What Pumpkin Carving Requires

Take note:

You need your Daddy to be home.

One missing front tooth is preferable.

Pumpkin carving also requires much concentration,

an occasional over-bite,

and a good tongue rolling.  Go ahead, you try it.  I'll wait.

It may require some unbridled Halloween excitement

and Ninja-like need to stab something. 

Then, if you're lucky, it may turn out something like this.

Hope your Halloween was happy!

My Funny Valentine

Awhile back when we moved Marissa downstairs, we also moved the Captain and I into the front bedroom and Maren to to the back bedroom.  The front bedroom shares a wall with our TV room and when the girls were in that room we could never stay up and watch a movie at an appreciable volume level without waking them up.  The front bedroom also had a nicer walk-in closet.  Bingo.

The problem with this closet was the way it was organized.  It just had two small, short areas for hang-ups on either of the shorter side walls.  The longer back wall had a shelf, but no place to hang things.  Talk about wasted space.  So finally this weekend, after about a year or so of cursing the mismanaged space, we remedied that situation.  Well, I'll say the Captain mostly remedied that situation.  I would walk in, cough, sneeze, drill a couple holes, look pathetic, cough and go back to sit in my recliner.  Repeat. Looked something like this. Why I am taking pictures of my closet is a little beyond me.  It's what we do here in Iowa in the depths of winter?

Anyway, here's the before: (forgot to take an actual before picture with everything still hanging in the closet, but I'll be darned if I was going to hang them back up again)

During:



And the after.  Isn't it beautiful. And organized. And beautifully organized.  Sometimes I go sit in there and shut the door and quietly talk myself in to thinking that the rest of my life is as such.

Here's the Captain's side.  As seen by his little Captain's hat up on the top shelf.  What a stud.  But do you see that bright purple sleeve hanging there on the left?

Here it is again.  Guess what that sleeve is attached too?

HIS BRIGHT PURPLE SNUGGIE.

That he bought for himself.  Pretty sure that makes him undateable. He also occasionally wears socks with sandals (black socks even), has a pair of jorts (think I bought them for him), has a cell phone protector on his belt, wears shiny pointy black shoes to work, and owns a speedo (tells me he used to be a "swimmer"). Undateable, and then some.

But, that does make him mighty fine marriage material.  Thanks for the closet, honey!! Thanks for taking care of things when I was/am sick! Have a good trip and see you soon! 

Divide and Conquer

The pumpkins were conquered once again this year.  Think large saw and power tools.  To be continued...

Bday x 3

The Captain and his womb companions had a birthday last week.  They have been out and about for 41 years now.  An accomplishment of sorts, I would say.  The Captain scored this year.  He had three, count 'em, three, birthday celebrations this year. 

PARTAY 1!

A mild celebration.  We all gathered at the nursing home. For my Dad's sake, not the Captain's, just to make that clear.  We celebrated the September birthdays on this side of the fam.  Jackson turned 7. Kleyton turned 8 and the Captain turned 41.  How fun is it to turn 41 with a Lego cake...

and a Hovaround!

My Grandma also turns 85 this month, but we spared her the Lego cake. Which was absolute deliciousness by the way.

PARTAY 2!!

The Captain got done with work last Friday and jetted out to Cali to meet up with his bro and sis.  Pretty sure this was the party to remember.  Or forget? Depending how much alcohol was consumed?  I think they had a pretty darn good time.  It had been awhile since the triplets had all been together since they are all sort of strewn across the western US of A and with busy lives and busy families, it makes getting togther that much harder.  Glad he got to go! Happy Birthday to you too, Chris and Kim!

PARTAY 3!!!

It's always a party at our house when the Captain's truck hits the drive, but this time the girlies did a little more screamin', huggin', and kissin' to commemorate the event.  They missed having Dad home on his birthday.  We celebrated with salmon croquettes and  homemade carrot cake - the Captain's birthday meal of choice.  The girls were thumbs up on the salmon croquettes but our tastes veer more to the side of chocolate as far as cake goes. 

So Happy Birthday Honey! We love your weird, a bit goofy, Office-loving self.  Thanks for taking such good care of us!

Bittersweet

I tried to write a Hallmark type of Father's Day post, but just wasn't feeling it.  It seems a little bittersweet this year. 

Here's the sweet.  I am so grateful for a wonderful husband who also happens to be a wonderful Daddy too.  Although he is gone a lot, the Captain does his best to make up for that when he gets home.  The girls love their Daddy time and it's always fun to see the joy on their faces when his pickup hits the driveway.

