My This & That

Here's something I like.

2011-03-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

My friends have been collecting Polish Pottery for years. I always admired it and really longed for a collection of my own. I just never really had a place for it. Now my kitchen has been remodeled and I have a perfect spot. So, I finally have a few pieces of my own. This plate is the most recent purchase.
Yes, polish pottery is made in Poland. Pretty huh?

Something for lunch.

2011-03-05T19:50:00.001-08:00

This is one of my favorite things to make for lunch. I usually make it the day after we have had a roasted chicken.

I chop up some left over roasted chicken. You can used canned chicken as well.
Add a bit of sugar
Mayo
Just a touch of mustard
I add dried cranberries. You can add nuts and raisins too.
Crackers, bread, salad...whatever sounds good with it.

That's it. I really enjoy this. Hope you do too.

I dunno...

2011-02-27T21:51:00.001-08:00

I really want to be a better blogger. I have lots to share. Just don't make time to share it. Darn it.

Unicycle

2010-05-29T11:50:00.001-07:00

My boys are on the unicycle team at school. Pretty impressive. They have given two performances this year. It's exciting when they show off their hard work. The practices are two or three times a week.

Peep, peep. The urban chick.

2010-05-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Love my new little ladies. So sweet and cute. They'll give me eggs in a few months. We have Sofie, Ruby, Willow and Ramona. Two of the girls don't have names. We may be finding them a home. I think we have one or two chicks to many.

Shame on you!

2010-03-16T23:56:00.001-07:00

Hmmmm...sorta of a strange picture. Shame on YOU! Poor kid.

Art

2010-03-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

Here is some art for your viewing pleasure.
These originals were created by my kids in preschool and kindergarten. Sweet.

Nice.

2010-01-30T22:21:00.000-08:00

We went to lunch at a local dive with the boys today. As our food arrived an elderly man came in to find a seat. From what the waitress said it sounded like he had already been there for breakfast. As he passed our table he stopped and smiled. He said hello to the boys and admired the fries. He found his seat a few booths over from us. I couldn't stop glancing over. He reminded me of my dad. (those that know me well, know that I am a true daddy's girl) As we went about our lunch I kept looking over and thinking of my dad. I said to my husband that we should say hello or even better, invite him to our house!!! He just shook his head. I was thinking that this old man is lonely, does he have family, and the poor guy eats all his meals here.....at the dive. I am such sucker for old guys. I got teared up thinking about it all.
My husband calls the waitress over and says that we would like to pay for the gentleman's lunch. She sorta got all wiggly and wobbly. She said, "NO, you can't!" HUH???? We can't?? As she walked away she said..."because someone has already paid for yours." What?? Someone bought our family lunch??? What is going on???? Wow!!! So we asked, why can't we buy his? Amazingly enough, he had been admiring us as much as we were admiring him.
Turns out he is 95 years old, drives, and owns an airplane that he still likes to fly. He told me that he's shooting for 100! His name is Winston.
Thank you Winston. You brought tears to my eyes. We will pay it forward.

Eat this. Flat iron steak.

2010-01-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a delicious recipe for you. Mmmmm....mmmmm...good! Loved it. So tender and flavorful.

I did not put measurements because I did not measure. It's sorta of to taste. I can tell you that this is not a thick sauce. It is watery. I added about 1 cup of red wine and quarter cup of olive oil. This was for A LOT of steaks. If you only have 4 steaks I think a quarter cup of wine with 3 tablespoons of olive oil would work. I prefer fresh herbs but didn't have any. I used dry herbs and they worked great.

Ingredients

olive oil
garlic, minced
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh thyme
cup dry red wine
teaspoon dry mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste
flat iron steaks

Whisk all the ingredients together. Pour over steaks. Cover and refrigerate for three hours or more. I turned the meat once while marinating.
I used an indoor grill. It's flat on one side and the other is "grated". I put the flat side down over the burners and used the "grated" side. The temp was on high to get grill super hot. I seared the meat to seal in the juices.
They smelled great and looked gourmet. The steaks turned out super tender.
I used left overs the next night for blue cheese and steak salad. Yum! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Here's one for ya!

2010-01-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

This Christmas I decided to attempt some cute homemade gifts. I decided on chocolate chip banana bread in mini loaf pans and "Chex" mix in cute containers.
The banana bread mini loafs looked cute! I was proud to give them out.

I tried out a new "Chex" mix recipe. I followed the directions and made the mix in the microwave.

I wrapped up my homemade gifts and was ready to deliver. I gave the mini loafs to the school secretary and the principal. I gave some "Chex" mix to the P.E. teacher and my neighbor. I wrapped it up really cute with a bow and everything. I was proud of myself.
That was until I got home and decided to sit down with a cup of coffee and some of my banana bread. The banana bread was dry. Thank goodness I had some coffee. Then I gave some "Chex" mix a try. Ewwww! What the heck. It was soggy and had a weird taste. I was sorta freaked out! Oh my goodness....I just gave this gross stuff away as gifts!!! OH NO!! I almost drove back up to the school to ask for the gifts back. The "Chex" mix was the worst. The P.E. teacher was going to think I was trying to poison him or give him stale stuff.
I realized it was to late. What was done was done. I had to come to grips that I gave out cute but gross gifts!
I have managed to avoid talking to the P.E. teacher to this day....2 weeks into the new year. I asked my neighbor about the new flavor of "Chex" mix. He was honest enough to say that it had a "different" taste to it. I could just sink.
The school secretary said she enjoyed the banana bread. She was a horrible liar!!! I saw that smirk.
Hope they had coffee and a Merry Christmas.

The making and breaking of Gingerbread house 2009

2010-01-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here are photos of our annual making and breaking of the gingerbread house. Every year the boys make a gingerbread house. We enjoy it during the holiday season and it serves as a great decoration. Once the new year has arrived the boys take hammers and destroy their creation. It's always fun and messy.

Need to shake your head and laugh?

2010-01-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Need to shake your head and laugh? Here you go. Little brother at his best.

Science Fair 2010

2010-01-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

Well, it's science fair season again. The last two years we have participated in the school science fair as well as the regional science fair. The school fair is usually held in mid February. Having the fair 5 weeks early defiantly put some pressure on the boys. I guess I'm not gonna lie, it put pressure on me too.

The week of the fair also included class book reports, regular homework, sports, and of course a birthday party for my oldest. It was just A LOT for me....I don't know about them...for me, I was gonna go nuts!!

