Wednesday Hodgepodge

Visit Joyce and join the fun!

1. Have you ever had to wear a uniform? If yes, tell us more. Did you love it or hate it?

No, I can’t say I’ve ever had to wear a uniform.  I did have to follow a very strict dress code with my first teaching job though.  It was in a Hebrew preschool and in a very Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.  I had to wear long skirts and long sleeves.  Looking back I wonder why they ever hired me.  It wasn’t a good fit since I am not Jewish and didn’t really know much about their culture. 

2. April 22nd is Earth Day. What is one thing you do personally to be a good steward of planet Earth?

I recycle plastic, paper and cans. 

3. Brown rice, quinoa, or couscous...your healthy grain of choice? How often are one of the three on your menu at home?  Given a choice between white rice, brown rice, wild rice, and fried rice which would you go for? 

They all sound good right now since I’ve been grain free for the past 30 days.  I’d pick brown rice.  I don’t have any of them on my menu at home regularly.  Mostly when we order Chinese food and then I’d choose fried rice, roast pork fried rice with duck sauce to be precise. 

4. In your opinion, who has the best job ever?

Stay home moms. 

5. What's a situation in your life currently requiring patience? 

The ants that are trying to make a home in my kitchen are.  Since we had a few warm days recently and lots of rain they have found a way in.  My husband put out some type of “food” that they bring back to their colony but it is taking longer than I’d like.  I don’t like using chemicals either so I try not to ask too many questions.  I am trying to stay on top of things and keeping everything extra clean and hoping they go away soon, REAL soon. 

6.  Do you live your life around days of the week? Explain.

Yes because I follow somewhat of a schedule.  And I always seem to be asking “what day is today?”. 

7. In a nod to the A to Z challenge happening around town this month, what 'R word' best describes your April? 

Rainy, there has been a lot of rain this month.  Last night we had severe thunderstorms that woke me up.  They were followed by heavy downpours. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Well I completed another round of whole30!  Some of the benefits are that I lost 13 lbs, I've been sleeping better, I don't get the shakes when I don't eat every couple of hours and the whites of my eyes are whiter.  Now the tricky part for me is adding back certain foods without falling off track.  The things I've missed the most are the little things like ketchup, vanilla coconut coffee creamer and semi-sweet chocolate chips.  If anyone is interested in learning more about The Whole30 Program, there is a website: www.whole30.com.

~Theresa

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

Visit Joyce and join the fun!

1. Speaking of April 15th...what's the most 'taxing' thing you've done recently?

I’ve been working on cleaning out the basement.  I have lots of clothes that need to be sorted through and decide what to do with them.  Some are being donated, some sold to ThredUp, some listed on Ebay and I’m trying to condense the stuff I am holding onto. 

2. When did you last take a taxi somewhere and where was that somewhere?

Well, the only place I can remember taking a taxi is in New York City.  It’s been years since I’ve done that, I’d say about 15 years. 

3. What's something you can do today that you couldn't do a year ago?

Is it bad to say I haven’t learned to do anything new in the past year? 

4. How often is chicken (in some form or fashion) on your menu at home? Which of the following would you most like to see on your table tonight...a chicken salad sandwich, your mom's fried chicken, a Chick-fil-A meal, Cracker Barrel'schicken n' dumplings, a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings, or 'hold the chicken, I'm a vegetarian'...?

We eat chicken pretty frequently here.  If I were cooking it I’d choose a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings.  Since we don’t have Chick-fil-A here, I could really go for a chicken sandwich, waffle fries and a sweet tea.  I did hear they were trying to open one a few towns over but there was some resistance and I’m not sure what the outcome was.  Whenever we drive South I plan on stopping at Chick-fil-A. 

5. What was your favorite television program when you were a kid? What characters do you remember the most?

Little House on the Prairie was a favorite of mine.  I remember watching it at my best friend’s house, in the kitchen while her older sister cooked dinner.  It was on at 5:00 and I usually didn’t go home until 6:00.  Laura, Nellie, Caroline, Charles, and Mr. Edwards are some of my favorites.  It’s on the Inspiration channel here and I DVR it.  I love to watch it with my kids. 

6. What was the last piece of 'art' you made?

I made a sample for our homeschool class a couple of weeks ago.  It was a cross on a hill using oil pastels and watercolors. 

7. What frustrates you most about the Internet?

Pop-up ads are really annoying to me.  If I search for something online, next thing I know there are ads for it popping up all over the place.  I can’t seem to totally disable it and have to be careful if I was shopping for a present and don’t want anyone to know about it.  Sometimes it feels like there is nothing secret with the Internet. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm on day 24 of my 30 day detox, using whole30.  Now if I can just add in exercise, but haven't done that yet!  Maybe as the weather warms up I'll be more motivated ;)

~Theresa

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

Visit Joyce and join the fun!

