Hee Hee . . . That is Funny

Funny Posters

diet . . . what diet?

I’m sitting in front of my computer . . . the boys are sleeping, or should be anyway, and I’m tentatively “clocked out” for the evening. The “clocked out” bit gets easier as they get older and fall into nice little structured routines.

I did well today, diet wise, keeping it well under my calorie goals and worked out hardily in front of my tube to crazy blond Aussie and really really happy ab jam lady. She is pumped about abs! Not sure why the walk didn’t work itself into the picture, except the boys were crabby this afternoon and I didn’t feel the gumption to fight them into the stroller and make the best of it. That, the stroller bit, does not get easier as they get older. Bummer.

But currently I have a gigantic bowl of popcorn . . . I’d like to take this moment to thank my friend, Sarah, for creating an addiction to popcorn out of her generosity to buy me kernels once. Since I have been unable to resist a scrumptious bowl of popcorn . . . bowl is used loosely, as it more resembles a barrel than a bowl.

Nope, not ice cream, not chocolate, not even the whip cream and strawberries I bought on purpose as a ice cream substitute . . . nope, its the salty goodness of the popcorn.

Thank you, Sarah!

Thats really all I wanted to write about . . . making sure credit for the obsession is placed on the correct person, wouldn’t wanna confuse anyone. And I definitely couldn’t take personal responsibility, I’m American!

God Bless!

self righteous

I didn’t mean for that last post to sound self righteous.  I have my many faults and do not live up to, even, my own standards most of the time . . . much less that of a faultless God. I am so very grateful for the grace God has chosen to show me in this life and lean completely and utterly on that . . . truth is something I’ve been convicted about gaining more of, through the Word, to balance out my daily walk with Jesus.

Nothing new to really update anyone on.  I do want to give honor to God for the place we call home right now.  A misunderstanding of a letter we received insinuated that we weren’t eligible to live here but it was ironed out quickly and we are no worse for wear.  God just keeps providing and keeps giving us favor where its obviously HIM.

And, again, finances just keep coming through! We are blessed with much more than money, but the finances are a necessity.

So, Justin tested for an officer position this past week; interview, written test, peer and teacher reviews . . . all 36 people left in the program did.  He should hear back next week.  Lieutenant or Captain (I believe) are one of the two he could be placed in . . . several people will be.  This is for the fire program and he will be over the first year students come Summer term.  Just the current update. So school is going good! He’s got a much more laid back term than last term . . . he’s home more frequently and he’s able to get to work study more often.

Samuel started going down the slide, at the playground, by himself.  For the past 3 months or so, he would climb the stairs just fine but then wait at the top for me to come set him on his rump and help him slide.  I kinda got busy talking to someone while they were playing and recognized he was at the top of the slide . . .  apparently I took too long; before I knew he was  squealing with delight as he came to the base of the slide. Tobias was on the slide next to him, so I’m sure he was watching and receiving coaching from his elder brother . . . but since then he has it figured out.  So very cute!! He’ll be 20 months May 12th and that means he nearing the 2 year mark! Crazy how life gets away from me . . .

Tobias, in the past couple of months has picked up singing. Mostly with his favorite movies and cd’s and sometimes to the radio with a random song. He mimics the sound and the words aren’t so clear but that does not keep the laughter at bay from mom and dad . . . or to keep us from joining him.  So far he’s been my hippety hopper (quite the moves that boy has!!) and now my crooner.  His dramatic nature just makes it so fun! I love it when he fake falls to the floor or dramatically fakes it as he runs into the wall and to the floor. I’m not sure where he picked that up but he’s obviously acting it out. And we really really have to keep an eye on what he watches cuz he mimics and acts out the stories and words with his toys, words and hands.

I have 15 pounds to go before I’m where I want to be physically.  Doesn’t seem like much but the last bit is so stubborn and motivation wanes with each passing pound. Thanks to Kacy I’ve revved it up with Billy Blanks’ Taebo videos.  I get so sore and keep saying “darn you, Billy Blanks, darn you,” whilst shaking my fist at the sky.  Justin keeps telling me that thats a really creepy thing to do and to knock it off.  hee hee. You know that just eggs me on. haa haa He’s not amused.

Well, geez . . . there’s an earful for ya . . . or eyeful, whatever.

