this is

Meredith. She lives in another town. Sometimes when she is at our house she and Lucy and Rachel do strange girly things and then take pictures with my camera. I found these today when I finally downloaded the 589 pictures on my camera.Here is Meredith and Rachel. and Lucy. I guess she did not want glue/mayonnaise/lard on her face. ( I really have no idea what it was)

Lucy and Rachel are spending the weekend at Meredith's house this weekend. I hope they are having fun!

sadly, I am not a Twilight fan, but this is hysterical.....

I am an awful blog friend. I really didn't mean to lift this off of your blog, Alice , and then not mention you.

Please don't let pregnancy hormones rage on me!!haha

white chile

Here is another really funky colored Verizon uploaded picture. It is of white chili. I made it tonight for dinner. The last time I can remember making it was when Adrian used to work for Bridgestone and we used to go and eat lunch with him at the Union Hall. It was before Lucy and Rachel had started school, so 10 years ago. I wonder why I have waited so long to make it again. It is wonderful. Rosanne gave me the recipe. White Chile

in a Dutch oven, saute:

1 T oil
1 Cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

once the onion and garlic are soft add:

3 or 4 cans Great Northern beans
2 cans chicken broth

cook 10 minutes.

then add 2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts and 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

cook and stir until cheese is melted.

serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, and whatever else floats your boat!

fearless, furry knight

I love having Bandit around.

Most of the time.

I would not have picked having a large black shedding dog in the house, but he picked us, and we are grateful to provide him with the comfortable home he deserves. He does have some faults, just like the rest of us.

He really likes to protect us from the evils that lurk outside at night. During the day he lays still on his bed or at Adrian's feet. But once we go to bed he is on the prowl. Watch dog extraordinaire. Our fearless knight in black furry armor. Problem is, we have not yet put a laundry room on. In the laundry room we plan on installing a doggy door so he can be in charge of his midnight prowls. So for now he goes into Lucy's room and wakes her when he want s out. And she is so nice she gets up and lets him out. She understands the importance of barking at nothing at 3 am.

Last night was a little different. Last night our hero found real dragons to wrangle with. He was able to slay the first dragon before we even got home from Nashville. He left it on the driveway.

Frightening, isn't it? He was carrying it around this morning making sure that I saw it. Good job Bandit. Save us from the dangerous opossum!

But the night got much worse after discovering the opossum. Sometime in the middle of the night Adrian and I were woken up.

By an odor.

Yeah, it has to be a pretty bad smell to wake you up. All night I kept waking up to this terrible smell.

At some point last night Bandit was saving us from a SKUNK.

And then came in to take a nap in my bedroom.

Thank you very much, Bandit.....

Want to see a picture of where Bandit is spending today. And maybe tonight, and possible tomorrow?

Good thing it is warm out or our fearless knight would be a freezing knight!

Oh, and guess how many Partylite candles I have burning today?

As many as I could find in the house!!!

woo hoo

See us? I circled it. We are blue and snowy again!! woohoo. No school for 6 days straight.

girl weekend

These girls have had so much fun this weekend. Good friends are GREAT to have!

So many curls, so much make-up. You can tell that I did not have a lot to do with this. I did things like ordered the pizza and bought Peanut Butter Captain Crunch for Sunday morning breakfast.

BCS Homecoming

As you can see from the banner here: Rachel was a member of the Homecoming court today at her school. Here they have the gym all gussied up for the big event:

And here is Rachel and her escort Kaleb. His name was on the banner too.

Here is the whole court:

And here are Rachel and Kaleb up close. You are looking at two kids that both have a 4.0 GPA. They both plan on keeping a 4.0 there entire high school career. There can only be one Valedictorian. I believe you are looking at him or her right now! The competition between them may get fairly fierce. I think that he has no idea any competition even exists. That is one of the major differences between boys and girls!

Here are all 4 of the freshman court members: Rachel, Kaleb, Brody, And Kaci

Rachel and the girls

Pretty glamorous day!

sk8tr girls

it scarred me

I was scarred by an occurrence several years ago.

On election day. A cold and rainy November day.


I was sitting at the computer that used to be on the desk in our bedroom. That desk and a new computer are now in the living room we built a wall through so that my husband could have an office.

NOT in our bedroom.

But back to me. I was sitting there on the computer. This was before blogs. I know, hard to think what I did on the computer before blogs, but I was playing solitaire or reading the news or something.

MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS

When I had that faint glimmer of a tickle on my leg. The kind that makes you scratch really fast and wonder what made that funny feeling. But I didn't scratch. The feeling moved.


SWIFTLY

UP


MY


LEG




Oh my stinking heck, what is climbing up my leg???!!!!????!!!!



