Quiz time!

Found this quiz at Philip's... seems to be pretty accurate:



Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

We didn't go to Six Flags... got the tickets, but decided to wait till we can go on a weekday. The line to park was outrageous, and we found out there was some kind of special event going on, so figured it would be better to wait for a less-crowded day. Wound up going to the mall and doing a little shopping. Emily found a dress to wear for formal night on the cruise. Nothing super-formal, but definitely more of a party kind of dress. (Remind me to eat a bunch of chocolate before I have to go shopping with her again. That is an experience that needs all the mood elevating substance I can get!)

Kids say the darndest things

Took the kids to see Sky High tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's definitely a family-friendly film; no bad language and a good message to boot. I think the funniest moment of the evening was before the show, though. As we were taking our seats, I sat down with the popcorn next to Joel. Mere seconds later, he leaned over and said, "Mmm, you smell like Fandango." Do you think we've been to too many movies lately???

Unfortunately, I was not on top of my game and was too busy laughing to make the appropriate response: "Dude, get away from my popcorn!" A day late and a dollar short.

(Insert catchy title here)

Philip asked if I actually did join Curves. Yup, I did. I've been 3 times this week and planning on going 2 more. It's fun... and today I went earlier in the day, where it seems the ladies are a little more chatty and friendly (not that they weren't friendly the other times, just not to the degree that this morning's gals were). The local shop opens at 6, so I think I may just start going first thing in the morning, before schoolwork and chores. That way I can shower and spend the rest of the day in my dress and pearls. (As if!)

Hoping to take the kids to see Sky High this weekend. We've got $50 in Fandango credits (a reward from our phone company), so I can even order the tickets ahead of time so we don't have to stand in line. YAY!. We're also talking about trying out Six Flags Marine World. We've been here 2 whole months and haven't been yet... and it's only 15 minutes away!

On a Disney message board I participate in, we've been playing a little movie quote game and I thought I'd bring it here. No one has guessed what movie this quote comes from. Any of you know?? This is my youngest's favorite... he goes around saying it all the time:

See these guns? They're holy guns. They make a rather big holey. Get it? Holy?

In His Big Grip: David & Jonathan

I have no words of my own today, but want to send you to read someone else's... In His Big Grip: David & Jonathan

I hope it blesses you as it did me.

Living the sweat life

No, that's not a typo. This week I took advantage of a free week's pass to Curves. I've gone to the gym in the past, usually with my husband to the base gym (not here, but back at Offutt). I *hated* that place. Nearly everyone there had near-perfect bodies and it was just not fun. The only thing I felt like I could get through was the treadmill, and even then, at a pace that was snail-slow for most. It was boring and not very satisfying.

Fast forward to this week. The circuit-training at Curves is not difficult, but I was definitely getting a workout, as testified to by the glow on my forehead and the moisture on my back. 30 minutes of circuit-training, with aerobic activity between each station and stretching afterwards... a doable routine that doesn't eat into our family time the way going to a traditional gym did. Plus, the local Curves is less than 5 minutes from our house. That's a plus. I think I'm going to go ahead and join.

Tomorrow is Sunday... and for once since we've moved here, I'm not dreading it. Now that's sweet.

Reading, religion, and recreation

I realize I hadn't said anything yet about the latest Harry Potter book. My pre-ordered Amazon copy did not arrive as early as the last one did. It was late afternoon before it got here, and we weren't home (we were out watching Fantastic Four). I was lucky enough to have seen it on the doorstep before Emily and surreptitiously snuck the box into my purse (a large Healthy Back Bag... yay for big purses) before going into the house. Since she wanted to immediately get on the kids' computer and talk to her Neopets buddies and make graphics, it was a simple thing for me to knock out 1/2 of the book before she realized it was here. I finished it shortly after midnight Saturday night. Definitely some heart-rending moments in this one. And it left me eagerly anticipating the conclusion. All I can say is that I hope book 7 doesn't take as long as this one did!

Now I am waiting for a new book to arrive. I ordered Blue Like Jazz Sunday night. I have heard good reviews from a lot of people, and I figured since I was already getting free SuperSaver shipping on a couple of other things from Amazon (not for me), I should get something for myself as well!

Best news is that I think we have finally found a church. We have to drive a bit (35 minutes on Sunday morning; not sure how long it will take on Wednesday evenings), but I think it will be so worth it. Just hope some of the folks from down that way will want to drive up here some time as well...

Oh, and on the recreation front: we have less than 2 months to go till our vacation. 3 nights at Disney World (we'll be there for Joel's 5th birthday) and then a 7-night Disney cruise. I am so ready. I've also booked us a late fall trip down to Disneyland after Thanksgiving. It will be our first time there. Just 3 days there, but I think that should be enough. Thankfully we can drive; we certainly couldn't afford another 6 plane tickets so soon! And our DVC membership takes care of the hotel accommodations.

Wonkariffic

I was skeptical. I didn't think I'd care for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; I enjoyed Gene Wilder's version. BUT... this one was better than I expected. It was more true to the book. And if you can get over seeing Johnny Depp with a pageboy, sans facial hair, and with blindingly white Osmo-chops, a visual feast. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. But the kids were more real, less like caricatures.... I've known some kids like these. I also appreciated some of the values espoused in the film; there was more than just the bad kids getting in trouble. Charlie's goodness was much more evident in this film than in the old version.

Go watch. And eat a Wonka Bar for me.

Flying high

Today's post is brought to you courtesy of The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes. This has to be the easiest-to-follow set of instructions for folding some neat-looking planes. The kids and I have had fun seeing how far our planes will fly. Maybe soon we'll try making some of the suggested modifications for helping the planes do corkscrews and circles. This is a shot of the planes currently in our "hangar."

