Wordless Wednesday

What's More Important?

Sometimes that's the question begging to be asked.

There are seasons that come and go during which my husband travels... a lot...

They are balanced with the weeks that go by during which he works somewhat locally and is around often!

We are currently in a “traveling” season. With his current employer, he doesn't always get much notice... usually that means he finds out within 24 hours of his next flight out of town! Sometimes he is sent for one or two days and when he arrives on location, discovers that he is needed for two weeks!

That makes it difficult to plan dates!! Sometimes the children miss out... he is out of town for a planned party or athletic event. Other times I just want to plan something important that he will “BE” at.

So, this past week he'd been out of town for several days, the second week in a row, and called to say he was flying home! I excitedly rattled off the menu for that evening's dinner then not so excitedly and with much lower tones reminded him that it was choir night for me. He was instantly disappointed. You see, he knew that after flying in, it would be a matter of a few days and he'd be flying back out and that he would have some “things” to tend to while he was in town and he really, really, really wanted to get off the plane, drive home and see me for the night.

There were several times in the past two weeks when we thought we were going to connect... for a dinner out or a lunch date or something... and the plan fell by the wayside because one of us had something else that pulled us away.

Getting off the phone, I asked myself, “What is more important?” And I knew. Tonight belonged to my husband. I grabbed a son and my purse and headed to the store for some fresh bread and Scott's favorite drink. I had taken a few minutes to pop in at a favorite forum to plead, “Quick! Someone tell me what that dipping stuff is for the fresh bread in nice restaurants!” Then I added balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and garlic to my shopping list! Back at home I prepared a dish from many years ago... Mandarin Turkey.

Thankfully, it did not require extensive kitchen labor! Cody worked diligently beside me, tossing the salad with our garden fresh tomatoes, setting the table (complete with candles!) and making sure the dishes were washed, dried and put away.

That was also the evening I picked up some fashion magazine for my daughter-in-law who was in the hospital having a baby and I glanced through it and saw that straight bangs with curly hair was a fall trend... so, I cut some bangs and got a fresh look... complete with skirt and top and my favorite black heels!

Scott came in looking weary. And saw me. And he smiled SO big and we hugged! He noticed all the effort put into his homecoming dinner and we had such a beautiful evening together!

This week's Tackle a Task! Just what you've been waiting for!

Tackle A Task Fall 2010

It is Monday and once again, my tasks slid down on the priority list over the weekend! That's okay, though, because I kept up with the kitchen and it still looks nice and tidy and clean.

For detail people, I have 27 household tasks left and how many days? 26 Yikes! That puts it in perspective for me... I will have to do more than one task a day each week to hit my target day of November 5^th.

Here's my list for this week, Monday through Wednesday:

clean mini blinds in each room

clean my desk (includes 3 piles of papers and sorting through my filing drawer)

clean out the cubbies above the fireplace... set up the xbox 360 there for family time...

and my extra task to keep on track for the target date:

clean the bookshelves (2 of them), taking off books and dusting, too, sorting and organizing.

Now, honestly, this does not sound fun at all. And these tasks are going to take up a good bit of time. Sigh. But once they are finished, it will look grand, I tell you! The only fun part of this whole process is before and after pictures... and putting on some fun music... I think it'll be the Go-Go's this week...

Baby Chloe - 1 day old

Here she is!  It's absolutely amazing to see such a tiny baby.  To give you perspective, she is laying sideways at one end of the bassinet/isolette.  She is as healthy as can be at this time.  I will send out alerts if there are any changes or concerns.  Right now it's important for her to grow and continue to develop.  Thank you, so many of you, who are praying regularly for Chloe, her parents and our family.

Baby Chloe has been born!

 
She was born today at 12:18 at 1 pound, 14 ounces. Sonia is in recovery from the c-section. Chloe breathed on her own just fine and when they were wiping her down and getting her "needs" taken care of (oxygen and iv) she kept fighting them with her arms, hands and legs, so they had to strap her down a while! So, she's a fighter. We're looking forward to updates... Dr. says the first 2-4 hours are really important...

Thank you for the continued prayers!

Fitness Friday

Fitness Friday

Level 2, Week 1

Day one.

