"Homer..."

So, I've managed to grab myself a piece of the winter-sickness action and have been thoroughly enjoying a nasty cold/flu for the past week and a half. I'm hanging on tight to the notion that viruses usually last 10 days -- for the love of all things holy, could someone please confirm that this is, indeed, the truth?!

I have been reduced to a very un-ladylike state, complete with coughing/hacking issues, more mucous than this body knows how to deal with (no, seriously... I've woken myself up being unable to breathe cause my airway is totally choked up) and all the sundry aches and pains that go along with feeling like a piece of turd. If all this and the red, chapped nose to go along with it wasn't enough indignity for one bout of illness; I also have been blessed with the voice of Marge Simpson to boot.

Clearly I am a mess; the likes of which has not been seen around these parts for awhile. And clearly, I am not above being teased by two smart-arse offspring about my cracking, raspy, cartoonish voice.

The only upside to all this is that I have discovered the Hot Toddy method of sickness management. :) Ten days, people. I'm trying to hang on.

Just wondering...

If I drink alcohol with my Midol... will that help it kill the industrial-strength cramps my body is cranked out on right now?

Womanhood is for the birds, man.

Me Likey. A lot.

Just a few things I'm loving the crap out of, lately.

Say MMM.

I'm just beginning to explore this website and enjoy all the features. It takes a little bit of work to get set up, but it is everything I ever DREAMED about finding in terms of menu/kitchen/grocery planning. I'm totally geeked about all the features -- I was literally bouncing in my seat as I watched the demo video. Literally, Every. Single. Thing. that I had ever wished for while sitting and planning menus and grocery lists, etc. was covered. Sweet!!! I'm sure I'll post more about this little gem in the future. Until then, go check it out!





Earth Therapeutics.

Specifically their Cracked Heel Repair product. The all-natural ingredient list caught my eye as I'm always looking for something to treat the Kid's dry skin. He gets painful bumpy rashes on his legs -- really, his whole body at times -- it's like super dry, itchy skin. He's been tested for allergies to no avail; so I just try and find the magic thing that will work. We had been using Burt's Bees hand salve with some success, but this little stick has brought him the most relief. It actually cleared up some of the worst patches within the week and feels nice once applied (Burt's Bees was pretty oily and sticky). The ingredients are completely pure and natural, mostly coconut oil and shea butter along with some other essential oils. It's a bit pricey (especially seeing as we're using it on his whole body, not just "heels" like it was designed for), so I'm going to try and make some of my own this week. I think I should be able to do it no problem... famous last words, maybe??


Air1

I've been loving this little online radio site. XM radio suddenly stopped their online services to clients unless you pay more (BOOOOOO!) and I was left without my online music fix. Thankfully I stumbled on Air 1 and now have something that tops my XM choices for good, positive music. (Cause XM's "The Message" was kinda a little "light" for my tastes, to be honest) Air 1 plays a lot of Christian music, but also some singles you would hear on Top 40 radio, so long as the message is positive and reflects good morals. The playlist does have all the mainstream pop-type Christian acts, but adds enough of the alternative/rock and hard rock genres to keep me tuned in. Go check it out! It's definitely a station I don't mind the kids listening to or having on when people come over.


Bissel Green Steam mop.

Found it. Love it. Wouldn't live without it. Love the easy-push trigger (not like the one I used at a friends' place which made me believe in "Carpal Tunnel") and the super-easy-to-use features. Love the streak-free clean and how easy it is to change cleaning pads. Oh, and did I mention Streak Free Clean? Cause yeah, there's that. I don't have hardwood, per se, but the flooring I do have looks like perfection when I'm done using this. Also, it does not need any cleaners, soaps or chemicals. The steam cleans and disinfects and I love that my floors don't have any icky chemical residue... especially now that we have a little doggy whose favorite past-time is scavenging for crumbs.



Super-Cute Egg Clock

This is clearly just pushing the limits of timepiece cuteness, here. Case in point: it wobbles. WOBBLES, people!! It also changes format -- and incidentally, LED colors -- with just a little pop on it's wobbly little top.

