Tag: Ice Cream

Friday Frenzy

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:: Lent in August

You’ve heard the marketing ads, “Christmas in July!” Well, I am going to celebrate “Lent in August”. Monday I started my ice cream fast. I am going 40 days and 40 nights without consuming ice cream. And, I am afraid. I am very afraid.

A year and a half ago I weighed 147 lbs. And now? 165lbs. 165. That is utter craziness! However, this normally flat chested girl must admit, I quite enjoy feeling a little bounce of the boobs when I walk. I should start running to increase the bouncing action. But um. No. That won’t happen. And, sadly, when I lose the 15 pounds I seek to lose, the slight bounce I feel when I walk will be flattened. (Still only an ‘A’ cup, many would call me flat chested now. But, a flat-chested girl can dream.)

So, as of last Monday, no more ice cream for 40 days (well, 34 days now, but who is counting? Yeah, that’s right – me!). The shakes have started. And, I am not referring to milk shakes. Wish me luck, please. Wish me luck and weight loss, with a side order of movement. After all, the weight won’t come off easily, unless I get off my every growing butt and move it – move it – move it.

.|.

.::Flowers

I took Charlie with me to the grocery store this week. As we passed the floral department, he asked if he could get some flowers. Thankful he wasn’t asking for ‘junk’, I was happy to oblige his request. He picked out a cute $5.00 bouquet, and he has enjoyed it all week. Cute kid.

As is often the case, when one child gets something the other child makes a similar request. Joe asked if I could take him to the grocery store one day, so he could buy flowers. Normally, I would have brushed off his request, if only to discourage the “he has one – I want one” mentality. However, Joe added, “I can use money from my piggy bank to buy the flowers.” Smart kid.

I did take Joe to the grocery store, and he spent several minutes trying to decide the best way to use his money. Though not every selection was within his ‘budget’, he realized the smaller the bundle the lower the price. Eventually, he decided on a small pot of Parade Roses for $3.99. Frugal kid.

Not too shabby. The pretty flowers he purchased will last longer than the bundle Charlie picked. In fact, provided Joe cares for the flowers, the roses may last for years to come. Good kid.

.|.

The Imposter, by sekiyoku

.:: Discomfort

This week proved challenging for me with regards to my virtual world. Virtual friendships were called out for the awkwardness. The unspoken feelings. The obvious yet unacknowledged dislike. I needed to bring it to light, for my own sanity. I asked questions, and I received answers.

I have often heard the phrase, “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to”, and this week I learned, first hand, the importance of such advice. I also learned the truth in Maya Angelou’s thought, “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

For the most part, I am an open book. By flipping through the virtual pages of this blog, one should quickly realize I share a great deal about my life. My openness may create discomfort and annoyance for some, while others may find it refreshing. I share, because if I keep these thoughts to myself, I will go insane. By the same token, I share, which places a large target on myself. I mean, it’s not hard to attack my character flaws, when I list the flaws (in alpha-order) for you.

My writing is my outlet; and those who know me best have come to accept and expect it from me. Over the years, in fact, those who know me best have encouraged me to write. (Though maybe they wish I wouldn’t be so forthcoming with everything in my life.)

This is me. All of me. Like it or not. I don’t claim to like everyone who crosses my path, nor do I expect everyone who crosses my path to like me. However, I do my best to play nice in the sandbox and always be myself. And, I hope you will play nice, too. If you don’t like me, that is fine; please just move on along, remove me from your life, and let’s continue down our own separate path. And please, to avoid confusion, close the door behind you. Thank you.

.|.

F R I D A Y

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:: Forget Me Not
This week was Joe’s 2nd week of school. He has his routine down, and he has settled into his new classroom nicely. On the other hand, I had a blip this week.

While taking him to school on Monday, I realized I left his lunch at home. D’oh! No worries. I returned to the school, leaving Joe’s lunch with the gals at the front office. Later that day, while driving home from work, I realize, “ACK! I have to pick up Joe!”

Yes, on my way home from work, I drove straight home. I did not pass ‘Go’ and I did not collect my child. D’oh again! Fortunately, I realized the car was a little too quiet, and I missed the smiling “Mommy!” greeting I always receive when I pick up Joe. So, I quickly corrected my error, drove to the school, and got in the pick-up line behind all the ‘non-forgetful’ parents.

.|.

Routines of the school year in full swing.
Staying busy now through Spring.

Time for breakfast, rise and shine.
Drop off, pick up, and get in line.

Remember what to bring with string.

.|.

.:: Two Pounds!
So last week, I touted the fact that I lost two pounds. And, this week? Drum roll please . . . Two pounds!! Two pounds, Folks! I gained two pounds!

Apparently, you cannot celebrate a two pound weight loss by eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream two nights in a row, without gaining two pounds.

Oh well. Live, learn, and eat anyway.

.|.

Weight, weight don’t tell me.
I want to lose thee.

But, when ice cream is near, I am weak.
And, my quest for willpower remains bleak.

I shall never be ice cream free.

.|.

.::A Difference in Taste
First an aside: I absolutely love when Charlie asks us to turn on some music. Charlie doesn’t say ‘music’; Charlie says ‘muse-tik’. Rob and I love when he asks, “Can we here some muse-tik?”

