Tempting the Goddess of Spring...

I can't remember how Spring behaves in other parts of the world. We've lived here in Front of the Rockies for 9 years now so I've sort of forgotten what she is like elsewhere. But, here she is quite the Seasonal DIVA! She calls the shots and likes to be in charge. She often pops up unannounced in mid-to-late February and teases us with her warmth and soft winds. Then she turns the show back over to Winter and we get cold, wet and even some white stuff.

For the past couple of weeks, she has graced us with some amazing weather. She's brought color to my backyard in the form of flowers and budding trees. Some days have been windier than others but by far, She is the most well liked of the Seasons at least in my opinion. Not too hot, not too cold. In the words of Goldilocks, She is "just right!".

But, I'm afraid I might be getting ready to annoy her as I've done two things that suggest I am taking her warmth and pleasant nature for granted. Not only did I rotate out the Things clothing (putting the long sleeved shirts in the back of the closet and pulled out tshirts and even the shorts), but we've also decided to have a Housewarming Party this Saturday.

I guess I should go on record for apologizing for the Spring Blizzard that we are sure to have between now and the weekend! I have taken the Diva for granted and she will now punish us all. Or maybe not, she is after all, a fickle girl. Perhaps that's the real reason I like her so much: She is a lot like Me!

A Heart Loving Family...

I am certain that we can all agree that each family has its own set of rules. Not every family out there agrees on discipline issues, bedtimes, restrictions on video/tv watching, those sorts of issues. Our family quirk is that we are a scooter-skate board free zone. Not really a hot button issue for me as much as it is for my hubby. And, since I"m neutral on the matter, it is pretty easy to say "yeah sure, whatever!" His reasons are valid and as a nurse, yes, I am well aware of the various injuries that can occur when you use such items without proper gear. So, the boys have never had scooters or skateboards, nor will they likely ever be allowed to get them. Quirky and odd to some folks, but every family has its own quirks and this one is ours.

But since we moved into the cul de sac, I guess you could say we've fallen victim to community peer pressure. Gradually, the Things have been seen "borrowing" their pals equipment and neither one of us parents took immediate and swift action. Well, today hubby spotted Thing Two on a scooter without any protective gear. When confronted, Thing Two decided to debate the necessity of wearing gear. UH OH: BUSTED BIG TIME! We're now back to enforcing the rule and banning such equipment. It's one thing to be caught, it is another thing to try and argue with the cop who busted you. Never a good thing...better he learn that at 6 then try to teach it to him later on.

So, now that Thing Two has calmed down (why yes, he does have a flair for drama, and I plead the fifth as to who he has inherited this trait from), we explained to him the problem and the need to go back to the original rules.

And this is where he broke my heart: he says "Its ok because you know what, I may not have scooters but I do have a heart lovin' family and not many people have that, right Mom?"
I replied with "are you trying to sweet talk you way out of trouble?" and he looked at me ever so curious "no, Mom, it is true, we are a heart loving family and that's more important, right?"

Man, just when you think this job is too hard, your staff cuts you a break....

Ape Loving Thing

Most of you are aware that Thing One has his own set of challenges. Lots of women out there devote their entire blogs to their children's issues. That's not why I blog, but every so often I need to release certain feelings that I have with regards to his challenges. If you hadn't noticed yet, I'm definetly a "glass half full" kind of girl. And so ranting or lamenting on the challenges of raising a child with autism just really wouldn't be my style.

But, Spring is in the air, and he's got a bad case of Spring Fever. Today his teacher met me outside after school for one of THOSE chats. It has been so long since I've had such an encounter, I'd forgotten how protective I can get when it comes to my kids. Yes, I want both boys to be responsible and accountable for their actions. But, sometimes the expectations that they have for him, fail to take into consideration his quirks and it is those quirks that led to the diagnosis of autism.

While I"m huffing and puffing, trying to figure out how I want to tackle this newest bump in the roller coaster, he's happily doing the last piece of his homework. He's supposed to write three sentences in cursive. Problem is, he doesn't know all the letters yet. So, he goes with what he does know and comes up with this sentiment:

The Ape ate Table Two.

Thing One laughed.

Thing One loves apes.

Now, of course he used his own name. But you know what: in reading that, I am reminded again: I love those Things (and that hubby of mine!) more than anything out there! And, it is my job as his mom, to help him navigate his way through this process called school, while taking time along the way to educate a few educators about quirky kids!

Last night I dreamt about....

Scrapbooking! How lame is that?
Since we moved, I've only made time once to scrapbook and the pages I created were not some of best efforts. If one were to believe in dreams having meaning, I'm pretty sure this one meant I need to get back to the hobby I so enjoy...scrapbooking!

Ok, blog readers (especially if you are also a not so deligent scrapbooker or crafter of some sort), help me stay accountable. I promise to treat myself to at least 3 hours of scrapbooking in the next couple of days. Can you promise yourself a similar treat? (whatever your hobby or craft might be). Share your successes in the comment section (you need not be a blog member to comment)

Kindergarten Wisdom...

Thing Two just announced that "you can't High Five yourself without looking stupid"

I asked him where he heard that, and he said Ms. J (his morning kindie teacher) told him that.

Man, I"m liking Ms. J. more and more all the time!

Feverishly Bored?

No, not me, I'm a mom, boredom is not something I find myself encountering (although a friend who has been struggling with insomnia was asked by a not so smooth sleep study technician:" Oh, you're a SAHM? Perhaps you are bored and that's why you aren't sleeping so good?" Me thinks that technician has some issues with those of us who stay home? But, I"ll save that rant for another day)

No, Thing One is the one with a current case of boredom. (And actually, I don't think he's bored so much as he is annoyed by my recent decision to scale back on the after school social club that we've had going on the past couple of weeks) This afternoon, not only did he announce he was bored but that he had a Boredom Fever of 500 degrees! Wow: that must be bad sighs the very sarcastic mom.

So, in all my years as a nurse, I wasn't sure how one treats a boredom fever. Aspirin is out: don't want to run the risk of Reyes Syndrome. Thinking Tylenol and Advil also wouldn't help. But, as a seasoned Mom, I knew the exact cure...

"Well, if you are indeed burning up with boredom, perhaps I should take this transformer and give it to someone out there who isn't so overheated with boredom? Certainely, you are too ill to enjoy the plethora (oh how I love that word!) of toys that surround you?"

Yep...as is often the case, no more complaints of bordeom were heard from him (at least for today).

Just pictures

Lately, I've been posting but not sharing pictures. And yes, I know sometimes you just check my blog for the photos. So here's a couple pictures.


Yes, here at the House of Chang, we hunt for eggs using nothing but the finest baskets. That is indeed a Longaberger that Thing Two is clutching! Ah, I remember when I treated those baskets with such care. Now you are very likely to hear me say: "sure kid, take it outside". Perhaps this is a sign that I have TOO many baskets? I'll take the 5th on that one...


Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Not me cried Thing Two. Well guess what buddy, you've not only been caught but Mommy had her camera handy too!

Other kids are funny too...

I'm reminded it isn't just my Things that say goofy things. My friend Tracey is in Washington, DC this weekend, helping celebrate her brother's recent marriage. It was an impromptu decision (he is being deployed "over there" in a couple of weeks) and so she went without her family.

Her younger son comes up to me on Thursday, proud as can be "Miss Martha, we took my Mommy to Walmart today and she won't be back until Sunday!".

Yeah, makes sense, Walmart/Washington DC...sounds the same. I wonder if Tracey will see Mr. President while she's there? And if so, what will they chat about?

The Usual Rules

Not too long ago, I was watching a show on Fine Living (why yes, I was eating bon bons while lounging about in my jammies, exciting life of a the housewife that I lead). They were talking about ways to improve the quality of your life and one particular segment I liked was when they talked about starting a Mother-Daughter Book club. It was one of those few moments that I sighed, a little sad that I'm not raising a girl, because it would have been something fun to do once she got to be a teen. And if I had a daughter, I know one book for sure that we'd all have to read when the girls got to be around 13: The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard.

As the author notes in her acknowledgments, the novel came out of a desire to tell the story of how it is that a young person can survive great and terrible heartache, with a certain sense of hopefulness about the future intact. Ms. Maynard selected September 11th as the starting point of her story and continues to follow the experiences of Wendy as she works through those initial months after she learns her mother won't be coming home from work ever again.

