how much is too much?

Let's be honest: we didn't really pack or prepare for this move. Those of you who are familiar with "in town" moves might be familiar with this insanity. It went something like this:

We have eight boxes. Let's fill them up, take them to the castle, dump the stuff out and start again. We'll get a U-Haul one day to move the really big stuff. Done.

Only, I think I mentioned yesterday that I've not been myself lately. So, it wasn't Ouiser doing her usual type-A over-analyzed, over-prepared, over-thought dumping of stuff. It was Mr. Ouiser style, which was a more literal interpretation of "fill them up, take them to the castle, dump the stuff out and start again." And I'm not complaining. No ma'am. Mr. Ouiser almost single-handedly made this move happen. The problem is that when all your stuff is just in piles everywhere, it's a little overwhelming.

It's been well documented on this blog that I don't advocate the having of lots of things. I don't like having stuff for the sake of having it. In fact, I hate it. But right now?? Right now, I just can't see the point in all the stuff that I've got around here. And we're talking about stuff that I love. Mr. Ouiser's mother's china. His grandmother's crystal. Our clothes. Our shoes. There is just so, so much of everything. And I'm not with it enough to figure out where it all needs to go. I just spent half an hour delivering pictures around the house to hang on walls. And I still took several to the attic. I mean, if I've got so much stuff that in this giant house I have to store it in the attic, does that mean that I need to purge??

Maybe I'm over-thinking it. You know...Ouiser-style.

On a brighter note, here's another picture of my favorite little face from our Mammoth Cave excursion.

lucky number 600

This is my 600th post. Seriously. What on Earth have I rambled about in 600 posts? Besides nothing lately??

Anyway...

We've moved into the castle. At least all of our stuff and our bodies are in the castle. There's mysteriously been a lot of vomit in my life lately...and S had an ear infection...and I had strep during the move. It's been insane. Either way, we're

getting there, but there are no pictures, and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for pictures. It's a slow process these days.

I just wanted to say hello. I know you've missed me. I'll placate you with a couple of pictures of S.

it sucks to be the fly.

Last night in the bathroom, I noticed the world's tiniest spider spinning a tiny web. I remember thinking, "I pay US Pest (eco-friendly, people) to rid my home of pests." And I almost squished the little guy, but I didn't. It was so small that I doubted it would make it long anyway, falling prey to my curious dog or something.

Fast forward to this morning. I looked over at the corner, and a huge fly was caught in the web. I pulled the whole thing down and flushed the poor dead fly. But I stood there in awe of nature. A little morbid. A lot fascinating.

Beyond my dealings with household pests, I had a great birthday weekend. I got a new Foundling necklace (mine's pink, I could only find a pic of the blue version), a fancy camera strap that I had been drooling over, and a night out with the hubby. He surprised me with Natalie Merchant tickets, and we grabbed dinner at SATCo. It was great. Then there was birthday lunch for me and Drew on Sunday...chicken and dressing and cheesecake. And I made dinner yesterday for his birthday: Ina's Company Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and peas and Kaitlin brought a yummy cake with strawberries. So things aren't half bad around here...aside from the fact that no one has bought our house, and I am really becoming offended. Really.

no more fever.

So S has been sick. Fever. Cough. That sort of thing. There has been a lot of apple juice consumed and a lot of television watched as I try to get her to rest. She was pretty much better yesterday, and her fever has been gone since mid-day yesterday, so I sent her to school today. Thank goodness.

It's been pretty low key around here as I've tried not to share our germs with anyone, and two days with my girl on the couch or on the guest bed left me plenty of time to read, so I devoured The Historian, which I enjoyed.

House update: cabinets are installed and are amazing and I am already in love with the pullout garbage can...and I am so giddy that I don't even mind run-on sentences. Painting will be done Friday. Then light fixtures can be installed. Counter top will take a week. Then carpet and cork. Then done. Hallelujah. It feels so good to almost have everyone out of my new old house. Then it will be all ours.

