Be gone, huge overgrown tree and nasty cedar bushes!
Now we have to get the landlord to purchase the agreed upon replacement stuff so we can get it planted!
Category Archives: House & Home
It’s fun putting outfits together.
I think I am most excited about being able to fit into boots. They’re wide-calf boots, but they’re boots. 🙂
The perks of Naturally Slim: dinner is pasta…and cheesecake.
Pasta with beef and shrimp…and Devils food cheesecake. 😯 :heart: :p
I don’t have go go gadget arms.
We could have had one of the kids take the picture, but this is more fun!
My new dress from Marcia!
This is one of the things Marcia bought for me. It was a “clapper”—on clearance with a coupon so it was like $15! And it’s a size 8! What?!
And then this happened. 🙂
Lunch with some Texas peeps at Ida Claire!
Ida Claire. Say it. Now say it with a southern accent. Listen. Bingo! I missed it the first few times, too. 🙂
This is Brad. He’s a Tivo peep I’ve known forever and met once almost 10 years ago. He’s lost 90# on Naturally Slim.
This is a delicious Bloody Mary. I learned I liked pickled okra. 🙂
This is Brad, me, and Smeek (Jeff). I’ve met him a few times before over the years but it’s always good to see him. He’s one of our resident foodies so he picked the place. I also got to try two of his fancy drinks. 🙂
And here’s a pic of me and Smeek from 2007 (that last guy is not Brad, unfortunately—it’s Peter):
Here’s Brad from that same weekend, just to complete the group flashback:
And my super delicious lunch. [Thinking about it now, days later, still makes my mouth water.]
Proof she practices what she preaches.
It didn’t take long to get used to eating with Marcia…but I did watch her. 🙂 This was the remnants of her brunch order this morning. I told her people would love to see this as proof that she does practice what she preaches. 🙂 (I didn’t take a picture of mine because I ate everything—but I just ordered one biscuit with sausage gravy and a side of bacon. And I may have had three bites of her hash browns. 🙂 )
Marcia spoiled me with a few birthday presents!
First we had lunch at the Neiman Marcus Cafe with her two daughters and the two employees who helped with the Facebook event. I actually introduced them all to the delicious wonder that is Green Goddess salad dressing (it came on two dishes and no one had ever tried it so I asked the waiter to bring a sample; they all loved it) and they let me in on the secret that the little cup the waiter brought was not tea, but chicken stock. Sounds odd, right? But it was DELICIOUS. 🙂 At dessert time we hoped for something chocolate and surprisingly they didn’t have anything! But! The waiter said “Let me see what I can do” and he came back with a huge slice of chocolate cake! (Turns out he got it from another NM cafe on another level.) Then the table sang Happy Birthday to me. 🙂
Then it was off shopping at the mall. I had complimented her daughter Candace on her gorgeous necklace and she said she actually got it at Chicos…so we headed there (I usually get something “big” as a souvenir instead of a tchotchke). So I was looking at all the jewelry and Marcia and her daughter were looking at clothes. I was trying to decide between pieces to just pick one and Marcia offered to hold them for me while I was looking…and I turned around and she was buying all three for me!
What?! I told you she’s awesome.
Then we walked around some more and we ended up at Sundance where Candace tried on a bunch of clothes. The stuff was way too expensive for me, but I tried on a few things for fun (I mean, that’s what you do when you’re out shopping with the girls, right?!). And then they both tried on this coat—which I had noticed and thought was cute but figured there was no way I would be buying it so why tempt myself—but peer pressure got me and I tried it on and it was SUPER cute…and Marcia immediately said “Excellent! I’ll get this for you, too! Happy birthday!” WHAT?! Holy crap. I told her she couldn’t but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I now own this coat. And, actually, all three of us now own that coat!! 🙂
And then it was off to get all our nails done…another birthday treat! I opted for a basic French manicure. I forgot how much I LOVE them…
And then it was off to dinner at Gloria’s Latin Cuisine with Marcia, her daughter, and another coworker/friend! It was delicious, and I enjoyed a strawberry margarita and fish and brisket tacos for my birthday!
On the way home, Marcia said (paraphrasing) “I was going to get you dessert and have them sing happy birthday, but they get crazy with it so I changed my mind.” See? LOVE HER.
You may also recognize this locale.
They also shot videos in her back yard, though the place she was sitting was just off camera to the left and she said the camera was about where the dog is.
Guys. GUYS! It’s THE kitchen!!
So, it’s just as gorgeous in person…but I think it actually looks a bit smaller. The camera must work magic.
I have to say it was very surreal to be in that kitchen—and especially so when making my H2OJ in the morning (I tried Marcia’s pre-mixed strawberry banana but I didn’t like it!) and going in the pantry for Crystal Light packets and insulated cups. Yes, I just made myself at home. 🙂
Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!
