Eating Artichokes

I have memories as a child of the first time I ever tried artichokes. Mom made them for all of us. She melted butter into little saucers for us to dip the artichokes in. I remember loving them. And then I remember Dad introducing me to dipping them in mayo.

I started a new memory with my own son tonight. We had artichokes. The Little Man was so excited to try something new and I was so afraid he was going to be disappointed.

I finally got them all made and had 3 small saucers consisting of mayo, creamy cilantro dressing and creamy pear dressing and a bottle of butter spray.

We sit down to eat them and it is too hot for the Little Man, still, so he goes off to play until it cooled down some.

When he got back, he lightly scraped off some of the tender meat from the leaf and his response was, "This is incredible!"

"What? Are you saying you like it?"

"Oh yes! These are better than carrots and they are my favorite vegetable."

"I am so glad you like it! Would you like to try a little something on it from one of these bowls?"

"No. It might ruin it. I guess this means I like artichokes better that you do, huh, mom. Cause I don't have to put anything on it."

Huh? Did he just say that? LOL. Needless to say, tonight was the makings of a fond memory. I so enjoyed these moments with my son, without any contention in our home.

Even the Crazy Dog got in on the action and was begging for some.

Great NorthWest Sunsets!

Nothing compares to these! Check my Flickr for more.

OK, OK, I'll do it, too! ~Memories...

Here are the rules:
1. Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.

Politically Correct. Respect. Truth. Fact. Opinion. Debate.

More to come! This is so I can remember my thought process when I get home from work... ;)
7/25/08

OK, I am not sure I in the frame of mind to fully do justice to this topic(s). I feel very passionate about it, but right now, putting any passion into much of anything is a little challenging. So, my goal is to complete this posting by the end of the weekend.
7/26/08


Oh yeah, I also need to post 2 "Disclaimers". I want to have them done by the end of this weekend as well. - Done

HELP! I'm talking and I can't shut up!

It must be hereditary. I got it from my son... But wait, he's adopted. So what is my excuse? ;o)

About 3-4 years ago I had taken The Little Man with me to a HFPEnrichment night at the church. It was one of the ones where we were having a very "spiritual" lesson. There was no nursery provided as they were either on one of their kicks of "trying to get husbands to step up and take care of their children so the wife could have some spiritual strengthening" or they just couldn't get someone for a nursery. The Man Who Has My Heart was either working or in school.

So here I am with The Little Man... He is bouncing off the walls (almost quite literally). I am doing the best I can to entertain him and keep him in check so that the other sisters aren't missing out... and trying to get a little myself.

I leaned down and told him, "Can you please try to be quiet so Mommy can listen?" He is at the point of his "devil laugh" where I know once he hits that, it is all over.

So, he responds right back to me and can't stop laughing while he blurts it out so that EVERYONE in the room can hear it, "HELP! I'm talking and I can't shut up!" and keeps repeating it over and over. I instantly heard snickers from all of the women in the room.

At this point, >I< lost it. I could not contain myself. I promptly picked him up and walked out the door. In the hallway I am laughing so hard that I missed seeing the sister try to stop me and tell me that he was fine and not to worry about him. I went home and from then on, they had a nursery.

More Commute...

This is a common view in the morning as we come down the hill from Lake Stevens and get on to the Trestle. This is a thin layer of fog. If you look carefully, you might be able to see some cows grazing in there. Sometimes it is on both sides of the Trestle, other times it is one or the other. This morning it was all on the North side and didn't go past the first river to the West. What is really amazing is the mornings that you come down the hill and feel like you are driving on a cloud because the fog is so dense up around the Trestle.











Here is the first of the 3 rivers. It is actually all the Snohomish River that loops around and and also seems to have irrigation canals for the Island. I do know that it rises and falls with the tide. I was amazed at how calm the water was this morning. You will also see the fog that sits just over the ridge. I guess there has been a long history of the Snohomish river actually flooding. The Man Who Has My Heart was a part of a volunteer group that came and threw sand bags just on the other side of the road (behind where I am taking the shot from) during one of the floods. The Trestle was built because of the frequency of flooding.