I jumped up and gave a kick that rivalled a Michael Jackson move. And out of my wide legged pants an object flew.


an object?





A MOUSE.

A mouse in my pants!!!


STOP LAUGHING. YES I KNOW I AM YELLING.

It was horrible. It flew out, slammed into the wall and went running willy nilly to behind the desk.

And disappeared. Of course.

So I did what any reasonable person would would do. I jumped up and down screaming for a few minutes. And then I went and got all of the mouse poison that we had and opened EVERY packet and dumped it behind the desk.

And screamed some more and then and went and picked Molly up from preschool and went and voted.

Did I mention I had a migraine also? Well I did.

That night I told my story to my husband. He was very sympathetic. Really, it was so horrifying and he was great, no jokes were made at all.

But it caused me some issues later that night. I had nightmares. every time Adrian's foot would touch me I would start screaming and flailing and jumping out of the bed. He would have to grab me and convince me that there was NO mouse in the bed.

I was a basket case.

Back then my highboy dresser was right next to my side of the bed. When we got up the next morning I opened the top drawer to get out some, erm, undergarments and all over everything in that drawer there was MOUSE POOP!!!

The rotten mouse had climbed up the back of the dresser. Right next to my head.

Repeat the screaming freak out of the day before. Add a trip to the store for more poison that I then dumped all behind the dresser and bed.



I poisoned the snot out of that little booger! And never saw him again.


But it took awhile for the midnight panic attacks to subside. And then this Christmas when we were at the cabins all of the sudden a mouse came running around from in the fire place. I was up standing on the couch faster than anyone has ever seen me move.

Kids made fun of me but my gallant husband defended me. He said no one could judge since they had never had a mouse run up their leg.

Yea!

girl stuff

We have 4 extra girls tonight. Add my own 4 and it makes for some very girly moments! They are working on trying to decide how Rachel should wear her hair tomorrow for Homecoming.


But it has turned into a fashion show.

A very glamorous fashion show. Here they are getting ready.

Vulture Shopping

I don't think that if the economy is really doing poorly that it should cause a sharp spike in the amount that I shop. Yet it has.

I don't like to shop. Yet, I have been shopping a bunch lately. And tonight I bought 15 pairs of socks at Claire's.

I have never even bought socks at Claire's. Probably because they are normally $12 for 3 pairs. I think that is highway robbery. They are just chinsy cheapo little ankle socks!

But since this whole failing economy thing has happened stores have started to go out of business.

And I am a Vulture.

I like to kick places when they are down. I seek out the dying and gut them. Well, at least I like to buy their super discounted products. I will NEVER buy something at regular price. I usually skip it even on sale. But tonight I hit it pretty darn cheap and decided my 4 girls needed a little sock love. Here are the 9 pairs that I bought for Ella and Molly.

Yes, this is another phone picture. I love it!

They had marked them down from $12 (outrageous) for a 3 pack to $6 (still would not even think twice about them at that price) But then, since Claire's is going out of business, they were 50% off of the lowest price.

$3.

I can handle that. I am pretty sure that even at $3 Claire's is still making a profit on them.

Really, this is not much of a surprise

87 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

oddly enough

this is the thought that kept flitting through my migraine ravaged brain today:





a well fitted bra is the foundation of modern civilization





repeat 5 times





wonder at what the heck I am talking about







go back to your lives

free books?

Anne over at Not Entirely British is running weekly contests!


I agree, very generous of her!

So go check it out. This week the book is:

Cameron Taylor's Does Your Bag Have Holes? 24 Truths That Lead to Financial and Spiritual Freedom.

April, this may be right up your alley. Not that I am trying to say I have been up your alley. Oh, wait something is going terrribly wrong with this post!

Just go and check out this giveaway!

My little girls were laughing hysterically

So I thought that I would share this so your kids could laugh hysterically also. Toddlers really do think differently than the rest of us!

2009 GOALS

Okay. I did it. I made GOALS for 2009. Waaaaaaaay easier than resolutions.


Adrian had the whole family sit down on Monday night and we set personal goals. And we kept most of them personal.

We are a bunch of wimps.

I have decided to tell you some of my goals. Some of my goals nod at the fact that I am a huge failure in many areas. I know we all think that, but broadcasting it all over the Internet is not something I am willing to do.

I am a delicate flower and don't want to be living in shame and embarrassment the rest of my life because you all know my deep dark dorkyness.



We were each given an index card and told to set a goal in three different areas:
Spiritual
Physical
Financial

Can you tell who was in charge? My three areas would have been:
Reading
sewing
napping

But he was in charge, so we humored him. I kept begging him to please just tell me my financial goal. Since really, he is the one that loves financial goals. and checking the bank accounts everyday. and having a binder for budgets. and one for expenses. and 764 bank accounts that are each neatly labeled as to what they are designed to hold money for.

acct#2351 Christmas
acct# 9836 pet supplies
acct#7046 shoelaces
acct#6219 roof repairs to garage we have not built yet


Okay, you get the idea. and yes, I exaggerate. Slightly.

