Spring Road Trip Part 2..

Well, really, part 3. I already covered the first 2 major locations.  The last leg of the trip was to head back South via Louisville, stopping to visit my brother, his wife and my adorable nephew.  A week ago Friday, we left Gramma's farm.  Thursday night, per her usual courtesy, she asked what time we wanted breakfast.  We hesitantly decided on 7 a.m., and changed our request to 7:30.  Apparently she didn't hear the change.  And she runs ahead of schedule half the time, so at 6:38 we heard, "yoo-hoo!  It's time for breakfast!"  This actually worked out fine, enabled us to not have to hurry quite so much.

The drive from WI to L-ville went really smoothly until we stopped for supper about an hour or so north of our destination.  Note to self:  just go the rest of the way, and figure out what your starving body wants when you get there.  The irony was that we (hubby and I) were not really that hungry, but the kiddos said they were.  I now realize they were just stir-crazy.  And that meant crazy at the restaurant.

So we arrived at big brother's house (er, older, I am pretty sure I am officially larger than he is now, though I have not asked him his weight).  Sweet nephew was already in bed, but it was good to see the adults and let the kiddos reacquaint themselves with their aunt and uncle.  And then we realized Buddy was a little warm.

And here's where the proof of my character comes in.  The next day, Buddy awoke still a little warm.  It was Derby Day, raining (so no trip to a park or the zoo as we had hoped for), and instead of keeping my feverish child (who otherwise acts 100% normal and exhibited no other symptoms), all of us headed out to a local indoor playground/bounce house/mini golf/arcade place.  Yep.  It just wasn't fair to contaminate my nephew, why not share the germs with the whole city? We couldn't stay in a hotel, they were all booked thanks to the horse race, I'm sure.  And beside, sweet nephew had already been exposed.

We went, bounced, climbed, and had a good time.  Returned home and ate some lunch.  Put Buddy down for a nap, then hubby and I headed out to do a little exploring of the area on our own while the cute baby boys napped.  Bear watched videos and played. 

The drive was a nice break, in spite of the fact that we'd been driving all week.  Just me and hubby for once.  Tranquility.  And rain.  A dear friend called my cell, and I didn't answer.  I figured I could call her back later.  She called again 10 minutes later... I checked my messages.  Apparently she was stranded in my old shopping grounds near Nashville, desperate for a way home.  By God's grace, we got her to the interstate without drowning herself or her car's engine, and I felt guilty for not answering first.  Especially when I saw the news reports and Facebook status updates online that night.  Oops.  And when I called to tell sis in law we were coming home, she said buddy was still asleep.  He takes long naps, but that was crazy.  Sure enough, she called back after waking him up and he had a high fever.  I think higher than he's ever had.

I had hoped to go to church with brother and fam before heading home on Sunday.  That didn't happen, between Buddy's temp and thinking matters over.  The normal route home was closed due to flooding, so we decided to head East and then South.  It actually only added 30 miles, but we also remembered that hubby had a flat tire to get fixed first thing on Monday so he could get to work on Tuesday.  Yeah.  So we hit the road.  In the rain.  So a couple of wrecks, including a tractor trailer off the road (thankfully not tipped in the middle of the road, so we were able to get by.)


So we headed home Sunday morning (after enjoying more of sis in law's yummy coffee cake that she MADE), feverish baby boy..... opted not to visit Caslon and her fam on the way, with the feverish boy and all.  And I think we were just ready to be HOME.  The next morning, hubby got his tire fixed (but he got a screw in the new tire later this week and had to get it patched already.)  We also took Buddy to the pediatrician and discovered one ear was infected, the other not quite, but almost.... so he's on antibiotics.  Sometimes I think I've probably missed other infections because my kids behave so normally, even when they have any signs of illness.

And that, my friends, was the rest of our journey.

Now I'm ready for another vacation.  Oh, wait, I had that last month but never blogged about it.

Spring Road Trip 2010

So, our journey began with the decision to head out Friday night instead of Saturday morning to beat the weather forecast.  Little did we know that the next weekend would be the treacherous flood of Nashville, 2010.  But I jump ahead.