I admit, I was a bit worried about the starting point of the story. You are reading it, and you know exactly what is coming next. I found that my own memories of that sad day in September come flooding back to me. Yet even before you got to this point in the book, the author had already created a cast of very vivid and real characters that made you want to keep reading....you wanted to know how Wendy, her step dad Josh and her five yr old brother Louie handled those days immediately following the tragic events of Sept. 11th. And yes, you will find yourself a bit tearful here and there. But that's because the author does such a good job of using the language of a teen to convey what is in the hearts and minds of many folks when they suffer such a loss.

And althought it has been 27 years since I was 13, I found it interesting and intriguing to read a book told through the eyes of a 13 year old. I'd forgotten what that limbo was like: not completely done being a kid, yet also capable of thoughts more mature than I realized at the time. My only real complaint would be that I doubt a young girl would have had as much curiosity and be given as much freedom to explore on her own as the author had Wendy doing. Some of the wanderings were crucial to the telling of the story (so I get why she had the character do the things she did), but I doubt she'd have been given that much freedom. But, then again, it has been 27 years since I was 13, so maybe times have changed a bit?

In closing, I leave these words with you...they are not the authors word, but instead words written by another well known teen who suffered through tragic times and yet remained optimistic and hopeful, Anne Frank, 1944

• It's difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise
  within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It's a wonder I haven't abandoned
  all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them, because
  I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart

It has indeed been a GOOD FRIDAY...

I am certain that my conservative Lutheran relatives would be shaking their head in disappointment had they been hanging around today. Thinking, surely now that she is back to attending church routinely, she'll observe Good Friday in the way she was raised up. Sorry folks...

Although we violated numerous Good Friday traditions, I have to say, today has indeed been a very good Friday. I gathered up my usual posse of pals, and had the kids over for an Easter Egg Hunt after school. While the kids opened their little plastic eggs, us mommies started up on the Margaritas. We feasted on tacos and when the designated drivers arrived (also known as spouses), we decided we weren't ready to call it a night...so out came the poker chips and more adult beverages. The kids played so nice together, while the dads tried to fund their children's college tuition savings plans ( note to Things: I hope your dream is to attend the trade school up the streeet, because Daddy isn't so good at Texas Hold Em!).

And yet, when I reflect back on today, I don't feel any sort of the Lutheran/Catholic guilt that I should considering all the faux pas committed. I instead see a life blessed by God: He's given me a loving family and a circle of friends that fills me with more joy and happiness than I think I deserve!

Blogging Blahs...

I've not feeling particularly witty this week. I'm not sure why.

Let see, what could it be? Maybe I'm still dealing with the news that the accountant delivered last week. We don't owe as much as last year but we still owe some. But then again, that can't be it: because we pay pretty much every year and had the money set aside, just waiting to be sent in.

Well then,perhaps, I'm still bothered by the Great Flood of '06 that happened on Saturday? The basement toilet broke and was gushing water everywhere. Thing One happened to be in the basement at the time, walked through soggy carpet (soaked, drenched, toilet still actively gushing), and went outside to ride bikes, never pausing to tell either adult "hey, the basement is flooding." I discovered it probably after an hour into the incident. Oh but wait, we got over that...and thanks to Hubby's hard work, it looks like everything will dry without further incident. Being at the garden level helped air things out and the air out here is so dry, you don't fret too much about "damp basements". I was more perplexed by the action (or inaction) of Thing One. Oh well, just that friendly reminder that his diagnosis is correct. He's not always going to respond to life events in the ways we think he should. (for readers not all that familiar with the formal name for his quirks, he's on the Autism Spectrum)

Then, maybe it is the inspection that the prospective buyers completed and their laundry list of requests, demands, whatever you want to call it. Nope, we agreed, along with our realtor, that the house was priced to reflect these concerns so take it or leave it. Only two of the issues were valid (and thus we are willing to correct). The rest I think are an attempt to get us to fund their plans for a "fix and flip". Sorry, that's why the house is priced considerably lower than market value/appraised value. It is a "bring your paint brush and hammer" deal. Take it or leave it.

So, gee...I just don't know where my blogging enthusiasm has gone to? I'm thinking I'm using it all up trying to see the bright side of life's more recent challenges. Tune in later when I will try to be more humorous...and well, even if that fails, I'm half way through a REALLY good book, so I should have another review up by the end of the week!

The Glory Cloak

On errand day, I try to include a stop at our local library. I treat it as my reward for completing the chores of the week. The library is only a couple years old and is a wonderful place to just go and wander around. This latest book that I read, I found sitting out on a display unit. I don't even remember what the theme of the display was but, the cover and title caught my eye so I picked it up and checked it out. I'm so glad that I did...for this was a wonderful book I might not have ever discovered, had it not been for that display of books.

The Glory Cloak, by Patricia O'Brien, is a historical fiction story involving Louisa May Alcott and Clara Barton. The story itself is narrated by a fictional character, Susan Gray, who in this tale is a younger cousin to the famed author of Little Women. They travel together to Washington DC to work as nurses during the Civil War. It is here that they meet up with Ms. Barton, the "Angel of the Battlefield" and the story begins to take off. The timeline for the story is from the 1850s- to the late 1880s and the author weaves in elements of history while creating a fictional story involving the friendship between Ms. Alcott and her cousin, Susan.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a bit of time to adjust to the language and style of the book. I'm used to reading books set in the present so this is a common problem I encounter when I change gears and read a book set in a different era. I especially liked learning more about the works of Clara Barton. I'd heard about her: either in nursing school (yes, we had to take such exciting classes as the history of nursing!) or in the military (where again, we had to listen to seminars on the History of the Army nurse). She truly was a remarkable woman: tending to the needs of the injured while also pushing the government to improve the ways in which they notified the families of the status of the wounded soldiers. I also liked how the author added some insight into who Louisa May Alcott was and how the stories she wrote related to her own upbringing and life. My only complaint to the story would be the age difference between the narrator and Louisa May Alcott. She was 10 years younger than Miss Alcott. Yes, I have friends 10 years older and 10 years younger than me and we get along great. But, I doubt we would have been "childhood pals" given this age difference. I'm not sure why the author created such a wide age gap. She could have achieved a similar story while having the cousin be closer in age.

As with any good book, it left me wanting to learn more. Read more. And so off I go...to do just that (not to mention, Thing One is begging for his chance at the computer and I've got other things to do beside read and blog!)

Happy Birthday Audrey!

I've struggled with what to post to mark what would have been Mom's 69th birthday today. (she's the little one sitting next to her big sis, Phyllis). I've typed and deleted several times over. What I write is either too sappy or too sassy. Mom would not have approved of either approach. So, instead, I looked to my good pal Google for some help. When in doubt, Google! Certainely someone else has already come up with just the right thing to say on a day when you want to remember the past but celebrate the present. And sure enough, someone else had managed to come up with just the right words to express my feelings.

So, I share with you these words, written by someone else. I hope that anyone who reads this, will take a moment to think some nice thoughts about your own mom. For as Maya Angelous once said in an Oprah interview, regardless of your relationship with your parent, you will miss them when they are gone from your life. I know I still miss my mom, some 18 years after she lost her battle with breast cancer.

I still Miss my Mom very much

If possible, now even more than ever

As I finally begin to understand

What it means to have lost her so young.

And suddenly, I"m not so afraid anymore

to let myself think and talk about her,

To take that look in the mirror

and see her face smiling back at me,

to connect with her, talk to her,

be reminded of her love for me, her daughter.

I'm not so afraid anymore

to ask questions about my mom,

her life, her goals, her dreams,

what she wanted for her kids,

If she would have been proud of me.

I'm not so afriad anymore

to share my thoughts with you,

And to admit that in my heart I'll always be

the little girl who desperately wants her mommy back!

Thing One in living color

Thing One is a bit like his mother, his maternal grandmother and heck, even his maternal great-grandmother. We have (or had, sadly the grandmothers are no longer living)issues with having our photo taken. He didn't use to be so camera reluctant. But, I am finding as he gets older he sighs whenever I bring out the camera. And, well I can sort of see why. Of the many photos I take of him, most end up getting deleted. His eyes are half closed, or they have that wide open stare in a very forced attempt NOT to close them. If there is a smile, it is often one that looks so forced it reflects pain not joy. Unfortunately, I fear he comes by these photo-sensitive issues genetically. But, thanks to my perpetual photo taking nature and with help from digital technology, every so often I manage to snap a blog worthy photo.

Such was the case on Saturday. He was truly happy. Playing outside with his pals. Riding bikes and just being a kid. I ran to grab my camera and before he even spotted me, I started snapping away. And voila, I present to you...
a smiling, eyes open, content with the world Thing one!

If he hears it, chances are he'll repeat it...

