Dinner Guests

I'll bet you can't guess what this is the lid to!

OK...well if you read this blog on a regular basis...

I'd be shocked if you couldn't identify this lid.

...but just in case,

this is of course the lid to my

Grande Non-Fat Stirred Caramel Macchiato.

Mmmm, just the mention makes me kind-of crave one of these little delicious, creamy dreams right now...

but it is after 10pm and they're closed.

My love of these little cups of heaven is something that I owe to Dawn.

Yes, Dawn...I blame you for my obsession with these.

Prior to my introduction to them,

I swore that I DIDN'T like coffee.

Actually, I still don't...which is why I enjoy these so much.

They are made with a few pumps of vanilla syrup,

2 shots of espresso,

topped with milk (nonfat-my preference)

and caramel sauce drizzled on top and then stirred in.

There may also be some fairy dust sprinkled on top, but I'm not sure.

All I know is...they are delicious and a great way to start my days.

OK...enough rambling....to the point!!!

As a result of our frequent trips to our local Starbucks...

we (A, Had and I) have gotten to know a few of the baristas.

My children, being ever so friendly, always ask the name of the person at the window; and needless to say, we have befriended a few of them...and we have some favorites.

Ashley, Desi, Jay(son) and Lennox.

A decided this summer that we needed to have them over to BBQ...and since the summer was winding down...it was now or never (or at least next summer).

Cue to last Thursday.

The sun was shining, the weather was actually warm, and we had company coming for dinner.

This is the beautiful BBQ Chicken Salad that I decided was impressive, delicious and could be made while Had was sleeping so that I could actually enjoy the company of our guests.

After dinner, we all went out front to P.L.A.Y!!!

And play we did.

I'm not sure that Ashley, Jay or Lennox had any idea just how hard my girls can play.

Here is Had cheesin' it up in one of our trees.

Parched!!!

So much playing makes a girl thirsty

...and I love that she loves to drink out of the hose.

A, Had and Lennox got into a serious game of 'Hide-N-Seek.'

A was the 'seeker' and these 2 were the 'hiders'

If you look really close, Had's expression is too funny.

She was 'painting' Lennox's nose with a leaf.

What a good sport!!

This is Jay...

This is Jay in a tree...

This is Jay in a tree turning around to see me taking a picture.

Again, another good sport.

If you have been around my girls lately...you know that they L.O.V.E. to be spun around.

But I think there is something in the universe that makes moms completely unable to spin.

Heck, I can't even swing on swings without getting nauseous.

My girls take complete advantage of anyone that comes around and can spin them.

These 3 were NO EXCEPTION!

Here A is showing Ashley her abs.

Seriously, the kid has abs...like real ones.

That's it, enough situps and crunches...

I'm going to start skipping EVERYWHERE I go..

...I think that's her secret.

Jay's turn...notice how blurry and crazy Had's hair is.

She was whipping around like crazy.

She had so much fun.

Ash took A for a spin.

Again notice the crazy hair.

OK...enough spinning.

Time to swing.

One slight problem...

we don't have a swing in the front yard.

No problem after all...

we just turned A into the swing.

P.S. Notice the three cars lined up on the street...they belong to Ashley, Jay and Lennox.

And A knows what each of them drive and because of this...

knows who is working even before we've ordered.

A decided that Lennox's shoes were far too tempting not to try on.

Probably because 9 times out of 10, I'm in laceless Converse.

I know thrilling, huh? But I DO {heart} them.

So imagine A's eyes when she spotted these!

And Lennox has incredibly tiny feet, so these just about fit A.

It was a riot to watch her wobble, I mean walk, in them.

And here is the "Bunch!"

Ashley (left), Jay (middle) and Lennox (right).

And of course, A showing off for the camera...and Ashley begging A not to eat whatever it is that she may pull out of her nose.

She didn't! We were all relieved.

I know, Grandma Jill..you were just about to wretch.

We had a super fun dinner date with our Starbucks friends and look forward to doing it again soon. At least before December when Lennox will leave us to head to college. We'll miss her tremendously, and the notes that she jots down on my macchiato cups. But nonetheless, we're very proud of her...and know that we'll still be in great hands with Ashley and Jay (and Desi, too-even though she couldn't make dinner this time...maybe next).

It's kind of funny the places where we meet some of the dearest people and the impact that they have on our lives (even without knowing it).

My advice: "Don't be so caught up in your 'daily doings' that you miss out on potential friendships just waiting to happen (and in the most random of places)."

It's the Little Things....

It seems as though lately I am being gently reminded as to just how fragile life is
(and by gently, I mean knocked upside the head by a 2x4).
Delicately put, huh?
But seriously, in just the past week, I have been hit (not literally) 3 times (unrelated) by incredibly sad news.
And the first thought I had to myself was...
put your jammies on...and crawl back into bed (with my macchiato, of course) and just stay put.
Because before I had gotten out of bed, life was great (and there had been no bad news).
But then a thought occured to me...
I have to set an examply to my girls on just how to deal with tragedies when they occur(because they WILL occur).
So instead, I got up, got dressed (got my macchiato) and dealt with my days the best I could.
Doesn't mean I didn't sneak into a corner and cry a bit...
and it doesn't mean that I didn't share with A why I was sad...
but I still had to be a mom and a wife to my lovely family and continue on with my days.

