A woman’s work

When I was growing up my mother always said “A woman’s work is never done.” I didn’t pay much attention to her but for some reason lately that has been ringing in my mind for days……

10 things

10 Things I would do if I had more money:

1.  Hire a maid to clean the house during the day.

2. Buy a better futon cover

3. Eat a lot of the spicy blue corn tortillas with fresh (not jarred) salsa, bought at the Market of Choice.

4.  Eat only unpasteurized cheese.

5.  Buy a stainless steel wok.

6.  Get a better kitchen to put a stainless steel wok in without causing a situational problem.

7.  I would own a fish tank.  A salt water fish tank.  Of course, I would put fish in it too.

8.  I might actually invest in make-up.

9.  I would fly home twice a year, first class.

10.  I would hire another maid, to clean the house at night.

Anger

Today as I drove around in circles I was growing increasingly angry at the punk who decided to remove our GPS from our car and keep it for his/her own purposes. If God knows where he/she is today than I pray that he will forgive him/her because I don’t know that I am able.

But that’s not why I am writing this.  I am writing this because I want to say that I have been debating on the subject of the creepy mapping device and weather or not to buy a new one.  It cost money.  I was graced with an understanding sister that sent it to me in the first place, so it was not my purchase.  In the end, I decided that it will be more cost effective to get a new GPS, rather than paying for the gas to drive around town several times in order to reach my destination.

P.S.-  There is a lot of he/she going on in this post.  I wanted to not offend anyone by assuming it was a boy who stole my GPS outloud.  But by saying that, I am just confessing that I am assuming it was a boy.  Oh well.

Conversations with the excercize lady

This is my conversation with the exercise video lady:

 

“We are going to have SO much fun!”

“If you wanna have some fun, just put a little hip action in!” (I guess having fun comes at a cost)

“Remember to smile through your workout!”  (Thank you for reminding me, I TOTALLY forgot to smile. I’ll go do that now.)

“Just relax, we are going to have so much fun today!” (I’m glad you told me again, I forgot since the last time you said that)

“lets do four more!”

“Burning calories is good right?  That just means you can eat more.”

“Since were doing old school moves, remember the day when impact was a big deal.” (Oh, the memories)

Here comes that heart rate!  (OH NO! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!)

How do you feel girls?  (Kind of uncoordinated, thanks.)

Energy, Calorie burn, and fun, right?

“You ARE having fun, right?” (Um, not really actually)

“You’ve got four more!”  (Didn’t you say that hours ago?)

“Last time!”  (Okay, I don’t believe you anymore.  You are a liar.)

“4 knees, you can DO it!”  (Actually, I only have two of those, so asking for four is asking a lot.)

Thankful Thanksgiving feast

We had a pretty good day.  We had lifelong friends and friends of five years visit with us and eat a meal.

We were graced with a morning of Sunshine and I demanded that we spend it outdoors.    Therefore, we drove up the Mkenzie hwy and found a small park.  That’s why there are pictures of us in a small park.  It was little Jed’s first Thanksgiving awake, and we adored watching him as  he systematically picked up every item on his tray and threw it on the floor without giving it a chance, until he got to the stuffing. So I guess he is his mama’s baby after all. Because you know, I have spent many Thanksgivings of my life throwing everything except my stuffing off my plate and onto the floor.  I stopped doing that when I didn’t want to give a bad impression to my in-laws.

What it should be….

Warm and Sunny with a football game playing in the background and two or maybe three men standing in the back of the room folding their arms watching a game with a bottle of non-alcoholic beer in one hand eyes glued to the TV to keep away from the masses of women and small girl children.  All the women are cooking or talking about the latest sales in the produce department or whatever women talk about for hours and hours, but the funny thing is that they are all talking over each other and I am not quite sure if they ever even quite know what the other women in the room are saying because they are all talking at once.   Suddenly there is a loud clamor as some of the children come out of the room running and squealing from a crazy aunt, who is threatening to spank them if she will not let them take their picture.   This is the same aunt who can’t seem to wait until all the food is put out onto the table and eats it with her fingers before we all stand around the table to pray.   We all get very excited about this, but that’s probably because we are being very dramatic.  Then we eat a big meal that is fabulously prepared by notoriously healthy and amazing cooks, who don’t know that they probably belong in Oregon.  Everyone goes around and shares what they are thankful for.   After the meal the trampoline is used by the children and everyone except the few men in the room (who are still sitting or standing with their arms folded) sits and talks about everything you can imagine, for several more hours.

The day would have began with mother coming out of her room several times to ask if her shoes matched her outfit and then when the answer is “yes” she would go and change her shoes (again) and come back and ask again.  When we are all ready we would drive in the car to Aunts house, me with a pot of mashed potatoes on my lap and sister with a pecan pie on her lap.

The day ends with pecan, apple and pumpkin pie.   And lots and lots of coffee and aunties and grandmas talking late into the night.

I should stop now, this is making me homesick.  I guess I’ll just go make my own memories here, and I’ll tell you about them later.

Well, don’t usually write these sorts of things, but here it goes!

Thank you.  This has been a hard year, but I thank you.  As we feast on good food, help us to remember to be thankful.  You have carried us through another year that has been (for many)  full of trials, tribulation and heartache, but have also carried us through joy, peace and understanding.  Thank you for being with us during the good, the bad and the ugly, and sometimes the very very stupid. Helps us to not forget why we feast: To remember that filling our tummies with warm delicious food and being surrounded by friends and family is only a shadow of the fullness that our father brings us. Thank you that many, who live all over the world who do not have thanksgiving, families, or even enough food, can still be filled and truly satisfied with your compassion and your love. Thank you for walking with us.

 

A poem of encouragement

 

Don’t worry,

It will all be over soon.

The world will blow up,

And there will be no more gloom!

A creamy-oil but not oily situation

This is REALLY what is written on the bottle of my DOVE body wash:

Cream Oil Body Wash

Here’s a body wash that moisturizes your skin better than ANY regular body wash.  Dove blends rich cream and skin-loving natural oil- the result is the dreamy-creamy consistency of a cream with the silky smooth skin feel from an oil.

Intensely moisturizing, but sensationally lathering. Indulging to the senses, but nourishing to the skin.  Rich in oil, but not oily.  What a beautiful contradiction.

How to use:

Squeeze Cream oil body wash onto a wet pouf or washcloth for a rich, creamy lather.

 

 

Bok Choy

I have recently been volunteering at a local produce stand called “The Youth Farm.”  Basically when Jed goes for a nap, I walk or drive down the road and spend an hour or so pulling weeds, harvesting vegetables, or whatever they have around to do.  I feel really good about doing this.  First of all, I am able to spend time outside doing active labor.  I also enjoy that each time I go there I learn something new about farming.  This time I learned about Bok Choy.    Bok Choy is an amazing vegetable that grows very well.  It is the most popular vegetable in China, similar to the American lettuce.  It can survive winters that are relatively mild, such as the Oregonian winters.   Its too bad there aren’t more Chinese people in Oregon, or else the vegetable would be more popular.  I guess the best I can do is tell other people that if they have a garden, Bok Choy is an amazing vegetable they should try to plant, and you don’t have to be Chinese to enjoy it.  Its great raw in salads, in soups and in stir-fries.  Its very refreshing, and if you’ve been to an Americanized Chinese Resturant you may have tried it, but chances are they have probably botched it and you don’t know what its like to have garden fresh Bok Choy.   Mmmmmm…..