Going to the PO.

My friend Marianne just wrote a blog post about how much she hates and fears the post office. I was commenting on her post and realized that I was just writing my own blog post......

I HATE the PO too!!! I don't have a fear of it though. I do have a holiday shipping story though. I had a package to send to my Father-in-Law in CA and put it off until the PO was almost closed, Smart, huh? If you wait until they are almost closed there is a massively long line of people who just thought the same thing as you. Lame. So I waited and the PO people were nice enough to let us stay in line and not kick us out right at 5. I finally got to the counter at 5:20 right as my daughter called my phone. As I was telling her I would call her right back the lovely PO lady gave me some nasty look that said, "I know you didn't just pick up that phone on the way to my counter." Lame again. My package by weight was going to cost me $28. Whatever. But then the lady said that because of the dimensions there would be a $44 surcharge. What !!?? Are you out of your mind???!! The stuff inside isn't even worth that much! Apparently there is some magical weight to size ratio you have to meet to get the best shipping deal. I asked her how many bricks I needed to put it the box. She didn't like that question. I decided to figure something else out and buy some other postage while I was there. Did you know that if you pay for a $10.70 flat rate box they give you all kinds of stamps that equal $10.70? UGH! I just want ONE I can stick on it! Now I have to keep track of all that crap you just gave to me. The end of the story? I left with nothing sent and dreading the next day's return. I told my hubby all about my PO woes and he found a new box, measured and weighed it, and paid for and printed a label. I slapped the postage on that box, put the hoards of stamps on my other one, and walked the boxes right up to the PO counter. I was there for less than a minute. Sweet! Hubby/hero to the rescue again!!!! I leave you with a wish. May your trips to the post office be swift and your PO ladies be nice.

FOOD!

I was going to write an all inclusive post that covers what I have been doing the past whatever weeks I haven't written. It really isn't that interesting. Really. Wouldn't you rather I talk about food? That's WAYYYY more interesting to me that what I did with my kids during school or how my Halloween went. Actually, since I brought those up they both have to do with food. We went to Hershey park for Halloween. I discovered that I LOVE kettle corn. It's so yummy and crunchy and salty and sweet and, if you're lucky, WARM! Mmmmmmmmmm! I tried to make it the other day and it turned out alright but not like theirs or the one I had with Katie in Intercourse, PA (heehee). On Wednesday the kids and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant in Richmond for social studies. It was good and fun. We ate beef, chicken, lentils, cabbage and potatoes with our hands. The lentils were the best AND they were spicy. Love it!!!

Last night I watched an episode of Psych. It was sort of weird but there was this pie. Cinnamon pie. Have you heard of it? I haven't. I found a website with a handwritten recipe for it. I'm going to try it very soon.

Katie and I have been making a list of foods we both like. It's just a mental one but I think it should be written down. Here are one's I love:

Sushi - Unagi(eel), spider roll, all kinds just not wierd ones like sea urchin
Funnel cake
Raisin pudding
Eggs benedict
Good chocolate
Stuffed rolls - maybe I will post the recipe and you can tell me if you think its good
ICE CREAM!!!
Taylor's cookies - any kind

I will have to add to this later. Katie I think you will think stuffed rolls are asgusting!!!

Stuffed rolls

1/2 lb velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped
1/2 can chopped olives
1/2 small can tomato sauce
1/4 C oil
hard rolls

Combine ingredients. Cut rolls in half and hollow out. Fill with mixture. Wrap in aluminum foil and heat in oven about 15 minutes.

Sounds disgusting but it's good. I am trying out some new recipes this next week. They all sound yummy. I'll try to post how they go. I'll also try to post a pic of what I am doing this weekend. You'll laugh.

"Mom, you're awesome!"

