Check

*Announce to family that I will be doing NO chores on Monday.  Maybe none on Tuesday or Wednesday.  They will need to pick up the slack.–check

*Grocery shopping done.–check

*Arrange rides so kids can get to school.–Huh is going to do it.  check.

*Laundry done.–check

*General straightening of house.–check

*Weekly email to Squid on his mission.–check

*Accept parents offer to bring in dinner.–check (Thanks Mom and Dad! I love you!)

*Call sub for crossings.–check

*Inform 0ther Young Women leaders that I might not be at the activity Wednesday evening.–check

*Register at the hospital.–check

*Alarm set for 5:30 a.m.–check

*Hub’s work arranged so he can be at the hospital with me for a couple of hours and then drive me home.–check

*Type blog post.–check

I hope you all enjoy your week!  I will be taking it easy.

 

Worth It

Tuesday night I was all set to soak in a warm tub and then do a little last minute prep work for my art lesson the next day.  But, before I could start the bath water running, Yawlin came to me and asked if I would drive him to a local bookstore to see one of his favorite authors.  Apparently Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven series had visited Yawlin’s school that afternoon and had told the students that he would be at the bookstore that night for two hours signing books.

I looked at the clock.  7:15.  “What time was Brandon Mull leaving?”

Yawlin looked hopeful.  “I don’t know.  He just said he would be there for a couple of hours.”

“Yawlin,” I said with a sigh, “why do you tell me these things so late?  It’s possible he will be gone by the time we get there.  Besides, I still have some stuff I have to do before tomorrow.”

The disappointed look in my son’s eyes was heartbreaking.  I swear, that boy knows how to tug at my heartstrings!  I looked at him then back at the clock.  “Are your chores done?”

“Almost!”

Sigh.  “You go finish them while I finish this one thing real quick and then we’ll go.  No promises that Brandon Mull will still be there though.”

“Okay!”  Yawlin dashed out of the room to go finish dusting the entry way and cleaning his room.

Fifteen minutes later we were on the road.  When we got to the bookstore we discovered that Brandon Mull was still there, but scheduled to leave in ten minutes.  We had just made it.  We hurried to the back of the line, Yawlin with his copy of Fablehaven tucked safely under his arm.  We happened to get in line behind two of our neighbors.  “J” is the librarian at Yawlin’s school and was there to have a copy of Brandon Mull’s picture book signed.  She and Yawlin carried on a conversation about Fablehaven, who the best characters were, and some of the happenings in the book.  My curiosity was piqued.  I guess I need to add Fablehaven to my list of books to read some day.

It turns out that we were the last people to see Brandon Mull that night.  Yawlin was all smiles.  He got his book signed, talked a bit about the book with the author, and had his picture taken with him (via my camera phone).  When we left, Yawlin had his signed copy of Fablehaven, a signed poster, and three bookmarks.  And, he was one happy boy!

I never got around to soaking in a warm bath that night.  But the joy in my son’s eyes…

It was worth it.

 

My Kind of Night

The t.v. was on showing the Grammy’s, mostly so Mack could check out the fashions for her fashion design class.  Most of us weren’t paying attention to the t.v. though.  Hub and I were cuddling on the couch and playing footsie.  Huh was sitting on the floor doing homework on my laptop.  Juju and Yawlin were making sock puppets–Juju for the upcoming youth talent show for our ward, and Yawlin just for the heck of it.  Between Grammy acts, Mack was flipping through old magazines looking for certain color schemes in outfits for her fashion design homework.  Shroom was also quietly doing homework.  Hoob was intermittently watching and commenting on the Grammy’s and packing her lunch for school the next day. 

Also present in the room were Plumber (Huh’s boyfriend), and Max, the dog.  Plumber had his own observations about the Grammy’s and Max, he just wanted people to pet him.

My family all together, just hangin’ out…

…My kind of night. 

