'Cause I Got Nothin'

I posted this picture for three reasons.


#1 I thought it was precious. Watch Day at Phoebe's ballet was Monday and this is the only photo that turned out well due to the weird lighting in the dance studio.


#2 I cleaned out my craft closet yesterday and I got an itch to sew, thus monopolizing my evening finishing up a few projects that were buried underneath the giant pile of colored-up coloring books, scrap paper, and 964 broken crayons and dried out markers.


#3 I went on a field trip with my Pre-K class to the Donut Stop and the Fire Station and I am wiped out. I got nothin' creative floating around in my head this evening.

I Have Good News And Bad News

The bad news first. It's better that way.

It's not Spring, yet...despite what my calendar is telling me.

Today was 40 some-odd degrees and drizzly. Not so Spring-y and kind of depressing. When I made my menu plan on Saturday, I thought it was going to be warmer so I didn't buy ingredients for TORTELLINI SOUP. I bought ingredients for Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Braid from THIS blog.



It was so yummy, I had to share! Next time, I'll either half the filling or use two cans of crescent rolls. I like a little more bread with my goop, but there were no complaints at the dinner table!

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Braid

1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped (I bought a pound chunk of ham at the deli counter because it was on sale for $2.99!)
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 or 2 can(s) refrigerated crescent roll dough (I used the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ham, broccoli, parsley, mustard and cheese. Stir well. Unroll the crescent roll dough and arrange flat on a n 11X17 baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough (adapt or eliminate this step if using the Recipe Creations dough). Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the filling along the center strip (it will be piled high but the strips will reach over the mound of filling when it is braided). Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden brown. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

Look at all the cheesy goodness! And the broccoli! I know your mouth is watering.

Don't strawberries and asparagus just scream Spring?! This recipe was so easy and quick, we will most definitely be having it again. Maybe when it's actually Spring outside.

Now for the good news.


MY KINDLE WAS FOUND!!


It's missing the cover, but it still works so it didn't go through the washing machine. Brad can now watch whatever movies he wants to and I won't mind while I catch up on reading ELANTRIS (my brother recommended it)and maybe start THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER.

Aren't you glad I ended with the good news?

We're Moving!

Not really.

But while reading one of my FAVORITE blogs the other day, I came across a POST that featured THIS architect.

Holy Guacamole, I'm in love.

With THESE windows, and THIS fireplace, and have you seen THIS bedroom?! Seriously, I love this house.

The idea of a new house with an old soul appeals to me. Our OLD HOUSE in town was an old house from the 1940's. I loved it's character. I loved the creaky, wood floors. I loved the big fireplace. I did not love the old pipes. Or the critters that lived under the pier and beam foundation. Or that nothing was a standard size because it was so old. When we built this house, I tried to build a new house with an old soul. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

But this guy is a genius!

I told Brad that if we ever built another house, we were using him as our architect. Brad made a non-committal noise that said, "Like-you're-going-to-remember-this-guy-when-the-time-comes-and-he-probably-has-a-five-year-waiting-list-and-he's-probably-waaaaaayyy-expensive-but-whatever".

But I'm nothing if not persistant. I may never have another house or need an architect again, but I'll always keep Clay in the back of my mind. With his beautiful fireplaces and big windows and pitched ceilings.

So what are your thoughts on this guy and his (awesome) house designs? I'd love to know if I'm alone in this or not. :)

Careless

Hi. I'm Jordan. And I'm a careless person.

It's one of the things about myself that drives me crazy. I am naturally a careless person. As I child, I lost everything. Backpacks, toys, school assignments, hairbrushes, jackets, shoes, you name it and I lost it. It forever drove my mother crazy (I'm sure), but if my head hadn't been screwed on tight, I would have lost it, too. People who know me as an adult find this hard to believe because I'm such a organized, controlling person now. I think it's because I have to be this way to function. Since it drives me crazy that I can't find things, I became super-organized (as in a place-for-everything-and-everything-in-it's-place kind of gal) to survive and feel like a contributing member of society. Even now, when things get really busy or I get really stressed or I've got a lot of worrying to do, I misplace things that I know I had not ten minutes before.

This past week was an incredibly stressful week. Being in the hospital and the kids going every which direction and Brad having one of the most busy, stressful weeks at his work made my mind go in a million different directions. And my "stuff" was the causality. Like my PRETTY KINDLE.


I left my kindle at the hospital.


