You Know You Love This Song

I joined

this weekend

and found about 30 people from

that I haven't thought of in awhile.

Then

kept playing in my head as an anthem to those 4 years.

And I thought..."when did we get so old?"

Summer 2009

in descending order, with links, little bits of commentary, and notes to myself.

September 14th: Realize the whole summer has just flown by.

September 8th: Sat on couch and nursed my sore feet.
September 7th: Finished the Austin Olympic Triathlon in 3 hrs 40 mins. Note to self: need new running shoes.

August 4th: Made "annual" doctor's appointment for August 24th, 9 AM.
August 24th: First day of school. Note to self: Next year, think of something much more fun to do on the first day of school.

August 17th: restocked the "present" closet.
August 10-14th: Attended 5 birthday parties in 1 week. Note to self: friends are awesome!

July 30th: Kiss my husband madly and for a very long period of time. Note to self: Don't ever leave for 3 weeks again!
July 13th: Leave for Montreal for 3 weeks to visit my sister Michelle and her family. Note to self: Montreal is way cooler than Houston in the summer. Must think of buying summer home there.

July 4th: Have 50 people over for a BBQ and fireworks show.
July 3rd: Fireworks shopping. Note to self: make a new category in family budget for fireworks.

June 27th: Cheer for my boys. Note to self: It is possible for me to be more nervous for my children than for myself.
June 25th: Find out Will and Colton have made it to two different swim team invitationals on the 27th.

June 12th: stay in air conditioned house all day.
June 8-11: Attend Cub Scout Day Camp. Note to self: I can get just as stinky and sweaty as a bunch of 8 year old boys.

June 5th: Flight home was nice and short. Friends pick us up from the airport AND bring us dinner. Note to self: friends are awesome!
May 29th: Leave for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Note to self: Best vacation ever!
May 28th: Kids loved getting out of school 4 days early. Note to self: check for hurricane make-up days before buying airplane tickets.

Summer 2009 has been the best on record! Great times, great food, great friends. I even found some time to lurk on all of you every now and then. It's good to be back!

Where Taylor Swift and Coldplay collide.



It should be available for download in a day or two, and sheet music will be soon to follow.

Love it!

Backyard I SPY

(click to enlarge)

Can you find...

• A can of red spray paint to spruce up the old wagon?
• The cilantro used in my yummy, new pasta recipe?
• The butterfly weed with dozens of eggs clinging to its leaves?
• The candles we use to illuminate our spring dinners?
• The kids' favorite hiding place when I call them in for bed?
• The flat of flowers the cub scouts potted for the nice lady who helped them this week?
• The shadow of the item I scored from the neighbor's stinky trash?
• Me?

While you can't find me now, you will find me here often. It's one of my favorite places to be.

I have plans

September 7, 2009!

1500 meter swim

24.9 mile bike

6.2 mile run.

I'm super EXCITOUS. (translation: excited and nervous all rolled into one)

click HERE for the detes.

Want to find a TRI in your area? www.trifind.com

I feel like I'm having an affair

The past 11 years I've been loyal to

because my kids love these

Today I defected to


just for the jumbo twin pack of

Who are you loyal to?

Backyard Check List

SIGNS of SUMMER

Wet towels drying in the wind. Check.

Hummingbird feeder ready for customers. Check.

Tomatoes and peppers showing off their new blooms. Check.

Aloe plant full of clover no matter how many times I pull them out. Check.

Butterfly Weed totally taking over its corner of the yard. Check.

Weather hot and humid. Check.

I think summer has arrived around here, what about where you live?

On the way home from a lovely Mother's Day at church we passed this new addition to the neighborhood. I have no idea what it is or what it's for, but we loved it!

I asked the kids what they thought is was, and Will, without missing a beat, said, "Duh, they got it for their mom for Mother's Day."

Duh, indeed.

I hope your weekend is as much fun as ours!

Here's a hint as to what we'll be doing.
Enjoy this awesome, retro Seseme Street song. Do you remember this one?