Now I must shower because Couch-to-5k makes me stinky, and I am afraid to stink up the preschool when I pick S up.

something i stumbled upon.

So, I just ran across this post.

I'm not sure, but maybe Small Notebook and I are related because I couldn't agree more.

I was particularly interested in the DustBuster argument. We totally had one when I was growing up, but it never got used. It was kind of a novelty. Anyway, I remember a couple of years ago when those Kone DustBuster things were introduced, and there were displays of them all over the place at Christmas and the commercials were on all the time, and I thought it was the single dumbest thing ever. One: who really needs a DustBuster? They have to stay charged, so they're a total energy suck. A sweeper and dust pan do great jobs on small messes, and if you really need vacuum-powered suction, you are likely to have a vacuum. Right? Two: if you are a person who cannot possibly live without a DustBuster in your life, do you really want to make it a part of your home decor? Really?

But enough about DustBusters. The whole idea of sticking to the classics is a pretty solid one. At least I think it's pretty solid. Take, for instance, my kitchen. Y'all know I love the kitchen, and I love a kitchen gadget. But there are some things I'll just never buy. Like a mandolin. I know they're supposed to be great, but even the ones that fold super small take up a lot of space. And I'd probably cut my fingers off. I'll just stick to my knives and cutting boards. And of course, I'd never get a wok. I've given away my waffle iron because it's a hassle. I think I scour my kitchen a couple of times a year to donate the stuff I never use. Like the garlic press. Cleaning a garlic press is a pain. Back to the knives and cutting board.

I kind of feel like there should be stickers all over the place with the slogan, "Keep it simple, Stupid." You know what I'm saying??

trying to chill.

Our lives have been nutty lately, and it's all of our own making. Well, mostly. M can't help when things get crazy at work.

The past several months have been a blur. There has been so, so much going on. It feels like the Ouisers aren't enjoying life together much lately because we're being pulled in a million different directions. I don't really think it's fair to S to put her in this craziness. I do not think that our schedules have adversely affected our daughter. I really don't. But I want our family to be calmer than this. And it has to start with some tough decisions. Or at least with saying no.

So I will say no. I've already started actually. There will not be any political campaigning by Ouiser this fall. None. And Mike McWherter is going to need help. Roy Herron probably will, too, but the help can't come from me. It's the first step to reclaiming my balance.

It can be hard when there is so much that I want to do. So much I want to help with. I want to start a community garden. I want to start gardens at our local elementary schools. I want to raise lots of money for the arts. I. Want. To. Do. More. Than. I. Can. Right. Now.

It is very frustrating.

delayed.

So my painter had surgery for prostate cancer. Who knows what's going on there. Needless to say, nothing is getting painted at my house. The new word on the street is "end of next week." Also, our cabinets got pushed back to next Tuesday or Wednesday...and apparently, the granite countertop happens a week after that. And the cork floor isn't going down until after the countertop in case the granite gets dropped...and ruins our beautiful, expensive cork floors. So we're just sitting around. Waiting. It feels like nothing is getting done, and I suppose that's okay because (in case you're keeping tabs) this house is still gleefully on the market.

Beyond the house, I went for a Girls Night Out on Tuesday night, and it was very fun. We painted and drank wine.

S made a sock puppet today. There was a LOT of Tacky Glue used to make the Pink-Flamingo-that-is-covered-with-buttons. Lots of glue. Lots of buttons.

Now I'm working on making I-am-so-sad-that-you're-moving-away-bread for my friend K while also thinking about making dinner. I am looking forward to dinner. I've been hitting the gym pretty hard the past couple of weeks, and I'm hungry.

That is all. I must mince some garlic.

so in love.

Okay. This whole remodel thing has kicked our butts. It's been dirty and expensive and full of little problems. But. Oh, but. I am so excited. It's almost done. 2-3 weeks, and we'll be finished. The painting should be complete by the end of this week. The marble shower was installed last Friday. The tile floor will be laid in the bathroom very soon. The cabinets will be installed this week (I think). We're so close, and having the walls painted is really making it seem like we are going to get to live there someday. Really.