WE managed to pull off two simple, yet good, projects. Happy to say that they were both good enough to receive second place for their grade level. Way to go!! Surprised and proud for sure.

One was on comparing yeast the other on comparing citrus oil from different fruit. Did you know you can squeeze an orange peel over a flame and seem some pretty cool stuff!?

Yeah for 2nd place!

xo M

2010-01-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

I'll bet you are asking, "What the heck is that?"
It's a frozen, peeled, hard boiled egg. Silly.
It was frozen by accident. This is the ice that formed between the shell and egg. Pretty cool huh?
Nope, not much to say if I am showing you a frozen egg.

xo M

Sooooooo....

2010-01-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

So what? Once again, I have been a bad blogger. Shame on me for letting things go. I've been busy. Doing what?? Once again, I don't know. I've been doing stuff. Here are the last few months in photos to catch you up.

I would love to say I will write again tomorrow or even this week. I can't make any promises. I will try to post again this month. Don't hold me to that.

Have an easy day.

xo M

Cub Scout Hike

2009-07-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

This is a post that I should have put up in May.

We went on a scouting hike to Twin Falls. I would recommend it for families. It has some incline and I would consider it to be a moderate hike. If you are into geocaching you'll be in luck. Apparently there is a cache there.

I am not a hiker. I don't seek out hikes. I don't encourage uphill, narrow, dirty excursions. BUT...this wasn't that bad. I enjoyed the work out. With that said. I really don't need to go again anytime soon. Maybe a walk at the mall would be enough.

PS. For your laughing and rolling of the eyes pleasure I have included a picture of me trying to be a outdoor model.

Boating

2009-07-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from a boating trip we took on July 3rd.

Make sure to check out my husbands makeshift dew rag and air guitar.
Such a good look for him.

Whatever.

2009-07-15T20:14:00.001-07:00

I know. It's been a while. A long while.

Let's see if I can summarize what's been going on.

Not much. That's my summary.

Actually. I guess that's not completely true. We have gone camping, to a Mariners game, a couple of weddings, and celebrated the 4th. So, normal family activities.

Here is my post in photos. That's the best I can do for now.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

Photos from the weekend.

Hope you had a chance to relax.

xo M

Trying to be a model.

Just making their own playground equipment.

Cool!!

Wow!!

The best water guns in town!

WHAT IS THAT!?? OMG!!

Trying to be a model again.

At the cemetery. My husband taking care of his mothers headstone.

Smelling the wind.

Handsome.

Mmmmmm. Homemade waffle cone...bowls.

Talent

2009-05-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Talent Show.

Our boys played the piano.

Other acts included a Korean dance, sax player, singers, and scantily clad 3rd graders performing the Hoedown Throwdown.

xo M

It's all about the cash.

2009-05-15T22:56:00.001-07:00

Tonight my youngest son was insisting on pulling out two loose teeth. They aren't ready to come out but he was doing everything to break them free. He asked for dental floss and wanted to have an apple. I tried to convince him to allow nature take it's course and just wait a few days. That's when I found out the real reason behind his tooth tearing torture. He wanted the money! He said "Mom, I'm poor. I need some money!" Seriously, like duh mom. I reminded him that the teeth he wanted to the fairy to buy were very small and wouldn't make much. So, he gave up and said he would probably wake up with a dollar in his mouth.

Good luck selling your teeth little guy.

xo M

Cast on. Cast off.

2009-04-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's been four weeks already? Thank goodness. It was time to get the red cast off, finally.

He says it feels weak and sensitive. Oh, whatever. He will be playing baseball by Saturday.

I am glad showering with plastic wrap or garbage bag days are over. That wasn't fun.

Ta-da! Wow. That feel's much better.

Finally getting a good hand washing!!

Why isn't your upper lip moving?

2009-04-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

We were at a restaurant and this lady was talking, eating, and minding her own business. I guess I should have been minding my own business instead of just gawking at her. I was hypnotized by her stiff lip. She must have had tons of botox. It was so distracting AND unattractive. Half her face didn't move. Neither did my eyes. I couldn't stop staring.

Honestly, I have always thought that I would be a botox user one day. I am not opposed to cosmetic procedures. After watching her....I don't ever want my mouth to look like that! Sheesh.

So, what did I do? I took a picture to post on my blog. Of course I did!! Wouldn't she just be pissed!?? What does she expect? Of course people are going to oogle and stare. She looked like a freak. The photo doesn't show the full effect. I wish it did. Maybe I should have taken video instead.

After looking at the photo I think her nose has had some work too.

I know, I know....find something better to do. I'm working on it. It's not nice to make fun of people!

xo M

PS. If this woman is someone you know and love please suggest that she scale back on the botox. Hope I didn't offend anyone.

Lettuce Wraps.

2009-04-17T17:23:00.001-07:00

My client brought me lunch. Wasn't that sweet? I loved this so much I thought maybe you would enjoy it too.

It was a frozen package of lettuce wrap filling. You microwave it and scoop the mixture into lettuce. I prefer romaine or leaf lettuce. It comes with rice noodles you sprinkle on then wrap up the lettuce and enjoy. The best part is that there are no carbs. Very tasty. She also brought along a bottle of sweet chili sauce. MMmmmmm. Sweet and spicy.

I had to purchase a few of these and stash in my freezer. There is enough in each box for two people.

You can find it in the freezer section only at Safeway. (I don't care for Safeway because they do not support our schools and PTA. I am making an exception for this one item. )

Hope you enjoy.

xo M

?

2009-04-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have nothing to say. Don't be so surprised.

xo M

My grandmother is 80!

2009-04-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my grandmother's 80th birthday today.

I love being half Korean, love the Korean family, and love Korean food! It is nice to have my boys be around that part of the family. To realize they have something special, something different. It is amazing that they are her only great-grandchildren. I am the oldest grandchild.

Even though my Halmony (grandmother) and I do not speak the same language I like to think that she knows what I am saying. Tonight we all took a moment to tell her something special. I have no idea what my uncles and other family members were saying to her. They could have been telling jokes for all I know. They all stood, said what they had to say, bow, and maybe gave a hug. When it came time for me to speak I decided to go the more white girl route. I sat down face to face, held her hands, and started to cry. I told her that even though we don't understand one another that she always manages to say "I Love You." I told her that I was sorry for being such a brat when I was a kid and that I always tried to make it up to her by doing a little dance. Funny how kids say sorry in their own way. It was a good moment for me. I have no idea if she had a clue what I said or even why I was saying it. I'm not sure if she new it was her birthday. Oh well.

