Really makes my weekend activities pale in comparison. I’m glad to say no one was arrested at my house. Knock wood.
We got Scary Baby off to a pre-Halloween birthday sleepover on Friday night dressed, most appropriately, to match her code name.
Her frightful costume created plenty of screaming and yelling. Though I don’t think it was suppose to come from me as she had a meltdown about which vampire teeth she was going to wear, her black boots were at the neighbor’s and a spider earring disappeared as she walked out the door.
I love Halloween fun to start two weeks before Halloween so by the time we get to the real Halloween, mommy has turned into a very scary witch.
Side note: I know several family members who shall remain nameless can relate to this. The rest of you continue with your sweet Halloween fun.
I think I popped the xanax right after she left because I was aware that I was exhibiting very witch-like behavior sans the costume.
The darling twins came home Friday {again} with only one extra Soldier as it was their drill weekend. An added bonus was that The Grunter did not have to work so it was our first Friday in several years we had the three lovely young adults big kids without Scary Baby.
We took them all to dinner and then went bowling. I’ll save the bowling throwdown story for another day. Suffice to say that we had some bowling etiquette issues with the eight teenagers next to us ending with one of the teenagers being kicked out and the management giving us 12 free games.
Another shining memory for our family.
It should be noted that those teenagers should be very, very glad I was medicated.
We awoke Saturday to Wizzy saying she couldn’t breathe and didn’t think she could go to drill. Roger Leroy headed out with her Soldier friends while PhilBillPaul took Wizzy to the walk-in clinic.
They came home announcing we needed to take her to the emergency room because the physician’s assistant was very concerned about meningitis because Wizzy said she had a bad headache.
As they left for the ER, they stopped back by the walk-in clinic to double check everything because the darling twins were vaccinated in high school for meningitis.
The good news…
No Swine Flu
and no meningitis either.
Two days of complete rest at home with more sleep than she’s had in a year and she still isn’t better.
Sunday, Roger Leroy and Casey got back from drill and spent several hours looking for her lost wallet and ipod.
I cooked a Sunday dinner compliments of Granny’s homemade noodles overnighted from Texas.
The wallet and ipod were located by Casey and Wizzy. In her bookbag. Roger Leroy is like the scarecrow on Wizard of Oz and that’s being polite.
After they ate, they headed back to college. They couldn’t wait for the desserts to cool down so she took a sad little container with 3 kisses back with her.
This is what happens when you set your camera on “cuisine” setting and turn off the flash.
Finally, three hours at urgent care on Monday with chest x-ray and blood work has confirmed Wizzy still has bronchitis and will be staying home for a few more days.
Such a boring weekend here. Please tell me you all had a much better weekend?!
That’s how my brain is working these days. Some fun, good things are happening that I wanted to share!
This is in spite of some really sad, not-so-good things that have also been happening in the last few months that I’m sure I’ll blog about some day.
But today, I’m sharing only positive things because muffins are always positive – be sure to read all the way to the end.
1. Fun Giveaway about socks. Or not.
My super-human friend Leigh Anne and I launched a new venture this week and we already have clients. We’ve been Idea Coaching with each other for a long time. So many times great ideas are right in front of us. We just need someone else to point them out and give us the confidence, as well as the tools and resources to make them a reality!
Using our years of entrepreneurial business experience helping women start their own business we want to help you Find Your Sock Yarn.(Bet you didn’t even know your sock yarn was lost, did you? Yeah, me neither.)
Very old friends may remember that was the name of my very old, first desktop publishing business before any of us had an email address, laptop or internet service and we traveled in covered wagons.
I love to date myself like that.
Anyway, through the years, I’ve always done freelance projects with a variety of clients. This site is long overdue so I can offer my services to the universe.
Okay, maybe not the universe but if you were thinking you’d like to have a blog of your own or you need a small business website, I can help you.
PhilBillPaul wants me to tell you that my prices are ridiculously affordable and I should charge more. I told him to be quiet and get his own blog if he wants to get all chatty.
I just want you to tell anyone you know who might need my services so I don’t have to wear a red shirt and work at Target.
I love Target. But red is soooooo not my color.
3. Earthy Crunchy {sort of} Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins
Saw the name of these muffins and had to make them. Love the combo – YUM!