And now it's lost. I've called up there several times and pieced together a story of what likely happened. No one has turned it in and since I believe in the innate goodness of most people, I don't think it was stolen. It was the last thing I used while sitting on the hospital bed and I probably tossed it down when I got up and the covers were thrown over it. When we left, I didn't see it lying around in the open. The cleaning lady probably didn't either and just wadded up the sheets to ship them off to laundry. In Lubbock. I've left messages with the gal in charge of Laundry Services and the Charge Nurse and Lost and Found who have all called other people and it hasn't turned up yet. It has probably traveled to Lubbock and been washed with bleach in a big, industrial-sized washing machine. I think it's safe to say that I'll never see it again.

I was pretty devastated. I loved my little kindle like I've never loved an electronic before. It had the PRETTY COVER so it seemed a little more warmer and affectionate than just a phone or a computer. I spent a day literally sick over the loss and beating myself up for it.

And then it occurred to me that it was just a thing. My heart was hurting more over the loss of my kindle than from the human suffering I see all around. There are children all over the world without shoes or clean water or food. Families dying of AIDS or living in poverty or suffering tragic loss at the hands of nature. It seemed a little calloused and selfish to spend all that emotional energy on a kindle. Something completely frivolous and self-serving. It's carelessness of the heart is what it is. I need to spend more time emotionally investing in people and less time on things that can easily be replaced (although Brad hasn't offered).

So I still miss my kindle. Especially last night when Brad was watching 127 HOURS and I so didn't want to, but maybe my discomfort will remind me to be a little less careless. Both with the physical and the emotional.

Truth in a Coonskin Cap

One of the computers in the computer lab at Eli's elementary school crashed this past week. As everyone knows, there's just not a lot of extra money floating around the Texas public school system, so the school had a fundraiser to raise money for a new one. For $1, each child could wear a hat today. I thought it was a great fundraiser because it was easy and didn't require the homeroom moms to do anything.

Here's the hat Eli chose.



One of my facebook friends commented that if you didn't know who the "weird kid" in your child's class was, then it was probably your child.

Sometimes the truth just stares you in the face. And it's probably wearing a coonskin hat.

De Ja Vue All Over Again

So I took an unexpected blogging break.


Actually, I had every intention of not posting the rest of Spring Break since we were heading up to Keystone, CO for a ski trip. A trip where I did not take one single picture. Not one. And I knew I probably wouldn't, seeing as how there was so much resting and cooking and eating and resting to be done.

We woke up Sunday morning, loaded up, and headed home. Ready to get back into the grind of reality and laundry and unpacking (and oh, how I detest unpacking!). I knew it was going to be a busy week with Eli's first soccer practice and game which I had to buy him new tennis shoes for, I needed to start switching out the kids winter and spring clothes, and then there was just the day to day stuff.

But instead we drove straight to the ER from Colorado.

And then I spent three nights at the hospital.

Around Trinidad, I started having severe pain and pressure in my abdomen that would not go away. I couldn't get comfortable and I was throwing up. A pretty rare occasion for someone without a stomach. It made for a fun 9 hour car trip. We called the doctor and he told us to head to the ER. So we did. With all our luggage and sled and everything else we took to Colorado jammed in our car.

After IV painkillers (thank heavens!), a blood test, and a CT scan, the ER doctor told us there was good and bad news. The good news was that none of my tumors burst and I wasn't bleeding in my abdomen or any of the other scary things we worry about when headed to the ER. (It happens more than you think.) The bad news was that I had a bowel obstruction and nothing was getting past my belly button. It's pretty common among people who've had abominable surgery. The small intestine gets wrapped and kinked around scar tissue. Usually it works itself out after a couple of days. The big, giant problem was that I would have an NG tube for the next few days.

When I heard that, I almost cried.

NG tubes are a tube that is inserted through your nose, down your throat, to your stomach and just might be the most uncomfortable thing that can ever be done to a human. Mainly because once it's inserted (which is a painful ordeal in and of itself), it hurts the entire time it's there. It makes your throat burn like fire so much you can't talk. It makes your ears hurt. It sits on your gag reflex so you dry heaves about every 30 minutes. Like I said, very unpleasant.

After 24 hours in hell with the NG tube, I convinced my doctor to take it out Monday night. I was pretty sure that if he didn't order it, then I was going to do it myself. I was a much better patient after that! By then, he was convinced that the obstruction was working itself out and I'd be home in a few days, anyway. I got better so much faster after that. I was released yesterday and am now on the road to recovery. I forget how debilitating a hospital stay is and I'm always surprised how long it takes one to bounce back.

My dad came to stay with the kids and help us out. You can read about his adventures HERE. He also made me THIS for dinner. It's amazing and Eli named it "The Port Aransas Special" after eating it on our family vacation last year. Aren't dads the greatest?