Well, one afternoon, the boys were playing with Daddy and their friend, Joseph, in the basement. Joe asked Daddy to turn on some music, because he wanted Joseph to hear his favorite song. What is Joe’s favorite song? Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. Yes, you read that right. Joe’s favorite song is a classical music ‘song’. (When there are no lyrics is it still a song?)

I was upstairs in our bedroom, while the boys were listening to the music. I could hear Joe going on and on about how he loved it. He even asked Daddy to turn up the volume. Joe was trying to get Joseph involved by saying things like: “Don’t you like it Joseph?” “It’s a fast song.” “Oh! Here comes the best part!” And Joseph? Yeah, no. He was not interested. Joseph preferred playing with the air compressor to listening to classical music.

.|.

Our boys love music;
Jamming to whatever they hear,
Classical through rock.

.|.

.::Wonderful Words
And finally, the day after the Monday Meltdown, Joe said he made a surprise for me. I could only imagine the surprise Joe was going to make for a Mom that sent him to bed without supper the previous night.

Much to my surprise, Joe came running to me with a note that read, “you are the greatest mommy ever. love, joe.”

That works.

.|.

The highs and lows.
The giggles and woes.

The ups and downs.
The smiles and frowns.

And so my love still grows.

.|.

Friday’s Pot Luck

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

First things first, last weekend, while in Coppell, TX, I ate so much food. And, I ate so much food I don’t normally eat. The result? A week later, and I am full of – well, let’s just say I’m constipated. No worries, that’s all I have to say about that.

.::.

<== See that picture? My youngest took that picture. Notice the dress I am wearing. My sister refers to it as a ‘Holly Hobbie‘ dress. I’ve made ‘Holly Hobbie‘ a link, in case you are not familiar with her. And, Holly has been ‘updated’ since she was first created. I’m not so sure Holly would wear the dress nowadays. Nonetheless, I am wearing that very dress today.

When I dropped the boys off at Suzann’s house, one of the girls said to me, “Ms. Lenore, do you have your nightgown on?” *sigh* She’ll learn about comfortable clothes when she gets older. I’m certain of it. In the meantime, I love living in the ‘no waistband zone’.

.::.

While in Texas, I caught up with a friend of mine. She has a son, age 6, and she was telling me how he wanted to go shopping with her on one particular day. While chatting, I told her that I rarely take my boys with me when I am shopping.

If I need to go to the grocery store or Target for just a few items, I may consider taking one of the boys. But, for a trip involving more than 15 minutes and 5 items? Never. I just don’t want to deal with the disciplining while in the store, the request to buy things we don’t need, etc. Yes, I am lazy. Seriously, though, do you think the boys feel neglected because I don’t drag them with me? I think not.

Well, last night I needed some items at the grocery store. While eating dinner, I asked Charlie, “Charlie, would you like to go with me to Kroger?”

“Sure.” He replies.

“I want to go.” Joe says.

ACK. Both boys? At the same time? In the same store? I start sweating. Can I handle it? Immediately, I flash back to their younger years, when I would make quick runs to the grocery store, while pushing them around in the double stroller. ‘Would they still fit in the stroller?’ I ask myself silently. ‘How would I fit all the milk and produce I need in the stroller?’ I wonder.

“Gosh, Joe,” I begin. “I thought you were going to stay home and bake cookies with Daddy.”

“Oh. Daddy knows how to bake cookies. I want to go with you.” He says confidently.

“Well. I’m not sure that will work.” I say. Then I wonder how I would fit both boys in one cart, while also having room for the items we needed.

“Would it be too hard for you, you mean?” Joe asks. [It is safe to say my kids know me well.]

I laugh and immediately realize my idiocy. “Well Joe,” I respond. “I bet I could manage it just fine.”

After cleaning up the dinner dishes, the boys and I head to Kroger. Though the boys were unaware of what we were buying, our list was simple: milk, soy milk, bananas, apples, carrots and yogurt. We did not have to go up and down the various aisles for what we needed. I say that, because I am not sure I the story would be the same if we had traveled up and down each aisle.

As we entered the produce section, both Joe and Charlie were super excited to see the bananas and yelled, “Mommy! Bananas! Can we get bananas?” Next to the bananas were blueberries. “Oh Mommy,” says Joe. “Can we get some blueberries?”

Then I moved on to the carrots. “Oooh, I love carrots.” Charlie says. “Can we get some carrots?” Then Joe chimes in, “Suzann makes carrot juice. Can we buy some carrots for Suzann, so we can have carrot juice tomorrow?”

Now, while I was in the milk section, the cart was stopped right by a beer display. “Look Mommy.” Joe says. “Beer. You like beer. Are you going to get beer?” *sigh*

Again, if we had gone down all the aisles, I can’t say my boys wouldn’t have asked for junk food, too. However, I must admit, I was so proud of them at the store. And, part of me was proud of myself, my husband and Suzann. We surround the boys with good and fresh food. I think it is clear they are paying attention, and they seem to enjoy what they eat. To hear the inflection of excitement in their voice when asking for bananas, carrots and blueberries … well, I was a happy Mom for certain.

Oh, and Joe asked for pears, too. But, I didn’t see any pears, so I wasn’t able to provide him with that specific treat. And, to tell you the whole story, I pushed the cart down the ice cream aisle. Though the boys never once said, “Mommy! Can we have some ice cream?!” I still grabbed a couple of the small ‘individual cup’ size Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream for the boys, while also grabbing two pints of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream for me. You know the drill, “One for you; two for me.”

.:–:.