Simple Things that Make Me Happy

Ah, beautiful bulk! Is this not the most awesome thing ever?!?!?!?!?! I have a small confession to make....and that is that I thoroughly enjoy grocery shopping now. I love looking through the ads and clipping coupons. Then shopping two to three times a week at my favorite stores around town. Walmart Market place is naturally the most practical and money saving store in my neck of the woods (well Costco, but I don't do that more than once a month), therefore I frequent it often. Then there is Sprouts. By far Sprouts is my favorite store around. I mean it has this totally awesome super duper yummy bulk section that takes up 4 isles. Something about using a scooper to to fill up my bags brings a smile to my face. I will get to my third favorite store in a minute, but first look at the yummy stuff I got from bulk section.

 First up I found a candy mix for my dish on my coffee table. True, you can find bags of this like Walgreens, but what fun is that? Plus this was cheaper!

I just about peed on myself when I found Australian black licorice. I am making treat bowls for each of my kids' classes and I needed something black to filll the jars that I am making the owls out of. This could not be any more perfect. Of course, I will post pictures of the treat baskets once I get them done.

 Peanut Butter Cup trail mix for the kids.

 Wild West Trail Mix...could this look any yummier?

Carmel Turtle Trail Mix. I never knew carmel and trail mix could co-exist, but I am so glad they do.

In honor of Friday, I put together a snack bar for the kids after school

Last, but not least Trader Joe's is a great place to shop. If for nothing else the yummy pumpkin stuff. I will be making pumpkin pie and posting the recipe as soon as I get it made. This recipe is a little different then the one in my cookbook (it will be available in a few weeks) because I use canned pumpkin in the one I am making this weekend. In my cookbook the recipe calls for real pumpkin.

Come back soon to get the pie recipe and some upcoming developments and changes online in regards to this blog :-)

Hey.......go check out....

my other blog in which I have my scrap crap on!

http://scrappycafe.blogspot.com/

The Facebook Challenge

Over the past few years I have noticed that my time on Facebook has gotten out of control It seems like I pop over there at least a dozen times a day. Before I had my Droid it was not so bad, but now that it is on my phone I find myself on that site while I wait in line at the store, wait for the light to change, wait for my kids to get out of school, and whenever there is any down time in my day. I like that I can keep up with people I care about who are local and not local through the cyber coffee house of the world. However, occasionally I feel like it is junior high all over again -- drama. I wish I could say that I don't participate in the drama, but that would be a lie. Sometimes I get my gut full of it and let the person know which leads to break down in relationships.

It dawned on me about 6 months ago that most of my relationship break downs started because of FB status updates. I wish I could say that it was the other person, but that would be false. Although I do tend to keep my status updates general, funny, or just random occasionally I do post things that are emotionally charged. This is wrong and I have been working really hard to not do this anymore. I used to read through the status, see something that seriously irritate me and reacted on my status. So mature right? NOT!

I have come to the conclusion that if it is not directed at me then I am just not going to react to it. Even if the person is posting something that offends me and the majority of people I know, it is not my job nor responsibility to call them out on it. I simply just pass over it. After all I have far to many flaws of my own to get caught up on the postings of another. However, if something is posted that is about me and they say (Betsie....this or that) then I do address it, but not in my status -- with the person.

The last two or three months I have been spending far to much of my precious time on being non offensive and not getting my panties in a knot over FB. It is not like I don't have anything better to do -- because I do. I then decided about a week ago that I would just step away from my beloved cyber coffee house -- FB for a month or so. Don't get me wrong, I do not think that FB is bad. In fact, I love FB because it does keep me close and active in the lives of those I care about. It makes the world so much more smaller and offers up a way to communicate with those we care about and see pictures of them. I love that  I have friends all over the world that I can interact with on a daily basis. It is great! However FB was starting to take more of a main act in my life instead of the supporting role that it should have. I have to put it in it's place again and that means stepping away for awhile and focusing on the main acts of my life.

I can't wait to go back and catch up with my friends. I miss them a lot! However, I am totally enjoying getting back to the simple things in life-- like scrap booking and  walks without my phone stuffed in my bra (yeah...that is where I keep my phone when I exercise so that I can check it with ease). The break from FB is nice to say the least. I can't believe how much more time I have in my day and how I am not irritate with those that I care about most. Sometimes I think ignorance is bliss. When I go back I will be modifying my behaviour. I will continue to keep my status updates light, fun, and thought provoking from time to time. However, I will be limiting my time on FB and putting it back in the proper role and that is of support.

