MIA

It's late. And that is my problem! I think of writing on here when it's late, and then I don't want to, because it turns into a big deal! So, I thought I would at least catch up with what has been going on.

I have been busy. Busy chasing chickens. Busy planning a garden. All of this and taking care of the family.

First, the Family. They are all amazing, and they are doing well. My husband's job is working out well, and though it has been cold, he has been battling old man winter without too many complaints! We have also been able to spend precious time with the In-Loves, and the boys enjoy getting to see their grandparents!

Then we have the chickens. We got 7 6-month-old pullets at the end of October. They have adjusted well to living here, and enjoyed getting grasshopper treats from the boys, who were designated grasshopper hunters. They had plenty of things to do and places to go, but they don't have full access to all of the yard...yet. Actually, I will be keeping them toward the south of the house, since I will be putting in a garden and I don't want them bumming around, digging up and eating my seedlings. Now that it has been cold, they have been more confined, but they still go out bummin' through the snow, looking for something to peck at.

Then, right before Thanksgiving, a friend of mine told me about a craigslist ad with some babies for sale. I called regarding the ad and ended up getting some baby chicks! They were 2 weeks old when I picked them up. Then, a few weeks later, I got a call from the man I got the babies from and he wanted to know if I wanted 4 more. He was moving and wasn't able to keep the ones he had. So here I am with 9 babies! They are about 2 months old right now, and they live with the big girls, but in a separate side. They do mingle when they go outside, but, again, the cold has been hindering their playtime outside. They seem to get along pretty well when they are all together. (I had a cute little picture of our *surprise* rooster, but it won't load!)

And then there is, The Garden.



This was from my last garden-2 years ago this spring. I miss digging in and getting my hands dirty. Not to mention how wonderful it feels to know that I can use my time and energy toward providing good, healthy food for my family.

So, I have been planning a garden. And, with permission from my husband, he said, "Whatever makes you happy."

He has been so loving and supportive with my crazy ideas, so I hope to provide him with some delicious food, and be able to teach the boys how to help the ground produce food!

So, really, that is a majority of what I have been up to. There is so much more to say, but it is late, and I must get to bed.

Knock, Knock...

Is this thing on?

I haven't blogged in quite some time. I have been spending most of my time with the kids and Randy, now that he is has a job locally. I have enjoyed having him home, and the boys enjoy having another person to express how hungry they are!

I swear those two eat more than anyone I know! And they are never "FULL"!

The boys are both getting big, and now that it is warm, they both spend a majority of their time outside. Willard is all about reptiles and amphibians. He was very sad when Slim died. He probably had a lung infection. He goes looking for garter snakes at any opportunity. Maynard has learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, but he always pedals for a little while, throws his bike down, and looks at bugs.

We enjoyed our trip to Minnesota for Memorial Day weekend. Along with a wedding and Willard's 7th Birthday over the weekend, there was a big potluck on Monday with hoards of children!

Here is a Caterpillar that the kids were looking at during the potluck:

A Face Only a Mother Could Love?

I like animals.

I don't consider myself an "Animal Lover", but...I like animals.

Last month was Maynard's 4th Birthday, and that weekend, we took him to Dinosaur park. He just loves going there, and it is also great exercise.

We started up the stairs and I saw something on the stairs. Randy and I were trying to decide if we should pick it up, or if we should let it go...then, the boys noticed we had stopped, and they were all inquisitive. We asked a few people coming down the stairs if they knew of a certain riddle about SNAKES...

Here is the little guy we adopted:


He is a Great Plains Milk Snake, and he is probably less than a year old.

After we got his home all settled in, we talked to the boys about the rhyme:

Red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow. Red touches black, you're OK Jack.

They both went around telling people about him, saying...Red touches Yella, you're a dead fella!

Look at this face! How adorable!


