April Fools 2013

We love having fun with our kids on April Fools. They love having fun with each other. We have rules... nothing mean and nothing destructive. Sean and I have had the tradition of coming up with a fun food based prank. This year, it was cookie pretzels!

For the past few Lents, my kids have made a joint decision to give up chips. Since they are still growing and they still need extra calories we usually buy them pretzels instead. So, before he left for work, Sean told the kids he dumped all the remaining pretzel bits into one bag and that they needed to finish up the pretzels before they tore into the chips because he didn't want any food wasted. (Wink, wink!)

I only wish I had thought to save a bag that said twists instead of dipping sticks.

Big hit! Of course they want to finish the bag now!

The Netflix gods must be crazy!

Who knew that the other entertainment Netflix provides is making you laugh yourself silly with their kooky recommendations and categorizations?

Let's play a game... I'll show you what they recommended and you tell me what you think I searched for.

I'll be back with the answer in the combox later!

Donut's for lunch?

subtitled: How history is conspiring against me

Sea captain, baker and inventor John F. Blondel received a patent for a doughnut cutter on this day in 1872. He liked to put holes in the middle of his fried cake pastries so he could fit them over the handles of the helm of his ship. Make or eat doughnuts today.

Now why did the kids circle this date on the Learning Calendar?

A dear friend of mine says:
A super easy way to make donuts is to get the large biscuits (Grands?), cut a hole and fry them. Easy and yummy when topped with powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar or glaze (chocolate or vanilla).

But you probably didn't want to know that, did you?

Sushi anyone?

They bought it up until the point that they put it in their mouths. Husband helped sell it with facial expressions. Smearing tuna fish juice on the tin foil that covered it helped too!

Happy April. Were you fooled?

Next, please!

Elizabeth Foss shared this blog post talking about the newest Google Reader gadget. It is great! You add the "Next" button to your bookmarks bar and it takes you to the blog post that is next in your Google Reader line up. So now, I don't have to create tabs of all those posts that I want to go leave a comment on, I am already there!

The first time I tried it, I only had 3 new items. When I clicked on the last one, I wondered what would happen if I clicked "next" again. See for yourself! Gotta love computer nerds!

Next! >>

Our apologies...

...to Richard and Oscar!

There's a bright golden haze on the metal.
There's a bright golden haze on the metal.
The pollen count's high as an elephant's eye...
An' everyone looks like they've had a good cry.

Oh what a miserable morning.
Oh what a miserable day.
I've got this congested feeling...
I'm gonna be hacking all day.

Can you tell my husband enjoys the musical stylings of this guy?

Spring is in the air!

You Are Chirping Birds

You are a very caring person. You especially feel for innocent beings, like animals and children. You are keyed in to the world and very peaceful. You believe that everyone is connected. You remain focused and in the moment. You are not easily distracted. You have a good memory, especially for things that you hear. You listen carefully.

What Part of Spring Are You?

My husband would probably disagree with the "not easily distracted" part, unless I was working on a project. Then I do tend to be very single focused. What's funny is that while I complain that I don't have a very good memory, I would have to agree that my audio memory is better than my visual memory. I can recognize people by their voices better than I can by their faces.

HT: Dawn and Jessica (was anybody really surprised with their results?:)

You can thank me later!

Those of you who live here in North Texas and who have been stuck inside thanks to the freezing cold rain that has been blanketing us for the past three days can now safely venture outside for the rest of the month without fear of any surprise torrents of rain soaking you because I put an end to all of that... by purchasing new umbrellas yesterday! Have no fear. Your spring will be sunny and mostly dry. I can't promise that there won't be any rain, just that you will never find yourself surprised and soaked.

