Chapter Four

LEGO Store Grand Opening

2009-07-17T14:59:00.009-05:00

When Billy and I visited North Park Center last Sunday afternoon, we saw a sign advertising the grand opening of the new LEGO store for this weekend, complete with a Master Builder who, with the help of kids, will build an 8-foot Yoda. The festivities started this morning at 11:00 and will run through Sunday evening at 6:00.

I thought this would be something the boys would really enjoy. They've been excited about the new LEGO store ever since I told them about it and brought them home a catalog a few weeks ago. (The store has been open a few weeks, but this is its "official" grand opening weekend...)

After the boys' dental cleanings, we headed south to the mall for lunch (Panda Express) and LEGO fun. Apparently a few hundred other parents who weren't working today decided to do the same thing. We ate lunch early, thus avoiding crowds. But there was nothing but crowds for the LEGO goings-on.

This is a view from above of the LEGO building area.

After looking things over from above, we decided the line to help with the build wasn't very long. One of the LEGO store employees was attempting to entertain people waiting in line. We heard her telling someone else that the line to build was 30 minutes or less, so we decided that would be okay. We only waited for a short 15 minutes or so before the boys got to the LEGO tables where they were instructed to each build a big block, which helps form Yoda's outer cloak.

Building their blocks.

After they turned in their blocks, they were "rewarded" with a slip of paper to exchange for a signed certificate signifying they had participated with the LEGO Master Builder in a big build. I figured my pictures are certificate enough for us. I don't need any more pieces of paper laying around. They also each got a LEGO catalog, and I got a coupon for $5 off a $35 purchase - good for today only.

We weren't able to get in the store, though, unless we waited in a serpentine line that wound its way back and forth in the center of the mall. Rumor had it that the wait was 2+ hours. No thank you! I should have given the coupon back - or away - because a mere $5 discount is not anywhere close to being enough to entice me to stand in line with two impatient boys for that length of time. If it was for something free, I'd consider it, but I still wouldn't make any promises.

The line to get into the LEGO store had about a 2-hour wait.

The boys were worried that there's always a line to get into the store, but I told them there's not. Billy and I were able to walk right in when we went - on a Sunday afternoon, no less.

Jacob announced he wants to go back tomorrow, but I vetoed that pretty quickly. I explained how there is certain to be an even bigger crowd and a longer wait tomorrow and Sunday because of the number of parents who don't have to work weekends. I can't imagine what the wait will be like tomorrow!

I reassured the boys that we'll go back Tuesday after Caleb's dental work is done so they can actually go into the store and not have to be satisfied with merely looking at a small window display.

Hopefully the giant Yoda will still be on display. I know the boys would love to see it completed.

The Yoda in the center is a 3-foot replica of the big build.

Jacob has been looking through the catalog and counting money from his piggy bank, already planning what he's going to buy.

Jacob Said

2009-07-13T10:57:00.002-05:00

The other day we headed out in the heat to run a few quick errands. The guy on the radio was giving a weather update: "Right now, 100; 80 tonight..."

Jacob asked incredulously, "180 degrees tonight?"

-------------------------------

Later as we were heading to a gas station, which had the cheapest I'd seen (at $2.28/gal.), he looked on a hill to our right and said, "Look! There's a golf course."

I chuckled and said, "No, that's a cemetery."

He thought for a few seconds and asked, "What do we do there?"

Noisy

2009-06-23T10:21:00.004-05:00

NHRA Drag Racing at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, September 2008.

For more interpretations of noisy, check out Photo Friday.

The (Not-So) Incredible Pizza Company

2009-06-19T21:48:00.005-05:00

The Incredible Pizza Company has been in our city for almost a year now. We've been wanting to go, but never found the right time or opportunity. Since the boys did so well at their swimming lessons this year, we decided a treat was in order - a trip to The Incredible Pizza Company!

We got there shortly after 6 p.m., and it wasn't crowded at all. It looked like a nice place. Then things started going downhill rather quickly.

The Cost
To get in, you have to buy the buffet meal. You can't just go in to play the games. The buffet charge for adults is $8.49; children in the "upper range" are $6.49 each. I don't recall the prices for younger children. It cost us nearly $40 just for the buffet!

The Game Cards
The boys read enough books/hours through the Mesquite public library's reading program to meet the requirements for each of them to get a free $5 game card there. When we got the cards from the library, the expiration dates had been marked through. When I handed them to the cashier, she almost didn't honor them because she couldn't read the date. I told her we had gotten them from the library that day and they were already marked through. She reluctantly gave us the two game cards. She also couldn't tell us how much the games cost, but she did say we could purchase additional game cards later. After that, we decided we'd check things over before adding any more to the ones we already had.

The Buffet
Their claim:"We make over 30 different varieties of pizza each day, with three different crusts – from original to lavosh, to deep pan!" (from their website)

The good news: Their pizza is good.

The reality: Once we found the plates, napkins, and forks, we wandered over to a rather large-looking buffet area - only to be extremely disappointed to find just a handful of pizzas there. There are two round buffet tables for pizzas. Only one was used the 2 hours we were there, even when we were leaving and the line to get in was about 10-15 people long. And this was on a Friday night!

When Caleb and I made our second trip for pizza, there were only 4 on the whole buffet. Billy went up shortly after we got back and said they had just put out one fresh pizza. When I made my third trip (Yes, I know - but I was going to eat my money's worth after paying that much!), there still wasn't much to choose from - maybe 4 different varieties. The 5 or 6 other people in line didn't look happy with the slim selection, either.

The selection of desserts was more varied than the pizza. They had cherry and peach cobblers; cinnamon rolls; and chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal cookie pizzas. I didn't try any of them, so I'm not sure of the quality, but the boys really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls.