He is a darling little thing. And honestly, I never knew I would actually ENJOY having a snake as a pet. He is very inquisitive, when the heat lamp is off, and he is very tolerant of the boys. They are allowed to hold him and, honestly, I use it as leverage. If they choose to not listen, they don't get to hold him.

There are some precautions about owning one though...he is a natural escape artist, and even though he can't reach the top of the tank yet, we are going to get some clamps here shortly. We don't want him to get lost in this mess of a house! He also has bacteria on him that could make us sick, so we are very thorough with the hand washing...before and after!

His real name is Jack, but they call him Slim Cooley. (From Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osbourne.) His favorite food is crickets (for the moment) and he spends his evenings on long stretches up the glass, that eventually end in a topple over of some sort. His favorite colors are red, black, and light yellow.

Grasshoppers

They are EVERYWHERE!

I don't really like them, either. I know they have their place, but, I prefer that place to be far away from me! I scream like a little girl when they land on me too.

Have you ever tried to walk with two boys down a sidewalk FILLED with grasshoppers? Let me tell you...it takes forever. But it is so darn cute when they "spook" them and they jump up and scare the pants off the boys....they yell out a squeal, then giggle, then find the next one. Unfortunately, they have also become, how shall I put this..."less than benevolent" toward them, so inevitably, I have to grab their hands and guide them and keep saying "keep away from the grasshoppers!"

Have you tried to walk past a flower garden with grasshoppers EVERYWHERE:



(insert shiver here)

Why do they look at me like that?

Although, I have figured out a way for all these critters to be kept under control.

I know that there are many chicken farmers that keep their chickens locked up (not so much around here, but...go with me on this)...why not let the little birdies go free range for a while and plump-them-up the good old fashioned way!? Maybe even get movable fences to protect them from predators...Just a thought. Fresh air and exercise + grasshopper population decreasing = Win/Win Situation!

5k-illing me!

Remember when you were little...when someone pushed you on the swing until you went so far up into the sky felt as though you were soaring? Then, on the way back down, it felt like your stomach was going to shoot out through your face?

I still need a push sometimes. A thrill, a goal, a reward. So...here I sit, with sore calves, thighs, and cheeks, and it might just be the death of me.

Not really.

I have never been a "runner". I was good at running across the road to my cousin's house, or even down the road a bit to my Grandparent's house. In grade school,(before my thighs started touching), I probably was a fast little squirt, but honestly, I don't remember much from that time. Maybe its because I ran right into one of my cousins, at full speed...I may have knocked a screw loose.

Come to think of it...I never really *had* to run. I only had to run a few feet for the vault in Gymnastics. I was even in Track and Field my junior year at VHS. But I did the "Field" part. One of my only memories of those few weeks was when I pulled both my quad muscles trying to sprint/race one of my coaches to the concession stand.

I just don't run.

So why did I start training for a 5k? I have no idea. It sounded like a good idea at the time. But, its seems I am the most hideous runner out there. I stomp, breathe really heavy, and the "girls" bounce everywhere. (Is there some sort of tape or something that can hold them two down? My sport bras don't seem to work all that well.)

I even catch myself *attempting* to sing along to the odd array of songs I have on my MP3 player. One of the trainers at the gym was actually surprised I had music from 2009 (Michael Buble', Maroon 5, etc). He thinks I am stuck in the past. But really, I just don't get out much. And I like music from the 60's 70's and 80's!

The poor people at my gym probably cringe when they see me. They had every intention on freeing their mind, reducing stress, and getting in shape. But instead they are stuck next to me...a sweaty, stomping, panting, middle aged lady. One who can't keep her boobs from attacking each other and sings odd 80's songs (like, Putting on the Ritz, by Taco) while spilling water on herself.

They will have their revenge though...once I am out on the open run, they will pass me and say, eat my dust or something like that. I just hope they don't fart. 'Cause I would laugh so hard, I'd start to cackle, and you can't cackle to Cruel Summer...that would be just wrong.