Are you laughing? Really. This is not a joke. You see, I first discovered my meteorological powers back when I was studying in Europe. We were given a ten day holiday (like a Spring Break) to travel anywhere we wanted to provided we could get there and back in ten days. Some friends chose places like Budapest or Morocco. I chose Scotland. My father's genes at work I guess. (Mom, I had already been to Prague twice!) I traveled to Ireland with a group of friends but from there, made my way to Scotland alone. Everyone kept sneering, "Did you pack an umbrella?" Are you kidding? I was backpacking. There was no room for an umbrella. You're laughing again? They did too.

My first day in Edinburgh, I took a bus from the airport to the main part of town and proceeded to look for a place to stay. Wasn't even there 2 hours before it started to rain. Luckily, I was in the shopping district on Princes Street so I bought an umbrella and some really sweet copies of a few classic books. But by the time I had paid for everything and walked outside, it had stopped. And... it didn't rain the rest of the time I was there. Not even a drop.

So I figure, by purchasing three new umbrellas for my children, I should be able to keep the pop up thunder showers as bay for the rest of the month and maybe even well into April. (You're welcome! : )

Unless, my husband decides to wash the cars. Then all bets are off!

Unfortunately...

This is going around Facebook and some blogs I've seen and it seemed like the perfect frivolity for anyone who delights in accidental absurdity which is just what my Friday afternoon needs! You do a Google search for the phrase "Unfortunately, your name here". Don't forget the quotation marks around the phrase! Accidental Absurdity below:

Unfortunately, Charlotte's father was violently opposed to the match, and Charlotte refused to accept the proposal. (well!)

Unfortunately, Charlotte and her future stepmother had taken an instant dislike to each other from the moment they met.

Unfortunately, Charlotte is much more interested in creating vacant lots and building new and better on top of whatever was there before.

Unfortunately, Charlotte was still more at home in the world of theatrical fiction than in reality.(really?)

Unfortunately, Charlotte is lacking in variety. (hey now!)

Unfortunately, Charlotte’s arena is too small. (this is getting personal)

Unfortunately, Charlotte’s private sector has largely failed to follow the government’s lead. (the government best leave my private sector alone!)

Unfortunately, Charlotte's training for the 2008 USMS Short Course Nationals in May was suddenly interrupted when she broke her ankle walking her two dogs ... (ouch)
Unfortunately, Charlotte just lost $500 she had in her account for Cosmetology School.

Unfortunately, Charlotte is now experiencing cankerworms in high numbers. (hence the need for Cosmetology School)

My personal favorite:
Unfortunately, Charlotte lacks conveyor-belt sushi. (not anymore!)

What I hope my husband says every day after work:
Unfortunately, Charlotte was too far away from me.

Happy Friday!


P.S. You might have to skip over some ugly ones to get to the funny ones!

Right Said *Hung...

...is still sashaying down the catwalk. I had only one come through this morning but it was in the same form. According to my computer nerd Husband (he approved that title, BTW) and his favorite tech site, Ars Technica, the problem is with the thingy you type to prove that you're not a robot. Apparently, the robots have cracked it. (Don't you like my technical jargon? The dish soap bubbles are tickling my nose. Tee hee!) Maybe they're being controlled by the green backwards comet?

You can read the real story here, or just show it to your husband who just might plant a great big kiss on you when he realizes you read an article from a website that reviews lip-synching monkey simulation apps. I wonder if the Archbold brothers would consider that a sign of the Apocalypse?


*Hung: Chinese name meaning "deluge or flood".

Shameless Plug

If you are a subscriber to Faith and Family, be sure to check out the Party Planner page (coughcoughpage 18) in the most recent March/April edition. It might look familiar to some of you long time readers.

My girls are giddily giggling over having their pictures in a magazine! I'm off to hunt down the mailman who tore the front page of mine! Bye!

SNOW DAY!!!

Husband is off for the rest of the week because he won't be off next week :( so we are declaring today a Snow Day. Real snow days do occur naturally here in Texas but we can't count on one every year so we are making our own. On the agenda:1. Create our own snow storm in the windows. I made this one last night so the kids will get to work on their bedroom windows today. Warning: This project is so addictive you will find yourself looking at every window in your house and wondering if there are any 24 hour office supply stores. There aren't, just to let you know, but Wal-mart carries the 3/4 inch round labels and they are open 24 hours. I'm just sayin'.

