Ventage Tuesday - I'm THAT Woman

Today's Ventage topic was inspired by this email from me:

I am that lady in the store today.
You know her, the one going 100 mph because she is trying to shop on her lunch hour?
You know, the disheveled needs to shower one?
You know, the one that has so many groceries that the cart looks like a JENGA match?
You know, the one that the lady in the checkout line behind her says - I can't imagine buying that many groceries...how long does that last you?
Um.  One week.  With an additional stop for milk.
Gulp.
I am also that lady at the parcel pickup that is trying to shove a double stroller into a car set so the back of the minivan will hold said JENGA like grocery mound.
Great.
I have officially jumped the shark.

That was my harsh realization from about a week ago.  I spurred a discussion about carts and grocery shopping and grocery habits.  We vowed to share our carts.  Here goes, don't laugh.  

 This was my Saturday trip to Woodmans.  I may or may not have had another cart.  

I had a great little helper:

She likes to put things in the cart and inspecting the fruit is her favorite job.  She would subsist on only fruit if I would let her.  

So what does a JENGA like grocery cart for a family of 5 in Green Bay, Wisconsin have in it?

Photo 1:  rutabagas, whole chicken, rice, flout, canola oil, mini saltines (love those), three kinds of yogurt, sour cream, cheese curds, coffee creamer, noodles, cream cheese, marshmallows, half and half, more whole chickens, fruit soda (special treat!)

Photo 2:  bread, shrimp, tostitos, milk (4 gallons) pizza crusts, mushrooms, lemons, lima, carrots, spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, onions, 

I couldn't capture everything.  Although, I do love the cute husband in the back of photo 2 wiping down the kitchen table.  (sigh).  

Our weekly grocery bill is outrageous.  but we eat almost every meal at home and I do my best to purchase mostly unprocessed food.  I do buy spaghetti sauce and HCFS marshmallows and other not so healthy items but I think we are well rounded.  :)  

I used to love to spy on other peoples carts.  I would have pretty elaborate backstories concocted by the time I reached the check out.  Now?  I want to do my two carts per week, usually with a kid in tow, shopping and get the hell out of there.  

Every week we have the following on our list:
milk,
bread
bananas
coffee creamer
apples
cheese
(lots of cheese).

If you like to spy on carts - I would recommend checking out everyone else's:

Katrina
Em
Barb
Steph

We probably have a lot of variety in our carts - we have some vegetarians, some allergy types, big kids, no kids, babies, it really is a mixed bag!

Christmas Confession. Ventage Tuesday

Today's plan was to talk Christmas traditions. Everyone else had lots of love for the holidays so let me apologize in advance. 

I am not a Christmas person. I love twinkly lights as much as the next gal but I could do without the fuss. Work is always very tense in December for me.  I get too worried about the logistics of who when and where. I'm tired. 

I Will not wax poetic about the season. Here are my favorite things (cue Julie Andrews)

1.  I love midnight mass.  I love the candles, the singing, the worry about children who should be home snug in their beds.  I love our parish and the people and the bursting at the seams with joy of Christmas eve service. 

2. Adults playing returns with kids and their new toys.  This is my dad circa 2010 with the kids new play kitchen

3.  Our imperfect tree decorating. Well, sorta. This one is kinda tough because I would really live to have a Martha esque tree and I hate decorating with the kids because I feel like the tree is going to crash down, I refuse to put up my good ornaments, it always looks like a disaster.  I do love the look on the kids faces though, so I just supress my hatred of the Charlie Brown tree. 

4.  Crazy Christmas photo shoots.  Every year, we have some goofy shoots to capture the wackiness.  I love winter hats and the kids usually get some hats for Christmas, this is one of my favorite pictures of the kids ever (photo by Barb).

5.  The one thing I super love about Christmas?  Christmas Cards.  I REALLY REALLY love getting them and seeing everyone's families and displaying them and feeling that close to home feeling.  We sent over 150 cards this year and I hope we receive a million.  If you would like to send me a card and don't have my address, just ask. :)  I will be posting my Christmas Card in a few days.  Stay tuned.


