A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I took a bloggers break over the holidays. It has been awesome to have the entire week with the kids and The Mister (aka: The Hubby.)

We celebrated Christmas with lots of food and presents and some of the traditions we have made as a little family unit. We made cookies and drank hot chocolate. We read the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke. We wore our matching Christmas Pj's and laid around a lot on Christmas Day. It felt great to relax and rest and appreciate the Holy Day.

After all the R & R, we decided to go visit the nations capital since we are now operating in "crunch time" here on the east coast.

We weren't allowed inside the Capital as they were preparing for the state funeral of President Ford. We did pretty well for a whirlwind 48 hour trip with two kids in tow. We used Metro to get around so the kids experienced their first subway ride. Grace loved it. As a matter of fact I think it was her favorite part of the whole trip. We visited the Natl Aquarium, the White House, the Vietnam, Lincoln, Korean, Washington and WWII Memorials the first afternoon. Then we came home and collapsed. On Thursday we went to the Natural Science and History Museum, walked around the outside of the Capital, walked to Union Station for lunch and then took the Metro to the Zoo. We had tentatively decided to visit the Aerospace Museum on Friday but when we woke up that morning we were all ready for less people and our own bed. So we went home.

The following pictures are from our trip. And, as usual, given The Misters request to not be named or pictured he is not shown, but he was there.

La Vida Dulce!

Look kids! The White House!

Inside the Lincoln Memorial

Vietnam Memorial

Inside the Rotunda of the

Natural Science and History Museum

The Korean Memorial

At the National Zoo

Uno Loser

One of the great things about having school aged children is their ability to play board and card games without our help. Now that they both can read we can actually play with them instead of playing for them.

Several weeks ago we had told the kids that if they got their evening "stuff" done (brushing teeth, pj's on, etc) in a timely manner and without being goof balls then we would play a couple rounds of Uno. Since then we have played just about every evening. It has been really fun except for one small thing...

I never win.

At first I was OK with it. But night after night I began to get paranoid. Were they hiding cards? Were they not shuffling properly? Was The Mister in on the plot?

After awhile I began to take it personally every time one of them would hit me with a Draw 2 card, or worse, the dreaded Draw 4. I can't even talk about the skip cards.

One night, after losing to a 6 year old three times in a row I couldn't take it anymore. I cracked. I crossed my arms and began to talk more smack than any 34 year old stay-at-home-mom should be allowed to do. The Mister put his arm around me, looked at me with love in his eyes, and gently told me that in one night I had ruined years of teaching on how to be a good loser. He also said that talking smack is usually done when one is undefeated or has even a remote chance of winning.

That night I was determined to win. I wanted to play "just one more", but the kids were begging to go to bed.

The kids think this is hilarious. I, of course, am so glad to bring joy in their lives. They love to bring it up when we are driving to school, or standing in line at the grocery store. They look at me in an impish way and say, "Mom, that was so fun last night when we were playing Uno and you kept losing." They were keeping track, but now the number of losses is so great that would need a scientific calculator to keep track of them.

Actually it was pretty cute the other night when I had visited Loser-ville for the billionth time and The Boy looked at me and said "Mom, I still think think your a winner."

Thank goodness for soft hearted boys.

Random Poll- December....or

Do you like Gritty Fudge?

OK, I tried really hard not to bring this up this year, but The Hubby and I had the same discussion we always have around this time of year and so it can't be avoided.

If you have known me for more than one Christmas you have heard this before...but hold on a minute, I need your help.

The topic for this Poll is:

Christmas Fudge.
The Hubby and I agree on so many things but this is one that we just don't see eye to eye.
When I told him that I was going to make it it a random poll on the blog he said that I rig the random polls so the outcome will turn out in my favor. Which is totally not true. For example, the M&M Poll. But anyway...

Last night I had made a double batch of fudge. I love making candy at Christmas time and giving it away to people. For the record, I like eating it too. Especially fudge. This year I was especially hopeful when making my Christmas fudge because I had gone out and bought a candy thermometer. In all the years of baking I have never used one, but two years ago when we bought this house it came with an electric stove which made making candy a bit tricky. When you cook fudge too long it isn't happy. After cooking with gas for over 8 years I had years of successful fudge making. What makes fudge a "success"? Glad you asked.

Successful fudge is fudge that is firm, and yet creamy. It melts in your mouth and you shouldn't think about anything else while you are eating it. Nothing makes me more crazy than when I overcook my fudge and it comes out gritty. It happened last year and this year I thought I would solve the problem by having a thermometer and cooking it precisely to the right temperature.

