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Monday, May 02, 2005
It's May now, you know. The window is officially open and the blankets have been stripped to two little coverlets. Ahh.... the yummy weather season!
We had park day today (as we do every Monday & Friday). It was really nice. Except... we didn't get to stay long. Had to go pick up Ben from school. By the time we could get back to the park, everyone would be gone. So there goes that little enjoyment for the day. When Ben was home from school for a week during spring break, I thought I was going to pull my hair out. Now, I can't wait for him to be out of school so we can stay longer at the park!
Andddddd... I've flip-flopped again. I'm re-registering Sam for Kindergarten. He's just so smart... he recognizes more numbers by sight than Ben did when he started kindergarten. I just can't let him wallow in the "duh-ness" that is preschool for another year when he's obviously so ready for this! I do still worry about the age/maturity thing, but a lot can happen between now and August when he starts. So if you're the praying type, put us in those prayers, will ya?
The stinking school district my husband works for screwed up and had to change his track for next year. Now we're on green track. That means, no summer months off, he just goes right on through until September before he gets a break. Which means he can't take this grand trip to Utah we've been planning for a little bit now. I hope the doctor will give me enough xanax to get me there and back, PLUS for while I'm in charge of the kids while we're there. Oh, screw the xanax... I'm going to need the big guns. Valium, anyone? Just kidding... The good news is, they've settled on a 2.41% raise for last year's contract (FINALLY!). Even though it's far from what they were trying to negotiate for, the contract is up at the end of June so they had to get moving on the new contract for the next 3 years.
I had to go clear out to B.F.E. Modesto today to return some stuff I'd bought for Dennie's birthday party that we didn't use. Lucky me, I happen to pass this cute little farm stand which was announcing that their strawberries are only 10 BUCKS A FLAT!! That's right ladies and gentlement... not the 10 bucks for the HALF FLAT I've been paying to my cute little old mexican dude on the corner, but ten bucks for the whole enchilada! Good thing I decided to pick up some extra pectin when I was at Target last week, eh? Doubly good that I have that nice big freezer to keep all my jam instead of giving it away! I like to share and all, but I need that "Sally's Sunshine in a Jar" when winter comes. It's so nice to have some fresh, home-made strawberry jam when it's 48 degrees and gloomy outside day after day. Ooh... I think I will make some labels that say that! Sally's Sunshine in a Jar.
Ok, got to get jamming, Neighbor!
Posted at 02:35 pm by SalGal
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Sunday, May 01, 2005
You can tell how well the weather has been by how dark my farmer tan is. For those of you unfamiliar with the farmer tan, it consists of a completely white body except from the neck up, mid-bicep down, and hip or knee down, depending on how often you go out swimming to blind the general public. The arms are getting dark, so I know I've been outside more than usual. This is generally a good thing, except now I have to get back into the habit of making sure everyone has sunscreen on.
I would like to take this moment to publicly announce that I love the inventor of spray-on sunscreen. S/he will forever be my hero. Were it not for this person, we would most surely have been stricken with skin cancer and killed off by now and then I would not be able to amuse myself (and hopefully a few others!) by keeping this blog. Thank you for your indulgence.
Have I mentioned that I'm more than unhappy that it costs over $45 bucks to fill up my minivan? I feel cursed by this. I can not only hear the beach calling to me, but I can feel it as well. It says, "come... collect my treasures on the shore... throw your children into my waters..." and then I have this uncontrollable urge to get in the van and go for it. Maybe never come back, too. But then I drive by the gas station and the sensation passes. That, and knowing I would be a lunatic to take the three monsters by myself during the week and the next two Saturdays are otherwise occupied so I have no other adults to control them with.
I'm roasting some garlicy potatoes for my breakfast tomorrow. I hope I can manage not to snack them all gone before the morning! They're just SO darn good! Little tiny-weeny potatoes, most about the size of a ping pong ball, quartered, tossed with olive oil and that garlic seasoning stuff.... MMM!!!
Isn't it great when your kids fight over who gets to kiss you first?
Enjoy the evening, Neighbor!
