sAy AnYtHiNg

Something's Amiss

I have a regular workout schedule that includes swimming, running, hip hop classes, and every Wednesday morning a class called CRT (Cardio Resistance Training).  It is taught by a scary, evil lovely woman named Donna.  I am convinced she enjoys inflicting pain.  However, even though at some point in the class each week, I am convinced I am actually going to die, I guess you could call it a sado-masochistic relationship that seems to work for both of us. 

The last couple of weeks we have had a substitute teacher.

The first week, we had a woman named Mary.  She was in great shape ( a marathon runner I'm told) and did a pretty darn good job of teaching the class.  There was a point when I thought if she uttered the words "10 more push ups" again I might have to inflict some for of bodily harm to her.  Luckily, she did not, in fact, utter said words again and we both managed to leave our time together unscathed.  Plus, I felt like I had worked hard and had a good workout.

The second week with a sub, things took a turn for the worse.  I am not sure what our sub's name was...she never said.  This was not my main issue with her.  She did say that she is a certified personal trainer and aquatics instructor.  Here is where my small issue with her comes in.  She is significantly overweight.  Please don't misunderstand me, I have total respect for people who are overweight working out and trying to get healthier.  I am by no means in perfect shape either.  I work hard, try to eat well, and all around do my best.  My issue is the she is A PERSONAL TRAINER that is overweight.  Why exactly would I want to take advice on how to be in shape from someone who is not.  It sort of sounds like taking financial advice from someone with debt out their ears and their home in foreclosure doesn't it?  To make matters worse, she read each exercise we were to do off of a piece of paper with zero enthusiasm and NEVER, doing a single exercise herself.  Not a very satisfying experience.

Tomorrow is time for class again, and I really hope Donna is back.  I never thought I would say this, but I miss that little drill sergeant.

I'm Embracing My Fluff

Some people might call the phenomenon that is happening to my hair right now as frizz.  I however, am choosing to think of it as fluff, and since the weather reports indicate that the dampness will not be leaving us soon...I am embracing my fluff wholeheartedly.  I am calling it my "bohemian chic" summer look.  It is really rather liberating.

Not too long ago, I would have fought tooth and nail with a multitude of brushes and my hair dryer to beat my fluff into submission.  Quite honestly, that statement could be said about more than just my hair.  Anything that seemed to be "fluff" (in other words, not perfect or good enough or whatever) about myself I would have tried to beat into submission.  One of the perks of getting ,ever so slightly older, is the wisdom to recognize that it is my "fluff" that makes me, me...and I am becoming more and more o.k. with that everyday.

P.S.  Thank you for all the supportive and loving comments to my last post.  I am much richer for having all of you in my life!  

I Thought About it, I really Did

 

As you may have noticed, I haven't been around these parts for a while.  I have been extremely busy, what with all the spring cleaning, room momming, business owning, exercising, etc. etc.  Honestly though, that is not the real reason I've been missing, because I know all of you reading this are equally as busy in your own right yet still make time for your blog.

The real reason I have been missing, is the simple fact that I have been contemplating hanging up my blogging shoes.  When I started this almost 2 years ago I viewed it as something that was truly mine.  A creative place where I could come and spend a few minutes on myself to reflect and share stories and ideas.  For about the first nine months, it was just that.  Then one day I wrote a post that created a surprise backlash.  I really don't want to rehash the details at this point, but suffice it to say, it stole a bit of my thunder.  It felt like something was taken from me that day, and try as I might, I had a hard time putting it behind me.  Therefore, I thought that maybe I didn't have it in me anymore.

However, due to popular demand (yes mostly family)  I have decided to keep on keepin' on, at least for the time being.  Over the last couple of weeks I have faced some interesting opportunities and times of reflection, and I don't feel like I have done all that I wanted to do here.  I can't promise a post every day, but I do promise to post as often as I can, SOOOOOO looks like you're stuck with me! 

Spring Cleaning

   

I think I am safe in saying that Spring has FINALLY sprung.  It hasn't been all that obvious, because although we do have buds on trees and bushes, and daffodils and tulips ready to pop...it was 37 degrees on Tuesday.  Lovely.  However, yesterday was sunny and 60, today is going to be 71, and tomorrow is supposed to be 81.  Yes, I know the temps could take a nose dive again, but here's hoping we have at least seen the last of snow.