This year the fudge was better but still a little gritty. I hate it when you bite into fudge and you can feel the grit on your teeth. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me.

I have always teased The Hubby 'cause he prefers gritty fudge. Or what I like to call "sub-standard" fudge. Not to influence you or anything. He actually thinks that that is how fudge should best be enjoyed and I, quite frankly, completely disagree.

With that said here is the poll: Are you a smooth and creamy fudge eater? Or a gritty fudge eater? Wait. Perhaps I should say overcooked fudge, so as not to influence you or make you feel bad.

Don't be shy...I won't hold it against you.

Big Mistake

I have just sent out 75 Christmas cards with the wrong blog address. So now, those people with whom I communicate only through Christmas cards are going to go to www.coffeegirl.blogspot.com (I'm coffeegal) and see some weird person who hasn't posted since August 2005.

If you happen to know someone who gets my Christmas card, casually bring it up in conversation. Because i know y'all have nothing else to do with your busy lives than sit around and talk about my blog.

I am uncertain what to do about this little problem other than to wait until I send out my next batch of cards in the Spring which will be : NEWSFLASH: Change of address cards.

Yes, we are moving and I have yet to mention it on the blog because I wanted it to be official, and if you got my Christmas card you will certainly be in the know soon. But you will never find me at this blog, because I sent you the wrong address.

i just hope that coffeegirl doesn't suddenly get into nudity or something bizarre...because she's about to have 75 hits to her site.

Oh well....La Vida Dulce!

Not So Much

Lately my favorite Snack/lunch/dinner has been Wheat Thins, an apple (thinly sliced) and a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter smeared on a plate.

This tasty combination all happened accidentally. Being a huge fan of the apple dipped in peanut butter I decided, one day, that I needed something more. Bread. No... to much trouble. Chips. Not really my thing. But there was a box of Wheat Thins and I thought to myself: Wheat Thins are carbs much like bread. So I went with it. Plus it was quick and easy. Which seems to be what i go for the most these days.

One afternoon, while making my way to the table to eat, my crackers slid into the peanut butter and I found an enjoyable sweet salty type meal/snack that I enjoy several times a week.

Last week I ran out of Wheat Thins. So this weekend while I ran into the store I found that there were Reduced Fat Wheat Thins. On Sale.

Being temporarily seduced with $1.50 price tag, which led to temporary insanity I began to think thoughts that buying the reduced fat version of my favorite cracker would be a great idea. Especially since I am looking forward to taking in a few extra "holiday" treats....Cause, you know, those extra 10 calories you save by consuming crackers made to taste like pieces of cardboard can allow one to feel so much better about oneself while eating her weight in Christmas fudge.

Anyway, it isn't often that I buy Reduced Fat items anymore. There once was a day that you couldn't find Crisco in my house that hadn't had part of it's fat removed. That's not so much the case anymore. I'd like to tell you it's because I am not one iota concerned about my waistline, the truth is I was tired of eating bland cardboard and pretending to be happy.

So, back to the point. Reduced Fat Wheat Thins are stupid. And they taste bad too.

Luckily I i have been making my kids eat through this box with me so that we can be done and start over with a new Full Fat box because quite frankly, my Peanut butter, sliced apple and Wheat Thin lunches/snacks/dinners have been lacking this week and it makes me grumpy.

Although today I had a little bit of PB left over and I also had a couple of mini Hershey's bars that were calling from the kitchen...

So maybe it all works out in the wash.

La Vida Dulce

Sweat Shop

I am desperately trying to get my nieces and nephews gifts out on time. I am hopeful to get these things out by Wednesday but at this point I am uncertain.

Pictured are my projects for the gang.

I am am very excited to see my Texas Peeps in 72 short hours...which adds to my need to finish this project on time.

I am hoping that my cold that I have had for 9 days now is soon to go away...The rumor is that it lasts 10 days...so I have one more day.

OK...I've had a little break. Now i have to lock myself back in my sweatshop to finish up!

La Vida Dulce!

Cookie and Me

Just a quick post to let youknow that when I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. it was 16 degrees.

Yes, you read that right....16 degrees!!!

How is that possible?

I want to tell you that I have spent my day hanging out in Cookie- the blue heating blanket. But the truth is that I have been busy, busy busy, feeding my Christmas card paper through our ridiculous printer...one at a time, by hand. It took me 2 hours just to get the cards printed. I also wrapped some gifts and finished the sewing part of 9 dolls I am making for nieces. And strted addresses the afomentioned Christmas Cards.

