Vegmom Moments

THE RECYCLED FARM

I made a really long post yesterday and it disappeared in to cyber-space... So you'll be happy to note, this short version....

Per a recommendation by a friend, I purchased a $1 bag of teeny farm animals from Target's $1 bin...  My intent was to let Veg decorate a box in to a 3 dimensional farm scene for the little animals.  However he had something else in mind...

He spent an hour on Tuesday running back and fourth to the recycle bin finding things that can be Chicken Coops, horse stables, pig pen, etc.  He also found a toilet paper roll that would become the Coyote keeper, because he didn't want them getting near his chickens...  Before we new it there was an entire farm scape of recycled stuff on the ground... Nothing in the original box and no other decorations as I intended but, HEY!  He had fun!!!

When hubby came home I showed him the farm... I said "Don't Touch the farm" ....  He Agreed!  All was well.... Yesterday, I get home from work and the farm was gone....

"What happened to the farm?"  I ask Hubby!  "What farm?"  He replies....... "Ummm, the one I told you about last night, and asked you not to move..."

He replies with an "I don't know?"  How can you not know???? .....  Ugh!!!  Thankfully they hadn't gone to the recycle center yesterday, because the entire farm and all the animals would have gone to slaughter.... I found everything in the Recycle bin...  Since Hubby doesn't recall putting them there, I suppose the little critters could have walked them selves along with their buildings across the family room and jumped in?

Thankfully they are all OK, or Veg would have woke up this morning in quite a frenzy... Ah, if only all farm animals had such a happy ending!

HAVING IT ALL TOGETHER

Someone was recently talking about Mom's that seem like they "have it all together"....  Granted I have seen Mom's that look like they have it all in order... But I'm not sure how many things would fall on my head if I opened their closets... and I stay far away from those closets mind you....

Does anyone really have it all together?   

I feel like some days I'm so NOT TOGETHER that the left hemisphere of my brain is in California and the right hemisphere is in Florida....(In case you didn't know... those two states are really far apart....) 

These are the days that I'm really thankful for a drive thru Starbucks near by.  Sadly.. I have too many of these days and my bank account is starting to tell my brain "get your stuff together lady or you'll not only be not together, you'll be broke too"

Ah Well... When you think about it, Moms have lots of jobs... Some times the working kind out of the home, and other times the working kind in the home... But there are also the other jobs... like, the Cook, Waiter, Housekeeper, Travel Agent, Vacation Planner, Doctor, Nurse, Maid, Driver, Butler, Accountant, Banker, Laundry Mat, Purchaser, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Photographer... Well you get the idea... And I'd say if anyone can do all those things but seemingly have it all together then I shall tip my hat to you..

To the rest of us?  We can sit and stew about everything we haven't quite done?  Or we can go get a Java Chip Frapucinno and feel better about not getting anything done!  *smile*   I'm all about the feeling better!  The rest will get done some day...  And who cares if it doesn't.... Priorities!  Right?   *smile*

24 + HRS NO DIGITAL STUFF - I DID IT

And to think how much time is wasted in front of this and other machines... Along with my Blackberry (silverberry) cell phones, etc...

Yesterday we went to an amusement park, had fun, did some shopping, picnic'd in the car (with A/C)... I made about 5 more scrapbook pages, cleaned up the basement, two loads of laundry, made biscuits from scratch and calzones for dinner, reading and playing with Veg, and even found time for a nap...

It was tough though!  I kept wondering what was happening with who and where... I walked past my Silverberry several times and almost picked it up many times.... Then I found Hubbies computer on just staring at me to check my email, but I stayed a way.... It was as if the little people in the media world were calling me in.....  "come back to the dark side"  I was constantly wondering what was going on at work... I felt horrible to find out there were some people trying to get a hold of me yesterday via email....I suppose if it was that urgent they could have called, but email is our biggest means of communication these days it seems.

Alas it is Tuesday, I have over 400 emails waiting for my eyes to see, and too much to even type that needs to be done today... but it is Back to work and back to reality!

I may have to declare 1 day a week as No Email day so I can actually get other things done.  But I wonder if on those days, all email could go in to a frozen state.... As if it didn't really happen, and isn't waiting for my return.  Ah!  One can dream right?

A NO DIGITAL DAY

Can I do it???  No computer, no Blog, no Mom's sites, no WORK, no EMAIL, no Blackberry (silverberry), for ONE WHOLE DAY!!! 

I took a few days off to go visit family, but we ended up not going.  So I decided to take the days off anyway and have some fun times with the family here.  The Vegman and I have had quite the adventurous long weekend.  Including but not limited to:

• Fruit Picking
• Putt Putt
• Painting a new clock for his bedroom
• Aquarium
• Park
• Friends house
• Swimming
• Carousel Ride
• Crafting
• Safari type Zoo
• And MORE!!!

However I've been checking the Silverberry each day, I've logged in for an important meeting, I've tried to clear out emails and finish a work project every night since Wednesday... I've been posting on here and a Mom's site.... Sent emails, and spoke with friends.....I haven't taken a single day away from the computer! 