The family put on a spread of food and entertained with a talent show. A couple of cousins played piano and sang. The whole family sang together.(see the 1 minute 30second video clip) There was even a cousin who wrote a song for grandma that he played on his guitar and sang the lyrics. It was impressive!! (See second video clip)

I had fun. Check out the family singing their hearts out. They are so good!!

xo M

Kyle's song

Hey l'eggo my Eggo! -updated-

2009-04-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

The kids and I did a taste test with Eggo Blueberry Waffles VS. Walmart blueberry waffles. First off you have to know that the Eggos come with 10 per box and the Walmart brand only comes with 8 per box. I would love to tell you the cost difference between the two but of course I have misplaced the receipt. Darn it!! That was sorta an important part.

**Found the receipt! Eggos, box of 10 for $1.46. Walmart brand, box of 8, $1.22**

The boys said they would eat either one. The Eggo has more blue specs of faux blueberry but was not as crunchy. My boys preferred the crunchy Walmart waffles.

Just from appearance the Walmart brand looks more "homemade". It has a toasted look.

Waffles are not know as health food. The nutritional value for the two was surprisingly different. While the Walmart brand looks more homemade it also contains more calories and fat. The Walmart brand also contains a percentage or two more carbohydrates and sugars then the Eggos. The only thing the Walmart brand had over the Eggos was cholesterol. The Walmart brand has 5mg verses the Eggos at 15mg of cholesterol.

So, taste and texture winner would be Walmart. Number per box and nutritional value would go to Eggos.

It sorta a mute point overall. Waffles are empty. Add some fresh fruit and some protein to make it worthwhile.

xo M

Slice of cherry pie.

2009-04-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

I bought this pie for my dad and he didn't care for it. I loved it!

I am not a big fan of cherry pie but something about this pie was yummy. Not to tart, not to sweet. The best thing was that is is sugar free.

I pretty much enjoyed a cup of coffee and slice a pie for three days straight. What a treat.

Bought at walmart.

xo M

Daffodil Parade.

2009-04-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

The boys participated in the areas spring time tradition, the Daffodil Parade.

They were lucky enough to ride on a float this year. The parade goes through four towns in one day. They rode the float for the last two legs and had a blast. The weather was decent and it was nice that it didn't rain this year.

We went down the night before and watched them put the float together. They use endless numbers of daffodils to cover the float. It was neat to see behind the scenes.

We were all worn out. It was a long day. The boys took a shower and crashed. I didn't even get to say goodnight.

Sony Cyber-Shot

2009-04-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

I was searching for a reasonably priced camera that was easy to take along, lightweight, and took good pictures. I decided against the more expensive and larger DSLR cameras because it's more camera than I need. I wanted a purse size camera that took great photos. I think I found exactly what I was looking for.

My friend, Megan, was kind enough to bring her Sony Cyber-shot over for me to try out. I liked it and did some research. After reading reviews and checking out consumer reports I decided to purchase.

Found it at Costco for $179.00. I thought this was a great price considering the last Cyber shot I bought was $250.00 and doesn't take nearly as nice of a photo.

Look at the comparison I did. The side showing the old Cyber shot doesn't show the color of the wood very well, the color of the pot, the detail of the grass, or the detail and color on the boxes to the left. I can tell a huge difference when I do close ups using Macro. The photo with the white flowers show Macro from both cameras. The two small photos are washes out and the larger photo shows more detail. I also like the sport feature that catches an action with ease.

This camera is user friendly, easy to understand and has some nice extras.

Came with the battery and charger, USB cord, lens hood for sunny days, and strap. You have to purchase the memory card.

I am excited to try it out.

xo M

Broken

2009-03-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a first for our family. A broken arm. The recipient, our 9 year old son. How'd he do it? Guess....literally climbing the walls. I took him to the doctor to get checked out. He sent us over for x-rays and I figured that he was fine. I took him to school thinking that there was no big deal. The doctor called and said he would need a cast. I couldn't believe it. I picked him up at school and he was crying. I think I won the worst mom of the year award. He is a high red belt in Tae Kwon Do, plays on the Red Sox little league team, and his favorite color is red. Sooooo...he has a red cast.

Picture of him waiting for the doctor. Picture of him getting the cast.

xo M

Mad Science!

2009-03-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

How about a little Mad Science?!

That's what we did for our son's 8th birthday party. He enjoys science and a mad science party sounded fun and different.

We originally hired a company that would come for an hour. The host would have the kids wear borrowed lab coats, show a few fun things, and the kids would make slime to take home. That would cost around $150-$175.

After doing some research I figured that I could be the mad scientist and save a few bucks.

Here is what we/I did.

Bought test tubes and filled with candy
Brown paper bags with homemade stickers for goodie bags
Baked the cake - (not cute)

Bought colorful tablecloths and balloons
Made slime with "slime cups" and mix (bought online)
Made "snow" (bought online)
Made volcano's with paper cups and plates - had the ingredients already
Bought the birthday boy a lab coat ($10)
Made name tags for added effect
Bought dry ice (Huge Hit!)
Used black lights to show off glowing slime
Bought freeze dried ice cream to sample ($1.88 for a pack. One pack gave 13 kids a sample.)

The goodie bags had the slime and snow they made, a test tube with candy, a kaleidoscope, and "Chinese" finger toy (locks two fingers together) The goodie bags looked empty initially because they had to make some of the items that went inside.

A lot of the items are things we already had in the attic from Halloween decor. The other items were very reasonable. The party ended up costing around $120. I still saved money and that helped pay for gifts. I would have spent way over $200 if I would have hired the "professionals".

The experiments were:

Slime
Freeze dried ice cream
Volcano's
Snow

This took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete with 13 kids.

This turned out to be an absolute blast for the kids. It seemed like they had a really great time. For us, the adults, stress. That's all I can say. Tons of work, loud, and busy.

We wanted a great party with out spending a lot. Hope you have found some ideas for your next shin dig.

xo M

Science Fair

2009-03-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been that time of year again. Science fair season. We started off a few weeks ago with the school science fair. Both boys did well and placed first in their grade level.
Next we were off to Pacific Lutheran University for a full day of science fun. We checked in at 8AM and got the show rolling. The boys had to stay with their display and talk to judges. It's a good chance for them to explain what, why, how and all the ins and outs of their project. Last year our oldest son received honorable mention at regionals. This year both boys participated and just enjoyed the experience. Neither of them placed.
It is definitely tougher competition. The boys placed first at their school level BUT... so did all the other kids there. It's really amazing how 300 kids from k-5 can come up and create such awesome experiments. Very impressive.
So, maybe next year.

