Put a Bird on It

...or several hundreds

For the past 2 evenings we've witnessed many flocks of birds flying to the West. Aside from David's yelling, it's a fairly peaceful experience...

How'd You Guys Get Up Here?

Today has been such a c-o-o-o-o-l-d day. I had a few things on my To-Do list but I chucked it once I spent a few chilly moments outside. I got the kids off to their activities, then I ran to pick up Emi's orthotics. After that I tried to shop for some charcoal shoes (boots or strappy leather shoes that I can wear with dresses and jeans, something versatile). Anyway, after not finding anything remotely like what I want at the first store, and getting chilled from being out in the cold wind I decided to grab some Chick-Fil-A and head to the warmth of my home. I was sad thinking about how Kirby would not be there to greet me when I got there so I tried to think of something that would make me smile. This always does the trick...

Luckily we had yesterday, glorious yesterday. We went to Sam's for a quick trip after church and then we got outside and enjoyed the day. Well, I enjoyed it as much as I could with the weeds in my yard. I pulled 2 lawn bags worth of weeds and I am not done yet.

Mother's Little Helper

I was going to jump back in today for some yard work, but my motivation is gone now. I may plant some seeds in the sun room or I may just bake some pumpkin banana nut bread and do some shoe shopping online instead...

Saturday morning, the kiddos wanted pancakes, so I decided to pack them with more flavor and nutrients by adding some pumpkin puree and mashed bananas (on sale at Natural Grocers because they were getting a bit ripe). As Rachel would say, O My Gravy! Those pancakes were so yummy. So I have some overripe bananas and half a can of pumpkin puree left...might as well make that bread. Right?

Apricot Fools

Last night I told the kids that we were having Eggs in a Basket for breakfast. This morning was a different story for them. The littlest one does not like eggs so this was a special meal!

Click the photo above to see what it really is!

My BlackBerry is Mocking Me!

So I had just finished wolfing down the rest of that blissfully smooth and decadent dark chocolate bar (gluten and dairy free) and was texting my hubby about it when my BlackBerry called me OUT! It was actually after my gluttonous confession when I was trying to text that I had "brought" a whole cut up pineapple to nosh on and my BB asked me if I meant 'bepiggy'..
Maybe it's time to switch to an iPhone?

Do you believe in horse barns?

Sign posted on the horse barn near the public showers at the campground. Maybe the dirty hippies were encroaching on the horses?

TENET –noun any opinion, principle, doctrine, dogma, etc., esp. one held as true by members of a profession, group, or movement.

Freaky Friday "Rams" Style...

What if Gordon Ramsay and Dave Ramsey traded places?

I can just imagine how things might play out at my financial counseling session:

GORDON (Sifting through our "Unpaid Bills" Folder.): What is THIS? Macy's AND Home Depot? How many credit accounts do you need, you STUPID COW?

ME: Yes, chef!

GORDON (squinting in disgust at me): Oh shut up! Did you seriously charge 8 bags of mulch instead of paying cash from your "Home Improvement" envelope? ** bleep **

ME (eyes cast down): Yes, chef...

GORDON (in my face): LOOK AT ME! Why, why, WHY are you paying INTEREST on MULCH, DONKEY?!

ME (face on fire, tears running down my face): I-I-I really wanted the front flower bed to look nice for the party...

GORDON: C'mere YOU! GIMME THOSE CARDS! Now CUT them UP! NOW! NOW! NOW!

ME: (Trying desperately to cut up all my cards at once with kitchen shears so the Chef will get OFF my back, I snip my hand in the web between my thumb and pointer finger. I immediately pinch the cut shut, but not before the Chef looks up from my "Unpaid Bills" folder and spies the droplets of blood on the counter.)

GORDON: OMG, what have YOU DONE? Can't you do ANYTHING right, you inCOMpeTENT PIG!! ** bleep! ** SHUT IT DOWN! MEDIC!

[After the medic leaves.]

GORDON: (Pulling down his shirt front looking like he's about to TAKE FLIGHT! He snags a page from the printer.) Ok, here's your NEW BUDGET! Do you think you can handle it?

ME: YES, CHEF!

GORDON: PISS off!

**********************************

On the flip side: Would they rename the restaurant Heaven's Kitchen?

