It's All Good

While Ali & Josh were at school yesterday, my mom, Meghan and I ventured out to Sam's Club. If you didn't know, I love Sam's Club! While I was there, I picked up some Babybel cheese. My children love Babybel! When Meghan saw me putting it in the cart, she grabbed the cheese and yelled "Taco Bell!" Babybel. Taco Bell. It's all good! ;-)

Heads Or Tails

The theme/prompt for this week is:

TAILS - "Photograph"

This is a fun photograph of my daughter, Ali. She was just about to turn 4 when this picture was taken. My mom, Ali, Josh & I had gone to Wisconsin for a benefit for a close family friend, and on our way home we stopped in the Dells. While we were there, I wanted to have an old-time photo of my kids taken, because when I was little my cousin Ryan and I had one taken, and I have always loved that photo. Josh, who had recently turned 2, wouldn't get dressed up and sit for the picture. I was sad, but what are you gonna do? I couldn't torture him and force him. So, I just let my sweet Ali be in the picture. Isn't she darling?

Lesson Learned

Okay, today I attended (and participated) in my 2nd RPM class. Here is what it says about RPM on Les Mills website...

"RPM™ is the indoor cycling workout where you ride to the rhythm of powerful music. Take on the terrain with your inspiring team coach who leads the pack through hills, flats, mountain peaks, time trials, and interval training. Discover your athlete within – sweat and burn to reach your endorphin high."

Sounds intimidating right? Flat out scary? Well, it really isn't. The beauty of RPM class is that you can ride to your own intensity. You don't have to keep up with your instructor. Our instructor, Ann, is always very good about reminding us of that, and she is also good at encouraging us to keep pushing at the same time. She is amazing! Anyway, my point is that RPM class is fun. Trust me if I can do it, anyone can do it. I may not go as fast as everyone else, stand up for all the hills and mountains, but I do get a great workout, and I sweat like a mad woman. Their add above says to "Ride It Like You Stole It," and I suppose I do if the person I stole it from is over 60-years-old and very out of shape. :-)

While I do enjoy RPM class, today I was feeling a bit nauseous during class. Towards the end I had to run to the bathroom to vomit. Not fun! So, what lesson did I learn from this? That you need to eat breakfast before working out. Especially when you are going to do something like RPM class. Lesson learned! Next Tuesday I will at least eat a banana.

