Small Joys of the Week 1

Since apparently I’m blog deficient, I thought I’d start posting, at least weekly, the small joys of my week. More as a reminder of the things that will likely be lost during the aging process.

The Reason? N and I were having our fancy dinner, before Food Poisoning 2012 hit and I mentioned that Nickelback had come to town. While I do like Nickelback, I was more upset at not knowing that Bush was there as well. I’ve been a huge fan since Sixteen Stone came out in 1994. Well I guess I haven’t been a huge fan since I didn’t even know they were touring. Nonetheless, I really like them. I was telling him how bummed I was that I missed Bush.

He looked at me dead in the eye and said, “you owe me tickets to Nickelback. Why didn’t you mention it?”

My response? “I owe you tickets? How do you figure?”

He proceeded to tell me that when my liver ruptured in January 2007 and our daughter was born, we missed a Nickelback concert because I was “in the hospital with my liver” instead. Because my body imploded, it was me who owed him. Granted, the implosion is a good reason to forget small details like concerts we’ve never made, but apparently it was an additional scar that N has that I was unawares. It made me think of how much I really don’t remember. Here’s to the small joys of the week:

1) Having enough time to pluck my eyebrows.

2) Sitting on the couch with Zoe while we watched Good Luck Charlie. Then having her cry because it was such a sweet show about a new baby coming home. Her heart is full of so much genuine emotion and caring.

3) Realizing I wasn’t the only one crying at the touching Good Luck Charlie.

4) Going one hole further on my belt.

5) The first drama practice for VBS and all the joy that comes from having a cast that actually works well together. Such a blessing.

6) BBQ’d salmon for dinner.

7) 30 minutes of time to quilt and then another 15 minutes of time to fix the original.

8) Ice cream dates with Zoe.

9) Flowers chosen just for E’s birthday and hand-delivered by N.

10) That despite our distance, N is happy and excited to see me, despite Food Poisoning 2012.

11) The sound of 6 feet (2 for Zoe and 4 for Toby) who greet me upon coming home each day.

I Have to Laugh

Sometimes it feels like life can really be a rollercoaster of emotions.  This season of our life could make even the most daring rollercoaster envious.  We are experiencing pressures from places/people/sides that we never anticipated.  It's been both sad and a reason to keep on keeping on. 

To distract ourselves, we try to steal away moments that give a some moment of serenity.  I am doing a Block of the Month quilt.  Basically, it's a year-long program where you do one block per month (hence the very clever name) and at the end of the year you have a quilt top.  June was the first month and I was super excited.  Not only is it my first Block of the Month quilt ever, but I love, love, love the fabric line:  Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.  It's a little retro, a little bright, whimsical and so much fun. 

This is what I made:

I was so excited.  It took about 30 minutes and I got to quilt!  Then I looked at this picture and realized something was wrong.  Apparently, in my 30 minutes of "me time" I stopped reading directions and just slapped the thing together.  Now I have to take the top row out and put it on the right way so the red looks like a real pinwheel, not one that got put together by Picasso.

That's not really the big deal, but I showed this to my mom's quilt group before I realized that I can't read directions.  Bless those ladies, not a single one said anything.

Bless N, he didn't even notice! 

Another way we've been trying to steal time together is dates.  N is working only an hour from our house for a bit and I decided to head his way and surprise him for dinner one night.  He called on his way back to the hotel from work and I informed him that he needed to be ready to take me to dinner.  It's always fun surprising him because I can't usually pull it off.  We haven't been able to do during-the-week dates for over a year.  This was extremely special for both of us.

We went to a cute Mexican restaurant people at his work recommended.  The food was delicious.  We went back to the hotel to watch some television and just be.  It was wonderful.

Until...

We both got food poisoning.

I think I've learned some valuable lessons:

1) Always proof your work, even if it's a quilt square before you show it to all the seasoned quilters.

2) Always read directions a couple times.

3) Mid-week dates don't always work out the way you envision.