Geeks, Freaks and The All American Past TIme

I titled that with a lot of love because we are part of that group. Well, at least the "Geeks". So, you are wondering what I am rambling on about? This past Sunday it was Star Wars Days at the Diamondbacks game. It was bitter sweet for me. See, I grew up as a Giants fan and that is who the Diamondbacks were playing. However, when Arizona finally got the D-Backs I was overjoyed an became a fan right away...well...I really don't follow baseball. I am more of a football gal, but if I had to pick a team it would be the AZ D-Backs. Then, throw in a tribute to Star Wars which my kids are totally into it was bound to be a great day. Oh, and just so you know, the D-backs have won our division and are in playoffs. Finally, we don't suck :-)

The boys were in heaven! I could not figure out if these folks were hired or if they came in costume because they were so nice and wanted to pose for the pictures.

 Annie was a bit shy and did not want to take pictures with any of the characters, but she gladly posed with the Statue of Liberty.

 See Parker's shoes? Notice how the laces are a different color? I did that to help him get them on the right feet! It worked!

 What is this? Did you not know that the D-Backs won the World Series in New York against the Yankees in 2001? You didn't? Well, we were really good and at the time our uniforms were purple and white ;-)

 They put on a Freak.....er.......I mean Star Wars parade. I got to admit it, but it was Lame-O! I was kind of shocked because usually Star Wars nerds show up droves at events like this. How do I know? Because we are those Star Wars fans...blushing.....no I did not dress up, but just about the rest of my family did.

 Then the game started and they opened it with a Star Wars opener.

 Let's play some ball!

 If you have not noticed from how tiny the players are in these pictures, we are in the nose bleed section. The seats were to small for my bum. Seriously, I needed some oil to grease my arse out of them. I went numb from the hips down.....circulation cut off from the chairs.

 Every time one of the D-Back players came up to bat they showed his picture on the digital screen as a Star Wars freak.....I mean character. They showed the player as a Star Wars character and Parker LOVED it!

 This was our vendor and he was cool! He sang to us and threw our snacks our way. Of course we had a hot dog, Cracker Jacks, and peanuts. I was so proud of my Logan. I taught him the art of eating a peanut. First you put the whole thing in your mouth and suck all the salt off. Then you crack it open. Make sure your fingers are covered in spit. Then throw the husks on the floor as you chew up your peanut.

 This is the mess from our peanut sucking, spitting and eatting.

 This is the crowd after the game. Oh, we totally won! The Giants kind of sucked arse. I also am not a fan of their pitcher. He is a long haired butt head. He purposely threw the ball and hit our best batter. Our best batter has had balls thrown at him and been hit more than any other player....all in this season too. I so wanted to watch him go ghetto on their  jerk of a pitcher. The funny thing is we still won and they still sucked even  with their dirty play :-D

Ready to Run....Well....Walk

I have been wanting to take up running for about 6 years now and have not gotten around to it. Partially because I always had a kid with me and could not be consistent with it. See, I work out at the gym 4 - 5 days a week alternating between cardio and weight lifting. However, the gym provides child care so it was really a no brainer. Running is a different story! I can't use the gym child care if I am out pounding the pavement. Well, now that the kids are in school at the same time from 8 -3 everyday I am gonna finally do it! Today I bought this:

Yep! It is a year long running journal. Now don't get me wrong there is no way that I think I can just hit the road running. I predict that I will be walking for at least 6 weeks before I can even jog. Let's face it I got a big butt and the last time I raced my kids down the street it went numb. I was just running along and I could feel my junk in my trunk shaking. It then started to burn and sting. It really hurt. Finally my whole rear just went numb. I really want a butt bra because I think that would help, but regardless I can't let my fat arse stop me from my dreams.

Now, don't get it twisted. I am a T&A woman. I love tits and arse to say the least and I love mine! I have no intention or desire to lose them entirely. I just want to run for no other purpose then it has been a desire I have had for a long time. Sometimes (okay ALL the time) when something is nagging at you in the pit of your stomach it means you should give it a go. Like Nike says "JUST DO IT!" 

