Well, the first big news of the day is that the sun is out!! Hooray!!
I usually play basketball on Thursday mornings. I was late this morning, but there was only one other person there. One on one would not have been fun. That was sad. I really look forward to playing every week.
My house feels like it is constantly chaotic. Because we've been home so much, they are playing and stuff is every where. It's like I can never clean off the counters in the kitchen and have them stay clean because someone is always getting something else out to eat. We're not getting the to bed at a decent time, which is biting me in the behind. Must get them to bed at a good time tonight.
Yesterday I started and finished a book. It was Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. I don't think it's a light read, but it is a fast one. And I really enjoyed it. A little bit like Fannie Flaggs books. I've also recently reread The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and a few others that I can't quite remember.
Well, I'm over my ten minutes because what I first wrote was terrible, and I had to delete it. This isn't much better, but it will have to do. Must stick to my ten minutes rule. Otherwise I'll be on here for an hour. And I have more important things to do just now. Like go outside and sit in the sun.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Movies
This last weekend, my husband and went to see the last Harry Potter. Mostly because he wanted to see it.
The theater wasn't freezing cold, and the seats were the good ones where the arm rests went up. And of course we packed my purse before we went in. It was a matinee too, so it didn't cost an arm and a leg.
Every time I go see a movie in a theater, I am reminded how much I enjoy not going to movie theaters to watch movies.
I would much rather wait until I can get it on disc, and sit on my comfy couch, eat my own food, and use the pause button. Or fast forward button.
I really hate how much it costs, I hate that there are 50 or more other people in the same room, and we all have to listen to their noises. I hate having to wear my glasses because the screen is so dang big, that it makes my eyes feel weird when I watch a movie without them. There are very few movies that are worth spending all that money to sit with other people to watch something.
I find that not a lot of people share this. Just as many people don't share my disgust of super hero movies. I need plots that aren't full of holes, characters that have more than one dimension to them, and zero special effects. Large explosions and people dying bloody terrible deaths are not enjoyable to me.
I really wish that my husband had a friend he could go to the movies with. It would save me some money. (we do share love for the Bourne movies, Burn Notice (the tv show) and The Conte de Monte Cristo) The sacrifices we make for those we love......
The theater wasn't freezing cold, and the seats were the good ones where the arm rests went up. And of course we packed my purse before we went in. It was a matinee too, so it didn't cost an arm and a leg.
Every time I go see a movie in a theater, I am reminded how much I enjoy not going to movie theaters to watch movies.
I would much rather wait until I can get it on disc, and sit on my comfy couch, eat my own food, and use the pause button. Or fast forward button.
I really hate how much it costs, I hate that there are 50 or more other people in the same room, and we all have to listen to their noises. I hate having to wear my glasses because the screen is so dang big, that it makes my eyes feel weird when I watch a movie without them. There are very few movies that are worth spending all that money to sit with other people to watch something.
I find that not a lot of people share this. Just as many people don't share my disgust of super hero movies. I need plots that aren't full of holes, characters that have more than one dimension to them, and zero special effects. Large explosions and people dying bloody terrible deaths are not enjoyable to me.
I really wish that my husband had a friend he could go to the movies with. It would save me some money. (we do share love for the Bourne movies, Burn Notice (the tv show) and The Conte de Monte Cristo) The sacrifices we make for those we love......
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Unexpected
Yesterday, my husband called and said that we needed to get a babysitter for the kids that could stay overnight. Which was a little surprising.
Our ten year anniversary is this week. I had decided that I wasn't going to say anything OR have any expectations about what we would be doing. We are going to my parents at the end of the summer, so I just assumed we would try and go away for a few days then, and leave the kids with my parents. But, as he told me yesterday on the phone, if you don't do it near the date, it doesn't count. (who knew??) He also said we could even go out on the day (which is not the weekend) but I said that we probably shouldn't. The kids go to an MMA gym in the next town twice a week, and it wasn't cheap. I don't want them to miss any days.
This is very uncharacteristic of him. I was pretty surprised at the whole thing. Because, with him, holidays and anniversaries aren't really a huge deal. Which is fine with me. My mom would do such an overkill on holidays and birthdays that going the opposite direction really doesn't bother me too much. Our last two anniversaries have been pretty lame. Last year he was on his way home from Afghanistan, and was stuck in Germany. The year before that, we thought he would be deploying that day, and didn't plan anything. Then, of course, they didn't deploy that day and we went out to dinner, but took the kids because we didn't have a sitter and were new to the area.....
