The Sweet Spot

Laundry Room of My Dreams

2009-11-14T09:42:00.003-06:00

These are the laundry rooms of my dreams...

Well, this one is actually a kitchen, but you get the general idea...

My laundry room doesn't even come close to these, but that's all about to change...I can't wait!

Gap Friends & Family 30% Discount

2009-11-12T09:39:00.002-06:00

My BFF, Brandi, works at the Gap and is able to share a Friends & Family 30% discount two times per year. If you want in on this deal, leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll have the coupon e-mailed to you. It's good for 30% off at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic today, 11/12/09 through Sunday, 11/15/09.

Coming Soon...The Incredible Shrinking Woman

2009-11-12T08:16:00.002-06:00

I've got a great idea for a new series of posts. Stay tuned... Let's see if The Incredible Procrastinating Woman can transform herself into The Incredible Shrinking Woman.

Pictures I Love...

2009-08-27T09:21:00.008-05:00

Jacob on the Pitcher's Mound

Tim Smith, surrounded by the Ramirez & Smith boys

Jacob giving Kyson a bottle while Kadyn patiently
waits for him to finish so they can play.

Yep, we finally made it to Disney World!

My niece Holly, Me, one of my BFFs Terri, and my SIL Cathy

My cousin Kim, My (pregnant) sister Sarah, Me and my cousin Debby

On the Disney shuttle, headed to the Magic Kingdom.
Our hearts were racing!
It was all we could do to sit still.

We believe!

Anything can happen at Disney!

I Surprised my sister by showing up unexpectedly at her ASU graduation party in 12/08. I hid in the back of my brother's SUV and this is the picture I snapped of Sarah when she saw me.

Adam loves to make sugar cookies with frosting...almost as much as he loves eating them!

Celebrated my good friend Jennifer's 40th birthday in May '09 with dinner and dancing.

Turtle Rescue

2009-05-15T15:44:00.005-05:00

I found this cute little guy trying to cross the road today. Naturally, I pulled over, got out and put the turtle in a plastic container that I just happen to carry around in the event that I need to rescue a turtle. I think he's a box turtle, but what do I know?

My Arizona-dwelling sister, Sarah and brother-in-law, Bret have a pet desert tortoise. A few weeks ago, while my sister was on vacation, her turtle somehow flipped itself over onto its back and had a close brush with death as a result. Apparently there is actually a difference between turtles and tortoises.

For instance, a desert tortoise can't do this....

Is that cool or what?!!

No turtles (or tortoises) were harmed in the making of this video. The above-mentioned turtle has been safely released into the woods behind our house.

And yes, Casey, one of my birthday wishes did come true. I found the Christopher Lowell desk, matching shelf and small filing cabinet on craigslist!!! When my office is cleaned up, I'll take a photo and share my exciting find. I'm still waiting for the Lexus, however.

Mother's Day/Birthday Wish List...continued

2009-03-22T17:32:00.003-05:00

The Christopher Lowell Shore Home Collection would be the perfect complement to my coastal inspired office. Willie, just in case you're reading, you can find it here.

One more thing, as long as I'm calling this a wish list...

Laughed so hard I snorted

2009-03-21T22:08:00.003-05:00

Mother's Day/Birthday Wish List

2009-03-20T14:11:00.002-05:00

May 6 and May 10 are getting close enough for me to start my wish list...

Let's start with one of these:

from here.

Of course, my husband would have to actually read my blog for this to work...

How to celebrate a new year Ramirez style

2009-01-27T11:17:00.013-06:00

I've waited so long to complete this post that I don't want to procrastinate a minute longer even though it lacks captions and stories. So, enjoy the picture (and video) show of our new year's trip to Ruidoso, NM to visit family and ski Apache.

Things I love about Kansas City (the seasons)

2009-01-24T15:04:00.011-06:00

Kansas City really is the perfect place to live if you want to experience a change in seasons without being miserably hot in the summer or buried in snow all winter. It's hard for me to say whether I enjoy spring or fall more. Watching the leaves change colors, a slight nip in the air and roasting marshmallows over backyard firepits are something I look forward to each October. This past fall, I took a series of pictures of the same tree in our backyard over a period of two and a half weeks so I could share what we experience here with our friends and family who live in the Southwest.

October 4, 2008

October 6, 2008

October 7, 2008

October 10, 2008

October 11, 2008

October 12, 2008

October 14, 2008

October 18, 2008

October 19, 2008

October 20, 2008

October 21, 2008

Admittedly, when the trees are bare and brown, the grass is dormant and all the flowers are dead, it's not very pretty here...until the first snowfall.

100% Weird

2008-11-02T11:56:00.011-06:00

****REVISED to add #8****

I've been tagged by Jennifer. I'm supposed to tell you 7 weird things about myself. That shouldn't be too hard!

I LOVE spinach with red wine vinegar. I crave it and will even eat it as a late night snack.
Ever since I took typing in Junior High, I mentally "type" in my head. It's an annoying nervous habit of mine. It's probably a symptom of OCD, but I try not to think about it too much. It's probably also the reason I can type obscenely fast.
I bite my nails down to the nub. I can quit for short periods of time, but I always start back up again.
I love to squeeze people's arms, specifically the bicep area and preferably people I love like Willie and the boys. I've done this since I was a little girl.
I hate beer. That may not seem very weird to some of you, but I have been in plenty of social situations where it sure felt weird.
I'm a total dork who loves dressing up for Halloween, doing silly jumps off the diving board, making up dumb songs to sing to my kids, etc. Does that make me a fun Mom or an immature weirdo? Wait, don't answer that.
I really like to address envelopes. I tried to come up with something better than that, but I'm tired from last night's Halloween festivities and the brain is not up to full speed.
I just decided to update this list by copying Jennifer. My closet is organized by category (i.e. short sleeve, long sleeve, sleeveless, t-shirts) AND everything is in color order, something I picked up back in my days of working retail at Ross Dress For Less. And, yes, I hang my t-shirts. I also hang my shorts and all my pants, even jeans. I once organized my friend Terri's closet. How's it looking Terri?

I almost forgot that I'm supposed to tag 7 other bloggers. But you know what? I get stressed out sometimes when people tag me so I'm not going to inflict that potential stress on anybody else. In fact, I am still stressing about Wende's tag to tell my love story. The scanner is now hooked up, but I'm having trouble with the software for it so until I figure that out, no love story. It just wouldn't be complete without some pre-digital pix that I have to scan.

I'm also trying to locate the cord for my camera so I can get lots of photos from Halloween and our trip to Phoenix downloaded, but so far, it's still MIA.

Past Halloweens

2008-10-29T17:14:00.006-05:00

2007 - Back View

2008 - Front View

This is me and my Mom in 2007, but it's actually my costume from 2006. When I get the scanner working, I want to post it again because Willie was a tourist Grandpa and we rocked! We even won the neighborhood award, which is a hugely coveted and very competitive contest. By the way, "me and my Mom" is proper grammar, even though it doesn't sound like it. If you are a regular reader, you know I am a freak about good grammar.

Garth & Wayne 2006

I almost didn't post this one because of my double chin, but what the heck...I have no shame!

She's back...

2008-10-29T16:47:00.003-05:00

I promised my sister I would blog about our night out on the town during my visit to Phoenix so check back tomorrow evening and I'll try to have the pix downloaded and everything ready. Meanwhile, I thought this cartoon was pretty funny, especially in light of the fact that last year, I dressed up as a large bag of trash (Willie was the garbage man), the year prior, I was Garth (Willie was Wayne - Wayne's World, get it?) and the year before that, I was a tourist Grandma....not very bimbo-ish, huh? If I can ever get my scanner working, I need to post those pix. Oh wait, I think I have a digital copy of the garbage costume. I'll check on that later this evening.

Priorities

2008-10-13T15:36:00.004-05:00

I like blogging. I really like blogging. In fact, I like blogging so much that I occasionally, well actually I often read blogs and write my own blog when I should be doing other stuff, important stuff like taking care of my family. So, I am imposing a temporary moratorium on all blogging activity. I don't know how long I'll be gone, as long as it takes to get my priorities back in order, I guess.

I really stink at managing my time. Anybody want to share their tips for success?

On a lighter note, if you look closely, you'll notice that in the picture above, the closed sign is posted on a Taco Bell menu. How appropriate is that for me?!!

Exploding Twinkie

2008-10-05T20:23:00.008-05:00

Ever wonder what would happen if you stuck a firecracker in a Twinkie? Adam and I came up with this idea a couple weeks ago, but have been unable to enlist Willie in our twisted plot. So, last night while he was gone, we recruited a young neighbor to help us with this explosive experiment (with his parents' permission, of course).

Pre-explosion

Post-explosion

One more time....let's finish this thing!

It wasn't pretty, but it was fun!

While I was working on this post, Olivia Newton-John appeared on the Early Show and it got me reminiscing about one of my all-time favorite singers, thus the Olivia Newton-John tunes you are being treated to if the volume on your computer isn't turned down.

International Walk to School Day (Are you kidding me?)

2008-10-03T13:44:00.020-05:00

This morning on the way to school (driving by the way, because we live almost 2 miles away)...

Me: "Boys, next Wednesday is Walk to School Day, but I have to work so we won't be able to participate."

Boys: "OK."

A few seconds pass...

Jacob: "Can't you walk to school whenever you want?"

Me: "Yes."

Jacob: "Then why do they have a special day for it?"

Me: "To make the Mommies who can't do it feel guilty."

GUILT and parenting go hand in hand. I like guilt. It's something I'm good at.

We've Got a Winner...or Two...or Three!

2008-10-01T22:40:00.007-05:00

Two really cool things just happened. First, tonight I decided that I was going to choose 3 WINNERS and give away all three books. But in order to do so, if the random number generator chose three winners who picked the same book, I would have to take the first one it picked and try again until it picked a person who wanted a different book and so on and so forth. Did that make any sense at all or was it as clear as mud? Doesn't really matter, the point is that there are 3 WINNERS!!!

Here are the first three numbers chosen by the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR:

Here are your random numbers: 5

Timestamp: 2008-10-02 03:39:55 UTC

Here are your random numbers:2

Timestamp: 2008-10-02 03:43:16 UTC

Here are your random numbers:1

Timestamp: 2008-10-02 03:43:38 UTC

The 5th comment was left by Shellie who wanted, "Before You Know Kindness".

The 2nd comment was left by Jen S. who wanted, "The Kite Runner". She also won my last contest, the lucky dog! I swear the contests aren't rigged. If they were, my sister would be a winner.

And last but not least, the 1st comment, yes it REALLY picked #1, much to my surprise and hers, was left by Megan who wanted, "Letters From a Skeptic".

I thought it might get complicated trying to give away three books when several people wanted the same ones, but the stars were aligned in my favor tonight. Good thing too because I'm TIRED! Megan and Shellie, I'll need your addresses. Email me at kcaimee (at) gmail (dot) com. Jen, I'm good with yours and by the way, mark your calendar for Saturday, 10/25, because I'll be in town and we're going to get crazy that night!

Hey look, I just finished a whole post and never once mentioned deceased pets...oh wait, I just did. Oops! Maybe next time.

Pet Cemetery

2008-09-28T21:02:00.009-05:00

This is where Peanut and Brandy are buried. It's a woodsy area behind our backyard that I sometimes refer to as the Pet Cemetery because of all the neighborhood pets buried there. It's not as creepy as it sounds, especially if you've read the book, "Pet Sematary" by Stephen King. Now, that book is creepy and makes a great read for the month of October.