So, hopefully, things are back to "normal" around here and there won't be too many more hospital stays in the next few months.

'Cause It's Spring Break

Brad and I stayed up late to watch "THE SOCIAL NETWORK". Great show, but we're not sure if it's because it was a great story or just a really well-written screenplay. Either way, it's the most recent movie we've seen in a looooong time.


I slept in. Til 6:30am.


Eli played the Wii on a weekday.


I made a gi-nor-mous run to Sam's and Wal-Mart with both children in the same day. What was I thinking?!


I'm pretty sure no one in my house has eaten anything that occurs in nature in a few days.


The kids and I saw a big, black cow being herded down a residential street by the Sheriff.


Phoebe is begging me to paint her toenails even though I have explained to her (485 times) that it's still too cold for sandals.


Brad and the kids watched "MEGA MINDS" while I went to a Farmgirl Frosting party. (It's kind of like a Pampered Chef party, but with really cute clothes.) An arrangement that suited everyone quite nicely, thankyouverymuch.




I had potato chips (and only potato chips) for lunch.


I still had to do laundry.


I finished reading "THE HELP" and am now looking for something else to read this week.


I'm making THESE waffles for breakfast tomorrow. I cannot wait!!


I may or may not be posting any more this week depending on what other great fun things I can think up. Or maybe it's because I'm just too lazy.

Pajamas

A few nights ago, Phoebe asked her Daddy to find her some "reawy warm pajamas" after her bath. He found some red flannel ones with snowmen and Christmas trees all over.

"But, Daddy, dose are Christmas pajamas!!"

So she found a more seasonally suitable pair.



She might be cold, but she's awfully cute!

Ten on Ten: March 2011

I'm so ready for the 10th to not fall on a preschool day! That said, it was a good day. Again, ignore my photography skills (they stink), but enjoy my mundane!

I HATE Homework!

I hate homework.

Oh, I don't think I ever loved it, but it wasn't an all-consuming chore that sucked the life-blood out of me when I was in grade school or high school or college. Sure, it wasn't my favorite thing to do, but I didn't hate it.

Doing it with Eli makes me want to throw myself off a cliff. Literally. I just spent an hour on spelling homework. An hour! And it wasn't just busy work. He breezes through the "practice" activities quickly. The word searches, the sentence writing, the fill-in-the-blanks. We get mired down in actually learning the words. I try all sorts of different things (writing in sugar, using the dry erase board, pressing letters into play dough with big stamps) and while they are novel and fun, learning the words is very hard for him. Writing is hard for him. His teacher is passionate about writing and they do it every day (which is great) except he's just not very good at it. His stories are full of words we have practiced and practiced and yet they are still misspelled! And not by a little bit. Part of it is because he rushes through his writing to move on to bigger and better and "funner" things and part of it is because there is something not connecting in his little brain.

I think that's what worries me the most. There's something going on up there that I can't fix. An indication that learning and reading and writing are going to be a struggle for him. He also goes for tutoring from the Reading Recovery teacher because his teacher just wants him to be "solidly fluent". So on top of the spelling homework and the regular reading homework, he has Reading Recovery homework as well. The time after school slips by so quickly and by the time we're done with homework, it's time for dinner...and he's crying because he hasn't had time to play and I'm crying because it's so hard for both of us.

I keep hoping that we'll find something he's really good at in life. I have friends whose children were reading at four, or are so well-behaved and sweet they don't worry a lick about their soul or character, or who other people just love to be around. And I have Eli. He's not the well behaved child. He's not the smart child. He's not the sweet child. He's not the best at anything and he fits nowhere...and my heart hurts for those children who fit nowhere because life is such a struggle for them. There's an older girl at his school, maybe fourth grade, that I watch during the weekly Friday pep rallies. She doesn't fit anywhere either. I wind up crying (at a stinkin' pep rally!) because her loneliness is so palatable and my worry that Eli will end up the same way sits like a rock in my gut.

So I hate homework. I hate the time and the tears and the frustrations. I guess it's just easier to blame the homework than it is the child or my impatience or my worry.

Stupid homework.

Show and Tell: My Mom Rocks!

Last week, my mom gave Phoebe her awesome birthday present. Phoebe acted all "this-is-it?", but she's used Nena's gift more than any other gift from her birthday.

Here's the first part.



How amazing is that?! It's an "apron-style" dress with some cutie-patootie pants to match. It looks similar to a DRESS from the CHASING FIREFLIES (a catalog that I love and hate all at the same time...l-o-v-e the styles, but get super-frustrated because of the cost!) and it's just pretty darn cute.

Here's the back. Can it be any cuter?!



