11.30.2010

Nike Girl on Veggies

" I will eat broccoli sometimes. But really only the tree part. The tree part is good. The trunk, the trunk I do not care for and will not eat." Just so you know mom.

11.29.2010

Dum Dum.....Sums It Up

Have you ever found yourself in a very exciting situation where what appears to be factual actually turns out to be a big gigantic dud? I can think of several occasions where this has happened to me. One of those times I remember was when I was a child rushing to answer the phone, before caller id, to see who might be on the other line. You can only imagine my excitement when I picked up the phone and a sweet little lady with an angelic voice on the other line said, " This is Betty Crocker, (pause...long silence....) may I speak with your mother." I paused as I had a flashback to the cake mix with the sweepstakes label. We have won! I shouted in my head. I collected myself and calmly said "Just a minute." I practically ran through the screen door to get outside as fast as I could where my mom was working in the garden. "Mom! Mom! It is Betty Crocker on the phone! Hurry!" My mom stopped weeding the radishes and gave me this look of blankness which spoke the words are you crazy? She simply said, " Tell her I will call her back."( pause)  "What! What! Call her back! Mom, it is Betty Crocker! We won the sweepstakes!" My mom just looked at me and said, " Calm down, it is not that Betty Crocker, it is the little ol' lady from 4-H." 4-H... well for pete's sake! I was so disappointed and embarrassed. I thought we had won the big one! But no, we had won nothing. Life went back to normal.

Well just this afternoon, I found myself in a similar situation. Only this time, the girls were a witness. We had bought a package of  Dum Dum lollipops at the store yesterday on sale. Today after we all got home, I thought it would be a special treat to give Nike Girl and Weebok a Dum Dum to counterbalance the fresh apple.They were both very content as they took their first lick. I glanced down at Weebok's wrapper I had in my hand and saw the bold words "WINNER!". I looked closer at the wrapper and it said Grand Prize Winner! I looked even closer with my 40 year old eyes, to make out the words MP3, $2500, tour of the factory and a flavor named after you. I reread it twice! Then spontaneously shouted, "We Won! We won!" as Weebok was chomping on the winning flavor. I reached down like any good mother would do and pulled it right out of her mouth. After all, they may need the actual lollipop as proof of the winning wrapper! Weebok so did not understand that! Nike Girl started screaming, "Call Daddy at work! Call Daddy!" We were hollering and dancing, acting a fool, and eating Dum Dums as we all three marched to the office to get on the computer to confirm our winning wrapper! I called Converse in the process. Nike Girl asked if he was sitting down. His response, " What did you buy? " Nothing! In fact, I explained, we won the Dum Dum contest! I continued to scroll down the website. And there it was.....
The winner of the 2009 Dum Dum contest.....2009? I guess you find a wrapper last year then submit your name then a grand prize winner is picked. Our bag of lollipops were old, hence the sale, but the worst thing was that I managed to get the girls all excited! Then I had to call Converse to add to the humiliation. This was definitely a topper to the Betty Crocker sweepstakes. Nike Girl, just shook her head and said, "Maybe next time." Weebok continued to clinch her lollipop with her teeth so I would not snatch it out of her hands again. Converse just belly laughed for minutes. Dum Dum....sums it up!

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Outside to run this weekend in the wind. Ran twice 4 miles both times. Nothing major just enjoyed the outdoors. Will be on the treadmill the next couple days due to weather I imagine.  I have to bribe Weebok to stay in the exersaucer these days while I run. I guess the Dum Dums will come in handy.

11.27.2010

Always Read the Fine Print

Nike Girl gets lots of papers sent home from school. So many papers in fact, it is difficult to keep them all straight. Some have deadlines, others are keepers and still others are trashed when no one is looking. The paper stating basketball camp for 1.5 hours looked like something Nike Girl would enjoy. So Converse and I discussed it and decided if she wanted to go then we would fork out the cash and let her go have some fun. Meet new friends while shooting some hoops.
The camp day arrived and I reread the brochure to get the address. In fine print at the very very bottom it states benefits boys booster club. I think what about the girls? I quickly scan to the top of the page and it states in larger print, actually bold 24 point or maybe even 36 point font, Boys Basketball Camp.
Yes, I sent my daughter to an all boys basketball camp. The local high school coach saw us walk in and quickly walked over. I explained to him the mistake and he graciously said, "If she is not scared of boys let her stay and play some ball." Well Nike Girl is not scared of stinky boys as she calls them now. She jumped in and shot some hoops with the boys. She would run over to me periodically and say, " I can't believe my mother signed me up for an all boys camp!" I can dear. I seriously can.
Moral of the story, read the fine print and if you get a chance you might want to read the bold print called the Heading.
Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

11.25.2010

Give Thanks!

Thankful for so many blessings big and small......