I found the cutest robot pattern that I ordered through the mail...It has yet to arrive and I am starting to panic because all this sewing, baking and happy Christmas joy has to be finished and mailed off by next Wednesday or it will have to wait until the new year....which isn't any fun.

Have I mentioned it's cold outside?

Hey! The Hubby just came in with the mail and my pattern has arrived!

Gotta Go!

Gift

I went shopping about a week ago with my friend KHB. We were looking at the sale rack at Ross. I was trying to find some cute little items for my secret santa recipient at work, when KHB approaches me with a look of serious disbelief. In her hand she carries a little plate with cute little penguins bedecked with santa hats.

Cute, i say.

To which she turns it over.

$1.49.

VERY CUTE, I say.

But it's not the price she is showing me.

It's the sentence in tiny black lettering that says:

Serving foods on this plate may poison them.

Well then.

Maybe not so cute after all.

Random poll - Christmas Style

A dear friend of mine called yesterday and said she had a question for the blog. I think it was her way of saying "You haven't posted in so long that I am feeling the need to give you some inspiration." Which I totally love since i have had a bit of bloggers block.

So here is the random poll:

What is a good White Elephant gift for $10 dollars or less?

And while we're at it:

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen/got at a White Elephant gift exchange in Christmas' past?

Comment away...the Christmas parties are starting!

More Tree's

OK, I'd like to promise you that this would be the last post about trees but I don't like to make promises I can't keep.

Today was to be my bread making, Thanksgiving preparing, day of bliss. But instead I spent the morning and part of the early afternoon being completely panicked and seriously contemplated drinking the two 24 ounce cans of Budweiser that I bought to soak my turkey in (see November 2005 archives).

The weather this morning was cold and rainy and I had looked at the online weather report early this morning to see how soggy the day would be. NO where did it mention that there might be accompanying winds that, given the chance, would gust to a quick and tornadic like way and take out 7-8 trees in our yard. One tree was quite big and it was very, very scary.

Let me tell you why.

In our back yard their has been a tree that has been dead and the Mister has been concerned for some time regarding this tree. So when the tree guys were chopping down trees next door on Monday I asked if he would look at that tree (and one in the front that died during the drought this summer). Now I live in an area that is known for it's ridiculously tall pine trees. Like I would liken it to going to New York city after only seeing it in picture...You know the buildings are tall but when you get there you realize that they are in fact so much taller than you could have even imagined.

The trees around my house are like that. They are ridiculously tall.

So this tree in the yard is a concern but I had just talked to the tree guy and it was going to be handled.

Let's just say that this storm this morning just saved my a hundred bucks.

But here is the REALLY scary thing that makes me sick to think about even 6 hours later. Normally The Boy gets up in the morning and takes Kona out to "do her thing" before we leave for school. But it was a soaker of a rain at the usual time so I had him wait. Around 10:15 I asked him to go ahead and take her out since the rain had slowed to a slow drizzle. He took her out, hung up the leash, and ran up stairs to continue playing in his room and the winds suddenly started to pound against the house and I looked out the office window and saw trees bending at a very odd angle while the leaves and debris were being blown like so many socks in my dryer.

At this point The Boy has reached the top of the stairs and is yelling "Mom trees are falling down stairs" and he races back down stairs with eyes the size of saucers.

Then the power went out.

The huge dead tree snapped and fell right where The Boy and Kona had been standing not three minutes before it toppled.

I began to frantically call people on my cell phone trying to find somewhere to go....preferably some place safe from trees. But the power was out and I didn't know how to raise the electric garage door.

So I called my parents in AZ so they could panic with me. But unfortunately I hadn't had my cell phone plugged in and I was running out of juice. Not a good thing if you suddenly find yourself hunkering down in the hall bathroom with a tree as a new fixture.

So we stayed in downstairs and prayed that the wind would go away.

The power didn't come back on until almost 2.

The good thing is that my turkey is happily sitting in it's beer brine bath and the bread has all been baked off and all is ready for our day of fun, feast, and family tomorrow... Where we will all give thanks that my sweet Boy is not a pancake.

God's Blessings to each of you and your families as you celebrate tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving!

La Vida Dulce!

TIMBER!!!!!

So I have gotten absolutely nothing done today because the neighbor next door is having 14 huge pine trees cut down in her yard and is like a train wreck...I just have to watch.

And let me tell you....the answer is "yes". When a tree falls in the forest is DOES make noise....and it is impressive!

Turkey Love

I am slightly irritated over the new version on Blogger because I can't get my pictures to post the fast way...and in the process I have posted three times without any luck. So I have posts that are flying out in there in cyber-space. If you find them, please let me know.