Peanut doesn't have a proper headstone because we haven't made one yet. He's probably up in doggie heaven looking down and thinking, well sure you haven't made a headstone...you've been too overcome with grief. I could tell when I saw you the next day at Worlds of Fun...

Ok, this is going to be my last post about deceased pets for a long time, I promise.

KFC, Fast Stop and Some Other Stuff

2008-09-28T10:36:00.027-05:00

One of the reasons I chose Friday for our family to say good-bye to Peanut was because we had plans to go to Worlds of Fun on Saturday. Sadness can only linger for so long at an amusement park. So, on Friday, we shed lots of tears, read a great book called Dog Heaven, and buried our old friend next to our other dear old friend, Brandy.

I should probably clarify at this point that Brandy was our beloved dog and Peanut's partner in crime for many years, not Brandi, my BFF from Wichita. When Brandy and I used to work together at Koch Industries in Wichita, I would come in and tell stories about "Brandy" and people who didn't know I had a dog with that name would get a funny look on their face, which would remind me that I needed to clarify I was talking about a canine and not my co-worker!

Brandi (the friend) with Kadyn & Kamden

Brandy (the dog) with Jacob. She looked a lot like Peanut.

So, back to my story. On Saturday, we woke up, put our sadness behind us and prepared for a great day at Worlds of Fun. My Mom's company provides discounted tickets for their employees once a year. It just so happens that they do it during the "Halloween Haunt", which is very cool and if you live in or near Kansas City, I highly recommend that you immediately make plans to take your family. I'll be posting highlights of it later.

We decided to make a quick fast food run on the way to save some money and time. We graciously allowed Adam to decide for all of us that we would go to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). Not my favorite place, but whatever, let's just eat and get there already.

I should tell you that my last few experiences at KFC have been anything but fulfilling. Two years ago, on the 4th of July, I waited for almost an hour to get a couple buckets of chicken and the last time I went, they were out of original recipe drumsticks AND macaroni & cheese, which are pretty much the only reasons for going there in the first place. This trip to KFC proved to be no exception to the general "KFC sucks" rule.

We placed our order with a clerk who told us they didn't have Dr. Pepper, despite the fact that the menu listed Dr. Pepper (note, he didn't say they were out of it, he said they didn't have it), next the clerk told us to slow down because we were ordering too fast (we weren't), next came a verrrrry long wait for our food and lastly, we had to ask for napkins and one of our drinks because they forgot to give them to us. Whatever... let's just get there already.

While my family waited in the drive-thru line, I decided to jump out and run next door to the Fast Stop convenience market (not the one pictured below). I need to tell you that my boys are currently obsessed with convenience markets and all the cool stuff they have to offer so it was no surprise that Jacob wanted to go with me. Since he was sitting in the middle and Grandma would have to get out, not to mention that we were sitting in a drive-thru line, I told him no. This disappointed Jacob because as he said, he "just wanted to see it". He is so easily entertained. I love that about him.

I returned to the truck to find my family STILL WAITING in the drive-thru line. I proceeded to joke with Jacob by telling him that it had been the coolest convenience market I had ever seen. He was bummed until I told him I was kidding. I then told my family about the man who entered Fast Stop while I was there and asked, "What's that smell?". The clerk asked what it smelled like, to which he replied, "a bad perm". Hmmm, I didn't know bad perms had a distinctive smell, but apparently they do.

So, after I relayed the bad perm story, sucked down half my Dr. Pepper (purchased at Fast Stop) and we finally got our food, we hit the road again, munching on our hard-earned KFC. A few minutes later, we pass this billboard on the side of the road.

Oh yeah, we were definitely cracking up now. How do you explain THAT while your kids are chowing away on their chicken? And, trust me, they wanted to know what were we laughing at. I mean, if Pam says it, there must be some truth, right? Live scalding, painful debeaking and crippled chickens aside, I'm pretty sure we are done with KFC. My boys will just have to suffer with Mac & Cheese made from a box and fried chicken from the grocery store deli counter.

Let's celebrate with a GIVEAWAY!!!

2008-09-26T20:15:00.021-05:00

**** EDITED on 9/30 **** If you are leaving an anonymous comment because you don't have a blogger account, be sure to include an email address so I can locate you if you're a winner.

Faithful blog readers, thank you for hanging with me, despite the fact that I occasionally go MIA when life gets too crazy. For those of you who are just "popping in", you may be in luck. I'm going to try out this "random number generator" thing for a 100th blog entry GIVEAWAY contest.

Remember my garage sale from a few weeks ago? At first, I jokingly said that I would be giving away some of the leftovers, but then I realized I might be onto something. I packed up almost all of the leftovers for Goodwill, but saved a few for this contest. Because I love to read and constantly have my nose stuck in a book, the winner of this giveaway will get to choose one book from the following three:

Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity

Before You Know Kindness

The Kite Runner

After you slog your way through this lengthy post, leave a comment telling me which thing (or two) from my "100 List" we have in common, which book you want if you're the "chosen one", and consider yourself entered.

I have noticed that lots of people commemorate their 100th blog entry with their own personal "100 List" so I've been working on such a list. I don't think I can come up with 100 things, but let's see how far I can go with it.

1) There was a time in my life when I didn't want to have children.

2) There was a time in my life when I wanted 4 children.

3) No, we are not going to "try for" a girl.

4) Yes, it makes me mad when people assume I couldn't possibly be fulfilled without a little girl.

5) I LOVE having boys and if we were going to have a 3rd child (we're not), I would be ecstatic to have another boy.

6) I love dogs and if Willie would let me, we would have a Great Dane.

7) I have a bachelor's degree in social work.

8) I like camping out under the stars without a tent.

9) Bugs don't bother me too much.

10) But, I am terrified of scorpions.

11) I have been stung by a scorpion.

12) I was born in Las Vegas.

13) I was married in Las Vegas.

14) I love big pick-up trucks.

15) I hate wearing shoes, except for flip-flops.

16) I am not a very good driver.

17) I once got into 4 car accidents within a two-year period of time.

18) My first car was a red Ford Mustang.

19) I cried when Elvis died.

20) I need LOTS of sleep to be happy (9-10 hours a night is ideal).

21) I eat Taco Bell at least once a week.

22) I am a HUGE Garth Brooks fan.

23) It is a big pet peeve of mine to see people use its and it's, there and their or your and you're incorrectly.

24) I am slightly obsessed with the mafia and I love movies like "Casino", "The Godfather", etc. I also like to watch "Sopranos" re-runs.

25) My first "real" job was working as a Dietary Aide in the kitchen and dining room of a nursing home when I was 16.

26) I have saved the nametags from all my jobs.

27) I also have every paycheck stub from age 16 to the present.

28) Before my first "real" job, I cleaned houses and washed cars for spending money.

29) I bite my fingernails.

30) I HATED cats until Rocky adopted us.

31) I lived in San Francisco for a short time right after I graduated from college.

32) I went to seven different elementary schools.

33) I love reading true crime books by authors like Ann Rule.

34) I love watching true crime TV shows like "American Justice" and "Cold Case Files".

35) I am a purse snob.

36) I once dressed up as a chicken for $50.

37) I have two Cabbage Patch dolls.

38) I still have my wisdom teeth.

39) My left foot is quite a bit larger than my right foot.

40) I snore, or so I'm told, anyway.

41) Someday, I'd like to live out in the country on a small piece of land (not too far out though, a girl still has to shop!).

42) I really like mowing the lawn and when we lived in Wichita; many times, I mowed while Willie cooked dinner. I think it freaked our traditional neighbors out a little bit.

Well, not quite 100, not even close actually, but I'm tired, it's been a hard day and I'm pretty sure nobody is that interested anyway.

So, one last HIP HIP HOORAY for my 100th blog entry! Hope to see you in the Comments section...

P.S. I'll have the Random Integer Generator pick a winner on Wednesday, October 1. All comments entered before 5pm Central time will be eligible.

Farewell Old Friend

2008-09-26T16:22:00.009-05:00

Peanut

1/13/94 - 9/26/08

I "Heart" Hatch, NM Green Chile

2008-09-19T12:00:00.009-05:00

Some people might be scared if they received a box from the UPS man and it contained a mysterious burlap bag. Hmm, what could it be? Body Parts, Roadkill...

Courtesy of Willie's Uncle Sonny, who lives in Mimbres, New Mexico, it is a large burlap bag filled with yummy Hatch, New Mexico green chile peppers!!! Hatch is known as the chile capital of the world.

Normally, Willie roasts our chile peppers on the BBQ before placing portions in ziploc bags and freezing it. This time, I think we're going to try roasting our chile peppers Pioneer Woman style, in the oven. It has to be roasted quickly or the chile will turn red. Did you know that chile peppers have a lot of nutritional value?

This is what chile looks like after it is roasted. The black, icky looking part is the skin which you peel off to get to the yummy fleshy part. Once you've had fresh green chile, you'll have a hard time eating canned green chiles again. The salsa my husband makes with this chile absolutely ROCKS MY WORLD!!!

If you are a local friend and would like to try some Hatch, NM chiles, let me know. As you can see, we have plenty to go around!

You might be a redneck if...

2008-09-18T18:22:00.004-05:00

You convince your dubious husband to bring another TV stand up from the basement and stack it on top of the existing one so that you can watch TV in bed without the footboard blocking your view.

Speaking of my dubious husband, he probably isn't going to be happy to see this picture posted for the world to see.

Definitely on my Wish List

2008-09-17T14:29:00.002-05:00

If you want a funky, fresh hand-stamped necklace like this one (or something similar), get over to A Splash of Brandi and let her know. While you're there, pick one up for me. Christmas is just around the corner.

Of course, if you're a retail store, Christmas is already here, right next to the Halloween section (at least it is at Target and Hobby Lobby). Every time I walk past the artificial Christmas trees, ornaments, red ribbon and artificial poinsettias, my heart rate quickens. AHHH, the stress of it all!!

My 100th post and next giveaway is just 4 posts away. I'm hoping to work my way to it in the next week. With lots of hard work and procrastination of everything else I should be doing, I think I can do it.

46 Days Until Halloween

2008-09-14T19:56:00.016-05:00

My friend & neighbor, Michelle, loves Halloween.

She also loves Pirates of the Caribbean.

And Captain Jack Sparrow.

These pictures were all taken at her house.

Most of them, like the one above, were taken in her basement,

which is decorated in a pirate/dungeon theme (that's my nephew Nick, isn't he handsome?)

all year long.

Can you see why my kids might think that Michelle is the coolest Mom alive? That is Michelle's daughter, Olivia, lounging on the leopard chaise. You might remember that she was the only girl at Adam and Jacob's birthday party. That's because she can hang. At Jedi Training Academy this past summer, she whupped on ALL the boys. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating. Jacob is still nursing his ego.

This is not Michelle. I will post pictures of Michelle later in one of her award-winning Halloween costumes or maybe with her good friend, Captain Jack. Leave it to Michelle to meet and befriend a man who almost looks more like Captain Jack than Johnny Depp, in Kansas City, no less.

This is Michelle's Spooky Town collection.

Did I mention that Michelle loves Halloween?

We have a winner!

2008-09-13T18:45:00.009-05:00

Jen S., Congratulations on winning the Sweet Spot Blog Follower contest!! I don't know if I still have your address, so send me an email at kcaimee (at) gmail (dot) com

Sarah & Jennifer, I entered your names in the contest because I know you both tried to be followers but blogger didn't cooperate.

Thanks everybody for entering. Check back in the next few days because I'm working on my 100th post and I am going to commemorate that with another giveaway. How else am I going to get rid of all this stuff that is left over from my garage sale? Just kidding...I think.

