Pinewood Derby - Take 2

I posted a couple days ago about a video I had made of Josiah's Pinewood Derby Race. When I made the video I listed it as Private (thinking that - #1 my video making skills are not ready for the masses among other things). Unfortunately, I think I am the only one that can see it. So here it is again. Please forgive my atrocious spelling error during the end credits and my equally atrocious movie making skills. I made it primarily for Josiah's grandparents to see.

Anyhoo....I think I've fixed problem. I just posted it as listed (thanks to the advice of my friend, Cheryl).

Unmentionable(s)

So we were watching TV. At least I was watching TV. The Studly Muffin was at work and Josiah was doing his nightly interpretive dance routine. That sounds a lot more impressive than running through the house, acting like all crazy-like. Back to the TV. A commercial came on advertising a local lingerie shop called "Adam and Eve." Josiah stopped in mid 'chasse."

"Are they talking about who I think they are talking about?" He said. Not sure where he is going with this I explained to him that the commercial is for a store that sells underwear. He gave me a strange look and said, "Are they selling Adam and Eve's underwear?" 

I looked at him a few times to see if he was serious. He was. And frankly, I just didn't know how to answer.  And then I was also a little squeamish with all the underwear and lingerie commercials to begin with. Personally, I am not ready for any questions about underwear...unless they are: 1) have you changed said underwear today? or 2) did you leave your underwear on the bathroom floor?

My grandma used to call them "skivvies." I'm considering reintroducing a movement that replaces all uncomfortable topics with nonsensical code words.

To my great relief, Josiah quickly changed the topic (as happens frequently). "Can we go to spiderman.com and stock up some cool spiderman gear?"  Turns out the interpretive modern dancing was actually Josiah perfecting his "spidey moves."

At the Races...A Pinewood Derby Movie

I'm in the video sharing mood tonight. Josiah took part in a Pinewood Derby race this past Saturday. I took some video and we had fun making the video into a movie. I posted it on Youtube, but it is not listed. But I thought you might enjoy seeing some Pinewood Derby action. You will have to excuse my Movie Making Skills. And my spellng spilllring spelling skills. There is a big typo in the credits and I can't take it back. This is what happens when you are trying to make a movie and cook supper at the same time.

I made this movie primarily for Josiah's grandparents to see. I love it that we can use technology to keep everybody connected.

News at 11. Or at least 4:15.

Josiah got a little video camera for Christmas.He is in the process of filming his masterpiece. In the meantime, I have had a little fun with with. I took it to the pool with me today with the intention of filming some of his swim lesson. But. As often happens with me, I found myself engrossed in a book on my Kindle once his lesson began. I did get this little gem. This is pretty typical Josiah. You can see first hand why it's easy for me to smile.I love it when he asks me if he is being "news casted." And another question. How did the chicken cross the road. Apparently, "why" is not as important. I love this guy.

Meal Plan Monday (And a little boot scootin' boogie)

I am linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Monday. Monday. Monday. Every week has to have a Monday. Yesterday (Sunday) I woke up feeling terrible. My temp was really low. I had a scratchy throat and achy body. Yuck.  I stayed home from church and spent the morning with a cup of tea and the Food Network. I still feel kind of on the 'edge.' But, overall, it's a much better day.

After all. There is This.

My baby did line dancing at Homeschool PE today. Another mom got the picture for me on her phone. His education is now complete. Last week he learned the Electric Slide. I'm thinking he needs to go on the road.

Anyhoo. It's already been a crazy/busy day. And it's not going to get any better. Swim/Water Aerobics/Homeschool. And the rest of the week looks to the same.  My Menu Plans have been a lifesaver! I'm hoping that whatever "sick stuff" I've been flirting with moves on. I'm drinking plenty of water, but I hope I have enough stuff in the Fridge my guys can fix just in case.

Here is my menu for the week.

Monday: Deli Baked Chicken, Crockpot Baked Potatoes, Salad. I found the chicken marked down in the deli this morning (one of the advantages of doing grocery shopping first thing in the morning). I can also take the leftovers and use it for a chicken salad for lunch tomorrow. The beauty of the deli chicken is that, while I could certainly buy chicken and bake it myself, sometimes it is worth it just for the sake of convience. I normallly don't buy them unless they are marked down. The Crockpot Baked Potatoes are genius. Josiah loves Baked Potatoes. We have even done a Baked Potato Bar some nights. I also got a head of lettuce for .59 marked down. It needs to be used fairly quickly...but come on! .59 cents!