This is a shot of part of Ebey Island and is just on the other side of the East part of the river. You will note that there is no fog.





The vegetation is really this dense every where that hasn't been cleared for farming, grazing, buildings, roads and houses. It is so green! I love it!

This is the far West part, or 3rd part, of the river that we cross. It is by far the busiest with boat traffic. There are boat houses, cargo boats, barges, etc that frequent this part of the water. I am still amazed at how calm the water was this morning. It was so peaceful. I love looking at the bridge supports to see how high or low the tide is along here. This morning the tide was in, but it was not the fullest I have seen it. In the center of the shot, but slightly left, there is a post sticking out of the water with a crude, huge, white sign with letters that say "NO WAKE!" I think this must be some one's residence and they were tired of having careless boaters "rock the boat."



This is a shot close to the bus depot. I was hoping to capture how many trees there still are in the city, with this shot. This doesn't do it justice. It is really beautiful here. I love living here. Even in the heavily populated areas, there are thick forested parks or lots that make it feel like you aren't really in the city.

This shot is back towards home from the city (OK, maybe a little South of home). The sun was out bright this morning. Definitely not a day for the Cullen family to visit. ;o) This shot was after Will went to the bus depot as I was stopped at a traffic light and in a constructions zone.







This last shot is in the afternoon on the drive back home. There are so many breath taking views to see here.

The Commute

So, the Little Man is not ever quite awake when we leave for work in the morning and take him to daycare. My camera had just been emptied on to Flickr Saturday and emptied last night so I had to take some more on the drive to work this morning. Being that The Man Who Has My Heart drives till we get to the bus station, I am free to take picture, sleep, put on make-up, whatever I want... ;)































The house you see is one that is just off the main road we travel on that used to be surrounded by more trees. They have really fixed it up. They tore down a bunch of the trees to put in a major housing development behind and around it. I have always envisioned that this would be like the house that Bella lived in with her dad in Forks. It isn't the shot I was hoping for, but hey, when you are in traffic, you never know if it is going to be slow or fast pace.













The almost missed shot of the river is actually the middle of 3 that we cross on the Trestle. The only one that I actually know the name of the river is the Snohomish River. In this shot I was trying to catch the shot with the 1/2 sunk boat that is in the river that seems to have been left there as an scuba exploration thing, I guess. When the tide is out, you can see how deep in the mud part of the boat is. I will try again tomorrow to actually get the shot I want!.

Anger and Hurt...

So, how do I get to a point where this sick feeling of HATE and anger I have goes away? I don't like being angry. I don't want to choose to be bitter. I keep telling myself that once a certain 15 year old is moved out, my mother-in-law's house is sold and no longer rented to the dead, I no longer have to have ANYTHING to do with those teenagers. I will be able to heal. At least from this wound.

As I think through this and ponder, the answer comes that I need to pray for her (the one who is dead to me). Pray for what for her? Can I do that and have my heart softened and still not be sucked dry again, allowing myself and family to be hurt again? Can my heart be softened and still keep a safe boundary? Can it be softened and heal at the same time? Can I trust myself that much? If my heart is softened and I can actually feel love for her, again, will it be possible to keep a solid barrier between us that keeps her out of my life? Can you love someone and still not like them? Can you love them and still choose not to have anything to do with them?

I know what SHE is capable of. I know how toxic she is and how she destroys peace. In her presence, without words, if she is angry with anyone (it's that way MOST of the time), everyone in her presence can feel it. A sickening tension that is so thick that it chases away all calm.

She has to want for better. She can not be forced to change. I know this. In her stubbornness, she has made it very clear that she will not listen to anything that anyone else has to say unless it suits her liking. I know she is mentally sick, but I also understand through my own life experiences that Heavenly Father allows us to have these challenges, and we still have the ability to choose what to do with them.