Anyhoo, along with Spring generally comes some Spring cleaning.  Yipee.  The garage and basement have already been done, thanks to the hubby, and I will be doing some more on the homefront this afternoon.  In addition to the house, however, I decided to do a little spring cleaning of the old blog.  My blogroll, "They Said What" was in dire need of some updating.  Today the cobwebs have been dusted away and some new additions have bloomed in their spot.  I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I do.

Lynette at The Best Things in Life are Three isn't really a new addition, she just changed the name of her blog and got a snazzy new look.  She is one of my favorite bloggy friends, so be sure to pay her a visit.

'Nines and 'Quines is written by a friend that I have known since elementary school .  We recently reconnected at our 20 year reunion and through Facebook.  Too much fun!

Classy Chaos is a blog I have just recently had the pleasure of finding.  She is very witty and has made me laugh on more than one occasion.  Glad I found her!

Helen at My Bloggie Thingy is the mom to a very cute little guy, who also happens to be great fodder for her blog.  She also seems to comment just when I need it the most.

Whiskey in My Sippy Cup is another blog that I have only just begun to enjoy.  She just won a BlogHer blog of the week award, and when you read her, you will understand why.

Jules at The Roost has given me inspiration on many occasions through her words and faith.

Welcome to my World  is written by my uncle.  He rocks for lots of reasons.  He is truly one of the most intelligent, articulate and eloquent people I know.  I am a big, big fan!  Plus, I love him lots too.

That wraps up the new additions for this Spring.  I promise these great bloggers will not disappoint!

Of course, some oldies but goodies stayed on the list, so be sure to "clap a howdy" on them as well.  One of those sticking around is Chased by Children, who I just found out has extended (due to technical difficulites) the deadline to enter her choclate contest.  The new deadline is tomorrow, hope you win!  

  

Try it, You'll Like it

I am a big fan of soup.  Soup of all kinds.  One of my all time favorites is Avgolemono (greek lemon rice soup), and these days I don't get nearly enough of it...kind of like these other favorites that I don't get enough of either.  Anyway, back to my point.  Due to my love of soup, I find myself enjoying it for lunch on a rather frequent basis, and I have discovered a little trick to make canned chicken noodle soup a little more delicious.

My current favorite brand of chicken noodle soup is this:

 

My trick to making it better involves these two ingredients:

                                

A couple of dashes of Cholula (or your favorite hot sauce) and a squeeze of fresh lime juice adds just the right amount of heat and bright flavor to make this canned soup a treat I really look forward to.  So, if you, like me, are short on time and can't whip up a pot of homemade soup try this little trick!

For more great tips have a look at Works for me Wedenesday.

Also, in case you didn't get your fill of chocolate from the Easter Bunny, I know someone who is giving some away.  Jenny is celebrating her 400th post, and she would like to reward someone these adorable chocolates to help honor the event.

  

Go visit her at Chased by Children, make her laugh with your funniest Easter memory, and the chocolates could be yours.  You have until midnight on Friday April 17, 2009 to enter.  Go ahead, hop on over and win some chocolate.

Have a wonderful day...even if it is tax day. :)  

Today's Wisdom

 

Today's wisdom comes to me from my 6 year old daughter.  The other day my son, my daughter, and I were discussing the nominees for the Kid's Choice Awards and the subject of favorite band came up.  One of the nominees was Linkin Park.

My Son:  "Mom, do you think Linkin Park is old?" (meaning not current enough to win)

Me:  "I don't even know what they sing, so I don't know how to answer that."

My Daughter:  "Well, they can't be old then."

After I picked my self esteem up off the floor, I laughed very hard.

 

 

Wow, Eleven Already!

 

It seems like 5 minutes ago that I woke up at 3:00am with what I thought were gas pains.  It turned out it was something far more important.  It was time for us to go to the hospital for the birth of our first child.

