And the Garden has Officially Begun!

Oooooo I've been waiting for this all winter...

Nevermind that we had a meager yield last year...never mind that I still don't like to eat raw tomatoes...nevermind that it took my AWESOME Italian Stallion 3 hours to rototill the 6 beds and another 3 hours filling in another 3 yards of nutrient rich soil (yep, nevermind that cuz I was safely inside getting my hair done and my head messaged...but, let's not remind him of this or he may not be too smiley:)

After much google searching and entering this adventure with a bit of fear and trepidation, I discovered that even though we rotate crops each year, it was time to get some more nutrients back into the soil...I haven't figured out the composting thing very well just yet...but, it's on my list of "things to do"...until then, we're starting fresh this year with new soil...and now:

OUR GARDEN IS READY FOR PLANTING!!!  woohoo!

And so it began...

If you remember, I got myself out there early in the winter in December to plant the garlic...they are sproutin' up just fine let me tell you:)  I think they like me, no matter that I planted them just a tad late...I choose to believe that they are thankful for the extra warm time in the brown paper bag...and just to show me how truly grateful they are...WALA...

Since the garlic seems to be so friendly, I thought it was about time to introduce some real friends out there in those lonely beds...

Right next door, we welcomed the potato family...I can't remember how many we planted, but the girls loved starting the mounds and discussed their sand castle making skills that will be perfected once we reach Florida this summer...

catty-corner we put in the spinach, lettuce, romaine and sugar daddy peas...hooo boy, we're going to have us some GREENS this summer!  I suppose I can be thankful for this as I down those green smoothies in the morning:)

Peanut and Little Munchkin were great helps in getting in the onions too...

We called it a night and headed back inside for some hot tea and scones (thanks to Peanut's Scotland presentation...more on that a little later:)



My Exercise Regime

People ask me never  all the time "How do you keep that beautiful muffin top around the top of your jeans looking extra smooshy?" 

Little Munchkin put her hands on my belly yesterday in the middle of Kroger and loudly declares, "Mommy, I think you must have a baby in there...LOOK, it's sooo big and round!"

NICE!!!

Folks, I'm approaching 40 and realizing that time is not slowing down and yet, my metabolism is...and along with that, everything seems to be sinking...down...

Now, I am going to admit that YES, this is partly a vanity thing...I DESIRE to look a certain way because I feel "pretty"...DUH...but please believe me when I tell you that it's not like I spend a boatload of time worrying about it or looking in the mirror...

in fact, it's been quite the opposite...

I did finally manage to get a haircut after 6 months and I did redo the nail polish of my toes about 2 weeks ago...this was the "self-done pedicure" from last summer mind you...

Anyway...long story short...it's not all about the looking good...but it's about the osteoperosis, heart attacks, cholesterol and all the other stuff that I'm seeing in the future if I don't take care of myself now...

I've done my duty with p90x and Jillian Michaels...and I've cut back on a lot of junk that I've been eating...(well, except for the gummy bears...ooooo, I LOVE gummy bears)

Anyhoo...I'm getting down to business now...I can't find anyone with the Insanity DVDs and truth be told, I doubt I have the gumption to even do it...but, I am serious about trying to cut back on all the processed food junk and actually working out where I SWEAT...and so...thus has begun my "regime"

It looks like this:

Get up in the morning (and get the girls out the door..this takes about an hour or so...let's just skip this part) we are thankful that I have at least gotten myself out of bed.

Go down to the basement and search the TV for any infomercial about working out...this has become my "mantra"...my inspiration...I get on the treadmill and run at 7mph, uphill...HARD for 2 miles...I then get off and go nuts trying to do whatever exercises I have watched on the infomercials targeting whatever area they happen to target that morning...sometimes I get the wonderful "Brazilian butt lift" and other days, I see Tracy Anderson jumping around in her little green/black leotard...either way, I do pushups, situps, weightlifting and anything else I can until I'm in a puddle of my own sweat and Little Munchkin is yelling for her morning Apple:) 

Shower...MAYBE get my hair dried...

and then I gulp down this:

My sister in law introduced me to them...they are called Glowing Green Smoothies (minus the celery for me...it just ruins the taste) but, I gulp this down for breakfast and I'm on my way:)

I've got Italian Stallion on the kick too...which also means that my "hour" in the morning is extended while I blend one up for him as well...

