Today

Today brought 4 men to my home to fix a dryer. 2 watched, 1 looked, and the other worked. They never did get it fixed, but said they would be back. They didn't come back.

Today brought sad little boys. Mama's car wouldn't start.....which made us miss their last homeschool sports class. Really sad boys who have been cooped up for 2 days because of rain. They really needed to run in that gym.

Today brought jelly beans. Way too many Trader Joe's jelly beans. Have you tried them? They are fabulous.

Today brought clarity about a few things. I love when that happens. Now I hope that I don't forgot all that clarity.

Today brought tea. Lots of tea....and jelly beans.

Today brought a boy-made play about a made up country called Beltre..... and the many characters that live there. I played Tuzcan's wife.

Tonight will bring a possible trip to Target and dinner picked up by Dad.

Saturday Morning Confessions

I'm ready for some confessions.

1. I love the beautiful flowers that have beautified my kitchen, but I've neglected them. As I type they are droopy and brown and ....just forgotten. I often forget to water things.

2. I am not a morning person...at all. Just ask my dear husband. I'm sort of a grouch until I've had something
hot to drink. If I know I have to be somewhere {instead of getting to slowly wake up}then I get stressed.

3.I loved this painting in the store. I even cell phone pictured {I make up words} to Greg and my friend for approval. Now I have no idea what to do with it. It looks much better in person....so I keep telling myself.

{notice the red clearance sticker? nice.}

4. I'm obsessed with getting organized....yet, I am never organized.

5. I ordered my 11th hundredth math curriculum this week. Though, I know I will just go back to my original

choice.

6. The more I embrace our own way of doing things {homeschooling, living, everything} the more at peace I am. The more we beat our own drum, the prettier it sounds. The more we walk to that beat.....the happier we are. I could go on and on, but I'll stop.

7. I'm tired of my blog background, but too lazy to change it.

That Endo Girl

My dear friend heard some info that she quickly shared with me. It was about tea tree oil stimulating estrogen receptors. It pertained to my endo, but also to my boy's adrenal issue. Estrogen does not do a body good.....in fact,when you have too much estrogen it can cause serious and significant damage. So this I know. I didn't realize that tea tree oil....and lavender....and *gasp* coffee.....all are estrogenic{increase estrogen level} {good info here}

Please don't take my tea tree oil....or my coffee. I love tea tree oil and use it often. In fact, I have been known to spray it on my bed....or lather it like lotion on my arms{for a packing boxes rash}. It's in our shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap.....on and on. Now, I am not going to go all crazy and never ever use it {or fully stop drinking coffee} but now I know what I know.....so I will greatly lessen our use.

So....that got me to searching about the endo diet and other things. I did not expect what else I found. Dozens of bloggers writing about their endo battle. Not only that, but some of these gals are really young. My heart broke for them. I almost felt like this older mother hen that just wanted to tell them "hang in there" "I understand" "I get it!!!"

One of those sister-endo bloggers wrote this.....and oh , how I could relate to every word.

"I am the girl with endometriosis. I am the girl who is always in constant pain but looks completely healthy. I am the girl who is infertile. I am the girl who always calls in sick and the student who is always rushing to hand assignments in on time. I am the girl who has a pharmacy in her handbag. I am the girl who is always going to doctor appointments. I am the girl who is always tired. I am the girl with the disease you can't pronounce or understand. I am that girl with endo."

I am that girl, too.

Brooklyn and another Bridge

We had a couple of visitors this past weekend.....Grandma and Papa. Friday evening I took Grandma to her usual Ikea trip(she loves Ikea) while Papa went to Boys Brigade with the guys.

The boys had been preparing and building race cars each Friday. Papa was fortunate to be visiting for the special race event.....and be there when his grandson's won 1st and 2nd place {what are the chances?!}

Saturday was beautiful....so we went on an adventure into Brooklyn. Much to my {and Grandma's} dismay we crossed over a rather large and long bridge. I'm telling you, these bridges are beginning to annoy me.

The boys held my hands as we crossed. At one point, I held the camera up in the air and snapped a picture....I captured a freighter off in the distance.

Brooklyn is really neat. We loved ooohhhing and ahhhhing over the various houses and streets.

                                                          The museum was small, but fun.

We drove back over the bridge into Staten Island for lunch. We quickly found this great little Italian place {loved the strong Italian accents}

                                            Then it was home for popcorn and chilling.

                                                                  And a puppet show

Sunday.....we went to church, a diner, and out for our favorite Italian Ice. Add in a bit more shopping and a playground and you have a fun filled weekend. All was good in the hood.

Internet Wondering

I was about to post some pictures and write about some things.....but there is something I've been
wondering about. Do you ever worry about internet safety? Do you wonder/worry that someone may be
"stealing" your family photos or info?

I ask because I have noticed that this has happened to a couple people and my ears are perking up. I'm not a facebook person so blogging has been a fabulous way for me to keep in touch with you....my family and friends. Going private(as I have done in the past) is an option, but also sort of a pain.

I could keep a blog without any pictures or interesting tid bits.....but what fun would that be?

Just wondering. What do you think? Something to worry about, or no?

Feeling the Music

{Their Sunday school teacher-Mr Tony-gave them an old microscope}

Last night......as Ross was listening to a song he became emotional. It was an opera song....I recognized the song, but couldn't tell you from where {I know it was Italian}. He shared that the song made him want to cry. 

{the garbage can near the window gives the best light to view hair, salt, and other fun stuff}

This morning.......Sam came to me in tears. He was actually sobbing. As I tried to understand what caused such an out pouring of tears....Ross explained that lyrics to a Jackson 5 song made him sad.

Even as I sit here now and ask him the title.......he chokes back tears. I love that music moves them.