I won't let this blogging mess damper my spirits (or consume too much precious time!) during one of my most favorite weeks of the year. I love Thanksgiving Week. The preparation. The hard work that pays off so well on Thursday (which is also the Mister's brithday), and the decorating of the house on Friday night. Very, very fun!

I hope to post pictures throughout the week. Until then...

La Vida Dulce!

Alive

I am currently trying figure out my blog in a new format! I will post soon!

Bummer

Back in the "Texas" day, around this time of year, I needed to come up with some gifts for my nieces without breaking the bank. The Girl, my then 3 year old had received a beautiful ballet skirt and I decided I could make one. So I did what I always do when I want to make something...I ripped it apart to see how it was made and then I put it back together again.

So began my very short tenure in them making of ballet skirts. At the time I was teaching a preschool ballet class and all the Mom's (who also are my dearest friends) kindly paid me to make them for their daughters and, as word of mouth among 'the Mommie's' goes, I ended up getting many orders and I made some unexpected cash for the holidays. Then I quietly retired from a life sewing tulle.

Until I was encouraged to make some skirts to sell at a booth at the school carnival last weekend.

To make a long story short I locked myself in my sewing/guest room last weekend for about 8 hours and cranked out 9 ballet skirts. A friend of mine who makes some great monogrammed handbags said she would go in on a booth together and we were very excited about it.

But my creative dreams were dashed as I didn't sell one blasted skirt.

I'm not too worried about it. But I have to admit that when you make something it is hard not to take it personally when others don't think they are the greatest thing they have ever laid eyes on. This is probably why I don't need to be selling the things I make....Or I just need my sweet friends who 'ooh-ed and awed' three years ago to come see me.

Wait! One of them is coming to see me! In 3 short days!

Can I just say: HURRY UP SATURDAY! Or wait....not too fast.

Her room is covered in tulle!

Serious Issues

It seems that my chocolate consumption record can, and has, been broken.

I tried really hard to make this a chocolate free day. Especially since I have eaten chocolate at regular intervals since the day before Halloween...I was trying to get ahead of the game.

But I actually did well today. I ate a bowl of oatmeal and a banana for breakfast. And then I had some yogurt for lunch...Then I ate 9 miniature Snickers bars...But they are really, really, little. And you know, they have peanuts in them so that makes them a "health" food.

This is a definite improvement from Tuesday when I was at school teaching and was so hyped up on sugar I actually ran into a wall. But I do have to say it is not my fault that I started eating chocolate at school by 9am. it was the day of the Halloween parties for the little ones and the chocolate was flowing profusely...But I had a bit of a traumatic morning and so my boss was giving me chocolate as a consolation.

I stepped into the long supply closet that houses all the art supplies and stuff required to run a large pre-school. I walked in the door to put something away and when I turned around there on the floor, between me and the only way out, was the biggest wolf spider I have ever had the misfortune of being trapped in a supply cabinet with. I hollered for someone to help...Because seriously, I don't kill spiders that are bigger than I am...Or, really, at all. There were about 5- 6 teachers and office staff around the corner in the office and outside the hall. Now I am seriously freaked out at this point and trying to decide if I should jump over this creature or if I should stay where I was to be rescued. It was a very hard decision, because if someone came to kill it it might run towards me.

That would be very bad.

But on the other hand I am trying to remember if I had heard that wolf spiders like to jump, and if I jump over it and it jumps up at the same time the staff and students would most likely find their music teacher having a melt down. Which is never attractive.

Jumping over wins out because if the spider runs toward me in a chase then my only option is to jump over it anyway, so I pick the path of least trauma. For me, not the spider.

As I am halfway over the spider a teacher starts to walk into the supply closet and I practically knock her over. She is a soft spoken women who is gentle and kind in nature, but let me tell you that woman has COURAGE. And lots of it. She took swift and bold action and killed the spider on the spot.

I didn't feel too bad about my chickenie ways because when anyone in the surrounding area heard there was a mammoth spider in the supply room you could hear gasps and quick running within a ten mile radius. I take great pride in knowing that I work with some of the toughest women around, afterall they spend 4 hours everyday with 2-5 year olds. But in the face of ugly spiders we all have limits.

It was because of this unfortunate situation that I was given chocolate by my boss as a way of helping me cope. And it TOTALLY worked. I hadn't thought about it since this very moment.

Writing this makes me feel so much better! You know in psychology they always say that it is better to get to the root of your problems. One shouldn't treat the symptoms, but find out what is causing them. Then you deal with the source of the issue.

