How many ways can you think of...

to get out of a dentist appointment? I have my six month check-up today. I expect I'll be no worse for the wear when it's over and done with, but MERCY. I have gone through two c-sections, one with 15 hours of natural labor, had my house broken into while I was in it, and many other things that would knock the fear of God into people but nothing strikes freaked-out fear into me like going to the dentist. At this point, Maury, Tyra, Oprah or Dr. Phil would ask, "Did something happen to you when you were younger that might have caused this fear"? Um, YES. My dentist was pure, unadulterated evil. Ok, maybe not evil, but he was nearly blind, and let's just say everytime he would use the Grim Reaper Tool (that hook looking thing that is most definitely formed from the bowels of Hell) he would miss. HE WOULD MISS. And subsequently get my gum tissue. Awesome. Thanks, Dr. Doom who forever formed my terror of dentists.

So. Six months ago I finally went to the dentist after a VERY long absence. I paid the price too, with needing some dental work that was long overdue. However, Dr.Doom did NOT do the work. I had the most funny, the most gentle, and the cutest little dentist (I can say cute--even if I'm happily married, right)? I didn't allow the use of said Grim Reaper Tool and things went much smoother, even though I did sit there for five and a half hours.

Today is my check-up. Will not do the flouride treatment. Would rather have my eyeballs licked out by kittens. Hate it. Will not allow the Grim Reaper Tool. So what we have here is me, the freaked-out patient who dictates how they're going to do my treatment and the cute Saudi dentist who puts up with me for Lord knows what reason. I've been trying to think up ways for the past few days to get out of it. However, I know what comes from that: those blessed five and a half hours in the chair. Rock on. I guess I'll just put on those gawgeous plastic glasses and lay back and watch Maury while they whittle away with some awful tooth polish flavor at my teeth. Awesome.

Thoughts for the day...

Not much to blog about today, so I thought I'd just write my random thoughts...

1. There is something incredibly refreshing about hearing a three year old sing "You Are My Sunshine" at the tippy-top of his little lungs during the school Spring program. I love that kid--any kid--who steps out of bounds and truly projects his whole soul into something like that.

2. There is also something refreshing about HAVING a kid like that--our Aiden--who rocked our faces off with his rendition of "Rockin' Robin" with his white sunglasses and inflatable guitar during his classes' performance...

3. Wouldn't an inflatable guitar truly be considered an "Air Guitar"? Discuss...

4. I am on an organizing kick. So far, it's a slow process...

5. My current favorite character on tv is Bethenny from the Real Housewives of New York City. How funny is she?! Cracks me up. Every time.

6. Why is it, that at 33 years old, I am still getting zits? Can someone please explain this to me? All I know is that we, as teenagers, were LIED to in Health Class when they told us, "Oh, breakouts stop around 19 years old". Hello, LIAR. And there's only so much Extra-Strength Neutrogena face wash one can absorb through the skin in a day before our Blood Alcohol Level starts rising uncontrollably...

7. Land of The Lost comes out on June 5th. That's the night of brother-in-law's rehearsal dinner. There's a movie theater right next to the restaurant. Five bucks says I'll be enjoying my salmon sitting in a Regal Cinema enjoying Will Ferrell battle the SleeStacks. Don't judge--it was my FAVORITE show when I was little and 27 years is a LONG time to wait for a movie to come out...now all I need are The Jetsons 40 feet tall and I'll be fine as wine...

Off to get The Girl off the bus...enjoy your Wednesday!

Consider it a vent...

I've had two experiences with vents in the last week. The first occurred when my grandma's wedding ring, which I wear with mine, plinked, plinked, plinked from the top of my jewelry chest onto the floor, then plinked, plinked, plinked DOWN THE AIR VENT. Here's what followed:

1. Panic.
2. Panic.
3. Absolute PANIC.
4. Mike, Sweet Hubby, arrives.
5. Children scatter on a mission to find every single flashlight we own.
6. Mike puts his hand down the vent and announces that he's got a penny.
7. Fabulous. We're wealthy now!
8. Instead of said penny, Mike pulls out Helen's wedding ring.
9. JOY, ELATION, SCREAMING, and Bursting into tears.
10. Return to calm, and sending many prayers of gratitude upwards.

Here's the other vent:

Everyone has people in their lives who are rude, inappropriate, and just plain mean. They revel in getting in little digs here and there and just genuinely being nasty. I have one of those people. I have the esteemed pleasure or spending time with this person in regular occurrences. It's AWESOME. Sarcasm, anyone?

I'm learning how to deal with this person. It's not easy to say the very least. Frankly, it's miserable. But, I also know that I'm the better person for not absolutely having a down home conniption. What I need to do, it to pray more. Pray for patience and strength. And grace. And that that person might have the opportunity to move. Very, very far away. Is that bad? Hmmm...I'll just stick to grace and strength and patience...

Ok, 'fess up...

Someone's been here. Ok, a FEW people have visited but THIS particular person is in my Feed-It as being in Roanoke, Virginia. ROANOKE, people. Ring a bell? MY HOMETOWN! I fully expect a comment from said person...whoever you may be! ;)

This morning merrly rolled along until I went to stretch. Seven hours later, here I sit, a heating pad wrapped around my poor neck. About once a year, I tweak my neck. It just so happens that this time, it's two days before Lindsay's (my soon to be sister-in-law) shower that I'm hosting. So tonight must be Mike's lucky night, because it's up to him to finish filling the 10 gift bags for each guest that has to be done tonight...lucky, lucky man!