I need to remind myself of this fact just about every day! With Thing One, we got a bit spoiled. He never was much of an eavesdropper. Might have been his nature, might be partly due to his issues, but whatever the reason, I admit, we were spoiled and are sometimes careless in what we say around the kids. They couldn't POSSIBLY be paying attention, right?

WRONG: Thing Two is the master eavesdropper. Yeah Yeah Yeah, I hear you, that apple fell right from THIS tree. I know. But, now I must deal with the consequences.

At least today's event was a funny one. I lucked out. A couple weeks ago, we'd gone to BK for lunch. We'd requested his usual "Plain Cheeseburger". There seemed to be some sort of language barrier between hubby and the person taking the order (suffice to say INS probably doesn't frequent this BK lounge). Anyways, the cheeseburger arrived FULLY loaded. In the grumbling interchange between us adults, we mentioned the woman's limited command of English. Didn't think Thing Two was listening, why would he? He had his food. Why would he be bothered by our ranting about how you can't even order a cheeseburger from Consuela and expect to get it right.

Today, we return to the SAME BK establishment and again request the plain cheeseburger. It arrives: PLAIN, just as we ordered. Thing Two says loudly "Wow Mom, someone was speaking English today!". I just about died of embarrassment...but what happened next saved the day...

Thing One said "Oh, EVERYONE speaks English here."
Thing Two: "Nope, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they speak British!"

Heavy Sigh....and there you have it: next time Consuela messes up your order at BK, remember to blame it on being British!

Spring Forward!

It is Spring Break here at the House of Chang. Long anticipated and anxiously awaited by at least 3 out of the 4 members in our family. We've got nothing special planned and hope to take all week to enjoy this fact. Too often our schedules get filled with so many places to go and things to do, that it will be a welcome change to look at the boys and say "what would you like to do today?"



And not only is it Spring Break on the calendar, but looking out my new kitchen window, each day I am greeted by yet another garden surprise. You have to realize that although I am a Martha, I have the brownest thumb out there when it comes to cultivating and nuturing plant life. My hope is that I can just sustain the plants and flowers that our previous owners so lovingly put together. I've enlisted the help of a good friend who although works as a stay at home mom these days, has a bachelor's degree in botany. She assures me I can manage the level of gardening involved. And just in case, she's promised to stop by every so often and make sure I'm doing things right.



But, I'm not making any promises. Instead, I'm trying to take lots of pictures. Who knows, this might be the only Spring where I get to enjoy these flowers because I'll mistake them for weeds and pull them out after they have finished blooming! So, sit back...and enjoy the beauty of Spring. I know I am sure will this week....

Under Contract!

Wahoo! Our realtor called last night and said he'd be bringing a contract by for us to take a look at. It is a fair contract and so we signed off on it. We just made a few minor counters: nothing related to price but rather just tweaking the language and moving up the closing date by a couple weeks. It should go through without any major problems.

If you would be so kind as to cross your fingers and say a little prayer that the inspector doesn't find anything that is too costly or a total deal breaker and we'll be all set.

I'm just thrilled at the thought of having that house unloaded so that I won't be mowing for two this Spring!

The Sociopath Next Door..

It seems like everyone has a problem friend. No matter where you live or what you do, there always seem to be that one person that just upsets the rest of the balance in the group. We try a variety of measures to cope with this person. In my circle of friends, we even tried the kill her with kindness tactic. We started to refer to this difficult person as our "pro bono" friend. Our line of logic was that if we spent enough time with her, and she saw how we interacted with each other and with our children, maybe some of our better parenting traits would rub off on her. Not that we are perfect, but as a collective group, I must say we've got a pretty good handle on this job we call being a mom.

But, alas our pro bono problem only grew more tiresome. I managed to remove myself from this person last year when after repeated attempts at just taking me for granted, I created a boundary that she hasn't even come close to crossing. As Thing Two tells it "she's afraid of you Mom!".

Recently, some new friends have joined us in our neighborhood group of moms. When retelling of the escapades of our resident toxic female, the newbie said "oh man, you SO HAVE TO READ this book". It is called The Sociopath next door by Martha Stout.

I wasn't making any promises. After all, I've already admitted my issues with reading non fiction. But, I found the topic to be fascinating and was thus able to get over the fact that it is a nonfictional work. The author does a good job of weaving interesting case studies into her presentation so you are being enlightened/educated while also being entertained (if it is proper to admit to being entertained by the tales of misery involving others?)

For starters: did you realize that 4% of the population has no conscience? And that absence of conscience is the basic element of a sociopath? Not every sociopath goes on to commit the horrific acts we often think of when we hear this term. In fact, most identified criminals are not sociopaths but instead have normal personalities whose behavior is the product of negative social factors such as drugs and abuse.

Well, without boring you to tears, I will say the jury is still out on whether our resident toxic friend is a sociopath. I'm not a psychiatrist, nor do I pretend to play one on the internet. But I would say that enough of the traits described in this book apply to her and add insight into the frequent tales of woe that star her and her family. So, at least for now, I will have to say, yes, there seems to be a sociopath next door (thankfully, not technically next door but close enough).

Metrosexuals sprouting up all over the House of Chang

It started when hubby started to hang pictures here at the new house. I realized he had a "real eye" when it came to grouping photos and awards and creating a couple "I love me" walls. I remarked that he was morphing into a metrosexual. Needless to say, he was not amused with my lame attempt at humor/teasing. Yet, he continued to hang a wallpaper border in Thing Ones room (on his own, not because it was a request of mine). His most recent project has been creating poster sized enlargements of car related art to hang in the garage. If he starts to take an interest in skin care and hair products, the deal is sealed: he'll receive his welcome packet into the Metrosexual Club!

Well, now it appears as though Thing Two is also showing signs of being in tune with the world of appearance. Today while getting dressed, he rejected three different shirts determining that they were no longer in style! My six year knows and even worse, cares about "style"? This is so wrong! It is supposed to be one of the perks of having boys: they don't make an big production of what to wear. Grab the essentials and go, right?

Thankfully, the stylish shirt he finally decided on: had a Harley Davidson featured on the front. Big sigh! I think this trait is still emerging and perhaps it will still be easier dressing this boy than had I birthed a girl.
(and a special shout out thanks to Ms. Nancy who keeps the Things clothed in the latest of Harley fashion straight from the HQ in Milwaukee! Nothing but the authentic product for these Things!)

If you have nothing nice to say...

why is it that we are supposed to say nothing? I know this is what we've always been told. And, logically, I understand why it is a good habit to have. But, every so often don't just want to really let it all out? You know, start with a little venting, add tequilla and escalate it into a full blown bitch session? That's what I've felt like doing...but since it is only Tuesday and I still need to get the Things to school this morning, I"m guessing it would be frowned upon to rinse out the coffee and start drinking the "good stuff?" But, surely it is noon somewhere in this planet?

So until then....I leave with you this: Do not disturb, I appear to be disturbed enough!

Fixing A Quirk...

On a message board that I frequent, a recent discussion centered around what are your quirks. I'd like to say that I'm quirk free but too many of you know the REAL me and won't buy that line of bull for even a bribe of a Dove Bar. But, I do have one quirk that I really need to correct and so today I dedicated my creative energies to saying Goodbye to the "Picture Frames with No pictures" quirk.

Yes, folks, I am one of those people. I take a ton of pictures and always think "oh, this one would look nice framed". So, when I'm out and about and a picture frame catches my eye, I buy the frame. But the problem comes in putting these two elements together. The picture frames remain empty, containing the original photos of what hubby has come to call his "imaginary family".

So, last weekend, I had hubby hang the most recently purchased collage set on the wall. For as we all know, when those hubbies are in the mood to do a "honey do" chore like hanging pictures, you'd best tell them where to hang them and worry about what goes into the frame later on. It could be MONTHS before he is in the mood to hang pictures for you again.

Since then, hubby has teased me about starting a poll amongst my gal pals (whom he calls his other wives, as they spend a fair amount of time sitting at my kitchen table) to see how long I take before I replace "Joe and Fred" (his imaginary family that features a Caucasian father and son photo) with a real Chang Gang father/son photo. Apparently, the most popular bet was that it would take me four weeks before replacing said pictures. Gee, thanks for your support!

Well, I am proud to announce that Joe and Fred have been replaced by The Things and their grandparents. That was the easy frame to fill. It took me the better part of the afternoon to find a picture of me and the boys to put in the other frame. I'm guessing that is something else I should work on. Getting myself into some of those thousands of photos I take...

The mystery of the Lost and Found box...