I know, I know, Jacob REALLY needs a haircut. Thankfully I bought a Conair "haircut kit" from my Mom at our garage sale for $3. Poor Jacob. He has no idea that he's about to be used as my guinea pig (insert evil laugh).

It's a Giveaway! (a.k.a. shameless attempt at self-promotion)

2008-09-10T13:49:00.018-05:00

**UPDATE** Contest deadline extended to Sat., 4pm CT due to the fact that the "FOLLOW THIS BLOG" link has been playing hide & seek.

AND, I am adding some cool surprise stuff to the prize package! I'm having so much fun with this giveaway that I may do another one for my 100th post.

I'm having a tough week and I need some cheering up so I'm going to give something away, but first you have to do something for me. See that addition to my blog over there, just to the right of this post? If you click "FOLLOW THIS BLOG" before Friday at 1pm Central time, I'll enter your name in a drawing for this cute little notepad set and anything else fun that I find to throw in the envelope before I seal it shut. I'd love to know who's popping in on a regular basis and return the favor by visiting your blog in my spare time...that was a joke. I don't have spare time, in case you didn't read the post below. But seriously, the next time I'm blog surfing when I should be doing laundry, cooking dinner or saving the world, I'd love to pay you a visit, only I can't. Because I don't know who you are.

By the way, Shauna over at See My Designs will be giving my blog a makover very soon so keep checking back for my new look. I'm SO EXCITED!!

One last plug. I just realized that I'm really close to my 100th post and I've been working on a "100 Things" list in honor of that auspicious occasion. Lots of exciting stuff going on around here. Ok, so it's not that exciting, but whatever, I'm a cheap date!

Spicy Shredded Pork

2008-09-10T13:14:00.011-05:00

This picture of raw pork is for my friend Jennifer, who I barely talk to these days because she and I are leading parallel lives as Moms who work part-time AND try to do everything we did before we had jobs.

Ok, so here's the real story about the raw pork. I decided to make a recipe I found over at The Pioneer Woman's website. In case it turned out great, I thought I'd take pictures and possibly post about it. In my typical adult ADD fashion, I took the first picture and then forgot to take the rest of the series. Too bad I didn't because the recipe turned out to be one of the best I've ever made. It's called Spicy Shredded Pork. Just click here for the recipe and photographs of the finished product.

I did a few things differently and I just won't be happy until I mention them. First of all, I didn't use the optional brown sugar that The Pioneer Woman likes to use. Second, I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I cooked my pork in the slow cooker (a.k.a. crockpot) instead of in the oven. Lastly, after I shredded up the meat, I fried it in olive oil to crisp it up and served it as carnitas. Willie loves carnitas and you may recall from an earlier post that he doesn't hand out food compliments easily. Compliments are earned in the Ramirez kitchen, not given away freely so I am especially proud to say that this meal earned the Willie stamp of approval.

Jennifer really does like raw pork portraits, especially raw pork that looks like somebody threw up on it! So I'm posting this...just for her. I love you Jennifer!

Oops! I did it again.

2008-09-09T14:38:00.018-05:00

Once again, I find myself overcommitted.

Humor me while I think out loud for a moment...Hmm, let's see, so in addition to the general household and family responsibilities of being a wife, mother and owner of three dogs & one cat, I am now committed to the following:

Baseball Team Mom

4 year-old Preschool Teacher

Co-chair of Staff Appreciation Committee at sons' school

Library Helper for both sons' classes

Volunteer at PTA Clothing Center

Room Mom for Adam's Kindergarten Class

Garage Sale THIS weekend

You know those dog collars you can buy to cure a dog of annoying barking? If you're not familiar with the premise of these devices, basically, they deliver a small shock whenever a dog barks. My newest money-making strategy involves an invention that is designed to cure myself and all the other women out there like me. It's a device we will wear when answering the phone, attending PTA meetings, staff meetings etc., etc. A shock will be delivered whenever we say the word, "yes". It would probably work something like this:

Except that I'm not this skinny...

Strange Dancing Man

2008-09-06T17:05:00.006-05:00

I have LOTS more to post, but I'll just get this out here for now. I've been SO busy trying to be the queen of multi-tasking, but I'm failing miserably. More later...

Check out this goofy guy. He was entertaining us with his "moves" while I discreetly filmed him for your entertainment. If I ever got around to cleaning pictures off my card so there would be more available memory, I'd have even more funny videos, but I am bad about that. Really bad. There are pictures on my card from over 2 years ago.

Coming Soon...a new post

2008-09-04T14:18:00.002-05:00

My blog has been sad for too long. I'm working on something fun. Check back later!

In Memory of Joseph

2008-08-23T14:47:00.003-05:00

I don't know Joseph or his family, but that didn't seem to matter today when I read his blog and found out that he died on Thursday. It still hurt and it still made me cry.

As my life was changing this week because my baby was starting kindergarten, another mother's life was changing because she lost her baby.

I'm hugging my boys a little tighter today and praying for Joseph's family.

So much to blog about, so little time...

2008-08-20T15:33:00.017-05:00

As my baby heads off to kindergarten this year and I cut those apron strings, I am also trying to cut the apron strings that bind me to this computer where I waste WAY TOO MUCH time. That is why I haven't gotten around to posting about all of this important stuff...until NOW!

A lot has been going on around here. My baby turned 6 and headed off to kindergarten, all within the last two weeks.

These pictures (and video) are from Adam's actual birthday. He chose to go out to eat at Texas Roadhouse, a.k.a. the peanut restaurant. He loves the fact that you can crack peanuts open and throw the shells on the floor. I messed up the video because I started out filming sideways before I remembered that I needed to turn the camera around, plus Adam is sitting on a saddle and I completely cut that out of the video. One of these days I will master the use of my new camera. Shortly after I do, it will break.

1st day of (all-day) Kindergarten

Adam was so excited for his first day. He walked into the school ahead of me with his big brother and friends as I struggled to keep up. Then, when he got to the door of his room, he waved, said, "Bye Mom!" and walked right in. I had to remind him that I was planning to come in and take a few pictures. After snapping a couple of shots, I turned to go, but not without looking back for just one last glance at my big boy. Adam was looking up at me as though it was finally hitting him that THIS WAS IT and I was really leaving him here...ALL DAY! That slightly uncertain look on his face was all it took to send me blubbering into the hallway. I promptly went to my minivan (yes, I still have the minivan) where I called my Mommy.

1st day of 3rd Grade

These 3 have been friends since kindergarten. I take their picture together every year on the first day of school. Dang, my kid is tall!

Those are "J"s made out of Skittles, in case you were wondering. Jacob doesn't like chocolate so he had a separate lemon cake. Adam's name is spelled out in mini M&M's.

Even Willie couldn't resist a good sword fight.

Diet Coke, Mentos & plumber's butt - ya gotta love that!

These are pictures from the dual birthday party. My boys' birthdays are 2 weeks apart so they opted to have their party together. Each of them invited just a few friends over for some backyard fun and grilled hot dogs. There was weaponry everywhere in the form of water balloons, water pistols, Nerf dart guns & foam swords; in other words, it was a boys' paradise (and our lone girl in attendance, Olivia, liked it too!). The night ended with a sleep (aka no-sleep) over. This was one of the easiest and cheapest parties we've ever done and oddly enough, according to Jacob and a few of his friends, the best one ever!

Vacation All I Ever Wanted, Vacation Had To Get Away

2008-08-10T08:10:00.030-05:00

I wanted to be Belinda Carlisle from the Go Go's. She was so b%tch*n'!

80's flashback fadeout.

On to the here and now:

Vacation planning in the Ramirez household became something of a comedy this summer as we settled on one destination after another, changing our minds on almost a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. First we toyed with Puerto Rico, then we were definitely going to the Florida panhandle, next we were headed further south in Florida, Anna Maria Island to be specific. Next was Gulf Shores, Alabama. Then, we took a U-turn (geographically) and decided to visit family in Ruidoso, NM. When my Grandma in Arizona ran into some medical trouble, we briefly thought of changing our plans and heading to Phoenix, but she wouldn't hear of it so we were on again with Ruidoso. Then, for various reasons, we ended up going back to Table Rock Lake for a couple of days instead. Still Waters was all booked up so we rented a campground cabin in Kimberling City.

Dear Santa, Thank you for the portable DVD players. They make road trips so much more bearable. Note, I did not say pleasant. I just said bearable.

Although Santa also gave Jacob a portable DVD player, he decided to see how long he could ride and "do nothing". Can I just ponder once more, as I often do, how amazing it is that two children can come from the same parents and be so different!!

Before we got to Table Rock Lake, we had to make a stop here. You may recall that I can't drive past one of these places without stopping. This was Willie's first time...He was a Russell Stover Outlet virgin. He got a little nervous when we walked through the door and I immediately grabbed a shopping basket. He had a lot to be nervous about.

This entire chocolate smorgasbord cost just $21.99! Do you understand the magnitude of that? There are TWENTY-FOUR Whitman's Chocolate Sampler boxes here! I have to admit that we actually even consumed some of this chocolate BEFORE the picture was taken. We consumed LOTS more after the picture was taken.

My boys love candles as much as their Momma does! I just love that.

Jacob was on my cell phone, talking to his buddy back in Shawnee, finding out which teacher he'll have this year for 3rd grade. Placement letters came while we were gone. I think he looks so grown-up in this picture.

And look at this cute little monkey...can you believe he's starting kindergarten? I can't.

What? We aren't doing anything!

The location of our cabin worked out well because it was right next to the marina, where we rented a pontoon boat for the day.

Once upon a time, there were two little boys. One boy loved boating.

The other boy...not so much. In fact, he hated boating. He cried when his parents made him ride in a pontoon. He cried so hard in fact, that everybody in the marina was staring at him and his mean parents as they boated away from the dock for a horrible day of swimming, tubing, ice cream and snacks. Apparently the little boy forgot how much fun he had the last time he went boating.

I'm just keeping it real people. If you don't like it, write your Congressman! Funny thing about this is that when we told the boys to pee in the lake, we meant for them to jump in and go about their business discreetly. But, that just wouldn't have been as much fun, I guess.

After a while, the little boy started to like boating, but just "barely" and just because there were marina stores where you could pull up on your boat, hop out and buy ice cream...because he didn't get enough chocolate. Neither did his Mommy, or his Daddy, or his brother. They were on vacation after all.

Doesn't this remind you of Gary Coleman saying, "What you talking 'bout Willis?" in Different Strokes?

The little boy was definitely not going to ride on the Sea-doo.

Well, maybe just once...

or twice.

Fortunately, by the end of the day, the little boy who didn't like boating now LOVED boating, only he didn't want to ride pontoon boats anymore, he wanted to ride the "fastest ski boats in the world" instead!

We were all exhausted after a full day of boating, swimming and sun. I REALLY didn't feel like making dinner so we went out to eat at a diner in the marina. I wish I had taken a picture of this, but I didn't. All around the restaurant (and I use that term loosely), we spotted ziploc bags full of water stapled to ceiling beams, hanging in front of windows, doors, etc. Our waitress told us the purpose was to repel flies because they are frightened away by their reflection. Upon returning home, I did a quick google search and found another explanation. Seems that when a fly sees the bag of water, his eyes mulitply the bags and gives the flies the impression that there is a wall of water in front of them and they will not cross it. Whatever the reason, it seems to work for some people. I may have to give this a try.

Filling our boat up with gas and saying good-bye to the lake the next day.

We couldn't let our leftover pancakes go to waste so we fed the fish and turtles who hang around the dock waiting for people like us to come along.