Traveling with kids is not simple.  I've been asked we don't just fly the 16 hours to WI to see Great Grandma.  Seriously?  And pay all those extra fees for all the extra baggage/car seats/ etc.?  Then to go through the hassle of renting a mini van?  Not to mention putting up with those ever-savvy self-righteous frequent flyers who look at you in disdain because you can't "control your children."  Um, no thanks.  We opted for me to go to Seattle alone for my cousin's wedding last month, and while I do wish my kids could have met that part of the family, I enjoyed the VACATION immensely.   Anyhoo, we've been taking long trips with the kids since they were newborns, and thank God we have family en route to the furthest destination.

First stop: Indianapolis suburb.   Arrival time: approximately 6:00 a.m.  Brother in law had an early-morning coffee date (is it a date for guys-probably just a meeting), so really, the timing was pretty good.  The kiddos slept were good, traffic was good, and we made it out of TN/KY ahead of the storms that hit Saturday.  We hung out with crt, computer guy, e, & m and had a wonderful time.  Not counting Hannah's fear of the cat (she thinks she is evil).  Ironically, Queenie, the big pup, doesn't scare her much.  The girls "slumber" partied in one bedroom, playing leapster while crt tried to read them a bedtime story.  It's so much fun to see my kiddos and their cousins play together!  The girls were also great with Brandon, watching out for him as needed, letting him try to keep up.  And when we visited the new church they are going to, we liked it better than the previous one they attended.  School cafeteria Sunday school for the kiddos and choir room nursery and all. 

2nd leg: WI
When we first moved to TN, I laughed at the presence of FFA (Future Farmers of America) and how the guys drove tractors to school on the last day.  I thought Spring Hill, TN was rural.  It was, then, but a lot has changed.  Well, the area where hubby grew up is far more rural than that.  Farming is a way of life, not just an occupation that a few people share.  Great Grandma's farmhouse, where Tech Mom grew up, was built circa 1908.    The house hubby's cousin rents was built in 1905.

We arrived just in time for supper Monday night... Gramma's Spatzlein (German dumplings) with roast beef and gravy.  (She's great Grandma to the kiddos, Gramma to us, and I can't help but interchange them.  Kinda like my Mom calling the cat my name all those years, I guess.)


Hubby's Gramma is the only living grandparent we have left.  Fortunately, she's surrounded by extended family... sister, brother, nieces, nephews, and all the great-grands.  Except her own daughter, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  I'm thankful she has her community, and her church and relatives do really seem to take care of her (and eachother).  I am so glad that Bear is at a point that she remembers the farm, WI, and most importantly her Great Gramma because we have either visited her home or she has come down to see us and the rest of hubby's siblings and parents at major holidays.  She'll turn 90 years old in August. 

My last set of great grandparents was 94 or 95 when they died, I barely remember them.  We visited their house in the Bronx, one visit they knew who I was, the next they did not, and shortly after that....  One of my grandmothers died in 89, then we had a few years in the late 90's and early 2000's where we lost all except Great Gram.  Hubby grew up near his grandparents, celebrating birthdays and holidays with them.  My visits to my own were fewer and farther between.  But Grandma V, my Dad's Mom, always made our trips to NY special.  In addition to cooking her meals for the family (I can almost still smell them), she showed us around the big city and it's tourist attractions. The Statue of Liberty, Bronx Zoo, World Trade Center, and of course, just taking the subway.  Grandpa RJ, my Mom's Dad, took us on a tugboat ride on the Hudson, sailed with us on Long Island Sound, and made sure we had tickets over to Ellis Island during one of our final trips. 

While our only Gramma left on earth has a much less busy environment, it's strangely novel and even exciting to this suburban girl.  My kiddos love the cows. (After 30+ years of life I actually saw where the term "bullheaded" comes from when the lone bull in the cowyard seemed intimidated by my toddler son.  It stomped and snorted, sending the manure/dirt mixture up over its head and back.  Only Buddy received that "welcome.")  My old flower beds host plants from her yard.  Bear loves to pick asparagus for dinner... from the flower bed.  Buddy mastered the art of mooing.  He also seemed particularly interested in the ventilation grate at the bottom of the steps... the one his Daddy played INSIDE when he was his son's age, but has since been secured to the floor.  We've made a tradition out of going to the cheese factory in the morel mushroom capital of the world (10 minutes from Gramma's farm) and picking up some fresh cheese to bring home with us.

