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.

That MS150

really chaps my hide.
And my lips.
And my cheeks.
And my hands.

Day 1 was cancelled. Watch this video to see why.



It's the first time in their 25 year history this has happened.

So...on to day 2...

I always paint my toes for good luck. (Thanks for asking Linda!) I love polka dots, and found this idea here. William calls them my strawberry toes.

With Saturday a wash-out, we drove ourselves and our bikes the first 90 miles.
We met up with our team, TEAM NOBLE ENERGY, Saturday afternoon at "the lodge." RAISIN L RANCH to be specific.
We ate well; we slept well.
It was strange coming in to camp refreshed and clean. The usual groaning and limping were nonexistent. None of us were famished; none of us needed a massage.

As always, day 2 started at 5:15 with a huge breakfast.
Lots of protein. Lots of of carbs.
Next, prayer and scripture service.
Then we load up and head out.

The ride from La Grange to Austin is always hard. The day is full of hills. Lots and lots of hills. Really, a few small mountains, if you ask me.

Take a look.


It was really fun to do the 87 miles of hills this year with FRESH legs. It will probably never happen again, so it was nice to KICK A LITTLE HILL BOOTIE this year.

Now, fresh legs or not, I have to take issue with the wind. It was terrible. It was in my face the whole way! We're talking 15-20 m.p.h. Thus the chapping and chaffing I spoke of earlier.

I got my 2009 pin as I crossed the finish line.

I love how my bike pouch looks with all 7 of them on there.

To sum it all up:

Everything was awesome.

We had a wonderful time.

No flat tires.

My bum still hurts.

My lips are still chapped.

Wish you all were there.

Can't wait for next year!

Thanks for your support.

:)

Day 1: 90 miles of rain.

Day 2: 90 miles of sunshine.

That's what they're predicting anyway.

(click to enlarge the MS150 route)

I'm better trained this year than on all previous years. I'm excited to see what I can do!

We leave at the crack of dawn on Satuday.

Rain or shine.

See you all when we get back.

Click this link to donate to my MS150 bike ride. I'm only $75.00 shy of my goal of $400!http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/TXHBikeEvents?px=2546207&pg=personal&fr_id=10222

Thanks~!