{the song was I Want You Back}

That's about all I've got. We had family in this weekend.....drove into Brooklyn. Today, I am catching up

on laundry and getting back to our routine.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

We left the house hoping to find a Keurig. As you may remember, I have been having trouble making a decent cup of coffee. And actually.....that's about all I would have....a cup {maybe 3}. The Keurig made sense....one lovely cup at time. At the same time we were researching which Keurig to purchase we were also researching Endometriosis. We knew endo feeds on estrogen, but we didn't realize that some believe the plastic in a coffee machine can contribute to too much estrogen {I won't even try to explain that chemical process}. I simplified it.....plastic=estrogen....and that was enough to convince me to look at my options.

The good 'ol fashioned percolator was my answer. So, we came home with this little stainless steel beauty. It makes a hot, delicious cup of coffee and I don't have to worry about the possibility of estrogen overload {I'm sure I get that from enough other places}. Who knows if the whole plastic=estrogen info is true. What I do know to be true is that I saved a lot of money {the perc. cost $21} and I can now make a good cup of coffee. Works for me.

Sunday Unwrapped

We knew that we would not be going to church today. The boys have these lingering coughs and some congestion. When my boys are sick I try to quarantine them. We try and stay home until the germies pass.
Greg and I actually slept in until almost 9 am today. It felt so good.

We pulled ourselves  bounced out of bed, made breakfast and coffee and started some housework. I handed Greg the new dishwasher liguid and he went to town filling the dishwasher. Only thing was....it wasn't diswasher liguid. Silly me...it was dishwashing liguid. Big difference. At one point the whole floor was coveed in bubbles.....very I Love Lucy.

We literally felt like we had worked out hard after cleaning up all the water and foam....over and over again. I decided to throw on some sweats and head out for errands. My first stop was TJ Maxx. I love to browse around that store. I've actually been really good lately.....only looking, not purchasing. I've been purging my closets. I really think hard before I make any new purchases. While browsing the bra section I noticed 2 very distinguished looking men. Somehow {only in Mimi land} we started chatting as we pondered a backless & strapless bra hanging in front of us.

Y'know how you can just tell about someone? Well these 2 men just seemed so nice from the start. I know, it's not very common to be chatting with 2 strangers.....men....in the bra department of TJ Maxx. Like me, they wore their hearts on their sleeve....I quickly learned much about them. By day they were typical business men. One of the men was first generation from India. They were friends, one had a husband. By night, they were an Indian Princess and Ms Fox .....cross dressers who entertained with a well known NYC troup. I guess you could say they were the first celebrities that I met while living here. All their night work was performed for charity. A charity that supports the huge homeless population in NYC/NJ. They shared stories about homeless children and how Americans don't realize how bad the situation really is. They see it first hand all the time.....they shared how there are children sleeping on the streets{in NYC}. They spend their spare time trying to make a difference....all the proceeds from their events go to the homeless.

Not only that, but one of my new friends shared how one night there was a knock on his door {in Brooklyn}. A man in his 80's was outside....."I'm so cold. Could I please sleep on your couch tonight? I will leave tomorrow".   What would you have done? What would I have done??  The man sharing this story {my new shopping buddy} let the elderly man in.....3 years later he is still living with him {a sort of adopted uncle}. Hearts of gold these men seem to have.

I have to tell you.....I became a Christian shortly after I turned 30. The first few years of my walk brought some things that I am now healing from. Some wrong teaching, some legalism, some personal stuff. I'm currently trying to understand my personal relationship with the Lord. So many times I let man pleasing {Christian pleasing} get in the way of my walk. I know that some people may be thinking that I should not have been talking to these men....in the bra section for goodness sake. But I am glad that I did meet them and that I got to know them, if only a little bit. For one thing, it may be a door for our family to help and volunteer with the homeless community. That is something we have been wanting to do. I'll tell you.....in those men I saw love, joy, patience, kindness.... They were doing and not just talking.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say......I just know that I want to get to a place where what man thinks about me doesn't matter. Where only what God thinks of me matters. Where I look to Him and say "Ok?" instead of asking my peers for their approval. I have a feeling it may be a bumpy road.

Saturday Morning Confessions

It's been a busy week. A week ending in fever and coughs {the boys}. I have so much catching up to do.....in so many areas. After reading a blog where a gal was doing some confessing I thought.....well, that I can do. Confessing comes fairly easy to me....since I wear my heart on my sleeve and all. So here ya go....

Saturday Morning Confessions

1. Had to take my sore throat filled boy to the doctor for a strep test. I fell in love with our new doc when he spoke of his 3-day-theory {I have the same theory}. Count back 3 days and that is usually where you were exposed to the virus. Yes indeed, I remember our trip to a chocolate factory and hearing many croupy coughs behind us. I thought....oh no, I hope my boy with asthma doesn't get it. I think he did.

2. I've been day-dreaming about moving to a city a bit more south. I visualize a sweet little bungalow that I could color and decorate at my whim.  We are thankful for all that we have and our fun location, but I cannot embrace the overpriced houses in our area. Every time I think about purchasing a home.....well, I just can't do it. Not when I know there are great options in other areas. What to do? What to do!

3. I'm yet again editing another confession....I must be hormonal.

4. Decided that my 4th confession did not make sense unless I elaborated.

5.I miss my girlfriends in a big way. Huge. Thankful for phone calls and text messages.

6. I forgot to shave my legs for awhile. A long while. Not intentional, just happened. My mom says to think of it as east coast winter socks.

7.Believe me....I have a lot more to confess. I'll save those for another post.

8. I'll probably regret posting my confessions. I'll worry about being judged or taken the wrong way. I sometimes get bloggers remorse. *sigh*

{Our day at the beach this winter}