7 Quick Takes (Volume 179)

1) We had a fantastic Easter with all the chicks in the nest. My kids continually amaze me at how they seem to like us. The older three came to church later than we did and as soon as they got there hunted for both Kevin and I. Without any prompting from me at all, they said they were sitting with us which hardly ever happens as they normally sit with youth group kids. Even Drummer Boy made it down and warmed my heart as he came to give me a hug without regard to anyone around. All our chicks (and a few extras) filled our row. Wonderful.

After church, we spent the entire Sunday at home, another rarity. The kids had a good time playing video games together, we laid around watching movies and ordered pizza later. Ahhhhhh. Totally loved it. Thanks for making my day, guys. LOVE YOU!

2) Though my kids may seem too old for dying eggs, they tried their hand at it. Ladies Man was a little lazier than the others using a Sharpie, but he sure makes a few scratches look good. Isn't this cute?

Never mind the cracked eggs below this one. Guess who boiled the things too long? I didn't give my kids the best canvas to start with. My fault. Again.

3) Are you superstitious? Today is Friday the 13th. Does that make you nervous? I've never been a superstitious sort, but when I was a teenager a very scary thing happened in my community. I was babysitting late into the night on Friday, January 13th when I got a call from a friend telling me one of our teachers had taken two students snowmobiling. While sliding across a frozen lake, the ice broke and all three tumbled in. I remember feeling a bit freaked out because there was a lake across the street from the house I was babysitting at, not THE lake, but I kept looking out the picture window imagining. ((shudder)) One of the students was able to get out, but the teacher and the other student died. I think of them every Friday the 13th. So sad.

4) I was feeling particularly grouchy this week about my lack of being able to eat anything good and somehow started regaling my poor husband on all the injustices I've suffered in life. As a child I ate everything I wanted (and then some), and my body showed it.

Me: I had to wear chubby sizes.

Kevin: What?! They called it chubby?!

Me: YES! Of course they don't now. That wouldn't be politically correct, but when I was a kid, the big girl sizes were called chubby and the big boy was called husky.

Kevin: That's terrible!

Me: Is it any wonder I still have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror?! I spent my childhood in chubby sizes!

Kevin: Well, there's more fat kids now, so maybe that was a good thing. Maybe using the word chubby made kids more aware of their bodies.

Me: It didn't help me! I still ate my biscuits and gravy in the mornings. All it did for me was hurt my self-esteem.

Kevin: So now we have a bunch of fat kids with good self-esteem?

Me: At least they won't have a complex the rest of their lives like me.

The crazy thing is whenever I show someone a picture of me from the days I considered myself fat, they always say, "You don't look that bad." So why did I feel gargantuan? Stupid childhood hangups.

5) Drama Queen informed me this week that Ladies Man's feet are so big, his toes are as big as fingers. She pointed out that her pinky finger was smaller than his second toe. Miss Innocent One and I found the same phenomenon. If feet gross you out, especially big smelly man feet, you may want to skip on to number 6.


6) One day this week hormones got the best of me and I was naggy mom, annoyed and mouthy mom, mean mom and whiny wife, all in the same day. Lord, help my poor family! Drama Queen, you are the only one who got out unscathed. Consider yourself fortunate. To the rest of you, I'm sorry.

7) I'm looking forward to a weekend with nothing on the calendar. Nothing. I'm hoping to get some very needed yard work done and maybe a little relaxing. I'm getting tired of always having something pressing to do.

I hope your weekend is relaxing too, friends. If you're laying around looking for something to read, click over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.