I have no idea if I will ever fit back into the jeans I wore 2 years ago...and I have a feeling that at some point, I will need to let go of that dream...but at least I'll have some healthy benefits from my craziness:)

Driving Miss Munchkin...with pop:)

So, Little Munchkin has become quite my buddy...it was this way with Sweetpea, when it was just her and me, before the other girls were born...I'll be honest...I really enjoy it...she is quite entertaining, to say the least...and it's fun to have someone to hang around with all day:)

Not to mention, she's my "excuse" to get "snacks" during that day...

Often a 'snack' consists of buying a fountain drink or donut...whichever we're in the mood for first:)  this sooo helps me move toward my goal of losing weight:)

Today it was a fountain drink...our conversation went like this:

LM: "Mommy, would you like to SHARE a Pepsi with me?  I can give you some sips."

ME: "Thank you sweetheart, that's a great idea"
(go through drive thru and get pop)
LM: "Mmmmm, this is good pop...I've had lots of sips now Mommy, would you like one?"

ME: "Sure, let me hang on to it for a minute"
(still driving and heading home, pop is now in the front seat holder)
LM: "Oh, I'm not going to drink it all, Mommy...I'm going to save it!"

ME:  "Yes, let's save it so we can drink it with lunch when we get home"
(about 30 seconds pass)

LM: "Mommy, I'm really very thirsty, how about if we each have ONE more sip and THEN we'll save it"

ME: "Okay, one more sip and then hand it back up here"
(after one sip and about 30 seconds later)

LM: (in a panicked voice) "Mommy, I think the pop might be melting, I need to take another sip to be sure"

ME: "why don't you hold onto it, take a sip and make sure and then we'll save it"

*cricket, cricket*

LM: (very troubled voice) "Oh, Mommy...I can't believe it...I drank the WHOLE thing...now we have nothing left to drink...I am so very sorry"

I knew this would happen, but it's just so darn funny to listen to her get to the end of it and realize that she's finished the whole "snack" all by herself...AGAIN...

Noone else may understand how tickled I am about this, but that's okay...she makes me smile regardless:)

Movie-going

I went to see Hunger Games last night...

by myself...at the theater...by myself...

it was very suspenseful (I know that sounds ridiculous since I actually read the books, but it was)...and I sat there by myself...did I mention that I went all alone?

This was not one of my better ideas...nope...me and suspense don't get along too well...I would venture to say that I missed about 30% of the movie due to the fact that I put my jacket over my head and peeked periodically through the zipper.

I must say that I was relieved to see that the theater was not filled with young teenagers, but rather the college scene and a few women clearly there to escape doing late night housework and munching on large bowls of popcorn...

(I missed out on the popcorn part of the evening, but never fear, I had a baggie filled with jelly beans and sprees hidden in my purse:)

So...the movie...

After reading all 3 books and seeing the movie, I still stand firm in my belief that this is not a film or book set that I would recommend to young teenagers or tweens...seriously, it was almost reminiscent of Lord of the Flies or Children of the Corn...mixed with Animal Farm and some love story twists of Twilight...

I'm not trying to bash the movie or the books...not by a long shot...

One thing that makes literature GOOD literature (in my opinion) is the author's ability to congure up imagery in the minds & imagination of the reader through the weaving of his/her words...the ability to not only create a painting in a reader's head, but to cause the reader to become fully engaged, mentally & emotionally within the story...almost to immerse the reader so that when they close the book, it takes a few moments to collect oneself and remember that it's just "words on a page"...

The thing is though, with good literature, it's not just words on a page...IF it's really good and it's done it's job, it changes you...it can cause you to see life in a different way, it can change a belief or perspective...it can even sometimes confuse your ability to discern between reality and make-believe...most often it makes you feel...sometimes emotions that are incredibly strong and set you toward a purpose...other times, just feel good or even angry...

The underlying threads (lessons, if you will) that were woven into the story line were ones of hope, choice, perseverence, spirit and will...You saw them in the determined eyes of the main character and even in the voice and actions of the crazy mentor, Haymitch...

It's a shame that it had to be coupled with the lack of regard for human life...innocent lives of children.  I think I may have been able to stomach it more if it had been bad guys being murdered in the blood bath...but they were children, still in shock from being "chosen" in the "reaping"...just doing what they were told to do in order to survive...others killed because they lost touch with humanity...they had clearly given up....

Don't get me wrong...I was "obsessed" with these fictional writings too, there is something sickeningly attractive to the plot...fortunately, I had recognized my inability to put the book down and forced myself to think about other things...because really, the "sci-fi" part of this book, although sometimes just plain difficult to imagine, had the emotion that is still the same...and I could "feel" myself, FEELING with the storyline...

