Soccer Balls and Baseball Gloves in the Trunk
Copenhagen Cans on the Dresser
Baseball Packs on the floorboard
Filthy Man Boots on My Bedroom Floor
Big Buck Antler Shadows on My Ceiling
So I have been on this perpetual "diet thingy" since oh about the age of 12. I blame that first diet for my downfall. I have yo-yo'd myself to smithereens folks. What the heckazoid do I have to show for it? ANOTHER "off year". Yes, I'm having an "off year".
Mr. Nutrisystem works for the first 2/3 of the day and THEN...then I get to the world of the Russell boys. Chips, crackers, fruit snacks, Yogos, Cokes, Honey Buns, Ice Cream. Oh, I do well when I get home too. I might not eat the Nutrisystem dinner and I might eat the regular meal like the rest of the Fam does, but I've been really good about portion control in the evenings.
BUT...then it's time to lay down. And then, do you know what happens then? I shoot you not....my possessed pantry comes to life and starts chanting at me. "Come to me." "Grab a Quick Snack." "It's Okay." "You'll Never Reach Your Goal Anyway." Well...God Bless my big ole butt Y'all. How do I ignore this voice? Well, as of late I bloggedy blog blog blog. So pardon me if it seems that I'm blogging my heart out these days. It's all I can do to keep the voices of the snack food outta my head!!!
Any of your favorite tried and true diet tips here would be much appreciated. GAWSH, I think there may be no hope until my children are old enough to take care of themselves and I can escape to a gym someday. My time, it is ah-comin'. For now, we'll just chalk it up to an "off year".
So many people thought The Oscars were a bore this year. I have to concur that they were far less sparkly what with the writers being on strike for the last three months and right up until the week before "show time". But for me...and my love of movies, I must watch from beginning to end. My best friend Missy suggested that I should consider an Oscar party of my own someday and you know what? I think that's a fabulous idea. I think I will start planning now for next year. Stay tuned for your invite!!
For now, I think I will have to share my favorites for this year.
Of COURSE I love Jen Garner. I want to BE her, are you kidding? She's the epitome of classic beauty, plus the bonus of being married to Ben AND having his child. Hands down, my favorite presenter of the evening...
As for my favorite dress...I'd have to go with Helen Mirren. What a classy lady. And gawd, could she ever pull off this dress. Incredible. My favorite color and everything. Beautimous Ms. Helen, just beautimous.
And unfortunately I could go on and on, but for now I must put Oscar to bed. Until my crazy obsession brings me back to the most glamorous evening of the year, I bid you farewell Dear Oscar. Thanks for another year of thrilling, dramatic, incredible movies!!
The Salt Lick has been a family favorite for so many years, I can't even count them. When I saw Sullivan going to town on the ribs today, I knew that I must without a doubt capture this moment on film. He loved it 100 times more than his daddy ever imagined.
I have to admit that it has been almost a year since the last time we went. It was before Charlie died last April. You see, it was one of his favorite spots, so it was a little tough to drive through the gates today.
My FAVORITE line from LOST tonight...
Hurley: Did you just do a Scooby-Doo on me?
Hahahahahahaaaaaaa. Man, this show just gets bettah and bettah.
Night - fer real y'all.
Man, they are cute...aren't they? The picture isn't close enough for you to see, but if you could, not only would you be able to see the ice cream dripping off of Sullivan's chin but you would see the scabs all over his nose from where Eli got mad at him and chunked a big old HARD toy right at his nose, the black eye Eli got from the TRAMP-on-each-other-O-LINE, and the black eye Fisher got from his friend's knee while they were jumping on that very same contraption.
Boys. I have three boys. God loves me.
My cousin's husband just had his first son a little over 18 months ago - he had three daughters before Austin was born. Well, one day not too long ago, Austin was standing up in the dining room chair. We kept trying to coax him down. Mike looked over and said..."He'll only fall once before he learns his lesson and then it will never happen again." I had to giggle at him and say "You, my dear, do not yet know little boys. They do not have the logic of little girls where they will try something once and if they get hurt they realize they should never do it again. A little boy will hurt himself and think...gee, if I hold my tongue THIS way next time and put my foot right here, maybe it won't happen again." Mike looked at me a little strangely. I think he's starting to get it.