I love you honey, really. He keeps everything shipshape and I kind of come through like a hurricane. So I came up with a financial goal that he will really like.

Here they are:

Spiritual- *Read scriptures everyday

Physical- *Join 3 swaps
*join 3 Book Challenges
*make my bed everyday. (oops, I will be right back.









Alright, I am back)

Financial- remember to put money back in my account when I buy something that cost a lot of money and then need to reimburse myself. And do it right away, not two weeks later so that I don't forget that I have no money and then incur, umm, shall we say, overage charges. whoops. In other words, I will no longer be the hurricane that blows the financial plan ship out of the water. Pretty generous, if I do say so myself.

And there are a few others, but I am not revealing them because my final goal:

Be more mysterious!

chicken salad picture for chrys

I have a new favorite toy. My phone. I can take a picture with my phone. Then send it to my email. Then right click, save as, and POOF.


I am done. In another ten seconds I can have a picture in a post. I did that all while eating a bowl of chicken salad. The yummiest ever chicken salad. Now I understand that the quality is a little sub par but let me remind your.

No camera cord needed. No waiting. INSTANT GRATIFICATION. I am all over instant gratification. SO, Chrys, you have your wish. Pictures of food to go with recipes. Even if the picture does not look so great. You never have asked for quality food styling or photography.

I know, you may after seeing that train wreck of a picture!

Anyway, here is the recipe.

Rachel's Chicken Salad

*I didn't measure anything, the only constant when I make this are the cans of things*


about 3 cups cooked pasta
about 3 scallions, sliced
an apple or two, cut up
a can of crushed pineapple, drained
a can of chicken (mine are 12 ounces, Costco brand)
a lot of grapes, cut in half
2 or so stalks of celery, chopped
equal parts of mayo and coleslaw dressing

mix in bowl. eat out of bowl. eat more out of bowl. chill. eat more because it is even yummier when chilled. complain of stomach ache.

oh, and make this when you have a ham in the oven cause by golly, you need a ham and a giant bowl of chicken salad, doncha know?

I received a picture from my dad's Blackberry today

This was the caption he wrote:

Connie after an arduous spa morning. She's a real trooper.

Yep, that is my mom. They are in Bermuda this week. My "retired" dad had some business there.

Just thought everyone freezing their buns off would like to see this.

My husband wisked me off on a date last night

We went to the local High School basketball game. girls and boys.

The team from a town larger than ours ate our girls and then spit them out. It was brutal. But we got to see some of our friends kids. And some of our kids friends.

whew, say that fast five times. Really I spent a lot of the time spying on some of my kids friends sitting with there boyfriends/girlfriends. Hmmm.


Me no likey!


But I doubt I will ever likey. That is really a story for a different day. So Adrian watched the game. I watched the kids, including my own Lucy who was working the concession stand.

Yes, Lucy, I could see you every time someone opened the door. Which was a lot because we live in Sun Drop Country! I know because the radio and billboard ads tell me. Now I have never actually had a Sun Drop that I can remember, but I do know where I live!


After the girls game ended the boys took the court. To the sound of loud confusing noise. er, music?

And then they started to do some kind of High School Musical dance routine. I was waiting for the singing when I realized that was just their warm-up routine.

Their coach must really like musicals. I'm just saying....


With 47.5 seconds left the referee fellow blew his whistle and called a time out. The coaches both walked out and started to talk to him. A player had fallen right before the official blew his whistle, but he was okay.

They kept pointing at the floor and then looking at the ceiling. Then someone carried a towel out. And they yakked a bit more. Then they carried a Trash Can out.

Obstacles! That would make the game so much more interesting! Is that TSSAA approved?

And then they said it was halftime and then they cancelled the game. Have I mentioned we have had a lot of rain? The roof was leaking .

DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. Onto the court. See the trashcan down there? I thought they should just play, but what do I know?

There was also a lot of this during the game.

I really DO NOT know what to think about all the texting that goes on around me. I was even texting Lucy in the concession stand. I wanted gum and was entirely too lazy to go down and buy it.

Turns out they did not even have any gum for me to buy.

But later a very nice, tall, large footed boy brought me a bag of popcorn. Excellent service at that concession stand, I must say!

Hey, I just learned that texting is not a word according to spell check. go figure

The Sears Cafeteria

Once upon a time I was a kid. And when I was a kid we did all of our shopping at Sears. Sears was a magical place. It had EVERYTHING you could ever want. We had something special to use at Sears. An employee discount card. It was actually the store credit card, but it was blue. I have no idea what color the regular ones were. My mom used to just flash that card and get her, hmm, 20% off I think it was.


