Chicken & Harlots or Vice-Versa

Just thought I'd share what I'm making for supper tonight. We'll see how it turns out considering Brent is highly opposed to chicken legs/thighs but the boys love them. Looks easy enough without a lot of mess. Haven't figured out what sides but I'm sure I'll come up with something between now and then. Give 'em a try. The Morton's Hot Salt was in my spice cabinet already. We use it to season popcorn so I was really proud of the fact I already had at least one of the ingredients besides the butter! Went grocery shopping this morning and bought the chicken legs and forgot the lemons so I'll be stopping by the store again before I pick up kids this afternoon. DOES IT EVER END?? If you try it let me know what you think of them.


http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/2008/01/spicy_roasted_chicken_legs_-_tasty_and_easy_too.html

Other than that I hope all of y'all had a good weekend. Spent Friday night at Liam's school with about 150 other 6-8th graders and let me just tell you how much freakin' fun that was. These kids are ridiculously STUPID! They act soooo immature and the little girls, well, they are so pushy and bossy to these little boys. I tell my boys all the time "Don't let little girls push you around because when you grow up your wife will just push you around too" to which my 7 year old replied "like you and Daddy?" Huh, WTF>????)(*&U(&*(&(&*(&(&(&*)()_(^%$%$$. Uh, I think not. Anywho, he was pretty funny I guess but I explained that I do not push daddy around, that I simply "direct" him to what needs to be done in a timely fashion. All I got from that point on was "ummm." I'll ponder that one in the near future: "Do I push Brent around or do I simply "direct and supervise?" Oh hell who cares, we've been married for 18 years. You just kind of get used to crap like that and I guess you could call it complacent, but in the end, we compliment each other. :( I don't push him around. Huh. I don't, at least I don't think so!

Does This LOOK familiar??

To explain the picture, see the last paragraph. I was going to add it to that paragraph but they are so hilarious I wanted to make sure you could see them right off the bat. I don't know about y'all, but this looks awfully familiar at my house. As we like to say in our house, he TALKS more than I do, but I NAG more than he does!

OK, she is too cute. Is she dyed PINK?!?!

This morning we went and signed up both little dudes for baseball. WTF were we thinking??? They really want to play but this will be the first year both of them will be in the same league at the same time. Liam has always played soccer, since he was 7, and Ian played t-ball with the Y last year which was really easy. So we're trying to gear up for this. Santa brought them new bats, gloves, some super duper "special" bat (whatever), and a pitching machine to try and get them up to par so they've been hitting balls all day. Whatever, I'm bored with that.

So, we went to Academy to get Ian some new shoes. He wants some like his friend down the street that don't actually tie. They look like they tie but they don't. Again, whatever! So, we're looking and we find the exact ones (that don't actually TIE) and I go down the line of shoes telling Ian "Sweetie, look at all these. This one doesn't tie, this one doesn't tie, and neither does this one so just pick which one you want." So he picks out the one he wants and we're looking for his size. About that time Brent shows up from out of the shadows because I have no idea where the hell he has been the entire time and he said "I thought he wanted the ones that don't really tie" to which I said "umm, yeah, we just picked some out. All these are like that." He was like "OK, are you really that stupid?" I was like "Wha? Wha?" Well, he proceeds to show me that all the shoes are tied like that with their little laces nicely tucked away inside. We just started cracking up. I never thought about that, they all looked the same. OOPS. Sorry Ian, I made a faux-pas. Pick out a different pair ................ which took another half-hour. GEEZ Louise! I hate Academy.

Better go help out with dinner. Brent's grilling steaks on the barbie and I feel the urge to .... nag. Yup, I have an overabundance of nagging built up and I must release it. You know, like that feeling when you have an overabundance of gas-- same thing -- you have to release it or you're bound to blow at the most inopportune time. I like to try and nag when everything is relatively calm so that we don't get too overstimulated. I'll let you know how it turns out. Ciao bella!!

What Would Freud Think??

It's already been the longest and busiest week. It started out so lazy and cozy with Brent being off on Monday for MLK Day and the boys too. Then we switched into overdrive for the rest of this week. Tests, projects, homework, CCD, friends, flat tires! It's not even over yet and I still have birthday gifts to buy for birthday parties this weekend, emails to reply to and bills to pay. YUK, but alas the weekend is near.

