Friday 1 December 2006
Finally biting the profile pic bullet
Posted in Journal
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Well, I finally did it...I put up an actual picture of myself for my profile pic. I've always felt a little leary of doing that, one because I don't really know WHO is looking at my blog , but also because there aren't a lot of pictures of me that I like well enough to put on public display, KWIM? Yesterday my 14yo son urged me to change my profile picture on Myspace. He took a few different ones of me, but this is the one I like the best. It was FREEZING outside (well, by Southeast Texas standards anyway LOL) and he was goofing around and making me laugh. But I am not crazy about my teeth, so of course, I didn't want a big toothy grin, so he kept having to take the picture over again. This is the original that my profile pic came from:  I really like the composition of this original pic better than the cropped version I used for the profile pic (which had to be chopped up to fit HSB profile pic standards -- 150x300 NOT 300x150, learned the hard way). LOL I am really trying my best not to laugh out loud at my son's antics. I think the resulting smile is kind of nice. The cold northern wind was blowing my hair and our beautiful pond is in the background, I am looking straight at the camera, not off to the side at some distraction and I'm not squinting or blinking. WOW! Will wonders ever cease?! LOL It all seemed to work because for once someone captured a picture of me that I don't just absolutely HATE. LOL Usually, I am busy doing something, like digging in the cluttered fridge, and someone will say, "Hey, Mom!" and when I look they'll snap the pic and fall to the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter -- how funny *she says sarcastically*....I've got a few of those around...someday maybe I'll hunt them up and post them...maybe as a slideshow...maybe...  |
Friday 29 September 2006
Italian "Leftover" Soup
Posted in Recipes
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I just love soups! They're delicious, versatile and easy. Here is the basic recipe for one of my favorites -- I call it Italian Leftover Soup because I frequently use whatever I have on hand that needs to be used up. This recipe is just a starting point, as it varies almost every time I make it, depending on what I have on hand.  Italian Leftover Soup
1 lb. ground beef or Italian Sausage, browned and drained (optional) 2 cans tomatoes 4 to 6 cups chicken broth (more is okay, too) 2 to 4 cups frozen Italian veggie mix 1 pkg. (25 ounce) Frozen Ravioli or Tortellini Seasonings, to taste (garlic and basil or Italian Seasoning). Add tomatoes and broth to meat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add veggies and simmer another 5 minutes. Add Ravioli, simmer 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve with Parmesan and shredded Mozarella cheeses, and garlic bread. Now, what I love about this recipe is that I can just use what I have on hand, and it still comes out great! Following are some suggested variations. Use 1 to 2 cups leftover spaghetti sauce instead of tomatoes. No chicken broth? Beef broth works well, making a bit heartier tasting soup -- in a pinch, you can even use water. Fresh veggies are best, if you have them on hand -- try carrots, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. I LOVE to add a little spinach or kale to this recipe and let it simmer a little longer. I've also added a can of rinsed kidney beans, and gotten delicious results. This soup, as with most soups, is also a great way to use up all those dibs and dabs of leftover veggies in your fridge. No Ravioli or Tortellini? Just break up some spaghetti or use whatever pasta you have on hand. You can't really go wrong. |
Thursday 28 September 2006
Funny!