They also have a salad bar (which I didn't spend any time at), pasta, and baked potatoes. Jacob liked the spaghetti.

The Dining Rooms
There were a few different themed dining rooms to choose from. One of the larger ones was reserved for a party, so we ate in the 50's style diner. There were 3 or 4 families eating in there, but nearly all the tables were littered with leftover plates, cups, and trash. Billy counted 26 dirty tables. We managed to find a clean one, though we should've gone to a different room. No one came in to clean the tables off until we were nearly finished eating, and they were really slow about it.

As we walked around to the games area, we saw several smaller private party rooms. Some were reserved; others were dark.

The Games
Their claim: The signs on the outside of the building read: "Golf", "Bowling", "Go-Karts", and "Fairgrounds" (and "Buffet").

The reality: The golf, as expected, is mini-golf. I'm not sure how many holes it had, but it's a glow-in-the-dark theme. It looked okay, but one round for the boys would've taken almost all of their $5 game cards. And if you wanted to play, you had to find the go-kart track worker to get balls and clubs.

The bowling claim is very misleading. What we found were about 4 or 5 mini-bowl lanes that used small wooden balls. I had taken socks for us in case we needed to use bowling shoes, but they aren't required for mini-bowling. The cost was $2.50 for a 5-frame game. We skipped it. (Their website does note that not all locations have the regular bowling lanes. We've got 2 games of "free" bowling every day until Oct. 31, so that wasn't too big a deal for the boys.)

The go-karts were what had the boys' interest, but they don't meet the requirements for driving them. Caleb is tall enough to drive the slower cars, but Jacob isn't. He'd have to ride in a slower car with Billy or me. Also, you can't wear sandals or flip-flops to drive or ride, so we wouldn't have been able to do it anyway. The cost was $4.50, which would've taken nearly all the boys' "money".

They also had some bumper cars, which looked like it would've been fun had they been working. The area was dark and there was no indication that you could even ride on them.

Their "Fairgrounds" is like a smaller version of Chuck E. Cheese's. Most of the games would scan the game cards, but some were token games only. Most of the games spit out tickets to redeem for "prizes". What I found disturbing is the games are not the same price and can vary from $.35 (the least expensive) to $3.00, maybe more. When I first saw the 35-cent games, I knew the boys were going to end up with money left over on their cards (which have a note on the back to keep them because they can be reloaded).

Billy went around with Caleb, who spent most of his game card on driving games, which didn't give tickets. Those cost $1.10 or more. He ended up with $.75 left, so he played a few ticket games. He got to spend his 14 tickets (rounded up to 20) on two finger cuffs.

I went around with Jacob, who spent most of his game card playing 35-cent skee ball. He ventured out and played a few quick-response type games, but he always made his way back to skee ball. He never played anything that cost more than 35 cents. There were a few token-only games he wanted to play, but we didn't have any. It was only after we finished playing our games that I noticed a machine where you could scan your card for tokens. I don't remember how many tokens $1 would get you. Jacob had accumulated 78 tickets, which they rounded to 80. He chose two sets of vampire teeth, a bouncy ball, and a mini frisbee.

The boys had a combined total of 15 cents left on their game cards, which is better than I had expected. I can overlook 15 cents.

The Verdict
We won't be going back. We felt it was a total rip-off, especially when you can get more for less elsewhere. And not once during our entire time there did any employee approach us to see if we were satisfied with things or ask if we were having fun. As we were on our way out, we had to walk around a group of employees who were standing around in the game area, laughing and completely oblivious to everyone around them. No one spoke to us as we left, no "Thank you!" or "Come again!"

If you want a good buffet, I'd recommend Cici's Pizza. They have a large selection of pizza to choose from, and the employees are always friendly and go out of their way to make sure you have a good experience there. They check to see if your favorite pizza is on the buffet. If it's not, they'll immediately request it for you and even bring several slices to your table as soon as it's ready. It's very affordable. The price of an adult buffet is $4.99, not including a soft drink. Kids's prices are $1.99, and it's free for ages 3 and under. They always thank you for coming when you leave. (See my comparison of Cici's Pizza and Pizza Inn here.)

If you want decent pizza and games, I'd recommend Chuck E. Cheese's. Yes, it's loud and kids are running around all over the place, but the all the games use tokens and you don't end up with leftovers you couldn't use. The games give more tickets, so the kids can get more "prizes", but the prizes at both are comparable.

If you want good bowling, go to a bowling alley. Plano Super Bowl is good. I don't know how much games are, but everything is electronic - even the gutter guards. Shoe rentals are $3.75, which seems steep to me. If you're going to bowl often, buy your own shoes at Academy or Dick's Sporting Goods. (I don't recommend that for children whose feet will outgrow them in a season, but it's perfect for adults!)

If you want mini-golf and go-karts, go to Celebration Station. You get more holes of golf and the go-kart track is longer. Some even have bumper boats, batting cages, and arcade games. Yes, it's outdoors, but if you go in the evenings, it's bearable. Or you can just go during the cooler months.

If you've been to The Incredible Pizza Company and had a great experience, I'd love to hear about it. I'd hate to think they're the same all over. And if you know of other fun pizza/game or golf/go-kart places in the DFW area, please share!

Benches

2009-06-07T17:39:00.016-05:00

The second photography assignment I gave myself at the Arboretum was benches. There are benches everywhere, and I know I would've gotten several more shots if we had ventured farther than we did. But we were limited on time and Jacob's first stop had to be the Texas Discovery Gardens. No water walls for me...