Tuesday: Chicken & Biscuits. I saw this on the Food Network yesterday when I was home from church. It reminds me of a French Dish (and no, it's not Coq A Vin) that my mom used to make...In fact, it was the recipe that I requested on my birthdays are special occasions. One of these days (when I have a workable camera) I'll make the dish and post the recipe. This particular chicken & biscuit recipe is definitely more Cun-Tree (that's country for all you city folks). And because Tuesday is going to be our easy day this week I plan on spoiling my family with comfort food.

Wednesday: Crockpot Bratwurst with Peppers on a Hoagie.  I chose this dish specifically for The Studly Muffin. I found some Turkey Bratwurst links marked down (a little over $2) this morning. Wednesday is another busy day for us. I can put this in the crockpot and send it with him to work.

Thursday: Spaghetti. This is one of my go-to meals. It's easy to put together and is popular with everybody. And because I have a late Water Aerobics class I'll stick in the crockpot so all I have to do is heat the pasta.

Friday: Roasted Dijon Turkey Tenderlion, Oven Baked Brown Rice, Roasted Broccoli. I have a confession. I planned treating my family with Fry Bread Tacos last Friday for our Family Night. But by the time Friday had rolled around I was consumed with guilt about the Chinese Takeout I had indulged in on Thursday for lunch. And no matter how you try and get around it...Crab Rangoon is not the best choice for the healthy eater. Okay. I really wasn't that guilty about it. But I knew I need to lighten up my next couple of meals. So Friday night I fixed a Roasted Pork Loin, Oven Baked Brown Rice & Roasted Broccoli. The Studly Muffin practically licked his plate clean. He raved. And because I am need constant reassurance to survive I am doing a repeat. Except I am using one of those Turkey Tenderloins I found marked down last week. You can't beat 1.99. That's 1.99. Not 1.99 a pound. Just a 1.99. The Oven Baked Rice recipe is from Alton Brown (it's foolproof) and the Roasted Broccoli is to die for. I promise.

This is all I have. And that's okay. Just another little note. Tomorrow is National Pancake Day. I am incorpating into  Math/Breakfast/Creative Writing. Josiah could eat Panckaes 24/7. He's pretty impressed that the Pancake has it's own day!

Pro-Cras-Ti-Nation (it's making me crazy)

Don't tell. I'm supposed to be cleaning house. We have our quarterly bug inspection tomorrow for our Apartment and while I am certain there are no bugs the condition of my dining room table alone might put into question my homekeeping skills. I don't want to traumatize the bug guy (or become the topic of the day at the supper table..."you should have seen"...).

Anyhoo. I've approached the Hot Zone Itself. My Dining Room Table. And from my vantage point I see that I'm in for a wild ride. Besides the wilting Valentie's Day flowers The Studly Muffin gave me, there is an assortment of books, homeschool projects, a water bottle (or 3) and a bottle of Real Lemon (why?). I'm also just a bit curious about the box of mac & cheese sitting beside the guitar book. Was this a big hint I missed for supper?

Maybe your house is pristine (lucky dog), maybe not (join the club). What I have found that when my surroundings are controlled and pleasant to look at I am more controlled and pleasant to be with.  Which might explain the big case of the grumpies I've been nursing for the past few weeks.

I blame it entirely on my schedule. And my son. And then there is stack of cereal bowls beside the computer that someone has been collecting while he plays his Tiger Woods Golf Game. I'm  not saying who it is necessarily, but his initials are Studly and Muffin.

Sigh. This is so typical "Me." I am easily distracted. Instead of tackling something (I am generally dreading) "head on" I find ways to deflect and distract myself (i.e. writing a nonsensical blog). I've done it all my life. My mom will tell you. She used to find me in my room sitting in the middle of a pile of shoes and books....reading Little House, The Hobbit, The Narnia Books...anything that would take me away from the mess.

So. Not to get all "psychobabble" on you. (I'm really not qualified...I never even took a psychology course in college...but I have watched my fair share of Oprah and Dr. Phil through the years...does that count?) Back to the point. I think that sometimes my tendency for escapism is a way to avoid the tough things or the unpleasant things. Goodness knows I've been forced to face a lot head on. And I imagine that because of that sometimes I give myself a free pass on the things that shouldn't be so hard (i.e. cleaning off the dining room table).

