Sharks for lunch, and ketchup faces!

 

Lunch for the kids is the same routine day in and day out. Something healthy, something they WANT to eat, and to get them to be on the same plate isn’t always easy.

Today I opted for the deli chicken, slice of American cheese, pepperoni slices (Buzz/Alex only) and shark cheese crackers.

I have before just put it ALL on a plate, but I’ve learned if I take the time (a few minutes extra) I get this sweet giggly reaction to lunch, bonus. PLUS I get them to eat in minutes, with out having to say, eat. take a bite. eat. eat. take a bite.

Buzz is learning his name (I know, I know, I let you all in on my kids name! GASP secret identity revealed!) so anything with his name, is cool. Especially the X. He LOVES the X.

Tink/Mia loved her plate too. The sharks swimming around her letters, and happy to NOT have pepperoni on her plate.

I do this with most meals. If I can create art with food, so be it! Plus it just looks more appetizing! Another one I do often, is Buzz likes to have his mac and cheese on a plate (I have one with a high edge) I spread it out flat, cools MUCH faster, and he LOVES ketchup on his. So I LOVE making some sort of face. Happy, tongue out, or sad if he’s grumpy.

When you take the time to make just about anything for a kid fun. The odds of them doing it, eating it or wearing it seem much better!

JCat McGack

Happy has taken over

This happened…

And then this happened…

And this as well…

I think a combination of Fly Lady, my mom the Queen, and my amazingly OCD clean friends DMudd and Maternal Mirth have take over my mind.

I mean this is my house clean… it’s been like this for DAYS. I mean we are going on a week of made beds, dishes done, laundry caught up, clutter picked up and dinners made.

I’m motivated to get up early, to spend time with my children, to scrapbook, sew and create.

I want to start planning my garden for this spring, and I want to clean out my garage. I want to have a clean happy home.

AND I’m happy all the time. Sounds too good to be true. But it’s the old me. I’m back. I fought Post Partum Depression, and it was hard. I had NO meds, no therapy… unless you consider my much needed 2 hour phone calls to Maternal Mirth who seriously helped me cope. But when I though I was better, I still wasn’t. But I had accepted the fact that I was sick. And after years (I guess after a while it’s called Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) of dealing with being depressed, and down on myself, my house, and how I acted, I kept telling myself I’d get better.

I think my positive, glass half full, optimistic look on life got the better of me. Took over, and is winning by far.

I’m glad to be back. I know it’s made my husband, Blue, happier. The kids happier. A.maz.ing what depression will do to the whole household.

Like they say “If Momma ain’t happy. Ain’t nobody happy”

JCat McGack

Give it up.

Yes I’m talking about the ever so wonderful season of Lent. Raised Roman Catholic, this was a BIG thing around me. For 20+ years I would fast from meat on Ash Wednesday (yesterday) and every Friday until Easter Sunday.

Well now fast forward to me being 33, NOT being Catholic anymore. BUT still giving things up for Lent. Sounds odd, but my husband still plays along with the fasting of meat (which seriously messed with my menu this week. So I went to Culvers for his Religious reasons, and bought fish) and giving things up.

I said it’s like I slacked off from my New Years Resolutions for the last 54 days of 2012. So lets start over on Ash Wednesday. AND make a big deal of Fat Tuesday, because who doesn’t love a day to indulge on everything we shouldn’t for the fact that people say we should?! Plus saying I’m only giving it up for the next 40 days makes it that much easier.

And so with out further ado, here is my list of things I’m going to attempt to give up. Start to do. Or do better… (please don’t laugh till the end. Thankyou.)

1. One carb a day. So my 1/2 bagel for breakfast? That’s it!
2. Exercise of some sort EVERYDAY. Warrior Dash is coming soon… 100 plus some days. Will be here before I know it.
3. Do dishes after every meal. Shiny sink at night.
4. WE will not buy fast food (if someone else, say his parents do. It’s ok. BUT we still are on the one carb rule.)
5. I am TRYING to stay on top of housework like a champ. Not like the slacker that has taken over me the last 6 years. But really try hard.
6. Blog more. Comment more.
7. Balance time. Again this is a BIG new year one. I think from 2011’s list.

Well that’s what I’ve got for now. Not too crazy of a list right? I’m sure I’ll break those, all of them. But hey I can’t say I didn’t humor the idea. Oh and just to give my husband something to shake his head at. I enjoy eating meat every Friday in Lent. It’s the agnostic thing to do. (cheesy smile here)

Until my next post!

JCat McGack

“If I just lay here. Would you lie with me, and just forget the world. ”

Do me a favor… listen to this song, even if put on a head seat so your boss doesn’t catch you.  Even if you know it by heart. This song is our song… you’ll understand better after you read this…

At dinner tonight, Blue and I were sitting at the table eating and we heard this LOUD, constant barking. I said “Where is Sophie?”