Boys are huge big balls of dare, fearlessness, excitement, joy, energy, curiousity, anger, wonder, frustration, laughs, determination, competitiveness, heroism, thrills, entertainment and so many other things I can't even pretend to tell you about. If you have a little boy, may God bless him and his loved ones and keep him safe. They are the most amazing little creatures on this incredible earth. I wouldn't trade them for anything ever in the whole world. Ever.
Okay, okay. Don't check me into the nuthouse for overseers-of-movies-anonymous. I saw Fool's Gold tonight.
It was cute. A little better than I thought it would be. And WHO the heck can pass up McConaHEYHEYHEY in the near buff for 2/3 of the flick. DE-LISH-OUS.
Anyway...just wanted to tell ya that Missy caught me else I might not have told on my own movie insanity. She called me right before the movie started. She called me a movieslut. She's right. I'm crazy.
How do you KNOW when you have a problem?
Okay. Since the second week in January I've seen TEN movies. Yes, I said ten(three of them were this weekend). That is one month. Is that too many?
I guess I have to admit that I am somewhat of addict, but it's okay right? Y'all...tell me it's okay.
This is what I have seen:
Juno with Joan
The Orphanage with Mac
Cloverfield with Susie
Golden Compass with Kelly
27 Dresses with Missy and Rach
Sweeny Todd with Kelly
In Bruges with Sonia
No Country for Old Men with Mac
Juno again with Sonia
Jumper with Mac
Do you think it's because everyone knows that I am a movieslut and I will not turn down a movie if I can help it? It's a problem, isn't it?
Gawsh.
Sitting here, on my couch. It's President's Day, and the kiddos are all at school. Mac is in the bedroom watching Today and I'm just sitting out here. It's so quiet and still in my house. The possibilities are endless, yet I've been paralyzed with the "What-tah-do"??
Why is it that every single time I have the alone time I so crave I end up paralyzed and not knowing what in creation to do?
Is this foreshadowing for what is to come when the empty nest starts? Yuck. It's like I've absolutely totally lost my identity unless I'm doing something for those three little guys.
I could be...
Washing my greasy new hairdo (did you know that short hair gets greasier faster?)
Cleaning the Kitchen
Cleaning my Scraproom
Starting my new "walking" program
Folding the laundry
Washing the sheets (if Mac would get off 'em)
Shampoo'ing the carpets
Painting the kitchen
Cleaning the garage
Cleaning my bedroom (so Fisher quits saying..."but why isn't YOUR bedroom clean Mommy?)
Dusting
Vacuuming
Mopping
ANYTHING...I could be doing anything but this.
Do you do this too? Get up. Get up. Get up!!!
You know what? I think I'll watch LOST from last Thursday first and THEN I'll get started on my list....you think I'll make it?
Happy Monday.
First of all, just let me say, "I am SO sorry Mr. Nurtisystem, I just couldn't help myself!!! I hearby RE-TAKE the oath to try to stick to the plan AFTER I finish off this incredible treasure I found...I promise. No really, I promise!!"
I was getting the chocolate ice cream that Fisher's teacher assigned me to get for their Valentine's Sundae Party and THERE it was....dad-nabbit....it just SNUCK up on me. Just like that, outta no where.
Blue Bell's new limited addition ANNIVERSARY CAKE ice cream. Need I say more? NO, but I will. Let me just read to you the description printed on the container..."Almond Flavored Ice Cream with White Cake Pieces and a Swirl of Rich Ameretto Cream Cheese Icing."
HO-LEE-MAH-JO-LEE!!!!
Okay, so not only is the description fabuloso...but it really and I mean really has to be the best ice cream I have ever tasted in all my 36 years.
If you're a food addict like me...DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME...the rest of you, give it a whirl. It will knock your socks off!!
OH and Happy Valentine's Day, Y'all!!
Tomorrow is the day that I will give all this crazy hair away. I do not need this hair and some sweet little girl will benefit more from it than I ever would.
Someone very recently told me I should quit tooting my own horn. Well, I can't help it...TOOT TOOT!! If this blog gets anyone thinking about giving a gift such as this to a child in need, I'll gladly toot. TOOOOOOOOT!!!!!
Locks of Love is SO easy to do. If you have 10 inches of hair to give and are thinking of getting a haircut, all you have to do is simply collect the ponytail in a large ziploc bag, fill out the donor form and mail it to Locks of Love. For more information, click on the link below.
http://www.locksoflove.org/
Happy Wednesday Y'all!!!
