Chapter Four

Self-Portrait 2008

2008-08-19T17:33:00.003-05:00

I just had to tease my sister about my new iPhone...

For more self-portraits, visit Photo Friday.

Beads of Splendor

2008-08-18T16:12:00.009-05:00

One day as I was waiting at a red light at Gaston and Abrams, I noticed the word "BEADS" in bold red letters on a shopping center sign. At the time, I had the boys with me, so I didn't even think of stopping. But I made a mental note that I definitely wanted to go back there and check things out.

Back in April, the boys had gone to stay for a week with Billy's parents. Billy and I had made plans to have lunch one day at Mai's, and I was looking forward to seeking out that bead store afterward. The day we planned lunch, it rained. No, it poured. Buckets. Streets were flooding. Thunder was cracking. Lightning was flashing all around. I decided it wasn't a good day to drive around aimlessly, looking in an unfamiliar shopping center for a bead store I didn't even know the name of. I didn't get another chance to find the store that week, so it had to wait.

This week the boys are with Billy's parents again. I was going to meet Billy today so we could get our iPhones (woohoo!), so I decided to hunt for the bead store afterward. Guess what? It was raining again. Thankfully it was only changing from sprinkling to a light drizzle - so I circled the shopping center twice and found what I was looking for!

Beads of Splendor is part of the store Splendor in the Grass. They have some beautiful beads and handmade jewelry, and they offer beading classes. (One of the other bead shops I go to offers classes, but it's so far away.) I don't know how long I spent browsing and chatting with the owner and the clerk.

I fell in love with some gorgeous rhodochrosite beads and donut pendants! I had never heard of or seen it before. It's got amazingly beautiful pink and white banding! Unfortunately I don't wear much pink..., but I might start!

I didn't buy anything today, but I'm going back tomorrow (after Billy and I have lunch at Mai's again), and I'm taking a few pairs of earrings with me so I can find some beads to make matching necklaces. I can't wait to go back!

Kids Play the Darndest Things

2008-08-12T07:54:00.010-05:00

It's always funny seeing what "games" the boys will come up with to play. Of course there are the regular things like Hot Wheels, Legos, K'Nex, and board games, but then there are the things their imaginations bring to life.

They got their first Webkinz at Christmas and have collected a total of nine since. They aren't toys; they are their "friends", complete with names, birthdays, preferences - and voices, which can get really annoying. They played all sorts of things with their "friends". Then they started watching episodes of Unbeatable Banzuke, a Japanese game show where contestants had to race through various obstacle courses. Now their "friends" are the contestants as they watch the show, which leads to arguments over whose Webkin gets to play, whose Webkin should have won, whose Webkin gets to win all the time, etc.

I thought nine Webkinz were enough "friends", but then Jacob found a box full of Beanie Babies from who-knows-how-long-ago. Their "friend" count has climbed dramatically! I have no idea how many Beanie Babies were in that box, but now they pull them out daily and line them up for miles on the floor. I'll hear "One potato, two potato, three potato, four;..." as they determine who is "out" and who will "play" whatever obstacle course or other game they've come up with for the time being.

Not long ago, they discovered the weekly sale papers. I don't know what the fascination is with them, but they collect a week's worth and study them. They even take them to bed for reading material. Then when we go grocery shopping, they'll suddenly say, "That's on sale at (insert correct store here)!" Yeah, it was a month ago! Jacob doesn't want to throw any of them away, and I have issued an edict that they can't have new ones until the old ones are gone. I ended up getting rid of the old ratty ones last week, and they happily took the new ones that I wasn't in need of. They did beg for the Albertson's paper when I finished it, even though it had big green circles marking what I had put on my list.

Last week, Caleb got out the big box of scrap paper they use for drawing on and began drawing sections of the interstate, complete with cars, trucks, and semis, construction zones, numbered exits, and fast food restaurants and gas stations. Oh, and state lines, too. After he draws each section, he'll line them up end to end, determining where curves need to be to keep from running into a wall or under the table. Once Jacob started helping with drawing more roads, the "interstate" quickly doubled. They've amassed quite a stack of paper, and when they lay them end to end, there's up no room to walk in the playroom. That's fine with them, though. They get down in between pages and drive their Hot Wheels - their Webkinz' cars - across the pages, taking road trips only kids can imagine.

