ties!!

I have a family member who is launching her new business called thematchingtieguy.com and she's having a giveaway to celebrate. Naturally, I want to win. :D Basically, it's a business that makes matching ties for dads and sons (finally, something for the boys!) or groomsmen, etc. I am in love with this tie for Easter,
but also love this tie, just because the blue is beautiful.

So check out her website and if you want to enter the giveaway, go to her blog.

(I seriously just copied this whole thing from Tawnya's blog. Thanks for doing the work for me!)

night time adventures

This is what Drake looked like when I went in to wake him up the other morning.
The boy has a bit of a nose picking problem. Sometimes he picks at night and then bleeds all over his bed.
So then i have to bathe him and wash his sheets. Well the other day both kids sheets were still in the wash, so they were going to sleep on the floor. Instead, Drake brought his carseat from Ryan's car in his room and wanted to sleep in the car seat. So for the last two nights, he's slept buckled in.

And you can't tell from the picture, but Gwen has her booster seat under her pillow. She didn't want to be left out of the car seat/bed fun.

Rock 'N' Roll AZ 2010

My friend Holly calls these blag posts. That's a post on your blog where your bragging. She's right. And I am!

Rock N Roll 1/2 marathon, and yes, we rocked!!! It was so much fun this year with Emily and Jasmyn! Also, I shaved 13 minutes off my time from last year!!! And finished in under 2 hours. (that was my goal) Thank you family for your support, and also I'm so touched by all the nice texts and phone calls I got. Thanks friends for thinking of me!!

Drakey boy

Do you ever remember a part of your life that you totally forgot and you don't know how you could have? Like I totally forgot that my license plate in college said "MsMeow" and I had forgotten that until my brother in law reminded me. Well I also forgot until recently, that when Drake was a baby I used to call him my bucking bronco because of how excited he'd get when I was dressing him that he'd buck around on the changing table. But if I had to classify his horse type today, he'd be a wild mustang!

Honestly, I turn my back and I don't even see him slip out the back door. Then I see his puffy head sneaking by the side window carrying his scooter to the street. Then he just takes off.
This is usually what he does after I've asked him to make his bead, or put something away. I can't even take an afternoon nap because several times I've waken to find Drake's gone and I don't know where!
The other day he came to me crying. He had somehow managed to get his gum stuck in his hair. He wasn't sleeping, just playing and for some reason took it out and stuck it to the side of his head!? He had been pulling at it and was distraught. I went to pull it too, but it was stuck in there good.
I thought I'd have to just cut his hair really close there, or try the freeze and break off strategy. But good thing I was in the kitchen and there was my olive oil right there. I just poured some on and worked it a little and the gum came right off! Thank heavens I don't have to bring scissors to that beautiful head of hair!

ranting and raving

If you didn't know, you do now. We're poor. Honestly I was stingy before, but law school has turned me into a coupon clipping, ad-matching, re-use everything queen just to save a buck. So when Ryan got a couple of good grades in for this last semester I thought we'd celebrate with some Chinese food.

Enter Panda Express. Ryan loves it. So I suggested it because I wanted to make him happy, and I had a coupon. Buy a two item combo, get a free Panda bowl. So we go, order our food and upon paying the girl at the register read the small print and then said that this coupon wasn't good at their location!!! The nerve. Oh, we're really sorry that someone else paid for advertising and YOU are getting the customers. I can't believe she just didn't take the coupon. So I'm on a Panda strike, and I encourage all to avoid the Panda Express on University and Gilbert. Grrrrrr.

Onto better things. My Buster Brown is in primary now!! Here's my little Sunbeam on his first day.
He did great! Went right in with no problems and loved it! He sang, participated and even tried to go up front and talk in the microphone.

Yesterday I was working all day, catering for Nancy Jo. So Ryan stepped up and took the kids to the Railroad Park.
Even though he had the kids at the park all day, he still wasn't the world's greatest dad because unfortunately this guy still holds the title.

2010

Our wild crew just moments after lighting up a fireworks display that'd make Michael Jackson jealous. We partied hardy while the babes slept.

Okay, now on to a new year. Oh my, even a new decade. Time to resolute. Yep, that's right. Resolute. I'm going to commit some to paper tomorrow. I might be too ambitious though. That's what I thought last year, so I didn't end up ever writing them down. Now I don't remember what I was too scared to do. Oh ya, one of them was run a marathon. That didn't happen. So was it because I didn't write it down? At least I didn't mess it up if I didn't commit right? Hmmm, sounds like a good strategy to me. :)

Merry Christmas

Sorry for the technical difficulties, here's the video with the post. :)

This is what Christmas is all about!

Highlights: Joseph leading Mary into Bethlehem,

Angels come praying,

Mary's exhausted at the end-hello? She just had a baby!

Don't you just love our orange blinds!?

chuga chuga choo choo

Thank you Kyla! She told us about this train display in the Sirrine's backyard. Unfortunately last night was the last night they are doing this, so if you missed it, just enjoy it through my pictures. ;)

We took the kids who were just AWED at the size of this train playground. Well, so were we.

We spent quite a bit of time just following the train tracks and getting excited when the trains would come and pass us.

Are my kids goofy or what?

Then after that I had my girls night, and I told Gwen that if she was really good she could come with me. She was soooo excited! She kept asking every few minutes if it was time to leave.

Part of our Christmas girls night is a gift exchange, and would you believe that someone actually brought a Barbie Thumbelina flower growing kit, and Gwen got that!? She LOVES it!

And then luckily Gwen was there to get a group picture of us girls.

I spy with my little eye

a little boy fast asleep

a little girl with PRESS ON NAILS!

a husband mowing the lawn

All things that make me smile!

