Week 33 - Maybe it's just me?

Hey! Has anybody seen the competition lately? She is probably off using all of her free products…or writing more letters…or simply got distracted by something shiny? I mean she wouldn't just wander off without telling me, right? I mean, I am sure she is totally still in this contest. No matter, I will just continue to sprint run jog walk stagger to the finish line. (Where on earth IS the finish line?)

Up this week, joining Old El Paso and Near East as the final company in our family's Taco Tuesday Trifecta…Ortega!
                                                

March 12, 2014

Dear Spicy Folks,

Our family is so pleased with your fine selection of taco seasoning mixes! We have currently decided that our favorite is a half and half mixture of Chipotle and the 40% less sodium. We get the bonus of a little heat mixed with the knowledge that we lowered our sodium intake a bit. I originally started buying your seasoning mixes when a friend pointed out that your brand was one of the few on the market that did not contain MSG. I like to know that I am stuffing my face with tacos because they are naturally delicious, not because they are enhanced by additives. Ole!

Your taco sauce is a staple here at our house as well, except on the rare occasions when we run out and nobody tells the grocery list. Those are sad taco nights, and the look on my family’s faces makes it almost hard for me to enjoy my own taco due to the guilt, but I manage.

Long live Taco Tuesday,

Andrea

Mother, blogger and taco eater

So how many packets of taco seasoning did they send me? As many as you can fit in a paper thin business envelope…which would be zero. However, they did read my letter though and respond, for one point, so I am happy.

CURRENT POINT TOTAL = 67

(at last report Marianne was at 69 points…sooooo close!)

Random remedy?

Well, I tried restoring order to my universe my doing a little organizing, but the problems started when the mission took on some element of project status. I was looking for something. That sentence right there is the one that makes some of those nearest and dearest to me cringe. They all just sort of hold their breath until I locate that which has gone missing. Of course folks can't just turn purple and fall over, no matter how badly they want to do so to escape my frenzy. I was just going to put away the photos I had strewn about our guest room, then I started to think about the project that had caused the clutter (think son's graduation fast approaching), then I remembered stashing something away that would be a perfect addition to my project. I just realized that I am referring to this project in a sort of code...as if my son reads my blog. Seriously now? So I am working on some sort of scrapbook. (You figured that out? Nice effort Sherlock. I wasn't fooling anyone.) Back to the point of my story...wouldn't it be incredible if I had one?

I confidently grabbed the box I was certain I had crammed all of the old greeting cards in looking for those two piles of numbered birthday cards. Wouldn't one of those be fun to put on the page with a photo of the cake presentation from each year? (Just nod.) Well obviously those special piles weren't in with the rest of the cards that I decided to save because I had room to do so. I knew exactly where I had put them, and with a spring in my step, sauntered down the hall, grabbed that red plastic case...that was full of other crap memorabilia. Danger...danger! Where were those piles? Were they just merged with the other cards? Did I have enough to work with? Why the hell was I saving so many greeting cards?! Could I just go to the store and buy the years I was missing? Nobody had to know, and I have no doubt that anybody would know...except for me. I searched the same spots over and over figuring whatever gremlin had moved them was amused enough and had put things back. I threw away whatever cards were not going to help my cause, and crossed my fingers that the truck would come down the street before I flung myself on the pile and hauled it back inside. Small victory there.

I continued on to places where I usually stash a ton of junk important items I will totally need someday. I was slightly alarmed by what must have been some recent decluttering endeavors in that they were actually effective. I did not get that sense of satisfaction I usually have when another bag hits the garbage because I did not find what I was looking for. The whole house just feels heavy. At first I thought it desperately needed to be cleaned, but then found I had already done most of that. I think I have just been sitting here too long, as my daughter had a nasty head cold for a few days and now my son is on day two or three...who knows anymore! There was a snow day yesterday and it wasn't even much fun due to the coughing and concerns...oh and the frigid cold. Maybe switching to peanut butter m&m's the other day rocked my world too. I hit the usual jar a little bit ago just in case.