Now the Olympics are on. Can you guess what they're doing?

Beach volleyball is perfect since there are two players and two of them. Of course they're always the US team. They'll stand in front of the TV, jumping and throwing their hands in the air, making every move the athletes do. I think Jacob's favorite part is taking a dive on the sand (carpet). When they watch water polo, they act like they're splashing around and hitting the ball. Sometimes they let their Webkinz play.

But when gymnastics or swimming comes on, they sit spellbound, unable to imitate what they're seeing because they're so amazed by it. And they're impressed with all the muscles. (Caleb thinks he has a six-pack. *chuckle*)

All this reminds me of when Melissa and Lindsay were little. They would always act out favorite movies they'd watched a million times, and Melissa would always take first pick of characters: "I'll be Nadia and you be..." or "I'll be baby Jessica (who fell down the well in Midland, TX) and you be..." or "I'll be Annie and you be Miss Hannigan." (Notice she always took the starring role... Lindsay never thought it was fair, but Melissa never cared about that.)

I wonder what those boys will think of next.

Huh?

2008-08-06T19:43:00.009-05:00

Thursday, July 31

Friday, August 1
same store

At first glance I thought they had made a mistake on their sign, but after they changed the prices the next day, the "mistake" was still there.

The 7-11 about a mile or so down the street had the average 30 cents difference between regular unleaded and premium...

Homebodies

2008-08-02T20:38:00.003-05:00

Since I've been on Facebook, it's been fun seeing what everyone is up to at any time of the day. I've noticed, however, that on weekends, several of my friends and their families are busy running around town, going here and there, seeing sights, etc. We, on the other hand, stay home.

I look forward to Saturdays because I don't have to go anywhere or do anything. I can stay home and do nothing - or everything, depending on what doesn't get done during the week. Billy looks forward to having a relaxing day at home, and the boys enjoy spending the day playing on the computer, building with Legos, reading books, watching movies, etc. It's kind of the same as a "stay-home-day" during the summer, just with Dad home.

We aren't fuddy-duddies. We just prefer to stay in the quiet comfort of our own home and not fight crowds - or heat! Now I just need to get off my duff and invite some of our "jet-setting' friends over for an afternoon of fun...

Menu Plan Monday #30 - Revised

2008-07-31T14:37:00.007-05:00

I've rearranged things so much this week - for whatever reason - that I need to completely rework this week's menu!

Monday: breakfast sandwiches on English muffins

Tuesday: coconut shrimp and Zatarain's Caribbean rice
Surprisingly, Caleb loved all this!

Wednesday: sandwiches
We went to visit some friends after our library trip and ended up staying there until almost 6:00. By the time we got home it was too late to cook anything, so we had sandwiches instead. It was a great trade-off!

Thursday: Chipotle Chicken Cornbread Cups, salad, strawberries
I decided to try this new fall Pampered Chef recipe since I already have all the ingredients on hand.

Friday: BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, green beans

Saturday: blackened tilapia, Knorr Parmesan noodles, broccoli

Sunday: leftovers

Now I'm scouring the weekly grocery sale papers to plan next week's feasts.

10 Things to Do When It's Too Hot to Go Outside

2008-07-30T08:03:00.002-05:00

This week's Ten on Tuesday should be easy. We're becoming masters at this!

Here are 10 things we do when it's too hot to go outside...

1. read
2. play computer games
3. watch movies (at home)
4. go to the cheap movies (.50 or $1 per ticket)
5. church day camp (for Caleb)
6. go to the mall play area (for Jacob)
7. visit the library
8. play with Hot Wheels, Legos, K'Nex, Lincoln Logs, etc.
9. eat popsicles
10. nap (for me)

Jacob keeps asking to go out and play, and I keep telling him it's too hot. If we had shade or a kiddie pool to play in, that would make it tolerable - at least for a little while.