Just Thinking....

I don't even know if this is worthy of a blog entry. I mean I don't have anything cute, funny or all that earth shattering to talk about. I just have not been on here for a few days and thought I needed to post something. I guess I can tell you about what I am working on. I am actually writing a book and a cookbook. The book has been rolling around in my head since I have been 11 years old -- 25 years. I have been working on it for about a year and it should be done by mid November. Do I think it will get published and be a best seller? Probably not, but this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach to write it will be met. I am simply writing it to get it out of my system. I have no expectations that anything will come of it, though I must confess I do dream about being a best seller and author. You know, travel around the country doing interviews and talking about relevant issues that affect families. Yeah....I know....pipe dream, but it is fun to think about the possibility.

I started putting together the cookbook as a comic relief from the book. The book topic is fictional and pretty heavy. Some days I walk away from it just drained and I have to let the other part of my personality out -- sarcastic and silly. So, I started this warped cookbook that has actually turned out to be a lot of fun. My family and friends are getting a copy of that for Christmas this year. It really is a labor of love.

Anyways, getting back to today, I had a revelation that kind of knocked me on my bum. I really am not wanting to talk much about it because I am bothered by it. I have a lot more changes that need to happen because I am such a hot mess on so many levels. An acquaintance mentioned in an E-mail that you have to take care of yourself and then your kids. It made me think of a quote that my teenage character says in my book and it is so true. I hesitate to put it out there, because it is like my cornerstone of my fictional piece and has been just my little jewel, treasure, and secret of sort. However, I need to state it in public...maybe to make it more real? I don't know....but I got to put it out there in cyber land for the moms, dads, friends, family, aliens or who ever else reads this to chew on. Are you ready?

"I hear grown ups talk about how resilient kids are. You know how we bounce back after a divorce and all that.I can't help but wonder why they would say that? I mean if we kids are so resilient than why do grown ups blame all their problems on their childhood?"

First Day of School

Today was the day. The day that I have been dreaming about for the past decade. Yes...that is right DECADE! It is the day that all three of my children are in school full time. I never will forget the first day of Kindergarten for Logan and thinking "I am never gonna be alone. By the time Parker goes into first grade this kid will be almost 11!"It is not like I had some kind of sense of urgency for them all to be in school and out of my hair. I actually enjoy my children quite a bit, but the fantasy of alone time was alluring.

So, here it is. Today is the day. I have joked on every other first day of school that this day --today -- would be the day that I did cartwheels out of the school parking lot. Well, no cartwheels were done. I mean, even if I wanted to there is no way I could get my body to move that way. So here we go!

Oakwood is where my kids go. It is an A+ school according to national standards and is excelling. Basically all that means is the kids are conditioned to take tests really well! Yep! They know how to take a test and politicians love this because our property taxes are higher because the value of our home is higher because our children know how to take a test! This is so guaranteed to make each student successful in life -- the ability to take a test!

I say that all dripping with sarcasm, can you tell?

Moving full speed ahead!

Ummm......yeah! You better believe it! My kids were so stylin' on the first day. Check them out!

First up is Mr. Parker. He is entering into first grade and is wearing a combo if Children's Place shirt and Sketcher shoes.

Annie is entering fourth grade, although I think she is really 16 trying to get out of her nine year old body. She is sporting a sparkly shirt, sparkly bracelet, and pink sparkly converse.

Heeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee is Logan! Logan is entering 5th grade and is lookin' fly in his Pokemon shirt and Nikes.

Once we got the annual "First Day of School" pictures out of the way we were off to school!

Of course what would be a first day of school without embarrassing at least one of the children? Of course I picked Logan! He is so over me. He was humiliated that I was walking to school with him AND taking pictures. Can you see the horror on his face when I took this?

 Yeah, I am so going down as the NOT cool mom this year ;-P

Then Parker, my little Parker who can push all my buttons and get on every last nerve totally warmed my heart by reaching up and grabbing my hand to hold. He did not let go until he was in line and even then he turned around to wave good bye and raced out of line to give me a last hug.

For the record I was doing fine with enjoying the day, until my little guy decided to hold me hand. Then I cried....I cried all the way back home and to the gym. Why must they grow up so fast?