I hope my 7 layer dip was enjoyed

because I sacrificed the tip of my finger to make it!

I totally sharpened my knife to slice those green onions and tomatoes. Why do people say it's better to cut yourself with a sharp knife than a dull knife? I don't think a dull knife would have cut through the finger and nail!

sew cool

Remember our awesome gingerbread house? Well look at it now!

As soon as the last piece of candy was put on it the kids were begging to eat it. Well....why not? So we had a busting party and I think EVERY piece of candy that was on it was devoured.

I'm so proud of my Gwenny! This is one of her favorite shrugs, and the button on it came off. Well Gwen got out a needle and thread herself, THREADED it herself, and then sewed it on. ALL BY HERSELF!!

This girl is so rad, I don't know how I got so lucky!

And here are my children, two feet away from the TV, watching Arrested Development. Oh how I love them!

Christmas dreaming

For some reason I think that there's some rich reader out there that cares about what I want for Christmas. So wealthy anonymous reader, feel free to make my material Christmas dreams come true!

That Garmin watch.

Lotsa super cute fabric!

Yes, my Costco membership is up for renewal in January.

A fancy wetsuit for SWIMMING, not wakeboarding/snorkeling.

Knee high brown boots please!

Tickets to the Jack's Mannequin show in February!! I'll be so sad if we miss it.

A nice white watch. I'll go for this white leather Chalet, and at $120...

it's much more reasonable than this ceramic 42-20 ($2000!!!!) But you don't care right, because you're loaded and just want to give me whatever I want?

A nice SLR camera. Nikon's my flavor.

THIS cakestand!!!!!! My friend Kari has a similar one, and whenever I go to her house I feel bad for drooling all over it.

Season three. Please.

And I damaged one of my Silpats last night trying to make stained glass windows for our gingerbread house. I forgot that I had broken Lifesavers in the oven until the black smoke started choking us.

Now this is just the stuff I could think of off hand. I'll probably remember more later, so wealthy reader check back to be sure you don't forget anything! ;)

gingerbread casa

It's that time of year again! The kids have been dying to do it, but I didn't want to spend $10-$15 on a gingerbread house kit. (yes I'm cheaper than ever!) So I figured I'd make my own gingerbread, roll it out and cut my own pieces. And WOW! My new FAVORITE way for my home to smell. Seriously, could not get over how good it smelled baking the gingerbread today! For some reason it smelled better than making gingerbread cookies.
Tip: keep the kids out of your hair while you're rolling and cutting serious business by giving them some dough to roll and form on their own. This kept Drake busy for over an hour! My stuff was in the oven, baked and cooling while he was still working his dough!
See look at his focus. He'll impress some girl some day with his cooking skillz. Then she'll have me to thank and will be forever in my debt. I'm already coming up with ways she can pay me back. wuahhahhahahah (my evil laugh)

Gwen's house front we decided looks like Monster House

We kinda spoiled our appetite for dinner by playing a little game called "One for me, one for the house".

It turned out pretty cute!

Just when you do it, make sure your measurements are exact, or you'll have spaces between pieces like this. My measurements should have been perfect! At least it all fits in my head. I think that some pieces got stretched in transferring from the counter to the cookie sheet.

Fun activity, not hard, smells good, and this might actually be a gingerbread house that we'll eat!

Gingerbread for construction

3/4 C buttermilk

6 T butter

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C molasses

1 egg

5 1/2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1 t ginger

1/2 t salt

Heat butter and buttermilk in saucepan just until butter melts. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and molasses. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add egg, 1 C flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix. Add remaining flour. Will be a thick dough. Refriegerate 1 hour.

Roll 1/4" thick. Bake at 350º for 15-18 minutes or until edges just start to brown.

Royal Icing

3 egg whites

1/2 t cream of tartar

4 C powdered sugar

In mixing bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar just until stiff. Add powdered sugar gradually while mixing. Put in pastry bag and glue your pieces together.

Potato Soup

Last night Gwen and I made Potato Soup. It was a total hit with Ryan, and today when he brought left overs to school for lunch, I guess it was the envy. A recipe post was requested, and I'm happy to oblige! And here's a shout out to Precious!!

Baked Potato Soup
5 bacon strips
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T flour
1 t salt
1 t basil
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

4 C chickem broth

2 large baked potatoes, cubed

1 baked potato, mashed

1 C heavy cream (that's why it's SOOO good!)

1 t Tabasco

1 C shredded cheddar, plus more for topping

In stock pot, brown up bacon. Set aside and crumble to top soup. Reserve 1 T of fat and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in flour, salt basil and pepper. Add broth and bring to boil. Boil 3 min. Stir in mashed potato, boil 2 more min. Add cream, cubed potatoes, Tabasco, and cheddar. Heat through and garnish with cheese, bacon, and green onions. Enjoy!

I'm back!!

Okay, so I'm trying the public blog again.
My sister, Tara, called out my stalker ex-boyfriend on Facebook and his friends found out about the creepy stuff he's been doing (he emailed her denying everything of course-what a bonehead! I've got proof!). So here's to hoping he stops and I don't have to hide anymore!

Thanksgivingness

Our Thanksgiving holiday started with the Turkey Trot. Jasmyn and I ran it again this year, and then were able to meet up with my SIL, Emily at the finish. Nothing like burning 600+ calories on a day of feasting. And feast we did!!!

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the beautiful spread.

But I've got a picture of the well fed!

Then the next day instead of shopping, we put up the Christmas tree and still had Jack and Aubrey around to help.

Unfortunately the fun had to end and the Taylors went home. :(
But I seriously LOVE this time of year. Can't wait to finish decorating and start Christmas baking!