The boys had two weeks of swimming lessons a few weeks ago, and it was absolutely unbearable sitting in the heat for that 35-40 minutes each day. The only shade poolside was under one tree and a big crowd of moms claimed that early each day, so I was left crisping in the sun. (My feet have nice Speedo tan lines...) I would hide under the shade trees after swimming lessons while the boys played on the playground each day, but by then the damage was done. I was totally exhausted by the heat. By the last day of lessons, I was so drained of energy I couldn't do much of anything for a few days. We've been staying inside ever since - doing all the fun things listed above.

Menu Plan Monday #30

2008-07-28T08:57:00.003-05:00

We're back home this week, so I can get cooking!

Monday: breakfast sandwiches on English muffins

Tuesday: blackened tilapia, Knorr brand Parmesan Noodles & Sauce, salad

Wednesday: BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, spinach

Thursday: coconut shrimp, Zatarain's Caribbean Rice Mix, fruit salad

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Satay Chicken Pasta Salad (a new fall Pampered Chef recipe)

Sunday: sandwiches

For more menu plan ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Real Moms

2008-07-18T11:08:00.006-05:00

I just finished reading Real Moms: Exploding the Myths of Motherhood, by Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall. At times, I felt the authors were speaking directly to me! Here are a few "real mom" statements sprinkled throughout the book that I connected with.

"A real mom . . ."

" . . . picks her kids' noses." Yes, I do that on occasion.

" . . . puts dirty socks on her kids when the clean ones run out." Sometimes you just can't keep up with all the laundry.

" . . . really likes to sleep, but when that sick or scared-from-a-nightmare child only wants Mommy, deep down she really likes that too." Thankfully those nights aren't very often, and I like them even better when I can go right back to sleep.

" . . . sometimes gets tired, frustrated, and mad at her kids."

" . . . fusses at her kids a good part of the day, then lingers over them as they sleep."

" . . . sometimes has bad days (or weeks)."

" . . . always loves her kids . . . she just doesn't always like them."

" . . . thinks that occasionally the television makes a wonderful babysitter."

" . . . shoves all the dirty dishes in the oven when an unexpected friend arrives." The dishwasher works great for hiding those things I haven't gotten to yet.

" . . . smiles at her little angels as she passes someone else's screaming brats in the grocery store - and knows she shouldn't." Yeah, this usually happens the other way around for us.

" . . . uses real plates when entertaining guests. But lots of times the family gets paper plates." They're in the pantry, second shelf, to the left.

" . . . hardly ever gets all the laundry folded and put away. She just grabs wrinkled shirts from the pile."

" . . . knows that childhood passes so quickly - but not quick enough some days." Grocery days!

Here are a few I came up with on my own:
*A real mom sometimes falls asleep while reading to her children and makes up nonsense words in the process.
*A real mom makes her children take swimming lessons, whether they want to or not. And she makes them go underwater to get used to it.
*A real mom wraps up an uneaten lunch and serves it again instead of an afternoon snack.
*A real mom makes sandwiches for lunch a little more fun by cutting them differently to make two houses. Sometimes she makes a window in each one to make sure they taste good. :o)

I'm sure I can come up with more, given a little more time. :o)

Got some "real mom" thoughts to share? I'm sure I can relate!

Menu Plan Monday #29

2008-07-14T15:40:00.004-05:00

Last week, we ate sandwiches almost every night because we came home from Billy's parents' house with a package of 24 dinner rolls and a 5-lb. container of potato salad. We put most of it to good use. This week, I'm back to cooking. Some nights, anyway.

Monday: leftover hamburgers from yesterday's grilling session - I have a meeting.

Tuesday: Taco Layer Dip - I'm hosting a homeschool curriculum gathering for several of my friends so we can look over what each other uses and ask questions about it. The big homeschool shopping day at Mardel is Thursday. Everything education-related is 20% off!

Wednesday: Florentine Scrambled Eggs, toast

Thursday: sandwiches - I will be attending a ladies' game night at church!

