Better Than Humdrum

If you give a kid a camera,

2010-03-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

the results look something like this,or this, and even better, like this,Mia's officially made her photography debut and credit should be given to her for the first two pictures. I admit, I'm solely responsible for my face. I really should have given her better material to work with.

Mia LOVES to cook

2010-02-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Mia loves to join me in the kitchen whenever possible. She has the routine down: pull chair into kitchen, wash hands, break out the cookbook,offer observer a little taste (even if it's only flour and salt),

pick nose,pick nose again (if at first you don't succeed...),SMILE (that always wins 'em over), and do a little "raise the roof" move (makes 'em forget all about the nose picking bit)

Mediterranean beef pitas

2010-02-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is a family favorite and SUPER easy. To give credit where it's due, I found this recipe in a Real Simple issue.

Mediterranean beef pitas

1 lb. of ground beef

pocketless pitas or tandori bread

hummus

flat-leaf parsley

red onion

lemons

olive oil

dried oregano

salt and pepper

Shape beef into 16 patties. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano. Brown over medium heat, 2 minutes per side. Top 4 pocketless pitas with hummus, the patties, flat-leaf parsley, and sliced red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.

The flavor is awesome! Each ingredients adds something unique to the overall flavor. Unless there's something you're completely opposed to, try the recipe as is.

The perfect pumpkin waffle recipe

2010-02-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

After a friend graciously gave me four cooking pumpkins, I found myself on a pumpkin kick. The pumpkins are long gone now, but I've found canned pumpkin works fine too. I believe I found the recipe on a blog entitled 'Pumpkin Waffles Blog', so you now know this recipe means business.

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

1/4 c. light brown sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat with fine results)

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 3/4 t. cinnamon

2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. cloves

1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg, or 1/4 t. pre-grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 c. whole milk

1 c. canned solid-packed pumpkin

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set to the desired temp.

2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Whisk to blend.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form (about 1 1/2-2 minutes)

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/pumpkin/milk mixture. Stir until combined.

7. Add pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and into the pumpkin mixture. Gently fold until no white bits are seen.

9. Batter is ready to go! Pour into waffle maker. Serve with REAL maple syrup! Its worth the price.

Pretty girl

2010-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

What a little face! She's such a blessing.

Life's tough

2010-01-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

Can't you tell?

And now that I allowed the dogs to sit on the leather couch, I, along with the rest of my family and any visitors, have no where to sit and remain hair free. What was I thinking?

Spencer's 6!

2009-12-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

December is a busy month for most of us, but you add a birthday (or two) into the mix, and things get even crazier. Despite the busyness, we're determined to make our near-Christmas baby feel special (mostly because I am a near-Christmas baby too and I know how it is). We gave Spencer the reigns and let him dictate our day, which he loved. Our agenda included pumpkin waffles, bowling, Taco Bell, a movie, and macaroni and cheese dinner (we talked him into a little broccoli too).

A huge part of me can't believe out little guy is 6, but at times and in a good way, it feels like he's been here for so much longer. I can hardly remember life without him. He's certainly loved.

Spencer the Elf

2009-12-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

Spencer's kindergarten class performed the Gingerbreadman play. So cute! Spencer actually sang some, which is a far cry from his preschool performance (which I put in the "agonizingly painful" category). I kept his costume simple using khaki pants he already had, a green t-shirt, felt elf shoes, and an elf hat another mom in the class picked up for him. The rest was all Spencer. What a goof!

"Snowballs"

2009-12-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

I had this recipe for "snowballs" in a neat book filled with things to make with kids. I received the book when Spencer was really young, so I had planned to make the snowballs when the threat of soap eating had passed. In the meantime, I forgot about the recipe until a friend made it with her kids and triggered my memory. So glad that happens sometimes!

The recipe is simple and includes: grated ivory soap, water and little trinkets to hide inside the snowball. The balls are left to harden for a day or so and then become bath worthy.

The best pumpkin bread recipe. Yummy!

2009-11-01T20:54:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe on the web on the Organic Valley site (too lazy to post link). Its the best!

Spiced Maple Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup pure maple syrup (the real deal, not the fake stuff!)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I use white whole wheat flour and its turned out fine)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped pecan

Frosting: (I actually cute this in half. The full recipe as listed below is too much for us)

2, 8 oz. bars cream cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup agave nectar

Instructions:

For the bread:
In a large bowl, cream the butter, maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, with a wire wisk, mix together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Then, stir in the pecans.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, until just fully incorporated. Do not over mix. Spoon into a well greased loaf pan (I've done cupcakes instead and cut time). Bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting:

Cream all of the ingredients together well. Frost loaf after its cooled, or frost by the slice.

I think I've made this recipe at least 10 times now....just this season. Its that good!

Seeing green!

2009-10-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

I looked for a cute, but not scary cupcake for Spencer's Halloween party at school. I found this idea on Martha Stewart's site and made a few changes to the original design. I had intended to involve the kids in the decorating process, but I hit a snag in the frosting phase and quickly shooed them out of the kitchen. I felt bad about it, but I quickly realized they were just there to eat any scraps I might happen to offer. Once I got a handle on things, I pumped out the cupcakes pretty quickly. Although I hate to encourage too much sugar consumption, these were a BIG hit and made for a good Halloween themed treat.

Spider shirts

2009-10-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

I thought this shirts came out so cute! Two handprints per spider minus the thumbs. Spencer got creative and made a detailed web for his spiders to enjoy.

Fingerpainting without the mess

2009-10-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Mia loves crafting, creating, making etc. She will sit, and sit, until she's forced to move on. This is about the only time she sits still day or night (really), so I relish it. She's not a fan of messy hands, which is why I trust her to fingerpaint over carpet. Be jealous :).

Star student

2009-10-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

Spencer was Star student in his class last week. He filled out a poster full of information all about him and presented it in class. He loved the attention (got a little Daddy in him) and had an extra special week to fill the Star student role as Halloween is a BIG deal in kindergarten.

