Special Things

So today I had a garage sale. Well it was more like a table sale. I actually sold a few things. Literally, a few. I made 10 bucks.I think I could have got more for my large fork and spoon that goes on your wall, the lady really liked them. Which would have surprised Don being that he thought they were worth about 10 cents. He said they looked like they were from Pick'N Save. I don't even know if that is a real store, or just a figurative word used to describe the place where one would buy crap.





Then a nice man came to my door and wanted me to donate to the Special Olympics. Well obviously I couldn't say no to that. I would feel like a horrible person. Like a person that steals the birthday presents from a child. So bascially I broke even today.





He said something that made me think. He said, "You've only got one life, you might as well make the most of what you have." And yes, partly true. But I believe there is more. I see these special people as perfect spirits in imperfect bodies. And this life is not all they have. I know that they we will all see them some day as they really are. So I agree with him that they, like all of us "normal" (ha!) people need to make the most out of what we have, but I also know that they will have so much more. I wanted to tell him that, but well...maybe he reads my blog. I consider it a privilege to have a special needs sister and that I have been given the opportunity to view these special people in an up close and personal way, and that my children will have the opportunity to learn too at an early age, that everyone deserves dignity, respect, and our love.


Well that was my spiritual insight for the day.

Also today, while I was blogging this, I was interrupted by the smell of burning plastic. Good thing Don came in and made me aware of it because my brain does not work so well and it didn't register, "Danger! Danger!"
Turns out Chloe and her 11 year old niece were preheating the oven to make brownies, and a certain someone left a large casserole type plastic lid in the oven. By the time all of us geniuses discovered it (not Don, he is rather intelligent), the lid was molten blue lava in my oven.
Which I am very excited to clean. Very excited.

I guess Chloe was in a baking mood today. She told me she wanted to make a carrot pie and I found her in the kitchen with a large bowl full of milk with a single floating baby carrot.

And that folks was my day. Insane. I felt much better after I found time to shower. At 4 PM.

Delectable Almond Cupcakes

These are probably the best cupcakes. Ever. I mean it. I stole the recipe from my friend Robyn and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing the recipe. I just want all of you to make them and eat them because you will be smitten. They literally melt in your mouth.

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
1 c. flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. water
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1to 2 tsp almond flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour into cupcake pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 12-18 minutes.

Frosting:
1 package cream cheese
1 C. sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cup whipping cream

Beat everything together but the whipping cream. Whip the cream in separate bowl, then fold in with all the other ingredients.

Dear Diary,
Here are some funny stories. Well I think they are funny.

Yesterday I fed Macie a spoonful of macaroni and cheese. I had been spoon feeding Chloe (okay I know she is too old for this, but I just wanted the kid to eat). I realized something was amiss when I heard Macie crying and not really eating the food. And then I said, "What in the world am I doing feeding Macie macaroni and cheese!"
I quickly ran to the sink to rinse out the poor thing's mouth.

And yet another check mark in my "Examples of Me Losing My Sanity" book.


Today I wore a pink skirt to church. Chloe saw this and said, "Mommy! I wear my pink dress like you!"
A few minutes later she came in my room wearing her pink poofy dress, white tights and sandals.
The tights and sandals were quite reminiscent of my Doc Martin sandals and socks faze.
She might have been able to pull it off had it not been that the sandals had a spot for her big toe and the tights didn't fit all that well around it.

I didn't want to discourage her, so I told her "I don't think you should wear the tights, it is going to be too hot."
To which she replied, "Is Teagan wearing tights today?"
And I said, "no."
And she said, "Oh! I go take them off then!"

Then I realized that this is not the lesson I want to teach her, that she should just wear and do whatever her peers are doing. First it is tights, next thing I know she is smoking cigars in the alley.

So then I tried to say, "Oh well if YOU want to wear them, you should. You don't have to wear the same things as your friends."

But it was too late. Teagan was not wearing tights so she definitely was not wearing them either.

The adventures in mothering takes another unexpected turn.

And lastly, yesterday I went to the store to look for drapes. Did not find drapes, but I did find a lot of things that I didn't know I wanted. Well I restrained myself and only walked out with a pink broom, which is what Chloe chose as her reward for being a good girl at her grandparents. This was a proud moment in my life. Although she is not using the broom much for sweeping but has found it makes a nice barricade for her parents, and an excellent tool for accidentally hitting people on the head.

Some people are in denial. I know this because I am looking for a couch. So I am looking on Craigslist.
And like I said, some people are in serious denial.
If something was from 1988 how could they be "barely used."
Although, I tried to sell my Razor Phone for 40 bucks on Craigslist, not realizing I couldn't GIVE that piece of crapola away.
So I can admit I have no room to judge.