OK, as my ADD kicks in. Have y'all ever heard Dane Cook's CD's or stand up? OMG, he is sooo funny. He's raunchy, ruthless, nasty and I find him sexy in some weird geeky way. Anyway, if you get a chance and you like that kind of humor I was dying, like having to cross my legs so I didn't pee in the car. (I kind of have that problem a lot sometimes. Need to start doing more Kegel's eh gals!) So, he's really nasty so if you are easily offended you probably shouldn't, if you have children around, you probably shouldn't, if you are a prude, you probably shouldn't and last but not least if you are just a puss because you're scared your husband/wife might not like it, you probably shouldn't. However, I thoroughly enjoy Dane. Not as much as Bobby (aka Kid Rock). I am truly in my zone and happy when I listen to my Bobby.

Um kay. Have you ever heard the saying "It's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission?" Well, in not so many words I think I kind of live by that standard. I do stuff all the time to piss people off be it my husband, kids, sisters, family, whoever and then I just say sorry and tell them from the deepest depths of my black heart how sorry I am and I will never again spend..., do ...., or say ..... . How's that for rationalization? I bet a psychologist would have a ball this blog.

Um kay. ADD setting in again. Do you watch Scott Baio is 46 and Pregnant? Love him. He is too cute. Of course I have been in love with this man since I first laid eyes on him when the Fonz introduced his cousin Chachi on Happy Days!! Followed him to Joanie Loves Chachi and then Charles in Charge. Now how's that for loyalty! I was cracking up last night watching him go to his Daddy To Be class and having the same thoughts about the freaks in his class that he was: like the guy who wants to grow the organic garden to feed organic baby food to his baby. It was too funny. Oh, I wholeheartedly agree with the guy who wants to do it, but he seemed like such a big puss saying it out loud in front of the other guys and the face Scott Baio made when he said it was funny. I'm easily entertained.

Yeah, so this blog sucks and all but I have about 11 minutes to clean up the house, pay my bills online and get the scrubbing bubbles to start doing their job on the tub before I have to leave to get my little hellions. Yeah, they're hellions, but they are MY hellions!

New Finds for Valentine's Day

Check out this recipe for Valentine's Day. Seems like the kiddos in Ian's first grade CCD class will LOVE it. Special thanks Erica @ haphardhappenstances for posting this recipe.

http://haphazardhappenstances.blogspot.com/

Cinnamon Popcorn


8 quarts of popcorn
1 cup of butter
1/2 cut of light corn syrup
1 package of red hot cinnamon candies

In a saucepan, combine the margarine, corn syrup and red candies. Bring to a boil, stirring, and boil for 5 minutes. Pour over the popped popcorn and mix well. Pour the popcorn mixture onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 250 degrees F for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool completely, then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container

Here Comes the Sun

This song that you are hearing by the Beatles was added today. It always makes me want to cry. I don't know why but it has a sound reminiscent of my younger days when I was living at home with my momma and daddy. Every time I heard it for about two years after I got married I always cried. Well, now at last, I can listen without crying. It actually brings happy memories.

Musings for Today...

OK, so this funny thing happened on the way home the other day. I called my older sister whose opinion I rely on for everything. I had one of those life-altering questions for her: "Do you want to buy some girl scout cookies?" Well, I was driving down the highway and was distracted and dialed her number, which she lives in Louisiana, so I hear this person/man/woman/androgynous being on the end say:

Androgynous Being: "Hello." (Immediately I thought "SHIT!" I punched in the wrong number.")

Me: "Is Christene there?"

Response: "Um, this is her."

I did not believe her it was her. I thought I had just dialed the number to a smoking emphysema patient and they wasted their last few good breaths of oxygen on my wrong number. Guilt began to set in.

Me: "Christene?"

Response: "Yes."

Me: "What the hell.... Oh my God, I thought I dialed an emphysemic (is that even a word) smoker. you sound HORRIBLE!"

Nothing but silence and laughing for about a minute after that. Even her laugh sounded all rough, you know, like a lesbian whose the man in the relationship.

I thought I was talking to a man. Or a friend of ours who actually does have emphysema and smokes! She sounded like a woman who really, really wants to be a man and took way tooooo many testosterone injections.

