It's My Birthday!

Yes, I was keeping it low key, but it is...and many of you sent wonderful e-cards and notes. Thank you. I began the day on the scale. Would it be to much to ask to loose a lb on our birthday??? ::snort:: Ah well....it's bouncing between two numbers, so I suspect I lost .5 or maybe .3 of a lb this week. I may give in and get a digital scale with BIG numbers...because it is really, really hard for me to read those little lines early in the a.m.

OK to back up - I dreamed about toaster ovens last night. I'm resisting the temptation to go buy one - but the microwave is making ominous sounds. Who knows, maybe when it explodes, I'll replace it with a bright, shiny, BIG toaster oven. I wonder if they make self-timing toasters? Wouldn't it be wonderful to wake up with that yummy bread smell in the house, crisp toast ready to be slathered in butter and honey??? Hmmm...I must be grain deprived today - actually I TRIED to eat 10 - 12 servings of fruits/vegetables today...and I'm quite sure I'm both grain and protein deprived. Shoot - if I ever manage to eat that many servings of produce I won't be ABLE to eat anything else! I am STUFFED and I only managed 6 servings....tomorrow's another day. I was thinking the dietitian had to be wrong. Wouldn't you know I picked up an excerpt from Don Colbert's (md) new book "The 7 Pillars of Health" and he said that the USDA recommends 5 - 13 servings of produce a day! That seems to be a huge range to me.... OK now - obviously FOOD played a big part in my day - counting food. LOL I'm so stuffed I am not even going to be able to eat my chocolate covered almond - my treat for surviving each day....gotta have that dark chocolate! LOL

We got school done...in fact we started next week's.

I got phone calls from Mike, my folks, and the girls. The girls had all the Master's students sing happy birthday to me. It made me cry. I was glad to have someone sing to me. OH, Beverly (SHS) sent a hilarious birthday card....the cake was a big head of lettuce, turnips around the bottom and carrots for candles! Chris sent one with singing chins....::snort:: OK I'm not going to itemize each card - thanks ya'll....And um...the girls made my day by telling me they want to be like me....sort of...

Adrienne and Tricia came over with their children this afternoon. My children were in HEAVEN to be able to see their friends.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out where I'm supposed to put plumbing tape and wondering WHY there are no longer metal pipes...I really thought I needed to hit something with a wrench to make it all work....but nothing seems sturdy enough to give a good whack! ::snort::

Thus begins my 44th year!

Magic Bullet

Tricia and I played today. She had SEEN these before (because SHE watches TV ::snort::). It helped to have someone who knew what they do here to show me what to do.....

I'm thinking the Bosch will be best for making family smoothies and it is has a stronger motor...but this was GREAT for making a smoothie for Stacia and I this afternoon. Only thing I wasn't thrilled with was that they said to leave the leaves on the strawberries and I could TASTE them in that drink. We were going to make an energy drink for Adrienne (watermelon, pineapple, beet, CELERY and broccoli) but she showed up and told us she wasn't going to drink it. LOL

I tried to make some apple/grape juice but it made more of a sauce than juice..... Jen did you grind grain in this???? Because my mill is still being difficult and this may work until Mike gets home. Poor Mike, I'm going to have a wheelbarrow full of broken things for him to repair when he gets home....Maybe I'll make his homecoming real festive and wheel them all the airport. ::snort::

OK the photo below is TERRIBLE of me (didn't remember to SUCK IN...and all the junk in the background is usually under the sink that is now a flood zone...) but here you go proof that I am trying something NEW. LOL

PLUMBING UPDATE

ARGGGHHH!! I thought I had it fixed. The garbage disposal backed up, I turned it on, and stuff went EVERYWHERE.....flooded under there again.

Soooo.....Jamin dragged himself away from his books (he asked me tonight if I thought 4 hours a day working on his biography of Churchill was enough? ::snort:: I suggested an hour a day from here on out), and gave the plumbing a shot. I thought he could get it tighter. He did....but it still leaks....though after I was done with it it was exploding and spraying. ::snort::

We found some tape but we aren't sure what we're supposed to tape. I called the home warranty spot and both the sink and the garbage disposal are covered. I really think it's the O ring thingy....guess I could try that tomorrow....anyway....both are covered under the home warranty and they'd love to send a plumber over.... Yeah - $60...and I'm sure I'll be able to fix this eventually! ::snort::

I thought it hilarious that Stacia had to get right in the middle of things and offer advice....notice the hand on the hip stance....

Preschoolers and Babies in School

I'm often asked, "What do you do with preschoolers and babies during homeschool?"

Mine most often wander in and out of our school sessions. Today they were both content to sit as we read about honey bees and white seals (Jungle Book). They hopped down and went to play while we finished up a few details. We heard CRYING....Stacia came running and her mouth, tongue, teeth were blue and black....Zander had no idea what happened.

"She was sitting in the blanket and started screaming."

We explored. Ah...nestled in the blanket was one of those "Color explosion" Crayola notebooks. AND the corners were soggy with dyes smeared and running everywhere. They are black and the kids etch out a design - colors show under the black....evidently it does NOT make a good teether. Unfortunately, we didn't think about snapping a photo until we'd figured out what was going on and by that time she'd managed to spit and wipe most the ink off.