In his own (filled-in) words:

My favorite color is blue

My favorite food is nacho (that's what he wrote, which is our fault, I guess)

My favorite animal is a warthog (I was seriously surprised and puzzled by this)

Safari West is my favorite place

When I grow up I want to be a Ghostbuster (when Spencer sounds out and spells this himself it looks like Gosbsdr)
My favorite thing to do is to play with my dogs (if he was being honest, I think the word torture would be included somewhere in this statement)

If I had one wish, I would wish for my tooth to fall out (two loose teeth)

One wet kiddo

2009-10-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

And this is what Mia looks like after spending a little time under a downspout and before she decided that was a plain bad idea (the girl got cold).

We did not/will not be carving pumpkins this year

2009-10-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of breaking tradition, but this was still fun though it didn't result in any yummy toasted pumpkin seeds. The kids had a blast rifling through their Mr. Potato Head stash and this is what they came up with. Random, yes, but still cute.

Apple Hill

2009-10-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

I braved the trek and took the kids to Apple Hill by myself. I was facing an entire weekend, plus a day on either side, all alone and I just needed to have a trip to look forward to. We had so much fun! If done right, Apple Hill can be a fairly inexpensive venture. Of course, it can be done wrong too.

We bought lots of apples, picked our own pumpkins from the vine, ~~harassed~~ pet a dog, went in a paddle boat, made candy monsters, feed farm animals until a finger was mistaken for food, and went through a hay maze until we were covered in the stuff. I would absolutely go again!

Progress

2009-10-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

The house now has a floor. Very exciting stuff!

Surprise, surprise!

2009-09-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

Our Disneyland trip wasn't a complete surprise; the kids knew we were going sometime, just not exactly when. We readied ourselves for church, got in the car, and then let the cat out the bag. We did this by getting in the car with the kiddos' Disney hats on. Spencer figured it our right away, but poor very three year-old Mia, was completely consumed by the fact that I was wearing her hat. She kept exclaiming with a scowl on her face no less, "Hey, my hat! That my hat!" She cheered up quickly!

Toolbench work

2009-09-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

The kids (especially Spencer) are really enjoying my Grandpa's old work bench we have in our garage. There's not much to destroy, which is good for everyone.
Hard work takes lots and lots of concentration. Notice the gaping mouth; that's a tell-tale sign.
Mia tags along too. She's not quite as interested as Spencer, but she stops and smiles for pictures, which I like.
Here she is shining up a garage find.
Did I mention the extreme concentration involved in this sort of work? Spencer's squeezing a rock. Good luck!
Mia's wrapping rocks and tying bows because she's my daughter. Enough said.

And the work begins...

2009-09-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

We're ("we" being a term I use very loosely) building a playhouse for the kids for Christmas. After taking more than a few moments to think about our plan, we knew we'd have to spill the beans; we just don't have enough alone time to get the project completed without their knowing.

Work began with a full day clean-up. It took us more than seven hours to clean-up 10 years worth of pine needles, over-grown ivy, and because my Grandpa was green before it was popular, some (badly) repurposed concrete. We still have approximately seven years of our clean-up efforts still piled in the backyard.

The playhouse will be built in the very same spot my Grandpa built a playhouse for his granddaughters. So neat. I found a few traces of our playhouse while we picked up. One worth keeping is this old glass spice bottle. I remember my Grandma gave it to us to use in the playhouse for our meal "cooking". I have it sitting on my kitchen windowsill and we have plans to place it somewhere in our playhouse. I just love living in a home that has "fingerprints" of my loved ones.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

2009-09-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

First day of kindergarten

2009-08-31T21:47:00.000-07:00

Spencer was very excited about starting school. I'm sure the pictures are proof of his excitement and/or that he is indeed his father's son.

My little crafter

2009-08-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hike at Tilden

2009-08-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

We went to Tilden Park in Berekley today. Spencer insisted on hiking, and surprised us by not complaining once (Mia too). The hike wasn't short, but just when we'd get a little hot, we walked under the cover of shade. So nice! We checked for ticks a few times along our way. We had a little encounter with ticks at our old house, so we knew the reaction we'd get if we said so. Instead we did a "sunburn inspection". Spencer never questioned why we'd look for a sunburn in his armpits :).

Cross dressing at it's best?!?

2009-08-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Is there really such a thing, anyway? A (HUGE) positive to this whole swapping of clothes event...the kids got along fabulously and dinner was cooked (didn't say it was great).

Making this place home

2009-08-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

Because our "new" house has been a part of me since birth, I feel very comfortable here. More comfortable than I've ever felt anyplace else, really. What I'm not familiar with is our new town and it is very much new to me.

I wanted to take the kids to the park for a picnic lunch and instead of the all too familiar Heather Farms park, I opted for the Civic park. What a cute park! Grassy fields, picnic tables, lots of play equipment AND a library. The library is super small for now, but the new, huge library is in the construction process right next door. ~~We're~~ I'm very excited!

Oh, it got better...

2009-08-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

The nails we originally ordered for Cooper didn't fit, so his "punishment" is....

Two years ago today...

2009-08-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

And the same day, two years later...

Today, we celebrate the Mia's arrival into our arms. Our life would surely be incomplete without her and her spunky personality.

We're hoping to return to Guatemala around her fifth birthday. She's understanding her story a bit more and we want her beloved "Lamalama" to be a natural part of her life. She has a loving foster family just dying to see her again and a country and culture we look forward to sharing with her.

She's just so, so precious.

2009-07-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

Yes, crossword puzzles are indeed addicting. And look, I bought my first AARP endorsed book!

Check out these nails...

2009-07-28T18:34:00.001-07:00

We have hardwood floors in our new place and two big dogs. Do you see how this combination can go awry?

I found soft paws online and ordered a set. I considered ordering the pink nails, just to torture the dogs (its not like they're really color blind, are they?), but I went with blue instead. If the nail covers work, I might order the green/red combination for Christmas. I really do love my dogs and I'm really hoping the other dogs at the dog park don't notice.

And yes, we did laugh hysterically as we applied the nails. I never thought blue nails could look so cute :).

Now, that's a number I can live with!

2009-07-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

I went to pick-up Mia from Sunday school class this morning. I went into her classroom, looked around a bit. Looked around a bit more. Panicked. For the life of me, I couldn't find my daughter. Scary. Really, really scary.

