Techical Difficulites

Ugg. Our computer is not uploading properly. So I can't blog the things that are spilling out of my mind, not entirely and properly anyway.

So here isn't a gorgeous little child with big eyes and rosy cheeks, holding a toy basketball. If there were a photo, it would be T. He is our cousin and is very sick in the hospital with pneumonia AND a raging staph infection. Keep him in your prayers, please.

And here isn't a short video clip of the Master breaking a board at Belt Graduation last week.
Grrrr.

Here is something I can blog about with just words:

"It took brute strength and a brilliant mind, but I finally got it down."

Master Munchkin spent the afternoon chopping down an old board in a tree with a dull hatchet then marched into the kitchen with this statement. He cracks us up.

Regular blogging will return after certain husbands come home and fix things.

Country Fresh Eggs

Eggs courtesy of April's chickens. Come to think of it, she made the bowl too.

Driven

We drove past a car show yesterday and stopped to take a look. I don't know much about cars, but my boys were sure drooling.

It's Only Logical

Master Munchkin and his Dad have been watching Star Trek movies together. My husband is a Trekkie and, apparently, has been assimilating his son. Today, in the car, the Master told me that he liked Star Trek better than Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

"Why?" I asked incredulously. I think Star Trek is pretty boring.

"The aliens are much more realistic; they actually speak another language other than English. I mean how would creatures from other planets - other galaxies - even know our language?!" He was getting pretty worked up.

"Well, you know why they do that, don't you? If aliens spoke a weird language, how could we - the people watching the movie - understand it?"

"They could put little words on the bottom of the screen."

"But..but some people can't read." I was grasping for straws. His logic was overpowering me.

And I was trying to drive. Thinking and talking and driving is a little too much for me all at once. The rest of the trip was a blur of animated babble (not mine) about Leonerd Nemoy's makeup and eyebrows and Klingons and Borgs ("Assimliate THIS! Ha ha ha") and how it was so very shocking when Spock died since he was "almost like, the main character". Then there was something about atoms rearranging and the Genesis planet. And whales.

Honey, what have you done to our little boy?

Testing, Testing

Today the Munchkins and I are testing for our next belt in Martial Arts class. Miss Munchkin and I are going for our Blue and the Master, his Purple. It's exciting because that means we will be learning new material for the next 3 months. The Master gets to do shoulder-throws, bear hugs, and double-leg take downs. Oh my! Plus, he gets to learn a brand new form.

And, on top of that, Fight Class tonight.

"More Photos"

Someone was recently requesting "more photos"on my blog. I am nothing, if not obliging.

Were It Not for Hope

"Were it not for hope, the heart would break". - Scottish Proverb

Klean Kanteens Are In the House

I recently ordered Klean Kanteens for our family. Now that we've had a chance to try them out, I wanted to report back my thoughts...

What I Love

• The colors, shape and feel of the bottle - they are sturdy and cute
• All of the reported health benefits from avoiding plastic bottles
• The wide mouth - perfect for adding ice or for easy cleaning
• The absence of plastic bottles around our home, in our car, and in our trash
• You can throw it in the dishwasher

What I Don't Love

• The price. My 18 oz bottle cost $18
• The sports lid - if you suck too hard, it squeaks; My son can't use it in class.
• If you fill it with ice, it sweats. A lot.
• If a child misplaces it, you are out some serious money.
• The stainless steel models get fingerprints easily
  

My husband loves his and carries it around the house with him. He's a huge water drinker. I like mine and feel good about the kids drinking from them. So, overall, I would recommend them and would buy them again. I believe there are knock-off brands that are cheaper. Your local health food store might carry some, if you are interested.

I Like Her Style

I kinda like this photographer's style.

I think there a video too.

For Amy

A Skink for You, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Amy is a kickboxing buddy who also shares my love of books. A little bird told me that she loves all things creepy and slimy. So Amy, this skink is for you. :)

Rope Ups

This is an evil effective exercise called a "Rope Up". We do a lot of these in kickboxing class. You lie on your back and lift your legs then hips off of the floor, thrusting your feet straight up to touch the hands of your partner. We usually do a few sets of 20. Apparently, these are good for your abs. Accidentally displaying your abs, like Mr. J here, is optional. Thank goodness! Of course, if I had abs like Mr. J, I might display them too. ;)

May I Present

Flickr has been a source of visual inspiration for me over the last 2 years. There are some incredibly artistic and talented people who post their photography there. I wanted to introduce you to some of my favorite Flickr Friends.

