My Crazy Turkey Day Pledge...

All I can say is that I was under the influence of turkey and stuffing. Because I can think of no other reason for doing what I did...

The kids were happy with their full belly's and promise of pie to come so I was actually able to participate in some post meal conversation. My sister and husband's voices drifted down to my end of the table.

"Okay, why did you sign up for the Olympic Triathlon in Galveston, I thought we were doing the Sprint?" WB asks.

"Well, I'm doing a sprint the month before and thought it would be good warm-up for the one in Galveston. And besides my competitive nature came out when I found out my friend was doing the half ironman", this from my sister.

And little old me at the end of the table is thinking they are both sort of neurotic. WB with his knee problems and my sister who just recovered from a stress fracture in her foot that had her off her feet for quite some time. Really some people just get carried away, this thought is running through my head as I listen to them debate back and forth. I point out neither one of them should be running. The swimming and biking are fine, but not the running with their injuries.

"We can do the rely, just need someone to do the running leg I guess." WB says, thinking out loud. Good idea, I think...someone else should do the running.

And here's where I make a tragic mistake. You see I have a flaw. I always feel the need to help people out. Okay, so sometimes it's a good thing, but other times it gets me in a whole mess of trouble. On this occasion it got me into running.

First let me explain something, I hate to run. No, actually I despise it. I was the cross country manager in high school and I drove my car around to help wayward runners or on occasion rode a bike along with the runners. I did this because I greatly admire runners, their dedication, their endurance, their ability. And I know my limits. Running up and down the basketball court was more than enough running for me in my short-lived high school career.

And here's something else, I've never probably ever run even a mile at one time much less 3.2 or whatever the heck I'm supposed to run for this triathlon. I run after my wayward child in the grocery and that is it, period!!

So there I was drunk on turkey and stuffing and the words tumbled out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying. Next thing I know my sister is printing up my training schedule, which is titled from couch to triathlon...I'm thinking it should read from couch potato to triathlon. It gives me exactly 4 months to train for this event...like four months to the day. The day after Thanksgiving I find myself sprinting around a very packed Academy as my sister fits me for some running shoes. I kept the sprints short so I wouldn't get winded in front of the crowd of shoppers, I do have my pride after all. Instead of a day of shopping for clothes for my birthday, I instead shopped for the running gear I would need. Happy Birthday to Me...just that phrase invokes memories of a terrible slasher, horror movie I saw in my teenage years, but the image was so appropriate.

My sister and I after day one. I walked 25 minutes, she ran for 40.
I do have a confession to make here, I'm digging the outfit. I mean when I put on my ultra-sleek running tights, top, shiny new shoes, topped off with my cute little pink hat I feel powerful. Much more powerful than I am, but still. I feel like an athlete, I feel fast, I feel like I might actually be able to do this...then I go for my first run. Well, actually I walk for the first month, but even that hurts. It has been a long time since I have power walked for 25 minutes in the freezing temperatures. The memories come flooding back as to why I hate this type of exercise, especially when my sides begin to ache and my joints remind me of my arthritis. Okay, so I only have mild arthritis in my hands, but I swear the rest of my body is about to follow suite. But amazingly at the end of my walk I'm feeling pretty good. The next day WB gets out the double jogging stroller and I take Little One for my walk. Funny how pushing a stroller adds a whole new element of challenge to my quest, not to mention the hills we are surrounded by.

So today is day three, and I've got to say it is sort of addicting in a way. Of course, I haven't actually started running yet, just walking. I know the running will kick my hiney, and I'm fully prepared for that. I know that if I don't stick to my training my sister will kick my hiney even harder, so I have some motivation. Really , she gets a little competitive, no idea where that comes from.

So join me in the next four months as I share with you my ups and downs of this little journey. Feel free to chime in with some of your own experiences. I'll need all the help I can get!!