Worms are fun...if you're a boy.

I think I'll leave you with this shot of a trout heart. Melody, the owner of the trout park, cleaned and de-boned our fish so that Willie can cook them on the smoker. She showed the boys how, when the heart stops beating, you can massage it to get it beating again. My boys dug right in and took turns "resuscitating" this trout heart. Future heart surgeons, perhaps? I don't mean to be gross by posting this. I just found it so fascinating and it was hard to tear myself away from watching this little miracle being performed over and over again.

Look what happens when you feed fish on a trout farm...TROUT GONE WILD!!

Look what I won!

2008-08-01T13:15:00.005-05:00

Kelly over at Happy Shack Designs has a giveaway every other Friday. I've been entering for a while and today I won these pretty pink baubles!

Slow Cooker Pork Chops & Red Potatoes

2008-07-23T16:22:00.025-05:00

***UPDATE***
He said, "it's ok". Do I know my man or do I know my man?!!!

I found this recipe online. It looked easy and I happened to have all the ingredients so I made it for dinner tonight. Not that either of my children will like it. Unless I can find a way to disguise the pork chops as chicken nuggets and the red potatoes as french fries.

It tastes pretty good. Willie hasn't tried it yet because he's still at baseball practice. I'm placing my bet that his response will be, "it's ok", because that's what he says about most of the stuff I cook, especially boring meat and potato dishes, which are some of my favorite to make. It doesn't help that his Mom was a wonderful cook...and housekeeper...no pressure.

It was very easy to make; another reason my family probably won't like it.

I'm such a A Year of Crockpotting wannabe...

A Good Book

2008-07-22T10:57:00.022-05:00

One of my very favorite things to do is curl up with a good book and read for hours at a stretch. I used to hide under my covers at night with a flashlight so that I could read until late at night undetected by my Mom. Now that I'm all grown-up, I no longer hide under the covers, but I still stay up late reading. I did that last night. Willie, if you're reading this, I promise that I will stop reading, blogging, swimming, etc. and clear a path in the office sometime this century...

Disclaimer:

This book will not help you have better Abs in 30 days.

It will not help you define your political views or educate you about the Middle East crisis.

It will not strengthen your relationship with your spouse or the Lord.

The fact that it was strictly shallow and fun entertainment without trying to make me think too hard or improve myself is probably the reason I was hooked after reading the first page:

"I was in the fifth grade the first time I thought about turning thirty. My best friend Darcy and I came across a perpetual calendar in the back of the phone book, where you could look up any date in the future, and by using this little grid determine what the day of the week would be. So we located our birthdays in the following year, mine in May and hers in September. I got Wednesday, a school night. She got a Friday. A small victory, but typical. Darcy was always the lucky one. Her skin tanned more quickly, her hair feathered more easily, and she didn't need braces. Her moonwalk was superior, as were her cartwheels and her front handsprings (I couldn't do a handspring at all). She had a better sticker collection. More Michael Jackson pins. Forenza sweaters in turquoise, red and peach (my mother allowed me none - said they were too trendy and expensive). And a pair of fifty-dollar Guess jeans with zippers at the ankles (ditto). Darcy had double-pierced ears and a sibling - even if it was just a brother, it was better than being an only child as I was."

Excerpt from Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I was an only child. My sister and brother are actually half siblings (my brother refers to himself as my "brother from a different mother") so we didn't grow up together. I love them like "wholes", but I still got the only child experience growing up. My boys don't know how lucky they are to have each other to beat up on, blame stuff on and make fun of their parents together.

There was no way my Mom was going to fork out the kind of cash the 80's trends required so I didn't have any Forenza sweaters, only cheap knock-offs. When I started working at Ross Dress For Less at the age of 16, I finally scored a pair of "imperfect" bleached out Guess jeans with zippers at the ankle. I wore them with my white high-top Reeboks every chance I got. My skin was pale and my hair would only feather with lots of curling, coaxing and Aqua Net.

I was lucky to be able to perform a perfect somersault, much less a handspring. I actually had the kahunas to try out for cheer in the 9th grade. My girlfriend Dae Foti and I were both totally lacking in coordination, but we somehow convinced ourselves that we had the right stuff. The try-outs were nothing short of a total disaster for both of us and we laughed so hard at ourselves all the way home that I swear I almost peed my pants. If only I had those try-outs on video...It's good to be able to laugh at yourself. I can actually still do the moonwalk, but I would have gladly traded that skill for a Forenza sweater...

So, leave me a comment...I want to know how many and what color Forenza sweaters you had, did you have a pair of Guess jeans with zippers at the ankles? Did your skin tan and your hair feather easily? Can you do the moonwalk? How many siblings or were you a lonely only too?

Random Summer Stuff

2008-07-18T13:19:00.008-05:00

Sleeping Beauty with the much-loved, "Ducky".

Adam in full catcher's gear, ready to take the baseball world by storm!

Jacob and Adam being cheesy after clay class.

Adam displaying his clay masterpieces...such a serious artist.

Jacob and his clay masterpieces

Pool Stunts - Help!

2008-07-18T12:40:00.007-05:00

Anybody know how to flip videos around so they're not sideways? I've tried everything I can think of...Help!

Check out Jacob doing a flip from the HIGH DIVE no less!

And, not to be outdone, here's Adam demonstrating "The Mullet".

Crock-Pot Giveaway

2008-07-18T11:44:00.006-05:00

Go here to enter a Crock-Pot Giveaway sponsored by "A Year of Crockpotting".

I made Vietnamese Chicken in my green machine the other night and I have to say that it was pretty darn good; even better, it was EASY!

And the Winner is...Ruby?!!

2008-07-06T18:26:00.005-05:00

Willie got out some of his Hot Wheels collection today. The races were on and Ruby was ready for action.

Boys will be Boys...Part Two

2008-07-05T15:14:00.014-05:00

My two little pyros, posing patiently with their fireworks, thinking to themselves, "Hurry up Mom, I gotta get my hands on a punk!".

How I can be Safety Suzie all year long and then relax my standards on the 4th of July just doesn't make sense, but it's all in the name of fun and we really are pretty careful. I'm bummed that I didn't take more pictures of our 4th of July. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to be burdened with the camera.

Before ignition...

After ignition...

Ouch!

Boys will be Boys

2008-07-03T09:48:00.005-05:00

I apologize for the personal nature of this post. My children just brought me a gift in the form of a frozen undergarment. At least they didn't freeze my favorite pair:

Birds & the Bees

2008-07-02T19:03:00.008-05:00

Excerpt from a conversation that occurred in my van today...

Adam (almost 6 years old): Mommy, do you have to get married before you have a baby?

Mommy: Thinking to myself, do I give the long answer or the short answer, remembering that my almost 9 year old son is also present, listening intently to my answer and will likely extend this conversation into dangerous territory if it gets too interesting.

Yes.

(Not entirely true, I know, but it's something to strive for, dontcha think?!!)

Adam: How do people NOT have babies before they get married?

Mommy: Who wants to get ice cream?!!

Jello Cake

2008-07-01T17:19:00.003-05:00

This is a big summer favorite at my house. It's super easy and your kids will think you are a rock star if you make it for them. Just make a yellow or white cake from a box mix. Then, take a 3 oz. box of Jello and mix it with one cup of hot water. Poke holes in the top of the cake while it's cooling and slowly pour the jello mixture over the top of the cake, allowing the jello to fill up the holes you poked. With the cake in this picture, I actually used both blue & red jello so there would be two different color stripes. Let the cake cool in the fridge overnight or for several hours and then top it with Cool Whip. Another yummy variation is to use a lemon cake with lemon jello.

My Love Affair with the Crockpot

2008-07-01T16:35:00.016-05:00

My crockpot was a wedding gift from one of my favorite people, Carol (crazy Carol to those who know and love her). Willie and I were married in Las Vegas, but living in Wichita, KS at the time. No joke, Carol lugged this thing to Las Vegas and we in turn, lugged it to Wichita on the airplane, along with my wedding dress, bouquet, and several other large gifts and wedding items. That was an experience, let me tell ya! If we tried to do that today, the airline would probably charge us a small fortune, but back then, they were very nice about it.

When we first received this crockpot, I thought it was so huge that I would never use it, but now I have a love affair going with this sexy green pot and it has been used many times to make some wonderful meals...enchilada meat, Italian chicken, barbecued country style ribs, etc. (some not so wonderful ones too, in all honesty).

A Year of CrockPotting is a blog written by a gal named Stephanie who proclaims to have an unnatural obsession with her crockpot and made a New Year's resolution to use it every day in 2008. Today when I made my daily visit to her blog, I found out that she is going to be featured on the Rachael Ray show on 7/23! I will definitely be tuning in.

These are two of my favorite cookbooks. If you want to use your crockpot more often, but aren't a fan of recipes with a million ingredients you've never heard of, you'll love the recipes in these books.

House Guest

2008-07-01T15:08:00.009-05:00

We are dog-sitting Riley while his family vacations at the Grand Canyon and in Las Vegas. He makes a very cute temporary addition to our animal menagerie, don't you think? Yes, there is a puppy underneath all that fur. I'm going to dust mop the floor with him later. Don't call the ASPCA; I was just kidding!!!

Below are some pictures of our permanent residents; Rocky, the stray cat who adopted us and now runs the household, despite my sworn disdain for cats, Max & Ruby, named after the cartoon characters, and Peanut, the elderly tenant who has tested our patience from the very first day we brought him home, 14 years ago!

Max is kind of a camera hog, isn't he?

FFF - Summer Lovin'

2008-06-28T01:37:00.013-05:00

Summer Lovin' is the Favorite Foto Friday theme and so far our summer has been all about Star Wars, baseball and swimming.

T-stance (a.k.a. bowing to your partner before you try to whack the snot out of him with your light saber)

This was the last night of Jedi Training Academy where the boys performed choreographed fight scenes with their partners. After the show, there was a free-for-all on stage. Jacob and Adam did not let this opportunity pass them by. I did remark to Willie that I wasn't sure why I paid good money and drove several miles three times a day for my boys to go to a camp and fight each other when they will gladly do this, free of charge, at home, no gas expenditure required.

My two little Jedis had to take a break from the fighting to laugh.

Melee! Getting Daddy in on the act.

Jacob got his baseball autographed by Ramon Ramirez, Kansas City Royals player #56. He gave the boys pitching tips at a baseball clinic.

#16 for the Shawnee Mission Storm, contemplating his next turn at bat (or debating whether he should get an Icee or a snow cone after the game).

The cute coach on the far left is my handsome hubby. I am SO proud of these boys.

Player #7 for the Shawnee Royals

Returning from a "victory run"!

Congratulating the other team on a great game. Although score is not kept at the t-ball level, Adam insists that Jacob, Mommy or Grandma keep score at his games, just like at his big brother's games.

The boys on Adam's t-ball team are already sliding into home plate...and 1st base, and 2nd base and 3rd base...any excuse to get dirty and show off all at the same time. You gotta love these dirty little boys.

Jacob and some of his friends doing a group jump at our neighborhood pool.

Too bad I didn't have this picture back when the FFF theme was "Jump"!

Adam will do anything for a laugh and often makes me laugh without even trying!

Click on this picture to see it enlarged so you can check out the silly look on Adam's face.

COMING SOON...Ramirez family vacation...August 2008

Location yet to be determined. Anybody want to donate a timeshare week and/or free airplane tickets?!!!

Karen's birthday

2008-06-23T12:32:00.003-05:00

The whole crew

Aimee & Michelle

Karen (she really was SO surprised!)