I guess you must say goodbye to one era to start a fresh new one? Not only are we removing eight years of sippy cups from our cabinets this weekend...
...but we have taken down the baby border in Sully's old room to make way for a non-toddlerish type room for the eight-year-old who thinks he's a pre-teen already.
Can't say that I'm ready for any of this. I guess it doesn't matter if I am, because no matter if you're ready or not - time just keeps on ah-tickin', doesn't it?
I remember the first baby shower when I got my first sippy cup for Fisher. I remember thinking..."now WHY did they give me that? it will be FOREVER before he can use it!!" Boy, I thought I knew it all. I always knew how to do it better, more efficient, the "right" way....that is until I had kiddos of my own.
Now...well, they're growing up before my very eyes and I can't say that I know any better now than I did back then, but I sure know I will never ever dare to think I can do it better than anyone else!
No more sippy cups. Can you imagine?
So Fish has a little friend over. He's just 2 years older than Fish. Apparently, he's already starting to have some smelly little boy problems? I mean not that he's smelly...but well, let me just show you how the conversation went:
Eli: Hey Jacob, why do you have two shirts on?
Jacob (while playing Guitar Hero): I don't know, ask me in a minute, I'm playing
Eli (not giving up): Is it because you don't want your armpits to smell?
Jacob: No dude, that's what deoderant is for.
Jacob: ....Fisher, you have deoderant, right?
Fisher: No
Eli: But we've got yogurt.
Now if THAT aint enough to pick my spirits up, well I just don't know what is. I still can't quit laughing.
Happy Friday Night Y'all....I'm headed to play some more Guitar Hero with the kiddos!!!!
Just for today, mine is Grey.
It is not black, it is not white.
For that defines things too perfectly.
My mood is Grey.
My opinions are Grey.
My thoughts are Grey.
Sometimes it’s okay to live in this Grey world.
I’m not sulky.
I’m not mad.
I’m not happy.
I’m just Grey today.
All Cloudy and Grey.
Perhaps tomorrow will be a different color.
Maybe Red or Yellow or Orange or Purple.
But not Black and not White.
Maybe Grey.
But never Black and White.
THAT is when my new driver's license will expire. Can you imagine? On that date, I will have a 14 year old, an 11 year old and a 10 year old. I will have an 8th grader, a 6th grader and a 4th grader.
GRACIOUS!
I will be 42 years old. That's still young, right?
What was once so far away is right around the corner.
Can you imagine what will be in the year 2014? Let that roll off yer tongue...TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN. Do you think we'll still be typing on the dubayah dubayah dubayah?
I wonder what the price of gas will be in the year 2014? I wonder if my kids will still love me and think I'm beautiful, or will they be going through adolescence and think I'm ugly and hate me? I wonder what the cars will look like? I wonder how we'll be recording things on television and listening to music, I wonder if, I wonder if, I wonder if.
For the right here and now, it's all purty darn good. I have an incredible husband, great kiddos, a great little ole life, a great family, a great circle of friends, I've got good health (knock on wood), I've got a good job, a nice little house, good neighbors. I've got everything I've ever wanted. Couldn't want for more. Well, I could...but I shouldn't. Learning that as I age. I'm learning.
Take me or leave me, I am just that...Me.
The older I get the more I realize there's just not enough time in the world to be anyone other than that.
Sometimes I'm bold. Sometimes I'm shy. Sometimes I'm outgoing. Sometimes I'm anxious, depressed, silly, outspoken, loyal, committed, dependant, independant, jealous, envious, loving, mean, true, curious, scared, alone, joyful, happy, messy, brave, pretty, ugly, tired, opinionated, supportive, lively, artistic, kind, preoccupied, devoted, confused, smart, funny, embarrassed, intense, intuitive, caring...but most of all, I'm just me.
I'm too old to apologize for it anymore. I am who I am and I hope you like me, but if you don't -well, I'm too old to be upset or offended by it.
From the mouth of a dear friend...."Dude, I am ME!!!"
Okay....one more post tonight and I am through....I promise.
So, as you may have already read below - Sully starts his new school tomorrow and it's a rule that you have to take your own lunch. Well, I have not been privvy to this sort of hulamagoolah since Fish Fish was a wee tiny tot, so I'm having some troubles.