Upon the very first second of meeting Marcia at the airport curb, I could tell she was exactly like she seems in the videos—warm, welcoming, gracious (and I could go on and on with descriptors)—and we immediately started gabbing like old friends. We went to Bistro 31 in Dallas (where I had a mouth-watering spaghetti carbonara with scallops). It wasn’t until about 10 minutes in that I quick checked my email (while Marcia was in the restroom!) and saw my mom had said “So have you met Marcia yet?!?!” I had been having so much fun with Marcia that I hadn’t even taken a picture yet. ME! Not taking a picture?! Can you believe it? So when she came back I took our first selfie!
The time flew as we talked about anything and everything. It wasn’t as nerve-wracking to eat with her as I had thought it would be, and I did take home leftovers. 🙂
A peanut data point.
My package had 18.5 peanuts.
Happy early birthday to me!
It started out as post-swim lessons dinner but turned into my birthday dinner because Tom is sneaky. 🙂
We all really enjoyed it and we learned Katie doesn’t like caramel sauce and Owen’s favorite is hot fudge. (I was partial to the hot fudge myself, though the caramel was better all by itself.)
On our way out, the kids saw other kids getting their picture taken on the PF Changs horse so they had to do it, too. 🙂
Soccer moms in LuLaRoe!
One of my good friends, Linda, and I wearing our LuLaRoe leggings to soccer!
Miss Thing
Tom’s first car boo boo.
A rock hit his windshield on his way home last Friday and not only created a divot but also a 5″ crack. By the time we called USAA that evening the crack had grown to about 10″. By the time it was scheduled to get fixed today, it was halfway across the windshield.
The bad thing? It was estimated at $1000.
The good thing? We had a $250 deductible.
The bad thing? We had a $250 deductible.
The good thing? They come to you to fix it. 🙂
What’s a birthday celebration without a burnt cake, sloppy joes on the ceiling, and a toddler tantrum/early bedtime?
For a special treat, I decided to make a Tres Leches cake for Tom’s cake—I’d never made one before but it didn’t seem too hard and it was a Pioneer Woman recipe so you know it’s fairly easy and should be delicious. I’m talking from scratch here, people. Like whipping egg whites and making my own whipped cream. I set the cake timer for the minimum stated time…and it was obviously too long and the edges were burnt. GRRR. I always set the timer for 10 minutes EARLIER than the minimum just in case but not today. I trimmed them off and hoped for the best.
One of Tom’s favorite meals is sloppy joes so that was an easy dinner as well—and they were delicious. After dinner I got out the cake and poor Tom lit his own candle. 🙂
And then I excitedly tried the cake and MEH—it was nothing special. I think the cake was just too dry from being overcooked and I had only put the suggested two cups of liquid into the cake when I should have tried for more because of it being overcooked. Oh well. Tom liked it and the kids loved it but now I want to make it again and try for better!
So then we were clearing off the table and loading the dishwasher…when suddenly Tom trips and I see something flying through the air. WHAT THE…?! Turns out, it was sloppy joes. Yes, sloppy joe meat was all over the place. Tom’s flip flop caught on the edge of the gel floor mat and he tripped. The dishwasher door was fully open so he was violently trying not to fall into that so while trying to catch himself, he slammed his hand down on the kitchen island/stove…RIGHT on the spoon that was still in the sloppy joes on the stove…which sent sloppy joes catapulting across the kitchen and then, as Owen noticed minutes later…on the ceiling as well! Keep in mind we have like 10′ ceilings in the kitchen.
Maggie cleaned up all the chunks off the floor and I wiped up after her while Tom got out the ladder and wiped down the ceiling. Then it was a matter of looking around and discovering all the tomato sauce speckles all over the place…on the cake, on the stove, on the refrigerator, on the wall… Hoo boy. I’m sure we’ll be discovering them for days to come.
Of course, I posted about it on Facebook…and I love our friends:
So we got that cleaned up and then it was time for the kids to Skype with Uncle Rob (which had been temporarily postponed to clean up the mess). Well, Owen asked if they could put on their Halloween costumes to show Uncle Rob. GRRR. A simple request, right? Except they’d both been asking me ALL DAMN DAY to wear their costumes and I had already told them at least four times that I’d let them wear them before Halloween…just not today. So of course I was annoyed but agreed. Well, Katie had taken hers off like a kid does so it was completely inside out. She knows how to fix it, but she didn’t want to. I was still busy in the kitchen so was talking her through it—but it wasn’t good enough for her. She actually had it about 95% of the way fixed when she started stomping her feet at me. That’s never the answer, so she got a warning that she would be going to bed if she continued. She continued. So she got taken up to bed and she was a HOT MESS. (She really needed an early night—she hadn’t caught up from the late night when we had friends over for dinner plus being at the pool for three hours…)
So…HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOM! Burnt and dry cake, a kitchen mess, and a tantrumy toddler. What better way to celebrate, right? :heart:
Last day at the pool and saying goodbye to the lifeguards!