We just died laughing. I was cracking up so much I almost peed in my pants, in my car! (well, actually, maybe a little did come out). She'd been really sick and her voice was all deep and congested. I told her it sounded a little raspy, kind of sexy, you know, like Melissa Etheridge and she should take full advantage of this opportunity to talk all nasty, sexy to her husband. It was sooo funny. I cannot possibly begin to explain what it sounded like but it was hilarious because she usually has this really sweet, high-pitched voice.

Anyway, it made me start thinking about doing phone sex. I think they make a lot of money, I could do it from home, and, and, the best part is that I'd get paid for doing something I like to do -- talk about sex. I digress, but actually it has entered my mind. Brent's all for it if he can get a new Harley out of the deal! (See attached image at the top of this post of a professional phone sex operator). Now that's an obtainable goal.

Well, officially the kids are off school today for MLK Day/Teacher Work Day. Whatever, as long as we're all home I feel comfy. The boys and Brent are trying out the new soccer goals which I guess is kind of weird considering they just got signed up for baseball. Santa brought them a pitching machine which they've only used once so I told Liam he really needs to start practicing with the machine and special bat thingy that helps them learn how to bat correctly. Anywho, that's like talking to a brick wall.

I read this thing about blogs and for the life of me I can't remember where but it was about a survey and how people responded. Well, it seems they are tired of the usual boring stuff and how people just use their blogs as a way to brag about what Timmy/Tommy did and do you know what I have to say to the "surveyed" people -- who gives a crap what you think? It's my blog or their blog or whoever's blog and they can write/do/say whatever the friggin' hell they want. Um, I guess that's why they created their blogs. I don't care who does/does not want to hear about my family stuff, I write this stuff as a cathartic outlet, a mental release and its easier than journaling most of the time. So to all the "Negative Nancy's" out there, "Tough Shit." You don't want to read these mom blogs about normal family happenings, then Don't! They're probably bitter DINKS* anyway and are pissed off because we're actually living out our dreams, even if they are simple dreams like marrying your best friend, having a couple of kids, obtaining that dreaded mortgage and waking up every morning thanking God that He has bestowed such gifts upon me. Comments appreciated.

Ciao!

* Double Income No Kids

The Story of the Blankie

Ian and his beloved Blankie, circa 2004

So many words could describe the "blankie." From the moment this child could grab and hold onto something, it was his yellow blankie. What's really weird about it is that this is the only blanket set I ever bought either one of my boys before they were actually here. I always felt like I'd jinx them if I bought their clothes before they were here, but the cutest little yellow onesie and blanket came in a set from the Disney store and it had Winnie-The-Pooh and a pot of honey embroidered in one corner. It was a match made in heaven. Ian was forever linked to this blanket. By the time it was on its last leg, we had sewn it together on numerous occasions, gone back for it time and again after it had been left at different places and once, my sister and her husband had to break into our house to get the blankie out of the dryer and bring it down to the beach where we were staying. Yes, they actually had permission to break-in. In fact, I told her "Don't you dare come all the way down here without it!" He was about 2 years old at the time and I tell you what, after that fiasco of leaving it in the dryer, I never went anywhere without it again. I think I loved it just as much as he did. No matter how upset he was about something, we'd just throw him his blankie, he'd immediately start sucking his thumb and BAM! it was over. The fit - done. The fight - done. The "waited too long to take a nap and now I'm going to make your life HELL" - done. No, now I know it to be true - I did love the blankie as much as he did, if not more! Anywho, it was not made to last, it was not meant to be. On September 24, 2005 that stupid, monstrous bitch took my baby's blankie from him. I hate her to this day. I rue the day she ever set foot in our tiny town. She swooped down from the skies and destroyed the one thing that meant something to my baby boy, his beloved yellow Pooh Blankie. I'll never forgive Rita for what she did to my baby. OR, OR, the torment she caused me by him not having his blankie during our evacuation. I know for a fact he screamed for over two hours while we were stuck in traffic for 14 hours trying to escape the wrath that would be Hurricane Rita. You see, we had to run and pick him up from Mother's Day Out the day before they called for the official evacuation. In our haste (I take full responsibility) we inadvertently left his blankie in his cubbie at school. I remembered his backpack, his lunch kit but for some weird reason his teacher (who shall remain nameless) did not put his blankie INSIDE his backpack as they had done every day he attended for the previous three, yes, count them, three friggin' years! So off we go, only to realize about 10:00pm as we all lay down to try and get some rest for a few hours, that the blankie was GONE! It is a horrifying realization, the angst building up within me, acid begins to churn in your esophagus and then it begins, the screaming. The incessant, non-stop "I WANT MY BLANKIE" screaming. The only thing that saved us that night (and all days/nights for about four months following that night) was my slip. Yes, my brilliant husband got the bright idea that it was not the actual blankie (even though now Ian says it was) that the child wanted, but the silky edge where he could rub it together and stroke it ever so gently and lightly as he sucked his thumb into his quiet slumber. That old, stinky slip got us out of many a tight spot following the hurricane. Sure we hunted around, called the Disney Corporation, searched every Disney store and outlet between here and Florida, talked to two Disney distributors trying to track down another one but to no avail. How dare they? The injustice of not making the same blanket five years later when a po', po', little boy from Texas would really love one. He has since found solace in a custom-made newbie "blankie" from a local shop where they were only too happy to help Ian out. He hand-picked his fabric and a mere eight weeks later he was the proud owner of the newbie that we have to this day. It stays in the car all day while he's at school (so he can imbibe in his bad habit at the end of his school day) and he never, I repeat NEVER, goes to bed without it. I must say, the loss of the blankie must be worked through just like the loss of other sentimental objects. At first you go through all the usual steps in the grieving process as described by Kubler-Ross but in the end, it's gone. Poof! Gone. Something he has to deal with and we've all had to deal with since that wretched day. We still talk about "Blankie," and probably even a little too much considering it's been well over two years, but I know Ian still yearns for the touch of his beloved and I still yearn for the contentment only a mother could see in her child's eyes.