I'm sure most schools have a lost and found box or area designated for all items lost and all items found. I'm consistently amazed at the things I find in our school's box. Some of the stuff, I understand how you might not notice it is missing for awhile.

• Sweatshirts: sure, in this unpredictable climate of ours, you start out the day bundled up, you shed a layer, you forget about it. Most families have an assortment of sweatshirts, so if Johnny doesn't come home with one, you might not even miss it.
• Mittens: another easy one. You take them off to put in your backpack and you drop one. It is warm after school so you don't miss them. The next morning, you can't find it, but hey, who knows where you might have dropped it. Even I'm guilty of that charge.

And then we move into the gray area:

• lunch boxes. I sort of get that: maybe you forgot you brought lunch from home and thus leave your lunch box at school. But then the next morning, wouldn't Mom say "where's your lunch box?" As a mom, you might fall for the line Thing Two fed me last month: "Mommy, I think I accidently threw it away". MAYBE, but only after checking lost and found.

And now we move into the just plain UNEXPLAINABLE...

• Snow boots: but not a pair. Just one boot. If you wore two boots to school and come home with one, isn't it safe to assume your other boot might just be in the lost and found? Wouldn't you at least check? And if so, then why are there an assortment of single snow boots lining the base of the lost and found box.
• Jackets: I'm not talking Spring jackets or sweatshirts. I understand how those get left behind. But, your heavy winter coat. Maybe I'm just cheap, but we have only one heavy coat per person (maybe a spare could be located in the hand me down/going to goodwill box). But, for the most part, it is one per customer in this household. But, many of these jackets look brand new and are certain to be missed at home. At least I would notice if the Things didn't come home with their heaviest of winter jackets.
• Glasses: at least they don't toss the glasses into the box. But, the office ladies easily have 10 pairs sitting on the counter top. I understand how kids misplace the glasses, especially if they are not really liking their glasses or they don't notice a big difference whether they have them on or not. But, again, wouldn't the parents say "dude, where are your glasses? Did you check the office?". Several of these pairs have been there for the better part of the school year. I'm thinking that maybe next year when I screen the kids for their vision, and the same ones tell me "i forgot my glasses" or "I lost them", I should first march them up to the office and tell them to pick a pair, any pair! We might solve two problems at once: clearing off Ms. Liz's countertop AND helping Johnny/Sally pass their vision test.

So, I guess I will remain lost and confused when it comes to some of the mysteries of the school lost and found bucket....

So, you want more cute pictures?

I heard from a couple of you that enjoyed the picture of my pal sledding. And, that you'd like a bit more cute. Well, lets move on from Carol to some other friends. Can you guess who this adorable duo might be?

Then, perhaps this photo might make it a bit easier for you to pick out who that cute fella is? Yeah, I know, I'll probably get fussed at when Hubby checks out my latest blog posting and discovers what I've done with the photos he scanned this weekend. But come on, you gotta admit, he was a cute little guy, right?

Snow much fun...

When we first visited our new house, and I noticed the slope of the backyard I wondered if it was steep enough to sled. Wouldn't that be just the coolest: The Things could sled outside while I watched from the warmth of my kitchen window? It would also solve the age old problem: what to do when one thing is cold and ready to go home long before the other thing had any desire to call it a day. Cold things could come inside while adventuresome things could continue to play.

Yesterday afternoon we discoved that yes indeed the hill had enough slope to make it worthy of sledding. Probably won't keep them satisfied for too many more seasons but for now it works.


Our pals came over and before we knew it, even the moms decided to give it a try.



One drawback to Spring snow, is that it just doesn't linger for very long. Even after a couple runs, we were running into grass and mush. Oh well...they did have fun and I even managed to snap a photo of Thing One (our more camera shy child).

Shoveling for Two...

When we made the decision to move to the new house before selling the old one, we looked at the situation closely. And although we knew dual payments for a couple months would cause a financial strain, it really was the best solution for us. Because, honestly, my domestic skills would not have stood up to the challenges of showing a house while living in it and getting those phone calls that go sort of like this: "Hi, This is Perky Pam from KW Real Estate. We'll be showing the house 10 minutes ago". I just don't have enough "Martha" in me to pull off such showings on short notice. I knew we made the right decision: when we got THREE such calls yesterday!

But now it is Monday and we've had about 6 inches of snow fall in the past 24 hrs. The new house has a three car garage: which translates into a three car wide driveway. Old House is having a steady flow of showings. And since I just paid a lot of $$$ to have those carpets cleaned I figure I really SHOULD shovel that drive way too.

So, although I know we made the right decision, I can honestly say "I hope Spring arrives soon!"
Oh wait, maybe not...Because I think I'd rather shovel for two then mow lawns on two yards (especially if you could see my new back yard!)

Undomestic Goddess

Fear not folks, just because I've not reviewed a book in over a week, doesn't mean I've fallen back into my old ways of wasting time on the computer. I did indeed finish another book and just didn't get around to writing up my thoughts on the book. I am trying to review each book that I read, not just to entertain and impress you, but to keep track of how many books I can read in a year. I didn't set a goal for myself because I want to read yet not be forced to read in order to meet a goal. Oh brother, here I go, rambling...

This week's book was titled Undomestic Goddess and was written by Sophia Kinsella. She apparently has written the very popular Shopaholic series of books. I've not read those and thus wasn't familiar with her style of writing.

The premise of the story is that Samantha is a career driven, high power lawyer, about to make partner (the youngest ever) at her work place in London when suddenly she makes a multi-million pound mistake and she freaks and flees. She finds herself on the first train out of London with no plan in mind. She ends up asking for help at an estate and they think she's there to apply for the housekeeper's job and they hire her on the spot. She's tired, had a headache and needed a place to sleep for the night so she goes along with the story. And well, if you've read any chick lit out there, you can imagine how the rest of the story unfolds.

All in all, it was a light and breezy read. The book had a certain energy to it that had you reading through it rather quickly to see what happened next. But in terms of "is this story really possible?"...of course you can pick apart the premise of the story quite easily. I found it hard to imagine that even a high power career woman wouldn't know how to tend to even the most basic details of domestic life like making a sandwich or a pot of coffee. (I mean, even my very bachelor husband could make a Spam Sandwich and knew how to operate his washer before I came on the scene). But, the author needed to have the character be a total undomestic goddess in order for the rest of the story to work.

If you want a fun, quick light hearted read, then be sure to check this one out. But, if your time available to read is limited, I'd suggest you look for something with a little more power to it.

And now, I must sign off and start in on my next reading project. I know, I know: I don't like nonfiction but a friend recommended another work of non fiction that I simply have to check out. Tune in next week for my review of "The Sociopath next door" (SEE: even you find that title intriguing don't you?)

The problem with flannel...

is that it just makes the bed TOO darn comfie and cozy!

Ever since we moved into the new house, I find myself not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. For those non-morning folks out there, you are probably thinking "yeah, so what?"

But, I'm a morning person and it is in the morning that I find myself to be the most productive. My thoughts are clear. I am energized and enthused. I can accomplish a lot before even taking the Things to school.

But not lately...
And I've decided it is the fault of those flannel sheets. We've turned the thermostat down just a bit and we know that the insulation in this house isn't as good as our old house. All those things create a colder world that I must enter each morning.

So, instead I just pull my comfie, cozy flannel sheets up over my head and linger just a little bit longer.

If Spring weather doesn't return soon, I'm just going to have to take some drastic measures: and bring back the regular sheets so that the bed doesn't have that strong hold over me in the morning. This chick's got too much to do without lounging in bed each morning...

Leprechaun Alert!

Thing Two has been very worried about the leprechauns. Apparently, his morning teacher has been telling them about all the tricks these little fellas like to play. The trick Thing Two is most concerned about? They might STEAL the car keys! He's repeated this worry several times over the past couple of days.

This morning, Thing Two was waiting proudly for me in the kitchen. He was standing next to our message board that has hooks for car keys. He announced "See Mom, I TRICKED those leprechauns! I put your keys way on the top hook so they can't reach them. You know they aren't very tall, right?"

I couldn't help but smile: he was so proud of his being able to outsmart those mischievous green men and he never for one moment doubted what Ms. J. had told him in the first place. You just gotta love life when there is a kindergartener in the house!

Hurry Up and Wait...

I consider myself to be a patient person. Somewhere along this life journey, I sort of came to accept that often all you can do is wait for the problem to unfold and the solution will present itself and the situation will resolve. Just because I know these things, doesn't mean I have to like them!

