LOVC Champs!

Last week our Varsity volleyball team won the conference tournament championship.  It sure was an exciting night, even though I had to miss the game (that is another post).

The fire trucks met the bus and the caravan of fans out at the gas station and paraded us through town with the lights and sirens in full swing.  The fan caravan followed with horns blaring and hazard lights flashing.  It was just like old times.

As usual, I wonder if some of the girls really 'get it' like I do.  Way back when, it was a common occurrence for us to win, win, win.  We won conference tournaments, regionals, sectionals, holiday tournaments and play-off games on a regular basis.  The Bluestreaks were alive and they were a serious threat to the area rivalries.

Driving through town Saturday night in all the hoopla, I saw the mother of a girl I grew up with standing on her porch in her bath robe, with her hands in the air, cheering and waving.  She knew exactly what was going on.  I loved it.

In the tournament play leading up to the championship game, our girls had to dig down deep for their victories, but they did it.  They didn't self-destruct or get down on one another, which sometimes happens.  They pulled together and fought hard.  And they won.

Our volleyball program has had successful, winning seasons over the last several years, thanks to a year-round, starting-at-the-grade-school-level, commitment from the coaches and players.  It takes hard work, dedication and lots and lots of time and practice to succeed.  Not just in volleyball, baseball or basketball, but in life.

Maybe things are cycling around, like we have been hoping they would.  A winning spirit is contagious just like a losing one can be.  Seems like we've lost for so long, that many Bluestreaks have forgotten how to win.  I see that in adults too.  They get caught in the rut of 'losing' at life, and they forget to press on.

I sure am proud of our girls, who have made the commitment, over the last four years of their lives, to play like champions.  They have worked hard to reach this point and deserve their success.  One starting player posted the day after their big win about being a Christian athlete, playing your best for Him and giving Him all the glory, win or lose.  Can there be a better lesson learned here?

I hope to post bigger and better things as the season progresses.  Regardless of the final win/loss record, these girls are building on their character and integrity through these experiences and they are going to be winners in the game of life.

Celebrating Fall at the new Linn Park & Amphitheater

This Saturday night beginning at 5:30 p.m., the Martinsville on the Move Events Team is hosting a Celebration of Fall at the new Linn Park/Amphitheater in Martinsville.

They will have a pumpkin carving contest with awesome cash prizes. $50 first prize and $25 second prize in each of three age categories: under 10, 10-16 and over 16.   You don't have to be present to win. Carved pumpkins must be entered at the amphitheater by 4:30.

Games, hayride, bonfire & wienie roast begin at 5:30.  DJ and dancing starts at 7:00.  Bring your lawn chairs and a sweatshirt and come out to the beautiful new park and amphitheater.  The weather looks to cooperate for a great night celebrating fall.

Food costs at the fall celebration are: $2 hot dog, $.50 chips, $ .50 bottled water or hot chocolate. Marshmallows are free, but chocolate and graham crackers to make a S'more is $1.  All activities are free.

A little later on in the evening, if you're looking for a spook, head down to the fairgrounds beef barn and enter the Haunted Barn sponsored by the Fireman's Auxiliary and Fire Department.  Cost is $5. Hours are 9:00-12:00.

Our bunch went last year and thought it was fantastic.  We usually visit a couple haunted houses in the area and thought that the fire department and ladies auxiliary did an outstanding job. The Haunted Barn will also be open Oct 17, 24 & 25.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

The Fill-It Fairy

Too funny, I could not think of a thing to write and then a coworker popped in my office and a subject surfaced.

We have a 'break room' so-to-speak here at work with a coffee pot, microwave and refrigerator.  I think all of those items are hand-me-down's and have seen better days.  Regardless, I use them and I'm glad they are here.  I have a mini fridge in my office (thanks to Spank), but when I get groceries on my lunch hour, I put the cool stuff in the fridge over there.  Unfortunately, the fridge is more like a freezer...but I am aware of this and don't put anything in there I don't want exceptionally cold.  It works.

It is nice to have this space, and I utilize the microwave almost every day.  Plus, there are napkins, plates, cups, salt and pepper, etc. over there that people bring in to share. Several coworkers use ice from the ice trays in the freezer, which brings me to my point.

On a consistent basis, the ice cube trays are either left on the counter empty in front of the microwave, or they are put back in the freezer empty.  Repeatedly.  I didn't really get it until my friend "Kathy" departed.  You see, her office was right next door to this break room and somehow it became her job to tend to it...or so it seemed anyway.