Tuesday, I rode like a Mexican in the back of our SUV(it's not a 3-seater, bummer) to hubby's cousin's farm about an hour and a half away. (And I have ridden in the back of a pickup truck as well as some sort of cattle or delivery truck in Mexico, so I can say that without prejudice.) Buddy and their baby boy are about 6 weeks apart in age, and his cousin and I e-mail each other.  We've shared pregnancies, a miscarriage each, and if I ever have a vegetable garden, I know who I will ask for tips. She cans a lot of the food they eat.  She milked cows on the farm during her pregnancy with her son, but they've since bought a robotic milking system that is something to see.  I will admit I have issues stemming from my breastfeeding struggles (and pumping).  I'd like to say I'll try to nurse again, but I may not.  I take things too seriously, I suppose.  Anyway, those poor cows.... that machine was like the biggest Medela or Ameda ever.  I loved the computer room (where they monitor projected and actual yield, among other things), which had been painted white with black cow spots.  How cute.)  Of course, it's their job to supply milk for us, and given the fact that another cousin just had a leg fractured in 3 places while milking, I'm beginning to think that the expensive investment was worth it just for the safety of the farmers.  Buddy and S played side by side, an uncanny hint of family expressions shared here and there, Bear and Buddy loved on Spice the kitty.  Hubby's cousin and her husband were gracious hosts, and Gramma seemed to enjoy the visit as well.  She even wore her hearing aid, so conversation flowed much more easily.


We spent Wednesday relaxing and hanging out with Grandma at home.  I did a bit of laundry in her brand new washing machine (but still had to go down the treacherous steps to the basement to use the drier.  Can't bring myself to hang the clothes on the line with the smell of manure so close.  That's a whole different kind of fresh air.)  Then of course, we went to prayer meeting on Wednesday night.  And of co urse, Buddy and I ended up in the nursery.  Many of hubby's 2nd cousins go there, and one of the non-relative girls in the nursery figured out that I was visiting and also that I was somehow related to the other Mom.  That was fun to explain.  When Bear came up from her class in the basement, her "cousin" whose class she was in asked if she can come back.  I almost cried telling her it would be a long time until we return (our last visit was just under a year ago).  Not because I think I would live there (though the Spring-like weather in the mid 60's was a welcome change to our 80's in April in the South), but because, despite our differences, our visits through the years really have brought that place to feel like another home in its own way.  Just as I used to know how to get from Grandpa and Grandma V's in Yonkers to the mall or the seminary a few blocks away, or how I knew when we approached our cousins in Grove City, or the excitement hit when we reached Route 6A on the Cape to visit my family, there's something about hitting the beltline in Madison, passing the Lands End HQ in Dodgeville, and turning onto Tower Rd. that feels like returning home.

Thursday was the whirlwind "catch whomever we can" day.  We visited hubby's aunt D and cousin M.  M is the one whose leg was crushed by a cow during milking two weeks ago, otherwise he would have been
out working.  We chatted with them for a couple of hours before heading toward Madison to visit a friend and fellow blogger.

Our boys were playing in the living room, the girls were upstairs playing dress-up, or so we thought.  I went up to make sure Bear used the restroom and found a mess.  That was not much of a surprise, but what followed was.

The girl who we were visiting held up a small net and exclaimed, "Look, I caught a fish!"   It was then that I noticed both girls were hovered over a large fishbowl on the nightstand.  And their clothes were wet.  "Let's put the fish back in the water.  It needs to stay wet so it won't die," I said.  "Oh!"
I called for our friend to come join me in her daughter's room.  And we found that while the fish had been removed from its home, other things had been added... my girl's socks.  Some loose change.  An 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper, a large plastic gem ("diamond" according to our princesses).

