Fun Friday: Camp Rah-Rah Edition

They're all here!! We are so excited, especially the kids. They ran through the house screaming for the first hour after they got here. Uh-huh. Long road trips make for lots of pent-up energy. It's so great for the cousins to all be together, I think they've all three been counting down the days. Which is no easy task for two pre-schoolers and a Kindergartener.

So, Camp Rah-Rah is in full swing. Right now they're watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" under a fort in the living room. Allergy meds have been administered.

Tomorrow's agenda includes washing Rah-Rah's car, water balloons, running, bubbles, making cookies, more running, then meeting PaPa at Chick-File-A. Whew, I'm already tired.

Seriously, it's so great to have them all here, including our wonderful daughter. Such a treat, she's such an azmaing young woman, I always look forward to her coming. AND, she celebrates her 30th birthday tomorrow, so we're having a party for her on Sunday. Yeah, big weekend.

My take: I'm so thankful for my family! We all have our ups and downs, hang-ups and melt-downs, but we still come together, are there for each other, and live life together. I hope you guys are all as lucky as I am.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to check out this week's recipe - a kid favorite!


Crazy Dogs

Ingredients:
crescent rolls
sliced cheese
hot dogs
chili, optional

Directions:

1. Unroll crescent rolls. Leave 2 triangles together, forming a rectangle.
2. Lay a slice of cheese on top of the crescent roll pieces
3. Lay the hot dog on top of the cheese
4. Roll up the crescent roll and close ends
5. Bake according to crescent roll instructions
6. Serve with chili and/or grated cheese, if desired

Random Stuff

It's Thursday, the last quiet time I'll have for a while.

My 2 other grandkids are coming in tonight...with their mom, they don't drive or anything. I'm so excited! They live near Fort Worth, so we don't get to see them as often as we'd like to. So, in light of this fact, we are also having our other granddaughter, who happens to share the exact same birthday as my granddaughter who lives near Fort Worth, over as well. You know, cousin time.

Now, of course, when I say "we're" having them over, I hope everyone understands that it's pretty much ME having them over. Enough said there.

Anyway, tomorrow I'M having "Camp Rah-Rah." Rah-Rah is my grandmother name, in case you're wondering, and no, it has nothing to do with cheerleading, as I was never a cheerleader.

Where did you get Rah-Rah, you may ask? Well, my best friend's daughter has called me Rah-Rah since she was able to talk. When I married Hubby, who already had one grandchild, I needed a name and decided I liked Rah-Rah. It's different and somehow it works. The funny thing is my friend's daughter is now 7 and I picked her up from school the other day and so her mom called to tell the school and her that Sherra Edgar was picking her up. The school called back in a few minutes saying that J didn't know anyone named "Sherra Edgar." Her mom replied, "OK, tell her Rah-Rah is picking her up." Funny, huh?

So, tune in tomorrow and I'll tell you all about what's planned for Camp Rah-Rah...mainly, because I haven't figured that out yet.

I thought it'd be good to give you an update on my working out process. I'm doing pretty well so far. I'm up to about 2.5 miles on the treadmill, running about 2/3 of the time. When I first start out, it's still really hard, I'm just not a natural runner, but I do feel like I'm making progress. I'm also following a weight routine that's supposed to be good for my body type. Yay, me, yes?

Funny thing happened yesterday at the gym. I was running and it seems that I have like 0 pairs of running shorts with pockets. So I put my iPhone on the little shelf that's made for it or for a water bottle. So, I'm running and I have no idea what I did, typical for me, but all of the sudden my phone goes flying off the shelf, onto the treadmill, then off the back onto the floor. And, I'm running, remember? So, there were a couple of minutes of trying to decide what to do. I mean, how long could I actually run with no music? 1 minute? 2 minutes? Finally, this girl got off the elyptical and she picked it up for me. Thank God, you know? Anyway, I feel pretty good about my progress. Still thinking I need to be professionally fitted for shoes, though. Or maybe I just need to eat less...

A really crazy thing I wanted to tell you about is the Kroger birds. I love Kroger, it's definitely my grocery store of choice. Unfortunately, we don't have a Kroger where I live, but there's one about 20 minutes away. When I can plan it, I try to go there. I just feel like the quality is good, and their bonus buys and brands help you save money...and this makes Hubby happy...

Anyway, last fall one evening I went to Kroger. I pulled into a parking spot and see all these people either walking to or from their cars DUCKING. I thought, what in the world? I'd had my radio on and when I turned it off, I figured out why they were ducking: BIRDS. Birds everywhere, man! There must have been 500, no kidding! They were all in the few tress that were in those little grassy areas of the parking lot, all over the parking lot, on top of people's cars, on the roof of Kroger, EVERYWHERE!!! Plus, they were all chirping or whatever you'd call it and it was deafening. OK, maybe not deafening, but really loud. And, guess what? They're coming back!!

Yep, I was at Kroger last night and they were all coming in. There were probably 100 there already. Now, my question is: WHY??? What the heck, Birds? Can't you see we're trying to shop here and you guys are freaking everybody out. I told my mom about it, who hates birds because of an unfortunate incident from her childhood, and her eyes got all big and she was like, "I'm not going there!"

I understand, Mom, it's creepy.

And with that, I'll close for today.

My Take: gotta plan Camp Rah-Rah! See you tomorrow for Fun Friday: Camp Rah-Rah Edition.

Here's Cassie!

Son went back to school this morning, fever-free.

For those of you who were concerned, I did manage to talk him out of going to marching practice yesterday, as he still had a low grade fever at 3:00pm. Mothers: we ARE miracle workers, are we not?

Anyway, the house is quiet again this morning, and I was wondering what to write about when I realized that I've never written about our 4th family member: Cassie.

Now, looking at Cassie's picture above, you more than likely immediately see that she is...well, not human. No, she's a dog. Son and I have had her since she was a pup. We rescued her from the Humane Society.

It was between Christmas and New Year's holidays. Son was 8 years old. We were looking at the newspaper, Thrifty Nickel, or some similar publication and came across a picture of an adorable puppy wearing a bandana around its neck. We read the blurb underneath the picture and were introduced to Cassie. The most important bit of info in that blurb was that Cassie had a lame leg - she was either beaten or hit with a glancing blow, not run-over, by a car. Well, Son looked up at me with "those" eyes full of tears, and said, "Mom, no one's going to want Cassie with something wrong with her, huh?" To which I immediately replied, "Yes, someone will." And, of course, that "someone" was us.

