True Beauty

     Hubby had an injection today. He gets them once a month, and they put him out of commission for two days.  They do help. His back is not seizing the way it was before the injection treatment started, and when his back starts to seize it doesn't last as long nor is it as intense. So he tells me. While at the pain management clinic I decided to watch people. It is a fascination of mine. To observe people going about their day. Their actions and reactions to things, the way they carry themselves or even how patient they are. Most of those I watched were elderly.
     A little lady held my interest for sometime. She wore clothes that were a bit large as if in her added years time had done what physical exertion had not. The overly large cardigan hung to her knees, pants were hitched to an uncomfortable level and belted in a way that made the waist bunch up. Her shirt was tucked neatly and her hair coiffed to perfection. I held no doubts that in her youth she kept regular hair appointments at the salon, and still did so now. Glasses were also large and for a petite woman she was dressed in what seemed like someone else's wardrobe. I would have loved to invite her to tea and scones, to listen to the wisdom all the gray on top of her elegant head proclaimed. I did not see any one with her and can only conclude that she either drove their, took a bus or her waitstaff was somewhere unseen. I hope that whomever is attached to this elderly woman understands what a treasure she is.
      There is a beauty in aging. Popular belief is that beauty is in youth. Flawless skin, long hair, and a healthy fit body. As I have grown and changed so has my idea of beauty. Sometimes I have to remind my head what true beauty really is. It is not the body figure I had in high school or even the one I had when I first met and married Hubby. True beauty is  when you are comfortable with who you are on the inside and the outside. I am not sure I would want the body I had before children back. How beautiful is it that my body helped create three people, kept them safe and nurtured them until they were ready to enter into this big bad beautiful creation of the world. I have stretch marks and what I call my "extra mommy".. all of which I have come to find the beauty in. So when I saw that little old lady today I couldn't help but think of how beautiful she was. She had aged, all of us do. If you really want to be morbid about it the moment you were born you started to die. That is how your body was created, and what a beautiful creation it is.
      Hubby was the youngest patient there today. Others looked well into there 60's if not 70's. Chronic pain has a way of aging the young. Illness has an annoying way of stealing childhoods and entrapping those we love in a spiral of despair if we their loved ones aren't diligent. I know this has been long and more then a bit rambling. There is just so much that bounces around in my head. If you have ready this far thank you. And until next time Dear Readers, Be Blessed!

Adventures in Lunch Land

So I finally have the lunch box system I have wanted for sometime. The lunchbox:

The containers:

And it's not hard to find the food in this house! My sister C was interested in my lunch box capers and asked if I could post a few things about them. So here it goes, I hope it helps. 

This is one lunch box Goosie's. I chose her's because I put the most stuff in it at this time. This is what it all looks like empty:

There is a foogo Thermos for her drink, a small utensil holder for her fork and spoon, a square sandwich container bottom that acts as a base for the four smaller containers inside. The round containers and square containers hold about 4oz each. I bought a reusable zippered bag some time ago and find it useful for crackers and breads. Lastly the container holding all the lids came free with the lunch boxes. I can fit all of this in her lunch box and there is still room. It is all about utilizing the space you have to the best of your ability.

Here is what all those little containers look like full:

As you can see there is quite a selection and the kids aren't lacking for food, and yes they finish all of it! Here is a close-up of Goosie's, I will also let you know what she will have for lunch tomorrow..

Goosie will have: diced ham, a gherkin, an oatmeal bar, and Nilla wafers in the small containers. String cheese will fit in between the milk and the square base and wheat thins in the bag. The melon is her power snack and sits on top of the smaller containers. The utensil holder also fits down the side of the bag and there is room to spare. I am sure I could figure out a way to fit some banana bread, a muffin, an apple or just about any thing else of that size in the lunch box as well.  

     I am so thankful I discovered bento boxes! I know that I am not making authentic bento's but I am very happy with the new way I have to make and send healthy lunches to school with my little ones. Let me know if you have any questions! Until next time dear readers..Be Blessed!