I took one picture that I thought would be near perfect, but I forgot to check my settings - and check the image right after I took it. It was too dark. I'll play around with Photoshop and see if I can salvage it. Otherwise, I'll have to find it again next time we visit.

Circles

2009-06-05T08:40:00.015-05:00

My friend Laura is a great photographer and has inspired me to take better photos. While reading her blog one day, I came across a link to a photography site about giving yourself a photography assignment when you go somewhere for the umpteenth time. We go to the zoo and the Arboretum frequently, but how many pictures can you take of the same thing? I was inspired!

Jacob and I went to the Arboretum yesterday and I was excited to take on my assignment of photographing circles, the idea suggested in the blog article I had read. Here are a some of the circles I found.

Hydrangeas are almost circular...

While I was there, I found something else to serve as a photography assignment. Those are coming soon... :o)

Metal

2009-06-05T07:57:00.008-05:00

seat of an old plow, Dallas Arboretum
This is one of the shots from my Circles photo assignment.

See more "Metal" at Photo Friday.

Pizza Inn vs. Cici's Pizza

2009-06-04T17:51:00.002-05:00

Jacob and I ate lunch today at Pizza Inn. We were on our way to the Arboretum and Cici's was the other direction, so we stopped in. After I ate my first few bites of pizza, I decided Cici's is the better choice.

1. Cici's has more pizza choices on the buffet. Not only do they have more space for it, they put out a lot of different varieties.

2. You can request special pizzas at Cici's; Pizza Inn has certain varieties they keep putting out. Several times I've been to Cici's, I've requested a veggie pizza. Caleb always wants Alfredo cheese pizza, and if there's not one already on the buffet, they get it right out. Pizza Inn's standards are hamburger; pepperoni; sausage, peppers, and onions (which was pretty good); buffalo chicken; ham (which looked really greasy); pepperoni & jalapeno; and a supreme with pepperoni, sausage or hamburger, onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, and green and black olives.

3. Cici's has better dessert options. They always have the apple pizza and the brownies on the buffet. Pizza Inn had a tasty cinnamon crunch type dessert as a standard, then they varied between a Bavarian cream pizza and one with cherry topping. Neither one looked very appetizing.

4. Cici's is slightly less expensive. The boys and I can eat there for $11 or so; Jacob and I ate at Pizza Inn for nearly $10.

5. Cici's pizza tastes better.

Pizza Inn did have a few things in its favor.

1. The salad bar was better. They have the build-your-own kind, whereas Cici's has two kinds of salad already prepared. Well, three if you count the pasta salad.

2. Pizza Inn's pasta bar gives you a choice between sauce or meatsauce. Cici's only has sauce. I've never gottent the pasta at either place, so I can't vouch for taste.

Jacob said he prefers Pizza Inn, but I think that's just because it was new and he was disappointed with the games the last time he went to Cici's. I definitely prefer Cici's, and since I'm driving and buying, that's where we'll be going from now on.

Two Healthy Boys

2009-05-28T15:04:00.002-05:00

I took the boys in today for their annual wellness check-up. They were caught up on their shots and everything looked great!

The only issue seems to be Caleb's vision, so I'll be making him an appointment to see an eye doctor sometime this summer. Based on the pediatrician's analysis, he may need glasses. He said that once before, though, and when I had Caleb checked out, his vision was fine. Still, since my vision isn't so great, it'll be good to have him checked.

When the appointment was over with, the nurse gave me a copy of the boys' shot records and growth charts. It's interesting to see how things have progressed in the 3 years they've been seeing Dr. Sonnen.

Caleb has gained 23 pounds over the last 3 years and has grown a little over 12 inches. He's currently in the 26% for weight (taking into consideration that a lot of kids are overweight and possibly skew the curve) and in the 50% for height.

Jacob has gained 12 pounds over the last 3 years and has grown 10 inches. He's in the 57% for weight, and has consistently dropped in the percentile every year. For height, he's in the 92%!

It's fun to see how they've grown! When you see them every day, you tend not to notice these things so much - just when the seasons change and their jeans don't fit anymore!

Menu Plan Monday #39

2009-05-19T10:33:00.002-05:00

Monday: Jacob's choice - ended up being scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast. (Billy took Caleb out to eat at Taco Bell, where they ended up getting pizza from Pizza Hut Express. Then they went out and bought us a Wii so we can all play Rock Band now that we're hooked!)

Tuesday: hamburger steak, potatoes, salad, and Banana Pudding Bites (a Sandra Lee recipe, which I will post on my recipe blog soon)

Wednesday: Asian Noodle Skillet (modified from a Pampered Chef recipe, which I will also post on my recipe blog soon)

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: pancakes & sausage

Saturday: grilled cheese sandwiches (Our small group meets at 7:00, so we'll need something quick.)

Sunday: ???

Menu Plan Monday #38

2009-04-20T10:42:00.004-05:00

I found an old list of mine that had favorite main dishes by category (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.). I used it often for a while, then I misplaced it and forgot about it. Now that I have it again, I want to revamp it, adding new things we like to eat and getting rid of the ones we don't like so much anymore. Something else I'd like to do with it is to separate the foods into fall/winter foods that use the oven and spring/summer foods that don't. I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but it'd be a great help!

Here's the plan for this week.

Monday: omelets
Tuesday: Shrimp Fried Rice
Wednesday: leftovers or grilled cheese sandwiches
Thursday: meatloaf, broccoli, corn-on-the-cob
Friday: leftovers (I have a cooking show that night, so I'll get to eat Pineapple Ham Hoagies!)
Saturday: sandwiches (Our new small group will be meeting for the first time!)
Sunday: sandwiches

For more weekly meal plans, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie".