We already had one dog, Molly, who we'd also had since puppyhood. But, Molly was 10 at the time, and Riley had never been without a dog, so I decided maybe getting a second dog wasn't such a bad idea. So, as soon as the Humane Society reopened after the holidays, we were there adopting Cassie. As it turns out, Cassie had been at the shelter for 4 months already and should've already been "out," if you know what I mean, but the workers loved her so much they just kept her. But, her time was definitely "at hand." So, when I say we "rescued" her, we really did.

Cassie and Molly were the best of friends and had 5 years together. Molly died of old age almost 3 years ago. It was tough for all of us, especially Cassie. But now, Cassie is living "La Vida De Loca" with us. She's one lucky pooch.

When I married Hubby, he wasn't too sure about indoor pets. He was very compassionate about Molly's death - buried her in the backyard for us one freezing cold night, and even suggested we have a little service for her. It was sweet. But, let's just say he'd never had animals indoors as a kid, and is not the animal lover Son and I are. Well, he WASN'T the animal lover...but, how things change!

It's so funny to me how animals can sense the person in the family that they need to "work on," you know? It's like they think, "OK, these two, yeah, the love me, so no worries there. But this guy, hmm, he's still on the fence about me. Better turn on the charm!" And, that's just what Cassie did.

I've mentioned before that Hubby is a runner. He's built to be the perfect long distance runner and could probably run a marathon if he set his mind to it. Also, running each day is his "transition" time, from work to home. Son and I are very thankful for this time. Enough said.

At some point, Hubby took Cassie running with him, and she was immediately hooked. Now, some of you might be worrying about her lame leg at this point in the post, but don't. She definitely has the lame leg - our vet said her femur was broken at some point - but, it doesn't stop her from doing ANYTHING she wants to do, including running with Hubby. As she's getting older, it's a little stiffer and we treat her for that, but this dog is FAST!!! She's killed rabbits, squirrels, and here recently, took on a raccoon and WON!!! The weird thing is, when she walks, she doesn't put much weight on that leg, yet she runs like the wind. Go figure.

So, now, 5 years into Hubby and Cassie's relationship, Cassie is the happiest person to see Hubby when he comes home every night. And she knows when it's about time for him to be home, too. She'll position herself right next to the breakfast table, where he puts his work stuff down when he comes in. That way he'll be sure to see her, no matter which door he comes in.

When he changes into his running clothes, she goes crazy!! She cries, barks, runs through the house. It's hilarious! And, she'll run over to me as if to say, "Did you see? We're going running!" Hubby might never admit it, but he loves her. He's actually started taking her to Warren with him on the weekends - just the two of them. Isn't that sweet?

Cassie is my constant companion. She has this huge pillow that she sleeps on in the laundry room, where she naps on and off all day. When she's not napping on her pillow, she's find me and will lie down in close proximity. Like me, her favorite snack is crackers and cheese and she can hear the cracker package rattle and will come sauntering in. She's a licker and loves to hang out with other dogs - again, like me, she's very social.

So, I'm glad you took the time to meet Cassie.

My take: pets add so much to our lives. They truly are like family...just with a little extra hair.

What's your take?

PS Did you see the football survey at the top? Don't forget to vote!

The Sickies

Everyone I know is sick...well, OK, that may be a slight exaggeration. One person in most families I know is sick. That may not be everyone, but that's still a lot of people.

As you probably remember, I was sick most of last week with a nasty head/chest cold. Hubby picked up a little bit of it last week, too. Not much with his bullet-proof immune system and all, but I did hear him sniffing a lot. He's sniffing, and I'm gasping for air. Yeah, that sounds about right.

One of my good friends had this about 2 weeks ago and was sick for about a week. Then, another good friend's kids and husband were sick all last weekend, but she managed to steer clear of it...until this past Sunday night, which meant she had to miss our first Bible study yesterday. Big bummer.

Then at church on Sunday, Father scared me to death. It seems that he had some sort of stomach virus, which started on Saturday, then got to church on Sunday, nearly passed out, was all clammy and colorless. That's OK, we were at church and you pray at church a lot anyway.

Then my other good friend's college freshman daughter is away at school, sick and alone for the first time with the same stupid cold thing. Super big bummer.

And now, after a couple of days of being puny, Son has officially succombed to this illness, has a low-grade temperature, and so we can now call him, yes, you guessed it, sick.

Now, Son has bargaining power.

Me: "Do you want to stay home from school? You have a fever."
Son: (Long pause) "I want to stay home from school, but I want to go to marching practice."
Me: "You can't do that."
Son: "Why not?"
Me: "It's against the UIL rules."
Son: "People do it all the time."
Me: "These are not people, these are rule breakers."
Son: (Look of disgust)
Me: "Besides, the last thing you need to do is march in the heat with a fever. If you want to go to marching practice, why don't you just go to school and try to make it. You are under the 'fever cut-off' temperature."
Son: "But, I'm miserable."
Me: "But you said you want to go to marching practice."
Son: "Yes."
Me: (Look of bewilderment) "Let's just see how you feel this afternoon."

Classic teenager, right? I've learned that after a while, I just semi-agree to whatever so the discussion can stop. Usually I'm so confused that I run out of arguing ammunition. So, that's just what we're going to do: just see.

Ever notice how "we'll see" or "let's just see" can solve all kinds of problems? These are truly brilliant and strategic phrases.

On a happier note, Son tried out for the All-Region Jazz Band last Saturday and made it! This is a big deal because they only have 1 All-Region jazz band, which means they only take 4 trombones. Son was 3rd, which means he also qualified for Area and even got to record a try-out for the All-State Jazz Band! I'm so proud of him! He's really worked hard. He's been going to school an hour early to practice and it's really paid off.

So, I guess my take today is this: Really tired of all the sickness! Ready for the ragweed to do its thing and be done so we can all get back to our health.

Hope you're doing alright in your neck of the woods!

It's Making a Difference

A great thing happened yesterday at church.

Well, really a lot of great things happened at church yesterday. The church we attend is a brand new church, with one of my best friends and her husband as pastors. My friends, we'll call them the the Flames, are just the best people. They are so down to earth, so easy to be around, and love God and people with all of their hearts. Being a part of their church is a true joy.