Thankful that I did not hire a professional photographer to do our Christmas cards this year. The girls were in rare form. Geese kept  flying overhead. Weebok is yelling, "Goose" every two seconds.


They make us laugh, they make us smile, they make us cry, they make us dance to  the Jonas Brothers and watch whiny Caillou on PBS.
                                                                  We are thankful.


Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving!
Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

11.23.2010

The Life of a Candlemaker

About 6 years ago, I began pouring candles. Soy candles to be exact. Soy because I like the motto: Friends Don't Let Friends Burn Paraffin, right? I was first introduced to soy candles at an arts and craft fair. I loved the fact that the wax used to make them came from soybeans that some American farmer was harvesting. As I went on to research, I found out the many health benefits of soy. From that moment on I was sold. Since I am an adventurous soul, I began reading articles on the art of candle making and decided to pour a few candles. I was shocked when I lit my first candle and there was fire and a nice scent. I thought for some reason they probably would not work. Kind of like the time I tried to make greeting cards with my new found calligraphy pen. I had all the equipment but no skill. Let me emphasis no skill. My pen kept leaking and I went around for weeks with a permanently tatooed right thumb.
After a few trials and errors, I began giving soy candles away as gifts and testing out new products on my poor friends and family. Over the years, I have consistently made candles for people closest to me and their friends. It has kept me fairly busy in spurts. Recently,I decided to bump it up a notch and start focusing a little more on the business/hobby. I attended my second craft fair this past weekend. It went.....well......well actually....see for yourself.
 Nike Girl woke up at pre-dawn excited to go and participate in the craft fair. Against my better mommy judgment I said yes, she could go. She helps me pour and label the candles so I wanted to keep her involved. I absolutely love that she helps. Weebok was fast asleep when we left for the adventure or else she would have wanted to tag along , too.
It was a very organized event . Only complaint was that the booths were set up within 6 inches of each other so it was a tight squeeze. So tight in fact, Nike Girl got stuck in between our booth and the booth next to us. Unfortunately,  the booth was manned by a rather cranky lady peddling her merchandise. Nike Girl knocked over an entire rack of earrings within 5 minutes of our arrival. Then 2 minutes after that I tripped on the corner of her table and knocked over a stained glass frame which did not break. Thank goodness. At this point I was offering the cranky lady free products straight from my table to her hands so she would not make Nike Girl and myself cry. 15 minutes after that I had lit a sample candle on our booth table. Nike Girl bent down to get her artwork bag and somehow managed to light her hair on fire. A customer who ended up not buying any products started clapping her hands in Nike Girls hair to swat it out. I  turned around and saw the event unfold and stood in shock ,I believe. Nike Girl was okay but it sure did stink for awhile. Not good for business.
The rest of the day went smoothly until 30 minutes before closing. A lady was smelling one of my candles, Pine Forest , to be exact, when all of the sudden she just passed out and fell like a wet noodle. I went into professional PT mode momentarily and made sure she was okay. She was but had to be rolled away in a wheelchair while I chased behind trying to give her the merchandise she had bought and paid for. Kind of tacky on my part, but she paid for it. Again, not good for business. Even more ironic, was the sign that stated behind my booth that a portion of my company's proceeds goes toward Free Wheelchair Mission.
So there you have it, the life of a candle maker. It sounds uneventful, feels uneventful as I sit in my basement at the wee hours of the morning pouring candles, but actually it has proven to be quite the opposite this past week. I have three more shows lined up before Christmas. It will be hard to top this past weekend, I hope.

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Running in a cold north wind wakes you up in the morning. Just an observation. I dread the treadmill months but realize that there are more days than not of running outside. Looking forward to a spring marathon.

11.19.2010

Best Question of the Week

"Mommy, are Crunch Berries considered one of my fruit servings?" As any good mother would answer, "Sure, why not."  A novel idea since I think Crunch Berries make the best cereal milk to drink at the end.
Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

11.17.2010

The Turducken Thanksgiving

     Here in the states, all household cooks are fully aware that Thanksgiving is fast approaching. I am preparing a list of items to make for the feast. The magazines are full of recipes that look so delicious and fancy. It is hard to narrow down the menu. Well, sort of.... my culinary skills are a limiting factor. But I refuse to have the same broccoli and cheese dish, same green bean with french onion topping dish, or a canned pumpkin pie. This year Converse and I have agreed that we want to contribute something different to the menu. We however, disagree on our contribution choices.


