7 Quick Takes (Vol. 12), Epic "Fail" Edition

1. What? People with blogs are supposed to update them? Huh? I have to occasionally write stuff? That people might want to read? Who knew?

2. So, I've been busy. Doing what, you ask? Well, let's start with swim lessons for little C. Actually, she's not so little-- she's growing like a weed these days. The first 3 (of 8) swim lessons were roughly akin to having someone pull out all of my hair, strand by strand, then hot-glue each one back on. I know... it was THAT fun. To illustrate what I'm talking about, there was actually one day where my dear, sweet daughter ran out of the ENTIRE pool facility, through two gates, and across a bridge that goes to the parking lot, pursued by her swim instructor. Lessons 4-7 actually made moms ask me what I did to my child to inspire such a positive turn-around (I left H with a sitter, took C to the pool for an hour, and made her do everything her class had been learning in the first 3 lessons. Oh, and I bribed her with M&M's). I've chosen to block lesson 8 out of my memory, because we has a slight (ha!) regression in the progress we'd been making.

3. I should know by now, but if I'm going to get big expectations about how wonderful an anniversary dinner will be with my hubby (Happy 5 years several weeks ago, M!), I should probably not: bring the kids, who will try to crawl under the table; plan to use a gift card loaded with tons of money that apparently expired TWO years ago (how did I miss that? Oh yeah... I had a newborn BABY and a toddler); make the plans to go out over the phone with my hubby as he's driving home in terrible traffic after he's had a rough day; do this on a Friday after a rough week when I'm exhausted and cranky myself. We're planning a romantic do-over at some point soon, without the kiddos.

4. These "Quick Takes" are anything BUT quick. FAIL on my part. :-)

5. Suddenly, I'm having diaper rash issues with our cloth diapers. Out of nowhere. H's diet? Too much acid from orange juice (not that he's drinking any more than he used to)? His bladder control is increasing, so when he does pee, it's in greater quantities and therefore more soaking occurs? Gotta get a handle on this, because the past 10+ months of using these having been successful, and I'd like to continue with them for the next few months before I start potty-training with him.

6. I've started making homemade salsa on a regular basis. I'll have to type up the recipe because it's soooooo easy and delicious. The other day I was cleaning the fridge and threw out a few containers of old homemade marinara sauce (I went through a phrase where I experimented daily with making marinara sauce differently each time to find a perfect one, since M and I have different opinions on what a good marinara sauce tastes like). I dumped a HUGE container down the drain and then realized... what I was smelling wasn't basil and oregano, but cilantro. Yep, I tossed my best batch of salsa yet. Ugh. And since it's hubby's favorite snack when he gets home from work, and I have no cilantro or peppers in the fridge now, I can't make more until I hit the grocery store.

7. The biggest FAIL is that I've let these disappointments get me down-- I've focused on the things that have gone wrong lately and missed all of the amazing things going on. More about the good things next week! Back to playing with kids and cleaning for the weekend.

Marriage question

What makes a marriage fall apart?

I was humming to myself in the shower while the kids napped (Blessed day! They BOTH took a nap! At the same time!) and realized I was humming a song I liked back in high school. It reminded me of singing to a little boy who I used to babysit, to help him fall asleep.

Those of you who know me in real life are wondering how in the hell my singing helped him to sleep.

But it did. I swear.

Or maybe he passed out from the sheer range of my vocal chords. Ok, it's a slight range. And not a pretty one, at that. But it helped him sleep either way. Moving on...

I babysat for this little boy for years, at least three times a month and often more frequently. His parents were scrupulous about planning date nights-- dinner with friends or seeing a movie together or having game nights with their friends or attending Bible studies at their church. They eventually adopted an infant girl from overseas with a cleft palate, and obviously took on all of her surgery expenses. They always seemed so happy together. I always hoped that my own marriage would someday be like theirs, especially when (embarrassing story ahead... avert your eyes, oh Ye of the Faint Hearts!) I went into their bedroom to get the baby shampoo after a major spit-up incident and found a black négligée hanging on the closet door. This was an old couple... in their THIRTIES... and clearly they were still crazy in love. 

