Tomayto....tomaahto

I am still amazed every time I watch my kids go in opposite directions. You would think I would be used to it by now as they are turning 21 and 18 this year but I'm not. Last night waiting for the announcement from LeBron of where he's going this was the scenario.

20 (Mr. party all the time, be 'where it's at', don't I look great, status conscious, old soul, personally always broke yet theoretically fiscally conservative and socially liberal and amazingly traditional) was sitting at home glued to the TV and his state of the art Blackberry checking tweets and updates yet praying that he chooses to stay in Cleveland because this is Wade County and Wade's House.

17 (Mr. love to be the center of attention, cheapskate, no labels please, plain is great, young at heart & to the core, faithful, go with the flow, class clown, personally fiscally conservative and yet theoretically fiscally and socially liberal) was at a political rally for Rick Scott, a Republican gubernatorial candidate hoping and praying that the dream team be completed in Miami with the coming of The King. His last year's model (but bought this year on the cheap) Blackberry was in his pocket as he was huddled to a friend's iPhone to watch The Decision.

Moments before the announcement:
17 finds out the news because at his rally the Heat owner's attorney is there and he got a text from the owner saying 'he's coming' and it was announced at the rally to up roaring cheers BEFORE the announcement by LeBron on TV. 20 is getting confirmation of speculation that he must be coming because this announcement is 'on Cuban time'. LOL!

The Announcement:
20, head in his hands, is furiously tapping away and communicating with friends to confirm a party that was just waiting for the announcement to be over to get started as he mumbles to himself that he can't believe this at the same time giving props to Riley for getting it done. He's moving on not happy but consoles himself with the fact that more Heat games will now be on TV so he can see them more in NY while at school. 17 is making plans to attend the whatever is happening tomorrow at The Arena or wherever because he's going to be a part of this even if he can't get to a game because the tickets were sold out earlier in the morning not that he would have bought any because they were too expensive.

Later that evening:
20 is partying with friends at someone's house waiting for it to be late enough to go to the club in SOBE. 17 is LIVE on Channel 10 with his buddies jumping up and down screaming and yelling about LeBron in the parking lot of a local restaurant on a street corner in SW Miami where they pulled over because they saw a TV truck. He's spending the night at a friend's house so they can save time in the morning by not having to come pick him up to go downtown and 'be at the arena'.

The next morning:
17 is going to the arena not that they know if anything is happening or when but they are going to hang out there and see. They have their phones and will keep updated and go wherever the whatever is happening. He's hoping that they will give out free stuff and they can some. 20 is sleeping but will get up and go to the gym and then maybe the beach. He wants a Wade County t-shirt but wants me to buy it because he's broke.

These boys just crack me up. If we wouldn't have been at the births and had photographic proof that they are both ours and therefore brothers, you wouldn't know it. :)

Book recommendation

I haven't been commenting much on books that I have been reading. I don't know why because I have been reading. Well, maybe not in the past month or so because I was focused on graduation and the scrapbooks I was making for my son but now I can get back to the regular pace of life.

Where do you get your book recommendations from? I get them from all over. I read the NY Times Sunday book review online and go through most of the previews they offer. I an a member of GoodReads which is a site to track what you read and share this info with friends. Not that I have been updating this but my friends have and so I see what they are reading. NPR reviews many books and I also get newsletters from Book List, Books and Books (a local indie store), and a few others. So, I get a lot of info about books aside from just talking to people about books.

This past weekend I got a book recommendation that I just couldn't turn down. While at my sister-in-laws I started perusing the Scholastic catalog that schools send home in grade school. My nephew, N8, saw me going over it and came to join me and I started pointing out to him that some of these books were some that I had read as a kid, I praised books like Charlotte's Web, series like Amelia Bedelia, Cam Jansen, and Nancy Drew. In that conversation we discussed some of Matt Christopher's works which he was familiar with and I introduced him to The Hardy Boys. Then he told me about The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He has read them and enjoyed them and highly recommends them. They are all EXCELLENT. We discussed what I had read about them and he explained why he liked them and then ran away. He returned with 3 books from the series to show me the illustrations and how it actually looks like a diary because the pages are lined. He then asked me if I wanted to borrow one. I looked at that face and although my brain was saying 'seriously?' I of course, said sure which is the first one, I should read that one. The pride on his face as he handed me the book was endearing. As he watched me I read the back cover. When I finished and started to put the book away in my purse he asked Doesn't it seem interesting? I assured him it did and told him it would be the next book I read.