How many?? Crazy lady Octuplet mom Nadya Suleman

2009-02-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

So what do you all think of this? It's sorta nuts don't ya think. Okay, so I get that it's not up to us to decide who can and who cannot have children. It's also not up to us how many we add to our families. BUT....seriously...how many at once do you need?

I've heard the reasons why people are talking about this women. They say shes unbalanced. They say the doctors were acting in an irresponsible dangerous way. They should not implant six embryos at once. Of those six, two multiplied and she ended up with eight babies! Yikes!

People are upset that she is single, no earned income, sucks off her parents and so on. I have to admit, it all sounds really bad. Sounds confusing and overwhelming to think of the money and living situation.

She has hired a publicists to help find book deals, tv appearances, and maybe even her own show. No thanks.

This is my question. Why hasn't anyone complained about the McCaughey (McCoy) Septuplets from 1997 or Kate Gosselin and her show? No one has mentioned that these ladies had pregnancies that resulted in a mass birth. Maybe the difference is Bobbi Mccaughey and Kate Gosselin had multiples due to fertility drugs, NOT embryos that were implanted. How about the Duggers and having 17+ biological children in one family? That's sorta weird too.

The Gosselin and Dugger families have shows, press, books, magazine covers etc.... That's how they make their income. The Gosselin family of 8 kids and both parents receive free trips and other perks. I remember the McCaughey family receiving a 15 passenger van and the community built them a larger home. Is that what this lady is counting on? She may be waiting a while.

I don't like the fact that she cannot support 14 kids and wants student loans and grants to finish her masters degree. Her own mother has bad mouthed her. Who is going to watch these kids while she sucks off Pell grants?

Last but not least. This Nadya Suleman has obviously had some bad plastic surgery. It's not cute. I have heard so many people say that she is trying to look like Angelina Jolie. I can see what they mean. This lady needs some help. She is no Angelina. Maybe her ugly sister. Sorry.

Here is a link to a video clip interview with the Today Show.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29038814/

I love Scentsy!

2009-02-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

My friend Jody has started this great new home business. I love her products. Check it out.
https://www.scentsy.com/22286

If you want to order online click on events and choose February 7th on her calender. That way you are shopping from my party!

Everything I have seen is quality. The scents have essential oils and the smell lasts. You can use the scents repeatedly. No more sooty candles.

These would be a great gift for someone who loves candles. These would blow their socks off! So, think of birthdays, teachers gifts, thank you's, etc....
Everything is 10% off and free shipping!! Stock up.

Thanks.

xo M

Scary and sad.

2009-01-12T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is something that I had never seen until recent weeks. In the newspaper there are multiple pages of legal notices from mortgage companies that are foreclosing on homes. These notices show the amount owed, the names, and address of the poor folks. How sad, scary, stressful and embarrassing.

Now I know that there are the people who fibbed on the loan applications and said they made more income than they actually did. Shame on them. They got in over their heads and couldn't pay for the big bucks house.

There are also those people who were doing fine and making a living. Then they may have lost their job and now they are behind in payments.

Sad, sad, SAD. Anyway you look at it, it's just ugly. Terrible. These are young people, middle aged people, people with kids and people who were going to retire. What a mess.

I can only pray that our family never has to feel the pain of loosing our home. I also pray that no one I know has to suffer such a stressful fall.

Okay, enough depressing stuff. Let's talk about something cheerful. ...... Hmmmm. My dog is cute!

xo M

A New Year's tradition

2009-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

One of the things we do every New Year is demolish our gingerbread house. We spend quality time building a house every year. Once the New Year has arrived we don't eat the house we destroy it. The boys love this wild and messy tradition. It's easy to clean up because everything is dry and crumbly. We just scoop it up and toss it into the trash. The boys help vacum up the crumbs and pieces of broken candy.

FUN!

Happy New Year.

xo M

Twilight

2008-12-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

All I have to say is I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

The book is just a great page turner. Couldn't put it down. I got so ran down and sick because I stayed up so late reading this book.

The movie. I think I need to see it again. I was super critical of it. Comparing the book to the movie and critiquing the acting. I want to see it and just enjoy the story, not be a movie critic.

I have heard people say, "I'm not into vampires". This is not what you think it is. It's not sucking blood and bats.

I am taking my time reading the second book. I want it to last. I know I am getting the third book from my kids for Christmas. Can't wait! Then, sadly, I will be on the fourth book and the story will end. :(

It is listed under children's books. This is a bit embarrassing. It doesn't seem to matter to most women my age and older. I have talked to tons of ladies who have enjoyed reading about the Cullens and Bella.

The coolest thing is that I have a client from Forks. Forks is the town that the story takes place in. She was telling me all about it. When she goes back for the Fourth of July I may have to tag along for a personal tour.

Another good easy read. Enjoy!

xo M

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

It is C-O-L-D! We love it. We sled down our hill and ride quads all day long. The city closes our street and it is perfect for sledding. The boys play outside from morning till night. We take hot chocolate and chicken noodle soup breaks. FUN!!

Prunes

2008-11-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

Newest find and addiction. PRUNES. Yep, you got it. I heart prunes. Just like grandma.

I am telling you that these little gems are yummy. I had a coupon to try out these Sunsweet "ONES" and can't get enough of them. They are individually wrapped....love that. They are sold for around $2-$3 per 7oz. container. I noticed inside my container there is a coupon for .75 off.

In case you all have forgotten what prunes are. They are pitted plums. The package says they are "bite for bite better than fresh fruit" and that dried plums deliver more nutrition than any bite of fresh fruit. I am just going to believe that because they are so good. You can eat 5 prunes for 100 calories. Mmmmmmm Super sweet like candy. Nice texture. Just yummy.

My son loves them. I just toss one into his lunch box and he thinks he got a treat. Let's just hope no one realizes that he's eating prunes.

I have to point out the super cute packaging. I could just stick a bow on top and give it as a gift. Wouldn't that be funny. So, watch out friends...your all gettin' prunes for Christmas!!

xo M

High School Musical on Ice

2008-11-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

We took the kids and my mom to see High School Musical on Ice. It was an okay show.

I am always impressed with ice skating. These people go out there and ice skate, dance, sing, act, and memorize it all. They do up to three shows a day. I guess that's why Disney signs up young people to do the shows.