That Just Happened

Met Emi for lunch at her school today and it was bad. I didn't pack Emi's lunch today (FAIL) and I was starving so we ate from the cafeteria offering: "chicken" nuggets with mashed "potatoes" for me and a hamburger (or as Inspector Clouseau would say, "d'amburgert") for Emi. I was barely able to consume my lunch with the constant barrage of questions coming from the little girls. Most were talking about how they lost their teeth and some were talking about how others lost their teeth and yet others were talking about boys being pests. Typical First Grade lunchroom talk, I suppose. In contrast the girls table was a Pressure Cooker of Conversation whereas the boys table was more of a Boxing Ring.

Here are some actual questions/comments that I received:

Are those fake nails? Nope, these pathetic things are mine.

Will this apple make my tooth come out? Most likely, yesh!

Why is Emi's skin black and yours is white? Me: Because that's the way God made us. Emi: Actually I wasn't grown in her belly.

So Emi was adopted? Yes.

How was Emi adopted? Her biological mom picked us to be Emi's parents before Emi was born.

So Emi's sisters are with her Real Mom? Yes.

How was the Philippines discovered? [What? This was actually a carryover from a Girl Scout gathering at our home last month to learn about the Philippines and earn a cooking badge.]

Wow! Maybe next week I should have a "meeting" during Emi's lunch hour..

Junket

v. provide a feast or banquet for syn: feast

v. partake in a feast or banquet

Mr. Boffo - rediscovered something I used to read daily when I was in college....seems that no comic strips in "the paper" here float my boat...

Make something out of it....

On the outside of the envelope that Emi used for her Christmas list to Santa Emi wrote "Make something out of it...." Guess maybe we should look for a stocking full of coal this year?

ADHD Accelerated with Caffeine Intake

Looking for a Reuben sandwich recipe, actually looking for information on Russian dressing after finding a recipe for Reuben and running into trouble finding Russian dressing at Super Target, I found this site ... and also wonderful recipe for coconut cupcakes, something my daughter and I have been itching to bake. Funnily enough, I heard mention of Elise's website when checking out Burnt Lumpia's recipe for chicken foot stock. I wasn't looking at his blog for THAT recipe, but for tips on the correct way to display the traditional wooden fork and spoon on the wall. My mom gave us a set while we were visiting her recently and after we informed my husband's sister about the wooden utensil set on the way via UPS, she brought out a set she bought us a few months ago, after she read about the significance and meaning from reading Burnt Lumpia's blog. The set looks almost exactly like the set my mom gave us...so we'll hang them in the Kitchen and Gathering Room as welcoming symbols to our friends. Weird how things circle back, huh? Wonder what would happen it I decided to go for a 3rd cup of coffee...

Non-Stick

Today we went to the Star Spangled Salute at Tinker for a little while with some friends. It was a hot and humid and NOISY day. The kids had fun for the most part and I enjoyed Tora! Tora! Tora! (very cool).



At one point an aircraft flew by and Emi was caught unaware in the heart of an inflatable toy and the next thing I knew, she was running out towards me, her fingers stuffed in her ears and tears streaming from her eyes. Her little face was flushed from the heat and she was scared. Daddy and I both felt awful and Emi just wanted to go home. We had to take the bus from Tinker to the closed GM Plant where we parked.

Christmas Past

This evening I was looking around for a particular picture of me as a toddler and I found some other pics of Christmas past. I was looking at all of the stuff my brother and I got that Christmas 37 years ago and when I flipped the page I found a picture of me in my dollie's clothes. I don't look happy either...Maybe it's because those are her shoes too!

Another Visit from the Tooth Fairy...

Emi lost another tooth this month! We're not sure this one was absolutely ready to come out, but she made Daddy yank it out anyway. My brave little girl!

TGIF

Thank God I'm Filipino! ;.)

Today I was feeling my Filipino pride listening to some "Jazzipino"
songs by Charmaine Clamor. So I started looking for a t-shirt to advertise my Filipino (half) pride and ran into some funny ones.

Read this out loud and you will know what it's like to hear my mom talk:

AYM BER BYUTIPUL
HU KERS IP AY
HABAN AKSENT

Thanksgiving Blessings (Part 1)

We celebrated an early Thanksgiving at my folk's house because they decided to abandon us and go to Florida on Thanksgiving Day. It was nice to get that first gluttonous feast out of the way days before THE ACTUAL holiday just to get a trial run in.... The grandkids roped MeeMaw into whipped cream shots after Pumpkin Pie was served. Look at the grimaces on the guys faces in the background!







And Daddy is not one to be outdone...

Muchas Gracias!

A friend of mine sent me a funny video that I just had to share... I needed this today!

Enjoy! One Semester of Spanish - Love Song