Posted at 06:48 pm by SalGal
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Saturday, April 30, 2005
I vaccuumed the van today. No small task, let me tell you. Especially with the amount of crap that had built up since the last time I'd had it done. I also discovered that if I remove the captain's chairs from the middle, the bench seat from the back moves right on up there creating an exquisite amout of space in the "trunk" area for me. See, I always feel so crammed into that van. Not just from my big, fat butt, but from the lack of space for the stuff that we need to function. Now there's space for our stuff, to change a diaper without dropping somebody, or even to take a snooze! I'm so happy I could cry!
You know what they say about simple minds, don't you? Simple pleasures for simple minds. IT'S TRUE!! I am living proof of this!
So, my mom and my husband are conspiring against me. I know this because my husband is a very bad liar. In fact, in the almost eight years we've been married he's only lied to me once without me catching on. I'm not talking about keeping things from eachother, just those little fibs we tell now and then to make life easier. So anyway, my mom works for one of the General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She sent my husband something in the mail last week. I know it had from the office of the Seventies on the return address, but HELLO.... who do you thought taught me to be so creatively deceptive?? Plus, it also had CONFIDENTIAL stamped on the front and back. If it weren't for the red ink it had been stamped in, I'dve been all over it. But I know he's planning something special for my (UGH) 30th birthday, and for once in my life I decided not to ruin the surprise. Just to fill you in on how much restraint this took me... when I was younger, my sister and brother and I would totally peek for Christmas presents. Or if one of us went shopping with mom for the other kids, we'd play "I'll tell if you tell". This is not a habit one drops magically at adulthood. When I was pregnant with our first son, I'd get bored a lot. So one afternoon, I went home with my mom to hang out while she got ready for her second job. There was a period of about an hour between the time she left for work and the time honey was coming to pick me up. Oh, did I forget to mention that this was at the most wonderful time of the year, a.k.a. CHRISTMAS??? So of course, the natural thing for me to do was to go right on up to mom's closet and peek! I was 24 when this pathetic case of childishness happened (sorry, Mom!). Now that you know this, you can imagine how much restraint it took for me not to open that dang letter!
I have my theories about what is going to happen. Earlier in the year, my sister said something about her and Mom coming out for my birthday, since it's my (UGH!!!) 30th and all. But then plans changed, blah blah blah, and now they're not. Which I believed until I recently found out my husband was conspiring with my mom, and now I know that they are -SO- coming out for my birthday! Plus, and my mom knows this, even though she is a big girl and can do whatever she wants, she keeps telling me she thinks she'll go to Graceland next weekend. This from the woman who told me she couldn't come for my birthday because she's broke and has no more vacation time at work. And she knows how hurt I would be (feeling guilty yet, mom?) if she actually did that instead of coming out here for my birthday. But again, it is her life and she can do what she wants. Just as long as she feels a significant amount of guilt if she actually goes through with it and does not "secretly surprise" me for my birthday.
Well, now that I've delivered my guilt trip to my family in a very public place (you're welcome, mom) I guess I should go have dinner. We're doing pancakes tonight!
Enjoy the weekend, Neighbor!
Posted at 07:34 pm by SalGal
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Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Ever have one of those days where you feel just... eh? Nothing you do lightens it up or gets you in a good mood. Not that you're in a bad mood, you're just bummed and can't figure out why. Ok, I know why but I don't feel like sharing. Ok, you've talked me into it. I still suck at managing money!! No matter how patient and forgiving my husband is, I just can't seem to get a grip on it! I'm so ticked at myself for having this debt that we have. I would have all I needed if we weren't making a car payment, three credit cards and student loan payments! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Why do we have to need so much?! Why can't we just go around naked and shoeless with hair down past our butts??
Well, I don't feel better but I do feel... different now. Still bleh, though.
~*~*~*
I know you don't know it, but it's later now. By a couple of hours. Things got better.
Isn't a cricket chirping (outside) one of the sweetest sounds there is? It reminds me of all those smells I talked about yesterday. I always thought crickets chirped in the morning, but I've been hearing it here in the evening. Very enjoyable as the sun is going down and rain clouds rolling in. I'm off to read the kids' bedtime stories now.