I couldn't help but laugh.  Bear hasn't been around fish tanks before, though I wrongly assumed she knew that fish had to stay immersed in order to live.  I felt bad that she was involved in the Madison Goldfish Massacre, but I was also glad they had fun playing together, and I don't THINK anything was permanently ruined.  Well, other than the dead goldfish that did not revive after it was put back in the water, or the one left missing.

So, we moved the fun outside, where the kids played in the fresh air and we were able to sample some delicious pan fried morels picked from their family's farm out in the country.

Thursday night... we hung out with Great Gram, and one of Tech Mom's best friends from her childhood came by to see the kiddos.  "It's a little J and little L!" she exclaimed.

Friday.... on the road again.  But I must finish this later as I've neglected my kiddos this morning.

Bear's recap of the day to Daddy:

"We had rockamoley and chips and cheese and Mommy lost her temperature."

Nothin' like a little perspective at days' end.  She also went on to tell him that I apologized for losing my "temperature," and as I tucked her in tonight (for the 2nd time), we prayed that she would be more cooperative and Mommy would be more patient.  And sealed our agreement with a "deal."

 Parenting brings out the best and the worst in me. (I'm sure it does for everyone.)  Those who don't know me well might never guess that I have a temper.  I am the one with the history of breaking out in tears at work when overstressed, I  typically avoid confrontation.  With family, well, it's another story.  The guard is down, and my dark side shines through.  Sometimes glaringly.

While Buddy naps, I've been trying to have Bear do a little school time in her workbooks.  Writing letters, coloring, practice with shapes, counting, etc.... She has the attention span of a 4 year old, and well, I am not used to that. Even my former high school students focused, listened, and followed directions better.  Sometimes. The thought has crossed my mind that it was easier to teach the 5 and 6 year olds at the tutoring center than it is to teach my own daughter, and I wonder why.  But then I remind myself that she is already ahead of where some of them were (matching initial consonant sounds in words), and she still has a year before she goes to Kindergarten.  And I'm also more confident in my decision to go ahead and put her in a 3 day a week pre-k program at one of the local churches.  

my procrastinaholicism reached a new low

One might think I exaggerate how badly I tend to put things off.  I don't.  If you don't believe me, this will convince you.

The missing referral my sis mentioned in her recent blog post?   Mine.  I got the letter in early February.

Anything that looks like a big project makes me freak.  Housework, for instance.  I wonder how much it would cost a professional organizer to come help my purge and sort this place and the storage unit.  Hubby is sick of stubbing his toes on the kids toys in the living room.  (I say we need a bigger living room.) 

Yeah, well, for once my irrational nadaphobia (my word for fear of nothing) impacted someone else more than myself. She's accepted my apology.  (In her words, she "knows how I roll.")  The referral is in the mail, the other missing links in their adoption process are being filled in, and soon they will be one step closer to having a brother or sister for my niece, J.

It's not even that I didn't want to do it, I was honored to be asked.  Let's just say that I'm glad I'm not the one going through a psych eval right now.
****

Geez... that'll teach me not to talk about the 2 books I'm reading simultaneously.  Much less compare and contrast.

I reread a previous post and realized that I wrote something totally different than I meant to.  Thank blogger for the edit option.

my Mii is not my friend right now

Up 7.7 lbs in 39 days.  I blame it on the Easter Bunny and my trip to Seattle.  ;-P  Hubby is home this week, so it looks like I will try to make it to the exercise room.

Only 8 more pieces of Easter chocolate left.... for all of us.

it's a simon and garfunkel moment


Okay, maybe just the first 2 lines of the lyrics, 4 perhaps.  But I LOVE the melody to the song Sounds of Silence.

And with that, I've forgotten what I was going to post about.  Oh, yes, sounds...

After visiting several churches in the area over the past few months, we think we've decided on one to stick with for now.  It's been tricky.  But the more we have visited, the more our desires have become clear.
Christ-centered theology.  Hearing the trite, over-used phrase, "God wants to bless your socks off," or a variation thereof in many larger denominationally affiliated affiliated churches has made me gag.  When did they become cousins to the pink-haired TV-preachers or MLM conference speakers? (Ok, well assuming the pastors of these churches and the individuals mentioned here are Believers, I guess they would be cousins.) Now, don't get me wrong, I do believe God loves me. John 3:16, duh.  But is blessing my socks off his primary purpose?    How about Micah 6:8?  The Beatitudes? 