I asked a male teacher if he knew where Mia was and I told him I couldn't find her. We looked around a bit more and we finally spotted my cookie-covered face playing in a little house.

On my way out, I had a conversation with the same teacher.

Teacher: "Oh, don't scare me like that again!"

Me: "I know, I was pretty scared myself."

Teacher: "Yeah, in all the years I've worked in here, we've only lost one kid."

I'm wondering how in the world that statement is suppose to bring me any comfort. Seriously. Thankfully, Mia was found safe and sound and we can laugh a little.

Anyone familiar with the plane crash scene from Madagascar 2? Its a favorite scene of ours. After the penguin pilots crash-land its discovered they've lost two passengers. One penguin pilot exclaims, "Now, that's a number I can live with!"

It was time

2009-07-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

It took Spencer almost two years to get on his first bike. It took another six months to get him on his bike without a screaming fit. It took Spencer twenty minutes to ride on two wheels. No training wheels! You could say, he's come far.

We've had trouble trouble with his bike chain because the thing is just falling apart. I heard him ask Mia if they could share her new Dora bike (that's a little bigger than his by the way) because his just doesn't work well anymore. That would be a picture worth taking; my son on the pink and purple Dora bike.

We planned to give him a new bike for his birthday, but December's pretty far away. He was so excited to get his gift early. He tells me everyday that his new bike is the "best birthday present I ever got." He looks so teeny-tiny on his new bike. That's fine by me :)

Oh, dear.

2009-07-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Alfonso found these big ol' glasses in my grandpa's car. He couldn't let those beauties go to waste. Spencer found the glasses stylish and didn't seem to mind their size.

The only thing funnier than seeing your son in the glasses is hearing him bark out orders to his sister. Sorry Mia, for the sake of a good laugh, I just couldn't stop him. I took these shots through our sliding glass door, which is why I was undetected for a bit.
At this point, he's getting really worked up about something (terribly important, I'm sure).
Ah, I've been spotted!

July camping trip

2009-07-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

We went to a lake with two other families for a few days. You may notice from one of my pictures, that the water is incredibly blue. Its no Photoshop trick, the water is really that gorgeous. Unfortunately, I've been ordered to never reveal the lake's name for fear it may become all too popular, because you know, we have so many friends.

Lots of dirt, smores, sun, yadda, yadda, yadda. Great time pretty well sums it up. Mia's birthday was on the 14th, so we celebrated with pancakes. I guess I brought along trick candles without realizing so, and the poor thing about cried when the candles came back to life each and every time they were blown out.

Our Graduate

2009-06-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

Spencer officially graduated from preschool (opposed to his "unofficial" graduation last year). He got a bit of stage fright and completely clammed up while onstage. Although I was bummed he didn't sing along with the rest of the kids like he did last year, I didn't shed many tears which was a welcome result of his episode of fright.

We asked him what happened onstage and he said he didn't like everyone looking at him. What he didn't seem to understand is everyone was looking at him (and chuckling a bit too) because he was so obviously uninterested in participating. Oh well. Guess it makes for a funny story.

Our "staycation"

2009-06-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

With the economy tanking, "staycations" are becoming more common. We had our very own "staycation" in our backyard, capitalizing on the fact it already looks a bit like a campground even without a tent present.

When we went to sleep the wind was really blowing and we were already a little cold, so it came as no surprise that at 3 a.m. we headed inside. It was fun, and as now, the tent is still standing. Maybe we'll try it again soon.

The dessert that's made me forget all about ice cream...

2009-06-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

I love Trader Joe's new non-fat frozen yogurt. So, so yummy.

Two little scoops topped with raspberry sauce (defrosted frozen raspberries mashed and just a little bit of Agave syrup added) and whatever fresh fruit we have in hand.

Try it and you may too forget about ice cream.

"I dir-tee"

2009-06-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

The moment I walked outside Mia exclaimed, "I dir-tee, Mom"

Really, I never would have noticed?!

Pedal progress

2009-06-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce a few great developments around here! Mia can now reach the pedals of her trike. She's so proud and we are too!
Spencer, the same kid it took six months to convince to get on his bike at all, was riding WITHOUT training wheels in a start to finish twenty minute lesson. Unbelievable!

Little cuties

2009-06-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad this...
quickly changes to this...

Note to self: Have a plan

2009-06-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

I decided sometime last night that today would be an easy day. "Easy day" to me includes one free of strict plans and a "take life as it comes" attitude. Normally, I like to have a plan for my day, so this fly by the seat of my pants mentality does not come naturally for me.

The kids were both up and wide wake by 6 a.m. this morning. That in itself wasn't so bad, but life with kids is never that simple. By 8:30 a.m. we'd already made it to our first park of the day. We had a fun time and left without any tears, fights, or fits. I was preparing to leave the house so I could pick-up my second bottle of medicine for my swimmer's ear (that I got in the shower by the way) at Walgreen's when I heard a horrible scream coming from the backyard. Mia had taken a fall in the jungle (seriously, that's what it looks like) and was a mess. I feel bad saying this, but I'm kinda glad she fell because that's the only way I would have discovered that she had taken my wallet and all it's contents into the jungle with her. And because our jungle includes a whole lotta ivy, I don't think I would have ever discovered it. Ever.

Alright, so Mia was happy to be repaired with a band-aid and I had my wallet. I thought we were all good when Spencer yelled, "Mom, why is Cooper in the front yard?". I don't make a habit of allowing our dogs loose in the front yard for a lot of reasons, but a major one is the semi-busy traffic. I figured Cooper had found a hole some where in the fence, but after searching and searching I had no idea how in the world he'd made it out front short of hopping the fence which he'd never do. I quizzed the kids and got the confession I, at this point, was expecting. Apparently Mia found herself a bit of free time and decided to give Cooper his wish and let him out front. Nice.

So, we finally headed out for our seemingly innocuous trip to Walgreen's. We made it all the way to the register before an unforgettably embarrassing event took place. Spencer's incredibly observant and I might add, equally nosy. We had to wait just long enough in line to give him time to look at all the goodies at the check-out stand. This is when he noticed the KY lubricant gel and loudly announced, "Hey, I recognize this stuff. You and Daddy have this in your drawer at our house!" I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, me or the teenage checker boy.