I sent out an email calling on the help of all my mommy friends.
Thank bahjeezus for my mommy friends. Here are a few ideas they have come up with and I will continue to post them into this same blog as they roll in. Enjoy the ideas...I sure have!!!
Liza Suggests...
Screw that thermos crap! Too much trouble for me. I'm waaaayy too lazy to wash those everyday. I just make sandwiches for "A". Cut the crusts off, of course. I'll make one with a meat -- turkey, ham, etc -- and one with either jelly or peanut butter. I always make two, cuz I know at least one will be eaten. They have those little juicy-juice boxes. And I always pack fresh fruit. I'll cut up oranges or apples or pears, whatever. And then I just keep those ice packs, so nothing gets spoiled. You think she would get tired of eating the same thing every day. But she doesn't. Kids are creatures of habit. Hmm....what else can you do.....yogurt, string cheese, they have fruit cups, raisins, peanuts. Oh, sometimes I'll make pigs in a blanket the night before. Easy, easy. Get those cheap biscuits and turkey weiners. The small pack of Village Park has five biscuits like five for a dollar. I know she'll eat those. And she'll eat those cold. When she was at the daycare, on Fridays we had to pack a lunch. I would also do spaghetti or
Spagetti-Os just in a plastic container. They would heat it up at the school.
Missy Suggests...
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/YourKids/LunchboxSolutions/
I receive this Kraft Food and Family magazine and love it--I'd sign up if I were you! They recently did a few pages on kids lunch ideas, so I'm sharing the link with you.
Cool things I've also seen for snack/lunch: apple slices with caramel dipping sauce (HEB does it already pkgd.), cucumber slices with or without ranch, Chex mix with nuts, dried fruit
De Suggests...
Goodness, it's been too long since I've had to make preschool lunches. I think we had to send everything in one container that had sections in it, so we really didn't have many options at all. I think I would send mostly sandwiches or tortilla wraps with fruit. I think the school where they went usually wanted finger foods. I know that doesn't help much, but that's all I got!
Val-ree Suggests...
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Yummy. I'm looking forward to seeing these responses because I haven't had to worry about this yet and I will need some ideas.
Shelly Suggests...
If he likes PBJ, try those Smuckers premade frozen sandwiches (Uncrustables).
Target has the best selection (strawberry, grape and honey). You just throw them into the lunchbox frozen, and they're ready to eat at lunch.
Does he like carrots? In the produce section, they have 10-packs of small packages of teeny carrots. (That's the only vegetable “C” eats right now.)
Steph Suggests…
Lunchables are quick and easy and good to have around for “running late” mornings. "A" loves PB&J, and ham sandwiches. I would just get juice boxes and those snack packs of chips, and we’d be set. Sometimes I’ll throw a granola bar in – or those little tiny gladware bowls w/ lids w/ those little grape tomatoes or blueberries.
Christa Suggests…
Pepperoni slices, string cheese and crackers usually with some kind of fruit and a dessert item. Sometimes I cook chicken nuggets in the micro in the AM then wrap them in a couple of layers of foil, this usually keeps them warm until lunch time.
Sonia Suggests…
Okay, my friend Alicia will cook chicken nuggets and put them in a thermos.
Oh, she will also put mac & cheese or soup in the thermos.
I lay out stuff at night and even put her chips and cookies in the “snack size baggies” the night before. A bag of 99 cent Lays will last her 3 lunches. I cut up strawberries for her or buy the peaches and drain them to put in another container so her teacher doesn’t have to open the container and the juice is gone so it’s not too messy. She will eat ham or turkey sandwiches or “worms” which is the ham sliced in strips.
Get the little Glad containers (one with blue lids) they are the perfect size for the
fruits and sliced ham. They have PB&J sandwiches in the freezer aisle now and by the time lunch comes the sandwich is thawed.
If I send cut up cucumbers and small carrots, I will have a tiny ranch that is already in its own container and they don’t have to be refrigerated.
For a drink, I send the small gatorade’s that way she can close it with a lid and drink the rest when I pick her up.
Think cheese cubes and ritz crackers.
Tonda Suggests...