My mom said she was debating about adding all the ruffles like the inspiration dress, but then decided against because it was cute enough on it's own and all those ruffle might make her go blind! :) Just kidding. Those ruffles probably wouldn't cause her any headache at all, but it sure would make me go blind!



But the present didn't end there. Nena also whipped up an art notebook that matched!



She has carried this notebook almost everywhere this last week. To Wal-Mart, to church, to the elementary pick-up line, to dinner at a Thai restaurant, and everywhere in between! To say we love it, would be an understatement.

Eli wasn't left out. And if you think Phoebe has been using her art notebook a lot, you should see Eli with his! During the extra 20 minutes Eli has on school mornings (because he needs some kind of motivation on school mornings so he gets 20 minutes to watch cartoons or play or ride his bike or whatever if he finishes everything he's supposed to), he's pulled this notebook out and drawn away.



Why, yes, he is charging 50 cents for a drawing. He told me it was because he was a "real" artist and "real" artists sell their drawings. Nena paid him 36 cents. She drives a hard bargain, that Nena.

Happy Birthday Jordan!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my special, beautiful, amazing wife!

Love being married to you and raising our family together.

My Boy With Big Ideas

This boy's head is full of big ideas. And I mean big ones, all day, every day which he feels very passionate about. Even when he was very little, his ideas were big and expansive. A friend of mine who used to work Toddler Worship when Eli was a toddler told me that Eli was great...as long as he got to use his own ideas. It can be frustrating, to say the least.

Sometimes his big ideas hurt his precious little heart. Like a few weeks ago when I couldn't eat lunch with him at school (like I try do on Fridays). So he asked his dad. Brad (of the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-never-make-a-concrete-plan people) told him that he'd try, but that he had meetings most of the day. The implication was that more than likely it wasn't going to happen. Eli heard that there was a 1 in a million chance which meant "you're saying there a chance" as in Dumb and Dumber. So you know what Eli did? He didn't eat lunch because he was waiting for his dad! He called from the office at the end of lunch so sad (and probably hungry) that it broke my heart because he was so hurt. He has big ideas and big expectations that cannot be lived up to. I know from experience that it's just going to lead to more and more heartbreak and I can't stop it. I've tried telling him not to have such big ideas, but that's like telling a cheetah not to run. It's just not in their nature.

And then sometimes his big ideas really work out. Like on the morning of Phoebe's birthday. He had gotten up early for school and I needed to wake her up. He suggested we all go jump on her bed and sing "Happy Birthday". She loved it! Or when I was wondering how to wrap up the little Pinkalicous bike for Phoebe. He decided he should put on the new helmet and ride it into the house. Another great idea! Oh, and you should hear the plans he has for my birthday. 'Cause you know Brad hasn't planned anything. (By the way, it includes present shopping for me after I've gone to bed, the movie of my choice, and a trip to the CADILLAC RANCH.)

All I can hope is that his big ideas will temper a bit or the disappointment when they don't pan out won't always be so strong. Or he'll find a way to channel those big ideas into something he can actually accomplish...like BIRTHDAY PARTIES for his children.

Show and Tell: My Photogenic Sister's Scarf

My sister, Carrie's, birthday is the day before Phoebe's. She came down to help celebrate, thus putting her own birthday celebrations on hold a little. She flew home early Sunday (her actual birthday) so it wasn't a complete loss, but she did spend a few hours with us on her actual birthday. Thus warranting an awesome homemade scarf!

Actually, she would have received the scarf either way, but probably not on her birthday since it falls so close to Phoebe's and I was up to my eyeballs in PINK AND ORANGE. Just ask my dad. He still doesn't have his birthday gift...and his was two weeks ago! (Sorry, Dad.)

I used THIS tutorial for the scarf. It was pretty easy and probably wouldn't have taken very long except that I didn't have enough pins so it took an extra day. This project takes about 9,438,385 pins. No joke. Stock up on pins if you make this scarf. Also, the knit I bought was wrong-side out and I found it easier to turn it around before I cut it so the edges wouldn't curl as much. I know this because I didn't when I made Carrie's and it was a P-A-I-N when it was time to line the pieces up together, but I did on the one I made for my mom and it went much smoother.

And how do we know that my sis is so annoyingly photogenic? Because she has never taken a bad picture. Ever. The one above was taken after the party when we were all tired and my sister was trying to get a raging ear infection. See, you're jealous, too, right?

And now she has a way cool scarf. We're all green with envy.