Enjoy your evening, Neigbor.
Posted at 06:43 pm by SalGal
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Tuesday, April 26, 2005
I'm on a decorating binge. My kids broke their toy storage last night. You would think that this would upset me, but no. It doesn't. It was cute bins on those wooden racks, but it was getting a little abused and looking kind of... messy instead of organized. So I got these clear little lock-lid bins for each toy group (or I thought I did, anyway. Turns out I need a couple more) and then later I'm going to buy a plain wooden toybox which I'll paint with an ocean/surfer scene and then put the little bins inside it. This will also give them a great place to read in their room. I love it when I get the decorating vibe!
I got my cooking vibe back last night, too. For dinner, I made this great fritatta. It would've been better if I had had some caramelized onion & baby potatoes, but it was still great. Eggs, swiss cheese, broccoli, Outrageously Garlic! seasoning. I found a recipe last night that was a fritatta with roasted zucchini. I think I'd have one every day if my kids wouldn't complain so much about it! Oh what do I care? We have this rule in our house. You eat it or you don't eat. If you feel you honestly don't like what's been served (not just that you like it normally but don't feel like eating it tonight) then you have to eat half without complaining, and then we'll give you a pbj. I swear, I am the meanest mom in the universe sometimes!
Well, I've got that bee in my bonnet to get decorating again so better make hay while the sun shines!
Afternoon, Neighbor!
Posted at 11:32 am by SalGal
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Saturday, April 23, 2005
Mmm... What's That Smell?
"Drip, drip, drop little April shower...." what a great way to wake up! The smell of a light sprinkle happening outside. Or fresh-cut grass. That's another good one, too. And clean, cotton sheets. Or cotton anything for that matter. It's too bad that it's indecent to go outside in your underwear, because that's just what I wish I could do in the morning. Just enough on to cover everything important, and run outside in the early morning sun, taking in all the smell and feeling the cool, but not too cold, air on your skin. I really must get a house so I can have an outdoor shower.
Doesn't that sound perfect? So hot outside, so you go into your outdoor shower area (nude or in a suit), pull that light, white or light blue cotton shower curtain around you, turn on that luxurious rainfall showerhead of tepid water and let it pour. Then put on your bunders, an oversize t-shirt and relax under a tree with dappled sunlight in your hammock. Maybe you take a little snooze, maybe you plan your next trip to the ocean... who knows? Wow, I'm so relaxed just thinking about it I can't think of what else to say!
Ok, I lied. I thought of something else.
Slowly but surely, my "home" is coming together. I used to want to buy everything in sight that I liked for my home, but that meant there was no particular style. Over the years, I've come to my senses and realized that though there is much out there that is pretty and beautiful, that doesn't mean it's something I want to see or use every day. I'm still working on the furniture, but I did find a bedroom set that I really do want in my room. I'm not sure I'll ever decide on a look for the bathroom. I have this great Mickey Mouse stuff for the guest bathroom we'll have one day. And I was going to turn the boys room into a surf motif, but now I think I want that for their bathroom instead. I have vintage orange crate labels for the kitchen and some tin farm-type signs in there as well. I have these great cafe curtains that are white with a small line of blue embroidery for when I get a kitchen with a window again (man, I miss my Temecula apartment!). I've also found the kitchen table (in honey stain) I want (God bless Pottery Barn). Now if I could just decide on some chairs...
Well, speaking of decorating, it's time to clean the kitchen. Hmph, when isn't it time to do that?!
Have a great weekend, Neighbor!
Posted at 10:00 am by SalGal
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Friday, April 22, 2005
My son is having sleep issues. As in, he's not getting enough of it. I'm at my wits end as to what to do about it that doesn't involve child endangerment (i.e. giving him Benadryl when he isn't having allergy symptoms). Bedtime is 7:00. No water, no snacks, no nothing. Just sleep. It often happens that they don't fall asleep until later, say around 9:00 or so because Dad doesn't get home from work until 7:30ish. I'm fine if they stay up to see Daddy. They need that. But then Ben needs his "OFF" button to work, because he is not a happy camper these days. He does sleep in later than the other two, usually. One time, he even slept until 8:00. I consider this nothing short of a miracle because usually they're all waking up between 6:30 & 7:00 a.m. Sometimes before that! Sick and wrong if you ask me, but I'm not the 2-6 year old full of energy that never stops.