And so, this weekend while we drive to St. Augustine I will be reading The Diary of a Wimpy Kid which although it says diary on the front cover is a journal. Do not be mistaken.

I can't wait to read it and talk to him about it. Too much fun.

To....From....

Through the years when I have given pictures of my kids to people I write something on the back; a dedication of sorts. If I am really pressed for time I at a minimum write the date of the event of the picture and the pictured person's name on the back. Does everyone do this? I don't know. Why do I do this? I have a few reasons.
First, because that's what my momma taught me. She always had me sign the back of the picture I was giving to grandparents or aunts etc. I never asked why. Being the obedient (stop laughing!) child that I was I simply did as I was told.
Second, I have seen this on odd pictures I have come across over the years when sorting through things after my mother and grandmother passed away. The picture may say 'To my favorite Aunt from cookie' with the date or at least a year on it and then we are able to figure out who the baby is.
Third, because the pictures that have been passed down to me by previous generations that don't have anything on the back to indicate the who, why, where, or what of the picture has sometimes been unidentifiable by us who are still here trying to figure out what this is a picture of.

So, in conclusion, at a minimum I write the name and date on the back.

Now that you know all that, I can tell you this story.
As my boys are now both high school graduates and I theoretically adult men beginning their individual paths in this world, I thought it was the appropriate time for them to dedicate the pictures themselves. They are big boys and as evidenced by the diplomas they were given know who to choose words and string them together coherently and write them all by themselves. Well, let me tell you something. You would have thought that I asked for a 57 page MLA-style thesis. I pulled out the pictures with a week advance notice and told him who they were for. Nothing outrageous here just grandparents, godparents and aunt and uncle. After reminding him and being asked what to write for the umpteenth time. I said just at least put 'For my grandparents, love 17' with the date. Don't make this harder than it is, it's very simple.

I still have 2 pictures that were not handed out at our graduation lunch celebration this past weekend because he couldn't bring himself to even write his name on them. But I did notice that he gave some wallet size photos to a couple of people. So, I asked last night who he gave pictures to on Saturday. He told me 3 friends of mine. Granted, if they are friends of mine they are friends of his but what I mean is he gave pictures to 3 of my girlfriends. So, I continued to probe and was told that he thought it was nice to give them something because they were a big part of his life and a big reason he's the man he is. Yes, I got teary-eyed. But I'm still his mom so I asked if he just randomly handed them the photo and he told me that he wrote something on the back of each one. He tells me it was 'just a little thing so they would know how important they are'. And here I was all upset because the boy can't write to my godparents with love, 17. It seems the boy can write when he wants. I have no idea what he wrote on the photo for my 3 girlfriends but I know that they are probably just as touched as I am knowing that he felt they were a significant part of his life that he wanted to acknowledge them in that way.
I guess I will put the date and his name on the other 2 and hand them out at the next family gathering because really those are from me not him.

Gifts & Moms

This past weekend was Mother's Day. I read the best article about what a mom really wants here in our local paper.
I think that article hit the nail on the head, at least for me. I don't need you to rack your head trying to find a gift that will fit your budget. I just need to know you are living a good life. This year I got a some really good stuff.

17 bought me a Harry Connick Jr CD. It meant that he was listening and paying attention when I was giving my undivided attention to AI this past week when he was the shows mentor for the singers. I love his voice. It was very thoughtful. In addition to that he gave me the go ahead to register him (and pay for-duh!) his college orientation. Why is that a gift because it's a decision. He has been waffling for the past 2 months and he finally decided. I was thrilled with both of his gifts.

20 is away at school and so he couldn't spend the day with us and the extended family. First, he sent me a text. "Hey, mom ru up? Happy Mother's Day!" It was 11am- the middle of the morning, of course I was up. I was getting ready to head out the door for the day's activities but he's in college and still sleeps in - a nice luxury most of us don't have anymore. Once I assured him I was up he called and we chatted for about 1/2 an hour. In that conversation he gave me what I think was the real gift (other than an uninterrupted and unrushed conversation). First he made sure that I was sitting down and then he told me that it was official he had declared his major as Political Science. I was so happy and excited that he had finally picked something. Then in true mother form I started inquiring about a second major or a minor perhaps. I could hear him roll his eyes through the phone lines as he said ma, please. But we'll see. I'll keep watering that seed and see if anything pops out. Later in the day he sent me a picture via text of a bunch of mixed flowers that said what I wanted to send you but I'm a broke college student. I told him they were lovely and would last longer this way.