Friday: Chicken Quesadillas

Saturday: Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Chutney, served over a bed of rice

Sunday: - leftovers

For more menu plan ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Free Lunch!

2008-07-10T14:44:00.002-05:00

The park where the boys take swimming lessons is one of a few in the city that participates in a summer nutrition program for kids. One lady I've been visiting with during swimming lessons said she lets her two grandchildren play on the playground after lessons, then have the free lunch. She didn't want to at first because she thought they may be taking a needed meal from someone else, but the man who works that park said the more people he serves, the more funding he gets to do it.

She said they serve a variety of hot and cold lunches. Monday was steak fingers, mashed potatoes, green beans, and chocolate milk. I don't remember what Tuesday's lunch was. We decided to stay for it Wednesday, which ended up being turkey and cheese sandwiches on wheat bread, apples, fruit juice, and chocolate milk. (I think there's chocolate milk every day, which Caleb doesn't like. I end up drinking his milk and he drinks from the water fountain.)

Today's lunch was hamburger pizza, corn (YES! I know! Pizza and corn, just like in school!), and soggy tater tots. And chocolate milk. Caleb ate everything except for a few bites of his pizza; Jacob only ate a few bites of his. I told them we'd keep doing that after swimming lessons as long as they eat the food. Once they start picking at it and wasting it, we'll stop.

It's a great program. There are so many kids that just hang out at the park all day, unsupervised. The guy who works that park brings a few board games, some crayons and coloring books, and a few basketballs so the kids will have a variety of things to do. He also provides a visible adult presence to keep down any misconduct. It's too bad all the parks throughout the cities in the Metroplex can't do something like that, but as long as some parks in not-so-great areas are covered, it's a vast improvement.

13 Staples in my Kitchen

2008-07-10T07:31:00.004-05:00

Here's a list of 13 things that you can always find in my kitchen.

1. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
2. Pampered Chef Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle
3. Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix
4. olive oil
5. brown sugar
6. onion
7. bread
8. milk
9. cheese
10. peanut butter
11. jelly
12. ham
13. honey mustard

10 Favorite Movie Characters

2008-07-08T14:26:00.007-05:00

Here's this week's Ten on Tuesday list, in no particular order.

1. Napoleon Dynamite
2. Willie Wonka (as played by Johnny Depp)
3. Captain Jack Sparrow
4. Ouiser Boudreaux (played by Shirley McClaine in Steel Magnolias)
5. Gracie Hart (played by Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality)
6. Patrick Verona (played by Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate about You)
7. Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy in Cars)
8. Forrest Gump
9. William Wallace
10. Landon Carter (played by Shane West in A Walk to Remember)

I'm on a roll and could go on, but I won't... I'll save those for another day.

Bribery or Threats?

2008-07-07T21:29:00.005-05:00

Jacob had his first swimming lesson today. He got his feet wet. That's all. He spent the whole 35 minutes of his lesson sitting at the edge of the pool watching everyone else. He was the only one who didn't get in.

His instructor tried to talk him into getting in the water, but he made several excuses why he couldn't. Later the pool supervisor sat by him and talked with him, trying her best to get him to go in. No deal. She said they'll try again tomorrow.

I wasn't so concerned with it today because the instructors were focused on gauging what each child is able to do. (They now know Jacob is reluctant, and that's putting it mildly.) Tomorrow they'll be put into equal ability groups so the instructors and children can have an easier time with the lessons.

Caleb, on the other hand, did super! He was excited to get in the pool and eagerly showed his instructor his bobs. He did the front float and glide. He's still nervous about floating on his back, though. He just won't relax enough to stay up. He keeps lifting his head up, so maybe he doesn't like having his ears under the water. Tomorrow I'll tell him to keep his ears under and find out what things he can hear under there.

But what can I do to get Jacob in the pool? I'm not above bribing him. He wanted to play on the playground after today's lessons. I told him no, but if he'll get in the pool tomorrow - and stay in the whole time - he can play on the playground AND we'll get a treat from Sonic on the way home. I've also told him that if he does well with swimming lessons, we'll get him a special toy. I'm ready to promise a black cat Webkin just like Caleb's!