Labor Day has become a somewhat sad day at our house because it’s the last day the community pool is open. The kids love eating down there, but it’s bittersweet because we know the hot weather will continue and there will be no fun escape! Unfortunately, Tom wasn’t feeling that great, so he only lasted about five minutes before he went home.
Then I gave Owen the camera…
Katie found a mermaid tail and was in heaven!
Her second bag of chips!
Then one of the lifeguards came over and asked if he could take a picture with the kids at breaktime. Of course! What a sweetie. He would play football with Owen in the pool, always said hi to Katie, and always knew who we were. I emailed them to him right from the pool (I love technology).
Bring on the boots!!
It felt like fall this morning (65°) so I got out my boots (to go with a new outfit, as well)!!
Post-summer hiatus Saturday Night Dinner
After a summer hiatus, we had a back-to-school/Tom’s birthday Saturday Night Dinner!
Waiting for guests to arrive:
Putting together the new picnic table at the last minute:
Our guests!
Putting away the table:
Putting the kids to bed:
Painting 11 years ago…
Anyone recognize where this is? Yep, the two-story foyer in North Carolina.
Watching the first game of the season in style!
Grannie Lin and Papa sent these anniversary/birthday PJs—just in time! Love them!
If this had been the rainbow bear I might just have bought it.
And a size medium was pushing it. 🙂
Pirate’s Cove, Take 2, NO POOP!
We convinced Tom to take the day off work to come play with us!! We were there right when they opened, so I tried to take a bunch of pictures quick before the background was overrun with people!
Owen wasn’t thrilled with stopping to get his picture taken!
I even went down the slide!
A Pokémon gym was right at the entrance, so Tom took Owen over to battle!
I didn’t have my camera with me when we were closer, so this is a quick pic from the other side of the park. I even went down the red slide! (I have to admit, I was actually a little nervous at the top—I haven’t been on a slide in a long time—but it was fun!) We never did get Katie to go on it, which is a bummer because I know she would have loved it! (As it was, I had to practically BRIBE her to go down the little blue slide above—she wanted NO part of it. But once she did it, she loved it!)
So we had a nice, relaxing day…and best of all, there were no poop incidents!!
It was great fun…until someone pooped in the pool. Twice.
So earlier this summer I bought three afternoon tickets for Pirate’s Cove Water Park from a deal site—and we finally got around to using them today (which we had to since they close on Labor Day!).
So we get there at 3, get the bag unpacked, get in the pool, and within 15 minutes, it was announced that everyone had to exit the main pool and it would reopen in one hour. (They didn’t say it was poop, but we were 99% sure that’s what it was.)
Ugh.
The whole point of this place (for me!) is that Katie and Owen can both go in the main pool so I don’t have to be in two places at once—the big waterslides with Owen or the kiddie pool with Katie (and neither has to be bored sitting out at the other). So first we went to the kiddie pool where Katie had fun and me and Owen sat on the edge of the pool. Then Owen wanted to do the big waterslides so we went over there for a bit and sat and watched him. (Katie was tall enough but she refused to try them…even though they weren’t much different than the one she loved in Kalkaska.) Then we went back to the kiddie pool and left Owen at the slides.
The hour passes and everyone gets back in the main pool. Within, I’d say, 30 minutes, they announced the pool was closed again for 45 minutes! And this time I know it was poop because I saw a lifeguard get gloves on and reach down into the pool…and then as we were filing out, I saw little pieces of poop all over.
SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE? I know you want your little ones to have fun in the “big” pool but COME ON. Have some respect for EVERYONE ELSE. The world doesn’t revolve around YOU. 👿
So, to recap, we got there at about 3:05 and were in the pool until 3:15 and then we were in the pool from 4:15-4:45. So 45 minutes total—and they close at 6! So I told the kids to pack up, we weren’t staying, and I was asking for a refund. They were actually dealing with a few rainchecks as we walked out, so the guy didn’t even question me and handed me a voucher for three full-day passes! So instead of just an afternoon, we now had a whole day! If we wanted to try it again, that is…
Once you start something at the pool…
We often end up at the pool at the same time as our neighbors which is great because the girls like playing together. Today the dad came up with this new fun thing where he lifts them up (while they’re sitting on the floatie together) and then carries them around and splashes them down. Needless to say he had to do that for about an hour. 🙂
They love when I bring the waterproof camera!
It was back up to probably 98 and 85% humidity so we spent four hours at the pool today. The battery on the camera was running out after the first hour. 🙂
Then Katie wanted the camera so I coached her (again) on how to hold the camera so she wouldn’t get her fingers in the way… She does pretty well.
She never wants to practice floating when I want her to…so she just decides to do it whenever. I have to say it freaks me out just a little. 🙂
Little Mermaid Waiting
Katie’s twirling pool jumps
She loves jumping! Today she started doing twirl jumps!
At the pool again, waiting.