I realize I still have lots of scrapbook pages to make, cards I should get caught up on, a cross stitch from the year 2000 that I still haven't finished, and a book to read that a friend loaned me.....  Not to mention house things that need to get done and more adventures with the Vegman...... 

So I'm Declaring tomorrow as a NO DIGITAL DAY in our house...... As soon as I finish this post and my work project, I'm going to turn this and the blackberry OFF...  I'll do bills and then will turn off my personal PC as well......

Going to be tough... I'm going to have to hide these addictive contraptions behind a lock and key.

Soooo, the big question of July... Can the Vegmom go digital-less for more then 24hrs????  Stay tuned!

(But don't check tomorrow so you can't catch me)  *smile*

**EDIT TO ADD - I never did finish my work project, hence I'm back on now... I also still have to do my bills... *sigh*  But, in my defense, we went back out Peach Picking... Hubby grabbed us quite a stash.

And on our way back I realized "I'm on Call this week"  So I can't hide my cell or my blackberry"  Oh Well, it was a nice thought for those 2 minutes.... 

**EDIT #2  - its 10:51 PM and I still haven't logged off for the 24hrs...  But I just finished everything and am going to say GOODBYE till Tuesday!!  If I succeed, then I'll make it more then 24hrs which was the original goal...

CAN SHE DO IT FOLKS? 

MAKING PAGES

I've written a lot lately about doing things I wouldn't normally do, but tonight I stayed right in my shell, very happily !!   

Having my Crafty Friend over for some good conversation, and fun scrapbooking... As well as Idea sharing, Starbucks Treats, snacks.... Did I mention Scrapbooking... I made 7 pages... WooHoo!

As in the past, I was shocked to look at the clock and realize it was 2am!  ACK!!!  But so worth it!

We had a great visit!  Even Hubby decided to chat for a while.  Maybe now the crafty bug will be happy with me, and I'll do some more before the weekend is over....*maybe*

For now, I'm going to bed!

FRUIT PICKING

Today Veg and I went to a Fruit Picking place... We ended up with Peaches, Apples and Grapes... Along with some stuff from the farm store, like zucchini, cucumber and honey.... 

Talk about stepping out of my shell... I did it yet again today... The lady said "You must try stuff before you take more, if you don't like them then don't get more" 

She means I have to try them before I wash them.... really?  But who knows what is on that stuff... Geesh!  But I did, I tried a grape... Yummm... The Concord variety...

I also had to get through the brush and bugs, a billion gazillion bees, and still ended up with only a few pieces of fruit.... So we head back down and they give us a picker.... (A can on a stick)  So we head back out with our picker... HA HA... This was comical!  ME (I'm short)  Trying to use this giant pole with a can on it to get the fruit off the tree and in to the can.... I realized I was doing something wrong when Veg says "Mom its like a rocket launcher, you just sent that apple in to the next row"  ha ha.. WHOOPS!!

We had a blast.... Then the Farm owner offers to give us some string so I can tie it to a giant bug and Veg can let them fly around him as a toy.... OK, I DRAW A LINE HERE..... Yes, I will meet new people in a weeks time, Yes, I will go in to a bee infested tree for a freakin' peach, Yes, I will take pictures of bugs... BUT I WILL NOT.... BE CATCHING A BUG IN MY HANDS AND TYING A STRING TO ITS FOOT!!!  SORRY!!!  NOOOOOO!!!  Did I say No!!!! 

Anyway, here is our stash!  :-)

FRECKLES AND FRIENDS

Stepping out of my comfort zone this year has helped both Veg and I to make some new friends...One of them I feel like we can't go a day without writing or talking, and our kids adore each other.   Not only is she a wonderful Mom but she has been a wonderful friend.   On top of that, her oldest daughter has made my summer parenting go much easier and its great to see the little ones playing together.

Then today we met up with a family, new to the School that Veg goes to and they live near by.  The kids totally clicked, the dogs loved me and the Mom is a Veg.... We went to their neighborhood pool and the boys were the only ones in the pool.  They had so much fun... 

I thought conversation would be strange because its like going on a blind date when you have to meet parents for the first time... But it wasn't so bad and all was well.

While at the pool the overcast sky shined just right and I realized my little Vegman has three freckles on his nose....Me and his dad were both freckle face kids so it was just a matter of time.  And there they are... Sooooooooo Cute!

In a couple weeks we'll be going to someone else's house to meet another new family at the school.  Sometimes stepping out of the shell isn't such a bad thing... Other times, I think I'd like to stay tucked in nicely.

CAMERA WITH FILM? FOR REAL!

Veg and I went on an adventure today.  He decided he didn't want to go on our original adventure so we had a change of plans...  Turns out we went to 4 different places, all of which had cool activities and all of which required me to take pictures.... Did I remember my camera battery?  NOPE!!!

You'd think I would remember this some day!  So when my other battery kicked the bucket, I was left with no picture action during our last adventure.  So I was the tourist sucker that purchased a "one time use" camera from the adventure store.