Do you ever just feel like you aren't doing what you are supposed to be doing, even when you have no idea what you are supposed to be doing? I see you nodding your head. I thought the peanut m&m's and a random post, because it is Tuesday after all, were a place to start.

Week 32 - Cheerios, I love you!

Yes, here is another offering from the early/love letter days of the CONTEST…

Cheerio Cheerios!

I was not a big fan of sweets when I was a kid. Yes, that should have been the first sign that there might have been a problem with me. Luckily, Cheerios were there to greet me with their bright yellow box and simply delicious toasted oat rings every morning. One of the perks that my six-year old self was aware of was the fact that taking a sip of orange juice after a mouthful of your cereal was not an unpleasant experience like it was with super sweet cereals. On the days when I was looking for a little pizzazz, I had the option to sprinkle a small regulated amount of sugar in my bowl, or sometimes I got lucky and sliced bananas were available.

The year was 1979, and I remember dragging my sleepy-eyed, ten-year old self to the breakfast table at my grandparents' house, only to find a suspiciously familiar, yet different box in front of me. Honey Nut Cheerios? What was that bee doing, and where was my usual? As a kid who did not like change, I experienced some initial panic at the thought that my bright yellow box had been replaced. I was assured that there was just a new variety available. I wanted to like them. I really wanted to, but remained a creature of habit.

I remember sitting around one evening, chatting with my sister, cramming mouthfuls of Frosted Cheerios in our faces. My father walked in and pondered why we weren't eating regular snack food. We really had no interest in chips or pretzels, as we were loving the treat.

Flash forward to the years of my own small children sitting in their high chairs with that first solid food feast of a tray covered in little o's. The smell of Cheerios slowly took over that baby smell. They rolled and traveled to the floor, under the couch cushions, the car seats...everywhere. We were never without a snack, and always had enough to share with new friends as the universal toddler treat.

Now that I am older (as in older than my thirties, but not older than dirt yet), and have been told to watch my cholesterol, I am still reaching for the bright yellow Cheerios box. They are as good as ever plain, or dressed up a little with some berries. As a matter of fact, I am eating a bowl of Cheerios as a snack while I type. Yes, just a bowl of plain dry Cheerios. I fling a few to the dog every now and then. We use them as treats for our small dog whenever he comes inside, or looks particularly pathetic. The vet is impressed that he is not overweight, as is often a problem in small dogs. We decided using Cheerios for snacks has helped. He is currently taking some medication, so I just put half of his pill right through the center of the o, and all is good.

Anyway, I admit to wondering if my beloved cereal was suffering from an identity crisis over the past decade. I also admit to a brief obsession with Team Cheerios. The red and blue box made me really feel like I was trying new things. The Multi-grain Cheerios? I could sit down and eat an entire box by the handful. Yes, that is the problem I currently have-no ability to stop eating Cheerios. I was at a friend's house when I tried the peanut butter ones, but was pretty sure she did not intend for me to sit down and devour the whole box. It took a lot of will power for me to just smile, with my mouth stuffed, and nod agreement to the notion of them being delicious.

I would like to mention that I think the summer commercial with the little girl pouring Cheerios on her father to "help his heart" was adorable. It was a fun look at how a child's mind works, as well as how trusted and recognizable the cereal is. Those were my thoughts when I saw the commercial. While I have truly grown to appreciate the diverse variety that Cheerios provides to the shelf in our pantry, I am impressed by their respect for diversity as well.

My husband is a coupon cutting lunatic, and of course Honey Nut is his favorite variety. Luckily, he does think of me and uses his multi box discount buying power to indulge my multi-grain and plain wants. I have also been joyously ripping those box tops off for over twelve years now, and have found a new crop of elementary school children to share them with.

This writing has made me hungry, so I think it must be time to try mixing up a bowl of Dark Chocolate mixed with Peanut Butter Cheerios. That will be my dry munching snack of choice this evening. Still finding cereal in the couch cushions after all these years!

