Good Deal!

I'm always inclined to share the love when I try something and it rocks my face off. This would be one of those times.

For most of the year, I get my morning caffeine fix from a can of Diet Coke. But something about cooler temps gets me craving a good cuppa joe, even in the evenings. To keep myself from being wired til all hours of the night, I try to keep decaf on hand. But what happens when I look in the cabinets to find we are OUT of coffee? Well, momma sets off to get her some.

There are two Wal-Marts within 15 minutes each way of my house that I try to avoid at all cost, especially if I only need an item or two. For those quick trips I tend to mosey on down to my local Walgreens that is (almost) walking distance from my abode. Not wanting to spend a lot of dough on some java(cuz it was not on sale) I opted to purchase the Walgreens brand (Cafe W) of decaffeinated coffe in original roast this time around. Momma was NOT disappointed.

This coffee is delicious. Better than the Dunkin' Donuts brand I bought last time, fo sho. I've served it to guests and THEY have asked what kind of cofee it is. They can hardly believe it when I tell them it's the Walgreens brand! I'll be trying the fully leaded kind next and scouring the circular just waiting for it to go on sale! Are there any off-brands that you like better than the name brands? Looks like an "off-brands" post may be in my future. Stay tuned!

Music Therapy Thursday... Anna's Song

Today at 10:00 a.m. I will be meeting with Anna's teachers to establish a new IEP that will enable her to return to school for half days following the brain surgery she had on September 27, 2011. She is surpassing all expectations with her recovery, and we couldn't be happier.

Last night, for example, we got her to "blow kisses" to us for the first time ever. Words don't do justice to just how huge this is! Since surgery, she has been much more alert and focused and (obviously) able to follow directions better than ever. She acts like she feels so good and of course, that makes the rest of us feel good! Time will tell about how the surgery will affect her seizure disorder, but if the past few weeks are any indication of what we can expect, we are over the moon!

I have always loved Natalie Merchant and this song, but when I stumbled upon it again while Anna was in ICU, I knew WHY I have always loved it. Little did I know all those years ago as I sang along to it in the car, the REASON behind the song and how much I would relate to it with my very own little "wonder." I sat in the waiting room that night, tears streaming, feeling like Natalie Merchant had written this song just for me. I dedicate it to my precious wonder, Anna, and know that without a doubt "with love, with patience and with faith, she'll make her way."

"Superwoman" is an Oxymoron

I got a letter in the mail the other day from my GP informing all her patients that she will be closing her practice at the end of November. My first reaction was a gasp due to shock, followed by sadness then frustration. I LOVE my doctor. She takes extremely good care of me. Getting re-acquainted with another physician and spoon feeding them my complete and somewhat complex medical history AGAIN is not at the top of my list of things I dearly enjoy or have time to do. Hmmph. But then it hit me.

This doctor is a mom to three children. Two are twins. Last year she lost her dad. She is married. And she ROCKS as an M.D. One thing that's NOT on her resume is Superwoman. Pardon me for not cutting her a little more slack. In her letter she states that she has chosen to spend more time with her family and I say good for her! As modern women, we are taught that we can have it all. I'm inclined to believe that is a bald-faced lie. I jokingly refer to myself as "every woman" and belt out Chaka Khan's iconic chorus with the rest of my Generation X sistas, but deep down inside, I don't believe wearing a plethora of hats is something we can do for an extended period of time without someONE or someTHING getting the short end of the stick.

I'm NOT saying all women should stay home and not work. I'm NOT saying you can't balance children and a career. What I AM saying is that it is my opinion that smart people know their limitations and realize that you can't be everything for everybody. How many men do we see driving their kids to school, putting in their eight hours at the office, taking the kids to Scouts, throwing in a load of laundry when they walk in the door, fixing some grub for the family, checking in on their aging parents, helping the kids with homework, overseeing bath time, balancing the checkbook, paying all the bills, keeping up with their personal grooming head to toe, and still finding time to connect with their spouse before collapsing from exhaustion just to get up and do it all over again the next day? Exactly. You're picking up what I'm putting down. Women are extraordinary, no doubt.

But we shouldn't feel like we have to adhere to that pace to be successful. What if we all just pulled back and focused our efforts on the things in life that mattered most to us? And that list is different for all of us, friends. Where am I spreading myself too thin? What or who can use a little more of me? Interesting questions. I'll be pondering these while finding another physician. See, she never stops helping me be the best possible me. Thanks, Dr. Clifton. You will be missed...

Entertaining on a Dime... Actually on $8.64!