The kind with film.... The kind you have to get developed..... The kind you have to wind after every shot... The kind you actually have to squint your eyes to focus through the tiny hole and hope that your picture comes out.

Wow, how spoiled we have become in this digital era... I can't imagine having to use one of those every day!  ACK!!!  Now I have to finish up my last few shots so I can get it to be developed and see if any of my 24 photos came out! 

Not to mention the cost of developing!  I don't think I will ever ever ever forget my extra battery again!!

DID I ORDER A CASE OF STRANGENESS?

I'm thinking I did NOT!  And yet this day has just been odd.... Yes I'm odd.... so don't even go there!  But this day was exceptionally odd!

It started this morning when I got on the treadmill and made it a full 40 minutes before being interrupted...That in itself is a very strange occurrence...  So then I get ready and put everything in my car, including a change of clothes in case I go for a walk later... Drive down the road and realize I didn't grab my walking shoes...  AH Well.... I'm not turning around at that point....

So I drive... A bunny jets out in front of the car... normally this would be a squirrel, but not today...It was a bunny that thought he was a squirrel... Continue driving.. Get up to the intersection where I would always turn LEFT... and instead I find my self in the right lane and turning right... I get a block up the road and say to myself "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? Why are you going this way?"  But myself doesn't answer because I have no idea why I'm going that way, but can't turn around at this point so mise well continue....

Get to the passover road to go back where I need to be and there in the middle of a road is a giant Snapper Turtle.  The biggest turtle I've seen since we've lived here and its walking across the road... WhY?  Well to get to the other side of course!  (Sorry couldn't resist)

So I continue on... Stop at about 10 stores, trying to find 3 things for a meeting and at the second store my credit card is DENIED!  I've never had a card denied before....  Get back to the office and before I could call, I see a voice mail.... Yup its the credit card company explaining fraudulent activity on my account!  GREAT! 

Did I tell you this was an ODD Day??  Oh, forgot to mention that while looking for those things I was looking for earlier, I came across jeans that were my size.  And they fit!  Haven't had that happen in like 3 years....

My work day was uneventful except for a couple strange emails....

But then I arrive home, and there is NO one here.... I walk in expecting to hear "MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY" but nuthin... Maybe they are sleeping?  NOPE!  go back down stairs to find Hubby's car gone... This has never happened before?  Where could they be..... I call, They are at Home Depot.....

Seriously... I have at least 30 minutes in the house by myself to eat dinner in quiet, and do a load of laundry and type up this blog and... did I mention it is QUIET HERE!!!  So strange!!!!

Then I get an email from a friend asking me to go walking with her family!  Wow would I love to.... but I just got home, its 8pm and I'm in a QUIET HOUSE!  ha ha.....I sure hope she understands me saying no.... Even that is ODD, since I would normally NOT turn down a walk on most days!!  let alone with their whole family... Even her hubby was joining... I tell ya, this was a STRANGE DAY!! 

Hope if your day ordered up a case of Strangeness that it was the good kind!  *smile*

WRITING ON THE CLOTHES

What is up with all these pants/shorts that have writing on the Backside?

Hello, my butt stands out enough, I don't need gigantic letters stuck to it...  Maybe in a couple more years I can get a pair that says:

"If your reading this right now, you are about to get run over, or sat on... in either case you may want to move"

I'm pretty sure by then, my hiney will be big enough to accommodate that many letters!

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA AND LASAGNA ROLLS

While in Utah we went to eat a Restaurant that had Lasagna Rolls.  I'd never experienced this before but it was their only vegetarian menu item and it was SOOO Tasty!!!  When I got home, I told Hubby, I was going to attempt to make something cool....  And I basically used the same ingredients as my other lasagna, only rolled them up....

Then Hubby got me a Bigger food processor that also chops stuff... So now I can make an entire batch of Vegetarian lasagna or rolls (tonight I made both) with about 20 minutes prep time (including noodles cooking) and then 30ish minutes of baking time....  So here is my first Vegmom Cooking Tutorial.  With my speedy new trick.. ha ha...  Enjoy the sloppy pictures, and little info... Comment with questions or feedback!

(Oh and it is not Vegan because I put cheese on top some times... but you can make it Vegan by not doing that)  *smile* 

Also this is totally my "play it by ear" concoction...(why do we say that anyway... play it by ear?? makes no sense.).. Anyway... I don't have any amounts of ingredients.... so you have to go with the flow and add what you like or don't like....  I use what ever veggies, herbs etc. I have at the time.

Step 1 -  I boil the noodles

Step 2 - While they are boiling I do the following:

Using the regular food processor blade I throw in a block of firm or extra firm tofu, some lemon juice, a tad of water, basil, Italian herbs, kelp powder (or sea salt), A squirt of Agave Nectar, Garlic Salt and parsley.

Pulse, Mix Mix, until Ricotta'ish consistency!  Add more liquid if you need to... And Voila, you have Vegan Riccota'ish gunk, that you can use in ANY Italian recipe...