Here are a few pictures of the boys enjoying their planes:
Off to watch the test pilots...

I'm going to win a blog design from Digitally Essential!

Well, a girl can hope. The designers at Digitally Essential are having a contest to win a blog design. I've been wanting to get away from all this sand for a while, so here's my entry.

Beach is too sandy.
I'm more of an indoors girl.
Please help me, Leslie.

Digitally Essential has done some nice layouts.... I won't be upset if I win!

A meme for today

Found this meme at Donna's today (I was a few days behind in reading):

5 snacks I enjoy ...
Popcorn
Milk Duds
Cheetos
Twizzlers
My mom's fried apple pies

5 songs I know all the words to...
(there are lots... these are just the ones that pop into my head right now)
Light the Fire
There's a Stirring
The Greatest Commands
Love Lifted Me
Our God He Is Alive

5 things I would do with $100,000,000...
Pay off our debts
Pay off debts of friends and family
Hire a maid and cook
Travel
By some land and build a house

5 locations I would love to run away to...
Omaha
Nashville
Texas
Alabama
Disney World

5 things I like doing...
Reading
Crossword puzzles
Blogging and reading blogs
Singing
Listening to music

5 things I would never wear...
Low-rise jeans
midriff-baring tops
high heels
short shorts
nose ring

5 recently seen movies I like...
Hitch
Miss Congeniality 2
Hotel Rwanda
Herbie Fully Loaded
Star Wars 3

5 famous people I'd like to meet...
Nichole Nordeman
Sheila Walsh
Kathy Troccoli
Chris Rice
Chris Tomlin

5 biggest joys of the moment...
My children
My husband
The weather
Our dog
The silence

5 favorite toys...
My computer
My IPod
DVD player
board games
jigsaw puzzles

Feel free to add your favorites in the comments or use on your blog... let me know if you do!

Multi-purpose items

Bet you didn't know that Bath & Body Works Wallflowers could also be used as paint stripper...

6 weeks in this house... I am already so kissing our security deposit goodbye. On the bright side, if I ever need to refinish some furniture, I guess I have a way to do it so that the fumes won't kill me.

Amazing the things you can learn when you actually clean your house.

Before I get to work....

I must blog. I know, I should work first and then reward myself. No one else is up to stop me, so I'm doing this first!

Yesterday I took the kids to a neighboring town to a very cool wooden playground they have there. The boys love the place because there is so much space to run and play. Halle usually looks for another little girl to make friends with. This was our second time there and this time I remembered the camera. Here's my favorite picture of the boys.... Doesn't Joel look so conspiratorial?



Here's my favorite one of Halle:

I won't post one of the pictures I managed to sneak of Emily.... no sense making her hate me. She is in a "no pictures, please" phase right now.

So now I must get busy and mop my floors with something besides the WetJet; it just hasn't been doing the job. My shoes still stick to the tile floor, despite repeated Swiffering with the WetJet. The reason for the mopping? (Other than it really needs to be done....) I have company coming! My first real guest in our new home. And it's an old friend whom I haven't seen in about 8 years or more. Karen and I met first online, way back in '93 or '94. She was a Navy wife getting ready to move to NW Florida and I was living there at the time. We used to hang out at ParentsPlace (before IVillage bought it and ruined it), usually in parenting and breastfeeding chats. Once she moved to FL, she lived about an hour away and we got together occasionally. We both became La Leche League leaders around the same time (something we both aren't doing currently). I had to move away in '97 and then she moved to the West coast. Now I find myself living just a county away from her! She's driving over today for a visit and I am really looking forward to it. I'm pumping her for all the info I can on places to go and things to see.

Now I really must get to work!!

A Fun Fourth

One thing about life here, our neighbors are much friendlier than the ones we had back in Omaha. We lived in that house a little over 2 years and never learned much more than the names of the people on either side of us and directly across the street. We have met more neighbors in the last month than we did in 2 years. And they are very welcoming and inviting, always encouraging our kids to come play with theirs... We had 2 invites last night for fireworks viewing (the town puts on a big display every year from the neighborhood middle school; we get great views here in our own yards). We wound up at Charles' and Beth's place, where I sampled a great glass of Trader Joe's French Lemonade (can't find a good link to that, or it would be there!).... a nice switch from Country Time!! We actually had to don jackets to sit outside; I never imagined I'd be wearing a jacket on the 4th of July!

Earlier in the day, we walked a few blocks to sit and watch the town parade.... nothing fancy or fantabulous, but the kids enjoyed the free candy. Then we walked to the park where there were game booths for the kids (some free, some 50 cents/1 dollar... the for fee games were usually for a charity). I remembered to put sunblock on the kids, but not me. I have a nice farmer's tan/light sunburn on my right arm, which got most of the sun during the parade viewing.

Yesterday was also a day of accomplishments. First thing in the morning, I was in an industrious mood and reorganized my kitchen pantry. It was in total disarray and it was not very easy to find things. It is now in a logical order, with the various items easy to see and reach. I was also able to get the kitchen counter (island) cleaned off of the various things that had previously had no home. It looks so much better now.

The big accomplishment was that we finally hooked up the DVD/tv/stereo in the family room. This house has a built-in entertainment center with a whole bunch of wires to hook up speakers throughout the house (living/dining room, family room, master bedroom, garage, patio). We lack the know-how of getting everything to work at once, so we settled for just having the family room speakers hooked up. We can now listen to the stereo through speakers in the family room ceiling... Better than that, we can watch movies in the same way; sounds so much like watching in a theater!!

Now I feel like having someone over for dinner....