Miz Booshay and I both got the same dSLR camera and started taking photos around the same time. She has a lovely daughter and an eye for taking stunning portraits. Even though we have the same equipment, she somehow does something magical with hers. Miz Booshay also guest blogs on the popular Pioneer Woman.

Bubba Trout has a delightful sense of humor that is evident in his photography. He also has the technical skills to crank out some incredible work. He and I share a love for Colorado and chocolate. He's the one who taught me that using a GND (graduated neutral density) filter will help properly expose the skies when shooting mountains. Thanks, Bubba!

If I were to pick someone to photography me and my family, I'd call J.Fields in a heartbeat. She captures emotion in an intimate way and utilizes the most incredible settings. Check out her website here. No, seriously - check it out.

Boys and Bugs

Boys and Bugs, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Interesting story behind this one. Literally. You wouldn't know it but, 100 feet behind the backs of these boys, a high-school football game is in full swing. We're talking cheerleaders, hot dogs, PA system, and screaming fans! And these little guys are blissfully oblivious, caught up in their own world of bugs, tag, and hide and seek. I love this age! My Munchkin is the one on the right.

Updated Update

My Favorite Sister has come though the hurricane safe (I want pictures Rene). It sounds like Houston will have electricity and water again soon. This is the second hurricane that she's experienced - pretty exciting for a Midwestern Girl!



By the way, I must officially protest: The Mom, from We Do Things, got a very annoying song stuck in my head.

Checking In

Les Mis canceled due to weather. Tornadoes touch down less than 10 miles from our house. Darn! Er, I mean, That is Very Disagreeable!

Earlier yesterday, I attended a local Slimnastics class. Then I ate 3 Ho Hos and 1 Ding Dong during a weather-related anxiety incident. Those cancel each other out, right?

Favorite Sis safe so far. She's hunkered down in a hallway in Houston.

Don't Punch My Nose

Sing along (to the tune, Achy Breaky Heart)

Don't punch my nose, my achy, breaky nose.
I know you really want to; it's a hunch.
'Cause if you punch my nose, I'll bleed on all your toes
and that will really freak me out a bunch!

I got hit A LOT during Fight Class last night. But after awhile, I got sort of fed up and started hitting back. Or trying to really hard! I'm quickly learning that I need to stay out of punching range of these guys and that kicks are my friend.

Here's the most embarrassing thing that has happened (so far): I was in the middle of sparring and suddenly remembered a drill that we were practicing earlier (which involved throwing a hard roundhouse and continuing to spin around 360°) and I said, "Oh! Remember this?" and threw the kick. My feet spun out from under me and, all of the sudden, I was flat on my back looking up at my partner.

"Oooooo, nice knock down!", the instructor called out. And everyone stopped to look. At me.

"I didn't touch her!" my partner protested, laughing. He helped me up. I was laughing too. There wasn't much else I could do that that point.

blush

On a more serious note, my Favorite Sister, who is in Houston, is right in the path of Hurricane Ike. Stay safe Rene!

GF Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found a "healthy" cookie that both my Munchkins can eat. I love being able to throw something at them on the way out the door or put this into their school lunches.

From Abby. These are gluten free, egg and dairy free.

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 cups whole oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs brown sugar
a dash of salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine, stirring well. Drop the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or just in a glass pan. They may be a little loose, but that's OK. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

I highly recommend doubling this recipe and adding some dairy free mini-chocolate chips. :)

In Which The Master Finds a Snake

And lovingly presents it to his sister.

disclaimer
no snakes - or sisters- were harmed during this filming

'Tis A Puzzlement

This weekend, Miss Munchkin and I are going to see a musical. The last time I saw this, I was in New York and Miss Munchkin was just a bump in my belly. I remember being very hormonal moved during the show and, at one point, had to remove my sock and use it as a tissue. (That would never happen now - I am Much More Prepared now that I am a mom.)

What are we going to see? Here is a hint: 24601

Can you guess?

