We got a chance to see a 'birdman dave" show at Imaginon a library/theater for kids.

The show was slow to start, but the kids loved the birds, my youngest kept saying 'fly, fly!' because the birds got to show off their skills, the Macaw actually flew over the crowd twice, which is a pretty cool site. The owl I mostly felt sorry for, it had been hit by a car and was blind and deaf on the one side.

Sky the parakeet was cute and would hop onto kids hands, but in a crowd of 300 not to much chance of being chosen..would be cool if the kids could feel that though.

regardless the kids learned a bit about birds, the trip was made possible due to a wonderful friend coming all the way here well out of her way to pick all 4 of us up. That and tax supported education of course I am for that, just not public schools.

We are reading my mothers 3rd grade reader. I read it when I learned to read and now it is GMCs turn.

One line is 'mother thought herself rich in pans' she had three, a frying pan, a cast iron pot, and a 'spider' (like a frying pan, on legs, used for baking bread over a fire)

So I asked GMC how many I had, he said 'LOTS', and I defended myself, I don't have that many, I have a big one, and a medium one, and a umm ok fine, I have lots. Not to mention I bake bread in a bread pan, and cake in a cake pan, and have a 'brownie pan (square, that I never use for brownies, just force of habit call it that)

Even with all the reading about pioneer times and the constant urge to purge useless stuff I have the kitchen of a king compared to pioneer times or current day 3rd world countries (what exactly does that mean? 3rd down the line from USA? like there is USA, the couple competitors, and all them other ones...)

And yet....I know for a fact most of my 'peers' have more than I do, most have tons of pots pans or baking supplies, when I gave away a couple silicone liners I was offered purchase of more muffin cups...umm I have the number that fills my oven...after that I dump and re-pour. (love the silicone liners, makes that sooo easy to do)

Now I can't see getting rid of any more stuff, I use most all of what I have monthly at the least, and I can store it. But I can be thankful for how rich in pots I am (and I know this is a revisited topic, sorry)

My youngest shot site swelled up a bit yesterday, so we called and checked into it, apparently this is normal, and the cure is..swimming!

So we had to go swimming yesterday, Dr's orders!

I like that kind of prescription, free and fun. (though not really great tasting, but you aren't supposed to drink the water)

They were So good at the Dr, not just for the wait, though I had to keep suggesting new games, and not just for the checkup part, but all three were wonderful for the blood draws and the shots.

First my oldest, GMC (5 year old)sat up on the table for two shots, he didn't even blink! I am so proud of him.

Then we told him he was all done and it was JCs turn (middle kid, 3 year old) Only after a minute the nurse says she needs to draw JCs blood and the one shot, this was a mixup so she went out to double check the charts (always hard when you bring in three kids at one time)

She comes back and says it is GMC who needs blood drawn, Does JCs shot and JC was wonderful, just a mite of teary eyed, and a mite clingy after, I let her sit in my lap while GMC came back for the blood draw.

(remember we told him he was done?) he hopped back up for the blood draw and was very good, he blinked when the needle went in then a second later asked 'how long is that going to take' in a slightly distressed voice, but that was it!

Then came the kid we worried about UE is almost 2. He sat still for the blood, didn't even blink when the needle went in, and did nothing but wiggle his arm while she finished! Then for the shot the first went in fine, but as soon as she pushed the meds in he cried, and continued thru the second shot. he was done before she could close up the second needle and get the third out! Of course he started again when the third needle went in the other arm. but only for a minute, very quick, just letting us know it hurt.

When we visited family later that day he was talking about the shots "shot, ahlllll done" he was glad they were over! he also would point to his arm and say "buhd" where the blood came out.

The bad part is it cost us 90$ to get all kids up to date on checkups and shots, but the good news is they are adorable!

We are doing early research on swimming for the fall. The kids love it soo much but I hate to have them stop for the whole winter yet again. I thought I would check a membership to the Y. you ready for this?

