Happy Birthday!

To my DH. He's 51 today. It's so hard to do a decent birthday dinner in Halloween, and this year, Number One Son has hockey practice and Darling Daughter has a birthday sleepover, so we did a birthday breakfast. (No pics because we were all in pjs.)

We had bulls-eyes (eggs in toast), pancakes, and a Cinnabon ice cream log roll. It really went well with the pancakes. The kids helped cook, but I was left alone with the clean up since they all had to catch school buses.

I know it's early, but....

Go Phillies!

Aww, shucks

Thanks, Kristen.
Ok now I have to play the game (yes, you never get something for nothing and this is no exception):

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?

No, the high school I went to wasn't a neighborhood school and after I went away to college, I lost touch, especially since my parents moved away. I do keep in touch with a few college friends and camp friends. Definitely camp friends.

2. What do you value most about your friends?

Laughter, acceptance, honesty and support. (even long distance)

3. Are your friends sounding boards?

Sometimes, but most of them are far away.

4. What is your favorite activity to share with friends?

Depends if they're close or far. I love a weekend getaway, just girls, hanging out, eating and drinking, catching up; or going to dinner/ movies; or even just catching up via email/blogging. I'm not so much into the phone these days, not sure why.

Ok enough about me. Now, I have to pass this “Friendship Award” on to treasured Bloggy Friends, new and old.

The envelope please read in no particular order

Madeline
Thystle
Judy
Linda
(3 out of the 4 are sort of new to blogging, so maybe they'll make new Blog Friends around the web)
Go check out their blogs and say HI from me.

Oh, and I've been BOO-ed by Kristen, too. And I'm passing it on to all of you!

Rants and Raves

Hmmm, let me see....

Rants:

• snow in October
• wet leaves
• laundry that sits in the washer too long and smells "skunky" (what? that never happens to you?)
• smelly cat litter boxes
• neverending laundry
• unreasonable spouses
• weeds
• chilly floors in the morning
  

Raves:

• a good night's sleep
• Greek food
• sunshine
• John Denver - at high volume when I'm alone in a car
• quilts
• mothers (man, I miss mine. But my mother-in-law is a pretty good substitute most times)
• cottage gardens
• good smelling candles
• a crackling fireplace (sadly, I do not have one)
  

Some days are diamonds (some days are stone)

Now the face that I see in my mirror, more and more is a stranger to me.
More and more I can see there's a danger in becoming what I never thought I'd be.
Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. Some times the hard times won't leave me alone.
Some times the cold winds blow a chill in my bones.
Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.

~John Denver

Yes, I do like John Denver. Really. Shut. up.

Just Do It!

I don't care if you're a McCain supporter or an Obama supporter, or live in a red state or a blue state, or live in a swing state or non-swing state....but

Get Out and VOTE next Tuesday!

Really, I don't want to hear you say that you're vote doesn't count or that you don't like either presidential candidate.

There are other races in your hometown that are important to your community.

Pay attention. Cast your ballot. Yes, it's important, dammit!

Just do it.

Okay folks, I need serious help

Really. I'm in a serious dinner rut and inspiration crisis.

I've perused my cookbooks, browsed my favorite recipe websites, pillaged thumbed through my (extensive) magazine recipe files...

I just need someone to cook plan my dinners for me.

I know that's a lot to ask, so I'd be very happy if you all would just share a typical 5-7 day rotation with me.

Recipes would be nice, but not necessary. I am just begging desperate for new ideas.

Oh, did I mention that DH (that's darling husband) isn't really a fan of red sauce or chicken. That seriously limits my pasta repertoire.

Personally, I make a mean lasagna and I love spaghetti, roast chicken, and cheesy pasta dishes. But not DH. Ugh.

Oh, and Darling Daughter doesn't really like anything besides mac and cheese, spaghetti, chicken nuggets and my spanakopita. Ugh.

Number One Son will eat (almost) anything. Whew.

And me? I'm not a huge fan of fish or seafood. Although I do make a breaded lemon tilapia for DH. I just make it on a night when I'm not really hungry.

See my problem?

I'm just getting bored of running through chicken piccata, sloppy joes, spanakopita, pastitsio, pork chops, burgers, chicken pot pie, etc. See? I'm so bored, I can't even think of what we usually eat.

So I would be forever grateful if you would just give me ideas of what is in your family-friendly, economical dinner rotation.

You guys are the best!

I'm blushing here

at the nice things BJ said about me and the other blogs "she can't live without".

Not that that doesn't give me just a little anxiety.

Oh, no, not at ALL.

I just have to live up to that rep now when I blog about my mundane meanderings and thoughts.

Gulp.

But THANK YOU!

It's always nice to get a little pick-me-up from friends. Even internet friends.

And chocolate too. Chocolate is ALWAYS well received.

:-)

Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard

“Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle”

Soren Kierkegaard

Just because.

I just love contests

....and pimping blogs, so rush over to visit Racie at Wait, wait, there's more
She's giving away a McCain or Obama glass, but go there and she'll explain it better.

And while you're there, poke around a little, she's got some great posts.

And a handy-dandy "follow me" button that she just added, so make her feel good and add yourself!

