Some idle rambles from Taterland

The last few weeks have been busy and interesting. Visitors from CO were for here a few days. They drove their 78- or was it 79 Corvette out. As they were leaving we had Grampy coming in from VT - Bruce's dad. Time was spent giving him lots of hugs, kisses, cuddles, following around, asking a gazillion ?'s.... and that was just from the girls. LOL. Kyle, daddy and grampy spent a day fishing - with a short break in between for a soccer game. As a group one night we went out for pizza and a trip to the corn maze . We had never been to one before and thought would be fun to try it. Being inside a corn maze is interesting. Once inside you really can't see any of the "outside" world. There were lots of twists and turns and a few dead ends. It was about 2 miles in length I can now say I have been inside the the canidate's ears and sinus's ....ewwww. It is very easy to get turned around and confused as to which direction you should be headed into. We got there before dusk and as we were coming out of the maze it was getting dark. They had "corn police" inside the maze to make sure you didn't get totally lost and also to patrol it - as some folks seem to have a hard time reading the rules of the maze at the enterance.

Both Bruce and Kyle have been spending time at the doctors office. Kyle has a sinus infection that will not go away - even while on medication for it. Last week we went to the ENT as the medication prescribe from peditrician was not working and had been a week. Usually we have some sign of it working by then. Well, that mommy voice tht was screaming at me was right... his infection had gotten worse. So an addition in medication with a trip for a ct scan and ENT follow up this coming Monday. Poor kid. He is starting to look run down and is having those nasty sinus headaches with it. Got to hand it to him - he is doing his best to keep up with studies, soccer and his two after school programs. Bruce thought he had an infection but just has a really bad case of fall allergies. He was having some problems with his heart beat so went in for a check up. As of yesterday - he has been ok'd for that. He has a few things to do and watch for but Dr says he is ok. That is a relief - one worry and stress cleared.

You know how the road of life can take you down a path and just when you think everything in the road is going all smooth ...then BUMP.... you hit a speed bump. Well, we seem to have a few of those bumps in our path. Personally, I'm tired of the bumps as we seem to have had our fair share of them on the last few years. Hopefully these bumps will smooth out soon. They don't seem to be anything major but are casuing some irratation and stress. What was once a nice feeling after having been here for a year - getting used our new area, getting settled in and starting to make friends...has really been clouded . It's also making that little voice in the back of my mind talk to me again.... sometimes that little voice can be darn annoying.

Looks like fall is finally here. We woke up to the morning weather report declaring that it could get down to the 20's tonight....BRRRR. By the weekend we could be seeing colder temps with possible snow flurries down to 3500 ft. YEAH. Think I better figure out some kind of cover for the tomatoes, peppers and other veggies still growing in the garden. Another sign of fall, this morning I saw my first dark red leaf from one of our own maple trees! Halloween will soon be here. The girls are so excited for it to come. They have been very helpful in decorating the house for the arrival of Halloween. They have also been making costumes suggestion for everyone. I have been politly declining a few. Like Tinkerbell.....the adult sized costume we saw for Tinkerbell was not an option. I have no idea how I would have walked in it .It really didn't even look like a Tinkerbelle - maybe more like a cross between Tinkerbell and Little Mermaid. The coloring was sort of Tinkerbell - but the styling was not - was more a Little Mermaid. The gown was all rouched. It hung long and narrow - not good walking costume - a standing around try and look cute one maybe but not walking. They have also suggested a mustard/ketchup combo for Bruce and myself. Ummm no. They decided that might not be good as you really should work with daddy's beard - some how make it part of the costume. Good luck girls. Shhh don' t tell them.... Daddy is just not into Halloween that much. Then there was the input of a pretty princess and a pretty witch....hmmm....I might concider those two. I then sent them down the hall to their brothers room to go have a costume talk with him. If I remember right - that didn't last too long. Kyle thinks he might do a mad scientist as that way he can bundle up underneath. At the very least he will dress up for the annual Halloween bash at Firebird Raceway.... everyone dresses up, folks racing do up their pit areas and hand out candy.Plus there is a party for the kids, free chili and a bonfire. We had a blast last year. For the actual Halloween??? Not sure what he will do. Right now I'm not sure what we will be doing.... last year we went to a nearby neighborhood that was bigger than ours. Think might do that again this year.

