Us Today

There's been lots of paperwork the last few days, getting medical bills in order and paid, creating a resume, kid on-line stuff…  It's, truthfully, been kind-of dreary. It is nice to have all the bills paid and I'm going to love my new job, right?  (when I get it…)

We bought this little gem of a bicycle in Iowa, so it's been at least 3 years ago.  And before the last 8 weeks, it had been used maybe a total of 15 times.  He's feeling the love now, every morning at 10am, so that I can watch Design, Inc. while riding!  ( I love Sarah Richardson!) 

A very colorful stack of errands to run today:  grocery list, mail, Daddy's shirts to the dry cleaners,  clothes that are now too big, going to The Salvation Army. (that last errand still makes me giddy!)

 

 

Lunchtime at our house consisted of pb&j, ritz and/or Cheetos and a big glass of milk for the boys. 

Salad and left over chicken pasta for Scott and me…

Hungry puppies who think they should be eating lunch too…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally…  dinner.  Pioneer Woman's recipe for potato bundles, summer squash, bruschetta and grilled pork chop.  (Scott had a steak.)  What a pretty dinner, huh?  I ate all but the potatoes…  not enough seasoning on them if you aren't going to eat butter and sour cream…  I'll change it up next time.  Everything else was delish! 

And now the promise of a whole new day!

Twilight news!!!

Yep, the appearance of the Volturi completely lives up to my spookiest expectations!  Is that Dakota Fanning?  It's supposed to be Dakota Fanning, but she doesn't look like herself at all in this shot…  Of course red eyes might change one's appearance…

In other Twilight news, I'm completely disgusted that they've decided to re-cast Victoria in the third movie.  I guess continuity doesn't mean shit to Summit Entertainment.  Or how 'bout loyalty to the fans.  (there are quite a few of us…)  Not that it's going to keep me from going and seeing Eclipse, but seeing another face representing Victoria is going to completely take me out of it and it's gonna piss me off.  Eclipse is where Victoria really gets to shine and I'm sad for Rachelle Lefevre that she won't get to have that shining moment.  It's a bummer! 

I have my own basil, thank you very much!

I've complained many times in the past about not being able to find fresh basil in BFE.  Now I grow my own and I have plenty for anything I want to make!  So Wal-mart, Sonny's and Safeway, HA!!!  Bite me!!!

And here's what I made out of it.  Chicken Fresco from a Pampered Chef flyer I found laying around…  It was yummy.  I think I'm going to change a couple things about the recipe and try it again, though.  If it turns out to-die-for, I'll share the recipe here next time.

I was just so happy to recruit Bee and Scott to go pick basil for dinner last night!  (I'm easily pleased.)

It was his birthday

We were in Colorado for my honey's birthday this year.  Had a little celebration at home and then an evening out, by ourselves.  It was like we were all grown up or something…

I almost didn't make a cake this year because he had a party at work with his favorite chocolate cake…  But I think everyone wanted and enjoyed this one too!

The boys had fun at our little party, eating chocolate cake and wanting Daddy's new lego/Halo toys.  (one of his birthday gifts.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were presents.  And the next day, just the two of us went out to a sushi cafe for dinner and Borders for coffee and the new movie, The Ugly Truth.

I hope you had fun, honey.  I did.  I love you!

 

“You have a rough life, honey,” he said. “I know. It’s terrible,” I replied, laughing.

I'm very pampered.  I admit it.  I have a pretty easy life.  Of course anyone can find things to stress about, but it really is pretty difficult for me to find much to fret about.

One day, while in Colorado last week, my mom kept the little boys and I met my two cousins for a day of extreme pampering.  Started out at this cute little spa in Fort Collins.

Then Hu-Hot for lunch.  Everything was delicious.  Note to self:  no matter what you think, broccoli is not your friend any more!

Starbucks, because we weren't enjoying the day enough already…

 

A sexy, purple car to toodle around in…

And pretty toes, thanks to the spa lady, to enjoy for the next couple of weeks.  Also my first ever pair of flip-flops.  I think I like them, but I still don't understand all the fuss.  I do love my new sparkly pink toes, though… 

I know I'm spoiled by my husband and I try not to take anything for granted. 

So… I'm thinking about going back to work soon and I'm wondering,  "Will I still have time to have fun?"  I've come to the conclusion that you have to make the time!  This is the stuff that makes you feel like you have a life.  I might have to let a few things go:  hang ups about whether or not the sheets have been changed this week and the laundry is caught up.  (really does anyone ever catch up on their laundry?  If so, I want to know your secret!)  But I know I can work and have fun.  I haven't worked since Will was born.  It's already been nearly 9 years…  I haven't ever been a working mom.  I think it's going to be an exciting new endeavor for me.  And just another opportunity that has opened up because I've lost a bunch of weight.  I'm able to do a lot more now and not get completely worn out.  What a blessing this surgery has been in my life already!