Our Menu For 09/28/09 to 10/04/09

Monday~Beef Stir Fry with Calrose Rice
Tuesday~Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Corn
Wednesday~Spaghetti, Italian Sausage and Garlic Bread
Thursday~Mustgoes
Friday~Pizza
Saturday~Grilled Cheese and Chicken Noodle Soup
Sunday~Tacos

~~~Food Holidays~~~

This week:

September 28th~Strawberry Cream Pie Day and Drink Beer Day
September 29th~National Coffee Day
September 30th~National Hot Mulled Cider Day
October 1st~World Vegetarian Day, Pudding Season Begins, and Homemade Cookies Day
October 2nd~National Fried Scallops Day
October 3rd~National Caramel Custard Day
October 4th~National Taco Day, National Vodka Day, Cinnamon Roll Day (in Sweden but I can celebrate in the US too)

Next Week:

October 5th~National Apple Betty Day
October 6th~National Noodle Day
October 7th~National Frappe Day
October 8th~National Fluffernutter Day
October 9th~Moldy Cheese Day and Submarine-Hoagy-Hero-Grinder Day
October 10th~National Angel Food Cake Day
October 11th~National Sausage Pizza Day & World Egg Day

Food 4 Thought Friday

Breakfast~What is your favorite part of Fall? Everything!! I love the cooler air, and I love the way the air smells of burning leaves. I enjoy seeing the beautiful colors in the trees around. Fall brings our annual family weenie roast up by Chicago, as well as Halloween and Thanksgiving. This time of year represents family and coziness to me.

Lunch~If you could go anywhere this weekend, where would you go? Southern Illinois sans kids!! I want to see my friends Betsy and Jen. I miss both of them very much. Plus, Jen just recently moved to southern Illinois, and I want to take her around and show her some of my favorite places. Let her see the area through my eyes.
Dinner~What are you currently addicted to? Well, I am always addicted to Pepsi. That addiction has been going on for more years than I care to remember. However, one of my newer addictions is Scentsy. I just love anything that is going to make my house smell good. I love Lampe Bergers, Bridgewater Candles, and now Scentsy. I'm addicted to them all!

Midnight Snack~Have you already begun your Christmas shopping? I have only gotten a few stocking stuffers. I think I will start the bigger stuff in early November. I don't want to start too early, but I also don't want to wait too long. It has to be perfectly timed. ;-)

Recipe of the Week~Keep Praying!!!

Friday Fill-Ins

1. One week ago I was sad because my son had just broken his arm, I was going to miss our first Mom's Life meeting, and because I acted like an a$$ simply because I needed some time away. I did apologize for my ugly behavior.

2. I didn't have any important responsibilities when I was young, and I wish I would have enjoyed that time more instead of wanting to grow up. Silly me!

3. Mama told me if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I think that is good advice.

4.God loves you and me.

5. Take your time when choosing whom you will marry. That is a decision that can't be rushed, and you really need to choose with your brain, as well as your heart.

6. This too will pass! That is a saying I use often.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to a Scentsy party at my friend Valerie's house and hanging with the girls, tomorrow my plans include going to a business dinner with my husband and Sunday, I want to go to church and watch Ali cheer at the JFL football game!

Click the picture above to play along. You know you wanna!!

Thursday Thirteen~Letter S

13 Things About Me (& My Family) Beginning with the Letter 'S.'

1. Santa Claus~I am a little sad because this is the first year that not all of my kiddos believe in Santa. A little boy in Ali's class informed her, as well as several others, that there is no such thing as Santa Claus. When she came home, she told me to tell her the truth. I asked her if she was sure she wanted to know that truth, and she told me yes. So, I told her about Saint Nicholas and how we carry on his tradition. She was a little bummed, but she loves being the only kid in the house that knows the truth. I think it makes her feel big. :-)

2. Snakes~I am not a fan! There was one in our garage once, and I thought I was going to die. It was harmless, which didn't matter to me, and it was also pretty long. Ewwwww!

3. Siblings~I was raised as an only child. My dad had children from previous marriages, but they weren't in the picture. Jeff, on the other hand, was raised with two sisters. When we were getting married, we quickly agreed on three being the number of children we would have, and I think that was a great decision. Sure, they fight, squabble, and drive each other (and myself) nuts, but deep down I know they love each other. They will always have each other. I think that is very special!

4. Sailing~When I was younger, my dad would take me sailing. It was something that he absolutely loved. I enjoyed it too. There is nothing like feeling the wind in your hair while you are being lightly splashed with water. I loved when he would let me be on the trapeze. So much fun!

5. Steak 'N Shake~I worked there in my 20's, and for years after that I didn't want to eat there. However, I once again love eating there, and thankfully so do my hubby and kiddos. I crave Chili Mac Supremes. Yum! Oh, and the shoestring fries with cheese are delicious. Greasy Goodness!!


6. Shoes~My Aunt Emmy is a shoe lady. She loves shoes! She has a collection of shoe figurines, and she even had a shoe party for her 60th birthday. Check out the ice cream shoe that her daughter, Donna, made for her. Too cute!

I'm not sure if shoe fetishes can be inherited, but my Meghan is a shoe girl herself.


Isn't she a cutie? We had a shoe party for her when she turned 2.

If her fascination with shoes lasts, I have a feeling it is going to cost us lots of money. LOL!

7. Sling~Josh recently broke his arm, and I am convinced that someone needs to make a better sling. The one the hospital gave us, as well as the one that we bought at a medical supply store, suck! We are constantly readjusting the darn thing. It slips too much, and simply doesn't hold his arm up the way it needs to be held up. Such a pain!

8. Sandra Lee & Semi-Homemade~I absolutely adore Sandra Lee. I love her philosophy of creating recipes that use 70% ready-made products with 30% fresh ingredients. So simple and so tasty! She recently came out with a new magazine, and I have enjoyed every issue so far. I really need to get a subscription.