The music was good, the set was okay, our seats were great, and the souvenirs were expensive. I guess that's all I can say about it. The show was mediocre. There were some "WOW" moments. Overall it was just so-so. The ice show I loved and was blown away by was the Monsters Inc. THAT was amazing.

They had the show playing several days and times at the Comcast Arena in Everett and they have more shows playing at the Key Arena in Seattle. I don't know why they do that. We went the Saturday show and the seats were only a quarter full. Thats right! About 25% full!! They can't be making money. The only way they can make up for it is by selling those junky souvenirs. It was terrible. Not only do they come up and down the isles, sell in the corridors, they have the vendors lined up like a wall when you leave. They are standing outside waiting for your $$$. You can hardly walk out without bumping into the sales people. I think we grabbed the kids, held our breath, and made a run for it.

I have attached a link for You Tube with a 2 minute video clip I found. Take note of the photos I took. You can see the empty seats. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggf6g0xBvcE&feature=related

xo M

Sceens from Halloween

2008-11-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share some photos from Halloween.

The boys were a clown and a magician. People thought my oldest was a girl. You could hardly recognize him in the clown get up.

I made peppermint patties into spiders. It sounded like such a cute idea to give out to the classes. What a project. Take my advice and don't make 60 of these. Cute but way to much work. The kids didn't care anyway. They just wanted the candy.

The cub scouts had a trunk n' treat. It was really fun. Thank goodness it didn't rain. The photo is our trunk, otherwise known as the jail of the dead. We went for the scary look instead of the harvest, kid friendly, cute look. My husband and the boys were super proud of the gore they created.

A friend of mine dressed up as Sarah Palin. Whether or not you voted that ticket or not you have to admit she looks great. (On a side note: I am glad the race is over and looking forward to supporting a new president. Sorry Sarah...have fun in Alaska.)

Then there was the horse we saw trick or treating. Yep, a real one. Can't beat that.

Now I gotta gear up for Thanksgiving. Can't wait for turkey and gravy...and pupkin pie!

xo M

Rikki Rikki

2008-11-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

I went out to a nice dinner with my good friend Linda. I always ask her to choose the restaurant because she has celiacs disease (can't eat wheat gluten). I don't mind at all because I love visiting with her, I love getting out of the house, and I just love to eat about anything.

She wanted to try out a Japanese restaurant in Kirkland. It is called Rikki Rikki. The website is http://www.rikkirikki.com/

We went thinking it was just a sushi place. It was more than that. It had a good menu. The food was moderate and the prices were "Kirkland" prices. A bit high I think. The menu they show online has been changed slightly with increased prices.

The atmosphere was like a moderate sushi bar. Not a high end place. Comfortable for sure. Good service. Tight seating.

The California roll was 3/4 real crab and 1/4 artificial crab. Linda had to request all real crab due to the celiacs. I didn't think it was the best sushi around.

I LOVE black cod. When I saw it on the menu I had to get some. It was very small and wasn't that great.

The best part of the whole dinner was dessert, of course! I had the tempura ice cream. It was big enough for one hungry person or two people to share. Very yummy.

I don't think I would go out of my way to visit Rikki Rikki again. I would go to I Love Sushi in Bellevue.

xo M

Mini Cupcakes. Cute and tasty.

2008-10-30T15:31:00.001-07:00

I have to say that I am pretty proud of myself. I made these mini cupcakes for the class party on Friday. I even made and tinted the buttercream frosting. I had never decorated cupcakes like this. I always just spatula the the frosting on. It was fun to do it this way and turned out so darn cute! Oh, they taste really good too.

I wish I would have made chocolate cupcakes instead of white. The orange frosting would have looked better. Oh well.

xo M

Cosmetic Brushes

2008-10-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Okay ladies. You need to wash your cosmetic brushes. If you own nicer quality brushes you should take care of them. Many women are using mineral make up now days. This make up is usually applied with a brush. If you own one you should keep it clean. Most nice brushes are made with natural fibers than can be washes like hair. AND no one likes dirty hair...especially on your face! Ewww.

Some brushes that I keep clean are my eyeshadow, powder eyeliner, blush, mineral make up, and bronzer.

Here is what you do. Use a bowl and add some warm water and a few drop of your favorite shampoo. Swirl the brush around. You will be shocked at how much old make up comes out. It may make the water look like mud. Take the wet soapy brush and swirl it around in the palm of your hand, rinse, and start the process over. Do this until you feel like it is clean. Make sure to rinse well. While doing this keep the hairs nice and maintain the shape of the brush. Once it is washed and rinsed shake out the excess water. Set out to dry.

Having quality makeup brushes is important. Your makeup will go on better and the brushes can last for years.

Hope this helped. You all look beautiful!

xo M

The photo shows my freshly cleaned brushes laying out to dry.

Sorta been dreamin'.

2008-10-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sorta been dreaming of Disneyland. We were there last year during October. We had such an amazing time. Wish we could be there again.

We bought tickets to the "Trick or Treat on the Street" party at California Adventure. They shut the park down and only allowed a certain number of guests in for the trick or treat extravaganza. They handed out pounds of candy throughout the park, had special shows, and of course a parade. The characters were dressed up too.

We dressed up as a royal family. A few young girls asked for photos with us and one asked my husband for his autograph. Funny. I think they thought we were Disney people??

Trick or treating just won't be the same this year without Mickey and friends.

xo M

The photos are from our trip and 6x6 scrap book pages I made. The best photo is of us on the roller coaster in our costumes! WEE!

Now this is something you can sink you teeth into!

2008-10-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

Carmel apple anyone? How can you not love such a treat? These turned out so pretty and tasty too.

We used carmel and chocolate chips. Melt the carmel, coat the apple, then roll in your favorite candy treat. Put it in the fridge for about an hour. Once the carmel is set up you can slice it up or eat it off the stick. We let ours sit at room temperature so they wouldn't be so hard.

One hint. Once you wash the apple make sure you dry it thoroughly. The water will not allow the carmel to stick.

Gather the kids around for this one and make sure you load one up for your self!

xo M

MIA

2008-09-28T18:51:00.001-07:00

I know. I know. I haven't been tending to my blog. I have been a bad blogger.

No good excuses. Just lazy and busy.

I know, how can you be lazy and busy all at once? Somehow I manage to do both. If I am not busy then I am being lazy. In turn I end up with no posts on the blog.

I can tell you that I blogged for our local paper. That was fun. I wrote for them twice in September. They printed a little bit from one day and printed everything I wrote from the second day. Pretty cool huh?

