"What's for dinner?"

I have never claimed to be a great food maker of any kind. I have been successful with dishes here and there, but it usually takes a few tries.

The other night, I went grocer-ing for the ingredients of a dish that sounded scrumptious to have for dinner. I was confident, having two recipes to guide me along the way. Well, it was bad. I wouldn't call it a disaster because the dish was still edible, but ..... it looked and tasted different in my mind's picture.

Let's just put it this way:

If I were a snotty little tween who had an attitude, a conversation would play out like this:

Tween's friend: "What did you have for dinner last night?"

Snotty little tween: "Well, my mom said she made 'Chicken Piccata', but I would call it "Chicken Pi-ca-ca!! giggle, giggle"

As I thought of that senerio, it reminded me of when my sister was upset with my mom for what was being made for dinner. My brother, Brian, walked into the kitchen and asked (as Jill had), "What's for dinner?"

Jill replied quickly, before my mom could answer, saying, "POOP."

Jill's punishment: Her dinner that night was poop.

(Or maybe it was a really blackened hot dog that looked like poop -- I don't remember.)

Where will we be?

Jeff graduates May 9th from NAU!!!

I'm so proud of him.

For the actual ceremony we will be spending the weekend up in Flagstaff and I. CAN'T. WAIT.

I miss days of staring out the window, watching the snow fall.

I miss opening the back door and having a fantastic breeze fill the house.

I miss letting the boys go outside to play without sweating.

I miss the air.... the beautiful clean, crisp air.

I miss the mountains.

I miss "The Basement Store" in downtown Flag. (amazing deals!)

I miss woodchip parks.

I miss the lack of traffic.

And sometimes.... I miss the trains.

I don't think we'll ever live there again, but somewhere similar would be nice.

I just keep wondering where "home" for us will be.

Kung Fu Panda quote of the day:

"There is no charge for awesomeness ....... or attractiveness."

Griffin's Tough Week

Last Wednesday and Friday, Griffin had a fever. Friday night, he kept complaining about his food itching. I saw a few spots and figured it was ant bites.(?) Friday night at midnight, Jeff wakes me up and leads me out into the family room where Griffin is stripped down to his underwear. He was COVERED in these red splotches. Covered!!!

Benadryl and calamine lotion seemed to help, but we weren't really sure what it was exactly. So I took him to the doctor and we were told it was hives.... an allergic reaction to something. Griffin has never had a problem before and we didn't go anywhere or eat anything unusual. After a day or so, his body got a little better but then the spots showed up on his face.

Yesterday it seemed we had hit the end of it but once again he woke up in the middle of the night with more hives.

I was freaking out!!

I had JUST washed the sheets and his pillow case -- but one would conclude it HAS to be something from his bed. Right?

The only other objects Griffin sleeps with are a Spiderman blanket he's had since Christmas and a new plush gorilla from Valentines.

Angrily, I threw the gorilla under the bed, not knowing for sure if that was the issue, but too tired to try anything else. I said a prayer and went to bed.

I anxiously waited for Griffin to wake up this morning for inspection. Can you believe it!! Not. one. spot. Gorilla is getting washed, but what if that isn't the problem? What if he's allergic to the cheap material or polyfil used to make this new beloved toy? That's trouble.

To add to this already FABULOUS week, Griffin and Kai wanted to go for a walk last night. Half way through, Griffin biffs it, and I can tell he's hurting internally as well as physically. He's done. With immediate first aid treatment needed, Griffin limping, and Kai mosey-ing behind, our "family walk pace" just wasn't cutting it. This was my solution:

Poor guy.

My mom is better than your mom !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I really don't think I could have been sent to a better person. I mean, who else can hand-hug my head with a rubber band around three of their fingers and still pull off a great picture? No one. You have always looked great and I'm hoping a lot of your genes stay with me down the road. Thank you for the amazing childhood I had and the great example you've been.

I was going to make a list of 49 (ahem) things I love about you, but I decided to take a nap today after church and now it's 10:30pm and I'm getting tired. So you'll have to settle for the earliest memory I have of you.

~Brian could probably tell you about his birth due to his long lasting memory capability, but mine was around age 4 or 5.~

We were living in the green apartments in Flagstaff and, like every other awesome family, we owned a fold-out couch. Or hide-a-bed sofa. Us kids always asked Dad to fold us up into the couch -- and he would honor our wishes. There must have been a time when he teased us by leaving us trapped a few seconds too long or maybe even sat on us.(?) Most likely freaking out was involved. When Dad made us feel like wimps, you told him that he needed to take HIS turn. Willingly he got in, rolling his eyes, "It's not that bad." Yep...... he got stuck. You pulled and pulled, trying to get that hide-a-bed out, Brian and I right by your side. It was a long time -- 30 min. maybe. Embarrassed, both you and Dad decided it was time to get the neighbor.

I have another memory of Flagstaff -- this was my proof to my friends for a long time that you were the best mom ever. A snow storm had just come through and there was fresh powdery snow in our tiny back yard. You took our huge green tupperware bowl outside, filled it with snow then poured Kool-Aid all over it and let us eat to our hearts content.

Speaking of hearts....... I don't know why you started collecting them, but I'm glad you did. Each time I see a heart, I think of you. Sorry this turned out to be a tribute to your motherhood, you've been an influence in my life as more than just my mom. Thank you for all that you are!

I

YOU !!

"MOM, MOM, COME HERE!!"

Kai comes running through the house to find me, yelling the whole time. He's anxious for me to come see his new discovery. Normally,when Kai does this, I can bet that I'm being pulled away from my much important 'computering' just to look at a bug of some sorts.

I would definitely need a judges call on this ....

"SPIDER".

~ My reaction to the spilled milk differed slightly. ~ (sigh)

Little Green Notebook ~ you're killing me!!

My cousin, Jennica, has this AMAZING BLOG that I read religiously. I absolutely LOVE her style and she's always suggesting inexpensive ways to create not-so-cheap looks.

Today she found a weak spot. For the most part I've done well with telling myself "we don't have the money right now", and I make a mental note of things I want to do later. But this time... I'm struggling. Bad.

You'll have to read all about these fabulous books on her post from today. All ten classics have been sitting in "my cart" on the Canadian website for about an hour now as I try to decide one way or the other. All I know is..........

........I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!