I was thinking early this a.m., when I heard Stacia up and out of her bed, that it is proving IMPOSSIBLE to Stacia proof. As much as I child proof - she's STILL climbing to the top of the counters etc.

De the Plumber

In an ironic twist this is the first photo taken (by Arielle) since I fixed the camera....and it's me attempting to fix the plumbing. ::snort:: Arielle and I decided to go on a hunt for the camera manual. We checked the manual/warranty file...not there. We checked Mike's night stand...not there. I then went online. I had located the online spot for manuals for D-70's.....when Arielle found the manual - in the camera bag! ::snort:: It works.

I'm determined NOT to call a plumber. I can see what's wrong. I turned the little collar thing. Then somehow knocked it loose so there was water and gunk everywhere. I put it back together and turned the collar as hard as I can and it still is leaking. I'm letting it "rest" while I contemplate the next step. I will NOT call the plumber when I can SEE what needs to happen. I think I may take it apart this afternoon and go to Lowes. We'll see....

Tuesday

*Just caught that I had titled this Wed. as I went to publish it. That about sums up my day. ::snort::

~The day began with a few phone calls, pancakes and smoothies for the children and a workout. I used the video today and did all 3 sections of the step workout - soon I'll buy a step. When my heart rate dips below the range it should be in. ::snort::

~I GOT COUCH SCHOOL DONE TODAY!!!!

~The highlight of our day today was our twice a year visit to our dentist. After a rocky start with dentists in this town, we found one we love. Thanks Adrienne. I'd actually never seen the dentist until today, but he does seem nice. What makes this office great for us is Gena, the hygienist. She has a box of toys in her room and invites everyone to come play while she works on us. The office will let us all come in at once. She's very laid back. She talks with some children while she works on one. LOL She asked me if I'd had Zander's IQ tested. She also said she thinks he's going to be an engineer. Why? Because he had to touch every inch of the room, including the chair, the tools, the sinks etc. He also asked her repeatedly, "how does that work?" She kept asking if he would sit in her chair and he insisted he wouldn't. Stacia, meanwhile, climbed all over the chair. She was in that thing the minute one of the other children would step out. She even showed her teeth off to both Gena and Dr. S. She had no CLUE she was supposed to fear a dentist...just watched everyone else doing and figured she ought to as well. I was sad not to have the camera.....but maybe next time.

I asked for her not to give the children fluoride today. I'm not sure about the whole fluoride thing and want to research.....she said that I shouldn't have it because of my thyroid. I had my book with me. I'm amazed at the info that providers share when they see that you are interested. Fluoride used to be (may still be?) used to treat hyperthyroidism...it depresses the function of the thyroid. A person who is hypothyroid does not need this. NOW - I have no idea how MUCH fluoride you would need etc. but it was interesting to me...and I hate the stuff in my mouth anyway! ::snort::

I have a filling that will need replaced. Everyone else was fine. As we were getting ready to leave Zander said, "How bout you do me now?" I was SHOCKED. He climbed up and let Gena look at his teeth. She actually cleaned them. Then, did the polish - flavored but they had no other. They found a cavity on a back molar. She said that it will be a while before they want to try filling a cavity with him....really this is the FIRST time he's EVER opened his mouth. Last time he sat in the chair but wouldn't open his mouth. In AK he wouldn't even sit in the chair.... They want me to paint fluoride on his tooth every night.....with a q-tip. I'm a bit worried as the only fluoride they had was flavored.....but I guess if he doesn't swallow it, we may be o.k. We'll have to see what happens. I asked about ACT but 1. it's colored and 2. it's not as strong as what they gave me.....I need to pray this one through tonight.

~The "lowlight" of my day is that my kitchen sink is leaking. I will tackle plumbing 101 in the next day or two.

~Tonight in Bible Study we covered an entire book of the Bible. I told the ladies we are getting GOOD. We covered 2 John. LOL

Tortellini Chowder from Emily (adaptions by me LOL)

4 cups of chicken broth (if you've not made your own broth - try it - things taste SO much better!)

1 1/2 cups thick n chunky mild salsa

approx 18 ounces of refrigerated tortellini (4 - 5 cups)

dash salt

1 pound of frozen vegetable - Bird's Eye corn, broccoli and red pepper (I used about 5 cups of mixed, fresh veggies)

1 small can of evaporated milk (I used cream - because I don't have the other, would be less fat with different milk option - but it was GOOD! ::snort::)

parsley or cilantro for garnish

Combine broth and salsa. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in tortellini and vegetables. Cook over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until tortellini and vegetable are tender (takes a bit longer with fresh veggies). Stir in milk and salt. Cook 1 -2 minutes or just until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. DO NOT LET IT BOIL. Serve, garnish with parsley or cilantro.

My littles didn't eat this, but the olders and I liked it. I liked it well enough to have a mug of it for my "evening snack" though I was NOT hungry at all. {sigh}

For pictures visit Emily's blog and click recipes in the side bar (Maybe I should just steal photos of Emily's family until I get my Nikon fixed...nah ya'll might notice LOL)