Awesome photo of my prep area don’t you think? Okay so I’m obviously NOT turning this into a food blog.
I’m sure a creative cook could make them healthier. Perhaps add some homemade applesauce or at least some no sugar added applesauce? Maybe some organic yogurt or wheat germ?
Me, I just followed the recipe with the most earthy crunchy thing I did…substituted whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose *bad* white flour. I’m pretty sure that move countered the *bad* white sugar.
In the ongoing transition to get Scary Baby to eat healthier, I left the pecans off of three of them just for her. She said through curled lip, “Uh, they were kinda lumpy.”
Those are called tiny apple pieces dear sweet child.
MUFFINS:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
¼ cup maple syrup
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 cups chopped, peeled apples (I use Granny Smith)
12 pecan halves
GLAZE:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (through cinnamon).
3. In a small bowl, mix milk, butter, syrup and egg; stir into dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in apples.
4. Fill prepared muffin cups ¾-full (this is easiest to do when you use an ice cream scoop). Top each with a pecan half. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
5. For glaze, mix sugar and syrup; drizzle over cooled muffins.
Yield: 1 dozen
Side note: I got almost two dozen but maybe I didn’t fill the cups as full?
They were delicious! Just perfect in this crisp Fall weather!
After 4 years of drought we try not to complain about rain. But who could predict the Atlanta area would flood?
Thanks to those who emailed and called to check on us. We were fortunate with only a little water in our basement.
Lots of sad stories and loss.
For some people, really bad days.
Maybe you caught the story of this poor guy last week.
Luckily he wasn’t injured when he drove his car into the sinkhole because someone moved the orange barrels that are back now surrounding the hole.
And to add insult to injury, the story got worse when thieves stole his radio while his car was in the sinkhole.
Poor guy.
Meanwhile we headed to North Georgia on Saturday to visit the girls for Parent Weekend.
Because we hadn’t seen them in FIVE WHOLE DAYS.
And they really miss us.
As you will now see from these touching family photos of our time together in the pouring rain with all outdoor activities canceled.
We acquired an extra teen which we don’t mind at all. They are usually nicer to us than our own.
We decided to drive to the apple orchard since we were so close. Even though Rachel Pretty had already announced she didn’t want to go to the orchard. She doesn’t like orchards.
We took her feelings into consideration and then we drove to the orchard in her car because we needed six seat belts.
Scary Baby insisted on going out in the pouring rain to stick her head in the stockade with her new wax lips.
Then Rachel Pretty screamed at us because we were dawdling. We were on a tight time schedule and our 30 minutes of being inside and dry was up.
She threatened to leave us but PhilBillPaul dangled the car keys from the orchard porch.
Nice to know her car will start without the keys.
We all got back in the car for more family bonding while PhilBillPaul drove us back to the campus as it continued to pour down rain and I squealed whenever we drove through standing water on the road.
Pretty found some gum in the back seat. It turned out to be really old.
So she did what we would all do. She rolled down the window in the pouring rain to spit the gum out.
Only to have the gum ricochet back in from the window frame and land on her.
Which turned out to be the highlight of our day.
Well, that and the healthy serving of apples at the orchard.
Don’t judge an apple fritter by this photo. They really are delicious. But if you have never had one and I didn’t carefully label this photo, you might think it was something else…
I am refraining from putting you through the cell phone video of the girls singing Taylor Swift and Beyoncé songs at the top of their lungs when the iPod died.
We stopped by Wal-Mart, gave them a coupon for dinner at a local restaurant and drove them back to their dorm.
With gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, the Kell antibody in my blood and I was labeled “High Risk” since all those factors coupled with that pesky head injury and coma of ‘87 seemed to be in my permanent record.
Just a few hours before, they told PhilBillPaul it was going to be a long night and he should get some rest.
So he promptly went to sleep on the empty hospital bed next to me.
While I laid awake for several hours after the nurse told me I might experience some “slight cramping.”
Yeah, it was nice to know that PhilBillPaul got some rest while I was pretty sure I was going to DIE as I watched that bottom number on the blood pressure monitor keep rising.
I beeped the nurses and said that if this was “slight cramping” then they could just kill me now because I was never, ever going to live through the actual labor.
