Change of Plans

I forgot to mention that my friend and I saw a different movie after dinner Friday night because the other one was no longer playing. We saw Trans Siberian. It stars Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer (Match Point and others). It was pretty good (What we remember. They do serve wine.) We just remember laughing a little more than the other movie patrons. Well, it was a suspenseful movie so why were we laughing? I think it was because Woody Harrelson was channeling his Woody from Cheers character for this movie. The popcorn was excellent! Besides this though, I had a great time with my friend and we had much needed girl talk.

Manic Monday

The weekend was a whirlwind of activity.

Saturday, Mr. Pink and mini#2 went to the NC State game. Mini#2 was so excited that he got to see Mr and Ms Wuf (our mascots) in the parking lot and he even threw his football with Mr. Wuf. He could not stop talking about it! Then Mr. Pink told me how the "three prettiest girls" (did he have to add that comment?) from the tailgate party next to them played football with mini#2 as well! He said it was funny to see the jealous guys from the girls' tailgate looking at #2 wondering what the "prettiest girls" saw in mini#2! Anyway, one of them offered to babysit anytime so you can never have too many babysitter choices.

After the game mini#1 and I picked up Mr. Pink and #2 and headed two hours east to make it to Mr. Pink's grandmother's birthday dinner. We had a table for 20 in Calabash, NC! It was crazy, but a lot of fun, too. Yummy seafood! Then back to my MIL's house. Other than looking thinner, she seems to be handling this slower paced round of chemo very well. She was glad to see the kids and vice versa. Sunday Mr. Pink did some things on her "to do" list and then we headed back to our house. We got home at 7:45, 15 minutes before mini bedtime! Fast trip, but minis had school bright and early this morning.

Then we get to manic Monday. I'm putting on mini#2's shoes for preschool this morning when I receive a call from mini#1 at school. In his pitiful voice he told me his head and stomach hurt. He'd been there for one hour! So what did I do? I grabbed mini#2, a bottle of Motrin and headed to mini #1's school to medicate the pitiful child. I was praying this would do the trick. I'm not entirely unsympathetic. I always tell him to "call me after lunch" if you don't feel any better and this morning was no exception. Usually this wards off the future call and keeps him from being counted as absent since he completes over half a day at school. Am I the only one to do this?

After this stop I went to two gas stations and both were out of the super unleaded gas. I was getting nervous as I pulled into preschool with mere fumes in the tank. After drop-off I ventured a little further out and, luckily, found some gas before I ran out! Then I stopped by Wal-Mart and saw half of the preschool moms there as well. Something about shopping without kids makes us all giddy from excitement! It's so nice to talk without whiny kids interrupting! Wal-Mart and toddlers just aren't a good mix.

After preschool pick-up, mini#2 and I go home, I make lunch and then I happen to check voice mail (always forget to do this). Mini #1 had called about 50 mins earlier to say he still felt bad. Good grief! I grab mini#2 again, no shoes this time, and head for the school. He only missed an hour and fifteen minutes today, but you just wouldn't believe how his illness has magically dissipated since we've been home! I'm sure it will resurface tomorrow morning.

I have promised myself that I will never be the mother that lived next to my family growing up. She let her daughter stay home from school if the poor girl had a hangnail! It was all over when her daughter started menstruation. Gee. Never thought I'd write "menstruation" on my blog. Anyway, the cramps are probably why she ended up with a G.E.D.! Ironic thing is she is a nurse now!

Ok, back to laundry before dinner. "Skud" Scouts, as mini#2 calls it, is tonight.

Now Playing...

Tonight at the White House the boys will be eating hot dogs and french fries and watching:

However, Mrs. Pink will be eating tapas with a friend in downtown Raleigh and then going to the Rialto theater to see:

I think I'm getting the better end of the deal tonight! Enjoy your Friday night.

It's a good one!

As the weather starts to get cooler I start wanting to make food to warm us up. I love making soups. I received this recipe from a friend last year and made it several times last winter. It is so yummy, a definite "comfort" food and it's made in your slow cooker (crock pot).

BAKED POTATO SOUP

6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 3/4 lbs)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 (14 oz) cans Swanson chicken broth with roasted garlic*
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half (I use fat free half/half)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 8 oz container reduced fat sour cream (optional)
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
extra cheese

1- Combine first 6 ingredients in a 5 quart slow cooker.
2- Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW 8 hours or until
potatoes are tender.
3- Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is
slightly thickened; stir in cream, shredded cheese and chives. Top
with sour cream, if desired, and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar
cheese before serving.
Makes 12 cups.

*I only use 2 cans of the broth with roasted garlic and 1 can of
regular chicken broth. I found that 3 cans of garlic was a little
strong.

Enjoy!

I'm still here.

I just haven't had a lot to blog about this week. Just busy being an adult with adult responsibilities. So this post is very long in order to make up for lost time.

Is anyone else a little down because of all the depressing news in the world today? I'm trying not to worry (until I get my 401K statement in the mail), but it really is disheartening to hear all of the bad "stuff" in the news.