I'm pretty excited about it. I have no idea what we're doing or where exactly we're going, but you can be sure I'll be bringing my camera. And enjoying just being us. Doing stuff as a family is great. But doing stuff with each other is sometimes a little bit better.
He did say it will probably be the coolest thing we've ever done......can Friday get here sooner please?????
Our ten year anniversary is this week. I had decided that I wasn't going to say anything OR have any expectations about what we would be doing. We are going to my parents at the end of the summer, so I just assumed we would try and go away for a few days then, and leave the kids with my parents. But, as he told me yesterday on the phone, if you don't do it near the date, it doesn't count. (who knew??) He also said we could even go out on the day (which is not the weekend) but I said that we probably shouldn't. The kids go to an MMA gym in the next town twice a week, and it wasn't cheap. I don't want them to miss any days.
This is very uncharacteristic of him. I was pretty surprised at the whole thing. Because, with him, holidays and anniversaries aren't really a huge deal. Which is fine with me. My mom would do such an overkill on holidays and birthdays that going the opposite direction really doesn't bother me too much. Our last two anniversaries have been pretty lame. Last year he was on his way home from Afghanistan, and was stuck in Germany. The year before that, we thought he would be deploying that day, and didn't plan anything. Then, of course, they didn't deploy that day and we went out to dinner, but took the kids because we didn't have a sitter and were new to the area.....
I'm pretty excited about it. I have no idea what we're doing or where exactly we're going, but you can be sure I'll be bringing my camera. And enjoying just being us. Doing stuff as a family is great. But doing stuff with each other is sometimes a little bit better.
He did say it will probably be the coolest thing we've ever done......can Friday get here sooner please?????
Monday, July 25, 2011
Ten
This blog has been sad for a while.
A friend recently posted and typed as much as she could in about ten minutes as she has a toddler and a newborn and was trying to fit some things in a short amount of time.
I think I can do ten minutes a day.
Things on my mind today are: getting my laundry done, making my bed, and cleaning my kitchen. We are going back to visit family at the end of the summer, and I have to plan that out. But getting my husband to commit to anything is difficult, so I'm just going to plan things out, and if he doesn't like it, maybe next time he'll tell me what he wants.
Our weather right now is killing me. Most of the United States is having record high temperatures, but where I am, we've been above 80 degrees twice. It has rained, and been cloudy most of the summer. I know there are many who would enjoy this, but what gets me through the rest of the year is thinking about summer! And being able to swim, go to the beach, have the kids play outside, do outside activities like picnics, going to the park, going to the big city......and half the time we need our umbrellas.
Lets see, I have four minutes left.......this morning I read this. Oh man, do I need to work on this. I have such a hard time with having charity for others. I feel like I need to read this every day to remind myself to be kind, to give others the benefit of the doubt, and not to give in to my grumpy, say-what-I-think self.
How is that for a random blog post?? Hopefully as I get better at this, I'll have a post that actually makes sense.
A friend recently posted and typed as much as she could in about ten minutes as she has a toddler and a newborn and was trying to fit some things in a short amount of time.
I think I can do ten minutes a day.
Things on my mind today are: getting my laundry done, making my bed, and cleaning my kitchen. We are going back to visit family at the end of the summer, and I have to plan that out. But getting my husband to commit to anything is difficult, so I'm just going to plan things out, and if he doesn't like it, maybe next time he'll tell me what he wants.
Our weather right now is killing me. Most of the United States is having record high temperatures, but where I am, we've been above 80 degrees twice. It has rained, and been cloudy most of the summer. I know there are many who would enjoy this, but what gets me through the rest of the year is thinking about summer! And being able to swim, go to the beach, have the kids play outside, do outside activities like picnics, going to the park, going to the big city......and half the time we need our umbrellas.
Lets see, I have four minutes left.......this morning I read this. Oh man, do I need to work on this. I have such a hard time with having charity for others. I feel like I need to read this every day to remind myself to be kind, to give others the benefit of the doubt, and not to give in to my grumpy, say-what-I-think self.
