rachel's continued ramblings

i’m a little late posting this, but my power was out, so what can you do? tuesday: white chicken chili; sourdough (cooked entirely on a camp stove, thankyouverymuch.) wednesday: tacos thursday: lemon pepper chicken; salad; potatoes friday: pizza; green beans saturday: hamburgers; chips; carrot sticks sunday: ham & cheese omelets; toast (we keep pushing this back because some reason or other keeps us from having it) monday: leftovers did my shopping today, $100 in hand.  i was a little nervous because i had a lot on my list – my fridge and freezer were practically empty, and because i went to qfc (because safeway doesn’t sell great northern beans) and i hadn’t even looked at the flyer.  qfc does not have good sales on meat. at least not on the meat i needed this week.  apparently i did okay because i still only spent $89 and change.  phew.

okay, so this is going to be a big mish-mash of the last month.  i haven’t emptied the camera in weeks so i’ve not done a lot of the posts i’ve intended to because i didn’t have the pictures to go w/ the post.  but now i have and here they are…… how micah helps dave play video games   don’t think this needs a lot of explanation. excessive after-bath cuteness we’ve noticed that micah is apparently prematurely aware of his need for modesty.  he always does this when he’s wearing his towel, gathering up the corners in his hand.  yes, it’s probably so he doesn’t trip, but i just think it’s adorable how he winds up with the ‘loin-cloth’ look. a glimpse inside the artist’s mind layla made a card for her friend robin’s birthday.  this is how it started out.  she drew some balloons and i wrote a message on the inside.  she colored in the balloons and did a little more decorating.  she got upset when i said she had to quit and go to bed. the next day, she asked for the car

… i just did! yup, yesterday i had the thrilling experience of sitting in a hospital waiting room for 2 hours, followed by another in a trauma room.  no, i don’t think i had suffered any sort of major trauma – i think that’s just what room they had left to stick me in.  i mused about where we would go if they had to kick us out because a ‘real’ trauma situation arose.  thankfully, we didn’t have to learn the answer to that.  i guess i was a traumatic as it got during that window of time. backing up, i wound up in the hospital yesterday because micah threw some clothes on the ground.  the night before i had been folding laundry in the living room.  i had a couple of stacks of ‘hang up’ clothes that were draped over the baby gate in front of the fireplace.                         yes, it’s a christmas picture, but i knew i had it in my stash.  at any rate, there’s the ugly baby gate that the clothes were hanging on.  also notice the wood mantle above it that the nativity set is on. 

spring is officially here now.  by the calendar and by the weather.  well, there was still frost on the ground yesterday morning. i love spring.  it’s like the grandest reward for surviving winter.  i always said that summer was my favorite season, because i like warm weather… but dave called me on it a few years ago.  he pointed out that, even though i thought summer was my favorite season, i was wrong. i get so excited when, still in the bleakness of winter, the daffodils start poking their green stubby leaves through the frozen ground.  even though, at that time, everything is still cold and seemingly dead – even getting snowed on – there’s hope!  another cycle of seasons is beginning and spring really is coming. this is the time of year that i’m most likely to be involved in a traffic accident, i think.  i’m always pointing out things to my kids as we drive along.  “oh look! look at all that green!” or “OOOHHHH, that tree has flowers on it already!” as i look out the windo

did my shopping this morning.  i’m doing this new thing… it’s called a budget.  yeah, i know i’m kind of late in the game here.  but anyway, i’m kind of switching over to good old fashioned cash.  i mentioned before that i try to keep my weekly grocery bill under $100.  well, now i don’t have a choice.  i take $100 with me to the store and if i go over, tough cookies, that’s all i get!  (i realize that i just advertized that i’ll have $100 cash on me, so if you hear about any muggings in grocery store parking lots, that’s probably me. LOL! actually, if you’re looking for handouts, just follow dave around. sooner or later, something will fall out of his pockets and maybe it’ll be something good!)  at any rate, i managed to keep it under $80 today, so woohoo! bonus! tuesday: leftover chicken; rice; peas wednesday: chili; cornbread (or we might try the soup supper at church again if we go to the lent service) thursday: beef barley soup; sourdough friday: pizza; green bean