150 start up fee and 74$ a month, plus a 75$ class fee! Absolutely no possible way we could afford that!

I called another place and found class prices to all run 75-150 for a month of classes with 5-8 kids per class.

I called one more place and got a direct number to the instructor, she mentioned they didn't have classes set up yet but that she would offer a private lesson for $20 for both kids. I felt like I was being led into a selling spiel where you tell what your competition costs to numb customers to the high price of your item (I sold cutco knives, that was the gimmick, tell em what other brands cost so the 100 dollar knife seems low in comparison)

But the more I think about it, $20 for a private lesson, not stuck in a group of 3-5 year olds who prolly don't swim at all, while our two can not only swim, but GMC can swim well...not to much time for one on one.

That is for both kids, whereas the other classes are 75 per kid...and that is totally individual instruction....

Not to mention I think we might be able to let gmas know that lessons would be a wonderful gift.

But then again..$20 per week?

While my husband was working on some model terrain making he let GMC use some spare parts to make what he wanted..



Pretty impressive for no help, just three straight sticks (no cutting was allowed)


Now for this one I did some cutting for him. He asked me to cut a piece in half to make two like the two he had...I suggested it would be two a bit small, so I found him another scrap, and was able to make 4 approximately the same, and one small piece.

Here is the result when he put it all together:



The picture was taken before we glued the front piece on, so GMC is holding it.

Here is what JC made, I helped to cut the frame, and I tore the tape, but she put it all on...it is primer-ed, so later I will have to try and post when she paints it all up.



We plan to put a magnet on the back and 'hang' it on her tin doll house...err will a magnet stick properly to that? I'd better check.

The sunflowers are growing! I have to get the kids to stand by them so you can see how tall they are.



Course you might notice the one side is pretty tall, the other side is pretty short...not sure why, though it is two different seed packets.

And here is the prize GMC won for reading from the library.



total disguise

When I was a kid a pack of gum was 25cents...for a big giant pack of 25 sticks....

Lately I have had the urge to munch and thought gum would solve that with less weight gain...At the store I discovered not a single pack less than 50 cents and most had 12 or less sticks (or pieces)

good grief...has there been a recent blight of rubber trees or something?

From one of many email sap:

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

.....
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.

Thought is was particularly financial related...more is often less.

My cousins wedding was this weekend, it was very nice, and the kids had a wonderful time at the reception.

My daughter loves to dance, but will not let me help her for any of the dances with 'steps' like the hoky-poky, or whatever (not that it is hard, but for a 3 year old....) So she spent the time finding other people to dance with, and was ADORABLE! I hope to have pictures to share soon, we took a ton.

Then we took all the pictures off the camera and burned them to CD to give to the bride and her mom right then and there at the reception...I think this would be a way cool take home gift...so long as the photographer is using a digital camera we can put some 'staged photos' on a disk ASAP.....a sticker with the 'thank you for coming' on the case and you have a gift, one that most close family/friends will actually use and enjoy.

Add that to my theory on staged photos being done before the ceremony of all the girls (to get the wedding party to the reception sooner) and you have an easy start.

I have been compiling a list of 'stuff' for my kids wedding ever since my own.

One new rule is for the bride and groom to decide in advance if they want to allow children to catch the garter and flowers....At this wedding an 8 year old girl caught the flowers and it took 10 minutes to convince three guys to go up, so we sent our son (5yo) and he was ordered to pick it up off the floor so he could put it on her wrist......I am thinking 16 and up, if not 18 and up....unless you don't mind kids, but ...eh. Up to the bride and groom, just so long as they think about it. Though GMC was adorable .

Another rule is to make sure there are appetizers or at least fruit and veggies out for snacking while you wait for the dinner...which has to be in charge of a specific person...not the bride on the way to dinner going, 'oh food still in kitchen...oops'....not that it wasn't solved quickly by many willing hands, just something to try and remember if you are 'self catering'. Also there is a reason caterers have multiple trays ready to place out...unlike a small party refilling trays takes to long...I put out veggies, then moved on to fruit, and by that time I had to restock the veggie tray! having a sub would be better, and leave me less looking like an idiot standing around with ziplocks full of food...