Every morning she made coffee, first cleaning out the coffee from the day before...although she didn't really drink the coffee very often.  She was always filling the ice cube trays, even though she only used a couple here and there.  I remember her making comments about the ice cube trays every now and then, but it didn't really sink in.  And most likely it didn't sink in because by the time I went over there, Kathy had refilled the empty abandon trays and put them back in the freezer - get this - to make more ice cubes! The trays weren't lying in front of the microwave door...empty...when I was going to heat up lunch.

After Kathy left, I soon realized that, much to my dismay, coffee duty was now on me (even though I don't really drink coffee either), and more importantly, I began noticing the stupid empty ice trays. One day when a gal from another office was over there, I said something about the ice trays.  She pointed out the culprit and said she wasn't sure why, but another lady who uses the ice cubes leaves the empty trays for someone else to fill. She will not refill the trays.

Honestly, I do not understand this concept.  There is no Fill-It Fairy floating around here, someone has to physically take the trays to a stream of water and fill them, replace them in the freezer to freeze or THERE WON'T BE ANY ICE CUBES the next time you go to get some.  Am I missing something?

Do not even get me started on the empty containers of creamer that are left on the counter, with the lid off.

It is akin to leaving an empty roll of toilet paper on the toilet paper holder when there is a full roll readily available.  If you are going into a women's restroom to relieve yourself, either way, you will require toilet paper.  I can (sort of) get it from a man's standpoint (although it's still ridiculous) because they don't always use toilet paper, but a woman is an entirely different story.

When I worked in the other circuit down south, I don't know who it was, but there was a female at the courthouse upstairs who never, ever replaced an empty roll.  She just left the scrap hanging.  WHO DOES THAT?  It was maddening.  We are all adults.

I am very fortunate to have a restroom pretty much to myself, unless we have a jury trial...and unless men get impatient waiting on the men's restroom and use mine (I HATE THAT - it is clearly marked, "Women" on the door).  Every now and then another female coworker uses the restroom when she is up here.  I had to say something to her one time because I went in after she had been in there and the roll was empty.  The process of elimination pin-pointed her as the culprit. Please don't leave me stranded!

There is no Fill-It Fairy around here.  If I use it, I will glady refill or replace it, but I am not touching those empty ice cube trays.

Hold it right there, Niagra Falls...

This may be a little TMI for some of you, you have been warned.

As a follow-up to my post about blood draws and drinking all the water, let me move on to test number two - the urine test.

The #1 side effect to drinking water all day long is having to use the restroom all day long.

When the sweet lab tech asked me if I thought I could give a urine sample, I laughed and said, "Anytime, anywhere."  And I meant that.

So I take the plastic cup and the little wipe (this is something new in the past few years, I think) into the bathroom.  Just looking at a toilet gets things flowing, if you know what I mean, and the pee dance begins.

I do the necessary cleaning and squat down with the tiny cup in hand.  I'm busting at the seams anyway and ready to finally let it go.  It doesn't take long to fill the cup.  (It is at this point I wish I had another one of those wet wipes handy.)

As I sit there, thinking this has to be much easier for a man (i.e. aiming in the cup), I see the instructions on the little trap door.  Snap.  I probably should have read those before I started this whole process.

I immediately take issue with step #3.  "Urinate a small amount into the toilet." Seriously?  You're telling me I am supposed to go a little, stop, put the collection cup in the stream and then fill it 1/2 - 3/4 full?! Ha.  I would have to shut the spigot off again and that is not happening.  I could just about fill a quart jug, I'm tellin' you.  And once it starts, there is no stopping it.

I start laughing because it is so ridiculous.  Obviously, a female, who is nearing 40, has given birth and consumes large amounts of water was not consulted during the instruction-creating process.  I'm also wondering if the lab tech is curious about what in the world is taking me so long?

I gather my thoughts, my britches and the plastic cap for the 'collection' cup and wash my hands/wrists/forearms thoroughly (although really I feel as if a full-blown shower is in order), place the tiny plastic cup behind the little bitty door and exit.  I think I was successful in obtaining a sample, although I can't be sure nothing was contaminated.

Next time, I'll be ready.  I'll go to the restroom right before I go in to the lab...because there's just no holding it back.

The Secret - H20

Last week I went for some routine blood/urine testing.  Historically speaking, I'm a horrible blood giver.  So is the Quackdaddy and so was my Grandma K.  Now I believe I know why.

BC (before children) the water this body consumed was either from brushing my teeth or what it absorbed through a shower.  I drank Diet Pepsi (actually, the real stuff back then) and lots of chocolate milk.  Occasionally some tea or juice.  Never water.  Ever.  Ugh.

Blood draws for me were excruciating.  It was always an ordeal.  They would poke and prod one elbow, then ask to try the other one, repeatedly.  It was awful.  I remember nearly passing out in the OB/GYN's office after probably ten attempts on a simple blood test.  I finally told the gal I couldn't take anymore, could I please get someone else to try.  She sent me to the hospital lab, where they used a butterfly needle.  That was a gift from God.  I guess they use them on small children.  I didn't care.  It worked.  I could actually fill a vial without my veins rolling or collapsing or whatever it is they would do.