I love when my kids say that! In fact, sometimes I do things because I'm pretty sure they will say it. Earlier this week Chay was trying to decide what to be for Halloween this year. We finally settled on an indian. I said, "Let's go to the fabric store and get stuff to make a costume!" (As if I don't have enough to do!!!) Well, I have the pants done and now I have to try and make this crazy shirt tomorrow. I think if I didn't homeschool my kids I could have it done by lunch but I am hoping that it will be done before bed. Then, I get to start on Dylan's karate costume. Am I crazy???? Why do I do this? (Katie will say ADD!!!)

BTW - My quilting tools are my best friends for the day. I could not have made awesome fringe and saved myself mucho dinero without them.

On a side note, I sang Dylan "Silent Night" before bed tonight. I used to sing it all the time to my kids. They would BEG me to sing more and I would have to finally hum it and then sneak down the hall before they noticed. Dylan practically laughed the whole time I was singing. I guess the time of my babies has ended. So sad. Maybe I have become a lazy mom. Oh wait..you DID read what I have been doing today, right??? So....maybe not.........

B-12

Today (and last night) I am super tired!!! I just took a B-12 and I hope I will feel better by tonight. Last week was crazy! My friend Becky came late on Wed. night to spend a couple of days. Thursday we went to Virginia Beach. The weather was awesome!!! The waves were great and the kids had so much fun playing in the water and the sand. Taylor was able to go and do some work on the way. At the end of the day there was a cool band playing down the street and we were able to listen for a few minutes. Butter. It was great! Then Chipotle for dinner and a late night home. Becky's son Jacob was like a bottomless pit at dinner. I am waiting for Brenden to start eating me out of house and home.

Friday was good too but would have been more so if the weather wasn't 96! It was sooooo hot in Willliamsburg. We went for Home Educator's week. My favorite was watching the "colonists" recite the Declaration of Independence. That was cool! I am thinking I need a stockade and a prison at home. The kids seemed to like it:) The kids were pretty good even though we got home late again. Then, us dumb adults stayed up until almost 2 just chatting. No wonder I am tired! I'm still catching up on sleep. Hopefully I can get to bed early tonight. I should be able to since none of my friends are going to be around to entertain me for hours. Off I go to make roasted chicken............

Things I dislike...

There are some things in life I really dislike. Here's my short list:

Picking up after my children
Warm sodas
Appliances that don't work when they are supposed to
Meals that don't turn out like I plan
Making my kids do stuff
Getting up early
Being sick
Not being able to hear or taste because I am sick
Static-y clothes

I guess that's all I can think of for now. Maybe I just wanted to complain, sorta. I'm really jealous of my friend, Marianne. She's in Hawaii. Her hubby had business so she is there for 8 days. Lucky her. I like homeschooling my kids but starting that business back up is a pain! The kids ALWAYS rebel. Maybe this week will be better. Maybe this week I will be better.

My confessions

I have a confession to make. At night, after the kids have gone to bed and I have ditched my hubby for my computer or TV or whatever, I get out my big bag of tortilla chips and cheddar cheese and go to town. I LOVE cheese. I know that eating food late at night, especially fatty ones like chips and cheese, is a major contributor to my rear end, but I just don't care. It's soooo good.

Another confession. I have been reading (well, listening really) to a book called the Hunger Games. I think it's compared to the short story, The Lottery. I don't know I really like this series. It's a really wierd story with lots of heartwrenching, depressing writing. I like reading books that take me on a vacation and not into hours with terrible images and thoughts rattling around my brain like unwanted visitors. I guess my real confession is that even though there are TONS of people that love it, I don't. I am strangely curious about what happens next so I listen and then I am horrified and I have to stop and then I get more curious so I listen more and then I am even more horrified and the cycle goes on. Right now I am not listening. I would like to have nice dreams tonight. I probably won't though. So, Chelsey, others, do I keep reading? Actually, I have finished the first book and am listening to the 2nd. I want to stop but I feel like I have invested so much time and brain power into this book that I need to see what happens in the 3rd. ARGH! Whatever happened to the era of 1 book only????

I just talked to my sister who is preggy and pretty sad that she hasn't had the baby yet. I would be too. I have been. I hope she has that baby tonight! So now my computer battery is on low and I am tired. Happy whatevering!