So my three day binge on chocolate is not really the problem.

It's the spiders fault.

OK, my sugar buzz is wearing off....I gotta go.

Nature

The nature is coming indoors.

We are currently being visited by ladybugs that are crawling in through the windows. It's kind of cool actually. And so much cuter than any other insect house guest. The kids keep catching them in thier lightening bug catcher and sending them outside...

And I have a confession. I am totally addicted to www.africam.com Hit the link and then find the button on the left side of the screen that says Nkorho Stream. It is a live feed of a nature preserve and the wildlife that walk to the watering hole is really very interesting.

Just this weekend I was sitting here in my office and watched as an elephant took a bath, I saw monkeys running around, and two lions walked through the area. This morning there were three warthogs that were rolling around the mud. And there is sound too so you hear the birds and the the bugs and the animals splashing around in the water.

I know. I know...I am easily entertained... I have to much time on my hands...I have better things to do...

It's all true...Just go check it out!

Random Thoughts From Kellie's Brain

• So I go to get my flu shot, because when you work with 3-5 year olds they perpetually have there fingers in their nose digging for all those precious little pre-school germs. The clinic is in the middle of a grocery store and there are two nurses. I pray that I get the short dark haired nurse. Because the older blonde nurse is (literally) crossed eyed and her hands are shaking. Bad. I can't decide if she is cold, hungry or having a seizure.

That was two days ago. My arm still hurts.

• I know you probably heard screams of joy on Wednesday. That's because a new record was broken here in my house. I actually got all the suitcases and travel bags unpacked and put away. I had only been home for 72 hours. It was quite amazing actually. Even my make up bag was unpacked. Well, actually it had never really gotten "unpacked" from my trip to AZ in the July. So I guess I can't really count that.

• This weekend the hubby, kids and I are celebrating my birthday in earnest. But I am going to start today. My plan for this afternoon is to go buy some california rolls and a bowl of Miso soup and have it for lunch while wrapped up in Cookie, the Electric blanket...Which brings me to another thought.

• On Sunday night when we got home the temperature in the house was 61 degrees. The temps have dipped to freezingthe past few nights and has had trouble getting into the mid 50's in the day. This is, of course, the time when I start whining that I can't get my hands, feet or nose warm. Coming home from the desert and walking into well....Winter...felt a little harsh. But there is always Cookie, the cookie monster blue electric blanket, my dear, dear winter friend. The hubby has informed me that if he ever feels like my attachment to that cozy-comfort gets anymore weird that I might come home and find it missing. He wouldn't dare! ( Although he did admit that as he gets older he tolerates cold less and less....it sucks to get old.)

• Last but not least, yesterday I had an overwhelming need to bake. So I made granola for the hubby (in answer to his request) , bread for a luncheon for work, and then after school I made chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies. I also made veggie soup for dinner ( although this is not baking, I know). the next time you see me I will weigh approximately 50 pounds more than when you saw me last but I will be happy because standing in front of an oven with warm cookies, while wrapped in a heating blanket and dressed in ones favorite pink fuzzy slippers is the best thing on a cold, cold, (did I mention cold?) day.

• The good news? The leaves are changing and they are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. We plan to bundle up this weekend and go for a hike...I wonder if I could bring Cookie? Pictures to come.

Highlights from 'The Trip'

A sweet moment

Cheeks

Dancing With Paw

Great Gran Maude

Dollar Dance

Cousins

Siblings

Husband &Wife

We had a four hour lay over in Dallas so Lara brought her kids to come visit. It was great to see everybody and The Boy and The Girl loved seeing their buddies from "home".

Waiting for His Bride

The Girls

Today

The last post was a blast from the past. Here is one of that same "little" brother and I...all grown up.

The catch up is on as I try to unpack and get back into the swing of things. A recap of the weekend is soon to come!

34

The picture is blurry...Because after 30 years the picture quality tends to fade. This is me and my little brother 30 years ago. Check out my cool shoes. Back in the day, I was always dressed in the latest of fashion. The amazing thing is that my nephew looks EXACTLY like that now.

So I wake up this morning and I have a slight cold, which started two days ago despite having popped more vitamins and herbal remedies known to man. I have to sing a song in 9 short hours and I can't breathe through my nose! And as if to remind me that I woke up this morning closer to my mid-thirties, my body is aching all over. I have tried to keep the grumbling down to a minimum, but honestly, I haven't felt so good. OK I am done now.