Also. Does your neighborhood get as many solicitors as I do? For the past 3 days in a row someone has come to my door wanting money. And when they tell you they are collecting money for drug addicts who are trying to get back on their feet...or when you can tell the person themself probably has a substance abuse problem and wants 10 dollars to spray paint your house number on the sidewalk....what do you do??
I would like to save the world, but I don't have enough money.
Maybe I could teach the world a song. I have heard in jingles and such that that could solve all the world's problems.
"I'd like to teach the world to sing..." You know the diddy right? Didn't your Mom listen to folk music too?
Somethin' like that. Although some people are tone deaf so that might not save the world either.
Well, I will keep thinking.

Two days ago this guy who looked like he had just graduated from the School of Hard Knocks, came to my door and said he was looking for work and asked if he could paint my address on my curb for a few bucks.
I said, "I'm moving!" Which seems to not deter anyone because I use this excuse every time and every time they have some come back like, "Oh your insurance will pay for it!"
Anyway, he said he would give me the "moving special" which was 10 dollars.

I am pretty sure he made up the moving special. And I am pretty sure that I got charged more than the regular special.
But I am a sucker so I agreed.

Now get this. The very next day ANOTHER guy showed up with the same rigmarole. I was not home, Don was. And he was not aware that I already paid someone the day before. And so he paid this guy 5 dollars to REpaint our curb!
I ran into this guy in the driveway while he was doing it, confused I said, "Uh, this was just painted yesterday."
And he said, "Oh, I saw that, that is why I gave your husband a deal. 5 dollars."

I am pretty sure his "deal" was the same price as his regular customers.
So total cost to get curb repainted: 15 dollars.

And...the Mortensens got suckered again.

Did I already tell you about my "free 5x7 and photo shoot"?
Ya right.
When I am presented with adorable pictures of my posterity, I have no agency, and of coarse there was nothing cheaper than $___. I am too embarrassed to say.
But you will see. You will see that my children's faces are priceless and I should not be expected to refuse their permanent smiling faces.

Sigh.

1. Chloe is coming back tonight. I did not get nearly enough done.
But I will be happy to have her back.
We talked to her on the phone last night and she was all roses and rainbows with Don.
Then I talked to her. It started off well but then turned into pathetic commentary on her stay with the grandparents.

"Mommy! I cleaned out that wittle house! With a bwoom! It was dirrrrrrty!"
"Mommy! Gwandma and Gwandpa take me on the pwo haulah!"
And then the conversation turned south....

"Mommy...Can you come pick me up now? Cause I'm tiwed."
"I'm weally weally tiwed Mom. Can you come pick me up now? Cause I wanna come home."

This continued until Don interrupted and told her we had to go.
It was sad and it was funny.
I am glad she loves (mostly me) us so much. ; )


2. Every day I get a new medical bill. Or an update on a medical bill. Or a receipt on the medical bill. It has increased my junk mail by ten fold.
Unfortunately I cannot claim them as junk and just toss then out and just pretend like they were a figment of my imagination.
They were making me feel crazy. So I finally organized them all and wrote down how much and when they were all due.
And I figured out between me and Don's surgery and Macie, we owe 17 different people money.
No wonder they were making me feel crazy,
I wish there was a box right by the "credit card" or "check" options that said "other means."
And by other means I wished they accepted payment in one of the following forms:
* a song
* a plate of cookies
*an afternoon with my 4 year old
* a photo of myself
* a thank you note
* a garbage bag full of old clothes
or finally,
* an eye brow plucking (I am very good at this)

Unfortunately I think they just want my money.
Jerks!

Chloe is out at her grandparents right now. Until Thursday!!!
I feel a little like this:
(I think the Dad portrays the same level of glee that I am currently experiencing)




I slept in until 10 AM today. It felt awesome.
Although my dreams were bizarre. I was back in college and I was really excited to be back because that was a really fun time in my life, but I kept wondering where my kids and Don were.

Anyway. I should be getting stuff done for the move. Instead I find myself daydreaming of what my new house will look like.

If I had my druthers, I would fashion Chloe's room in this theme. Look, it is a red headed mermaid!
Although if Chloe got to pick, this would be her dream:
I just can't do it.

Also, I love this couch .
But a new couch is priority 4, 678.
Also who am I kidding. It is white and velvet!
It would be ruined in 2 months.

Well enough stalling and day dreaming and onto folding clothes which is not nearly as exciting of a thought.

Some lovely bits of my house.

I really love this custom paint job. I think purple and grey jumbled together are very zen, don't you?

Another thing that drew us to this house is the charming, quirky wall art. I mean who doesn't want a painted cat on their wall? And a badly painted cat at that.

In case you didn't catch on, the cat is chasing the mouse "Moe." And dear old Moe has a "hole" to escape to into the other room. So "cute"!



We also really loved the sun room with a painted garden. I had to look twice to see if these flowers were fake! I mean they are just that pretty! And the green carpet looks just like grass!

And look! We have a dilapidated shuffle board court!! We love Shuffle board. we play it every 10 years or so. Like when we go on a cruise.


But perhaps the best part is the desert wallpaper. It is very lovely.
I just knew you would all be jealous.