Half Over, or Maybe Not

The read the other day that winter is officially half over.
Looking out at today's wintry weather, I'm not entirely convinced.


5.5 inches already and it's still coming down!

My Husband Still Has a Job

James generally works very long hours. Well, according to my standards, he does. He's gone every morning before we get up, then four out of five nights, he's not home until 7:00-8:30 P.M. Yesterday, around 5:30, the front door opened and in walked James. I was totally shocked.

The last time he came in early without specific warning was about four years ago when he'd been laid off from his job. He couldn't warn me then because the layoff obviously wasn't planned, and his business-owned cell phone was confiscated at the door. This time, though, he could have picked up the phone to let me know he'd be in early. He didn't call, and I think he learned a lesson.

When the front door opened unexpectedly and I saw him, I queried, "James?" But before I could ask, "What are you doing here," I thought about our expenses and our insurance and this pregnancy and a job search in this ridiculous economy and was suddenly overwhelmed. He reminded me that yesterday was non-traditional. He had an awards ceremony downtown. He swore he told me he'd be coming home early.

I thought back: He told me had the ceremony. He told me he'd be downtown. He asked me to iron his shirt. He never told me he'd be home early.

I cried -- actually shed tears -- with relief that he still had a job. My response shocked him completely. He insisted his job is secure at this point and reminded me we'd be fine even with a layoff, but still, that's a stress I just can't imagine adding to our lives right now. I don't want to be that strong.

New rule: Come home late whenever and don't bother to call, but never, ever come home early without warning me first.

A Sibling Surprise

My brother and his family came to town unexpectedly late Monday night, so yesterday after the kids finished their school work, we went to Denny's for the free Grand Slam. I'd hoped to make it over earlier in the day, but because of their surprise arrival, we didn't make it over until lunchtime. The crowd was out the door. We didn't stay. (A friend told me later that they were handing out rain checks to people who didn't want to wait, and now I'm disappointed I left.)

We've not seen my brother and his family since they came down in October to see my mom in the hospital after her little heart episode. Rae Lynn got sick during the holidays causing them to cancel their plans to come here, then an unexpected pregnancy complication forced us to cancel our trip up. Having them come down was a nice surprise.

We didn't do anything exciting while they were here -- ran a few of their errands and let the kids play -- and I'm a bit disappointed about that, too. I was hopeful we'd have a game night or get go out all together, but they didn't arrive until after midnight Monday night. Then, James works very late on Tuesday and Wednesday, we have school work to do through the day, we had doctor's appointments scheduled, both kids have practice on Tuesday night, Dustin and Amanda had a sleep away date night (which was great for them), and they're leaving for home early tomorrow while we're at our church for Bible Study.

We loved seeing them, no matter how brief their stay. I know I miss seeing my siblings on a regular basis, but I don't realize how much until I see them again, or until I hang out with friends who have their sweet siblings around all the time. I'm hoping to take a road trip to see everyone this spring, but who knows how I'll feel or what will be going on. By summer, I imagine I probably won't be going anywhere. Some days, I truly wish we were closer.

Cardboard Testimonies

I'm Either an Awful Mom, or an AWESOME (!) Mom

But what I am for certain is an awful blogger of late. Today's topic is one of the most boring ever -- our choice of breakfast food!

This morning when it was time to eat, I was tired of the every day selection. Cereal -- bah. Fruit and yogurt -- bleh. I thought about pancakes or waffles, but I always make pancakes or waffles. Instead, I used said pancake batter and made funnel cakes! Breakfast food for carnies!


I just used our regular pancake mix and prepared it according to the package directions. Then I poured it from a measuring cup into a skillet of hot oil. The results were okay, but next time I make funnel cakes for breakfast (or lunch, or a midday snack), I'll change a few things.

• I'd thin the batter down a little more. Our funnel cakes were very puffy, not crispy like at the fair.
• I won't use a measuring cup to pour the batter. I'll use a funnel, a squeeze bottle, or a piping bag.
• I won't make three funnel cakes. Just like at the fair, one is enough for everyone to share.