They were well-written..plain and simple...and the movie did a good job of trying to put on screen what people had congured in their heads (you can thank the Hugo Cabret movie for explaining that phenomenon) Books are always better, in my opinion...just because you can take pages upon pages to develop a character...whereas in a movie, you have to try to sum it up in a few seconds so that you can get on with the plot...

I think I'm just most disturbed with the whole thing not because of Susanne Collins and her writings...she is clearly a gifted author...what irritates me is that the media spun the whole thing to teens and even younger.  There are kids at our elementary school that are wanting to read these books because of all the hype (actually some are reading them)...Junior Highers, who do not have a necessarily long life experience with which to compare the feelings that they are sure to encounter...I know that there are genius kids out there that could probably get the "lessons" or the underlying premise of the story...but is it necessary to subject them and even entice them to desire to "see" and "feel" the murder of children their own age?  UGH...what happened to riding bikes, doing hair, and experimenting with make up?

Call me the UNcool mom...the one that was JUST introduced to 80s music by her husband a few months ago...I was a nerd, I wasn't allowed a lot of things...and yet, my REAL life offered me the chance to grow up stinkin' fast...I didn't have to imagine it or see it on a screen...so, I guess for my kids, I just want them to enjoy where they are...I don't want them to be niave, obviously...but at the same time...do they have to experience SPECIFIC things in order to grow or value other things?

I'm not going to force my girls to drink powdered milk so that they value the milk we buy in the gallon jug...but I still want them to value it...can I find another way?

I want them to enjoy their peers and the "latest trends" but, does that have to be at the expense of innocence of feeling and thought? 

I already have to face discussions with my girls at an earlier age that what I want...because I'm forced too...if I don't do it, the school will do it first, and if not them, then their peers...in secret...and therefore I feel like some control is taken away...I don't know...

I know that it seems like I"m making a big deal out of a silly fictional read/movie...and many will think I"m going WAYYY over board...and that's okay...because really, I"m only responsible for my own girls, not everyone else's kids.  I guess I just cringe when I remember my time in the classroom as a teacher, listening to 4th graders discuss topics that their bodies and minds aren't developmentally ready for, no matter how intelligent they are...

Someone has taken a larger than life complex story and "dumbed" it down enough so that it's not so gorey and repulsive to people, but enough so that it's attractive...I mean, we could just read historical accounts of the holocaust or have elementary kids read the Mark of the Lion stories by Francine River (which I again, highly recommend to adults:)  We wouldn't let our kids get obsessed with reading and watching documentaries on the death of innocent people...reliving it in their imaginations...we realize the seriousness of it...it makes our hearts sick because of it...and yet, it is easy to glorify to the teen scene, the possibility of an arena where children fight to the death...because "it's a cool love triangle between Katniss, Peeta & Gale"...is it just a slow fade? 

bottom line about the movie (and the books)...they are really good..well-written...great actors...would recommend it to MY peers and young adults, those that see it for what it is and can maturely handle the brutality of the plot:) (without it just being about going ga-ga over the actors)  It's not often you find books that grab you like this...but, it will be a long while before I'll feel comfortable letting my eldest crack it open:(

Things I learned from a road trip

The girls and I headed up to visit my parents (brother, sister in law, nephews, aunt, sister, sister's boyfriend, another sister, brother in law, grandmother...you get the picture) It the was the girls' spring break and time for Daddy to do some "honey do" stuff around the house.

So after charging to COSI all day Monday, attacking the ZOO on Tuesday and then burning the rest of our energy running around outside all morning & afternoon on Wednesday, we piled into the car and headed on our way..

And we had a blast...we went to schools to see Papa teach, we ate at restaurants, made fishing poles out of stray lines and fished in the river, played with Ebby, took pictures of 4 generations of girls...

we had face painting and balloon making...

traveling up to Uncle Don's house we experienced the trampoline, watching turtles go down slides, and I even was able to partake in a Green Smoothie consisting of spinach, celery, apples, bananas and I'm sure some other things that they didn't tell me:) 

And although we (and by we, I mean ME) are a tad on the tired side:)...we had an unforgettable time!

It was on the way home, traveling in our new van (did I forget to mention that part?...that's a whole 'nother story that I will relay at a different time...) that I learned a few things...

#1 do NOT give your children large sodas for the car ride, not matter that they are "DYING of thirst" and promise that they won't have to go to the bathroom because, goodness knows, they JUST went before we left.