Here goes. I'm finishing up this post. I'm doing a spell check. I may or may not check for punction or grammatical errors (I never do so why start now). Then I am going to close my laptop. And take a deep breath. And take a big gulp of that Coke Zero with chocolate I got from Sonic earlier this evening (I had to go get that before I tackled my spice cabinet...I know. The bug man isn't going to care about my spices). And then I am going to start by putting that box of mac & cheese back underneath the cabinet. At least after I attach a post-it-with the words "better luck next time" written on it. I will ignore the perfectly lovely book I downloaded on my Kindle. I won't even tempt myself with a quick "internet look see" for all the latest happenings on Downton Abbey (I'm a little obsessed) or continue my campaign to get the current seasons of Dr. Who on my Netflix (I'm a little bitter).

It's on!

A Fairytale

My in-laws, Lonnie & Sharron Teague, celebrated 52 years of marriage this week.

Once Upon A Time (in a land where the corn grew high) there lived a beautiful girl with hair the color of a sunny day and eyes the color of a clear spring sky. This girl was a special girl. She danced. She played. She lived. One starry night. While twirling and dancing with her friends, she met him.. A boy from the Southland (where the sky is so blue). He had a devilish twinkle in his eye and a smile like Elvis.

So they danced and they played and they lived. They married on a cold winter's day. She carried white flowers and ribbons. And they played and they danced and they lived. And are still living. 52 years later. Together. In the land where the corn grows high. The End.

Bathing Beauties

Happy Tuesday! And a happy day it is. Despite having to run to the bank early this morning (see yesterday's post), I feel productive today. Of course, the day is not over and my to-do list is long, but so far so good.

Josiah has his school work done for the day and we even had a viewing of "Mr. Popper's Penguins." We are reading the novel by Richard and Florence Atwater. So we did a contrast and compare. I love homeschool.

Later this afternoon we have swim (we always have swim) and then I am playing delivery girl for Troy's work. They are ordering pizza for supper tonight. I wonder if there is a tip involved? I probably shouldn't count on it.

(Cue corny segway..which is spelled "segue" for all you picky educated people) What I can count on (see?) is being easily entertained. We get our money's worth out of our Y membership. In fact, I am considering asking for my own office there. Not that they need to pay me or anything (though that sounds like a pretty good idea).

We are always there. I'm glad Josiah has found his "sport."  It has given him confidence and a whole new set of friends. One of these days (when I am in possession of a camera that doesn't require duct tape/takes a decent picture/actually works) I will have to post some pictures of his "skills." 

I, myself, can't swim. I blame it all on my overactive imagination. It's not fear. It's something darker. When I was a young girl growing up in the hills of North Central Arkansas (it always comes back to the hills) we lived not too far from Greer's Ferry Lake. Other than the "criks" that ran through the hills and hollers, the lake was our swimming hole. My parents tried to teach me to swim. It was going well until someone told me that Clinton (the town) actually used to reside where the lake was and the government moved it. Ack! I couldn't get past a town being where I swam. What if I stepped on somebody? After that I could only bring myself to stay near the shore. Ironically, it has been the water that has been a lifesaver for my orthopedic issues. I recommend it to all of my friends with similar "issues."

But, enough about my Crazy stuff. Let's talk about somebody else's Crazy for a minute. Last night Josiah and I were waiting for our Water Aerobics Class to begin. Josiah was waiting it out in the hot tub...and with him in the Hot Tub was a Big & Buff guy who frequently comes and sits after his workout upstairs. And he always sings. R&B. A little gospel. The acoustics are fantastic in the Hot Tub. I've been tempted to belt out a little Patsy Cline from time to time, myself. "Craaay-Z. I'm Craay-Z for feelin' so lone-ly." But (and maybe because I'm not Buff in the slightest) I can't seem to work up the nerve.

Anyhoo. The look on Josiah's face while this guy was wailing in the Hot Tub was priceless. He was mortified. I didn't know if he was worried that the Hot Tub Singer was going to ask him to join in a chorus of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," or what. It's possible. Josiah hates singing in public.

I also was privy (privy because I was the only one watching) to a very hairy man who did alot of hacking and snorting while swimming laps. Loogies and Boogies and Snot. That's all I'm saying. People! Keep your sinus infections at home! And BTW.  That is just bad manners. It ranks right up there with peeing in the pool.

And then there are those who need to cover up. You know who you are. Ladies. This is a public pool. Small Children are present. The sun can't even touch your skin down there in the basement of the Downtown YMCA. Good Grief! Find a swim suit that relies less on dental floss and more on fabric. I am tired of telling my 10-year-old that in all reality you are not allowed to swim in your underwear.