Later as I reflected on the day I felt all warm and fuzzy inside because what they gave me was signs that they are doing what they need to do, taking control of the next steps in their lives and making progress. It felt good and made me smile. Of course, the smile was bittersweet as the first person I wanted to share this all with was my mom and I couldn't the way I wanted to. I did walk over to a picture of us that I have and say out loud to it (her) they're doing good, huh? And I know she was smiling down on us as I was smiling at her.

Smile

I was at the flower shop the other day ordering some flowers for a prom date of 17s and I picked up a bunch of purple tulips for moi for no reason other than they were pretty. They are beautiful. Its a small bunch, only 6 flowers. They are in a small vase at the entrance of the house. When they open up they have yellow inside which just looks fabulous.
Every single time I see them I smile. They are just so pretty to look at. I absolutely love the color of the deep purple and I love the clean lines of the tulip stem and flower. Such an easy and simple way to make me smile over and over and over again.
Thanks me!

I did some new baking this weekend. I made truffles with brandy. It was my first time. I coated them 3 different ways some with cocoa powder, others with crushed pistachios, and others with crushed pretzels. I chose pretzels because the person I was giving them to likes the sweet and salty combo.

The truffles were a bit involved. It's not that its technically hard to make it was just a lot of steps and working with chocolate and melting it and getting it to the right temp was a bit daunting. But know that I've done it. I have some ideas to make it easier and I will take on the task again. I already bought more chocolate.

I have 6 of each kind to hubby's aunt as her birthday present. I told her to be honest with me later and tell me which ones she liked, if any, because they were an experiment. I didn't tell her I had tried one and didn't like it.

I had some leftover and so I took them to a girls game night where I volunteered to take dessert because I wanted to make a Marmalade Cake I saw here: http://orangette.blogspot.com/.

The truffles were sampled there and enjoyed and I tried one again and it was good. I guess the brandy and chocolate needed to mellow. Now, I know.

The cake intrigued me the day I read about it and I had been wanting to make it and my girlfriends were the perfect guinea pigs. I really liked the way it came out. It was very simple looking but full of flavor. I totally see why she called it a marmalade cake not an olive oil cake. The olive oil is not a predominate flavor. The citrus and almonds totally steal the show.

I have one more birthday to plan for this month, hubby's, then I will start planning on the April ones which I already have some ideas for one of which requires setting up the sewing machine again. So, here we go.

Oh, I almost forgot I used my homemade vanilla in the recipes this weekend. I think it worked well. I am going to give some to a girlfriend who bakes a bit to have her try it and see what she thinks.

Other happenings:

* 17 went to a school retreat for 3 days. I have never done anything like that and I know he's been dealing with some issues that he doesn't want to talk to mom about and I was thrilled and grateful when he came home Friday raving about what a wonderful experience it was for him. He says it truly brought him closer to the classmates and teachers that were there and to God. He felt very good about things and I am so happy for him.

*20 had an accident in the weight room while he was bench pressing. The bar slipped from his hand and +200lbs fell on his chest. Miraculously, he's fine. He didn't even crack a rib. The Dr. didn't believe it when he saw the x-rays and so he ordered a scan and both came out clean. He's in pain because he has severe bruising but nothing broken. Thank goodness!

* My dog isn't doing very well. I see him more lethargic than normal and he has these growths that I won't go into detail here but they are gross to deal with and are giving off a bad odor. I think it may be time to say good-bye. I need to talk to the rest of the family about this.

* I have been watching more old movies and still have many recorded to watch. I saw 42nd Street, Broadway Melody and Golddiggers of 1935 and a documentary about Zora Neale Hurston as well as some cooking shows. I'm enjoying the old movies, surprised I know so many of the songs from the musicals but I guess I just didn't know what movies they came from.

Vanilla excitement

I am so very very excited. I ordered vanilla beans online. I have been reading reviews for a sundry of places to order from and finally picked one and placed my first order today. I am starting small I only ordered 10 beans but I'm still excited.

Why am I so excited about getting vanilla beans? Well, I'll tell you because I am going to make vanilla extract. From everything I have read it is super simple and one of those things that I have read once you do it you can't go back to store bought extract. We shall see. I hope so because if this succeeds then I will also be gifting homemade extract in the near future. How cool is that? Well, I'm excited and if your not and you see me live and in person then you may want to make a comment or two in that vein because you made well be a recipient of said extract.