I have always avoided blood drives because of the troubles and decided it wasn't worth it to me (which is very selfish, I know).  My dad has been told never to give blood, after, what I can only guess are, somewhat similar experiences with his veins and my grandma also had trouble with her veins.  I chalked it up to the genes.  (Neither one of those two drink much, if any, water.)

I haven't had a lick of trouble the past few years.  In fact, I used to preempt the dreaded prick by asking for the butterfly needle and explaining the difficulties.  Lately, I have stopped giving that info because these days it isn't a problem at all.

I was chatting with the sweet lab tech the other day about this and she said something about the body being hydrated and how that really helps in a blood draw.  That is when it clicked.  I drink tons of water now and have AC (after children).  I don't know what little switch turned inside of me when I had Madolyn, but after she was born, I started drinking water.

I discovered that as long as the water was in a bottle or ice cold at a restaurant, I could drink it.  That is when I made the recycling commitment (which is the bane of Jay's existence, he'll tell you).  If I was going to drink bottled water, I was going to recycle each and every one of those plastic bottles. Even though it is a pain...and inconvenient.

Right now I'm up to drinking about 70+ ounces of water a day.  I have kicked my Crystal Lite to the curb and other than a glass of tea in the evening, or a Diet Pepsi with some pizza, I am mostly drinking water.  If nothing else, it makes the blood flow much easier out of my veins...ha!  So now you know, H20 is the secret to a smooth blood draw!

Lucky girl

'Tis the season of Football games and Tp'ing.  They go hand-in-hand, almost.  Saturday night we were at Lane's playoff football game.  Madolyn was in the grandstands with her friends.  She bought some M&M's and took out her bottom retainer to eat them.  Put it in her hoodie pocket.  And then...

Let me digress a moment.  Madolyn had retainers in grade school, braces for 18 months (just got them off in August) and is back to wearing the retainers.  The bottom ones all the times, the upper only at night.  For now.  We have been all over her about wearing these retainers because her teeth are beautiful...and it wasn't cheap.  We don't want them moving back into their prior position.

Now, back to the story...  After the game, Jay had promised Mad he would take her and some friends out tp'ing after the game.  They dropped me off at home and away they went. 

I was sound asleep when the tribe arrived home, but of course, that didn't last ten seconds.  Mad came in and told me all about their adventures, and, uh, that she could not find her bottom retainer.  Snap.  I was as alarmed as I could be in my stupor, told her to check her pockets, look in the car, etc.  She had told me she remembered taking them out when she went to eat the M&M's at the game.  I told her we should look in the bleachers, where she was sitting and then went back to sleep.

Sunday morning came, she was still stewing about the missing retainer.  Jay and I told her she would be footing the bill on this one.  She agreed that was fair.  We went to church and then later ate lunch at Jay's parents.

As soon as we were done eating, she asked if I would take her up to the school to search the bleachers.  Off we went.  As we got out of the car, I whispered the prayer, "God, if we're meant to find them, let us find them." And honestly, I was still pretty skeptical.  They had left the game and been all over creation.  That tiny clear plastic piece with a wire could be almost anywhere between the bleachers and Neadmore corner.

We forged ahead.  Mad took to the top of the bleachers where she was sitting with her friends and I started at the bottom of the steps.  She quickly announced it was no use, to which I replied, "You give up way too easy. Keep looking." 

All of a sudden, she says in the most matter of fact, calm voice (much like the "big mouse in your bedroom" comment from two weeks ago), "I found it."  

Lo' and behold, there it was.  She was so relieved.  Her first words were, "Why am I so lucky?"  I said, "Did you pray about it?"  "Yeah, I did, last night."  "Well, so did I as soon as we got out of the car."  

She told me later it wasn't even about having to pay for this one, she was scared her teeth would shift while waiting for a new one to be made.  I am glad she was concerned.  Hopefully, she'll be a little more careful with it from now on.

I don't chalk this one up to luck.  The power of prayer is awesome.  I'm so thankful our god hears even the smallest of cries.  

Latest food fad - Smoothies

I didn't realize this about myself until my friend, "Beth" pointed it out to me.  We were talking about food (big surprise) and she asked me what my latest "fad" was.  I'm not sure fad was the exact word she used, but that works for what she meant, I do believe.  Hmm, I had never, ever thought of it that way, but she was exactly right.  I find something I like and get fixated on it...for a while anyway.

I know, most of you that know us well might be cracking up at this serious revelation.  The Wilhoit's get fixated on something and then move on?  WHAT?  I know, it's totally absurd correct.   (Re: goats, chickens, horses, race horses, pigs...)