Fun in the Snow!

Over the last few weeks, we have had 3 snow storms. We are under a Winter Weather Advisory" as well, until tomorrow night. Love this weather! (I hope you can sense my sarcasm!)

This past weekend, we all went outside and decided to make a luge course in our little back yard. We had a blast! Below are some videos of us taking advantage of the white stuff!!!

Randy:


Willard:


Maynard:


Myself:


We wish the course would have lasted a little longer. We would have played forever, except we were hungry! The snow has melted most of the bottom part, but it was the most fun I have had in the snow in over a decade! (Yes, I am that old!)

I FINISHED! I am a Triathlete...sorta!

Today, I finished the Lazyman Triathlon at the YMCA.

Whoda thunk?

It was a great experience and I can't wait till next year! I feel great, and now that I have gear, I will be swimming on a regular basis!

What is a Lazyman? It is 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running, 2.5 miles of swimming. Most triathletes complete that in one day. But those participating in the lazyman get 5 weeks!

Swimsuit, shorts, cap, and googles: $65
New running shoes: $75
Cost of Triathlon: $15
Looking like a dweeb the whole time: PRICELESS!

The Verdict...

Well, we went to Cabela's.

Randy said, if there weren't so many people in there, we would have gotten to see everything that they had. I disagree.

They had a really cool wildlife/terrain exhibit and a cool aquarium but other than that...

I was not impressed.

Scheels is better. They carry a much better variety of stuff. Not only do they carry almost everything that Cabela's does...it carries sporting equipment as well. Although, I normally wouldn't know this, but I do...more on that when I finish my Lazy Man Triathlon later this month...

I am glad we got out of there unscathed.

Juice

Each night before bed, we give the kids their "vin and juice" and some fruit. (Vin is Vitamins.)

We call it Vin and Juice, because one day, my husband or I, (probably me 'cause I like making up funny songs, but I can't recall) started singing the classic 90's rap song, in the form of a kids song:

Rollin' down the street, playing Nintendo
Sipping my vin and juice.
Laid back.
With my mind on my teddy and my teddy on my mind.

YES, its dumb, but the kids love it, since they both have teddy bears. Though, they have no clue what a Nintendo is...yet.

So, after I gave Willard the WRONG kiwi-he wanted a golden kiwi, not a green kiwi...He seemed to calm down pretty rapidly.

I poured his juice (its a supplement) and placed it in front of him.

He suddenly puffed in a high pitch tone, "But you were supposed to HAND it to me, not set it on the table!"

It was so funny. He was so tired and ornery, and I just laughed on the inside.

Protein Shakes Anyone?

Ok, so I thought I would get a protein powder supplement.

I got 100% whey protein (a bi-product when they make cheese)-vanilla flavored.

I got my 8 oz of milk, got my 3 tablespoons of powder.

Mixed them together.

Sat down to read some emails.

Took a drink.

About spit it out all over my keyboard.

OH MY.

So, I went to the kitchen and got about a teaspoon of honey, and stirred it up a bit, and you know, I actually like it now!

YAY!

Food Frustrations

Have you ever tried to search for something online, and when you get there, it isn't what you expected?

I am trying to research Protein. Why it is good, how much I should have, etc. I am tired of trying to be sold different powders!!!! ARRGGGHH! I do intend on getting a protein powder supplement, however, I want to know how much protein is in one ounce of....whatever it is I am eating...

I won't go into detail here, since I started a new "health" blog (just the sound of that sounds funny!), where I keep track of my eating/workouts, etc. but now, I am diving into nutrition, and I wish I could get some straight answers!

I know that I am eating healthy food, I now need to know daily needs...not servings!

Arrgghh!

Anyhow, I thought I would post the formula for how much protein a person needs, so you can gauge your protein intake. You should have more if you are working out a lot.

Here is the formula, using my body weight.