I'm also not above threatening him. I paid $41 for his lessons and I don't want it to be wasted on his sitting on the edge for two weeks. If he doesn't get in the water by Wednesday or Thursday, I'm going to be really tempted to go through the gate and put him in the water myself! (There's a chain link fence around the pool, and only the lifeguard instructors and students are allowed inside during lesson times.)

Jacob is very strong-willed, so I'm not sure what's going to work. Any suggestions?

A Book Meme

2008-07-07T16:23:00.007-05:00

I came across this meme on Cindy's blog and had to participate.

1. Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? I remember Mama talking about how I'd walk around with my chalk and chalkboard and ask her how to spell words. By the time I was four, I could read well.

2. What are some books you read as a child? I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. I also read Jack London's Call of the Wild several times. Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew were good, too.

3. What is your favorite genre? I prefer fiction (historical, mysteries, Southern, contemporary), but I've recently taken an interest in biographies. I also enjoy some non-fiction.

4. Do you have a favorite novel? I don't have one favorite, but there are several series that I'm a big fan of: the Monk mysteries, Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries, Ann B. Ross' Miss Julia series, and Karen Kingsbury's Redemption, First Born, and Sunrise series. I also enjoyed Jan Karon's Mitford series.

5. Where do you usually read? I usually read in my rocking chair, but I also read on the couch, in bed, in the car (when someone else is driving, but also when I'm waiting in the drive-through line at the bank or pharmacy), in waiting rooms, while I'm brushing my teeth, etc. I always have a book with me. Even when we're out somewhere, there's probably one in my purse.

6. When do you usually read? Whenever I get the chance.

7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? Definitely. It's usually a mix of fiction or a biography along with a work of non-fiction.

8. Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction? I typically read non-fiction when my mind is fresh, and I read it more slowly than fiction. Usually with fiction, I'm enjoying being lost in the story, but I usually have a specific purpose for reading non-fiction, even if it's just learning from curiousity.

9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library? Most of my books come from the library. I've got limited shelf space, so I don't collect many. The only series I'm currently collecting are the Monk mysteries.

10. Do you keep most of the books you buy? On the rare occasions I buy books, I do keep them. There are some I've had to get rid of and others I've had to put in storage, but I hate doing that.

11. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? I read different books than the types my boys like, but a few easy favorites I've shared with them have been Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, and several Dr. Seuss books.

12. What are you reading now? I've just started reading Grace Is Enough by Willie Aames and Maylo Upton-Aames. (It was recommended by Cindy!) For "professional development", I've got a few in progress: Build It Big and Why We Buy. I'm also reading two for "personal development": Real Moms and Boundaries for Kids. Is that too much at once?

13. Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list? Most definitely. Actually I have a TBR stack. There are 10 library books stacked on the table by my rocking chair that I'm working my way through. Is that too many?

14. What's next? After I finish the Aames' autobiography, I'm going to read another Sue Grafton (K Is for Killer), then a Mary Higgins Clark (Where Are You Now?). I also have Miss Julia Strikes Back and Around the World in 80 Dinners in my stack.

15. What books would you like to reread? There are so many I want to get through the first time, I'm not really wanting to go back to anything else again. If I ever do, though, it would be Call of the Wild.

16. Who are your favorite authors? Sue Grafton, Karen Kingsbury, Jan Karon, Mary Higgins Clark, to name a few.

Thanks, Cindy. This was fun!

Now I'm going to tag Mama, Lindsay, and Stacy. If I didn't tag you and you like to read, feel free to post your answers in your own blog - and be sure to let me know so I can read it!

New Recipes

2008-07-03T08:26:00.002-05:00

In case you've stopped checking my recipe blog because of a lack of updates since April, I've added two new recipes and have a few more to add soon.

Weigh-In Wednesday #9

2008-07-02T22:03:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know. It's been a long time since I updated on this. Here goes...