This is overdue...

Deb gave me this last week, and I've been a slacker, so here goes.

Thank you, Deb!

So, the rules of this award are that I have to list 6 things that make me happy. and then Pass It On.

Hmmmm, this might be tough considering the foolishness that has been going around here lately. (Did I mention that Rude Teenage Son had the nerve to call me stupid today? And in public?!) No, well, then I won't. Suffice it to say, he doesn't make me happy right now and he has lost his computer privileges for as long as I see fit to torture him.

Annndd, the ranting from DH is continuing. This time about hockey. A sport I know nothing about. A sport that He encouraged Number Once Son to take up. A sport that He played as a youth. A sport that He signed up for and (you would think) investigated about the costs, time commitment, etc. Well now apparently its My Fault that NOS has some tournaments and travel games and * apparently *I was supposed to get all the details while DH was traveling. And didn't. So I must be stupid. Of course. Mind you, He receives the same gazillion emails that I do, and has access to the same website that I do. But he's toooooo busy. And Important. And I just work part-time (at 3 jobs) so that I can be free to manage kids' schedules, etc. Fair enough on the managing kids' schedules point, but NOT FAIR on the getting ridiculously angry and undervaluing my role just because I don't have a Big Powerful Important (Paying) Job and I didn't get the stupid details while he was away. I just deleted a paragraph of too much ranting. Nuf said on that subject.

On to 6 things that make me happy (right now. It is a fluid list and I reserve to change it and reprioritize it my whim).

1. the joy of children
2. cats that snuggle
3. perennial gardens
4. quilts
5. a good book
6. blogging

And now I have to pass this award, tag thing on 6 others. Carrie, since I left you off the list last time, you're it. The rest of you, do with this what you will. I know some of you don't like doing these things, so consider yourself skipped over. If I comment on your blog and/or read your blog, and you like these things. C&P the award and stick it on your side bar.

ps. If you're related to me or to DH, or know us in real life, please know that I love him dearly, and put up with his quirks in a regular basis as he mostly does with mine. And I love both of my children dearly, but we have our moments. And really, isn't it healthy to get this off my chest?

Oh. my. gosh. How perfect!

This little gem is from the fabulous Niki - one of the sassy, sexy, hip, Smartini girls.

She was looking for a little help with shoe-shopping from her internet peeps, and while she didn't actually choose one of our fabulous suggestions, she awarded a consolation prize to those of who tirelessly and selflessly researched appropriate and fun footwear for her to peruse.

Yay! Thank you!!!!!

It's a mini (just the right size to not clutter up my desk) desk calendar with all sorts of wonderful shoe porn to peruse on days when the daily office grind just gets you down.

Cue the theme music, hear the birds chirping,

Oh, give me a break, life is not like the movies. Or even the funny sitcoms.

DH (that's darling husband) came home last night after being gone for 11 days.

You'd think that there would be violins or a mariachi band or something playing right?

Or maybe June Cleaver presenting him with one of those delicious, home-cooked gourmet meals he's been missing for the past 11 days.

Eh, not so much.

He did get shrieks of glee from dd, and a "hey! Dad's home" from Number One Son.

From me he got an offer to do his truckload of dirty laundry and tacos. Yup tacos.

Now, mind you, he's eaten tacos before and not complained. It's a kid-friendly meal that's been requested lately. And did I mention that I had a headache and body-ache of monumental proportions yesterday?

His response? A BandM (bitch and moan) about how he's been gone for 11 days and the best I could do is tacos?

Oh, bite me.

I fed them all and went to bed. At 7:30 PM. Alone.

Welcome home.

Blog Box!

Tiffany from Random Musings from the Downbeat has blogged about the Travveling Blog Box!

She posted pics and says it's almost ready to ship out to Carrie in PA. Yay! The journey has begun! '

Run on over there and take a look!

Rants and Raves

Rants

• that itch in the middle of my back that I can't reach
• hangnails
• nervous dogs, esp. the little yippers
• junk mail
• gaining weight
• aches and pains of getting older
• not finding stamps
• people who are rude in parking lots
• blurry pictures
• gray hair
• weak coffee
  

Raves

• Halloween candy, esp chocolate varieties
• Thanksgiving - is there a more perfect holiday?
• snuggling with my kids
• a cat on my lap
• making new friends
• chardonnay
• the internet
• hot, buttered popcorn
• a really good book
• pedicures
• a good strong cup of coffee
  

I'm sure there's more....

Enjoy the day

For MissThystle, with love

I was distressed and dismayed when I heard that you could not find the treasured "Rockin' Nut Road" dark chocolate Snickers.

So, I did what any truly good friend would do.

I emailed the company.

And here is their reply:

In response to your email regarding SNICKERS ROCKIN' NUT ROAD BAR.

Thank you for your email.

This product is being shipped to warehouses nationally. However, it may not be
available in all of the stores right now -- or may be temporarily out of stock.

Why not ask your store manager about ordering it?

Have a great day!

Your Friends at Mars Snackfood US

I love that they consider themselves to be my friend. It's only fitting considering how much chocolate I've consumed recently.