Update and Rambling

     Next week Hubby is technically on leave, or as civilians would say paid vacation. I know that next week will run like any other week in the house. Due to his many doctors appointments it is hard to go anywhere. Add to that the MEB process and we really are staying home. The truth is I see him less when he is on leave then I do when he is not on leave. I am not sure how that works or really why. I hear many times of vacations to the beach, mountains or somewhere in between. I would love a family vacation. I would like to go somewhere just the two of us where we didn't have an agenda or kids.That day will come I just don't think it will come next week.
     I bought new lunch boxes for the kids. I have seen the T.V. commercials for Pack-it and figured why not, it would certainly help keep things cold. After starting to pack the kids lunches I discovered that I wanted something more in a lunch box. Something that would keep the food cold, and not take up space I could use for food the way an ice pack or cube does. I even thought of making one myself. But common sense got a hold of me and I bought these:

One for each of the kids and one for either Hubby or myself. The kids have taken them to school for a day and so far so good the bento style lunches I pack are staying colder then they have previously. Here are some of the ones I have made: 

Roast beef and provolone roll ups; 1/2 a pear; a homemade pretzel and homemade cheese crackers with a Hug to drink

Diced ham;sliced orange;carrots with ranch dip; homemade pretzel and white chocolate cream with milk to drink

Turkey spinach and ranch roll-ups; a pickle; carrots with hummus dip;green grapes; peanut butter chocolate banana nilla  sandwiches with milk to drink

Chicken salad;broccoli spears;jello; banana peanut butter chocolate roll-ups; string cheese; crackers; pretzel sticks and milk to drink

I have had to rework the packing of the lunches a little due to the amount of space in the Pack-it. I already had all the things I needed so it wasn't that big of a deal. Better lunches all around!! The kids were excited when they took there new lunch boxes to school yesterday and gave a good report on them upon returning home.  When I emptied the pack-it's  of the food containers I was pleased that they were still quite cool on the inside. I am confidant that they kept the kids lunches better chilled then any other lunch box system we have used in the past and are well worth the money spent. 

      We have also added to our family recently. His name is Koda and he is an adorable ball of fur!

Koda with Hubby on adoption day

I was not expecting this little guy to join our family, but he has for better or worse and we are thankful to have him. Each of the girls has tried to claim Koda as their own, but Hubby is adamant that Koda belongs to him.

     We still have heard nothing as far as orders go for where/when we will be leaving the home we are in now. That hasn't really stopped the leasing company from renting it out already. That's right someone is slated to move into the house we are currently occupying on the 21st of this month. We have yet to give any sort of written notice or anything else. Oh the joy, but we are paid up through the end of September and are on a month to month lease until Hubby's orders come in. The new tenets are not my problem, they are the leasing companies problem. I understand the homeowners position is not one that they can afford a rent and a mortgage.. but this is a little out of hand. I have a peace that all of this will work out and will be praying for them and everyone else involved. 

    I have started pulling away. I have never been good at saying goodbye. That word seems so final to me. I can't remember the last time we went to a going away party in our honor. I think it would be too much. Everyone I meet and make friends with means so much to me.. not just for the time I am there, but always. I am selfish. I know. When I leave I don't want to say good bye. I would rather remember the last time I saw my friend both of us thinking that it wouldn't be long until we saw each other, laughed together, hugged or went shopping. I carry them all with me in my heart. I am thankful for Facebook and Twitter that keeps me connected with some of them and email that keeps me connected with others. I don't call like I should nor do I write. But I carry them with me. I am selfish and I hope that the ones I have left behind will forgive me. Hubby and I have made as many moves as years we have been married.. and that is a lot for anyone I think. So be patient with me. When we reach our new destination it may take me a while to come out of my shell once more, to make friends and become less of a hobbit. And if after a year or so I start to pull away, please understand that is what I have grown used to doing. It is not you, it is me. So fight for me.. or I may just pull away and say goodbye without anyone being the wiser, holing up in my house with hobbies and other busy things because that is what I have done. 

     Well, that is it for me today Dear Readers. Until next time, Be Blessed!

The Biggest Labor Day Party.. Atlanta Motor Speedway

     Let me start by saying that I wasn't a big NASCAR fan before last weekend. After experiencing a race with Hubby at the track.. lets just say things have changed. We started the weekend out a little early and dropped the kids off at my Dear Friend R's house. We had never left the kids for any great length of time before, but I  trust R explicitly and knew the kids would be in wonderful hands. Admittedly it was hard to leave them and R literally was pushing me out of the house. I almost cried a little. I think I had more separation issues then they did! Hubby came and picked me up Friday morning from my sister V's house. We left the truck and puppyboy with her. I was so excited I didn't know if I could eat on Thursday. After going to see V and her man B.. my niece M was there as well. I was settled enough to eat something. The excitement would have to wait just a bit longer.. I do get stir crazy when Hubby and the kids aren't around.
     Friday morning I woke up and was almost counting down the minutes until Hubby arrived. Hubby got into NASCAR when we were living in Idaho. Funny story about that is he didn't know what NASCAR was until he called Kasey Kahne's house to try and talked to his Mom about Kasey joining the Army. When Mrs. Kahne told Hubby her son was a NASCAR driver, Hubby thought she was just trying to blow him off the way some do. So Hubby looked up Kasey Kahne and NASCAR.. and a new race fan was born. Over the years I have sat through all the practices and races in the comfort of our home. When we moved to Ohio we became friends with a neighbor.. who works for Goodyear. Hubby has a ticket and hot pass ever since. I was excited for Labor Day weekend because I was finally going to dive into Hubby's Hobby, He had a smile plastered on his face every time he thought about it. I have a friend who lives in Georgia and hadn't seen her in a year, Hubby dropped me off at her house and went on to the races. It was nice to spend the day with just my friend S and I. I truly have missed her. Friday evening Hubby came to get me and after spending the night at the hotel.. we were ready to go to the race.