I can't wait to get it and I can't wait to make it and I can't wait to try it.

Change is different

Things change. I know this. Everything changes even Christmas.

At my house this year here are a few things that changed:

* On the Eve, I only had a couple of gifts to wrap that were last minute purchases. The boys were sequestered in a room doing wrapping of their own. We could hear them having more fun that gift wrapping normally warrants and we were suspicious but it was nice to hear.

* Santa was summoned to the workshop. They boys couldn't wrap a perfect square. They had gone through half a roll of paper before calling me in to show them how to wrap. Over exuberance of fun was now understood.

* I woke up by myself. I went and prepped a light breakfast, tidied up the kitchen, got batteries for the camera, let the dog out, fed the dog and then

* I woke up the family to open gifts. This was completely new. I have always been the one woken up not the one waking others on this particular morning.

* Sleepy children and hubby gathered around the dinning room table all wanting coffee before opening gifts. I was the only one excited about the gift opening.

* They started with the stockings because they were closer and didn't require getting up. They could easily open the items while drinking their coffee.

* I had to urge them to open the gifts under the tree from Santa. They dragged their chairs over to the tree. No kids sat on the floor scrambling to grab gifts. They in a very civilized manner opened one gift after the other placing the garbage in the bag which hubby supplied.

* Everyone calmly left their gifts behind to dress and go to another house to deliver gifts. It was all very grown-up.

* At the homes of others where we delivered gifts they handed them out one by one waiting for each person to open their and react to the surprise inside. There was no mad dash around the house handing everything out at once.

What didn't change. I still blinded them with the flash of the camera. We all had a good time.

Things change but change can be good. My kids are all grown up and that was very apparent this Christmas but that's a good thing.

Merry Christmas

It's Christmas Eve. I am at the office. Bah Humbug! Some things need to get done so whatever.

The family will be gathering later at MILs house. My 3 boys will be there shortly to help (read: hang out) with the roasting of the pig.

Every year at MILs they get someone to dress up as Santa and give a gift to each child. I am toying with the idea of still putting a gift in for 20 even though he's 20 because I think he would get a kick out of it. We'll see what I decide.

I actually stopped at Target this morning on my way into work only because I love the rush of shopping on the 24th. I really didn't NEED anything but I bought the boys some t-shirts that were on super sale just because.

I didn't get all the baking I was supposed to do done and so had to relent and buy some baked goods from the store as gifts. *sigh* Better planning is in order for next year. I would love to have a Christmas of only homemade gifts but I know that's just pie in the sky.

I was very worried that my brother would be stuck by himself in Boston where he has been working on assignment for months but he texted me early this morning that he made it home. I am truly happy and relieved that he will be with his family in Chicago for the holidays even though he says he will spend most of the day shovelling the driveway before the in-laws get there.

My kids are of the age where they tell me they are missing the Christmas feeling. I told them it changes. They aren't kids anymore. They will feel "it" if the spend some time prepping gifts for others especially kids. The joy you feel when giving is the "it" that replaces the rush, excitement and anticipation you had as a kid. It will be fun to see what they come up with and how they feel about it later.

I hope everyone has a nice holiday whatever one you celebrate. I choose Christmas and so I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

What?!

I can't hear you over the cacophony of thoughts in my head. The loop de loop that is the list of things I want to do. It's as if there was a scratch in the record and it just keeps replaying the same part over and over again. It pretty much sounds like this: clean this, bake/make that, wrap something, clean this, bake/make that, wrap something....

Gratefully, friends came over on Sunday and even though I know I talked about baking I didn't. I truly disconnected for a while at least. I sat, talked and laughed. Imagine, I enjoyed some downtime with a friend. How awesome is that? Of course, as soon as they left I cleaned something, wrapped something and planned the next day's baking (all the making is done!). To give you a clue as to exactly how much this has taken over my brain. I found myself (I think I was sleep walking) in the kitchen at 2:45 standing in front of the open refrigerator. I don't know why exactly but this morning when I actually woke up I felt a compelling urge to check the supply of milk on hand. Who knows.