i think someone must have stolen it.  seriously! i’ve had NOTHING to say for a week now.  me! nothing to say! i didn’t even know that was possible. i have a few things on the back burners, but nothing really to post because it would require uploading pictures off my camera and for some reason, i can’t find the motivation to do it.  sure, i’ll dig all the grass and weeds out of the garden, but plugging a camera into the computer is just too much work.  geez.  well, at least my priorities are straight. for once in my life…

so i liked how it worked last week so much i’m moving my shopping day to tuesday.  and, since we went out sunday night after the power went out (for 11 hours!) we had sunday’s dinner last night. which brings us to today… tuesday: pot roast; potatoes & carrots wednesday: fried chicken; mashed potatoes; peas & corn thursday: ???   dave’s taking shane to a soccer game and i’ll be running around shuttling people where they need to be so the little kids and i might grab something or have sandwiches or something. friday: pizza; green beans saturday: beef stew; sourdough sunday: omelets; toast monday: leftovers and no, we’re not having corned beef and cabbage tonight.  the first year we were married, i made it at dave’s request.  haven’t done it since, and no, i don’t feel guilty.  i told him that if he really, really wanted to have it for st. patrick’s day, he could knock himself out and make it himself.  not really my cup of tea…  i must not be

Dave: I kicked a birdbath on your car because Big Bird said to and he’s my leader. Shane: I did the Macarena with a banana in line at the bank because I am sexy and I do what I want. Layla: I did the Macarena with my science teacher riding a motorcycle because I am cool like that. Micah: I sang to your mom in an elevator because i can. Don't spoil the fun, and keep it going............. Type out the sentence you end up with in the comment box. Then copy and paste this to your blog (or facebook) with the Title being the sentence that you ended up with. Pick the month you were born: January-------I kicked February------I loved March--------I karate chopped April----------I licked May----------I jumped on June----------I smelled July-----------I did the Macarena With August--------I had lunch with September----I danced with October-------I sang to November-----I yelled at December-----I ran over Pick the day (number) you w

so layla’s answers were so funny, i decided to see what shane thought of me too.  there’s a bit of a theme.  think i’ll have to work on that. 1. What is something I always say to you?                                   shane: don’t hit layla.                         2. What makes me happy? shane: to have a family. 3. What makes me sad? shane: when i don’t listen to you. 4. How do I make you laugh? shane: by telling me a joke? 5. What do you think I was like as a child? shane: you ice skated. i know that for a fact. 6. How old am I? shane: 32, right? 7. How tall am I? shane: 5 foot 3, i’d say. 8. What is my favorite thing to do? shane: yell at me. 9. What do I do when you're not around? shane: knit. 10. If I become famous, what will it be for? shane: to get a job. 11. What am I really good at? shane: yelling at me. 12. What am I not really good at? shane: not yelling at me. 13. What is my job? shane: t

so, once again, i have shamelessly stolen something from mary because i think it’s so stinkin’ funny.  these are layla’s answers, word for word. 1. What is something I always say to you?                                       layla: terrific!!!                          2. What makes me happy? layla: being happy. 3. What makes me sad? layla: not doing things. 4. How do I make you laugh? layla: you do something funny, like playing a funny game. 5. What do you think I was like as a child? layla: coloring 6. How old am I? layla: 3 1/2 7. How tall am I? layla: *reaching up very high*  let me measure you. 8. What is my favorite thing to do? layla: tell shane to do things. 9. What do I do when you're not around? layla: find me. 10. If I become famous, what will it be for? layla: running away. 11. What am I really good at? layla: telling somebody words. 12. What am I not really good at? layla: coloring. 13. Wh

so i'm late doing this this week because i was unable to go to the store yesterday due to sick children. okay, well, i had the meal plan done, but not the shopping. i have no idea how that relates to my ability to post this, but somehow, it's my excuse. monday: leftovers (done) tuesday: tator tot casserole wednesday: pork chops; rice; broccoli thursday: chicken stew; sourdough friday: pizza; green beans saturday: meatloaf; mashed potatoes; peas & carrots sunday: french toast; bacon i did my grocery shopping today, and about fell over when the lady gave me my total before i swiped my safeway card. it was under $100, which almost never happens, and once everything got discounted, it was around $80! granted, dave stopped and picked up a few things yesterday (cheese, salsa, juice), but still, not that much. i do have the meat for the tator tot casserole and the chicken stew in the freezer, so that saves quite a bit. but i was so surprised because i had grabbed a fe