 

Grocery List

Thursday is the day of the week that I do my grocery shopping.  Grocery shopping happens to be my least favorite chore.  Unfortunately, it has to be done, so I try to make the dreaded excursion as painless as possible.  One thing that has made things a little easier for our family is the “hanging grocery list.”  I placed a note tablet with magnet on our refrigerator with the instructions to my family to write anything they want from the grocery store that week on the tablet.  I also instructed them to write items that we are out of or getting low on.  

It took a little training, but now each family member knows to write “yogurt” on the list if they happen to be the person who eats the last of the yogurt; or to write “pretzels” if they have a hankering for the salty treat; or to write “some different crackers” if they are getting tired of the selection of crackers in the cupboard.  Now, each Thursday, as I sit down to plan the weekly menu before I head the store, I tear off the top sheet of the tablet on the fridge and add the written items to the grocery list.

Rarely, now, do I go to get something out of the fridge or pantry only to find that we are out of it.  Someone in our family has usually noticed that we are low and has posted it on the fridge.  

Today’s listed items:

brown sugar
oranges
cold medicine
Yoplait smoothie mix

I’m off to the store!

****************

Update:  The surgeon I went to see on Tuesday says he thinks the lump is a fibroidsomesortof longname (can’t remember what he called it).  At least that is what it looks like to him when he sees the mammogram and ultra-sound results.  When he felt the lump he said it feels like a lymph node, which is what the first doctor thought it was.  Regardless of what it is, I am having it removed on February 8.  The doc says that fibroidsomesortof longnames do grow, even though they are benign, so we might as well have it removed now while the incision will be small.  The surgery is done on an outpatient basis and I will be up and around the next day.

So glad it is nothing serious! 

 

Healing Hands for Haiti

There are a few people from my neighborhood who have been involved with the organization “Healing Hands for Haiti” for about four years now.  In the past, they would get the rest of the neighborhood and the local LDS ward involved by asking us to make donations of simple medicines such as ibuprofen and anti-bacterial ointment that they would then take to the clinic in Haiti.  Donations of hygiene products and cash were also always welcomed.

The recent massive earthquake and aftershocks in Haiti have destroyed the “Healing Hands for Haiti” clinic.  Their website is found here:  http://www.healinghandsforhaiti.org/

Donations can be made directly on the website.  There are also links of reputable charitable sites posted on the websites of most local tv stations.  Can you find it in your heart to help the people of Haiti?  The stories coming from that country are heartbreaking. 

Our family donated directly to ”Healing Hands for Haiti” at church yesterday.  We feel so helpless, wondering if that is enough. 

But, at least it is something.

*************

Update:  The mammogram revealed that I have a lot of cysts on the right side, and the mystery lump on the left side remains a mystery.  Doctors aren’t sure what it is. It doesn’t “look or act” like a breast cancer; it is too smooth and it MOVES.  Of COURSE it would be ME that has some weird thing going on!   My doctor has me going in to see a surgeon tomorrow for a second opinion/possible biopsy.  I’ve decided that it is just some sort of fatty deposit.  And maybe I’ll end up lumpy all over!    Let’s hope that is all it is…

 

It’s About Time

Some ways I’ve spent time with my family members recently:

*The kids were listening to music in the living room and dancing to their favorite parts.  Huh saw me as I was coming down the stairs and said, “Mom, watch how we used to dance to this at school dances.”  She then proceeded to jump around and wave her arms.  “Some people would even get in your face like this.”  Huh moved to within two inches of me and continued to jump and wave her arms.

I watched for a few seconds and then said, ”I can do that.”  I then started to jump and wave my arms.  The kids stared in shock and then burst out in laughter.  The laughter spurred me on to even more crazy moves (I am so glad there wasn’t a video camera around).  The kids joined me in my crazy dance.

*I have some upcoming training for some testing I will be performing at my son’s school, and I have an upcoming camp meeting for the summer camp I will be taking the young women of my ward (congregation) to this summer.  Both places have addresses I was unfamiliar with.  When that is the case, I like to drive to the address a few days before so that I can make sure I know where I am going.  I invited Huh to come along with me to find the addresses.  I used the time in the car to visit with her about certain things going on in her life and some of the choices she is making. 