Blue said “She’s outside…that’s odd, I haven’t heard her bark like that in forever.”

So after a few more minutes of her CONSTANTLY barking as loud, and as excited as she could. I went to the back door.

I first check next door, and see Trigger outside. She always barks with him. But this was a different bark. Just like an ‘old Sophie’ bark. And I notice that she’s not next to the fence by Trigger. But by Lady’s fence.

Lady is an old black lab who lives behind us. They NEVER bark at each other. And I don’t see Lady outside either, but I see a wiggly little dog… about the size of Sophie… I said to Blue “Looks like a boxer? Dark and brindle colored too”

And I looked at him. And he said… “Let me go out and look”… he made it to the back fence, and came right back. He said “YOU can NOT go out there. You just can’t”

So I had to. I grabbed my shoes, and my sweatshirt. I headed out the door. I went to the back fence, and I said “Soph. What is it Soph?! Do you see a puppy?! She looks just like…OMG” my hands went to my face and I started to sob. Before it, I was on my knees at the fence, my arms pushed through the lats, begging for this dog to look at me.

She looked at me. With HUGE brown eyes, through long brown eyelashes, a dark black face, with dark red and black brindle tiger stripes. Ohmygod. It was Maggie… OUR Maggie as a baby. And then I looked at Sophie and wondered if she thought the same thing? I mean she was SPOT ON Maggie. Our beloved Maggie, the Maggie that we had from when we moved into our home, the Maggie that was Sophie’s best friend, and her one and only bestest sister… the baby girl we had to let go of, just 10 months ago due to throat cancer.

I mean I thought dogs would go by smell alone… did Sophie SEE that she looked JUST like Maggie? That she was a boxer just like her?

Sophie was just SO excited. I mean it’s been since Maggie was better that I’ve seen her bark like that. I walked Sophie back to the house, and for 10 minutes she barked in my face, she licked the tears as they ran down my face.

I have never been so happy and so sad at the exact same time. I was so happy that Sophie was SO excited. She was just elated with the fact that her sister came to see her. I mean we’ve gone through 10 months of Sophie moping, and sleeping, and sure she’s happy, but this was just her BURSTING with joy. And I was SO sad, my heart just imagined my baby Maggie, my first dog, who kissed away my PPD tears, who protected us, and was the best girl. Who gave us her all.

Sophie was SO happy. I mean barking and kissing my face… I looked at Blue, his eyes filled with tears, and realize we all thought the same thing.

Maggie came home, to visit. She was letting us know that in Dog Heaven she is a puppy again. Wiggly, excited, and just as beautiful as she always was.

After I spent time with Sophie and Ed. I had to go back. To see her again. She was cautious and sweet, but once she realized I was alone, she came to me and let me pet her. I pet her for 15 minutes, I froze my butt off, squatted next to the fence till my legs went numb.

Then I stood, at the four foot fence, and she put up her giant boxer paws and I held her face in my hands. I just wanted to hold her… I just wanted to hold Maggie one more time… and she turned her head and gave me that boxer look. And I knew, it was a different dog. And I thanked her. For putting up with the crazy family on the other side of the fence. For giving us just one more visit. I then remembered back this last spring, I had lost my self in this same puppy, when she was just born. It’s our neighbors brother. He has brought her by one other time. I’m pretty sure we acted the same way.

But to the three of us. It was our Maggie May coming home one more time. To let us know she is OK. She is safe and wonderful, and waiting. Patiently. For us to come see her on the Rainbow Bridge and take her home.

Well until that day Magg, we appreciate these visits. We needed to see you again. We know your watching over us. We just needed that… a few minutes to SEE you again.

Oh and just so you know, your sister, Sophie, is doing her best to fill that hole in my hear that you left… it’s a pretty big hole. One that I do think will always be there.

“If I lay here. If I just lay here. Would you lie with me, and just forget the world. All that I am. All that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes. They are all that I can see. Forget what we are told. Before we are too old. And show me a garden that is bursting into life. Lets waste time. Chasing cars. If I just lay here. Would you lie with me, and just forget the world. ”

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

That song would play when Maggie and I would go for car rides. Sophie never liked car rides, but Maggie, LOVED to have her head out the window. Just to be with me in the car.

And the song reminded me of all the times when she would just lay with you. Just stare at you, and look into your soul. Maggie just knew, she knew when to listen, when to hug, and when to just sit in your lap (all 70 lbs of her) and just be there for you.

 

Thank you Maggie May. You are gone, but never forgotten.

April 21st 2003 -  April 19th 2011

JCat McGack

If you want to see my final video with my Maggie May…

36 years to Hollywood

My dearest husband, Blue, is turning 36 on Tuesday February 7th, and so we had our date night to celebrate it!

He’s been talking about this movie theater he wanted to try out. It’s not a normal movie theater by far. It’s a genius concept, and it will be hard to go back to the old regular theater after last night!