well, i guess i needn’t worry about layla’s spirituality.  the following is what i just listened to from her.  she was doing a ‘repeat after me’ prayer, having daddy say the lines after her. Thank you for God…  For food…    for all music….   For all dancing to music….   for playing wii games…..    and food we can eat….    and bibles can help us…..    and a map on a bus which can show us which way to go….. That’s all of the prayer. Thank you for squares and circles, and triangles and the hearts… and the circles, AMEN. Thank you for all of the houses……    And all people at church…   And playing with blocks. AMEN Thank you for the letters and books…   thank you for the trains we all go on a ride in…    and all dot paints…..  And all fingerprints…And all letters….    and all coloring books and crayons and coloring books….

  I have been inspired to try something by my SIL, mary .  So here goes…. This is open to anyone who reads my blog! The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by yours truly!! I get to chose what it is, and make it just for YOU!! However, this offer does have some restrictions and limitations 1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (although I'm hoping you do!) 2- What I create will be just for you. 3- It will be done this year. (before December 31, 2009!) 4- You have no clue what it's going to be. I enjoy knitting, scrapbooking, baking, whatever! There is one little catch. You must re-post this on YOUR blog, facebook, or whatever you use to contact the masses and make the same offer to the first 5 people who respond on your blog entry, thereby continuing the fun! (Keep it local if you would like, however you want to do it is fine.) The first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they will be posting this on thei

on saturday morning, dave decided that he would take layla for a day of bus-hopping.  she thinks riding busses is the most fun ever, and since dave has a bus pass and she’s free, it made for a very cheap excursion.  they packed a lunch and rode 4 different busses between here and downtown seattle, eventually ending up at dave’s office since he’d received a call en route about needing to some computer problem. layla was in her element at the office. dave hooked her up with some post-its and some pens and highlighters and she ‘did her work’.  as you can see, layla’s work consists of drawing and coloring shapes and writing letters on about 4 million post-its, and drawing amoeba-like shapes on the large pieces of paper they use to print out building plans.  in fact, she was so busy doing her work, that when dave was done doing his work and wanted to leave, she refused because she wasn’t ‘done with her work’. when they finally did leave, they took another two busses to get home a

i keep reminding myself to write these down so i don’t forget in the future… scosco = costco; we need to go get gas at scosco . breadroom = bedroom (not the place we keep the bread); i’m going to play in my breadroom . brafroom = bathroom; i’m in the brafroom ! our chuther = each other; me and shane were chasing our chuther . bazurt = dessert; i’m having ice cream for bazurt . tamember = remember; i don’t tamember how to do it. shank you = thank you; shank you for the present!   that’s all i can think of right now.

monday: mom’s mac & cheese w/ ham; peas & carrots tuesday: chicken; rice; green beans wednesday: dinner @ church thursday: tacos friday: pizza; green beans saturday: chicken noodle soup; sourdough sunday: breakfast sandwiches; hashbrowns the mac & cheese is carried over from last week because i forgot to put cream of celery soup on the list, but we had a ton of leftovers, so having 2 leftover nights was actually a good thing.  i’ve decided to give the lenten services at church a try this year… yes, it means driving to bellevue again, and yes, it’s a little late, but there’s dinner beforehand at 6, and if we bring jammies, the kids might just pass out in the car on the way home.  no-effort dinner and no-effort bedtime is definitely worth a drive to bellevue! i’m excited because i only have 18 items on my list this week, which is AMAZING for us.  hopefully i’m not totally overlooking something really obvious. be sure you keep reading t

i just had the privilege of witnessing, quite possibly, the cutest thing my children have ever done.  yes, it was shane and layla. yes, they were playing together. no, they weren’t fighting.  so what is it that amicably playing siblings do on a rainy sunday afternoon? they go fishing!      i case you can’t quite figure it out from the pictures, layla is driving the car which is pulling the boat (cooler) on the trailer (wagon). on top of the car are strapped two fishing poles (sticks), which they used to catch fish in the pond (puddle).  when they arrived at the pond, they would unload their boat, climb into it and fish. the yellow bucket is what they put their fish in after they caught them.  i was watching them out the front window (which is why some of the pictures are a little hazy), and kind of pieced together what they were doing as i watched them.  once i figured it all out, it was so heartwarming and cute it almost made me cry!  i love my kids… i guess they get to stay