Another thing to bring home from this wedding was a 'married couple dance'....they started with all married couples, then had us sit down year by year till the longest married couple was left, and asked them to give a word of advice to the newlyweds...I thought it was cute and a way to celebrate long running marriages (38 years was the winner)

I really want a photo someone took of us, the kids were a bit whiny so we danced with all three of them.....(kids were all sick, fever boy GMC just got rid of it that night, the other two had snots)


the cake made by my aunt, VERY good, pretty and tasted great...much better than at my wedding (though mine was a cool castle)


JC and all the toys, another thing I want at the future weddings, great to have something for the kids to do


UE...picking up pieces of balloons, he was the balloon guy, very insistent on finding all pieces to throw int he garbage soon as they popped...and they popped a LOT, not sure why.

When I first heard of the idea of a kid (grown) being expected to take care of a parent, I was horrified at the implication that people starting a life and raising kids would have one more burden on them (mom and pop).

But the more I think of it, the more I see how older folk are relegated to nursing homes and added to a chore list of 'people you aught to go see' but prolly never do. This is an upside down way to treat people. The two opposite ends of the age spectrum should be brought together not separated for time with 'peers' My kids would benefit so much more from a quiet talk with great-grandma than an hour with another short kid.

Notice I said 'great grandma' grandma (both of em) is still able enough to support herself, and spoil my kid. Not that time with grandma isn't valuable in its own right, it just has to be restricted to keep the spoiling a treat not an everyday habit (though not as restricted as the miles apart make it for us .)

Great grandma on the other hand is a bit slower, a bit more philosophical on kids (read likely to laugh when they tantrum, not rail against my parenting ability, inward or outward), and a bit less financially likely to whisk them off for ice cream or yet another toy.

Unfortunately those miles separate great grandma as well, fortunately she has quite a few years before she can't support herself...and when that happens...well I would prefer to have her (and pappap) here, but I doubt they want to move that far.

Anyway I was just thinking there is more than money going into the decision of what to do with 'old folk'. There is the need to keep em around the 'young folk'. Moms and Dads need reminded they weren't perfect as kids. Kids need to know that mom and dad learned from their mistakes. Kids need to hear about how the world has changed. Grown ups need to hear the enthusiasm of learning in a child.

And the number one thing...two adults isn't enough for kids..they need more adults to guide them...love them....support them...and hopefully enough that you have options in finding a mentor.

I joined the summer reading program at our library (check yours, some have em for adults!) And the book log is busted, so rather than wait a day and rewrite, I shall cut and paste the note for you, not that it is useful, or a good review, just happens to need stored online, and Jeffrey and Nate have made this site so easy to access...I can't help using it!

The method of recording includes a list of author name and title, so this is just notes...to remind myself that I read the book, not a formal report or review.

--------------
The Wizard of London is a wonderfully light story of children rescued and coming into power of their own, plus love (or at least friendship) conquering all.

Not at all what I expected when I picked up the book, more romance novel than fantasy, but pulled off well. Rather like a fairy tale, it would be perfect for reading to children at bedtime.

It runs in my mind (which is built like a sieve) that Lackey is fond of rewriting fairy tales. Something about a phoenix bird from an old Russian tale in a previous book.

This particular book is a loose telling of the 'snow queen', though of the two I would rather read Mercedes version.

I do think I shall take a way a useful tidbit from the book. At one point one of the girls offers some advice regarding forgiveness. 'not forgiving someone is like not pulling a thorn out of your foot because you didn't put it there'.

He did it! he said two words! a couple times, Last night we went to the potty and I said we had to take his shoes off before we could be and he said "shoe....offff"

So cute!