I suppose that is one reason Jay and I tolerate each other so well, for the most part, ha.

Now, back to our story...

My latest fad in foods is the green smoothie for breakfast.  I was on Facebook (goodness, what did we do without it?) and saw where a couple friends, one who has battled cancer and just a lot of crud, started eating/drinking these smoothies for breakfast.  They talked about how healthy and filling they were, how delicious they tasted, blah, blah, blah.  I inquired of the ingredients and was beyond skeptical.

The gross stuff:  Spinach, kale, chia seeds, ground flax, honey, protein powder...

Do any of those ingredients alarm you?  They sure did me.  Spinach and kale...ugh.  That's like, healthy stuff...that only Jay would eat. Gross.  I'm supposed to drink that in a smoothie?  And it is good?  I do not even think it is possible.  Honey is semi-tolerable and I'm really trying to use it more instead of sugar (in fairness, maybe it should be on the other list), but I'm not a big fan.

And chia - do you remember Chia pets?  Surely, that is not the same little black seed?!  Going in my belly to 'fill' me up...eeew.  Cha-cha-cha-CHIA sounds a lot like a term we use around our house, "cha, cha, cha," when we are sick...if you get what I'm driving at.

And now the tolerable ingredients:  Frozen fruit, a splash of OJ, Almond milk or coconut water (have you tasted that stuff plain? Ugh).  These were the only parts of the smoothie that I could even consider ingesting.

After talking with my friends about how good these smoothies were, I figured what doesn't kill us makes us stronger (who even decided that was true?), and I forged ahead with the plan to introduce these healthy green smoothies into my diet.

I acquired the ingredients they had suggested and bought a cheap version of a Ninja (wish I had the Ninja now, but maybe some day...) and gave it a shot.

I was told that freezing the kale and spinach, as well as the fruit, helped drastically with the consistency of the smoothie.  (Anything to make it more pleasing to my pallet was worth a try.)  So I chopped and bagged up spinach, kale and fruit.  With the fruit, I first put the fruit pieces onto wax paper on top of a cookie sheet to freeze.  After they are firm, I put the pieces in freezer baggies.  It works out well and let me tell you, freezing the fruit and greens is essential.  I have tried the smoothie using fresh ingredients and it truly is not the same.

So the verdict:  I LOVE THE GREEN SMOOTHIE, even with the eeewy-gooey ingredients in it.  It is so delicious and you can't even tell there is spinach or kale in it.  The chia seeds get stuck in my teeth, but I figure if they will swell into a fluffy 'fro and cause me to eat less, I'll take it.

Why yes, we garnish our smoothie....not!
(Borrowed image)

The one thing I was worried about was whether the smoothie would hold me over until my 10:30 apple snack.  I was delighted to discover it does just as much as my oatmeal and blueberries did (which is now my latest lunch fad because I love it so).   I even got Jay hooked on them.

We mix it up every now and then depending on what fruit we have available.  I have found that a half a banana is essential (for me) in the flavoring.  And adding a fresh banana just does not do it justice.  Even nearly rotten bananas -frozen- are good for this.  My favorite blend is half a banana, half an apple and the other ingredients.  We also use a frozen fruit mix that Walmart sells containing pineapple, strawberries, mango and peaches with half a banana.  It is pretty good.  Oh, and blueberries are yummy too.

We still can't get the kiddos to try it.  And by try, I mean they won't even take a little sip.  "It's gross." Hey, I thought it was gross too, until I tried it.

Just in case you're curious, I'll put the so-called recipe in writing for you.  You have to kind of tweak the amount of liquids you use to get the consistency you want.

Almond milk, coconut water & orange juice.  You can use just almond milk or just coconut water but add either a splash of OJ or a pinch of Tang powder, (that's what I'm using because I couldn't keep orange juice around long enough).  We actually use half of each...half almond milk (unsweetened 30 calorie vanilla) with half coconut water (it's supposed to be very good for your skin, among other things, it is just terrible plain), a pinch of Tang, half a scoop of vanilla protein powder (Jay may use a whole scoop), a squirt of honey, a teaspoon of ground flax, teaspoon of chia seeds (I actually mix those up in a little container and just scoop out some), 1/2 banana, 1/2 apple (or handful of other fruit) and a handful of the frozen kale and spinach.  Blend well and enjoy.

There are all kinds of different variations out there of a 'green smoothie,' this just happens to be the one I've latched onto.  I'm sure there are some that are actually healthier, but maybe not as tasty.  I think I'll stick with this one for now...

Let me know if you decide to try it or have any questions.  I'm not an expert, but currently I'm all about this latest food fad :)