I think today's breakfast was a hit with the kids. Gracie told me I needed to get a job at Six Flags making funnel cakes full time. Silly girl!

My Christmas Wish Does Not Involve Toothpaste

So, I'm hanging out on the couch with my father-in-law, enjoying a CNN-a-thon, when I see a commercial for the MUST HAVE product of the year -- the Touch n' Brush automatic toothpaste dispenser. It's a big plasic (or deluxe chrome!) contraption that, via vaccuum pressure, blasts pre-sized globs of toothpaste out onto your brush.

Evidently, we are a nation of people so lazy that we can no longer manually squeeze our own toothpaste tubes. Oh, I'm being unfair -- the product claim is not about sparing us that minuscule expenditure of energy (though a product reviewer said her daughter "liked the fact the she did not have to deal with the toothpaste, having to unscrew the cap and squeeze out the toothpaste"). Rather, the marketing campaign focuses on the magical preservation of the cleanliness of our bathrooms. Our sinks will be spared from messiness... FOREVER!

Honestly, I am not that concerned about drops of fresh toothpaste dotting the counter top. As a mother, I find myself more concerned about little boys failing to lift and lower the seat at the appropriate point in the process, little girls who dust the room with play make-up and glitter, mishung towels that fall in the toilet, plugged-up sinks that make inside oceans, and trash bins overflowing with entire boxes of Kleenex from a child trying to deal with one bat in the cave. A product that would keep my bathroom magically clean in light of all of that -- that is my Christmas wish.


photo credit: www.buytouchnbrush.com

Because Sometimes Sweet Tea Just Isn't Enough...

Spotted down at the Chicken Express --
Chicken Smoothies!


I never imagined a day when someone would ask,
"Hey, how's your smoothie?"
and the reply could legitimately be "Tastes like chicken!"

Note: I don't think there were actually any chicken-flavored smoothies.
I think the sign people were a bit overzealous
and just put the word "chicken" in all the blank spots.

On Artistic Taste and Personality

While wasting a little time decompressing online, I ran across a quiz at Life Nurturing Education that determines personality traits based on preferences in art style. I'm always fascinated by how these random computer-generated personality profilers know me so well, and this quiz looked interesting, so I took it. Here are my results:

The artistic style tend to I lean towards is called Impressionism. "Impressionism is a movement in French painting, sometimes called optical realism because of its almost scientific interest in the actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of objects. Impressionist paintings are balanced, use colored shadows, use pure color, broken brushstrokes, thick paint, and scenes from everyday life or nature."


According to the HelloQuizzy test, my penchant towards Impressionism indicates that I'm balanced, secure, and realistic. What's more, "people that like Impressionist paintings may not always be what is deemed socially acceptable. They tend to move on their own path without always worrying that it may be offensive to others.

They value friendships but because they also value honesty tend to have a few really good friends. They do not, however, like people that are rude and do not appreciate the ideas of others. They are secure enough in themselves that they can listen to the ideas of other people without it affecting their own final decisions.

The world for them is not black and white but more in shades of grey and muted colors. They like things to be aesthetically pleasing, not stark and sharp. There are many ways to view things, and the impressionist personality views the world from many different aspects. They enjoy life and try to keep a realistic viewpoint of things, but are not very open to new experiences. If they are content in their lives, they will be more than likely pleased to keep things just the way they are."

Yep, that about sums me up...

Click here to see what your taste in art says about you!


photo credit: helloquizzy.com

If the Hood family played soccer...

Fall weather brings out my inner Red Riding Hood.
Fortunately, it was my day to bring soccer snacks.

All the ways in which I'm found...

Last night while in the midst of a Bible Study baking frenzy, I poked around on my StatCounter to see who's been visiting the ol' blog home. It amazes me to discover all the ways people make their way here, and my discoveries today were no different. I found some interesting search terms under the Keyword Analysis, and in short and random order, I'm sharing my favorites with you here.