He doesn't change dirty diapers without gagging

but he does just about everything else. WB is my Renaissance Man, and I feel very blessed to have found him.
Do you ever wonder what or where you would be if you were swept back in time and plopped down in some far away land? Come on, don't you? Okay, well, I do. Like say... medieval times. Everyone loves castles and knights, right? Well, here is one thing I am sure of, that as long as I was with WB we would survive. I probably wouldn't be too keen on chamber pots or the whole "let's just bathe every full moon" kind of thing, but I probably wouldn't have to worry because if I were with WB he would figure out a way for me to have indoor plumbing, complete with bath and toilet. We'd be able to eat because he's the type that knows how to survive on what the land has to offer.
I know that if I had to rely on my sewing skills or my singing voice to get by, I would be kicked out of the kingdom for sure. But I figure WB would be so invaluable to the King others would forgive my lack of womanly arts. I could just befriend everyone with my wit and charm (I'm telling you I could, really!). WB could wow everyone with his intellect and amazing ability to create things, whether it be a fortress or a rocking horse for his child. And if he was the King's right hand man he wouldn't have to bother with changing dirty diapers anyway. Heck, maybe I'd have some sort of lady's maid for that sort of thing and I wouldn't have to either...just saying.
What about you...how would you survive a trip in time?!!

MMM- Thanksgiving History According to Soph

Soph is my 6 year old who is loving, sensitive, and has a wonderful imagination coupled with an extensive vocabulary. For several days she has been recounting stories of pilgrims, Indians, and Christopher Columbus. The following conversations are her recounting of historical events, because I'm sure we all need to brush up on the story of Thanksgiving before Thursday.

Soph's voice drifts forward from the very back of the mini-van, "Christopher Columbus was Spanish, and so that means he came from Mexico. He landed on a rock...Plyy....., what was it called again? (I tell her Plymouth) Oh, yes Plymouth rock. Now, they didn't have airplanes back then so he must of come in on a parachute. (I ask what he jumped from then?) Some high place I guess."

A day or so later:

(Again in the car) "So the pilgrims ate fish (looking at her little sister) you may want to put this out of your mind, and deer. (Little One views all deer as her pets since they visit our yard nightly). It was cold and they were starving and the Indians shared their food. The Indians lived in big round houses and they let the Pilgrims live with them.

Later:

"Remember that big rock. Well it cracked and the Pilgrims tried to glue it back together with concrete. It didn't work and they took pieces of it to build a gate in town."

Even later:

"The pilgrims came over on a ship called the Mayflower. It was about as long as a football field. They didn't have bathrooms so they used buckets. When it was full they yelled, "Bucket is full!" and the maids came and dumped it over the side, into the ocean. A lot of them got sea sick and well it just wasn't a very pleasant trip."

Later still:

"I don't think the pilgrims even ate turkey which leads me to believe we eat turkey on Thanksgiving because we want to, not because the pilgrims did!"

Disclaimer: The above is a history lesson given by a six year old and all historical data should be checked for accuracy.

Frugal Friday...Bandanna Apron

Soph modeling her bandanna apron as she was about to run out the door for school!

Like I mentioned last week we are having a "Pioneer" Christmas this year, so to continue my frugal gift making ideas I want to share this apron with you. Soph went to a Brownie activity a few weeks ago and the girls made aprons out of bandannas. They all turned out really cute and they were easy to put together. This would make a cute gift for children, but also the adults were wearing them. It may not cover as much area, but it still looked sweet on the grown-ups!

The cost of this gift is just a few dollars. All you need is a bandanna ( I saw several cute Christmas ones at WalMart the other day), buttons, ribbon and fabric scraps.

The only sewing that needs to be done on the machine is to fold back the corner on one side a couple of inches. You could even do this by hand if you wanted to.

Next we tacked on ( a couple of holding stitches) either ribbon or some lengths of fabric for the neck ties and waist ties. We then sewed buttons on each tie to help hold it in place an for a little decoration.

The girls each decorated their aprons however they liked. We glued on ric rac or you could sew it. Soph used a fabric pen to write I love .... all down the front of her apron. Some girls traced their hands or glued fabric flowers around their apron. I got tickled watching the girls come up with their own designs.

This was a fun, easy project that fits right in with our Pioneer Christmas theme! Next Friday I'll share another fun, easy project that involves using old socks and dying:)

MMM- Genesis 1:27

As a parent I sometimes struggle with how to teach my children about the world they see around them. And lets face it, there are some things going on in this world that are hard to explain, especially to younger children. There are lifestyles and images of people that I may not agree with. Just how am I supposed to turn around and teach my children the complexities of these things, when I struggle with them myself?