Here's some more sweet.  My older brother Don and his wife are expecting in October.  This week, they found out they were having a BOY.  And guess what?  The plan is to name him Bennet James.  Bennet for our Dad and James for Michelle's Dad.  I can hardly type that without tearing up a little. It will be good to have another
Bennet in this world. Dad thinks so too. It has put a smile on my Dad's face and he has had some really good days this week.  It's been fun watching my brothers become Dads themselves.  They do a great job! I would post a picture of Nate, but he was dressing like a golf pro and wearing a white belt, so I couldn't bring myself to do it.

The bitter pill to swallow is seeing my Dad where he is at right now.  If I made a circle with my thumbs and my middle fingers, this would easily encompass the circumference of his thigh - with room to spare.  He tried so hard to be a part of the goings on of celebrating Father's Day but it all seemed to be way too much for him.  

I do know that good fathering gets passed down. I see it in the Captain with our girls. And in watching my brothers with their kids, I see echoes of the Father dad was for us.  When Nate tickles his boys to the point of bladder rupture, it reminds me of our Sundays after church, when it was an all star wrestling free for all.  When Don gives Lizzie sloppy kisses in her neck that she pretends to hate, it is all too reminescent of what my Dad used to do to me.  He has taught us all so much. For that and all the above, we will always be grateful.  Happy Father's Day Dad! 

13!

Do you know what today is?

FLAG DAY!

Do you know what else today is?

It is The Captain and I's 13th Anniversary!  Happy Anniversary Baby, I've got you on my miiii-hind! ( name that that tune and the artist in five seconds) So he's on my mind, and that 's about it.  He unfortunately had to work today.  I am wondering if we can acutally count all 13 years since he has been on the road for about half of them.  Oh well, it's the life of a pilot wife for sure. 

He is always ready to pose for the camera and give me a silly grin.  Always ready to be the horse that takes Miss Maren to the bathtub when he is home.  Always ready to let Marissa kick his butt in Super Mario Brothers.  Always ready to let me drive off to Walmart to clear my mind after a long week at home.  Love you Honey! Wish you were here! 

Wogging. And Smirking.

I am on Week 3 of the Couch to 5K training program.  As I am typing this I am smirking just a bit.  I am so not a runner/jogger/ any of that.  I used to HATE. HATE. HATE. running the mile for our physical fitness test in school.  It was pure torture for me.  I have enjoyed taking a good brisk walk in the evenings - preferably in nice summer weather, but to be undertaking any sort of "training" for an organized event does make me smirk.

The Tulip Festival 5K is scheduled for the third Saturday of May.  According to C25K you are supposed to go from a couch potato to a 5K in just 9 short weeks.  That gives me plenty of time - I hope.  The Captain says he'll run it with me.  More smirking on my part.

The Captain has a history of leaving me in the dust.  When we were first dating, he was a big mountain biker.  Me, well I grew up riding my bike down our gravel road to my friends house.  This is Iowa.  Not too many hills and such.  Anyway, he would always say he would stay close, but he'd catch a glimpse of a challenging trail and off he'd go.  Can't say that I blame him and it really didn't bother me too much, until in one park we came across a sign to carry a whistle and blow loudly if you spotted a bear.  WHAT!  I think that was one of our last trail rides together.  I can give him a run for his money of the roller blades though.

I am excited and happy with how it is going so far.  I am not incredibly sore. Not really sore at all come to think of it.  I am hoping it will help me get rid of the last of this weight too.  Plus, it is just something I want to do before I turn 40.  I know a 5K, big woo, but I think I am going for what lies beneath all that.  I want to be a healthy 40 year old.  That may include giving up my Dt. Dr. Pepper - the one whom my soul loves.  This may be more challenging than any 5K - or marathon for that matter. 

So anyone want to come to the OC and run/jog/wog/walk with me?  Got the third weekend of May open?  Here's the plan.  I need a back-up plan if the Captain decides to leave me with the bears again.

Living the Life?

The Captain has come. And gone.  All within about 30 hours time.  Sigh.  Oh the life of a pilot wife.  Just when I think I am used to the coming and going - I'm not.  Call it the puking. Call it the snow days.  Call it that time of the month. Which it isn't.  But you could call it that. I'm tired though.  I need a break.  I need to wander around aimlessly in a large darpartment store.  Anyhoo.  Gotta keep keeping on.  So the Captain was home long enough to....

...take his wifey out for their Valentine's Day lunch (and she proclaimed the salmon to be good, very good) Thanks, Honey!!

...get thoroughly walluped by his eldest daughter on World 8 in Super Mario Brothers

...have a home cooked meal (does spaghetti count?)