So anyway, Son 1 has been verrrrrrrry grouchy in the morning lately. And by grouchy, I mean so friggin' whiney you want to duct tape his mouth shut, bonk him over the head to knock him out, and put him back to bed. About 35-40% of the time, this can extend into the afternoon hours when he is home from school. Of course, for school he is a model citizen (maybe I should change my name to Mrs. Wagner and dye my hair dark?). He's irrational because he can't think straight. He whines so much, you could almost bottle it and sell it as a private label! We've tried sending him back to his room until he's ready to be awake. That works 25% of the time. But Honey and I have both reached the point where I actually said to him this morning that I am going to start giving that kid some allergy medicine or something during Jeopardy so he'll fall asleep shortly after Dad comes home. And before you child experts start in on me about running his non-existent butt off so he'll be tired, he is very active already. Plays non-stop, outside, when he gets home from school until dinner time. That's a good 3-3 1/2 hours.
So now what?
Well, I've got to get the birthday treats ready. And there's the missionaries to make dinner for, too.
Wish me luck, Neighbor!
Posted at 11:03 am by SalGal
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Thursday, April 21, 2005
It’s my baby’s 6th birthday today. I can’t believe he is getting so old! I remember when I was in the hospital waiting for the pitocin to kick in, the whole Columbine thing was happening. Right there on the news. What a thing to see during the labor of your first child, eh?
We got him a Mobey Boogie bodyboard. Thank goodness for all of us involved, it came with an instructional DVD. Of course, now I find that he’s going to need surf wax and flippers for a smoother ride. Still, my plot to make him a California surfer dude despite his rocky mountain birth origins is succeeding.
Honey’s family and mine keep conniving to get us to move back to Utah. Truthfully, I have thought about it a great deal. Utah is a great place to raise kids. It’s got loads of recreational and cultural offerings, we’d be close to family and the kids would get to grow up playing with their cousins (something my siblings and I didn’t get to enjoy. Of course, that could also have to do with the fact that our cousins are 10+ years older than us). I can think of several neighborhoods in the Salt Lake area that I’d love to live in, too. BUT (and it’s a big one), I can’t get out of my memory the nightmare of those cold, cold mornings and having to go out and warm up and scrape off your car after a snow. And the cold in general… it’s not a good thing for me. For cryin’ out loud, I can’t even stand how cold it gets HERE in the winters! And then there’s the fact that while yes, it is still overall cheaper to live in Utah than it does in California, it’s not by enough to bring us back. In addition to the fact that the pay cut we’d be taking would be large enough that we couldn’t afford to live there, either! Plus, there’s no Trader Joe’s, no In-N-Out, no redwoods, no beaches, no sweet & juicy strawberries in JANUARY, no super-good authentic Mexican food, and most importantly, NO DISNEYLAND!!! I mean, can you imagine??? I'd have to say that the biggest drawback to living in California (for me) has been that nobody here cares about the most important college football game ever, Utah vs. BYU.
So I guess that's it for today. I've got this "Mormon Woman" song in my head and it's given me blabbers block.
Enjoy some birthday cake, Neighbor!
Posted at 12:01 pm by SalGal
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Tuesday, April 19, 2005
This one's for all you beer drinkers out there...
I'm making liquid-yeast bread to go with my fiesta chicken tortilla soup tonight. (for the more pure-bread Mormons out there reading this, that's beer bread.) I'm hoping that if I call it that my husband will eat it. Because it's so dang good!!! But chances are likely, he won't. See, we all know that alcohol cooks out of stuff, right? Well, apparently it doesn't when you use it in a crock pot.