9. Silk Jammies~Jeffrey brought all of the kids silk jammies back from China. Stylin'!


10. Sleigh Bed~Someday, if I am lucky, I just might own one. Something like this...

11. Shopping~Okay, I admit that I like to shop. Some of my favorite stores to go to are Hobby Lobby, Target, and Sam's Club, as well as a number of local stores. Retail therapy can be wonderful! ;-)

12. Supernatural~I have watched this show since it started in 2005, but sometime last year it started to feel really dark to me. Okay, it has always been on the dark side, but it got even more so. My husband still really enjoys the show, so I can't say that I never watch it, but I can say that I don't enjoy it like I used to. So sad!


13. Slim Jims~Josh has been a slim Jim fan since he was 3. A huge fan! So, for Christmas 2007 my in-laws got him some for Christmas. He was quite pleased!

Turns out my niece is a big fan too.

What a hoot! Who would have guessed two young kids would enjoy a somewhat spicy treat?

Join in on Thursday Thirteen, and don't forget to check back next week, when I look at the letter 'T'...it should be a terrific time! ;-)

**BTW, that picture of the letter S above is for sale on Etsy. They have many letters, and they all look pretty cool. You can check it out by clicking on the picture.**

Wordless Wednesday

The view from my office on the very first day of Fall 2009...

It's a gray day, rainy and a tad humid. I look forward to many more gray days of Fall, and I can't wait to see all of the leaves in their showy state. No season is better than Fall, in my opinion. Which is your favorite?

It's The Little Things

Ali has a field trip today to the Peoria Fire Department and an apple orchard. Her class made special apple shirts to wear, and they were instructed to bring a sack lunch...no lunch boxes that would need to be returned home. So, I decided I would decorate a brown paper lunch bag for her, and when she saw it she smiled. She said it was going to be the cutest bag in her class. It truly is the little things. This "project" took me all of 2 minutes, but it is going to make her smile several times today. I love that!

She is especially going to need those smiles when she finds out that they probably aren't going to go on their field trip. Can you see the weather outside in the picture above? It is supposed to be rainy most of today. Ugh! I only hope this bag will still make her smile. I also wrote her a little note, which she always likes. I made sure to tell her that God makes all days special. If we look around, we will see that God grants us with many little things, and sometimes even some big things, to brighten our days. I believe that is true. Don't you?

Happy Fall, Y'all!

'Autumn Trail' by Tan Chun


Leaves

by Elsie Brady

How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow.

Proud Mama

Josh can't play anymore flag football this season, since he broke his arm. A big part of me is sad for him, but I do admit that a small part of me is happy that we don't have to do practice twice a week anymore or go to games on Saturday. I know I am a horrible mom!

However, I am also a proud mom. Wanna know why? Sure you do! Josh's coach emailed me to say that he is sorry Josh broke his arm and to tell him to get better soon. In the email he also said this...

"Josh provided me with one of those stories coaches like to tell at the end of the season. Just last Tuesday when we played against one of the other Morton teams, Josh was on defense and looked up at me and said, "What do I do?" I got down and told him that who ever gets the ball, run past everyone else and get that kid's flag. Josh was on the right side of the field, and the play went to the left. He ran past 3 of his team mates and one of the other teams blockers, dove completely horizontal, and pulled the flag. I hope the congratulations he got from both teams coaches was enough for him to realize what a great play he had just made!!! I was almost speechless having seen him move that fast."

I am so proud of my little man! This was his first year in flag football. He often seemed confused about what to do, and he would even take what the coach said literally. For example, if the coach told him to stand "right here" he would. Of course, the coach meant to simply stand there until the ball was in play, but Josh would continue to stand there until someone told him differently. He is a riot!

I suppose what the coach wrote above shouldn't surprise me too much. He was simply doing exactly what the coach told him to do. My boy listens! ;-) I only hope that he will listen as well next season.

Heads Or Tails

The theme/prompt for this week, September 22, is:

HEADS - "Book"

I have always thought it would be cool to own a children's bookstore that was connected to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor/bakery/cafe. The bookstore would have story times for kids where they could do fun crafts and activities that go along with the book. The ice cream parlor and bakery would, of course, have ice cream, but it would also have cool treats for kids. I think it would be cool to have monthly specials that were based on children's books.

I love to read, and I think it is important to learn to love books at a young age. A bookstore like I picture would be the perfect place for kids to fall in love. It would also be the perfect place for parents to relax and sip a good cup of coffee or tea.

Of course, I am simply to lazy to open a store like this. Okay, maybe lazy isn't the word. I just prefer to focus on my children, husband and home at this time. Maybe someday, when my kids are all grown, I will actually fulfill this dream. Until then I will simply share with you some children's books that I love.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka~This book takes a look at the famous story from the wolf's point of view. His version is funny and a bit far-fetched.

Eggbert, the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross~The illustrations in this book are wonderful. The story teaches of self-acceptance in a unique way.

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann~The illustrations in this book are funny, especially for kids. This book teaches that it is good to have a friend, and that sometimes we need to work together.

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner~The illustrations in this picture book are darling. To top off the fun there are hidden pictures. The story is darling too! I finally know what snowmen do at night, and it is quite interesting. I can't wait to read this to my kids again this winter.