A Princess In Training Party

At first, I didn't want to do a princess party. Not because I've read THIS book (although I do think it would be interesting to read) or because we don't "do" princesses. I had another party theme in mind (which I won't reveal here because I might want to use it in the future and I want you to be surprised!), but it was similar to other parties that she's had and I wanted her to really L-O-V-E this one. Four and five are big birthdays to me. Children aren't "little" anymore, but they aren't really "big" either and it's seems to be a magical time in childhood. So I uncharacteristically changed the party theme a month or so before the party...usually it's set about six months in advance. 'Cause I'm that crazy.

After I settled on our theme, I picked out the colors. She wanted to use bright pink because she fell in love with a dress at the Gap right after Christmas. It was the first piece of clothing that she liked all on her own and I knew it would go on sale before her birthday. I started with bright pink and then decided on orange because they are such happy colors together! :)


Don'tcha just love that I can use two paragraphs to tell you that we had a princess party in pink and orange?


Here's my pretty princess ready for the party. At the last minute I wrote "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Who's the fairest of them all?" on the mirror in the guest bathroom downstairs. Just for fun.



My house was bedecked in pink and orange...even though Phoebe told my mom when we picked her up at the airport that I hadn't decorated "bery much". Sheesh.





The favors were placed in personalized metal buckets from the $1 section at Target (I just love that place!) and filled with princess crowns (also from the $1 spot), rings, tattoos, pencils, and the PRETTIEST COOKIES made by a lady at church. The boys' buckets had swords instead of crowns.




Phoebe helped me create the menu for the "Royal Feast". There were marshmallow pops (that are probably the easiest, fanciest party food I've ever made!), cupcakes (from a local bakery), chocolate covered strawberries (Phoebe's new favorite food after her teacher at preschool made them at Valentine's Day), melting moments cookies (the very best shortbread cookie you will ever eat), and cranberry lemonade served in sugared champagne glasses.





I own 24 champagne glasses. I bought them back when Eli was a baby and it seemed like there was a baby shower every other week for friends. They came in a box of 12 for $10 and I have used them soooo many times! If you can find a deal like that somewhere, I highly recommend snapping them up...they are quite versatile.



A quick photo of the Birthday Princess and The Queen of Birthday Parties (hee, hee).



I'm guessing about now, you're wondering why I labeled this post "A Princess In Training Party". Well, it dawned on me a few hours before the party that all our games and activities were akin to learning how to be a princess so I figured her party could be like Princess Training Camp where all the little girls (and a few boys) could learn all the skills one would need to be a proper princess.

Like the "Kiss the Frog" game. I didn't get a good pictures because the frog was hung on the back of a door that sits in a bit of an alcove. I couldn't squeeze myself and the camera and a child in the small space. You'll just have to imagine blindfolded little girls with red lipstick on trying to kiss the frog into a prince! There were crowns for the boys.



We even had a "real" princess attend our party. This is sweet Bailee, who's in our Huddle at church. She's a-MAZ-ing with kids and she's a ballet star and loves to dress up and totally made Phoebe's party!





Then we headed outside to practice our sword wielding skills because sometimes your prince is locked in a dungeon and a princess has to defend herself.







After that unfortunate event with Cinderella, it's very important for a princess to learn to run in high heels. We had a high-heel relay race to practice these vital skills.





A little note about these boys. Even though the party was all girl-y, they just jumped right in and played the games. And Eli only complained once that his favor bucket had "girl" stuff in it. Although Buzz Lightyear wasn't very good at the high-heel relay. (A fact that probably makes his daddy happy.)








While we were practicing being a princess, Bailee walked around with a bucket of nail polish (the quick dry kind), sparkly tattoos, sparkly gold mascara, sparkly lip gloss (are you detecting a theme?), and body glitter that she applied to each little princess. We were a very sparkly bunch...and I completely forgot to take a group picture!






When we came back inside, we made sugar cube castles because you know how important it is to have a well-constructed castle! This was the favorite party activity according to my children.

Apparently, you have to stick your tongue out to build a proper castle.



Our Royal Feast kicked off with the cupcake and candles for the birthday girl.





There were numerous toasts throughout the feast.


Don't you love my mom's expression in this picture? I think all the three-and-four-year-olds toasting with glass champagne flutes made her a little nervous. I can't imagine why.





This is the only picture I got of our sweet friend, Dacie. It's fuzzy and not that great. Ooops.



But I did get a great picture of our very own "Prince Charming" (that's what Lincoln's shirt read) and his mommy who is annoyingly photogenic. Apparently it runs in the family. My how I love this boy!! And his mommy's not too bad, either. :)



All the little girls were deemed princesses by the end of the party and a good time was had by all...even the boys. Phoebe is still talking about her party so I'll call it a success!

Feel free to send me ideas for next year's party...