Our choices will make these challenges either easier or harder depending on if it is right or wrong. And the more choices that we make that are wrong, the harder it will be to start making right choices - kind of like choosing to go down a path that you know isn't the right one (maybe thinking you can figure out a shortcut), but going down it none-the-less. And the more you continue to go down that wrong path instead of choosing to go back to get to the right path, the further away you become. The further from the goal and the harder it will be… I have been there...

Even as I have been typing this I have been fighting tears. I don't want to be plagued by anger and hatred. I know that that would also be allowing her to destroy me. It would be welcoming the adversary to be a part of my life. I know it is wrong. Ugh! It hurts! I don't want to feel this heart ache anymore! I don't want to be subjected to more hurt. I want to do the right thing for myself and my family. I want to do what the Savior would have me do and I know that this anger takes me further from Him.

Links...

here and here are links to some discussions I have engaged in on the subject of the Twilight series. I also realize that I am not just ga ga over Edward, but I really like Bella. Her simpleness is beautiful to me.

I am glad she met Edward. I know that though she has had so little guidance when it comes to many things in life, Edward is one who can gently teach her. He is a man of morals. I love Edward's family. I especially like Dr. Cullen and Alice. I feel that if they were real people, I would natuarally be drawn to both of them. :o)

Living in the North West, I hope to convince my husband to let us plan a family trip to Forks and LaPush. There is a lady in my new ward that has made a trip there and has pictures on a blog, but I have not found her blog, yet. I love the climate here and it is very similar to what is described in the books. If I can get up there, I plan to take pictures and post them here.

The picture here doesn't do justice to the beauty that I see here everyday. This is one of the rivers that I cross to go to work everyday. The trees are so dense everywhere here. It is amazing!

What a rush!

We just watched the DVD of the movie, Penelope (good movie). When I bought it I hadn't even realized that there is a special preview for Twilight on it! Ugh! The ache that caused. That rush in seeing Edward!

It is amazing to me just how true the images in my head are in regards to what Stephanie Meyers has envisioned. I can almost feel as Bella would feel in being dizzy and like I have lost my breath. The actor playing Edward couldn't be anymore perfect.

Really, I don't care that he is hard and cold. It is almost invigorating. Ahh... Still I must wait until December. What a Christmas that will be! And of course, the count down to Breaking Dawn! 12 days and counting!

Reading...

So, I am having a hard time getting into The Host... Does it pick up after a while?

Worm Song

For those who are not familiar with the Worm Song, here is a web site with a variety of versions.
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/worms.htm

I used to have looser "friends" who would use the first lines of this song to make me feel sorry for them. It's a whole passive aggressive thing... "If I make you feel sorry for me and then get compliments... Then I don't have to look like I am looking for the compliments." Ugh.

OK, I am a little "on one" today. Something to do with an ungrateful teenager who no matter how much she is given, she still wants more. It is NEVER enough. AND she tries to make you feel like she has been taken advantage of by you instead of vice versa. Truth is, she does stuff to "help" because she wants something and expects to get something even if she wasn't asked to do it in the first place. It all is to suit her.

Unfortunately she will find out the hard way that she will never be happy on the course she is on. Most likely, she will end up divorced and on welfare the rest of her life because she will forever be blaming someone else for her problems.

Seeing how I have no blood relation to her and she has made it very clear that she does not want to be a part of our family, I believe I truly need to find a way to seperate myself from her. I do not want to be a part of the whole drama in her world. I hope for her to figure it out, but I can not continue to be sucked into her wants.

Pitty Party (NOT AN INVITATION!!!)

I'll be the first to admit that I have had my share of pity parties through out my life, but come on… I am referring to our career pity partiers. Those who choose it as a way of life. I am so sick of people who live in pity parties and are now to the point that they think they have to have them thrown for them. Like they have some entitlement to have it. They want nothing more out of life than to live in one big pity party! And what makes that even worse? Those people reproducing and raising their young to become just like them or even better masters of the art… (Art? Is that the right word? How about the craft? Like witch craft? What is the word I am looking for, here?)