Anyway, besides the music, people, sermon, and lunch after church, another great thing happened: one of my friends mentioned that it looked like I've lost some weight. After I turned around a couple of times to see who she was talking to, and realized she meant me, a huge grin crossed my face and I felt so....relieved.

You might think that relieved is a weird emotion to feel following the compliment of "You're losing weight." But, if you've been following my blog from the beginning, you know that I'm trying to get BACK ON the losing weight wagon. And, honey, it ain't easy.

See, I have a lot working against me on the "losing weight" chart. I'm short. No, seriously, I'm pretty short. Another thing working against me is my seemingly negative metabolism. While others, without naming names, like my HUSBAND, can eat 3 bowls of peach cobbler and probably lose weight because he didn't eat a 4th bowl, I can just think about eating a miniature Hershey's chocolate bar, and I need to skip the next meal. OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but only slight. Lastly, I'm over 40. Apparently after 40, our bodies start turning into pumpkins...rotting pumpkins, at that. I'm even shaped like a pumpkin...how did we get on pumpkins again?

So, the losing weight thing is hard for me. I have to work really hard at counting my calories, doing lots of cardio, and I've even started a weight routine. Most people my age don't even do one of those. But, hey, maybe it's making a difference.

So, after the compliment yesterday I started thinking about this making a difference thing. I started to wonder whether I am making a difference in other areas of my life. It's one of those questions that once you ask yourself, you're scared to answer yourself. Am I making a difference?

Am I there for others who need my help, even when I feel like they could help themselves? Am I working on my relationships with friends and family? Even those hard relationships where it's true work, kind of like my physical exercise? Am I involved in meaningful causes, even when I'd like to be called to the life of the couch potato? These are hard questions.

Plus, like losing weight, there's a lot that can work against us when we try to make a difference in people's lives. Schedules, family committments, jobs, and other people's wills can all bog us down on this road to serving others. Still, most of us, on a good day, keep going, keep trying, keep believing we can make a difference somewhere, somehow, for someone. And, sometimes even when you're doing all you know to do you still aren't sure if it means anything at all. Has anything for anybody really changed?

And then the day comes when a friend says, "Hey, you look like you've lost weight," and you think, "Thank God. It's made a difference."

Here's my take: that's the person I want to be. I wish I could say it's going to be a piece of cake, but I've lived long enough to know that it's not going to be. But, that's OK. At the end of my life, or if I'm lucky, BEFORE the end of my life, I hope someone will say, "Hey, Susie Q's decided to stay with her husband after she joined the Bible Study" or "Son is such a great kid, I bet you're a good mom."

And I'll think, "Thank God. It's made a difference."

What's your take?

Fun Friday: Pumpkin Edition

So, it's Friday.

The best thing about this Friday is that it's here. It's been quite a long week for me. Plus, my house is all decorated for fall, which I love!! It's one of the reasons that I love the holidays...remember, I warned you...

Plus, the weather is amazing!!! It was in the 50's when I drove Son to school this morning. Love it!! I've even considered bringing out my boots and a sweater to wear today...not really, I can't get too carried away yet.

As I mentioned, my house looks great and smells like...pumpkin, of course! I took some pictures of my decor, hope you like them!

Here's my dining room table.

And, my front door.

Our game table.

And, my front porch.

So, what do you think? Leave me lots of comments telling me how wonderful everything looks, OK? Remember, I did all this decorating while taking lots of medication, so I feel I should be celebrated.

As far as Fun Friday and the weekend go, we actually don't have much planned at all. We don't even have a football game tonight, it's our bye week. And, I'm really kind of bummed because we could actually sit out there and not sweat to death this week. Like I said, bummer.

So, if I were you, I would try to do as much outside this weekend as possible, if the weather where you live is as great as it is here. I read about some bulbs I can plant now and have them bloom in the spring, guaranteed. And, a guarantee is what I must have before planting anything. My "green thumb" has always been more of a yellowish shade of green.

I'm also having a critique lunch today. As I mentioned, I'm a writer. I am. My only problem, as a writer, is trying to convince a publisher, any publisher, of my writing status. But, I'm trying hard. I have a friend who's been writing for about 10 years with some pretty good success. She's acting as my mentor and we meet with a third lady, another writer, about every other week and talk about what we're writing at the moment, get some ideas, etc. I enjoy it.

So, again, whatever you do this weekend, try to get out and enjoy this fall weather. To put you in the mood, I've chosen a fall recipe to share. I actually made this yesterday for my Young Life event, and it's a great one. And, yes, it's a pumpkin recipe. I am nothing if not predictable.

My take is this: I love fall! How about you?

Pumpkin Cookies


Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract




Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

If You're Happy and You Know It...

Today, I am officially back among the living, and when I tell you I've hit the ground running, you have no idea.

I've been planning this Young Life event at my house for weeks, and well, it's tonight. So, on my first day back to feeling like a human being, I've decorated for fall, shopped for the desserts I'll be making this afternoon, cleaned house...you get the picture...

In other words, this post is going to be fast...just like the rest of my day...so here goes:

5 Things I'm Super Happy About

#1 It was EVEN COOLER this morning when I took Son to school - which means, fall is here...hopefully

#2 The little pumpkin candy, that tastes just a notch better than regular candy corn, was out at the grocery store...a favorite

#3 The 90-calorie Fiber One brownies I've watched commercials for from my post on the couch all week are actually pretty tasty

#4 Green Mountain Coffee has released their seasonal flavor "Pumpkin Spice" Keurig pods, of which I am currently enjoying, along with my 90-calorie Fiber One brownie

#5 I felt so much better today that I decorated my house for fall, including changing my Scentsy warmers to fall warmers AND the fragrance to, yep, you guessed it, Pumpkin Roll...I like pumpkin, OK?

So, nothing earth shattering today for you guys, but a rather "happy" day for me.

My take: It's amazing how little things can make you "happy" after being sick all week. Am I right?

Come back tomorrow for Fun Friday...and, yes, it could include pumpkin...

What's your take?

Viva, Italia...Especially the Food Part

I think I'm a little better today.

I was able to breathe enough for a little bit of good sleep last night. It's amazing how much better you feel when you get good sleep...and how horrible you feel when you are up all night gasping for air. Welcome to my week...

Anyway, after some much needed sleep and antibiotics, I may be on the mend. I'm just going to take it easy here on the couch for one more day, then maybe return to the land of the living tomorrow. The good news is Hallmark Movie Channel is showing movies today that I've never seen. I am highly favored.

