Thursday, April 30, 2009
Quick Hello...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
I WON!...I guess.




Monday, April 27, 2009
The weekend...


Friday, April 24, 2009
Beading and Birthdays...



And, my baby is growing up...


Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Is It Really Wednesday?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
New Determination...
Kellie on bus 8:35 am
Eat Breakfast
Take Howard for a walk - this is by far the best part of it. He has a really long stride and his walk is more of a trot. He tries to walk right next to me but I have a short stride so it really doesn't work. I have to speed up to keep up with him and then he walks/trots right next to me. It's a great 30 minute cardio workout!
Come home and do 30 minutes of Pilates
30 minutes of Yoga
25 minutes in the hot tub
quick shower and now it's 12:32 and I can try to squeeze some of my other typical day stuff in before the kids walk through the door at 2:15. Sheesh. I think I might have to rework this schedule or I wont get anything else finished around here.
Monday, April 20, 2009







Thursday, April 16, 2009
All That Stress For Nothing...
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you letting me know what Zach said to Ryan. We had planned on putting two chaperone groups together so that everyone would be with someone that they chose to be with. After finding this information out, however, we are changing some groups around so that there is no discomfort and everyone has an enjoyable day.
Thanks again and we'll see you tomorrow.
So my faith in middle school teachers has been restored.
I have been stuck in my house every day this week and I'm starting to go a little BONKERS! Monday I waited most of the day for the hot tub guys and they brought the WRONG TUB! Four giant men brought the giant hot tub all the way down the driveway and around back and got it all set up and then asked me to come out and check it over.
Ahhhh, this isn't the right tub.
WHAAAT?
This isn't the right tub. We bought the Sahara MT.
Wait a second I'll be right back. (he pulls out his cell phone and walks to his truck)
Ah, Ma'am, this isn't the right tub.
Brilliant.
So four giant men take tub back to the truck and leave.
Tuesday in the pouring rain and through the muck in my backyard from all of the rain - four giant men return with the right tub and hook it up.
Wednesday I was stuck all day because of the electrician who is wiring the tub.
Thursday again with the electrician. He tells me that they should be finished by 1pm. I hope so. I want to buy snacks and stuff for tomorrow and I want to get a pretty Vera Bradley tote bag for the DC trip. I need something big to hold the Tylenol and the bat to beat the bad 12 year old boys with! :O) WHACK! Look at the painting! :O)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wait A Second...What?
Well, I found out who is in our group.
Oh yeah? who?
This kid who HATES me!
What do you mean he hates you? Why do you say that?
Because when he found out he was in my group he said "I DON"T WANT TO BE IN A GROUP WITH YOU RYAN! I HATE YOU!"
Well, that's pretty clear isn't it? Did you tell the teacher so she could switch him?
Yes and she said too bad.
TOO BAD?!!! Oh no no no pumpkin - not too bad. So I immediately sent Ms. I wont be in the group so I don't care if this kid is a pain in the ass all day an email telling her that I do not appreciate her leaving him in MY group to supervise all day! Oh I-don't-think-so Deary. I will give her until 2pm tomorrow to respond before I am on the phone. What kind of idiot sends a parent chaperon on a trip with a boy who hates their child?! Oh yeah, that will be good times.
Honey Dijon Chicken

Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Cream Puffs Make Every Day Better!

Puffs
3/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Butter
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Flour
3 Eggs
Filling and Topping
1 Container (8 ounces) Frozen Whipped Topping, Thawed
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
About 1/4 Cup Chocolate Candy disks, Melted
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt; bring to boil over high heat. Add flour all at once. Stir mixture vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms into a ball. Remove from heat ; place dough in a bowl. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth and very thick.
2. Spray mini-muffin pan with cooking spray. Using slightly rounded small scoop (about the same amount as a generous teaspoon), scoop batter into cups. Bake 22-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven and make a small cut into the side of each puff to release excess steam. Remove puffs from pan to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
3. For filling, combine whipped topping, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix gently until well blended. Fill a cake decorating bag with a large hole pipping tip. Insert tip into puff and fill center with cream. For topping, melt the chocolate in a microwave or on top of the stove in a double boiler and drizzle over each puff. Serve immediately. Makes 24 puffs.
Monday was also a total goof off day for me and the kids. Kellie put on lots of finger puppet plays.

