Summer's winding down Hodgepodge.

1. It's National Waffle Day (August 24th)...what decision are you currently 'waffling over'? (or share one you've recently 'waffled over')

First, Yum! Waffles. 
Okay, onto the question. I have been waffling a lot over what to do for work at my husbands new duty station. I am at the point that I really want to have a job that I can take with me when I leave, so I don't have to restart again after I move. However, I am not sure that any of the opportunities that have presented themselves are something I would enjoy doing long term. 

2. It's the middle of August, but I'm already seeing lots of autumn-related posts. Do you think we rush the seasons? If so, does that bother you? I saw (here) an end of summer bucket list that included-
make s'mores, read a new (or favorite) book in the park, eat something delicious and bad for you at a state fair, be a tourist for the day, have a pot luck picnic, book a last minute summer getaway, relax by or in the pool, take a hike to watch the sunset, have a day on the lake, try a new summer recipe
Which activities on the list might you squeeze in before summer officially comes to a close?


As much as I LOVE fall, I am not a person who likes to rush the seasons. I think that we spend a lot of time thinking ahead, and not as much time appreciating where we are now. On that list I actually have a lot of those activities planned for the next few weeks. It is still too hot to read outside, thank you desert living. I will be going to the fair this weekend, county not state, but the bad food will still be there. I have been touristing in our new home quite a bit. Pot luck picnic is scheduled. No vacations, no pool, and no lake. The new recipe, always. Tonight is no exception. My daughter and I are making herb crusted chicken with the fresh herbs my neighbor grows. 






3. Your favorite summertime 'art' found in nature?


The skies, I love the way a beautiful summer sky looks, sunrise, sunset, clouds or all blue, I love all of them. 






4. Stephen R. Covey is quoted as saying 'We judge ourselves by our intentions, and others by their actions.' Agree or no? Do you define yourself based on your intentions, your actions, or something else?


I tend to define myself more by my actions, because I know that's how others judge me. I am incredibly sensitive to judgement, both of myself and others, and if for some reason I am judged and found lacking it is very hard for me, especially if that lack is communicated to me second hand.  For example if the work that I do is not up to par, then I beat myself up for not meeting expectations, and if the fact that it isn't up to par isn't communicated to me, but to a co-worker and then passed along gossip style it can fire up my temper faster than anything else. 

5. Are you useful in a crisis? Elaborate.


I would really like to say yes, really I would. I am CPR trained, trained for severe allergies, seizures  and many other medical conditions that can come up as a school teacher, as well as helping planning emergency responses to multiple conditions. However, the one emergency I have been through showed me that I tend to freeze and panic. Maybe I would be different if it wasn't my child. But honestly I was useless. 


When P-nut was VERY young, not quite 2. She had her hand slammed shut in a door that the wind caught. The metal door and wooden frame bent around her hand and it latched shut.  There was blood streaming out of it, and I just froze. My husband however is amazing in an emergency and quickly covered her hand, stopped the bleeding as well as he could and rushed her to the ER. 3 hospitals and countless Dr's later she only needed 8 stitches, and has two scars, one from the stitches, and one on the back of her hand where the swelling caused a blister and she lost all the skin. 


So I was just looking around for a picture to attach for this story, but then I decided that really, no one wants to see that. 





6. What's been your go-to dish this summer? Is it something you'll continue making as the seasons change?


Are we being honest here? Sandwiches, leftovers, and bagged salad. We moved this summer, so the first third was spent making meals out of what we had in our pantry to try and use it all up, the second third was fast food and the kindness of friends and family, and the final third has been quick and easy mostly as I slowly try and build that pantry back up. 






7. Adult coloring books are a thing now. Have you jumped on the bandwagon? If not is this something you think you might enjoy?


I don't want to call it jumping on the bandwagon really. I have used coloring as a coping mechanism since I was in High School. I have carried my fancy crayons, pencils, and markers for years.  It's nice that now finding coloring pages that don't contain cartoon characters is easier, but when this fad stops I'll be happy to continue on as I was before. 
The one way that I have stepped on the band wagon I guess is that I am co-hosting an adult coloring book brunch for the wives that work with my husband. We are having a coffee bar with pastries and a full collection of coloring books and things to give us a chance to get to know each other. 





8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

One way I am getting ready for fall is that my girls and I are starting fall crafting. We have been making stuffed pumpkins and throw pillows for our house all week. It has been a lot of fun, so much fun in fact that I am debating making them for friends and family just to kill time while I wait for a job to present itself. 

