I know this....

I just needed a reminder. I love Fred and my boys. Not because they keep good house, or cook great meals. I love them for who they are and who they make me. Seems like a good enough 500th post!

(Art by Stephanie Ackerman @ www.homegrownhospitality.typepad.com )

You are kidding me right?!

Why should I expect that in 17+ years of marriage that the norm would change. Why do I think that someday he will become all that I want and nothing that I don't? Why?

I woke this morning to the noise of a lawn mower and snoring. The lawn mower was being pushed by Jose as he mowed the neighbor's lawn. It was a reasonable 8:45 or so. The snoring of course was Fred. When I heard the mowing it made me think that the neighbor to the left had his lawn mowed last night. Now the neighbor to the right was having his done. That impact me because I care that my lawn is gonna look REALLY ratty next to two nicely mowed lawns. Did I mention that the heat index today was suppose to exceed 105 degrees? Just putting that out there.

So I thought that I would go ahead and at least mow the front yard. The sun starts in the back so there might be a smidgen of shade in the front. I'll take what I can get. At about 9:30 I head outside with my bottle of water and do the best I can do mowing the fron year. I then grab the weed whacker and take on the rough edges to Nic's job of mowing the across the street neighbor's yard which he has done for the last two weeks. Fred hasn't taught him to use the weed whacker yet so I just did it myself. Maybe I haven't asked him. Who knows.

After the mowing I am HOT so I go in, take a shower and try to find some food that will make the shaking in my hands stop. Between not eating breakfast before I mowed and the shaking that I sometimes get from the vibrations of the weed whacker I am a hot mess. I try OJ and some cereal and am feeling more like myself.

Once I have cleaned myself up and eaten I make a call to a friend and see what we can plan for the day. As a family we have no plans until tonight when we are supposed to go to a cocktail birthday party in the neighborhood.

Well, my pal could stand to go to Sam's and so could I. I also could use a couple of new Cricut mats and she says she thinks that they are on sale at JoAnn's. It's a reasonable plan to lets us spend some time together while also serving our families by getting things that we NEED like TOILET PAPER, Axe deodorant, and NesQuik. Essentials!

Well, when I left Will was playing on the iPad in my bed, Nic was dressed and upstairs playing on the PS3 and Fred was getting in the shower. I specifically asked Will to try his best to make my bed when he got done since I couldn't very well make it with him in it! When I returned from my running about 2.5 hours later what did I come home to find?

My bed unmade, my children upstairs, probably gaming, maybe not. Fred showered and moved to the LR couch watching something on the iPad with the television on and NOTHING else done, moved or changed in my house. There were clothes in the dryer, clothes in the laundry room that needed hung up. There was a pizza box on the island that needed to be put in the outside trash. There are always things on the stairs that just get passed by time and again that I'm about ready to throw away. I decided to to just do what I could then take a nap. It had been an exhausting short day. I laid down for a few, maybe 30 minutes and was awoken by my husband joining me in our bed. He was talking all sweet and annoying me. He left with the iPad and went back to the couch.

I knew I needed to get up and moving and think about dinner. I headed to the kitchen starving because I never did eat lunch. I feel certain that no one in my house did. I grabbed a small bowl of Frito's and headed to the LR. Sat in silence while Fred played on the iPad then tried to start a conversation. That went no where. He was too engrossed. I was too po'd. I headed to put some stuff from Sam's away, went back the LR where Will was munching on some pretzels. I sat on the recliner with him. We started reclining. We tipped over. We laughed. The pretzels spilled. Salt all over the floor. Fred played on the iPad. Nic came down and helped clean up the spill. I grabbed the dust buster. Will turned up his show and Fred played on the iPad. I was mad. I grabbed this laptop and I felt the need to vent. Here's the venting. Aren't you glad you stopped by?

Hello there, remember me?

It has been WAY toooooo long since I have posted and I am sorry. If there is anyone left out there reading I think I may try to get back to updating more frequently. I do find myself with more time here and there and I just really need to decide how I spend that time. Sharing a bit of myself seems like a good enough choice. Last week I had the pleasure of spending some time with Grandma Mary, Fred's grandmother on his mom's side. She is 95 years young and is facing some challenges of late. She is an amazing person and is sharp! She was sharing stories of her youth as if it were yesterday. My memory stinks and I am still on the young side. I decided that in order to remember some of the most important moments in life maybe I need to document more. I am really slacking in the scrapping department, working on that too by the way, but the 'ol blog should be doable... If I choose to DO!