I post in hopes that I don't hurt anyone's feelings, because most of the churches we've found have been very friendly and the people seem to love Jesus very much.  It's been nice to feel that most places we visited, we have been welcomed and our kids have been loved well.  If Nashville was the buckle of the Bible belt, I think we're at one of the holes in the leather. We found a few of churches with good Bible teaching, but TERRIBLE music.  Either too rock-concertish and not worshipful at all or too simplistic and also not worshipful in the opposite extreme.  Both extremes can be hokey, period, and distract from the teaching of God's word.  We love contemporary worship songs and classic hymns, all with theological depth.  We also love the use of various instruments to assist in making a joyful noise to the Lord.  Not trite choruses sung repetitiously over and over and over and over.  Nor do we particularly care for 1930's genre "gospel hymns" that are not really singing the Gospel message at all, but some kind of moral code.

A solid children's ministry  is also a must... preferrably with some kind of childrens church during the worship service.  And finally, the service times had to fit.  We discovered that Sunday morning is best for us with hubby's schedule.  Early rising during the week makes Sunday evenings HARD to do for our primary worship service. 

So, yeah, it's been hard , but after visiting around a 15 mile radius, I think we're ready to stick with one to see if that's where God wants us to plug in and serve. When Bear was dismissed from the service to go to their Preschool Praise class, I was thrilled when her teacher recognized her.  It had been at least 2 months since our last visit.  The music was not really close to what we were used to in Nashville, but it was good, God-centered, and heartfelt.  The Pastor used a Psalm to teach how David made clear choices toward godliness when he could have sought his own agenda.... in essence, he could have killed Saul, but decided to wait for God to accomplish His will in His time.
 

One more added to the list of "things I started but didn't complete"

If you are my friend on that virtual social-networking world that has replaced my blogging addiction, you figured that out.  If you happened to stop by here and noticed the absence of posts, you probably suspected as much.  Maybe next year....
 *****
I have a confession.  Nothing major.... in spite of my ability to sometimes ramble incessantly, I just can't be too transparent on here these days.   I became a fan of something that I thought was another of those silly, cool little quips because it made me laugh.  "Hair in my coffee."  It turns out that I became a "fan" of a blog I had never read.  Well, as soon as those little updates popped up on my status menu, I realized my error.  And I clicked. And read. And now I really am a fan.   The author of the blog is also posting chapters from her novel.  I like it.  A lot.  Better than "The Blind Side," my current read on my nightstand (no I have not seen the movie yet).  Two totally different books, btw, not fair to compare really.  My favorite part of "TBS" is flashbacks from our time in Memphis.  And for the record, I have a really hard time visualizing Sandra Bullock as the Mom, so she must have done an excellent job and deserved the Academy award...  the Mom in the book really comes across as much more "East Memphis" than I ever thought I would see Sandra play. 

Kristin's story is totally different than the one which Sandra plays.  (I like TBS so "well" that I can't even remember the poor Mom's name fight now!)  Her main character is someone I could imagine having cut my hair (except I'll probably never have that done on a set).  Very likeable and relatable, IMO.  Anyway, I need not compare these two works, because they are totally different stories.  But let's just say I think I will like the movie better than The Blind Side book for the simple fact I'm not big on all the football explanations.  They're like reading a technical manual, albeit a well-written one. (Anyone want my copy when I finish it, with that stellar recommendation?)
*****
Hubby's home again.  Thank God.  In a couple of weeks, we'll venture up to his former homeland to visit Great Gram.  I hope Buddy doesn't bite her or break any of her limbs by trying to climb on her.  We passed our local organic farm (where we just bought some flowers for our balcony 2 days ago) on the way back from the library today, and she saw the calves and said she wants to get a cow someday.  I told her to take that up with her Dad, and she can see some in a few weeks when we visit Great Gram.
*****
I think I'm going to go over on my broadband Prozac this month, even though I only have 2 days left.  Yep, you read that right.  My internet access in limited by Verizon.  We set up this account in the moving transition, and the contract is not up yet.  At one point we really only used about 1/2 the data allowance per month.  Then reality hit after we moved.  I truly am addicted to aspects of the internet. Oh well, we'll take it out of Hubby's per diem.