Right now I've got a couple things on my mind that I wish I could just tuck away and be done with. We've got a house to sell. I know it will sell and that in a matter of months I will look back and go "gee, that wasn't so bad". But right now, I'm bothered by the hurry up and wait that comes with the selling of a house.

I'm hoping to start a new job later this Spring and recently a slight snag in the schedule occured that has left me feeling frustrated. Granted, the overall change will be good, but I feel bad that my change is having a ripple effect on others and this whole new project being put together.
Again, in a couple months, this will all be old news and I too will sigh "now, what was it you were so bothered by?".

So, for now, all I can do is wait...wait for the issues at hand to work themselves out.
And waiting just isn't a thing we Marthas can do without bellyaching just a bit....

Our Rising Stars...

Saturday afternoon Thing Two and his team had their Destination Imagination performance. (That's him in the photo, he's the duck! Came up with his costume all on his own!)This was the Chang Gangs first experience with DI and I think we have become a bit spoiled. The dad who coached the little guys was fantastic and the kids all had a blast. As a parent, it was interesting to watch the process unfold: from taking 8 kindies and first graders and encouraging them to work together as a team to create a play that contained certain key elements with next to NO adult interference! So much depends on the coach and his understanding and enthusiasm for the project.

Last night, as I was reading to Thing Two, he called out to his older brother "hey, P, will you sleep on the top bunk tonight?" (usually they sleep in separate rooms, with Thing Two having bunks beds in his room but no consistent bunk mate). Thing One cheerfully replied "sure, I can do that for you!". Thing Two looked at me and said "you know Mom, some days he really is my VERY BEST FRIEND!"

And you know what boys....When you both are so kind to each other, I'm reminded of what bright shining stars you both can be (when you want to!)

Father-son bonding at its best...

I'm sitting in the front room, reading the paper (as is my Sunday morning routine), when I hear the laughter of my hubby. That can only mean a couple things: either his Army buddy has sent him yet another email featuring photoshoped photos that tickle only the male funny bone, or he's found Stooges on TV.

The answer was found just a few moments later, when he calls for his sons and announces: "it is time you learn all about the Stooges". Sure enough, Thing Two is laughing within the first few minutes of watching this classic "guy" show. Thing One is trying hard NOT to laugh as he's trying to pull off a pout (he was watching some equally mind numbing show when he got bumped from his command post of having control of the remote).

Ah yes, I do live in the Land of Testosterone! But that's ok, I've always said God knew what He was doing when He blessed me with boys!

Midnight at the Dragon Cafe

With our recent move, we made a few changes. And although change often takes some getting used to, it can often be a good thing. Such is the case with relocating the family computer. It used to be in the family room, right off the kitchen. It was centrally located and convenient. Perhaps just a bit too convenient. I found myself popping on line really quick while fixing dinner. Or, while watching TV, I would surf and blog. Yes, I wasted a lot of free time on the computer. But, now the computer is tucked way in the basement. And believe it or not, this is a good change. I'm finding myself with more of an interest in reading. While I wait for the water to boil (this far above sea level it takes awhile), I pull out my book and start reading. If there is nothing on TV, I grab my book and read instead of mindlessly surfing online.

So, with this new found extra free time, I've managed to finish yet another book. The title is noted above and it is by Judy Fong Bates. I admit, I am drawn to books that deal with the Chinese immigrant experience. Perhaps because I married into such a culture, I am always looking for ways to gain insight into my husband's family through the literary works of others. This book went a long ways in helping me understand and appreciate the challenges faced by those who fled Communist China in the late 1950s, in search of a better life for their families while still longing for their home country. (My inlaws left China around this same time period, taking a less direct path). It is set in a small town in Ontario, Canada and is told through the eyes of Su-Jen (or Annie, her Western name) as she shares her life living with her parents who run the local Chinese restaurant. The author has a very easy way of writing where you are drawn to the story but not captivated so much that you rush through it to find out how it ends. She created characters that are interesting and complex while maintaining the voice of a school girl. I found myself savoring the story, watching it unfold.

I'll finish up with this observation: When you aren't finding the time to enjoy hobbies you like (be it scrapbooking, reading, card making, whatever), you might want to try changing things around a bit. Granted, it need not be as drastic as the changes we've made this past month, but even something as simple as getting a brighter lamp for bedside reading might help re-ignite that spark that brings you back to the hobbies you enjoy! I never imagined the relocation of our computer would lead to me finding more time to read! So, off I go...with two more books waiting to be enjoyed. Tune in again for more boring book reviews by yours truly!

Which Muppet am I?

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know.You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems.Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green.Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

This really shouldn't be any big surprise for those that know me, eh? I really strive to get along with everyone and although I would like to say I'm more Miss Piggy than Frog, truth be told I just don't have it in me to be a full diva. Ok, if you counted physical appearance only, it would be a hands down win for the Pig. But, really, beyond that, I'm Kermit!

Loving Life in the Cul de Sac...

Hubby had always commented that "we should have bought in a cul de sac". I knew he was right but it just never registered as being a high priority for me. But, as the Things got older, I too started to long for a safer front yard. So, when our new house was located in a cul de sac, I was eager to see how much we would use and enjoy this improved location.

Some random observations:

• In the morning, if one Thing is ready for the walk to school before the other, he can go ahead and start heading out, stopping at the main street and waiting for us. If on the way home, one of them decides to race ahead of Mom (who is usually walking slower with her gal pals, enjoying those final moments of adult conversation before entering the zone of chaos more commonly referred to as after school), it is ok, he can wait at the driveway.
• They've played basketball in the driveway while Hubby has tinkered in the garage.
• They ride their bikes round and round in circles.
• And Mom is so much more relaxed. I'm still not ready to let them be out front without one of us being out there was well, but I can see a time in the future when that might be an option.
• And finally, I"m glad that Thing Two has outgrown his "word retrieval problems" that he had as a preschooler. When he was first learning to ride his bike (a couple years ago), he would ask to go ride in the "testicle". Shaking my head, suppressing a giggle, I would ask "the WHAT?" and he would try again. You know Mom, the tentacle where Nick lives. "Oh, you mean Cul De Sac? "Yeah Mom, I keep forgetting". I never quite agreed with their assessments of his word retrieval problems until I recalled this recurring conversation. :)

Respect...

Webster defines respect not only as to consider worthy of high regard but to also refrain from interfering with (*one's privacy). It is a rather simple concept but one that others apparently seem to think "doesn't apply to them".

An incident occurred last night that still has me angry. My hubby is a good man. He's passionate about some topics that, although I don't necessarily share his passion, I respect that he is so dedicated to these causes. Even my father, who looks at the world from the totally opposite end of the political spectrum, agrees to disagree with my husband on certain matters. It is about respect. Respecting a person's right to his beliefs.

But last night, we were rather shocked when he got an email response from a college buddy that totally shocked him. Hubby will occasionally send email information to friends that share in his interest in the cause. So, when he came across an article that he thought would interest his pal, he sent it to him. From the response he received, it was very apparent someone had intercepted his friend's email and ANSWERED the email assuming the identity of his pal. No, we aren't talking hackers. We're talking a family member. We've since learned it was the wife.

Man, there is some serious trouble in that household! She not only reads her husband's private email, she goes on to respond in a pretty snarky manner all the time while assuming the identity of her husband. When hubby reached his pal by phone this morning, pal excused the wife's actions by saying "oh she thought she was being funny!"

I'm guessing his pal was just trying to save face because trust me...There is nothing funny about the lack of respect KIM RICE showed towards my husband and her husband. If she were any sort of a decent woman, she'd be doing some serious apologizing. But then again, if she reads her husband's email without his permission, then I doubt she'll recognize that she did anything wrong.

Oh my, here I promised myself not to use this as a venting forum. But, I hope that when I look back someday on this post, the anger I feel won't return. Instead, I'll be reminded that respect is an important element in any relationship and that my husband can always count of having me respect him! Love ya honey!

It only seems right and proper that Thing One and Thing Two take a moment to wish one of their very favorite authors a Happy Birthday! Thing One wouldn't cooperate with a picture, but Thing Two is always happy to oblige.

Today in school he made his stylish hat and dined on Green Eggs and Ham!
Good thing the teacher remembered because this weary Mom forgot!

Resumes and reminiscing...

Last night I was filling out an online job application. I've not applied for a job in almost 9 years. I've not worked outside of the home in almost 7 years. The job is not in my specialty, nor is the pay anywhere near what I made in my last job. But, it is a job that interests me and seems to be the right thing to do now that the Things are both in school full time.

So, as I'm getting started, the website tells you what documents to have ready and to be prepared to spend 15-20 minutes completing the online application. 2 hours later, I finally reach the review and send page!