There have been highlights to this trip, although I haven't had the time to post as much as I have on other trips. I am not used to keeping my AZ trips down to just one week. It is hard to cram 3 weeks of stuff into 1 and the blogging got cut from the list.

This morning I am going with my Sister-in-law to get pedicures which will be a little bit of heaven. Plus, everybody knows that you sing better when your toes are painted and your heels are nice and soft.

The start of the birthday is good. When I am here I become the residential coffee maker. But I forgot to set it last night and when I got up somebody had done it for me. It's nice when you can wake up on your 34th birthday and be surprised when some one else has made the coffee. As if it was made just for you...and not the houseful of overnight wedding guests (cuz, amazingly, I am not the only coffee drinking house guest staying at my parents house this week!)

So here's to 34.

And those same round cheeks that I still carry with me.

Arizona

These pictures were taken on Sunday. My Dad started up the RV and took The Fam (minus the Hubby, who is camping with his Dad) to The Buckelew Pumpkin Patch. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a ride on a horse carriage through the patch.

Yesterday was a very fun. I went to a rehearsal, to sing the song I will be singing at the wedding next Saturday, and sang in the church I grew up in with my friend Liz who has been my friend (and accompanist) for almost 20 years. She is a piano playing extrordinaire and it was fun to be "playing" together again. It was also a relief to get the brides approval since she had never heard me sing before. That's always scary as a bride...to get a wedding singer on recommendation and agree to let her sing...but not really know if she can really sing or not!

I can't end the post without talking about weather since I have friends in Texas who are soggy, friends up North who are frozen and friends in the East who are frosty...the weather here is pleasantly warm in the afternoon and nice and cool in the evening. Not to rub it in or anything.

Happy Tuesday!

A Peice of Sky

Out West

Getting ready to hitch a ride to the pumpkin patch.

Patch

The Great Pumpkin

Finally Fall

The Polar Airmass settled in on our little town this morning. It's chilly, and smells deliciously like fall. When the breeze blows all the yellow and orange leaves gently float to the ground. It is fabulous! Makes me want to bake.....go figure.

Just in time to head for warmer weather!

I Should

I should......

...do some laundry.

...get packed.

...clean the floors.

...return phonecalls

...return email.

...return snail mail.

...clean the kitchen

...walk the dog.

I shouldn't...

...take a nap.

But that's what I am going to do.

Self Portrait

I was trying a few features on my camera in hopes of being able to take some self-family portraits with my hubby and kids tomorrow.

It's that time of year when I start thinking about one of my most favorite things: Christmas Cards.

I always take a thousand and one pictures of our family between the months of October and November and then agonize on which one to send out. I know, I know. It's ridiculous to agonize over one picture, but for some people it's the only time they see us! So it's important.

This afternoon, while waiting for a batch of oatmeal cookies to come out of the oven, and waiting for the kids to come home from school I had a few moments to play with the camera. I took about four pictures of myself while Kona ( the dog ) looked at me like I was some kind of weird two legged creature.

None of the pictures came out particularly good, but I was playing with this one and I doctored it up a bit. It's amazing what one can do with computer technology. If only I could remove some wrinkles and take care of that wonky eyebrow....

I'll save that for next year...Goodness knows I'll need it!


PS: On a completely different (but much less self-centered) note, the kids and I just finished another book on CD called The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. Oh! It was so good. Just a very sweet story of a family of four sisters and their adventure in a cottage in the month of August. We finished it this afternoon and I was a bit weepy at the end. I love a good ending and this was perfect. It ends pleasingly and yet you don't want it to end. A perfect combination.
Have a good weekend!

Random Poll

It's been awhile since I have done a random poll.

This past week I learned about another Southern "food-item" that I had never heard of before:

A Banana sandwich.

My friend mentioned that she had made herself a quick banana sandwich for lunch one day.

I was perplexed. Who knew you could make a sandwich out of a banana? I thought it about it so much I Googled it later that afternoon for a little banana snadwich research.

Here is what one uses to make a banana sandwich.

Warning- This could cause queasiness. Here is the recipe:

A Banana.

A couple slices of Bread. (according to research it more often than not is made with White bread)

Mayonnaise. (it hurts my fingers to even type that horrible word)

Here is the random poll:

Have you ever eaten one of these things? Had you heard of it before?

It's OK to be honest. I happen to dearly love this particular Banana sandwich eating friend...Although I think she must have been REALLY, REALLY, hungry that day.

Self Cleaning Oven

It has been almost 20 months that I have lived in this home of mine and last night I realized that I have a Self Cleaning oven....said with capital letters because, quite frankly, those are two little words that carry big-time weight around here.