Guess it is time to push back from the table. Today is the crazy day of soccer and Boy Scouts. Somewhere in there Kyle needs to do a few chores ( gasp yes chores), homework, eat and sleep.
So until next time...... enjoy your fall!

Fall is here...I think.....

I say I think as we have been waking up to 40ish for temps - but by lunch is up to close to if not 80. I guess Mother Nature has her own calender she goes by. A few places are starting to have leaves change in our area of the Treasure Valley - but not many. I'm sort of ready for a change in seasons but I also know it means winter will be coming. I'm not sure I am ready for the cold. I still have some not so fond memories of our first winter here...the ice fog on the highway for one.


On the walk back from the bus stop this morning the girls declared it was time to get the fall/Halloween decorations out.. I sd no not yet. I'm not ready for it....not really. They on the other hand are more than ready for fall - more specifically Halloween...they have their costumes all figured out.....we'll see if they change their minds and how many times they do so. Their older brother was known to keep changing his mind almost as many times as he changed his clothes. We will see if the 12 yr old will be wanting to do anything this year, and if he does what he comes up with.

The garden is slowly fading - the last of the produce is making an effort to hurry up and finish growing so it can be picked. We have been apple picking and gotten some grapes from some nearby neighbors - who have lots more to share. Some green beans have been frozen along with some shredded zucchini, a peach pie will be frozen soon along with some apple pies and a few bags of sliced apples. A big jug of apple cider is chilling in the firdge....yeah I guess it's fall......we even had a small bonfire and roasted marshmellows and made s'mores the other night... it was a great way to end the day. Think we will have to do it again real soon.

Sooo I have this friend.....

Actaully I have more than one friend. But I have this friend, Suzy, that has gotten me hooked on Facebook. At first I wasn't going to go on, but then she sd no you have to - there are tons of people there that you know. So I thought all right - I'll go take a peek......well that did it. Know I have re-connected with old friends from High School and dragged a few more in with me. It has been fun catching up , sharing stories and pictures with everyone...it's kind of an ongoing reunion. Suzy says its like passing notes in class - with no teacher to catch us. Yeah it is , the only downside is we arent' all together in the same location...but this will work too. THANKS SUZY!


Today is the beginning of a short school week. Why there is no school on Thursday and Friday is ? to me. The girls are counting down to Halloween, Kyle is going through 7th grader, pre-teen, don't understand girls, soccer team is not doing well stuff. Tough being a kid. Stuck between being a little boy, and starting to spread your wings some. Not sure if it is ok to let mom hug and kiss the hurt away like when a little guy. Awkward time for him. The girls...well they are 5 - their worries are not really the same. A least I can still hug nad kiss away their hurts, worries, and night time fears - most of the time.

Fall is slowly creeping in...mornings have been starting off in the 40's but then jumps to high 70-80. This week they say will actually get to 90 one day... crazy weather. We have been trying to make the most of the nice weather. Apple picking, playing outside, the guys have gone fishing, going to a local corn maze, playing tourists in our still new to us area. I'm ready for the heat to go away for awhile but not really ready for the cold to come.....a nice mild fall would be fine by me.

I looked at my calender for the coming month and realized my gram will be 96 in a few days. WOW! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Well...time to push back from the kitchen table and go off and do something else....until next time...

Monday's BLECH!

Paraphrased from something I read one time....

Life and what you make of it is the hot chocolate....your job, money and position in society are like the cups it goes into.......The prettier more expensive cups do not make the hot chocolate tase better.

Live simply. love generously, care deeply, speak kindly. Enjoy your hot chocolate.



You know how Garfield "loves" Mondays? After today, I can see why ....... it actually all started yesterday.




