Feels like SPRING

A couple of days ago it was sunny here. And no, it wasn't a dream. I felt the warmth on my face, even had to shed my jacket - not something I do lightly. I know for sure the sun was out because my solar-powered husband was outside all day working on fence lines. And, man, was he happy when he came back in all dirty and sweaty with blisters on his hands. That man loves his sunshine. He'd work outside all day long as happy as a clam - as long as the sun is out. Even the horses were all full of themselves (and spring fever) with all the sunhsine warming them up. They seemed to work in shifts - one half sprinting around and bucking while the other half lay like dead, bloated versions of themselves soaking in the sun. I took one that doesn't mind being out on his own on a little ride and it was a rodeo just getting him to the street. He pretty much pranced the whole time we were out too - because I wouldn't let him run.

We have the horses separated into two pastures. The biggest of the beasts (an almost seventeen-hand Tennessee Walker), however, feels no need to be restricted by fences and squeezes himself through one section of fence that doesn't have a middle rail almost daily. I had never seen him do it, but that's the only possible way, short of jumping an incredible height, for him to get back and forth.

Anytime we ride out from the house all the horses remaining run along the fence line to the end of the property, just in case we never bring their friends back, I guess. So when my furry friend and I were riding on this very warm day I wasn't surprised when all of the horses in the east pasture came running to see us off. Then I heard the strangest noise. It took me a second to get what it was - heavy duty vinyl . . .bending. First I thought it was Tyler since he was working on the fences. But as I turned toward the sound I watched the last half of the monstrous Tennessee Walker squeeze through the fence and bolt across the pasture at lightening speed whinnying the whole time. A.) So cute. B.) So very him. C.) So Spring Fever. At least now I know exactly how he gets back and forth, not that it means the problem will be remedied, nothing will change until McTyler gets another sunny day off. It was nice to have my suspicions affirmed though.

Who Needs Directions - it's a POPTART!

So, one part of the New Year's Resolutions that I officially didn't make was to only shop for groceries once a week. (Oxen and mire notwithstanding) The theory is that in so doing I will a.) be more organized - have a weekly game plan for meals, etc.; b.) save money due to 'a'; c.) save time; and d.) eliminate unnecessary mental anguish caused by taking children to the store. (Please see this post if you need concrete examples of said anguish.) AND, so far, it's working brilliantly. (toot, toot! That's my horn . . .) The one drawback seems to be the brutal amount of time I actually spend in the blasted grocery store when I DO go, and the fact that I seem to pick the busiest times to do my shopping. I know I should just abort the mission when the only parking spaces left are closer to the other stores around than they are to the one I'm headed to. Unfortunately doing things the easy way (should read 'the sensible way') has never been my forte.


Last week I was in line long enough to have obtained my fill of headlines from the 'Enquirer' to 'Outdoor Living' and I still hadn't made it past the candy. What else could I do but peruse the shopping carts around me to see what everyone else was buying. Now, I would be quite horrified to be subjected to this same scrutiny myself. That said, the cart peeping was SO amusing I might never have to read magazines in line again. I saw some things that have always made me ask, 'who buys that?' . . . and now I know. A LOT of people buy a LOT of ridiculous products, and not that I think anyone reading this is one of those people, but I have to ask? Why would you buy. . .

• Cinnamon Sugar? There's no secret ingredient here, folks. It's just Cinnamon. And Sugar. You can't go wrong when you mix it up, in fact , you can make it to your preference! Wow. If you're buying it for the cute shaker jar, you are totally forgiven for the 'cuteness exception'. Just don't do it again.
  


• Peanut Butter and Jelly . . . in the same Jar. Really? Have so little space you don't have room for two jars? PB&J too labor intensive when you have to get TWO jars out? Do you refrigerate it when it's open, for the jelly, or put it in the pantry where the peanut butter BELONGS? Does it make you kind of gag when the two get all smeared together inside the jar? What if you want another flavor of jam?
  