Hodgepodge

1. I read here four creative activities to try this month. They were-calligraphy, make your own cookbook, dance or learn a new type of dance, and letter writing. Which activity on the list appeals to you most? Will you add it to your August? 

They are all actually pretty appealing to me, I think of all of them, letter writing, or writing my own cookbook are the most appealing. I always want to revive the tradition of having a pen pal, I am just not always as good at it as i would like to be. 

2. Bertrand Russell is quoted as saying, 'To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.' Agree or disagree? Explain. 

I agree. It is hard to appreciate what you have without not having other things that you want. I think that also it is hard to be happy based on things at all, so maybe that is why I agree. 

3. August 17th is National Thriftshop Day...are you a 'thrifter'? If so, tell us about one of your best or favorite finds. 

I am not a thrifter, at all. Not that I don't want to be, but mostly because I don't have the patience to search through the crud to get to the good. 

4.  On a scale of 1-10 (with 1= almost none and 10=loads) how would you rate your sense of wanderlust? What kicks your wanderlust into high gear? 

I would say I have a 4, I like to think that I want to travel places, I adore looking at travel lists, learning about the history and culture of people all around world, but I have such anxiety about travel that I probably won't ever go. 

5. Has life felt more like a marathon or sprint so far this month? How so?

Marathon this month. Getting settled into a new home, and finding a new job is taking much longer this PCS than it did last time. I am working very hard on giving myself and others grace when perfection isn't achieved instantly. 

6. What do you need to get a jump on before fall officially arrives? 

Starting this year I want to work on making changeable seasonal decorations for my house. Couch pillows, wall hangings, etc. So I need to start making the couch pillows for the fall decor. 

7. What's the last thing you did with friends or family where you lost track of time? 

Every night when my girls and I curl up to read together. This is my favorite time of day and I really hope that the change to Secondary school doesn't make my oldest too busy to do this. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

The girls have started school, and we have had a few hiccoughs in that area, but hopefully they are all ironed out. I have a lead on a few more job opportunities, so I hope that one of those pans out, but until then, I'm pretty bored here at home. 

Olympic Hodgepodge

1. Are you watching the Olympics? Your favorite summer Olympic event? I read recently a list of the most iconic Olympic moments in history...what stands out in yourmind as a great moment from some past summer Olympic games?

Yes! I love the Olympics! My family is not so involved as I am, I like every event, I would watch every single event if there was a realistic way to do it, and parent, and sleep. My favorite summer event is probably the.... diving? no gymnastics? Maybe the decathlon? It's just too hard to choose. 


2. Have you ever been to Rio? How about the place that started it all-Greece? Have you ever been to any of the Olympic Games in person? Is that something you'd like to do? Have you ever met an Olympian in person?

No, no and no, Yes, I was thinking today that attending an Olympics should be added to my bucket list immediately. And I don't think I have met an Olympian in person. 


3. The ball's in their court (tennis), cross the finish line (track and field), on target (archery), make a splash (diving), on a roll (gymnastics), out of one's depth (swimming)...which Olympic-related idiom best applies to your life right now? Explain.


Is there an Olympic idiom for not waiting patiently at all. I want a job, but after applying for a ton of them, no luck finding one that is the right fit for my family. Not even the perfect one (which I did apply for but so did 25 other people, and I'm STILL waiting to hear) just a fit that won't make our lives harder instead of easier. So I guess I am at "the ball is in their court" waiting for a choice to be made about the jobs I have applied for. 

4. What have you earned a 'gold medal' in recently?

Cleaning? Drinking Coffee? Annoying my middle schooler? 


5. What is it (or who is it) that motivates you to eat right, exercise, and do what you can to be healthy?

Honestly I like healthy foods, so that's not hard unless I am super stressed out or bored. Exercise? It's weird I enjoy doing it, but hate doing it on my own, but I don't want a trainer. I have marginal motivation to work out when I am only there for myself, and when I have a trainer, they just annoy me so I don't want to go at all. The ideal situation for me is when a friend asks me to help keep them on track, then I always show up and work hard. 


6. Are you young at heart or an old soul? Explain.

Neither? I don't think I have ever thought about this and have no idea what my answer is. I really feel like neither of them apply to me, but of the two young at heart applies less. That's definitely my husbands thing. 


7. It's National S'mores Day (August 10th)...are you a fan? Will you celebrate with a s'more today?

Not really, I prefer just the toasted marshmallow, sometimes with the graham cracker, but the combination of all three is way to sweet for me. 