I have also started thinking about next year because apparently I don't have enough on my plate trying to finish this year that I feel I must start with the next one. What do I want to do next year? Am I happy with what I 'did' this year? Should I set goals or just let the year roll however it wants, as if my goals could actually alter that anyway. But I want to do so much baking before then, hmmm maybe I should start baking for next holiday at the start of the new year. Can I freeze things for a whole year? Will they be any good? Maybe I should research that a little in all my free time? I'd really hate to do the work and freeze the stuff and then it would be bad next December and I would feel even more pressure than I do now. OK, I need to stop thinking about January and focus on the 3 days I have left. Yes, I can do math! I know that Christmas is the 25th but we have our big celebration on the 24th and since I have to work on the 24th, I need to have everything finished before going to bed on the 23rd. So, 3 days left to do whatever is going to be done.

The trick is to get it done I need to shut my brain off so that I stop thinking all these other miscellaneous and assorted rambling thoughts and focus on the day I we are in right this very minute. I don't know how to do this.

So, tonight the kitchen goals are: chocolate crinkle cookies, mix & refrigerate pie crust, mix & bake a batch of sugar cookies and refrigerate another batch, make coconut macaroons, make truffles (maybe), make biscotti (maybe), make a grocery list for hubby to buy final ingredients needed for holiday desserts that I was assigned to take for the 24th plus what I am taking on the 25th.

Tomorrow's goals are: Wrap a bottle of wine, box & tag the final cookie gifts, go to coffee with girlfriends

Wednesday's goals are: Bake 2 desserts for Xmas eve and any remaining cookies.

You will note that I have truffles and biscotti as maybes. I have all the ingredients at home for both. These are both new items that I have never made and been wanting to try. I actually already mixed the truffles and the batch is sitting in the fridge so that has a better chance at getting done albeit maybe not in time for Xmas but for New Year's Eve. We shall see. I have an assortment of things to coat them in such as cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, Xmas sprinkles, 2 colors of sanding sugar and pecans. Why so many well its simple I couldn't decide so I got them all and figured I'd decide when the time came and its almost here and I still don't know what I'll do. Who knows? not me.

So, like I said lots going on but really its mostly in my head. LOL!

Me Elf, you Santa

The past few days and the next few, I suspect are very task oriented at my house. Do this, get that, I did this now you that. Of course all of this is in an effort to create a perfect holiday. As if- LOL!

As you know if you have been reading, I have been making gifts and the past few days hubby and sons have been delivering them. They have delivered cakes and bottles of homemade egg nog to teachers, coaches, and offices. Over the weekend it will be the neighbors and early next week our workplaces and then finally the family for Christmas.

I have also sent hubby, who has time off during the holidays on daily errands. He bought boxes and stamps the other day and today he is shipping, wrapping (hopefully) and doing a grocery run. Of course, for them to do the errands and delivering I do the prep work for them the night before. It has been working out, things are actually getting done. I am feeling like I may get it all done in time for Christmas. I have had a few snafus (sp?) with the sewing machine but all that is doing is moving me into the kitchen where I know my way around to make a few things to replace the sewing projects. Thus, the grocery run for hubby today. I have even been toying with making biscotti which I have never done before but that may wait until the end to be a gift for me, if I succeed.

It's all coming together. The fact that I just wrote that unnerves me a tad because I may be jinxing the whole thing. I hope not. Comfort and Joy!

I am NOT! I am!

I am not going out this weekend. I am not running any errands this weekend. I am not leaving my house this weekend. I am not going out this weekend.

There! It's in writing and on the Internet, therefore, it must be true.

I am going to stay home this weekend. I am going to finish my gift sewing this weekend. I am going to do all the Xmas cards this weekend. I am going to start wrapping this weekend (especially those that must be mailed). I am going to get lots and lots of baking done this weekend. I am going to be exhausted and satisfied after this weekend.

At least that last line if true... Tis the season people! Gimme patience for all this comfort and joy!

Dream Room

I asked hubby last night if I was a bad mom because I wanted one of the kids to move out so I could get their room for my crafting. He laughed and said no because I will probably be making stuff for them. He has a point. I really don't want anyone to move out I just want a room.
My back aches and its all because I don't have a room of my own. My latest dream is a craft room of my own. Right now I have packed up all the scrapbook stuff and moved all the sewing stuff from 20's room to the back room which is a open to the living room and has a bar in it. Not really appropriate for a craft room. But anyway, the ironing board is set up and the 2 round plastic patio tables are in there one serving as a cutting table and the other housing the sewing machine. These tables are not the right height for these jobs and my back is reminding me of that very fact right now.
Can you imagine a place with a plenty of surface area to layout patterns, cut fabric, lay out scrapbook pages, let painted items dry, excellent lighting, enough storage space so that everything is its place because there is a a place for everything? Do you see it? I can. Ahhh.....dreeeeeam, dream, dream...