I know y'all probably did not really want to read or hear about that but I must say it was very cathartic to finally come clean about my real feelings towards the blankie. I feel closure. I feel cleansed. I feel ....... content.

Getting The Week Started

This is about how I feel today, although this made me laugh because I have that dry, sick, sense of humor anyway. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.

Yeah, I've got the house to myself and all the rugrats are at school. I actually sat down and drank my very hot tea and watched GMA ever so contently this morning. We had a pretty busy weekend so its nice for all that to be behind us. Our class preview looks very promising. We watched a dvd about the program and then just kept laughing at all this stuff he said he had made mistakes with in his past and it sounded just like us. So, we officially start the last Sunday in January and we ordered our packets so we're good to go. The boys had a birthday party for a friend yesterday and it was a madhouse. There were kids running everywhere. They had fun so I guess that's all that counts. Going to attempt a Menu Plan Monday but that's almost hilarious considering we usually just eat what we "feel" like eating. But we're gonna try it and see what happens. I have loads of laundry to do today, mainly just because I've boycotted it and was not about to look at that crap over the weekend. That's me, I'll just stick my head in the sand. Maybe the clothes fairy will show up today and get them done. I'm guessing not but there's no harm in wishful thinking. I was just blog surfing and some of the blogs are so freakin' stupid. These people bore me to tears!! And gross me out. No one really wants to know or cares what you did/did not do in bed last night -- although it was pretty interesting. he he No wonder everybody freaks out when there is a good one out there. Most people are just mean, and out for themselves. They always have an agenda. I guess my cynicism of human kind is rearing her ugly head once again, but it's true and you know it. On with that....

New Year's Resolution: To TRY and accept people, in all their idiotness and psychoticness (are those even real words??). How about this: "Not to glare uncaringly and condescendingly at some of the most ignorant people you've come across while they are speaking." There.