Well, we at the Baker house are in the throws of summer 2010. We have returned from our summer trip to Indiana and have even made it to Austin and San Antonio for a little staycation fun. We have a couple more items on the calendar for the summer but nothing too major. I am headed to the Texas PTA convention in Austin at the end of the month and Nic is attending a Junior Police Academy as well. WB is chillaxin in the best ways he knows how and will also be playing baseball this fall. We have some shopping to do to get ready for that commitment!

On our way to our first stop in Indy we took a detour to the Rose Hulman Institute of Technology campus. The boys were pretty impressed with Fred's college but were a little taken back by the condition of the Triangle Fraternity House.

Well, I think I will throw up a couple of cool pics from our trip to Indiana last week and leave it at that for now. I am going to work on composing some deep thoughts in my head to share in another post next week. Stay tuned!

Fred chillin with newest niece Caroline and the Jerry and Betsy Traub bunch! All 17 of us. This is the first time since we have all been married that we have all been together including our wonderful spouses. It was a great time and would have only been made better if it were about a week longer. There never seems to be enough time!

Simple Woman's Daybook entry...

I am thankful for.... blessings... so many blessings. Home, comforts, love, healthy kids, family, opportunities.

From the kitchen... No plans to cook tonight. I am on a little bit of a strike. Maybe I'll post on that later but maybe not.

I am creating... In my head I am creating a PTA membership form for 2010-2011. I need to get it out of my head and into the computer.

I am reading... "Love Ellen" by Betty DeGeneres. I am going to my first book club meeting next week to discuss "Sarah's Key" can't recall the author. Looking forward to that!

I am hoping... That this afternoon and evening go smoothly. School projects, meeting and potential weather in the mix make things exciting.

I am hearing... The sound of my dryer working on the second load of the day. Good progress!

One of my favorite things... Is a sign that hangs by my computer that says "May my home always be too small to hold all my friends." I think about that today because I had a desire to downsize my house today. Not that it will happen, just feels like a lot of unused space and places to drop things.... which leads to...

Around the house... There are LOTS of Hot Spots that need my attention. I am making a list and am going to ask the boys for some help today and tomorrow to get it under control before the weekend.

Plans for the rest of the week... Nic had a big project due today at school so I am anxious to hear how that goes. Will has his big living history project due Friday. We need to finish some things up for that tonight. I have a couple of meetings and I am waiting on some results from a Dr. Appt I had yesterday. Never a dull moment as much as I wish there were...

Ok, off to check mail, hit a Hot Spot then head to school for a meeting. Bring it!

In honor of NSD

1. Scrapper, card maker or both? Both, I have made more cards than pages in the last year or so because they are faster to get done!
2. How long have you been scrapping, making cards or both? I have been scrapping formally since 1998 but did it before it was "cool" back in grade school and high school. I have since torn all of those books up since most were dangerous magnetic albums.
3. Do you prefer to work alone or go to crops and classes? I go back and forth. If I am on a mission and prepare well a crop works for me. If I am messing around and lack direction I should do that on my own time.
4. What are your favorite embellishments? I am all over the place with that. I like paper tags, went through a metal phase and have a lot of ribbon I should be using more!
5. What is your favorite paper brand? I like Yellow Bicycle and American Crafts but will buy anything that makes me smile!
6. What is your favorite tool? My 12 inch cutter is my most used. My punches are probably my favorite.
7. What is your favorite type of ink? I like the Cat's Eye chalks for hitting edges and CTMH inks for stamping.
8. Who is your scrap idol? I admire lots of talented artists. Some are well known some are my neighbors and friends! (Lucky me!)
9. Is there something that you bought that you regret getting or never use? If I did I lost it in my house fire and didn't replace it.
10. Do you have your own scrap space or do you work in a shared area? I am very blessed to have a beautiful scrap space that I should use more often than I do.
11. Are you a chronological, reverse chronological or random scrapper? I used to be chrono but have moved to random and love the freedom and lack of pressure. That said I still harbor guilt about the unfinished years and hope to get back to them someday...
12. What is your scrapping style if you have one? I am simple but every once in awhile I try to kick it up a notch. Doing mostly "boy" pages I don't get too fancy and fluffy.
13. What is on your work area right now? I half finished page titled "A family that plays together stays together!" of a trip to an arcade and putt-putt place place.
14. What is your favorite adhesive? The purple one or the one that is on sale!
15. What technique have you never tried that you would like to? Sewing on my page with a sewing machine.
16. Are you on or have you ever been part of a design team? No
17. Have you even had your work published? No
18. Are you a consultant for any company? No but I have thought about it MANY times!
19. Do you subscribe to any monthly kit clubs? Nope, too cheap!
20. Do you have a minimal stash of supplies or are you a collector? Collector for sure!
21. Are you a sketch user, scrap lifter or do you come up with your ideas on your own? I go through phases where every idea I implement I have stolen/scrap lifted. I even have a book called "Lifted" Sometimes I surprise myself though and come up with a BRILLIANT idea on my own.
22. Do you participate in any online challenges? If so, which ones? No
23. Do you own any die cutting machines? If so which one(s)? I have a Sizzix Sidekick and a Cricut. We use the Cricut for school projects more than scrapping but I do remember that I have it sometimes.
24. Are you a Stickleser (is that even a word)? I have use Stickles a couple of times but always on a "girl" page or project.
25. What is your favorite scrapbooking topic? My kids of course but I have been doing some personal documenting so that people know about me when I have forgotten about myself.