...leave all his stained and stinky leftover take along containers in a pile BY the sink and not IN the dishwasher

...mess up both sides of the bed

....do the paper route with Sweet Marissa while I hung out with my Dad

....get his toes licked by HIS shih-poo mutt who totally disregards and shuns his true caretaker (me) when his Master (The Captain) walks in the door. But I love you anyway Harry.

...read the Princess Maren her bedtime story

...buy the Pilot Wife an impromtu and very unexpected (the washer died and the dryer has been dying a slow and painful death also) Valentine's gift of a new (to me) front loading washer and dryer. This will cover a multitude of sins. And stains. Get it. Stains. Washer.  Oh I do need a break. Thanks Honey!!

...remind us to be thankful for a job in this current economy

...snore loudly enough that I need both a break and nap.

Pretty impressive for 30 hours, eh?  We will take what we can get. 30 hours is better than none, right? Sigh. See you Sunday, Honey.  You did good.

Skeered

This scares me just a little.  I didn't ask his permission, but he took it himself and that means it's fair game.

This scares me just a little more.  Seems as if he is passing all his cheesiness down to our children.

But when it is snowing, and cold and I could use a nice back scratching, I miss him.

Cheesiness and all.

How Lovely Are Your Branches...

We're lucky enough to have a small Christmas Tree Farm on the north side of town.  After the beautiful Thanksgiving weekend we had here, we were also lucky to find one tree standing on said Christmas tree farm.  Seemed like every car or truck I saw in town that weekend had a tree poking out of it somewhere. But find one, we did.

Here's the Captain, saw in hand, ready to take down that Charlie Brown tree looking mighty white pine we chose. Those girls cheered him on and appropriatly yelled their "Timber".

Then the nice farmer comes by with his tractor and flat bed with hay bales to sit on and gives a nice ride around the farm and back to the barn where they serve hot cocoa and shake out and trim up your tree for you while you wait. The girls loved the hayride.

Can you tell?

I think it's a new record for us.  We had our tree bought and up on the 30th of November.  November,
People.  Talk about shock and awe.

It's a little puny isn't it? The memories? Huge!

Chasing Pilots

Love Norah Jones' new song. I thought she was saying "Chasing Pilots". 

Sorry Johnny/Jack...

Jealous

There are days when I wish I were my husband.  When I could just hop in an airplane, take in the views and stay in a hotel room all by myself.  Then I remember I really don't like to fly anymore (unless it is Dramamine assisted) or recall my mother's warning to never actually USE the hotel comforter, and I'm just fine staying home.  But, after a long week of sick girls and a feeling a little "off" myself , the thought had some appeal.

Generally, I just don't think I could do what the Captain does (besides the obvious fact that I can't fly a plane). Most things about flying in general really sort of bug me.  I don't like the waits, don't like the turbulance, don't like being in that small space with all those other people, and don't  like the weird stomach flipping on take off and landing - dramamine assisted or not.

See what I mean? How would you like to be at the end of that conga line? No thanks. Give me a sick child anyday.

But then, you get a little of this, and I start to reconsider...

Quick! Name that View! (above: Finger Lake region in New York, below, BHO-land.)

And the fact is you don't have to be looking at anything in particular to appreciate the view...

 

"Watch out, Honey....that's a big one!" Can't seem to control that back seat driver impulse.

"Go West, young Captain, there's a plane in them thar clouds!"  Somebody stop me.

Yes, if there is anything I envy the Captain, it's his office views.  For a boy who drew pictures of himself waving out of the cockpit window from the Captain's seat of a big jet, it's a dream come true.

My dream is doing pretty well too.

Now, put down that camera and fly the plane, would ya? Please?

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

Another fun thing that happened on our trip, besides the ocean and the sea turtles, was the Captain and I celebrated our 12th anniversary! Well, actually we checked into our room, took a sunset walk on the beach, while Maren convinced us how the ocean was just not for her. Then we fell into our nice king sized bed after a long day of traveling non-rev, probably snoring in unison as befits a 12th anniversary celebration. Here's the card I gave him.

Here's a tip for bride's to be. Pick an obscure American holiday, one that might get mentioned in passing, but not many people make a big deal out of it, and then get married on that day. You know, like Columbus Day or say, Flag Day. Flag Day works great! DJ might mention it on the radio, your hubby might be driving around town and notice all the flags and think oh that's right, it's our anniversary. The Captain has not once forgotten our anniversary in 12 whole years. Actually, I may be more likely to forget than he would, so that road runs both ways.