True True

The Evil of Oses

What to do when you're at the store and your child asks for a popular snack item? If you are Brilliant, like The Mom over at We Do Things, you do this:

We backtracked to the baking aisle, where I picked up a bag of Nestle Toll House Mini Morsels. These made The Boy believe I actually knew what I was going to do and he jumped on board. Spouting the evils of corn syrup and dextrose and mankljkliojose. I had to quiet him a little because around here, Wal-Schmartz is filled with people who not only enjoy their -oses, but live for Yahoos and Slim Jims. I could already imagine trying to make it through the parking lot to the safety of my car. I figured, I could always start throwing my free range, organic fed, white meat only, eggs at them. But that would have been very expensive.

Read the rest of the story here.

Jane Joke

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Because it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single chicken, being possessed of a good fortune and presented with a good road, must be desirous of crossing.
James Dawe

Spin Cycle

Spin Cycle, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Yesterday's dawn brought a heavy fog, which especially highlighted the spiderwebs in our yard. They were too beautiful not to shoot!

Fight Class Update

We started out by jumping rope. I've read that 15 minutes of jumping rope equals 45 minutes of running. I don't know if that's true, but I think I'd rather run. Have you jumped rope lately? Not since 7th grade, you say? Good for you! Don't start now; it's hard!

We spent some time working on slipping a punch. This involves pivoting slightly on your feet and turning your shoulder inward, theoretically moving your head just out of the way. In the nick of time. Yeah. It takes some coordination and fast reflexes, both of which I, um, frankly lack.

Then we partnered up and worked on some combos. I found out that one of the guys used to be a boxer! That would probably explain why he can hit me so well. He's just so fast! But he's rather short and I can kick higher than him so I got in a few headshots that way. I think that'll be my only hope with this guy.

All the guys there are in good shape. We did 30 sit ups and mountain climbers followed by 2 sets of 20 pushups and 20 dips. Well, they did. I puttered out a bit before that.

We ended with an exercise intended to tighten our abs. Basically you stand in front of your partner and punch him in the stomach. Repeatedly. Mr. B (not in the nose!) was my partner for this and, when it was my turn, I guess I was making hideous faces. "Just blow it out, breathe through it," he kept encouraging. But he had it wrong - I wasn't in pain; I was just desperately trying to keep my last 20lbs from jiggling.

4 weeks down, 4 to go.

Bad, Bad Bottle

Over the Summer, I always kept a package of bottled waters for the kids tucked in the back of the van. I remember complaining to a mom about how hot the water got and she said, "Oh, you're not susposed to drink them after they've been heated up - the chemicals from the plastic leach out into the water." I think I nodded politely but was thinking, "Okaaaay. Whatever, Weird Lady." I did store my next flat of water bottles in the house, however. You know, just in case.

Weird Lady's statement was still rattling around in the back of my mind when I came across this list. I have to admit, some of these reasons to avoid disposable plastic water bottles are rather compelling. And only one of them involves creepy chemicals.

But I think the final straw came from constantly lugging home heavy flats of little bottles and then having haul the same scores of flimsy plastic bottles to the recycling center every week. So, slow down Bandwagon, I'm going to hop on. Not entirely on, mind you, more like perched precariously on the side. Nothing too extreme: I ordered a Klean Kanteen for each of us. They are on their way - I'll show you what they look like and let you know how they work when they arrive!

By the way, did you know that only 23% of plastic water bottles are recycled in the US? 38 billion bottles go in the landfill each year.

Just something to think about....

Agony

Not All Pain Is Gain.
from Despair.com

Fight Class tonight. The other girl in our group broke a finger (not in class) so I don't think she'll be coming anymore. It's just me and the guys then.

gulp

Random Ramblings

Today:

Was the Master Munchkin's first full day of school away from me. Ever.

I ate an entire bag of my favorite snack.

I got a nasty headache from smacking my head against the mat in Martial Arts.

My Favorite Sister called me from college. She has escaped Gustav and is safe and sound.

Miss Munchkin started High School. As in Freshman.

Sniffing Sunlight

Sniffing Sunlight, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

From last year, for April. :)

OK, ok, I can see why you were confused. There are definite similarities between this year's Sunflower pics and last year's. There is a Munchkin, wearing white. Standing in a field of sunflowers. But look, he still has chubby hands here. And a better haircut. And he was 6, which is completely different than 7! But don't worry - I bet next year I won't even be able to get him to sniff a flower. He'll be entirely too "grown up" for that.

Next year I hope I'll be able to expose the sky properly. Or at least learn to Photoshop. This is the 2nd year in a row that the sky came out white. Ugh.