Menu Plan Monday #37

2009-04-07T14:19:00.007-05:00

I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after a week off from cooking, then a busy - but fun! - weekend retreat. I haven't been to the grocery store in over a week...

Monday: soft tacos - There was quite a bit of taco meat and tortillas left over from the retreat, so Yi Li and I split it.

Tuesday: grilled cheese sandwiches, orange slices - I still haven't made it to the grocery store. I need one more day to recuperate...

Wednesday: homemade pizza

Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti, broccoli

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips, creamed corn, carrot sticks

Sunday: sandwiches

For nearly 400 other menu plans, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Extreme Closeup

2009-03-27T08:29:00.002-05:00

This is definitely an extreme closeup because I never get close to these things if I can help it!

It's been a long time since I've participated in Photo Friday assignment, and it's something I want to get back to doing each week. (Life must be slowing down a bit...) Check out their site for more extreme closeups. People have posted some amazing pictures!

I Love Mrs. Baird's... Bakery

2009-03-26T17:11:00.010-05:00

Earlier this month, our homeschool group took a field trip to Mrs. Baird's Bakery in Fort Worth.

After we were ushered into the classroom, our tour guide told us we were in for a real treat. The smaller bakery that offers tours was closed that day for unscheduled maintenance, so instead of rescheduling us, she decided to take us across the parking lot to the larger bakery. Score!

We watched a cartoon video about the history of Mrs. Baird's Bread and how the bread is made, then we put on hair nets and hard hats with earphones and walked next door.

The factory was loud, as was to be expected. We saw not only bread being made, baked, and cooled, but we also got to see icing being spread on top of cinnamon rolls and mini donuts traveling on conveyor belts, on their way to be smothered in powdered sugar or bathed in chocolate. We saw where their delicious honey buns are made, but they were finished with that for the day. We also got to see where the bread is sliced and packaged, but that was also temporarily shut down.

On our way out of the factory area, each of us was given a package of mini chocolate donuts and a honey bun.

Our next stop was a replica of Mrs. Baird's original kitchen, where she baked 4 loaves of bread at a time. For more information on Mrs. Baird's history, check out "Meet Mrs. Baird" on the company's website.

After our tour was over, we went back into the classroom and sampled some fresh, warm bread and butter. Mmmmm...

Down the street, there was a Mrs. Baird's Bakery Outlet where you can buy day old bread at half-price as well as other things made in the bakery. There's also an outlet near our library, so I think we'll go from time to time.

Unfortunately the Mrs. Baird's bread we've bought at local grocery stores gets hard after just a day or two. The boys eat sandwiches for lunch almost daily, so hard bread doesn't go over well. For Billy and the boys, I buy Sunbeam bread, which I've noticed stays soft for about a week. For myself, I do buy Mrs. Baird's Bread - the Honey 7 Grain variety, which has sunflower seeds and other goodies baked into it. One loaf will last me two weeks, though, since I only eat a half a sandwich for lunch almost daily. Yes, the bread gets a little dry after a while, but it doesn't seem to get as hard as the white bread. I'm happy with it.

We enjoyed the bakery tour and the boys have already said they're ready to go back. If you're interested in going, it's a great experience, but you have to request a reservation up to two weeks in advance. Small groups and families can probably get in easier than larger groups like ours. To schedule a tour, visit their website.

A few things we learned...

*The main ingredients in Mrs. Baird's Bread are flour, yeast, water, and milk.

*The factories run 24/7, with two days off each year - Thanksgiving and Christmas.

*Mrs. Baird's Bread can be found in TX and neighboring states, as well as MO.

*Wendy's restaurants are the largest local (DFW) consumer of Mrs. Baird's hamburger buns.

*The factory can bake 2,000 loaves of bread at once. The bread takes 20 minutes to bake and 2 hours to cool (if I remember correctly). We saw 20,000 loaves cooling on a rotating rack when we visited.

Menu Plan Monday #36

2009-03-24T18:15:00.003-05:00

I got busy yesterday and forgot to post!

Here's the plan for this week:

Monday: mac & cheese and hot dogs for the kiddoes (keeping 2 others); pot luck for Billy and me.

Tuesday: Italian Sausage Pasta

Wednesday: leftovers or sandwiches

Thursday: Mexican Chicken Casserole, Spanish Rice

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: OUT!

Sunday: OUT!

Next week will be our Spring Break, so I won't be cooking. I'll post another week's menus after that.

I'll be adding some more recipes to my recipe blog (Ashley's Cafe) soon! I've got Rum Pound Cake, Garlic Butter Shrimp, Italian Sausage Pasta, and Jambalaya. Maybe more!

Menu Plan Monday #35

2009-03-16T18:07:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know it's been a long time since I've posted a weekly menu plan. The last time was in October...

Here's what's on the menu for this week:

Monday: Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya and steamed broccoli

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: grilled cheese sandwiches and carrot sticks

Thursday: Garlic Butter Shrimp with Cracked Pepper, angel hair pasta, salad, garlic bread

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Garlic Bread Pizza

Sunday: sandwiches

Prohibition

2009-02-20T16:34:00.004-06:00

Since Jacob had his spacer put in, he's no longer allowed to have some of the treats he's always loved:
gum
gummy candy
Skittles
Mike & Ike
jelly beans
taffy
caramel
Starburst

I'm sure as we get more than three days away from when his spacer was put in (this past Tuesday), we'll find more tasty treats he's banned from for the next few years. I wasn't thinking this afternoon when we were eating popcorn. I need to ask if that's also taboo.