12* lbs...I don't even know, but its in the 120's...I am going to round up to 130.

divided by 2

130/2=65

subtract 10

65-10=55

55 grams of protein is what I should be eating. More though, since I have been working out more.

OH, COME ON!

My neighbors probably heard me groan that.

Tonight, I recorded the American Idol Finale, since it was going to air when the kids were getting ready for bed, and I didn't want to miss it.

I sat down occasionally, watching the show in between chores. After I got the kids into bed, I settled in and continued to watch, bag of chips in hand. We have a DVR, and it is really handy, especially when I want to make sure I don't miss things. Oh, and fast forward through the Jonas Brothers, George Michael, and that dude in the white hat and cape.

(On a side note, David Cook, doing the impersonation of Tom Cruise in Risky
Business for Guitar Hero...well, that is just hot. I rewound that a couple times. Come to think of it, I have never even watched that movie....)

So, I am watching, waiting, hoping, etc...

Seacrest says, and the winner is...

DAVID

And my DVR stopped recording, right at that moment. I DON'T KNOW WHO WON! I yelled, "OH, COME ON!" to my DVR, then started to shake my head and giggle.

Yes, I could google it. Yes, I could call my sister and find out. BUT I WANTED TO SEE IT, and I am a bit ticked and a bit amused all at the same time.

Technology. Love it or hate it, it's here to stay.

Oh, and don't tell me who won. I want to sit and steam a bit. So, I have to turn off my computer and only watch pre-recorded shows. Good thing Ugly Betty is on tomorrow!

Earth Day?

Earth Day.

This bothers me.

Why?

This is why:

Colossians 3:2

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The simple fact is...concentrating on the earth is not what we should be doing with our time.

And "things above" doesn't mean the ozone layer.

I'm not saying that I don't focus on things down here. But I try not to obsess.

The main reason why I do certain things that are "environmentally friendly", is because some things actually save us money. And then I can spend that money on good, healthy food that allows me to be healthy enough to live life in accordance to that verse.

Our Yard

Our yard looks as though it has mange. There are patches of grass, but its almost half dirt. It's the only real description I can think of that is accurate.

There are a couple benefits when you have a mange yard. Less mowing and less watering come to mind. When you have two boys who love dirt, it can almost be too easy to ship them out the door, and tell them to go play. They go to the sunny spot, a warm, dark brown mange spot that is dirt. They push it, throw it, kick it, pat it, breathe it, pile it. This picture was taken back in March:



They would do this all day long, if I let them.

Unfortunately, there is supposed to be grass right there. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I have steered them to the back yard where we have a big dirt pile that they can dig in, but the painfully bare spots in my yard are becoming a burden.

Why does our yard look like this?
a. I'm Lazy.
b. We've been in a drought for the last 7 or so years.
c. The dog has, over the last 2-3 years, destroyed our lawn by his constant running.

Here is what that same spot looked like a few days ago:



We have many other parts of our yard that look like this, and I want to solve this problem this year. My two next door neighbors both have beautiful green yards. Flowers and bird baths. Solar Lights and Roses. Ponds and waterfalls. Patios.

Not us.

I really want a nice yard and a green thumb. I do try! I have spent many, many hours outside, but my efforts seem to be in vain. I planted 22 plants in my 2 flower beds last year and all but 5 died. Oops.

I have never been able to successfully plant grass seed in the last three years. In fact, one of the reasons I put in a flower bed on the corner of our yard is because there was no grass there. But the dog made another Mud Hole right next to it, since our grass is so fragile and prone to disintegration:



This year, I plan on being more vigilant than ever, and I will post the progress, if there is any! Please Keep Me Accountable!

So far, I have raked, planted seed, covered the seed with more dirt and watered about 90% of the bare spots.

The weather has been beautiful, yet dry. I need to water the new seed at least 2 times a day, since it seems to take ages for seed to grow, and they need to stay wet.

