Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A Random Week

This will be a bullet point posting…..busy busy busy! 

  • Lola broke her left pinky finger on Friday during a wicked game of kick ball!!!  Would not have been “an issue”, but the urgent care x-ray showed the break was on a growth plate.  Of course that required a trip to the Orthopedic doctor.  (No, we do not get  a VIP pass there either!)  So, she is in a splint for 3 weeks……she is NOT happy about it either, let me tell ya!!2012-09-16_17-39-42_354
  • I have to tell ya, I am LOVING NOT doing anything school wise right now.  It really has made for a nice transition into the school year.  It’s really nice not worrying about “everybody else” and just focusing on my family
  • Speaking of which – guess what next Monday is!!!  OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!  That’s right – Hubby and I are getting ready to celebrate our 18th Wedding Anniversary!!!  Can ya believe it!?  We’ve been together for 20 years….we’re going to try to sneak off for dinner alone (ie WITHOUT the KIDS) the following weekend.  Not sure if that will work or not, but regardless, we have plans on Oct 13th.  Just us.  After Pootie’s soccer game, we’re going to “A RACE” (not sure what race) out at the speedway.  IN THE SUITE!  I’m NOT a race fan by any stretch of the imagination but I LOVE getting to go out to the suite!   Good food, good beverages, good company, good seats. 
  • I’m sitting watching Sixteen Candles – just one of the best movies ever….
  • The menu planning has been going well – just haven’t posted what we’ve been eating.  Last night we had Ranch Chicken Thighs, another family favorite.  Tonight is still in flux as to what we are doing.  I might resort to ordering Pappa Johns, the soccer schedule has thrown me for a loop today.  Rain has closed the grass fields and they are shuffling us onto turf and thereby changing times.  Of course, both boys are at same time, different fields.
  • Nate just left from putting the final touches on my office – it’s all painted and now I just have to put everything back and hang all my new stuff!!! Smile I’ll be sure to take pictures – because I got my idea from PINTEREST! 

Enjoy your Tuesday! 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

13 going on 30

I’m sitting here with Pootie, drinking a beer, (me, not him) and we are watching 13 going on 30 with Jennifer Garner (Mrs. Ben Affleck).  I LOVE this movie. I’ve watched it a hundred times…Pootie is watching it for the first time.

If ya haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.  For a couple of reasons. 

It’s a very PG movie.  But still funny.  And yes, this from the girl who thinks that Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy is a classic.  But it’s nice to know that I can sit and watch it with Lola and not scream out EDIT!!!  COVER YOUR EYES!!! 

It has a great story line.  Slight exaggeration – same old same old Freaky Friday TYPE story….Jenna, a girl 13, wakes up and she is 30.  She’s not sure what has happened to get to where she is.  The music is so 80’s and the way the 13 year old Jenna dresses – yep –so 80’s!! 

Ahhhhh the music…

Madonna’s CRAZY FOR YOU….  it’s one of the background songs.    (Song was released in 1985  - Vision Quest movie…one of the best movies of the 80’s EVER) How can you hear that song and NOT flashback!!????  Do you remember WHO you were “going with” (dating) in 1985?    For  me, that was Spring of 9th grade…..Carmel Junior High….Brian, from Virginia. He was my on and off pitter patter for several years.   There was a local boy– we went to 9th grade prom together. 

Love is a Battlefield – Pat Benatar 1983- the scene in the movie is adorable.  Swear – makes me think of my friends back then…  slumber parties!!!!  I don’t remember us lip syncing to Pat, I’m sure we did.  What I do remember is a lot of CHICAGO, TINA TURNER, and LOVERBOY.  In 8th grade, there was a large group of us and we found ANY excuse to have sleepovers (I think I’ve mentioned this before).  9th grade, our group was smaller.  We called ourselves (this is so silly) THE AWESOME FIVESOME.  TAFS for shot.  Stupid, I know.  What is about girls and sleepovers, lip syncing to GREAT music and dancing around like fools?

There are a couple of lines in the movie that are really good now that I am 40 freaking something…..  Jenna talks to her mom about regrets and mistakes….

Beverly (Jenna’s mom): Well, Jenna, I know I made a lot of mistakes, but I don't regret making any of them.
Jenna: How come?
Beverly Rink: Because if I hadn't have made them, I wouldn't have learned how to make things right.

What is about getting older and being wiser?  You can hope and pray that the mistakes are benign enough to not hurt anyone, or yourself, but powerful enough to make an impact.  To change something that might be coming down a more dangerous path….I think of my mistakes and I think of my kids and I shutter.  

[Jenna has invited the most popular girls in school to her 13th birthday party]
Young Matt: I can't believe you invited those clones.
Young Jenna Rink: They're my friends.
Young Matt: The Six Chicks are not your friends, okay?
Young Jenna Rink: Almost. And someday I'm gonna BE a Sixth Chick.
Young Matt: There are six of them, Jenna, that's the whole point. There can't be a seventh Sixth Chick. It's just mathematically impossible. Besides you're way cooler than they are, they're totally unoriginal.
Young Jenna Rink: I don't want to be original, Matty, I want to be cool.

More than anything, I want my kids to be want to be original – not cool.  Original and happy…doesn’t that sound nice?     Be the “trend setter” not the minion that follows behind.   I struggle with the everybody is dong it mentality.   I don’t think that my parents ever caved to that excuse, and I don’t want to. 

It’s a STUPID movie (as most are) yet it  conjures up so much – and each time it’s something different. 

The music.  The friends.  The humor of the 80’s.  The silliness of being 13 and then BAMM you’re 30. 

I thank the lord that what I wanted THEN (and of my teen years) is NOT what I ended up with.  The memories are awesome.  The friendships that will last no matter what.  The MUSIC.  The smart comments from my kids about how we used to dress….the lessons learned….

Matt: You can't just turn back time.
Jenna: Why not?

Sing it with me now…

We are strong.  Heart to heart we stand….no promises no demands…

Love is a Battlefield 

We are strong….no one can tell us we’re wrong

Searchin’ our hearts for so long, both of us knowing

Love is a Battlefield..

**the movie also offers great songs by the Go-Go’s….and a great Whitney Houston I want to Dance with Somebody- and a great dance scene for Thriller!***

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Menu for the Week

With this week being one day shorter, I’m a little off….ya know, all day long I’ve thought today was Monday.

This week’s menu

Tuesday – (tonight)

Spaghetti – truly one of my hubby’s favorite meals.  I’ve put the sauce in the crock pot.  Plus I made dessert…a RECIPE from PINTEREST!!!  I have seen this one pop up more than once, and it just looks too good and too easy…so my assistant – Chef Bubba- helped me!  Two bags of frozen fruit – your choice.  One box of yellow cake mix – non pudding kind – and one can of diet lemon lime soda (sprite or sierra mist)  350 degrees for 40ish minutes! Holy-tamoly – the house smelled amazing!!! 

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Wednesday

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Rice.  (Think I’m going to use one I found on Recipe Zaar- I’ll add more veggies than just broccoli…)

Thursday

Pork Chips, mac and cheese and peas – another hubby favorite.

Friday

Crock Pot Chicken and Mushroom with egg noodles and green beans

Saturday

BBQ Sandwiches – I’ll have to start this on Friday night.  We have a cookout to go to on Saturday so this will be easy to take for us to each – plus I’ll make a couple dips.

Sunday

Pinwheels with peas and applesauce

 

So there is the week – somewhat organized……