2. We were so delighted by Joann's pictures and the simplicity of this project that we made our own last night so that they would be ready for Snow Day today. Some of us experimented with metallic pipe cleaners. The pink and red ones changed the color of the Borax solution but not the green or silver. Hmmmm?

3. Some sort of snow snack. I am thinking maybe Sugar Snow made with shaved ice or Snowman Meringues or maybe just Marshmallow Men. Suggestions welcome!

4. A snowball fight for sure! The giant basket of white socks sitting in my bedroom will do nicely and no, I'm not posting a picture of those!

5. Some serious snuggle time under piles of blankets with good books and hot chocolate all around. Isn't that all you people north of the Red River do this time of year?

Have a great day (snowy or not) and if you don't hear from me for the rest of the week just read that first sentence again and you'll know why!!! :)

Saturday Silliness ~ Wanna Play?

You Are Scrabble

You are incredibly clever and witty. You can talk your way out of (and into) situations easily. You are an excellent decision maker. You are good at weighing the options in front of you. You're the type of person who can make something out of nothing. You are very resourceful. You know a lot of things. Most importantly, you know when people are wrong - even when they won't admit it.

What Board Game Are You?

HT: Studeo



This one is from Red, my super short sister-in-law who still qualifies to play basketball in Japan. : )

You know, I had no idea that one inch made the difference between a cocky, vain French woman and a sensitive, perceptive German gal. So from now on, I'm rounding my 5' 5 3/4" height up instead of down!

What Your Height Says About You

You are a sensitive, emotional, and even shy person. You are a romantic in the truest sense. You see people as you wish they were. You tend to be a very perceptive person. You are good at getting to the heart of the matter. You tend to be quite pensive and reflective. You think everything out carefully. You are about as tall as the average German woman.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

Holiday Hunt

Why does this keep happening to me? Last year, I had to accost a stock lady to get my Holiday Teas who graciously did not report the crazy lady in aisle 9 until after I left with my precious boxes giddily in hand. This year... it was the butcher.

That's right. Well, technically it was the meat department stock boy. And his manager. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So our hunt started out at the usual superstores. None of them had the Holiday Teas in the tea section! Go figure. One store offered an end cap display hanging at the end of the... get this... baking aisle? Ok. Maybe people like to drink tea while they are baking. Apparently so because the display was completely empty save all the Sugar Plum Spice you wanted which definitely wasn't (that's why we had enough to dye eggs last March). The other superstore also had none in their tea aisle but did say that it was on the schedule to reorganize that section this week so maybe it was coming. Yeah. That's helps me now!

So then, on the way to the library, we pulled into a regular grocery store, the same chain that my friend Liz purchased all the Holiday Tea she wanted from just this past weekend. We checked the tea aisle first, although I'm not sure why, and weren't surprised to find no space for Holiday Tea. So we
accostedapproached the first store employee we could find. A nice young man stocking the meat department... who had only been working there 2 days. As nice as he was, he had no idea what I was talking about, but he did offer to go get his manager who listened attentively as I relayed our adventures and then offered to page a grocery manager to assist me in my quest since he was only in the meat department. So back through the big white swinging doors he went while the children and I amused ourselves with kitchen gadgets and pretty party plates.

Sunshine had the eagle eyes today. She tapped my arm and said, "Mom. They're over there." but my mind was heavy from the fatigue of the chase and I only responded "Huh?" So she pointed and my eyes slowly followed the line of her arm until I saw the stand alone frame displaying the complete assortment of precious teas standing... wait for it... right next to the big white swinging doors. That's right. The same doors both men had gone in and out of to try to help me. Nestled right in between the big white swinging doors and the butt roast were my teas. Why? Do people like to drink tea while they are braising short ribs? Mmmmmmm, nothing beats a nice hot cup of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride while trimming the fat off the brisket. Dee-lish!