His spacer will remain until the permanent tooth underneath breaks through, and since he's only 6, it's looking like he'll not have those treats for maybe the next 6 years. Hopefully he won't have to wait that long, but there's no telling how slowly or quickly that tooth will come in. As an infant, his teeth came in all out of order. He got some of his molars before he cut all his incisors! Maybe he'll be pleasantly surprised in just two or three years.

Hopefully that's not one of the missing permanent teeth my mom's side of the family tends to have. I inherited that missing tooth gene and still have one baby tooth that is holding fast since there's no permanent tooth to push it out. Now that I think about it, it's the same tooth Jacob had pulled - just his is on the right and mine is on the left... I think we need to see some x-rays just to be sure.

A Few Things I've Learned

2009-02-20T07:27:00.002-06:00

1. Don't slip a Hershey Kiss (or any other kind of chocolate) into your pocket for just a second. You'll forget about it and end up with a huge melted mess.

2. Don't read a humorous book while you're brushing your teeth. That's just asking to choke or spray your toothpaste all over the place. Thankfully I was close to the sink and didn't have a mess.

If it's not one thing,...

2009-02-19T15:14:00.009-06:00

The last few weeks have been absolutely crazy! I'll begin at the beginning...

Crappy Birthday to You

Jacob turned 6 on February 6. It was supposed to have been his "Golden Birthday", as some call it. Not so much.

The Tuesday before, Caleb was sick, running a fever of 103. By the afternoon he was feeling better, but he was still running fever. Wednesday morning, he was feeling better but still running a low-grade fever, so we stayed home from our normal Wednesday errands. That evening, Jacob started complaining of being cold and not feeling well. I took his temperature and it registered 103, too. He still wasn't feeling well Thursday, and Caleb was still running a low-grade fever. My parents and sisters were supposed to come celebrate all the February birthdays with us, but we weren't sure what the boys had and didn't want to pass anything on to them, so they decided to put off the trip for another weekend.

Friday was Jacob's birthday. He was feeling better, and he was very thirsty from all the fever he'd had. I warned him to sip some water until he had eaten something, but his thirst was too great. He guzzled a few little glasses of water, then promptly threw it up all over the kitchen floor. While I got everything cleaned up, he munched on half a package of Saltines, washed down with a Capri-Sun since he refused to drink anymore water. After he got cleaned up, he stayed on the couch for an hour or so, then was up playing the rest of the day. That night we had tacos for his birthday supper and brownies and ice cream for dessert. It ended up not being such a bad day after all, though it didn't turn out anything like we had planned.

Take Two

Last week, on Wednesday afternoon, after a day of errands and playing in the park and eating free ice cream from Chick-Fil-A, Jacob started complaining of being cold and not feeling well. He felt hot, so I took his temperature. He was running a fever of 103.5! Billy's parents were supposed to be coming in the next day to celebrate Jacob's and Billy's birthdays. Not knowing what Jacob had, we weren't sure what to do. We hated to have two birthday weekends in a row canceled. I took him to the doctor the next morning to see if we could figure out what was going on. He tested negative for both the flu and strep. The next step was to swab his throat for a culture, which would take a few days to grow. (That came back negative as well.)

Billy's parents decided to come on, and Jacob ended up feeling well the rest of the weekend. Thankfully we were able to get some celebrating done. He would've been heartbroken if both weekends had been canceled.

Ruined Surprise

For weeks I had been planning on baking Billy a rum pound cake for his birthday. The last time I had made one for him was for his 22nd birthday. He's mentioned that cake several times in the past, but it's not the easiest cake to make. The three cups of sugar in it have to be mixed in one spoonful at a time, not to mention the slow process of mixing in small amounts of flour and milk, alternating every time. It wears my arms out! But since this was a special birthday, I figured I'd just go ahead and make it. I purchased all the ingredients I would need and hoped Billy wouldn't notice them. I just had to wait for the right moment.

My original plan was to make it on his actual birthday while he was at work. He'd be thrilled to walk in the door and smell it baking. When we found out which weekend his parents were coming, I decided to make it Thursday so we could have it for the whole weekend. Then Jacob was sick and I had to take him to the doctor and we didn't know what the plans were going to be until late that afternoon. I decided I would make it Friday as soon as he and his dad left for their outing to Fry's Electronics and Harbor Freight.

As soon as they left, I got busy getting my ingredients measured and ordered. I recruited Caleb to pour in the ingredients as needed so I could just mix, mix, mix and not have to stop for anything. I thought that would speed up the process, which had taken as long as an hour and a half before. Even with Caleb helping, my arms were getting tired. I stopped a time or two to rest for a minute, then we'd get back to it. I noticed my mixer was getting slower and slower, even as I increased it to its top speed. On my next break, I could smell something strange. I bent over the mixer, which was starting to feel hot, and realized the motor was about to burn up. No problem! I'd just run to the store and buy a new mixer. Easier said than done!

Billy's dad's truck was parked in the driveway right behind my van, and his mom didn't have a key with her. I was stuck. I thought about calling a friend to borrow a mixer, but we thought that would take too long, especially if I couldn't find anyone at home. We ended up having to call them to come home and move the truck so I could leave, and the only way to do that was to ruin the surprise. Billy was still surprised, but not in the way I had hoped.

Now that the hard part was over, all I had to do was run right out, buy a mixer, and finish making the cake. Again, easier said than done. The first place I went didn't have any mixers under $40, which I refuse to pay for something I rarely use. The next store I visited had one for $19, but they were out of stock. They say the third time is the charm, and in the third store, I found a mixer for $22. I bought it and rushed home, hoping the longer-than-anticipated time lapse hadn't hurt the cake.