Yesterday morning we woke up to find mold growing on a part of our ceiling in the master bedroom...sooo the builder got called which meant the roofer got called - who will be here today. Sometime around 5 or 5:30. We will see how prompt that time will be as it is now after 5pm. From the spot we found- to about 3 ft back is all soggy water damage. I am hoping and praying there is not anything major going on nor there is not a huge moldy mess hiding somewhere. No telling how long there has been damage and with the mass amount of rain we had Friday thru Saturday.... it gave way.

Today....the glorious wonderful Monday....started out with a very cranky crying croupy sounding little girl.....

Megan is not feeling well... and she really hasn't been for a few days...cranky mood, nasty cough and clogged up nose...hmm think any relation to the above -with my kids and all the inherited allergies - nothing would surprise me. She got to stay home and hang out with just mom for a few hours. Worked on coloring, reading etc. She is also stressing over the fact that she is not doing as well as sissy in school on some things . SIGH ...a five year old should not be stressing over school..nor should they be put into that position. It made me wonder if having them in the same classroom was for the best.... we will see what happens in the next week or so. Once Danielle realized Megan was not going to school - we had to convince her that she would be ok going to school without sissy. That was after I heard how her neck, throat and body ached also.

A few cups of hot chocolate later and the day started looking a little better...then.....

Did you know getting a can of pepsi spurting in your eyes does not feel good? I had gone to the pantry to get a can for lunch - the one behind it fell - hit floor and sprayed everywhere.....stupid refridge packs...... two little tiny pinholes did alot of damage. Watching the can go spinning around was like watching a new version of spin the bottle. While cleaning up the mess I thought hey it's all done YEY me... then I looked up...oh oh ---- nice sticky brown dots are up on the ceiling.... on the door....underneath the highest possible shelf... DARN IT ALL!

At least supper is started-- doing chicken and dumplings or biscuits for supper. Chicken is in slow cooker & made an apple pie. We went and picked apples yesterday . I restrained myself much better this year - only got three bags and not five. Also got grapes from a neighbor, peaches, pears and plums from a fruit stand yesterday--- guess you could call it a fruitful outing. LOL Nothing like a little comfort food to make a blechy day seem better.

Bill paying BLECH. Sorry, bill paying to me is just a BLECH job. Megan asked why do we have bills to pay. My unsugercoated answer - because it is a way of life for adults. Makes that powerball ticket looking real good....

Kyle has soccer practice today- wait until he finds out grampy will be there watching. Bruce will pick him up from robotics at school and go do the parent helper thing. Told him he might want to let coach know about the verbal diarrhea that was going on at the game Saturday.

Bruce's dad is here for a week. He is getting climbed on and loved by two little girls and a 12 yr old trying to teach him how to play games on the wii, discuss fishing, boy scouts, etc. While grampy is here.....daddy ( aka hubby) is trying to take time off.......hmmmm.....

Well, can smell supper cooking and the pie is starting to smell good. Here's to a little comfort food!

Ahhhh....country life

It's not quite like the old tv show Green Acres, but it is different from where we had previously been. I must admit though that there are times that I feel like going e-i-e-i-o. We do not have any animals here at RanchCouture but behind us and in other nearby locations there's a variety of farm animals. For the most part we usually can forget they are there. Except for the rooster. Someone near us has a time challenged roooster. He will start crowing at about 3AM and keeps up almost all day. The other night it was cool enough for us to sleep with some windows open.YES! FINALLY!COOL NIGHT! All is quiet, the goats behind us had settled down after giving their evening concert with an occasional moo thrown in from a neighboring cow. We had all settled in for an end of summer snooze........then all of a sudden, a jarring crowing from Mr. Rooster. Yes folks, it was around 3AM and Mr. Rooster decided it was time to wake everyone up -even though was pitch black outside. During the summer he was starting in at about 4Am - now the last few weeks he has gotten earlier. My hubby came too with me muttering about finding the soup pot and going hunting for some rooster. Lucky for Mr. Rooster I was to comfy in bed and very tired.