Approximately 12 hours later, the words "it's a boy" were heard in the delivery room.  My husband and I did not "officially" know that he was going to be a boy.  By "officially" I mean that we told my doctors and ultrasound technicians that we wanted to be surprised and did not want to know the sex of the baby.  However, the real surprise would have been if he were a girl.  As many a mom will tell you, sometimes you just know.  I knew I was having a boy, and we have been blessed with the greatest son in the world.

Today, he turns 11.  This next bit will sound very objective, in the "I'm his mom" vein of objectivity.  He is truly the love of my life and a remarkable person.  He is funny, kind, smart, interested and interesting, and always ready for any adventure.  When he was little, he asked my husband and me "how come I'm the only one who asks why all the time?" We asked him "why do you ask why all the time?  He said, "because I want to know".  That still defines him to me.  He loves to read and learn and ask why, because he still "wants to know".

I know we are now at the threshold of a very important time in his life, where he will begin to face "big kid" challenges.  In fact, tomorrow, at school is "the talk".  My husband has already had some of "the talk" with him, so he won't be blind sided.  He is more ready for all of this than I am.  I still want him to be my little guy, but I am proud of the young man he is becoming.  It is my fervent prayer that I will be the mom he needs as he charts a course through these new waters.  I pray he will know that he can trust me, that his home is his haven, and that no matter what I love him with all my heart.

Happy Birthday!

O.K., It's time for you to go!

 

Dear Germs:

I am sorry to tell you, but you have overstayed your welcome, and it is now time for you to hit the road.

Your visit started like gang busters with my husband's food poisoning a couple of weeks ago, and the party just kept going through my son's Strep throat, my daughter's Strep throat, and now, my sinus infection.

I can't say it's been fun, it hasn't, but it has kept me on my toes to be sure.  Anyhoo, we now have all the antibiotics we need, it is Spring break, and we have a little get-away booked for the next few days.  This is a much needed "recharge" get-away, so you are not invited to come along.

Therefore, it is time to say, so long, farewell, don't let the door hit your germy butt on the way out, and y'all don't come back now ya hear!

Sincerely,

Germ Free New Diva and Family

Top O' The Mornin" To Ya!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I am officially Irish by marriage, however, my husband who is 75% Irish didn't even know what day St. Patrick's Day was until he was 20 years old and I told him.  I think the thing I like the most about St. Patrick's Day is that it is so close to Spring, and I am really ready for Spring.  Also, it is a day for a few small but fun traditions.  Shamrock shakes all around after school today and corned beef for dinner.

Hope you all find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that no leprechauns steal it!  May the luck o' the Irish be with you today and always.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Things That Make Me Go...Hmmmm.

 

1.  I noticed the other day that my liquid/foam hand soap has an expiration date on the bottom of the bottle.  Can soap actually expire?  If so, what happens to me if I use expired soap?  Will it not really clean my hands anymore if it is past its prime?  Luckily, it was not, so I guess I'm o.k. for now.

2.  Eating in the locker room at the gym is not something I understand.  There is a woman who is apparently on a similar workout schedule to me, because we are frequently in the locker room together.  Every time I see her, she takes a moment to eat while in the process of "getting ready".  She does not go to the couch/T.V. area that is out of the main locker room hub bub, but sits on the bench next to the locker she is using and eats.  The truth is, it kind of grosses me out.  I mean there is hair spray, perfume, deodorant, and who knows what all flying around all over the place.  Not to mention many a lady in various states of undress and cleanliness...depending on if they are still sweaty from their workout or newly clean from the showers.  Anyway, I would just rather wait and eat in my car, at my desk, or basically most other places than where she chooses to eat.  Her menu is something that I wouldn't choose either.   It is always the same...a diet Mountain Dew, and a peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables.  Apparently, this is a woman (although I am sure she is very nice) with whom I have very little in common.

