J K L

Jolly

I love being able to bring back some things my husband loves (and consequently most of my kids and usually myself) from America. He loves electronics and photography equipment but the cost and sometimes cumbersome packaging keeps me from making these purchases for atrip back to the Middle East. As a result, the "things" I love to bring back often results in some sort of prepackaged, very well preserved food that our family misses or just discovered.This time I brought back Brach's Candy Corn so we could pretend to enjoy the autumn here and nearly all of it has since been devoured. Slim Jims became our iconic road trip snack food (even for my two year old whose whole body stiffens up nearly threatening to go into convulsions when spotting the well known packaging). I also brought some Jolly Ranchers for my hubby's desk, so he can enjoy the sweetness of his favorite flavor, watermelon!
Now, for me personally, this awesome girl gave me a peanut butter jar filled with a divine mixture of rich, dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter. it looks like the concoctions from those old Recess Peanut Butter Cup commercials in the 80's. I treat it like gold!

Kitschy
Does anyone really know what this word actually means? I know I can look it up as I am writing this right now, but I think it might be more fun to give you an example.

Cadillac Ranch.You ever heard of it? In the great Lone Star State there is a "town" where we were sure Hank Hill actually resided as we peaked around every neighborhood corner watching for a group of men standing outside their backyard fence drinking their beers together. Amarillo is stereotype western desert city. Cadillac Ranch is just the icing on this cake. Think large corn field (no trees, not Midwest) with 10 Cadillac hoods buried in the ground and their tails flying in the air. Various social groups come and paint them for any reason they deem worthy and sometimes they are all painted the same color for a nationwide cause like breast cancer awareness. We stopped, took some pictures and even had a free tour guide who visits the ranch regularly and somehow knows the whole history of this event. It was a fun 10 minute stop leaving enough time for the kids to hope to find some leftover paint. They found it, then they left their own marks. This act seems suddenly so animalistic, like a dog marking his territory.

Learning to Fly
I love that my son really likes adventure and isn't really afraid of a lot of things, but at the same time, it makes me wonder what kind of adventures he will need when he is a teenager....

The ropes course at camp was a very attractive sight to my kids, especially my big one. He learned to fly...

He took a leap of faith...

and this mom hopes he is always ready to fly and watching for that next leap.

What is Your Favorite Beverage?

I recall making a very important realization in my life several years ago. It has made at least one decision making process in my life easy so that I don't even have to think about what I want because I already know, either around the world or in the luscious green of the midwest where I've spent much of my adult life.

There are few things more satisfying to me than a Diet Coke on ice in a paper cup from McDonalds.....

Now I don't have to be at McDonalds to enjoy a Diet Coke. I enjoy Diet Cokes on the rocks in many eating establishments, but if I have need only of a Diet Coke, it is to McDonalds I go.

Prior to this articulation of my opinion, I articulated another. I really prefer my soda on ice in a cup rather than straight from the can. I think I am less likely to express any surprise belches when my coke is on ice and besides it just taste better. But the best is from McDonalds. Maybe they know some secrets of the trade that common consumers like us couldn't have the capacity to dream up. I've wondered if it is just the combination of carbon dioxide to syrup, or maybe they put something else in it, or maybe the Coke has some sort or mild chemical reaciton to the cup that McDonalds created that adds to the taste, wierd I know, but seriously what could it be? Whatever it is it works for me and I know others that feel the same way.

So...what is your favorite carbonated beverage and does it need to be on the rocks, straight from the can or just plain cold? does it come from a favorite restaurant or your local convenience store? do you mix drinks? I'd love to know....tell me what you think.