Faustschlag!!!!!

This is what you do when you bump fists with someone in Germany. Today I wanted to do it five million times!!!! Our exchange student, Isabell (who is practically a Stockwell b/c she LOOOOOOVES ice cream), attended a private school for 2 days. Sadly, this wasn't working out and despite the fact that the Clover Hill High School had all their international places filled, the principal was able to get her in anyway. YAY!!! I won't go into all the details about the reasons behind the change, but lets just say that our Heavenly Father is definitely concerned for our well-being and all aspects of our daily lives. This change is super awesome b/c now Isabell will get to attend school with Kylee and meet lots of different kinds of people. Now we will have 2 more weeks of summer vacation. Maybe we can make it to the beach!! YAY again!!! So, today it's just.....awesome!

My real life.

First, let me say, I went out to lunch with Dylan and I drank WAYYY too much Diet Coke. Now my fingers are going a mile a minute and I think I am making alot of mistakes. So, I took some pictures today to illustrate my real life. I feel like am constantly getting pulled in various opposite directions. Mostly of my own creation too.

This first picture is what I WANT TO DO. I am trying to get projects done and this is one of them. But I really want to do it. They are fingerless gloves for my sister. Anyone that has an iPhone or an iPod touch or a touch screen anything can tell you that if you want your hands to stay warm and be able to use your gadget then you have to have a pair of these. My friend, Chelsey, says they are good for playing violin too. I made her a pair. So, I made my sister a scarf and decided she needed a pair of these too. They are easy to knit and the yarn is soooo yummy! Wish I could just sit for hours on end and knit:(

This is what I DID.
I have been painting and sorting and organizing like mad. I have been meaning to sort through my files and abuse my precious label maker. I went through my whole office this week just sorting and throwing things out. My homeschool shelves needed it badly so I can make room for the stuff for the new year. Isn't it hard to figure out what you should keep and what you really should get rid of? I have also painted my bedroom and the laundry room. Whew!

This last part is WHAT I AM DOING. Brenden decided that he needed his own room. Taylor and I have been talking about switching the boys anyway. The rooms are crazy messy!! I don't think the boys room has EVER looked so bad.

We had to put away all the legos and rokenbok in one room and sort clothes, etc. in the other. Dylan also decided that he wants his dresser to be red. So, out we went to Home Depot and bought ourselves some spray paint (and lunch!). At least it's not 100 outside like it has been!












So now you know you know what my real life is like. But if you already read my other posts, you know that I'm sure I have ADD and that's just how it goes in my world. Whatever!!!

Our new addition

We are adding a member to our family! Well, not permanently but it is still exciting. Isabel from Germany is coming to stay with us for 10 months as a foreign exchange student. Taylor called me up on my way home from camp a week and a half ago and said (while I listened in my post camp stupor), "Let's get an exchange student!" I couldn't even process because the lack of sleep and my elevated body temp from being in yucky heat all week was affecting my brain. So, I still am feeling crazy but at least I am sitting my air conditioning while I write this:) I don't know much about her except that she says she is 15, talkative, and likes sports. I think she will get along with Kylee just fine. I don't even know when she is coming. Sometime in August. Awesome!

As a side note, I registered my daughter for high school today. She was practically jumping out of her skin to get her classes! She is taking German and Theater for her electives. Neither of which I would have chosen for her so it's a good thing I didn't have to do it by myself. My baby is growing up!

Katie says I have ADD

Is this true? How can this be? Just because I can't sit still long enough to finish a conversation or....what was I saying? A kid interrupted me. I mean my brain DOES go a million miles a minute. I DO have lots of unfinished projects and ones that I REALLY want to start. Can I list a few?

1. finish 2nd summer sock
2. make a vintage pearl necklace
3. replace a pane of glass in my family room window
4. repair a favorite bracelet

What was I saying........a kid is crying....