A friend has also recently moved to more country life and a post on her blog got me to thinking. Yes, we have no Starbucks at every corner, nor a multitude of fast food places in our new little town ( nearby towns, "cities" are another story) but being able to go out, do errands and come back to our little sort of tucked away plot of land is like being able to go and get a good deep breathe of fresh washed air. You now, the type of air that hangs after a good storm that cleans all the gunk out of it. Yes, pace of life is a little slower here ( which I admit bugs me sometimes) , and they are delayed in a few things like recycling programs, but I think as a family we needed a change. For the most part, it is working out.

There is a few downsides to this. Have to plan errands better. No longer can just run down the street and in a few short moments have all kinds of shopping and doctors on hand. So going out and doing things can take a little longer. But I have Costco and Target not to far away - so what more do I need?! LOL We no longer have tons of neighbors nearby, but that can be a good thing too. At least I don't have to worry about a neighbor being able to reach my bathroom window from his. We can get to know our neighbors a little better. You show your face in our little town enough, soon your face if not your name is known. Going to the little store in town is like stepping into Cheers..... the regular cashiers will know you and all your kids. Ask about you, how things are going.....take a moment to talk. The little library, crams a lot into it's size challenged space. The ladies who work there get to know you and what you like to read, listen too, and watch. They always take a moment to talk to the kids to see how their day is going, what's happening at school. Kind of refreshing. But having grown up in small towns, I know they can have their
downside also.

Do I miss the hustle and bustle....sometimes, but not very often. I wouldn't have had been able to stop my van on our street and watch two hawks play in the wind, nor watch my kids make friends with a neighbors horses, or have a cow in the field behind come and watch me work in the garden...from his side of the fence. Kyle would never have been able to go to a friends and bring home fresh eggs, tell about feeding the horses and cows there and how he helped with the irragation pipes. Now, through a grant he can take part in after school programs. He has chosen robots and science, no big surprise to us. Before they go to "class" homework gets done and help received for it if needed. Did I mention the YMCA comes in for physical activites, snack given and bus ride home? Megan and Danielle can spend kindergarten together in the same class. In San Jose they would have been split up. Now they can spend at least one more year together in class. All three kids can particpate in low cost activites and, we as a family can go to events that allow most if not all three kids in for free. I like free !

Yup, country life....learning to love it.....and for the most part we do. It's a new adventure for us - one filled with all kinds of places to explore, things to do and see......

I could do without the triple digit summers though.

7 years ago......

Seven years ago on this date, I was awoken by a ringing phone. On the other end was my dad calling from the East coast , asking if I had the morning news on yet. I sd no, I'm not fully awake to stomach news at this hour. My dad sd I think you better go turn it on and be ready to sit down. Why I ask. He told me that the Twin Towers had been crashed into. I got up, turned on the news, watched for a little while then got ready to get our oldest off to kindergarten.While getting our son ready I got a call from my hubby telling me what happened. By then I had turned off the tv and had switched to news reports on the radio. I didn't think that the tv news reports were right for such a young and innocent child to see. Besides, it was making me feel a mix of emotions. I wanted to, needed to , be as pulled together as possible to get him to school. School that morning was not operationg in total same as usual mode. That mornings flag salute was somber. Questions were answered and police were present along with councelors. After making sure their children were safe in classes, many parents mingled around talking, shaking heads and crying. Some of our school families were affected in many ways, either that morning or soon after due to military duty or other services used at that time. Everywhere you went that day - in our little corner of the Bay Area- either a tv was on or the radio set for news reports. Our picture of the New York skyline, that used to hang over the fireplace - has the Twin Towers in it -it is a reminder of another time.

Now, seven years later our little kindergartner is in the 7th grade and asking questions about that day. We are answering as best as we can. His sisters who are only five - the age he was on 9/11 are trying to figure out what we are talking about. They can't really grasp the events, why someone would want to do that (can anyone really?).

I think 9/11 is going to be one of those days that is going to live on in everyone's memories . It's the day that lives were changed in so many ways, a day that served as a wake up call not to just our Nation but to the world.

