Hi AM! Plus; Don't... over spilled milk.

First... a shout out to AM, an awesome cancer warrior!  And this great little clip.  May millions of moms be spared having a daughter with cancer.

Second... the story of spilled milk. (reader beware - this is 90% therapeutic complaining via blog)

I was zipping through the streets of motherhood - picking up a child from an evening youth church activity and a call came through on my phone.  It was a sweet little daughter, the one I instructed to take the new gallon of milk I just brought home and put it in the fridge.

"Uh, mom?" "Yes" "Uh, hi.  Uh, I kind 'a broke the milk."  The storyteller goes on to explain about 1/3 of the milk was no longer in the jug  - the broken jug.  And, BUMMER, it didn't spill on the kitchen floor, but rather into the carpet.

I don't know if I have prevented the threat of having a home that smells like rotten milk.  I used vinegar and the wet/dry vac to clean up as much as I could.  Does vinegar counteract the enzymatic stench of milk?  Are there any chemists out there?  Or expert stain extractors?  What should I do?

But, like every moment in life, there are blessings to be found if we just look the right way...
The good things...
1. Victory for me - I was one cool cat when I learned the milk broke.  No freaking out, yelling, blaming, or grumbling.  After all, no use screaming over spilled milk.
2. Hey, we have milk - not everyone has the convenience of buying milk any time they want from the grocery store of their choice.
3. The sweet daughter jumped in and helped with the clean up - before I got home and also when I gave more directions at home.
4. After using the wet/dry vac to clean the milk I had to wash it out, so I cleaned that out.
5. All of this inspired getting the dishwasher running and another load of laundry.

Seriously, if anyone knows how to keep from having the smell of rotten milk become the dominate smell in my house, please leave a comment!

Love, Kel

A Warrior Vision

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.”
-- Don Juan, Mexican shaman (quoted by Carlos Castaneda)

I like this quote about being a warrior, I think the attitude spoken of is also descriptive of the how to have more happiness and hope in life, mostly in not seeing life as being laden with "curses" or trials.
Life is just life- the second you believe that everything will be better when... Or if... you have set yourself up for disappointment and sorrow. Life is always going to be harder than you would like, and is seldom follows the plan you have set out.
But, life is also full of little miracle. You have to accept the challenges and not take notice of each curse so your heart and soul is open to the blessings and miracles.
When you learn to take notice of the blessings I think you will find they are more numerous than the challenges.

Walk on the wild side

Happy birthday to me. I chose to wear jeans. If they fire me, my week will be free!

Winning with hot flashes

Hot flashes and night sweat cause by hormone fluctuation can be such a great thing, especially when they wake you up 2-3 hours after going to bed. By then you have had a refreshing nap and you can really take advantage of the nocturnal interruption.
Here are some great thing I got out of them tonight.
1. I woke just before midnight, so I was awake to notice the passing of my last day as a 36 year old. I was the first person to wish me an "on date" happy birthday.
2. I watched a movie.
3. I gathered the trash and cleaned off the table and counters. Hoarders might not film at my house this week.
4. Upon waking and wringing out my night shirt I say, "yes! I will be a pound lighter on the scale in the morning with this stupid water-weight out of me."
5. I had time to think about how awesome my kids are. I thought about each one and why I live to be their mom.
6. I thought about my awesome brother, I just love him. It's kinda tough, because he is 14 years younger; I had a lot of years when I could take him out of his crib and rock him when I wanted to let him know I love him. Now he is across the country, or stationed across the world in a war zone sometimes. I can't find a way to replace rocking the baby brother by sending letters, texts, videos and FB posts. I love you man!!!
7. I thought about all my sisters. I really have been so blessed. If I didn't keep getting in this tango (or tangle) with cancer I would probably never have been in a position to see their love for me in such special circumstances. I thought about a sis who rents a lot of space in my head- I thought about how precious she is to the family, to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I thought of how much G and G J love her and a neat role they got to play in her life.
8. I thought about Mom and Dad. I already have tears clouding my sight, so to keep it simple, I stand amazed at their love as parents. I am so grateful that they are alive. I am still just their little girl in some ways and I can't do it all alone yet. I have thought about the 10+ more years I have had with my dad than he got with his dad. My G&G M died pretty young.
9. I thought clearly about the fact I have been really mean to me lately. Ignoring ear, sinus and respiratory infections with a bronchitis bonus because I am trying to do too much. Again- thinking this through might have freed me to cope better and now hoarders isn't filming at my house this week.
10. I am now back in bed, ceiling fan rollin around and I am telling the world that night sweats and hot flashes ROCK!!!

Maybe I can sweat off another pound before the alarm goes off because I don't go to the gym and I ate mini robins eggs while cleaning the counter.

Love, Kel

My favorite kind if rain

They say we are in a drought, a drought which will be less severe after the next few days. Tonight as I left work it was misting. The gentle, steady droplets of rain. They aren't really falling, they are just there.
When I lived in Denmark it would rain like that all the time. I loved it. I loved riding my bike in that rain. I was like floating through a dream. The world felt so magical when I was in rain that didn't fall.
I wonder, does the mist effect others this way? Is there a type of barometric pressure that takes you back to a favorite time or place in your life?

Don't Eat Pizza After Dark, and Other Lessons for 2013

How was your New Year's Eve?  Mine was great.  We went to a movie early in the evening, and then picked up a pizza and watched What About Bob? and Dick Clark's Rockin NYE.
While waiting for the final countdown of 2012 I did some dishes and chowed down on the crust of a piece of pizza - this is bad on so many levels.  I should NOT eat more dinner while cleaning up, espcially from someone elses plate. And, as my heart burned, I realized I should not eat pizza after dark.  If you ever get heartburn you know what this means, I couldn't lay back and relax until I felt better. 

Anyway, while waiting for assurity that I could laydown without getting sick, I thought about the coming year and what I want to teach my kids this year. 

Here are some of my Mommy goals for 2013.
1- Teach money management.  Encourage them to pick something to save for and provide opportunities for them to make money and save.
2- Happiness is a choice - make that choice and own it! (don't have a plan yet)
3- Clean teeth with braces, it's hard work! I have two kiddies who need to get braces - so I hope to get them on this year. ($$$ WOW $$$)
4- When you have a project to complete, make a plan and make it happen.  Use Girl Scout cookie sales, swim team, and the turkey trot.
5- Be thankful - Give more than you ask for, thank all who help you.
6- A happy mom makes a happy home, and this Mom doesn't like hearing her kiddies argue.

There are more lessons to come, I am sure. However; this will get us started.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year and the conviction to acheive your goals!

Love, Kel