We are in Harrisburg this fine weekend.  We are to be visiting and spending the night at some dear friends of ours, house.  An overnighter . . . thats a first in a long time, minus my parent’s house.  A bit nervous I am but so at ease when I remember how much we are loved and accepted by these cool people we call friends.

Welp . . . God bless!  I hope all of your weekends are fabulously full of family, friends and good times!!

mmm mmm . . . hotness! My hubby . . . don’t tell him I posted this, it would embarrass him.

midnight

So Justin came home late, like 11pm or so, last night with movies and icecream. I’m not sure what our thing is with icecream and movies . . . I make killer popcorn. And even with a cup of olive oil and a barrel of salt, its still healthier than a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. But, alas, we ate our pints . . . the whole of both (one each) . . . and watched Revolver. It was as good as you would expect with the name ‘Revolver’.

Anyway we are about half way through the movie, we’re lounging . . . feeling oh so gluttonous, when something lands on the floor in the kitchen. I casually ask what that might of been. But neither of us were interested in finding out. I tend to stack the dishes sky high on the drainer, when I wash them, so I assumed I lost a measuring cup off its perch . . . or something to that degree.

So onward movie watching and severe vegging!

About 20 minutes later, or so, another “something” falls to the floor in the kitchen. This time we kind of look at each other . . . I’m pretty sure we were stationary due to our over-consumption of sugar and fatty goods . . . so we just sat there and resumed watching our movie.

When the 3rd and 4th ones hit the floor in the kitchen, Hubby gets up to investigate. He laughs at the sight.

See post:   http://tuckerfamily.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/sunny/

You’ll have to copy and paste, sorry.

So, the one bag of Amish Friendship bread that was given to us over a month ago has grown to 12 . . . count with me 1,2,3, . . . 12 baggies of friendship bread goodness . . . which I just call muffin mix at home, though I bake it in bread loafs it tastes like muffins.

Yesterday was ‘add some ingredients’ day for the baggies of distilling yeasty dough . . . after those ingredients are added they are sealed for another 5 days, before baking them.  So I have them stacked on the kitchen counter, sort of . . . maybe stack isn’t the right word . . . mounded, perhaps is a better word.  I have to release the air out of them at least once a day, mostly twice a day, due the fermenting process.

Last night they were mounded on the counter, filling with air, and one by one dropping from the counter’s surface to the floor’s surface.  Neatly bagged, so they didn’t leak or bust . . . just plopped off onto the linoleum.

Hee hee . . . Hubby walked in to find 4 or 5 baggies haphazardly flumped onto the floor . . . and yes, ‘flumped’ is my made up word . . . actually resembles the sound the bags made as they met the hard floor moments earlier.

The bags were rearranged to accommodate their expanding plastic bellies and we resumed our sugar-coma stance on the floor to finish up the movie.

This morning one was hanging precariously off the counter . . . threatening to fall just seconds after I found it . . . but I placed gently back on the counter with its siblings . . . to be baked in a couple of days.

Yes, I took a picture of the flumps of friendship bread dough, just so you can get a proper visual . . .

11

#11

Within a week of being married to you I realized there was something strange about your grooming and hygiene habits.

I will start out to say, I take a . . . one . . . shower a day, unless I happen to work out late in the day, then two at the most. I know I might actually be the odd one, but thats how my entire family is . . . and most people that I’m aware of their grooming habits, i.e. former roommates, etc.

But I witness you entering the bathroom in the morning, when you first get up . . . again around, sometime, after lunch and then again before bed (sometimes more). These showers can range from 10 minutes long to baths of more than an hour . . . sometimes I find you reading, sometimes napping in luke warm bath water, sometimes just staring at the ceiling . . . lately its been homework and scheduling stuff.

This first annoyed me but, as time passed, it just doesn’t anymore . . . its become more endearing than anything and its something that makes you unique. You tell me that it helps you think, rejuvenates you, etc . . . I guess its your equivalent to my cup (10 cups) of joe.

So thats #11 on the ‘reasons I love you’ list . . . your clean . . . very very very clean!

Um, Sam, not so clean. Needs to accompany dad to the shower, I do believe. hee hee . . . fully enjoying his cupcake.

money

Ok, I set 50$ cash in my mail-holder thingy, with my drivers license and some other important stuff, like I always do. I had 2 $20 bills and a $10 bill. It was set aside for the remainder of the electric bill.

I was busy pulling the couch out and doing some pretty deep cleaning of the house this evening . . . the boys were playing behind me. I push the ginormous couch back into it’s place and Tobias walks up and tosses a wad of money on the couch and wonders off to play with his cars.