The One and Only,

Andrea

Blogger at Maybe It’s Just Me

Was my unsinkable love for those floatation device shaped cereal pieces returned? Well, I might have made a tactical error in sending my letter amidst what I am sure was a ton of mail related to a certain ad campaign. It seems that my opinion on the commercial was the main focus of my letter…or could possibly have been the only part that was read, because gosh that was a lengthy piece of literature.

Just curious, do you think if I had located this picture of my daughter from 2001 sooner, and included it with my letter, the response would have been more overwhelming?

I will gladly take my one point, as I continue to crawl my way to the finish line. I wonder where the finish line is anyway?

Current total 66 POINTS!

Check out the competition's recent post, I saw the title and thought there'd been a contest-related scandal!

Brrrrrrrrrrr-random

The sun played a nasty trick on me just a little while ago. It was all shiny and stuff, so I could think of no good excuse to not go for a walk. I was fresh on the heels of a pancake brunch that was seriously threatening to glue me to the couch. The battery on my pedometer was a bit unpredictable yesterday, but after confirming that I did have steps registering, I threw on a few more layers and headed out. The sun was shining! What was the point in checking the temperature, as I am not sure what the magic number for a change of plans would have been. Suffice to say, I now have some idea. It was cold out you guys! Not like "duh, it's winter" cold, more like "this is why you own a balaclava" (and why the hell didn't you wear it) cold. I trucked along figuring I just needed to get more blood pumping. Twenty-four minutes later, I checked the weather report when I got back inside to find that the windchill was -2.

Speaking of things that make me feel all warm and fuzzy...Yesterday, at my daughter's school, a ninth grade girl hit another girl in the head with a hammer. Initial reports were that she had brought the hammer from home, and that premeditation piece was rather disturbing. Later it was said that she had actually gone to one of the tech rooms and grabbed the hammer, and that level of planning was no less disturbing. I am not sure what we are to expect the school to do to insure that such a scary ass thing does not happen again in the future, because who the hell thought this was a possible scenario? This girl is also said to be the same child who slammed a girl's head against the ground a couple of years ago back in middle school...with her mother's permission. I vaguely recall that story, but no explanation of why such permission was sought, let alone granted, let alone whether any of that would have made a difference.

Hmmm...that last bit doesn't really segue easily into any other bits of random. I'll just skip a few lines and give us each a second to regroup...

I have created a monster by passing on my collector genes to my son. Back in 2012, I gave the first glimpse into a few of our collections and the quests associated with them. We are on the thirteenth series of Lego minifigures, but my son has taken on his own journey into madness by seeking out certain amiibos for the WiiU. If you don't know what they are, consider yourself lucky. I am trying really hard to let him conduct this search solo, but admit to stopping by four stores on his behalf last Friday. (In my defense, I was passing all four stores anyway. Really, I was.) The obsession grew to ebay, more than initial selling price levels. I cannot pretend I don't understand how or why this is happening.

Don't I have any photos this week? Sheesh! Oh, I tried to get one of Fozzie this morning when he found himself a little chilly out in the yard, just sitting there like a meerkat with both front feet in the air. Somehow the sight of the camera gave him enough power to get himself back to the house.

Aha! Luckily I saw this sand trap while we were cross-country skiing on a golf course before I landed in it!

Aaand, evidence that I cooked something following a recipe that required more than adding water to the contents of a box! Meet my new friends leek, swiss chard and purple potato.

Well that appears to be all of the random I can gather for this week. Plus, my fingers are getting very cold typing!

Note: When I googled balaclava to make sure I spelled it correctly, one popped up from Dolce & Gabbana for $1,622.50…granted it is embellished.

