A nocturnal visitor...

We had a visitor last night. I finally saw our resident owl!!

Starting last summer we have heard an owl hooting outside our bedroom window, and on more than one occasion he has woken us from sleep. We have seen glimpses, once he flew quite near and landed high up in a tree, but it was too dark to see him. But last night I took the dog out before bed and was admiring the evening and happened to look up at our garage and there he sat!

He looked pretty smug, so I dubbed him a he!

It was light enough out that when he swiveled his head around and looked at me I was able to see his big, round, yellow eyes! Then to top it off he swooped down and caught something in the grass before he flew off. What an amazing sight.

I did go in and research whether seeing an owl was considered a good or bad omen. It did depend on which website I found. According to wiki.answers.com it is believed that owls carry extreme healing powers in several Native American tribes. It is also thought that they can aid us in seeing through deception either in oneself or others. And in many cultures they are a symbol of wisdom. Even Winnie the Pooh had a wise old owl. Whatever you choose to believe this owl was a fantastic sight to behold and I hope he chooses to visit us often.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_owls_good_omens#ixzz21mERpC56

That cheeseburger was screaming my name!

Ok, I'm confessing, I cheated today.

Nothing morally unforgivable or anything I cannot completely justify, but I still cheated. Two months ago I gave up eating red meat. I didn't do it for any other reason than to try. Plus the fact that it doesn't really sit well with me either. But today I caved. I realized it was two o'clock and I had not eaten lunch or much of a breakfast either. Add to that an hour at the gym and I was ravenous!! So, the leftover cheeseburger from last night's dinner was calling my name, rather, screaming it!

The grilled chicken sitting right next to it sat mute, darn chicken. So I heated up the burger and devoured it in less time that it took to write this post.

And I enjoyed every...single...last...bite.

But, I am now back to a no-red-meat policy. Until the next time I am positively starving and being yelled at by my leftovers.

Packing and unpacking...

Two things I am undeniably terrible at--packing and unpacking.

One, I never seem to find enough time to do a decent job. When packing for a family trip, I feel I cannot start too far ahead, but I end up procrastinating far too long! This tends to result in major overpacking, just ask my husband and he'll gladly tell you!

Two, I've tried to resolve this by making a list. However, I am not very good a sticking to the list, resulting again, in overpacking.

Three, when returning from a trip, I cannot ever seem to empty the suitcases in a timely fashion. Translation, it may take up to a week to get things back to where they belong, again. Just ask my husband!

Anyway, we are off for a long weekend away. The food has been thought of, a list partially prepared, swimming suits and wine are ready. Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead! It sure would save on the unpacking when we return!

Thinking of you Colorado

What a painful year Colorado has already experienced. This morning's news of the terrible tragedy in Aurora, to the deadly fires that took so many homes and lives.

Colorado holds a very dear place in my heart. I have very special friends and my only sister living there. But no matter where something like this occurs, it is so hard to imagine.

My heart goes out to all the victims and those who had to witness such terror. May they all someday find peace. In the meantime, they need to know that there is an entire nation thinking and praying for them. Hang in there Colorado.

Water

I feel like that has been a dominant topic in my life this summer.

We have spent countless hours already swimming at the pool, whether it's simply to try to cool off from the raging heat or taking swimming lessons with friends. We are about to leave for a weekend family reunion to Wisconsin Dells. My kids, thankfully, love to swim. We will spend hours going from one activity to the next, all while soaking wet! Then it's yet another family, this time to the lake. We will again spend hours getting wet, skiing, playing in the sand, then drying off, only to be right back at it hours later!

While we count ourselves fortunate enough to be able to escape the heat and head to various types of water, it's certainly a very popular topic this summer.

With record heat and droughts occurring, it makes you appreciate just how precious water is. Is this the face of the new summer? Will we have a winter like last year, barely any snow only to head into a summer with little rain and scorching temperatures? It scares me what this will mean for my kids when they are adults. I guess we won't know for sure, but as I pack for yet another pool day tomorrow, I will be talking to my kids about soaking it up and enjoying every second while we can.

Potty training

Any parents out there have images that come to mind when hearing those two little words?

We are working on kid number three. So you would think the third time would be the charm, the easiest, a no brainer. Well, think again.

Each child is so different, and although our daughter is more than ready to be diaper free, she is also extremely stubborn. This is a trait she clearly inherited from her father! We are using all the bribes and techniques that eventually helped with the other kids. She just cannot be bought, or I guess I haven't found out what will be her lucky charm.

Today we are mid way through the day and are on accident number three, but have had three bathroom successes! I guess I should see the glass as half full. On the bright side, at the end of all this we will become a diaper free household! I have to say potty training is great athletic conditioning. I dare any Olympic sprinter to beat me to the grocery store bathroom when your 2-year-old tells you, in the checkout line, that she has to go potty! Sign me up London, here I come!