Imagine the following said in the whiny voices from these people that we all hear it from all the time! Come on... I know we all have met these kinds of people (or maybe even some of us have been or presently are these kind of people.); -"My life is so hard. I have the worst luck in the world. Nobody loves me. I don't have any friends (maybe it is because you keep using them up!). Why can't someone just give me a break? Why do I have to go through this all the time? How come they get everything they want and not me? Why don't other people have it suck as bad as me?" (Misery loves company?) Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

They say that they want independence and want to become self sufficient, but they really don't. They would rather ask for hand outs or for someone to constantly give them a break. They would rather suck society dry by moving from one person until that person is empty and then it is on to the next. (Sound like a none vegetarian vampire to you? Does to me.) Meanwhile, they are still complaining. And what are they doing to contribute??? Oh, I would say about as little as they have to or can get away with. And to top it off they try to set the terms for everything and want the world's morals and standards to revolve around them!

As I am dealing with my own leech right now that I am trying to get rid of or at least to stop enabling to suck me dry, the thought went through my mind, "Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. Think I'll go eat worms..." And what do I have to say to that?!?!?! "Heck! Have all the worms you want! But you will have to find them first. Go get yourself the tools to dig them up and then do it yourself. But... don't expect anyone to sit around and watch you eat them! You have had too many opportunities given to you to help you to overcome your rough circumstances. Just because you choose not to be responsible does not make you my responsibility!"

And the whole ,"I have the worst luck"? Hello!!!!
Do you think spending your money on booze and then totally your car and harming an innocent individual(s) is bad luck?
Your living space gets broken into and all your stuff is stolen. Could it have something to do with the fact that you left the door unlocked or even better, yet, the door wide open?
You go in late to work every day and you are wasted on drugs while you are there and your boss has to let you go… Hmm What do you think?!?!

I was also thinking about how Bella in this book really does not want Edwards money. She wants to be able to do things on her own. THAT is someone who is self sufficient. And that is why she has attracted someone who is financially secure because he is not going to be sucked "dry". Ahhhh! HAH! OK, I am done with my spouting for the moment.

Something I want MY leech to learn is a little poem that I found inspiring while I was a teenager and has been a source to kick me in the hiny every once in a while since then. ;)


Outside my window a new day I see,
and only I can determine what kind of day it will be.

It can be busy and sunny, laughing and gay,
or boring and cold, unhappy and gray.

My own state of mind is the determining key,
for I’m only the person I’ll let myself be.

I can be thoughtful and do all I can to help,
or be selfish and think just of myself.

I can enjoy what I do and make it seem fun,
or gripe and complain and make it hard on someone.

I can be patient with those who may not understand
or belittle and hurt them as much as I can.

But I have faith in myself, and believe what I say,
and I personally intend to make the best of each day.

author unknown

Escape

Ahhhh! I figured out part of what the addiction is. It is the escape from MY reality. It is to get out of my soap opera and to focus on fantasy.... The stuff dreams are made of... I find myself desperately longing for that escape! I guess I am going to have to break down and read The Host. (Wow! Didn't even take my therapists to point that out. Figured it all out on my own. LOL!)

Now if I could just get to the point of transitioning that to being of service to others like I am supposed to... To get out of myself and focus on others.... Some times it is just so hard... Feeling so empty and like there is nothing left to give... Or nothing to refill myself... My doing, I suppose. Guess I am needing to recognize that maybe in doing for others that it might refill my need? Dunno. Some things to think about. Also need to recognize where I am putting that service... Is it in areas that will leave me drained and empty because of the giving never being enough? Where is it that I need to be of service? What would the Saviour have me do?

Withdrawals!!!!!

OK, this really sucks. I have to wait a month still... It is making me a bit crazy... Been thinking about all of them. I want to hear more about what is happening. I was so thrilled to hear that Stephanie Meyers is not done with Twilight. As she has time available, she is writing another book in the Twilight series. It will be the original Twilight book based all from Edward's perspective. I am really excited to see what happens there. Stephanie says there is so much more that is going on from Edward's point of view than from Bella's... Ahhh! To get into that boy's head! hmmmmm. He is soooo..