My first instinct was to delete this one without replying cuz, the kitchen is someplace I really need to stay out of, but I remembered something I used to make for Hannah that came in handy on occassion. You tear two sheets of foil and place them on top of each other criss-crossed. In the middle put a hamburger patti, a potato cut into bite-size pieces and a few carrots. Dash with a little salt and pepper and two or three splashes of Worcheshire (spelling?) sauce. Then pull the foil up and scrunch together at the top so as to make a little pouch> around the food. Throw it in the fridge. Put it in the oven when you get up the next morning at about 350 for an hour. Pull it out and hold it over the sink, poke it on the bottom a couple of times with a fork and let the grease run out. Then cover with another piece of foil in case it leaks some more juice during the day. It should still be quite warm come lunch time, but even if it's barely warm it's still a pretty tasty lunch. Hope it helps!
MMMMmmmmmKaaaayyy...
Forgive me if what I'm about to tell you brings no surprises your way. But I just learned a very important thingamahbob this weekend!!
Did Y'all know that you can use a 20% off coupon for EACH item you purchase at Bed Bath and Beyond? I did not know this. I went shopping with my Kel Kel and she had 5 extra coupons for my 5 items I bought and I got to use EACH one of them. Not only THAT....but they also take competitors coupons like Linens N Things. I shoot you not. FER REAL Y'ALL.
Here is the link to sign up for their circular.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/default.asp?order_num=-1&
You see down there where it says "Get Special Offers by Email"? You can also sign up for the coupons to come to your house. Save 'em up. And you know what else? They NEVER expire.
Holy Molasses. Sorry if Y'all knew this already and shame on you if you did and didn't let me in on the secret.
This MAY just be my new favorite place to shop...well second best to Hobby Lobby that is.
Anyhoo...gotta run and make a sack lunch. (Yikes) Sully starts his new school tomorrow. Wish me luck and Y'all have a great week!!!
Welllll....I'm unsure if you have to be "in the mood" for a musical. Or if it was just that this flick was so dark and morbid??? But I haven't quite decided if I liked this one. I was surprised to find myself asking on more than one occassion..."How long is this movie?"
Golden Globes gave it best picture. Now....other than the amazing Johnny Depp and his surprising singing abilities...I don't get how it would get best picture?
Sometimes I think that movie folks try too hard to be "weird" and "different". Sometimes I think it's just too much. This might be one of those times for me.
Maybe I should give it another chance, but for now....I think I will just say "Hm."
I KNOW...it's a subject that everyone says is gross and they don't want to talk about, yet we all end up talking about it. Why?
ANYHOW...I've got a funny and I'm passing it along - just in case you were one short of a good ole poop story this fine evening.
Okay....so I was going in for my daily quick and polite disposal of lunch. Sorry Y'all - what's gotta be done has gotta be done. Anway, I entered the facilities and pulled the little seat cover off the wall, just got settled in when the "poop monster" came blasting through the door.
Well...UNFORTUNATELY she did NOT know that I was in there. Y'all....come on Y'all, don't you all always check under the stalls before you do your doo? I do.
Anyway...she sat and blasted away Y'all. It took everything I had to not start laughing right on out loud. She was ah-gruntin' and ah-groanin'. MMmmmmkaaaaay Y'all. Not only do I ALWAYS check under the stalls for another pair of shoes before I do my doo, but I NEVER and I mean NEVER do I make noises and such...just in case. Know whattah mean? GAWD.
And I aint told you the worst part of it yet. After the splashing and groanin' and gruntin' and what-not, the woman (though, this is up for debate at this point in time), flushes the thing and then walks out of the stall and STRAIGHT OUT THE DOOR Y'ALL!!!!!!!!! Did you catch that? The BEAST did not even wash her hands. She could have at LEAST pretended....my gawd. But you know what? Remember....she didn't know anyone was in the facilities with her. NASTY HOE-BAG (and I don't mean a gardening tool!!)
IF YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND YOU ARE READING THIS BLOG AND YOU POOP AND YOU DON'T WASH YOUR HANDS.....well, you just can't be my friend anymore. That is so friggin' nasty. Mm Mm.
I never understood why folks were all weirded out about touching stuff in the facilities and I must say that this is a first (and now forever) time I used a paper towel to open the dadgum facility door. YUCK-FREAKING-OLA!!!
Teach your children better manners than that.....MMMMMmmmmmmmkaaaaaaaay Y'all?
That's all. End.