All I know is that I always feel like I am playing catch up. Today was so beautiful and I spent it shuffling papers and cleaning the office.

What I really want to do is scrapbook and play with stamps. You know, crafty sorta stuff.

Alright, that's enough for now. I will try to get some stuff up on the blog soon. You all take care.

xo M

Foot in mouth disease.

2008-09-12T13:15:00.001-07:00

I have a case of foot in mouth disease.

First let me say that I don't think I have many haters or enemies. If I do they are kind enough to be nice to my face.

I ran into an old friend at the grocery store. This old friend really, really dislikes me. She thinks I did something towards her, against her, to her...whatever. Any ways whatever it is, I didn't do it. She has totally misunderstood the whole situation.

When she saw me I said hello. She turned beat red and said "oh great, this is my luck day." I sorta approached her to maybe have the chance of a reasonable conversation. She started talking very loudly to draw attention. She was saying that she would never forgive me, don't even think it will ever be the same, and that I have betrayed her.

I don't hate her. I feel sorry for her. I do wish we could talk. So, I tried to talk. When I did..I screwed it up BAD! Of all the things I could have said....I said the wrong thing. I feel like such a heel. What a jerk. Instead of maybe having a chance to make things civil I made it worse. I totally added fuel to her fire. I could just kick myself. I ruined my opportunity to make a moment of peace.

Great. Now what? Don't you ever wish you could do a conversation over? Don't you ever play the "I shoulda' said" game?

Do I send a card or something? I probably should just forget it. It's really over with now.

Thanks for reading my rant.

xo M

Hot outta the oven.

2008-08-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

Don't you love the fair? I know a lot of people who prefer to pass on all the fun. Not me. I like seeing the vendors, going on the rides, the animals, people watching, and of course the food. It is sort of a tradition to go to the fair. Sometimes we go twice! It's one of those things my husband and I both grew up doing. He even thought it would be "romantic" to propose at the fair. I know sorta sweet and sour at the same time. Let me repeat...He proposed at the FAIR! Yikes. I don't usually share that.

Anyways. I love scones. I saw this box of "Fair" scone mix at Costco. My lovely client Julie told me she buys boxes at a time because it's so good. Well, I tried it out. It was pretty easy to make. You do have to do a little bit of kneading. That isn't something I do everyday...especially with something made from a box. So the boys and I mixed, kneaded, and cut out the triangle shapes. We got the warm scones outta the oven and loaded them up with home made jam and butter. YuMmy! Mmm, Mmm, good. Nothin' like a warm scone.

The box comes with 4 pouches. You can make a dozen scones from each pouch. All you need is water to mix it and some flour to knead it. You can do a variation by adding some blueberries, cheese, or nuts. The box also has recipes for shortcake and gourmet waffles.

Enjoy!

xo M

PS. I may be blogging for the New Tribune one day during the fair. Fun.

Spicy.

2008-08-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Have you tried habanero peppers? Well let me give you an idea of how hot those little suckers are.

On a some sort of pepper scale a green pepper is at the bottom as far as spicy hot goes. It is ranked at zero. A jalapeno is rated at around 2300-2600. So, there is a bit of a bite. The habanero is rated at the top of the heap. It comes in at 230,000-260,000. VERY hot and spicy.

I have to tell you that I once ordered habanero chicken thinking it would be zippy and tasty. It was painful! I couldn't close my mouth it was so hot. I think I was panting like a dog.

So, my sweet boys and I decided to have a Dorito Habanero taste test. We had my mom, her husband, the two boys an myself line up with our one chip. It looks like a regular dorito. (Play a fun HOT trick on someone by switching doritos!) We had milk ready for those that needed to put out the fire. I have to say, it wasn't as hot as the chicken I had. I was sorta disappointed. My oldest son was the only one that seemed to need the milk. I really liked them actually.

If you want a spicy chip to go along with that sandwich these may be for you. Habanero Doritos!

xo M

A different kind of wedding.

2008-08-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

Now I know not everyone will appreciate this posting. Some people have super strong feelings one way or the other. So be it.

Well, I went to a gay wedding. Yep you're read correctly. I went to see two men "tie the knot". I guess it's called a commitment ceremony.

My sister in law was invited as a guest and brought me along as her date. I didn't know these two men. It didn't matter. I had to go watch. Sorta like a reality show. I have to say that I was curious how the whole thing would be pulled off. Would there be one in a dress? Would it be like a traditional wedding? Who walks them down the isle? Would there be rings and a KISS?

As we were going to the roof top of this building to watch the ceremony I realized that we were in the elevator with lesbians. I think they thought my sister in law and I were "together". Yikes. Well, if that's the case I hope they thought I was the girl!! LOL.

Any way. There were no dresses. They wore matching suites. A mother and sister walked them down the isle. There was a song, a minister of some sort, rings, and even a kiss. I have to say that I didn't think the kiss would bother me. Well, it sorta did. It went on a bit to long.
The reception was normal with toasts, music, and cake. The food was really good! We pretty much ate and ran.

Overall I would say the whole experience was like any wedding. ..except with two guys. People were genuinely happy for them. They seemed "in love". There was nothing that caught me with my mouth hanging open. They were just two PEOPLE who want to have a committed life together.

xo M

Lemme tell ya.

2008-08-10T00:28:00.000-07:00

Lemme tell ya. I have been so busy with hairdo's, lashes, and life.

We are going camping. This means that I work my butt off the week before AND the week after our trip. I have to cram everyone in or they freak out.

I am really looking forward to being a vegetable. That is what I am hoping for any ways. I don't want to take any major hikes or strenuous bike rides. I just want to sit there with a book and a marshmallow roasting on a stick.

I know, I know, not likely to happen. Somehow I will get sucked in by my boys. I can see it now. Me, the mountain bike, the not so cute helmet and sweat rolling down my neck. My butt checks bruising, my tummy growling, and my body aching. Oh well. I have to look on the bright side....I need the exercise.

So, have an easy week. I hope to blog like a mad women when I return. Take care.

xo M

Doggles goggles!

2008-07-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

Oliver is a super stud in his new doggles goggles!

These are not only cool looking but they help protect your dog from getting eye injuries while hanging their head out the car window.

These are a size medium and feature flames and interchangeable lenses. I paid about $17.99 plus tax.

They carry them at my local vision center, specialty pet boutique, and online. Here is the website. http://www.doggles.com/

I gave Ollie treats and lots of praise when I introduced these. He seems fine unless he is left alone in the car. In that case he takes them off.

