I love the long weekends...mostly! Here I sit at almost 3pm on a Saturday and I know I still have two more days to go! Mark had to work today (BOO YAH OVERTIME) but will end up still getting a two day weekend because of the long weekend, AND get paid for one of his 'weekend' days! Sweet!
We are having company for dinner tonight and so I have been prepping the food. I am making a South African dish that I learned from my late mother in law (late because I divorced her son, and late because sadly, she died a few weeks ago) called Peri Peri Chicken..I'll bake it in the oven along with a mix of potatoes and onions (and garlic!), and do some sort of veggie. Our friends are bringing over some 'cow' they said (yes, they said COW! lol)...and she is making something decadent that involves caramel. If it isn't TOO rainy (doubtful, THANKS WA STATE!!) we'll have a bonfire, otherwise, we'll find something to occupy us! Mark and I have always been big on entertaining...we love being around people, we love opening up our home (which is soon to be renovated!!!), and we love cooking (ok, mostly I like EATING!)...
Tomorrow we'll head off to church in the morning and then the rest of the day is open for plans, whatever they may be. Same with Monday, minus the Church part....and here is what I don't like about long weekends, for the rest of the week, I am going to be a day behind! When one is going to college and has a schedule of classes and homework, being a day behind doesn't always work out well, which is why I am going to try (note, I said TRY) to get a bit ahead this weekend. We'll see.
In the meantime, I need to get back to cooking. Have a great weekend all, I know that we sure will! :)
Hugs to all,
Jaye
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Eating...
So we are a week into the New Year. You can tell by looking at your calendar. OR, you can tell by the number of people working up a sweat as they jog on the side of the road. In a month, that number will be slashed in half...by April, they will be too busy diving into their Easter baskets to care about running! :)
I will be 45 this year......thereby taking me out of the spring chicken category, as well as the tight ass, perky boob category. However, that doesn't mean that I can't be fit and healthy! So ask me if I am taking up jogging? Or dieting? Nope to both! I want to ease my way back into running, as I SO enjoyed it when I did it, but it is not a consuming goal for me. And diets DO. NOT. WORK. They just don't. What I have found is this, I am not meant to be a size 2. Or a 4. Right now I am comfortable in a six or eight, and that works for me. I could use some toning, and that will happen. Or it might not. I really don't care. What I DO care about is being able to play with my kids, to have a great sex life with my honey, and to just feel good overall. So I make better choices with my food. I don't starve myself, but I do try not to 'gorge'. Instead of regular potato chips, I'll opt for baked ones, or pretzels..or fat free microwave popcorn (DO NOT TELL ME HOW BAD IT IS FOR ME...I KNOW. BUT IT IS BETTER THAN CHIPS!). Instead of vegetable oil in my baking, I replace it with unsweetened apple sauce...I use fat free dairy products (did you know they actually have MORE calcium than full fat?)...I eat apples and carrots...and I TRY to do some 'active' thing each day. Notice I said TRY. I don't obsess. If I do, it only makes me feel badly about myself, and quite frankly, I am quite amazing! :) I am smart (straight A's so far in college!), I am a great mom...a wonderful wife (right Mark?), I can cook (man can I cook!), I am loyal to my friends, and I have managed to keep up with the laundry (that right there is Oscar material!!).
So what if the scale doesn't show me the same number it did when I was 18? I have traded that number for life experience. For laughter, and love, and loss, and true friendships....I have traded up...and I am not looking back!
I am off to make a cup of tea.....and have a snack...maybe some low fat cheese....or maybe a slice of that double chocolate cake we had for Paiges birthday last night...who knows. What I DO know is that either one will not make me happy or sad...it is just food...it is my LIFE that makes me happy! :)
Hugs to all,
Jaye
I will be 45 this year......thereby taking me out of the spring chicken category, as well as the tight ass, perky boob category. However, that doesn't mean that I can't be fit and healthy! So ask me if I am taking up jogging? Or dieting? Nope to both! I want to ease my way back into running, as I SO enjoyed it when I did it, but it is not a consuming goal for me. And diets DO. NOT. WORK. They just don't. What I have found is this, I am not meant to be a size 2. Or a 4. Right now I am comfortable in a six or eight, and that works for me. I could use some toning, and that will happen. Or it might not. I really don't care. What I DO care about is being able to play with my kids, to have a great sex life with my honey, and to just feel good overall. So I make better choices with my food. I don't starve myself, but I do try not to 'gorge'. Instead of regular potato chips, I'll opt for baked ones, or pretzels..or fat free microwave popcorn (DO NOT TELL ME HOW BAD IT IS FOR ME...I KNOW. BUT IT IS BETTER THAN CHIPS!). Instead of vegetable oil in my baking, I replace it with unsweetened apple sauce...I use fat free dairy products (did you know they actually have MORE calcium than full fat?)...I eat apples and carrots...and I TRY to do some 'active' thing each day. Notice I said TRY. I don't obsess. If I do, it only makes me feel badly about myself, and quite frankly, I am quite amazing! :) I am smart (straight A's so far in college!), I am a great mom...a wonderful wife (right Mark?), I can cook (man can I cook!), I am loyal to my friends, and I have managed to keep up with the laundry (that right there is Oscar material!!).