Also, we are heading out tomorrow night for PA, I really aught to be packing preparing, but...I am not.

This is useless advice as I doubt any of my three readers are planning to make a movie (well ok my husband would like to..)

But after watching "Ghost rider" last night I can say definitively that movies are NOT graphic novels, nor comic books, for a good reason.

I like a good comic story, I just can't handle having to read 10 mini picture books to get one story, so a good comic needs to be made into a graphic novel.

What they did with Ghoast rider is take all the great one liners with goofy pictures and line em up..which misses the flow of a movie, I don't have to turn the page in a movie and imagine the middle between pictures, you are supposed to fill it in with something good. If I have to waste 2 hours (when I could read the graphic novel in say 20 minutes) There aught to be some fleshing out of the story, some new interesting tidbits..something.

Coure I never read the original, maybe the movie did add stuff to a very sparse comic book.

On a side (and financial) note, the movie was borrowed from the free library of the brother in law, great to have a movie addict in the family , almost makes up for the cost of family....

Debt owns you, yeah sure lots of big businesses and rich people talk about how they use debt to succeed, and I am happy for them (well not for the big business, but that is a whole 'nother story)

Truthfully for the average Joe, if something happens to the income we are screwed if in debt. On the other hand, simple bills (electricity, water) can be reduced or even removed. The debt I owe cannot.

Debt owns me, my husband has to keep working at least enough to pay off the debt we have (house and car) yet if he had the itch to stop working to be a writer and we had no debt, we could do it on what I could make. He could be home writing at nap time and/or while watching kids play instead of me (and he would be a lot better at it) But because we have a house to pay off and a car to pay for he is stuck working no matter how willing he is to sacrifice steak or two cell phones.

While I know paying of my house early earns me no extra cash on the bottom line, I am not looking at the bottom line, I am interested in being free, I want the freedom to choose the sacrifices completely, I want the freedom to offer my husband the chance to stay home. But because of debt I am not free to explore all options, due to debt of a house, we aren't talking ridiculous spending of youth, just a house and a car keep us from looking toward his dream. (this isn't to say we are never stupid with our money, just that no amount of smart money moves will remove the house and car debt in less than 10 years)

Family isn't cheap...I am not talking about the kids, while not free they are relatively cheap. I am talking about the extended family. The trips across town for no reason but to pick up a niece or nephew (OK so w made up an excuse to be there, but really it was just to pick up a kid)

I am talking about the splurges on food, and extra trips for the cousins...Not to mention driving halfway up the country to go see one get married.

Family isn't cheap, it would be much cheaper if I didn't have to do any of that. I don't think it would be better necessarily, just cheaper.

After a week of being low on groceries, and spending more time at the pool than in the kitchen, I was NOT in the mood for another PB sandwich...which is fine since we had no bread.

So Sunday after a light snack at church we headed to the in-laws to pick up a niece (hereafter to be known as Essy). On the way there I mentioned we would have to get food, since we don't eat like the in-laws, and since we are not rude enough to pester them to cook or use up the dishes in the kitchen, it would have to be out. My husband suggested taco bell...My stomach turned at the possibility. We then went down the list and came up with nothing worth doing. I said I was in the mood for steak, preferably accompanied by a nice glass of wine. So we headed to 'the backyard restaurant' as Essy called it. And spent a small fortune...all because I was burned out on cheap lousy food.

Today when we finally go to the store we are getting some not so cheap convenient food so that when we spend the day at the pool we can still eat something relatively good. In hopes that next week I will not be so desperate for meat that I order a 9oz steak. (it was a very good steak btw, and the glass of wine was a perfect compliment)

The summer reminds me of how lucky we are, ok so money is tight, but...I would rather it was tight, and I spent all day with my kids, than it was easy and I didn't (obviously, or I would get a job)

Anyway..while I do have some work to do before the pool (and some being ignored while at the pool, and plenty after) but really, my job is to be with my kids, and if that means soaking in a cool pool...well then, I love my job description!

