Mischief

Watch out.

 

Kid with silly string ahead.

 

He's not having fun at all, is he?

Sweetness and Buttercups

Mom?  I brought you a buttercup.

Because you're the best mom in the whole wide world!

 

Who says it's the little girls who are sweet? 

I beg to differ.

Litterbugs

I've blogged before about littering, and how it frustrates me.  We live on a mountainous road, and it always shocks me the stuff that people will toss off the sides of the mountain.  Not just your average beer cans.  We're talking entire tables, tires, and -- it has been there for at least ten years now -- in one instance an entire boat.

If this were my land?  I'd be tempted to post signs all along the road with very specific instructions of how to get to the country dump. 

Serendipity

All winter long, in the most horrendous of cold and windy and damp weather, I could count on one thing.  I knew that the older guy in the black running suit with the white baseball cap would always be out battling the elements too.  We always waved and smiled, going in opposite directions.  I felt a silent camaraderie with him - knowing that he was so passionate about his running that it didn't keep him from looping the park in a pleasant jog when the wind chill was in the teens. 

And then, a couple of weeks ago, it seemed we were going the same direction.  I saw him up ahead, and thought that perhaps rather than passing I'd slow to his pace and introduce myself.  I'm not one to do this - it takes me a long while to warm up to someone - but it seemed almost as though we knew each other, as we had both been in the trenches of some nasty weather running over the previous months.  He appeared well into his retirement years, and I admired his fortitude.

And so, instead of passing, I jogged alongside and we started talking.  He was really quite friendly.  He, too, had been happy to see I was the other runner out, the one pushing through the bad conditions.  A misery loves company sort of ideal.  And, on this day, it was a beautiful and sunny 60* and we had the most fun chatting.  It turned out that we had a lot in common.  Before his retirement years, he was a social worker, and had his masters in the subject and spent his career at the V.A. hospital helping others.  We talked about the rewards and frustrations of such a job.  We talked about how the zen of running over the years helps you learn to cope with the stresses.  I learned that he qualified for Boston in his youth and ran it successfully.  He's been running such a long time that he is now in a place where he's happy to just run for enjoyment, and doesn't worry so much about speed or racing anymore.

And then somehow our topic turned to fossils and arrowheads and he began talking about finding fossils in a creek bed in Texas, when he was stationed in Ft. Hood during a stint with the military.  And I mentioned in passing that I had gone to college in Texas.  He asked where and I told him Baylor.  And do you know what?  He went to Baylor too!  In all my years in Roanoke, I have not met another Baylor alum.  I've seen his car a couple of times (he has a Baylor sticker) - and always wondered.  We were delighted - I think both of us had to restrain from yelling Sic 'Em Bears right there.  We talked about some of the sociology classes there (I took a few, mixed in with my psychology background).  He attended before my time, but was part of the yell leaders for the football team, and played some basketball too.  We talked about how bad their football team used to be.  And - just like that - I knew I had a new running friend, when I least expected it.  Serendipity.

Crazy Spaghetti Recipe

When I stumbled upon the Crazy Spaghetti recipe in my Baylor cookbook, I thought I needed to try it.  Because what kid wouldn't like a dish called Crazy Spaghetti?

Ingredients:
1 pound ground meat (turkey would be fine)
1 large onion, chopped
1 (5 ounce) bottle of soy sauce
1 medium head of cabbage, shredded
1 (4 ounce) can of mushrooms (I used fresh)
1 (16 ounce) can bean sprouts (drained)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts (drained)
1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti, cooked and drained

Brown meat with onion in large skillet.  Drain fat.  Pour 1/2 bottle of soy sauce over meat.  Add cabbage, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Add mushroom, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and remaining soy sauce.  Cover and simmer 3 minutes longer.  Add cooked spaghetti.  Cover and cook over low until heated through.

Indeed, we all enjoyed this recipe.  Next time I make it, I'll be using ramen noodles instead of spaghetti.  I think it'll give it a better Asian style.

Spring Break? Or Not.

1. I wasn't obligated to mention this, but Clif Kid sent the boys their new lemon cookie bars to try, along with some fun spring items like sunglasses and a jump rope.  The organic bars, as always with their products, were a hit with the boys.

2.  Pierce, who already had a shortened Spring Break this year, lost a chunk of it due to all the snow days.  Such is life.

3.  I've read more books this year already than I read the entirety of 2013.  I may need an intervention.

4.  At least when you frequent the library, like me, reading books is a hobby that is free.

5.  For now, I will be cutting back to blogging 3 days a week.  Nothing is wrong.  I just want to focus my time on some other things right now, and thought that blogging Monday, Wednesday, and Friday might be helpful in doing so. 

Cute Snow Globe Craft

In March the twins had an Art Night at their preschool.  We were so impressed with all the fun crafts and art they have been making throughout the year.  I thought I'd share my favorite.

They used clear plastic dessert plates for the globe part, and glued stock paper to the back.  The inside has a picture of them cut out to look like they are jumping in the snow.  There is also a lot of glitter on the inside.  They're even cuter in person than in picture!

That said - I hope this artwork is the only snow around our house until next December!