For starters, I have issues with eating turkeys or chickens actually. On the farm, we use to raise both. The chickens had names until the coyotes got them. My sister's pet chicken even jumped onto the axle of our farm truck, without us knowing, and rode to my great aunt and uncles house 3 miles away, no joke. I even had a pet turkey that use to lay out in the sun with me under the sprinkler in the summertime. He was so ugly but fairly smart. So I have a weird emotional attachment to seemingly unresponsive birds. Eating them is difficult for me. ( Trying to understand life on the farm is probably equally difficult for you, as I think back it is a little disturbing, I will give you that. )

Converse actually wants to "fry" the bird. Last time he fried the bird was like 10 years ago. I became intensely ill with a stomach virus within a few hours of eating it. The entire holiday was spent in my parents guest bathroom. Needless to say, I put it on my list of done that and never doin' it again post it notes. But he insist. He enjoys lowering the poor Tom into a vat of emergency room hot grease and leave it to brown or blacken. I have decided to let him win, I mean I have compromised. I told him I would find an alternative to turkey.
 
This is where it gets more interesting. I am minding my own business at home last week when the doorbell rings. The Fedex delivery truck speeds away after leaving a rather large package on the doorstep. I rush in thinking it was a surprise Converse must have ordered for the holidays. I open it up anticipating anything but the large piece of  frozen raw meat I found. The label said  8 lb. Turducken. I proceed to do one of those move the object out a little further to see it more clearly. Yea, it reads Turducken. Hmmm....not sure so I google it.

Surprise surprise. Seems like it is all the rage! A turducken is defined as a dish consisting of a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed into a de-boned turkey.Good grief Charlie Brown that is a lot of bird!  When I said alternative to turkey I was thinking spinach enchilada or even a bowl of Cracklin Oat Bran (two of my favorite foods). This turducken is going to be an experience. The reviews are amazing so why not, I suppose.Actually, why, is my  honest response. I think I will have to pass on the bird. I saw an ad that Cracklin' Oat Bran is buy one get one half off this week. Sounds great! That will be my contribution. Problem solved. Got Milk?

Peace.
The New Balance Girl

Running Report: Been working on increasing my speed a bit on the ol' treadmill and the pavement. I have started doing the 30 Day Shred again. Love that workout. Hope to do a long run outside soon! I need to run in the fresh air for a couple hours. It does my soul good. Plus, I can decide what side dishes I want to go with my cereal. Peace.

11.15.2010

Fall Fun

Nike Girl pretending she is a stunt woman in a Hollywood movie.
Weebook wishin' Mama had bought mittens not gloves.
Sisters
  
Calling a lawn service to help us out. 

                                                        
Don't you just love Autumn?
Peace.
The " New Balance" Girl

11.09.2010

The Chain Reaction

Yesterday at work I was sitting in the warm therapy pool with one of my little kids when I notice a swim lesson was taking place in the big pool a few feet away. I am minding my own business when I hear this horrific sound. A little guy taking swim lessons had started upchucking on the pool deck. The sight horrified me but I keep my professional demeanor. Translation, I did not gag. Not two seconds later, another little kid started upchucking. It was a chain reaction. The instructor helped the two kids to a trash can as I watched four other kids, around the age of 5, that were still sitting on the pool deck start laughing and reenacting the entire event. It was a site! Glad it all happened before lunch.
Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Top Ten List : Why I am not Mother of the Year

10. Forgot to send coat to school with child the first morning we had a hard freeze after being out sick the day before.
9. Warm nutritious weekday breakfast consist of Fruity Pebbles in a baggie.
8.  Let the Hermit Crabs out to exercise on the warm stone patio and then got side tracked and remembered them two hours later...not a good ending.
7. Left sippy cup full of milk in car I am pretty sure sometime this summer based on the smell.
6. Bought small children a trampoline then proceeded to jump on it acting a fool and managed to trip over small children and cause them to bump heads.
5. Dressed baby for church , arrived at church, and forgot socks and shoes.
4. Made mac and cheese for three nights in a row and seriously thought about it the fourth night.
3. Washed new white shirt with new red sweats.
2. Ate the last twix bar in the Halloween candy bag.
1. Put my own jogging pants on inside out , took child to school and walked into the classroom, chatted with a few people, and didn't notice my new style until noon.

Goin' to bed people for a good night's sleep. I will be tryin' to bat a better average tomorrow.
Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: I love to run this time of year. Crisp mornings, clear blue skies, leaves falling. So peaceful. I continue to run 3 days a week and one long run. I thought I had picked a race but due to some conflicts I shall pick another. So right now I am running for fun with no pressure. I like that a lot!

11.08.2010

Boo 2010

Weebok, is that you? The duck outfit threw us off for a second, but we know it is you. Please stop moving the candy away from the front door proclaiming , "It is Mine!"
The first kid I did not give sweets to until she was 5 or something insane. Second child, see for yourself. It is all about keepin' the peace. New trick this week, every time Weebok is scared she puts her fingers in her ears so no one can see her I suppose.
Jack-o Lantern grin....ready for the pumpkin to be filled. 


Fun Times on Boo night.
Peace.