So what if the scale doesn't show me the same number it did when I was 18? I have traded that number for life experience. For laughter, and love, and loss, and true friendships....I have traded up...and I am not looking back!
I am off to make a cup of tea.....and have a snack...maybe some low fat cheese....or maybe a slice of that double chocolate cake we had for Paiges birthday last night...who knows. What I DO know is that either one will not make me happy or sad...it is just food...it is my LIFE that makes me happy! :)
Hugs to all,
Jaye
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010
What an amazing year it has been......as I look back, I am excited for what lies ahead of us as a family!
Paige turned 11 in January....which means that as I write this, she is a week away from being 12! She is changing on all fronts...her body...her attitude....everything. She is a wonderful girl..and I feel blessed to be her mother. I can't wait to see what this year unfolds like for her and us. I know that as she enters her teen years we will have our ups and downs, but I know that I will NOT repeat my own teen years, and so that is the first indication that this shall go well! :)
June saw me start my bachelors degree in Psychology. I changed from Law as I felt that I did not want to spend any part of my life watching and helping marriages dissolve. Coupled with my legal sciences degree, I hope to work in the court system as an advocate for the under 18 set. They need a voice and the legal system and kids are my passion.
July saw Mark do his last day in the Navy. After 20 glorious years of fighting for our freedoms, standing up for what he believes in, he turned the watch over to a new generation. He did an awesome job and I will always be proud of his service. He technically had two weeks without a job, and is now doing the same thing he did in the Navy, but as a civilian, and earning a lot more money and finally getting the recognition and respect that he deserves....again, I am always proud of what he does!
September saw Ben turn 9. I do not know where the time goes. He was just born a few days ago! :)
Both kids are doing so well in school. Smart as anything and always so kind and good...
Sam has had a good year working and is making plans for his future. He is looking at what he wants to do for college, and is looking at moving out in January into his own place with some friends. While I am sad to see him go, I am also excited for him. It is a new adventure. He has grown into the most AMAZING young man. I am proud to be his mother!
This year saw some sad things as well....Marks Grandma Ruth died just before Christmas...she was 98 and lived a good, long life but it is always heart breaking to lose someone you love. This year also saw Marks brother in law Bill get very ill...as I type this he is counting down his days. Hospice and all in the medical community are not sure how he is still alive. He is dying and there is nothing we can do...we laugh with him..we cry with him...we love him dearly. He is keeping a sense of humour, but I cannot imagine knowing that I was dying....how hard that must be. This year also saw the final end to Mark and Shelbys relationship for now. Mary refused to put Shelby on the plane for Christmas 2009, and that was the last time (and first!) Mark heard from Shelby that year. She emailed him and said that she did not want a relationship with him right now but wanted one when she was an adult. Coming from an then 15 year old, that speaks volumes to us. Mary is a freaking insane nutjob who is doing a great job of destroying Shelby. Mary was divorced for the third time in January and moved a new man into their home in March or April...they are now engaged (God help him)....I have tried to be kind about Mary and our years of her crap, but really...after all these years, I can only say that she is the most mentally unbalanced person I have ever come to know. I pray for Shelby every day...she is going to need our prayers and good vibes in order to turn out to be a normal adult.
Sam turned 20 a few weeks ago....amazing how this four pound, eight week premature baby turned into such a lovely young man. I love him...so much.
My brother asked a wonderful girl to marry him this year, and they will be married in the spring. They will be living in Switzerland (her homeland), and so this means that this year will see us saving our pennies for a trip to Europe in 2012. :) I cannot wait!
And now we are at New Years Eve....and I know that this coming year will be full of adventures and new things. I will get the major part of my degree done this year, the kids will turn 21, 12, and 10 respectively....(you don't need to know how old I will be this year!), Mark will get settled into the new job and become an 'old pro' at what he does...
I wish nothing but success...joy...love...and good things for you all...know that we think of you all often and miss you and love you all so very much....
Hugs to all,
Jaye
Paige turned 11 in January....which means that as I write this, she is a week away from being 12! She is changing on all fronts...her body...her attitude....everything. She is a wonderful girl..and I feel blessed to be her mother. I can't wait to see what this year unfolds like for her and us. I know that as she enters her teen years we will have our ups and downs, but I know that I will NOT repeat my own teen years, and so that is the first indication that this shall go well! :)
June saw me start my bachelors degree in Psychology. I changed from Law as I felt that I did not want to spend any part of my life watching and helping marriages dissolve. Coupled with my legal sciences degree, I hope to work in the court system as an advocate for the under 18 set. They need a voice and the legal system and kids are my passion.
