Dog Beach

A few weeks ago we went to Huntington Beach.  We found a beach that allowed dogs and enjoyed the day in the sun.

 Emry & Lila with Brutus and their cousins dog Eclipse.

  Lila & her cousin Nathan petting a new friend.

 Emry & Lila making friends.

Ethan & his cousin Nathan "surfing".

Our Brutus, who didn't love the water.  But of course that didn't stop the girls from forcing it on him.

You can tell Ethan is really concentrating by the way he holds his mouth with his tongue out. 

Nutty Cookies & Kids

Just thought I would share a cookie recipe that we all love around here.  These are really moist & heavy on the peanut butter.  You can find the recipe HERE.


I made some changes that will not affect how delicious these are.  I used 2T sugar instead of 1/4 cup, & 1/2 cup brown sugar instead of 3/4.  I also used whole wheat flour instead of white.  We ate about half the batch and froze the rest.  Lila likes her cookies straight from the freezer.


Oddly enough I felt like baking after spraying for ants all day.  I don't even want to talk about it.  Other than to say after cleaning my whole kitchen top to bottom why I would  want to make a big ol cookie mess and tempt fate with bringing out sugar, I do not know.


You'd think that after taking my kids swimming and making them cookies they would jump straight into bed. 

Obviously a hoop dress just had to be made at that moment.  I don't ask questions.  I just take pictures and tell them I will lose it if they aren't in bed in 5 minutes.  No more making costumes!!

Until today. 
 





        
 













A midget is giving Ethan a piggy back ride.  It needed to be done!                                                                                                                                                             

Dinner on a (few) dimes(s)

It's a billion degrees here but that doesn't stop me from making one of my favorite dinners.

Soup is the catch all dinner, it always works.  Lately I've let the sales dictate what I buy.  Let's break down these ingredients


eggplant                $0.88
cauliflower            $0.99
onion                     $0.40
bell pepper            $0.33
1/2 acorn squash   $1.25
dried beans            $1.39
tomatoes                $1.29
fresh dill                 $2.29


Total                       $8.82

I just simmered everything together (after soaking and precooking the beans) and came up with a wonderful dish.  Too thick to be a soup, but with enough veggies beans and squash to feel like a complete meal.  Towards the end it had a little too much liquid for what I was going for so I threw in about a third cup of some random tiny grain in my cupboard.  Also threw in spices (literally threw them in, not even sure what they were).  Topped with fresh dill and parmesan.

Full disclosure-  Emry & I are the only ones eating this.  Full disclosure-  Emry is my favorite child.  I froze separate bags in the freezer for easy thawing and eating.  It made about 20 good size servings.  That equals out to about $0.44 per serving!!  Next year I will definitely remember to grow more fresh herbs as that was the most expensive part of this meal.


It was delicious and the rest of my family is missing out.  


When you buy dry beans and a few veggies on sale, dinner is not only ridiculously cheap, but super healthy as well.  


Plus, after such a virtuous dinner, you can have dessert.  For me that would be frozen berries mixed with yogurt and tons of granola on top. 

Considering  what I spend on greek yogurt and all the ingredients for granola, it's a good thing I save money somewhere.

No-Labor Day

We have great friends who host a Labor Day Party in their Cul de Sac every year. 

It's great to know the kids are having the time of their lives.  It means us adults can chat the day away knowing they are all watching out for each other.  Aren't they?

Honestly I love it here.  The day was perfect.  I truly feel uplifted  not only by all the happy kids, but by all the love & friendship I have found here.  Our friend Ryan routinely calls Temecula 'Paradise'. 

Pretty much.

Labor Day 2010

Birthday Girl

Rarely do I take have someone (usually Emry) take photos of me.  Not trying to be mysterious or anything, but the truth of the matter is 99.9% of the time I have no makeup, greasy hair and stink because I have been cleaning toilets or working out.  Not a good look, and surely nothing I want to document.


But I felt the need to have Emry photograph me as a newly minted 38 year old.


My day was great.  Mostly chores & reading with the kids.  Then Emry & Ethan each went to a friends, Lila did some errands with her dad and I gave myself a manicure and pedicure (thanks Shauna!) while watching Law & Order.


Later that night some friends came over and we went to a Taqueria for dinner and of course Yogurt Island for dessert.  We saw friends at each place as Temecula is a small town.  Here's some of my loot:

Ha Ha, funny how it all seems to revolves around food, chocolate to be exact.  There were also cupcakes dropped by from a friend, a package with nail polish, a belt, & a book on tape from my love Shauna, $ from in-laws, parents & husband, and a homemade poster & card from the kids.


The homemade granola is from my sister.  It might be gone by the time this post goes to print.


Hopefully I've learned a little bit of wisdom in my 38 years.  Here's what I know.  There are no guarantees.  Life throws you curve balls.  Just as you're figuring out one another one (or 20) are headed your way.  Make peace with the fact that they never stop & this is life.  Be honest.  With everyone.  Especially yourself.  Work hard.  Love harder.  Lose yourself in books.  Be prayerful & humble.  


I am sure I could go on & on, but that's enough for now.  I love life.  My life can be messy with pee on the toilets, ants overtaking my home, and wondering what's in store for our future.  I feel like for most of my life I've always been looking ahead, bigger and better, onward & upward.  


No more.  I will be smart & responsible, but I am just going to enjoy the day & be happy.  There is only so much I can control.  Even then I am not so sure.

Plus, I still have a lot to learn.  After all, I am only 38!

Deja vu

A few weeks ago Glenn was out of town and I told the children we would have a really fun night that involved ice cream, a movie & a sleepover in my bed.  (& yes, that's my little spot to the right of Ethan, not the most restful night for me)

In the morning I had to take a picture of all my precious sleeping kids.  As I was looking at the above picture it reminded me of another picture.

This was our Christmas picture December 2005.  When you opened the card it said "O Holy Night".  

As a parent sleeping pictures never get old.  Maybe because when they're awake they go a million miles an hour and leave a wake of destruction in their path.

To see them finally at rest, knowing they're not wrecking anything or putting their life in danger fools us into thinking they're perfect angels. 

Oops I did it again

The other day while I was on a bike ride with Brutus I stopped to talk to a neighbor who was moving. She asked if I wanted a bookshelf. She doesn't know me that well or she would have known that my most favorite word in the English language is FREE!!

This is so perfect as it will hold all school related materials.  Ignore the bottom shelf, Ethan thinks it's his & I guess for now it is.


The kids don't bring all their books everyday, some stay home at all times.  The bookshelf is located right next to our kitchen table so it makes a nice organized homework station.


Lila practiced her Student Council speech about a hundred times this morning.  She is super excited about representing her class.  She is also busy with the clean up crew at school which collects recycling.  The other day she was telling her Aunt about all of her responsibilities and ended with "I sure am busy".  Jeannette & I just started cracking up.  


Emry started the running club this morning at 6:55.  I was so impressed with how many kids turned out.  I was also crossing my fingers that she would like it.  After school she said, with a smile no less, that it was great.  The coach invited me to run with them & I absolutely will. 

In other school related news the room mom coordinator tried to talk me into being the room mom for Lila's class.  I work in Ethan's class on Tuesday, Lila's class on Wednesday, attend a church scripture study on Thursday, & am in charge of the reading program in Lila's class.  I think my hands are full thank you very much.  Was room mom last year & will not get suckered into it 2 years in a row. 

She called me again today.  Apparently I'm a sucker. 

*A huge thank you to  my blog designer & friend Theresa for the makeover.