So I am sorry for my grinchiness and I hope you can check out the other gals to see what the real meaning of Christmas is. :)

Only Five? Barb's Greatest Hits

Its a Ventage Birthday!  The lovely Miss Barb had a birthday yesterday.  I have known this dear girl since she was 16 years old.  I can say with confidence that there are far more than five things we adore about her - but here are a few:

5.  She is my cooking accomplice.  When my kids were born, it became difficult and expensive to get a lot of nights out to do big dinners, as was our habit before said children.  Barb and I devised a solution - the Year of the Feast.  Every month, we planned elaborate menus and made so much food we were stuffed for days.   It made the transition to Mom of 2 under 2 a lot easier for me because I always had something to look forward to.  Did Barb mind the chaos? Finding food that the kids would like?  Having lots of little helpers?  I don't know, but her menus, food and fellowship was enjoyed by our whole family.  In fact, I think we should have a year of the Feast Part 2.  

Barb even touched meat with bones, for the feast - she was that committed to making it happen. 

4.  Road trips - Barb and I have been on many.  Most memorable?  When I was pregnant with Dorothy we decided to go on Cheese tours.  We were envisioning the wine tour experience and instead got quite a lessen in milk marketing and dairy business.  It was a hoot  - and I loved every very weird minute of it.  Barb had lists, and maps, and detailed plans, all of which lasted until our first major debacle of the first day.  We just went with it and laughed the WHOLE time.  

3.  Calm in the Storm.  Other than my husband, there is no one in my life who can grab my hand and in a stern voice say - you can do this - and make me believe it.  When times have been tough she has not been afraid of my emotions, she has listened to me cry.  She has offered solutions but not judged.  She has been everything a friend could be.  I hope you all have someone like that in your life.  

2.  Greatest Auntie ever.  My children adore Barb.  They love to make her laugh, play games with them and read books.  She is a constant and steadying force in their lives.  She taught them that it is ok to have ice cream for dinner once in a while, she risked her life to teach Luke how to roast marshmallows, she indulges Dottie's inner princess, and has been thrown up on by Charlie more than anyone.  

1.  Past Present and Future.  I knew the Barb who skipped class and hated high school.  I knew the Barb who threw up in her yard after celebrating her last final exam.  I know the Barb who was the first person besides Mike to hold all my babies.  I know the Barb who is rising above some very petty and juvenile people in her life.  I know the Barb who is making a real future for herself that she is and can be proud of.  I will know the Barb who eats Thanksgiving turkey with my family when she is 70.  I will know the Barb who calls with triumph in her voice.  I will know the Barb who will be my best friend.  Forever.  

Love you babe.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes...Ventage Tuesday

I know that I have been a Debbie Downer lately.  But too bad.  Life is hard sometimes.  But life is really damn good too.  I have all my needs.  I have the time and ability to have wants.  We are on a Cinderella kick here in our little corner of paradise.  I have always thought A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes was the ultimate princess song.  But as a momma, when I sleep?  I don't dream, I am too dang tired.  I dream when surfing the inter webs... 

So in the fine Ventage Tuesday tradition, here is my list of the week.  A wish list.  Some are bigger dreams than others, but I am actually very easy to please.  

I really love Wonder Woman.  Always been a superhero kind of girl instead of a Princess kind of girl.  

I love this print. 

This Cloud 9 necklace.  Reminder that happiness is right there for the taking.  

This print just makes me happy.  

If we are dreaming big - I would love this gorgeous (and outrageously expensive) orange stove/oven

In the land of the frozen tundra, I think this snow gauge would be an excellent addition to our front yard

Been drooling over these Le Creuset French ovens for years.  In Flame please.  

I am a Star Wars geek.  When I was little I used to demand that my mom do the Princess Leia buns in my hair.  I could really rock that look.  I would only like this gift from Mike, but these rings say it as only Han Solo and Leia could.  

I like the design and sentiment of this House Rules decal.  

I think it would look great in our basement.  

As you know, I love me some make up.  Would love this Urban Decay Vice Eyeshadow palette 

Most of all, right now, I would like Mary Poppins.  To be my coach, friend and nanny.  

I am sure that Em, Katrina, Barb, and Steph will have some pretty great lists... since one of us will hopefully win the Powerball on Wednesday night, maybe we can make these wishes come true?  Happy wishing girls!

Ventage Tuesday - Around the {eeek} House

The idea of the five of us sharing the details of our days/closets/lives sounded awesome when I was in charge of the prompt.  This weeks prompt in true Halloween fashion is SPPPPOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKY.  In fact, it is terrifying to me.  

Prompt?  Five things around your house.  

My first instinct was to take five VERY VERY cropped photos of things in my house.  

If I do say so myself, I have some cool stuff on the walls at my house.  I have  a series of canvass kitchen art.  It is colorful, cool and if you look at the walls, you are not looking at the mess on the floor or the counters.  