     I convinced Hubby to go to the Nationwide race in civilians. We bought Carl Edwards pit crew shirts and went on to enjoy the race. After buying the shirts (we immediately put them on), I needed to get my creditials. On the way over, Carl Edwards honked his truck horn at us.. so cool! After getting everything we needed we headed into the garage area. Then we stood outside the drivers encampment and were able to get some autographs and Hubby took a few pictures of some of the drivers, an owner and I.

How cool was that??

     After that is was practice, qualifying then the Nationwide race. One driver who sat and talked to Hubby for sometime at the Charlotte race was Travis Pastrana. You may know him from Nitro Circus. He and Hubby were swapping stories of Australia and the things they did while over there. Hubby of course with the Army and Travis with Nitro Circus. Before the start of the Nationwide race we were over by the pits and I was able to get a picture with Travis Pastrana!

     We then had to leave pit road and get settled for the race. It was so very different than watching it at home. I don't think I could fall asleep at a live race the way I can when it's on the t.v., ha!

After the race we were pressing to get close to Victory Lane. Then after an exhausting day it was time to go back to the hotel and get some sleep. 

     The next day was the Sprint Cup race. Hubby went in uniform and I tried to look "cute". We arrived at the track a little after lunch, and then it was game on. We did so many things I can barely remember all of them. Hubby took some pictures, but I really should have taken more. here are a few more:

After walking around for a bit I was able to convince Hubby to sit down and take a load off. We walked over to the Coca-Cola canteen and bought a snack.. then we were ushered into the drivers meeting..

After the drivers meeting there was a chapel service. It was hot and no one asked us to leave, so we stayed. Jamie Grace was there and shared her testimony, she also sang a few songs. I thought I might get star struck by the drivers.. but Hubby was struck enough for both of us. I was star struck with Jamie Grace. She is a wonderful singer and to hear her testimony of what God is doing in her life and all the things she has overcome. I was blessed, and crying. I did have the nerve to ask her for a picture with me..

     

I held it together until after the picture.. Hubby asked me why I was so star struck. It's hard to fully explain, but Jamie Grace has some songs that just bless, lift me up and remind me of the hope that I have. It still boggles my mind that I was able to meet her. She is so pleasantly kind! 

After the drivers meeting and the chapel service, we headed back outside and headed out for driver introductions. Hubby still wanted to get a few autographs and I was happy to tag along with him. When it was time for the starting ceremonies, Hubby and I stood out on the track.. then he was on t.v. during the National Anthem. When it was time to clear the track Hubby and I headed back to pit road. Once there we met a wonderful couple , J and A. J is a wounded warrior, A is his wonderful wife. The four of us hit it off! After meeting J and A we were asked to join them in the pit box..

 And this was our view for the first couple laps of the race..

It was loud to say the least.. but to Hubby it was like Christmas in September. There were so many things we were able to do, sitting in the pit box during the Sprint Cup race was one of the many highlights of the day. A and I were going a little deaf from the noise and convinced the guys to walk around for a bit. We all ended up in the Coor's R.V. and then headed over to Dale Jr's and listened to the radio. The guys decided to go back to the pits, so A and I finally got to talk to each other. It was refreshing to talk to someone who was going through something very similar to Hubby and I. When the guys returned they looked like two kids who bought out the candy store! The race was close to the finish, so we all went to the Victory Lane area. Once there the guys asked if they could get in.. then the four of us were ushered into Victory Lane. To top off an already thrilling day for Hubby, his driver won! I can't begin to describe how elated he was to be in Victory Lane when his driver won the Sprint Cup race.

At the end of the night.. I could see on Hubby's face and feel the joy leaching out of him. I am ever so grateful for this experience. I won't forget it and I am confidant Hubby won't either. 

Until next time dear readers.. be blessed and if you ever go to a race, buy the good sunscreen!