Have an easy weekend.

xo M

PS. Shout out to Danelle's dog. I bet he looks good in his Doggles too!

Today. Sun, toilet, and tears. Oh my.

2008-07-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

I need to talk about my day.

I got the kids off to VBS. It's not fun to get up like it's school hours.

My husband had the day off so after VBS we went to Wild Waves Water Park. I once again contributed to getting age spots and wrinkles. I cooked in the sun and then felt guilty about it. When we were leaving my stomach felt really BAD.

Got home and drug myself to the shower. Ended up spending some quality time in the bathroom with my sick tummy. Yuck. Must've been that funnel cake with strawberries and whip cream OR was it those healthy nachos?

Got my self pulled together and called my mother to apologize for something I said yesterday. She started out calm and rational and ended up screaming at me. She was apparently not ready to accept my apology and just wanted to give me a list of all the crappy things I have done. It was also a chance to rehash why she is so kind and wonderful and she doesn't understand why no one can see how sweet she is. I ended up bawling and just letting her know I couldn't carry on any more of a conversation and hung up.

So, got up early, visited the toilet, and my mom freaks out. BUT...the boys had a really good time. Thank goodness.

I am exhausted.

Thanks for taking the time to be a friend and reading my lame problems.

xo M

Fiber One bars.

2008-07-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

These "granola" bars are pretty tasty. They are loaded with 35% of fiber in each bar. Heaven knows that I need some fiber. LOL

I am pretty particular about granola type bars. If they taste healthy I am turned off. If they taste like kid food and sugary sweet I am turned off. If they are way chewy or way to dry I am turned off. SO..these are just right! Not to sweet, not over the top with tasting like health food, and not dry as bark.

I have only tried the oatmeal chocolate.

Let me know what you think!

Take it easy.

xo M

PS. Thanks to Melissa S. for telling me about these. :)

More fun than I thought.

2008-07-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

When my husband wanted to take the boys to the NHRA drag races I was a bit worried. I thought about the crowds, the heat, my kids being hungry, them wanting to use the restroom, etc...

I know I am a bit of a control freak. To prove how much of a freak I am I decided that I would go along. NOT to see the races but to make sure my husband was looking after the boys. Making sure the boys were not getting sun burnt. Making sure the boys were not hungry. Just making sure they didn't get lost. I obviously had complete confidence in my husband.

Well, I went. Everyone was fine. AND....I had a really good time!! It was so FUN!!!! I know, like I said, FREAK!

Take a peek at the photos. Thoughts please.

xo M

The drivers pictured are Ashley Force (John Forces daughter), Antron Brown, Gary Schelzi, Brandon Bernstein, and Tony Pedregon.

Fun, easy, good summer read. MRS. PERFECT

2008-07-14T20:28:00.001-07:00

Title - Mrs. Perfect Author - Jane Porter

Okay ladies. This was a great book. Thanks to my wonderful client, Michelle, for turning me on to this one.

I haven't really read anything like this. It is definitely written for women, mothers in particular.

I enjoyed it so much that I ordered another book written by Jane Porter.

I also enjoyed that fact that I live in Western Washington and the story takes place here. It was fun to read about familiar local hot spots.

I would love to hear from you if you have read this book. Sorta like an online book club. Take care and happy reading!

xo M

Try this one on the grill. Mmmmmm

2008-07-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe calls for quite a few ingredients. I like the flavor but would change the red wine vinegar to a touch of balsamic vinegar...or both!?

I like this recipe because you can add more or less of the seasonings you prefer.

I sliced the cooked chicken and served it with a salad. The salad had a few slivers of red bell pepper, mushrooms, blue cheese chunks, blueberries, sunflowers seeds, boiled egg, and black olive. On the side were canned cooked white beans. I sprinkled a bit of balsamic vinegar over them and put a piece of fresh basil leaf on top. That was super yummy!!

Whisk together these magical ingredients.

1 lime juiced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Adding red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper if you like it to have a little "kick".

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thick

Marinade for at least 30 minutes. I let mine sit in the fridge for 24 hours.

I sorta thought this had an Indian or middle eastern flair. I really like the ginger and cumin flavors.

You can click on the image to enlarge it.

Give it a try and let me know.

My moms birthday party.

2008-07-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

I had a birthday party for my mom this past weekend. It turned out really well. As you can see from the photos, my family is Korean.

That is me along with my mom and aunts.

The party was held at a Korean restaurant. I posted a picture to show what I did for some of the table decorations. I made photos of her and printed words under each one. Everyone really enjoyed seeing how she has looked over the years.

I really enjoyed doing this for my mom. I had so much anxiety but it turned out fine.

Thanks.

Great website for parents and kids!

2008-07-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/

This is a great website! I use it A LOT to check out movie reviews. The site is for parents that want a true take on content in movies, video games, TV, CD's, DVD's, websites, and books. It's covers pretty much all media that kids would be exposed to. There are reviews from parents and kids alike.

I like the layout of the site. You can look things up easily with age groups, media type, or just do a general search.

When it asks if you would like to sign up you can simply click "no thanks". There is no required registration or cost to use the site.

PLEASE take a minute to look it over. You'll be impressed.

Wishing you lots of fun on the 4th!

2008-07-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you a fun 4th of July.

This is Oliver. Our super sweet dog.

Toscanos cafe and wine bar

2008-07-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.toscanospuyallup.com/directions.asp

This was a nice place. It is located in Sumner, not far from the freeway.

My friend Melissa and I had lunch there with my son's teacher Caryl. It was really pretty good. We each had a DREAMCICLE martini, turkey avocado panini's, and salad with a really nice dressing. We also treated ourselves to creme brulee. YUMMMMY.

This place was located in almost a business building sorta area. There wasn't a great view. That didn't seem to matter. We ate in the outdoor seating area which offers an outdoor fireplace. The indoor area was mature with dark wood and cool lighting. It would be perfect for appetizers and cocktails with friends or date night. The place isn't big which adds to the charm. It's sorta intimate.

I would defiantly go back. The menu was tempting, nice atmosphere, and the service was perfect. It receives an A- from me. Only downfall is the lack of something nice to look at in the out door seating area. You are looking at a road.

Side note. Definitely an adult restaurant.

Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you.

Yummy with a capital "Y" - Homemade donut holes!

2008-06-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, well. What do we have here? How about some YUMMY donut holes?

I saw this idea on a TV show and had to make it my own. It turned out awesome and was super easy to make.