First, I thought level 2 would be it's very own complete workout. So, when I clicked on level 2 and it was level 1 with extra cardio at the end, I was disappointed. Mostly because I get bored after a while. However, since I was still having little bits of difficulty with level 1, I'm okay with it after all.

Second, level 2 kicked my bootie! They don't misname Jillian Michael's workouts “Death by Jillian” by chance. I felt like I'd enlisted into the Army. And if you know me, you know how funny that would be! I sit here with sweat dripping down my neck, no joke. I wont pretend that I kept up with half of what Jillian did... yet, I am excited!! It's a new challenge! Now I am off to shower... ick!

*** IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ***

I'm going right back to level 1, weeks 1-2

I broke the end of my middle finger, right hand and took two days off. Today I got back to exercising and level 1 kicked my bootie! I added in the 4 pound weights and got an incredible work out and realized I am not ready for level 2 right now. I am thinking that the 6 week program would work better for me as a 3 month program... one level per month. After all, this is for heart health and is not a race.

Phew. Feels good to not pressure myself! Go ahead, pat me on the back... I could use it!

And just as I typed that I heard Steven Curtis Chapman sing, “I will be here so you can cry on my shoulder... when the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you.” Yep, I am getting older. And with that, I am SO glad that my husband is back from out of town... I have sore muscles that need a good rub down... and his holding me will bless me as much as this song.

Tackle A Task - C'mon, You know you want to!

Well, the past few days have gone by and I almost finished my recent goals.  The stovetop is spic and span, but the oven remains to be cleaned... thanks to the stovetop slipping and slamming down on my middle finger, which is turn protested to any further cleaning for a couple of days.  My windows did join the company of clean yesterday!  I am amazed at the difference sparkling windows adds to the room.  It reminds me of a story we read when the children were small.... about a lady who received some pretty flowers and sat them down by the window.  Then she noticed the window was dirty, so she cleaned it.  The the clutter and mess at the little table in front of the window was much more noticeable, so she tidied it as well...

My great helper, Cody, followed me around outside setting up the ladder, handing me my scrubber and squeegee and collecting the paper towels.  Here he sits, relaxing before dinner.   

What's next?  Today I will do triple duty... 1) watch my grandson, Christopher, for a couple of hours 2) catch up on previous days' tasks, which translates to cleaning the microwave, dishwasher and oven and 3) get those cobwebs out of the corners!

Then tomorrow and Saturday I hope to add in the following tasks to stay on track for my target date:

Clean in, out and on top of my upright computer cabinet, turning it into a sewing and craft cabinet

Scrub down the table and table legs

Clean mini-blinds throughout the house

I wish I wasn't playing catch up.  I suppose a good way to do this is with some happy music!

Update on Baby Chloe

Last night was scary for dear Sonia. Her blood pressure shot up high, she started vomiting, they gave her magnesium and she got super hot and had ice packs on her... she is stabilized and they have scheduled a c-section for baby Chloe on Friday.  It is now confirmed that she will deliver at 11am Friday, Oct. 8th.  Sonia is nervous and scared for the baby.  She is afraid that she will have a panic attack during the c-section.  Thank you for joining me in prayer to keep this time covered.  They will be doing all the prep for the surgery starting at 9am, expecting delivery at 11am.  Baby Chloe has not really gained much in the past few weeks and is expected to weigh in at just over 2 lbs. 

Thank you for the prayer support. Thanks very much!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday!

This has got to be one ironic post title for me!  My goal in the kitchen is to get out of the kitchen!  When I has 8 years old I had a horrible "accident" in the kitchen and although I know it's past and not going to happen again, I have never liked being in the kitchen much....

I have gone through many different seasons with cooking.  I have studied through an authentic Mexican food cookbook, learned how to roast peppers and made one of the most fabulous tortilla soups you can imagine!  Another time I tried cooking through a Moosewood cookbook.  I tried the cooking once a month program.  Then there was the time I enjoyed recipes online.  Once in a while (as in about once or twice a year!) I might watch a portion of a cooking show on tv.