OK. Back to reality. I was looking at my Little Man at church today and noticed the slightly amber tint to his eyes... And those gorgeous long lashes. Maybe that is part of why I like Edward so much. I love my son to peices and of course I think my son is adorable... Almost dreamy. ;) Cept the Little Man has a long way to go before he could be much more like Edward. He might have to become a vampire and live that long before he could get control of his non stop jabber. ;)

Movie Scenes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_84TjWkkDN0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxLt2fAT-6E&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW73zlFRqtU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyjuZz6JXeo&feature=related

So, it looks like they are already filming stuff for the next movie....

Darn Novel!

OK, first, I am not a blogger... Not really. And I really don't read that much... Not something I do obsessively. . . Not really. So who is the one to blame for this? Who do I blame for this torture? Oh, yeah! That would be the mother of the Sea Monkeys! And I don't even like Vampires!!!!! I'm not Goth. -Never have been. Blood freaks me out! Those kind of people freak me out... How can they wear all that black and live like they are so depressed? I fight depression enough on my own without having to add looking like ?I am dead?

OK, so hear is my confession... I am obsessed about a book about... Vampires (Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers) http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html ! So, they are "Vegetarian Vampires", meaning they don't drink human blood. Eeeewwwww! Blood drinkers period grouses me out! But I am in-love with this book series! I am in-love with the characters. - But they aren't even real and never could be real.

I can not believe I have to wait until August for the next book. That is so not fair! I want to know what is going to happen. I find myself speculating about what will happen. Is Edward really going to keep up his end of the deal? Will we get to hear about Bella living in the first few years as a vampire? What is going to happen with Jacob? Will Jacob stay as a Werewolf and come back to be Bella's "pet" just so he can be loved by her? Will Jacob find his true love?

And for those who may question, I am still mad at Jacob for being so ruthless to Bella. She is insecure enough as it is. The was a nasty trick to pull on her. And for her to see how her life with him would be and then to have that draw of their children... Completely unfair. I do like Edward more for Bella. When he left, I was mad at him for a while... But he is back now.

OK, I am completely lame. These people don't even exist! I have enough of a soap opera life without having to dwell on any characters in a book. Why is it that this stupid book has its grasp on me the way it does? I am going to end up in 5 more years of therapy just to figure out why I am so obsessed with this book.

So, I am hoping people who have read this book will engage in conversation about it and hopefully we can all find out the reason for its draw. Yeah, hearing that the mother of the Sea Monkeys read the first book 8 times, I think she has issues, too. ;) And being that we are sisters, does that make the issues genetic? Is it our upbringing? Our mother read it, does she have obsession issues with it?

I finished eclipse tonight. I stayed up till 3 this morning trying to finish it... Then I slept till noon and had to rush to get to the BBQ we were supposed to be at then. Do I go back and read all 3, again? Will that help? I have Stephanie Meyers new book The Host. I am afraid of it being a disappointment after the vampire stories.

So, can vampires be fat? Is that my obsession with it? Do I want to secretly be a vampire so that I can have that perfect body? Ugh! I want that body! AND I want to cool feeling. I hate to be hot. And, the whole preference to vampires over werewolves, is that along the lines of my preference of cats over dogs? Being that the vampires are more cat like? I would love to be a cat! I like how flexible they are.

I could totally see my son being Edward. The Little Man has such a complex about being small, when I wish that I had that child's energy and metabolism. At 8 years old, he already has a 6 pack and can eat whatever he wants. He thinks he isn't strong because he is small and has zero fat on his body. It is all muscle!

Maybe my obsession with this book has to do with relating to the characters and wanting to be more like them... I can not reproduce with my body. Any children I have will be adopted... I can understand that love that happens without having to have the same genetics or giving birth/life.

OK, this is getting a little out of control for the first post in a blog and not being a blogger.. ;)