Trying to Put Off for Tomorrow What I Can Do the Day After That

Sketchy blogging lately, I know. Sorry, but my Madre is in town, cooking and having a ton of fun with us, and that’s just not to be missed. Seriously, how often do you get the chance to eat for hours while laughing about everything?

Anyway, this week I shall be trying to get caught up on everything I have neglected, including laundry and cleaning. And maybe do some cooking for a change. I feel like I owe my mom and sis a night off from all the cooking and cleaning. We need some comfort food today. I’m thinking meatloaf and mashed potatoes and steamed veggies and homemade rolls.

I’m also thinking I will throw out the bath scale.

And quite possibly my jeans.

Anyway, I’m still murdering books and will be posting the outcome and how-to over at Junk and Glue. Eventually. Little One is beyond thrilled with the sculptures and I am beyond thrilled she has kept her room clean. I know I am rambling but I can’t help it. It has been a crazy week and weekend. Still, I have to get the house is good shape before vacation so I don’t have to deal with it when I return. Nothing worse than having to clean house after frying your skin while having fun fishing.

I swear I will have a more coherent post sometime this week. Until then, enjoy the day!

So Far, So Good

Except when it comes to my waistline.

Mom has been cooking lunch and dinner every day. And like a dutiful daughter, I have been rising up to the challenge and eating lunch and dinner, every day.

Of course, now my jeans are trying to rise to the challenge of containing me.

The upside of this is that I haven’t had to cook dinner since she arrived. That is awesome in my book, and the reason I don’t dwell on the downside of this. I have been attempting to cook more Puerto Rican dishes, but let’s face it: they aren’t a patch on my mom’s cooking. Still, my family likes it enough to enjoy leftovers the following day, so that’s saying something. But I can’t let my mom do all the cooking while she’s here. I want her to enjoy her time with the family. So I shall be cooking this weekend for the clan. Not all weekend, mind you. Just dinners and one breakfast, maybe. And first request? Beer braised beef.

Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

Because it’s beef, in beer. How can you go wrong???

Anyway, time for me to run. I have to go to the grocery store. Again. And to the liquor store. Again.

It’s for a good cause 😉

It Is Never too Late to Think About Halloween

Seriously, Halloween is just over 100 days away. I have to plan accordingly.

Each year, the kids’ costumes get more intricate. Last year, Eldest dressed as a weird, foul character from Skyrim™, complete with live snake for a necklace. Little One chose another character, and her cloak had stuffed crows attached to it.

Not real crows, mind you. I may be crafty, but I have never learned taxidermy.

This year the girls want to do something more subtle. Eldest may or may not participate, due to upcoming commitments, but Little One has plans…. big plans. And they involve cherry syrup and scar makeup. No, I have no idea if it’s for her, or a victim friend. Sometimes that child makes me afraid.

As for myself, I was all set to make an elaborate Steampunk costume. Until I realized that I would be handing out candy to a lot of kids and their parents who would have no idea what the heck Steampunk is. But not to worry. I have an excellent plan in mind. One that will probably get parents to ban my house from trick-or-treating next year. I’m not divulging what it is, but here’s a hint.

Only it will be black and tan. So you get two hints. And no, I am not going as Vader Princess, much as I would love to.

Maybe next year 😉

What a Difference a Weekend Makes

This weekend we traveled up east to visit family. It had been almost a year since we had gone for a visit, and we were chomping at the bit to get there. I have always found cousins to be the ties in families, and this was no different. All in all, my aunt- and uncle-in-law  hosted two of their kids, and their families, two of their nephews, their wives, and their seven children, along with other family friends. And I won’t lie: it was mostly my aunt-in-law! She not only did this at the last minute, but with a gracious heart and plenty of laughter. I’m sure by Sunday she was completely exhausted.

It doesn’t get better than that, huh? Relaxing by a lake, watching them fish and enjoying the sounds of kids playing and laughing. And that was the ONLY time we slowed down. The rest of the time was occupied with visits and cooking and eating and playing games and generally having fun. Sometimes being busy is the best way to unwind.

And I can’t wait to do it all over again 😀

The Endless Summer

Four days later, I can sit down to write a post.

I think it has been four days since my last post. I really have no idea.

Between driving kids to work, working on updating Little One’s room, running stuff to Goodwill, birthdays, anniversaries, family visits, reunions, more reunions, graduations, the promotion ceremony, and the normal day-to-day stuff of running errands and chores, I am just horse tired. Not just tired. HORSE TIRED!!!

I don’t even know what that means.

And now I realize that June is almost over, and I feel like I haven’t done anything. Except clean the refrigerator. I did do that. After that chore, I needed an anti-depressant.

Anyway, I better get going. If I keep going at this rate, I may not need to ever go to the Y 😉

Bookshelf Sithy

The other day, my friend XBradTC sent along a link to a book that just screams The Force.

Seriously, I can not think of anything more macbethy or hamletty than Star Wars.

Sheer EPICNESS!!!

Enjoy your Friday!! 😀

 

Random Thoughts on a Wednesday—Scratch That. TUESDAY!!! Afternoon

I took Eldest to the mall this afternoon. She needed shoes for her graduation, and I needed shoes for a promotion ceremony. I walked into Macy’s™, where I seldom shop, and went to the shoes, right through to the sales rack, found the perfect pair, and proceeded to check out. “Shopping Like a Man” level: ACHIEVED.

There is no worse earworm than that of a Zelda game.