The birthday princess!

Last night we had a surprise birthday party for my friend, Karen who turned 23 (right Karen?). I know I'm being a really boring blogger lately, but other than to say that we had a great time, I'm fresh out of words and the pool is calling!

Great book!

2008-06-21T23:28:00.004-05:00

I just finished this book last night and I loved it. It's a fictional account of the life of Dinah (from the book of Genesis). Seriously, if you haven't read this book, you should. If I could have, I would have read it in one or two sittings like I used to do B.K. (before kids).

On another note, for all my praying friends and family who visit the blog, please keep us in mind over the next few weeks as we search our hearts and local churches for a new place of worship to call home. We are members of a local church, but have felt conflicted for a while now about whether it is the right place for us. Tomorrow I am visiting a different church in the area. We could really use your prayers. This is very difficult for us because we have all developed strong ties and friendships at our current church (and feel like traitors for looking elsewhere), but just don't feel that it is meeting the spiritual needs of our family.

Incredible Alien Man & Batman

2008-06-18T14:56:00.004-05:00

Jacob and Adam are enrolled in a Jedi Training Academy day camp this week. At camp, they construct a light saber from PVC pipe, foam pool noodles and colored duct tape. Then they learn defense and attack moves. At the end of the week, the kids will put on a show where they stage a choreographed battle so the experience is comprised of acting, weapons, fighting, contests, snacks and prizes. It's a boy's dream come true, if you ask me!

Each day there is a theme and today's was, "Dress up like your favorite superhero". Well, at the age of almost 9, Jacob really isn't into traditional superheroes and none of our costumes fit him any longer. So, we got creative...(be sure to read Jacob's shirt).

Father's Day

2008-06-18T14:46:00.003-05:00

We had a pretty quiet, low-key Father's Day. The boys and I gave Willie a digital photo frame all loaded up with family pictures, plus a few songs he likes. I think we liked it more than he did. Guess I'll go with the beer and dancing girls next year!

Actually, a pretty interesting incident occurred on Father's Day, but I'm not allowed to post about it, so I'll just leave you hanging with that!

Green Cowboy Boots

2008-06-08T11:55:00.006-05:00

Adam is a boy of many talents.

I know it's pretty obvious (NOT!!), but just in case you're having a hard time figuring it out, they are green cowboy boot, heart & footprint sugar cookies. Despite their questionable appearance, they are oh so good!

Ramblings of an Insomniac

2008-06-07T04:51:00.013-05:00

We have had some pretty amazing lightning and thunderstorms this week. On Tuesday, lightning struck a petroleum tanker. Isn't this an amazing picture? During Monday's storm, the boys and I were driving home from an appointment when I saw lightning strike an electrical pole right in front of us. The traffic signal went out for a second and then flickered back on...scary stuff.

Check out these gorgeous flowers I got today from my Dad and Vickie. They just bought a house in Arizona and will be moving there soon from California. Now, when we go visit our Arizona peeps, they'll be there too....one stop shopping - YAY!!

Random picture of Tori Spelling that I thought I'd throw in for fun. This looks like something that would happen to me. I just heard about a 90210 spin-off show that is supposed to air in the fall. I was a huge Beverly Hills 90210 (or ho, as we used to call it) and Melrose Place fan so I'm sure I'm sure I'll be tuning in to check it out. It's supposed to be about a family who moves from Kansas to Beverly Hills.

I don't usually have trouble sleeping, but tonight (or should I say, this morning), I find myself roaming the house looking for trouble. My Mom came over tonight and we all played a game of Uno Attack. I should have noted the time when we started because I'm sure we played this one game for over an hour. It was a marathon session lasting so long that Adam quit at one point. He had us all cracking up because he had a ton of cards (object of the game is to get rid of cards) that he kept hiding in different parts of the room, making the game last even longer since he had to retrieve them each time it was his turn. Even though the boys were wiggling, wrestling and generally driving me crazy at points during the game, it was really fun. Tonight made me realize that I don't take enough time to just sit down and relax with my family.

Memorial Day Weekend at Table Rock Lake and Branson

2008-06-02T12:56:00.016-05:00

At long last, I am finally posting about our trip to Table Rock Lake and Branson. We stayed at an awesome place called Still Waters Resort. I highly recommend it for families. It's a little expensive, but there are so many amenities on the property that it's well worth it. You can use paddleboats and kayaks for free, there is a great playground, a market where you can get pizza, really yummy brisket sandwiches, etc., and best of all, there are 3 pools on the property. One of them is an "Island Oasis" with a waterfall you can swim under, zero depth entry and these amazing outdoor bed loungers.

The Track in Branson - When we each said what our favorite thing was from the trip, mine was "Wild Woody". I don't have any pix from it because I was busy driving...like a maniac. The last time we did Wild Woody, I got off and told Willie we better make a run for the parking lot because there were probably some other drivers who wanted to kick his $%# due to the fact that his crazy wife was crashing into them. Hey, I'll pretty much do whatever it takes to entertain my kids, or myself for that matter!

After riding Wild Woody with his psychotic Mommy, these go-karts were way too tame for Adam.

I just love this picture of my boys.

I was a wimp and opted out of getting wet this time. The last time we went to Branson and I rode these bumper boats with the boys, I was soaked afterward.

Table Rock Lake is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The lake is very clean and even clear in places. It is just so calming and peaceful. I would love to have a 2nd home there...in my dreams!

I really suck at taking action shots. After multiple tries, this is the best I could do. Jacob's feet coming out of the slide and Jacob's head poking out of the water after coming down the slide. Photography will never be my claim to fame.

Celebration City - Adam and I just stood by, taking pictures and discussing how completely off their rockers Jacob and Daddy were for getting on this ride. I don't know if you can tell it from the pictures, but a storm was rolling in and the sky was beautiful. Shortly after Willie and Jacob got off this ride, a massive storm hit and we had to go inside to wait it out. Luckily it blew over quickly and the rides started back up a couple of hours later. It cooled everything off and the rest of the night was perfect.

These pictures were taken at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery on the last day of our trip.

We had to go here before we left town to buy these:

I highly recommend getting yourself one or two.

Adam, get into character and make a scary face...

School's out for summer!

2008-05-31T12:38:00.008-05:00

Look at what some mischievous kids did to the fountains in our neighborhood to commemorate the last day of school. I know I'm getting old because after my initial thought which was how funny it was, I thought of how, if the kids keep doing this, our homeowner's association fees are going to go up...it's sad to get old.

This reminded me of the time my girlfriend, Dae Foti and I dumped a whole bottle of shampoo in her neighborhood jacuzzi late at night, turned on the jets and then had a blast jumping into the huge mass of bubbles. Does anybody else remember Dae? She was so crazy and fun. I really missed her when she moved across town and went to a different school.

Table Rock Lake...heaven on earth

2008-05-20T20:33:00.009-05:00

Our last family vacation was almost two years ago (July 2006) when we went to Table Rock Lake (pictured above).

I don't know why we didn't go anywhere last summer, but we have never had a vacation dry spell that lasted this long. That is all going to change on Friday evening when we hit the road for Branson/Table Rock Lake. This time we're going to Silver Dollar City and we're staying at a cool place called Still Waters Resort so we are sure to have a blast and I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Eating crow

2008-05-20T20:23:00.005-05:00

I owe Archuleta an apology. He did an amazing job tonight and I'm sorry to say, I think our Kansas City boy, David Cook, is going down tomorrow.

On a completely unrelated note, after May 30, I will no longer be an employee of the school district. My summer of unemployment is just days away...YAH BABY!!!

Random thoughts and pictures

2008-05-19T18:32:00.013-05:00

My baby graduated from preschool! It's hard to tell, but that's a graduation cap on his head. Isn't he the cutest thing? He got to hold the flag while they marched down the aisle to the stage and it was such a great moment. I don't have a picture because I was filming him on our outdated video camera which is not digital.

This is my 14 year old dog, Peanut with my two year old dog, Max. I don't talk about Peanut a lot because he's old, he stinks and he goes potty in the house. He also has lupus which means that the skin around his eyes looks pretty gross most of the time. For those of you who have known me a long time, you know how lucky Peanut (The Destroyer) is to still live with us. These days, he's a pretty pathetic creature who just follows me around, occasionally falls down on the kitchen tile and can't get back up by himself and half walks/half falls down the stairs in the mornings. I don't think he'll be with us much longer. Max will probably miss him the most.

It's hard to tell in this picture because it's so dark, but this is a scene from our Saturday night camp-out on the trampoline. Adam (the strange little man in tie-dye) likes to wear my shirts to bed, thus the fashion statement. One more editor's note...that's a pretzel in Jacob's mouth, not a cigar! The first time we camped on the trampoline, we woke up and came inside because it was sprinkling on us. This time, I couldn't get comfortable and Max kept moving around so I woke the boys up and we came in around midnight. Willie had the right idea...he cleared out around 10:00.

BEFORE

AFTER (That's the ceiling fan sticking out from behind my head)

Jessica Simpson I am not, but I think the haircut turned out pretty cute. The bangs aren't very obvious so I might need to have her cut them more the next time around. In case you're wondering what those red bumps on my neck are, well, so am I. I'm wondering if it could be poison ivy.

I have gained back several pounds...I don't know how many because I refuse to get on the scale until I know the results will be better. I don't need a scale. I can just look in the mirror at my chubby face to see that things are going downhill real fast. So, I am getting serious again starting RIGHT NOW!! Tonight while I watch Intervention and tomorrow night while I watch American Idol I will be working my little heart out on the elliptical machine. Feel free to call and check up on me to be sure I'm not lounging on the couch instead. Although I may just answer the phone and breathe heavy to psyche you out...

I don't regularly watch American Idol, but David Cook is from the Kansas City area and I'm really digging his rocker style. I hope that little punk David Archuleta falls hard (no offense if you're an Archuleta fan but he really gets on my nerves). If you haven't seen Intervention, it's a reality show where they follow addicts (drug, alcohol, food, shopping, video games, etc.) and pretty much document what losers they are. Then all their family members gang up on them in a hotel room for an intervention where the addict is confronted with the choice of going to rehab right that moment or having their friends and family members turn their backs on them. My favorite Intervention episode is one where this lady has an eating problem. Her whole day is scheduled around fast food runs. I feel a kinship with her, especially after cleaning all the fast food wrappers and cups out of my van today. I think I need an intervention.

Me and my Dad

2008-05-14T15:37:00.008-05:00

I haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately, but I know it's boring to keep coming back and not find anything new so here's a quick post.

This is a picture of me and my Dad. It is, in fact, the last picture that was taken with my old camera before it was dropped, I mean broke, may it rest in peace.

My parents were divorced when I was two or three years old and I grew up living with my Mom. I look nothing like my Mom...she is a petite woman of about 5'1" with small features and I am a 5'6" Amazon in comparison. My feet probably outgrew her shoes before I even graduated from elementary school. I bet people used to wonder if I was adopted. Well, here's a mighty convincing picture of whose DNA dominated the gene pool when I was created!

And the winner is...

2008-05-04T21:56:00.006-05:00

Grand Prize Winner:

Cheri with "A Splash of Brandi"

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

"Brandi On The Rocks" by Soliloquy

"Brandi's Whine" by Don

and of a similar title,

"Brandi Whine" by Jennifer G.

Cheri, Jennifer G., Soliloquy and yes, even Don, let me know what color(s) you want in your bracelet. I've decided that the grand prize will be a toggle bracelet and I'll make cute stretchy bracelets for the honorable mentions. Fair enough? Soliloquy, this should be interesting since you're an anonymous blogging entity...hmm, let me know if you keep a post office box with a pseudonym for just such purposes.