This is when I delve into the root of my faith. As a Christian Catholic the foundation of my faith has been based on this scripture:

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27

We are taught that we are to uphold the dignity of every person...not just the ones who do right, not just the ones who make correct choices, not just the ones that are most like us, not just the ones who share our faith...ALL people. It is a faith that calls us to compassion and unity. We are not called to teach tolerance, but rather to live in a community in which the dignity of every person is held in esteem. And let me just say, that can sometimes be a tall order!

I'm often reminded of the words of a teacher I had as a child, "Look for Jesus in every person you meet, He is there. And sometimes you may be the only person to recognize him." How very true.

I feel blessed to sit in a pew each Sunday and listen to the scriptures and how they relate to my faith and our lives. I'm equally blessed to listen to my Priest as he teaches us how to love, not hate. How to embrace our differences, not ridicule or demean them. How to be what God wants us to be, not what society deems appropriate.

So when my child asks difficult questions about this world around them, I may stumble at times, but in the end I am confident that between their parents, their church, and their God they will find the right answers.

That is my Memorable Moment for this Monday...

Frugal Friday...Pioneer Christmas Decorations

On Wednesday I told you all how this Christmas we were sort of going with a theme, a Pioneer theme that is. My girls are having a wonderful time learning about what the pioneers did for the Christmas holidays. One of the really neat things is that the pioneers used what they had and made things from scratch, which is a great lesson in frugality! I plan on sharing many of our projects up until Christmas, because a lot of these are just easy, non-expensive ways to celebrate the holidays, plus a lot of fun.

Our first project were these tin can lanterns:

We've been saving soup cans, vegetable cans, tea canisters anything that is metal. Em takes off the label, rinses them out, and then fills them with water. We put them in the freezer to harden.

This is my outdoor freezer, please excuse the dirt. I believe the girls were stockpiling some mudpies in here!

Anyways, after the water is good and frozen you can make your designs. You might want to lay can on a towel to help keep the can still. Using a pin, make little dots on can in whatever pattern you like.

Now you take a nail and hammer gently through each dot. The frozen water inside helps the can to hold its shape during this process. You can use different size nails to make things even more interesting if you like.

To finish drain ice from cans and place a tea light inside. We're going to line our walkways with these so we'll add some sand to the bottom to keep from blowing away!

I just love the pretty patterns they cast. This has been so easy and didn't cost us much. Weren't those pioneers smart?!!!

For more frugal tips head over to Biblical Womanhood.

Works For Me Wednesday...Our Pioneer Christmas

I'm so excited about this Christmas because we've decided to follow a theme, a Pioneer Christmas. I'm not sure what brought this about. Maybe our move to the "country" or maybe my kids desire to learn about what people did long ago or maybe just a combination of things. But I will tell you it has brought new excitement to the holiday season here at Cotton-Top Hills. We've gotten a jump on things, since we've learned the pioneers had to plan months in advance for the holidays.

The ideas are endless and over the next several weeks I'll be posting about our projects, which include homemade gifts and decorations. Here is a picture of some of the books that have gotten us started:

My library didn't have these so I ordered them new and used from Amazon. The girls and I are enjoying going through each book. It has some great ideas and has also gotten the girls thinking about some of their own. Like wouldn't the pioneers made use of all these yuccas we have growing wild around here...how about some yucca soap. It's just a joy to watch them get excited and work together on things.

Also, we are being frugal. The pioneers didn't have much, but they scrapped together what they did have and made it a beautiful holiday. We're learning to appreciate that we don't have to have that flat screen TV or Wii to make our Christmas memorable. The pioneers encountered some very difficult times, but families pulled together and made the best of it. It's a wonderful Christmas spirit to have.

Anyway, this Pioneer Christmas is helping my family to really focus on the true meaning of Christmas this year. Check back on Friday for our first Frugal Pioneer Decorating Idea, it involves hammers and ice!!

For more WFMW ideas check at Shannon's blog.