 

Step 3 - Carefully remove the lid and processor blade, leaving the tofu mixture in there....  And insert the chopper disk thing and the other lid...

Step 4 - Grab the veggies you would normally spend an hour cutting along with a clove or two of garlic... You can see I used, Peppers, carrots, broccoli, onions, tomatoes and garlic tonight....

Just drop them in as much as will fit at a time in to the chopper lid thing and use the plunger thing to push them down in to the blade.... chop chop chop.... Save the green for last I figured out..

VOILA!!  You have  a 3 layered, mush mash surprise....And only dirtied the processor parts... no other dishes or bowls or knives or spoons, were dirtied in the making of this mush mash!  Seriously I did ALL this while the noodles were cooking!!

Step 5 - Drain the Noodles...

Step 6 - Poor Organic Jarred Spaghetti Sauce in to the noodle pot (saving a dirty pot)... Do this while the noodles are still in the strainer of course....

Step 7 - Mix the tofu and veggies in with the sauce (or keep it separate to make your layers)  I just mix it all together eliminating the extra work of layers.... Its all going to cook together anyway  *smile*  I also add some Apple Cider Vinegar for a little kick on the taste.. You could use wine if your in to that kind of thing.

Step 8 - Poor a little bit of the everything mixture in to the bottom of a glass baking pan... Spread to coat the bottom... then layer noodles, sauce mixture, noodles, sauce mixture if making the Lasagna.... Till you fill the pan.  If making Rolls then scoop some mixture in to your Lasagna noodle then roll it up and set in pan... Do this till all the noodles are gone or until the sauce is gone, or until you run out of room in your pan... You get the idea!....

Step 9 - Finish up, with pouring the remaining sauce mixture over the top of the noodles.. Layer with Italian cheese sprinkles if you choose, and sprinkle with garlic salt, and Italian seasonings...

Step 10 - Bake at about 375 for 30 or so minutes... or until your kitchen smells good and the contents of the pan are slightly bubbly.

Here is a pic of the Lasagna ready to eat:

And here is a pic of the rolls ready to eat:

Think I need to go eat some more now!  YUM YUM!!!  Also wanted to add, that the clean up was super easy.... If your counting, I only used,  Food Processor parts, One Pot, One Strainer, and One Spoon.... The veggies were pre-cut from a meal the other night.  And I just threw them in as was when processing them....

I'm really liking this new food processor!  ha ha.... Enjoy! 

GERMS, BEDBUGS, FUNGUS, OH MY!

If you read my earlier post about being Spontaneous, you'll notice that we have traveled and stayed at some pretty horrible places...Then I became a Mom..

Some point between Giving birth and bringing my child home (about 10hrs) I created a huge fear of Gross stuff.  Not the bodily fluid kind of gross stuff coming out of my child, but things like the floor at a doctors office.  Or the chairs in the waiting area of a doctors office.... Public transportation.... Planes...Just nasty!  and Sand boxes.... well how many animals think of that as their litter box.... Swimming pools and splash pads.... Ugh! 

Don't worry, I'm not sheltered in my house with white gloves.  In fact I have two dogs and our house is quite dirty.  But my dirt is different then public dirt....Yes, I'm strange!  I get that.... So we live a normal life but I cringe when I see just totally gross things....

Hotels and rental vacation places are just the YUCK of yuck stuff in my opinion... and hubby said I was being ridiculous.... Who cares if that blanket hasn't been washed in 10 years, or the last renter had athletes feet and toenail fungus, or their baby pooped all over the floor and had rotovirus.....  Yes, these things really go through my mind....  Doesn't mean I don't stay in hotels... but it has forced me to stay in nicer ones since I've been a Mom and developed hotel-phobia.... Even still, the grossness is still there!

So last night hubby and I are talking about it and at some point he stops to think... and says "OMG, One hotel bed could essentially have 280 or more people sleeping in it in one year"

YES - THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY

He goes on to realize all the disgusting things that happen in a hotel bed and by the end of our conversation he says... "I think I will bring a plastic wrap with us next time and our own sheets and blankets to go over the plastic wrap"

HA HA... I have converted him!!  And I bet he won't ever walk around a hotel room with out socks or shoes again!  ha ha 

A FINE TIME TO CUT A TREE LIMB

There are things about our spouses that we either love or don't....And then there are those things about our spouses that make you say... "What the heck was he thinkin'?"

Today has been filled with all of those moments, but I must get to the "What the heck was he thinkin" story as the others aren't very exciting.....

I had a late meeting in the office, and just before the meeting adjourned, a storm blew in...  After the meeting was over, hail started falling, and rain (the sideways kind), and thunder that rattled the building... Lightening made our power go out... (good thing I wasn't in the bathroom when that happened... I always dread that.... being in the bathroom when the power goes out.. eek..... Surely I can't be the only person that dreads this)   ANYWAY.....  I decide to stay in the office until the storm settles a bit... Hubby calls to tell me, we have a tree limb down on our fence but not a big one!