I am also working on my base tan while doing all of this yard stuff, so I don't have to slather on the sunscreen all summer. Fortunately I am building off a nice burn tan I got last July. Now, if I could only lay out on my back for a few minutes a day without anyone seeing...

So I am off. I am going outside to water my dirt grass seed. I guess I will be taking every shower at the Y to reduce my water bill. Just kidding.

My New Toy.

I was at a "Department Store" today. I was ordering a reel mower, so that I can still hear the boys playing while I mowed the lawn.

I glance over my right shoulder and Oh. My. There it was.

12 amp, 220 mph, 360 cfm worth of Leaf Blower (on sale of course).

Huh? What? I put in some new flower beds last summer. Willard was such a trooper helping out. He hauled many wagon loads of dirt and rocks to help me. He made good money too...enough to buy a half ton of rock at least. Or maybe a haircut or two?



Over the winter, the leaves have made my cute rocky flower beds look terrible. (And so do the tulips that have burst through the layers of newspaper and landscaping fabric. I could have SWORE I took all of the bulbs out, but they are pesky little buggers and they are about to bloom anyhow...can't argue with beautiful Tulies!)

I can't imagine WHAT I was thinking when I put the beds in, though they look nice and help increase the value of our home. When they are in tip-top shape, they look fantastic. But now my yard has MANGE and I hope it is fixable...that is another story, for another time.

Soooooo. I just had to have something to clean the rocks up a bit. Darn impulsive buys. And it has a secret thing it does too...

I take it home, take it out of the box and put the kids in the sand box. I went to the front of the house, put on my safety glasses and proceeded to annoy all my neighbors by my squeals of delight...I mean...the sound of my new leaf blower. Who knew a gal could have sooo much fun blowing leaves all over the place?

But then it gets better. After I blew all the leaves off the rocks, I made a couple of quick adjustments and switched attachments, and OH MY...Then I got to vacuum them up! IT VACUUMS!

While taking a break (actually wiping tears of joy from my eyes), I got a phone call from Randy.

Me: Hi Honey! How are you feeling? (He hasn't been feeling all that good these last few days)
R: Pretty good. Whatcha doin?
Me:Vacuuming the yard.
R: Pause.............You're what-ing the yard?
Me: Vacuuming the yard.
R: Pause.............Why are you vacuuming the yard?
Me: 'Cause it's freaking fun, and I got us a new leaf blower slash (yes, I said the word slash) vacuum today, and it rocks.
R: Ok dear, I'm glad you are happy. (You could hear the odd "I don't understand my wife" tone, and also the "when was the last time she vacuumed the living room tone" as well...It was Monday by the way.)
Me: Ok babe, I am going to go finish, I'll call you when I am done.

I was in the process of vacuuming, and sure enough...something I blew out from the flower bed into the piles of leaves lodged itself squarely into a fin thingy inside my new blower and broke a fin thing off. So now I have to go get it fixed.

My 20 minutes of fun---cut short by a rogue leaf or something. It couldn't have been a rock, since I made sure there were no rocks in the piles of leaves.

But I can't wait to get it fixed and blow the leaves out from every spot in my yard. Then vacuum them up.

Scales.

I try to avoid the dreaded scale, but since I have been trying to shed a few pounds, I have one in my bathroom. I try to weigh myself after I get up in the morning, and after I pee. I call it my dry weight. LOL. It was taunting me anyhow...I swear its broken. Why won't it budge? Today for some reason, I didn't put the scale away.

After lunch, I hear Willard yell, "Excuse me, Mom? Can you please come here?" I start walking from the kitchen to the bathroom, and Willard runs right into me, apparently really excited!

He promptly shakes his head from the impact, turns around and runs back to the bathroom.

I watch him step onto the scale. He looks up at me in amazement and says..."Look Mom! I'm full of pounds!"

Things Found in my Gym Bag.

