrified, can you? Well, if you have read my blog before, you won't be any of those things.

Without further delay, because it's already late in the game (shocking!), away we go:

1. Generic chocolate chips…they aren’t good straight out of the bag (too dry and crumbly), PLUS you can tell a difference even when used in baking. And either way they are G.R.O.S.S. The exception being Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet chips…those are pretty tasty. They’re no Nestle’s but they’ll do in a chocolate emergency. We've all been there, haven't we?
2. Frozen fish sticks…they aren’t that great (well, some are ok), but they are convenient on a night when I need to feed the family something (they’re kind of like that – my kids AND my husband like to eat every day…at least three times a day, but preferably more!) but it needs to be something quick. That’s really what fish sticks are good for. But the obvious down-side is that the house stinks to high-Heaven for 2 days, if not longer. Case in point, we had fish sticks this past Saturday night and I can still smell them lingering in the air when I walk in the house. I can only imagine how deeply embedded it is in our clothes and hair.
3. Whole wheat pasta…supposed to be better for you but with this whole “Wheat Belly” thing, I am having second thoughts about wheat overall. I have not finished drinking the Kool-Aid, but I’m considering putting the cup up to my lips. Plus…it doesn’t taste as good as regular pasta, I don't care what you do to it or put on it. It IS NOT the same. Don’t try to convince me otherwise. If I’m going to choose bad carbs, I’m going to enjoy them and eat the real stuff.
4. Buddha’s Hand…enough said. There have been other Fruit of the Week selections which have been sub-par, but that one takes the cake. And I should have known it before I even bought it. But it made a great blog post, didn’t it?
5. Blond Vanilla Coffee from Starbucks…the Blond Coffee in and of itself is not good. I prefer a dark roast myself, but I had a coupon for a free blond roast. So of course I went to get it. For just a few cents, I was able to add vanilla syrup (and I went with the sugar-free...that was probably my second mistake; the first mistake was getting the Blond Roast). Even though most of the drink was free, money was wasted in this transaction…and I would still chalk this up as a dumb purchase.
6. OK, one more PBA Fruit of the week…kumquats. This purchase was PB (Pre-Blog) so there’s no post about it. But trust me…they were vile. Even with added sugar. V.I.L.E. Although, as I ponder this, I realize that we had these months before the Buddha’s Hand…so many comparatively these may be much better. Maybe we should try them again…anyone in?
7. Anything with soy…tried it in college and seemed ok. I think it was because my friend JK (yes, funny right?) ate a lot of soy and it was available in some of the vegetarian meals in the dorm (so progressive!). So I would sometimes jump in on that. I didn’t think it was too bad. In recent years, as my 11yo has taken an increased interest in all-things Asian, I have gotten some noodle dishes for him with soy. I think either my taste buds are maturing or they weren’t really using soy in those alleged vegetarian meals back in college. And for the record, he didn't like the soy either.
8. Lunchables…in a moment of weakness when the PBA were little, I bought a couple Lunchables for them. Just the little ones, with only the crackers, some meat, cheese and a little bite-sized treat. Since that day…and I have come to rue that day…they have asked for some sort of lunchable EVERY time we go to the grocery. Keep in mind that they pretty much go with me every week to the grocery because we homeschool. And clearly even the larger version of Lunchables would not be enough to fill my 9yo, let along my 11yo, and so the entire lunch would cost WAY more than just the Lunchable itself..it would require the addition of some fruit, a veggie (much to their chagrin), and various and sundry other things because they would simply not be full on the Lunchable in and of itself. We might as well go to McDonald’s and save some money if we’re going to do that. But don’t get too excited, PBA, because we’re not going to do that either.
9. Green beans…I hate green beans. I always have. I will eat them in a casserole (you know…with the cream soup and the French fried onions…so clearly it’s fulfilling not one but two of the fruit and vegetable food group requirements). But other than that, I despise green beans…fresh, canned, frozen. All kinds. This may be news to my mother, BTW, but trust me, Mom…it’s true. So I bought some, thinking that if I exposed my children to them often enough, maybe they won’t hate them. Although that is definitely a flawed theory because I remember having them on a somewhat regular basis and I still hate them. Nonetheless…I gave them to my kids (fairly recently, I might add) and you know what happened? They just about gagged on them. I DID gag on them. Enough said. I will not be buying any more green beans, regardless of how much Mr. Always Random begs for them.
10. Chocolate-covered bacon...you know how it can be. You’re at the State Fair…you’ve seen the “newest fair food” featured on the news. And for some reason you think you have to try it. Blech. I love me some sweet and salty together, but NOT. LIKE. THAT. I think it's on the verge of sacrilegious. For some groups it would be sacrilegious, by virtue of the fact that it contains pork, but that's not what I mean. I think you know what I mean.