Since I have only ventured outside to take Son to school, and am kind of out of touch with the world as it is currently spinning, I don't have a lot to talk about today. So, I will talk about one of my favorite subjects: food.

Well, not really just FOOD, although that is definitely one of my favorite subjects. What I'd really like to talk about is one of my favorite restaurants: Maggiano's "Little Italy" Restaurant.

Now, you won't find a Maggiano's in my little town, but you can find them close, like in Houston, Dallas, bigger cities. If you couldn't tell by the name, it's Italian food, one of my favorites. I'm actually very intrigued by all things Italian. I love the food, the language, the romance. I've never been to Italy, but it's definitely on my "bucket list" of places to visit.

And, Maggiano's is such a cool place. You usually hear Frank Sinatra playing, unless there is live music going, and it's constantly buzzing with customers. In fact, if Hubby had not made reservations for Saturday night, we probably wouldn't have been able to eat there, the wait was 1.5 hours!

At Maggiano's, you'll see all kinds of people: old, young, couples, families, parties, romantic dinners. And the food? My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I've tried many of their dishes, but I guess my favorite is their spinach and chicken ravioli. It's amazing! Their lasagne is to die for as well. Maybe that's what almost killed me. Nah, I don't think so...

The other great thing about Maggiano's is that they have these combo specials. On Saturday, we ordered "Marco's Meal," which consists of an appetizer or 2 salads, 2 classic pasta entrees, and 1 dessert. Plus, you get 2 MORE CLASSIC PASTAS to take HOME!!! Oh, yes, you heard right. So, basically you get to eat Maggiano's for at least 2 meals. We stretched ours to 2.5 - I got what was left on Monday for lunch!!

Anyway, if I could wish for any restaurant to come to my little city...well, it'd probably be a tie between Chick-Fila-A and Maggiano's. But, as I was telling Hubby this very thing on Saturday night, as we sat taking in the food, people, and music all around us, (including some very loud ladies in the booth behind us), Hubby shared some poweful insight: if we were able to eat at Maggiano's all the time, it probably wouldn't be as special to us. And I think he's right.

My take: yes, Maggiano's is my favorite restaurant. I love everything about it. But, the truth is, the fact that it's Hubby and I's special place, where we go on weekend getaways, is what truly makes it special. Even though the food is great, it's the memories we make there that matter most. It's time that we take to get away from life for a little while and regroup as a couple. Making time for our relationship to grow will have a much stronger impact on our lives than the delectable pasta could ever have.

So, the next time you're in a big city, look for a Maggiano's. You'll love it!

What's your take?

It's Beginning to Feel...Less Like Summer

Quick Update: yeah, still feel pretty yucky. Trying to decide whether to call the doctor, take the rest of about 3 different partial antibiotics I have in the medicine bucket, or just brave the storm with Dayquil, Nyquil and Sudafed PE...and lots of Kleenex.

Even though I am sick, like lots of other moms, I'm sure, I still have to drive Son to school in the mornings. I only get that opportunity until February, when he gets his license, so I'm happy to do it. So, when we stepped out into the garage this morning - him all dressed for school, me in my nightgown and sweat pants - we were met with a wondeful surprise - it was A LOT COOLER!!

Now, I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but, as I've mentioned, where I live, we basically have only 2 seasons: HOT and LESS HOT. And, I'm happy to tell you that I think the LESS HOT season is beginning!!! Yay! With visions of sweaters, boots, jackets, and scarves dancing in my head (honestly it could just be a combination of the congestion and medication), I'm really excited to start thinking about fall.

I mentioned yesterday that I had purchased some new decor over the weekend. If I survive my cold, I'm going to decorate this week. I'm also going to make my first batch of pumpkin bread - it's one of Son's favorites.

Also, I was very pleased to see that the grocery stores are stocking the Halloween cereals. Now, some of you may not know about the Halloween cereals - Count Chocula, which I've started with this fall, followed with the berry ones. I remember them very vividly from my childhood. They really aren't the world's best tasting breakfast cereals, but since I'm sick and in dire need of comfort food, I had a bowl of them this morning.

It's strange to me that sometimes some of the things we did as children, then do again as adults, don't seem to carry the same magic or awe as they did as children. For instance, Friday night, as we sat in the stifling heat, sweating to death at the football game, I turned to Hubby and asked, why do all my memories of football games as a child include Brother and I being wrapped up in heavy coats, stocking hats, mittens and blankets? To which he said, "It'll cool off." True, but not sure we'll be breaking out the blankets any time soon.

Nevertheless, fall is the beginning of my favorite time of year: the holidays! So, here's a fair warning: you're going to be hearing a lot about the holidays!

Well, my brain is starting to get fuzzy, probably time for more medicine, so I'll close for today. Hopefully, tomorrow I will return to the land of the living. Here's my take: when you're sick, you eat junk food, including a bowl of Count Chocula cereal, and lay on the couch and watch the Hallmark Movie Channel all day. It lessens the feeling that my head is going to explode.

What's your take? What do you do when you're sick?

Weekend Wear Out

It's going to be a short one today.

Despite the fact that I had a great weekend, I managed to come down with, what I think is a good old-fashioned cold. My throat is sore, my head is full of junk, and I have a low-grade temperature. Yuck....So, for my normal wit and wisdom, you'll have to check back tomorrow.

A few details: football game, bleh...same song, 3rd verse...

Hubby took me to our favorite hotel and restaurant...had a great time...

Bought some new fall decor...planning to decorate this week...if I live.

That's it for now, I need to go blow my nose. Again.

See you all tomorrow!

Fun Friday Edition: Spaghetti and Surprises

One little guess as to what I'm doing tonight. Anyone? Yeah, go, Raiders, blah, blah, blah...go, Mighty Raider Band!!

So, for the rest of my weekend, Hubby has some sort of surprise for me. That's one of the things I love the most about him: he's a romantic. He really knows how to woo his lady. He sends me little notes or cards, gives me little inexpensive gifts when one of us is gone, and takes me on surprise trips. It's really nice, I love it.

So, tomorrow morning, we're getting up and going somewhere. I really don't know where, but their must be some sort of performance involved, because I've been instructed to bring "Business Casual" attire...and my swimsuit.