After the rain slows, I drive home.... Lightning is still beaming from the sky... Thunder is billowing in the background and my husband decides this is a perfect time to climb up on my WET DECK RAILING (two stories high, mind you) to see if our shingles are holding up.... He doesn't use a ladder!  NOPE!  Just the 2 inch thick deck rail....

As my son is in the door way screaming "Daddy that is too dangerous"....  And covering his ears.  Apparently covering his ears, makes things not really happen!

While hubby is up there (being a you know what), he notices another tree limb falling (a bigger one) and wants to catch it before it hits the roof.... So what does he do?  Hmmm?  What any intelligent, smart, great, loving husband would do in a lightning storm.....

He grabs the telescoping giant pole with the tree cutter thing-a-majig on the end of it and walks outside holding his lightning rod (I mean saw thing) to cut this limb that was bothering him.  Did I mention that the pole was metal and there was a lightning storm....

Needless to say Hubby is fine!  Nothing horrible has happened.  But I think my kid will be forever holding his ears with worry, and all the way until bed time I was answering questions like....

"Is my Dad going to get electrictioned by God?"   "Why is my Dad so dangerous, can I climb on the roof next time I want to be like Daddy"

NICE!!!!!

SPONTANEOUS - NOT SO MUCH

Spontaneous things that still happen:

• Going for a walk... Turn here.... OK.....
• Need a new appliance..... Shop... Buy... Deliver...
• I feel like painting a room... OK... Paint it..
• Bike Ride... Lets go...
• Hungry.... Lets Eat...Pick Place.... Go Eat!

There was a day when Spontaneous trips happened.... Now it is more like this:

• Find a family friendly place
• Within Budget
• Within Driving Distance
• Veg Friendly
• Does the Dog boarding place have openings?  If no - Plans canceled
• Can't be while school is in session
• Has to fit between work meetings
• Does it have a nice clean pool?  If no - Plans change
• If beach - is it on the beach?  If No - Plans change
• Does the place we want have openings?
• Do they have enough room.. do they have extra space for adults to stay awake and visit, while kids are sleeping
• Do they have a fridge for specialty veg foods?
• Is there something for everyone to do?

There was a day when we would drive till we found a place we liked... Drive some more till we found a hotel... Making reservations... HA !!  We never made reservations.  There were times where we drove 1/2 the night, but we would find a place to sleep before the sun came up... And in the morning find something fun to do!  Well Heck, that's how we found where we are living now.... Get on the interstate, head a direction, drive till we got tired.... And well, this is a pretty place, lets live here.... OK, Decision made!  Being Spontaneous at its finest!

Ah, but now, we must have reservations, we must have criteria met... we can't stay at a dive off the interstate there are too many germs and bedbugs, and oh my... how did we survive back in our spontaneous days!  Alas...

Trying to plan a spontaneous trip now a days is like trying to figure out a combination lock when you don't have the code.....

Heck, lets just stay home! 

SO MUCH PRESSURE

Veg came up to me with his water in hand tonight and says:

"Mom when I'm under this much pressure that means I'm thirsty"

I asked him why he felt he was under so much pressure.... and he replies with:

"Well, if I was over pressure then I'd be hungry, since I'm under pressure I'm just thirsty"

Ok Then, as long as we have that straightened out!

RECYCLED FORT (TORT)

What do you do when you forget your Reusable shopping bags?  Well you ask for Paper instead of plastic.... Save at the landfill, and make a Tort?

What is a Tort, you may ask?  Well it is Fort spelled with a T and apparently that is what Veg has decided to call his new favorite spot.  The brown paper is cut up bags, and the white papers are old craft sheets that have been re-purposed...  You can see the legs of Mr. Veg enjoying his couch inside the Tort! 

I have a feeling when I come home tomorrow, he and his Daddy will have made this little area into an exotic forest..... For now Veg is going to sleep in his Tort and it is quite funny!

VEGAN EATING OUT OPTIONS

OK, I'm really liking the Vegcooking Website....  Check out this link to find all the Vegan Friendly options at chain restaurants around the country:

http://www.vegcooking.com/ChainRestaurants.asp

And this one to find Veg friendly snacks:

http://www.vegcooking.com/vegansnacks.asp

If your brave, scroll to the bottom of the snacks list to find interesting ingredients and where they come from... These would be "The foods to avoid list"

For example, (quoted from their list):

"Rennet—Certain words just make you cringe, like coagulate, congeal, clot—which is what rennet, an enzyme taken from baby calves’ stomachs, is used for in cheese production."

Or this:

"Urea—Urea comes from urine and other "bodily fluids." It’s used to "brown" baked goods, like pretzels. Um, yeah. And the oven is for ??"

Yummmmm.... Makes me want to grab a soft pretzel with cheese on top!   NOT!!!

VEGAN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I found this recipe on the Vegcooking Blog and couldn't wait to try it.  Especially because I still had some frozen blueberries from our picking adventure.