Enough of my rant. Not that I would even say a word to them. I'm still contemplating singing in the Hot Tub. "I fall to pieces....each time I see you again." Now that would be offensive. Fluffy woman in a stretched out bathing suit singing in the Hot tub.

Meal Plan Monday - 2/20

I'm linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Ugh. Monday. I'm feeling it already. Some people have this President's Day off. It didn't happen at our house. And I got up bright and early to do my grocery shopping and my banking. Ooops.

Anyhoo. When I planned this week's menu I took a few things into account. First and foremost, Josiah and I have started a Family Water Aerobics class a few nights a week. Adding that class has completely changed our weekly routine. And there were a few nights last week I was lucky to get anything on the table. The Studly Muffin would have starved! (as if). 

I also had to consider the ole grocery budget. I did find some really good prices on meat, but most of the stuff I found takes a little more time and energy. So. I'm utilizing my crockpot this week and I'm doing some of my cooking during the day in between math, science, swim lessons and whatever else I can cram into my day. One thing about Homeschooling...Multi-tasking is a must!

So here is my menu for this week.

Monday: Turkey Tenderloin Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Kaiser Rolls and Salad. I got a terrific deal on marinated turkey tenderloins. I got a few so they will be making a return appearance over the next few weeks. Since our Water Aerobics class ends @ 6:30 and Troy comes home for a Supper Break @ 7 (during his 10 hour shift) I am cooking up the tenderloins this afternoon and whipping up a quick salad. That way if I get caught in the Hot Tub after class (it happens), Troy has supper ready for him.

Tuesday: Roasted Chicken with Baked Rice, Roasted Broccoli. Tuesdays are our "at least we are home some during the day" day. Whole chickens are a terrific way to go. I can usually get 3 meals out of them. I always brine my chickens. This is a link from Cook's Illustrated for the whole brining thing. It's magic.

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup. This is a lite recipe and a good way to use up some chicken stock I plan on making from my roasted chicken carcass. There is nothing like making your own chicken stock. I don't have time today to share my method, but I suggest you google "make homemade chicken stock." Alton Brown has a really good recipe.

Thursday: Crockpot Pot Roast with Potatoes & Carrots. I normally don't get to buy a Roast. They are usually not in my budget. But today I found one that was reasonable. And because this Thursday is a  "Are you kidding me?" kind of day, I needed something I could throw in the crockpot and let it sit all day.

Friday: Indian Fry Bread Tacos. This is a really big splurge for me. But I want to give my guys a treat. I have been actually making these for years. Fair warning: There is frying involved! This is our Family Night and it will make a fun supper.

Saturday: Who knows! Josiah has a Pinewood Derby race in the morning and that evening we will be driving to my Parents...I wonder if I can make my supper request right now...Ain't nothing like Momma's cookin'.

Sunday: Leftovers & Out to Eat. Simple.


I apologize for not having recipes for everything. I need to make my Turkey Tenderloins so I can head to the Y for class. The great/not-so-great things about schedules is that they often change. This is Josiah's last week of swim clinic, but will be starting Swim Lessons again on different days. How do you people with more than one child do it?

New Pet?

I just had to share. This was Josiah's writing exercise  of the day. We are doing a unit study on Mr. Popper's Penguins. His writing assignment for the day was to talk about an animal that is not generally kept as a pet and why you would like that animal as pet. He's always wanted a Zebra. I had hoped our current apartment living lifestyle would have curbed that particular wish, but apparently not. I got a good laugh which I needed desperately :<)

My Pet Zebra

I love Zebras. They are cute. I have some toy Zebras, but I would like a real one for a pet. Zebras are black and white. Those are my favorite colors. I would ride my Zebra in my house. I would have to take it outside to use the bathroom. It would have to be somewhere they don’t mind poop on their lawn. Zebras eat oats and hay. We would buy hay from a store that sells it. Zebras are herbivores, so they wouldn’t like to eat hamburgers. I would have to keep the bathtub filled so he could drink water. I would like to kiss a Zebra. I know kissing a Zebra would be dumb, but I like kissing animals that are soft and don’t eat you up. I would name my Zebra Marty. Marty is the name of the zebra on Madagascar. I know my Dad won’t like the part about the poop and the kissing, but it’s the best I could do. It might be uncomfortable, but my Zebra could sleep with me in my bed. The End.

