Miss Meri just came around the corner with pen all over her face.  Am I to assume she tried to eat a pen or did her big brother help her with this task?  Hmmm…  thought for the evening!

I just read a very funny line a book I am reading.  I don’t know if I totally agree, but it struck me funny non-the-less.

“If God had meant women to do housework, he wouldn’t have created men first.” 

Now this could be taken in various contexts, but I am taking it to mean men are slobs and we spend a lot of time cleaning up after them.  I am trying to teach my boys to clean up after themselves, but I am afraid it is in their DNA make-up to leave crap laying behind for me to pick up.  It’s not that the house is dirty, it just always has toys, or magazines or papers laying all over.  I keep piles, nice neat piles where I know I can find what I want and need.  Apparently Ben thinks those piles are useless, because if he is looking for something he spreads the entire pile out to find it.  Logical I guess, but then one would think maybe mom wants me to put that back the way I found it – right?  Ah, no – we will just leave it because we know mom can’t stand to see papers spread out and she will just come and put it back in a pile again!  Mmmm…

I don’t know why I thought of this, probably because of the pile of papers, but it’s a funny story that makes me laugh to this day.

One day at work I changed an itinerary for a group three times, because the trainer changed, the group wanted to add something and the flight time changed.  So finally I think I am done with this stupid schedule.  As I am walking by my bosses office the new trainer walks out and says well I think I have made the fianl adjustments to the itineary, just let me type them up and you can print it for the customers.  I was so stunned I threw the fist full of papers I had at him and walked away.  I think he was more stunned because he just stood there.  My boss came out of the office laughing and we all had a good chuckle.  Maybe it’s just pregnancy hormones seeping their way out!

One small step for Zander and one giant leap for the Erickson clan

As you may have guessed Zander aka Bo Bo has taken his first step! Yeah!
Now for the giant leap. As many people know I am not a patient person and I am not big on surprises. This is why I always ot to find out what the sex of my baby is. Well this time it appears we will have to be surprised. I am ok with this, since it is our last one – probably;-)

What’s in a heartbeat?

I had another doctor apt recently. Something very interesting happened. The babies heartbeat was slow and low. Not so low to be worried,just much lower than the other two kids ever was. So thtat leaves me to wonder what other differences will the baby have?
I get to have a revealing ultrasound in January, so we will see if my suspicions are correct.

Inspiration

I am trying to write a poem or two for the Regional Ramblings paper, but nothing is coming to me!

I even watched my muse yesterday.  Remember the movie crocodile Dundee?  When I watched that for the first time I wanted to be a writer.  I wanted to travel all over the world meeting interesting people and writing about them. 

Well of course now I write about the most interesting people in the world – my family:-)  I don’t get to travel around the world, but I do get to travel sixty miles a day to and from work.  Lots of time to think! 

Anyway, I can’t seem to focus on a subject for my poem.  I was hoping plunking on the keys would inspire something in me, but I better keep reading instead, because this is not working!

Finally…A Hit!

I have attempted to make meals that are not boring and not the same every week.  I have been told by Ben and Mitch to stick to the old favs – cause they aren’ t much for experimenting – they like what they like.  But I get bored very easily and I don’t want to eat the same thing every week. 

I finally tried something different that was a real home-run! 

I had some hamburger buns left over in the fridge, so I took them out, cut them in half, slathered butter on the top and popped them int he over to broil for two minutes.  I fried some hamburger with chili seasoning.  Added the hamburger to the bun topped with shredded cheese and broiled for another 2 minutes.  Both of them loved it and expressed thanks more than once.  This morning Mitch said I should really make that again. 

So I guess I won’t stop cooking for the two picky-butts:-)

That Darn Economy!

Sheila rolled over and tried in vain to pry her tired eyes open to view the glowing red lights at her side.  She squinted against her exhaustion and saw the clock read 3:00 am. 

What!  She bolted from the bed and grabbed the phone from its cradle.  She knew it had to be an emergency if someone was calling at this hour. 

Her mother wept on the other end of the line.

“What is it mom?”  She asked timidly

She had flashbacks of her cousin’s death ten years earlier.  It was the first experience she had with death that was so close to her.  The call came in and she stood frozen as her mother replayed the details of the swimming accident. 

She stood in the same place now and listened intently while her mother told her that her Grandmother had passed.  She knew her mother was explaining what had happened, but she quit listening as soon as the harsh truth hit her. 

“No more Grandma?”  She whispered to herself.  “Oh my gosh!”

She shook her head to wake from the trance she had just fallen into.  Her mother was now giving details of what would happen next.

“Do you have this whole thing planned out already?”  Sheila asked her mother with an unkind edge to her voice.

“Your grandmother has not been feeling well for quite some time.  She wanted everything set before she went.”  Her mother said devoid of emotion.  She knew her mother must be exhausted and overwhelmed with all she was going through. 

“I am sorry mom, really really sorry!  I will have to tie up some things at work tomorrow and I will be in the car after lunch.  I will be home tomorrow night to help you with what ever you need.  What should I bring you from here?”  Sheila tried to be more upbeat for her mother’s sake.

Want to know what a small town country girl really is?

I was just out taking the cover off of Ben’s pool in my pajamas at 10:00am while feeding Zander his morning snack!  Ha!  Now that’s country!

Well on with the reality tv roller coaster!

I started watching a new Housewives show.  The Real Housewives of New Jersey.  It’s great!  I love the ladies and it’s my second favorite Housewives show – Orange County being number one – but New Jersey is definately a close second!

I know that there lives are not “real” as they live the life of ease.  With money flowing readily for the spending and worries such as how many house keepers to employee in this crashing economy weighing on their minds I don’t know how they do it! 

I only make fun because it’s entertaining!  I know they have more to worry about than that and some of them don’t even have a house keeper!  But really they should have a Real Housewives of Roseau County.  Then the world could see how “most” people live their real lives.  Worring about gas prices, grocery bills, daycare, childrens safety at school and on the bus and of course trying to keep a nice home and happy family while working 40+ hours a week.  Hmmmm…  Sounds like a hit right?  Not!  That is why I tune into these shows.  There lives and problems are much more exciting than mine, so why not zone out for awhile and live the life of a “real” housewife:)

My babies are growing up before my eyes

I have been a stay at home mom for the better part of two weeks and I gotta tell ya – I love it!  Other times (mostly in the winter) when I have had the opportunity to stay home for several days in a row I have been bored out of my mind!  Ben has had summer school, basketball camp and swimming lesson the las two weeks, so I took most of the days off of work to run him here and there.  I have been having a blast!  It doesn’t hurt that it’s been very sunny in the afternoon when we get home.  And of course I get to spend a ton of time with my baby Zander and watch him advance leaps and bounds.  I was afraid I would miss so much working full time with him at day care.  I have had the opportunity to stay home a lot this spring and summer – using all of my vacation for good! 

When Ben was a baby I quit working full-time and was only a part-timer for the first year of his life.  I had to go back to work full time when money ran short and credit card bills ran high!  And as a result so did tempers!  Oh well it all worked out for the best.  I have a job now that really allows me to be a little more flexible than most 9-5 jobs.