Back From Vacation

This was me, just yesterday,

campfire, coffee and book

Now back to the regularly scheduled work day....

I'm not sure I'm ready!

10 Things I Love About Him

1. His perfect baby hair swirled cowlick on the center of his forehead has grown out.  When I see his hair flop towards his eyes, I am always amazed.  That cowlick meant business.
2. He is so funny and creative and he always makes me laugh.  Tacked to the bulletin board is a drawing of an octopus with the words "Historically Truthful Account of Octopi" and every time I see it, I chuckle.
3. He taught himself to play guitar and impresses me with the tunes I hear him strumming.
4. He is passionate about movies and loves to find obscure films, watch them over and over, get the family to watch too, and analyze every detail.
5. He has a kind heart.  He is nice to little cousins and pain in the rear dogs.
6. He's not embarrassed to hug or to be told "I love you" in front of friends.
7. He is a snazzy dresser, his style is his own and he rocks it.
8. He is so like me, sometimes it's like gasoline and a lit match, but more times than not, it is PB&J.
9. He's filled my house with boys and made my old dreams of having six kids underfoot a reality.
10.  Seventeen years ago today, he made me a mom and changed my life for the best.  I held him in my arms, looked at my husband and said, "I am falling in love." I never knew it would feel like this, but I am oh so glad it does.

Happy Birthday David!

Last Week Of Waiting

Seventeen years ago this week, I was starting the last week countdown until I would have a baby.  I had no idea...this first baby was due Aug 26 and everyone says first babies are late and I just assumed I had weeks to go still.

So I spent this last week doing nothing to get ready.  I had zero nesting impulses.  The crib was in pieces, baby things were jumbled all over baby's room.  I had packed a sour grape sucker and a book (a book I tells ya!) in my "going to the hospital" bag.  I'm still not sure why I packed a book for labor and I never ate the sucker!

The only thing ready for the impending surprise birth was my heart and my arms.  My arms to hold and to rock and my heart to love like I had never loved before.

It was over a month after our son was born before his crib was put together.  Turns out tiny newborns are okay with tiny bassinets that fit just right next to Mommy's bed.  Being perfectly ready is overrated anyway, I'm sure!

Today Is The Day For Procrastination

August 11 is a very nice day, but I'm not in any hurry to get it done with, partly because it is my birthday and birthday's should be savored and partly because I'm just not ready.

My Mom can tell it best, how 38 years ago that back ache was really labor and I appeared to be in no hurry to get down to the business of being born.

My husband could tell you that I still appear to be in no hurry to get down to the business of anything.  And since we leave for our family vacation today, and I'm still not even close to ready, I think he would be right.

Procrastination took root in me early and has flourished!

Especially on such a nice day like today, being rushed just doesn't seem right.  I will enjoy my birthday breakfast and I will supervise last minute packing, and when we hit the road (probably closer to 10 than I care to admit), there will be nothing left to procrastinate and I can just relax and enjoy a very nice day.

Today is the day indeed!

One Left Home

We have three dogs, two Beagles and one fluffy badger, and when we go camping, they go with us.  Two out of three like camping, like getting in the car, like travelling.

Two out of three are allowed to come with us this time.

And no, the car sick one is not the one we are leaving at home.  She can take a pill and overcome her illness.

No, we are leaving behind our lovely and sweet Sarah who can not stop peeing on our beds in the trailer.  I'll take dog vomit in the backseat over soaking wet with pee bedding.

I understand why we are leaving her.  She hates to travel, she refuses to eat the entire time we are on the road, and of course, the wet bed thing is really not acceptable.  We've hired a house sitter, who knows and likes Sarah, and she will undoubtedly have way more treats than she would usually have....

But it makes me sad to think of leaving one of the family at home!

As I pack up today and we hit the road tomorrow, I keep reminding myself that she will be happier at home....

This is how I imagine she will look the entire week we are gone.

I'm really dog crazy.  I'm hoping to not cry too much as we pull out of the driveway without her!!

Heavy On The Zucchini

My Mom can rock the park out of spaghetti and tacos and chicken soup and no one can touch her biscuits, but my childhood memory of my least favorite meal involves a vegetable that I use fairly regularly as an adult...and actually the meal itself is served at my own table weekly.

I'm talking stir-fry, heavy on the zucchini.  As a kid, when this was served, it was a torturous ordeal, involving me (and my sisters) sitting at the table long after dinner was 'over', trying to finish our meal.  We became adept at chewing fast, quickly, without really tasting, just to masticate it enough to swallow it down and be freed from our table shackles.

We grew up with a football field sized vegetable garden and zucchini was at least 3/4 of it.  My step dad was going to school and we were a bit tight on the budget, so we ate what we grew.  Any zucchini we couldn't eat, we'd take over to the campus mail room and leave in a free box.  That still left a lot of zucchini for us.  

I know as a Mom cooking, stir-fry is my friend.  I throw a bunch of veggies in the pan, add some meat to the meat eaters plates, sauce it up with whatever Asian inspired flavors I am inspired by, and voila, a quick meal.

And I add zucchini to anything I feel like.  I just tossed it into lasagna last night (chopped super fine to hide it from everyone) which actually could be the secret to my success.

I hid it.  I cut it, slice it, grate it, dice it, then discretely add it to our meal.

The worst secret is: if I leave it big, I pick it out.  Must be remnant of childhood directive that I can not escape!

This post is inspired by prompt #1 at Mama's Losin' It!

Sweet Merciful McGillicuddy

Sweet Merciful McGillicuddy
There is no coffee in this house
The toilet paper is on its last square
The bag of bread has one heel left
The cracker sleeve is full of crumbs
The PB jar is scrapping empty
But the worst thing of all
Not Enough Dog Food To Feed Three Starving Dogs
(Starving is their word not mine)
But I will change out of my pajamas
Throw my hair up in a crazy ponytail
And go to the store
And buy coffee and tp and bread and
Dog Food
Then our morning can proceed as regularly scheduled.