Posted in Journal
I subscribe to a service that reminds me
about birthdays and holidays (www.bigdates.com). Along with the
reminders they send gift suggestions. Well, my birthday is coming
up and this was the first gift suggestion -- I laughed out loud,
heartily, when I read it! It is so ME!   Now, if you don't know me personally, or aren't familiar with my blog, read this post,
it'll explain everything ... I'm tellin' ya, I coulda 'designed' this
T-shirt -- no doubt I am probably the inspiration!  |
Thursday 21 September 2006
Patriotic Fridays
Posted in Patriotic
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A friend posted about Patriotic Fridays on her MySpace, and I thought the idea interesting enough to adopt and to adapt. I'll try to post something patriotic here on Fridays. Since I'll be away from the computer most of tomorrow, this is my posting for THIS Patriotic Friday. Here is the message my friend posted: Thank you to the men and women in the Armed Forces. I appreciate the sacrifices you and your families must make at this time. Thank you for protecting our freedoms and rights as Americans. To the families and members of 'Behind the Troops' please participate in PATRIOTIC FRIDAYS to show your support. Remember post 9/11 Patriotism? We waved flags, dressed in red, white and blue, adorned our clothes with flag pins, placed flag stickers on our cars and posters in our windows. We pledged not to forget and to stand united! As time goes by, we are seeing tattered flags, faded posters, peeling stickers and a lack of red, white and blue in our lives. IT IS TIME AGAIN TO STAND UNITED AS AMERICANS! It's not about being Democrat or Republican or Independent, it's not about race, religion or how you feel about the war in Iraq. It's not even about high gas prices or the economy. It is about our FREEDOM as Americans! Let's make every Friday, PATRIOTIC FRIDAY! Wear your red, white and blue proudly. Get out your flag shirts, scarves, ties, hats, pins and let everyone know that you are PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN and that WE STILL STAND UNITED! Pass this on! Talk about it! Do It! Let a great thing begin with you!  Skinny Myspace Layouts UPDATE: December 1, 2006 Okay, so, I'm not so good at consistency.....  So, I won't be posting EVERY Friday...I'll just put stuff in this category that I think is neat whenever I come across it or think of it -- it might not even BE a Friday when that happens. Geez! I'm such a 'random blogger'. LOL |
Wednesday 16 August 2006
Adding category links to the side bar
Posted in Links
I spent so much time hunting down the
directions on the forums (why don't they put a 'sticky' on this one? I
had to read through an awful lot of posts where that is the information
others were seeking before I FINALLY got to a post with some actual
instructions -- a sticky on THAT post would have been very
helpful!) Aaaannnyway, it took so long to find the directions
that I don't have time to try it now, so I'm posting the link to that post here, so I can find it again! Hope it works -- both my link and the directions! 
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Wednesday 16 August 2006
New Category, Brat Chat
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This is the category were I will post about little squabbles Sindy, my inner brat, and I have. She was REALLY whiney this morning! First off, I got to bed later than I'd wanted -- almost midnight. I'd wanted to be in bed by about 10:30, but had to go pick up ds18 from work -- he got off at 10. So it was 10:30 before we got back to the house. Once I got to bed, everyt time I'd dose off something would wake me up...so it was probably 2 AM before I finally got to that good REM sleep. 5:20 came MUCH too soon and Sindy whined and fussed and I almost gave in and stayed in bed. But NO! I got up and then had to go stand strong with ds14, who also stayed up much too late and wasn't wanting to get up. I just kept telling him he may as well get up as I wasn't going to go away -- I was going to keep bugging him until he got up and if he only got to class for the last 5 minutes, so be it! I also told him that even though he didn't see the use in going and didn't feel like going, if he will just get up and do this hard thing, eventually, he will be able to look back and feel good that he persevered. Meanwhile, I've got ds14 on the outside whining and complaing and Sindy is on the inside doing the same. I admit I almost gave in and just went back to bed! But I perservered and he DID get up, just so I'd be quiet and quit talking to him!  I'm glad I didn't give up. Even though my son was scowling when he entered the church he was smiling when he returned to the car. He was probably glad he got up and went, but I didn't figure he was ready to admit that yet, so I didn't comment on the big smile on his face...he'll let me know when he's ready. After he went into the church I had to listen to Sindy whine and fuss again because she didn't want to walk. I just said, "Well neither do I, but we're doing it and we'll be glad we did it later." And I was, not so sure if Sindy is ready to admit that yet, though... |
Wednesday 16 August 2006
Standing for Something
Posted in What I am Reading
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Started reading Standing for Something
yesterday. I'll probably be reading this for only about 10
minutes a day, so it will be slow going, even though it isn't a very
big book. I am really enjoying the book, so far, even though I'm
only at the introduction, and I am looking forward to reading more. Perhaps I'll reach a point where I just can't put it down, but for now I'm committing to reading for at least 10 minutes in the morning, after my walk. This excerpt I am sharing today brought me close to that point of not being able to put the book down, (I just have so darned much else to do today that I can't let myself sit and just read). Anyway, here is the section that stuck with me today: "My wife and I visited Jerusalem long ago, before the 1967 war. It was then a divided city. We retained the services of a guide who was an Arab, and, during our tour, we stood on an elevation where we could see the other side of Jerusalem. With tears in his eyes, this man pointed to the home from which he had been dispossessed. And then he said with deep emotion, 'You belong to the greatest nation on the face of the earth. Yours is the only nation that has been victorious in war and never claimed any territory as a prize of conquest. Your people have given millions, even billions, to the poor of the earth and never asked for anything in return. Rather, even after coming off as conqueror, you have poured yet other billions to revive those who had been your enemies in bloody conflict.' "I had never thought of this significant perspective before. In no instance during my lifetime -- not in the First World War or the Second, not in the Korean War or Vietnam or the Persian Gulf -- did our nation seize and hold territory for itself as a prize of conquest. To