The fact is, we have to eat.  Food has never been a big attraction to me... just a necessary part of life... I have made monthly menu charts, weekly shopping lists and still the day comes when I stop and wonder, "What are we going to eat tonight?" I'll be walking in a grocery store in a bit of a daze, uninspired, not knowing what to buy.  Now, if I got as excited about meals as I did creative crafts....

So, I recently decided that I want to try something new once a week... or even recall a meal that turned out great in the past and make it again... I watched Julie and Julia and was quite entertained.  Much more by Julie's emotional ups and downs and blog than by the cooking!  I don't want to try cooking through a book.  Nope.  I don't want to try something new every day.  So, I hope to have a wonderful meal experience once a week... and I hope that means it tastes good, too!

This week, I present to you.... stir fry!

This was something I enjoyed doing years ago... as in about 17 years ago!  I like the veggies cooked more rather than crispier.  I start with the carrot and broccoli and get those cooking in real butter or olive oil on a medium-high heat (I was out of oil).  Then add in onion and baby bella mushrooms, then some snap peas and bean sprouts.  I sprinkle garlic salt and lemon pepper and turn up the heat, stir away and drizzle in about a tablespoon of Italian dressing.  One night I served this over rice as a side dish.  Last night I served it with strips of steak that had been marinated and stir fried prior to the veggies, then added back at the end.

So, tell me, how would you stir fry?  What do you do differently?  If this is a side dish for you, what would your main dish be?

Tackle A Task! Week 2

Now that 3 days tasks have been tackled, I will plan out another several days.

This weekend I did not be tackle any tasks. I had my oldest daughter's baby shower and was very busy enjoying that and Sunday was a full day with an early morning Bible study and working until night. I hope that you had a blessed weekend, too!

For Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday my tasks will include:

Thorough cleaning of the stove and oven – behind, beside, below, beneath (hey, how about those prepositions!)

Cleaning the microwave and dishwasher (these will be easy, they are mostly clean anyway)

Sweeping the high corner cobwebs in every room!!

Washing windows inside and out, including the sills...

Here is a tip for windows that I LOVE! It has been well worth the investment and window washing happens for the entire home in less that half an hour...

Buy these two items! Don't go for the cheapest... buy good quality and they will last for years!

I love these. I keep them under my bathroom sink and they keep my mirrors spotless and lovely!

One day I was on the phone chatting with my mother-in-law, Katie. (I love talking on the phone!) While we were talking, I washed and squeegeed every window, inside and out (in less than a half an hour).  Now, I do have a few high windows and they get power washed and I pretend that they are just as clean and lovely... ha!

So, I squirt a little bit of dishsoap on the scrubber and add a touch of water to it and wash the window. You can use a bucket to put the scrubber into and carry around so it doesn't drip on anything.  The cloth on mine does a fabulous job of getting the outside dirt handled! I do take a moment to pop off my screens and spray them, but mine are super easy to go on and off. I keep paper towels handy, but not for rubbing the windows... no, no! I use the squeegee from left to right, top to bottom and use the paper towel to wipe the far right side and then wipe the sills. I only do the entire household windows a couple times a year... you'd think since it doesn't take too long I would do it more often. And, if I have on some loud 80's music, maybe it will be a little fun this time!

So, am I a lone, lonely loner? Is anyone out there tackling some tasks ? You don't have to copy mine! Let me know what household tasks you are working on... c'mon, misery loves company! Lol.  

I'll check back in Thursday with some tasks for end of the week and maybe a weekend task... we'll see...

The Baby Shower!

I don't know that if I sat here today I could come up with a more creative title... Yesterday was high time fun and today I am exhausted!  Shasta and Bek arrived in the morning.  We hurried Shasta to the back room because I hadn't taken the party items to my van yet and we didn't want her peeking around!  After a couple quick trips to load up, Cody called out, "Can we let her out, yet?"  LOL