Birthdays Suck When You Get OLD

Another year older, another year wiser... I don't know about that part but I did feel pretty old this year. Brent came home at lunch to surprise me and take me to lunch on Thursday for my birthday, only he was too late. He was trying to surprise me but I was eating lunch with my sister. He was a little miffed but understood because he didn't tell me. We decided to go to Rao's for dessert and coffee. He brought me roses and a card and I wanted new cooking stuff so we headed out to Kitchen Koncepts (my favorite place besides Office Depot and Barnes & Noble) and I bought some stuff there. I got a Tracy Byrd cookbook, because he owns the store right, and they are going to have him autograph it for me for purchasing his cookbook. Haven't picked it up yet but for some crazy reason I was excited about that. My mom-in-law made the best cake for me and it was soo delicious. I love the icing more than I love the cake. It's Brent's favorite and he always has it on his birthday so this year I wanted one too. I think it's a buttermilk cake but the icing is like fudgey with pecans and is sooo guuud. Yummy. That was the highlight of my day. Anywho, he bought me a new huge dutch oven and I'm still trying to decide on stainless steel cookware but there are so many choices I cannot make up my mind. You know me, I have to over analyze everything and go through Consumer Reports and looks at deals online and compare prices and then, ONLY THEN, will my stomach not hurt when I make the decision. I emailed a cooking blog I visit to find out which cookware she uses (it looks really durable) so I'm waiting for an answer to my question on that also. I'll let you know when I decide, whenever that may be.

So what are your big weekend plans?? Ours, to get stuff done, business taken care of and out of the way. We have two bookshelves I bought on clearance at Office Depot to put together so I can sort through all of the boy's books and get yet more things ready for a garage sale this spring. I haven't had a garage sale since Liam was 2, he's now 12, so needless to say, we have a lot of CRAP that has accumulated in the last decade. Gosh, that sounds so ominous! I'm going to have to do all of my cleaning out when the boys are at school. Every time I try to do it on the weekends they put back just as much as I pull out to put in boxes. And then they never actually play with it again. I guess all of a sudden around here things will just start disappearing like when I was younger. "Hey momma, where's my Barbie?" "What Barbie?" That was usually the end of the conversation because then I was old enough to realize she was gone, gone forever. We're going to Lowe's today to get two new doors. I have two closets with hideous doors on them when you walk in the front door and I HATE them so this is it, the weekend to make changes. By Monday there will be two new closet doors if it kills me (well, actually "him" because he has to put them in).

Well Sunday night we are going to the preview for our Dave Ramsey class that begins at the end of the month at a local Baptist church. We are so excited!!! Some friends are taking it with us and these people we know actually completed the course and are now the instructors because they loved the program sooooo much. It is a Christian-based debt program that teaches you how to budget, pay off debt and then turn around and take that new found wealth and put it into you and your family's future, such as different investment options and real estate. Really interested in that aspect. Anywho, these friends paid off all their credit cards, loans, SUV, about $35,000 of debt (in two years) and are now working on paying off their house. I got inspired because I think we are in a better situation than most people who start attending because we have no credit card debt whatsoever. However, I have never had a b-b-b-BUDGET (yikes) so I'm definitely thinking this could be worth it. We want the car and house paid off within two-three years so we can build. In the Dave Ramsey 13 week course we'll learn about financing real estate, how to invest in real estate and how to make wiser decision regarding our retirement and 401K's and things like that. You also learn about "stupid tax" but I have no idea what that is. I think this is going to be a very beneficial learning experience for us. We've been married 18 years and this is the first time Brent's been interested in anything like this. We have made wise decisions with our money as far as our future but deciding to build vs. buying a new house is something we've really struggled with. So I guess it's now or never. I think we're psycho: One day we talk about this and the next we're looking at new suv's (which is a big no-no in Dave's book) so I guess we're up for the challenge. If you've gone through the program, I'd really like to hear from you. I really need the motivation to make this work.

Birthdays = Depressing!

Well, it's official... there is something wrong with me. I cannot sleep at night and then I bounce around all day staying busy with this and that but never really accomplishing any. It's got to be the impending doom I feel as a turn another year older tomorrow. (hint, hint to my sisters!) Or maybe it's the ADD I caught from nephew. Whatever it is I DO NOT like it. I'm usually the type of person that if a sit down or sit still for too long I fall asleep. So to not be able to sleep at night and not be tired during the day ... it's a manic episode I guess. Hell, I don't know. I guess I need to ask for some Ambien or a tranquilizer. I know, I'll call my personal pharmacist ... my sittle lister, Tricia. She has anything and everything you need. Back hurt - check; cramps - check; happy and want to feel sad - check; sad and want to feel happy - check. She's got it all. She may not take it all or every day, but she's got it all. I guess I could try an ambien and see what happens. I just cannot shake the feeling of impending doom.