In the meantime, we're still trying to unload this place, so if you know anyone looking for a wicked awesome house just off Main Street in Dickson, send them our way.

Until then, we'll continue keeping the furniture dusted, the beds made, the counters wiped down, and the floors swept and vacuumed. Seriously, I kept a pretty tidy house before, but I'm getting pretty sick of having the house always "on."

Okay, I'm going to read for a bit.

Toodles.

it will begin with the letter 'A'

S started preschool this morning. Like, actual preschool. Not Mother's Day Out. Preschool. With learning.

We went to Open House last night and met her teachers, and they told us that today they would start learning the letter 'A.' That is so exciting...though she already knows 'A,' so I was hoping they'd start with 'F.' She adamantly refuses to acknowledge that letter. Whatever. I'm excited for her. She was very sweet this morning, and she's way too independent already. She asked me, "Do you have to walk me to my classroom, Mommy?" Um, yes. I do.

So, my little girl is off at school with her lunch of peanut-butter-and-jelly-cut-in-rectangles-not-triangles, pretzels, grapes, and gummies. I am sitting here looking through all the pictures I took of her this morning and wondering how it's possible that this child of mine is already in preschool. It's pretty amazing...this whole being a mommy thing.

She started the photo session with a little disco. Unfortunately, the camera lens was foggy.
Every preschooler needs a funny face.
Her "packpack," which she claimed was very heavy once her lunch was packed.
I am a little afraid that she's going to be like Chandler Bing...no picture smile at all.

hello again.

The Ouiser peeps spent last weekend in Memphis, and it was hot. I think that living in Memphis for almost seven years desensitized me to the heat, but it was horrific. Don't get me wrong, it's hot here, too. In fact, it's the hottest summer ever. For serious. It's been miserably hot (mid-to-high 90s ) for awhile now, and when it rains (if it rains) it doesn't cool anything off, it just makes it more humid. Anyway, Memphis was a whole new league. There was heat radiating off of everything. All that concrete and asphalt made the city feel like an oven. When you opened the car door the heat hit you, not in the face, but from underneath you, like the ground was trying to cook you. Anyway, you might want to steer clear of the River City for the next few weeks. I will say that the barbecue nachos almost made the heat seem like a fair deal. Almost.

So that was random.

I'm really blogging because my sisters tagged me. Here you have it:

4 things you'd find in my bag:
I don't really have a bag, but S got her first backpack yesterday, so I'll tell you what's in that:
A scarf
A magnifying glass
Drumsticks
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
also: four wooden eggs (1 fried, 3 in the shell), a wooden pizza, a map of the Memphis Zoo, and a wooden knife and fork.

4 things you'd find in my purse:
Wallet
Face sunscreen stick
Mobile phone
A fan from Carole's wedding (I don't know why it's still there)

4 favorite things in my room (on the nightstand):
A stack of magazine articles (National Geographic) that I've been meaning to read
The Complete Works of Jane Austen
A picture of M from Austria
A picture of my grandparents from my cousin Daniyelle's wedding

4 things I'm currently into:
MI-5 (watching one episode a day while S rests)
Vanilla Caramel creamer
clementines
watching S make up and sing songs

4 things you don't know about me:
If you've been reading this blog since it began, you probably already know everything, but I'll try:
My earring holes no longer exist as I've been unable to tolerate earrings since I was pregnant with S.
I hate feet.
M and I have been watching LOTR: FOTR, and more than ever before, the bad guys are really, really freaking me out.
I don't like to call mobile phones cell phones because I think saying mobile phone sounds British and therefore it is cooler.

There you go, PB and LF. I tag Scarlet Lily, Yum, die Frau, and High Heels.

Until next time, peeps...

checking in.