Take a moment today to say thank you to all the people who serve to help keep us protected: the fire, police, resue, military, to hug your family a little closer. Like humans , our Country has it's faults, but we are still a Country with many Freedoms.

Reliving the past...and messing with your child's mind

You know how sometimes over long weekeneds some TV stations will run a marathon of a show? Well this past weekend VH1 had an 80's marathon. Now my hubby and I were both in high school during the 80's. We discovered this little trip down memory lane while playing flip the channels. Some songs we remembered and others we didn't. Most though made us say....hey I remember hearing that one while doing .........Or I was going to.....while hearing this one. Since it was 80 wonderful hours of 80's music our eldest child got to listen in on some of it one night. All is well, we are having a grand time listening to it and watching the videos, then we hear --- HEY, I like this song - they play it on the radio....I thought it was a new one. OR....You mean that band has been around that long?! Yeah...makes you feel real old real fast. OR......MOM DAD they had hair and clothes like that ?!PLEEEEAAAASE tell me you didn't look like that ?! No son, daddy didn't have frizzed out hair down his back nor did he wear spandex pants. Me, well I went between doing the rocker babe thing, Go Go thing and Madonna look. The look on his face!! LOL. It took a while to convince him that I did not dress like anyone in the videos. The poor child...hope I didn't scar him too bad.

Think I will go easy on him this weekend. He might not be able to take another scare like that. LOL

Do you hear that.....

That is the sound of silence with a muffled groan coming from me. I have just received this season's soccer schedule AND realized that yes, today is Tuesday - NOT Monday. Which means tomorrow is crazy day. At our school district the kids get out of school an hour early on Wednesdays so teachers can use that time for their meetings and training. It cuts down on teacher in-service days during the year- so they tell us. Wednesdays mean - Kyle rushes home from school, raids the fridge, starts and hopefully finishes homework, gathers soccer gear , gets to soccer for wam up at 4:50, leaves soccer a little early at about 6:30, eats supper in van on way to Boy Scouts, gets home just after 8:30 from that and then either hops into shower, inhales more food or collapses on his bed. This week he will need to leave soccer even earlier as he will be haivng his review board meeting at Boy Scouts - and has to be in uniform..... I pray to the highest being(s) that he will be somewhat sweet smelling for them. At least as sweet smelling as a pre-teen boy who has been running around the soccer field can smell. In a few weeks he will be having his awards ceramony - in uniform. Yeah, it will be on a Wednesday also. I think I shower and unrumpled uniform might hold out higher than practice that day.

Sooo looking at the soccer schedule at least this season we have all game son Saturdays. One of the them I have no flipping idea where it is located, and some of the teams are competion level teams - we are a rec level team - but a higher level one. Hmmm could make for an interesting season.

In other taterville news....the twins are still liking school so far. They have discovered the free breakfast in the cafeteria at school . This morning I was asked if I minded if they just ate in the cafeteria this morning. I sd no , but first you need to eat something here. That way I know you actually have food in your stomach. BIG sigh - oh right moooooom.

The garden is still growing good. We actually had some yellow watermelon from it the other day. Not bad. The tomatoes have been YUMMMMMO as has the corn and everything else.

Sunday we had some friends and neighbors over for a BBQ . Grilled up tons of food - once again I think I over did it - oh well. Most of the veggies we did were from the garden! A friend brought makings for smore's and recipes for making different kinds of smores using flavored marshmellows or candies. Such oooey goooey goodness. The kids all had fun doing various lawn games and flying kites. Poor little Megan was trying to fly her kite - a big gust of wind came up and looked like she was going to be carried away!

Hubby's business is busy and I'm trying to dig out my office and dreaming up creative projects to get that side of my brain going again.


Oops being called and need to go take a peek at the slow cooker - supper is getting all happy in it.

TGIF

This has been a BUSY week. Kids are back in school. The oldest is now in 7th grade and amazed by the growth changes in some of the students. And I don't mean in just height. It has also been reported that there seems to be some girls on the prowl asking some of the boys out. Yes, some 7th and 8th grade girls are going around either solo or in packs asking the poor unsuspecting boys out. My son and a friend of his declined.