After our stop at the drugstore, we went to our second park trip of the day and mind you, it was only 11:00 a.m. Our time at the park passed without any major events other than some big tears shed by little Mia as we were being chased by the geese. Woo-hoo!

I had a huge pile of laundry waiting for me at home, so I banished the kids to the backyard (foolish me), and tried to tackle the task. It didn't take long for a shout from Spencer beckoning the need of my presence in the backyard for something he promised was really "cool". Do you know what was so "cool"? I'll tell you...a just freshly filled pool with a few buckets of added dirt.

Cool, huh?

2009-06-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

I love this guy. He makes me melt because he's hot and occasionally, he makes me mad.

He just knew the kids and I would love the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see three (yes, three) helicopters land right before our eyes.

Seriously, he's killing me

2009-06-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had a little chance to sneak in some one-on-one time with Spencer. We were eating a (small) bowl of ice cream when he asked me, "Mom, do you think there really is no pain in heaven just like God promises?" I believe that to be the truth, and I told him so. His reply (the killing me part) was, "Well, I'm picturing it in my head right now and I see Great Grandpa swinging from the trees on a swing. He fell and it didn't hurt him at all." He then went on to theorize his belief that there must be dirt below the grass even in heaven "or it would just be concrete and that would hurt."

Then, the kid picked out 'Love you Forever' to read before bed.

I love that kid. I really, really do.

T-Ball pictures

2009-05-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Spencer's t-ball season continues, but not for long. There's only one game left and I think I'll miss it. Yes, even the practices.

2009-05-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

Mia was in bed and up from her nap when I snapped these pictures. She's had a problem climbing out of her crib lately and its been something we've discussed over and over again. We're learning that along with a good sense of willpower, there is a good deal of stubbornness.

Maybe I didn't catch her in the act this time, but I'm pretty sure I didn't dress her in these stockings with that dress.

Yep, I would have remembered putting a mitten on that foot too.

Geez. How could I not laugh this time.

You give a boy a camera...

2009-05-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

...and this is what you get.

And I specifically asked that he take pictures of the t-ball team. I am not part of the t-ball team thank you very much.

I'm not his mother, I swear!

2009-05-18T20:18:00.001-07:00

The three of us took our dogs for a walk this evening. Spencer begged (and begged some more) to walk Scout all by himself. I waited to give him the reins once we were on a non-residential sidewalk with a straight shot view of the entire street so I could keep watch for other dogs. Scout is good about staying on the sidewalk, but if he sees another dog then he's all about breakin' the rules. I did see a dog coming our way on the opposite side of the street and told Spencer I'd need to take over. Once we were within ear shot distance from the couple and the dog, Spencer asked, "What kind of dog is that?" I wasn't sure and I replied so. I should have known the answer would be found insufficient as Spencer blurted out, "I think he's a baby eater!" (pitbull).

Which is about when I felt like finding my very own box to crawl into.

2009-05-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

One can never draw enough circles.

Or can they?

All dressed up and some place to go!

2009-05-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we weren't really dressed up, but we really did have some place to go.

Little Mia

2009-05-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

Having the three of us in a picture and cooperating (somewhat) is no small feat.

Probably never would have happened if Daddy hadn't reminded the kids it was Mother's Day...and they hadn't picked up a gift yet :)

Move-in ready...

2009-05-06T21:27:00.001-07:00

...wouldn't you say?!

I'm hearing crickets, folks!

Our portable garden

2009-04-30T20:09:00.001-07:00

Because of our upcoming move, our garden had to be made portable this year. All that work that went into our raised vegetable garden last year....bummer.

With the help of my children (ha,ha), I planted four tomato plants, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme and bell pepper. The rosemary and oregano were transplants from our garden that somehow survived the frigid winter temperatures. Later, we'll also dig up and transplant our two blueberry bushes, blackberry vine, artichoke and strawberry plants.

I recycled a few pots I had laying around and then found some at my Grandpa's place. I displaced a few spiders and did a little screaming, but it was worth it. I love the rustic look of the terra cotta pots.

I found a neat idea here and used old bits of fabric I had hiding away in a craft box. Low cost and cute, I think anyway.

Pure bliss!

2009-04-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

We're lovin' the warm weather! The kids had some fun with the mister which I convinced them was just as fun as the water wasting sprinkler. I believe they agreed, don't you think?

We're moving!

2009-04-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but we will be moving sometime before June 1st Lord willing.

We plan to rent out our place, so if you know of anyone looking to rent a home in Antioch, let me know. We have a listing on Craig's list, but I re-list every few days, so there's not much point in posting a link here. I can forward the link to anyone who might be interested though.

A cheap and easy Easter project

2009-04-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

We made a few of the same cards last year, but I'm hoping everyone will just have a temporary case of memory lapse.

I found the idea in a MOPS magazine and I thought it was cute. We don't do the Easter bunny thing, but who can pass up a thumb print bunny?! Technically, its really a thumb print face and pinky print ears. I used regular white paint and dusted the wet paint with some glitter that I had on hand. The kids made the bunnies and I drew on the face after that paint had dried. Inside printing and scribbling courtesy of the kids.

A girl and her blanket

2009-04-08T19:51:00.001-07:00

My dad called and asked that I come by Grandpa's place sometime soon and pick-up all the belongings I requested. A few weeks ago, I went to the house along with my sister and two cousins to sift through the place. We were instructed to use post-it notes and label anything we wanted. It was weird to do such a thing, but we had a nice time reminiscing. Really, it couldn't have been more pleasant.

While I was at Grandpa's this afternoon, I decided to quickly look through a small box of handkerchiefs and such. Among the small pile I saw my old pair of Raggedy Ann shorts I wore as pajama bottoms. Of course I just had to pick those up for Mia.

