I don't know what "Thats what she said" means

Generally, I appreciate not having a tv. I have been without basic tv channels for over two years and without a tv (dvd and vcr) in our home for about three months. But I regret missing the Olympics, apart from some diving and women's beach volleyball very early on. I actually don't even know the results of most events. But more that the Olympics, I am so out of the loop when it comes to the Office that I can't even tell you the basic story lines. I missed the entire season last year. The last one I watched was when that annoying guy sang, "Take a Chance on Me" and now he is proposing? Being a mother is like having blinders on in so many ways. To end on a less negative note, I can always watch the Office on DVD; I can't get back the time with my kids, can't just record it and watch it someday to catch up. Plus, who would want to see some of these "precious" moments with your children again? So much for that negative note.

I'm not sure this is normal behavior

(the following were taken from real phone conversations between Ryann and myself)

R: Chicken from Wal-Mart, still in the bag, thawed out for two days in the fridge. What do you think?
K: Does it smell ok?
R: Yes.
K: Go for it.

K: Yogurt, expired three days ago, unopened? Still good?
R: Definitely. I have eaten it a week after it has expired.

K: Chicken, unopened, three days 'til it goes bad, but it smells really weird. Do you think its bad or just the packaging picked up some funky odors?
R: Toss it. No doubt about it. Why risk it?

This dialogue could go on and on. It seems that every week, one of us is calling the other with some question about the healthfulness of food that deep down we understand is unsafe. Sausage, roast, eggs, hamburger meat- nothing is exempt. Why do we push the issue? On one hand, we realize that those that label food have to be extra precautious concerning the general masses of Americans purchasing food. I mean, they have reason to worry. Tomato farmers are fixing to sue the powers that be over that salmonella scare earlier this summer. So I feel that sometimes, the dates are guidelines that will keep us safe if followed, but its a proceed at your own risk if they are disregarded.
For Ryann and I, I really think that not respecting the food authorities is not the issue at all. I think that we--I will proceed on my own from here on out-- I think that I am just really lazy and procrastinate too much. I procrastinate cooking the meals I planned until they are of a questionable smell, color, expiration date. Then laziness takes over and I refuse to go to the store to remedy my situation, choosing a possible food-borne illness to venturing out into the world in search of safe meals. I also want to point out that this has nothing to do with me being frugal and not wanting to waste food. I am actually fine to throw out 3 unopened containers of cottage cheese that expired before the fourth of July, and not think twice about the cost.
So the sum of it all is that I will feed my family food that is of questionable nutritional value and associated with potential health risks. Normal? Not sure. But that uncertainty is not enough to make me more label conscious, or un-lazy.

This is it for me

So the point of this endeavor (blogging) was to unearth my pre-mama self and give her a voice. I now realize, as I am sure you did weeks ago, she doesn't exist. Far too much of my personality, habits, likes, and dislikes have changed since Reno was born. And I honestly say that with no remorse. I am happy. That was not always the case.
So from now on, this will strictly be (what it has always been to you) me rambling-sometimes cleverly- about my life as I now see it. Feel free to navigate away from this site.

She loves me, she loves me not

So back to that whole baby thing. I am over it-not that I was ever really that excited about it in the first place. I am pretty neutral about the addition or lack thereof. Is this sounding harsh? I am not trying to, its just that Jason really wants more, and I am fine to not.
Enough about that, but I think that it is indicative of my personality. I find that I am discovering that I am not really that committed to much. I tend to start lots of things and drop them almost immediately. And unfortunately in my fury of excitement and insistence that I have the latest object of my obsession, I waste lots of time, effort, and especially money. To name a few: the piano, clarinet, and fiddle (and I will not classify my guitar as such, for the simple fact that I feel like any moment now I might unlock that hidden talent), scrap booking, having Heidi be an inside dog, having dogs in general, having Fritz be an inside dog, my garden. These things have ended up collecting dust, or dead (the garden, fruit trees in the backyard, and Heidi --and to be honest, I wouldn't lose much sleep if the bobcat struck again and snagged Fritz as well-slightly kidding). Anyway. At least there are some things that stick-like my family, religion and all that goes with it, sewing and baking. If you didn't make the list, that may be a bad sign.

The mouse and the snake were returned to nature unharmed, much to my chagrin.

I beguiled on account of the serpent

A little family drama unfolded last night when Jason announced there was a snake in the cupboard and retrieved my shotgun from the bedroom. To keep the peace I all out lied to Reno and said that daddy was mistaken and sent him to bed. After Reno was asleep and we searched each cupboard, he was found on top of the cupboards, about an 8 foot climb in all. We mistook him for a rattler, but quickly realized that he wasn't rattling and that it was a bull snake (not venomous). So we called for braver reinforcements and Travis and Tuey came to our aid. Travis got him down to the counter and Tuey--so brave-- grabbed him with kitchen tongs at one end and fencing pliers on the other. We put him in a bin and closed the lid. We planned to let him out down the road so he wouldn't find his way back into the house. And there is also the matter of snake proofing our home... how does one go about doing that little chore?

Well, I told Reno the truth today and the kids were fascinated with him-still in the bin and yeah he is ok. So I go to my bathroom to change my clothes (we had been to the temple all day) and there is a mouse on the bathroom counter. He climbs into a vase of flowers, which was his home it turns out, and you guessed it. We decided to bring a little Discovery Channel home to enjoy and gave him to the snake. No action yet, but we are hopeful. Regardless of life or death, we will return them both to nature tomorrow after church.

And as for the lie, he forgave me in his excitement over the reptile and I vow to be honest with my kids from here on out. In my defense, we had to get up at three this morning and I knew if he knew there was a snake in the house last night he would have ended up in my bed. But like I said. No excuses. From now on, honest with my fellow man and all that jazz.