The swimsuit I get, but I've never understood "Business Casual" attire. I mean, isn't that an oxymoron? How can clothing be both Business and Casual, I ask you? Anyway, that's Hubby's favorite, and possibly ONLY, clothing description. When forced, as this weekend, I spend lots of time standing in my closet trying, for the life of me, to figure out if I own anything that could be placed in the "Business Casual" clothing category...IF this category even exists...and, I have my doubts...

So, before I move on to the recipe, I thought I'd talk about surprises. People say, "Everyone loves a surprise!" Well, not me, so much.

This idea brings me back to my childhood when my brother and I decided we just couldn't wait until Christmas morning to unwrap all the gifts with our names on them, so we got up in the middle of the night, unwrapped all the gifts, then "rewrapped" them, convinced no one would notice. Uh, we were wrong. And, our mom was not impressed and never wrapped another gift for either one of us before Christmas Eve until we were in our mid-30's. So, not the biggest fan of suprirses, I guess. But, Hubby's kind of surprises are different and I appreciate the effort he goes to to make them happen, so I don't mind them at all. I like them, yes I do!!

Here's the question: when was the last time you surprised someone you love? It doesn't have to be your spouse. It could be your child, a parent, a friend, anyone will do. AND, it doesn't have to be a trip, either. Just a note, a pack of gum (one of Hubby's faves because he knows I love gum,) really anything to say, "I was thinking about you today." I think you might be surprised at how well it's received.

So, give it a shot, because here's my take: Life is short. Too often we let life get in the way of doing those little things that mean so much to the ones we love, you know? What do you think?

Finally, here's this week's recipe. Now, you may have your own Chicken Spaghetti recipe, but, I beg you, TRY MINE!!!! It's SO GOOD!! See you Monday, have a great weekend!

Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (Note: I actually boil mine while they're still frozen. It only takes about 20 minutes and saves time)
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4-1/2 C black olives
Parmesan cheese
spaghetti, cooked

Directions:
1. Cook and cube chicken
2. Boil spaghetti and drain
3. Start with Rotel, cream of mushroom soup and olives, cooking in a big saucepan over low heat; cook until well blended and bubbly, then add cooked chicken
4. Slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly, over low heat, until "sauce" is well blended
5. Combine sauce with spaghetti, then pour into 9x13 Pyrex baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cook 15 minutes or so, just to melt cheese a little.

A Whole New World

I subbed yesterday.

For those of you who don't know or don't remember, I am a former school teacher. And, when I say school teacher, I actually mean primary school - 1st and 2nd grades. In case it's been a long time since you've had or been a primary school student, let me refresh your memory a little bit.

In 1st and 2nd grades we walk in a straight line everywhere we go, with the teacher beside the line, glancing to and fro, trying to catch that one little boy who always tries to trip the kid in front of him. When a 1st or even 2nd grader asks TWICE to use the restroom, you better let him. By mid-October each year, 1st and 2nd grade boys don't know where any of their pencils are. Learning to read is the biggie in 1st grade, with lots more practice in 2nd grade. And, even 2nd graders need a little help now and then with tying their shoes.

With all that said, I have to tell you that I loved teaching this age group. I started out with 1st grade and never thought I could love any other grade anymore. But then my boss asked me to move to 2nd grade, which I reluctantly did, and ended up loving it just as much or more. These are great grades to teach because most of them still love school, they love you, and are learning in leaps and bounds. It's pretty fun.

But the truth is, teaching has changed drastically in the past 20 years, especially in public school. The teachers are overloaded and it's now a very stressful profession. So, I'm thankful that for this season, I was able to step out of it and just be a mom, wife, grandmother, mother-in-law, step-mom...whew, talk about stressful...

Even though it's nice not to have to teach full-time, I do really miss parts of it. So, I decided to sub a little this year. Our school district has this program where the teachers can put their absence in the system in advance and subs can go into the system, see what's available and sign up. Which is what I did for yesterday. All except it wasn't for primary school. Yeah, it was MIDDLE SCHOOL.

It was for a girl that I know who teaches Theater Arts. And, it was only for the afternoon. So, I figured I could handle it.

I got there at noon, found her classroom, and checked out the plans. I was really excited to be able to teach again and was thrilled that she had actually left a lesson for me instead of just putting some movie on, like Fame, or something awful. The first class was her conference period, so no kids, but I looked over the lesson, checked to be sure all the media was going to work, then looked over the class lists.

The first thing I noticed was how MANY STUDENTS were in each of the 2 classes I would teach. In primary school, when I taught, 22 students was a lot. One of these classes had 27 and the other had 30. Well, I thought, I guess for Theater Arts that could be good. I mean, she's got her own acting company.

Then, the first class started coming in. It was really weird for all of us, because many of the faces I sort of recognized, but they were now on much bigger bodies. The students seemed to be a little bewildered, too, especially since my last name has changed since they were all in second grade.

But, we all made the connections quickly.

Ah, Middle School. I had forgotten...

They are so loud!! I mean, not disrespectful, for the most part, just really, really loud. They all talked at the same time. To me. I was a little overwhelmed for about 2 minutes. Then, it all came back to me. The teacher face, the teacher voice, the holding up of the teacher hand. The students all recognized it immediately, too, and a hush fell over the entire class. We were back on track.

The other funny thing about middle school is that the whole opposite sex thing is SO ON!!! It's really the first experience for them to sit together, etc. and they are into each other, baby. Also, most of the boys are just discovering that they...smell and have greasy hair, so half of the boys looked like they had showered and at least tried to look presentable, while the other half...yeah, they were still working on it.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable day for me, and I hope, for the students, too.

Here's my take: yes, it was very different teaching middle school. I talked differently, I reacted differently. It was a good learning experience for me. But you know what? At the end of the day, I'm a teacher, it's a big part of who and what I am at the very core of my existence. And no matter what the age, with a few little adjustments here and there, teachers can teach pretty much any age group, almost anything.

Except higher level math. That's not for me.

What's your take?

Thanks, Guys

Our event was spectacular - maybe the best EVER!!

I wore the dress I spoke about yesterday - got lots of compliments and felt very SPECIAL. Everything about the event was good from the fabulous red fish stuffed with lump crab and rock shrimp, ("yes, any leftovers I'd be happy to take home,",) to the LIVE auction, (yes, it's what you're thinking) that I helped run, to the two fantastic speakers. I'll talk more about the speakers in a minute. Between the auction items, which included some fancy camoflouge rifle, Axis deer meat, and an Axis hunting weekend, God bless Texas, we hopefully raised lots of money to help women who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation.

