Is it summer time yet?

Is it summer time yet because I so want to do this! I found this on another blog (along with the DIY instructions which I immediately printed). Its filled with pureed watermelon (basically juice) rum and lime juice YUM! Hurry summer hurry! Someone suggested that you could also do the same with a pumpkin and fill it with spiced cider or orange juice and vodka…Hmm doesn’t quite do the same thing for me!

And there I was…

On the bus headed for work this morning. For those who do not know there are very specific “rules” that one must follow when riding the bus:


Rule #1 - no talking allowed especially on your cell phone (one, because people are sleeping and two, we don’t care)
Rule #2 – do not attempt to make contact with the person sitting next to you (even if its just a “good morning”)
Rule #3 – everyone should really have their own seat and when the bus is full enough that “double-seating” is required people often get cranky (especially on the afternoon bus).

So anywhoo – there I was on the bus this morning and a guy gets on at the Tacoma Dome station. He begins engaging the bus driver in a conversation (loud enough to be heard over my iPod) about “Fork, Washington. Ya know, Fork…F-O-R-K?” He says to the driver. “There’s vampires in Fork. A lady she’s a written 5 books about them. Them vampires like Fork, F-O-R-K ‘cuz it rains and its dark all the time there so them vampires, they can walk around during the day time, on account of the rain and the dark weather. Now most of them vampires really live in Gig Haaa-bor (Really? Where? Apparently I’ve missed them…DANG! At this point I had to turn my iPod off so that I could the rest of the this story) but they like to go up to Fork, F-O-R-K ‘cuz of all the rain and such. Now them vampires have made for lotso tourism up there in Fork. If’en you was 18 you’da know what I was talking about. Now there’s also werewolves up there but they live in Port Angeles. You know them vampires and werewolves they don’t get along so well, except one that the lady wrote about because he’s a different kinda werewolf.” Apparently the driver gave some sort of indication that he didn’t really believe in the whole vampire/werewolf thing and so then this very entertaining man went on to say, “Well, ya should be believin’ it ‘cuz ya know people they be going across the border in New Mexico for years to look at the little green men…ever heard of Area 51?” OMG! It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. I surreptitiously glanced around the bus (because of Rule #2) and could see that there were several others who were smirking and working hard to suppress the laughs threatening to come out of their mouth. However, the woman in the seat behind me (who NEVER follows Rule #1 or #2) was so engrossed in the “self help” conversation she was having with the guy sitting with her (He’s truly a gem – he sits with her every morning and listens patiently the whole ride in) didn’t appear to notice whatsoever. And who says there isn’t good entertainment to be had at 6:30 in the morning.  And yes, I do know its really Forks (with an "S") Washington!

“How much did this pumpkin cost” and “What’s for dinner”?

We interrupt the summer recap to bring you this little tidbit of fun…

The pumpkin – about mid July a local youth football group came around selling cookie dough as a fundraiser, so being the good mommy/neighbor/community member I bought a tub (which I normally NEVER do) but I figured that Boy #1 would be off to college and he states his favorite cookies are white chocolate macadamia nut and so it was going to be expensive any way you cooked ‘em up. About 10 days ago (yes, 3 months later!) I finally got my cookie dough so I decided that would be Boy #1’s trick or treat basket. The dough made 38 cookies and I managed to fit about 34 of them back into the container (since it was round like a pumpkin, I thought perfect) and a little construction paper magic later and the “Great Pumpkin” was born! (Cost for said Great Pumpkin: cookie dough $15, postage to mail 2 ½ dozen cookies to Idaho $7.10, knowing that Boy #1 will roll his eyes at the sight of my construction paper magic – priceless!)

What’s for dinner? Why Pasties of course! (Not to be confused with little flowery things that “ahem” some “exotic dancers” place…well, never mind) Yesterday was a typical Sunday – laundry, baking, laundry, cooking something yummy for dinner, football, more laundry. I remember Mom making these when we were little and we just thought they were so fun. It’s basically meat pies you eat with your hands (Boy #2 and #3 are all about the no fork required thing I think). The filling is browned hamburger, diced carrots, celery, potatoes, onion and whatever else you want to throw in the bowl. Mix with a can of cream of celery soup (or you can use cream of mushroom but I don’t because those rubbery little mushroom pieces gross me out) a whole lot of pie dough later you have these lovely little “pasties.” I delivered some still warm out of the oven to Neighbor and Miss Thang and Bubba’s house ‘cuz nothing says lovin’ like dinner from someone else’s oven!

June continued...

So for those who are just joining in, you will have to go back and read the previous post in order to follow this random stream of consciousness.  I was going to try and just continue to "edit" and make one big ol' long epistle of the past 7 months but putting that many photos into one post requires more patience than I have (I know, you all thought I was a saint and well, I am but just not in the "waiting on the computer" department!)

Picking up where I last left off... Boy #1 graduated from high school.  Graduation was held in the Tacoma Dome and I feared that we would be there for hours and hours. Much to my surprise (and the relief of my rear end - metal bleachers....so fun)  they were done in less than 90 minutes!

Friend "L" and Boy #1 

Boy #3 "graduated" from Middle School however, unlike kindergarten they did not make them wear white button up shirts and paper motarboards!  8th grade celebration had a "Mardi Gras" theme and Boy#3's

FAB outfit is courtesy of his Auntie (except for the shoes...tux shoes courtesy of Goodwill spray painted bright blue...)