1. Weight is the same, and the problem is two-fold. It's boring exercising at home, and I like food. Too much.

2. I've been changing my workout up a bit. I'm walking a mile in about 17 minutes plus some seconds each time. My best time so far is 16:35; I didn't time today's walk. I've dropped back to working out my upper body just once instead of twice, and I've added some lower body weights to my regimen. (I think I'll really feel it tomorrow.) After my workout with weights/equipment, I walk a few cool-down laps.

3. I jogged today. And nothing was chasing me. And I didn't die. Okay, it was only half a lap, which works out to be 1/20 of a mile. But still - I attempted it. I kept thinking about doing it as I counted each lap, and finally I just did it. I was listening to the wrong song for that though. It was too fast and I couldn't get my timing down. I ended up going a little too fast and had to stop. I'm going to have to listen to the other stuff on my iPod, other than my "walk" playlist, and see what's good for a slow jog. Maybe next time I can get a whole lap in!

In the Children's Section

2008-07-02T17:16:00.003-05:00

Caleb loves to read and has read all the Beverly Cleary "Ramona" books as well as all of the Junie B. Jones books. He read most of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, and will probably get back to those later. He collects The Magic Tree House and Geronimo Stilton series, so he doesn't want to get them from the library.

Two weeks ago we asked the librarian for some recommendations. He suggested The Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown, and Captain Underpants. What?!? I had seen the Captain Underpants books on the shelf and wondered about them. I knew one day they would capture Caleb's attention, and what would I do? I asked the librarian if they were "okay", and he said they were mostly silly boy humor. I told Caleb to wait until I checked into them a little more, then I would let him know if he could read them. I asked several of my friends about them, and surprisingly they had all read them and loved them. Well, liked them. The kids loved them.

I relented and Caleb checked out The Adventures of Captain Underpants last Wednesday. He read it in no time and was ready for more. We went back to the library two days later so I could pick up some books that were on hold for me. Caleb checked the shelf for more of the Captain Underpants series and found books 2, 3, and 5-8. He checked them out and has since read every one. On today's library trip, he found book 4 and checked it out. He's already finished with it.

While I was looking for some easy reader books for Jacob, I came across some books from the Walter the Farting Dog series. Thankfully the boys weren't with me when I found those. I have to draw the line somewhere.

I'm Guilty

2008-07-02T09:41:00.005-05:00

Apparently there's a list of 10 Words to Avoid When Writing. I am guilty of using several of them, if not all. After reading the reasons for not using certain words, I felt dumb. (Oops, there's one!) I'll provide the 10 words, but you'll have to read the article to see if you feel bad about making the same mistakes.

1. really (I use this one too much!)
2. you
3. feel (This one, too. In fact, I used it in the above paragraph. Twice.)
4. think
5. as
6. a lot (I use this one ~~a lot~~ often, too. )
7. sort of/kind of
8. like
9. just
10. used to

I thought for certain the over-used "that" would make the list.

I sort of, like, just used to feel like writing this way all the time, but now I'll make a attempt to choose better words so my writing won't seem weak.

HT: Bag of Nothing.

10 Favorite Sports to Play or Watch

2008-07-01T08:09:00.003-05:00

Today's Ten on Tuesday looks to be challenging... I don't know if I can come up with 10 sports, much less ones that I like to play and/or watch.

Play:
1. volleyball
2. racquetball
3. golf
4. softball

Watch:
5. NHRA drag racing
6. NASCAR
7. football
8. baseball (in person, not on TV)
9. gymnastics
10. diving

Bonus: Spelling Bee. Hey - it airs on ESPN2, doesn't it?!?

Thankfully the upcoming Olympics gave me some ideas!

What do you like to play? To watch?

Menu Plan Monday #28

2008-06-30T07:48:00.005-05:00

Last week's menu didn't go as planned. The boys and I were so busy some days, I just didn't feel like cooking a lot in the evening. And as it turned out, Billy wanted to have sandwiches a few nights since he hadn't had any for the month he was gone.