Break open a tube of biscuit dough from the grocery store. Role pieces of the dough into donut hole sizes. The kids enjoyed doing that part.

Heat a pot of oil. I used canola oil.

While the oil is heating up I got brown paper bags. I put a bit of white sugar, cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg into the paper bags.

I also mixed a side of powdered sugar with milk. This made a sort of glaze.

Once the oil was heated I carefully placed some of the rolled dough into the pot. I turned them frequently to brown on all sides.

Once golden brown I place them on a paper towel for just a moment then put a few in the brown bag with sugar mix. The boys bunched up the top of the bags and shook them. They were coated in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mmmmmmm

I drizzled with the glaze and ATE them!! Warm and yummy.

Super easy and not very time consuming. Loved it. Hope you do too. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Made approx. 24-30 donut holes.

Asian Flair Chicken - Great for grilling.

2008-06-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is Called Korean BBQ Chicken Marinade. It is a quick and easy marinade to make ahead and I usually have the ingredients on hand. Super simple with a lot of flavor.
YUM!

I mixed together 1 cup each of white sugar, soy sauce and water. Add onion powder, ground ginger, and garlic to taste. I added about 1 teaspoon of the onion powder and ginger and one clove of garlic. You bring those ingredients to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool you can add some lemon or lime juice as well as hot chili paste or hot pepper flakes to add some spice.

I pounded down some chicken breasts so they would cook evenly. I place them in a zip-lock bag an refrigerated for about four hours. There is enough marinade for 6 or 8 chicken breasts. You could set some aside to spoon over rice and use the rest for the marinade. They cooked for a few minutes on each side. I cooked two in a frying pan of sorts and cooked the others on an outdoor gas grill. Both were quick, easy, and yummy. I would use fresh ginger if it was available. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you try it or if I missed something.

xo M

Pretty nails

2008-06-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

I don't wear artificial nails but I do usually wear polish. For some ladies keeping polish on natural nails can be challenging. I have found these items that seem to keep the polish on longer.

There is a top coat and base coat from Creative nails. The top coat is called "Speedy" and the base coat is called "Sticky". I also use and "orange wood stick" to clean up when I color outside the lines. The can is purchased from Sally's Beauty Supply. It is Beauty Secrets Nail Enamel Dryer. It helps dry the polish faster. I apply the sticky, then two coats of polish, then one coat of speedy, then I wait a few minutes and spray with the dryer.

I usually treat my self to pedicures but do my own nails. I end up polishing about once a week. The polish does not peel off it just gets rough looking.

Pretty nails are always in style.

Crafty card

2008-06-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made a while back. I like the blue and brown together. I used Stampin' Up punches for the flowers and added a button. On the inside I stamped with craft ink.

Thanks for lookin'

Have an easy day.

xo M

$$$

2008-06-17T20:18:00.001-07:00

Guess how much we made on our unwanted treasures?

The garage sale was crazy busy.

Take a guess!

Pretty lashes

2008-06-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Aren't these pretty? Just wanted to show you some recent lash extensions I did.

The ladies have been lovin' them. I think when the weather warms up people want the lashes. It's way easier than mascara. A lot of my clients are going on vacations and want to lay by the beach or pool with out worrying about mascara running down their face.

These are very light and natural. It wasn't a full set. Only 75% of her lashes were full in this photo. Still very pretty.

M

Pretty hair

2008-06-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Here is my fabulous client Melissa. Her color looks so great!

Love ya Mis! Love your hair do too!

OMG - What a mess!

2008-06-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Here it is. My shame. My mess. My GARAGE SALE. Hope people come and buy this stuff.

We have a four car over sized garage. We have managed to fill three of the four! Can you believe it. This goes to show ya that people have more than they need. I am embarrassed.

Lesson...don't do this!

Gift for friends at school

2008-06-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

These are the DVD packaged up to give to each student. I shared it with the class today and they loved it. It's fun for little people to see themselves up on screen and hear cool music. They were so excited that they each got to take one home. So fun!

The stamp on the back says "Time spent with friends is time well spent." It is from Stampin' Up as well as the butterfly. The flowers on the front were cut from the Cricut machine and are stuck on the outside of the DVD package.

As always, you can click on the photo to enlarge it.

xo M

DVD Teachers gift

2008-06-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

This is a fun thing I made to give to the teacher. I spent some quality time making a DVD of photos from the classroom. The pictures were from the entire year. The DVD had music, fades, the whole ball of wax. It was really fun to make. I burnt a copy of the DVD and a separate music CD for her. At the last minute I decided that presentation was suddenly important to me. Soooo...I ended up with this! I thought it wasn't that bad for a quick crafty item. One side has the CD the other has the DVD. I know the two sides are a bit different in height but at that point it didn't matter. It was gonna have to do. Sorta cute don't ya think?

Her classroom theme is Butterfly's and the front says "Life gives you many reasons to smile." The DVD had photos of all the students and various activities they did throughout the year.

You can click on the photo to see a larger view.

xo M

Oh, one more thing. The ribbon is attached to the actual folder. :)

This is my question. Summer camp, nanny, or nothin'?

2008-06-03T15:04:00.001-07:00

So tell me what you or someone you know does with their school aged kids during the summer? I especially would like to know what working moms do. Daycare, family, friends, day camp...? I work part time and it's always a challenge as to what is going to work for the summer months. I have hired a nanny this year. That gets expensive! Looking forward to your input.

xo M

2008-06-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Well how about this "handy" product?! I know, that wasn't funny.

It's made by Dial and called color clean. I bought it for the little people who live here. They don't seem to ever really wash very well. I kinda think this helps. It has little blue beads that fade away after you have been washing long enough. The beads get in between little fingers and all those places they forget about. The pump doesn't allow a whole lot to come out. Maybe it's meant to be used sparingly.

That's my this and that for now. Till next time. Have an easy day.

xo M

Just a tired rant.

2008-06-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Oh man. I am soooo tired. I went to bed late then I ended up waking up at 1AM with my stomach turning. We had gone to Claim Jumpers for a retirement party and apparently my dinner did not sit well with me. I ended up throwing up and tossing and turning for a long time before drifting off to sleep. I was wiped out this morning. My poor kids must think I am the grumpiest mom ever. So, yuck. That's all I can say..YUCK. I have to work all day too. I can't wait to rest my head on my cold pillow.

Have an easy day.

M

I am finally blogging!

2008-05-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to blog so many things.

Here it is...finally.

Check back often to see what's new.

Have an easy weekend.