I cleaned it out my Hot Pink Gym Bag today, so I could go back to Yoga tonight. There is no real relation between going to Yoga, and cleaning out my bag, but that is what I need to tell myself. Why Hot Pink? 'Cause I am usually surrounded by Blue that's why.

I take out my workout clothes after I get home each time, but it needed a deep down cleaning. I needed to get to the bottom. Here is what I found:

1. My gym shoes. They are gray and pink. They provide no ankle support whatsoever. They were cheap. They have little tread. I didn't smell them, since my oldest son doesn't yet know how to dial 911.

2. A paper on a yoga warmup from one of the gym trainers to do before lifting. I am learning how to lift weights and do cleans. Cleans are hard, interesting, and could cause a blowout. I try not to dwell on the blowout part.

3. A list of names if I need to call to see if they can fill in for me if I have to call in sick. Try to say that one 3 times fast.

4. A receipt for a hair cut my husband got the same day I had to fix mine. I don't have a clue how that got there. I am trying to forget that whole mess.

5. Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap. The Y is one of the few places I get to shower in peace, without the boys screaming at me, or the water running cold. Sometimes I do have to listen to older women talking loudly about their mammograms...but I can live with that. As long as there is a towel to stand on.

6. Shaver. El Cheapo. Dull. Hate using. If I forget to shave at home, I have to use it there. If someone is THAT close to my armpits, they should be slapped. Since we know how traitorous they can be.

7. 2 full bottles of water.

8. 1 empty bottle of water. I guess this is as close to a box as I get this time. I do re-use them.

9. A hairband I have never used in public. I look like a dork, banded with blue dorkness.

10. 1 dime. Shiny. 2000. I would say...mint condition. I dont know where I will invest it though. Probably a city parking meter.

11. A coupon for Rayovac batteries. ???

12. A schedule for a local yoga studio. They have HOT YOGA there. Hot Yoga is where you do yoga in a hot room. Though, that would mean sweating in close proximity to others. Maybe not. Maybe I will try the Burlesque Booty Burn class...or maybe the Samba class?

13. Gray string from the zipper of my makeup bag. It must have wanted a change of scenery.

14. MP3 Player and ear things.

15. 5 pony tail holders, which I can't really use effectively since...well, you know.

16. A little dirt. Probably from the bottom of my shoes.

Not bad. Not bad at all. No fingernail clippings. No underwear. No food. My husband would be so proud.

Question of the Day.

If quitters never win, why are you supposed to quit when you are ahead?



(I got this from a movie I watched recently...lol!)

A Note to Dancing with the Stars.

Dear Dancing with the Stars,

(More specifically, the color uncoordinated Costume Designers,)

The costume construction is fantastic. I look forward to watching the show each week. However, I expect the colors of the dancers' costumes to match their partner! IS THAT SO HARD? I have been watching DWTS since the beginning... WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN? I noticed you match white with white and black with black, but for Pete's sake people...MATCH THE COLORS!

If you hear...the colors for this outfit are going to be blue...don't just grab the closest BLUE! Buy enough fabric that MATCHES so that they don't look distracting out on the dance floor. You are professionals!

Until then, I will have to watch it in black and white.

Thank you.

Boxes and a Hidden Willardism.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

So I thought I would expand on the box issue...since it really has been bothering me since I found the box under the bed. I find it quite humorous, yet strange.

I save boxes. I don't know why. Most of the boxes actually contain the original item that I bought. Maybe I am just anal? Maybe I am weird...ok, I know I am weird. Maybe I am a bit OCD? I generally keep these boxes in their proper places. Closets, Shelves, etc...but I did look around to see what boxes I was keeping.

My husband made a corner shelf for his new pore magnifying television he got in December. He needed a woodworking tool to finish the edges or something. I STILL HAVE THE BOX. (And the bags!)(HAHAHA! We still have the box for the TV in the garage as well because it is a nice piece to lay down on top of the concrete!)