1.) amy kilz

• then perhaps you should avoid Amy.

2.) 9 muses painting

• Are they for hire, cause I could use some touch ups.

3.) elk colorado sweatshirt

• making a fashion statement, are we?

4.) missed spots on a painted wall

• talk to the 9 muses.

5.) bathroom enema by mom

• ouch, and gross. And why does that lead people here?

6.) what is the cause of always smelling something rotten

• there are lots of causes I'm sure. Halitosis, decaying food, small boys. I could go on.

7.) hospital accepting charity knitting for babies

• ... yes, they do. Please donate.

8.) rabbit quotes about grieving

• ... I know lots of quotes on grieving, but I can't say that I know what a rabbit would say when it's sad.

9.) where can i buy godiva chocolate in charleston sc

• ... a link for all your chocolate needs.

10.) eating like crazy and evidently, growth has occurred

• ... well, yes. That tends to happen.

And my favorite of all:

11.) what is it called when god makes himself known

• ... can I tell you how happy I am that this question leads people here? Friend, I call it a blessing.

"... what may be known about God is plain to [mankind],
because God has made it plain to them.
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities
— his eternal power and divine nature —
have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made,
so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1:19-20


"For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God,
but the one and only Son,
who is himself God
and is in closest relationship with the Father,
has made him known.

John 1:17-19 TNIV

Frivilous Spending / Unprovable Ideas

One sunny Hawaiian morning (Friday morning, to be precise), I sat taking my Kona coffee and reading the Honolulu Advertiser on the lanai. (Sigh.) Therein, I read an article about how NASA had just granted the University of Hawaii 8 million dollars in seed money to determine the cosmic origin of water. NASA has given nine similar grants to other universities, and evidently, there's more money to come.

(Click here to read the article for yourself.)

That's 80 million dollars to theorize where water may or may not have come from. $80 million in small change spent on unprovable ideas. In a time where fathers are killing their whole families because they can no longer make ends meet, I think that's frivilous spending. What do you think?

While on my way to a Grand Slam...

Recently spotted at Denny's, whose motto is "Real breakfast 24/7."



Now, if that's not an unusal response to the economic downturn,
I don't know what is.

I can think of other things I'd rather have with my eggs over easy.

When Poor Self-Esteem Isn't Enough...

... scientists say they're closer to developing invisibility material.



Seriously? Cancer is still an issue, there's a hole in the ozone, and gas prices are higher than ever, and this is where scientists are spending their time?

I'm just sayin'...

(Courtesy of CNN.com)

The Night Shall Be Filled With Music

While James perused Oahu travel guides,
the kids explored the Barnes and Noble Music Department.



"...And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Day Is Done

It's a Purple and Brown Saturday

Here are some clips from our favorite Nickelodeon Minis.
Enjoy all that is Purple and Brown.

























Some for the Not-So-Faint-of-Heart

Arr, etcetera

Quasi-Pirates

Lighter Linkage

An Ode to Laundry :: My friend hates laundry, which is why I love her so.

Pregnancy Does Not a Mother Make :: Some Thoughts on Adoption

Are You Gonna Eat That? Curbing Food Waste :: www.msnbc.com

Chocolate Facial Mask :: Who wouldn't like to slather on some chocolate?

How to Have a Popular Blog :: Blissfully Domestic

Mascot vs. Spring Breakers :: Stupid, but Hilarious! (YouTube)

Last but not least, one of the best clips from my favorite movie of all time, So I Married an Axe Murderer. Head, I mean Marcie, this one's for you...

A Life Narrowly Spared

I saw him approaching the crosswalk as I slowed to a stop at the intersection. His summer skin glowed, framed by white tee and sandy mop. He pressed the button and waited his turn. As my children bickered in the backseat, I admired the distance he kept from the corner and wondered how many times his mother told him to step away from the curb. "He remembered," I thought, as I watched him fiddle with his skateboard. "Maybe Bub will too."