At the bottom of the pile I found something I'd call a purse, but what do I know? Anyways, I picked up the "purse" because I thought it was pretty. I was looking at all the stitching when I noticed there was something inside. I pulled out what I thought was a piece of fabric and immediately I recognized the cloth. Initially, I believed it was familiar because my Grandma might have used the fabric for some sewing project that I vaguely remembered. Then I pulled out the second piece of fabric just like the first except for a satin edging. It was then I knew without a doubt that the tattered pieces of cloth I was holding were cut from my blankie. I'm not sure how I acquired my blanket as a child, but when I was little I was never without it. It became another appendage. At times, a very stinky appendage.

At one point my then step-dad threatened to toss my blanket. I was upset of course, and I told my Grandma about this. More than likely she was just as tired of blankie, but she loved me enough to compromise. I clearly remember her cutting a few small squares from my blanket for me to keep. I'm not sure how these pieces eventually ended up in this purse, but my discovery was sweet.

I called my dad and told him about finding pieces of my blanket tucked away in that little purse. Without any prompting he said, "Your yellow blanket?". Yep, I guess you'd call it yellow, or maybe yellowed, but we were talking about the very same blanket. He thinks my Grandma may have placed the pieces of my blanket in the purse so I'd never find them.

I disagree.

Dying eggs with the kids

2009-04-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

Our last little project together before Alfonso gets home tonight was egg dying. After five full days by myself I honestly am worn out, but I promised and the kids have great memories. Except when I ask either of them to do their chores...hmmmm.

We had fun and as with most projects, the clean-up always takes twice as long as the project itself. Spencer wanted to do a little experimenting with the left over dye, which I okayed as long as he didn't spill. I was in the other room and I heard him say, "Oops, sorry Mom. I only spilled a little." After he said this several times, I thought I should go check and see what his definition of "little" was. Well, all the littles turned into one, big wet mess. Thankfully, our table has seen worse and it appears it will survive alright.

Did I mention how excited I am to see my husband?! Five days is just too long. I hate to admit it, but I may have lost my patience once or twice the last few days. I've heard many "hell (help) me, Mom" from Mia and Spencer's asked one too many times, "What's next?" I swear the kid thinks I'm a part-time tour guide. But I really do love my kids. A lot.

I'll tell you what's next...BEDTIME!

Easter Story Cookies

2009-04-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

We made these cookies last year after I received the recipe at MOPS. We're going to make them again this year because I want our family to celebrate the real meaning behind Easter. I'm so thankful I have a Savior who died for me; I certainly did nothing to deserve His grace, but He did it anyway.

Easter Story Cookies (make the night before Easter)

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

zip lock bag

wooden spoon

duct tape or packing tape

Bible

parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. For best results, make sure you begin with beaters and a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl that is free of grease and is dry.

2. Place pecans in zip-lock plastic bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him. Read John 19:1-3

3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put one teaspoon vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

4. Add egg whites that are at room temperature to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11

5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our sin. Read Luke 23:26-28

6. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add one cup of sugar. Explain that the sweet part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know him and belong to him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

7. Beat the ingredients with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

8. Fold in broken nuts and mini-chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons onto the parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn off the oven. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66

10. Tell the kids it's time to go to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16: 20 and 22

On Easter morning

Open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. He has risen! Read Matthew 28:1-9

Spencer's awarded the coveted game ball!

2009-04-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

The kid was beyond thrilled. He did awesome and in my opinion, deserved the ball, but I'm very much partial.

It looks like his coaches agreed with me, so there!

2009-03-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

Like all parents, we have high hopes for our children. Which is why I'm happy to report Mia's current interest...

She's very careful and finds tools completely unnecessary. Mia would rather channel her talent straight from her fingertips.
Yes, I can see it now! "Mia Munoz finds the cure for brain freeze!"

If all else fails, a career in modeling is a very real possibility.

Tee Ball Game #2

2009-03-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

Spencer really seems to love baseball. Alfonso wasn't able to make it to his first game, so that would have been the best time for Spencer to let the truth slip and have a major meltdown (poor Ma!), but he didn't. I was pleasantly surprised and I now think we may have just found his niche. Only time will tell.

Spencer is a really great batter and so far he hasn't had to use the tee yet (he likes to pint out he doesn't really play tee ball, but real baseball) and he sure hopes that next game ball will be all his. He enjoyed playing the catcher position and very excitedly announced that he "even caught one ball". Way to go!

Alfonso still can't stop smiling.

Yeah, sorry about that.

2009-03-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Spencer had his opening day parade. He was so excited to be finally be in his uniform, so much so that he begged to wear it to bed the night before. I don't think he would have minded the itchy polyester one bit. After the parade, we had team and individual pictures to take. I was on the sidelines and thought since I had my camera I too would snap a few shots. Apparently Spencer noticed my presence and stared at my lens instead of the one belonging to the REAL photographer. I wasn't very close, but after I noticed what was taking place, I assured him it would be best to look at the man who's taking the photos Ma and Pa are paying for.
"You sure, Mom?"He's getting closerThere you go!

Oh, my!

2009-03-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

What a beauty! I'm pretty sure I could take a picture of her with a finger in her nose and she still look cute. Even her more serious shots come out nice. Me, I'd just look pissed (trust me we have a few laying around).

On a side note, I was trying to teach Mia how to say "I love you" the other day. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "Mimi, say I"
Mia: "I"
Me: "love"
Mia: "love"
Me: "you"
Mia: "me!"

She's so two! Her world is in extreme close orbit.

His father's son

2009-02-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

No need to say (much) more.

Except...

Just me and Spence

2009-02-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

Naptime is practically torture in our house at times. I feel like I spend two hours ~~losing every ounce of sanity~~ patiently asking my son to keep his voice down. Some days its just not worth the effort to be down to one kid if you know what I mean.

Alfonso had some school work to get finished, so realizing I'd on my own during naptime, I thought it just might be easier for all parties if both Spencer and I left the house. It was a beautiful day, a nice break between rain storms, so we went to Contra Loma and walked around and explored. I wasn't planning to be there very long, but Spencer was really having fun, so we stayed a long while. I had my camera along and though the bright sun may have killed my chance at taking the shot I was hoping for, I wouldn't trade our fun in the sun for anything.