Last but not least, I am excited to announce that Brandi is the winner of a FABULOUS blog makeover to go with her FABULOUS new name. This makeover was awarded by the very talented and generous, Fabulous K!! Hey Miss Fabulous, let me know which colors you'd like because you are also going to receive a bracelet...

If you like any of the beads pictured, let me know. Otherwise, just give me a color or color scheme and I'll come up with something. Email me here: kcaimee at gmail dot com

Back in business

2008-05-04T11:25:00.005-05:00

Look what I got today for my birthday...my boys and my man rock!!! I also had an incredible birthday dinner last night. Willie made ribs & chicken on the smoker and they were to die for...seriously, they were restaurant quality or better. We had my Mom and some friends over and the night was complete when I whipped up strawberry margaritas and my Mom brought over a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake. I love birthdays! Mine is actually not until Tuesday, but Willie has to go out of town for work this week so we celebrated early. Not that I'm done celebrating. The boys and I will be eating out at least once and possibly several times while Willie is gone.

Brandi is Missing In Action at the moment. As soon as she turns up, I'll announce a winner of the "Name Brandi's Blog" contest. And, now that I have a camera, I can take pix of some of the beads our winner can choose to have in their custom bracelet. That will make you party poopers who didn't enter the contest jealous...

The entries are...

2008-05-03T09:08:00.002-05:00

I promise I haven't been dragging this contest out just to be dramatic, but now that you mention it, the suspense is making it more fun and the entries keep rolling in! Seriously, the last two days of my life have been a total whirlwind (and I mean that literally...I'll get to that in a later post). So, here are all the entries so far. If you don't see yours here, let me know.

Life Through My Lens - Jennifer R.
Imagine That - Jennifer R.
Brandiland - Jennifer R.
Brandi Straight Up - Jennifer R.
Brandiliscious - Shellie
Brandi's Whine - Don (Cheri's DH)
Brandi's Word Smith/ - Soliloquy
Brandi: WordSmith - Soliloquy
BrandiBlooms - Soliloquy
BloomSmith - Soliloquy
Bloom n' Rooms - Soliloquy
Brandi On the Rocks - Soliloquy
PhotoBouquet - Soliloquy
BrandiNames (get it? Brand Names) - Soliloquy
Brandi-On-The-Rocks - Soliloquy
Spittin' Image of Who I Used to Be - Soliloquy
I Know I Left Me Here Somewhere - Soliloquy
Brandi Schmandi - Shauna
Brandi Schmandi Smith Schmith - Shauna
Bloggin' with Brandi - Wende
A day in the life of Brandi - Wende
NAME BRANDi Blog (or leave blog off too- get it- name brand jeans, name brand blog) - Wende
The best of Brandi & the boys - Melanie
Smith Stories - Melanie
Have a Drink with Brandi - Casey
A Splash of Brandi - Cheri
Brandi And The Babes - Jennifer G.
Brandi Whine (no offense i thought it was funny) - Jennifer G.
Brandi And The Fam (or Family) - Jennifer G.
That Brandi - Jennifer G.
Yours Brandi - Jennifer G.
My Heart Is My Family - Jennifer G.
Handy Brandi - Aimee (hey, it's my contest, I can enter if I want to)
Stone Cold Fox - Aimee
Red Hot Smokin' Brandi - Aimee

I'm overwhelmed with all of this creativity and I want to steal some of these for myself. Maybe we should all go into business selling blog names...hmmm...now my wheels are spinning. Ok, back to the contest. The new deadline is tonight, Saturday, 5/3, 8pm Central time. I will announce a winner shortly after that, and possibly a runner-up or two.

Smith

2008-04-30T17:51:00.003-05:00

For those of you hard at work trying to win a fantabulous bracelet, I have just received approval from Brandi to release her extremely unusual last name - Smith.

The blog name entries don't have to include Brandi's first or last name by the way. It might help get the ideas flowing if I told you that Brandi is very creative and talented in the areas of photography, floral design and home decor. In fact, one might call her, "Handy Brandi"...oh, did I just enter my own contest? Yep, I think I did!!

A winner will be announced on Thursday so keep entering those great blog name suggestions until then.

It will be your loss...

2008-04-29T13:31:00.003-05:00

For all you lame people who haven't yet entered the Name Brandi's Blog contest, it will be your loss. The winner will receive a handmade bracelet in colors of their choice and it's going to be one of the BEST bracelets I've ever made. So, if you want a crack at winning my masterpiece, pay Brandi's blog a visit, get your creative juices flowing and send me your entries via the "Comments" section of this post. No entries will be accepted after midnight tomorrow (Wednesday).

For more of Sarah's wedding pix, go here to see the professional photographer's pix.

Would somebody kindly come over here and remove the Cheetos from my pantry before I gain back every pound I've lost?

Wedding Pictures

2008-04-28T13:35:00.014-05:00

Sarah's Matron of Honor sent me pix last night. Here are a few of my favorites:

Rehearsal at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park

Getting Ready

Heading downstairs in the elevator

Waiting for the limo. The tourists loved us.

I now know what it feels like to be photographed by the paparazzi.

All lined up and ready

Sarah being escorted to the altar by my Dad and Vickie (my Stepmom)

There was lots of kissing...at a wedding...go figure.

Mr. & Mrs. Dodson

Mr. & Mrs. Ramirez

The reception was held at a historic 5-story townhouse on the Upper East Side called The Astor House

Congratulations Bret & Sarah! If you didn't get enough and want to see more, go here. Scott & Jen, who were both in the wedding, posted pix to their website. Let me warn you...there are some not so flattering pictures of me...you might get scared and run away...just keeping it real!

Only 3 More Days To Enter

2008-04-27T12:41:00.002-05:00

My contest to Name Brandi's Blog will end on Wednesday. The entries so far include:

Brandiland
A Splash of Brandi
Brandi Straight Up

What else have you got? Don't forget that the winner will receive a handmade bracelet in the colors of their choosing. I just got some new beads the other day and they are so cute. If I had a camera, I'd show you...

I'm back

2008-04-27T12:33:00.002-05:00

I'm back, but in a bad mood and don't feel like posting because there aren't any pictures to share. Why not? You might be asking yourself. That would be because my camera broke on the first day. I took exactly two pictures before it broke. Not to worry because my friends and family will take care of me by sharing their pix, but for the moment, they're all still in NY so no pix...

I'm in purse heaven

2008-04-24T18:09:00.003-05:00

Forget about the red purse. I'm in New York, New York and there are purses on every corner. For a purse addict (which I admittedly am), this is like being an alcoholic and having margaritas served on every corner (which would also be a problem for me)!!

Gotta go people. This is costing 20 cents per minute. This town is EXPENSIVE!!!

Is it a keeper?

2008-04-23T16:06:00.006-05:00

Before I rip the tags off this purse I just bought for $16, I need some affirmation. Is it a keeper? It's not real leather and I'm kind of a purse snob when it comes to that, but something about this purse is drawing me in. Am I wrong? I should tell you that the red is actually a bit darker than it looks in the picture.

For those inquiring minds who want to know if I was able to scrub away my botched tan, I am happy to report that lemon juice and peppermint foot scrub pretty much did the trick. I'll need to do some more scrubbing again tonight, but I think I'll be presentable in time for the wedding.

What happened to your feet Mommy?

2008-04-22T16:39:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to be tan like the bridesmaids from Arizona & Hawaii...

2008-04-22T16:34:00.006-05:00

Wish me luck...

2008-04-22T16:30:00.002-05:00

I searched the internet for "How to remove self-tanner". These are my options...If one of these don't work, I may have to resort to Clorox wipes, as suggested by one internet guru...Ugh!! Actually the Neutrogena, "Build-a-Tan" is what my helpful neighbor suggested that I SHOULD have used.

Brandi Needs a Makeover

2008-04-20T16:04:00.010-05:00

Actually, Brandi's blog needs a makeover, but wasn't that a catchy title? Brandi is definitely not in need of a makeover. She has amazing style and I love to copy her hairstyles, home decor, etc.

It is my mission to win a blog makeover for Brandi and as a result, I have been entering different contests this week while I should be focusing on household pursuits. Willie can and will gladly confirm this. My latest effort to get Brandi "made over" involves giving a shout out to an amazing blog designer and person with all-around good taste. Her blog is called Fabulous K and it has been on my list of links since the beginning. She posts about fun things related to blogs, fashion, home decor, you name it. So, go visit her and if you think about it, while you're there, tell her that Brandi needs a makeover!!

Lastly, when, and I do mean when, not if, Brandi wins this FABULOUS makeover, she will need a new blog name. I have only managed to come up with dorky titles that she probably won't go for such as, "3 Dudes and a Chick", "Red Hot Smokin' Blogger Chick", "Stone Cold Fox Blogger Chick", and my favorite, "Jacked Up On Mountain Dew". You can see why I'm no help to Brandi in this department. Please comment with your blog name suggestions. The winner will receive a handmade bracelet in the colors of their choosing. Just click on "COMMENTS". It's not hard, I promise. No sales person will call, your identity will not be stolen and your computer will not develop a virus. It's just a comment people.

April 25

2008-04-17T13:33:00.006-05:00

This is my baby sister, Sarah, and her fiance, Bret. After seven years of dating, they are tying the knot next week at Central Park in New York City. I refer to Sarah as my baby sister because she is all of 24 years old, compared to my...well, never mind how old I am. You just need to know that she is my baby sister. My life is so crazy sometimes that even though I've been planning for this day for over a year, it is just now hitting me that my baby sister is getting married!!! What do you want to bet that I'll cry?

By the way, Sarah thinks I am the only person who reads her blog. Go see her HERE now and prove her wrong!

7 Things

2008-04-16T15:01:00.018-05:00

Jennifer tagged me and I'm supposed to list 7 things you may not know about me. I think I've managed to come up with a few that may surprise you.

I was born AND married in Las Vegas.

I really wanted two boys. Girl children scare me. If I were going to have another child (but I'm not), I would want another boy, seriously. I'm not just saying that. It's fun being the only girl in the house. I'm not afraid of bugs, I like camping, I can take a fish off the hook when it's caught and now I even love baseball. My destiny is sealed and I couldn't be happier.
Speaking of the number 7, I went to 7 different elementary schools when I was growing up. My Mom was an Army brat who grew up and couldn't stop moving.
I once dressed up in a chicken costume for $50. My Grandpa used to sell chicken fryers to grocery stores and he had me dress up for a grand opening in Tucson, AZ. If I can find a picture, I'll post it later.
I really, really love spinach with red wine vinegar. I actually crave it sometimes. One of my roommates in college, Susan, used to get so grossed out from the smell of it in our tiny dorm room. She used to cook white rice all the time and eat it with soy sauce. I thought that was kind of gross, but it didn't stink like spinach with vinegar.
When I was a kid, I used to want to go to boarding school. I perused the back of my "Young Miss" (now called "YM" because "Young Miss" was apparently too sexist) and "Seventeen" magazines for boarding school advertisements and daydream about the adventures I'd have with my cool, rich boarding school friends.
I'm pretty good at changing flat tires and I can even do it fast, if necessary. One time, I was in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road with one of my girlfriends when she got a flat tire. This was before the days of cell phones so she was freaking out and I just said, "Do you have a spare?". She watched in amazement as I changed the tire and had us on the road again in no time.
BONUS: I cried when Elvis died.

I'm not tagging anyone because I'm already behind on my own tags (Love Story, remember?) and I don't want to contribute to somebody else's stress.

