What to blog?

Today is one of those days I want to blog but I really don't know what to blog about. We have had a bit of a crazy week at the house. AJ has FINALLY submitted everything for his Eagle Scout and he participated in his first track meet. If you ask me neither were that eventful. This Eagle Scout thing should have been completed months, if not years, ago. We have been nagging and nagging him for some time to get it done. He just dug his heals in and refused. It took all I had to not do it for him. I think he is relieved to finally have it done but, I am sure, he won't admit how silly he had acted. And with regards to the track meet, according to AJ, he didnt do all that well at the meet. In case you don't know, he does the shot put and discuss. This is his first time in track. At the end of the football season we told him to find another sport to do or get a job. He choose track. He is just learning but actually having fun. It was nice to be at the track meet with him and actually talking and laughing with him. That does not happen on football game days. On those days he is sullen and would prefer not to talk. He is getting in the zone.
We have had a bit of traumatic week with Erin but nothing she would want me to discuss publically. It is your basic teenage issues and in the scheme of things nothing that terrible. It has made it a stressful week for me. It is hard to know the right way to handle things. I try to remember what it was like when I was her age but I know I don't remember it as well as I would like. We do want to keep our children from going through difficult times, even if they bring it on themselves, but sometimes they just happen. I know at that age I thought my parents were DUMB. It took me many years to learn it was just the opposite. I guess that is what Erin is going through right now. I bet if you ask my parents they will just think it is sweet justice--you know "what goes around, comes around". It is my pay back for my traumatic teens.
Well now its the weekend and I hope it will be quiet and without incident. I will let you know!

Kids Say the Dardest Things

The one piece of advice I give new parents is WRITE IT DOWN. Once your child begins talking he/she will say the cutest, funniest, etc things. You think you will remember them forever, because they were so darn cute, but TRUST ME you don't. I have not been one to follow my own advice, until now. In recent days my kids have said some really funny, or at least to Dave and I, funny things. Since I feel like blogging is just a public form of journaling I am going to document these conversations here.
Last week the MEGA MILLIONS lottery jackpot was up to at least $240 million. I bought a few tickets, which I rarely do, and shared this information with the family over dinner. Erin instantly let us know that most lottery winners go broke as they don't manage their money properly. She then asked what we would do with the money. Dave said the first thing we would do is pay off our debt. Both kids then got wide eyed, and with, amazement asked, "we have debt?" They appeared a bit startled at learning this news. I then said I would quit my job if we won. This time they were appalled. They said that is exactly how the lottery winners get themselves into trouble. They had no concept of my salary vs. 200 million dollars. Then lastly we said we would move to Sand Canyon, near where we live, but larger homes and much larger pieces of property. AJ then quickly said, "Now that is ridiculous. I am leaving in a couple months, why would you need more room?" I guess my kids are still a bit naive as to way the world works. I think I like it that way.
And on another subject... yesterday we were driving home from my sisters and the kids were reading on the way home. AJ is reading "Playing for Pizza" by John Grisham. Out of the blue AJ turns to Dave and I and says, "Does John Grisham always have such obvious foreshadowing?" Dave and I looked at each other with puzzlement and then began laughing. What 17 year old kid reads a Grisham book and asks this? Dave then responded with YES he writes in that style often. Later, when the kids were not present, Dave admitted that he just answered it that way so not to seem to like he didnt get it. Really neither of us did.

And this is why I live in Southern California....

On Saturday Dave and I took a drive and had a picnic. We went off roading in Erin's new car--a 1995 Range Rover. Dave is going to have a hard time giving this car to Erin in 5 months. It is the middle of February and we get to enjoy 80+ degree days without a cloud in sight. Life really doesnt get much better than this!!!

Recipe Junkie

Besides my husband and kids I LOVE to cook and talk about food/recipes. I am a recipe junkie. I love to find new recipes(in magazines, cookbooks, on the internet, from the Food Network or anywhere really) and try them out on my family. I also like to talk about them. I like recipes that have ingrediants that I know my family likes AND are not too difficult to prepare. I don't like dishes with too many steps or too many ingrediants. I am an instant gratification person and that holds true with my cooking.
On Sunday mornings I, usually, plan out my dinners for the week. Sunday I usually make something that takes a little longer to prepare or cook because I have more time. On Sundays I also take requests. Early in the week I like to serve meals with fresh meats, fish or poultry as I like to buy it and cook it and not put it in the freezer or have to plan for a mid-week stop at the grocery. For the middle to end of the week I make vegetarian or meals that dont require fresh meat/chicken. I do not like to freeze meat, chicken, pork, etc as I will often forget to take it out and/or I dont like the taste/consistency of the meat after it has been frozen.
OK, now you know where I am coming from. Let me tell you what I am making tonight....
Chicken Mojito Pasta and Olive Meledy
The chicken pasta is a receipe I am making up, sort of. It is chopped chicken breast cooked with garlic, onions, rum and lime juice and then sprinkled with mint. I added in asparagus and then tossing it with pasta. The olive dish I saw on Guy's Big Bite and knew Dave would love it. You simmer 3 kinds of olives in olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and rosemary. They are served warm as an appetizer or side dish. I am so looking forward to making and serving these tonight.
I will let you know how it goes. If you want the recipes just holler.
As time goes on I will blog more of what I am serving for dinner or dessert, after all I am a recipe junkie.

Happy Anniversary, Baby

I am overjoyed to say today is my 19th wedding anniversary. I am married to one terrific guy. We met at temple when we were 10/12 years old and begin dating when I was 15 and he was 17. We have been together ever since. He was a good a friend of my older brother (and still is) and my parents always warned me to be nice to my brother and his friends as there may be a day when I might want to date one of the friends. Much to their surprise it was a piece of advice that they were dead on about.