I'm really only blogging to appease my husband and my Aunt M/Uncle E who totally laid a guilt trip on me Saturday night about my lack of blogging. Alas, I have nothing interesting to say. Nothing. Things are moving along at the new house, while the current Ouiser abode sits on the market. Seriously, somebody buy my adorable house.

So, what to report?? I seem to have caught some slight illness. Wicked sore throat. Achy. You know the drill. It seems to be getting better, though, and that's welcome. While I was resting today (during S's rest time) I watched The Importance of Being Earnest, and I loved it. You can't really go wrong with Colin Firth in a comedy. I love him so. Tonight, I think Mr. Ouiser is helping Mr. Feathernester schlep some furniture, so I'm trying to decide what I'll watch then. My current illness makes reading less than awesome, and Jane Austen is not easy to read anyway...thus Fanny Price must wait.

Really that's about it. Sad, I know. Until next time...and you never know when that will be...

while i wait.

I've promised my daughter and my friends a trip to the pool today, so I'm hoping that the rain holds off. If not, I'll have a mutiny on my hands. Anyway, I'm waiting for the dishwasher to run so I can take a quick shower. These legs must be shaved before I'll expose them to the world. I thought I'd do a little blogging while I wait.

I think most of you are on Facebook, so you know what we've been up to. Carole's amazing wedding. It was beautiful, and now my very dear friend is a very dear married friend, and I am super happy for her and her "prince." (That's what S calls him.)

Since we've been back, we are finally in the loop about what's going on at the castle. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the progress, but here's a rundown: new windows, new gutters, new electrical wiring, lots of new drywall, ceilings painted, exterior cleaned, and new HVAC system: done. That's a short list, but it's a lot. A lot of work and a lot of checks. Yowsers. The marble shower should be ready in the next week, and the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity will be ready for install the second week of August. The painter starts Saturday or Monday. The cork floors for the kitchen and breakfast nook, the tile floor for the bathroom, and the carpet for the family room are all ordered. The blinds for upstairs are in boxes in the ballroom right next to the boxes of light fixtures and the boxes containing the kitchen sink, the kitchen faucet, and the stainless vent hood. And I know I'm forgetting something. Probably something important. I'll figure it out later.

In the meantime, I'll have to turn my castle-brain off for a few days and turn my Firefly brain back on as I have a CAD meeting tonight. Then I need to get ready for the mulligan. I'm starting to wonder if our lives can ever just be calm or if we'll be running around like crazed looney-tunes forever. Someone send me a Xanax. Not really. I don't condone extraneous drug use.

on a lighter note.

So, I have spent the last week and a half thinking about and researching grants, it's true. But I've also totally taken the opportunity (you know the "I don't have a festival to plan right now" opportunity) to catch up on some reading. Last Monday I started The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which I'd seen recommended in literally dozens of places, and I so love young adult literature that I couldn't help myself. Besides, The Reading Rock had some extra copies. It was good, but I had it so built up in my head that I was disappointed. The illustrations, though, were amazing. Then I remembered that I had bought a copy of Kurt Vonnegut's A Man without a Country back in the autumn that I hadn't read, and I needed a little Vonnegut fix, so I read that. It did not disappoint. I do so love Kurt Vonnegut, and I am still sad that he died. I finished that while I was visiting my family, so I borrowed Tuck Everlasting from my sister S3. (Me being S1, and the middle sister being S2.) It was a very sweet read. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Also, it took about three hours to read, so if you're looking for something quick to read at the pool one day, check it out. After that, I was very busy seeing Eclipse twice over the weekend, and then watching Twilight and New Moon at home, so I had to re-read Twilight. I still love Edward. Love. Fictional love, Mr. Ouiser. Worry not. Then yesterday, in an attempt to calm my brain, I read Water for Elephants. I usually steer clear of new literature. Especially really popular bestsellers. But, C's mom and some others had raved about it at a shower a couple of months back, and Robert Pattinson is starring in the upcoming movie, so I bought it and gave it a whirl. It was wonderful. I really should read some popular stuff that is meant for people my age. There is usually a reason it's popular. I suppose. So, today I'll be cracking open the first Percy Jackson book on the recommendation of my sisters. I'm afraid if I don't love it, they'll disown me. After that, assuming I can keep myself from purchasing and reading the whole PJ series, I'm planning to pick up a copy of The White Queen.