Nope, not even chocolate :)

Mexican Rice

2009-02-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

A while back I found myself craving Mexican rice of the not-out-of-a-box variety. In my search I found this blog along with the recipe I used that night and a few times since then. It's yummy!

Mexican Rice

1 T oil (I used olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (I used bell pepper)
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (I skipped for fear I'd hear the spicy "pie-see" word from Mia)
1 cup rice (I used brown rice)
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
2 cups diced tomatoes with liquid
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt

Heat oil
Add onions, garlic, peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes
Add rice, chicken stock, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until rice is done (time depends on type of rice you use)

Our train adventure

2009-02-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

Mia's become slightly obsessed with trains so we thought it would be fun to take the Amtrak train to Sacramento for the day and go to the train museum while we were there. We made our plans the week before prior to the weather turning nasty. We knew we weren't about to get ourselves out of this trip (Mia asked about the "Choo-choo" everyday), so we headed out prepared as we could be (rain jackets, umbrella).

We hit a few patches of rain here and there, but nothing that couldn't be managed with the gear on hand. As we waited for our departure train to arrive it began to hail...A LOT! We found ourselves thankful for the shelter provided by the train station and our intuition to leave the museum when we did. The kids absolutely loved watching the icy rain fall and we found it pretty neat too considering its rarity.

Tell me what you love?

2009-02-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

I'm going on day number two without hubby/daddy, and we miss him. Badly.

Yesterday could be placed in the category of "awful" and it wasn't something I wanted repeated again today. Not.fun.for.sure.

I made a (cheap) Valentine's Day craft with the kids this afternoon. We (I) cut out paper hearts with some craft paper we had laying around and I asked the kids to tell me what/who they loved. I figured I'd get a few interesting, but they were all precious. The "love list" included: Daddy, Mommy, Jesus, Daddy and Mommy, "ho-ho-ho" (that's Mia's way of referring to Santa Claus), Christmas, "tookie" (Mia loves cookies), Scooby-Doo, Mimi (Mia loves herself...never would have guessed a two-year-old would be so self-absorbed :) ), Scout and Cooper (our doggies).

Afterwards, the kids decorated their hearts with glitter paint and plenty of it. I'm not sure if our hearts will ever dry.

It's hard to find this look intimidating....

2009-02-09T19:55:00.001-08:00

When I know the real boy behind the look...Winning isn't everything, but it never hurts to try all the tricks :)

2009-02-05T07:00:00.002-08:00

Mia's a busy gal!

2009-02-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

While Spencer and Daddy practiced, Mia kept herself busy with some very important, highly sensitive, top secret duties.She was transporting some very important material in that Tonka dump truck alright.Now she asks, "Do you think orange is a good color for me?"I know I'm biased, but I think any color is good in Mia...as long as it doesn't stain that is.

Blue Hair = Luck

2009-02-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

Haven't you heard, blue hair brings luck?I shouldn't give the new 'do so much credit. Spencer's baseball performance has far more to do with a very, very (did I mention very?) patient father. In the past few weeks tears have been shed by ALL members of our household when it came time to practice. Spencer insisted he wanted to play t-ball this year and fearing we may have a repeat performance of soccer practice of 2007, we made the kid swear he would follow through. He insisted he would.

That was his story anyway until the check cleared, then all of a sudden he wanted to give up and call it good. Because we love him so much (snicker, snicker) and our bank account was now minus $100, we said, "Absolutely not". See, I said "Absolutely not", but Alfonso did all the hardwork; he practiced with that kid every single day until the tears stopped and the smiles came. I think we've just experienced our first miracle :)

Now Spencer can catch a ground ball

He can hit like a mini-proAnd he's got quite the armWay to go Daddy!

Second post o' the night

2009-01-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

I should be finishing up our tax paperwork, but my head just aches from all the numbers. Maybe a few written words will help get me motivated.

She keeps me on my toes, but I wouldn't have it any other way (most days anyhow :) ).

Lazy Sunday

2009-01-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

lazy Sunday (as in p.j.'s all day long) + extreme concentration =
RESULTS!!

A welcome distraction

2009-01-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Micke Grove Park in Lodi last week. What a neat little place! We toured the Japanese Garden, a very small, but cute zoo, huge castle-like playground structure (there are several scattered about), and kiddie amusement park. Besides the amusement park, we spent less than $15. The kids had a blast and the weather was absolutely perfect. A nice day to just be.

Picture from the Japanese Garden. A really beautiful place even in the dead of winter. I can't imagine how nice it will look come spring.

Obligatory, but still cute. How does he do it?!

And she sits(!), but only for a second :)

What a cutie!

Mia loved the little fishy, but I think she mistook it for a train as I caught her saying, "Choo-choo!"

Who knew a double chin could be so darn cute?! Live it up, girl!

Enjoying life...

2009-01-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

Alfonso surprised me with birthday money to buy a new lens for my camera. Originally he planned on purchasing a zoom lens with the belief that it would come in handy as our kids aged and played sports etc. I thought that was what I wanted too until I did a little more research. For a fourth of the price I ordered a lens that allows me to take more indoor pictures without the use of a flash. If you pay attention, you'll notice that the use of a flash really "kills" a picture by making it appear a little flat. I still take pictures with my pop-up flash, but its nice to know I can capture more pictures full of life.

This lens is very sensitive to any sort of movement so I haven't yet had a chance to capture a real goodie of Mia...the girl never stops moving, but that's a story for another time :). I took this picture of Spencer in our entreeway with the front door open. That's usually a great spot to get natural light without harsh direct sunlight and get nice catchlights in the eyes.

2009-01-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

I made it to Grandpa's house today. It helped that my two cousins meet me there and I waited in the car until their arrival because I just didn't think I could do it alone.

Of course I cried when I saw the makeshift "shrine" his caregiver created on Grandpa's chair. He hardly ever left that chair and now it's empty...forever. Weird.

