Rosie Perez and the Golden Girls

Even without cable tv, and just a digital antennae for a few local channels (which having no cable has been wonderful...we get a lot more done!) you can just turn it on at any given time and surf the channels and find really outrageous stuff on these days.  As I sat down for my turkey on whole wheat and grapes/watermelon lunch, I had a few minutes to do just that.  I landed on Anderson Cooper's (the now "out-of-the-closet" famous former-CNN anchor...although being Gloria Vanderbilt's son, I guess...I'm not so surprised by his "news"...but anyhoo...) talk show.  He's been a good journalist, but not "all that" to me like to the rest of the world.  But I knew his "talk show" would have controversial stuff on it.  Well, first he had the self-named "Golden Girls" on....3 grandmas from the Bronx who basically sit and gossip.  I'm not sure if they had their own blog or show or anything, but they sit over coffee and peruse the Internet for trash talk.  Kardashians being the latest biggest smut.  But one of several things that irked me, was that they for instance took the article/picture (I mostly like Mayim Bialik's take on it, so there it is) of Alicia Silverstone feeding her baby pre-chewed food and trash talked it... "Ridiculous!  In this day and age?  Gross! Why doesn't she breastfeed?"  Of course if it'd been a pic of her breastfeeding, they probably would have say "why does she have to do that in public?" I know it's not for everyone, but I know a lot of moms who will say, put a certain food in their mouth to bite off a smaller piece for the baby or mash it a little with their teeth, so the baby won't choke but yet can share in the meal before them.  I know it's not exactly what she is doing, but.....WHAT is the BIG deal?

But these older ladies were applauded in their gossiping, back-biting ways of tearing down mothers and others.

Then, a surprise guest star came on to give one of them a Happy Birthday cupcake and hug.  It was Rosie Perez, who said "You know (paraphrasing) I think it's great that they show that this is the way REAL women talk, and that when you get older, you just don't care anymore" (meaning you say what you feel and don't care who hears it or what others think)  Gee, when is it that this became a gold-standard VALUE in our society?  Just don't care.  Tell it like it is. OMG did you see what SHE did?  Sigh.  I guess all the tabloid years have desensitized us.  The paparazzi.  We love to tear down others and trash them.  It makes us feel better about ourselves.  It's "fun."

Of course, they still had SOME traditional values, being grandmas and all, I guess.  They didn't approve of the mother who was on next who still worked in the porn industry and had for years.  Sigh.  Lovely.

Note to self:  Do not turn on tv.  The end.

Back to packing.....

An Update to "What I haven't been able to express"

Caught a few articles posted on FB that I wanted to post in the context of a follow-up to this post :


IN addition to this post of Alan Keyes' words in a debate with Obama several years ago, someone posted this great post by the infamous "Bad Catholic" on patheos.  What I love about this article is a.) he can express things I can't LOL and b.) he is "smart enough" to argue from a Philosophical point of reference and "higher thinking" ....rather than as he puts it, " entirely flushed of all meaning and significance. We are hollow men, stuffed man, and our words hold all the weight of whispers and straw."


So...check them out, and follow the links Bad Catholic adds too for even more explanation.  He is right on too w/ his little comment on "God's plan" and how Christians have the same divorce rates as anyone else.  It is so depressing, as I mentioned in a previous post.  Dropping like flies...heard of another one tonight. sigh.

7 Quick Takes Friday Vol. 6

1. A friendly visitor.  There was some discussion about rare tropical poisonous frogs, but we are pretty sure our little buddy was just a plain ol' green tree frog :p  Made for some up close "scientific observation and nature study" though :)  (Is he poisonous? Will he bite? Why does his neck do that? How does he "talk"? How does he stick on there? Look at his eye balls.  Is that his butt? Will he give you warts?  Will he only give you warts if you kiss him?....) LOLOL

2.  More adventures at the water park :) And below...a side by side of Mariam then (6 months) and now (4 years) there. :)  My how the wee babe has changed  :)  And we had a nice economical lunch of PB&J's and jars of ice water LOL  Hoard...I mean RECYCLING has to pay off at some point :)

3.  Sent my two guys off this week for middle school camp.  I just can't think about my baby boy shooting down those rapids or ziplining down the ropes course or I'll be back here again. LOL  But the motley crew did get a blessing and prayer from Fr. G before they left (and I made an observation of Fr's new shoes LOL a pair of these ...getting his exercise on I guess :) So...I know they are in good Hands.  But...they did arrive to the weather below...and since I didn't get the flashlights packed, Doug was walking down a muddy path in the dark and rain to his cabin.  Oops. (ducking)....

UPDATE:  Got a report in that they had a blast on the first rapids today (the "easy" one, yikes) and only had 4 fall out of the raft (shudder)....but Jesus SAVED them LOL  A guy who looks like Jesus...or really looks like Jim Kaviezel LOL  Same difference. :P  BUT the thrill was Micah diving off this big rock 10+ feet high into the river at this special diving point.  He is so much braver than I.  And he did it TWICE.  Into FRIGID ice-cold water LOL  Fun Fun.  They also enjoyed a nice Mass at the near-by parish. Uber-cool!