One last thing I must mention as I wrap this up…Mr. Always Random has not, nor will he ever, beg for green beans. Just needed to get that down on record, in case you were wondering.

Have a fabulous day!

Monday Listicles: Ten Tiny Things Which Bring Me Joy

So…today’s Monday Listicles topic from Stasha is Ten Tiny Things Which Bring Me Joy. As you might expect, I did have a little trouble limiting myself on this one so I didn’t. Limit myself, that is. Well, I kind of did, in that I did only write ten things in my list…but I did write two lists.

Yes, I went ahead and divided my list into two categories: Food Items, and Non-Food Items. And I have to confess that despite the split in categories, I found it somewhat difficult to limit myself to just ten in each one. 

The little non-food items were difficult, because I just like little things. It makes me feel like a giant, and who wouldn’t want to feel like that? Especially because I am not the tallest woman God ever created, it’s not often that I am bigger (taller, that is…I’m plenty BIGGER than many things), than a lot of things.

Sad, but true, that little foods make me joyful…but they do. I love the fact that since they are so small, they can’t possibly have fat or calories…which is why I can eat an inordinately large amount of each and not have to count the calories. How fantastic is that?

So, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer…I’m certain you can hardly stand it. And as usual, the lists are in no particular order…if for no other reason, I simply stopped writing things down so there was no way I could possibly rank them.

Now for the Ten Tiny Non-Food Things Which Bring Me Joy:

1. Free samples that come in the mail…and especially ones that come with a coupon. The best one I received recently was for Method detergent…it was 8 washes worth of detergent. That’s more than a sample, in my opinion, and ALMOST makes me want to buy Method (of course only if it was on sale at a good price and I had a coupon, and even then it is probably still crazy-expensive). But I will admit this: advertising works…in case you didn’t know.
2. Travel size toiletries…even though I am not one who loves to travel, I do love the travel-size toiletries. I don’t like to pay for them, because they cost so much more per ounce, but I do like to peruse them at the store. It’s weird I know.
3. Beads…when I was at IU, my friends and I would love to make a Saturday afternoon trip to “downtown Bloomington to visit Boca Loca and make some earrings, or a bracelet or simply just buy some beads.  I would spend hours in that place, just looking at all the beads. Or I would buy beads without even having a project in mind. Again…weird.
4. Spools of ribbon…again, it’s odd, but I could wander in the ribbon section of JoAnn’s for quite a while. Not so much today if the PBA are in tow, but if I’m in the area, I might get a good 5 minutes of non-whining out of them with which I look at the ribbon. And sometimes I buy them too…of course, only ones fulfilling the two stipulations: cheap-o ones, and ones which I could actually use in a card or some other craft. So really...not any stipulations. If I like it and it's cheap, I will probably buy it. I will find a way to work it into a craft. No worries.
5. New bottles of nail polish…there’s something exciting about getting a color you’ve never bought before. Or buying a new bottle of your favorite color. Or simply having nail polish that isn’t sticky and clumpy in the bottle…and actually dries when you put it on. For those of you who may disagree, I’m here to inform you that polish doesn’t last forever, and eventually either dries out or gets clumpy (justlike regular paint). But unlike regular paint, it can be inexpensive…and the Sunday paper often has a coupon for it. Bonus!
6. Buttons and button jars…I love looking through buttons and sorting through old button jars. I have a jar of buttons filled with buttons of past clothing. You know those extra buttons you get on your clothes.  Well, not so much anymore…at least for me. Most of my clothes don’t have buttons period. Or if they do, the clothes are inexpensive and don’t come with extra buttons. It’s a sign of the times, and of the economy, but in the interest of keeping this shallow, I dare not dwell on it. Anyway…when I used to get an article of clothing with extra buttons on it, I would put them in the jar. I sometimes also just buy bags of random, unsorted buttons. I like to look at them (weird!) but I also use them in crafts. So they’re not just lovelies sitting in a jar on the shelf. They’re getting used too. Maybe not in the way God intended (ok, I don’t really think God invented buttons or had a notion of how He intended for them to be used…and who else caught my unintentional pun? A button is found in the “notions” section of the craft store. Ah…it’s hard being punny. A gift and a curse…truly.
7. My dollhouse made by my grandpa. Yes, 'tis true that the dollhouse itself is not tiny, but all the things inside it were/are. Oh...I would play for HOURS with that thing: setting up rooms, rearranging furniture...and shopping with my mom for all the little details which would make my dollhouse feel like a real house. I don't ever remember  really acting out scenes or events...just setting up the stage. I'm so sad that it's all packed up in boxes, awaiting my grandaughters...the PBA just don't appreciate it like I had hoped (ok, I didn't really hope they would...they are boys, and I was never convinced that they would be as gentle with it as I would like them to be...those china dolls wouldn't stand a chance with them). So all that to say...it has brought me much joy and I know it will bring me joy again someday. Sorry...back to the shallow...
8. Tiny binder clips and tiny paper clips…ok, honestly, who DOESN’T love these things? And please understand, I do not mean regular binder clips or paper clips, which are small in their own right. I mean TINY ones. The ones that are so cute. And totally impractical for everyday stuff...but cute nonetheless. And they are perfect for papercrafts. If you have any you’d like to dispose of, please feel free to send them my way.
9. Salt & pepper shakers…I have part of my Grandma’s Salt & Pepper Shaker collection. And after I got it, and actually had a place where I could display them, I began collecting my own. They just make me happy and make me feel like I have a connection to her, and to our country’s history. My favorite ones are possibly the oldest ones in my collection: a pair of bombs celebrating V-Day in WWII.
10. Nivea lip balm…yes, I am going brand-specific on this. You don’t often see that from me, unless we’re talking food, so you can rest assured that this is important. I just love it. And it’s kind of expensive so wait for it to go on sale. And use a coupon for crying out loud! Just last week, CVS had these 2/$5…which doesn’t sound like a bargain, but there was also a coupon in the Sunday paper for $3 off/2…which brought it down to $1 each. That’s less than regular Chapstick. Which I used to love, but the scents leave something to be desired…even the Cherry. It smells like a cough drop…and who wants to go around smelling like a cough drop or tasting cough drop all day, especially when you’re not sick? Maybe you do, and I don’t’ judge that…well, maybe I do a little bit because it is weird…but I would venture to guess that most people don’t.  So sorry that I did not post this CVS deal in here sooner, as I didn’t think I would have so much to say about the Nivea Lip Balm. But I will try to remember to let you know if/when I see that deal again. (For the record, it has been at CVS twice in the past couple months, so here’s to hoping it will come up again.)

And now for the Ten Tiny Foods Which Bring Me Joy:

1. M&M’s …plain milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, pretzel, mint…that’s about it. I don’t want to try any of those coconut ones, or the chocolate covered cherry ones. Makes me a little gaggy to consider those two. Why ruin a good thing? I will explain, though, that I do not like chocolate covered cherries or chocolate and coconut. Really, I’m not a coconut kind of gal in any way…I don’t mind the flavor, but can’t stand the texture.  
2. Cake pops…chocolate, but that really goes without saying, right?…and I don’t even really need the stick, but then it’s not really a cake POP, is it? It’s more like a cake ball…and frankly that brings back disturbing memories of a conversation with my 11yo. I’m sure you may recall. If not, here you go: Parts Is Parts.
3. Mini marshmallows…mostly in hot chocolate. Actually, ONLY in my hot chocolate. I don’t make it a habit of eating plain marshmallows of any size. Maybe if they’re chocolate covered, but otherwise no.
4. Speaking of chocolate covered things: chocolate covered espresso beans. This needs no explanation, does it? If you don’t like coffee, clearly this won’t be for you, but if you do, you’ll probably be all over it. If you’ve never tried one, I will caution you that the texture does take some getting used to. It is a real coffee bean in there, so imagine what that would be like and put a thick coating of dark chocolate on the outside…and ta-dah! It’s  a little gritty, so let me be the one to offer to take any off your hands should you ever find yourself in a predicament in which you are given some chocolate covered espresso beans and do not want them.
5. And along the same vein, I also enjoy a good chocolate covered pomegranate seed. This is a very recent discovery for me (as in, just two days ago I discovered this), and they are T.A.S.T.Y. Even if you don’t like pomegranates in any way, you should give this a whirl. And even if you don’t like chocolate in your fruit, I would still suggest it. I was completely in that camp…don’t be messing with my fruit and chocolate. Fruit is with fruit, and chocolate is with chocolate, and never should the two mix. But through my epiphany this week-end, I may see a place where I have been wrong. Please forgive me for my previous hard-line stance on food segregation. I can see how fruit and chocolate may have found a way to work together. But I don’t see much potential for it working out beyond the pomegranate.
6. Dried cranberries…regular, as well as ones infused with blueberry, cherry or pomegranate juice. And I don’t even need chocolate on them (obviously, as I’ve already explained). For the record, I DO NOT really care too much for chocolate-covered raisins…they will do if it is a chocolate emergency, and even then I may just simply suck the chocolate off and spit out the raisins. Who am I kidding? I don’t waste food. I would suck the chocolate off and then eat the raisins plain…albeit begrudgingly. See, we’re getting back into the chocolate and fruit issue, and I’m all in a tizzy about the chocolate and pomegranate seeds, that I just cannot talk about it anymore.
7. Rye chips in a bag of Gardetto’s …yes, I threw you for a loop, didn’t I? Talking about salty snacks and not sweet ones…never fear…I’ll switch back for the rest of the list. I’m beginning to think I MAY have a sugar addiction. Anyway, the rye chips in the Gardetto’s…you know what I’m talking about. T.A.S.T.Y. And I clearly am not the only one who likes those best because they now sell bags only of the rye chips. Gardetto’s executives, feel free to send a free bag (or  dozen) my way for plugging your product…I know you read my blog. Don’t try to deny it.
8. Fun-size candy bars (not the mini ones because that’s just ridiculous)…but ones in which I can actually (if I choose to) take more than one bite to finish it. Again, who am I kidding? I eat a whole Fun Size candy bar in one bite too. I’m just saying I COULD take more than one bite.
9. Mini cupcakes…again, because there are no calories in them….I’m sure of it…they are simply too small to have calories stuffed inside. And they are just about as cute as they can be. But I must confess that there is simply not a good enough ratio of icing to cake in a cupcake of any size. I like a nice, big glob o’ icing with my cake. If it’s a sheet cake and you’re offering me an edge piece, “yes please!” If it’s a corner piece, even better. But please no whipped cream icing…because that is sacrilegious and an insult to cakes everywhere.
10. Drinks samples at Starbucks…if you hit it while they’re busy, you can easily snag multiple samples, thereby satisfying your need for a Starbucks beverage and you don’t even need to spend a dime. Just make sure it’s something you might actually like otherwise it’s simply wasted calories. One time I got a Spiced Pumpkin Latte…gag! No offense to those of you who live and breathe lattes. I think they’re beyond gross. Well, maybe not BEYOND, that’s a little harsh, but regardless: I do not like them. At. All…but on the flip side, no wasted money. It’s a tough call, actually. Don’t look for me to make that decision for you…because I can’t. For myself, I’m probably going to go with the calorie intake versus the money expenditure. My cheapness over-shadows my good taste.

So there you have it…Ten (ok, Twenty) Tiny Things Which Bring Me Joy…have a joyful day!

This is part of my S&P collection...as well as a few other miscellaneous things thrown in; notice the V-Day bombs in the center, alongside my turnabout bride & groom (on one side they are young and beautiful, and on the other side...not so much), and my Mama Kangaroo & the Joey in her pouch.