I unfold the wad and find 1 $20 bill and a $10. Yeah, where’s the other $20?! I don’t really have it to spare! Aack!! So, after freaking out, asking Toby several times if he knew where the other $20 went . . . which only gained me blank looks . . . looking under the couch 3 times and basically stomping around the living room looking for the lost gold . . . I gave up (doesn’t take much for the giving up bit). I started into my housework again and my mind wandered over possibilities of where it could have disappeared to . . . thats about the time I checked under the couch and the couch cushions, again.

‘Oh well’ . . .

I start vacuuming again.

“I should vacuum out the pantry under the sink, where the garbage can sits, so my ant problem doesn’t get worse (which is a whole post in itself, ugh!) . . . . garbage . . .”

Tobias loves to help me clean. He will pick anything garbage-like and toss it under the sink, near the trash can, but not quite. There’s a box under there, also, for recycling and most of the wrappers and receipts get placed in that box with his chubby little hand.

A light bulb goes off . . . he thought it was garbage and brought the other part to me . . . for some reason.

Yep, there it sits in the recycling bin!! My precious $20 bill.

I know it was only $20 but the relief that flooded my being, you’d think it was a hundred . . .

His mischievous grin! Tobias Tucker . . . 3/08

Dysfunction of Sorts

Communication. I know you wouldn’t guess, by how much I write here, that I’m not a good communicator . . . but that’s also why I write so often on my blog. I write when my day slows enough for me to empty thoughts that would otherwise go unrecognized. I am absolutely horrible about calling people, making dates and keeping them, and just plain contacting people that I love. Out of sight, out of mind is very much how my brain functions. I’m not proud of this. Some of the most important relationships get overlooked because I’m blind to maintaining them. And when I finally do get to meet and hang out with my friends (the ones that will still claim me) I find my line of thought and conversation differs from most.

I inherited this Conversation Dysfunction gene from father. He is the same way. Love ya, dad, but this is neither of our strong suites! So he’s going on 62 this year and, if anything, the phenomenon of C-D (Conversation Dysfunction) is getting stronger . . . so I’m not sure there is much hope for me.

I love beautiful weather . . . just this morning the boys and I got out into the sunshine . . . and oh boy, it was nice . . . fresh air . . . what? Oh, what was I talking about again? Crap. Oh yeah, the recessive C-D gene . . . back to it

One other sign of having the genetic disorder is that, while having a regular conversation with someone, on a subject both of you are interested, you will suddenly interject something random that, either comes to mind or that you see out the vehicle window or crack a joke that really doesn’t have anything to do with what you are discussing. You will know the interjected phrase/joke was improper due to the awkward silence and quizzical look of the 2nd party. The subject of conversation is interrupted, most of the time, so badly that it is forgotten and minutes later a completely different subject matter will come up . . . sometimes following the lead of the C-D random thought.

The only time I am not aware, so much, of the C-D is when I’m hanging with family. I believe this is so because we all, for one are carrying the dysfunctional gene, and for two we are so used to C-D we can’t even pinpoint when it happens. Subjects of conversation change on a dime and no one gets too invested in a subject matter to avoid feeling hurt when someone mentions how funny the news cast lady looks with her new hair do . . . as though they are oblivious to the passion on which you referred to the plight of starving children in Ethiopia.

We are not an uncaring bunch, we are just suffering from C-D. So if you are getting to know any of us, my blood relations, just be aware of what you are dealing with. Be fully alert for sudden subject changes in conversation and random thoughts . . . oh and the distraction due to shiny objects will make us completely forget what we are talking about and, yet, change subjects again. Just gently lead us back to the subject at hand, as though we are ’special people’ and we then will happily talk, yet again, of whatever was the conversation topic.

This is frustrating at times, I know, just be patient with us.

God Bless!

pics pics and more pics

Ok, I love pictures . . . a lot! If you have read my blogs at all, you may have noticed the mediocre pictures of the family scattered throughout and at least one slideshow a week (give or take). I’m going attempt to keep this blog a little cleaner (ha ha ha) . . . yes, I laugh at myself on a regular basis . . . but I still want to share the beauty that is known as my family (personal opinion) as much as I can . . . and alos other things that peak my interest at any given point.

This is my favorite picture thus far in life. Poor dog has Toby’s constant attention and apparently is now also his bath-toy.