How to Be a Manly Mom

Master Munchkin and I were wrestling around recently and he accidentally headbutt me on, well, my head. It HURT! I tried to be brave but I was seeing stars. The Master decided to give me some advice. I love his "lecture" voice. He's got that down pretty well for a 7 year old.

New Year

With the New Year fast approaching, thoughts inevitably turn towards resolutions, new beginnings, and goals. Some of my goals for 2009 are rather mundane, for example, losing 20 lbs, getting our paperwork in order, finally making a will. But I encourage you to reach beyond the ordinary.

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep for every dream precedes the goal."

Here are some goals to inspire you:

100 Pushups Challange

40 Day Love Challange. Love like you really mean it.

Break the Water Bottle Habit

43 Things Start making your Life List

What are some of your goals for the coming year?

Smells Like (Part 2)

A quick snapshot from our day:

We recycled this morning. We usually do, but I've felt a little bit of pressure ever since the local newspaper caught me downtown last week with the Question of the Day, which was "Do you recycle? Why?". I stammered out something and posed for a bad photograph. Now, people I know (and some I don't) come up to me and say, "Hey, you recycle!" Um, yes, yes I do. Most all of the time. Just don't go through my trash too closely.

This is simmering in the crockpot and smells wonderful. The Master is sure that we're having lasagna and is happily running around, singing this at the top of his lungs.

I just got a report from the Munchkins that one of our cats is "stuck in the wall".

I've gained 4 pounds over the holidays, in part because of this. And, of course, this.

The FedEx truck just pulled up, with our Christmas cards. yea.

Smells Like Nirvana

Here's an easy way to make your whole house smell warm and homey and wonderful. Fill a saucepan with water, throw in a few cinnamon sticks (or a few shakes of ground cinnamon) and add the peel of an orange. Simmer on your stove, adding water as needed.

Guess What We Watched Last Night

Do you recognize this sound clip? Miss Munchkin watched this "classic" movie for the first time with her Dad last night.

Hint: the photo may or may not be related to the movie. I might just be trying to throw you off! :)

Merry Christmas

Since my Christmas cards are still not here, our neurotic kitty would like to do the pleasures. Like her new hat?



And here's a yummy cake that we made yesterday. It was a huge hit.

Golden Rum Cake

1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. veggie oil
1/2 c. dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan. Combine cake mix and pudding mix. Add eggs, water, oil and rum. Blend well and pour over nuts in pan. Bake 60 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Pour glaze over cake in pan, allowing it to seep around the edges. After cake is soaked in the yummy rum glaze, invert and serve.

Glaze: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 c. butter, 1/4 c. water and 1 c. sugar. Boil over med heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c. rum.

Random Ramblings

I stumbled across this recipe yesterday. I think it would be a perfect complement with coffee on Christmas morning. I'll let you know - I am definitely going to try it.

In martial art's class tonight, we learned a new grappling move - how to submit someone by performing the Paintbrush on them. Basically, you take their arm and - well, here's a YouTube video to show you - it's rather hard to explain. But it was fun to do on Miss Munchkin. :)

Oh, my Christmas cards are still riding around in the back of a Fed Ex truck. They are now a week overdue.

The Master has become a Wierd Al fan.

Ok, I think that's enough random rambling for now.

No Sweat!

I finished my gift for our martial arts teachers. I bought simple white handtowels and embroidered pithy/appropriate sayings on them. These say:

"Sweat saves blood."
"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea." (for our Irish instructor)
"I kick people for fun."

Not pictured is the one I gave out last night, "Sweat is the cologne of success."

I tied each one with a black ribbon, in a traditional black-belt knot.

Since these are plushy towels, they were about $5 a piece, still not bad for a teacher gift!

Don't Even *Think* About It

Don't Even *Think* About It, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Miss Munchkin's recent Cookie Drama reminded me of her cookies last year. I remember that they seemed to possess a certain "attitude".

We Did It

Well, we survived our belt tests. Master Munchkin received his new belt at a graduation ceremony last night. Here's the Master demonstrating how to get out of a bear hug.


If you want to try this at home, ask someone to grab you from behind, trapping your arms to your body. First, drop your weight, like the Master is doing. Even though you can't raise your arms, you can lower them, which allows an effective fist to the groin. Add in some foot stomps and some furious wiggling and you should be free! Now, quick, throw some combatives and run away. :)

Miss Munchkin and I are quietly sporting stiff, new green belts. Woo Hoo! :)

O Christmas Cards

sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum"

O Christmas cards, O Christmas cards
Why have you not come yet?
(repeat)

I ordered you
so long ago
I had no idea
you wouldn't show

O Christmas cards, O Christmas cards
I need you yesterday.

Brr

Frosted Grass-1, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Our front yard is glistening in the sun this morning.

God Bless My Underwear

Christmas Cat

Christmas Cat, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Our neurotic pretty kitty is getting in the Christmas mood.