Gmc is still improving on his swimming, but..still like a frog, I really have to work on that, which is hard, because I don't know how to swim.

JC is swimming underwater like...well a swimmer, but she still can't get her head out of the water, so she has to be able to stand or reach her goal in less than 5-10 seconds (which is longer than her big bro can hold his breath!)

UE loves to jump in..which is pretty boring to me, but hey, jump in, swim (with me holding) to the ladder, climb out repeat. Keeps him happy and gives him lots of practice swimming (and some going under water)

The two older kids bike to get there, which is good practice for them, and I walk. UE half walks half rides on mommy, so a wonderful workout. Who needs gyms

Now that we have two checking accounts, I constantly find myself needing to do the 'money shuffle' move cash from one account to another...just so it is there to pay a bill. I hate that job.

I wouldn't have it as bad if we could get the money auto deposited into ING, but there seems to be a hiccup in that regard.

But on a plus note, with all that shuffling I have to be a bit more conscious of how much money we have and where it goes.

And some recent overtime is making that amount much nicer than last month .

We are heading to see my brother on Wednesday and I have to bake, pack, wrap, sort, stack and find...stuff. Lots of it.

Planning bagels with butter for breakfast in the car.

By lunch we should be there, and eat with them...but I am debating on packing whole wheat bread...I had a reminder of how many different varieties of bread are out there and what may be called whole wheat may not be anything close in taste or nutrition to what we are used to...but I also don't want to insult. Same with cheese, I don't do american and neither do the kids...and cheddar needs to be extra sharp, see I eat more now than when I was a kid, and yet I am still picky! (now make sure that water is with lemon, no ice...)

Also planning snack for the ride home possibly trail mix.

Taking muffins, and a snack thing GMC wants to make (he is getting to be quite the 'chef', no bake of course.

Also packing a couple surprises for the family and lots of birthday presents. They have a thing for Summer birthdays!

Now what am I forgetting?

We had a fun day at the church decorating shirts and playing. It cost 5 dollars for each shirt, but I cheated and brought 3 of our shirts to decorate with the stuff.

I didn't mean to cheat, we also bought two shirts, but I packed spare clothes in case they got really dirty outside or paint on them, and decided to decorate them too. It was loads of fun.

I also made muffins to share and took some grapes and carrots, half of which we got back. Perfect packing for snacking before/after the library tomorrow.

I also got a list of books from

bookadventure.com to take to the library to see if the kids can find a couple to read for points.

Unfortunately for anyone here most are full face, and not post-able.

But here is one of the windows at the nature center...they have frosted leaves and some bird shapes laminated to prevent birds from flying into the windows...I thought all the kiddie fingerprints would be good enough.



And the other day I walked into the living room to see GMC laying on the couch with a book, not to unusual, seconds later UE joined him checking to be sure he had the exact right pose and everything, so I took a picture.



And the pool is open! so here is one of GMC swimming over to daddy and UE. No picture of JC, she was too cold to get in, not quite the fish her big bro is.



---On a completely unrelated note..we have life insurance! I hope we go the right one.

---I have plans for a debt article, so the of you need to get writing!

---And for all the parents out there, cheer with me, my youngest is in his room sortof putting himself to sleep for nap!

---The kids received money, and they each bought a book and a toy, with some to spare. All three books were around $3 each at a used book store, and the toys were at the dollar bins, $2 for GMCs travel sized spirograph that he is playing with right now, and $1 each for a puzzle and some light up bracelets (the kind that sell for $5 each at a concert)

They also each put $5 in the bank and $5 for church. Each has between $3 and $5 left for the Arcade Friday.

--- we are going out to see a movie! Babysitter and all! With my husbands money for his birthday...Pirates three .

As I was typing away at my todo list, I got that feeling, that somone was watching me.