I mentioned there were two speakers. The first was a beautiful young actress who played a role in the movie October Baby. She has a very powerful testimony and it was amazing that she was willing to stand before a crowd of 450 strangers and be so honest. I'm so thankful to have heard her.

The second speaker was a retired army Lieutant Colonel who was instrumental in hunting and capturing Saddam Hussein. With the event being on September 11th and the Lt. Colonel as the keynote speaker, our theme, of course, was patriotic. So, here we are seated among neighbors, red, white & blue decor, a HUMONGOUS American flag as the platform backdrop, listening to a true American patriot give intricate details of the capture of one of the world's most notorious dictators. To say that we were all on the edges of our seats would be a huge understatement. I think some of the men were even sweating and salivating.

The Lt. Colonel was a precious man and a very gifted speaker. But, one of his statements toward the end of his speech troubled me greatly. He said the military has been asked over the years to carry out these nearly impossible missions, not unlike capturing Hussein. But once these missions have been completed successfully, the military is met with cynicism, criticism, and disdain.

Now, I was not completely ignorant to this public opinion by any means. But, I guess hearing the Lt. Colonel speak about his most famous mission, THEN hearing those words come out his mouth was completely different. I actually felt ashamed. Not because I personally feel that way, it's quite the contrary, but just that ANYONE would have this attitude toward men and women who CHOOSE everyday to put themselves on the front lines of danger to ensure our freedom and the freedom of those who are unable to obtain it themselves.

I don't want to get into a huge public debate here, that's not what this blog is for. But, my take is this: no matter which side of the political machine you're on, I think it's important for us to remember that these people, our military men and women, sacrifice so much for us. For them to come home and not be honored just makes me sad. Regardless of whether we all agree on the war on terrorism or not, these are still men and women- PEOPLE- who, like all of us, are just doing their jobs. Except THEIR jobs could cost them their lives.

The Lt. Colonel, as I mentioned, is now retired, after 21 years of military service. Besides speaking, he founded an organization to help veterans successfully return to civilian life. He wants to provide them with the honor they deserve after the sacrifices they've made. And I want to do that same thing.

So, to all you military men and women out there, 11 years after our nation was changed forever AND in the wake of the assassination of a US Ambassador, I want to say thanks. I honor you, am grateful for you, and my prayers are with you all.

Does the Dress Make the Woman or the Woman Make the Dress

I have an event tomorrow night.

It's a gala for a local crisis pregnancy center that I volunteer for. It's one of my favorite organizations and the gala is always a fabulous event each year. It's a lot of WORK, because one of my best friends has been the event coordinator for the past few years and always asks me to help. I really enjoy working with her. I've always said that she and I are like peanut butter & jelly-very different skill sets, but, togther we are great!

So, as we've been meeting, planning, decorating, etc., guess what burning question still remains unanswered: What am I going to wear?

The event itself, being a "gala" and all, has traditionally been a fairly dressy event. But like so many events in the past few years, whether it's a fund raiser or an event at the theater, things are much more casual nowadays. Have you noticed that?

Actually, for some people, that realization might be a relief. But for me, it complicates things. Especially since I'm helping to give the event, you know? I mean, do I dress WAY up, making it clear that I am helping with the event or do I dress down a little and blend in? In my opinion, the dressing down , "blending in," is harder than dressing up. I think there is an art to dressing down and still looking put together. An art that I'm not sure I master all the time, I'm sad to say.

So, it really comes down to one question: Do I wear something I already have, one of several outfits that would work, or do I use this event as an excuse to buy something new?

Early on, I had decided I really NEEDED something new, knowing full well that I really don't. What's that about, anyway?

My take is that, as women, when we're going to something special, we want to "feel" special, too. And what makes us feel more special than a new outfit? Hmm...there may be something, but I sure can't think of it at the moment. Or, it could be that I just like to shop and love clothes. Uh-huh, a definite possibility.

Well, you'll be happy to know that I decided yesterday to wear a dress I already have. It's one of my favorite dresses, a Michael Kors dress that I got for a great price at one of his outlet stores. And, by the way, I do feel special in it!

Please leave a comment today, if you don't mind. I'm trying to fix the settings to where everyone can comment, even without a Google account. Thanks!

What's your take?

The Weekend with a Little Paint

This weekend was really a good one. Well, all except for the football part.

Now, the band was great! The Snake Pit, this super band group Son is a part of, was amazing! I'll try to post a video before Friday. The actual football part of the football game...yeah, pretty awful. The score was 45-0 by HALFTIME. One guess as to who had the 0. Oh, well, there's always next week...God, help us...

Then last night I went on a date with Hubby. We did a little shopping, went out to eat, then to see the movie, The Words. It was a great movie! It was about a writer, so, of course, I couldn't wait to see it. I'm not going to give the plot away, but a struggling writer finds a manuscript. Plus, it's kind of a story within a story. Anyway, it was well done and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

After church, we ate with friends at a new seafood restaurant. Then, came the painting part. If you've read my posts about the hurricanes, you know that we had lots of damage to our house and even did some extra painting. Part of that painting sort of...never got completely finished (that's the most polite way I can think of to say it.)

Personally, I was looking forward to hanging out on the couch this afternoon and watching the Jane Doe marathon on the Hallmark movie channel. After all, Sunday IS the day of rest, is it not? So, I turn on the TV, grab my favorite blanket, and am just getting all nestled in, when Hubby appears in his "painting attire." He has painting attire, you ask? Oh, yes! It consists of a white button-down shirt and khaki pants, with about 25 years worth of paint stains on them.

So, immediately, I'm faced with a dilemma: do I continue with my plan of marathon movie afternoon, or do I at least OFFER to help Hubby? It's not that I even mind painting, because I don't. But, sometimes, Hubby can be less than patient when it comes to these kinds of things and the last thing I wanted was to end the weekend with an argument.

Still, Hubby is SO BUSY right now at work, that for him to take this time to work on the house was a very nice gesture. I knew it would mean a lot to him for me to offer my help. So, I decided to bite my lip and offer to help. About 3 hours later, we were finished and Hubby was very excited that "it hadn't taken long at all." hmm...are you talking to me?

