It's Spring...

and that means one thing...

Today, Miles and I are going to register to play for the Y.  (Well, to register Owen and Miles, I will be the one screaming on the sidelines.)  They won't let moms play soccer, you know.  Why?  Well, because we would be so wildly competitive and completely freakin' awesome - it would be all people would want to do all day long is watch the moms playing soccer.  People wouldn't be able to go in to the office - they'd be at the soccer field, watching the moms.  The world would stop, watching the moms play soccer!  Duh!

Empty...

The comcast cable man came to fix our router - and after a week of no internet and absolutely no chance to blog, I am feeling a bit empty and lifeless.  This could be writer's block. 

So, until I can bring forth words, I leave you with this song - it is my current favorite and it is tearing me up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylxjeJcSazM

I need some of these...

Aren't they cute?  Where will I put them?  They match my kitchen perfectly with their white/black feathers and red waddles or guzzles or whatever that meaty material is that hangs from their necks.  Is that a waddle?

Sugar Wafer Valentines for 36 wild hyenas!

I have a thing for pretty cookies in cellophane bags.  Come to think of it, I think I just have a thing for cellophane bags.  Something pretty inside to eat is just icing on the cake (or on the cookie in this case!)

Here is what you need:
Sugar Wafers (Walmart's Great Value Brand at $2 for a zillion worked perfect)
White Almond Bark
Sprinkles
Cellophane Bags
Ribbon
Patience

First, shake off the cookie dust because for some reason there is a lot of it.  Then lay out your cookies in a convenient place to dip and dip fast.

Next, chop the almond bark and microwave in a glass bowl at 30 second intervals until nice and dippable.  This part wasn't exciting, so I didn't see the need for a photograph.

Next, lay out some parchment, tin foil or wax paper.  Start dipping, like this...

You like that, don't you?  And sprinkle...

Now just let them sit for awhile - try not to eat them all...  this proves difficult, especially for Miles and I.  See that little hand?

 
They should look just like this...

But just to be sure they are edible, you might need to have a taste...

Or two - gotta check for quality... small children will be eating these!

The absolute best part is when you have some leftover - for your own hyenas (and for a cup of Emperor's Bride Tea from The Tea Room!) 

Bacon Band-Aid Anyone?

No, I'm not kidding...

I think these are pretty funny, but at $8 a box, I left them at the store.  You can get your own bacon strips or pickles or pizza slice bandages at Kitchens on the Square. 

http://www.kitchensonthesquare.com/

Early Valentine's Day with Jim...

Seated at my very favorite place on earth (The Tea Room, of course) ... with my very favorite Valentine.

Love love love... even just the place settings make me happy!

And the best chicken salad sandwich on the entire planet...

Then off to Mabel Potter's Cupcake Emporium...

To have a Salted Caramel Cupcake...

And to salivate over the others...

Oh my...

Love this song...

Owen and his buds...

God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmTkXNpwzs&feature=related

In a world of four letter words, His name, 3 letters, stands powerful and tall.  

You might not even know you need Him.  You might not even know what you're missing.  That happened to me.  I didn't know I needed Him.  I went for years with Him, but not really with Him.  Sometimes you know you have a hole and you spend a lot of time trying to fill it with everything else.   

Suddenly, you find yourself standing in a church full of people just like yourself, and this powerful feeling comes over you, without a sound - and it is gratitude, and it is overwhelming - for your life, for your children, your family.  And you feel so undeserving and the feeling overtakes you.  It is then, as you stand there, that you say to yourself, I am blessed.  And you are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt0WluTpFTg&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=MLGxdCwVVULXeMqSehBHcezBjfLfOIBdmd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBAhvI0TRDs&feature=BF&list=MLGxdCwVVULXeMqSehBHcezBjfLfOIBdmd&index=7

Blast from the past...

Tretorns.  I love them.  I had a few pairs in high school - the canvas ones with pink swoosh, then came the pink plaid swoosh, and then as I matured, the leather whites with white swoosh.  (Matured - ha!  I still haven't matured!)  You can imagine my shock when, a year ago, at the Columbia Zoo, I saw this hip mom wearing them!  Then a few months ago, rows and rows of them appeared at Lands End!  It was destiny, I tell ya.  Unfortunately, Jim was with me - and he just doesn't quite get "destiny" and "blast from the past" and all of the warm & yummy happiness that comes from an old favorite pair of shoes - especially this latest new whim priced at $55.  Today, on sale, he liked my little whim lots better and they are mine!  I cannot wait to wear them - and gather a whole new batch of happy memories!

My absolute most favorite love poem from high school days...

One Perfect Rose
- by Dorothy Parker

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure with scented dew still wet -
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
'My fragile leaves,' it said, 'his heart enclose.'
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

Procrastination... and the Wildside

Sadly, I am a procrastinator, but before you go and stereotype me as lazy - procrastination has actually been an aid of sorts.  I come up with my finest ideas when I am procrastinating!  It's true!

Like right now, I should be making this massive tumbling mess of a peanut butter cup cake for my stepdad, but I just can't bring myself to start - maybe because I also need to be making Super Bowl snackies - sausage & cream cheese roll-ups, jalapeno poppers, yum yum yum... and then there are the avocados that need to be cut up for G-U-A-C-A-M-O-L-E-! 

(Did you know that you can sing GUACAMOLE to the tune of Hallelujah?  Go ahead and try it!  Isn't it fabulous?)  "G-U-A-C-A-M-O-L-E   G-U-A-C-A-M-O-L-E   G-U-A-C-A-M-O-L-E  G-U-A-C-A-M-O-L-E  G-U-A-C-AAAAAAAHAAAAA-M-O-O-O-O-O-L-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!!!!!!!!!!"  See?  Anyway, I love some Guac and have it on hand most (good and happy) days.  I put it on everything.  Chicken sammies, burgers, chips, Cheez-Its when I run out of chips, breakfast burritos, just really, most anything that isn't sweet, is a prime dipper for the Guac-ness. 

But... I realized I don't have my favorite handy dandy McCormick seasoning packet...

This really launches my favorite condiment onto a whole different level of goodness. 

So... since I don't have the seasoning packet, I go to Ree's (The Pioneer Woman - we're BFFs) website to get her recipe - when I happen upon this lovely thing... 

Blend-tec...  Hmmmm....  And since I've never seen a blender like this before, I had to do some research.... and sadly, now I need one...

Meet The Total Blender Wildside.  Oh yes, didn't even know this existed until today.  So the best thing I can do for myself is introduce it to you - and then we will both want one and for some reason that makes me feel so much better, since neither of us will probably get one at $439 buckaroos!  What?  Oh yes.  

Good luck.  If you do get one, don't tell me - I don't want to know.  Now on to that cake...