the crontrary: On a train from Fukuoka, on the south island of Japan, to Tokyo, I have passed mile upon mile of great, modern steel mills built largely with money from the United states following the devastation of Japan. Now the Japanese are our tremendous competitors in the markets of the world. not only did we not seize territory at the end of World War II, but we provided the impetus that has led to their superiority in many business enterprises. Surely there is no story like this in all of recorded history!" That is when all the kids came bounding out of the church -- it was time to leave. So I had to stop right there, but it got me to thinking how much that view of our nation by the world has changed. Just the other day I read something in the media where we were being accused by another nation of having an agenda to 'build an empire'. I was shocked to read that, because it was news to me! Here I thought we were still trying to serve and help other countries, but we certainly aren't being percieved in that way by much of the world today. It saddens me, but I think there has to be a way to turn it around...and it may well start very close to home -- with me. So yes, I'm looking forward to reading more, to see what the author describes as the '10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes'.... |
Tuesday 15 August 2006
Walking
Posted in Goals
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DS14
has an early morning scripture study class. Getting up for this
is always a challenge for me (and more of a challenge for him), so we
are hoping we will be able to continue getting up and out so early in
the AM for the entire school year.(which just began yesterday). I am also wanting to make the time while I am waiting for him more productive. Not being a morning person, this is not normally a "productive" time of the day for me -- except for maybe 'producing' a few zzzzzz's!  In the past, I have either sat in the car and snoozed, attempted to read or watched the news my little TV. Or I've gone back home and checked email, or napped on the couch. I am going to try something different this year...I'm going to walk. Not run... Not jog... Not even power walk... Just plain walk -- I'll try to remember to move my arms, but right now even that isn't a priority -- just getting up and moving is the objective. I set the timer for 15 minutes, thinking I'd walk until it went off and then turn around and head back to the church. At about 10 minutes, I ran out of street lights. (I told ya it was 'early morning' -- as in pre-dawn). Anyway, I didn't want to walk down an unlit street so I turned around. It actually turned out to be a good thing, cuz if I'd have walked away from church for another 5 minutes, I would have overextended myself. As it was, I was nicely invigorated when I got back to the parking lot. I could feel that the blood was moving through my body and if I'd have had to talk it would have caused me to be out of breath...so the distance and pace were actually about right for me as I strive to add this new activity to my life. After my son came out I drove the route I'd walked and it was 0.6 miles (round trip) -- a nice start, as far as I'm concerned. So, my goal is to continue this at least 3 mornings a week, until I feel it is time to increase distance, pace or frequency. Then I'll re-evaluate and update this particular goal. In addition, I plan to read something inspirational after my walk (I had about 10 minutes left before the class was over). I found it a bit easier to focus on my reading after walking this morning -- maybe because there was a little blood flowing to my brain?  Wish me luck -- mostly with the getting up part! (Encouragement is always welcome, too.)  ************************************************************************************************ 8/16/2006 -- walked 0.6 miles in 16 minutes (slightly faster than yesterday). Read Standing for Something for 10 minutes. ************************************************************************************************ 8/18/2006 -- walked 0.6 miles in 17 minutes Read 10 minutes I met my goal to walk a minimum of 3 days...hope to do at least one more day next week. ************************************************************************************************* 8/21/2006 -- walked 0.6 miles in 17 minutes. Read for 10 minutes. ************************************************************************************************* 8/22/2005 -- overslept. No walking, no reading. Son missed his class.  ************************************************************************************************* 8/23/2006 -- walked 0.6 miles in 16 minutes. I stepped up the pace a little, and could feel the difference in my heart rate and breathing. I was hoping to shave off a little more time than one minute, but, oh well...it's still progress. Right?  I did attempt to read today, but wasn't able to focus very well, so only managed about a paragraph and will probably end up reading it again tomorrow. It happens sometimes, especially when I'm tired -- as I was this morning. I'll have to get more rest tonight. ************************************************************************************************* 8/24/2006 -- Drumroll please.....  well, okay, I guess I gotta let the whole band play along.....Today I walked 1, yes, that's ONE, mile!!!!!!!!!! In 23 minutes!  I hadn't planned to, but by the time I finished my normal route, I felt like I was just reaching my 'peak' and didn't want to stop just then. So I walked on until I felt like I was tiring and then turned around and went back to the car. 1 mile in 23 minutes...I feel great! Reading -- I read for 10 minutes after I walked, but also listened to several tracks of American Gospel on a cheapy little $5 mp3 player while I walked. Another interesting book. It was interesting reading Standing for Something after listening to American Gospel -- they seemed to overlap and correlate somewhat . Maybe I'll write a blog entry about that sometime, or about where I feel I am being led, but too much going on for that right now... I've been thinking I should probably get SfS on CD, so I can listen to it, my reading progress is so slow! I've been reading for a week and am still in the introduction! LOL Anyway, all in all, a very productive early morning. *************************************************************************************************** |
Friday 11 August 2006
The Brat Factor
Posted in Links
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Well, here is something interesting that came across my path today... Being a FlyLady dropout, I have been forced to enter Brat Reform School. I have already met my inner brat -- her name is Sindy. At the Brat Reform school they're gonna help me get to know and deal with Sindy so that she can be more organized (and all this time I thought it was ME who was the slob. HA!) I love the school's motto (and right now it is probably the only thing Sindy and I agree on): "If it isnt fun, it wont get done!"