I turn to the side and JC is there staring, knowing this is naptime and she is about to get in trouble for not being in bed, she quickly blurts out "theres a skunk in our yard"

Now I have never seen a skunk in the wild, I do live near woods and spent a good deal of time in the woods, at least more than the average city dweller, but I have never seen a skunk. Thinking a great chance was upon me, I dashed to the door...to find a raccoon running down the hill.

Eh she was close.

On another topic if you ever wondered what the worlds largest flower was my son happened to ask, and I happened to google it.

The Rafflesia arnoldii. is apparently the largest, we read about it awhile ago and he remembered it as an 'orange lilly' which well it is orange. An interesting tidbit to me is both of the large flowers are stinky..big may not be better.

And one further point...there are three secrets so I can now post...I was almost hoping it would go that far! Not because I have nothing to say, but because it is only loosely financial, they say to write what you know, and I know very little about finances still.

First TinaPbeana jinxed me, I read her

secrets Right before bed and here I am at 3am way to awake, and typing, not sleeping....

And while trying to fall back asleep I had several thoughts that so would be much better written by someone else (anyone else) but here goes.

We are supposed to stack the deck
For our kids, in the real game of life as parents we are supposed to stack the deck for our kids, it is not cheating to give them more cards more variety and more options than would normally be dealt, it is what we are supposed to do, however...

We can't make 'em play them
We can stack the deck, in the real game of life so our child has a 'helmet of salvation' but we cannot force him to put it on. I can deal her all the aces, but I cannot decide when she plays them. We can explain the rules, but we cannot force our kid to hold 'em or fold em. We can't even make them 'walk away', much less run...We can however give them as much knowledge about when they need to do each as possible. And more important we can show our kids how the game 'aught to be played.

We don't have to let anyone else trump our own 'goal'
There is a very fun game called fluxx where anyone can play a goal card at any time to change the way you win. The new goal always trumps the old. Not so in the game of life. Just because Mom wants you to be a Dr doesn't mean you replace your own goal for hers. I recommend Fluxx, I do not recommend letting pop culture, an 'expert' or anyone else dictate your life's goals.

Can you guess we had friends for games last night?

If two more people would write 'secrets' posts I could use my awake time for that....

Speaking of my self goal to write for every topic...I have discovered I am not a good writer...I have my moments (reading addiction is still top on google) but well that was last year, almost exactly. Hey maybe it is about time for me to finally write something good again!

Hmm maybe I should base my hopes on something more than the time of year....

edit to add in the real game of life 'cause apparently writing at 3am is not my strong suit.

Not only is missing a pay check an annoying scramble for a week, it is getting to be a regular habit, and that is wreaking havoc on my budget.

Where I was sending extra on the car, I am now reducing the amount sent to savings.

Where I was enjoying the freedom of a 500 dollar food budget I am now scrambling to feed company on less than 400.

I really hate this company, I so do not want to be doing this.

I thought it was going to be once. Now we are going on the third time. (payed in between, so miss one, pay one, miss one pay one.)

Though now that I am expecting the trouble, I am can plan for it. Sort of.

Oh and my husband got a release to go back to work tomorrow...the fact that he has been going to work is apparently beside the point....

Fortunately he also has a release to go to the pool tomorrow, but I think I will be putting some antibacterial creme and a band aid on first.

If I had all the cash to spend in the world I would hire a maid, I only need an hour a day, maybe two right before company. Just enough for cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, dusting , and mopping, thats it. I don't mind the rest.

Then I would hire a gardener, not just lawn service, quite frankly I don't like grass anyway! I want a guy to plant some flowers, and vegetables, and herbs....skip the lawn, I can mow the pathetic dead thing in half an hour..soon as I stop my wishful thinking and do it.

Now about those herbs, I am a terrible cook, so with my millions I would hire a cook, just for dinner each weekday, no one needs to pop in my toast or peel my banana for me, I can handle that. (and leftovers of good cooking sounds great for lunch!)