How is that for a random blog post?? Hopefully as I get better at this, I'll have a post that actually makes sense.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Flock
In every setting where there are females, there is always a flock. At the work place, at church, at school booster and PTA meetings, in the neighborhoods. There is always a flock. And there is always a leader of this flock. Sometimes there are a few that take turns, or a group of them that every one follows.
Have you ever found yourself a part of that group without even realizing it? I have, and some times I hate it. I don't like it. There are many positive things these groups can do, and will do. But most of the time I just feel like a lemming jumping off the cliff because the ones in charge tell us to.
I don't want to have my own flock though. That isn't the goal here. I want to be me. Free to do what I want, with who ever I want. I don't want half the table at a 'girls lunch' to gang up on me, or my friend because the one in charge says something and every one else has to chime in with how that person is wrong. I want to be able to have people have their own opinions.
This whole phenomenon is why I love moving so much. While I may encounter the same thing at our next home, I feel like I'm better prepared to deal with it, because I try to take something I've learned with me every time I leave.
In our current location, sometimes I feel like there are a few people 'in charge'. I even spoke to someone that said 'the congregation will fall apart with out Hepzibah'. (of course hepzibah is not her real name. have you ever met one??) I thought REALLY??? Oh man.
I'm looking forward to moving. I look forward to others moving. I look forward to the change in dynamics that will inevitably come. I find it fascinating that until I left for my mission in France, I had only moved 3 times. That was all I knew. Since I've been home and married (it's been almost ten years) I've moved 9 times. And we're about to make it 10. And admittedly, while part of my excitement to move is to get away from this bloody rainy weather, another large part of that is to get a new chance at change. I love how I can leave that old me behind me and try again with new friends to be better this time around. To get away from this flock of women that scuttle around our church, knowing everything (you can't disagree with them) and trying to tell me how to think or feel or that I'm going to take their place when they leave....heaven help me.
This post was for Sunday Scribblings.
Have you ever found yourself a part of that group without even realizing it? I have, and some times I hate it. I don't like it. There are many positive things these groups can do, and will do. But most of the time I just feel like a lemming jumping off the cliff because the ones in charge tell us to.
I don't want to have my own flock though. That isn't the goal here. I want to be me. Free to do what I want, with who ever I want. I don't want half the table at a 'girls lunch' to gang up on me, or my friend because the one in charge says something and every one else has to chime in with how that person is wrong. I want to be able to have people have their own opinions.
This whole phenomenon is why I love moving so much. While I may encounter the same thing at our next home, I feel like I'm better prepared to deal with it, because I try to take something I've learned with me every time I leave.
In our current location, sometimes I feel like there are a few people 'in charge'. I even spoke to someone that said 'the congregation will fall apart with out Hepzibah'. (of course hepzibah is not her real name. have you ever met one??) I thought REALLY??? Oh man.
I'm looking forward to moving. I look forward to others moving. I look forward to the change in dynamics that will inevitably come. I find it fascinating that until I left for my mission in France, I had only moved 3 times. That was all I knew. Since I've been home and married (it's been almost ten years) I've moved 9 times. And we're about to make it 10. And admittedly, while part of my excitement to move is to get away from this bloody rainy weather, another large part of that is to get a new chance at change. I love how I can leave that old me behind me and try again with new friends to be better this time around. To get away from this flock of women that scuttle around our church, knowing everything (you can't disagree with them) and trying to tell me how to think or feel or that I'm going to take their place when they leave....heaven help me.
This post was for Sunday Scribblings.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Evaluations
I bet you're wondering where the heck I have been! Actually, I doubt that since only four people read this blog on a regular basis.
Well, my life these last two months has had a few upheavals. Blogging wasn't very high on my priority list.
Superhero has been difficult these last few months. And while he was difficult before, the behavior was getting worse, especially at school. After a few incidences on the playground and subsequent discussions with his teacher and the school counselor, I decided to take him in to get evaluated for possible ADD/ADHD. Contrary to the language most use, there is no 'test' for it. It is an evaluation of behavior by both the teacher and the parent. And right now, it looks as if we are dealing with ADD.
It isn't too surprising. There is a lot of mental illness on my husbands side of the family. On my side, one of my brothers has some issues (which I'm pretty sure could be greatly helped by medication, but as far as he is concerned, he is just fine.) and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a lot of depression on my dad's side of the family. And if you have a history of mental illness, your chances of your children having something goes up from about 5% to around 30% (if I am remembering correctly. been reading a lot lately.....)