3.  I do not understand the male fascination with facial hair.  Yes, on some it looks great (hey, T I'm talking about you! ;) ), my husband, however is not one of those men.  Yet every now and again, he decides that some incarnation of facial hair is a great idea, and my son (the other male in our house) goes right along with him.  Now is one such time.  The darling man has decided to grow a "soul patch".  A "soul patch" is when they grow a small patch of hair right under their bottom lip.  You know kinda like in the "Three Little Pigs" when they talk about the hair on their "chinny chin chin", I'm pretty sure they were talking about a soul patch.  Whatever.  My daughter and I aka the two sane ones in the house are all for him to shave it off, and honestly you would think after his last unsuccessful adventure into the wonderful world of facial hair, he would have learned his lesson.  Oh well, I guess he will just be channeling his inner rock star for awhile, or at least until his "soul patch" starts to itch. 

4.  The budget in the state in which I live is in a very bad place indeed which is causing the "esteemed" politicians some really crazy ideas on how to fix said budget.  I live in Illinois, so when I tell you these ideas, please keep in mind that since 1977 over 1000 elected officials have been indicted on fraud and corruptions charges to the tune of costing our fair state over 300 million dollars a year (averaged out).  Nice.  Here are their suggestions...a GPS device in all cars so we can be charged a tax for each mile we drive.  Yes, I know that in a rare moment of sanity on the part of the federal government this idea was squelched as it related to a national policy, however, it is still being considered at our state level.  Can you say "Big Brother"?  The state is also considering charging us for all the water that leaves our house.  In other words, they will know how many times we flush our toilet, do the dishes, take a shower, wash our clothes etc.  If the total inavasion of privacy isn't enough to make your skin crawl, please keep in mind that we already pay for the water to come into the home, and now we will be paying for the same water to go out of our home.  Big brother watching and paying for the same thing twice, that goes beyond things that make me go...hmmmm, to things that make me go...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

It Made Me Smile Too

 

Last night as my daughter was sleeping, I heard her giggle in her sleep.  It made me smile, thinking that she was having such a happy dream that it made her laugh out loud.  My dream for both my daughter and my son, is that they have many more happy, laugh out loud dreams than nightmares.

Wanna Win Something Today?

If you would like a chance to win not one, but two, yes two $50.00 gift cards go here and enter Jenny's contest.  Just tell her what she should give away for the auspicious occasion of her 4ooth post.  If she loves your idea the most, you win a $50.00 gift card!  Yeah you, AND, you will also be entered to win a random drawing of the second gift card.  Yeah you again.  Are you still here....why, run and enter because your chance to win turns into a pumpkin at 6pm central time TODAY.  Good Luck!  

The Snow Plow Strikes Again

As you may remember last year during Spring Break, we had a lovely little surprise from the snow plow.  Yes, I did just mention Spring Break and snow plow in the same sentence.  It should be illegal, I agree, and I am VERY hopeful that I will not be able to do it again this year.  Anyway the lovely surprise came in the form of our mailbox being, what can only be described as, blasted into smithereens.   See evidence below.

  

   

This year I am happy to report our new mailbox is still standing tall and proud...knock on wood!  The same cannot be said for our basketball hoop, however.  Yep, the snow plow has struck again, and this time I am afraid our basketball hoop has seen its last, lay up, free throw, 3 pointer, one on one game, and game of H-O-R-S-E.  See Evidence below.

 

 

 

At this rate I shudder to contemplate what next year's victim might be.

Help for Winter Skin

 

Winter is just a beauty bonanza isn't it?  What with the paler than the snow skin, the static city hair,  the occasional red nose, causing us to resemble our friend Rudolph -- which is particularly charming when paired with the paler than snow skin, and, of course, the dry skin that could pass for an alligator hide any day of the week.  All lots of fun, but my favorite part of winter is the ultra dry skin I get on my hands and fingers which causes many a lovely little split on my fingertips each year.  They are  incredibly unattractive really cute and excrutiatingly painful don't hurt at all, what's not to love?  I have, however, found a little friend that helps me through the cracks: 

Skin Shield liquid banadage is a wonder.  It stings a little bit going on, but it protects the cracks and keeps water out, so they can heal more quickly.  Plus, it has a little something in it that dulls the pain, so the healing process isn't as terrible as it could be.  Not to mention the fact that it goes on clear, so you won't have any pesky bangages messing up your pale, dry, static ridden look.  So until Spring, keep a bottle handy and here's hoping the warm weather is closer than we think!