4.  And again, prayers for dear FIL.  He's about the same...he feels better because the catheter has his kidneys more stable, but we're not sure what the next step is or the prognosis.  He is a beloved father and grandfather (and many other roles.)  He's birthday is coming up next week...he'll be 79.  This was him in 2 pictures about 10 years apart, doing his favoritest thing in the whole world...holding his grandbabies.  They literally say he is perked up after we take the kids up for a visit to the hospital.  They keep him going, keep him fighting. 

5.  Speaking of hospital visits...they relate to my "training" LOL

6.  Now for some political media matters: a friend tuned me into this post about expressing our beliefs even when it's hard to do in this society, especially about such touchy subjects.  I mostly agree (and can relate), although I understand Leah's concerns.... But I actually believe what I reiterated here or what is expressed in the links therein.  I "don't hate gay people either"...I love "my neighbor" as myself, etc etc. 

7. Oh, and related to number 4....us moving out and moving IN w/ the in-laws.... has me MAJORLY DECLUTTERING as I pack up boxes that will mostly go in storage.  We will mainly have the essentials and a few things we like/need (few toys, home schooling stuff, drawers for clothes, etc)..... but yeh...I am desperately  trying to prevent getting on the show Hoarders....well, aren't we all?  But I mean...it's in the "genes" on BOTH our sides, so we gotta be vigilant.  I am in a MOOD to "GET RID OF IT."  I'm surprising myself.  I mean sure I've created a new rubbermaid box for myself called "quilt and sewing scraps" from a few special kids' clothing items...but that's about the MOST extra of anything I am SAVING. If we don't use it or need it...bye bye!  Again, Flylady would be proud of me LOL  I've come a long way baby!  But seriously, ...there are few things we NEED to save for posterity sake, in reality. If you don't use it, lose it!  LOL  Enough cliche's for one night?  Well...I'm calling it a night then, and getting this posted in still only ONE day late, rather than two. LOL  (btw, this one is gonna THRILL hubs. LOL)

For more quick takes, see Conversian Diary.

Virtual 5K Update 3

Well, my next phase of training has come in an unexpected way.  We had been to visit Pawpaw in the hospital several times...this time and before.  She was a little nervous, due to her own ER visit one Christmas night, when she had to get staples in her head.  LOL  But she did fine and semi-enjoyed the ride up and down in the elevator.  But suddenly, a few nights ago, after a long napless day, she just lost it.  A fear as bad as her fear of tornadoes took over.  I thought she was gonna puke again, like she did the last bad Tornado warning we had. Sigh. :(  Poor little girl.  And I couldn't battle that.  It wasn't worth it.  We took the 7 flights of stairs.  Yes, there was huffing and puffing.  But I needed a good kick in the pants.  THIS time last year, dang it, I could have flown up them.  I was working w/ my personal trainer friend doing sets of up to 15, alternating stairs and strength training/abs/upper/lower body etc.  I'd lost 40lbs and was getting there. But...a few things happened that were stressful, and boom...I fell off the wagon.  And I'm still beating myself up over it.  But...everday he is there, we are going to climb those stairs...and then, I'll go to the ones at the church gym...I'm going to get there again....and beyond.  I know I can... "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

P.S.  If you didn't know, "she" is Mariam LOL

P.S.S. Did I mention it was SEVEN (7, siete, sept, septem) stories worth of stairs?! In a row...no breaking it down like my previous workouts of up, down, up, down...just up, up, up (etc for 7, or 14 if you want to count both sets for each floor) w/out stopping.  Down is easier, just that my by then my knees are like, whoa there girl, let's take it slow.... my muscles are so sore from swim/aqua size to cardio stairs LOL...I really wanted to cry tonight...I shouldn't get so winded...sigh.  Oh and Mariam doesn't get winded at all.  BUT...she acts like it after looking at me, as if she is somehow "learning" that that is what you are supposed to do LOL  I go up behind her and down in front of her, ...stairs have always scared me.  I love heights, not scared of them at all. But the stairs to get there...I fear falling down them...and more so, my kids falling down them.  "Hold on to the rail" I repeat over and over.  Maybe it would somehow prevent a complete fall all the way down....but I digress....

New Recipe

I made it up w/ ingredients I had.