Happy Saturday!

cleansing to the body, soul, and carpet

Yesterday's rain was annoying.
I was annoyed that water seeped in under a window and stained my white carpeting.
I was annoyed that William and I couldn't go out on our date.
I was annoyed that our yard turned into a mud pit.

Then we had to venture out and drive to piano lessons.
Now...
I'm grateful I ONLY had water in a 2 foot area of my house. Unlike ALL the flooded houses 3 blocks away.
I'm grateful William and I had a fun day with the kids at home. Safe and dry.
I'm gratefulthe water crested only 1/2 way up our yard and we ONLY have a mud pit.

I'm also grateful I had an excuse to stay at home and do whatever.

I surfed. Not the ocean in my street, however there were some kids doing that, but the Internet.

I cleaned. Not my house, but myself, in a nice, long bath with my favorite maraschino Very Cherry shea butter soap. Freshly made.

Fresh soap balls. They just fit so nicely in the hand.
On the right, William's favorite: unscented.
On the left: Very Cherry.
Freshly sliced and ready to be boxed and sold

I ate.

Breakfast: oatmeal with blueberries and honey.

Lunch: Fluffernutter sandwiches and strawberries.

Dinner: shrimp and chive dumplings.

I created.

3 linen drawstring bread bags.

A homemade barometer with a jar, balloon, and a straw.

Friendship and trust with some new neighbors.

It was just an ordinary, lovely, relaxing, productive/non-productive, non-annoying Tuesday.

My last post's wishes didn't come true. Well, 1 out of 4 did.
My sweetie came safely home.
but,
the rain didn't stop,
my clogs are more wet,
and the sun will not be shining today.

Since yesterday afternoon our neighborhood has had 10" of rain.
School and swim team have been canceled, the bayou that runs by our house is cresting, and there's more on its way.

The only thing on my TO-DO list today is to make some of these.
These linen, drawstring bread bags have been on my TO-DO list for weeks now.
Nothing is sadder than putting a loaf of fresh, whole wheat bread in a plastic, zipper bag.
I think these will do the trick quite nicely. And what a nice way to GIFT a loaf of bread. Or cookies, or rolls, or anything.
Idea and picture from BambooBag.

Waiting for...

the rain to stop.
my garden clogs to dry.
my sweetie to be safely home.
a sunny day tomorrow.

Today's Snack

Brought to you by the letter G.

G is for...

"Great balls of fire, these are Good!"
"Give me another, please."

"Goodness, I just can't stop eating them."


And in honor, coincidentally, I swear this wasn't planned, of Annette Lyon's new book....

all about Grammar. Or is is Grahamar?


YOU'LL NEVER GO BACK TO NABISCO, HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS!Cue applause from my children and husband.


These have changes our lives. I kid you not. I double the batch, roll one out thin for my husband, and a thicker one for me and the kids. From start to finish, you're eating warm, soft graham crackers in 20 minutes.


Cream:


3/4 C. softened butter


1/3 C. sugar


1/4 C. brown sugar


1/4 C. honey


1 t. vanilla


1 egg



Add:


1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour


1 1/2 C. graham flour


1/2 t. salt


1/2 t. baking soda


1/2 t. cinnamon


Dough will be very thick and slightly crumbly. Roll to 1/4" thickness. Cut into squares; prick with fork; bake at 350 for 10 minutes.


notes:

*I use a pizza cutter to cut my squares.

* I've gradually decreased my sugars a few tablespoons at a time. No one's noticed.
*Try adding some things. Chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, or raisins.

*I buy my graham flour in bulk, but I know that Bob's Red Mill has a great one. If you can't find graham flour, just use all whole wheat flour. Turns out, who knew, that graham flour is just whole wheat flour not ground quite so fine. You'll lose a little in texture, but nothing in taste.


Tonight's snack: Graham crackers blended with this

Grrrrrr. Can't get my "comments" to come on for my MS150 post!
Sorry.