As soon as I got home, Caleb and I got back to mixing. The new mixer was amazing, beating through the thick batter with ease on the lowest setting! We finished up quickly, and the cake was finally in the oven. A little more than an hour later, Billy and his dad returned. I was just drizzling on the glaze.

The cake turned out great! It was absolutely delicious and we enjoyed every last bite, finishing the last of it Tuesday night. And in the midst of all the drama, Billy's mom recalled having her mother's old stand mixer, which she's going to give me. I'll be making that cake more often now. :o)

Holding my Breath

Saturday morning, Billy's mom and I headed out to The Rock Barrell so she could pick out some beads for me to make her a few jewelry sets. On the way, we saw a nice Hummer H2 almost lose control as it tried to exit the HOV lane illegally. It got caught on the rather large lane divider bumps and started rocking back and forth, straddling two lanes. Then it veered toward the concrete divider separating the oncoming traffic as it crossed back into the HOV lane. I was fully anticipating witnessing a crash, but the driver got it back under control, slowed down momentarily, then sped off again.

As we were exiting the freeway, the man in front of us almost caused an accident by cutting across a few lanes of traffic so he could make a rather abrupt right turn. Horns were blowing (not mine) and tires were screeching (also not mine). Nothing happened other than there being a few more angry drivers on the road. We finally made it to the bead store without any other incidents.

After we left The Rock Barrell, we stopped in at Michael's for a few last things. When I started the van to leave Michael's, which is only a mile or so from the house, I heard a strange grinding noise. Not sure if it was real or imaginary, I turned off the van, then started it again. It sounded normal, so I pulled on out of my space. Then a little grinding started again, this time with some squeaking. I cautiously drove the short distance home, constantly monitoring the temperature gauge on the dash. It wasn't overheating, but when I started pulling into the garage, we could see steam or smoke of some sort rising from the hood. When we got out of the van, we could smell a strange burning smell. Billy checked it after the engine cooled down and said it probably had something to do with the coolant that had been leaking from the engine. It was now dripping steadily, making a large puddle on the garage floor. We didn't dare drive it anywhere for fear we would cause even more damage to the engine.

Monday morning, I called the Mazda dealership and told the someone in the service department what was going on. He referred me to a towing company they use, and I arranged to have my van towed an hour later. That afternoon we found out that a water pump bearing had failed, causing the grinding and squeaking and leaking. They were going to have to order a new water pump, which would be there Wednesday morning. My van would be ready Wednesday evening.

Down in the Mouth

Jacob had a dentist appointment Tuesday morning to get his spacer put in. This appointment had been rescheduled because he was running fever the day before his original appointment (which was the day the mixer died...). Since the van was in the shop, we were going to need to use Billy's vehicle. We all got up early and took him to work, came home and did a little school, then headed to the dentist.

The procedure was quick. When they called me to the back desk, the assistant was showing me an example of the spacer they had put in. It was the wrong one. When I told her it was the wrong one, she responded with, "Hmm. Well, this one is less expensive." I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere with her. We had already paid for the other spacer, but all my paperwork was at home. I wasn't expecting to need it. When we finally got home after running some other errands, I called the office back and left a message for another assistant who had written up the quote for all the work to be done. She checked Jacob's file and realized the tech hadn't seen her note about which spacer to fit him for. We made an appointment for Thursday (today) to get him fitted for the correct spacer.

As I think about this, it may be a blessing in disguise. When Jacob was first fitted for the incorrect spacer, over a month ago, he hadn't lost either of his front bottom baby teeth. Over the course of the next month, they both came out, with one of the permanent teeth coming in crooked. I think the wire would've had to be readjusted or they would've had to take impressions again to make one to fit right since the alignment is different. Or maybe not. I'm no dentist. Anyway, he'll be getting the correct spacer put in two weeks from now.

One Last Thing (I Hope!)

We went yesterday evening to pick up the van. The service representative who had been working with me drove the van up to the door and noticed the "Check Engine" light was on. He asked if it had been on lately, but I told him no, I notice things like that. He checked it and found the intake manifold runner something-or-other was wide open. He lifted the hood and checked and found a cracked plastic casing around a cable. He checked on the part, told us the cost, and said he'd take care of putting it on himself with no labor charge. Thank you! I have an appointment for Monday at 10:00, and there won't be any problem with driving my van before that gets fixed. Hopefully after that's complete, we'll be good to go for a while with no more van problems. (A near-thorough check showed everything else was fine. I say near-thorough because they didn't catch the engine light warning until it was time for me to take my van home.)

Maybe life can get back to normal next week. I miss my regular routine.

Wasted!

2009-01-22T16:51:00.002-06:00

Back in late September, Caleb went in to his GI specialist for a check-up. At the end of the appointment, the doctor told us to make an appointment for sometime in January. As we checked out, the receptionist put us down for today, Jan. 22, and handed me a card.

As I was cleaning out my purse a few weeks ago, I ran across that card - and another one for the same doctor from January a year ago. One was dated Jan. 22, 2008; the other, Jan. 23, 2008. I wasn't sure which card was the right one since they both had the same year, so I called the office to check. The receptionist told me it was for Thursday, Jan. 22 at 3:30 p.m. I marked it in my Day Timer and on iCal.

Today, Thursday, Jan. 22, 3:25 p.m. The receptionist didn't have Caleb down for an appointment. She asked which doctor, and when I told her she said this is his procedure day and he wasn't in the office. She checked their calendar and didn't find Caleb at all. The doctor is going to be working out of the Plano office for the next three weeks, so we won't be going back until Monday, Feb. 9 at 3:15 p.m.

Not only did I waste time driving to North Dallas and back for nothing, I wasted my gas and $1 for the parking garage for the 10 minutes we were there. Not that the drive was that far or $1 is much money. It's just the principle of the thing!