I've been too busy to stitch a darn thing but now that the kids are back in school I'm planning to spend today stitching - that's one of the benefits of having a party...the house is clean and all the laundry is finished so I can stitch all day without guilt. Happy Tuesday.
Monday, April 13, 2009
I'm not taking Ryan to the viewing or the funeral. Jason was 15 and it upset him - I don't want to do that to Ryan. He's still very innocent in so many ways. I really don't think he fully understands even after our talk. I think it's just too big for him to take in. I think tomorrow is going to be a very long hard day for Ryan and the other kids in his class. And the poor teachers. Molly is in school with the boys brother (it's just the two boys). She and her friends have been talking about it all weekend. It's just so sad, and the brothers facebook rips your heart out. The photos of his little brother all smiles and goofing off with him ... such a sad sad thing. That poor boy and his mother. I really don't know how you can find the strength to get out of bed after something so devastating.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Please Say A Little Prayer Tonight...
Thursday, April 9, 2009
All Of A Sudden...


I still purchased a lot of yummy candy, but I'll have to make sure I go early for Mother's Day!
Then on Wednesday I had to take Ryan to the doctor because he woke up with poison ivy on his face. He's feeling better and he only has to take the steroid for three days.
Mark and I bought the Sahara MT spa. They were having a special last weekend and they were including every extra option available in the price! It was an amazing deal and we've been wanting one for a long time so we decided to get it. With Mark's bad back and my bad knee, neck, arms, etc (because I'm falling apart) we are hoping this will help. It's being delivered on Monday. Yesterday the electrician was here telling me how they would have to run the electric out to it. Basically, they are going to be all over my sewing area - including drilling an access hole above my desk! lovely. I'll have to move everything out of their way before they get here on Tuesday. Molly is all excited because her birthday is the 25th and she wants to have some friends over for a hot tub party!
We were going to my sisters for Easter this weekend, but yesterday I was talking to her and we've decided to switch the party to my house. So, now I'm running around trying to get ready for the party. I went to the store this morning at 7:30 and they were out of hams!!! I was like...ahhhh, but luckily they had a bunch in the back so I am all set grocery wise, but I need to clean and get organized. I have some baking to do and there is an antique show this weekend on Saturday that I want to go to. I hope I can still fit that in. I missed the last one.
Well, I'm off to get my hair done and do all the laundry that should have been done on Monday - have a great Thursday.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
19 Years!


Our cake was a chocolate mousse cake. Oh, I wish I had a piece of that right now. It was so amazing!
My veil was really long and I wanted to make sure that it was put on properly so that morning I had a hair appointment and after they did my hair they fixed the veil for me. It was so funny driving all alone in my car the 20 minutes back home on the highway in casual clothes with this long veil on my head! People were beeping and laughing! It was so funny.
We had typical Maryland weather that day too. That day we had rain, then snow, then crazy wind, then beautiful sunshine.
The year before we were married Mark had moved back in with his parents to save money. (I was still living at home with my parents) We bought a house and the settlement was one week before the wedding. Very stressful, we weren't sure the house would be finished in time. Our settlement was March 30th and we spent the week before the wedding moving things in, lining cabinets, unpacking wedding gifts we had already received, etc so that when we got back from our honeymoon it would be ready for us. It was the tiniest house! It was only 15 feet wide! LOL From the kitchen table you could answer the front door, get something out of the refrigerator, and check the oven! Our Lab/Dane mix dog Fred broke his tail wagging it in the hall! Crazy small house. We thought, oh, lets get all the upgrades because we are only going to live here for a few years and then we will buy a bigger house and start a family...1 year and 9 months later Jason was born and 16 months after that Molly was born. It was a two bedroom house so in the kids room there was a crib on each wall. It was a toy house and we were living in it with two babies and a giant dog!


So now it's 19 years later and Mark is still my best friend. He's a great husband. And he puts up with me!
I'm off to the candy guy in Pennsylvania today with my friend Cornelia. I need to get the special chocolate for the baskets....and some for me of course! Have a great day.
Monday, April 6, 2009
And The Finger Puppets...
and this is what I was talking about with Howard. This is how he sleeps...
Friday, April 3, 2009
It's A Puppet Making Frenzy...
Hopefully by Monday I will have something fabulous to show you - OR - I'll be singing the blues. We'll see.

1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
4 Cups (1 box) Confectioners Sugar
2 Tbsp Milk
1 or 2 Pinches of Salt
Cream shortening and butter, add vanilla. Gradually add in sugar 1 cup at a time, beat on medium speed - scraping sides - add milk and food coloring - till light and fluffy. Can be stored in refrigerator in an air tight container for 2 weeks. Makes 3 cups of frosting.
Thursday, April 2, 2009


Wednesday, April 1, 2009
April Is My Favorite Month!