Welcome to the zoo...

I have a sign in our hallwall leading from our front door that says just that, and it's very fitting. Especially lately. Life, in all it's glory has been an absolute ZOO. Last week was spring break for the kiddles--fantastic, wonderful Spring Break. Of course that doesn't mean the week slows dwon a great bit, just a wee bit. The activities still go on...

Monday: soccer
Tuesday: gymnastics
Wednesday: soccer AND gymnastics
Thursday: soccer
Friday: gymnastics
Saturday: TWO soccer matches

Madness. Add to that the trip I took back home on Friday to help my mom and dad with an estate sale from my grandfather's estate and the drive--normally 4 hours--took seven AND A HALF--by Saturday morning I was whooped. And just for the record, people who quibble over ten cents are wackadoodle. So from 8 am until 5 pm on Saturday, I was part of another zoo--only one that involved people who will literally buy ANYTHING if it's 25 cents or less.

So Sunday I drove back home, and yesterday morning the zoo was in full swing again--back to school, lunches to make, dinner to make (thank you Hubby for the new crock pot!), soccer,etc. This week I'm preparing the bridal tea I'm hosting for my to-be sister-in-law that will be held this Saturday. Mercy, heavens...life is kind of in free fall mode until school is out.

On top of THAT, and the wedding in June, I'm finishing up my first class and I'm trying to map out the next two years--classes to take, nursing schools to apply to...

OHHHH...and the BIG news that we're thinking (seriously) of applying for a job at the Embassy which would begin in three years in either Berlin or Paris...which would mean we'd take the zoo across the pond for three years...

And then we're thinking of putting our house on the market this summer...any takers? I can make sure the elephants are OUT of the backyard and the tigers mostly stay in the garage...

Holy Wookie Cookies Bat Man...

I made peanut butter cookies Sunday afternoon. Did you get that? I.MADE. Peanut Butter Cookies. While this will come as a surprise and a shock to the people who know me best, the rest of the world is left wondering, "Peanut Butter Cookies? Ok, so what"? So what. SO WHAT?!

I love, love, LURVE to bake. Only I don't do it all too terribly often because:
1. It's time consuming.
2. My children don't need any more sugar.
3. I will eat it. ALL. Whatever IT is, I WILL eat It.

However, I was in the mood for a little sweetie dish over the weekend and so Sunday afternoon, and when I found a VERY simple recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies, I decided it was high time for some artificial goodness in this house.

Oh.My.GAAAHHHHH. Seriously? The BEST FLOURLESS peanut butter cookies EVAH. I've included the recipe here because, honestly, if I can't share the fruits of my labor, what good am I? That, and they're gone now, and Mike, nor the kids ate the bulk of them. So if I have three extra pounds on my hips, then I just figure yall should too. Aiden told me, "These are not p.b. cookies, Mama. These are so good, they're what Chewbacca eats. You should call them Wookie Cookies". Hence, they became the Wookie Cookies. Enjoy. And just so you know, they'll rock your face off. You've been warned. If you do make them, let me know what you think!

Wookie Cookies
Makes: 2 Dozen Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 12 minutes Cool: 20 minutes

1 Cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 Cup of sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
parchment paper (I just sprayed my cookie sheet with Pam)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. (If you'd like to throw in some chocolate chips, do it now, to the tune of 1 cup).
2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool on a cookie sheet on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let cool 15 minutes.

Now, that's a little bit of Heaven right there...

Virginia Born and Bred!

I am a lucky girl. I am something like a seventh generation Virginian. My parents were born here, their parents and it just goes on and on. I have ancestors who fought in the Civil War. I have a great (x5) uncle who played for the Washington Senators waaaay back in the day (1905-1910). Apparently he was recruited by the Yankees but would not play for them, simply because his mama had a FIT when he talked of going to the "North". We won't speak of mama's boys at this juncture, but I understand her point. Up North is like an entirely different planet from Down Here. There are parts of it I LOVE and would move to in a heartbeat; anywhere around Boston, Lexington, Concord, et cetera is fantastic. I don't know what they would do with me and my crazy drawl that most times I manage to put a lid on!

See, in the South, we're taught to love our state--and just for the record, Virginia is NOT a state. It's a Commonwealth. I digress. It becomes part of who we are. We even have our very own little comment about it:
"To be a Virginian either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from Above."---Anonymous

I love my home. I love that within three hours you can be either in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in the nation's Capitol, or at the very center of the Civil War. It's remarkable, really. We have things that are truly ours--the pineapple for hospitality came directly from Colonial Williamsburg. Seven presidents. The ending of both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War happened right here. The Virginia Reel (had to learn it in middle school gym class). History comin out the wazoo. We even have our own STORE yall, and it's called Virginia Born and Bred. They're on the web if you want to check it out.

I wish that everyone could stand in the middle of Mabry Mill in the fall while the leaves are changing and just take in how breathtaking it is. I wish everyone could go to St. John's Church on Church Hill in Richmond and listen to Patrick Henry's speech, "Give me liberty, or give me death" where he orignally gave that speech. I wish everyone had the opportunity to walk the grounds of Arlington National Cemetary on Veteran's Day. Any day, it's moving, but Veteran's Day...that'll bring it home for you. I wish you could stand on the sand at Cape Henry where the settlers landed and planted a cross in the 1700s before the travelled to what would become Jamestown. Virginia is a remarkable place, and I and blessed to call it my home.