It was a much needed visit.

*We used the movie tickets my sister gave our family for Christmas  for a fun family outing to the movies instead of just distributing the tickets and telling the kids to go to a movie with their friends.

*Juju sent me a text from school asking if we had Jello in the house.  I stopped what I was doing to check the pantry to see if it contained Jello.  It did.  She then asked me to text her the flavors.  I took the time to do that as well.  It turns out she was bringing a friend home after school to make Jello and they wanted to make sure that the Jello flavors we had were “the good ones.”

*Mack’s boyfriend, SkiShop, has gone to school in Hawaii for a Semester.  She is missing him terribly.  While moping in her bedroom she used her cell phone to call our house phone to ask me to come down to her room and rub her back and “play with her hair.”  I immediately recognized it as a desire to talk.  Though it wasn’t the most convenient time to do so, I went to her room and granted her request.  And, yes, we talked–for almost two hours.

*Shroom came home from a church basketball game and joked about his lack of  offensive skills.  I crumpled up a piece of paper and aimed it for the kitchen trash.  “Watch my basketball skills!”  I missed.  And missed.  And missed again.  I’m not sure how many tries it took before I finally made the shot, but once I did, Shroom said that I should probably never try to play basketball.

*Hoob is the only one of our kids who has school today (the other kids’ schools have a teacher compensatory day).  She was pretty down about it last night.  I told her to hurry and get her homework done and then the two of us would sit by the fire and I would give her a neck rub to relax her for school.  She liked the idea and quickly got her homework done.  And, yes, I kept my promise.

*Sunday night I was so tired that I planned to go to bed early.  Because the kids didn’t have school the next day for the Martin Luther King holiday, Yawlin decided he wanted to stay up and play a game.  Any guesses on who he asked to stay up and play the game?  Yup, I didn’t get to go to bed early.  And he beat the pants off me!

*Hub was feeling a little stressed about work.  He needed to vent.  I listened.  The dishes, laundry, and vacuuming got put on hold.  But having him kiss me and thank me for listening made it all worth it.

Many times in posts on my blog I talk about the importance of spending time with our families.  I emphasize that again here.  There is nothing more important than making sure your family members know that they are loved enough that you will make time for them.   Look for those opportunities.  They will come.  

And you won’t regret it.

******************

Update:  My doctor thinks the lump I felt is a lymph node, though he’s wondering why we can feel it since that is not usually the case.  I have a mammogram today to make sure there is nothing going on with the breast to make the lymph node more prominent.  My doctor doesn’t seem too concerned, so I’m not going to be either.

 

THIS for My Birthday?

On Wednesday night I felt the lump for the first time.  On Thursday I called my doctor.  Today, my birthday, I go see my doctor…just to make sure…just to be safe.

I have done some research online, and from what I’ve read, I am pretty sure that what I have is simply a cyst.  I don’t think I have much to worry about.  I even told the nurse on the phone that I think it is a cyst, but would see the doctor if it is something he would want me to come in for.  She said that, yes, he would want me to come in…just to make sure…just to be safe. 

After the initial exam, the doctor may decide to order a mammogram.  Since women are advised to have yearly mammograms starting at age 40, I guess it is time I had one.  I’m two years overdue (I’ve been happy in my denial that I’m in my forties! ).  THIS is NOT what I wanted to be doing on my birthday!  But, after all the weird health problems I had over the summer, I am convinced that you can never be too careful when it comes to your health.

I am just going to make sure Hub gives me two pieces of birthday cake tonight.

I deserve it.

 

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

I have been quite busy lately.  No time for blogging.  Here I share a quick recipe that I made for my mom’s family dinner on Sunday.  It was easy and delicious.  No left-overs!  And my brother-in-law was happy that the red he saw in the salad was slices of strawberries, not tomatoes.  He wouldn’t have tried it if there had been tomatoes in it.  Hopefully I can get back to a regular blogging schedule soon.