Our matching little peanuts have now entered into the world of kindergarten and have successfully ridden the school bus to and from school a grand total of one day. They declared that so far school is easy, and they have a nice bus driver- not like their brothers mean and grouchy one. We are getting a kick out of their description of their day at school. Sometimes it comes with voice inflections, hand use and facials, not stopping to breathe.......oh and talking on top of each other or picking right up where one left off.

While walking back up from the bus stop yesterday morning I stopped and talked with a neighbor. Warned about the packs of girls roaming the middle school halls. Her son is also in 7th grade. She sd you know it kind of surprises me but doesn't. I sd yeah hormones are raging in the girls. She sd yes but also think about it this way. We are taught as young girls to go together - safty in numbers. Wherever we went we were always with a family member or a girlfriend - or more. Might kind of explain that phenomenon of one female has to go to the bathroom - they all get up and go, even if they all don't need to use it. Saftey in numbers. Not to mention news sharing, note comparing...you know - all that girl stuff.

Soooo with a few hours of time all to myself everyday...I hope to accomplish great things.

• Find my office is at the top of the list. I pick away at it some everyday in hopes of getting it to where I want it to be soon. Then I think I'm putting a lock on the door. That way no one can come in unless I say so. LOL
• I can use the bathroom and take a shower in QUIET! No little fingers wiggling under the door or voices saying mommy what are you doing. Followed within 5 min. with the twin coming and doing the same
• Finish planning my Ebay store. Yup, I decided tht all our outgrowns, and other various items not used by us anymore is going to be sold. This time plan on doing a store and not just selling one or two things here and there.
• Getting re-connected with friends from long ago and not so long ago.
• Saying to myself - why did I say I would do that?! Volunteering in school and soccer....hmmmm did I say yes one too many times...
• See my garden through to the end....and start planning on next years
• Think a complete thought without an interruption...or two...or three.....
• Read or talk on the phone.....in quiet

Well the bus will be here soon. I hope everyone has a good Labor Weekend. BSU will be playing their first game tomorrow so all their devoted fans are getting ready for it.

They say........

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach........hmmmmm........ I kind of have to wonder about that one as sometimes I think the way to his heart hits a little lower south.

From the Belly ~ AKA - Belly Laughs

You know you're pregnant when...........



you quit getting pedicures and putting on lace up shoes because you can't see your feet anymore.

From the kitchen table

A friend once told me - great gatherings happen around the kitchen table. At first being young and a little clueless about some things, I didn't fully understand and appreciate what she meant. Then as we got a little older, became parents and entertained friends more, I came to a better understanding of what she meant. I think it hit me one day when she was over helping me prepare for a dinner we were having that night. We had moved into our first real home. The kitchen was long and a little narrow with the eating area at one end and the food area at the other. A family room was just a short step down from it. It was all open so everyone in the area could get in on whatever was being talked about at that moment. It made a great set up for folks to come hang out, talk and or help get ready for any occasion.Often times more than one or two conversations were going at once. I LOVED it as I could prepare the goodies,socialize, and keep an eye on a new baby at the same time. We shared a lot of laughs, philosphy of life, watching kids grow up, recipe sharing , trying out of recipes and tears in that kitchen for 10 wonderful years. That is one thing I miss the most in our move. Maggie and her family could not be packed up into our packing boxes and moved with us. We keep hoping that they will come visit someday as I have a big old kitchen just waiting for some talking with Maggie time. Doing it on the phone is not really the same.

The kitchen table is a place to gather, to nourish all of yourself - not just the stomach, but also the soul. To share the ups and downs of everyday life. To laugh, cry, play games at. Cherish your kitchen table time.

Soooo.......my hope for this little blog is to share all those wonderful kitchen table moments with friends and family. Where we can spend time "around the table" , sharing stories, recipes, jokes, helpful hints....whatever comes to mind.

Come on in to the kitchen, pull up a chair and sit awhile. Come back often as I plan on adding more goodies to this little blog spot.