I guess it wouldn't have taken that long, but as I pulled things out of my "employment and education file box (I KNOW, only Marthas have all such documents stored in a separate file box, labeled and categorized even though I've not even opened the box in some 8 years), I kept getting stuck in memory lane...

Ah, those days in the Army. Back in 2000, during the Gulf War I, as my former co-workers were suffering through the Saudi summer heat, I was studying to become a nurse practitioner while watching the waves hit the shores of Carmel Beach (hazardous duty, I know).

Or how about those first years, out of the Army, and I was working and going to grad school in Maryland. Surely I spent more than just a semester in grad school before life got in the way? Nope, I guess not as I can't find any documentation supporting that I took more than those two classes. No wonder my boss at the time questioned "are you sure it is smart to move to Virginia to be closer to some fella you just met?" It did all happen rather suddenly, but since we just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary last fall, I guess my heart and mind knew I was doing the right thing.

I spotted names on old reference listing that I hadn't thought about in years. I found performance reviews that pointed out that yes, I was good at my job. In those early years of signing things as Mrs. Chang, you could read every letter in my last name. Now, you are lucky if you can figure out that the first two letters are Ch, the rest is just a scribble.

It was a happy trip down memory lane and that gentle reminder that one not always be in such a hurry to toss out trivial pieces of paper. Sure, keep them in one spot, but keep them....They will serve as memory joggers of your past experiences!

Spring Fever...

Last week: record cold.
This week: record warmth. Forecasting 70s and sunshine through the first half of the week.

The air has that smell of Spring and everyone is shedding layers and soaking up the sunshine. It feels good. But, we've all lived here long enough to realize nothing lasts forever when it comes to the weather. So, we try to enjoy it while we can.

Thing Two rode his bike to school.
Thing One opted to walk. That's because he's discoved when he walks, he can bring his game boy. And unlike his momma, he can multi-task pretty good: and manages to play one last game before heading into school while walking. It is sort of win-win situation.

After school, they both played hard with their pals: again, out in the backyard.

And well, with all this fresh air and outside play, they both willingly take their showers and fall fast asleep with not one extra ounce of energy left to protest the end of the day.
And that...makes me one HAPPY MOMMA!
Yeah yeah...I will try to remember to take some pictures of the Things enjoying the great weather!

Maybe you CAN judge a book by the cover...

I finished reading "Tuscany for Beginners" by Imogen Edwards-Jones. I picked it only because it looked to be about the right size for me to tackle and the cover looked interesting. It turned out to be a pretty good book. A light read, didn't require a lot of thinking on my part but I was able to put it down and pick it back up as my schedule allowed.

The primary character in the book, Belinda, opened a B&B in Tuscany after fleeing England following a very upsetting divorce. She views herself as being pretty close to perfect: between her knowledge of the Italian culture and community to her gracious skills as a hostess. She really has it ALL together...if you believe her journal entries. Then, the author switches gears and tells you the rest of the story. I found this to be a rather interesting way to develop a character and give her depth. Seeing how she views herself compared to those around her. And I wonder: is she REALLY that delusional?

Which got me to wondering...am I delusional on such a level? When I blog, am I reporting only the rosy side of things? Perhaps...but that comes more from my knowing that once you post things on the Internet, it is a whole lot harder to issue retractions. I have consciously tried to keep things here upbeat. Which explains why some times there is a LONG lag between postings. Momma always said "if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing"...and that is especially true when it comes to the internet. In my daily life, I don't think I'm delusional. But, I wonder, if I were, would someone have the guts to set me straight? IF I had a "belinda" in my life...would I be able to tell her "hey, chickie, knock it off". I'm not sure I would be able to do that.

So, there you go, even in the midst of moving, I managed to find time to read a book. Hmmm...maybe I am the all that girl in the neighborhood? If so, would someone please tell me to knock it off?

Before, During and After in living color

We started last Thursday looking like this:

Bad blogger that I am, I didn't think to start taking pictures until after they had loaded up the first floor. Sorry, this is all so new to me.

And next thing I knew, I had this mess to deal with

But after a long day of hard work, I am now able to sit back and enjoy my new CRAFT ROOM! Yeah! Now I have no excuse not to get crafty!

Operation Relocation...

WOW! Almost a week since I've blogged? That has to be a record!
When I last popped in, I was preparing for Operation Relocation. Surrounded by boxes, my head was spinning with the never ending TO BE DONE list. I couldn't sleep, knowing all the work that was waiting for me. The forecast was for cold and snow!

So, here's an update...

• Box count: one. Yep, I"ve got just one box left sitting here in my craft room that needs to be loaded into the file cabinet.
• Rooms left to be organized: One. The craft room.(notice the pattern, eh? Yes, I saved the best for the last!) And considering this place has 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and your usual kitchen/family room/living room, well, you can imagine how busy we've been. But then again, I am a Martha and organizing is our strength.
• Sinks that had to be relocated: One. Yes, the prized sink had to be disconnected and moved because Elsa is just too darn long and wouldn't fit into the garage. Hubby was a determined man yesterday, moving the sink. But, now the girls are tucked back into their home and all is well with the world of cars. The Mystery Van remains outside, but at least she's off the street.
• Amount of snow that fell: Thankfully, just one inch or so. It got too darn cold to snow. As a friend called it, it was "Gunnison cold"...referring to a town up in the mountains that gets really cold and stays that way all winter. And yes, indeed, it got really cold and stayed that way. A record was set on Saturday night: MINUS 13 degrees. Thank heavens for flannel sheets and a functional furnace.
• Houses left to be sold: One. Anyone want to live on Ireland Street? I've got a great house to show you!

So, as you can see, Operation Relocation has almost come to an end. It has been ONE amazing and busy month (as we just toured the house for the first time one month ago), but I'm so excited we took this challenge on. Now, lets get back to our regular scheduled life....
Photos will be posted once I find where I stashed the transfer cable!

Love Actually

I will happily admit that I hate repeats. TV reruns are a bore. I've rarely read a book more than once (the only exceptions are Memoirs of a Geisha and the childrens books I find myself reading over and over to the Things at their special request). Watching a movie that I've already seen is a sure fire way to put me to sleep. The exception is the movie Love Actually. I could watch that movie over and over and each time take away a different lesson. And my favorite song within the movie is "All you need is love. " If I"m feeling down, it is a sure fire way to get my mood pointed in a more positive direction.

Now, I'm no hopeless romantic. Of course, I know you need MORE than just love. But, with the love of your family and friends, really, you can achieve all those other things that you need in your life. I am so very blessed with a loving and dedicated husband, two happy little things that remind me each day what my purpose in life is, and a circle of friends that extends far beyond what I ever dreamed I would be blessed with.

So, this Valentines Day...take a moment to give Thanks for all the gifts in your life and remember...love actually is all you need!

Bookworms

Honest, the above photo is not staged. Both Things enjoy a good book. They get that from their parents! But, lately, I've struggled to find that "good book" that I enjoy. And it isn't for lack of trying

First, I tried to read a book that came highly recommended by a friend. The Little Classroom with the Big Personality by Fran Hunnisett. The topic is something near and dear to my heart so I thought for sure I could get through this very short, but non fiction book. Nope, half way through a page, my eyes would get heavy, my arms would get weak and I'd be ready to fall asleep. I think it is a psychological carry over from my college days where I had to read various textbooks. I just couldn't get past my issues about it being nonfiction. So, I set the book aside and started to read another book, recommended by yet another friend.

This book, Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, proved to be a good book. It would make a great book for a book club discussion. So that I could sit there and rant about the basic premise of the book. You simply DO NOT GIVE away your child...no matter what disability that child is born with. With that being the premise of the rest of the story, and me being so passionately opposed to the actions taken by the central male character....well, for the next 400 pages I really didn't care how much sadness he endured...he had brought it on himself by changing the course of his life and that of his wife's through his selfish act. Yeah, yeah yeah, tell us what you REALLY thought of the book Martha! :)

The third book I tried to read this past month was called Wicked by Gregory Maguire. It is another book that falls outside of my preferred genre of either murder/mystery or chick lit. This one was labeled by the library as science fiction/fantasy. I figured since I was familiar with the basic concept of the story (just who is the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz, and how did she get to be that way?) I could muddle through it in hopes of expanding my pretty narrow reading scope . I tried. I really did. But, then I got sidetracked with moving and the worries of that and I just didn't have the energy left to work through reading a book that is written in a style signficantly different from what I am used to. And, with 40 some others waiting patiently at the library for their chance at reading this book, I returned it without finishing it. Perhaps once the dust settles on our move I will try again. I was liking what I was reading. I just found it required more concentration and effort than I could spare right now.