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

1 pkg (3 oz.) ramen noodles
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. red-wine vinegar (I substituted apple cider vinegar)
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
8 c. torn romaine lettuce
1/2 c. chopped green onions
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced

Discard seasoning packet from ramen noodles or save for another use. Break noodles into small pieces. In a skillet, sauté noodles and walnuts in butter until golden; cool.

For dressing, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce; shake well. Just before serving, combine the romaine, onions, strawberries, and noodle mixture in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Serves 12.  (This recipe is found on pg. 148 of ”Taste of Home Simple and Delicious Cookbook”)

Enjoy!

 

Stop! No, really. Stop!

I noticed something while driving near our home and decided to take pictures of what I was noticing and have my family give their interpretations.

Hub – “Somebody was stupid.  They’re putting up new signs but haven’t taken the old ones down.  You put a new sign up, you’re supposed to take the old one down.”  (Can you tell he’s a computer programmer?  SO literal!)

Squid – Unavailable for comment while he serves his mission in Uruguay.

Huh – “This is for the rapidly blinking person.  In case they miss the first one, they can stop at the second one.”

Juju – “People are stupid and don’t know how to stop, so they need a second reminder.”

Mack – “This means that construction workers in Utah are stupid.”

Shroom – “Idiot!”

Hoob – “In case you miss the first sign, you can stop at the second.”

Yawlin – “Stop twice.”

K (Yawlin’s friend) – “Stop even faster.”

And this one…

Hub – “A stutterer put them up.”

Squid – Unavailable for comment.

Huh – “The lower sign is for the vertically challenged.  The higher sign is for the vertically gifted.”

Juju – “Maybe they are blind.  Or there is a dip in the road and they have to stop for both.”

Mack – “We are stop happy!”

Shroom – “Confusion!  Don’t go astray!  Follow the Prophet!”

Hoob – “Stop!  Make sure you don’t turn left.  But stop!  Really!”

Yawlin – “Go the wrong way and then stop.”

K (Yawlin’s friend) – “Go right and stop.”

When we were in Hawaii for a softball tournament in July we saw this sign…

Hub – “Stop for the fish and watch them go by.”

Squid - Unavailable for comment.

Huh – “Stop only if you feel like it.”

Juju – “Colorblind.  In Hawaii.”

Mack – “A colorblind person made the stop signs.”

Shroom – “Yield.”

Hoob – “Someone liked the color blue better than the color red.”

Yawlin – “Oh Hawaii, Hawaii.”

K (Yawlin’s friend) – “Stop faster.”

And, yes, our family is entertained by the simplest things!

Enjoy your day!

 

Goals

A brand new year calls for some goal setting.  I was interested in learning what goals each of my family members has set.  So, I asked them…

Hub – Start a new business

Squid – Unavailable to ask while he serves his mission in Uruguay.

Huh – The conversation went like this:
“Lose 30 pounds.”
“What?! Why?!”
“Okay, 15 pounds.”
“You don’t need to lose weight!”
“Okay, my goal is to be nicer to snots.”
*sigh*

Juju – To not get killed by the mafia.  That is an easy goal to achieve.  I’m pretty sure I will reach that goal.

Mack – To get my best possible score on the ACT and SAT tests.

Shroom – The conversation went like this:
“My goal is to get better looking.”
“Is that it?”
“And to get a job.”  A pause.  “And get a girlfriend.”
“Ah, so you want a girlfriend, huh?”
“Well, I already have four.”
“So you are trying to weed them out?”
“Yeah.”
Again a *sigh*

Hoob – To memorize all of the Harry Potter movies. 

Yawlin - To get better at art. And to not kill anyone in my Webelos den.
Triple *sigh*

My goal?  To help some of my family members learn how to set goals.