I have not quit yet.  :)

Yes, I slipped a couple of times, but I am not quitting my goal.  In my usual unorganized fashion, I have not done a very good job of keeping tally of how much $$ I have saved by drinking water, but our family's juice supply lasts longer these days.  I got to thinking that if my child were doing something like this, or anything, really, and made a mistake, I would encourage her to keep trying.

It does help that I get a "grace day" on Sundays.  That first week and a half was really hard.  Really, really hard.  Between dealing with the everyday stresses of 2 kids, hubby away, and PMS.  But I survived, with just a couple of slips.  Including a frosty from Wendy's... that doesn't count as a beverage, right?  Hubby said it's a dessert.

In addition to realizing how easily drinking water is available, I have become more aware of the general availability of clean water here in the USA.  Laundry water, dish washing water, bath water, plant-watering water, you name it...

i cheated

I had hi-c orange drink with my value meal today.  I am contemplating quitting and just making a donation to Blood:Water mission.  Not sure I can handle having my husband out of town with only water to drink....  I mean, I made it through the worst few days of the month for me to not have anything else to drink, surely I can do this... maybe?  Maybe not...  I'll keep you posted.

2 days down.... :)

This water-as-only-beverage thing is hard, but I am not going through juice nearly as quickly as I normally would...  I wonder if I can factor in that cost savings to add?

When Bear was getting into the tub tonight, she, in her best authoritative princess tone, asked us to bring in a bucket of water.  I told her we had a faucet so she did not need a bucket.  Then she saw her gladware "toys" in the tub and exclaimed, "oh, there they are!"

This got me thinking.  The areas that lack drinking  water probably lack clean bathing water, too.  When I spent a few weeks in a small rural town in Northwestern Mexico, I was advised to not even brush my teeth with the ground water, but to use bottled water.  Fortunately, they had the huge 10 gallon tanks brought in, you know the kind you might see in an office here.  And if water was running low, one of the neighbors was sure to have a bottle of coke in their little front porch tienda, or even better, helados (ice pops made of juices frozen in plastic baggies).

The spigot on the pump in front of the house where I stayed did not look like anything I would want to wash my hands in, much less drink from.  Who knew what kind of chemicals from the surrounding crops ended up in their water supply. But that was what the families were used to... I remember one little boy with eczema so severe, his brown skin cracked so you could see pink underneath.....

Just think that most parts of Africa are even more remote than the most rural, impoverished places in the United States. (And yes, there are places in our nation which warrant that description.) That village I visited in Mexico had the ability to obtain drinking water, even if there was only one telephone  for the community and the cattle shared the same road in as the pick-up truck.  The kids had a basketball court, the church had electrical fans which could be plugged in., and you might glimpse a hen sneak behind you while getting a drink from the water tank.  I once had a tick find my back while I showered, but we had ample water that was clean "enough."
*****
Today was harder, but I made it.  I took some more ibuprofen and an afternoon nap, snuggled with my 4 year old.  I put my coffee grinder up, and intend to find a place in the closet for my coffee maker to reduce temptation (and clutter).

A little "encouragement" from the guys in the band...








Ok, I must admit I took a couple of ibuprofen for a headache yesterday.... the coffee beans did not occur to me.  I could make my own chocolate covered coffee beans if I melted some chocolate chips... hmmmm.

 Slightly less frugalness...

We're getting cable.  Finally.  Not the whole shi-bang, but everything we need.  We've been surviving on the 4-6 channels that we can get with our digital antenna... ha.

When I told Bear we're going to get Disney and Nickelodeon, she jumped into my arms, gave me a kiss, and yelled, "yay!  I'm so excited!"

I'll just be glad to watch the rest of the Olympics.... we don't currently get the coverage.  That's what happens when the government decides to impose "technological improvements" on society.... you don't get the improvement part unless you pay, big time.

My son's tantrum will not break me.  I just wish I could figure out WHY he's screaming uncontrollably....