Go help our economy! Shop! Buy chocolate.

Resolutions

Yup. I'm making them. Who needs New Year's?

I solemnly resolve:

* to stay off the computer before my kids go off to school. Really. NO email or Facebook update is so important that it can't wait until 7:30 AM.
* to stay off the computer between 3 and 4 pm - the first hour that DD is home from school
* to put all dishes in the dishwasher and NOT in the sink
* to clear all junk mail OFF my kitchen counter and into the trash promptly so that I can actually use my counter for, well, kitchen stuff
* to do at least one load of laundry every day so that I don't drown in in it
* to actually deposit said laundry into the appropriate rooms so it doesn't obscure a path to my bed
* to clean out my purse. Really.
* to stop eating almost an entire bowl of Lipton French onion dip solo. I'm burping onions here and it's not pretty. And now my body is rebelling and demanding things like crisp apples, oatmeal, and baby carrots.
* to stop procrastinating. Well, maybe I can start that one tomorrow, today's list is pretty full.
* to read all magazines within a week and then GET RID OF THEM.

I know there's more.

I need an intervention here.

Anything on your list?

Anyone remember...?

...past discussions about being a sports mom? The natural order that develops among the parents (usually, but not always, the chauffeuring moms)?

There are those who drop off and sit in their car, those that leave and go grocery shopping, those that sit and read a book or clean out their purse, those who watch every move on the playing field, regardless whether it's practice or a game, and those who chitchat with the other parents.

Back in June, I blogged about baseball, and how I moved from the book reading mom to the chitchat mom; because it was a really nice group of parents. None too obsessive or crazy about their kid's participation, not to "helicopter-y", just normal. And friendly. And not too cliquey.

Well, we're into the football and hockey teams and soccer too (as a rec program). Since soccer is a rec program, and there are some younger kids, most parents bring a canvas chair and hang around. They've progressed to splitting into 2 teams and playing games, so I hang around; although I did leave during practices to run errands. I'm sociable with those parents sitting around me, but I also bring a magazine or catalog to browse through. Nothing as attention intensive as a book; but really, when the kids are picking dandelions and looking at the clouds, how involved can I be? When DD is playing, I cheer her on, and pay attention. She's good, involved and paying attention. She's also one of the older kids since they merged the younger and older programs after we signed up. :-(

So, football is a school sport, so I know some of the parents in a nod,how are you kind of way, but I don't sit with a group or seek out the other parents to chit chat. So far, so good. I usually have DD with me and we goof around. take pics of the game, and I do the purse clean-out thing.

Hockey is a whole 'nother beast. DH was doing the practice drop-offs, but he's away last week and this week, so I've been doing it. This is a big hockey town, maybe because of our proximity to the frozen lakes of Canada or the fact that a pro hov=ckey team is in the next city to our west.

These parents have been in hockey for YEARS, and know all the programs, the coaches, the travel teams, etc. Ugh. It's apparently quite the little clique. It's not that they're *not friendly, I just don't KNOW them and I'm not in their world. At all.

Last week, I stayed at Number One Son's practice (at the rinky dink rink) because it didn't make sense to leave. I brought a book, but managed some polite chitchat with the other mom sitting there. Another mom came along and I listened in on some of the conversation....whoa, was she into it. Rattling off names, and coaches and teams and tournaments and leagues..... I could only smile politely and nod my head since I had no clue what she was talking about. Thank God for my book.

I'm safe at the big rink because I can go up to the bar that overlooks the rink and get my Black Forest beer and (you guessed it!) sweet potato fries.

This morning, practice was at a local college rink, and one of the moms offered to bring Mickey home for me so that I could go to church (where I also work part-time). But I DON"T KNOW WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE! yikes. So I had to approach several tables of "HOCKEY MOMS" (who were all talking about upcoming tournaments) and ask who she was. I really felt like an outsider since Mickey is new to the program. He's only been skating for about 2 years and I swear, some of the kids have been skating since they could walk.

Although I am very sociable and quite chatty in most areas of my life; I prefer to be the quiet one at my kid's sports.

I'm not altogether sure why.

I'm definitely not shy; but I'm more sociable and confident in situations where I have some sort of "official role" and I "work the room". And no, I am not volunteering to be Team Mom or anything with sports. No way, no how.

So, how about you? A reader/purse-cleaner or one of the team moms? Where do you fit in?

I'm soooo sad and lonely.....

wondering:::sniff::: why Lorrie won't follow me. :-(

I might have to go find some chocolate and sit in a corner in my sorrow and despair.

But if you want to see the fun side of Lorrie, go here

She wants to know your favorite sweet temptation. She's giving away 2 mud items (woohoo!) You get to keep one and you get to give one away on your blog. If there's one thing I like as much as entering contests, it's the thought of being able to hold one myself!

If you see Lorrie, please tell her to add me to her Twitter list. I've already eaten too much chocolate.

Inspiration

This came to me in an email from my friend Madeline

Subject: FW: The Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? & Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated suma cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England ..

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.

I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.' At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know...I just did.

Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does.

We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance.

Because sometimes you need a little reminder.