I was trying to think of a song that would adequately describe our marriage, and a few came to mind. For example, the chorus of the Grand Old Duke of York.

And when they were up, they were up, up, up,

When they were down they were down,

And when they were only halfway up,

They were neither up nor down.

I feel like we spend a lot time in that weird transition phase of being neither up nor down in our marriage. We are either waiting for the Captain to get home, or getting ready for him to leave again. Neither up nor down. Not really anniversary song material though.

Then there is the new Kelly Clarkson song, My Life Would Suck Without You. What a horrible song title, but it is a great song to put on your iPod and walk to. Have to go about 4.2 MPH to keep the beat - a real calorie roaster for sure- and as usual, I digress. Though I hate the title, the chorus has some truth to it and really, my life would suck without him.

Because we belong together now (yeah, yeah)

Forever united here somehow (yeah)

You've got a piece of me,

And honestly,

My life would suck without you.

Of course you would have to belt that out like Kelly (I would love to be able to sing like that for just an hour or so - just to see how it feels) and have a good techno-dance beat (and don't forget the yeah yeah's) going to make that work, so then I came up with this one.

We had the opportunity to hear Brandon Heath in concert in March and this was one of the songs he played and I thought it would be a perfect song for a wedding. Since we have already done that, I deem it the perfect song for an anniversary. It's called Love Never Fails. See? It works doesn't it?

One of the lines that I like is love is a river that flows through. Have to admit that I do a less than stellar job of loving the Captain sometimes. I try, but there are times when I do feel I have failed - miserably. The hope that this song gives me is that Christ already has that covered. Christ's love is the river that flows through. There is someone doing a better job with this love thing than I am, and I know that will sustain, nourish, and protect us and keep us going strong for another couple decades or so. Even when things are neither or up nor down or just generally suck. I stuck it on the playlist if you want to have a listen.

Love is not proud

Love does not boast

Love after all

Matters the most

Love does not run

Love does not hide

Love does not keep

Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through

Love never fails you

Love will sustain

Love will provide

Love will not cease

At the end of time

Love will protect

Love always hopes

Love still believes

When you don’t

Love is the arms

that are holding you

Love never fails you

When my heart won’t make a sound

When I can’t turn back around

When the sky is falling down

Nothing is greater than this

Greater than this

Love is right here

Love is alive

Love is the way

The truth the life

Love is the river that flows through

Love is the arms that are holding you

Love is the place you will fly to

Love never fails you

Love you Honey!

The Clean Machine or the DHS Report. You Choose.

Someone should report me to the Bad Momma Bureau. I fear I have taken advantage of my oldest child. BUTTTTT, she did say she was bored (Already? Are you kidding me?) The basement was really dirty. She too must have some of the weird Dutch gene lying latent deep inside her that I need to awaken within her.

Last fall we got a new vacuum. Not for my birthday or anniversary or even Christmas(remember that meat thermometer, honey? Nuf said. ) Just felt the old Oreck had paid its dues, and so I bought a Kenmore brand that came highly ranked from Consumer Reports. (The Captain likes Consumer Reports, so I knew that would increase the likelihood of me getting a new vacuum. Worked like a charm.) Anyhoo, it's given name is the Kenmore Progressive Upright Vacuum with Inteli-clean System in Slate Blue (but we just call it the vacuum for short) and it has this little sensor on it that lights up red when the floor is "dirty" and it then turns back to green after it is "clean". I personally think it's sort of hokey, but after showing it to Sweet Marissa (why didn't I think of this earlier), she thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

She spent about 2.7 hours vacuuming the basement. Remember, we have some serious seventies action orange shag down in the basement. She would go for a bit, suck up some Barbie fodder, and then stop and wait until the light turned green again. After about 40 minutes, I took pity and did stop her and tell her she really didn't have to wait on the intelli-sensor to do its thing, but she was in her element. Lights, gadgets and gizmos are her deal. I think she gets that from the Captain. As a baby she had a flashing lights and drive you out of your mind noisy Fisher Price cell phone toy that was her absolute favorite. She has always had a knack for the computer. She consistently kicks my hiney in Mario-Kart (the Captain's too I might add) and sometimes I even secretly practice after the girls have gone to bed. Secretly.So, I think I have the softest, cleanest, shaggiest, intelli-sensored, orange carpet in the tri-state area. AND, I am pretty sure Sweet Marissa will not complain of being bored again this summer vacation. Don't worry, I paid her well. She is saving her allowance for a NintendoDS. Go figure.

Now, gotta go practice the Mario-Kart. Watch out Rainbow Road!