We've told him, and I bought him some books to read and I have a large stack to get through as well. So far I've read Driven to Distraction, started The ADD and ADHD Answer Book, started Delivered from Distraction, and I have ADD-friendly ways to Organize Your Life and Superparenting for ADD to get through. I figure the more I learn about it, the better I will be able to parent him and help him deal with it.
Medication isn't going to be our first choice. Our doctor did some blood tests on Superhero because in her experience, many kids that present with ADD/ADHD like symptoms are actually very iron deficient, and that when they are no longer anemic, the symptoms decrease or can go away. So, while we don't eat a ton of red meat, dark green vegetables (we eat a lot of them anyway, but I am trying harder to have them more often) and vitamins with plenty of iron have been added. Also, quinoa has a good amount of iron in it, especially considering that it is a grain. The next step is possibly taking gluten out of his diet. I found a good resource here. I like it because they are very honest. They know that this won't make a huge difference for every person. But they point out that regardless of the treatment (medication or otherwise) that having a healthy diet will always improve the effectiveness. They suggest taking out both dairy and gluten at the same time. Gluten I could do. Dairy would be near impossible. My best friends son has celiac disease, and my sister is allergic to wheat, oats, and several other things. I've been watching them deal with gluten free items for years. Our family has introduced many gluten free items into our diet so that when we visit each other, my kids understand and are already familiar with gluten free food and are used to it. And really, a lot of the meals we all eat are naturally gluten free. It will affect how often we eat out, but there are many restaurants that have gluten free menu's or can alter their preparation of the food to make it gluten free. (In-n-out wraps their hamburgers in lettuce and prepares it on a different surface than the burgers that have regular buns. With celiac and allergies, cross contamination becomes a huge concern.)
Yesterday, while my husband and the kids were swimming at the post pool, I went to the commissary and checked out their new gluten free food section. I've decided that I've got to make his bread. Brown rice bread is like a brick. You pick it up and it weighs about five pounds. Trader Joe's makes brown rice tortillas. (which are not like bricks) Bobs Red Mill has many mixes and flours that are gluten free and very tasty. I picked up some glutino brand pretzels (which taste SO GOOD. I like them better than regular pretzels.) and their dream cookies. Yesterday we tried Trader Joe's Rice pasta macaroni and cheese for lunch. Tastes awesome. Before I go all the way into this, I wanted to make sure we had substitutes for as much as we could AND that he liked them enough to eat them. Another favorite are Larabars. Their coconut cream pie and apple pie bars are awesome. Superhero will eat them right up.
There is one aspect to this that is a little crazy. The cost. For example, a bag of regular Rold Gold pretzels at Walmart is around $2-$3, right? Well, a bag of comparable size gluten free pretzels is $9 at a regular store. I found them for $4.99 at the commissary. And at an awesome store by my parents, they are the same price. Larabars can be up to $1.99 each. You can get a box of them at costco and they are somewhere around $1.40-$1.50 per bar. At the commissary, they are $.88, and the last few times I've gone, there have been coupons for $.50 off if you buy two. I know that I am very lucky to have the commissary. And costco has a four pound bag of quinoa for only $10. Usually it is much more than that. And the different kinds of flour can be expensive too.
But I do feel very lucky. I have been watching my sister and my best friend maneuver this new world of gluten free food for the last few years, and I've learned a lot. I've seen how it affects a child AND an adult. How diligent you have to be, but also about how many options there are out there for someone that has to be or has chosen to be gluten free. And really, if I get to choose, I'd rather be gluten free than dairy free.
We may still try medication. I just think that changing your diet is worth a shot.
As for the other things going on in my life......maybe I'll talk about those later. Or maybe not.
Well, my life these last two months has had a few upheavals. Blogging wasn't very high on my priority list.
Superhero has been difficult these last few months. And while he was difficult before, the behavior was getting worse, especially at school. After a few incidences on the playground and subsequent discussions with his teacher and the school counselor, I decided to take him in to get evaluated for possible ADD/ADHD. Contrary to the language most use, there is no 'test' for it. It is an evaluation of behavior by both the teacher and the parent. And right now, it looks as if we are dealing with ADD.