Oh and for special occasions, I want an 'Abigail' a girl to fix my hair, and pick out a dress that matches, preferably one sewn to fit my 6 ft frame, and that hides the fact that I packed on a few pounds and still didn't loose them (yeah, I really need to go mow that lawn!)

Ah and then she can do my husbands hair (his isn't quite as long as mine, but still takes up quite a bit of time to fix daily), though fortunately he didn't gain any weight and looks great in plain jeans.

Ooooh and while we are dreaming, how about a chauffeur..to take us to the science center even when my husband is working, and the library and the museum..and .. well that might be a bit of a stretch...

Honestly I think I would rather spend money on all that before I bought a TV (since ours wont work after 2009) or a bigger house (we fit here now) Or pretty much anything 'luxurious' If I am going to spend on luxury, I want it to be in service. (not very Christian is it...)

K I am off to mow the lawn.

Before, down to mid calf...


After, just down to the pocket on my jeans...


There you have it, my new short hair .

- My kids need to watch more TV...see we went to the store finally (husband can drive) and we heard "can we get some radishes please?", "what does cottage cheese taste like?", "Can we please get some oranges not just apples and bananas?"....

I said no to the doritoes request, but all the fruit and veggie stuff...I find it very hard to say no to.

- There are more than 3 posts for 'top ten' so I guess I have to post now.

- reselling on Ebay is easy for some..too easy for my anti stuff preferences! My husband has found some really good deals and is reselling them...all from his paypal selling of junk money....I really hate these boxes of stuff..and instead of shrinking they are growing (packing supplies, gotta have on hand to sell, plus resale stock..gotta wait for the perfect time to sell, ugh!)

Why does my bread taste 'yeasty' or kinda like a sourdough?

Did it rise to long? (I actually only let it rest so I could make rolls in time for lunch)

Did I put too much yeast in in the first place?

Did it not rise enough?

Too much kneading? (in kitchen aid, till it was not to terribly sticky so I could shape it)

Not enough kneading?

Or is it fate that I be terrible bread maker?

We are out of bread..we are out of a lot of things (husband still not supposed to drive), but bread being the big end of world item (at the moment)

So today I wake up dreading figuring out lunch and snack with no bread (it is a fall back, when done with what I cook you can have bread if you are still hungry, and one or the other of my two older kids is always still hungry)

Then for lunch I contemplated the lack of leftovers.....what on earth was I going to cook? I came up with eggs, GMC read about poached eggs and wanted to know what they tasted like, so I hunted up directions and made some, now eggs for my husband belong with bread...so I thought he would have to suffer...until I remembered, bread is made from flour, which I have!

Well real bread would take to long for lunchtime (that was fast approaching) but biscuits, which I make rather well and quite frequently were simple quick and easy (5,4,3,2,1 recipe).

Tonight for bedtime snack there will be plenty of leftover biscuits to drown in strawberry juice (after thawing the berries there is always lots of juice, son loves strawberry, daughter loves blueberry, youngest loves either)

Why oh why does it take such an effort for me to come up with something out of the norm? Considering how much flour is int he house, and how often I tend to bake you would assume making bread to be the first thought when I run out, but nope, bread is store bought (I am good at biscuits, not bread)so I think buy buy buy when we run out...

Anyone who cares may know I have really (really) really (no really) long hair.

It was down past my knees....I decided the other day to get it cut, asked a friend for a ride so that I didn't have three kids around for the event, and today we went.

They cut off almost 2 feet.

It is now only down to the top of my pants and it is soooooooooo short to me!

Instantly my head felt lighter and the first time I ran my fingers through it I couldn't get over how little of it there was.

I came home and did the test, I knelt to put my youngest pants on...no hair on the floor

I stooped to pick up a toy..no hair on the floor. Still too long to do any real leaning but that is what the bun is for.

On a financial note..it was 40% off because I donated my hair to locks of love, and the place took care of the forms and mailing and all that.

Though I don't think I will be back anytime soon....least not till another 10 inches or so grows.