Thank you, Dollar Tree, for saving my hide once again. We threw an impromptu Italian dinner on Friday night for some friends and because I'm the hostess with the mostess, I felt the need to stock a make-shift bar with a few different red wines to compliment the hub's eggplant parmesan. Realizing Thursday night that there was no red wine glass to be found in the whole house, I set out to find some.

First stop was Wal-Mart, and their assortment of glassware was so pathetic that I'm not going to waste your time bad-mouthing them. Remembering that I had gotten some margarita glasses at a good price for a friend at Belk a few years ago, I headed there next. I did find a suitable set of wine goblets but they wanted $34.00 for a set of FOUR! Sorry, Belk. I am SO not spending that.

As a last resort, I thought I'd try Dollar Tree. And Ba-Bam! Eight red wine goblets (all a nice shape and quite sturdy) to the tune of $8.64 tax and all. And at that price, if one (or two:D) get broken along the way, I won't be reaching for the Pinot Noir to drown my sorrows! LOL! I've been wanting to add some champagne flutes to my glassware collection, so guess who's making a return visit? :) What are some of the things you frequent your local dollar store for? What's been your "deal of the century" there? Leave a comment and we'll all compare!

Throwing Caution to the Wind

Sometimes I get too obsessed with my schedule. I can't play with the girls, cuz I've GOT to get these dishes done. I can't invite anyone over because today is laundry day and I CAN'T get behind. I couldn't possibly break our evening routine or the earth might stop still on it's axis. And where does that leave me? Checking off my unending to-do list, up to my elbows in dish suds, and smelling "April fresh." And that's about it.

I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but in the last 24 hours, I have made a conscious decision to put more effort into my relationships than into my domestic duties. I have stepped over toys making my way out the door to walk with a friend. AFTER supper. On a school night. Gasp! I've left laundry in the hamper to go and have breakfast with another friend. What's for supper tonight, you ask? I have no idea. I've decided to write this blog post about how good it feels to "let go" and worry about dinner later. And as far as I know, the world is still turning. Wait... Yep. Still turning. ;)

Don't worry, this outrageous behavior will in no way become the status quo around here. I just think that living life on "housekeeping auto-pilot" can be just as detrimental as never adhering to any schedule at all. In a hundred years, your floors will be mopped by someone else living in your house. Your dishes will be packed up in your great-grand daughter's attic. And what will be said for your life? I hope my life will read like this: "She played with her girls. She loved her family. She listened to her friends. She welcomed everyone into her heart and into her home." Balance. And who couldn't use a little more of that?

How Me and My Ride Compare AKA: Random Musings About Momhood and Minivans

Both are indispensable for getting the family where we need to go. With all the crap that comes with. ;)

The kids take a toll on us daily and it shows!

Speaking of, both of us could use a little TLC in the grooming department.

We are both NOT the latest model, but was top of the line back in the day. ;)

You can find us sputtering around, "running on empty" half the time.

The older we get, the more maintenance we require!

The kids love us and all the bells and whistles we provide for them, but would NEVER admit said love for sheer embarrassment.

Yesterday, my battery died in car line. I'm hoping this is where we draw the line with our comparisons (she writes, laughing nervously). Although, Chuck DID drop everything to come and get me going again. Loving the romantic connotations here. I'm lame, I know. I drive a minivan, remember?

We are both a lot bigger than I thought necessary, but FABULOUS nonetheless!

Food For Thought

Every time we get a puppy, Anna has some life-threatening hospital stay. I'm thinking this may be our last puppy for a LONG time. Like ever.

Every time I make plans to "change my life," life, as it turns out, has OTHER plans for me. Life lesson: I'm really not as in control as I think I am.

Dreaming about someone I love that is no longer with me is almost like being with them again. In my dream I remember what their hands look like, and how their hugs felt long after my conscious mind had forgotten. Sigh...

Hollywood has not come up with an original movie idea in YEARS (with only a few exceptions). Quit making money off of someone else's brainchild. Re-makes are old and putting a movie in 3-D and re-releasing it is just lame. Of course the last movie I saw in the theater was "High School Musical 3" so my opinion might not carry much weight.

I am currently dealing with an apparent card hoarding addiction. Only yesterday did I successfully discard cards given to me when I graduated from college. SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO, people. Gah! I'm letting go. Moving on. What exactly was I holding on to?

I find it most intriguing that after visiting New York last month, us southerners are quite repressed in our thoughts and actions as a whole. Why IS that?

Finding an old pay-stub or checkbook register from years ago can really put things in perspective and put your present financial circumstances in a far better light than you imagined. Just think how much better it can be five or ten years from NOW...

"Phineas and Ferb" is pure genius. If only summer vacation was really 104 days...

Is 39 too old to start making a "bucket list?"