All that would be enough to grant it a spot on my Things I'm Loving The Crap Out Of At The Moment list. But it also has a super handy little feature. A timer. Which, on my cute little Egg is set to a 15 min increment. So, with just a perky tap, tap, tap on the top of this Cutey, I have a timer which helps me get SOOOO much done. Putting something off cause I think it's gonna take FOREVER to do it??? Hit the timer and vow only 15 mins on task before I take a break. Surprise. I'm usually done that "forever" job in 15, or at least on my way to getting it done. Need to motivate the kiddos to finish up something? Why, hello timer!! It's perfect. And it's cute. What more can I say?

All Hail Mr. B.

Well, the penetrating oil didn't do the trick... I suspect the threads on my tee nut were slightly stripped (Bad, bad Flutterby, I won't do that again!!) and I just couldn't get any kind of grip on the round, flat head of the tee nut to even do any brute force stuff. Which is laughable anyway, when you consider the state of my biceps lately!!

Thankfully, I have a Friend in High Places. A cobbler, actually. And while he may not necessarily think of me as a friend, it remains that I am filled with fuzzy warm feelings when I think of the times he has lent a hand and got me out of headaches with removing clinch nails and the like and thusly... I will think of him as a FRIEND. Cause he helps me. And has tools that I don't have!!! I totally realize that pushes the boundaries of CREEPY... but I don't care as he once again came through for me and within a matter of minutes and the judicious use of a bench grinder, had freed my project from it's tee nut standoff.

HUZZAH!

So, my hat's off to you, Mr. B. Now, back to work!

Excitement! Anticipation!!! PUKING!!!!

OK, so there's not been puking, just yet. Lots of the other stuff, though.

After a lot of thought (two years on the back burner and a month of deliberation... I think that counts as "a lot") we've decided to pull the Kid out of public school and homeschool. Or, as I'd rather say... educate him at home.

See the difference? I say "homeschool" and people automatically picture, oh gosh, who knows what they picture, but it usually isn't good judging by the looks on their faces and the silly questions they ask. So, I'm finding different ways to say "homeschool". Potato, Potahto, I know... but it's important to me. I'm a smart lady who is more than capable of educating my children -- certainly better than the school system has attempted to with my boy -- and I can't stand being looked at like I've suddenly sprouted buck teeth, a pinafore dress with bonnet and shotgun when this topic comes up.

Anyhow, our curriculum supplies have arrived and I had to clear out two whole bookshelves to make room for the most of it, with more that still needs a home. Can I just say that I am geeked out beyond all belief at the books?! THE BOOKS!!!!! Not textbooks with dry facts and dates and bullet-pointed items to commit to memory, but real, living books with compelling, well-written stories that will engage my little boy's mind in epic points of history. So many award-winners and classic stories. Books for him to read alone and books for me to read aloud. I. Am. So. Excited. :)

The Kid is really excited, too. Not sure that he yet appreciates all the awesome stuff that we will be doing and reading and experiencing, but the prospect of being relieved of the stress and anxiety that school was causing in his life at this point in time, well, it's really been kind of wonderful to see. When he talks of homeschool I see his body get relaxed and he becomes so cheerful. I'm so happy to be able to do this for him, and very glad that we live in a country that allows different modes of education.

I have had brief moments of panic (hence the "puking" in the title) where I've wondered just how I'm going to manage my business while schooling my son, but I think it will work out in the end. There's always a solution to every problem and I'm sure this is not insurmountable.

Fresh Outlook?

Well, at least it's a fresh look.

After an evening complicated by tee nuts and jack screws misbehaving and a last minute Hail Mary with some penetrating oil which may or may not work... I have some time on my hands. My blog has been badly neglected this past year. Hahahha -- neglected doesn't even begin to describe it! I'm sure if there existed a Blog Protective Services I would be cited on multiple counts of neglect, abandonment and be facing some sort of jail time.

I do want to blog. This little corner of the internet has been a lot of different things to me at different times. Part shrink couch, part diary, part community... I've enjoyed blogging and definitely have enjoyed "meeting" those of you who comment and share your blogs with me.

Things are changing here in my little world, hopefully I'll have some things to write about! (besides derby!)