At my house, we also have boxes full of stuff in many places.  Not organized.  Right now, the above photo of a bazillion K-cups is located in a very logical place.  On top of another box on my washing machine.  

You see, my friends, there is only one organized cupboard in my house.  The cupboard that houses about 1/3 of my fiestaware dishes.  Looks nice, right?  Well, if you love dishes, get your ass over to my house.  There are dishes every where.  In every room, in every closet.  Mike has put me on a moratorium from buying dishes because there are so many.  If I am ever called upon to host the entire city of Green Bay for dinner, I will be prepared. 

I like to think that all the clutter is spurring creativity.  See Dottie's magnet art work on the fridge?  This should be the nerve center of my house (according to all the home/lifestyle blogs).  Instead?  Random assortment of stuff we have no idea where else to put it.  Old pictures of me as a baby?  Fridge!  Packer schedule?  Fridge!  Rebate forms that are probably expired?  Fridge!  You get the idea.  

But, because I promised to share.  Because our theme is to keep it real.  Here is what my living room looks like right now.  7 loads of laundry sorted and folded, waiting to be put away.  Notice the (2nd) box of KCups on the shelf?  Notice the random assortment of other crap that needs to be put away on the shelf?  Its a disaster.  And this is all I am willing to share.  

Check out the other girls for today's challenge.  Em, Steph, Barb and Katrina.  

Cue the Golden Girls Music

I have some wonderful friends on these interwebs.  Their daily emails are often what push me forward when I feel like I am running on empty.  In the past six months, we have had some real life events.  I mean, big heavy stuff.  The stuff that can really make you wonder. 

The funny thing?  It is those girls.  They are the ones who keep my life light.  Who have made me laugh, cry and so damn grateful for their presence in my life.  Let me introduce them to you -

Barb - She is my BFF.  Barb is smart, funny and creative.  She puts up with a lot of grand ideas and has the ability to boil them down into manageable pieces.  She loves starbucks drinks that I can never successfully remember to order correctly.  She loves books.  LOTS AND LOTS OF BOOKS.  She has an infuriating habit of reading books and skipping to the ending and then going back to finish the guts of the book.  She has been with me through it all.  Seen me at my very worst and chooses to ignore all that baggage and sees me as my funny and most of the time kind self.  She has given me the - you better shut up and make things right talk. She has brought me diet cokes when the world was falling apart.   She is the best auntie to my children and they adore their Bahb.  (I do too). 

Stephanie -  Stephanie is one of those people who is so positive and sweet and just, well, good.  Momma to two sweet boys, she is a full fledged member of the moms with husbands who travel club.  She is the queen of one liners. She is our resident expert on Disney, and the inner workings of tv news.   She loves Florida Gators (but we forgive her that, not everyone can be a big ten girl).  She shares my love of shrimp.  She is a fantastic photographer.  She is a mom who understands that speech delays are tough on moms as well as kids.  She is fierce and fun and I love her. 


Em - My fellow Badger.  Lover of all things grilled cheese. Momma to two littles, music teacher by day, scrapbooker by night.  Her swearing off dr pepper gives me hope that she does have at least one vice.  She is the author of my favorite rap, ever, Lice Lice Baby.  I hear she is known for ranting voicemails in more than one language (although her voicemails to me have never been ranting).  She is a little overwhelmed these days with the working mom blues but let me reassure her that everyone has a messy house, overflowing laundry and nights where cereal for breakfast looks like a gourmet option.  She is funny and kind and I love her. 

Katrina - Katrina is the mom who reminds us that we will survive these preschool years.  Her Austin and Hope are beautiful and kind and smart and funny young adults that give me hope that my children will also be such great additions to the world.  She is FUN - NY although she wants to believe that she is only dark and twisty.  She might be twisty but in my life, but she light not dark.  Lover of green smoothies, kale, swiss chard and other hippy foods - she is our resident meditator and reminder to be zen.  She is too damn far away (VT) but such an important part of my daily routine that I miss her and when I don't get emails from her I am sad.  She is embracing the eyeshadow and teaching me many things about cosmetics.  She is good and honest and hilarious and I love her.

These girls are the backbone of my support.  They are my Ventage girls and I hope you all have friends like these that lift you up.  Little reminders that you are more than a daughter, wife, mother, employee, whatever lable life sometimes slaps on you. 

Ventage girls - you may not change the world, but you have changed my life.  Love you forever.