I never did figure out why, but he stopped.  And no, I did not resort to making a cup of coffee.

 

40 days of water: day 1

(I hope the folks at blood:water mission don't mind that I lifted this image off their site.)  A few days ago I  posted that they had issued a challenge for anyone to give up all beverages except water for 40 days.  I thought about it.  Thought I couldn't do it. (I think that about a lot of challenges.)  Prayed about it a little.

Interestingly, I've been thinking of giving up something for Lent in preparation for Easter for a while now.  Had a been raised Catholic, Orthodox, or in a Reformed  Evangelical denomination,  this might not be a big step.  However, for much of my life I equated any tradition other than Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the celebrations of Christmas and Easter as somehow being tied into the law, the law from which Christ came to save us, and therefore completely unnecessary.  Honestly, I'm not sure where that came from.  I certainly don't have any scripture to support it.

Anyway, over the past several years, our family had the privilege of worshiping with a body of Believers who introduced us to more dates on the Christian calendar.  Not out of duty, but as an encouragement to help us focus our hearts on Christ in preparation for our annual celebrations. 

So, when it just so happened that the challenge issued by blood:water mission coincided with Lent, well, I had no excuse not to.  Other than, "I can't do that."  And that's the point.  I can't do it on my own.  After all, I've been sucked into my in-laws' coffee drinking habits.  Thanks to my parents' influence, I revel in my evening cup of tea, especially with my recent discovery of a great loose-leaf brand online.  And being the suburban housewife that I am, I frequent our local McD's, even after going to the grocery store located across the parking lot.  Their McCafe drinks have captured my taste buds (caramel frappe- yum!), and of course if I resist that temptation, there's always the Coke or  even a Hi-C Orange when I don't want all that fizz or buzz.

It's going to be an interesting 40 days, to say the least.  My cousin is getting married within this time period... can I have a day of grace at the wedding?  I'll cross that bridge when I get there.  

I woke up this morning and of course, the folks at b:wm had posted a reminder to their Facebook group.  I read it before even grinding my morning coffee.  Plus, I had been backing off the caffeine intake and upping the H2O the last 3-4 days.  Why back down now?

I am not a complete coffee addict.  I usually have 1-2 cups in the morning 1-4 days per week.  So this morning wasn't too hard.  I do love juices, which brings a whole different dimension to the challenge.  And milk.  Lately I've been craving chocolate milk, thanks to a picky 4 year old who needs her calcium somehow.

Well, I made it through the morning, lunch and afternoon.  The real test would be dinner.  Chik-fil-a has the best lemonade. Ever.  And guess where we were headed for dinner?  The breakfast buffet at the Chik-fil-a Dwarf House.  It's practically become a tradition since we moved here.

I did not even take a sip of my daughter's lemonade. 

Day One: $1.79 saved, plus tax

$1.79 that I did not spend on a Coke, Lemonade, or a coffee-ish beverage.  Even if I only save $50 to donate, I am confident that it will be enough to make a small difference for someone.  The fact that there are people around the world who would (and do) die due to lack of the clean water I "had" to have in place of my preferred beverage is very sobering.  

****

Ok, technically It's 46 days since I will be following the Lenten calendar.  But only 40 of those days are water-only, as Sundays are celebration days.... 1 day down, 45 to go.

ok, little birdies...

Any ideas on what to get hubby for V-day?  Is cooking him a good meal too generic?  Honestly, I'm just so glad he'll be home from training tomorrow night.  This gone-5-days-in-a-row-deal has been a pain.  I asked him, and he was not much help.   I already bought some chocolates, though they aren't as good as the ones he had sent to me.

Bear suggested we make a heart-shaped cake.  Sweet girl.  We still have a couple of pieces left from the cake we made last weekend....they are probably kind of stale, though.

an afternoon truffle break

Ok, so at this rate my dozen truffles will be gone before Sunday, the actual Valentine's Day.  I just stuck Buddy in his crib for his nap... he thinks I'm kidding.  I helped Bear build her comforter tent in the living room.  I finished folding AND put away my clean clothes, leaving one basket of the kids' clothes, one dryer load of sheets, and another miscellaneous load in the washer to go until Mt. Downy is scaled for the day.  And of course, I indulged in another truffle. 