When my dad called this last Sunday to tell me Grandpa had taken a turn for the worse, I knew I needed to be in that room as soon as possible. The problem was Alfonso was at church with the car and the car seats and I had a little munchkin at home with me. After the tenth unanswered phone call, I found myself pacing in the garage just waiting to jump in the car the moment he arrived. I was anxious alright and I needed to focus my energy on something other than my husband's inability to answer his phone at such a critical time, so I started to pick-up a bit. I found a few of Spencer's Sunday school masterpieces. When I brought the papers into the house, something caught my eye. A piece of bright blue construction paper held a message I know was sent for me as it read, "God is with me".

He is, isn't He?

I entered Grandpa's room asking God to wrap His arms around me. Due to circumstances surrounding my earlier years, I've grown to have a deep anxiety surrounding death or illness. I'm not talking about the normal fear most of us carry, but rather a fear that's required years of counseling and one that will continue to require effort to overcome. I knew Grandpa was near his end and I knew he would find peace with the life he lived, but it's still hard to let go.

When his heart and oxygen monitor signaled trouble, I squeezed his hand a little tighter. He fought and he fought hard. As he took his last few breaths, I was nose to nose with the very best Grandpa in the world. What a peaceful passing. I've thanked God over and over for the opportunity to be present.

Our involvement in Grandpa's life says more about him then it does us. Really, he was impossible not to love and care for. As my Uncle put it, "He made his own luck." My dad has told me many times that he's never heard Grandpa speak ill of anyone or curse. That sure makes me wish I was a little bit more like Grandpa. I too never saw him angry. The only time I remember him being upset with me was when I purposely stepped on a snail and told Grandma he did it. Sure pill time would cause him to occasionally declare, "You're sure bossy!", but more for a laugh than anything.

Now that his house is completely empty, we'll begin to sift through the treasures he and Grandma found along the way. Its hard, that's for sure, but it only hurts because we loved them both so much.

Grandpa

2009-01-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

My grandpa passed away yesterday morning. This last week was pretty tough as I prepared to say goodbye. I'm not up for posting much more than this as my emotions are still pretty raw (which is why many phone calls have gone unreturned).

I took this picture a few days before grandpa passed away. I don't usually have my camera with me when I go to his house and I'm so thankful that I felt a prompting to have it with me that day. To me, this picture is proof that a photo doesn't have to be perfect to be priceless.

2008-12-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

And now I'm a believer. The above photos confirm the fact that a little boy will indeed make weapons (and related "apparel") if not provided the real deal. Spencer found the knife in Mia's food cutting kit and then he used a nylon bag to complete the Rambo look. He was in such a rush, he didn't have time to remove the balls from the bag, but you get the point.

Our late Christmas summarized in five pictures

2008-12-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

When you've got kids in the picture, this is considered a keeper.

Mia is opening her wood "food". She wasn't amused and wondered where the real stuff was.

Yes, it is indeed a apron my son is wearing, but you got to admit the

retro space theme is pretty cute. Plus, my window of opportunity is limited.

Practice makes (almost) perfect kids.

Be scared. Be very scared.

We had a fantastic late Christmas. We ate a breakfast casserole and lounged in our p.j.s all day long. That night, Alfonso surprised me with a nice (and pre-planned) birthday dinner at Shutter's. I had only twenty minutes to go from laying on the couch in my p.j.s to dressed and out the door. It didn't help that I had a wicked cold and I was pretty miserable when our babysitter arrived. Thankfully, I have some great friends who seemed happy to see me even without a shower. We had a fantastic time out and left after almost four hours of conversation. We might have stayed longer but we got the feeling the place was just kept open for us :). Although I'm not a fan of surprises, it sure made me feel special to know Alfonso had planned this night with me in mind. He's really great. If you need further proof you just might want to take a look at the above picture again...what a gem!

Christmas Day with my parents

2008-12-26T20:37:00.000-08:00

I went to parents' house Christmas morning. Clad in pajamas we made it right on time. I didn't cook a thing...that's why I'm smiling.

(Early) Christmas at the Firehouse

2008-12-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

We spent our evening at the firehouse for an early Christmas get-together. The kids were plenty entertained with cookie decorating, dollar store goodies, and treats. The food was fabulous and I went home ~~absolutely stuffed, now I know where to send that Jenny Craig bill to~~ satisfied.

Spencer's five!

2008-12-21T20:15:00.000-08:00

Alfonso was home yesterday so we celebrated Spencer's last day being four. Today, we celebrated the arrival of year five with the one and only Lita (Abuelita).

This last picture of me with the kids was taken Myspace style. I asked Maria (Alfonso's mom) to take a picture of me with the kids. When the end result included us along with every other belonging in the house, I told her I'd take the picture instead :) I really wish I hadn't erased the picture just so you'd believe me.

2008-12-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

"Hey! You know what tomorrow is? Give up?! It's my 5th birthday!!"

"Yeah, I'm talking to you Silly Monkey!"

"Don't forget because I just might get a little upset."

"And you don't want to see my upset...trust me!"

The future's so bright...

2008-12-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

...I gotta wear shades, I gotta wear shades

This must be the case because these shades were worn well after the sun had set :)

Proof a cute wiseman did indeed exist...

2008-12-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

Spencer played the part of a wiseman in his preschool's Christmas play. This is his second year of preschool, therefore, his second Christmas play. His "performance" proved his confidence has improved because last year our little drummer boy was practically tossed on stage.

Tossed or not, I love the kid :)

Christmas lights are even better with friends

2008-12-17T19:53:00.000-08:00

Natalie and I took our four kiddos out for a Christmas light tour. While the kids enjoyed the lights for a bit, I think they were far more entertained to have a buddy along for the ride. It got a little loud at times, but we're pretty good at talking through the noise.

Homemade wrapping paper

2008-12-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

I've had a roll of brown craft paper in our closet for a long while now. After looking through my craft boxes I found some very old (10 years plus!) Christmas foam stamps. We used a few foam brush to apply the paint to the stamps and voila! Because I made due with what I already had on hand (including some semi-dried up paint), this was a complete freebie. Hopefully, Alfonso reads this post :).

Cute as a button

2008-12-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

I saw this craft on a site I like to frequent for ideas. I thought this was the perfect way to use those extra buttons Spencer's been begging to create with. Because I had the buttons, this craft cost under $5 (I bought a stiff version of felt in white and black). The kids had fun and now I have a neat keepsake. Win-win!