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Friday 11 August 2006
How I think...
Posted in Journal
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In
my last post, I mentioned that I think in rambling terms. Today
something happened that might be a great example of what I mean: We were in the truck. Hubby and I in the front seat and ds14 in the back seat. Hubby and I were talking about something (I don't remember what right now), and I stopped mid-sentence to exclaim, "Oh, cool! We are getting our own Tuesday Morning!" Then I went back to what I had been saying. From the back seat I hear this nearly uncontrollable giggling. "What's so funny?" I ask. He was laughing so much, it was hard for him to explain, all he could manage to get out was "You!" That's when I knew I'd done it again -- raced down a rabbit trail. Fortunately this time, I didn't go very far before I came back to my original destination, but for a brief moment I was distracted by a fast little bunny and off I went... And so it is when I am talking to just about anyone...something else will catch my attention and I'm off on a different trail. Sometimes, as I did today, I am able to get right back to the topic at hand, but I am guilty of derailing entire conversations with my rambling thoughts. That isn't the worst of it though...until the last few years, I didn't even realize I was doing this! Then gradually I became aware that I was doing 'something' to annoy people and bring conversations to a halt, but I didn't know what. Now, I realize, it is those darned rabbits I keep chasing! DUH! I am learning, well striving anyway, to contain myself, to discipline myself, to stay put and not go chasing after the rabbits. I am striving to be aware when I do this to people, so I can bring the conversation back to where it was before I took off chasing some rabbit. It really is rude of me to do this, and so I want to become conscious enough of the process to recognize before I take off. I'm working on it -- some days I do better than others, but I am working on it.... |
Wednesday 9 August 2006
I'm Back
Posted in Journal
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After taking a break, I'm back to pay a little attention to my blog. I really love this template, but since I don't drink coffee, it never seemed appropriate. However, it finally dawned on me that I could edit the pic to represent something that more closely reflects my own tastes and preferences. Hence, the addition of hot cocoa with marshmallows! LOL While I do enjoy the smell of coffee, it isn't something that I drink. One reason is that I don't care for the taste. I do like my caffeine, but I prefer to get it in the form of Diet Dr. Pepper.  Now, about my blog -- I've been trying to decide what I want this to be. I have decided I want it to be about ME! Not my kids, not my husband, not about our homeschool. Just about ME and whatever is going on in my life at any particular time. Now, that might include my kids, my husband or our homeschool experiences, but that isn't necessarily what I'm going to be writing about. My posts aren't likely to be profound, or even particulary creative It won't be MY goal, ever, to write things that someone else might find uplifting. If you happen to find something insightful or uplifting, I'll be glad for that (and actually quite surprised), but it isn't my motivation for writing. My motivation is simply to get my thoughts out of my head and into written form where I can decide how I really feel about things. Quite often, my posts will be even more rambling than this one, because that is how I think... |
Thursday 27 April 2006
Under Construction
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I'm still trying to decide what I want this
blog to be. I thought that beginning with a clean slate might
help me focus....it is obvious that I can't do a daily log sort of
thing...I'm gonna give this some more thought. Check back soon... |