Tempus fugit!

Wow. Time flies when you are having fun. I have been a busy busy girl. I can't believe it's been over a week since I have blogged. So, here's a quick recap to get us back on track.



*19 turned 20. He wasn't here for his birthday. He was having finals but he got here before Thanksgiving. So it's all good. I will admit that the fact that I have a 20 year old makes me feel older.



* Thanksgiving happened of course. I hope everyone had a wonderful one with family/friends. I made a new Cranberry sauce recipe which came out super yummy and I made the sweet potato casserole, and I made an apple pie. I also made a cherry pie but that one stayed home for us to eat.



*Thanksgiving would have also been my mother's birthday. That was why I made the apple pie, it was her favorite. She would have been 65, ready to retire. She would have enjoyed retirement because she had so many hobbies and crafts that she loved to do. She finally would have had the free time to do them. But I am sure that she has knit everyone in heaven a sweater and made candles and baskets galore. I thought of her a lot that day and how different my Thanksgivings are compared to growing up but that will get me all misty so I am moving on...



* I went shopping on Friday because I always have and 20 went with me to pick out and try on his gifts. We had a good time and found some good deals. There will be more stories about that later.



* Over the weekend, we put the lights up outside, brought out all our Christmas decorations, bought the Christmas tree, put the lights on, decorated it and started decorating the house. Aside from all the regular boring laundry and grocery stuff.



* This year the gift for the in-laws was a group gift from us and my SIL. We gave them tickets to go see Andrea Bocelli. The concert was over the weekend so we had to give it to them at Thanksgiving. They had a fabulous time. She called us when they got to the venue, she called when they got to their seats and she called the next morning to tell me all about it. They had such a wonderful time.



* We also got together with friends to just hang out and chat. I made Paula Deen's Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Cake. It was pretty good even though I overcooked it. We had a nice time.



*I made batches of egg nog and bottled it. The bottles are all in my fridge waiting to be gifted. I still have one more batch to go but I ran out of eggs so that's the thing to do today. I need to make it early because it needs to sit and the flavors need to combine and mellow. Yumm!



* During the week I want to get the Christmas cards done, address and mailed. That's the goal. We shall see.



So, I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. I know that I have many many things to be thankful for and that I am one lucky girl.

I did it!

Please give me a moment while I pat myself on the back.

I finished 2 pañales last night! I am so happy and proud of myself. They aren't perfect but they aren't horrible either. They look homemade- what can I say. Tonight I will iron them and wrap them up for delivery. I am so happy!

Lessons learned:
* Working with clear thread is very very hard.
* If I want to provide pañales for my grandchildren who should not be coming along for many many years yet, I need to start them now!

I will try to take a picture of them tonight and post them here for all (who am I kidding- both of you) to see.

Comfort and joy baby! Comfort and joy!

The Bad, the ugly, and the good.

The Bad news: 19s football team lost on Saturday and so they will not be going to the playoffs. They do have one more bowl game this Saturday but its really a non-event. :(

The Ugly: In my project this weekend making the pañales I am using clear thread. Do you know what color clear is? Its the color of whatever it is on; its clear! Do you know how hard it is to thread a frickin' frackin' needle with clear thread? Let me tell you it is really really hard. Do you know how hard it is to untangle clear thread? Let me tell you it is practically undoable. I gave up and just started over. Do you know how hard it is to stitch and know where you are with clear thread? Let me tell you it is really really hard. So, aside from being one of the hardest projects I have EVER done and testing my patience, it is coming out great. I completed one and have one more to go. I don't think I have enough patience in me for the third one. We shall see....

The Good news: 19 will be home for the holidays, including Thanksgiving. 17 has completed all of his college applications and already met with his counselor at school and had him send all the transcripts etc. He is already working on scholarship applications and completed a couple over the weekend. Comfort and Joy!

Note: Yes, I know that undoable is not a word but that's part of the point. It is taking to parts unknown! Gimme Patience.

51...81

Donny Osmond is 51 people - five one! I have going to marry him, did you know that. Me and a gajillion other teeny boppers around the world. I have been watching him on DWTS and he's doing well. I know that the Osmonds have a place in Branson and would love to go see their show. (stop laughing!)