My take is this: in marriage, sometimes it's important to lay aside our best-laid plans to help out the one we love. Even though I didn't get my "day of rest," I was able to show my husband that I am willing to pitch in and help him when he needs me. And that makes me feel pretty good.

So, I'd say it's been a successful weekend, here on the home front. AND, as if some sort of reward, all the Jane Doe movies I missed while painting, I've already seen. God loves me!!

What's your take?

Fun Friday: Game Night Edition

Well, MY weekend fun has already begun!

Yesterday was my dad's 74th birthday - sorry, Daddy, I have to be truthful on my blog. For his birthday, we met some family and friends at a restaurant called Larry's French Market and Cafeteria. It's Cajun food, AMAZING, with a semi-live band (last night it was this one guy playing a few different instruments and singing...I'm pretty sure he was alive.) We had a fantastic time. I did a little line dancing - love that!! And danced with Hubby, Mother with Father...a good time was had by all...

Tonight it's off to another high school football game. As mentioned in earlier posts, Son is in the band, and, after being beaten 20 - 0 last week, all I can say is I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing the band. Go, Raiders, all the same...whatever...

Then, tomorrow night, we're going to an "End of Summer" bash for church. Now, the thing about "end of summer" is that the end of summer seems to last until...oh, around Halloween. Nevertheless, this bash does involve food, fellowship, fun, AND a swimming pool. So, I say, "Bring on the end of summer!"

Now, if you're not having an "End of Summer" bash, going to a Cajun restaurant for a birthday party, or sitting in the 100 degree heat watching your son march, why not have some family/friends over for a game night? You don't have any good games, you say? No problem! I happen to have a couple of GREAT suggestions:

Qwirkle - this is a game that is super fun! You match different colored/shaped tiles together to make a "Qwirkle" - 6 tiles in a row. It's for ages 6 and up, so it's great for the whole family. There is a little strategy involved, but it doesn't use up very much of your brain power - I mean, you are playing with shapes.

Yahtzee Free-for-All - this is a new spin on the old classic game, Yahtzee. It is played with dice, but also with a gameboard and cards. 3 cards are displayed at once, showing possible Yahtzee combinations and the spin is, these are the only combinations you can go for during that turn. There's also "stealing of your opponents' cards" involved, which my sister-in-law loves! It's great fun!

To go along with your game night, today's recipe is for a party food - the ever popular dip. Now this dip is.....uh, FABULOUS and so EASY, two very important words to describe any dip. I've made this so many times and no only do people eat it ALL up, it's tremendously fun for me to listen to them try to figure out what's in it. So, try it and watch the people flock to your game night! Have a great weekend, see you on Monday!

Baked Onion Dip

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen onions
3 8oz cartons cream cheese
1 C Parmesan cheese
1/2 C Mayonnaise

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a square or round Pyrex dish or stone cookware dish
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until bubbly, and starting to brown on top
Serve hot with pita chips or crackers

Refrigerator...ah, Sweet Progress

I got a new refrigerator this week.

It's amazing how excited one can get over something new, isn't it? And it's a NICE refrigerator, OK? I mean, it has every bell and whistle known in the refrigerator galaxy. It's almost intimidating, know what I mean?

In our defense, here's our refrigerator story...

Before purchasing this ultra-refrigerator, we owned 2 very sub-ultra refrigerators. The one in the kitchen had been mine, before marrying Hubby, and I bought it in 1994. For those of you who need a little help, that makes this refrigerator 18 years old. Now it works, OK, but not well. The light was burned out inside (never could figure out how to change the bulb), so you can't really see anything inside. You just kind of have to feel around until you think you've found what you were looking for and hope for the best. Also, it's 22 Cubic Feet...for those of you who don't know refrigerator lingo (I only do because of my recent purchase), the best way for me to translate is SMALL!! Another issue is that this refrigerator is apparently tired of closing all the way. This can be an unfortunate discovery in the morning when you "open" it and realize it was already open and everything inside is lukewarm - and we all know what the Bible says about things that are lukewarm...moving on to sub-ultra frig 2...

This refrigerator was Hubby's frig, and guess what? He doesn't remember how old it is...yeah. It has its own set of issues, like not closing well (see above), this seems to be a common "disease" among old refrigerators, and the drawers don't open and close right anymore. And, most important of all, it's SUPER SMALL. So, all of this led us to making our recent big purchase.

After a couple of weeks of frig research (after the several months of discussion), we decided on this beautfiul stainless, Kenmore ELITE frig. Now, I don't know about you, but words are important to me, so when I saw ELITE written on the front of this frig, I was sold. I mean, who doesn't like ELITE, am I right? But, I was even more in love after checking it out. It's 31 Cubic Feet. Translation: BIG!!! It's laid out so that I can actually see everything on each shelf AND the light works so well that it's a little blinding.

It also has a brand new ice maker/water system that is supposed to be this cutting edge technology or something. All I know is that when I press the water button, water comes out - and I like that! I remember growing up and going over to certain "rich" friends' houses who had the little water thing on the front and just thinking they must be millionaires...the innocence of youth and all that...

Anyway, I really do love my new frig and am very thankful to have it. I'm even turning over a new leaf: I'm going to try and clean out my new frig EVERY WEEK!! Emphasis on the TRY. Check out the picture below.

My take is that sometimes it's the little things in life, like getting a new appliance, that help us to keep going. It just helps us somehow to keep working at being the best we can be and realizing that life is really good. I mean, I have a water doo-hicky, I must be a millionaire, right?

What's your take?

Mowing Woes

I had to mow again.

It seems that between our family's social engagements and marching band practice, there is just no time this week for Son to do it. And, of course, I'm the likely replacement. Lucky me.

To make matters worse, it's the backyard that really needs to be mowed. The thing about the backyard is that it's huge, the land is uneven, thanks to losing trees during hurricanes, and the grass is splotchy in many areas. Now for some this would not be a problem. But for me, it is.

Son can mow the backyard in about 1.5 hours. I have no idea how. It usually takes me at least 2 hours, and that's if I don't have to stop to use the restroom. It's a huge undertaking for me, one that I am never truly prepared for.

I try to be positive when I start out. This is great exercise, I tell myself. After all it's a PUSH MOWER (see Small Town Fashion). If I get started early, it won't be too hot and I can finish quick. Except...no, it never really works out that way.