We ended up with chili-cheese corn dogs on Tuesday; scrambled eggs, biscuits, and bacon on Wednesday; and fried rice and egg rolls on Thursday. Oh, and we went out to Posada's for supper Saturday night.

That works out great for this week, though, because I don't have too much planning to do.

Monday: homemade pizza

Tuesday: crock pot steak (or chicken) with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, stewed squash and onions, salad, crescent rolls

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: sandwiches and fresh fruit

4th of July weekend: BBQ and all the fixin's

Sunday: sandwiches

For more weekly meal plans, check out Heavenly Homemakers. (The Organizing Junkie is taking a break this week.)

Boiled Peanuts and Tomato Sandwiches

2008-06-27T19:26:00.004-05:00

My friend Kim emailed me this afternoon that she had seen some raw peanuts at a nearby produce stand. She knows I love boiled peanuts and was wanting some. I went by later, but all I could find were bags of peanuts and a basket of raw Valencia peanuts. None fresh pulled (or "green") - but I think it's still too early for that. I wasn't sure about using the raw Valencias, so I skipped the peanuts for now. I'll have to check with Mama on that...

I hated to not buy anything, and all the produce looked really good, so I browsed and thought about what would be good with crock pot steak and mashed potatoes, which we'll be having one night next week. I ended up buying some squash and two tomatoes. I ate one tonight: some on a BLT and some on a tomato sandwich. Yum! Brings back childhood memories.

Now if I can just get my hands on some boiled peanuts... Mama or Lindsay, would you please run by your Wal-Mart and pick me up a few cans...? (The canned ones are good, but not as good as fresh. Still, I'll take what I can get!) People in Texas look at me like I'm crazy when I ask for them.

San Antonio: Sea World

2008-06-27T11:03:00.017-05:00

Good news: We made it to Sea World!

Bad news: We got there over an hour after the park opened. Closing time: 6:00 p.m.

Good news: Daddy had pre-purchased tickets online, so we didn't have to wait in line to get ours. We were able to go right through the turnstile.

Bad news: Instead of planning our day around the shows we wanted to see, we just went here and there willy-nilly and ended up missing out on a few shows and exhibits.

Good news: In spite of all that, we had a blast! I'm ready to go back!

In a nutshell:
1. The Budweiser Clydesdales are beautiful! And HUGE!

2. We fed the dolphins some fish and tried our best to pet them, but they were just always out of reach. I think maybe Melissa got to touch one. I couldn't lean across the wall very far because my purse would've gone splashing into the tank, and I didn't want to set it down and risk losing it or getting it wet. Otherwise I think I would've been able to reach one. Maybe next time...

3. Shamu's show Believe was good, but not as great as the show I remember seeing as a child. I really wanted to see the trainers swim with the orcas. Still it was good seeing how the whales and their trainers interacted.

4. Rio Loco is great! We all got soaked at the waterfall. Luckily we had enough foresight to rent a locker to stash our stuff so it would be nice and dry. It was the boys' first theme park ride and they loved it. Jacob was scared to get on at first and was fighting me when it was time to get in our raft, but my dad picked him up and he settled right down. In the end, though, he wanted to ride again.

5. Daddy made friends with a macaw, who bobbed up and down every time he shook out his wet handkerchief.

6. We all liked Viva! better than Believe. Dolphins and belugas jumped and did flips while divers dove from scary heights and acrobats performed on wires and rings above the water. A diving clown also provided some comic relief.

7. There were a lot of places to choose our lunch, but we didn't want to venture halfway across the park to find something. We found something near where we were and really enjoyed our food. The boys got kids' meals in plastic Shamu lunch boxes, but they didn't eat much because of all the excitement. Daddy got a tasty-looking Caesar salad with grilled chicken. The rest of us got "healthy" bacon cheeseburgers and fries. Mmmmmm-mmmm good! We had some watermelon slices for a fresh, cool dessert.