Last Saturday I went to see Andy Williams. He wrote a memoir and had a book reading. The man is 81 people - eight one! He looks great! He stood there for about half and hour with the mic in his hand and talked, and delivered old jokes, and even sang. And ya know what he can still sing. I remember watching his TV show and the Christmas shows were AWESOME! He has a place in Branson too The Moon River Theater.

Now I have two shows to go see and I am sure I can find others that I would be interested in seeing. So, I'm thinking I need to plan a trip before something up and happens to Andy. Did I mention he's 81?

I already went to Vegas and saw Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton and it was such a great show. The man can hardly sing anymore but what an entertainer. It was great! Plus, I knew all the songs. I sang along the whole time. It was so much fun.

I still want to go back and see Tom Jones. I was going to marry him too!
Gotta win the lotto....

Provence

I want to travel someday and one of my dreams is France. It has been since I was a little girl. I don't even remember when it started. I just seems to have always been there this wish to go to France. It's not specific to Paris - although its a must, duh - I want to see all of France.

In that vein one thing I have always wanted to try cooking with is Herbs de Provence. A unique blend of dried herbs including savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender among others. Not a list I generally use in my daily cooking. I have always found it in catalogs and online in cute little ceramic pots that just evoke French country cooking. I've never bought it. I have never bought any herbs online, the whole 'know a reputable dealer' and all. This isn't something that I have ever really pursued or researched or even intentionally sought out. It has just been there in the back of mind.

Well, the other day walking through my local grocery store I had a coupon for a latin brand of spices that was about to expire. I was glossing over their selection assuming I'd get something ordinary like onion powder and then I saw a little tag that said "NEW Gourmet Blends". They had Italian Spice Mix and wait for it Herbs de Provence! HUH?! I couldn't believe it. I had to get it. I think they new I was coming and put it out just for me. I figured how bad could this be. They are dried herbs. I am sure there are better quality dried herbs but how bad could this be? I read the ingredients. Thyme, Basil, Savory Fennel, Lavender - wow, they are all there! I could not wait to get home and open it up and smell it. When I did, I could smell them all distinctly, I was soooo happy. I laughed to myself. Such a little silly thing a plastic container of dried herbs was making me giddy. I HAD to use it that night. Dang- we were going out. Fine, the next night. I made our Sunday chicken which is just a baked chicken. Perfect. I was smiling just shaking it on. I was the only one that noted the difference as it cooked. There was a hint of flowery lavender in the air. This did make me a little nervous because typically I have not liked flowery flavors in my food. I have tried many a dessert with lavender or rose water and sorry to say had to spit it out. But I was confident that I would like the chicken. At dinner I waited for the others to try it first. They made no comment. Then I tried it. YUM! There was definitely a difference how could they not say anything. I asked them if they liked the chicken. They both said yes and asked why I was asking had I done something different to it. Yes, I told them I put different spices on it. They shrugged. They couldn't tell. URGH! No matter, I could tell and I liked it.

I have since added it to a number of dishes and they still can't tell. I even added it to salad greens but the flavors were a bit strong for me. I prefer it cooked. So, I still haven't been to France but I got a little piece of Provence in my cabinet. Comfort and Joy!

Glad

Did you ever not want to do something or go somewhere and you make yourself go and then later you are glad you went? That pretty much sums up my weekend. I have been in a funk. I am choosing to call it that. I know exactly why I am feeling the way that I am and I really can't change the external forces causing this temporary (I pray) phenomena and do I can only change me. That's easy to say, easy to write, I preach it all the time and it is not easy to do.

This weekend I truly just wanted to stay in bed curled up in a ball and sleep and weep and feel lousy and wallow in my own self pity. The problem is that I'm a mom, wife, granddaughter and friend so I don't have as much time for that sort of thing as I wanted.

I was able to skip out on the granddaughter obligations as the ALF made plans for an outing on Saturday. That was good, more theoretical time for me. Now, if I could only make it translate into real wallow time. Friday I made a mental list of all the things I HAD to do and made a plan. The plan was to get up early and get it all done quickly so I could come home and start wallowing. Ummm... yes, I know it sounds wrong, planning on wallowing but I really wanted to put myself in timeout but I had things to do first so this was the best I could do. Well, I was done with everything including the surprise family visit around 5:30. Just in time to shower and start dinner. Dang! I ran out of time today but the weekend is not over. All hope is not lost. I should be able to wallow tomorrow, Sunday. I only have one things that HAS to get done because I almost did it all today. OK, this could work. I'm already feeling better at the thought of the future wallow time. How pathetic is that? Don't answer that.