Friday Fun

My kids made superhero personas for themselves a few years ago and have slowly been developing their storylines. Well, today, there was a superhero convention going on in The Professor's room. And every superhero needs a special shield. He wasn't wearing his mask so we had to protect his identity. Say "hello" to Kitty Man!

Which superhero are you?

Your Superhero Profile

Your Superhero Name is The Scarlet Bolt Your Superpower is Waking Through Walls Your Weakness is Garlic Your Weapon is Your Slime Tentacles Your Mode of Transportation is Flying Saucer

What's your Superhero Name?

AND, just for fun...

You Are Best Described By...

San Giorgio Maggiore, Twilight By Claude Monet

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

Speaking of works of art, we call this series... Cleaning Out the Marker Box.

Have a lovely weekend!

Things I've learned recently...

1. Sometimes squirrels just do this. Hang out. In the tree. Totally lifeless. Don't poke them with a long pole or anything. They won't like it.

2. Enunciating the word parenthesis clearly is sometimes the key between a 7 year old who writes "Woof!" and one who writes: CC Woof! Look Mommy, I didn't forget to print the C's!

3. To a newly minted four year old who is sitting in Church waiting to get the donuts Daddy promised him, The Book of Deuteronomy can sound an awful lot like the Book of Iditarod.

4. When the aforementioned four year old sees a bug in church on his birthday and you tell him it is just a birthday gnat come to wish him Happy Birthday so that he doesn't freak out about it and disturb everybody in a 5 foot radius, make sure you also tell his sister before she takes it upon herself to squish it.

5. Four year olds remember everything!

FYI

This is the beginning of our super busy back-to-back birthday extravaganza weekend and life has been crazy as usual. We also have our Book Club meeting today and a new washer being delivered hopefully well before everyone shows up so that the smell of rotten eggs emanating from my once so beautiful now covered in dirty clothes laundry room will be out the door along with my old faithful front loader that died suddenly and tragically two days ago. No time to mourn, though. The laundry must go on!

Everybody's doing it!

Your Slogan Should Be

Between Love and Madness Lies Waltzing Matilda

The Slogan Generator

You Are a Brazil Nut

To most people, you seem exotic, unusual, and even a bit scary. But you're really quite normal. You're just hard to get to know. If people leave you alone and let you do your thing, you really shine. But you tend to get lost in a crowd, especially if it's filled with big personalities.

What Nut Are You?

Have a lovely weekend! I think I'm gonna go cry now... : (

Camping in my house

We have no hot water. I haven't showered. I have washed two whole loads of dishes by heating water in giant soup pots on the stove. Thanks to my new AC vents (and some miscommunication on the part of the installers) the breeze in my kitchen blows out the burners on my gas stove...you know, the one I'm using to heat the water.

All I have to say is... you people who do this in the woods... how crazy are you?

Keeping it real!

Contents of my desk at the end of the day yesterday:

• everything that was on it at the start of the day, plus...
  
• magazines to store away for cut and paste collages (I like to keep an assortment of magazines on hand, but as of late, it had grown to ginormous (it's a word) proportions. This is what I have pared down to.)
• tissue paper left over from packing away Christmas decorations (I told you...we have been sick!)
• extra pictures to find a home for
• headphones and some MacGyver DVDs that I am previewing. I loved that show when I was younger and I think The Professor would really enjoy it but we like to preview for scenes of peril and other stuff.
• extra fabric from the Christmas box to get put into the scrap fabric box
• a neck massager
• a bug keeper sans any little critters because Shortcake always has her eyes peeled for ladybugs and with the weather as warm as it has been she just might find that wish granted

So there you have it. I don't consider myself a good organizer, maybe a good containerizer (that one I made up!). I can sort and containerize to make things look nice, but I fail miserably when it comes to creating a system to keep things looking nice and tidy. I try to be honest about my successes and my failures. Remember my dirty boudoir? Thanks for your kind words anyway!