I love having time to read. Of course, C's wedding is in nine days, so I will have to curtail the reading a bit, but that's okay. I'm so happy for her little job-having self that I almost can't stand it.

So, what are all of you reading this summer?

moving right along.

It's been awhile, eh? Despite my not blogging since the end of May, I don't even have any pictures to offer you. We've been too busy to bother with things like cameras. That means no pictures from Firefly, though there are some on Facebook. So...

...Firefly was great. It was palpably better than last year, and that was encouraging. Frankly, I had gotten to the point that I rather wanted it to flop. I was that exhausted from the planning. But then the festival was so much better that I am actually excited about it for next year. Already. Of course, that brings its own set of problems, and that's what actually got me on the blog. I've spent several hours each day this week researching. Researching grants. Public grants. Private corporations that give grants. You name it, I'm looking for it. Money, that is. Money to make the festival better. And it's wearing me out. My head is thinking of things faster than I can even process the ideas, and I am constantly reminded that I am not really entrepreneurial at heart. Organized? Yes. Efficient? Yes. Entrepreneurial? Not so much. I lose motivation. I get frustrated.

Anyway, I was happily digging into the world of arts grants when I was hit with information about two new grant opportunities that were announced last week through HUD. They are essentially both grant opportunities for creating sustainable communities with some special consideration given to incorporating arts and culture into the plans...and there is an emphasis on not only creating new communities but also working to better existing communities. And I've just got these big ideas. Big, exciting ideas for revitalizing abandoned commercial spaces into green space with public art. I can see it. Every time I pass spaces along the highways throughout the county...spaces that previously housed something...anything...hotels, gas stations, whatever. Spaces that are now empty buildings or empty parking lots...I see them as potential. Potential areas for grass and trees. Sculpture. Fountains. Gardens. Places that are pleasing to look at as you drive by or walk by. And here's the thing. I'm in over my head. Already. I called the head of the county zoning office because (get this) there was just an article in the paper TODAY about how Dickson County is growing and they are getting together a long term growth plan. Hello!! I wanted to know the plan. How far has this plan gotten? Are they even thinking of sustainability? Or are they just planning how and where to build new roads and dig new city sewer lines and all that? It turns out they are having a meeting tomorrow night, which he encouraged me to attend. And I'll try, but there's a debate tomorrow night for the county mayoral candidates that M really wants to attend...and who knows? Anyway, the whole point of this post was to help me clear my head. Help me get a grip on all of this...and to let you know that I'm not blogging because my brain is all filled up with other stuff.

Anyone got any great ideas out there on how I can create my perfect county to live in? Anyone? Bueller?

i really do apologize.

I know. It's been a long time. I know I said that last time, too. I'm just swamped. M is swamped. We are big time swamped. Here's the reason. (One of the reasons.)

For the record, the turquoise shutters and wrought iron trim will be two of the first things to be painted. And just so you know, I'm standing at the base of the front yard...next to the old grass tennis court. Yeah, that's right. Mr. Ouiser is going to have a grass court.

We bought another house. A fabulous house...or at least what will be a fabulous house. It's been vacant for two years. The Colonel and the Mrs (previous owners) passed away a couple of years ago, and it took awhile for their out-of-town kids to get it on the market, and then to lower the price to what someone would actually pay for a house that needs this much work. We've got a big project on our hands, and M has been hard at work knocking out tile and cabinets and walls and tearing up old carpets. And, for the record, we weren't looking for another house. I just happened to find it online when I was looking at a friend's house online. Anyway, that's been taking a lot of our time. We first saw the house about five weeks ago. We made an offer about four days later (after having our builder take a look at it), and we closed almost two weeks ago. We've spent most of our spare time since then thinking about/working on/planning the remodel.