It isn't too surprising. There is a lot of mental illness on my husbands side of the family. On my side, one of my brothers has some issues (which I'm pretty sure could be greatly helped by medication, but as far as he is concerned, he is just fine.) and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a lot of depression on my dad's side of the family. And if you have a history of mental illness, your chances of your children having something goes up from about 5% to around 30% (if I am remembering correctly. been reading a lot lately.....)
We've told him, and I bought him some books to read and I have a large stack to get through as well. So far I've read Driven to Distraction, started The ADD and ADHD Answer Book, started Delivered from Distraction, and I have ADD-friendly ways to Organize Your Life and Superparenting for ADD to get through. I figure the more I learn about it, the better I will be able to parent him and help him deal with it.
Medication isn't going to be our first choice. Our doctor did some blood tests on Superhero because in her experience, many kids that present with ADD/ADHD like symptoms are actually very iron deficient, and that when they are no longer anemic, the symptoms decrease or can go away. So, while we don't eat a ton of red meat, dark green vegetables (we eat a lot of them anyway, but I am trying harder to have them more often) and vitamins with plenty of iron have been added. Also, quinoa has a good amount of iron in it, especially considering that it is a grain. The next step is possibly taking gluten out of his diet. I found a good resource here. I like it because they are very honest. They know that this won't make a huge difference for every person. But they point out that regardless of the treatment (medication or otherwise) that having a healthy diet will always improve the effectiveness. They suggest taking out both dairy and gluten at the same time. Gluten I could do. Dairy would be near impossible. My best friends son has celiac disease, and my sister is allergic to wheat, oats, and several other things. I've been watching them deal with gluten free items for years. Our family has introduced many gluten free items into our diet so that when we visit each other, my kids understand and are already familiar with gluten free food and are used to it. And really, a lot of the meals we all eat are naturally gluten free. It will affect how often we eat out, but there are many restaurants that have gluten free menu's or can alter their preparation of the food to make it gluten free. (In-n-out wraps their hamburgers in lettuce and prepares it on a different surface than the burgers that have regular buns. With celiac and allergies, cross contamination becomes a huge concern.)
Yesterday, while my husband and the kids were swimming at the post pool, I went to the commissary and checked out their new gluten free food section. I've decided that I've got to make his bread. Brown rice bread is like a brick. You pick it up and it weighs about five pounds. Trader Joe's makes brown rice tortillas. (which are not like bricks) Bobs Red Mill has many mixes and flours that are gluten free and very tasty. I picked up some glutino brand pretzels (which taste SO GOOD. I like them better than regular pretzels.) and their dream cookies. Yesterday we tried Trader Joe's Rice pasta macaroni and cheese for lunch. Tastes awesome. Before I go all the way into this, I wanted to make sure we had substitutes for as much as we could AND that he liked them enough to eat them. Another favorite are Larabars. Their coconut cream pie and apple pie bars are awesome. Superhero will eat them right up.
There is one aspect to this that is a little crazy. The cost. For example, a bag of regular Rold Gold pretzels at Walmart is around $2-$3, right? Well, a bag of comparable size gluten free pretzels is $9 at a regular store. I found them for $4.99 at the commissary. And at an awesome store by my parents, they are the same price. Larabars can be up to $1.99 each. You can get a box of them at costco and they are somewhere around $1.40-$1.50 per bar. At the commissary, they are $.88, and the last few times I've gone, there have been coupons for $.50 off if you buy two. I know that I am very lucky to have the commissary. And costco has a four pound bag of quinoa for only $10. Usually it is much more than that. And the different kinds of flour can be expensive too.
But I do feel very lucky. I have been watching my sister and my best friend maneuver this new world of gluten free food for the last few years, and I've learned a lot. I've seen how it affects a child AND an adult. How diligent you have to be, but also about how many options there are out there for someone that has to be or has chosen to be gluten free. And really, if I get to choose, I'd rather be gluten free than dairy free.
We may still try medication. I just think that changing your diet is worth a shot.
As for the other things going on in my life......maybe I'll talk about those later. Or maybe not.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Update on distractions
We did not end up with the bedroom set picture I posted. The craigslist gods posted a cal king bed, along with matching dresser and nightstand. And since all of that was about $2,000 less than what the other set cost, we went for it. We are picking it up next weekend.
We now own adult furniture. Kind of interesting. I guess that means we're adults???
We now own adult furniture. Kind of interesting. I guess that means we're adults???
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