Always look on the Bright Side of Life...

As crazy as it sounds, Monty Python often helps me through the day.  The context of that skit is unimportant (and possibly disturbing), but at some point a character sings "always look on the bright side of life..." and when things are getting me down I whistle that once in awhile.

We all have things that pump us up, I think.  I do at least.  Things we think of or remember to keep us motivated.  Keep us going.  It's like running or weight lifting.  There comes a point (for me it's about 4 miles, for fellow blooger Amanda over at THE WINK its apparently 6 miles, but I'm not being jealous or competitive or anything) :)

But at that point - the point where you want to slow down, or stop, or give up - you can repeat a mantra to yourself to keep pushing through.  Keep holding on.  Any other cliche' you want to add here.  It's just trying to trick your mind into being positive.  Don't think of anything else but that mantra.  I used to say to myself "take the pain, go for the gain."  Some people I've heard just chant one word, like "win" or "go" over and over.  Whatever works.

I have those for life as well.  Life hands out a few pretty vicious lemons once in awhile.  Another blogger, ApocalypticDad, feels my pain.  His story about CAR TROUBLE reminds me of my own.  And when those kinds of things get me down, I usually think of Monty Python or Jerry Maguire (one of the best Tom Cruise movies ever, if you've never seen it). 

Jerry had a mentor in the movie who would come on once in awhile and give sage advice.  Among these were my morning mantra "I love the morning!  I clap my hands and say, "Today is gonna be a great day!""  Gotta say that when it's 5 in the morning and cold and dark out.  Those covers are very comfy, very tempting.  Jerry helps me out of bed.

The other is "At the end of the day, I love my life, I love my wife, and I wish you my kind of success."
Gotta measure success on your own terms, and when life hands you lemon curve balls, remember what's important.  If you love your wife and kids, and they love you too - nothing else matters.  I wish for that kind of success.

Blog post - http://mredie.com - Post Turkey depression, Pre Holiday Lethargy, and how do I wake these sleeping kids?
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The Flan Incident

Life throws curveballs.  No doubt about it.  I suppose it would be boring if it wasn't like that - if we knew what would happen every day, and it was the same as the day before, that would be torture.  It's good to have a little variety once in awhile.  A little bit of a challenge.  To a point...

When I woke up yesterday, I could not have predicted I would be running with flan at the end of the day.  That would have never crossed my mind.  But that's what happened.  Observe.

I went on a long run about a week ago, and slightly injured my left foot.  So I haven't been out for a run in about 5 days.  So I was itching to continue my regimine yesterday.  I woke up and got ready to go.  I had a staff meeting at lunch time, and some fighting on the playground for dessert.

So, when I finally made it home around 5:00, I was a little exhausted and a little fed up.  I was ready to put my aching foot up and relax.  I was greeted at the door by 5 smiling faces, and a little song and dance number besides. :) I was told we were having takeout mexican for dinner, which suited me just fine, but then I wanted to make sure I got a run in, or I'd feel too guilty.  So I went and picked up the food, but when I got back it was pushing 5:30.

So, the forgot the side of sour cream.  That's okay, but we did pay for it so I wanted to go back and get it.  We fed the kids, but I wanted to wait to eat until I ran, so I didn't run with a belly full of rice and beans (not a good throw up combination).  So around 6:30 I took off out the door for a run.

On the way, I thought I'd go ahead and pick up the sour cream.  The restaurant was very nice, but I was in a hurry.  When the guy came out with the sour cream, he also had a to-go container.  I gave the perfunctory "no, that's okay, you didn't have to do that, etc..." but then he was gone.  And I was holding a flan.

What do you do?  I don't want to waste the flan.  So I picked up the dog's leash and started back toward home, running at a 25 minute mile pace (a little ahead of my normal time!).  How did I get here?  I'm sure if anyone saw me I was a little peculiar.  "He went for a run: great!  He got take-out while he was running? - not so great" they would say as I passed by.

But by that point, with custard sloshing about so much it was running down my arm, I was not going to waste this flan.  I was not going to be another wasteful American - I was an ingenious pioneer American who took what life threw him and made the best of it. I was running with the flan.

When I got back it was basically sloshed around so much it was soup, and most of that had run out the sides of the container.  So it was a waste.  But I had never felt so alive.

I think he's a prodigy (don't all parents?). Best male 5 year old colorer I've seen in years!
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Rex doesn't love the camera. Or else he's just hiding from the world. You can't put your head in the sand forever!
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Putting up the Christmas Decorations

You might think it's too early to put up the Christmas decorations, but this Saturday was the perfect time for me.  Why?  Because I was already out in the yard taking down the Halloween decorations, and I'm not crazy enough to sign up for Thanksgiving decorations.  Next thing you know I'll have to put up Memorial Day decorations and Columbus Day decorations.  Don't we have enough days we have to put out a specific themed tablecloth and towels for?
I am all about efficiency, and if I'm out on the ladder taking down a bunch of pumpkin shaped lights, theres no reason not to put out a few candy caned shaped ones at the same time, right?  And the brilliance of that system is, it was pretty good weather this saturday.  The worst part about Christmas decorations is the wet, cold, miserable weather you have to endure while doing it, always picturing the ambulance ride after you slip on the icy ladder.  And picturing the 500 dollar deductable attached to it.
So we put them up.  The kids helped me, and did a great job at it.  The littlest only broke 4 bulbs, the new 5 year old only choked one other person with a cord of lights, and the two girls did a great job when I asked them to wrap the rope lights around the fence posts.  Of course, they wrapped all the rope lights around only one fence post, but I didn't specify the quantity of posts to light up, so I think they did a great job.
It's fun for the kids to help you out with those sorts of things, and a test of your patience besides.  I got a B- this weekend on my patience test, and I think that's pretty darn good.
But, they'll remember those things forever. Just think about when you're old, and they're tellilng stories about their childhood.  If you don't pay in memories now, it's going to be hell in the old folks home later.  Remember that.

Gardening is over

I finished pulling up the garden this past weekend.  It was a long process, but I'm glad it's done.  The kids helped me, mostly by picking the tomatoes off of the plants beforehand.  What I love is how willing and eager they are to help!  I know it won't be like that forever, but that's certainly a good thing about this age.

Every age I think has certain positives and negatives.  For instance, newborn babies are WAY too fragile.  Negative.  But their cry is so small and cute, it doesn't make you want to hit things.  Positive.  Konner is still in diapers right now.  Negative.  But he's hilarious to watch.  Even when he's just walking somewhere, he does it with a certain awkwardness and style that is just funny.  Instant entertainment. Positive.

The girls are especially positive now, because they are becoming real people.  They can help set the dinner table, take out the trash, do the laundry and the dishes...pretty much everything at this point.  They're like actual productive members of the family.  Last weekend they did all the laundry, clearned up the backyard, and helped me peel apples for freezing.  They watch their brother when he's downstairs, they pick up dog poop - and they can talk and understand things that are a little above a 5 year old.

Not too long ago Keith was playing with his mashed potatoes at the dinner table, swirling and plumping them and whispering strange things to himself.  All I had to do was give a glance to Kassy and we both just kindof smirked and raised our eyebrows.  We didn't have to say anything - it was all understood.  He's weird.  And it's nice to have that connection with my kids.

I wonder what the positives and negatives at my age would be?  They'd probably say "surly and tired - negative."  But, "loves his kids - positive."