I guess it's just that I'm tired of people always wanting something FROM me. I never seem to run across anyone lately who wants to give or do for me, just take and tell me what needs to be done. I'm sick of people in general. Just when you think someone might actually care, nah, you knew you were hallucinating or having "hearlucinations." (That's Tigger talk for hearing something strange!). But that's ok, I can file away the indiscretions against me for a time when I'll need them later. And believe me, I will need them and I will use them.

I can't imagine what Brent's getting me for my birthday. I really don't want or need anything ... just some alone time without the boys would be great. The whole family is going with us to Tokyo (my current favorite place) so we can indulge in some great wine, food and sushi, sushi, sushi. I never thought I'd like it but I LOVE it. Liam and Ian really do love it too. They can't wait to go again. Brent, not so much, but I told him maybe it would grow on him. But I doubt it.

My friend's birthday is today, her daughter's was yesterday and another good friend's birthday was on the 4th. We usually do a birthday lunch day and go out to lunch and to Barnes & Noble but she's teaching this year and so we'll have to postpone it for a weekend day. I ordered my friend a coconut creme pie (yuck) but that's her favorite so I'll deliver it to her house this afternoon with a card. I know, not much but I cannot think of anything else she'd rather have. She said it's her favorite and I'd be ecstatic if someone did that for me with a lemon pie! MMMMM. Gotta run and pick up her pie and stop by my neighbor's jewelry store to find her daughter something for her party this weekend. Ciao!

Lesley, if you read this, call me and I'll tell you the plan details. Luv ya, M

Is This Normal?

Is this normal that I'm bored, bored, bored. Where is my family??? Well, well, well. Things are getting back to normal around here. Brent's back at work, the boys are back in school. I felt soooo sorry for all of them. No one wanted to get back to the nitty-gritty and I don't blame them one bit. Ian started crying this morning when we were brushing his teeth because he's going to miss his daddy today. Poor little thing. He was absolutely heartbroken. I had the house cleaned by 8:30am and my errands finished by 10am. Now what the hell am I supposed to do? I guess I could clean out something ... but nah. I'll sit here for over an hour reading up on the daily blogs I visit and answering/sending out emails. I love the funny and nasty ones my friend sends me. They crack me up. Brent called at 9am to tell me he cannot get off on vacation the week of Spring Break this year because of he is scheduled for his yearly firearms training that week. I was cracking up. He just got off a two week vacation and he was already planning his next one. He said he liked the feeling of being independently wealthy. I thought that was funny too! My neighbor came by this morning. Trying to catch up on all the gossip and make sure I'm not in the mix. I just like hearing about what's going on, not actually being involved. See that's the funny thing about me. I can't stand most people, yet I am oddly fascinated by these creatures and the decisions they make. When I hear of what so and so did or who said what to whom I just cringe because I cannot believe grown adults act like that. Most of the time I think "I'm standing here watching a train wreck." If they could only hear what I say in my "self-talk." Having worked for a psychologist for 14 years, I've learned about "self-talk" through the business and in therapy. I always just thought it was "me" talking to "me," but the official term is "self-talk." Naw, you're kidding. Duuh. And it took them four years of college and two years of graduate school to learn that! Well, anyway, most of the time when you see me smile or maybe even laugh a little when it's kind of inappropriate and you're talking to me, it's probably because me and my "self-talk" just had a conversation and you were the topic. Just keepin' it real. If you don't want to be in any of my self-talk conversations, don't say anything stupid. Ciao baby!

Create Your Own Photo Album

This was fun. Go to smilebox and create your own. There are sooo many to choose from that I cannot stop thinking of things to put in there. I used to scrapbook all the time but got burned out so this is like the same thing only without the mess of glue, scissors, cutters and money. If you create one, send it my way so I can check it out....

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Favorite Pics from 2007

Check out those mischievous grins... must be the good food at Carlitos.


Like father, like son. That IS Brent's mini-me.


Tricia, Drake & Toshi. Do you see that evil eye he's giving me? I hate that dog.


My boys*, Christmas 2007
*when they look this cute I like to take all the credit. hehe



The official 2007 Christmas card picture for family & friends.



I swear sometimes I think they're attached at the hips.


Our Birthday Boy at 6am -- grinning from ear to ear waiting on his gifts.


We wrapped his xbox 360 games in cracker boxes to throw him off ... it worked!