You'll notice by looking at the picture... that some of them don't have blueberries inside.. Well that was because after we got it all mixed I started pouring the batter and realized "I forgot the blueberries"

Veg and I agreed to keep some that way, because he likes them plain anyway...  So I could say "I meant to do that"... *smile*

This recipe was so easy, I think a total of 6 ingredients... I added a little ground flax for the extra nutrients, and I'm sure I can add other things next time to make variety.  But these were a real hit.  Hubby and Veg loved them....  Even the batter was good (shhhh, don't tell)...

I lifted one up and pealed the paper down just so you could see the total tasty goodness......  Also Veg loved mashing the bananas and helping to mix the ingredients... Fun and Easy!!  AND TASTY!!  Yummmm....

CHORES - REQUIRED VS. VOLUNTARY

I'm having a hard time finding my original post on "tickets" from a year or so ago... and some of you have already heard this story so you can ignore...... For those that have no idea what I'm talking about, this is the deal.....

I'm not a huge fan of Allowance without earning it.....And I'm not a huge fan of expecting kids to do "everything" around the house with no reward because they are not our property, they are our kids... And I'm not a real big fan of them given an equal amount of the chores that adults have........  I guess my take on all this, is that my kiddo had no choice regarding the house we bought, the size of it, or the amount of things that need to be cleaned.  He has no choice in the matter whether we work or the fact that we had dogs before he was born.... So in my mind I can't expect him to do EQUAL the tasks, when he is 1/4 the size of us, but also when he has no other "equal" decisions in the house.... 

However.... He does have to take care of himself, his toys, if he makes a mess he is expected to clean it, if he spills something, he will clean it.....He's expected to clear his plate and clean his space... When he uses the bathroom, he wipes the seatie! (if you know what I mean)....  When he splashes the counter while brushing his teeth, he wipes the counter....  He's expected to get himself dressed, tie his own shoes (now that he can) brush his own teeth...  etc. etc. etc.....And he does all those things and much more... Some of them he's done for a long time.  I don't feel like any of those things are worth an allowance.  I feel like those are just things that a person is required to do....  And the earlier he learned them, the earlier he could take care of himself without adult intervention.  The earlier he could gain independence without the battles... This philosophy has worked for us!!

NO TV DAY

Veg woke up to find this sign posted to all our TV sets and computer Monitors this morning...

Why?  You may ask!  Lets just say he was a tad challenging yesterday.. and last night was the worst I'd seen him in a long time.... Come to find out he had watched movies or played games over 6hrs of flat screen time yesterday.... *sigh*  frown at hubby... but alas, damage was done...

(fyi - he normally gets an hour or less a day - because of the behavior thing and well, TV isn't necessary)

So I told my sweet little angel Veg that if things didn't change with his behavior quickly, he would be showing us that he can't handle being in front of a television....  Needless to say things didn't change...  So after he FINALLY went to sleep, I posted these signs through out the house!!!  Yeah! that didn't go over well....  He is able to read this sign, because he came in Screaming this morning....

"MOM MOM SOME ONE PUT THESE SIGNS ALL OVER THE HOUSE,  THIS MUST BE FOR YOU, BECAUSE I CAN WATCH TV RIGHT?"

Ummmm No.....I explained why the signs were there (he must have forgotten) and we spent the next 4 or 5 hours listening to negotiations and whines, and oh my his life was just over.... What an addict... I'm not sure if it was harder on us or him to watch the withdrawals!!  Just crazy that only one day caused all this mess....

Anyway... he survived!  We had a great day... he even earned some tickets for being so helpful. 

HOTELS, MOTELS, OH MY!

HELLO PEOPLE, Aren't we supposed to be in a Recession?  I'm trying to find a hotel room locally for a quickie spur of the moment overnight trip.... and they are NON-Existent for under $180 and most of those are sold out and if under $200 they are usually not the best rooms... you have to hit $250 to get the nice ones.. These same hotels that are $80 during off season.... And yet they are still charging premium price and are virtually SOLD OUT!!!  Where are all these people coming from??? 

Aren't people supposed to be staying home because of High Gas Prices and all that stuff that the news reports on...... For that price, I can go to my favorite resort in Florida and get a 3 bedroom condo on the beach... Not that I need a 3 bedroom condo, I'm just sayin'....

Geesh!!!  And why would I want to stay close to home... Well because, I only have a few days off and don't feel like driving really far... so I thought it may be fun to stay close, get a hotel with a nice pool, and let that be an over night silly fun thing to do....

Well Phooey!!  I guess everyone else had the same idea!  Who would have Thunk it!

STARBUCKS CLOSURES

Here is a list.... Sob sob Sigh Sigh.....

Starbucks Store Closures

BEING A TEENAGER

Ah to be a teenager again?  I wish this on NO one including myself....  The thought of everything to deal with from friends, to boys, to new hormones, and body changes, school, family... Throw in divorce, parental issues, steps and halves, money, finding and wanting independence, but not really having it yet...Jobs maybe, and sports possibly...

The struggles of being a teenager is NOT something I wish to ever go back to... Some people say "Ah If I were only young again"  I tell ya what.... if you ever hear me say that, you have permission to SLAP me upside the head!! 