So, I have made good sour cream enchiladas before, both beef and chicken.  Do you know the ones....that use condensed cream soups in them?  They are good, though I wish to steer away from them and make my own "cream of" soups in the future.  But, I did not have any on hand tonight...and had extra chicken I wanted to do something special with.  So looking online but not really finding anything..., then looking in my bare cupboards, I found a can of enchilada sauce and a can of chicken and rice soup  and a small can of diced green chili's.  I cooked my chicken and chopped it up.  Found a brand new unopened, still-sealed, didn't know I had and not-to-out-of-date sour cream in the fridge...score!  So in one bowl, I mixed about a cup of sour cream, the green chili's, a dash of garlic salt, the chicken, and some shredded cheese (I prefer finely shredded, and it was about a cup).  Then in another bowl, I combined the sauce and the soup and just a few green chili's from the can.  I filled my flour tortillas w/ the cream mixture and rolled them up and lined them into one of my square corningwares.  I rolled until I used up all the creamy mixture.  Then I poured my sauce/soup mix over all of them, and topped w/ a layer of shredded cheese (I had cheddar...a mexican blend would be good) and voila.  Baked in about 350 oven for....20 minutes?  Maybe 30.  Until cheese is well melted and edges begin to brown.  (Actually what happened was I needed to leave the house for a bit, so I turned the oven off and let it keep cooking ...it somehow was perfect :P) ....It was yummy.   Somehow the rice soup mixed w/ the enchilada sauce reminded me of "mexican rice" though more saucy.  Now, of course you might prefer more hit added somehow...perhaps a chopped jalepeno, or a dash of hot sauce or even picante sauce.  And i think olives would have been good on top.  It was realllly good though.  The insides were warm and creamy, then the mixed w/ the sauce and cheese....mmmm.  If I do say so myself. :)

Virtual 5K Update 2

I know it's early but....Smurf Dancing.  That's all I got to say. LOL

So, besides more swimming and wave pool (woot!) ....the kids and I have been rockin' out with the Smurfs.  No, really.  This IS exercise.  LOL

Since we couldn't buy the fancy equipment that goes with most of the Dancy Party (whatever they are called) games.... and since we were using the Buy 2, Get 1 deal at Gamestop and needed to pick out one of the used games for Mariam....we chose the Smurfs Dance Party game for our Wii.  And the whole fam loves it LOL  We compete.  I did beat Micah 3 songs in a row.  But that is all. LOL  If you really keep up, it's a workout...just like any of the other games, if maybe a TAD easier.   It's no zumba, but...it has some zumba-inspired moves.  It's enough for us, for now anyway.  And it's fun!  So score!

Next on the agenda is still to get ourselves somehow out of the A/C (and pool) into the 100 degree weather TO the actual park to WALK.  Maybe take Belle along on the leash.  No, maybe just the neighborhood.... not sure yet.  Wish me luck.... (does it count as exercise/burning calories if you have sweated all day from the sheer HEAT outside?? and an A/C at the house that is not working up to par?? wahhh!  nothing like Cari is going through, even way up NORTH LOL But still...)

For more updates, go here.

Realization No. 3

Same song, third verse. LOL  But it's true..."ya' ain't as young as you used to be."  Maybe it's because I've actually been working my BUTT off and exercising but...I suddenly can't stay up as late as I had been...and I'm needing a nap on top of it.  I come here, to my dear friend laptop LOL and have so many plans....so many words in my head...but, it all fizzles out as my eyelids get droopier and droopier.  Argh!  But I have sooo much to do and say!  I have curriculums (curricula?)  to research, and blogs to read. WAHHHH!  Sigh...and NO. TIME. DURING. THE. DAY.  That is a huge part of my "not having enough time" to read everything I want to.  Or say every thing I want to.  NaNoWriMo?  Are you kidding me Sue??  How????  When??? LOL  I don't have time to write this short blog post, much less a novel!? LOL


I saw this phenomenon happen with my oldest brother and sister-in-law.  I grew up pretty much in awe of them.  He was (is) a great hubby and spiritual leader of his family.  She was (is) an awesome mom of 8 home schooled kids.  Who were all amazing kids...typical smart and well-mannered home school kids, but not typical "weird or quirky" :)  Anyway, I thought it was fun how they used to drink so much coffee and stay up late talking for hours.  As I developed those skills through out college and early marriage....I did not see this "aging" thing sneaking up so quickly. LOL  I see now, as when we visited them on our "vacation" unexpectedly, a normal bedtime for them these days is 9pm!  Wahhhh?  LOL  They are "only" 50-ish ...c'mon!  But....if I continue my early to rise phenom. of late, I shall quickly become "THEM"...eeeeeek!  "Early to bed, early to rise"...wait, where have I....oh, my grandparents, ages ago, used to say that....(cue the twilight zone music)  ...what. is. happening. here????  Of course, then too...if I DO go to bed "early", one of two things happens:  either I lay there awake and CAN'T go to sleep even though I'm so tired and my mind just goes into overload thinking and worrying....OR...I fall right to sleep and then awaken later in the night, wide awake and unable to go back to sleep.  Argh.  It's not bad enough to seek help yet.  I could probably try some vitamins (need to) or some melatonin first. Heck, I have taken some tylenol PM's a few times.  But (Thyroid issues needing to be checked, lack of hormones, overweight...all aside...) Middle age is approaching much too quickly.  Make it stop...I don't want to get off the train, I just want it to slowwwww downnnnn. LOL  Anyhoo.....yawnnn....eyes are drooping again.....good..zzzzzzzzzzzzz...........(didn't get this posted last night LOL  so good morning instead, or good night if you are Sue :P )