Friday, I grabbed a book from the new fiction section of the library based solely on its cover and title: Tuscany for Beginners. On the cover is a comment from Candace Bushnell (author of Sex in the City) that says "Absolutely hysterical, I could not put it down." I figured I was at least back in my own comfort zone for reading. We shall see how this one goes...

Lets get our act together, ok?

I'm beginning to wonder...is ANYONE out there doing what they are supposed to be? I know I have slacked off in a major way in terms of getting ready for the move. So, no, I'm not doing what I"m supposed to do. Thing One would rather play on the computer then get ready for school. Thing Two is realizing his classmates cause trouble and he has to suffer in the group consequences so he's starting to question why he needs to behave when he ends up losing priveldges regardless of how he is behaving. Hubby's customer seems to have misplaced an invoice that payment was due on two weeks ago. Our insurance people had no problems cashing our premium payments but still say we aren't covered because they don't know how much our dental coverage will be. I should add that we declined dental coverage, so the amount due is zero: but I'm guessing that they can't make that conclusion without proper authorization. And, so what, if you don't have the cost for the dental, at least activate the medical so that I can in turn call in Thing One's prescription. The Telephone customer service agent couldn't figure out how to get our phone service transfered in a timely manner. Yet, when I turned on the tears, suddenly he could get a service tech out next Friday morning. And Finally, the ten day forecast is calling for SNOW next week on moving day.

So, I think it is pretty safe to assume that most of us are off our game this week. I'm hoping to get back with the program tomorrow. Lets hope the rest of the world joins in!

100 Days of Fun...

Yesterday marked the Things 100th day of school. For second grade, well, it was just another day, much to the disappointment of Thing One. But for kindergarten: it was a day worth celebrating!

Thing Two was giving me a bit of an attitude about what he wanted to make for his 100th day project. Mom's ideas were either "BORING", "Nah, too girly" or "just plain goofy mom". So, I suggested we google and find other ideas that aren't from Mom. That seemed to do the trick. He found an idea for a fruit loop flag and we were all set.

Until yesterday, when he blew my crafty cover! He said to his teacher: "Do you want to know how we made this flag?" Cautiously, she said yes. He said "Mom got it off the internet!"

Oh well, at least he said WE...pointing out that the project was a joint effort even if Mom didn't come up with the idea all on her own.

Now, off to modify the valentine project as I mistakingly used PINK for the paper choice. Oh so not a good thing when you've got boys!

The Power of Observation

Sometimes my boys simply amaze me with their observational powers. And other days, well they just sort of state the obvious. This morning was the latter. Thing Two was grumbling about having to wear jeans. He doesn't like the snap part. I then pointed out to him that these were his favorite jeans "you know, son, the ones with no snap". His reply goes in the priceless category: "Ah, Thanks Mom, it doesn't get any easier than that, does it?".

Saturday we celebrated the Year of the Dog by attending a lion dance at an area restaurant. As always, the food was delicious, the dance was intriguing and the gathering of old friends to celebrate the dawn of a new year: well, that falls under the pricelss category!

Keeping our eye on the sink...

Or the prize...but well, for hubby it is the same! You see, our current home doesn't have any sort of mudroom or utility sink. When he works on the cars, he has to wash up in the hall bathroom. And although he is very good about cleaning up his mess, it is still a hassle. That garage sink is something he's really excited to have.

We're knee deep in the process of packing and moving. Not a single room is in order which is really bugging my inner desire for order. We did manage to make a HUGE dent in the basement: which resulted in a trip to the Landfill (Note to self and any other curious locals: When trying to locate the address of such facility: it isn't called a dump anymore. They call it DADS and yes, they charge double for any uncovered loads!) A trip to Goodwill is planned for Monday as the back of my van is filled with stuff that others can probably use (a portacrib anyone?). The crawl space of our current home has always been the black hole of our place: stuff we don't want to decide whether to keep or save: gets "temporarily" tossed into the crawl space. In some cases, temporarily was defined as 7-8 years!

And a final note to self: Marthas who have descended from the crafty side, should consider NOT moving in the early weeks of February. There is so much fun to be had in the craft room: between making stuff for Chinese New Year, to helping a kindergartner design his 100th day project to the much anticipated exchange of valentines. Sure, we can always buy the valentines: but if you find that to be the solution that makes you happy...then you probably aren't a crafty Martha type!

The Studious Thing

I just talked to Thing One's special ed teacher. She said "I've got to tell you what Thing One said on Tuesday". Uh oh, never good when they start a conversation like that. When you've got a quirky kid, you just never know what they might announce to the world!

In celebration of Red Ribbon Week, they had a guessing contest: how many fireballs are in the jar. Winner gets the contents. Thing One insisted he couldn't participate because "I didn't study last night, Ms. Beth, I'm sorry!". She tried to explain the concept to him and he stood firm on his: I didn't study, I"m not able to guess."

Yes indeed, every so often we get a new chuckle from his quirks!

A house with a happy view

Today was the inspection on our new house. That's it in the top picture. We're pleased to report that the incredibly thorough inspector found nothing in the "deal breaker" category and created a long list of "honey dos"...pointing out trim that needs touch up, lose nails on the siding. Plenty to keep us both busy in the coming months.

The highlight for hubby was discovering that the garage has a SINK! Oh my, those pampered girls will get sponge baths year round now! For me, the surprise was discovering some built in cabinets in what will become the rec room in the basement and a ceiling fan in the front room (something I've always wished we had but the headache of installing in a room with a cathedral ceiling was more than either of us felt passionate about pursuing).

For Thing One, I think his pleasant surprise will be the view from the backyard. Yep, I've posted it below. That's our current house. Which you can easily see from our new backyard. He's been a bit worried about leaving the only home he's known and I think this will be a source of comfort for him. For Thing Two: it is hard to say what surprise he'll find. He was pretty excited to learn about that sink in the garage. He's gonna be a car guy just like his dad I think!

And for those that are curious, yes, I'm still on task with my to do list. Even managing to get to some over due letter writing to family and friends.

Keep Me Accountable

I'm hoping if I list my week's plan of attack, I might just have a chance of staying on task. We shall see if this theory actually works.

• Monday: start to pack the upstairs. Work on the Curio Cabinet, and the Things Room
• Tuesday: errand day. Bank, Post Office, drop off insurance paperwork, library return, meet with home inspector, finance man and security company.
• Wednesday: work on the basement. Purge toys and other non essential items. Pack up the boys book collection and seldom used toy items.
• Thursday: the craft room. Empty vertical file cabinet and white craft closet
• Friday: take some time for myself. Hair appoint at 11am. LONG overdue. Not enough time to address the root problem but get a good cut.
• Saturday: work with the family on their projects. And off to Chinese New Year Lion Dance. Try not to repeat last year's stunt: had the "Barcardi Flu" from the night before and couldn't manage to make it to the dinner/dance.
• Sunday: Church and re-evaluate the progress made in a week

And to get me started, I'll post a before picture of the craft room. Ok, so not a real before picture, I had cleaned it recently, just forgot to vacuum. Gotta run, lots to do, little time to do it all!

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!!!!

Ok, so that is the only phrase I know in Cantonese...but hey HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today marks the start of the year of the Dog. Something tells me I'll be working like a DOG in the coming weeks but I'm pretty sure it will all be worth it in the end!

Some have asked for pictures and I promise to take my digital camera to the inspection on Tuesday. But, if you are local, well, you will have a real sense of Deja Vu! But then again, don't we all have deja vu as there only seem to be a handful of ways that they design homes out in these parts. It is basically OUR same house only with a full finished basement (hello craft room/kids hideout) and a third car for the hubby so he can tend to the "girls" in a more spacious environment. And, the house faces more of a NE direction than our current eastern exposure. SHHHH...if ANYONE asks it faces due east, ok? Yes, I know there is probably only one person in the world that would ask which way the house faces and be concerned if the house faces the wrong way. But, this same person has believed I'm a dragon not a snake for ten plus years so I think we can manage this modification of Feng Shui. Mums the word, now, ok?

See photo below...and you'll know why Thing Two

calls himself a "Chinese Cheese Head!"

I just realized while looking at this photo: he looks a lot like his dad MOST days...but in this particular photo I see just a hint of MY people.

And that, as us Marthas like to say...is a good thing!

Patience paid off...

we got some good news yesterday...and unless anything unexpected occurs in the next couple of weeks, we will be MOVING!