A few years ago, I had (what I thought was) this great-sounding french dip recipe that you cook in your crock pot. It was a nice, chilly, fall day and I thought it sounded great to have for dinner. So I went to the store, fumbled through the plentiful beer section, and picked one that sounded pretty good. A few hours later, I'm preparing my crock pot dinner, things are smelling nice, honey comes home and we eat. And it is DIS-GUS-TING!!! We got so sick... it was not pretty. I've recently learned that apparently alcohol does not cook out if you put a lid on it. Now he won't touch anything that has alcohol in it, even if it is "cooked out" and tastes so dang good!!!
So, I'm talking to my good friend Joe about this and he starts to tell me how a still functions. He even goes to the trouble of finding a very explanitory website about how the whole process works. And I'm like, "blah, blah, blah....Zzzz..." because for someone who does not drink alcohol, what do I give a crap about how it's made? So Joe, being the good friend he is, boils it down to the plainest english there is. He says:
Joe: see? you capture the steam from boiling yeasty mash, cool it, and the remainder is alcohol
Joe: which, basically, is yeast pee.
Joe: thought you;d like to know that
Me: nice
Joe: see, when something ferments, it means the yeast is eating the sugar and pissing alcohol, and at some point, it drowns in its own waste products and the fermenting process stops.
Nice, huh?
Enjoy your dinner, Neighbor!
Posted at 05:04 pm by SalGal
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Sunday, April 17, 2005
Do you know what happens when you play country music backwards? You get your job back, your house back, your wife/girlfriend back, your truck back, and your dog back.
Oh, and your prayers aren't answered.
BULLCACA I say! What brought this on, you ask? Well, in Relief Society today the lesson was on prayer. What prayer is, etc. It was actually a very beautiful lesson, and several sisters shared experiences that they had had with prayer. We talked about how prayer means to communicate with our Heavenly Father, that not only can we ask for strength but we can receive strength just by the act of praying, how sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no, and sometimes not right now. The answers to our prayers come in many different ways. Sometimes it's a straightforward answer, sometimes the answer comes through someone else, sometimes the answer comes in a situation that you are placed in. And then it happened. Somebody brought up that *bleepity-bleep* country song, about how God's greatest gift can be an unanswered prayer. You know, it's all I can do to not just stand up and start screaming when I hear about that stupid song! To someone who has little or weak faith, yes, it can seem like God has not answered your prayer. But this is not what has actually happened. What happened is, the answer is no. God does not leave us alone. He hears us when we pray, and to suggest (through that song) that he would outright ignore a plea from one of his children is ludicrous!
So there you have it. That is what happens when you play country music backwards.
Tonight we are feasting on burritos. Did you know that a burrito and a glass of orange juice is actually a very good meal? You've got your grain and fat in the tortilla, your protein in the beans, your vegetable in the salsa, and the dairy in the cheese. Then you add the fruit from the juice and, voila! The nutritionally perfect meal! I did not make this up, I learned this from a "nutrition expert" at WIC after I had given birth to Sammy. (Anecdotally, I would like to add that they never pressured me to breast-feed my child, which I find funny because they have "breast is best"-type propaganda all over the place, and it's cheaper than supplying people with formula.)
Well, the villagers are rioting. I'd better hustle into that kitchen!
Good evening, Neighbor!
Posted at 05:42 pm by SalGal
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 SalGalUnited States Hi, it's me. Ok, well this is the part that's about me. I was born in California, moved to Utah, lived there my whole life, got married and moved right on back to CA. There's no snow here, you know. Not where I am, anyway. If you deduced that I'm LDS because I grew up in Utah, you're correct. No, I didn't move because it was stifling, I moved because of the snow. Can't you read? Anyhow, I have a perfect husband, three engergizer bunnies, I mean sons, and live in an apartment somewhere near where George Lucas grew up. The beach keeps calling my name, but the gas pump is too loud for me to hear it, so if anyone knows anyone who can get a couple of new refineries built, let me know. I'm all for taking care of the earth and everything, but, c'mon... when are they going to make a minivan or SUV hybrid that you can afford on one measly teacher's salary? Exactly.
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