Alright, in closing,  (kinda long winded today, huh?)  have you seen the two New Moon sneak peeks from Comic Con?  Here's the link:  http://www.newmoonmovie.org/2009/07/higher-quality-new-moon-movie-clips-from-comic-con/  .  CANNOT WAIT!  They've also added some cool stuff to the official New Moon website, here's that link, if you'd like to check it out too:  http://www.twilightthemovie.com/  FUN STUFF!  I saw the trailer in the theater this past weekend, and although I've watched it a dozen times on the internet, it was just like new in the theater…  (yep, I'm hopeless.)

I think we did a fine job!

I think this little family project came out so awesome!  (and so does Will)  It was  a group effort and I love that about it too.  The boys and I painted it and Daddy put it together and hung it Will's room.  Will and I love the shadow it casts on the ceiling too!

We had a fun, incredibly full weekend around here.  First was the Cub Scout camp on Friday and Saturday.  The boys had a ball.  The only bad thing being the big, bad, scarey thunderstorm that forced them to abandon the tent and come home at 2 in the morning.  I was so glad they came home!  

The Scout moms put together quite an event for our boys!  There were police cars to climb around in… 

Apparently Will likes to dabble on both sides of the law…   In the first shot he's driving the police car and in the second, he's in the back seat…  (where you put bad guys…  hmmm)  Alrighty then… 

They got to get inside an ambulance and check out all that stuff…

 

 

 

 

 

 

They each got to be turned upside-down on a stretcher…

 

 

 

 

 

Which, I hear, was one of the highlights of an already pretty exciting day…

Then the boys walked over to the armory and got to explore military vehicles.  I know my little boys were in HEAVEN!

Look at their happy, little faces.  I love that they had so much fun!

 

 

 

 

The military guys actually took the boys for a ride in this car.  As they pulled away, one boy (not sure who) said, "See you in four years." 

So then camp was over in the afternoon and we went home and passed out!  The next day I got a wild hair and Scott played along…  

We decided to re-organize our store room and rearrange the basement.  This is what it looked like in the beginning.

We started the process at 11 am.  And we had done all we could do by 9:30 pm.   

It's mostly done, just finishing touches left.  Still have to tote off a trailer full of trash.  I weeded out quite a bit of stuff. (mostly toys…  don't tell anyone…)

And …(here's the Martha Stewart coming out in me) I LOVE our new, completely organized and easily accessible storeroom!  AND…  there are no toys in there, so the boys won't have an excuse anymore to go in there and mess everything up…  right, honey?!?

So, the boys and I are off to Colorado for the week, soon as I can get packed.  Scott's going to join us on Friday and we're going to celebrate his birthday down there.  Looking forward to relaxing a bit…  after the weekend we just had!  I have a spa day on Thursday with my two Colorado cousins and we're going to hit up the scrapbook stores too!  Should be fun.

 

My Baby

If you can't tell what he's doing…  he's winking at me.  This shot was taken at the big, fancy, new playland at Burger King in Sterling, Colorado…  Can you say "oooooo."

The other day, I was standing in the bathroom, fixing my hair or putting on my make-up or something and he walks in and swats me on the butt.

"What was that?" I asked.

He responds, without missing a beat, "What?  It belongs to me!"

(I'd like to see what his father has to say about that…  lol)

Just in case…

Just in case you doubted that we really do live in BFE, here's photographic evidence to prove it!

I'm off in a little bit, to join my boys at Cub Scout camp.  I hope you have a good, fun Saturday too!

This is my Mad Face!

And I'm wearing my mad face because after 10 years of marriage, my husband still doesn't know how to respond when I get a haircut!  As a matter of fact, I don't remember him EVER responding favorably…  so maybe it's just his problem… 

I've told myself, over the years, that it's better if he doesn't notice…  although that gets on my nerves too…  And maybe after 10 years of bad reactions to my changing my hair, I'm hypersensitive to negative comments…  WHATEVER. 

When he came home from work yesterday (and remember I'm feeling good about new, cute, sexy, sassy shorter hair) he gives me a look that says, "What have you done?" and then forces a little smile and tells me that I look like The Barefoot Contessa…  a short, fat lady who's at least 20 years older than me…  ALRIGHTY THEN…

I'm only barely forcing myself to speak to him today!  And frankly, I still think my new hair is cute and sexy and sassy!)

Paula Deen’s Magic Peanut Butter Cookies

It was such an easy recipe, I thought the boys would like to give it a try and boy did they have fun!  It was a little messy afterward but so worth it!  They measured everything, cracked the eggs, mixed everything and formed the balls, covered in sugar and placed on the cookie sheet.  Really the only thing I did was the oven part.  They started out pretty reluctant about the whole process, but when they saw that it was going to be a hands-on project, they were totally "into" it!

I thought the cookies were pretty good.  Excellent for kids to make and enjoy eating.  Our boys loved them.  (They aren't spectacular but they're good.  I think they'd be better made out of crunchy peanut butter.)  Here's the recipe:  http://www.pauladeen.com/recipe_view/510  .  We used real sugar, though.  I happen to believe the real thing in moderation is better than chemical substitutes.

Sadly, we were all having so much fun making the cookies, that we forgot to take pictures of the process.  That should tell you something.