Superhero Sunday - My lesson

I arrived a little early for speech class, so I had to wait in the lobby at school. My stomach was in knots and trying to decide in which direction it wanted to vacate. Suddenly there was a swarm of activity and I had to steady my footing as to not be swept away by the only vaguely familiar wave of faces. Some of the language flying through the air was a bit harsh, but not terribly offensive. I was trying to mind my own business, while also staying tuned to all of the dialogues and scanning the crowd.

There she was...slumped down against the wall, crying, surrounded by six of her closest friends. They seemed to have the situation under control, provided hugs were going to fix things. I knew better than to insert myself into the situation, but it was still tempting. A security guard walked too close to the scene and attempts were made to lure him in. I was not surprised to hear that the catalyst for this drama was related to something her boyfriend had done, but unfortunately I couldn't make out the rest of the story. The security guard was backing away quietly, so I figured we could all relax, or at least all one of me who seemed interested to begin with.

Time rescued me from one storyline and propelled me quickly into another as I arrived in class. "I hope my slides saved to the flash drive." My gosh, what was the alternative? The pounding of my heart began to be palpable and then grew even faster and harder. I gripped the edges of my desk and focused on the posted handwritten schedule where my last name appeared. It was time. Thankfully the computer projected a familiar face up on the screen. One more deep breath, as I hoped I would not pass out…exhale, and it began...

Apparently for some, including my son, a cape is not necessary. This may have been the confirmation I needed that it was finally time to stop projecting my fears and insecurities onto my children…even in the quietest moments, surrounded by my hidden candy stashes.

Week 31 - Still having fun!

It is kind of strange marking the passage of time, in one week increments, with this contest. Thirty-one weeks (give or take a week or two for laziness and other issues) into one year already. Got any teenagers in your house? If so, this letter might be near and dear to your heart as well...

                                                              

Psssssst….Secret….

Teenage boys are stinky, but it was also brought to my attention, in a not so subtle manner, that teenage girls brew up their own brand of smelliness. Our hampers and home breathed a sigh of fresh relief after trying your clinical strength sport scented product. The girl in question swears that scent works better, even though she only tried one other, and I feel it is safer to just believe her. I put the box on the vanity and step away.

At first it was a big step getting used to the price difference between clinical strength and regular strength Secret anti-perspirants. I reflected back to my own teenage years, spent wearing very dark or very light clothes that were less likely to display enormous wet underarm circles, and quickly threw a box in the shopping cart. Plus, when I considered the alternative, with regard to the deodorant’s powers, I gladly threw in another box.

The packaging of your product makes it easier to hand to my teenage daughter as well. The fearlessly fresh scent boasting that “mean stinks” with its hip doodles, the sporty girl and the note that the products help with stress sweat are inviting, help to remove any stigma one might feel about their sweaty, smelly armpits. It’s all cool and okay! Clinical doesn’t always have to be scary and old lady mom like.

Your Secret is safe with us,

Andrea 

Mother of a teenage girl and blogger

Andrea-maybeitsjustme.blogspot.com

Did they get my subtle hints that coupons would be super swell?

Apparently I was too subtle (and secretive)! Most of the other companies seem to have grabbed on to one mere morsel of an issue, but Megan did not concern herself with my reference to the price of this product. I had to laugh when I also later found out that there is actually a loyalty program in which four UPC codes will get you a free deodorant, as that was not mentioned either. Hey, one point for the response though!

64 + 1 = 65 TOTAL POINTS

There is a chance that Marianne is still recovering from all of her family bonding time last weekend, fingers crossed that she's still sharing some love!

Are you randomly certain?

It just doesn't feel like a Tuesday. I did my usual Tuesday things, but the random thoughts have yet to wash over me. The monkey in the field did send a link to the fancy fresh adult toys that Groupon sent her an email about. I am opting out of posting that one. Although it seems my other online options are to continue reading horrible and tragic stories, or drive myself crazy looking for new office furniture. Sometimes it isn't so much a matter of having nothing to say, but rather such an overabundance of topics that you just can't sift through. I suppose I could tackle something on the project list.

In case you were wondering, Fozzie has no interest in helping.