Routine? What's that?

It feels like its time to get back into some sort of routine doesn't it? I mean a routine other than the one we've been on which has consisted of eating and napping followed by more eating and more napping. Hubs returned to work today but daughter2 is still home so we have another week to squeeze in some fun. She has probably had her fill of parental fun but such is life when mom and dad move house and city and country while you're in college...'going home' now means spending a month in a town where mom and dad are all you've got. I'm sure she is not sick of me. Pretty sure anyway.

We didn't do much more this weekend than eat (still!), watch football, and hang out. Hubs has some truly exhausting travel coming up in the next couple of months and he really needed some down time at the end of this very busy year. Saturday morning we did take the pup for a nice long walk in 'the glen' near our house. Where was daughter2 you may ask? I'll give you three guesses...

Apparently hubs is not the only one around here needing down time.

The temperature was in the 40's this weekend so really nice. Dixie loves to chow down on the snow, chase birds, run ahead of us, and sniff out the contents of the woodlands. It felt great to move and get some fresh air.

Can you tell she thought so too?

I spent the afternoon making enchiladas from scratch and they were so good. Putting them together takes a half a day but it's worth it and they're hubs favorite meal...his new year was off to a good start. He took the outdoor lights down since the weather was so nice but all of my indoor decorations are still in place and I'm just not ready to face the taking down bit yet. I know some people approach that task with glee but to me its depressing. I love it when its done but I hate the doing. Does it ever go back in the bins the same way it came out?

Here's a bit of happy news...the new season of The Bachelor starts tonite and I have a daughter at home to watch with me. Oh and we'll insist hubs will watch it with us too. I'm pretty sure reading this will make his day.

Enjoy this first week in a brand new year...Joyce

They Flew Away on the Wings of Love

Or something like that.

So I managed to watch an entire season of The Bachelor and it was only slightly painful and more than a little bit uncomfortable most nights. I watched a few scenes in the same way I watch a horror movie and that is this-hands over the eyes peeking out between my fingers. There are actually more than a few similarities between The Bachelor and a horror movie but I won't go there today.

The first episode aired when my girls were home for the Christmas holidays so they talked their dad into watching too. Of course they went back to school in January and since it’s the kind of show that cannot be watched alone I made him stick it out with me to the bitter end. And pretty much every week at some point he would shake his head and say, “I cannot believe I’m watching this program!’ I seriously think the producers should hire my husband to give commentary over the show. He makes it so much more entertaining. I had a lot of fun texting my daughter during the program last night too…I think I only used the word vomit twice.

When I watch The Bachelor I find myself thinking of the parents....do they sign on for all of this from day one too? Or is this something their kid does...you know like leaving their room a mess or overdrawing their checking account or hanging out with friends when they should be studying for a test? Do they serial date and pick a mate in three short weeks and 'forget' to tell mom and dad? Do they fly high upon the wings of love and then mention it to the parents as an, oh by the way, kind of thing. 'Hey guys, I'm gonna need you to fly to a tropical island and give me your .02 on the biggest decision of my life and I may or may not listen to what you have to say'. Do the parents shrug their shoulders and just say, 'Ahh kids....they do the darndest things don't they?'

Dear darling daughters,

Thank you for not asking me to meet the loveS of your life on National Television while you are coated in rotten egg scented mud wearing a bikini. I am happy to know I will never hear my future son in law describe the ‘heat’ as ‘heat’ in front of millions of viewers. Shudder. I am especially thankful that your future mother in law will not refer to you as ‘the girl that everyone hated’.

Love Mom

Whose intuition is usually spot on in matters relating to her children

A To Do List

I've decided to do a better job at making lists each week so life doesn't just happen. I mean life does just happen but I want to be intentional about accomplishing something each day and I do better with a list.

Today-

1. Get rid of the Christmas Chex Mix-and by get rid of I don't mean eat what's left. I mean toss it. The combination of sweet and salty is perfection but enough is enough. If you've never made this version click here for the recipe. You may not want it this week but there will come a day...trust me. I use red and green m & ms for the Christmas version but you could use pastels and call it Easter Chex Mix. Not that I'll be doing that of course.

2. Along these same lines-empty the frig already. Seriously. Before someone gets hurt. Trying to find the mustard is like playing a game of Eye Spy. There is just way too much in there.

2. Sticking with my theme here-get reacquainted with Jillian today. She might not even remember my name its been so long. I remember her though. 'nuff said.

3. There's more-wake daughter2 who has promised to work out with me at the very hotly debated and intensely negotiated time of 9 am. Why so early mom? Why so late daughter2?

4. And speaking of daughters-take the ornaments off the Christmas trees and put away the decorations around the house while I have elves here to help me. Why is putting it away so much less fun than setting it all up? And why doesn't it all go back into the containers and boxes the same way it came out? Am I the only one who ends up with miscellaneous items that seemingly have no storage container? I mean it all came out of these boxes didn't it?

5. Take daughters to lunch at French cafe in town. While at lunch discuss important stuff like

'you're graduating and there are a milliontrillion things to do this term to be ready to face the world in May'

and...

'eat right, talk to God every day, study hard, get enough sleep'

and...

'why oh why did Jake keep Michelle on The Bachelor...didn't he see Fatal Attraction'?

And while we're on the subject of The Bachelor dear daughters, do I need to remind you that you cannot possibly know in the span of one obviously alcohol enhanced hour spent with millions viewing that you have met the love of your life? I thought not. But I might say it anyway because I'm a mother and that's just how I roll. And dear daughters will roll their eyes and say, M-ooooo-m!, in that way only a nearly grown up child can because that's just how they roll.

6. Finally, remember that my children are not back in the nest to stay...they're home for a break that is rapidly coming to a close. Think about that.

Wait...scratch that last one. Definitely don't think about that. Which may be even harder than an hour spent with Jillian.