I may tease about getting older, and what it does to our body, but I have my independence.  I can drive when I need to, eat when I want to, clean the house if I please, or not....I make the choices because I am the adult.... ha ha... I may tease about being older, but I have NO desire to be younger!

We have had a Teen come over a couple days a week to play with Veg while I'm working... She is so great with him and puts up with all his little things..... The poor girl.... But she never removes the smile from her face... even when Veg says "thats no funny, ya no" and she tries to be Vegetarian...  That is a girl after my own heart.  And she likes my cooking (or at least she asks for seconds, so I hope she likes it).... there are not many teenagers that would sit down and eat soy pudding, tabouli and chips, and a tofurkey sandwich.... Or a vegetable laden pizza with everything from Broccoli to peppers....

This girl is a teen like all others facing the internal struggles they all have... And although she is so amazing and I'm proud to know her, I do not envy her age... Nor all the stuff she has to face as she grows.  When my own Veg becomes a teen, I can only hope he has some of her qualities... And I hope that there is sanity left in my being to cope with what he throws my way!

WE DID IT - MADE A FLOWER GROW

  I don't know what it is.... But we made it grow from a seed!!  *smile*  We were given two little pouches of seeds at a festival a while back, and planted all of them in the giant barrel planter we have.  Between the squirrels and the birds, we quickly lost our seeds or seedlings one by one.....

This one lonely Stalk grew from the turmoil and catastrophe even after all of its siblings perished....  And I thought it was a WEED!  After all, that is the only thing we have ever grown successfully...

But this week, it bloomed.... And man is it funky!!  Still has some more buds, so maybe it will last a little while for us to look at.

UH OH - HE'S ON TO MY REDIRECTING WAYS

It only took a year or more but I think Hubby has finally caught on to my tricks....  Could it be?  Am I doomed?  For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about, I shall explain...

I got this great book called Redirecting Children's Behavior and it did amazing things with the way I handled my Spirited child...Giving him choices and win win situations, but also redirecting his actions to the result I was wanting.  Some times being a little tricky in the process... But through the learning process of how to follow the Redirecting Method, I realized it would work REALLY well on Hubby too.

Here is an example of how it worked on both of them:

Getting what you want the Redirecting Way

I know I posted more of those stories last year, but this year its become so much a part of what I do that its nothing new to post about.... Until today!!  I have been CAUGHT IN THE ACT!!

In the past, I'd do the grocery shopping, and the schlepping and the putting away, and it drove me nuts... Then one day I said to myself:

 "Self, why are you getting angry that he isn't helping, when you didn't even ask him?"

Then my self answers with:

"Why should I have to ask, when he sees me carrying all this upstairs, you'd think he'd stop what he's doing to help"

And then my self says... "But you can't get mad if you don't ask"

So then I ask... "Hubby, can you help carry up this stuff ".... And he replied with "Not right now I'm busy"...OOOHHHHHHH!!!  Can you see the smoke pouring out of my head!!! 

So then I thought to my self after a few times of this happening:

"Self,  YOU ASKED.... You gave the opportunity for an answer you didn't want, why did you do that..."

The next time I went shopping, I came home and said to Hubby "The groceries are in the car!"  That is all I said... Didn't offer a question or a demand... Just said "the groceries are in the car"  And I walked away... Making it now HIS IDEA to fix the situation... Yes the groceries are in the car, he must get them.... 

And By Golly, he came down stairs and helped carry them all up... Hmmm?  I was on to some thing... and that began the end of my getting angry and lack of assistance on this subject.....

So today I came home from the store and said "The groceries are here!"  He comes down to help and says to me......

"You know, you could just ask and I'd help, you don't have to be so mean and say "The groceries are here"  What, you think I'm that bad that I wouldn't even come help you carry them up"

HELLO!!!!  1st of all I thought... Well YES you have been that bad, but 2nd thing I thought was OH CRAP... He's figured out my game!  How will I ever get what I want again!

Ah Well, Maybe I'll just have to ask?  ha ha

WALK - RUN TIPS VEG STYLE

Another Exercise related thread - As I was out running today, I thought of some things I do that may be worth sharing....  So here are my Do's and Dont's of Running or Walking for Exercise Purposes....

I Do Drink a small cup of Water with a tad of real lemon juice before hitting the pavement... This keeps my fingers from swelling.  (also works for that time of the month type swelling by the way)

I Don't buy the fake lemon that says "contains lemon juice"  you need the REAL 100% lemon juice with no other ingredients, or a real lemon.  you know the kind that comes from a tree.

I Do Drink Lots of Water

I Don't spend money on fancy running clothes - 100% cotton stuff works just as well for me

I Do where good socks and shoes (replace as needed)

I Don't like blisters on my feet....

I Do, stop and turn my socks inside out if a blister forms, to help me get home with less pain... Then cover the blister with ResQ Ointment from Burts Bees.