10 things...

Stole/borrowed this from Living Proof Ministries Blog... Kinda fun!

What are 10 things -right off the top of your head- that we would know about you only if we knew you really well? 10 random things ranging anywhere on your personal map that make you a tad distinctive? Or just plain weird? Think quick! Don't go for deep. Go for quirky. Don't try to put them in any kind of order and don't make them long. Just type.

1. Foam gives me the heeby jeebies.
2. I can't drink Coke with ice without a straw. The ice hurts my teeth.
3. I have four major scars on my body and they all have stories that go with them (some are related)
4. There is a "right" way to load the dishwasher in my house.
5. I HATE to clean!
6. I LOVE clean bedsheets that have a hint of bleach smell.
7. I have 5 false teeth.
8. I have a desire to be a published writer someday.
9. My dream job would be working at The Container Store M-F from 9-2.
10. I believe that less is more in MANY aspects of my life.

Not too quirky and perhaps a little deeper than I thought. I am listening to the washing machine work as I type this and I found myself wandering to "cleaning" quirks. Funny how life leads me.

Happy Sunday!

Do I miss my religion?

So I wake up this Sunday morning and do not even consider taking my family to Mass. I hop on Face Book and realize that it is indeed Palm Sunday, next week being Easter and all, and I think about it for just a second. I dismiss it nearly as quickly. I wonder.... what would be the point.

Obviously an hour later the thoughts have not been completely dismissed because I am not blogging on the topic. So here are my random thoughts... try to stay with me. I am all over the place!

I have been Catholic since before I was born. I had some good Catholic years and most recently some bad Catholic years. Despite the good and the bad I think that I am still perceived as a Catholic because I have not committed otherwise. The height of my Catholic years were in HS and college and the lowest are my current state and a short period when we lived in MI when I was not connecting with my parish. As I type that I figure that is really the crux of my dilemma. So much of being Catholic is community and without a community to feel welcomed in and to invest my time, energy and talents in I am lost.

My Word of the Year is Stewardship and I admittedly am being a poor steward to my church these days. I will not say that I am being a poor steward to GOD because I think overall I serve him well. I pray, I do acts of service, I try to set a good example for my children. What I lack however is bringing them up fully in the church. Maybe I should be fired from my Godmother positions, not sure how others feel about that?

In addition to not connecting with my parish I have also been struggling with some Catholic catechism that I just can't swallow whole. I don't want to be an ala carte Catholic but I can not take the whole menu. In typing that I then should consider, is there a better church home for me. I have considered this before and in my own little mind I think there is no place that I will find complete peace with my personal goals and expectations of religion and the reality of any group.

Is there a church out there who is OK with birth control as a form of family planning? Is there a church out there that welcomes gay people who have faith in God? Is there a church out there that will enlighten my kids outside of services? Is there a church without scandal? Is there a church who holds to the belief that we are all going to heaven? I have lots of friends from Eastern and Western religions who have their own thoughts on heaven. I just want to see everyone there or to know that they are in their own heaven. I can't fathom that God will judge my friends based on their Sunday worship locations or if they worship at all. I believe that God will judge the person for their right acts Monday-Sunday and their personal beliefs in Him. Am I so far off?

As I type this I have more questions and so many fewer answers. I am struggling. I don't know how to celebrate Christ's Resurrection next Sunday with my family. Going to church seems like a stretch. We haven't been in a couple of months. Maybe I have turned into a ChrEaster Catholic. Do we still get into heaven? Will I see you there?