After a bite of breakfast and saying goodbye to Scott and the boys (they were headed out on the boat for the day!), Rebekah got restless and we said our good-byes to Shasta, who was waiting for her friend, Glenda, to pick her up for a hair appointment.  Bek and I had some laughs at Baby'sRUs and picked up the song cd, the cake and some toffee coffee... I forget what all we were doing to laugh so much, but we had some fun.  Then we stopped by the house once more for some forgotten items and headed to Heidi's to set up for the shower.  Heidi is Chris's mom.  Chris is Shasta's fiancee.  He is also daddy of the baby.  The baby.  I have banned myself from any and all baby sections of stores.  That's that.  LOL

We had lots of blue "Baby Boy" balloons and most of them popped outside in the heat.  We hung decorations and set up and were so thankful that Bek was with us... there was plenty to do and it all came together!  It was lovely to meet Heidi's parents.  I was super extra blessed by Aunt Debbie, who drove the baby's Great Great Grandma, Great Grandma Cathy and my sweet Julie from Santa Cruz to our baby shower!!!  Trust me on this one... I was SO excited when I got the news that they were driving up!  And what a blessing Julie was.  She had been working and making purchases to put together a large gift basket for her nephew and it was fabulous.  She brought a baby washcloth lined basket of bread cubes and the most delicious hot artichoke dip, too.

In between snacking and visiting we played a couple of baby shower games and I think the one that went over the best was dividing up into small teams with onesies to decorate.  Competition was fierce.  Just kidding.  I looked around the room to think of how to divide up guests because if you tell folks to divide up themselves and some of them don't know others... well, sometimes it feels awkward.  So, I looked over and said something like, "I know!  Let's have the great-grandma's team up together!"  And those dear ladies let me have it, I tell you!  They figured I was singling them out as elderly, but I put them together because I know that they didn't know each other and each one is lovely and special.  So, they cooperated and each group had a terrific time.  When I went to take pictures of the Great-Grandmothers one of them called out, "This is NOT the Senior Center!"  LOL  I love each one!

Soon we were watching Shasta open gifts and pass them around!

My three daughters!



The 4 generations... soon to be 5



And one last photo... the cake that I could not watch being cut...  And a special thank you to those who could not be here, but sent lovely thoughts, gifts and love our way.  We missed you!

Week 2 Fitness

Week 2 Fitness:

Half way through this week, I added hand weights to the work out. I thought it improved my balance, actually. I enjoyed the difference, but it wasn't really “harder”, so I am thinking of moving up from 2 pound hand weights to 4 pounders. I did have some slight soreness in my shoulders and chest, so it must have done something.

It was VERY difficult to exercise a couple of mornings this week. I did NOT want to. I made myself anyway... probably because I am writing about it and I don't want to write that I quit or didn't do it. So, I pressed on.

At the end of week two, I did 8 push ups!!! This was no small feat! Really, because you don't just down-up-down-up on this video. You HOLD push up position, go down a few inches and HOLD and come up and then hold and OUCH! My tummy hurts every time. I only did 8 of them on the last day. I did 6 of them the day before that and 4 the day prior to that... so... progress... and stickability! But, like I said, I didn't really want to do any of this. Sitting around reading or relaxing would have been much more enjoyable.

THEN, guess what?? I picked up the measuring tape! When I began a couple of weeks ago, I measured my upper arms, thighs, chest, hips and waist.

I will post before and after measurements at the end... but for now I will say that I lost two inches off of one thigh and 2-1/2 inches off of my waist!!! My “problem” area isn't the waist, though, it's the two inches below the waist... my lower tummy “pouch” and that's probably a problem area from pregnancies... But, I am excited! I don't like doing this very much, but I love the results so far. Sometimes I wonder how all those “fitness” gals out there do it... week after week, month after month, year after year. I'd get so bored! I'm very glad that there are so many different dvds out there now... if I am going to keep up with cardio, I'm going to have to have a variety of options!

Tackle A Task, Day 1

Today my left and right hand men were Clayton and Cody. They wiped, swept, stacked, replaced and made several trips to the van with bags to donate. It feels great to have the kitchen all tidy and organized. Don't even think of bursting my bubble by wondering how long it will stay this way...

Oh, the most "fun" part of the task?  I put on 80's music and "tripped out" my kids singing along with The Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian"!