8. Insert your own random thought here.

School starts in just a few days and David goes back to work after taking leave so that I could start work this week. Too bad they haven't finished the hiring processes so we are all just sitting here. I'm not sure if I will be better off next week when things get back to normal, but at least I can start to find my place here. If I don't get a job here, I think I'll work on getting my New Mexico Teaching License first, then maybe go back to school. 

Hodgepodge and headaches.

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your summer so far? Why?
(1=eh and 10=best summer ever) 

I'll go with a 5, it hasn't necessarily been a bad summer, but it has been a hard one. We PCS'ed again. For the non-military this means Permanent Change of Station, so we have moved to a new state and my husband is doing a new job fir the military. This is our 5th Station in 13 years of marriage, and our 8th house. I enjoy the process of decluttering and redecorating, but not the process of leaving new friends and having to make mew ones. I am an introvert and the idea of finding new people to be friends with is no fun. 

2. July 26th is National Aunts and Uncles Day. Did you have many aunts and uncles growing up? Were you especially close to any one or maybe all of them? Are you an aunt? (or uncle for the men who join here on Wednesdays) Share a favorite memory relating to one of your own aunts or uncles or relating to a niece or nephew who call you Aunt (or Uncle).

I had two sets of Aunts and Uncles on one side of my family and one on the other, so 3 Aunts and 3 uncles total. We were friendly and family like and I love them all, but we were never super close the way I have seen in families that all live close to each other. I am an Aunt, I have 11 nephews and 9 nieces if you count, siblings, step-siblings, in-laws, and friends who should be family. A favorite memory is hard because we live so far away from them all that every single memory is precious, and choosing one makes me feel like I am not choosing another and I don't want anyone to feel forgotten. 

3. What's your favorite food dipped in chocolate? What's your favorite food dipped in cheese?

So many options, so little time. My favorite food dipped in chocolate is probably nuts. I love chocolate covered nuts, or peanut butter, and coconut (which I am counting as a nut for the purpose of this question). I am actually not a huge chocolate fan unless it is really dark chocolate so I need something that isn't too sweet to cut through. 

My favorite food dipped in cheese is bread. I love a good traditional fondue with crusty bread to dip into it. 

4. When were you last astonished by something? Explain.

Astonished? I can't remember the last time I was astonished by something. Taken off guard, yes, surprised, yes. But astonished, nope. I feel like this is one of those words whose meaning has become diluted thanks to all of the the internet clickbait articles. You know the kind I'm talking about "The girl walked into her living room, what happened next will astonish you" and all that happens is that she does a cartwheel or something equally not astonishing. 

5. Surf board, paddle board, ironing board, Pinterest board, score board, clip board, bulletin board...which board have you most recently encountered?

Definitely the Pinterest Board. See question 1. We are in the middle of moving and due to some unfortunate moving truck issues, refurbishing or replacing a lot of our furniture. So Pinterest has been my best friend. 

6. What's your favorite story from scripture? Why that story?

My favorite of all time. Esther. Why, because she was shy, socially outcast, and afraid, even if she was beautiful, and still she accomplished miraculous things. She did these things not by spreading hate or being vindictive, but by following the careful commands God gave her and by being kind even to the people who were trying to hurt her. I think that there is a lot we could learn from Esther. 

7. If you were to travel from the east coast to the west coast in your own country, which five cities would you most want to see?

Charleston, SC - My favorite city in the US, and the place we want to retire when this military adventure is over. 

New Orleans, LA - I've always wanted to visit here. 

San Antonio, TX - I've been here before and will go here again, it's a fun place with things for the whole family, history, fun, etc. 

Flagstaff, AZ - This is a no brainer, this is home. I grew up here, I feel so at peace when I go back. 

Anaheim, CA - Disney, need I say more? 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Headaches for me! Headaches for you! Headaches for everyone!!! 

I have noticed that when I have a headache, not a migraine those are their own special category, that I will avoid taking medication for as long as possible. Like it's giving up or admitting defeat for me to take something. Really, I don't get why I do this to myself. Like today for example, I woke up with a headache, it was annoying but not horrible, as the day wore on it kept getting a little worse and a little worse until by early afternoon it was horrible. But all day I had just tried to ignore it. I finally took some Motrin (you know the stuff you get every.single.time you see a military doctor) and 30 minutes later I'm at 100%. I could have been at 100% at 7 this morning, or at 10, but no, I had to prove something to no one and wait until 1.