4) You know your marriage is made to last when you can be in a hotel room with one bathroom and you both have food poisoning.

5) Cute little Mexican restaurants aren't always so cute the next day.

I Ignored Life for 3 days

Lately I've been on a HUGE reading kick.  Which is ironic because if you had asked the 11 year old me if I would ever read for pleasure, she would've bet her first born that she would NEVER read for pleasure. 

The last books I was hooked on, like couldn't put it down, tried to sneak away hooked on was The Hunger Games.  Before that it was Twilight.  Don't hate, it's a good story. 

I find that I have a hard time getting into books without strong characters.  Apparently, I'm more along the Young Adult/Sci-Fi reader.  Which shocks me a little.  Perhaps there is some therapist who has some explanation for that. 

Several months ago, just after I finished The Hunger Games trilogy, Amazon sent me a recommendation for this book:

Along with several others that sound eerily like The Hunger Games meets junior high meets that would never happen.  Perhaps that's why I loved The Hunger Games - even though it is "that would never happen" they make you believe that it totally could.  So I bought Divergent because the story sounded good and I really liked the cover.  My refined selection habits are astounding!

Then it sat in my Kindle library for approximately 187 days.  After reading some other books and getting my reading mojo going, I thought, why not.  I'll give it 30 pages.  That's my strategy with any book; 30 pages and if I'm not hooked, I don't read it.  Anywho, I came up for hair about 5 hours later, lost precious sleep, and had to rely on Starbucks to get me through the next day. 

I had no idea it was the first book in a trilogy.  This is the second:

They are Young Adult/Sci-Fi, but not in that weird video game way where everyone is a zombie and they go by names you cannot pronounce.  It's YA/Sci-Fi in a way that you love the characters and think, "this could totally happen." 

Veronica Roth is awesome!  She's early 20's, wrote Divergent during college and now has a trilogy that is fabulous.

The third book of the trilogy doesn't come out until fall 2013. 

If you liked The Hunger Games trilogy, enjoy books that provide entertainment and strong characters, give this 30 pages.  It's can't put it down fabulous!

The Marriage Talk

For several months now Zoe has been concerned about getting married.  She doesn't want to move.  She likes where she is and wants to stay with N and I forever.  N tries to talk some sense into her by telling her that she isn't getting married for a long time and she might change her mind by then.  She then decides she's never going to get married and that means she can't be a mommy.  Which brings up a whole different level of discussion that, quite frankly, I'm not ready to have.  Especially since all this line of questioning is hilarious coming from a 5 year old.

I tried a different tactic.  I told her last night that she doesn't have to move.  Her husband could move in with us too.  Why not play along with her 5 year old reasoning?  It's like a light bulb went off.  She started making plans.  She needed to call Ben, who is the boy she's going to marry.  He's 5, goes to our church, comes from a lovely family and he's absolutely adorable.  She has good taste!

Last night this was her stream of thought:

I think I'll talk to Ben on July 9th, we'll get married on July 10th and they can move in here on July 11th.  Although we're going to need a bigger house if his mom and dad are moving in too.  How about we move into a bigger house with stairs on July 8th, then I'll talk to Ben on July 9th, we'll get married on July 10th and they'll move in on July 11th.  Grandma, you can be my bridesmaid who lights the candles on the right side and mommy you're the bridesmaid who lights the candles on the left side.  Daddy will be the ring master who brings us the rings.

I wonder what kind of ring Ben is going to give me?  I better start looking for that.

Mommy, can I borrow your dress?  We'll have to make it shorter. 

Oh my gosh, what about prom?  Can I still go to a prom if I'm married?  Maybe I'll just wear my wedding dress to prom! 

I'm so excited.  I'll have a slumber party with Ben and have someone to sleep with every night.  You know I'm afraid of the dark!

I think that's the real crux of the issue.  She's very jealous that I have daddy to protect me in the dark.  She needs a protector.  Instead of a nightlight, she's just going to get married.  Poor Ben, he has no idea what his summer holds!