I Don't spend money on a special holder for music player

I Do clip a small iPod to my Sports Bra Strap.. Use one ear phone and wrap the rest around the strap.  This saves from it pulling out of your ear as you move your arm or legs when it is clipped in those places.  It also keeps the cords from bouncing all over and driving me nuts......Not to mention saving money by not buying the Fancy holder.  AND YES, music does help me run faster and further.

I Don't use both ear buds... You can't hear people coming up behind you (and thats just rude) you also can't hear cars coming when needed (that can be dangerous)

(of course talking to a friend while walking, can also make you oblivious to people coming up behind you, but I will NOT admit to ever doing that... nope not me... *wink*)

I Do always keep lysine + ointment in my drawer for the over heating fever blisters I get after every long run.

I Don't eat just before running

I Do eat after!!

I Don't carry water with me normally... It gets warm while holding, gets in my way while running and slows me down from getting done and back quickly.

I Do drink a lot of water!  Before and after.  I also keep some in the car if I'm parked somewhere within jogging access...

So there ya have it.... Those silly things I do and why!!  :-) 

LIFTING WEIGHTS... 2 POUNDS MAYBE

I had this great idea to start lifting weights... (great??  ha ha, not so much)  I know it is good for endurance, energy, metabolism, Muscles, bones... etc. etc. etc...

I'm not a lifting weights kind of person, mostly because I am WEAK!!  A WIMP, and more or less, just don't like doing it!

But, I don't like cleaning toilets either and well?  Thats just something we have to do!  So I decided to Buck Up, Feel the burn and lift some weights...

NOW WHAT???  I don't know the first thing about that except that I could really break something important, I dunno, maybe my BACK if I don't do it correctly... So........ I ask Hubby... "I need you to be my coach, teach me some good weight lifting routines that I can do"

UMMMMM???  What the heck was I thinkin'?  HUBBY as my COACH!  I clearly lost my mind.... He hands me 10 pounds for each hand and says "do this".... GREAT!!!  Well actually it wasn't so bad, I got about 20 minutes with weights after my run last week and thought, "I can do this again some time"  That is until I woke up the next morning.... ha ha!!  Needless to say, a week went by before I tried it again.

This time, Hubby was napping.. So Veg says "I'll be your coach Mom"......  OK, that kid put me through the ringer.  I ended up switching from 10 to 5 to 2 pound weights just to keep up with him... "Above your head, now touch your toes, side to side, above your head, touch your toes........"  He'd go on....  "No Mom your not doing it right, I said TOUCH YOUR TOES"

Great... I now have a 5 year old work out bully in my house.... All day every day... "come on Mom lets go lift weights"  ACK, I created a monster!  I guess as long as they are the 2 pound variety, I will survive! 

VIDEO GAME WIDOW

I've heard the term Golf widow before, and then there is the Fishing or Sports kind.... I, however am a Video Game widow.  It all started about 15 years ago when Hubby got his first Nintendo, that transformed in to the Super Nintendo, Game boys, Play stations, Game Cube.... ah the list goes on..

Although, those times were tough, having a Game Junkie sitting on the couch with his little thumbs going a mile a minute until I was unsure if they still worked....  It was NOTHING compared to what happened when the COMPUTER entered our Marriage.....

All the game consoles have PAUSE buttons, they have SAVE stops... they have BREAKS to insert my words in to the brain of said husband....  But noooooo!  Not the computer!!

They are live games.. they can't be stopped....  they can't be paused..... THEY DON'T END.....  8 hrs later I wonder where his pee is boiling inside that body because it hasn't come out....  I wonder how he can go that long with out eating when on a normal day he is hungry non-stop...  And God for bid someone tries to talk to him, or get anything accomplished around here......  He can't be interrupted... Its like the end of the world if his "rating" goes down...

Well, I'll tell you what I'd like to do with that rating.... Alas, I'm a video game Widow....  I can't be the only one?  Should we develop a support group? 

BOUNCE IN STEP

I was walking with a friend today (loong walk) and we started talking about exercise and lack there of... And how it takes more these days then it used to if your trying to loose weight... and she jokingly said that she could feel her backside bounce if she ran...

Well if she can feel her tiney hiney bounce, then by golly I better watch out... Mines going to bounce up and hit me in the back of the head pretty soon.

HE CAN STILL BOUNCE?

My little guy has had a case of the clumsies today... Whacking his head on a window sill, his foot on a door jam,  shin on a table.  This usually means he's in the middle of a growth spurt.

Well, when I saw him leaning back in his rolling kitchen chair, I explained that was a bad idea... "If it falls you'll hurt yourself badly"  I told him.

He says "No, don't worry, when I was little, I did that and it didn't hurt so bad"

I explained that when he was little he used to bounce... He could fall from a flight of stairs and not even get a bruise.  But now he doesn't bounce any more, and if he falls it does hurt.....And he gets marks to show it.

So he says in his smart little tone  "I do still bounce Mom, watch"

And the little stinker goes over to his trampoline and starts jumping "See, I'm bouncing" he says!!

Ack - such a smarty pants!!  Not sure where he gets that from???  Hmmm?