Daily Monkisms

2009-01-15T21:45:00.003-06:00

I love Monk. He's funny and smart and quirky. While I'm not obsessive compulsive like he is, there are things that have to be done a certain way. I've listed some of my Monkisms before - I just can't find that post to link to.

I've noticed a few other things I do here and there that would make Monk proud. Last Wednesday when the boys and I were finishing up lunch at Wendy's and I dumped our trash into the garbage can, I straightened all the empty trays sitting on top. I'm pretty sure I've done that before. Today (and other days) after I loaded all my groceries into my van, I wheeled the buggy to the "cart corral" and shoved all of them together. It just makes it easier for other people to fit their buggies in, as well as helping the person who gathers up all the buggies to return them to the store.

I wonder what I'll do tomorrow.

Goals? What Goals?

2009-01-14T18:23:00.002-06:00

I haven't thought much about goals for this year. I'm sure I can come up with some, but I've been busy doing other things. Off the top of my head, here's what I'm thinking...

1. Lose 10 pounds by June. Yes, I know this is not as lofty as last year's goal - which I failed miserably at, by the way. I'm working on it, but it's really hard when you love food as much as I do. I wish I didn't like it so much; then it would be much easier.

2. Promote to Senior Consultant (Pampered Chef) by May. Not much came in this area last year, either, but I quit trying after a few months. I had a few leads, but they all fizzled. I'm going to work harder at it this time around because the company is restructuring the team-building portion to make it easier and more beneficial. We'll see.

3. Finish writing my children's book by September. I had a really good start on it, but once I hit a rough spot, I put it aside for a while. Then I forgot to get it back out again. The format I've chosen is harder (rhyming), but it would lose a lot if I changed it.

That's good for now. Nothing too lofty and not so many things that I lose track of everything.

2008 Goals Revisited

2008-12-30T09:37:00.002-06:00

Every year I set some goals I'd like to achieve over the course of the next 12 months. Last year, in an attempt to be more measurable with my goals, I made them more specific, complete with deadlines. Let's see how I did...

Personal Goals:
1. I will lose 20 pounds by the summer. (I'd like to lose 30-35 by the end of the year.)

Okay, THAT didn't happen. I lost 7 pounds by late February, but once I fell into The Trap, they came right back on. Thankfully I've maintained a fairly even weight this year instead of gaining.

2. I will play my guitar for 30 minutes each week.

This happened maybe the first two weeks of the year, and once more much later in the year. I even moved my guitar case into the living room so I'd see it and get back to playing. Didn't happen. I guess I need to move it back to my closet now.

3. I will read at least 4 books each month.

This might have happened up until fall. I did read a lot, and I was even keeping track of them on a list for a while. Then I got busy with other things... Still, reading is one of my favorite pastimes and it's easy for me to pick up a book and lose myself.

4. I will complete the SWIM self-study program by April 11.

Yes! I completed the self-study program. I can't remember the date, but I did finish reading all 16 books and their summaries, as well as the four required service projects.

5. I will host a game night with friends at least twice this year. (Billy and I love to play games, and many evenings we'll play a game after the boys go to bed, but there are some games we have that need more than 2 players.)

This didn't happen at all. Life got busy in March and didn't slow down until July. After that, I just didn't think about it. Well, I did think about it every once and a while, but not in time to plan anything.

6. I will scrapbook at least once a month. (Either paper or digital.)

That only happened in December when I was working on the scrapbooks for my parents and my in-laws. I worked on those things for three days!

Business Goals:
7. I will promote to Future Director in my business by May 31. (That would be 2 years to the date since I held my first show.)

I didn't even get a recruit, and you need two to become a Future Director. I'm not strong in this area and need to work on it a lot more.

8. I will promote to Director by December 31.

Well, since I didn't make it to Future Director, I definitely didn't promote to Director.

9. I will book a minimum of 3 shows each month. (They can be catalog shows or cooking shows.)

I only held 19 shows this year to last year's 24. The busyness from March through July kept me from booking many cooking shows. Thankfully I had enough catalog shows going on to keep me afloat until I could get back to "normal".

Of my nine goals for the year, only one was achieved. I'm just glad I did that one!

Now it's time to start thinking of some goals for 2009. A few will remain the same; others will change. I'll post my new list in a day or so.

Yeah, I know...

2008-12-28T18:09:00.006-06:00

... it's been a while since I last posted anything. Things got extremely busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but now that we're on the downside of busyness for a while, I hope to resume regular posting.

So, what's happened in between? Let's see...

The boys stayed with Billy's parents for a week after Thanksgiving. I spent my free time that week getting my hair cut, taking a wire-wrapping class, and shopping. We got almost all of our Christmas shopping done that week! It was nice to be able to get out during the week and shop, avoiding all the weekenders. And it was nice to get it all done at once, without having to run out here and there and pick up a little at a time.

The wire-wrapping class I took has opened up a whole new world of jewelry-making for me! I'm now able to confidently make earrings, as well as decorative silver bookmarks and more intricate-looking jewelry than just beads strung on a wire. Every female on my Christmas list got jewelry of some sort! And I'm seriously considering selling some of what I make. (Billy told me I need to do that to help support my bead habit.) Lindsay told me about an online site (Etsy.com) where people can sell handmade things, and Billy and I have been checking it out to see if it's something we both might like to do. I've also been talking with a friend of mine who used to have her own jewelry business about the ins and outs of getting started. And I'm currently reading You Can Make Money from Your Hobby for more ideas/inspiration. I enjoy my Pampered Chef business, but my passion right now is making beautiful pieces of jewelry from all the gorgeous beads I find.