This is the time of day where I want a nap.  I often take one.  But today I am determined to check things off my to-do list, no matter how mundane they may be.  So as Buddy jabbers in toddlerese from down the hall, Bear crunches on some leftover Nerds from Halloween right next to me, and the dryer finishes up this round, I take a bite.

Yum.  Must be Kelly's Coffee. It looks darker than the other one pictured in the brochure with a coffee bean on top.   It's amazing how the smallest little bit of chocolate can provide a rich "pick me up" on a bleak mid-winter day... along with the shortest phone conversation with a friend in between laundry piles and toddler tantrums.

a chocolate-covered Valentine's week

Hubby did good.  His wonderful sister told him that I had been craving truffles from The Cocoa Tree, and  he took the hint to heart.

Back when The Cocoa Tree was in downtown Franklin, Bear was still in a stroller, and one fall day one of my roommates from college and I strolled in to sample the truffles which I had heard so much about.  They did not disappoint, nor did the Mayan hot chocolate.  Well, that shop closed, but Bethany reopened in the Germantown district of Nashville a little while later.  I fully intended to pay the new location a visit before we moved.  You know what they say about intentions?  Well, I have lots of them.  Let's just say that hubby is the one who follows through consistently.

So last night I woke up from naptime (yes, when the kiddos nap, I nap, it's not often Bear goes down willingly) to the maintenance guy's knock, he handed me the box from UPS.  Alas, it was not from the maintenance guy (that would be freaky).  It was indeed from my beloved.

My present?  A dozen truffles.  I don't normally refer to candy as exquisite, but these truffles are not your ordinary buy-day-after-Valentine's-at-half-price.  And since the shop is no longer in driving distance due to our move, I can't just drive 20 minutes for my fix.

The adorable robin's egg and brown box is artistic in its own right.  It's solid construction hints that it contains better-than-ordinary treats.  Enclosed in the box was also a brochure, a "map" to help identify the flavors as well as a temptress for future orders.

So, my first truffle happened to be Liz's Milk Chocolate.  Simple, yet rich.  I probably should have payed more attention and saved that one to share with hubby.  He prefers the classics flavors, and this one fit that bill.  Milk chocolate shell with sprinkles on top surrounding the milk chocolatey ganache inside.  Heaven in its purest form.  Yes, it is "the one that everybody loves."

Last night, I tasted Karin's Irish Cream after I put Buddy to bed.  Bear was ecstatic to share a bite of Mommy's special treat.  Oh my goodness... delectable. Described in the borchure as 'The one that pours," it's a soothing blend of chocolate and Irish Creme at the end of a toddler-filled day.  I regretted sharing that bite with my daughter, oh how I wanted more.

This morning... why not have a truffle for breakfast? I opted to try Deborah's Chambord... "the one that stands out in a crowd."  Dark chocolate and raspberry flavored center, coated in white chocolate with a dusting of raspberry adornment.  This is the one that made me think "exquisite."  I have fond memories of the Jack and Ginger and Beck's Margarita from previous encounters... DC is a new favorite. Again, the giving mother that I am shared it with both kids.  My 18 month old kept pointing toward the box of truffles and chanting "dis" (this in toddlerese)... he wanted more.  I gave him a Hershey's kiss instead, and that seemed to subdue him.  Note to self: stop sharing my priceless treats with the children.

I'm blogging about these to remind myself which ones I like the best...  these truffles are really that good.  Thanks, Bethany:Chocolatier, for the cure to the common chocolate boredom.

40 DAYS OF WATER?

Blood:Water Mission is holding their "40 days of water"  fundraising/awareness campaign soon.  I'm seriously thinking about doing this and journaling about it on here.  Anyone care to join me?  If I read correctly, the fundraising aspect is that one would donate what they saved by not buying other drinks to Blood:Water Mission.

This is an awesome charity set up by the guys in Jars of Clay.  They are passionate about living out their faith and God's love for others in a tangible way.  Check it out!

Who knows how to make a link button?

I would love one for my sidebar that says "Praying for Kara Faith."

If you don't know her story, visit her blog here.