One more reason to love Trader Joe's and my kids

2008-12-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Honestly, this was the easiest gingerbread house we've ever put together. Must be the ingenious design; A-frame is the way to go. We actually enjoyed the assembly involved with this project...weird!

Alfonso was really bothered by the absence of a daddy in the gingerbread kit. A quick look through the kiddie toys and problem solved. I snuck "Daddy" into the scene and it only took a few hours for Alfonso to notice. Big time brownie points!

I'm thinking I should replace mom too. While my nose isn't small, I'm not so sure I like to be represented by the model with a very, very pointy version of what's actually on my face. Oh, well!

The tree's officially cluttered!

2008-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

I have friends far more crafty and creative than I am, so I "steal" ideas. No harm's done during my thievery and my kids think I'm a genius. One of the creative ideas I've taken on this December is an Advent calendar, but not one filled with chocolate (although that sounds good right about now). I didn't snap a picture of my creation, but it just involves a large piece of cardstock with little paper pockets attached. Each one of the 25 paper pockets has a little tag inside. Every morning the kids pull out a tag that has listed our activity for the day. The activities are for the most part very simple. So far we've done wreath making (ha, ha, ha) and hot cocoa, a themed movie night, Christmas light tour, Christmas parade and ornaments. Instead of sealed envelopes, I opted to use tags so I can fill them out as we go. So, yes, most of the tags are still blank...shhh! Spencer's asked a few times to peak at the next day's surprise. If he did pull out a blank tag, I just might introduce him to the magic of invisible ink. Do you think he'd buy it?!

I went to the craft store with the kids today. Not only was a weekend day, but did I mention both my children were with me...shopping?! Apparently popsicle sticks are all the rage this season, so I didn't find what I was really searching for. I did found some neat wooden crosses the kids decorated with jewels and glitter. While were not big-time Santa supporters, I think reindeer are pretty darn cute, so the kids made candy cane reindeer too.

The reindeer have congregated in one section of the tree which just adds to our already cluttered look. But the joy I saw as my kids placed their creations on the tree has erased any desire I had for that Better Homes look. Tacky works just fine here.

It's a tree!

2008-12-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

And I was there!! The proof's in the ~~pudding~~ picture.

Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Alfonso was forced to work Thanksgiving day. When he called with the news I had two options: Option one (my favorite): pout...loudly. Option two: be thankful my husband has a job. You might be surprised but I did indeed choose option two, though option one sounded far more thrilling. I'm not a saint and my habitual tendency to choose option one is proof of that.

I met my parents, sister, and Grandma at my Grandpa's house. My Grandpa has always been a fan of Christmas so when we mentioned leaving his tree up year round a few years ago, he was sure happy. We spent part of the day removing the Easter decorations and replacing them with ornaments. I'm not sure if Grandpa noticed, but I know the bright lights will surely catch his eye soon enough.

Cabin getaway

2008-11-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was spent with friends in a beautiful cabin. The weather was gorgeous. While we had no fresh snow while we were there, we found just enough snow to do some sledding and make a few snowballs. With no itinerary, we spent quality time with good friends.

Mia took out the powerwheel for a ride during one of our walks. The poor kid was later pummeled with more than a few snowballs. It wasn't the snow on her that seemed to bother her, instead she was upset about what landed on her "bikt" (you'd probably call it a "bike"). As she brushed off the snow, she looked at me and said, "Mama, my bikt".

I call this "Going,..."

"...going,..."

"...GONE!"

Maybe severing of the tongue was a possibility, but at least the noggin was protected

Park Day

2008-11-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes, here's post two for the night. If I'm lucky I might even get a third in too. We've been gone ten out of the last fourteen days, so life has been a little busy. I know...poor me.

I meet up with my friend Heather because it had just been too long. The kids had a blast and no money leaving the ol' pocketbook is always a good thing. And because its still early, I'll offer a little photo narration of a part of our day.

The kids are on safer "ground" in this picture. We had tried to tour the pond, but found ourselves instead running from geese. Despite the reveal of empty pockets, the geese were certain bread was hidden somewhere. All eyes on the geese.

Initially we believed the chase was over, but the geese were relentless. Maybe it was the look of fear in Mia's eyes. Here's Mia observing the return of our stalkers.

And in case you missed it, or you find a little one clearly in distress hysterical, here's a closeup.

Before you judge me harshly, the geese were really, really far away and the picnic bench was plenty tall.

Spencer allowed me to snap a few pictures of him. What a handsome little guy.

St. Louis/Illinois Trip

2008-11-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

Spencer digging for "gold"

Our trip to St. Louis/Illinois was just what we needed. We got out a bit, but didn't overdo it. I'm beginning to realize the best times are often spent doing nothing. Without a ringing phone, email to keep up with, and a slew of household chores, even I kicked up my feet.

We went to the St. Louis Zoo again. Really, who can possibly pass up the free admission?!

Another attempt at domesticity

2008-11-04T17:51:00.000-08:00

Here's what was for dinner, and most importantly, dessert tonight.

Despite the story the picture may tell, this is the best meatball recipe I've come across. I found it in our MOPS cookbook.

Neely Family Secret Meatballs
(and you're in on the secret)

1 lb. ground beef (90% or better...I used 96%)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T ground black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (I used freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano)
1 egg
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs (I just used overly toasted bread and dried basil and put it in our mini food processor)
2 T olive oil

Mix all ingredients (except olive oil) together with your hands. Form into small balls (about the size of a golf ball). Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add olive oil and heat until hot, but not smoking. Place meatballs in pan; cook for about 10 minutes total, turning every 2-3 minutes, until all sides are browned. Serve with pasta and sauce.

Blueberry Pie

Pie crust
Two bags of frozen blueberries
Add sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

I baked the pie for 15 minutes at 450. After that I (sloppily) added foil to the edges of the crust to prevent overcooking. Continue baking at 350 for approximately 60 minutes. Watch hubby drool (I love that...it doesn't happen much here!)

Popeye and Olive Oyl

2008-11-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

I'm completely partial, but I don't think I've ever seen a cuter Popeye and Olive Oyl.