Also, it's Firefly time, and that's kicking my tail right now. There is so much more work to be done this year because we lost most of last year's help. Frankly, I feel like I'm drowning beneath my Firefly To-Do List. However, that'll be all over in one month. Despite how it may seem, I am really, really looking forward to the festival. We've got some amazing artists coming. And, I do believe I'll blow my bank account on this lady's work. Oy.

C's wedding is also fast approaching, and I am worried about something slipping through the cracks. Like somehow I'm going to forget to order her flowers or something. Somebody remind me.

It looks a little puny when it's written out in three short paragraphs, but it feels like I've got more to do than I have hours in the day. I suppose what's going to get done will get done and that's all there is to it.

Lastly, my daughter is still adorable. I was taking pictures of this house for the realtor the other day and she demanded to be in them. So, here's a little S for you. Well, two pictures as I just can't stop myself. I'll regale you with stories of Little Ouiser soon. Until then...

Hambone. Just so you know, that black thing in her hand is the strap to my yoga mat. She's been putting it around her (stuffed) frog's neck and calling it a leash. Also, her jaw is not crooked like it looks. She's just making a face.

I call this one Melancholy and the Infinite Cuteness.

a catch all.

I realize that it's been almost two weeks since I last posted. You have my sincerest apologies. Things have been a bit nutty around here. Last week, I spent several fabulous days with dear C in Knoxville and Asheville, working on planning her awesome wedding-to-be. When I got home there was much (and I mean much) baking to do. Alpine Easter Bread and Banana Nut Bread for a cancer auction. Apple Tarte Tatin, Fresh Coconut Cake, Buttermilk Dinner Rolls, and Sweet Potato Biscuits for Easter lunch. Don't let anyone tell you differently, that was a lot of baking. Lots of flour was used. Lots. Also, fresh coconuts are a lot of work in and of themselves. That feat will not be repeated. Especially since I don't even eat coconut. Barf. We also had a lot of gardening work to get done over the weekend. Plus you know...church. And Easter lunch. And laundry. And life. You know how it goes. So, that was all very busy but everything went well.

Today I was preparing the family to leave on a little trip to Gatlinburg tomorrow. M is presenting at a conference, and S and I are tagging along. Unfortunately, M's dad's dog, the infamous Pretzel, had to be put to sleep this morning. She was just a shade under sixteen years old. She lived a very long and pampered life, and because she was so old, this wasn't a huge shock. We were not, however, expecting to have to do it today. M had to come home early from work to meet me at the vet's office, but it's for the best. We took her out to the farm and buried her near where we plan to live sometime in the future. It's a little surreal to think back on this day and realize that really happened.

Now, we're packing to leave in the morning, so we'll be out of commission for another week. I know you'll be very sad, but I'll leave you with some Easter pictures to tide you over.

Really. She is this pretty.
My loves.
My child...whose hair is almost always strung across her face.
The quintessential L.

wonder.

Ohdeedoh posted a link to this book today, and it got me thinking. I've noticed things recently that have changed about S. Things that indicate that she is definitely growing and developing. I thought I'd share.

• S recently became much more deliberate with her drawing. She still rarely draws things that are actual things, but instead of big, looping doodles, her drawings are now compact...deliberate really is the best word for it.
• She has begun imitating writing. However, she still completely lacks interest in learning letters, which is odd because...
• She adores books and stories. She can recite verbatim many pages from many books. She loves words, doesn't care about letters. We'll get there.
• She has become very interested in pleasing adults. She is the kind of kid that responds much better to praise when she's good than discipline when she's bad. I'm discovering that talking to her about how she's expected to behave before we embark on our daily adventures is very helpful. Then, if she acts up, I can remind her of what we've talked about, and she generally doesn't want to disappoint anyone. Emphasizing that she's done well after the fact and that her behavior has made me proud or happy really works with her. Also, she worries much more about making people sad than mad.
• She is getting faster and stronger all the time and it's obvious. Watch out, world.
• She helps in the garden, but I sense that she realizes that her plastic play garden tools are inferior and I think she finds that frustrating.
  
