Meet Me On Monday

Courtesy of Never Growing Old.

1. My current weather is _______?
Clear blue skies and 38 cold degrees. It is 62 degrees in the house right now. I'm tempted to turn on the furnace, but I am trying not to before Nov. 1. I hate that smell when you first turn it on.

2. What is your favorite sound?
All of them, which I know sounds like a cop-out. It's not. I am really grateful for being able to hear everything. One of our Hoop-lahs has a hearing loss and every day I realize how much that affects life.

3. What is the worst flavor of ice cream?
Anything coffee flavored, although I'd be willing to try a Starbucks caramel machiatto in ice cream form.

4. What magazine do you look for when you are stuck in the waiting room?
Web MD. It's usually the only thing I haven't read. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE magazines. Did I ever tell that my journalism degree had a magazine emphasis? I've lost count of how many I subscribe to. It's a lot. My newest one is Entertainment Weekly. Just got my first copy in the mail this weekend. Take away? If I know your child and he/she is selling magazines, send them my way!

5. What is your favorite condiment?
French's mustard - just the regular stuff. Yum!

Manic Monday

You know it's Monday when you forget about early band and oversleep, and then rush around like mad to get your Hoop-lah there on time. Once you're in the parking lot, that's when you figure out that early band is really on Tuesday.

Hoops for hope

Thanks to everyone who gave Riley a donation for Kingdom Cares International. The kids in the Kingdom Hoops program raised $11,000 for local basketball scholarships and a library and a medical clinic in Ghana, Africa. How awesome is that?

What the h@&! is this?

Despite their proximity and resemblance, Mike is not at all congenial to this kitty. Doesn't the look on his face say it all?

Meet Me on Monday?

Here with go with this week's Meet Me On Monday, courtesy of Never Growing Old.

What? It's Tuesday? Don't be such a stickler for details.

1. My favorite kind of animal is _______?
I love them all with the exception of smelly ones and ones that look like they might eat me. And I'm not fond of snakes, but I guess that's irrelevant.

2. Do you like your handwriting?
That is an interesting question. I've never thought about it until yesterday, when I sat through 10 hours (yes, 10 hours) of interviews for a search committee. I was tasked (is that even a word?) with taking notes. Fine by me. It was actually sort of fun because one of them said "three-some."  I know, totally juvenile. Later, when reading my notes back to the group, I realized I couldn't read my own writing. Embarrassing. So I guess the answer is no. Next time I'll get out the laptop.

3. What is the last movie you saw?

I went to Moneyball on Saturday. A good movie, although a little slow. And I'd like Brad Pitt to have a different nose. There's something about his that totally distracts me.

4. Do you buy things on eBay?
Sometimes, but not recently. I never bid though. If I can't buy it now, forget it. I don't have the patience to follow an auction.

5. What did you have for lunch yesterday?
A box lunch from Hy-Vee with a beef sub, chips and an apple, which is still in my work bag. Today's lunch was much better. Lasagna, salad and onion rings at Baratta's. With a few fun size Milky Way bars for dessert. Yum!

In support of his Grandma and others

This weekend is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Des Moines. I am not walking this year, but I plan to wear my pink once this kid is done with it. And if you're due for a mammogram, make your appointment today.

Scoring big in other ways

We spent Saturday in Pella enjoying the company of the boys and families that make up the Kingdom Hoops eighth-grade boys elite team. The young men and a few siblings spent part of the afternoon collecting nonperishable food items for the local food pantry, which is experiencing a shortage of donations and an increase in need. A similar situation to what many other food pantries are experiencing.

It was a well-timed act of community service. Riley and I watched a show on Friday night about food insecurity - not knowing when your next meal will be or what it will be. Did you know that many children leave school on Friday and don't eat again until they return on Monday? It's horrifying. But hopefully families in Pella will have what they need this week thanks to the work of this team.

Meet Me on Monday

Courtesy of Never Growing Old . . .

1. The thing that scares me the most is __________?
Carly asked me out of the blue the other day whether clowns scare me. Actually no, but what I'm really afraid of might surprise you. Mine is being homeless, which I know seems a little surreal considering I have a college degree and a reasonable amount of intelligence.

2. Do you like nuts in your Chocolate Chip cookies?
Uh no, that's disgusting.

3. If you couldn't change the channel, what tv show would drive you from the room?

Football hands-down. It's not the game I mind, just the screaming and yelling the goes with it.

4. Pulp or no pulp in your Orange Juice?
No pulp. My favorite is Minute Maid Regular frozen. It is delish and I can immediately tell the difference between it and anything else. LOVE it!! Why spend your life drinking cheap-y OJ?

5. Who do you miss the most?
My Grandma and Grandpa Callen, who were the best!

Why hasn't ESPN called?

The cross country season winds down this week. Today's meet was the county invitational at a hilly course in Altoona. For those of you reading outside central Iowa, you are missing out on some of the best weather I can remember. Sunny and warm. I hope it is this nice wherever you are.

The Ankeny Hawks took third in this one, as did Riley. His "official" time was 11:31, but I may lodge a one-mom protest. I could have sworn the clock read 11:10. Of course I may have had a drink or two by that point in the afternoon, but that is a whole other story.

Can you spot Riley is this video masterpiece? I was trying to capture what it is like when that huge group of boys takes off. Yes, I plan to keep my day job.

The coaches threw an end-of season pizza party for the kids after the meet. Each kid kept a journal tracking his/her goals and weekly progress. One of the questions from the first week was "Why do you want to run cross country?" Riley's reponse - to win. It made me laugh because, after all, what other reason could there possibly be?

I really love this sport. The only downside is that I didn't lose any weight running from point to point on the courses. What's up with that? The season winds down on Saturday at the state meet in Saydel. Stay tuned.

And for those of you wondering what I'll do when cross country ends, basketball starts on Sunday -- which means my housekeeping hiatus is about to begin!

Six packs and school don't mix

Most families go to school conferences and get feedback about how their little angels are doing in class. You know . . . from how well they've mastered a subject to which ones they need to work on to how they're getting along with others.

We go to school conferences and this is what we hear:

"Tell your little angel to stop showing everyone his abs."

So proud.

Hump Day Hoop--lah

Ankeny was the host site for yesterday's cross country meet. Great day to be outside. Sunny, mid 80s, no humidity but plenty of ragweeed.

Ankeny South came in second, as did Riley with a time of 11:26, :15 seconds off the winner from Dowling.

From heartbroken to heart full of joy

I don't think I could be any happier.

These are being shipped to me as we speak.

Somebody should warn the postman. I'll be back in a hugging mood.

Scenes from the hood

Aren't the trees beautiful this year? The top picture is one of the views on my daily walk with C. The bottom one is in my yard. Love it.