Last night I turned on that Self Cleaning timer and in two hours I had a squeaky clean oven (if not a slightly smelly kitchen). The burning smell is a small price to pay for an oven with initiative.

This morning as I was cleaning (catching up from last week's mess and attempting to get ahead for this week, although why do I bother?) I began to wonder why some smart engineer hasn't come up with Self Cleaning floors? Or Self Cleaning 9 year old rooms? Why hasn't anyone invented Self Cleaning bath tubs, stair cases!! Or, for crying-out-loud, Self Cleaning laundry!!!!!!!
OK...Deep breath in....Deep breath out.

Anyway, I never really thought Self Cleaning ovens could really work...but I am here to say THEY DO! THEY DO! THEY DO!

And that one fact makes the mound of laundry I shuold be folding right now a little more bearable.

On Your Mark...

This weekend has been fun.

My running Amiga and I finished our 5K with amazing results (if I don't say so myself). She is actually in this picture, you just can't see her because I have completely blocked her...I forgot how tiny she is until I realized that in many of the pictures you can't see her because she is completely blocked by her giant running friend. This picture was taken just as the whistle was blown and we were all trying to get started, which can be tricky when 400 women all start at the same time, hence the reason everyone is looking down- to make sure we don't run over anybody!

I always get nervous before these events, which is silly since we are consistently running 10 miles a week together, and fully capable of running 3.2 miles, but there were some pretty intense looking runners out there that made me feel completely intimidated.

Anyway, we managed to beat our own times finishing in 23 minutes (+ seconds: we don't yet have our official times). Which is basically an 8 minute mile. We were like two bolts of lightening on a sunny day! It was fun. When I get permission I will post her picture...One where she isn't hidden behind me!

I have many things on my plate for this week so the blogging may be slower than usual...Which, lately, isn't saying much.

Until then...La Vida Dulce!

Finishing Line

Addition

So much has changed since I was in third grade.

First of all, sitting on the floor with your legs crossed in front of you was 'Indian style'. Nowadays that's called sitting 'criss cross apple sauce'.

Second, every morning I tell my kids to go get their backpacks off the hook that stands right next to the back door. Every afternoon as we pull in to the garage I remind them to put their backpacks back on the hook where they belong. And every time I say this The Girl reminds me that what she is carrying is not a backpack... even though she puts all her stuff in it and throws it on her bag with the shoulder strap...It's now called a "book bag".

Whatever.

So with all this change I began to think that perhaps the new thing in education was to not force kids to memorize their math facts with the use of flash cards. These days the math instruction is all about "thinking", not just rote memorization so I thought that perhaps we wouldn't have need the flash cards.

It seems that I was wrong.

Two days ago The Boy came home and said that he needed to find some flash cards and get his facts memorized. So I hauled out the old flash cards that I bought when he was three months old.

I was a new Mom who had read an article about the miracle of teaching your baby how to do algebra before he cuts his first teeth would increase their IQ and make them geniuses. Of course I also boiled everything that came within twenty feet of that poor child, and flash cards don't hold up to boiling so I scrapped the idea.

The point being that I had addition and subtraction flash cards that have seen more moves than Madonna in a yoga class. Somehow, 9 years and three houses later, I have still managed to keep them in a place that I could readily find them. But I digress...

Here is the sad part...as a child I memorized my multiplication facts, but never really got around to memorizing my addition and subtraction facts. So while my son is doing a fantastic job of memorizing his flash cards, his math deficient mother is still adding on her fingers.

Honestly, it's kind of scary. On a different subject, things have been so very crazy here that I completely missed the first day of fall. Which is very sad because I love recognizing the first days of the season changes. The weather is beautiful and the leaves are starting to change, and as I write I am wearing my super soft and fuzzy, lilac colored wind jacket that the Hubby bought for my birthday last year. It just makes me happy to be snuggled in its coziness.

Yesterday I hauled out the brown corduroy pants that I bought last season and it was fun to be dressed in fallish clothes. I almost pulled out my favorite pinkish red sweatshirt but we can't pull all the favorite cold weather clothes out too early because winter isn't exactly my favorite time of year, and I get a little sick of being cooped up in warm clothes...So it's better to hold out as long as I can.

I am greatly anticipating the un-veiling of Cookie though. Cookie is my cookie-monster-blue heating blanket that is almost makes me as happy from November to March as a cup coffee and chocolate chip cookies. I blogged about that last year though so I will spare you another post about my love of blankets.