I know. It's frightening that I once found them to be soooo old. Dear heavens, I AM that old now!

Anyway, the shower humming made me think about their son and wonder whatever happened to him. So, thanking modern (invasive) technology, I looked him up on Facebook. 

There were a couple of guys with his name, but I was able to narrow it down to three possibilities, one in which the boy's face was partially obscured and the other two in which graphics replaced the photo. Hmm. Not enough information was posted to help me narrow it down from there. I knew the son would be either 19 or 20 now, but I couldn't figure out which of the three he might be and thought about giving up at this point.

Then I decided to look up his parents. That's when I discovered... (shocker at this point, I'm sure)...

They're not married to each other anymore.

The husband is remarried, and I found the wife on Facebook, but can't tell if she's using her maiden name or a married name. The daughter with the cleft palate, by the way, is ridiculously gorgeous now (and 15!). 

I know it's been around 15 years since I've seen these people, but I was so saddened by the dissolution of their marriage. It's kind of crazy-- the last time I watched their children they were so in love, and suddenly (for me, not them) it ended. I don't understand how it happens. I want some sort of early warning system, like a carbon monoxide alert system, to let me know if my own marriage is starting to veer off the tracks. 

Maybe this is where the Sacrament of Confession comes into play. By keeping our consciences clean, and being forced to examine our failings and temptations, we are more likely to see warning signs. I've gotten lax about Confession recently. I make the excuse that, with two young children, it's hard to get there. But, if I can (someday soon, hopefully!) find time for a haircut, no doubt I can fit in a chance to update my soul, as well. Especially if it provides some added insurance in my marriage!

Saying a prayer for marriages everywhere.

Homeschooling discernment series: Next up, Lisa lives in a tree

If for no other reason than THIS article, I feel almost compelled to homeschool, despite any other reservations. I may not sleep for a week after reading it.

I had fully intended to delve into the world of homeschooling, but due to unforeseen occurrences this post is going to be less-than-thorough in the way of homeschooling. As in, not related to homeschooling except tangentially. While I had hoped to spend my free time this week doing some researching and writing, the sick baby, active toddler, and other life circumstances have thrown me a bit of a curveball.

It would be ironic if I ignored my children to write about homeschooling, no?

Thus, I'm linking to the article from the Ruth Institute and going ahead and running a post I'd planned to do next week. It's a cop-out, but I need a momentary break to sort out life. If not, it will be completely chaotic and not the least bit cheerful.

So... onto the other post!

I am going to move my family to a redwood forest and live in a tree.

Not really.

But I'm pretty sure that is what M thinks is coming down the tracks.

It started with the "Greener" Household Cleaning Products Engine. Mmm... Grapefruit-scented Method cleanser makes my days happier.

Then the Eating Locally and Growing More of Our Own Food trains rolled into the station. The second part of that was temporarily postponed by vicious beasts foraging deer and the epic fence project. My tomato plants are finally flowering again, but I have no idea if I'll get more tomatoes out of them after the trauma they sustained. I've barely recovered myself. All other veggie and fruit projects were put on hold until next season.

Next the Homeschooling Express thundered down the tracks. Just as it started to lose steam, it rounded a major bend in the road and regained momentum.

And NOW, after all this railway action, the Cloth Diaper Caboose showed up, unexpectedly. You'll be hearing much more about this one, later. Any excuse to post about poop, I always say.

Yes, M is, I'm afraid, very worried about what ideas I'll be cooking up next. I think he's convinced I'm becoming a tree-hugging, hemp-wearing, tattoo-sporting liberal.

Not much to worry about there.

(Although I will say that I think liberals have highjacked the environment for their own purposes, and as people who espouse pro-life beliefs, conservatives need to stand up and take back a sense of environmental guardianship. This post makes some very valid points for all Christians.)