His one request for his birthday - a DQ ice cream cake. Check.


Liam working really hard for that goal. Lil booger made MVP for this game.



Just a few of my favorite pics that I ran across and thought I'd share. Of course I forgot to take any Christmas morning because I was using the video camera so maybe I'll post some video of their soccer games and Christmas soon.

Say Hello to 2008 with a Lemon Pie

Happy New Year! I just want to say that to all my friends and family and I hope 2008 sends great things your way. We had a great New Year's and we were lazy. The boys and their friends were here and we cooked all the things your supposed to like cabbage and black-eyed peas, made cookies and turkey and sausage gumbo. Brent makes the best gumbo and it was really delicious. I attempted... and completely by myself made my first lemon pie. I'd never made one before because I actually thought they were too hard and it would taste horrible, but I guess I felt like I had the patience and the boys were busy watching a movie and it was really a breeze. But the best thing is ... it tasted lovely. It was satisfying and even Ian and Brent, who do not care for lemon in the least, actually had a piece and liked it. I don't like meringue so I just skipped all that nonsense, but it was just as good with some good ole Cool Whip. I was so proud of my little pie I almost took a picture of it ... but I didn't. We started eating it as soon as it was cold and had a chance to set. YUMMY!

BBRR... it's actually cold outside. It's only been in the 40's today and Brent and the boys have been working outside in it. It was a beautiful day and we took down everything, got it all back in it's place and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. I don't think the house has been this clean in a while with the holidays and school it just never seems to all get done. I actually used Liam's little four foot Christmas tree that was in his room as a Mardi Gras tree this year. We put beads all over it and then I bought some purple, green and gold ornaments and it turned out really cute. This is the first Mardi Gras tree I've ever had, although when we go to Louisiana for Mardi Gras they are all over the place. I put my big wreath out on the front door and it really seems to brighten it up after taking down the Christmas decorations. I want to put the tree out on the front porch but with all the rugrat Cloverdale trash that wonders into our neighborhood, I'd be downright pissed if they messed with it. Plus, it's too cute to share with the world ... I think I'll enjoy it in my little corner I've set aside for it this year. I need some purple lights for it so I might try Target tomorrow and see if I can scrounge some up ... although green should be pretty easy to find. Maybe I'll head out there later. I've been cleaning out and cleaning up and vacuuming and dusting and rearranging and cleaning out the cushions on couches all day... it's hard to settle down now. I feel like I could go for another 12 hours. I guess my ADD's kickin' in again and I'm ready to get it all done so we can enjoy tomorrow. The boys want to go to see I Am Legend so I guess we'll take them tomorrow afternoon. Starting to organize and plan for a spring garage sale. I have sooo much crap I don't even know where to start. I have baby bags, buggies, car seats, pak-n-plays, playpens, jumpies, snugglies, exersaucers and a dining room table and chairs that I have got to get rid of. It's all just taking up space right now and I told Brent if I haven't used an appliance in a year, that's going to. So I guess I can say goodbye to the cappucino maker, breadmaker, tea maker, sno cone maker, icee maker, popcorn popper, and two crock-pots I don't use anymore without feeling guilty. Although the extra crock-pots do come in handy when we have stuff going on at school. If I forget it or leave it I don't freak out like I would if I left my good one. I love my programmable crock-pot, although I've only actually used it maybe 5 or 6 times, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Can't wait for the Mardi Gras parades to start so we can take the boys. We had a great time last year and we also took them to the parades in Port Arthur, which were actually pretty good and they got a lot of beads (which we still have). I think we're going to some of the bigger ones in Huoma, Thibodeaux and Lafayette this year. I just hope they fall on weekends when we don't have anything going on sportswise so we can get them all in during one trip. I'd love to take them to the Endymion parade this year in New Orleans. But that just depends. I'll have to make an exception if Brad is going to be there. We found Brad and Angelina's house there when we stayed with my sister this summer. Once again the only word I can think of at this moment is YUMMY! Well, I guess that sums up my day... YUMMY to my lemon pie and Brad. MMMMM good! Off to get some of those great nutritious meals at Taco Bell the kids are screaming for...oh, who cares, they don't have school tomorrow... I'll just feed 'em a couple of extra vitamins! LOL Ciao!