Here are "our" before and after pictures:

Wow, it feels so good to have done this!  It took the boys and I about 3 hours.  The insides of the cupboards were cleaned out, too.  Each item on top of the cupboards were coated with sticky dust... now they are so fresh and clean.  I now know where things are, once again, for the holidays!  The before and after of on top of the fridge are my favorite contrasts... ha ha.  Let's hope this stays fresh a while...

By the way, I am  having trouble learning how to put my pictures on here side by side... does anyone know?  For these shots, I was using the photo tab here at blogger to add images.  

Introducing: Tackle A Task!!

Yes, just what you've been waiting for!  I know, I know.  I can feel your excitement.  I can see all the mail heading my way, thanking me for this wonderful "household management condensed into 5 weeks" plan now...

Tackle a Task, Fall 2010

Last week I sat, pondering why this is a challenging area for me. Like many others, I've been to Flylady's site. I've signed up and read the emails. I've bought a timer! I even had the purple zip-up folder thing. The ostrich feather duster was a temptation for sure. I've done the worksheets... the morning routine, the evening (I never could pick out my clothes the night before, though!). I loved the monthly focus... like the month I made my bed every morning, first thing. And who can forget the month you swished and swiped the bathroom right away? Great stuff. Then, life distracts me.

One of the challenges that I have that gets in the way of household management is that I love projects. I like to scrapbook. I love photography and blogging. I have quilt tops that need backing and edges completed. There's the cross stitch I've been working on for 5 years. There are other inspirations brewing in my head and heart just waiting for me to work on... holiday projects and gifts and... Well, you see?  Household management just keeps getting bumped down on the list!

Then there's my husband. He was raised by a meticulous housekeeper, Katie. When she says her house is filthy, you know she just needs to sweep a bit. Ha ha. No, really, Katie loves a clean and tidy home and she is great at organizing and putting away. She is also anti-germ. So, I am ever so thankful that my man is very patient with me. But I know that Scott loves those days when he walks in and everything is in it's place and the floors are mopped.

The holidays are coming and I have lots of projects planned, but there's this desire to have a tidier and neater home. To me, that means purging. I cannot just clean. I start to clean and I start to put away and then I notice that I don't like this or that or that I don't use this or that anymore! I like simple. Scott knows this so when he is missing something, he automatically asks if I have donated it to Goodwill!  Please, do not alert him of these grand plans!! (he is anti-purge-we-might-need-this-someday-man)

So, what am I to do?

I am going to take a stab at it. I am compelled to head to Barnes and Nobles and purchase Martha Stuart's big book of household management, but, then I'd sit and read through it for days and take notes on every chapter and chart out plans and my house would remain disorganized and messy. Then I came up with a new plan. I will grab hold of a notebook and walk room to room, making a list of tasks that need to be done in each room. I will include detail cleaning of the trailer in my list and I will even add in a couple problem areas of the garage. Then I will give myself a target date and I will go through my list and break it into segments that would take approximately the same amount of time. Next I will divide the number of days until the target date by the number of tasks... but give myself a couple of free days, too. Then I will work on a few things a day and hopefully by my target date, I will be delighted with the results. And during the whole process... I will add in some creative time in my day to work on the things that delight me. So, I think I just pinpointed the bottom line of my being household organizationally challenged.... time. I love time. I want to spend it all kinds of ways. So, I'm going to conquer this using time!

So, who wants to join me? If you do, start making your list of what you want to accomplish. My target date is November 5^th so that I can enjoy the rest of November and December in holiday style! If you aren't so inclined to make your own list, I will post what I am working on every few days and you can join in any part that you want. Just leave me a note and share what you've done! Please? Are you with me? Who is with me??  

For those who like details (I don't!), I came up with a list of 36 items. One of those would realistically take 2 days. I combined some of those into one day and ended up with 32 days of cleaning/organizing. I gave myself one day a week to not tackle a task.

Once again, my target date is November 5^th. For those who like details (I don't!), I could assign the tasks to days, make spread sheets or pie charts or use some such tool and track my progress by percentage rates, but... nah! Not interested. I'm just going to do it my style and give it a go!

So, for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the tasks to be attempted are... (can you hear the virtual drumroll?)

Clean out and organize all kitchen cupboards (I'm enlisting a couple of young boys to help!)