For other great tips, hints, tricks, and secrets check out Works for me Wednesday at its new digs --  We are that Family.

 

It's All About the Dress

 

 

Unless you live under a rock somewhere in Outer Mongolia, you are probably aware that the Oscars were on last night.  I will come clean by saying I did not watch a single minute of the show.  As I get crankier in my old age, I find I just really can't stomach the entertainers that suddenly think they have all the answers and that we must listen to their opinion simply because they have the microphone and may have done a good job acting in some film or other.  I am, however, still a sucker for the glamour of it all and love to see the fashion choices made for the red carpet.  Therefore, you will be subjected to yet another "Best and Worst" dressed list...mine! 

Best

 

Yes, I might be a tad biased because I am firmly a memeber of "Team Aniston".  You can read how I feel about Brad Pitt here.  That being said, I do think she looks very fresh and that the gown is very flattering to her.  Also, I am so glad she decided to skip her usual black and go for something completely different.

 

Again, I felt Ms. Hathaway looked fresh and elegant.  Not too overdone, just lovely.

 

Taraji Henson looked fantastic.  Loved the dress, loved the hair, loved the jewelry...a terrific total package.

Worst

This year, my worst list could have gone on and on.  I really felt a little let down by many of the choices this year, but here a few that really stood out, and not in a good way.

 

I really don't even know what to say to this other than YUCK!

 

Congratulations to Melissa Leo for being nominated, but is this really the best she could do for her big night?  The color matches her hair way too closely and the sihouette is just frumpy personified.

 

I have to admit that I don't even know who Melissa George is, and I will also admit that I have seen this dress on more than one "Best Dressed" list.  For me, it was just a little too over the top and not elegant at all.

Last, but not least:

 

I love a good comeback story as much as the next guy, but honestly...do you think he smells as bad as he looks like he does? I would think a shower would be a given on Oscar night, but maybe it's just me.

What do you think?  Did you watch the show?  What dress did you love and which one made you say "not so much"?

   

Today's Wisdom

 

Today's wisdom comes to me from my 6 year old daughter and my husband.  I am not sure exactly how the conversation started, but something to do with a love story of some sort...probably princess related.

My husband to my daughter:  "Sweetie, just make sure that whoever you choose to have in your life is always kind and good to you and makes you feel good about yourself."

Me:  "And that he always makes you feel like a princess."

My daughter:  "Well, that would be daddy."

...and isn't that the way all little girls should feel about their daddy?!

Wishing you and yours a very happy Valentine's Day  filled with love, laughter, and someone who makes you feel like a princess or a prince.

Facebook...Real Friend or Frenemy?