8. The boys had a lot of fun playing at Shamu's Happy Harbor. There was a huge rope net for climbing, all sorts of tunnels and bridges and slides, a ship, some sandboxes, and several scaled-down versions of adult rides. The boys rode their first roller coaster - Shamu Express - and Caleb was hooked. He also liked riding the Paint Mixer with my dad. He loves anything that spins really fast! Jacob's favorite ride was one that went up and down really fast. They spent a long time playing at the harbor with my parents in tow.

9. While the boys played at the harbor, my sisters and I went to ride The Great White: "Texas' first inverted steel roller coaster! You'll dangle your legs from ski-lift-style seats and go heels-over-head five times during more than 2,500 feet of breathtaking loops, corkscrews and other thrilling maneuvers at speeds of almost 50 mph!" I was nervous at first because I can't remember the last time I rode a coaster. But it was so much fun, we ended up riding three times in a row. After our last time, we thought we knew what "shaken baby syndrome" feels like.

10. Melissa went back to Shamu's Happy Harbor while Lindsay and I went through the penguin exhibit. It was really cool and colorful inside, but the smell wasn't that great.

11. We were running out of time, so after the boys finished riding a few more rides and climbing the nets, we headed back toward the entrance/exit to visit the shark aquarium and the coral reef. It was really relaxing being inside the coolness again, and we got to see all sorts of fish. One of the medium-sized fish had a large chunk bitten out of its back. We saw another one with a similar-looking scar. Guess they don't feed their sharks enough... :o)

12. Almost as an afterthought, we realized we needed to find a souvenir shop. The boys had seen stuffed Shamus and each wanted one. I wanted to find some T-shirts for us. Then I remembered I wanted to get some playing cards. We had to go to three different shops before we found those! (My mom and sisters and I collect playing cards. Comes in really handy for playing Nerts, where everyone needs a different-looking deck. It also makes it easy to sort out the cards after a game of Nines.)

We left just as the park was closing at 6:00 p.m. The next day, it was going to start staying open until 8:00 p.m. We could've really used those extra two hours, but we were exhausted. Our clothes had dried out and the boys were getting a little grumpy. And we were getting really hot.

After we got back to the hotel, we went for a dip in the pool, then went out to Chick-Fil-A for supper. (We found it this time.) After we got back from there, we all got together for a short game of Nines before heading to bed.

Enjoy these pictures of our Sea World adventure.

Empty Nest?

2008-06-23T08:58:00.004-05:00

For the last week and half, I've been hearing little bird chirps outside our front window. Every few hours or so, I'd hear what sounded like little squeaks, and after a day or so, I finally figured out what it was. There are two bushes in front of the living room. The miniature rose bush is right in front of the window, but I couldn't see any birds' nests in it. The other bush is off to the left of the window, just far enough away that I can't see into it very well, but I'm pretty sure that's where they've been.

I suddenly noticed this morning that I didn't hear anything from them at all yesterday. I recall hearing some commotion Saturday afternoon, but I was busy and didn't really think anything of it. I don't know much about birds, but it seems awfully quick for them to be flying. Of course, I don't know for sure when they hatched, either. It could've been while the boys and I were away. But now I'm wondering if some of the stray cats in the neighborhood found them. I hope not, but it's entirely possible. I've heard quite a few cat fights out front here and there in the nearly two years we've lived here.

I may have to check when I go out to the mailbox this morning...

Update (6/25/08): The birds are still there. I'm listening to them right now, and I think I can see the nest near the front of the bush to the side of the window. I'm not going to go poking around, though, because I don't want to disturb anything. I'm glad they're still around and especially that no stray cats got them!

Menu Plan Monday #27

2008-06-23T08:48:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I posted a weekly menu, but since Billy's been out of town, the boys and I have been winging it. When we're not out of town, that is. Billy's getting back home tonight, so I'll be back to cooking this week. He's been eating Greek food for 3 weeks solid, and he told me he's really ready for something different.

Monday: leftover mac & cheese from last week or corn dogs/hot dogs

Tuesday: biscuits, scrambled eggs, and bacon

Wednesday: fried rice & egg rolls

Thursday: BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, salad

Friday: homemade pizzas

Saturday: out for Mexican food

Sunday: leftovers

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.