But, to quote Thing Two, we are THE CRAZY Changs....because like he pointed out "Mom, only CRAZY people move around the corner. That makes us the CRAZY Changs!"

And the boys are already arguing over who gets the "girlie room". One of the rooms has a floral border painted on the wall. No, not your usual testosterone argument of "I don't want THAT one, it has girl colors". NOPE, those crazy things are arguing over WHO GETS IT! I thought it was strange until I realized that room currently has a TV in the bedroom and they think EVERYTHING in that house becomes ours. Yeah right...Don't count on any tvs going in your room any time soon!

Being Practical isn't always the most fun...

The past 10 days here at the House of Chang have been interesting to say the least. It started when I noticed that our "dream house" was for sale. We contacted a realtor, toured the dream house, we fell in love with it (as we knew we would), we scrubbed our house, even had a showing. And then we crunched the numbers and our practical side took over. Yes, it is a beautiful home and has those few extras that we wish the current House of Chang had. But we just couldn't justify the financial chaos that would result if we paid the current owners what they were wanting.

So, for now we shall continue to call this place home! And you know what, it will be ok! We've pinched those pennies for so long, worked to get a household budget that doesn't result in frustration whenever an unexpected bill shows up and we've gotten to the point where Hubby can take the "risk" of being his own boss. Why risk all this household happiness for just another house?

Yep, being practical is a bummer some times....but at the end of the day it works for us

Mama Mia, Papa Pia...

Not to long ago, the Things heard this phrase. Who knows where they first heard it. I blame Cartoon Network. Regardless, I just COULDN"T resist the temptation to teach them how the rhyme went when I was a kid! Yes, file that one under "stupid things Moms do without thinking!" Suddenly my boys were saying it 24/7: loving the ending about the baby and his tummy trouble.

Enough I said! It is funny the first ten thousand times but we need to think of a different way to finish the rhyme. Thing One immediately came up with "how about Mama Mia, Papa Pia...Baby ate a bag of CHIPS!"

True, it doesn't rhyme but he thinks it is hilarious. And that is what makes it so gosh darn funny!

Another Blast from the past...

Isn't he CUTE???? This weekend while searching the computer for some files, I found these digital pictures. I'm not sure how these pictures ended up on my computer: I didn't embrace digital technology until late in 2002. And as I look back I think: what a fool I was. Staying attached to film, negatives and no delete button for way too long!

Today we are off to the indoor swimming hole. The Things are "off track" (please don't ask me to explain, suffice to say they don't have school this week) and they have been SO patient with mom and dad these past couple days. Today is all about THEM!

And yes, I"ll be taking my digital camera with me to capture all the fun and excitement...
PS: check out those plump cheeks and those tiny hands. God makes them so cute...somedays that is their only saving grace, eh?

Remembering When...

This weekend hubby and I spent a lot of time clearing out clutter. Yep, I've been watching HGTV again. But this time hubby was on board with me which made the entire process go twice as fast. Thanks honey, luv ya!

So, one box I found had some notes from Thing One's first year of preschool. He was barely three in this picture and still couldn't say his name. Thankfully he was totally oblivious to the worry and waiting us adults were going through as we waited patiently for him to find his voice. And find his voice he did...about 4 months after this photo was taken. Now, if only he could find a pause or mute button and all would be perfect! :)

Too much on my mind

You go from having not much to worry about...to having big things on the horizon that make you go "hmmm....those quiet days were pretty nice, weren't they?"

It has been a long day and I'm all tired out. but, I thought I'd share with everyone a picture.
Yep: it is getting to be that time of year...and the Chang Gang made their annual trip to the Things school. And, yep, even the lucky dragon made an appearance..

Start making your resolutions...we've got a new year just around the corner. The year of the Dog starts next Sunday, January 29th.

Snow...finally arrived...

I tell you: either Mother Nature is not cooperating or those weather men were looking at the wrong radars earlier in the week. FINALLY we are getting some snow. And as is ALWAYS the case, it is coming on my errand day! Oh well, back to the chores of the day. Too many things to work on to use this as my do nothing lazy excuse day. Snow or not...I gotta go!

Amazing What?

Thing One and Thing Two had the pleasure of learning all about shrinky dinks this weekend. Ok, so they call them something different these days, but the same concept. Color the plastic, cut the plastic, place in the oven and VOILA: You've got an AMAZING CROATIAN...at least that is what Thing Two INSISTED on calling his pieces. I tried to correct him: "don't you mean amazing CREATIONS?" Nope, he was sticking with his Croatians and if you spend much time with him, you know that I decided to just let this one go (and secretly thanked him for supplying me with yet another amuzing blog entry!)

Where is the snow I was promised?????

Ok, I try really hard not to use my blog as a space to vent. Ya know, once it goes on the internet, it is really hard to take things back. But, come on folks: the weather man PROMISED me some snow. He predicted 3-6 inches. So, just where the heck is it?

I so need an excuse to sit around in my jammies all day, drinking coffee and basically procrastinating. AND, I need some white stuff on the ground so that I can do this without feeling guilty. I need to be able to blame it one the winter blahs.

Yeah yeah, be careful what you wish for...frankly, I"m wishing for a big old snowstorm!
The pantry is stocked. The wine cabinet is full and every bathroom has at least 4 rolls of essential paper. Bring it on, Mother Nature! I'm ready!

The ULTIMATE Cookie recipe

At least for those of us that live this far above sea level, baking is often a challenge. Getting just the right balance takes time and tweaking. That's why I'm so eager to share with anyone who might want to try...this PERFECT choc. chip cookie recipe...at least for high altitude. Just the right balance of crunch and chewy. Trust me, you won't eat just one. And before I forget, Thanks to Carol for sharing...

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
2/3 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 TBSP vanilla
Mix together THEN add 1 cup flour
Add chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 until golden (in my oven they take about 10 minutes)

Gotta go before Thing Two eats all them cookies...

Monday is a Holiday...

That much Thing Two understands.
He also knows there is no school and he gets to go to his pal's birthday party...
Which just happens to be the same day as "Arthur King JUNIOR"'s Birthday.

"Isn't that cool mom, J AND Arthur have the same birthday. Only, Arthur is dead. Some man shot him with a gun after he gave a speech".

Ok, I can see we need to work on that Auditory processing just a bit, and perhaps work on understanding the reason for the holiday as well!

Thing Two...speaking the truth yet again...

Yep, sometimes the boy just says what he means and means what he says...
Last night, as hubby was assisting with a craft (thanks Uncle Mike and Ms. Terri: a million different pieces), Thing Two tells his father (retired Army man that he is)...

"Ya know Dad, I might not be strong enough to be a Marine Helicopter Pilot"
Followed by a pause...just long enough to finish with
"So, if I'm not strong enough, I guess I'll just have to join the Army, won't I?"

Yep, The Marines: the proud, the few, and even to a 6 year old, only the strongest of strong need apply!

Book Reviews

I readily admit that I've always been a bit on the bookish side. But, since we've got TiVo and high speed internet access, time I previously spent reading gets divided three ways (and not always in equal or appropriate proportions!). During the long holiday break, both hubby and I turned off the gadgets and got reading. I'd like to share with you a couple of the books I've read recently. I hope to keep this a recurring topic as a way to keep me on the path of reading as I always feel like I am doing something good with my limited free time when I read.

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani. It is apparently the first in a trilogy and the story takes place in the coal mining regions of West VA. The author creates some colorful characters and has an easy way of writing so that you are quickly drawn into the storyline. It made for a quick and fun read. Perhaps the best way to describe it is "Chick Lit, medium roast"....by that I mean it isn't as light and goofy as some chick books nor was it as sappy of a love story as perhaps the works of Nicholas Sparks. I think I will look for the next two at the library. Not such a great work that you need it for your own library collection but definetly worth a look when you might be trying to get back in the routine of reading.

4th of July by James Patterson. This is a book that kept me up way too late in the days leading up to Christmas. Hubby remarked, must be some good book for you to stay up past 10. Well, if you've read any of Patterson's works, you understand, once you have been hooked, you just can't put it down! You just keep reading to figure out who did it and why! This book is in the series set in SF Bay area which I find so intersting since the inlaws live there and I can easily relate to the various geographical landmarks he references. I can visualize the setting and it makes it all that more enjoyable. And since all my favorite crime shows were in reruns, I got my "fix" by reading how Lt. Lindsey Boxer and her female pals solve who was killing off couples in the Half Moon Bay area. Again, it was a quick easy read and something you can easily read in the 3 week library time allotted. More like 24hrs once you get sucked into the plot line!