Surprise, surprise – I was in labor and they kicked it into high gear.
I demanded an epidural.
And when the doctor arrived, he had the gall to say to me “Oh, you’re too far along but I can give you some Demerol to take the edge off.”
Natural childbirth was not my birthing plan.
In spite of the grudge I still hold (just towards the doctor), I birthed a perfect little baby boy.
Not only does the date look good in marketing promotions, but it also represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we’ll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.
Beyond the Cocoa Krispie Nightmare and his using pot in front of us, he is smart and funny and seems to be turning out okay in spite of being surrounded by estrogen, chaos and dysfunction.
We had all three girls home for the long weekend while The Grunter enjoyed an early birthday present in downtown Atlanta.
We have discussed it and realize he could have worse hobbies.
Even if we don’t share his fascination with this particular one and if you are confused by the pictures, you can read more about Dragon*Con here and book your tickets for next year’s convention.
We enjoyed lots of home cooking (yes, I still remember how – thank you very much), great music at a local Mexican restaurant and a movie.
Our long weekend culminated with the darling twins making time for a round of golf. Scary Baby accompanied our foursome and rode in the cart.
The weather was gorgeous. The first nine holes were fun for all of us. Especially me because I beat everyone. Not gloating, just telling it like it is.
The back nine – well – we had pushed the fun envelope a little too far.
Scary Baby started falling apart because it was taking too long and she HAD TO GET BACK HOME because she was in charge of THE PARADE in our neighborhood that she had organized {insert whiny voice} days earlier. She swears it was approved by dad. I knew nothing about it.
On the 14th hole, I would have paid top dollar for someone to film Roger Leroy falling into a small ditch with a concrete wall that she thought she would just *hop* over. She tried to recover and fell in another hole.
I fell over in the cart laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe.
She collapsed for a third time because we were both laughing so hard.
Side note: Is spelling “Labour” a British version?
Answers to questions I’ll probably never know:
How can free be a “rip-off” and why were they trying to convince us they “are not cute”? This one was a doozie and PhilBillPaul and I are still baffled as to who said it was “cute” and why that was not a selling feature.
As you can see, the street was lined with people.
They pulled their wagon float with a bike.
Extension cords were strewn across the yard for the music. DJ services provided by a neighbor dad.
I’m not sure any singing or skits ever took place.
I did hear they threw candy to the crowd.
Ah, the simple pleasures of childhood…
The poor quality photos were taken by Dad.
While yes, I’m not too proud to admit it, I slept through the parade.
Golfing and laughing at Roger Leroy just wore me out!!
I might need to re-vamp my whole blog schedule since I just had to search the archives only to discover I’m so flexible that I never even had a “Flexible Friday” in August.
I’m blaming it on the darling twins. Who will be home by the time you are reading this.
On to real life…
Scary Baby and I were sitting in the car as PhilBillPaul stood in line waiting his turn to use the ATM.
Which I personally think has led to the demise of this generation and future generations who believe you just “go to that machine and get more money” is how you get money. I can’t remember if it was The Grunter or Roger Leroy who told me that some years ago. I am old and forgetful.
Anyway, we went to that machine to get some more money and Scary Baby started snickering in the backseat.
Me: What’s so funny?
SB: That guy has money on his underwear…
Me: Excuse me?
SB: Look, you can see his underwear and it has money on it. And he’s getting money at the machine. {giggle}
Me: Why do you think he needs to get money if his pants are filled with money?
{more giggling}
SB: Take a picture – that would be a funny blog post.
Me: I don’t have my camera. It probably won’t turn out with my camera phone.
SB: Try it, then maybe you can blow it up.
I’m pretty sure she’ll have her own blog soon.
Since the picture from my camera phone quality is so bad I thought you might want to see a close up of the underwear.
We’re just guessing they looked like this. Thank goodness, we really did only see a glimpse.
We then watched PhilBillPaul let the man behind him go in front of him.
We wondered why.
We were still laughing when he got back in the car. We explained the money pants.
(I saved the inappropriate comment of Buttload of Money for here and now.)
PhilBillPaul then told us the lovely man walked up behind him & informed him:
“I was actually here first – before you.”
Meaning he pulled in before us? He was sitting in his car holding his place? Phil outran him to the sidewalk? (That so did not happen!)