2009 Pumpkin Festival

Morton is home of the Nestle/Libby's Pumpkin Packing Plant, and over 80% of the world's canned pumpkin is processed right in our town. Pretty fascinating, eh? So, in celebration of this they have been having the festival for 43 years. Each year the festival has a theme, and this year the theme was "Christmas in the Pumpkin Patch."

I absolutely adore the above art. Isn't it cute?

This is the first year that I have attended our town's Pumpkin Festival. It seems that someone is always sick or something goes wrong this time of year. Thankfully we were actually able to attend two of the four days, and I am extra thankful that we attended on Wednesday night, since Josh broke his arm on Thursday. I would have felt really bad if he wasn't able to ride any of the rides.

We started the night out with 30 tickets for rides. Normally we would go through those in a heartbeat, but the rides at this carnival are only 1 or 2 tickets. I am used to even kiddie rides being 3 or 4 tickets, and it seemed to take forever! Not that I am complaining. ;-) Ali's friend, Lexi, told her that she had to ride the Zipper. She said it was, "so much fun!" Ali was brave enough to give it a try. It was the ride she rode first. Check the ride out.

It's like a Ferris wheel, but each of the cages spins upside down. Ugh! I could never ride that. She was still smiling when she got off the ride, as you can see in the picture below, but she did say that she never wanted to ride that again. She even asked why her friend told her to ride that horrible ride.

Meghan really wanted to go down the slide, and I felt bad for her because Josh & Ali got to ride more rides than her. Since she wasn't big enough to ride alone, I went with her. We raced Josh down, and he won. He is a stinker! He conned me by having me give him a push to get started. Of course he is going to win if he goes first!

Josh said he wanted to ride Wipeout with Ali, but he backed out at the last minute. She went on it alone, but she ended up riding with a kid from church. That was one thing I loved about going on Wednesday night. We saw so many people we knew...people from church, school, the gym. It was nice because on Saturday that did not happen at all. The town was swarming with out-of-towners. I was amazed to learn that between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors come into our little town for this event.

Anyway, I can totally understand why Josh opted out of this ride. It was a little wild.

He did, however, love the fun house, which was called Mardi Gras. It looked pretty cool all lit up at night.

Ali is my little daredevil. Josh really is a little more skeptical of rides. Ali did talk him into going on this umbrella ride, which thought was pretty dull, but he thought it was the "best ride ever!" Check out how much he is laughing in this picture. Priceless!

After that ride, he was all set to go on the Scrambler, and I think they both had a good time on that one.

They rode one of my old personal favorites, The Tilt-a-Whir, but there car didn't spin as much as some of them. It looked pretty tame.

Ali & Josh went in the Bounce House while Meghan rode the motorcycles. My dad would have been proud.

Meg's and I went on the Carousel, and I have to say that it made me a bit nauseous. I just don't do well with rides unless I wear a motion sickness patch. Being old stinks!

The kids were excited that they also got to play games. I challenged Ali & Josh to Whackamole. I don't know how neither of them got any points. I felt terrible for them. Thankfully we went off to other games quickly. Meg really enjoyed the Pick-a-Duck game, which I used to like too. Looking back I find it funny that I would consider such a boring game fun, but I did.

We also played a dart game, Cork Gun game, and the water gun game. We went home with many junkie toys and stuffed animals just like the one Meg's is holding below.

Rides and games are great at a festival, but let's not forget about the food. Since it was a Pumpkin Festival, there was plenty of pumpkin food. There was, of course, pumpkin pie, but there was also pumpkin chili, pumpkin baked beans, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin ice cream. I was simply amazed by all of the pumpkin foods. I know I am a dork, but I even took a picture of the area where you could buy pumpkin ice cream. Look at all the people standing around that area. Craziness!

We actually didn't eat any of the pumpkin items. Maybe next year I will be braver. For dinner Wednesday night we ate corn dogs and had a drink. Let me tell you that 5 corn dogs and 5 drinks set us back $34, and we had to eat standing right by the garbage can because it was so darn packed. Eating by a trash can would normally ruin my appetite, but I couldn't think about anything except for how good the corn dog was. Yum!

On Saturday, the final day of the festival, there was a parade. My friend, Karen, always has everyone over for breakfast before the parade, which we arrived late to because Josh had to go back to the emergency room that morning. They did get us out of there in time so that we could make it just in time for the parade, since Ali was in the parade with the JFL cheerleaders. Can you pick her out in the picture below? She is sitting to the right of the little boy in the white t-shirt that said, "I love Cheerleaders."

I just thought this float was so cute. Remember that the theme is "Christmas in the Pumpkin Patch."

I liked this float, as well as the use of the word carve. Clever!

What would Christmas be without a little bit of "The Christmas Story"?

This pink tractor was a hoot. I think Meghan wanted to steal it from these ladies.

This next float was probably my all-time favorite. It was so tasteful and beautiful.

Here is the float for Gold's Gym, which is where I go to workout....when I workout. ;-)

The thing that amazed me about this next one is all the time it must have taken to do each individual one. That's a lot of orange tissue paper.

I had to get a picture of my cutie patooties at the parade. Poor Josh was wearing Daddy's Oscar the Grouch shirt and his Scooby Doo pajama pants, since we had to go straight from the hospital. He was worried people were going to stare, and they did, but I told him it didn't matter. What mattered was we got to see the parade.

So, all in all, I have to say that my first Pumpkin Festival was a blast. Lots of fun for the family. I am actually looking forward to next year already. :-)