I have the computer box from this very computer sitting in the garage. Our computer is 4 years old.

I do keep shoe boxes, but that is because they are so darn handy!

But there is more.

About 6 years ago, I also bought a "hair dryer" (I call it a blow dryer. Someone corrected me, but I still can't get over it.). I never really used it. I STILL HAVE THE BOX. And the bag it gets wrapped in. And NOW, since I have a "current" hair 'do...I HAVE to blow dry my hair after I take a shower. And yes, I put it back in the bag, back in the box. (WEIRD?) I still haven't figured out the volumizer attachment.

And while I am on this subject...There are 3 things I don't like doing with my hair. In no particular order:

1. Blow "Hair" drying.
2. Curling/Flattening/Fixing "Styling" (correction).
3. Using Hair Spray/Mousse/Gel "Product" (another correction).

And guess what? I HAVE TO DO ALL THREE NOW. What a nice punishment for trying to cut my own hair. That means I also have to look at my ever graying hair too. Nice. I still have to post a picture of it, don't I? Bleh...I am still getting used to it.

Ok...where was I?

Boxes.

In the winter of 1999, right while we moved to South Dakota, I bought a keyboard, since I enjoy playing the piano, but I can't really play. I won't even tell Randy how much I paid for it. I had it out recently (ok, it was in the fall!), since the boys were interested in it. I STILL HAVE THE BOX. With the styrofoam. And the keyboard stand box too. So, since it was collecting dust again...I put it away today.

I have a set of Steam set hot curlers or something like that...Aqua Curl. They come in a container, that you put water in the bottom, plug it in, and the curlers have wax in them and the wax heats up, the water evaporates and penetrates the velvet wrapped curlers and all of that helps curl your hair. I got these in High School. I have used them probably a dozen times...I STILL HAVE THE BOX!

More Boxes:

External Hard Drive

Wireless Router

Wireless Adapter

Laptop

Foot Massager/Bubble Bath (Yes, I put it back in the bag, back in the box)

Hand Held Steamer (Don't use that one often either...lol. Heck...the last time I even IRONED was when I ironed ribbon for gifts I was making in December! Still in the bag though!)

Cell Phone

Candles (I don't really burn them anymore. I have two boys. They never stay lit!)

Toothpaste (Yes, this one is odd, but I like reading about the toothpaste...a snippet from the back..."most other toothpastes contain gritty abrasives: sand, bone and chalk that can damage teeth by..." ...brightens and cleans without harming ... " ...has incorporated this nonabrasive fiber into a remarkably effective..." OK I just threw it away. But it contains no saccharin...whatever that is. And it's cinnamon flavored, and every once in a while I like to change things up!)

Food Processor (I found out tonight that you can cut up beef in chunks, and put it in there, and pulse it until it makes ground beef! That is so cool. No more 6 bucks a lb. for ground beef! YAY! I thought I needed a special tool! I made Sloppy Jews. Well, that is what Willard called them, until I corrected him (after I giggled a bit, cause it was so darn funny!). Sorry for the slur, and for anyone who might have been offended or may come across this in a google search...but he is only 4...And I did correct him--they are Sloppy JOES!!) (OH...and we do talk about Jews and Gentiles and the Bible...so that is probably where he got that from!)

Sweater Making Machine

Diapers (I actually use these boxes for all kinds of things, mostly toys, books, donations and such.)

Make-Up (I started to wear mascara and lip gloss since it adds a little life, but I had to buy new stuff since all of my stuff was older than I want to admit. I recently picked up some loose powder and pressed powder. The jury is still out on whether I will use them on a regular basis. I have to learn how to do this step efficiently.)

Why do I save boxes? Who knows. Do I care? Well...Yes, a little...since I might possibly have attachment issues. But the bigger question is...when will I stop?

I can't answer that either.

I don't really feel better about it. In fact, it makes me a bit perplexed. I better go, I have to be up early tomorrow to fix style my hair.