I mean your every day theater is a lobby with an arcade to amuse children, glass counter, with popcorn, candy and some small food options. Theaters now a day have WAY better seating, I am a fan of reclining chairs, and arm rests that can move. Bleacher seating has spoiled me as well. So I do love the regular movies, it’s a great place for families, for my children and I, but if you want a more adult experience…

You go to Hollywood Blvd, or Hollywood Palms theater and we have lobby, COVERED in memorabilia, décor is awesome, there is TWO bars for adults, tall tables to sit at, full dinner, deserts, and a waiter IN your show?! You want more, well check out my review…

Let’s start at the beginning, you come in to this HUGE lobby, and I mean there are tables all over, adult HIGH tables, and there is a bar there to the left ( see picture below. It was closed at the time) and straight ahead is a HUGE bar.

From what I see on their website they have celebrities come by and do signings and some premiers for their movies. Sometimes they do old movies and have the actors come by as well.

Oh and I didn’t get a picture of the front of the building, they had the car from Blues Brothers mounted to the roof! Spotlights up in the sky going, and it is located in a strip mall! LOVE it!

We headed over to the ticket counter, it was the LAST night to see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

I’m not usually one for the MI series, but it wasn’t my birthday!

I have to say after that one, I laughed, sat on the edge of my seat, my anxiety was through the roof on the missions, and at one point I cried! It was a great movie! Tom Cruise at what he does best.

 

After getting the tickets, and pointing at all the cool posters (I’ll show you my favorite in a bit) we sat by the end of the bar, to wait to be called for our movie.

Yes your movie gets called, that they are seating for it. You don’t get to go in before hand.

Our table was a man hole cover. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.

 

 

This handsome and shiny guy was hanging out by us, I wish I had taken a picture of the GIANT Buddha on the other side (I’m sure I’ll be back to paparazzi the place again!)

And on the wall next to us, was all kinds of hands and footprints from famous people.

 

 

 

Oh and I’ve GOT to show you my ALL time favorite movie poster! I’ll always be a Goonie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had some fun editing the pictures, this one is Blue and I in the lobby.

I have to say, at first I thought this picture came out a bit weird.

But I wanted to embrace the bright colors of the theater behind us. But almost freeze us in time with the classic black and white

Let me just say, I will miss Picnik website, for all their amazing photo editing freeness when they shut down in April. Boo. Hoo. I need a new free one… suggestions welcome.

I was trying to get the previous picture, but in the efforts, it took about 5 shots of us together. My dear husband is NOT a fan of the camera, and after the first 3 he was like SERIOUSLY?!

I think he worries what people around us will think. Plus he HATES himself in all his pictures. So THIS picture I LOVE.

It’s us in motion. Me asking for one more shot, and him REALLY not wanting to take another one!

Finally we were called to see our movie! We went through the very decorative gates…

And down the hall…

I have to say if I stopped to take a picture of ALL that there is to see here, we would be here forever.

LOTS of detail, gaudy, and fun.

 

 

 

 

At the end of the movie theater hall there is a HUGE museum like area FULL of glass boxes with costumes worn by actors and what movie they are from! We didn’t’ go there till after our movie was out, and that was after 11, and Blue gets up at 4:45 am, so he was TIRED and new the next day would be rough, so we went through fast.

I did take this one, of Katherine Heigel’s dress from 27 Dresses, there is another one of her dresses on the other side as well!

They had SO many things to look at, there was Will Smith’s shirt from Hancock, and one of the big space pod things from Austin Powers, the back wall was FULL of molds of faces of celebrities.

 

OMG, I freaked, I’m a HUGE Jim Carey, and Grinch fan (I have a collection of 4 Grinch dolls that are out at Christmas. LOVE’M!)

So this, whatever it is, I had to take a picture of.

(again rushed, and didn’t get to read what it was)

 

 

 

Onto the show!

Now you go into the theater, and sit in a big comfy leather office chair. Your seated at a long counter about 12” deep. You can sit at a counter for two (along the walls) or in the middle at a counter for four. With only  of us in the theater, we took the table for four, and spread out a bit.

That guy behind my head, Adam, came to our table and since it was our first time said this…

“My name is Adam. I am your server. Just like in a restaurant. We have a full service menu, drinks, food, alcohol and deserts. Order, and I will be in to check on you every 20 minutes or so. It’s a longer movie so I may be in more often”

It was awesome. We did see a 9:00pm movie so we had eaten dinner already, but that didn’t stop me from getting some Moe Sticks (motz sticks) and Blue chose a big ol’ brownie with ice cream, we ditched the alcohol since we wanted to stay awake during the movie and enjoyed some good raspberry ice tea.

Food was good, movie was GREAT, theater was amazing. Over all, I’m quite proud of the birthday present I chose for Blue!

Happy 36th Birthday… it’s a long way off from your 22nd when we first met.  And I have to say this life of mine is great, growing old with you!

JCat McGack