Anyway, don't worry, husband. I don't think I'll be trying to move our family up into a tree any time soon. Unless it can get really good cell reception and internet service. And if it has flushable toilets.

Blog roll, eye roll

My silly feed to blog rolls is still not functioning properly. It's a "known problem" with Blogger, but selfishly... I don't care! Someone fix my Blogger issue!

Ok. Whew. That was good to get off my chest.

In other news, I just looked at the label list on my sidebar and had to laugh. In middle, in this order, was:

Gardening  Scorpions  Marriage  Poop

Hmm. And apparently I write about them equally. Interesting.

Note: I just now linked the scorpions and poop sections for you. 5 seconds later, my daughter informed me she had to go. As in now. Nope... she already went. This is my life. Time to keep an eye out for more scorpions.

A model husband

It's a good thing M never reads this blog...

When he was on a business trip recently, some other (female) veterinarians went to dinner with him and commented to him, multiple times, that he looks like a model. Then, the female owner of the restaurant came by and told him that he's "HOT!" M was so embarrassed, especially given that these women were in their forties or fifties.

I had to giggle-- it's always nice to see my husband through other women's eyes. In some ways I've grown accustomed to his utter hotness and can take it for granted. Now, I'm checking him out again. Whoo-hoo, hot stuff!

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 2)

1. I am a proud iPhone owner! M has one, too, but he's incredibly jealous (seriously!) of my cool case. It's pink and black and cute all over! I didn't really see the need for me to own one of these at first, but wow... it's already worth it's weight in gold now (which I suppose is actually not a lot, since it's pretty light). C is tech-savvy and can already operate it-- flicking through pages and pics like a pro. It's ridiculous. I'm still trying to get used to the keypad, and she figured out how to turn the silly thing on and off.

2. I can't wait to get this stamp on August 26th:

Reading this blog post by Patrick Madrid is also well-worth your time-- it talks about the furor over this particular stamp being issued by the Postal Service.

3. Following that last note, stamps make me happy! Maybe it's because I'm the daughter of a postal employee, but I've always loved cute stamps. Mom and Dad occasionally still send me some stamps, which just makes my entire week. I recently bought some Simpsons stamps and some kelp forest stamps. They even make my bills look cuter. I buy the boring Forever stamps, too, but seriously-- it's not like I'm going to stock up on those because I'm pretty sure my money is making WAY more in the bank or savings account than in my letter drawer. I heard from the local postmaster that someone bought $1,000+ of forever stamps because he wanted to beat the system. Methinks that guy needs to rethink his own system...

4. "Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody."

Farewell to J.D. Salinger, whose Catcher in the Rye I somehow managed not to read until last year. How did I miss this book?? It's part of pop culture just as much as it is fine literature! Annie Hall, Jerry Maguire, The Good Girl, Billy Joel, the Jonas Brothers, Rick Springfield, and Spandau Ballet (among many, many others) all reference that work.

I'm linking a video that reminds me of why I love teaching-- I love to get students invested in the stories of the authors and the times that books were written, like Craig Ferguson does here.

5. Bring on the Olympics! I've been pleasantly surprised to discover that my hubby loves the Winter Olympics, especially (wait for it...) ICE SKATING! C skates around the living room and does little jumps and spins, so this will be fun. Yay for our TV! Yay for the Olympics!

6. Again about TV... loving the fact that we can watch Netflix movies/TV via the PS3 on our TV. M and I finished Season 3 of Dexter and now we've started back at Season 1 to see everything we missed. C likes to watch Thomas and Friends and I've found other cute shows (The Muppets, Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, etc) that I can turn on no matter what time it is, TV show-wise. Since we don't have cable, it's been nice to expose her to more learning shows besides the morning PBS ones (she often is still asleep for Sesame Street!).