Only PhilBillPaul would motion for him to go ahead of him when Money Pants was done. Because he is NICE LIKE THAT.
And he said he’s never in that big of a hurry.
(I can confirm the latter.)
I used this as a teachable moment so that Scary Baby would understand that in addition to having the NICEST DAD ON THE PLANET, we also live in a time and place where someone might hurt you if you “take their turn” or irritate them in public.
Which was really going to be Friday’s post topic but when she spotted the Buttload of Money moment, I had to let that go first!
I had to pause the TV to let PhilBillPaul see it when the local news aired the story.
As many of us can attest privately if not publicly that we have been disturbed by a child crying, screaming, squealing, whining or shrieking in public and wish their parents would remove them from the premises…
Whether it be restaurant, store, library, airplane etc., or my personal favorite… the movie theater.
And many of us can attest to the fact that at some point, the said child was OURS and we are THOSE parents.
(Except in my case – never the movie theater…thank you very much.)
I can only hope that my reader friends are those parents who do actually remove the child so as not to disturb others.
And remember those stressful moments and have mercy and grace on other parents.
As opposed to this grouchy, scary man in Georgia.
The two year old probably started crying when she saw him.
Frankly, I’m scared of him and I don’t scare too easily.
Remind me to tell you about my day in Wal-Mart hell with three toddlers oh so many years ago.
Until then, have a marvelous Labor Day weekend and click over to iLashGirls and enter to win one of our simply fabulous gifts because our one year anniversary giveaway goes through the weekend!
I knew I needed a week off from blogging because I needed to breathe.
In and out.
Over and over.
To recover from the 4 days “at home” with the darling twins.
“At home” is very subjective and is great material for:
Another post
The Book
The Jerry Springer show
Luckily, I’ve been able to dig deep, pick out the happy pictures and share the moments of Family Day at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina and our safe arrival home.
So without further ado, I will continue to…
Focus on the Positive
Watching the Soldiers come out of the woods was simply amazing.
Much more so than the YouTube video I encouraged you to watch.
We were overcome with emotion and pride as Toby Keith’s “American Soldier” played and we tried to find our babies Soldiers…
In case you couldn’t pick them out – because let’s face it – they all kind of look alike in their ACUs (Army Combat Uniforms)…
It was an honor for us to meet many of the drill sergeants.
I was glad to be able to thank them for their service and for taking care of our daughters over the summer.
They were very complimentary of “The Twins” and many of them thanked us for raising such fine young women.
Lizzie showed that her PT (physical training) really paid off.
This was on a dare from Scary Baby over the phone a few weeks before we arrived. We were all duly impressed!
This sign was in the stairway we walked up to see their sleeping bay where they had spent their last 10 weeks…
Such a powerful reminder of who they are becoming.
Picture snapped as we picked up their gear and just before we all got kicked out…
Then we headed for air conditioning.
PhilBillPaul and I had made a pledge to do our best to not complain about the heat. Even though it was about 120 degrees with no breeze and we were all sweating while standing still.
Because we realized that our darling twins had endured this heat wearing full gear for most of the summer so we were pretty sure we could last for one day.
Our lily white Lizzie’s only request was that we spend the day inside – she was so sick of the South Carolina heat.
No surprise that she reveled in her day of freedom with some of her favorite things…
Bowling and nachos with that liquid cheese that is really not cheese.
Happy girl. She earned every bit of that neon orange cheese.
You may have forgotten but we do have a 4th child. He still lives with us.
He did greet us on the driveway at 1:00 a.m. and actually hugged one of his sisters.
The Grunter was also kind enough to do a little decorating before we got home.
He hung the banner and lined the curb in front of our house with American flags.
We’re still not sure if they missed the wiener dogs more than us. Since they are now 18 (which we have been reminded of several times) you’ll have to ask them.
Lord knows and so do we that they can speak for themselves…
Life lessons surround us. The trick is to figure out the lesson. The gift is to share the lesson with someone else. The bonus is in finding the funny in the hard lessons. Let’s laugh and learn together.
Basically, there are three ways the skunk and I are a lot alike. The first is, we both like to spread our "stink" around. The second is we both get hit by cars a lot. The third is stripes.
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