We have been together thru the good and not so good times. (I dont want to use the term bad times because we have been very blessed and have very little, if any, bad times.) We work as a team to raise the kids and we look forward to more great times once they have left the nest. We, on occasion, do disagree but would rather be happy than right and therefore rarely stay angry for very long. We make a great team. I think of the ideas and he executes them. I cook the food and he loves to eat it. Together we enjoy hanging out, doing things together and watching the kids do wonderful and amazing things.

I have a truely great life and I know it would not be as nearly great if he werent part of it. Today on my anniversary I take a minute to be thankful for all that we have together and look forward to all that we still have to experience.

My Daughter, She's a Keeper

I have a daughter and a terrific one at that. In recent times Erin has felt quite overshadowed by her brother, and I really don't blame her. People, some she doesnt know, will stop her to ask about him--what is he up to? what college has he decided on? etc. Not only that but he plays a sport that is more widely reported and viewed than the sport she plays, and plays well may I add.

This is my chance to tell you about, or more accuratly BRAG about my daughter Erin. Erin is 15 1/2, a sophomore in high school and a soccer player--a keeper to be exact. As you can see by the picture she has a dynamite smile and terrific blonde curly hair (the curls, which I am happy to say she has inherited from me.) Erin has aspirations to be a high school history teacher. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was in Kindergarten. What she wants to teach changes every so often and it changes to the particular grade level/subject of the teacher she currently has taken a shine to. Erin is currently taking Modern Civilization and has become quite interested in the subject. It is really neat to see her finding an acadmic class she actually enjoys and looks forward to studying more of in the future.

Erin is out-going, fun loving, brave, strong, not afraid of much and has a sense of humility that most of us would kill to have. Her humility and ability to apologize has saved her butt more than once. As I child, and even now, I would refuse to admit I was wrong even when I was. Erin, I am happy to say, is just the opposite. When she realizes she has made a mistake or hurt someone's feelings she is the first to apologize or admit OUT LOUD that she was in the wrong. It is really refreshing to have someone like that in your life. She sets the example that I have tried to follow.

Another amazing thing about Erin is the way she can take a beating while playing soccer and then go back the next day or game for more, without a glint of fear in her eyes. Just last week she was cleated more than once in her game and came of the field with a bloody, bruised leg. The cleat marks ran the length of lower leg and hurt like the dickens. The marks were too large for a bandaid and anything touching it made it hurt worse. The next day she wore sweats that went to just below the knee to avoid hurting further. The following day she suited up and was in goal AGAIN, without a complaint, and didn't shy away from any play or on-field confrontation. She has had many injuries over her life span--broken bones, black eyes and stitches---and she never lets fear of new injury get in her way. In fact, when she is injured she doesn't cry because of the pain rather because she realizes she will have to sit out for a day, a week or more.

Erin does like to talk, which she also got from her mother. And I see this as a positive. She likes talking to anyone. She enjoys having a good conversation with any one--young or old. Next time you see her give it a try. Ask her what is new or what is going on in school or USY. She will be happy to tell you. FYI--her favorite topic these days is her new car and/or getting her permit. I am sure she will be happy to tell you about both!

I am very blessed to have 2 wonderful children. They are very different from each other but are each others biggest fans. I see a bright future for both of them. Erin's life will certainly go a different route that AJ's but it will be a great one none-the-less.

Lets get this party started!

One of my goals for 2008 was to start a blog. I enjoy reading blogs of friends and people I don't even know. I figure that I am a talker and have lots to say, maybe someone will be interested. I really didnt expect to get it going quite so early in the year but then yesterday one of my friends egged me on. She told me I needed to have one so everyone can keep up with A.J.'s goings on in college. She said it will save me the trouble of having to send coupoius amounts of email. So here I go. (My sister is the writer in the family and I will do my best not to embarrass her with my grammer, spelling or other writing related issues.)
Let me back up a bit and give you a bit of background about me. I am 42 years old, married 19 years and have 2 wonderful children. A.J. is 17 and Erin is 15. Both are, in my unbaised opionion, 2 of the greatest teenagers on earth. I do work part-time as a workers compensation claims specialist for Lamps Plus. The rest of my time is spent dotting on my husband and children. A job I especially enjoy!! My hobbies include cooking, reading and doing a bit of exercise.
Now back to the present and current news....
A.J. is now a senior in high school and has completed 3 stellar years of high school football. He is 6'4"/280lbs and an offensive lineman. He started 38 straight varsity football games and has won 2 C.I.F. champsionships and one STATE champsionship. In addition he has a 4.4 GPA. Needless to say he got some college attention. He had a few offers to play football in college and narrowed it down to Harvard and the Air Force Academy. After making official visits at both and giving it a LOT of thought he choose Air Force. He wants to study Physics, which along with math he thinks is very easy, and either school would be an excellent choice. In December he gave his verbal committment to the Academy and yesterday he made it official and "signed" with them.


There was a small signing ceremony for him at school but the exciting part of the day came later when we were watching ESPN. A.J. tivoed the 5-6 hours of coverage of high school signing day. Dave and I laughed. Well the last laugh was on us--he was talked about and highlights were shown. My boy made ESPN. I was so happy for him I nearly cried. He was so happy and its nice to see that excitiment in your childs face. I always tell people with newborns that it truely gets better everyday. No matter how cute they are now, tomorrow they are cuter. You think your joy can't get any greater and it does. My son is 17 and my theory continues to ring true!