#2 your children WILL have to go to the bathroom 30 minutes later...except for your youngest, whom will swear up and down that she does NOT have to go and that she has "no pee pees" left...

#3 once you pass every since rest stop, fast food restaurant, gas station and every other imaginable stop and there isn't a sign in sight...it is at that point that your youngest will announce, "Mommy, I have to go pee NOW!"...

#4 don't bother searching for a restaurant listening to the tune of  "hurry mommy, it's coming!"...just stop on the side of the road and proceed with helping your youngest with a nature tinkle...

#5 have a clean napkin available during long trips...wiping young children's bummy with ketchup and mustard smeared napkins will indeed cause the rest of your children (including yourself) to be a tad grossed out.

#6 car rides are more fun with another adult in the car:)...or at least a bit more manageable:)

Looking forward to a new week...one in which bathrooms are merely a few steps away:)

Signs of Spring

I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous to say that Spring has arrived...it's not foreign to us midwesterners to discover ourselves knee deep in snow in April...so I am hesitant to "make it official"...

However, I have seen a few "signs of Spring" around our house...and I thought I'd share them:)

It's always fun to see sneakers traded for crocs and flip flops chosen over mary janes...no, not exactly the most "princess-esque" fashion style, but I am known for dressing for comfort rather than what's "in style"...my girls tend to follow suit...therefore...sandals, here we come!

Next up, are the buds on the trees...I think my father in law counted around 36 trees in our yard one year...we just keep adding more...sure, it's something to mow around, but I have such high hopes of telling grandchildren about "when Granddad planted this tree...blah blah blah"

Of course, with tree buds, come flowers and with flowers come something that I'm not necessarily looking forward too...I've adopted my mother's fear of these flying insects and with allergic reactions running in Italian Stallion's family...let's just say that I'm none too pleased to see these things already:( Although, they do make my little tree look beautiful!

When the girls get out the sleeveless dresses and the skorts and start rompin' in the backyard...ahhh, I know spring has to be around the corner...We love being outside...picnics, swings, chalk drawings, bikes & scooters...it's great!

BUT...NOTHING says warm weather is here, than the annual burning of the Christmas Tree:)

Italian Stallion makes himself a "big ole white man fire" while we girls run inside for safety...good grief! He only did part of the tree this weekend, and for that I am thankful...visions of gauze and extinguishers fill my dreams, so the slower he takes it, the better sleep for me:)

What hints of Spring have you found already???

Nibbles, Little Munchkin & St. Paddy's Day

With this Lenten season, I've started to pay more attention to what I spend my time on.  I realized that most of the time, I just "get" through days...it's not that I don't enjoy them, but I guess I don't live purposefully...instead, it's just more spontaneous and haphazrd.  And while there isn't necessarily anything "wrong" with that...I just felt like I was never finishing anything...and never doing anything really well...that lovely "jack of all trades...master of none" thing...

And so, a few days back I started taking stock of what was important and what I really wanted to be doing...

I realized that investing into my girls and husband was definitely at the top of the list...NOT that they had moved mind you...it's just that I didn't have a list persay...everything was just crammed into a big ole box of "stuff" and I got to when things needed to be done or happened to float to the top...

So what does this mean in real life terms?  Basically it just means that I'm trying to pay more attention and living not with just a check off of chores, but figuring out what really means the most and purposefully focusing on those things in a day. 

Wow...I'm totally being vague and I know it, but the point is, is that it makes sense to me...it translates into really trying to figure out my tween Sweetpea and concentrating on being more patient with her.  It means sitting down with Peanut and doing homework with her instead of letting her do it at the table while I make dinner.  It means letting Little Munchkin "share" some of my make-up in the mornings as we get ready for our day.  She likes to point out my "nibbles", which is her word for Mommy's Acne:)  FUN  It means consciously being aware of what I'm eating and purposefully exercising, even if it means it does nothing to my waistline:(

I haven't spent as much time on facebook, or email or even reading a ton of books...but, I have saved up ideas for crafty things for Little Munch and I do to...right in time for St. Paddy's Day too:)

We've enjoyed our days at the zoo and riding bikes...afternoons at the park and grocery shopping...painting our nails and baking things together...even coloring huge murals...just because:) 

I'm forcing myself to just tackle one part of my house at a time...and trying not to get frustrated when it's not perfect...

We had a great bonfire tonight and just relaxed together while the girls performed some craziness around the fire pit:) 

Life is good...I want to remember that and keep my focus as such:)