Our spiritual health

After moving to the area a few years ago my husband began the process of church shopping. We had both been raised in a Christian-based church, but had not gone on a regular basis in years.

He felt it was important that we introduce religion to our children, and let them chose their faith or church affiliation when they got old enough. It is also such a great way to find a sense of community, especially when you are the newbies.

Thus began a Sunday morning adventure a few times a month. Many different churches were explored, some felt comfortable but others were like stepping into a foreign land. Eventually a fit was found, and I tagged along to a service. There were many familiar faces, and our kids recognized friends.

I'm more comfortable taking a walk in the woods or doing some yoga to find my spiritual comfort zone, but I do agree that for the sake of the kids it's nice to have a foundation to start from. For now I think the church shopping is over, but we found that this area has a very welcoming, varied faith community.

But sometimes there is nothing like a good hike in nature to revitalize your spirit!

Summer days...popsicles, sprinklers and creating fun

I've been giving a lot of thought recently to my childhood. We would spend our summers riding our bikes, maybe going to the pool, having an occasional lemonade stand.

My mom would set up the sprinkler and we would spend hours running through it, popsicles dripping down our arms. We played tag with the neighborhood kids until well past dark.

If we had a scheduled activity, it was usually a week at camp, but never longer and never lasted for an entire summer. It was a great way to spend a summer.

It wasn't perfect, and we complained of being bored, but we were often left to entertain ourselves, which can be a great thing.

Now it seems as though kids are scheduled, shuffled, dropped off and picked up constantly. Our neighborhood does not have many kids, so part of this is due in part to where we live. But there are days I want my kids to get into a bit of trouble exploring and creating fun on their own. It's a sign of the times that we supervise our children more, as safety is often a concern. Somedays it's sad. I wish for summers spent on a bike, making forts in the woods.

But I can't sit and daydream too long, I'm late for picking the kids up from summer school...

Thoughts on warm-weather meals?

It's hard to drum up an appetite with such oppressive heat day after day. Trying to please everyone in my household is challenge enough.

Any thoughts on good warm-weather meals to please even the fussiest eater?

Tonight we will be having fresh corn on the cob and BLT sandwiches. Some will opt for only a B some will be BL, some might just do plain toast! I need to make a visit to the farmer's market and look for inspiration this weekend. My husband makes fun of me for buying so much fresh produce, but it's available for such a short time and it just doesn't get any better than local, fresh ingredients!

Let me know what inspires you on these hot summer days.

Fun on the 4th

Fun is celebrating the fourth of July with a great group of people and watching your kids have the time of their lives playing with new friends.

Fun is watching your 4-year-old's face light up while twirling a sparkler running around as carefree as ever. Fun is letting your 7-year-old eat only dessert for dinner.

Fun is watching their expressions as they take in the fireworks well past their bedtime!

Fun is tucking your children in at night and smelling their baby skin as it smells like summer, sunscreen, heat, and bug spray.

Agony is the morning after letting your kids stay up well past their bedtimes and eating only dessert for dinner.

It's never too late to learn!

Well I survived the Warrior Dash from this past weekend. I didn't walk away completely unscathed, a slightly sprained ankle and a large cut up the back of my leg were my warrior wounds.

Yet I took home something far more valuable. I learned that even in your mid -thirties you can do things that are unexpected, and it's such a great thing to challenge oneself. The race was a bit intimidating, but what a great feeling when we crossed the finish line! It reminded me that it may not be a race or a grueling physical test that we need, but we should push ourselves to try the unexpected from time to time. Even this stay-at-home mom of three needs some occasional excitement!

It's never too late to learn!

Temper Tantrums

Shout out to you parents or guardians out there. How many of us have experienced a temper tantrum?

No, not our own adult version but those of the younger, shorter species. I have a 7-year-old who may be regressing during these warm days. I'm not sure if it's the heat melting away his ability to reason or he's simply seeking attention. I'm opting for the latter but come on, seven?

He does have to share attention with two younger siblings and this is coming from a first born who loves the world when it all goes his way. I am trying patiently (most of the time) to teach him compromise and sharing. Today has been less than successful ! He's a wonderful, bright, cute kid with a ton of gifts. I love him with all of my heart, but from about 10-1 I haven't really "liked" him that much! This might be a terrible thing to hear a mother say about her own child, but I'm just being honest! Thank goodness for understanding grandmothers, and the impending date night without children! I will be fine, and so will my son. It's just another parenting moment I felt like sharing! I think I hear a glass of red wine calling my name…