Did I mention I just now instituted a sibling buddy system? I am so tired of my kids talking mean to each other and being just plain rude. So, for the next 3 days I am having them be someone's buddy. They have to hang out with them, do their chores with them and go somewhere fun with their buddy. They don't really know about the AND friends. Even Kylee. They hate me. It's ok. They hate each other too. Not really, but sort of. Where was I?

5. paint my bedroom
6. recover a chair (I have to fabric)
7. knit fingerless gloves for my mom
8. clean out the garage

Do you get the picture? I think I have a normal amount of household projects but top that off with my addiction to knitting and my inability to sit still and you get one busy chick. It drives my hubby CRAZY!!! Once he really told me he was jealous of my knitting. Maybe he wants me to be one of my projects.

So where was I, oh, ADD.... Just so you know, I am trying to write this post as it comes out of my brain through my arms and down into my fingertips. I don't even want to think about how crazy it sounds until after I press publish and the see the crazy that exists in my brain.

Maybe the ADD is created by the life I lead. Wanna know what I have been doing? I didn't post anything interesting about our HUGE trip to CA. We flew to LA on April 30 and drove down to SAn Diego that night to stay with my sis Rachel. We stopped for food at In N Out Burger. EVERONE raves about that place but we thought it was yucky. We're food snobs. That's a post for a different day. More kid crying. It's the same kid every time too. I love Chay but he whines alot. In SD, we went to the SD Zoo, the beach and Legoland. I took them to Legoland by myself. Taylor was working. We had a good time and I didn't wring anyone's neck and I didn't want to either. YAY! Then it was off to Tehachapi (mom's house a.k.a. home base) for 2 days and then repack and go to visit Taylor's dad. We stayed (camped) at a nice campground in Point Reyes National Park. The scenery was gorgeous but we were so cold!!!!!! We hiked, got junior ranger badges, visited Muir Woods (more badges), toured San Fran and ate dinner with his dad every night. It was so great to see Gene, his wife Barbara, and Uncle Ben (Barbara's son). It's been WAY too long since we connected with them.

Ah, no more crying. Maybe the boys are just getting in trouble.

On to Yosemite for a whirlwind tour in which we our kids trooped 12 miles of hiking with us. Every time you open your eyes there, you think you are looking at a real live postcard. It's breathtaking. For real. We also took our kids to Mariposa Grove to see the biggest trees they will EVER see in their lives. I love trees. My grandpa loved trees too.

I am just realizing that I will be writing for the next hour if I tell you everything we did and how I felt and what we ate, etc. so I will sum it up. Let's see..... back to home base, Disneyland (we fit 10 people in our hotel room, got 2-4 hours of sleep and still managed to have fun), home base, reunion (AGHHHHHH!!! Need I say more? We got snow and church was cancelled), still at home base, Grand Canyon (great trip!), home base, LA, fly home on my birthday, Jun 2. There!!!!

Then, I had 2 weeks to recover, get my house in order and then repack to go to Nags Head for a week with Taylor's family (yet another post - maybe). Then home to unpack and crazy pack and finish prep for girls camp (Mom, I KNOW it's really called YW camp but I can't stop). Now I am mostly unpacked from camp and back into the routine. I have even started a project and am re-reading Twilight. I know it's silly but the whole Jacob/Edward thing really is compelling.

So, now what? I am making plans for the rest of the summer and seeing how all my projects fit into it. I know I won't get them all done but that's ok. What else would I look forward too? Oh wait, more projects! I will just keep making plans, buying yarn and hope I have the time to finish them. So, maybe I have ADD or not. Who cares? If I didn't, I wouldn't be Brie.

I loooove Chick-fil-a!!!

