Some Days Are Just Better Than Others

I tried. Really I did. I was being all good about Lent beginning. I even made Tuna Casserole for dinner. I got the good tuna that's packed in olive oil (way tasty...Mike said it was "meatier") and was trying to make it really tasty (not that tuna casserole's not tasty, but it's not the meat fest I had been planning LOL!). So, I put it all together, put it in the oven and then made a horrible realization. I used cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom soup. Ugh. Here I was, trying to do good and go meatless and I ended up ruining the whole thing with one can of soup. Mike called to tell me he was on his way home and I told him the story. He didn't get it. He says, "cream of chicken soup in the tuna casserole? Umm okay." I told him that it's what I usually use in the casserole. He says, "really?" LOL! I figured God would see the effort and would be understanding, so I ate the casserole. This got me and Mike into a discussion about funny things that have happened before...the best story was this one...

We decide to take a weekend trip to Indiana. It was a horrible trip and we were tired, exhausted and hungry. In the evening, Mike tried to support me by going out of his way to get me tea since I had given up soda for Lent. He figured that I must be hungry, too, so he gets me a cheeseburger as well. He brings it back and I don't think I've eaten something so quickly. To hear Mike tell the story, I was actually licking the paper it was wrapped in because it was so good. LOL! Just for the record, I wasn't, but it was a very tasty cheeseburger. After eating and sitting back to enjoy the tea, I made the realization that it was Friday. Nice. So, Mike, in his effort to help me stick to Lent, had also helped me break it! We laugh regularly about this story.

After dinner, I told Mike a story about what happened when I took the kids to school. His immediate response was, "you have to blog that!" So, here it is...

I went to take the kids to school yesterday morning. We left a little earlier than normal since it tends to get really busy on the first day back after a break. Anyway, I pull up into the line and I see that there are people going around a couple of cars. Making the realization that the cars are parked and are not in the carpool line, I go around as well. I pull into the lot and wait in line. And wait. And wait. I look at Jacob and say, "boy, this line is not moving today!" Just then, there's a knock on the window. I roll it down and see the crossing guard who informs me I'm sitting behind another row of parked cars. Nice. I felt so stupid. Jacob looks at me and says, "are we going to be late now?" I tell him no and try desperately to get out of there as quickly as possible.

This morning, I was getting the pot roast ready to put into the crock pot. Hannah comes in and asks what I'm doing. I tell her that I'm making a roast for dinner. She says, "I hate pot roast!"
Me: But Hannah, it's a lot like snake. (she calls steak, snake)
Hannah: I love snake! You're making snake?
Me: No, I'm making pot roast, but it's similar to snake.
Hannah: (again) I hate pot roast! I want snake!
Me: How do you know you don't like it until you try it? Do you remember eating pot roast before? (we actually eat it quite often)
Hannah: No! (this was more like NOoooooooooOOO...very sing-song)
Jacob: Hannah, you eat pot roast all of the time! You love it now quit complaining.

I don't know why I thought that was so funny!

Ash Wednesday

Today, Lent begins. I guess I should have put more thought into it, because I haven't given anything up and I haven't really even thought about what to give up this year. I also wasted two meatless meals (okay, so not really wasted, but you know what I mean) on Monday and Tuesday. I don't have a lot in my repertoire...so we may be having tuna casserole instead of the bacon and sausage with the breakfast dinner I was planning. Mike has a lot more dedication than I do...when Judaism says fast...they really mean it...no food, no drink, no shower. I can eat (and drink) a little and still be considered fasting. I need to get my act together.

On a completely unrelated note...is it possible to get shingles from kids who've just had a chicken pox booster? Yesterday morning, I thought it was a contact rash, but as it's spreading, I'm realizing it's shingles. (It looks just like the picture shown here except mine is under my arm, not on my neck) Now, most of you know that I struggled with shingles in college. I'd get them twice a year...always around finals. You've got to love stress-induced illnesses. But I haven't had them in almost 9 years. (can you believe I've been out of college for 9 years this May!?!) What's really interesting is that everything says it's unusual to get shingles more than once. According to everthing I've read, only 4% get it multiple times. Nice.The first thing Mike asked is what kind of extra stress do I have going on. Nothing more than normal. I would have thought that if I were going to get them, I would have last fall, but here I am with a case, and it's spreading. :( The only thing I can think of is the kids had their chicken pox booster (I know...I know. Please no vaccine lectures! LOL!) and now I'm a mess. Ugh!!!

Okay, everyone...it's getting to be that season again. In fact, they were talking about this on the news last night and saying it could be possible for Saturday (for us). Is everyone ready for tornado season? Weather radios, flashlights and all that good stuff all ready to go? We need to get a new weather radio (something happened to mine in the move from Iowa to Virginia). I remember, as a kid, I would get all kinds of canned goods in a bag and put it in the basement whenever there was even just a tornado watch. I never thought about a can opener (that's the funniest part). LOL!!!