Sunday, baby! I am ready to stay in bed but then it hits me, I have dinner plans. UGH! I really don't want to go. I wanna stay home and wallow in self-pity dang it! Why is my schedule being so uncooperative! The dog is barking, he wants to go out. Gratefully, Hubby gets up to make his cafe con leche. I ask if he can make me some because I don't feel like making the customary big Sunday breakfast. He does. Yeah, me! I squeeze an extra hour of hang out in bed time. Then I force myself to get up and do what I must and then I start putzing around with a few other things and then dang, it's almost shower and go to dinner time. I'm tired. I really don't want to go but the shower felt good and gave me a bit of energy and off I went.

It was dinner with girlfriends at a nice restaurant in a fancy schmancy hotel downtown. I walked into the lobby and it was beautiful. I love going to pretty places. The restaurant is on the 25th floor. WOW! What a view. We got there in daylight and by the time we left it was dark so we were able to enjoy the view by day and by night. Fabulous. The food was good and the best was the company. It was a good thing I went. It lifted my spirits tremendously. I needed that more than the wallow time. I just needed me time; me and my girlfriends. I was so happy that I went. It's Wednesday and I'm still thinking about it.
Comfort and Joy!

Odds

One of the things we did while visiting 19 at school was drive up to Saratoga Springs. We didn't have all day but we had a few hours to spend together before he had a meeting to attend and it's only a 30 minute drive.

It's a lovely place. There's a main street with shops and restaurants and ice cream parlors and lots of outside tables and at the end of the street there a beautiful park and a few blocks behind that is the famous race track.

We drove around to see what there was to see and then stopped at the Visitor's Center where there is a nice exhibit of the town's history. We walked through it and found out that there was racing at the track today. So, off we went. Horse racing is something new for us. We've never gone to see any. We were looking for a place to park and they were all pretty pricey and we knew that we'd only be there for hour and didn't want to spend more on parking than on admission ($3 each) so, we drove on. We spot a sign that says Public Parking and turn in, hubby slows to speak to the attendant who tells us to follow the dirt road to the back turn right go to the end and turn left and park on the right. Okidokie. As we head on we all laugh - where the heck is he sending us? Whatever, it's free. So we have to walk 100 miles to get back to the track. Then another attendant at the first turn starts waiving at us. Hubby slows again to talk. he tells us to turn around and go half way back down the road we just came and turn in to the parking lot on the right. Okidokie. At that entrance there's a sign that said Credential Parking Only. We all look at each other and laugh - WTH? There's another attendant there, hubby again rolls down the window and he tells us where to go in and park. We obediently follow his instructions laughing the whole time because apparently we look like the horse racing credentialed type. Okidokie. We park and hope the car will be there when we get back. It's a rental and 19 has a meeting to get back to. We walk to the track entrance and they patiently pose for my obligatory photos. The place is packed! There are people everywhere. Old, young, families with babies, little kids everyone is every where. It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We walk to the track and stand right there up at the fence. There are park benches behind us and I sit for a bit and take it all in. I look around and you can see the ole grandeur of the place. Its a little run down but it looks like a gran dame. A race had just finished and they were announcing the next one and I think we should place a bet. So, I ask 17 for a number and rush in to place a bet. I come back and see the last of the horses walking out. I like another one. I go back to place another bet. Hubby and 17 go place a bet on another one, 19 gives me a couple of numbers. All told there were 10 horses, 2 scratched and between the 4 of us we bet on 6 out of the remaining 8 to win. The race was about to start, we get to our spot by the fence. They're off! We watch part on the jumbotron, then we spot them live making the turn and there they are passing right in front of us. One of our horses is in the lead and another one of ours is in second going to pass him. You hear every one cheering and yelling different numbers. Its over. Who won? Wow by a nose! Check the tickets. You're wrong check again. How could we have lost? We bet on almost every horse. Almost only counts in horseshoes not horse racing. One of the 2 we didn't pick won. Ours came in 2nd and 3rd. We all laughed - what are the odds of that?! We walked around a little more bought some lemonades and then it was time to head back to the car.
It was a nice day, we were tired, it was hot and we had to walk back to the car. We were thankful for our credentialed parking because we couldn't imagine having to walk to the original spot at what we think would have been the outskirts of town.
All of us had a lovely time. It was something new for all of us and we laughed a lot. Comfort and Joy.