Future Dentist?

2008-04-14T23:07:00.003-05:00

The other day, we sent the boys to their rooms for a little quiet time. When I checked in on Adam, this is what I found him doing. He was so intent on his work. The changes I have seen take place in this little monkey over the past few months are nothing short of amazing. I just want to SQUEEZE him!!!

Road trip

2008-04-14T20:20:00.021-05:00

First stop on the way to Oakley, KS...the Russell Stover Factory Outlet!! I didn't want to stop but Sarah begged me...seriously, it was embarassing. She almost cried. How could I say no? I had to buy a bunch of stuff just so she wouldn't feel like she was the only one buying something. It was a sacrifice, but I'd do it all over again, just for her...

You might be in the bible belt if you see something like this...

And then a few hundred yards down the road, you see this...
The real reason for our 700 mile round trip to Oakley, KS...My baby sister, Sarah flew out from Arizona so we could visit our Great Aunt Janet in western Kansas. She is my role model for growing old gracefully. At the young age of just 97, she rarely, if ever, complains about her aches, pains or ailments. It's not because she doesn't have them either. She is a classy lady and I'm blessed to have her in my life.

Posh bathroom at the upscale resort we stayed at in Oakley. Please take note of the vintage retro design, very hip indeed.

The sparkly cottage cheese ceiling in our upscale hotel room. And here I was going to scrape the popcorn ceilings in our house and re-texturize them. Now I have a new plan that involves me, a few margaritas, and a spray can of adhesive glitter...

On Sunday, after we returned from our Thelma & Louise road trip, we hung out, had lunch at Cheeseburgers in Paradise and shopped. Sarah and I scored at the Ann Taylor Factory store while Willie was a total sport and hung out with the boys...I just love that man of mine.

After we took Sarah to the airport, Willie and I went back to T.J. Maxx with the boys (they were excited about that, let me tell you) and got matching KC Royals shirts for our family. We are going to be total dorks at the games this season and I LOVE IT! I also got a cute throw pillow to match our new family room curtains. If anybody sees these at their local T.J. Maxx, let me know because I need two more.

Blog Makeover Contest

2008-04-13T10:55:00.002-05:00

Shauna of See My Designs is doing a makeover give-away contest. Get over there NOW and enter!

My sister is visiting from Arizona right now so I'll be back later to post about the fun we've been having.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

2008-04-08T13:40:00.014-05:00

In case you live on another planet (or anywhere but Kansas!), the KU Jayhawks won the NCAA championship last night and in our part of the world, that is big news.

Adding to my sports fever, the KC Royals have their home opener game this afternoon.

But even better than all that, do you love my blog makeover or what?!!! Shauna, I don't know how you work your magic, but I love that you do.

Sorry my posts have been so spotty and short lately. During baseball season, we eat, sleep and breathe baseball because Willie coaches Jacob's team and assistant coaches Adam's team. I get the busy job of being Team Mom and yes, it's an official title designated by the 3&2 Baseball Club of Johnson County, and rightly so for all the work it entails.

Getting Crafty With One of My Girls

2008-04-05T18:31:00.008-05:00

This is what Jennifer and I did yesterday while our kids played outdoors in the sunshine. It was a perfect afternoon. Prior to taking this time for ourselves, I was stressed because of all the other things I felt like I should be doing. Afterward, I realized that it was just what I needed.

Two years ago, I told Jennifer I was going to make a bracelet for her birthday. I purchased some turquoise beads with the best of intentions and then I proceeded to sweat blood and tears over trying to design the perfect bracelet without actually producing anything. Now that Jennifer's birthday is approaching again, I decided to invite her over to play with my beads and make her own birthday bracelet so that it would be exactly what she wants. The bracelet on the left is what she came up with and look, it's almost a perfect match to some earrings she already had! The bracelet on the right is what I came up with.

Flip-Flops - a Fashion "Must Have"

2008-04-01T14:08:00.014-05:00

I saw these at DSW Shoes when I was shopping for "nude" shoes to go with my bridesmaid dress. Since the bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding is pink & green, I'm wondering if I can convince Sarah that these are THE shoe to go with our dresses. What do you think?

Yeah, I know, the greens don't match and since the pink in the dress is really more muted than it looks in the photo, the pinks don't match either. It's just that I typically limit myself to flip-flops from April to September.

Do you know how hard it is to find strappy "nude" shoes?!!! This is as close as I could get. They're not really nude. Kind of a champagne color. There's even a hint of gold, but it is very understated and not gaudy gold. Do you love how they somewhat resemble a flip-flop? I do! Can I get some input from the fashionistas who read my blog?

Blogging's Good For Your Health

2008-03-31T23:14:00.002-05:00

I don't need any justification, but if I did, here it is...

Stop looking here...click on the link...it's orange...it's above this sentence.

14.6 pounds

2008-03-29T12:10:00.007-05:00

There are 14.6 fewer pounds of me in the world today. At Weight Watchers, every time you reach a 5 pound mark, you get a sticker to put on your bookmark. These tiny little stickers are what motivate me to order chili and Minute Maid Light Lemonade instead of a single cheeseburger, fries and large Dr. Pepper when I take my kids to Wendy's and stare longingly at their kids' meals.

When I weighed in this morning, I was wearing a hoodie because somebody forgot to tell the weather in KC that spring has arrived. The lady who weighed me in asked if I wanted to take off my sweatshirt since it probably weighs a pound or more. Unfortunately I didn't have a shirt underneath so I declined. That's actually a good thing since the delayed gratification of having to wait until next week for another sticker will help keep me on the straight and narrow for the next 7 days.

Focus Group = Dinner Out Tonight!

2008-03-28T16:18:00.008-05:00

I discovered focus groups years ago when I signed up with a company called Fieldwork Phoenix. Since that time, I have earned money by giving my opinion about BBQ sauce, participating in a mock jury and other stuff I can't remember. Jacob even earned a video and $50 for watching a Rubbadubbers cartoon and giving his opinion about it when he was 3 or 4 years old. It was pretty horrible, by the way.

When I moved to KC, somebody told me that I should sign up with Hallmark to participate in their studies since the corporate headquarters is located here. I did and sure enough, I got picked for a focus group and made an easy $80 today for just two hours of my time. This was the most lucrative and also the funnest (is that a real word?) focus group I've done so far. I can't tell you what we talked about because I've been sworn to secrecy and if I told you, I'd have to kill you.

I got tagged by Wende to tell "Our Love Story", but before I do, I need to find the cord to my scanner so I can insert pix from the dating phase (definitely pre-digital). Check back and hopefully I'll get to it this weekend.

Easter

2008-03-23T23:00:00.006-05:00

These pictures are actually from the day before Easter. I didn't do such a great job with the camera today. It was a great Easter, right down to dinner with entertainment provided by Adam. The Easter Bunny brought CDs for the boys; Kidz Bop 13 for Jacob and Alvin & the Chipmunks for Adam. While we waited to start dinner, Adam announced that he "had to get something" and ran upstairs to return with his CD player. He plugged it in right next to the table and popped in Alvin & the Chipmunks, for our listening enjoyment. I think the Christmas songs were my favorite.

Spring Break, Part Two

2008-03-23T21:57:00.036-05:00

*Because I have a brother, I always have a friend.

*I borrowed this great line from the Uppercase Living Idea Catalog. Curious? If so, click HERE, then choose Customer Corner Login and register using Brandi's Demonstrator ID: 750516 and Registration Token: Smith

Guitar Heroes

Jacob woke up at 2am this morning and was so excited about the Easter Bunny coming that he couldn't go back to sleep until 6am. This would explain why I am so sleepy and this post is so short. Wichita was relaxing and fun. We played Guitar Hero, LEGO Star Wars, bounced on a trampoline, played outside in the sunshine, hung out with great friends, saw penguins at the zoo, ate pizza and went rollerskating.

By the way, Brandi, when your little K-man is feeling better, could you send me some pix of the roller boys?

Brandi, Tim, Kadyn & Kamden

2008-03-19T08:00:00.012-05:00

The "How You Live" song track isn't working again so I'm giving a shout out to my Dad by putting his favorite song back in the #1 position. Enjoy the tunes Dad!

The boys and I are driving to Wichita this morning to visit the Smiths for a couple of days. We're hoping to go to the zoo because Wichita has one of the best. Brandi and I met about 11 years ago when Willie and I lived in Wichita. We worked together at Koch Industries with some really great people in the Recruiting department. I have such fond memories of this time of my life. We worked some long hours, but we always managed to have a good time. Brandi, remember throwing Skittles over the top of the cubes and hitting Jim Mason on the head while he was talking on the phone? Peter Heyer (need I say more, other than just mentioning his name)?!! Going to Tanner's after work and sneaking the shot glasses out in our purses? The Safety Dance? Deciding where to go for lunch every day was an adventure we looked forward to?

I am so blessed to have a BFF like Brandi. She is kind, loyal, supportive, generous and very fun to hang out with. Back in the old days, neither one of us had kids, but now we both have two boys. Kadyn, (almost 8) & Kamden (almost 3) are now my boys' BFFs. Not to be forgotten is Tim, Brandi's husband. Tim is the icing on the cake to this friendship. You know how sometimes you have friends you adore, but you could pretty much take or leave the spouse? Well, that is not the case with Tim. He is one of the funniest, nicest guys I've ever met. He's also a great Dad who loves playing with his kids and what's not to love about that?

Spring Break, Part One

2008-03-18T11:30:00.005-05:00

These are my boys with the girls from next door. They went swimming with us on Saturday. Anybody foresee trouble in our future with these cuties living so close by?!!

Yesterday we went to Dave & Buster's, but I forgot my camera. We also did a little shopping at one of my favorite stores, Gap Outlet. Afterward, Willie asked the boys if they wanted to get ice cream or coffee. Adam chose coffee. At least we ordered decaf...

Old Man Winter Isn't Done With Us Yet

2008-03-15T09:54:00.010-05:00

This is what we woke up to on this fine March morning. Remember the river being built in the sandbox? It is now a snowy gulch. Looks like Jacob will have to pack those shorts away for another day.

I forgot to mention yesterday that we have officially begun SPRING BREAK!!! For months, we have been dreaming about, talking about and surfing the internet for the perfect Spring Break family destination. We have talked about it so much that when one of Jacob's friends asked him where we were going for spring break, Jacob answered, "I'm not sure, but it's going to be either a beach or a cruise". Willie and I both happened to be present for this exchange so we looked at each other in amazement and tried not to bust out laughing because the truth is, we are not leaving the state of Kansas. Guess we forgot to explain that to our children.

While I am a little sad that our plans didn't materialize, it is for good reason and I am not complaining. Remember how I said that Willie is very private? Well, he wouldn't let me do a proud post about his new job so if you want details, you'll have to ask him. The new job starts this week, which means Willie is out of commission for Spring Break. Our new plan is called "Tour de KC & Wichita". With that in mind, today we are trying to decide between seeing a movie, "Horton Hears a Who", swimming at an indoor pool, or Kaleidoscope. I'm leaning toward the pool. Doesn't it look like fun?

Spring is in the Air!

2008-03-14T14:26:00.026-05:00

The lemonade is free and so are the cookies,

but as the sign says,
"Donations are optional"!

Sidenote: The reason Adam looks mad

in this picture is that I had just caught

him trying to pee in the bushes out front

and made him go inside to use the "proper facilities"!

Planting canna bulbs with Peanut's supervision

Yes, Peanut is STILL alive & kickin';

he's over 14 years old now.