An Honest Truth: Panic

It was a bright sunny day. I pulled my car up beside the gas pump and fumbled for my credit card. As I eased out of my car the smells and sounds of the gas station, along with the humidity of a late Delta summer, seemed to smother me like a wet blanket.  I yanked my cell phone out of my jeans pocket and hastily dialed my husband's office number. "I can't do it," I sobbed into the phone. My heart pounded so fast and furiously... as if it my burst up through my throat, past my crooked teeth and out onto the greasy pavement. "I can't think straight. I think if I go I might...." I stopped my train of thought. I looked out at the cars driving along the road in front of the gas station. "I think I have to go home." I could feel the curious glances of fellow customers so I slipped back into the drivers seat of my car. On the other side of the phone my husband's soothing words urged me to take a couple of deep breathes. "Just turn the car around and go home," He spoke gently. "You can lie down for awhile and rest. You aren't so far behind, whatever you miss you can make up."  I didn't hold out much hope for that. Just the day before I had slipped out of a harmless presentation in one of my classes on infant development. I made my way to a bathroom stall where I spent the next 20 minutes crying into a paper toilet seat cover. A friend found me that day, armed with chocolate. She had also showed up the day after I had lost the baby...with a big white bunny in hand.

That day at the gas station wasn't the first time I had experienced a panic attack. I suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after my car accident and the panic attacks were just part of the package. It got better. So much better, but whenever I had any kind of stress or change in my life they would creep back in....malicious, crippling, devastating. Before my carwreck I had coasted through life...I have always been phlegmatic and would as soon avoid conflict as anything. I never looked for a fight. Or tried to borrow trouble. But it seemed as if trouble had found me and not only assaulted my body, but had waged war on my mind on well.

I wasn't trying to get pregnant. In fact, I had been told it was practically going to be impossible on my own. I had done a few rounds of fertility drugs before my car accident...And then between the accident and heart failure (it had been a tough few years) my doctors had told me that it might be a good idea to put the whole baby thing on the back burner. So I thought of other things. Threw myself into work and school. Projects. Plans and more plans...none which included being pregnant. We had already been married almost 9 years. If I allowed myself to daydream about soft baby feet, onsies and playdates I felt as if I would never recover from the disappointment.

So being pregnant in the first place was a surprise. In the back of my mind I had the tiniest bit of hope. "This is how God is going to do it! It's a miracle." But there was also something else in the back of my mind. A wariness. And when I was put on bedrest after just a few weeks I started the process of withdrawing into myself. I started to build up a wall. Brick by brick in my mind. It didn't help. When I did lose my baby it felt as if I never was going to be happy again.

I did whatever self-respecting pastor's wife/daughter would do. I dragged myself out of bed, put on a happy face and started talking about "God's plan"..even if I wasn't so sure about it myself. And then the panic attacks began...with a vengeance. My body betrayed me. Again.

To make things worse, my semester in college that year (I was an early childhood ed major) centered around infants and toddlers. My classmates gathered around me....going with me when I had observations or even covering for me when I faltered.

My story has a happy ending. It was during that time of mourning that we were contacted about a little boy who was yet to be born. In a few short months we were parents. I was a mom. What a curious turn of events:<) And what a miracle!

Today. Just today I felt the familiar beat-beat of my heart. I could feel my stomach lurch and my chest tighten. There doesn't have to be a loss or a big event. Just a little stress. And if I haven't felt well. Or if I haven't been taking care of my body. Which I haven't. And there are those other little warning signs. The withdrawing into myself. The lack of energy.

I have been dealing with this long enough to have a few tools in my arsenal. Prayer. Seems like an obvious choice. But there have been times in my life I haven't been able to pray for myself. Been there? I'm thankful to have a supportive spouse. I also know to take a little time to regroup. I need some downtime. Some quiet time. I make lists and journal. I read encouraging things. I also treat myself. Maybe a new bottle of nail polish. Or a pair of dangly earrings. I drink plenty of water, eat my favorite fruits and add some exercise to my life. (Things are always better when I am able to move). And there have been times when I needed the help of medication. When I first started dealing with this it wasn't a popular thing for a Pastor's wife to talk about anti-anxiety medication. I am grateful that the Church has grown up a little.

I can't tell you why I was impressed to share this part of my story this evening. There certainly were other things I could have talked about. More pleasant things. But I don't want you to be sad for me. My story is one of triumph, ultimately. God has done a marvelous work in my life. He has given me so much to be thankful for. And I know that there are days that are going to press me down. There are going to be moments that are going to make me feel lost. But I know that I am never alone. The moral of the story isn't that I persevered and got what I desired in the end. It's about being vulnerable. It's a common human story. Troubles are troubles. And I'm here to tell you that you're not alone.