I remember when my friend Becky first told me about their yummy sandwiches and lemonade. It seems like forever ago. Now I have one 2 seconds from my house and it calls to me quite often. Maybe it's the diet Dr.Pepper on tap or the ice dream but I just can't resist. They even have free wi-fi so now I can do computer stuff while kids play. So cool!!!!! It's like a moms best friend. I sometimes even bring my knitting AND if I sit for long enough, a nice guy will ask me if I want a refill. Yes!!!! Of course I do!!! DUH!!! Btw, I am there, right now, updating my blog and escaping for a minute before I have to cook, fold laundry, and just plain recover from my week of super hot girls camp. See you next time my chickeny fried friend.

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Getting older

I have been feeling older lately. Not old, just getting older. So now instead of feeling 19 or 21, I am feeling more like 26 or 27. Maybe it's because I turned 35 (which is halfway to 70 - BTW). Or maybe it's because my kids are getting older and I supposed to BE older when that happens. Who knows? Well, whatever...it is what it is. I have also been thinking about what I am doing with my life. I am reading an interesting book. I bet you can't guess what it is! I will post more about that later.

I am in the process of figuring out some of our homeschool curriculum for next year. It's tough but I actually enjoy getting into my kids brains to see what works for them. I am glad we have the option of doing lots of different things to educate them. It's just crazy that there are SOOOO many options out there - too many. But, each family is different and so are the kids. OK, I am bored of this post. You probably are too......see ya next time.

Getting organized!

I don't think you even want to know what I did today. But...in case you do...I went to the gym with my daughter (after getting REALLY frustrated that she woke me up and then made me sit on the couch for 15 min. while she got her act together!), made my kids do chores, cooked breakfast, made my kids do school (Brenden BEGGED me to do school work instead of housework and then whined about that too - YUCK!), made soup for a friend, made dinner for us, whipped up some GF dinner rolls, whipped up some GF cupcakes (that are totally awesome - BTW), drove to soccer, drove to church, reorganized the playroom, made the kids take care of all their junk, and now here I am. WHEW! Now I am trying to decide what I am going to make for card swap treats tomorrow.

I am totally on an organizing binge right now. I just want all the clutter to disappear. Is it wrong of me to NEEEED to open the pantry and not have a panic attack??? Hopefully I will get the things done that I want to before we go to CA in May. If not, it's just going to have to be whatever. Oh well. Wish me luck.

Changes and stuff...

Recently, I had a conversation about blog titles and my friend, Marianne, told me that mine should be "It's just....Whatever..". I thought, "Hmmmm, that's funny", and let it sit on my brain for a while. (BTW - I am very concerned about my punctuation in the previous sentence but am too lazy to get out Turabian's book or look it up online. If you have a problem you can either correct me, if you know enough to, or keep it to yourself - heehee.) M said that I say it ALL the time and guess what? I do! I just didn't realize. So, I think it's an appropriate title. Some days are just...whatever. If your stuff breaks, it's just..whatever. If your kids are bad, it's just...whatever. Your day will get better. Your stuff can get fixed or replaced (or not - it's still whatever). And, your kids will probably behave better tomorrow. I guess it's an attitude that doesn't mean I don't care but really that it's not worth worrying about.

So, today I'm just whatever. I am battling a small bout of vertigo, which I have never had before. It's very strange to feel like your head is spinning every time you get up or down or look to one side or the other. I was at Patient First for 3 hours yesterday so I could figure this out. I guess it's my fault I was there for so long. Everyone just happened to want to go in at the same time as me. Oh well. My nice little Indian lady doc gave me some meds ("these will make you drowsy" - great) and told me to go home and rest. SURE!!! Right after I cook dinner, clean my house, and homeschool my kids. Actually, my hubby is great. He made dinner AND cleaned it up AND put the kids to bed while I sat on the couch with the remote. He's awesome. I feel a little better today. I even cooked dinner and gave my kids their valentine's and Chinese New Year stuff. Here's what I made:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/old-time-beef-stew-recipe/index.html

It's awesome. Everyone likes it and that's saying alot. I don't know what I'll have tomorrow. At least I know I have leftovers for lunch.. YUM!!! Well, I'm off to watch Olympics On TV and stuff my face with Sweetarts Hearts that I bought for myself for V's day. I love me.