• She is a great pretender. I love listening to the things that she makes up even though nearly all of her imaginings involve a princess.
  

That's just a bit of Little Ouiser in a nutshell.

props to mr. ouiser.

Remember that dress and those shoes that I was e-drooling over last week? Well. Someone who must love me a lot had them sent to me today. Of course, as I was opening the box I was thinking, "I don't remember ordering anything recently." Then as I was pulling the dress out of the box, I was thinking, "Oh, Lord. My online shopping has gotten so out of hand that I'm buying myself pricey sundresses and not even remembering it! I need help." Then I relaxed and called Mr. Ouiser and sweetly asked if he'd happened to order me a present, which he had. Hooray for surprises. Unfortunately, even though he ordered the sizes in both the dress and the shoes that I would've ordered, they are both too big. They are already boxed to exchange. Also, someone pointed out how cute the dress and shoes would look together, and by jove they look fantastic...even when they're too large. As soon as the replacements are here, I promise a picture because it's just too cute not to share.

All in all, it's been a pretty good day. Haircuts for me and S (her first...adorable), sunshine and a walk with lots of hopping like kangaroos, and a fabulous surprise from my hubby. Good day indeed. Plus, it's my friend die frau's birthday, so maybe she's getting some cake today. Good days all around!!

family movie night.

Simple Mom has a post about family rituals today, and upon reading it, I've realized that the Ouisers started a new family ritual a little over a month ago. On Sunday evenings, after dinner, we have Family Movie Night. There is an episode of The Berenstain Bears that features Family Movie Night, so S thinks it's awesome. Plus, she enjoys cuddling with us while we all watch a movie together. So far, we've watched Lady and The Tramp, Hercules, The Sword in the Stone, Heidi (with Shirley Temple), and Cinderella. So far, the whole thing has been wonderful, and we're starting a rotation to determine who gets to pick the movie each week as don't want to be continually forced to watch princess movies. After we put S to bed, M and I then watch a movie. It's the only night of the week that we really hang out on the couch and watch TV and it's proving to be a great way for us to just chill out before starting a new week.

I just thought I'd share what's happening around these parts. I'll leave you with a picture of S just as we were leaving for church yesterday morning.

29 and the leffrecons.

No, I am not claiming that as my age. I am 30 and proud of it. 29 was my score on the Stress Inventory test that I just took. If we weren't so worried about my FIL all the time, my score would've been a ZERO. I am a very fortunate woman. Anyway, I found the test from this article. I found it all very interesting.

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely St. Patrick's Day and kissed some Irish folk. We enjoyed our Beef and Guinness Stew, which was really, really fabulous. Oodles better than Julia's Boeuf Bourguinon. Oodles. Better. Plus, I had the realization as I was browning the beef that knowing how to cook properly can be a huge pain in the arse sometimes. Like when you have to brown beef in five separate batches because you know better than to crowd it in the pan. Then the beef browning portion of meal prep takes you over half an hour because as one who knows how to cook properly you know that you need to really brown beef because superficial browning just stews away and leaves your stew chewy and stringy instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender as this was in the end. Anyway. The stew was good.

Also, S had a great St. Patty's experience as a "leffrecon" came to her classroom and stole all the shamrocks. They then hunted for them all over the building. When they came back from the Shamrock Hunt, the "leffrecon" had left them all "money candy," which was chocolate gold coins. I think she may now feel that St. Patrick's Day is the best day ever...but then again, she didn't like the stew, so maybe not.