Funny how cleaning the house takes only minutes when you know you are having company.

Before I went to see Curtis Stone, I had two different types of vinegar in my pantry. Now I have nine.

Kindness is always free.

I have trained my dogs to want to go out as soon as I sit down. Ok, they trained me.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how some people claim to be ready for the zombie apocalypse, and yet they can’t manage to kill a spider without the use of five pairs of shoes, several cans of Raid™ and a Bic™ lighter, all the while crying like a toddler who fell off the swing set.

I am never too anything to be hungry.

That does it for today’s randomness. Hope y’all have a pleasant evening!! 😀

UPDATE!!!!!

It has been brought to my attention by Rob that it is Tuesday, not Wednesday. This is what happens when I am on pain meds and have no chocolate in the house.

Channeling Alice Cooper

For the first time in like forever, I am looking forward to school ending and summer vacation. For most Stay-At-Home mothers, “summer” means “jail”. But honestly, this time it will be a reprieve from the almost constant deluge of school functions, meetings, concerts, and ROTC events. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy being involved. But there is only ONE of me, ok?? It is extremely difficult to be everywhere at once with the Laws of Physics refusing to bend to my every need. Every. Single. Weekend. PEOPLE!! It would have been fine if only all three kids had their activities in the same frickin’ town. But no…. THAT would have been waaaaaaay too easy.

Only the best back-to-school ad EVAH!!

But even I know summer can be a pitfall. It can unravel faster than a cheetah ripping through the yarn aisle at JoAnn’s™. So, a few rules MUST be implemented, observed and enforced in order for Mommy to not escape inside a bottle not lose her mind.

RULE #1

The term “I’m bored!” is banned. If uttered, even in a whisper or under breath, the culprit will have earned five hours cleaning the outside windows with newspapers and vinegar. Yes, I am old school.

RULE #2

You are responsible for your own breakfast AND lunch during the weekdays. Asking me for it will earn you an extra set of chores, to include attic cleaning.

RULE #3

TV will be limited to only three hours per day (not counting evenings). This does include any videogaming. Breaking this rule will have earned the perpetrator three hours of outside activity. Pooper scooper may be involved.

RULE #4

The query, “Why?” is no longer valid. End of discussion.

RULE #5

Any schoolwork for the summer will be done the FIRST two weeks of summer vacation, and not the last 20 minutes of summer vacation. As an addendum, any schoolwork that requires math or physics is solely the responsibility of Daddy. Mommy was told there would be no math.

RULE #6

Music while doing chores or for the joy of it is fine, as long as it is within the accepted parameters: no screamo, no alternative, no techno pop. Also, it must be played at a level consistent with my ability to keep my sanity, so nothing above 1,200 decibels.

So far these are a few of the solid rules. I shall be printing these out and posting them on the refrigerator, as well as on each of their doors. And quite possibly the bathroom mirror. Obey these rules, and you don’t get hurt. It is that simple.

Disobey, and deal with your father 😉

In Case You Wondered, I’m Still Here

I honestly thought that with the school year coming to an end, things would be easier. At the very least, I wouldn’t be so busy.

Well, I for one have learned my lesson.

I didn’t post much at the weekend because I spent it with the family, had some ROTC commitments for Memorial Day, and I figured y’all would be busy observing the holiday, too. And then Tuesday showed up, and all Hades broke loose from its tethers.

First, pick up car from mechanic.No, it ain’t fixed. The car’s computer is too OLD for the mechanic’s computer to “read”. GAH!!!

Second, take pics to be scanned to CD at Walgreen’s. Why? Because my scanner decided that scanning graduation portraits was gauche.

Third, go to dentist and change Eldest’s appointment for July. Finals wait for no senior.

Fourth, enquire at thrift shop on how to be a volunteer (Son needs the hours for NHS). Awesomely, I found an old candlestick to match another I found weeks ago.

Fifth, fix side mirror of Hubby’s car (fell off, so I E-6000 it). So it’s a bit crooked. So is the road.

Sixth, finish ironing. Because ACUs should never be ironed, unless you work for the Army.

Seventh, start dinner. Thank you Lord, for giving someone the intelligence to come up with pre-cooked burgers.

Eighth, take girls to get ice cream, because it’s on the way to a friend’s house where said friend has found a box turtle for them to see.

Ninth, go to Lowes™ and get air filters, even some in the wrong size, just to make tomorrow special.

Tenth, replace some filters, and enjoy having a dust storm settle in my hair.

So there you have it: how I spent my Tuesday. I’m hoping my week improves.

If it doesn’t, there’s wine for that 😀

So, This Happened

Today I was scheduled to take one of our vehicles in for a check up and diagnostic. My mom had transferred ownership of her old 1994 Saab to us for Eldest to use once she got her license. Yes, I am still in tears about that. Anyway, it is having some issues, so I made an appointment on Tuesday to take it in to be checked out. One can’t take chances, you know?

Anyway, I took the kidlets to school without incident, and then headed back home to pick up the other car. I put my hair up in a clip (it’s frightful), washed up the dishes, and then grabbed the keys and headed out.

So I got into my Pathfinder.

And drove down the street to the mechanic.

In my Pathfinder.

Not the Saab.

And if you think I just went down a couple of blocks before I noticed, think again. I was turning into the shop before I noticed. Luckily I had time to turn around and switch vehicles before my appointment.

And this is what happens when you don’t drink coffee first thing in the morning 🙂