His eyes focused on the orange hand, willing it to change. When it did, he stepped into the road and continued to stare, looking at the blinking white figure as if he was looking ahead to a waiting friend. He did not look around, but even if he had, the path was clear and the way was his. He was confident in the figure calling him to cross.

In a flash, the SUV came barreling around the corner, racing to make the light, and for a moment, the boy was gone. I gasped. My eyes fell to the wheels making the bend, watching for the expelled viscera of someones blond-haired baby who waited his turn. The suburban mom on the cell phone never hit the brakes, but fortunately, the boy did. He stood waiting, his clothes billowing from the speeding motorist. His head turned along with the car, his face screwed tightly, partly from fear, partly from that 13-year-old need for a comeback. God's grace was evident in the life narrowly spared.

I wanted to cross traffic to take him up in my arms, to comfort him, to wipe away that fear and realization that his life had nearly been ended. But I couldn't. I was in a turning lane with traffic stacked behind me. The light changed and I had to go.

I watched him as I drove away and I wondered how often I'd been that same careless driver. I've never literally come close to killing a crossing child, but figuratively, how often have I, while wrapped up in my own moment or day or situation, nearly plowed over those around me -- people innocently living their lives left in my self-consumed wake?

As the boy became smaller in my rear-view, I became more acutely aware of my gratefulness for grace:

the grace that spared the blond-haired boy on a sunny summer day,
the grace that spares those in my wake,
the grace that continues to spare me.

"Grace is having a commitment to --
or at least an acceptance of --
being ineffective and foolish...
I do not at all understand the mystery of grace --
only that it meets us where we are
but does not leave us where it found us."
-- Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

"We believe that we are all saved the same way,
by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus."
-- Acts 15:11 NLT

"God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were.
But as people sinned more and more,
God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death,
now God’s wonderful grace rules instead,
giving us right standing with God
and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
-- Romans 5:20-21 NLT

"Sin is no longer your master,
for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.
Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace."
-- Romans 6:14 NLT

Regarding My Nostrils

Remember this guy?

Babbit the Blue Rabbit will be Orlando-bound come Friday morning. Well, technically it will be morning, though we'll be on the road to the airport long before the Friday sun makes an appearance. Stay tuned to see what sort of shenanigans he'll be a part of.

Speaking of the trip to Orlando, we leave for the airport in about thirty hours, and I'm losing the battle to a brand new head cold. Instead of spending the late night tonight and much of tomorrow preparing to go, I'll be in the bathroom with a Neti Pot shoved up my nostril. Good stuff.

In lieu of actual vacation productiveness today (which would have been so helpful with regard to said head cold), I spent the day planting flowers from the Wal-Mart clearance rack, repainting a bed frame, posting my old washer and a bunch of other stuff on Freecycle, and trying to coordinate my already full schedule with Freecyclers... because all of those things are so necessary two days before any vacation. Sheesh.

And in addition to all of that nonsense, I stopped by a resale shop where I bought a couch primarily because the pattern matched a couch I already own. Then I hauled it thirty miles across the Metroplex half hanging out of my CR-V. It was marked down twice and on special sale beyond that, so in the end I spent $15.00. How could I say no? Look, they're twinkies. It's like it was meant to be.



Then, in the midst of today's goofing around, I saw a news story on the topic of childhood obesity and how it may be leveling off. That's great news, but it reminded me of something I saw in Wal-Mart last week. Seriously, who in the world puts a hamburger on a frisbee? Doesn't that brand of subliminal messaging sort of defeat the purpose? I'm just saying...



And on that note, I'm off to fill my sinuses with salt water. Have a swell evening!

Smoke 'em if you've got 'em...

I ran across this website called Marc Vidal that sells small French toys and candies to be resold in shops. I wish I had a shop just to sell this stuff! Clicking through the options, I laughed at the translated sales pitch for these chocolate cigarettes -- "The children love imitating the big persons..." I laughed because that sort of pitch around here would mean a certain (and understandable) boycott.