Clean the outside of the cupboards and on top of the cupboards

Clean under the kitchen sink (and, yeah, organize)

Clean the fridge out... all nooks and crannies, inside and out

And, with that said, I am not going to obsess too much and I am going to try to work quickly. I think I'll reward myself with a trip to the dollar store or some such place and find some organizational tools like baskets or small bins... I hope I find red ones!

Now, I don't want to feel lonely, so, someone please join along and let me know what areas you clean and conquer!!!

Golden Memories - Saturday

For weeks I had been looking forward to a day of "vacation" to head out and have some fun.  There were a few things I had thought of doing, but when weekend plans kept getting shuffled, it came down to driving over to Santa Cruz.

Recently when we headed out down the road, Victor looked at a mountainous horizon and said something like, "Hey, this looks like a picture!"  It was such a lovely view.  So, that became a landmark for us and when we head out down that same road now he'll ask, "Are we getting close to the picture yet?"  Victor is also my co-pilot a lot of the time.  (Thanks, Joseph, for the times you share the coveted front seat with him!)  He is the dj and loves to scan channels, then sighs and rolls his eyes when I hear an oldie and call out, "Oh!  Stop!  That's a good song!"  He just doesn't get the 80's... ha ha. It's a great way to keep him from getting bored and it worked for the first hour or so.  Then he was restless.  So, I handed him the camera.

I love driving through the Scotts Valley area.  The tall redwoods and pines shooting up are quite tempting to gaze at, but the road is quite windy, so I get to enjoy the view right in front of me.  Mentioning how much I love seeing the tall trees, it was decided that Victor would capture some of them with the camera.  Funny thing is, though, what I pick as the prettiest isn't what he captures!  By the time I say, "Oh, I love this spot!", and he gets the camera up in position and remembers what button to push, you're not too sure what the picture will be of.  But, it's all good!

Here are a few from our drive:

Victor, figuring out the camera.



I put in a quick call to my local gps service (Grandma Cathy who has lived in this area for many years!) and made sure I knew what exit to take, then headed out to the pier.  It was nap time for the sea lions.  But, the cotton candy was ready for us.






It was quite sunny and warm... almost hot...


Oh, I miss living by the beach.  Really, truly.  One of my dreams is to move closer.

One of the favorite rides at the Boardwalk is the Fireball.  It's a ride I could get on over and over!  At the top of the highest swing, it spins completed around and you get the physical sensation of swinging completely over the top, even though you don't.


If I had to pick a special activity to do with Victor, it would not be to go to the Boardwalk, though.  He doesn't mind walking around, watching, but he does not like rides.  So, one of us always hangs out with him and the others hop on a ride.  It was not crowded when we arrived, so, that was nice!  Victor did agree to go on the Carousel with us (Only after seeing several teens riding! He thought this was a "baby" thing to do!).


Oh, yes, my lively one!


After a pleasant lunch in Capitola, we hung out at the beach front.  Rebekah and Victor made grand plans for a video shoot of the most irritating song, "Narwhals", complete with choreography... Joseph and I strolled along the shore... and my camera battery died.  So, I have no amazing video of the kids singing to share with you... drats...


And one of the famous mom says, "Oooh!  Sit here!  This would make a good picture!" moments...

Followed by the photo, once taken, marked the end of the battery's charge...


After Joseph and I strolled along the coastline, Rebekah and Joseph went out and Victor and I enjoyed sitting and gazing out at the ocean.  I remember the very first time Victor saw the ocean.  End of October, 2005.  He was 6.  We looked out from the bridge in Capitola and I asked, "What do you think?"  And he said, "I think we need a boat."  He was thinking practical and literal... not all poetically or sentimentally!  But, sitting with him, enjoying the sights and smells of a beautiful day was irreplaceable.  That's when he took a deep breath in, sighed and said, "Today has been one of the best days ever."  Thank you, God, for giving me such a treasure.  May I always cherish it and never take it for granted.

Look for the beauty in your day.  Live life!  Whether you are at home making sun tea, teaching a child their multiplication tables, off to work... find moments to breathe in and appreciate.  This is the day!  Today.  Live it fully.