My dad worked for Sears. First in California. Then they sent him to NYC and then to Chicago. 25 years or so he worked for them. Those last few years in the mighty Sears Tower.


Sears used to be a bigwig. Remember? This may be my goodbye post to Sears. I think you may have seen your last Christmas shopping season.


So Sad!


But back to my Sears memories. When you went to Sears they used to have a candy counter. With these giant malted milk balls. The best malted milk balls in the whole world. Nothing like those crappy Whoppers my husband likes. These ones tasted like... well... they tasted like really great malted milk balls. And Fruit Sripe Gum. It had a Zebra on the package. They also had some chocolate flavoured gum. Crazy!


and then there was the Sears cafeteria. Right. in. the. store.


Wal-mart thinks it has some great idea sticking McDonald's in their stores. And a bank and a haircut place. LOSER! Sears had all that and MORE. You could order your whole stinking house from the Sears catalog!

But I digress.
The cafeteria had the most amazing, mouthwatering food. Better than any 5 star restaurant. Just ask my mom, I'm sure her memories are the same as mine! There was one thing that I always wanted to order. It was there behind that glass calling my name:

Chocolate Pudding Parfaits. Oh Heaven in a fancy glass. With a cherry on top. Neither of these pictures is exactly right, but you get the idea.

This trip down memory lane brings me to this point:

I need to NOT buy these. Really. One is a serving. Just one... I have Never been good at math!

After reading Lisa's List

I decided that I, too, could make a New Year's Resolutions List. Why did her list inspire me? Because last year her resolution was to be more mysterious.

Yeah, I know. That totally rocks.


So, I thought, I can handle resolutions of that caliber. Do I want to be more mysterious? How about more unique? Perhaps more grouchy?

Oh baby, now there is a resolution. Sign me up! I will feel SOOO accomplished.

But then I read April's list. I love April. She is my opposite in so many ways and it endears me to her. She wants land, animals, gardens, canning, all that stuff. I want away from all that stuff.


Maybe we could swap? Oh no, she has most of that stuff, it would just be trading farm for farm.

Anyhoo, I want to make a reasonable list. I want to read my scriptures more. And be more patient. I want to get off my duff more.

Ugh. I think this was a bad idea. I just thought of two bazillion things that I could write down. I will NEVER do them. What is the point. How can I pick just a few?

I want to be more mysterious. Easy Peasy. Cause no one will ever know if I really achieve that.


The things that I really want to do are selfish and I don't need to do them more.

I don't need to sew more. I don't need to read more. I don't need to nap more. I don't need to cook more desserts. Instead of cooking dinner.

Yes, I have done that. More than once. I am a terrible person, I know. But I have lovely cakes and fruit crisps waiting to dull my shame!

So tell me what to do.

Grilled Cheese

Today my girls had several friends over. Maybe you remember that I mentioned that they spent the night. Even more came over this morning. Harrison had a friend here also. Adrian took everyone over to the church to play tennis volleyball. They got home around 2:00.

They were starving.

I was busy studying the paint job on the living room ceiling.

The girls decided to make grilled cheese sandwiches.


Here comes the interesting part. Did you know that there are as many different ways to make a grilled cheese sandwich as there are teenage girls in a room? Well, there are!


Some people put butter in the pan and then do not butter the outside of the bread.

Some put butter in the inside of the sandwich.

Some put mayo inside.

Some use cheddar. Some use American. Some use cream cheese.

Some put milk in the pan. milk?

It was interesting. How do you make grilled cheese?

Esme the magnificent!!!!

Esme is the most magnificent kitty on this green earth!!


Want to know why?



Because she killed a mouse in the basement today!!!


Yup, she is a definite keeper!



Here is where I would put a the picture I just took of her, but still no camera cord!

where is the camera cord?

I know you would like to see some pictures rather than listen to my mindless drivelling.

We had Christmas. Nut I didn't take pictures of that.

We had Molly's baptism. I took a couple of pictures of her and William, since she asked him to baptize her. And a picture of her and Adrian since he confirmed her.

Then we had our big party later that night to celebrate Molly's birthday and New Years Eve.

I forgot to take pictures of that, but I do have an easy recipe to share.

Today I took Lucy and Rachel and some of there friends to the mall in the large city. 2 hour drive.


one way




And then we picked up some smaller friends and we are having a rip roaring girly sleepover.

I just took pictures of the girls eating. of the girls dipping food into the chocolate fountain.

of the Chinese food that Adrian cooked us.


But no cord.

I thought the cord was here, but when I tried to make everything work my children laughed at me.


How was I to know that the Nintendo DS cord doesn't work with the camera?