Ok, last but not least, I am running in another little 5k this weekend and, as with all races, whether long or short, I always hope that I can finish without embarrassing myself! You know you getting old when you run and then have to come home a take a nap.

Which is what I feel like doing after this mornings run. But there is no time for naps.

I have to go brush up on my addition...3rd grade is killing me.

Nine Years

It was nine years ago at this time when I awoke to the realization that my water had broke and, ready or not, I was about to become a Mom.

My sweet boy is growin' up. Although his official birthday is today he received a gift that he never thought he would get for a birthday present on Friday night. His Grannie and Paw and the hubby and I went in on a combined gift of a PS2 gaming system and the excitement on that boys face when he opened it was really more of a gift for me.

Last month when he asked for it we had told him that that was a pretty pricey gift for a birthday and that we would have to think about it for Christmas. He was very sweet about it and said he would think of something else that he would ask for his birthday.

He couldn't believe it when he opened the gift. He still can't believe it...Waking up this morning he told me he had a dream that I had really just rented it and was going to take it back today!

I really don't have too much time for blogging this morning as everything in my life feels a little bit chaotic....Mostly because the next month is day after day of activities that grow more adventuresome than the next, ending with the wedding of my brother and his wife to be. After October 21st I will breathe a sigh of relief that will be heard across the country...of course since that is my birthday it may be a scream that says I can't believe I am 34 years old!

Speaking of weddings, the Hubby and I were talking about what it takes to make a marriage harmonious. He, of course had some very thoughtful and meaningful ideas on this subject and then he sat quietly thinking. After a pause he says, "Oh, and his and her closets are essential to peace in the marriage."

And, although he had a playful smile on his face, I am pretty sure he meant it.

At first I felt defensive, as if that was a slam on the way I kept my closet, but then I decided I couldn't have loved him more than right at that moment.

La Vida Dulce

New Blog Design

Hey for all my blogger friends that are interested go check out www.bluebirdblogs.blogspot.com.

Y'all know how i am forever trying to find a blog template that most depicts who I am... and I have missed a few times. When Becky was here last week she was telling me she was so glad I was over the blue adn hot pink "Malibu Barbie" theme....which I loved but she said didn't really say "Kellie". The thing is that there aren't many "free" templates out there that say "coffee lovin', guitar playing, sometime crafting stay at home mom" in a way that's clean, warm and cozy. And until I came across this site I hadn't found any blog designers that were exactly affordable.

So, I am going to try to win her contest....but if I don't, I think I may be buying myself a little birthday gift in October!

Go check her out.

Christmas Thinkin'

Meet Olive and Archie...they are my latest crafting project. My First one was made with Grey felt for her hair and the hubby said she looked like a granny so I went out and bought some brown and black wool felt on Friday and whipped these two kids up over the weekend. I think they are so cute...if I don't say so myself.

They are also what my nieces are getting for Christmas this year. Although The Girl has already laid claim to these.

The picture below is also of O and A in a tote bag I made for a certain friend of mine who lives in a very northern and cold place ( I get cold just thinking about it). What she really needs is a very thick warm quilt made of buffalo hide for those crazy winters, but she will have to live with a handmade tote. Maybe there will be treat or two sent in the tote to get her through some cold days. Who knows? Anyway, today is her birthday. Happy Birthday M! Your package is going to be late!

Tote

Irritating!

Yesterdays post was filled with a synopsis of the rest of my day at the beach last weekend. But after I spell checked and tried to post, the computer decided it didn't want to cooperate so my post was dumped, and then I had niether the time, nor the attitude, to repost.

The gist is this: I got some sun. We had fun.

Computers are invaluable and completely irritating to me!

Anyway, today is my day off and I wanted to take a minute to do something that has been on my to do list for several weeks now. My friend, and fellow blogger has given me permission to link her blog to mine. When y'all get a chance go over and give Blue Skies a Texas Howdy. In the future you will also find her link in the side bar.

Today is a perfect day to put on a fresh pot of coffee and get into the crafting room. It is drizzly and 65 degrees and it makes me want to do a lot of nothing... But that isn't going to happen, unless some magic cleaning ladies show up at the door and take over the upkeep of my home. So it's off to do some cleaning and "home-work" so that I can spend a bit of time playing in the craft room this afternoon!

Highlights

A Room with a View...This is a party boat that has a disco on it. The people watching was great. We saw everybody mingling on board around 6:30. They left at 7 and came back at 10:00pm. When they came back you could see the disco lights flashing all over the harbor!

Sunset on the Harbor. Waiting for dinner.

Dinner with a View

Pier in Black and White

High Tide Under the Pier