  Are you on Facebook?  I am and I must say that it really is quite surreal.  Suddenly I find myself in touch with people I haven't seen or even thought about in 20 or more years.  I  have even connected with the very first friend I ever remember having.  It is a bit like a high school reunion everyday.  Now, I enjoyed my reunion very much, but some of those old feelings of insecurity did creep in every now and then through the evening.  Therefore, I have to keep my guard up to ward off any insecurities the old ties might bring up on Facebook.  Also, it shows its frenemy side with all the time it can suck out of your day...consider yourself warned.  All in all, I would say it is mostly a friend.   A positive and fun, if a bit time warpish, way to keep in touch with new and old friends alike.  It is really uplifting to see how well most people are doing and sharing a little of their lives with them.  And guess what?  Memes aren't just for blogs anymore.  There are several memes going around Facebook right now as we speak, so I was tagged and I have answered.  If you are in need of some blog fodder please feel free to play along.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I have a great memory. Most of the time this is good, but sometimes it is not so great if I am remembering something sad or embarrassing as the emotions come back too not just a picture of the event.
2. I have slept with a fan in my room since I was about 10. Now my husband can't sleep without one either, and both my kids have fans in their room.
3. I am in the process of writing the next great american novel, or a novel anyway.
4. I am an avid reader, and go through at least a book a week.
5. I have always been painfully shy. It is getting slightly better as I get older as I become more comfortable with me and try to set a good example for my kids, but not sure it will ever go away completely.
6. I ran my first 3 5ks in 2008. I was inspired by my 10 year old son who ran them too and beat me everytime. Oh well, at least my time improved each time and I crossed the finish line running.
7. My true passion is dancing and if I could figure out how to get myself on "Dancing with the Stars" I would do it in a second.
8. I realize #5 would seem to be in contrast with #7, but somehow my shyness doesn't carry over to performing or public speaking.
9. I once gave a speech to an audience of 15,000 people.
10. I absolutely cannot stand speaker phone.
11. I would live my college years differently if I had to do it over again, but probably not for the reason you would think.
12. I always try to do too much with the time I have, therefore, I am frequently running just a tad late.
13. I would like to be more punctual.
14. I am a peacekeeper and tend to avoid conflict if at all possible.
15. I suffer from insomnia. Not every night, but more often than I would like.
16. My husband and I have been together for almost 20 years. We have been through times of war and peace, laughter and tears, victory and defeat, etc., but he is my best friend and there is no one else I would want to take this journey with.
17. My children are the greatest joy in my life. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to be their mom and am grateful for them every minute of everyday.
18. I am trying to become more laid back...not easy for a quilt ridden, perfectionist, worrier like me, but I'm trying.
19. I wish that my family and I were living on Hilton Head Island right now.
20. My mom is my best girlfriend.
21. When we met, my husband was a sweet tooth and I loved salty snacks like chips. Over the years we have convinced each other of the merits of both sweet and salty and now we both are both.
22. I have to work out more now than I used to, see #21, but I love the Hip Hop, Latin Dance, and yoga classes at my gym.
23. My favorite food is sushi.
24. I love playing games.
25. After this I have finished this list I will think of 700 more interesting or witty things I could have said and I will probably lose sleep over it, but not as much as I once would have...see #15 and #18.

Tea Time

   

I was going to post a "Works for me Wednesday" today, but then I realized that it's Thursday.  Yep, I am right on top of things.  Oh well, there is always next week.

On to one of my new favorite things instead.  I have become a tea drinker.  I don't drink caffeine.  It just doesn't make me feel good, however,I do like a nice cup of something warm in the morning.  Unless, it is warm outside, then I'm all about the iced decaf with cream only from Dunkin' Donuts.  I do so love the iced decaf with cream only, I continue to drink it all winter long...on the weekends when I am in my nice cozy home.  When I am in my nice cozy home, it doesn't matter if it is 7 zillion degrees below zero (this is not much of an exaggeration, we had an actual temp., not windchill,  of -20 the other day!) I can still enjoy my iced yumminess with impunity.  When it is a week day and I am at the office, things are much, much different.  You see, my office is FREEZING.  The upside, is that I have 3 lovely windows that I can gaze out of during the day, the downside is that those same lovely windows let in A LOT of cold air when it is 7 zillion degrees below zero outside.  I have a small space heater which is always on, and I have been known to wear a scarf all day long.  Yet, there are times when my hands are still so cold it is hard to write or type.  Obviously, this put a little cramp in my iced coffee habit.  For awhile, I was drinking hot decaf with cream only from DD, and it is pretty yummy in its own right...when it is hot.   The problem is, I am not a fast drinker (a large can last me all day) and It becomes increasingly less yummy the colder it gets.  I know that sounds strange since I like iced coffee.  You will just have to trust me that hot coffee turning cold loses a lot in the translation.  Therefore, I needed an alternative, and find it I did.  My new favorite morning beverage is Mighty Leaf African Nector tea (it is herbal, so no caffeine, yeah me).  It is simply delicious.  It smells divine and tastes heavenly.  The bonus is that it is wonderful hot when I first get it, but it is just as wonderful when it gets cold.  So, I get my lovely warmth in the morning and iced tea in the afternoon.  Problem solved.

If you would like to try this lovely tea go here to check out their online boutique.  I am not getting paid for this endorsement, but if any of the nice people at Mighty Leaf happen to read this and want to send me a lifetime supply of African Nector...I won't be offened. ;)  

Opa!

 

I had a lovely surprise on Friday evening.