Boy #3 and friends

After graduation was over we had a week or so of down time (If you can ever call it that) and then Boy #1 trekked North to prep for the East-West AllStar Football game.  Within 48 hours of dropping him off there was I taking the long ride back again with elbow sleeves for the turf burns and a "first aid" kit for the blisters the new cleats had given him.  I ended up having to go in Boy #1's jeep, as my car battery died that morning (while I was dropping off Boy #2 for a week long camping trip - love the 7:30 am calls to the towing company, that goodness Mom lives close and doesn't care that she had to come without her hair and makeup done!)  Boy #1 in true "cool dude" fashion had removed all the windows and doors from his ride so there I am in the garage in my "dress" clothes for work trying to zip the windows back in enough that I won't look like I flew in on the tornado from Oz when I arrive at work.  While so fun in the summer sun, little red jeep is not designed for road trips, I felt like a chicken leg in the Shake n' Bake bag!  Talk about Mr. Toad's wild ride - Yikes!  Game day was a beautiful sunny day and the East rocked the West (Boy #1 played for the East and was definitely a force to be watched out there on the field) despite having been fed hotdogs for more meals in a row than one should ever eat hotdogs!  He said he couldn't wait to get home for "real food"!

Boy #1 in the red jersey, taking' 'em down!

JULY

July was a rather amazing month because Neighbor's two little ones made their debut into the world!  Here we are anxiously awaiting their arrival (and yes I know she doesn't look big enough for their to be two in there!  

While waiting for the twins I spent a sunny afternoon hangin' out with this cute chickie

and of course, the yard was decked out in all its 4th of July finest.  Happy Birthday America!

They're here, they're here, they're here!

After a long and patient wait on the part of their mommy, Reagan Christine and John Patrick arrived on July 8th and July 9th (twins born on different days, how fun!) Watching them come into this world was an amazing experience and I feel truly blessed to have been a part of it... thanks Neighbor!

Reagan is on the left and John is on the right

Whew...ok, that takes us through mid July...just like a great weekly drama, this post is to be continued!

1000 Excuses

So I really don't have 1000 excuses for not posting for oh, a few months (ok, ok so more than a few but not long enough to have gone through a full term pregnancy people!) but I've been busy/outside/lazy/not wanting to be on the computer/done too many things to write about and well how 'bout just haven't gotten round to it?  I'll be better now that winter is here and well, being outside isn't much of an option (unless you are a duck or a fish).

So what has happened in the past several months - grab a glass of wine read on!

April- I painted the walls in the kitchen and they are well, they are definitely green...jungle vine green to be precise!  The cabinets will eventually become a creamy white but painting cabinets required way more effort than I wanted to put out in April so the kitchen now looks like this (can't find my "before" pictures" they are on a camera card that is currently MIA)

May: May brought about many things.  The first was the Meistersingers/Boy#2's trip to Victoria B.C.  I had the opportunity to chaperone and it was a great trip.  The kids sang in many venues, once of which was the rotunda at the Parliment Building - the sound was amazing.  I think we all had goosebumps when they finished.  Maybe if I'm talented enough I can figure out how to post one of the songs they recorded. 

I started tearing up the front yard as soon as the sun came out.  One of my friend's husband was nice enough to come over and roto-till most of the front yard for me in a morning...I'd planned on doing it in sections so change of plans!  Now instead of weeds and nothing I had dirt/grass clods and nothing - which lead to many hours of raking (not exactly my favorite outdoor activity).  Then the dump truck arrived with a very large pile of dirt - just in time for Boy #1 to work off his "Prom bill". 

May ended with senior prom for Boy #1.  Prom was held in the Terrace Club at Safeco field.  The kids all went to Benni Hanna's for dinner (and yes, I'm sure I spelled that wrong) and had a really good time.  The highschool state baseball championship game was also happening the same night as prom so they boys got to go out and catch some of the game.  All I can say about prom is "wow, I sure didn't look like that at 18!...not sure I look like at four.... I mean 29, which is how old I am now!

Boy #1 and Prom date "A"... apparently Prom had a James Bond theme

Handsome boys and pretty girls

June: June was totally crazy.  In fact, it was totally crazy pretty much from early May until mid August. 

Boy #1 graduated on June 14th. 

 

And his Sports Illustrated cover shot (courtesy of his Uncle Mark)

 We then had about a week's breather before he had to be at camp for the Allstate Football Game....

(post to be continued.....)

It Happened Last Month

Dear Blog fans,

I know that you've missed me terribly but I've been terribly busy...can't really say exactly what has kept me so busy but all I know is that its now the middle of March and where January and February went, I don't know but they flew somewhere! Though I keep having flashbacks to winter as twice this week we've had this!

I do have to say that the snow is much prettier than the gray rain but I fear that it will impede all my daffodils that are trying to bravely make their way into spring!

Valentine's Day involved a little creative cooking (Valentine's Day is not my fav but I try to make it fun for the other creatures that live within my circle of love). First Bo-Bo made heart shaped puppy cookies for the love of his life Libby-Libby.

And then I made a heart shaped version of "jammies" sprinkled of course with a liberal amount of powered sugar! I then played Cupid and delivered them to various "love spots" around the harbor...

After Valentine's Day came a week of vacation and skiing with the kids at White Pass. We were again blessed with the use of a friend's cabin (love that free lodging thing). Boy #1 and Boy #3 each brought a friend so needless to say the van was packed to the ceiling with boys and food. Past life thought I'd brought way too much food - he later had to eat those words when he saw how much 5 boys who've skied all day eat for dinner! Past life and daughter M joined us mid-week and we all had a great time. Good weather, good skiing, good food and hours upon hours of "The Office" on DVD each night!

Boy #1 and friend J Boy #3 and co

Boy #2, Past life and Miss M

Friend "C" at the end of the day!