Belt Testing

This week is Belt Testing for me and the Munchkins. Miss Munchkin and I are going for our green and the Master, purple. The last 3 months we've been working on various self protection techniques including how to get out of choke holds, bear hugs and hair grabs. We've also been working on clinching, throwing knee strikes and some new boxing combinations. Add on a new form and some work with our escrima sticks and we have quite a bit of new material to remember!

Wish us luck. :)

Cookies at Play

Miss Munchkin may have had a little too much fun with her baking this year.

Inspiration

Your Incredible Work, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

I am constantly inspired and amazed by the talent I find on Flickr. Here are some of my current favorites. Enjoy!

1. Door, 2. my loves, 3. so had to try this...., 4. Quand on aime, on ne compte pas..., 5. Eye, 6. Aubriana with Red Hat, 7. Untitled, 8. smoosh, 9. Coming soon...., 10. Untitled, 11. the one i loved, 12. OMG!, 13. hold on, 14. shhhh...., 15. 20081130_3560-2, 16. 20081130_3557-2, 17. tapout, 18. black and white frosted grass, 19. The Crescent Moon, 20. Untitled, 21. 20081120_2980-2, 22. Let it Snow, 23. november red, 24. Punkin, 25. Clinton Lake Sunset

Pandora

I recently discovered this neat internet radio site. It allows you to refine your tastes so you only get what you love. I have a sweet selection of Christmas music going now.

Me At 14

This is Buddermilk. Bud for short. Before I met him, he was a wild mustang, roaming free in Wyoming. I bought him when I was 13. He was gentle and timid, he hated trailers and loved orange Popsicles.

Owning a horse was a good thing for me. I worked hard hauling hay, breaking ice, and cleaning stables. I had callouses on my hands and sore muscles. But the magic of having a horse made it all worth it.

Jeans

Jeans, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Oh Lindsay....

Remember at the Tea when you were waiting for a break in the action so you could run up on stage and grab T's guitar? Well, you probably forgot all about me standing behind you. With my camera. Well, your jeans looked so cute that I had to, HAD to get a quick picture. That'll teach you to turn your back on a lady with a camera! ;)

Seriously, I love these jeans.

Just Average

Miss Munchkin was telling me about a complement a teacher gave her today.

"She said that I was smart and that I was doing great in Latin. (thoughtful pause) I always thought that I was just average. And everyone else was below average."

That's my girl. Humble to a fault. :)

The View

The View, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Miss Munchkin took this on a recent walk. I am both proud and a little jealous. :) Check out some of her other awesome captures here.

Pfbpt

Pfbpt, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

This photo cracks me up! Yesterday was our last day of dog sitting. We sure enjoyed spending time with these two. I took over 200 photos and narrowed it down to 75 of the best and will be presenting them on a disc to the owners today. You can see a few more of my favorites here.

Neurotic Pets

We have two neurotic animals that are driving me slightly insane. Our indoor cat dislikes our outdoor cats immensely. If they come in to visit and leave a little "present" in the litter box, Miss Prissy goes into freak-out mode and promptly starts using any rubber-backed rug in protest. We no longer have area rugs or rubber mats down on the floor because she will mark it with stinky bodily fluids. You can imaging the amount of dirt and mud we are tracking in with no mats in front of our doors.

This is a problem for the dog. See, he has his own neurosis - he can not step on any hard floor without freaking out. If he ventures too far onto our Pergo kitchen floor, he freezes then tries to lurch to safety, causing his legs to slide out from under him. After he falls down, he refuses to move until someone comes along and scoots him towards a carpeted surface.

We have tile by the only door the dog uses to go outside. If there isn't a rug down, he refuses to step over the threshold. If there is, the cat will ruin it.

Huh?

I learned a little something new this morning. Apparently, if you have low blood pressure (either from exercising enough to be really healthy or just exercising enough to be really dehydrated), it takes longer for Novocaine to kick in at the dentist's. Who knew? Well, apparently dentists do. In fact, if you have low blood pressure, they will ask you to come in to the office 15 minutes early just so they can numb you up properly before doing any drilling. Just saying. I have to admit, I was starting to freak out a bit after the third set of numbing shots. Why isn't this working?!! Well, now I know. And so do you.

I'mb goin' to go rest by numb face now.

Tricksy

I saw a quote recently that tickled me.

"I have to exercise first thing in the morning - before my brain can figure out what I'm up to."

Lady

., originally uploaded by MrsMama.

We've been petsitting this beautiful dog and a fat little beagle this week. Lady is the such a friendly, happy girl. I've been inspired by the wonderful work of Shine Pet Photos and I've been trying to get some photos of these guys for a surprise Christmas gift.

Anyone up for a game of "Ball"?

While You Were Sleeping

I heard this song on the radio the other day and was moved by the lyrics.

Tonight's Treasure

Toss Up, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Master Munchkin tosses a bit of snow during a walk in our yard.