7. M makes the best White Russian drinks ever. That's all I have on that. Mmmm.

A Tale of the Leftover-Keeper Man

The evidence

My former initials might have been LKM, but M is truly the one who deserves those initials... the Leftover-Keeper Man. I finally recognized this when I was showering the other day. I put a bar of soap on the soap tray, which is above my head. It slid straight off onto the floor. I couldn't figure it out until I stood on tip-toe and saw two tiny bars of soap on the tray. I'm not sure who M thought would use them up! I finally came to the conclusion that my husband is incapable of getting rid of things he thinks he MIGHT someday use (though he actually relies on me to use them, since he considers them useless).

Other instances:

- At one point, early in our marriage, M left FOUR bags of bread heels. Even now, the heels remain in the bags until I finally eat or toss them.

- We often have multiple bottles of Clean Shower in the shower... each will have about an ounce left. I consolidate them.

- I always reach for the spray starch and realize that all four canisters have one spray left in them.

- Six... SIX... tubes of mostly-used toothpaste in the vanity drawer. M's response to this is that he planned on squeezing the toothpaste from the bottom when he "had a day [he] didn't have anything else to do." Yeah, right. I used them up and tossed them out.

I have decided that there are two ways to look at this with regard to our marriage:

1) Even when I'm all old and used-up, M will still keep me.

2) Once I'm starting to get old and used-up, M will replace me with someone new, but keep me in the shed or under the bathroom sink.

I've decided that Option One is the best way to think of the situation.

Fun with Feral Swine

I love my husband. Here's why: only he could talk to an 8-week old baby about feral swine, ticks, and fire ants and make the conversation seem sweet. Oh yeah... he can also add fun facts about the sleeping habits of Thomas Alva Edison and Albert Einstein and keep C completely enthralled.

Last night as I was getting dinner ready, I was thinking my own thoughts and half-listening to M and C's mostly one-sided conversation when an odd word caught my eye: ticks. Hmm. I listened in and realized that M was telling C about ticks and cattle fever. He explained to her that there aren't too many ticks in North Texas because of the fire ants. Apparently you only have one or the other around. C appeared intrigued and cooed a bit at M before breathing heavily into his face.

At this, M remarked upon her milk breath and how she was a little piggie about breastfeeding. This led into the feral swine discussion, and how feral swine are pigs, but perhaps not little piggies like C is. While I couldn't quite follow the logic of that distinction, I'm pretty sure C did. She believes everything her Daddy tells her (this will, unfortunately, likely not last into her teenage years). At this point, C decided she was more interested in the lamp behind her dad's head than in feral swine.

Thus, Thomas Edison entered the picture. M explained to C that Edison only got to sleep for 4 hours a night, while Einstein slept for 12. M's reasoning was that Einstein was so brilliant and worked so hard during the rest of the day that he was able to sleep 12 hours. Edison, on the other hand, had to keep working and working to invent the light bulb. [This is the part where I suggested that perhaps it would have benefitted Edison to get more sleep at night in order to be more productive, since it must have been hard to work the other 20 hours (particularly the darker hours) until he actually invented the silly light bulb.] I'm hoping that C picked up on the sleeping LONG hours instead of just 4. Otherwise, I'll be one tired lady for the next few months!

C is sleeping a lot better and usually gives me 5 uninterrupted hours of sleep before she needs to eat. I'm pretty sure she laughed yesterday, though I haven't gotten her to repeat this yet, and she's becoming so much more fun. The evening random shrieking is not so great (but she did stop last night when M was talking about pigs and inventors and bugs), but the daytimes are wonderful. She's alert and so cute and even takes naps in her "big girl bed," aka her crib, as opposed to the Pack 'n' Play she sleeps in at night. It's hard to believe she'll be 2 months old on Monday! We go to the doctor for her check-up on Tuesday, so I'll be able to see how much she's grown. She's definitely filling out with adorable baby fat and is decidedly longer-- I feel like her legs are getting longer each day! Every day I love her more and more. I never knew motherhood was this great. Wow.