Jacob had oral surgery: three white fillings in permanent teeth, 5 silver caps on baby teeth, and one tooth pulled. He was hilarious before surgery, after they gave him his "giggle juice" to help him relax. It's like drinkable laughing gas. Immediately after surgery, he was a bear. He was confused coming out of the anesthesia and he was crying that all his teeth hurt. The nurses managed to get some pain meds into him and he quieted down pretty quickly. While they were doing that, another nurse was helping me out. Just one look at his bloody mouth and I got all weak. I took off my coat, sat down in a nearby chair, and leaned over with my head between my knees. The nurse grabbed a Gatorade (gross!) out of the refrigerator and told me to drink as much as I could as fast as I could. I did and almost immediately started feeling better. They had me get in the bed with Jacob, then they rolled us back to his room to finish his recovery. Not much later, he was released to go home. We ate lots of soup, yogurt, pudding, and mashed potatoes. Oh, and milkshakes! Now he's back to normal. He thinks he still can't eat certain things, but it's just in his mind. Soon he'll have an orthodontic spacer put in.

We left for our Christmas travels on Christmas Eve morning. The first party was the family gathering at Billy's parents' house. It was a full house, as usual, though there were some missing. It was a lot of fun, and I ate entirely too much food. In fact, the last piece of candy I started eating, I had to put down because I felt so miserable. After everyone left, the boys opened their gifts, played a little, then went to bed. The next morning, they went through their Santa gifts, carefully examining each item before moving on to the next one. After breakfast, we got busy getting repacked and loading up to head to my aunt's house for Christmas lunch. After that and an afternoon visit with everyone, we moved on to my parents' house. After getting unloaded and visiting a bit more, we exchanged gifts and played with our "toys". Friday was a lazy morning, then Mama and Lindsay and I did a little shopping in the afternoon. Jennifer, Robert, and Seth came over that evening and we visited and played games and snacked on leftovers. Saturday morning, we loaded everything back up and headed home.

Today was our ideal Christmas day. We all slept in, then spent the day at home, playing with the boys' new toys and watching WALL-E. After all the rush, we needed a day to stay in and do whatever we wanted. It was very relaxing.

Tomorrow Billy goes back to work, and I have to take Jacob in for a dental check-up. Then we'll do a little shopping to get ready for our New Year's Day gathering with friends. We'll get back into our normal routine slowly, then be back in full swing next Monday.

A Christmas Meme

2008-11-25T07:00:00.005-06:00

One of my Pampered Chef customers sent me this, then I found it on Cindy's blog. It looked fun, so I thought I'd do it, too!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
If it's easy to wrap, I'll wrap it, but if it's got an odd shape or I don't have a box big enough or small enough, I'll use a gift bag. Those are harder to load into boxes, though, when we travel for the holidays.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial. I love the smell of a real tree, but you get more for your money with an artificial tree because they last longer than three weeks. Plus, the boys are allergic.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Always after Thanksgiving. Sometimes it's the week after; sometimes the week after that. It all depends on our schedule and if the boys are home with us or staying with grandparents for a week. They would die if we put it up without them!

4. When do you take the tree down?
We take it down a few days after Christmas - always before New Year's Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I can't stand it, but Billy loves it. So does our cat.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I really can't remember, but photos show me riding around on a inchworm and a tricycle on Christmas. When I was older, I was thrilled to get a Merlin electronic game (Daddy tricked me by putting a banana in the box because I had bragged that I knew I was getting it...). Other favorite gifts were an Atari, a bicycle, and a Pac-Man phone. (I think I got those when I was in middle school or high school.)

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Daddy!

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Caleb and Jacob

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have a Fontanini nativity set that I keep up all year long. I "hide" baby Jesus after Easter and put him back in the manger after Thanksgiving.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I mail them, if they get sent at all. Last year we made our own cards to send, but I don't think I'll have time for that this year. I'd like to send out cards with the boys' picture on them, but I might not get around to that, either.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Although I'm sure there is a worst, I can't think of it right now. Most likely it was a white elephant gift.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
We can't get through the holiday season without watching these at least once: A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Carol (with George C. Scott), and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I also love Holiday Inn.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Ha! When I have ideas and money. Inspiration usually hits me sometime before Thanksgiving and I start making lists, but I wait to buy until the sales start. I do not go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, though. I'd rather pay the few extra bucks to skip the crowds!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I've definitely recycled white elephant gifts, but I don't think I've ever done that with a real Christmas gift.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Turkey, ham, and sweet potato casserole.

16. Lights on the tree?
I can't imagine a tree without lights! We have a pre-lit tree, and it's really nice to not have to untangle endless strands every year. What I want to know is this: Colored lights or white? I honestly can't remember what ours are right now; we've had both. I guess it'll be a surprise!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Carol of the Bells, Silver Bells, White Christmas, and Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We always travel. Christmas Eve is with Billy's side of the family; Christmas Day is with mine.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, and Olive (the other reindeer)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
I think we've been using a metallic gold cloth star ornament near the top.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve with Billy's side of the family. The boys get their "Santa" presents on Christmas morning, then we open presents with my side of the family on Christmas afternoon.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Definitely the crowds at the stores and malls. I try to go during the week when everyone else is at work. That's worked nicely in the past.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I like handmade ornaments. I've made different ones the past several years: beaded and sequined balls, Christmas spiders and snowmen from clear glass beads, and crocheted snowflakes.

24. Favorite dessert for Christmas dinner?
Sweet potato pie!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Just to spend time with family.

26. Any special Christmas traditions?
None other than what I've described above.

I'd love to read your answers!