That's why I want to share something good. We live in a great neighborhood. We found it during our two day house hunt and it felt "right" from the beginning. I have made some very good friends here. That's saying a lot because usually I'm more of a keep to yourself kind of person, mainly because I was a working mom for so many years. These friends/moms help each other out through last minute babysitting, meals when surgeries occur, babies are born, a mother-in-law is going through chemo (they did this for me). We genuinely care for one another. Despite the fact that so many of us have our own "stuff" we're struggling with daily. They range from a child with learning disabilities and the mom's heartache at having to comfort her child as well as fight for her in the school system. One has a best friend that has stage 4 breast cancer in the hospital because she has become septic and she has a two year old son that clings to her. Another had a coworker that killed himself last week, on his birthday no less, a day after seeming fine at work. Sorry to plant more bad "stuff" in your minds! Life is scary. The older we get the more we have to deal with and it is overwhelming at times. It's comforting to have your "people", a label I borrow from Grey's Anatomy, when you need them. Your people, and a lot of prayer.

This brings me back to the good I was going to mention. One of my mom friends is from Massachusetts and has a very good friend there whose husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis only two months ago. He literally cannot speak now and is paralyzed on one side. They have two young sons, like me, and the mom is a stay at home mom. Can you imagine the last two months for this family? The future months for this family? My friend in NC is devastated and wanted to ask us for items for a yard sale the friend's neighborhood in MA was arranging so proceeds could help this family. Or for any ideas on how to help this family. This email just happened to come to us a couple days before our monthly Bunco night. Another friend suggested we donate our Bunco money to this family instead of playing that night. Usually we have about 10-12 people come and I've even missed a few lately, but I was pleasantly surprised to count at least 20 people there on Thursday night! My friend tried to thank us all, but couldn't get the words out. She cried, we cried and it's just one of those moments you bond with other women. I don't even think it was the money. It was the sense of feeling for this family and feeling for our friend who is hurting as a result of this diagnosis. I got to speak to the other friend who has the friend with breast cancer. I think it helped her to talk to me about it and then I shared something with her that I've been struggling with over the last month. I can't blog about it. Just some surprising news I received recently. Don't worry. I'm fine now. Family is fine. Point is, sometimes a spouse or parent can't help in some situations when a friend can. Don't take friends for granted. A good friend is one that, when time passes, and you speak to them, things begin right back again effortlessly. I have several friends like that. And don't forget that there is still a lot of good in the world despite the portrait often painted in the news.

My kids drive me crazy (often), but I look in their faces and I see innocence, hope, joy, a future yet to be determined and it makes me happy that they have a while longer before they get entangled in their own adult lives. Until then, it's up to me as a parent to teach them right from wrong, to be KIND and to have good, loving hearts. God entrusted me with their lives. It's an awesome responsibility. Are you teaching your child to be kind? Are you being a good friend? Just something to think about this week.

I should have given assumed names to all the friends I mentioned. I hope this wasn't too confusing to read!!

Is this day over yet?

It's 10:18 p.m. and:

1- Mr. Pink is still at work!
2- The kids drove me crazy today.I'm counting the days until school starts again Monday for#1.
3- I almost forgot to take advantage of free shipping (through today!) with Land's End, but just successfully ordered the minis matching down vests in spice brown.
4- SHOCKER....Kidding.... I just learned that Clay Aiken is gay. That's about as non-newsworthy as when Star Jones FINALLY admitted to gastric bypass a year or two after the fact. Clay, I still like you because you're from NC.
5- I'm losing my tan.
6- I'm losing my mind.
7- I need a glass of wine, but it's already 10:24.
8- People are coming out of the wood works to "friend" me on Facebook.
9- I made a new recipe for dinner and the minis were underwhelmed...as usual.
10- I think I'll go have that glass of wine anyway!

Cheers!

Miscellaneous on Monday

Did you watch the Emmys last night? If not, you didn't miss a lot. I was reading a book while watching. I am glad Tina Fey won for "30 Rock". I mainly enjoy the award shows for the fashion or lack of fashion in a lot of cases. My fav was Mariska Hargitay's autumnal yellow. I was not a big fan of the spray on tans this year `a la Jennifer Love Hewitt and Lauren Conrad. I almost didn't recognize either!

We're back into school week for mini #2 and in our final week of track out for mini #1. Poor #1 got to go with me to try on dresses today. I have an upcoming reunion and I found a dress in NY, but do not know if it's the "one" or not. Of course the attire is "dressy casual". WTH? I hate that. What exactly is "dressy casual" for a girl? Anyway, I found plenty of other items I wanted for fall- boots, swing coats, jewelry, jeans, just not dressy casual attire for my reunion. It's kind of difficult to speed shop when you're on the preschool timer anyway. Not enough time. I will have to try again. We swung into mini#2 preschool parking lot at exactly 12:15- pick up time!

Speaking of mini#2 (well now I'm going to speak about #2 anyway), he has been a little love bug lately. He will, out of the blue, come up to me and kiss my hands. This weekend he'd sneak up on me and kiss the tops of my feet (while I read in inclined position) while professing his love for me. WTH? He kisses my cheeks and lips....on and on! This morning was the best though. I woke him up and his first words were "Good morning pretty lady." I laughed so hard. Where is he getting this? Watch out little girls. In about 12 years we're all in trouble!

Ok, back to looking for coats online for the minis. Enjoy the rest of your day!