It takes only about 20 minutes for me to remember why I hate mowing the backyard. I'm already sweating to the point of dehydration and mowing over the same areas 5 times because I can't tell where I've already been. I'm so focused on trying to tell where I have and haven't mowed, I forget to watch out for the massive ANT COMPOUNDS, plural, we have in our backyard. So, now, I'm doing the ant dance and still unsure of where I have mowed. Repeat this process over and over again and you get just a glimpse of my mowing reality.

About an hour in, my legs are on fire from all the ants, I have shin splints from pushing the mower up the hilly part of the yard, and I'm light headed from lack of hydration. I'm just thinking to myself that I'm sure this is one of the ways people are tortured in hell, when I realize, I have to use the restroom.

Now the dilemma: if I turn off the mower to use the restroom, will I be able to start it again? How close am I to finishing, can I wait? These are important questions. My push mower is older than Son and not the easiest machine to use. I have to prime it, oh, 80 or so times just to start it at the beginning. Restarting it is even worse.

What to do, what to do? I finally decide, no I cannot wait to use the restroom, I have way too much mowing left to do, and having to restart the mower will build my faith AND my prayer life.

After about 2 hours and 15 minutes, I finally finished mowing the backyard. Hallelujah, pass the Advil.

Tomorrow: mowing the front yard. And the hits just keep on comin'!

Labor Day Weekend: Dawn of the Grill

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend. It IS the last holiday until Thanksgiving break, you know. Unless you count Halloween, and I don't, because you really don't get any time off, know what I mean?

Anyway, my Labor Day weekend was, for the most part, almost perfect! I mentioned that I was going to have C, my granddaughter, all weekend. We had the BEST time ever! We painted toe nails, shopped, cooked, and did all kinds of girly things. Plus, Son, as you can see from the picture, agreed to spending the day with us, so I got the best of both worlds. Even though I adore Son, and I secretly wanted a boy the whole time I was pregnant with him, it's really fun to have a little girl around nowadays. Plus, it makes up for the fact that I had yet another really weird dream last night. I dreamt I was "with child." Yes, I know...

It was one of those dreams that was so real that, when I woke up, I had to run down my medical history and convince myself that I really did have a hysterectomy back in 2008. So, unless any of you have seen a star in the East, I won't be having another baby. I.HAVE.NOT seen the star...

On Sunday afternoon, we went back to Warren (see All in the Family.) This time my parents came along, plus one of my sisters-in-law and her fmaily. We had a great time. We played games, caught fish, and did lots of cooking. There was SOME of the regular chopping and burning going on, but no mowers stuck in the mud this time.

There were a few challenging moments for me, however. Hubby bought a charcoal grill to keep at Warren. We do a lot of grilling in our family and decided that a grill would make the Clark Griswold experience at Warren complete. I was all for the purchase. The putting together part was unexpected...

It seemed that Hubby got the grill out of the suburban, placed it on the patio, boxes open, then went fishing with C. We then found out that my niece had to be back in Houston by around 4pm, so we were going to have to eat earlier than Hubby expected. With the baby back ribs marinating, my sis-in-law, E, decided to take matters into her own hands and "we" were going to put the grill together. Guess who part of the "we" was? Yeah, that'd be me...

Now, I am creative in a lot of ways: I'm musical, I'm a good storyteller, but I am NOT mechanical. Look, I'm not even VISUAL. So the news that I have to help put ANYTHING together is never GOOD news. Plus, remember, it's 150 degrees outside. Always a factor...

So, I'm panicking a little, because E is really good at putting things together and she even LIKES to do it. I'm thinking, do I admit to her that I can't even read a map well or just let it be a surprise? I went with the last choice.

Actually, in the beginning it went pretty well. For about the first 5 minutes. Then we realized that the nuts didn't want to go on the screws. I tried about 5 then, finally got a nut to go easily onto its screw. Yay, me!! So, I say, "Hey, this one worked!" Now, I'm a nut put-it-on-er expert. I put screws and nuts in every hole I could find. Even some that weren't supposed to have that kind of screw. So, yeah, we had to take a few out. But, my victory would not allow me to be discouraged, and on we trudged.

We had a great system. E would read the instructions, translate into regular English, then tell me what to do (Yes, it was a 3-step process, just like in the remedial class.) After a few minutes my mother-in-law ventures out to see how we're doing. When she sees that no one is bleeding and no one was yelling, she calls for my mother to come on out. Apparently, the coast was clear.

After about 30 minutes, lots of holes had screws in them, but the grill was still in pieces. Along comes E's husband, J. J asked what we're doing. Well, I felt like it was pretty obvious that we were putting a grill together, but maybe not. So, J starts "helping." Uh-huh. Then, after about 15 more minutes, the fish had stopped biting and there was nothing left to burn, so here come ALL the other men. Just what we needed.

So, Hubby comes up and gets his electric drill out, all fancy and everything, AFTER I now have blisters on my fingers from twisting strong-willed nuts onto screws for almost an hour. My job had just been taken over by a machine. Now, we're all "helping" to put together the grill.

After about an hour, here's the scene: E and I are still trying to work our system of her reading the directions and telling me what to do. Except now Hubby and J look at the directions over our shoulders, call out crazy numbers of bit sizes and hand ME the drill to "drill" the nuts on. Yeah...

After another 15 minutes or so, I look up, in between drilling, and see ALL of the parental units sitting on the patio, about 3 feet from us, drinking lemonade, watrching us with in utter amusement. Here we are, sweating like pigs, passing the instructions around, while they gawk.

At one point, Father says, "Well, Baby, I didn't know you could put things together." Uh-huh. I manage to smile sweetly and say, "Oh, yes, Dad, I'm just full of surprises." (I've only been married 4.5 years, my in-laws still think I'm sweet.) Then Father says, "Hey could you hold the drill again? I want to get another picture." Sure, Dad, I want to say; I'll hold the drill. I can do all kinds of things with this drill. But, I just smiled at him with my best "knock it off already" smile and he just laughed his head off. Yeah, real funny...

Anyway, we finally got the dumb grill put together and had our yummy lunch.

My take is that we're always going to find ourselves in those situations that we know are not our forte in life. For me, it's definitely reading maps/instructions and putting things together. I don't care what anyone says, I believe there are just some things that men are still more inclined to do than women. I mean, I can do it if I have to, but I would also jump out of an airplane if I HAD to. That doesn't mean it's on my to-do list.

What's your take?