July saw Mark do his last day in the Navy. After 20 glorious years of fighting for our freedoms, standing up for what he believes in, he turned the watch over to a new generation. He did an awesome job and I will always be proud of his service. He technically had two weeks without a job, and is now doing the same thing he did in the Navy, but as a civilian, and earning a lot more money and finally getting the recognition and respect that he deserves....again, I am always proud of what he does!
September saw Ben turn 9. I do not know where the time goes. He was just born a few days ago! :)
Both kids are doing so well in school. Smart as anything and always so kind and good...
Sam has had a good year working and is making plans for his future. He is looking at what he wants to do for college, and is looking at moving out in January into his own place with some friends. While I am sad to see him go, I am also excited for him. It is a new adventure. He has grown into the most AMAZING young man. I am proud to be his mother!
This year saw some sad things as well....Marks Grandma Ruth died just before Christmas...she was 98 and lived a good, long life but it is always heart breaking to lose someone you love. This year also saw Marks brother in law Bill get very ill...as I type this he is counting down his days. Hospice and all in the medical community are not sure how he is still alive. He is dying and there is nothing we can do...we laugh with him..we cry with him...we love him dearly. He is keeping a sense of humour, but I cannot imagine knowing that I was dying....how hard that must be. This year also saw the final end to Mark and Shelbys relationship for now. Mary refused to put Shelby on the plane for Christmas 2009, and that was the last time (and first!) Mark heard from Shelby that year. She emailed him and said that she did not want a relationship with him right now but wanted one when she was an adult. Coming from an then 15 year old, that speaks volumes to us. Mary is a freaking insane nutjob who is doing a great job of destroying Shelby. Mary was divorced for the third time in January and moved a new man into their home in March or April...they are now engaged (God help him)....I have tried to be kind about Mary and our years of her crap, but really...after all these years, I can only say that she is the most mentally unbalanced person I have ever come to know. I pray for Shelby every day...she is going to need our prayers and good vibes in order to turn out to be a normal adult.
Sam turned 20 a few weeks ago....amazing how this four pound, eight week premature baby turned into such a lovely young man. I love him...so much.
My brother asked a wonderful girl to marry him this year, and they will be married in the spring. They will be living in Switzerland (her homeland), and so this means that this year will see us saving our pennies for a trip to Europe in 2012. :) I cannot wait!
And now we are at New Years Eve....and I know that this coming year will be full of adventures and new things. I will get the major part of my degree done this year, the kids will turn 21, 12, and 10 respectively....(you don't need to know how old I will be this year!), Mark will get settled into the new job and become an 'old pro' at what he does...
I wish nothing but success...joy...love...and good things for you all...know that we think of you all often and miss you and love you all so very much....
Hugs to all,
Jaye
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Kitchen day...
About five years ago (or maybe less) Mark had duty on Christmas Day. I did not want him to miss yet ANOTHER Christmas dinner/celebration so I decided we would have our big feast on Christmas Eve. It turns out that when you do that, Christmas Day is a breeze!! No rushing to open presents and clean up because you have to cook...it turns Christmas Day into a nice relaxing, enjoy your gifts, sit around and play with the family kind of day. So that became our new tradition, and we love it!
This year is our first 'retired' Christmas! This means there was no trying to figure out 'duty schedules' in advance to see if Mark would be home this year, no having to put in for leave, no duty days during the holidays. This year, Mark is not only HOME for Christmas (eve, day, AND boxing day!) but he is home for ELEVEN days and it only requires him to use FIVE of his banked holidays days! We so love civilian life! :)
So today after hitting the shower, I shall ensconce myself in the kitchen and start doing the things I can do today! I will be making a chocolate pie (Sam and Ben would lead a rebellion if I didn't serve this on Christmas Eve!), Cranberry sauce (Paige and I are purists and will only eat 'real' cranberry sauce!), a broccoli/cauliflower cheese bake (I am so sick of the 'traditional' veggies for the big feast!), and get my stuffing made in advance.
Tomorrow I will put a ham in the oven, Mark will put the turkey on the grill, and I will put the stuffing and the veggie bake in the oven, cook some corn and potatoes (gravy too of course!) and that will take care of that. It will make enough food for leftovers on Christmas day as well! I bought two lovely loaves of organic bread in anticipation of some lovely sammies on Christmas day, but if anyone wants a plate of food, they know where the microwave is! :)
For dinner tonight, I will be making latkes and bacon and sausages..I think I put on five pounds during the holidays, but it is so worth it! The kids love the food traditions as much as all the other things we do...I look forward to the day when they bring THEIR families home for my big dinners!