1. Besides left over Easter goodies, what's something currently kept in a basket at your house?

I love baskets.  I think I have baskets in every room.  I have one in the living room that holds magazines and catalogs.  At the beginning of each month I take out the old ones and put them in the recycling.  Thanks for the reminder, Joyce.  I know it is the 8^th but I just took out my March magazines this morning. 

2. 'The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.' ~Michelangelo Buonarroti 

So which one are you...the one who aims too high, or the one who aims too low? Have you ever seen The Sistine Chapel? Did you know Michelangelo's surname prior to answering this question?

I don’t think I am either, if that is possible.  I always say I am a realist and my husband is a dreamer.  Does that mean I aim too low?  I’ve never seen The Sistine Chapel and no I didn’t know michelangelo’s surname before answering this question.  But now that I know it maybe it will help me when I play the kids at TriviaCrack. 

3. April 7th is National Beer Day. Hmmm...wonder how that's celebrated? Do you like beer? Have a favorite? If you're not a beer drinker do you have any recipes you enjoy cooking that call for beer?

I am not a beer drinker.  My friend boils her kielbasa and sauerkraut in beer and it is delicious. 

4. When did you last travel somewhere new? Tell us where? How'd it go?

I am not a big traveler anymore.  I guess the last time would be about a year and a half ago when we drove to Florida on vacation.  Florida isn’t new but we stopped along the way on the way down and back up.  We stayed in a few new to us towns in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.  It went very well. 

5. The value of _________________________is greatly overrated.

Sports and other organized activities for children are greatly overrated.  Yes there is value to them, but sometimes it seems like kids today are just involved in way too many.  Parents are stressed out and kids are exhausted from all the running here and running there.  You rarely see children playing outside anymore.  Everything is an organized activity. 

6. What's a pet peeve of yours when it comes to restaurant dining?

Unclean restaurants or servers, I’ve been known to get up and leave when I see something that grosses me out. 

7. It's Poetry Month...share a favorite poem, either the title, a few lines you find meaningful, or the whole kit and caboodle.

A poem quoted by Elisabeth Elliot, “Do the Next Thing”.

"At an old English parsonage down by the sea, 
there came in the twilight a message to me. 
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven 
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven. 
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, 'Do the next thing.'

Many a questioning, many a fear, 
many a doubt hath its quieting here. 
Moment by moment, let down from heaven, 
time, opportunity, guidance are given. 
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King, 
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer, 
do it reliantly, casting all care. 
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand, 
who placed it before thee with earnest command. 
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing, 
leave all resultings, do the next thing.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener, 
working or suffering be thy demeanor, 
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm, 
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm. 
Do the next thing."

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Did anyone see “The Voice” Monday night?  Koryn Hawthorne sang “How Great Thou Art” and it was amazing!  

~Theresa

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

Visit Joyce and join the fun!

1. In honor of the date...when were you last sent on a 'fool's errand'?

I can't think of anything.

2. Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The Energizer Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Rabbit (Pooh's friend), White Rabbit (of Wonderland fame), or the Trix Rabbit...which of these 'famous' rabbits can you best relate to right now?

Bugs Bunny because he is always eating carrots.  I've increased my veggie intake the past couple of weeks and carrots are one of my favorites. 

3. When did you last find yourself scrambling to get something done? Explain.

Yesterday when my husband told me he needs his dress pants and a shirt pressed for a last minute interview.  Of course I couldn’t find the shirt he wanted, but after looking for a few minutes I found it.  I ironed his clothes and made him a nice breakfast and watched him scramble to get his stuff together and out the door.  Then I sat down and had a cup of tea J 

4. Last time you were up at the literal crack of dawn? Why? Last time you stayed up all night? Why?

Well sometimes I wake up at the crack of dawn but I usually end up going back to bed.  The only time I get up at the crack of dawn on purpose is if we are going on vacation.  The last time I stayed up all night was at the end of last summer when my son had a virus that made his feet itch.  I rubbed his feet with a napkin and that seemed to be the only thing to help.  So basically I did that most of the night trying to get him comfortable enough to sleep. 

5. Crack a book, crack a bottle, crack a joke, crack an egg...which have you done most recently?

Crack a book.  I usually do my bible reading online but my computer was in the middle of a scan so I opened my actual bible.   

6. What's your favorite part of a typical weekend? Tell us why that's so.

My favorite part of the weekend is Sunday.  We go to church and most weeks have lunch with our church family.  We go home in the late afternoon and relax together as a family for the night.  There are less distractions and more focus on the things that really matter.  

7. What's something I'd find on a bookshelf in your home? Other than a book I mean!

Picture frames. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Happy Easter!  

~Theresa