Mind Blown

I was cleaning out my coupon book and, in my head, it made sense to keep all coupons that were 11/1 and beyond. This was 2 days ago.

So that's where my heads been. Not with it. Not realizing November is over. It's not like life went fast. No, there were plenty of slow days. I just had no idea I celebrated Thanksgiving when looking at expiration dates of 10/31.

Month gone, poof. No recollection of it.

I recently took the Myers-Briggs personality test for work. To see my personality on paper, mind blown I tell ya. I thought it'd be some surface personality traits that are obvious until I read:

Since ISFPs believe that what they do speaks for itself, they do not attract much attention. Thus others may overlook their contributions, leading ISFPs to feel underappreciated and less adequate than they really are.

YES, THIS! Being overlooked is so frustrating and so true. Am adequate, am underappreciated. Everyone needs praise, no matter what the personality.

Some more results:

Keep personal thoughts and feelings to yourself in many circumstances; as a result, some people see you as hard to get to know.

Maybe?

May be quite talkative and witty with familiar people.

Nope.

May be seen by others as resistant to change, although you may not see yourself that way.

Yep, I don't like change.

Expect others to respond to you with kindness.

Doesn't everyone?

Like to wait, see what happens, and then “wing it.”

Is that bad?

After reading all 17 pages(!) of it, I came to the conclusion that if people saw my test results, they'd think I was a doormat. Hey, walk right HERE! She's got no spine!

Maybe I'm misunderstanding?

So, what do you think? Have you taken this test? Did you find it was spot on or you have no idea who that person is on paper?

17 Months

17 months gives us a little boy who adores cars and anything with wheels. You see a car on the road, on tv, in a magazine, in a book and you go nuts. You sign "car" and say "nuh!" Over and over and over. I have a feeling cars and anything with wheels are an obsession that will be with you for a long time.

You dance by stomping around. You put trash in the trash bin. You throw your hands in the air and say "dut-down!" when we yell "touchdown". You need something in both hands when you eat. You love to be outside with dad. You sing when your gloworm is on. You make car noises while playing with cars.



I took you to the Children's Museum this past month and you had a great time playing. You were very interested in everything. I think we'll go back especially now that our first snowfall has happened. It's time to hibernate!



We also celebrated Halloween. Your costume was a hit! You now love candy. Sorry for being so mean and only letting you eat 2 pieces. Dad ate the rest of it.



You're starting to hate naps and you really fuss when it's time for one. But you clearly need a nap and are so much happier after one.

An 8th tooth popped up two weeks ago. I think that was the worse one yet! But once it pops up, you're fine again.

When you get a chance to play with your cousins, you are very shy at first, but then warm up. Your cousin that's five months older loves to baby you. She pats your head and gives you hugs. You don't even notice mostly because you are playing with cars. We recently went to a birthday party where you found a table full of trains and cars. You latched on to two cars and wouldn't let go. Other kids tried to take them from you, but you didn't give them up. No fighting or crying was involved, just a firm grip. You didn't look for help. You dealt with it on your own. You are very independent most of the time.




It's amazing how much you know and understand! I showed you twice where your toes were and now you know when I ask, "Where are your toes?" We're teaching you "what does the (blank) say?" and you make the sounds instead of trying to say the word. Your vocabulary hasn't grown but that doesn't mean you don't know what we're saying. When we read a book, I'll ask where the ball, bird, stars or anything is and you know where they are.



You are a very sweet boy who cries when daddy leaves the room. You love to tease Scully. You love to jump on our bed. And you love to cuddle.

The Long Minnesota Goodbye

When I first moved to Minnesota, I thought I knew what to expect. I'd seen Fargo. I heard my Father-in-law say "You Betcha!" and my Mother-in-law say "Oh, YAAAA" countless times. My husband taught me that the casserole I had been eating/making my entire life was actually called a Hotdish and tator-tot hotdish was WAY better than any tator-tot casserole I could ever make. Of course, it's the same recipe, but still. HOTDISH!

Passive-aggressiveness is a way of life and if you don't do it, then you're obviously not from here (or a Foell). Beer drinking during winter is popular - actually, it's popular all year. I know, I know. It's popular in other states as well. But when beer is a staple in your fridge, at your in-laws fridge, are friendly with a brewing company, you dress your kid as a German Bier Drinker for Halloween, it's serious. Funky sweaters, mukluk's, big, poofy winter coats, pasty white skin are just part of the culture too.

In our family after any get-together, we just hang out and talk around the dinner table. Kids running in and out of the room. Dogs clean up the messy floor, thanking the kids for dropping part of their meal. We'll talk about all sorts of stuff. Politics, kids, health care (Minnesotan's LOVE to talk about health care), stories of family members, and break up a few kid fights along the way.

Then, it starts. The Long Minnesota Goodbye. My Brother-in-law starts it.

"I'm tired, let's go."

Then we respond, "Yep, we should go too."

But, no one gets up.

After a few more topics are started and finished, my Brother-in-law says again, "Kid 1, go tell kids 2-5 to get their shoes on, we're leaving."

Justin and I will look at the clock and say, "Yeah, baby Jules is tired, we should go too."

Again, no one gets up. The kids all run in and say, "But we're watching a movie!"

"How much longer is it?"

"10 minutes. Please, we want to finish it!"

"Ok, 10 more minutes."

And we sit around for another 10 minutes. During this round, my father-in-law prepares bags of left-over food we ate that night. It's divided between the two families, mine and Brother-in-law's. One time, we got home with a huge container of corn, rolls and mashed potatoes and my Brother-in-law got a huge container of meat, fruit and gravy. Totally didn't make sense and we've since said, "We thank you for the left-overs but maybe we can divide it equally because what's mashed potatoes when someone else has the gravy?"

Its since been sorted out.

Once the bags are prepared and the movie is done, we make our way to the hallway for the sorting and hunting of shoes and jackets. Kids run from room to room looking for the toys, shoes and jackets they threw about while here. Moms yell at kids to pick up toys. Grandpa hands us bags, "Don't forget your leftovers!" Babies are placed in their carseats. Dads start the car to warm it up. Moms still talk in the hallway. Grandma says, "Justin, can you look at our computer?" Brother-in-law says, "LET'S GO!" and kids give hugs to all family members still in the process of leaving (that's us).

One kid ALWAYS comes back in looking for something. And Grandpa ALWAYS runs out after he found it just before they leave the driveway.

This can take an hour or longer from the moment Brother-in-law says, "I'm tired, lets' go" to "LET'S GO!" and kids are scrambling to give hugs.

We're all guilty of the Long Minnesota Goodbye here. It's just the culture and honestly, it's annoying. Don't mention you're ready to go unless you are ready to go.

Are you guilty of the Long Minnesota Goodbye?

Take a look at how it works.