He probably went back inside and peed on the carpet

shortly after this picture was taken, just to taunt Willie.

Last fall, Willie & Adam dug up the canna bulbs and stored them in the basement. It was amazing to see how much they had multiplied. By next fall, when they dig them up again, they will have multiplied even more and we'll have lots to share. If you are local and want some, let me know. Wait till you see how huge and beautiful these things are.

No, it's not really warm enough for shorts and bare feet,

but that never stops Jacob.
In an effort to not look like the worst

Mom in the neighborhood,
I did ask him to change out of the

tank top he originally had on.
I mean, come on, it's not even 60 degrees outside!

Making a river in the sandbox

Sowing their wild oats and breaking the
"2 people on the trampoline at a time" rule!
What's a cracked head or two amongst friends?!!!

Look out Tiger Woods; here comes the Adam-Bomb!

My day lilies are starting to poke their heads out of the ground.
Now, if I can just keep the rabbits and squirrels from eating them. I think I'm going to try fox urine this year. No joke, it's really supposed to work!

Experiencing the season changes is one of my favorite things about living in the midwest. Spring is always a big hit, and that is especially true after the winter we've had this year. Today it is beautiful outside, but in true Kansas fashion, there is a chance of snow tomorrow morning.

Sorry for neglecting the blog. I can't be taken for granted, you know! I think I've kept you all in suspense long enough. My big news is that I got a new job! I am going to be a 4 year-old preschool teacher at LUMC Preschool. I gave my notice at the school district, but I'll probably stay until the end of the school year since I don't start my new job until fall. I'm a little nervous about this new part-time career choice, but I've been teaching preschool classes at church on a volunteer basis for a long time and I've had lots of great mentoring. Hopefully the Lord has prepared me well and I'll be a blessing to the children and families. My heart is really in this, and it should be, because I'm certainly not doing it for all the money I'll be making!

One more update...when I went to Phoenix back in February, I got a little off track with my weight loss efforts. I didn't gain, but I didn't lose for several weeks. I finally, guiltily dragged myself back to Weight Watchers this week and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had lost a little bit more weight for a grand total of 11.1 pounds! I didn't make my exercise goal last week so no pedicure...but, I'm not letting that get me down. I'm back on track, exercising and eating healthy again.

Name Game

2008-03-05T15:43:00.005-06:00

I copied this fun game from Shauna's blog because I love my Nascar name (see #7)!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Terry Sienna
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Pralines n' Cream Flip Flop
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Blue Dog
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Denise Las Vegas
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Ramai
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Green Dr. Pepper (I swear I didn't copy you Shauna; you already know I LOVE Dr. Pepper!)
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Elton John - My Nascar name rocks!
8. STRIPPER NAME (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Amarige Kit Kat (Oh yeah, that's a good one too!)
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Gallagher Gilbert (Gallagher might have been 6th grade. I have a rotten memory. Cheri?)
10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Daisy
11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing rightnow): Pineapple Slippers
12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Pineapple Protein Shake Pine

Feel free to address me by any of these names, but preferably Elton John or Denise Las Vegas!

I have news to post in the next day or so...stay tuned (and no Cathy, I am not pregnant!).

Willpower, don't fail me now!

2008-03-03T16:18:00.015-06:00

~The elliptical machine I LOVE to HATE!~

~Piece of Art, Picture Frame Thingy~

Shellie from Get Strong. Stay Strong. had a great idea. She suggested setting a goal this week and rewarding ourselves if we are successful. My goal is going to be NOT to cancel either of my two work-out sessions with Bridget this week and to squeeze in at least one work-out on my own between now & Friday on our elliptical machine. This probably doesn't sound too difficult, but I have the willpower of Jello when it comes to working out. My reward is going to be a pedicure. I really need to achieve this goal. My toes are begging for some attention. They feel neglected. No, seriously, it's been over three years!

In addition to exercising some willpower when it comes to exercising and eating better, I have also been trying for a while now to exercise (why does that dreaded word keep popping up?) more restraint when it comes to shopping and impulse purchases. The other day I went to One Stop Decorating to FINALLY order a curtain rod for our family room and I saw the awesome piece of art, picture frame thingy or whatever you want to call it that is posted above. Oh man, I wanted it bad. They offered to take it right down off the wall and load it up for me, but I said, "NO"! I did however, take this picture, hoping to convince Willie that it is the perfect focal piece for some unknown destination in our house (FAT CHANCE!).

By the way, and this is totally off topic, the reason I don't say a lot about the love of my life, Willie, is because he is very private and blog-shy. I think he lives in terror of me revealing some really personal thing about him on my blog. Hard to believe, I know, but sometimes I am kind of an open book.

How Girly Am I? Apparently not very...

2008-02-28T16:57:00.008-06:00

I am 40% Girly

According to the results of this blogthings quiz, I am a pretty hardcore tomboy, and a very free spirit. Gender roles be damned, I like to do things my way. (As opposed to people who don't like to do things their way - huh?)

How Girly Are You?

I used to be A LOT more girly...hey, what can I say? I have boys! My poor husband...

Check out some of the quiz names from the blogthings website. Who thinks of this stuff - a 13 year old girl? Are you a spicy chica? Are you pregnant? What does your latte say about you? What kind of panties are you? Ok, I might have to take that one.

Boys and their Toys

2008-02-28T14:40:00.005-06:00

Adam just came out of the bathroom, flashed me and said, "I'm Underwear Boy and I have Pee Power!" I have to admit that I sometimes find myself thinking, "I wish I had one of those".

Let's talk about God

2008-02-26T13:41:00.010-06:00

After the last few shallow posts, I'm ready to test the waters with some deeper content. I'd like to start by posing a question that Adam keeps asking. I haven't been able to provide a satisfactory answer ("I don't know" doesn't cut it with him.) I'm hoping that one of you can help me out. I bet my PK (preacher's kid) friend, Cheri, will have a good answer!

Adam: If God loves everybody, then does he love Satan?

One of Adam's hobbies is to think up great ways to torture his arch enemy, Satan. When he gets on a roll, it's pretty hysterical and I bet he has Satan shaking in his boots!

Seriously, if anybody has a good answer for Adam, please post it in the Comments. I think I fixed my blog so that anybody can comment now and you don't have to be a member of blogger. If you post as "Anonymous", be sure to sign your name, that is, if you want me to know who you are.

Yesterday, I visited a blog website where a book was mentioned. I immediately went to half.com and bought it. It's called, "Letters From a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity" by Gregory A. Boyd. The reviews on Amazon are great and I can't wait to read it. I tend to be such a non-questioning (ignorant?) believer that sometimes when I am faced with a question about my beliefs, I feel very uncomfortable answering. I don't want to feel that way and I don't want to keep saying, "I don't know". I want to be able to bear witness about my Saviour in a more convincing fashion, perhaps even in a way that gets others excited about the possibility of learning more. Once I get a chance to read the book, I'll let you know what I think.

Another book I ordered, but have not yet received is, "Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot" by Max Lucado. Typing that reminds me I need to do a post about the origins of the title of my blog, and no, it's not from this book, but the title of this book definitely caught my attention because of my family's own special meaning for the term "Sweet Spot". I promise to post more about that later, but for now, I need to go play with my monkey.

Hot Border Sauce NEWSFLASH

2008-02-26T13:23:00.006-06:00

I went to lunch at Taco Bell today, big surprise. The orange packets and witty sayings have been replaced. The marketing geniuses at TB decided we want to see PURPLE packaging. And, instead of witty sayings that hardly ever fail to make me smile, there is now a cheesy website on the packet that directs you to Taco Bell's latest contest...very lame indeed. This will, in no way, affect my minimum quota of 1x per week lunchtime visits, but it really diminishes the "coolness" factor of Taco Bell.

These are a few of my favorite things (I mean foods)

2008-02-25T13:21:00.019-06:00

This started out as a copycat post about my favorite things (thanks for the idea Megan), but since I'm hungry, as I so often am, it evolved into a post about my favorite foods instead.

Enchiritos from Taco Bell. Taco Bell stopped making these a few years back and I wish somebody had video taped my reaction the first time I ordered one and was told they weren't serving them anymore. Sad, I know. It was truly a cause for celebration when they brought back the Enchirito, although the recipe is a little bit different now. By the way, you may have noticed, but probably not, that the olives are missing from the enchirito in this picture. A good enchirito has 3 slices of black olive on top and a really good enchirito has sour cream on it.

Taco Bell's Hot Sauce (the kind in the orange packet, not the red one and not the yellow one). I have always loved Taco Bell's hot sauce. Now that the packets have witty sayings on them ("Make a Wish", "Can I Drive?", "Ketchup, Puh-lease!"), I love it even more.

Ok, so I pretty much love almost everything on the menu at Taco Bell. When I was a kid and my Mom would tell me we could go anywhere I wanted for my birthday dinner, I'm sure it was an endless source of frustration to her that I would choose Taco Bell. And, not that this has anything to do with Taco Bell, but one year I told her I wanted an orange cake with orange frosting (remember that Mom?). I wish I could post a picture of that cake. My Mom put orange slice candies on the top as decoration. Thanks for that rockin' cake Mom!

I just thought of another Taco Bell story. When I was a college student at NAU (Northern Arizona University), there was a Subway next door to the Taco Bell. Subway delivered to the dorm, and as you might have guessed, Taco Bell did not deliver. I called Subway and offered the guy an extra $5 if he would deliver Taco Bell to us in the dorm. I wish I could end this story by saying he agreed and my craving was satisfied, but apparently he didn't need the extra money. Any other rabid Taco Bell fanatics out there?

Vlasic Kosher Dill Spear Pickles - One time my Dad mailed a jar of these pickles to me, from California to Arizona. Thanks Dad for the pickles and the memory that always makes me smile!

Dr. Pepper - I don't drink this anymore with my new healthy (a.k.a. miserable) lifestyle. Sometimes I really miss it. Yes, I have tried Diet Dr. Pepper. No, it does not satisfy my urges. I HATE diet soda!

The shrimp & chip platter at Pete's Fish & Chips, strawberry limeades from Sonic, salsa at Freddy's La Cabana, Doritos, Flaming Hot Cheetos...AHH, I'm so hungry!!

This post is turning out to be a form of self-torture. I have to go eat now!

Max

2008-02-24T12:13:00.010-06:00

This is one of my furry friends, Max. He is a 1.5 year old Cocker Spaniel/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix. Can you believe that the actual term for this mix is Cockalier - is that a crack-up or what?!! Max came to live with us after an unfortunate incident with a rescue dog which, if I relayed the story in its entirety, would convince you that I am not 100% "on" my rocker. Most people question my sanity when they find out that we have 3 dogs and 1 cat. My story about Sammy, the rescue dog, usually convinces them of what they already suspected. Yes, I am completely nuts and no, I don't recommend this lifestyle for the fainthearted, compulsively clean or even most sane people!

Obviously, I am a big animal lover. Willie indulges me in this passion, despite the fact that it requires him to drag the steam cleaner out way more often than he would like. I'm still working on a post about my super cool youngest son, Adam, and it might seem off-balance to post about my dog before I post about my son, but hey, I'm following my creative energies here!

Max is truly a boy's best friend. He is snuggly, soft, loveable, entertaining, and full of personality. Just one of the many funny things Max does is steal water bottles (full, half-full or empty) and chew them up. We have to be careful to not leave our water bottles out on the coffee table or Max will claim them. This morning, he discovered a whole flat of small water bottles in our laundry room and every time I turned around, he was trotting around with one in his mouth.

Who does Adam look like?

2008-02-20T14:21:00.002-06:00