Chicken Circle Noodle Soup

I had to go over to let Elly out at lunch.  All I had with me was a microwaveable can of Chicken Noodle soup, the kind with the little circle noodles.

I heated it up and attempted to eat it.  After burning my tongue on the liquid, and slurping up some of that tasty-goodness, I realized a terrible trick had been played.  Those tricky little noodles congregate at the bottom and once the liquid is gone, they do not, I repeat they do not, come out.  

Now instead of just opening the lid and getting a spoon, I continue to try to get those tasty circular noodles out of that little opening.  The can clearly states I should be able to.  After fun turned to frustration, I then attempted to get off the lid.  HA!  

In slow motion it flew off and the little noodles fell to the linoleum floor at the apartment.  Elly was on them like, well, lightning to a steeple.  However those nasty little noodles betrayed her as well.  As she attempted to inhale them her breath made them fly in different directions.  It was hilarious.  My frustration turned back to fun.  Erin will probably find a little circle noodle or two tonight and wonder, what the hell?!!  

Flashback Friday

Remember the time in North Carolina when I went to Food Lion to grocery shop.  Yep, all 3 kids (under 4) and me for an exciting hour of shopping.  I do...

Got through the store, loaded up the kids, loaded up the groceries, and then the fun part...

Just as I was closing the lift gate at the back of the van I see them - the keys.  Inside the van.  Then everything goes into slow motion.  The door closing, the realization the doors will be locked,  the kids are in the car, cell phones aren't around, and I am a long way from home.

I valiantly try to get Erica to climb to the back and get the keys, but she cannot maneuver out of the car seat - damn those safety devices doing what they should.  Then I try to get the 2 year old to unlock the locks.  Ha!  Laughing and clapping was all I got as she thought it was a great game.  That's what I get for putting Erica in the middle seat.  Erica repeated everything I said to Erin.  I was actually kind of glad Erin didn't understand her.  It would have given me a complex, in addition to the bad mother one I already had.  Finally I leave the kids and run into the store and share my story.  I get the standard dumb mother with too many kids eyeball roll from the manager and then he lets me use the phone.  My husband comes and all is well.  

I end up locking my keys in the car several more times over the next many years.  Apparently locking my kids in the car didn't teach me a thing.  Ah memories...

Missy

It's 5:30 am and I can hear the dog next door barking.  I lay in bed for a minute and then I think, well, she is old, it's cold, something might be wrong so I get all geared up for the zero weather and snow outside.  After fighting my own dogs off to go outside, I get out the door with treats and water just in case she needs them.  

Then I see it and understand her distress.  A puppy.  A yellow lab puppy.  Cute, but clearly irritating.  They are at the fence before I get there.  The puppy already gnawing at the metal.  I open the treats and give one to Missy and one to the pup.  Missy eats hers and wants another.  The pup spits hers out and starts bugging Missy.  The low growl I hear is familiar after having dogs for so long.  It is the "get away from me you bouncey, happy, little mongrel while I am eating" growl.  

I distract the puppy with my hand. As she gnaws at that, I continue to feed Missy.  I refill a little make-shift water bowl I put out there.  The pup knocks it over, so I fill it again.  It's more about making me feel that I am doing something nice then that she needs it.  

My dogs start to bark from inside.  They are letting me know that it really is pissing them off that I am sharing their treats with others and petting other dogs.  They will shun me when I get back in to express their discontent.  As I turn to leave I hear a big doggy sigh.  I turn back and give Missy one more treat.  Her eyes meet mine and I know they quietly say, "I enjoy this little dog's company, but could you take her with you...I like to sleep in on Saturdays."  Yep, me too, I say in return...me too.

Limburger cheese and Sardines

It's been a lifetime ago, but my nose can smell it like it is right here as I puppy-sit my grand dog.

New Year's Eve every year when I was a little kid was at Grandma Burkhart's house.  The old ladies and the little kids.  A night of disaster waiting to happen.  

Liberace on PBS in all his glitter.  Snacks in the kitchen.  Plastic horns awaiting lots of blowing.  Ultimately being taken away when we would hide them in the bed and blow them all night.  There was nothing scarier in the darkness than Aunt Thelma without her wiglet when you are a little kid except...

Limburger cheese and sardines in that cabinet in the kitchen.  Grandma Fuller would open it, and the smell...it was not for anyone who didn't have a steel stomach.  She would eat it at midnight saying it was for luck.  It was a witch's potion for longevity I think.  All it did was give me nightmares and her bad breath! 

New Year's Eve is upon us again.  No cheese, no sardines, no wiglets,  just the memories of relatives trying to take care of 3 rambunctious little kids who have all grown up really well.  I guess the cheese and sardines worked.  Maybe the wish of luck wasn't for her, but for us.  

Christmas thoughts - I am a lucky woman

For my kids

For my husband of 25 years

For my dogs

For my crazy parents who made me crazy and my bros 

For my Son-In-Law

For the Abrams 

For unanswered and answered prayers (Yay God!) 

For my wondrous friends

For my new job

For my straight teeth

For my coworkers in the Q unit

For my grand-dog 

For Christmas music 

For everything and everyone in my mind that isn't coming to my mind... I love this time of year.  Lessons are always taught to me.  Each year I get a little better at listening to them. 

And I can't close without, BOOM!  Ian, I will never forget you! 

Something is clearly wrong with him

The picture tells the tale.  25 years.

Was the night before New Years and all through the house

everyone was stirring even a mouse.  

The church was decorated by the patrons with care 

in hopes that a wedding would take place there.  

The people were dressed up all beautiful I had said 

while visions of marriage danced through their heads.  

Michael in his tux and I in my dress 

were just settling in for a go of it, more or less.  

When just a bit later there arose such a clatter, 

Michael sprang to his Jeep to see what the matter.  

Into the world they flew like a flash, 

Erica, Erin, and Emmy (they would require a lot of cash).  

Many times over the years we played in the snow, 

and I would gaze upon my man and my girls until I would glow.  

Year after year wonderous things would appear 

including many dogs, cars, happiness and tears.

Life happened, many times lively and quick

Sometimes slower, when someone was sick

The great times how rapid they came

I know I yelled and shouted and sometimes called coaches names

Now baking, and cooking, cleaning, and fixin

Building and replacing, barking and licking

To the top of their class, to hear their names called

Kick away, hit away, play away, all

We tried hard to make our way, even when inside he would whistle

And away the years flew like the down of a thistle

But I must exclaim as I am amazed to still be his wife

25 years down, let's have 25 years more of a wonderful life

The First Snow

The first snow of the season is always so fun.  It makes me happy and nostalgic.

Junior running relentlessly through the snow as if he is laughing and singing with his hair blowing in the breeze and then running upstairs and jumping under the covers.

Emmy shoveling with her dad.

The girls making snow angels.

Bundling the girls up until they couldn't move to play outside. Warming them up when they came back in.

Hot Chocolate.

Norman stuck in the way back because the snow was too high.

Seeing only Sunshine's head.

Carving out a path through the backyard so the dogs could poop.

Eating snow.  Before your mom told you what was likely in it. 

Salting the back porch so Lilly doesn't slip and hurt her bum leg.

Getting hit in the face with a tobaggan and having my braces fall off.

Forts.

Icicles hanging from the roof.

Tunneling in the storm of 78 to deliver papers.

Cream horns at the bakery.

Watching snow flakes land and realizing just how beautiful they are.

Enjoy the snow.  Keep your heart warm and your memories close by.