• 'Easy Mac and Cheese'. As if the regular box of Mac and Cheese wasn't easy (and yucky) enough. I feel the same way about this little Mac & Cheese innovation (if you will) as I do about Pop Tarts not only having toaster directions, but MICROWAVE directions. If you don't have enough time to make a box of that dehydrated cheesy goodness on the stove (or to pop a pop tart in the toaster), perhaps it's time to reevaluate some life choices, huh?


• Disposable Toilet Wands. A.) Seriously, get a pair of gloves and a sponge. That's the only way to get it clean anyway. B.) Get over it! C.) Try to save the environment a little bit while you're at it.


• Pre-made, pre-portioned Cookie Dough. Sometimes it's nice to take the shortcut, I get that. BUT isn't it easy enough to spoon/cut/whatever the dough out of the little tube? Do we have to have the dough already portioned for us? Is there really some way to mess up the process? So, so sad.


• Lunchables. First, ewww. Have you seen the 'pizza' ones? Just looking at them is enough to send my gag reflex into overdrive. I wish I could say I had never bought one of these sorry excuses for a lunch, but whiny kids will make you do crazy things. Bottom line (pizza lunchables excluded): cheese. crackers. lunch meat. in a TON of packaging. Not. Rocket. Science. Amen.

Hmm, you get the idea. Thank goodness no one was keeping track of how many bags of Chocolate Chips were in my cart.

My life. . . streamlined

I pretty much balk at the idea of New Year's Resolutions, always have. This year, however, I just had too many things bugging me (I know, me, bugged, who would have guessed) to NOT make some changes. I'm not saying I got all official and laminated a list or anything. It's all floating around in my noggin, and there it will stay. One thing I will say is that I'm trying to simplify in many ways. In that spirit of thrift I thought of the Strunk and White mantra "omit needless words". Taking those words totally out of context I wandered very stream-of-consciousness-like to thinking about how much time I waste in the copious amounts of text floating around the web. Then, for a fraction of a second I considered checking out of the blog-o-sphere altogether and imagined HOW much time I would have to do. . . well, anything else. Good thing I didn't entertain that idea for long; because if there's one thing I learned from the very first journal I ever kept, it's that writing is cleansing. Doesn't matter if I'm babbling (kind of like now) to myself and breaking every language usage rule there is. It clears my head, period. So, with THAT explanation out of the way I thought I'd share with you a few of the other streamlining ideas I rejected.
I was thinking. . .

• hairless cat? (and shave the dogs, and the kids for that matter)
• make the kids' socks out of swiffer sheets? (if only I could really sew)
• throw kids' dirty clothes in the tub with them?
• read kids whatever book I'm reading to myself?
• don't sleep?
• stop wearing makeup?
• use paper plates?
• maid? (was sure that one was a keeper. . .)
• feed the kids cereal for every meal?
• move the chickens to the basement? (saving in SO many ways there)
• leave hay barn open so horses can help themselves?
• stop answering the phone?
• don't exercise. . .or work. . .or shop?
• toilet train cat and leave dogs outside?
• boarding school?

I could go on all night, but that would be wasting valuable time.

The Mom Song

I must be stuck in those late winter doldrums (which is a complete 'mom word' by the way. . . and because it is, it is so very fitting for this post. Alas, I digress.) because I simply haven't had much to say now for days on end. I still don't, even though the sun is out. Maybe it's because the Cardinals lost. Maybe it's because I'm trying to budget - which I hate. Maybe it's because I've had a stupid tennis elbow for months now. . . and I don't play tennis. (And there's a story for you there too. . .) Maybe it's because Grey caught the tail-end of Walker, Texas Ranger today and has a new hero. ('Mom, I'm Walker, Texas Stranger and I just shot a guy in the bum!' Lovely, no?) I don't know. But I DO know that when my brother emailed me this video clip I laughed out loud. So, if you're feeling 'oogy' (can you match that term with it's movie of origin?) you should watch this video. If you're not, watch the news and then come back.
AND, since I can't seem to figure out how to change playlist back to manual start, you'll want to pause that little gadget. So much work. Ever so sorry.