As I have mentioned before, my husband and I are from Michigan.  We moved to the northwest suburbs of Chicago (or as some of my cheekier friends call it, Iowa) 13 years ago.  We have loved just about everything about moving here, with one tiny little exception.  The food.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good Chicago hot dog or Chicago pizza as much as the next guy, but one can only eat so many hot dogs and so much pizza.  We could use a little diversity in these parts.  

Where we lived in Michigan we had many different cuisines at our beck and call.  Middle Eastern with yummy hummus, Shwarma, Falafal, etc., Greek with delicious souvlacki and saganaki, the famous Michigan Coney Island with Chili dogs, Greek salads (with beets, which is the only way to eat them, and you can't get a beet on a salad in Illinois to save your life) not to mention the best  Greek dressing in the world.  We buy it by the case when we go back for a visit.  Wonderful authentic delis with a real corn beef sandwich and mushroom barley soup.  I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that it never occured to us that these favorites would not be available in our new locale.  My husband and I are both foodies, so we miss these treats very much.

My husband's lease on his car was up, so on Friday he went to the dealer to trade in the old car and get a new one.

** Small side note** -- I would just like to say "Thank You, God" that my husband doesn't mind being in charge of large purchases like cars that invariably involve negotiating.  I get hives just thinking about it!

Anyway, as is usually the case, the process was not a speedy one, so he and his sales person got to know each other a little bit.  His sales person's name was Kosta.  Yep, Greek.  So, my husband told him how much he liked Greek food, one thing led to another and my husband left the dealership in a brand new ride and with the recipe for Saganaki (otherwise known as flaming cheese).

On his way home, he called me to tell me that he was preparing an appetizer for us for the evening, and that it was a surprise.  He called several different stores to find the right cheese, and went and purchased the cheese and all other necessary ingredients.  He made me and the kids go in the other room while he prepared his treat.  When it was ready he had us come in the kitchen and close our eyes.  When we opened our eyes, he lit the cheese on fire, and the two of us yelled Opa! (That is what is traditionally said when the cheese flames...not sure what it means, but it is a fun excuse to yell).

He prepared it perfectly and it was delicious.  It was our kids first experience with this tasty tid bit and they both loved it too.  Needless to say I was very touched by his effort.  A lovely way to start the weekend indeed.

Works for Me...Common Cold Help

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on T.V., but I do have a little something up my sleeve that I swear knocks out the common cold, or at least significantly shortens its nasty little stay.  My remedy consists of a 1, 2 punch.

Punch 1:  The Neti Pot

 

O.K. I admit that I have, on occasion, watched an episode of Oprah.  I am not one to worship at the shrine of Oprah and may be just a bit jaded about the show after this experience in her audience ( and, no, I am not bitter just because I fully expected it to be the "Favorite Things" show).  However, you can find an interesting tid bit or two now and then, and it sure does help to pass the time on the treadmill.  It was during such time passing, that I saw an episode with Dr. Oz that sang the praises of the Neti pot.  It is a sinus cleansing system, in which you pour a saline solution from the pot into one nostril until it starts coming out the other side.  Then you repeat the process on the other side.  I'm not gonna lie, it is not the most comfortable experience in the world, but it really does do the trick.  Even my 10 year old son swears by it for relief from his seasonal allergies.  So, as soon as you feel the cold start to come on...start the Neti pot at least once a day unitl symptoms subside.

Punch 2:  Crystalized Vitamin C

   

Stir  a teaspoon into a small glass of orange juice in the morning, again, as soon as symptoms start.  Repeat for 2-3 mornings, or until symptoms dissapate.  Warning...it is VERY sour, so I recommend stirring it into as small a glass as possible and drinking as fast as possible, followed by just some straight orange juice.  Warning #2...it will clean you out (potty wise) so just be prepared for that little side effect.  Warning #3...because of the cleaning out effect I don't recommend this step for kids.  Just lots of orange juice for them!

When done at the first symptom of a cold it has knocked it out within 2-3 days for me without ever getting to the full blown cold stage.  Hope maybe it will help you too. 

For more tips, suggestions and ideas visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer for  Works for me Wednesday.