So off I go to shower and start cooking!
Hugs to all,
Jaye
This year is our first 'retired' Christmas! This means there was no trying to figure out 'duty schedules' in advance to see if Mark would be home this year, no having to put in for leave, no duty days during the holidays. This year, Mark is not only HOME for Christmas (eve, day, AND boxing day!) but he is home for ELEVEN days and it only requires him to use FIVE of his banked holidays days! We so love civilian life! :)
So today after hitting the shower, I shall ensconce myself in the kitchen and start doing the things I can do today! I will be making a chocolate pie (Sam and Ben would lead a rebellion if I didn't serve this on Christmas Eve!), Cranberry sauce (Paige and I are purists and will only eat 'real' cranberry sauce!), a broccoli/cauliflower cheese bake (I am so sick of the 'traditional' veggies for the big feast!), and get my stuffing made in advance.
Tomorrow I will put a ham in the oven, Mark will put the turkey on the grill, and I will put the stuffing and the veggie bake in the oven, cook some corn and potatoes (gravy too of course!) and that will take care of that. It will make enough food for leftovers on Christmas day as well! I bought two lovely loaves of organic bread in anticipation of some lovely sammies on Christmas day, but if anyone wants a plate of food, they know where the microwave is! :)
For dinner tonight, I will be making latkes and bacon and sausages..I think I put on five pounds during the holidays, but it is so worth it! The kids love the food traditions as much as all the other things we do...I look forward to the day when they bring THEIR families home for my big dinners!
So off I go to shower and start cooking!
Hugs to all,
Jaye
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Snow day....
Mark and I were woken up this morning at 7:30 am to a banging on our bedroom door and the excited voices of two children shouting "IT'S SNOWING". There are no two words in the world that can get Mark and I out of bed faster than that. We are like the kids when it snows! It still holds that magical bond with us that we had as kids. There is nothing like leaping out of bed and running to throw the blinds wide open and seeing a white world with huge white flakes tumbling down from the sky, racing each other to see who can hit the ground first!
As it was an hour and a half past my normal time to get up (I am up at 6 during the week!) Dexter REALLY had to go outside. I put a robe on over my pj's and donned my snow boots and out we went so he could do his business. I don't care who you are, or what is going on in your life, but there is nothing that compares to the absolute silence that envelopes you when you go out into the snow. There is not a bird to be heard, nor a creature to be seen. I imagine them all tucked up somewhere, looking at me through blurry, sleepy eyes, thinking "Is she NUTS? Doesn't she know it is COLD out here?". I wandered around the yard a bit while Dexter found the perfect spot to go (which usually takes him awhile!) and marveled at the silence and the whiteness..and the sheer magic that is snow!
Mark and Paige have headed out to hunt for a bit. Mark is convinced that the deer go crazy in the snow and that TODAY is the day he will bring back meat for our freezer. I am not holding my breath. I think 'hunting' is merely a justifiable way of getting out of the house and away from the chaos for hours at a time! lolol..I might have to start 'hunting' myself (and pack a good book in my backpack!). I have now showered and readied myself for the day of lazing around, and so I am off to play Wii with Ben. Thus begins our Christmas holidays....snow...family...fun. I can think of no better way to spend a day than this.
Hugs to you all,
Jaye
Friday, December 17, 2010
Christmas break starts right..........NOW!
Paige and Ben enjoyed their last day of school till the new year. They each had a class party (the cake above is what I made for Bens class party!), gifts were given to their teachers (cute tin buckets filled with homemade treats and a $5 Starbucks gift card!), gifts were exchanged with their friends, and report cards came home. Both are doing wonderfully in school and neither has homework over the holidays! YAY!
I too am on a three week break (have already enjoyed one week of it!). I go back to school on January 3rd, just like Paige and Ben! It is nice to be able to relax and not have to worry about any papers due during the holidays.
Mark works till Christmas Eve, working only a half day that day, and then he too is on a one week holiday! It will be nice to have a week off together as a family without any deadlines or schedules to follow.
We will enjoy our big feast on Christmas Eve....a tradition we started a few years ago when Mark had duty on Christmas day so we had our big meal on Christmas Eve. Turned out to be a wonderful choice, as Christmas day was no longer a scramble to open gifts, clean up, cook, and eat. We will go and enjoy Christmas Eve services at 9pm and come home and snuggle into bed and wait for Santa! Christmas day will see us lounging around enjoying our gifts and each other, and the company of good friends. We would like to head up to Mt. Rainier to go sledding during our time off, but we'll see if we actually get around to that! :)
It will be nice to have this time to relax and enjoy time off.
Even nicer is not having to figure out the 'Duty Schedule' a week in advance to know if Mark will be home for Christmas or not...one of the perks of retirement from the Navy!
Hugs to all,
Jaye
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