I had a point with this...what was it again?
Oh yeah...

I wanted to remind each of you that in the big scheme of life (and all it's glory) it is the little things that matter most to those around you.

Some examples are:
-send a card to a dear friend who you don't get a chance to visit with as often as you'd like (heck, you could even sew her a cute little 'chemo' bag if you felt so inclined)
-get your husband's coffee ready the night before so that all he has to do in the morning is turn it on
-have breakfast and a cup of tea waiting for your kindergartner when she wakes up in the morning
...basically, if it would make someone smile...DO IT!!!

Here is what prompted this post for me:
Had and I stopped in at Starbucks this morning to grab a coffee (imagine that), and this is what was presented to me as I reached for my drink:

Our dear, barista, Ashley was working and when she heard me order through the speaker, she was inspired to do something small to make me smile...
...and it worked.
I had spent the morning in a little bit of a schlump and not really looking forward to what the day had in store for me...and Ashley's little bit of kindness completely changed my perspective on my day.

So for that, Ashley, I thank you...
as do my girls and husband too, Im sure.

The following photos are just some randoms that I have E.V.E.R.Y. intent of blogging about...
So consider these teasers:
My crazy girl going crazy...trust me it'll make more sense later.
It's getting to be that time...
and in the midst of trying to clean my house,
I did something very fun and festive with these...
oh yeah...
and I may have eaten a few, too.I can't wait to blog about the story behind this photo.
Look close at Had's expression...it's hysterical.
Just because I L.O.V.E my furry kiddos, too.
This is Ole the dog and Rueben the cat.
No, I didn't pose them...
...they really do love each other.

And finally...and pillow that I have made for the upcoming 'Junk Salvation' show.

Isn't it adorable? I love it..and may end up making another for myself...
...could serve as a great reminder in my living room that
it's the simple things in life that matter so much!

'Get it? Cause it's windy?'

Bags...packed
Phones...charged
Gas tank...full
Girls...buckled
...and away we go!

Road trip to Moses for the weekend.

Jas got a call a few months back that his 1997 baseball team was going to be inducted into the Big Bend Community College Hall of Fame as their inaugural inductee.
So we loaded up and made our way across the pass for a weekend full of fun.
Typically, A begins whining that she's bored and Had begins getting a little fussy by the time we cross over the Columbia River.
Not this trip...
A was in 'rare' form and has decided that she really likes to tell jokes.
Imagine for a moment the humor of a kindergartner.
OH MY!!
An example: 'What did the road say to the car?'
'You drive me!'

After some back and forth between A, Jas and myself...
she came up with this zinger:
{disclaimer-I thought long and hard as to whether to share this with y'all...but then I reminded myself that the point of this blog is to be honest with you and trust me...this is 100% honesty} 'What did the giraffe say to the clouds?'
I'll give you a minute...
What's your guess?
Ready or Not?
The answer: 'You blow me.'
Followed immediately with 'Get it...cause it's windy.'
After the initial shock wore off... ...I was doubled over laughing so hard.
Obviously a very innocent and logical punchline,
but I couldn't help it, my mind wondered somewhere dark for a moment.
And since, I laughed so hard at that she continued to follow up each joke with, 'Get it? Cause it's windy.'

Here are a few of my favorites from the car ride.
'Why did the banana get the job?'
'Cause he had 'a-peel?'
'What did the tree say when it was time to go?'
'Gotta leaf.'
'What did the banana say when it was time to go?'
'Gotta split.'
I do LOVE KINDERGARTEN HUMOR!!
Anyhow, at about 7pm we arrived at Jas' parents' home and we were greeted by this incredible portrait of a sunset straight out of their back door.

Isn't it breathtaking?
Isn't it gorgeous?
I'm pretty proud of this photo (with my point and shoot).
And trust me there aren't too many breathtaking sights in Moses that I have found (thus far).
The next morning, I woke up eager to try out one of PW's breakfast recipes.
Cinnamon Baked French Toast.

Now keep in mind...
this is NOT...I repeat...NOT for those of us who like to watch what we eat.
It is, HOWEVER, for those of us who sometimes like to splurge and consume something incredibly delicious! I would highly recommend this recipe to ANYONE who is in search of something quick, easy
(and did I mention D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S??)

Yep...8 whole eggs!

And I didn't get a picture of the other ingredients...
whole milk,
heavy whipping cream,
an ENTIRE loaf of sourdough bread.

Here she is straight out of the oven.
OH MY...and it sure made the house smell yummy! A great way to wake up a house full of sleeping people.

Here is one final picture of this plate of yumminess before we all dove in and made pigs of ourselves.

Trust me...it wasn't pretty.
12 hours after I had taken the picture of that amazing sunset, this is what the lake looked like at sunrise.
{notice the moon in the upper right corner}

I have a lot more funny and memorable stories to share from the course of our weekend, but after downloading and editing over 100 pictures, I have made the executive decision to share/post them in installments.

Stay Tuned...

4th Avenue Gals

Just wanted to share with all of my 'blog' family and friends, that I just updated our:
4th Avenue Gals blog to share some information regarding the upcoming Junk Salvation Show that Margee, Bri and I will be doing.

So jump on over and check it out.
www.4thavenuegals.blogspot.com

I posted some fun pictures of a few of the treasures that I will be bringing.

Hope to see y'all there.

NO BOYS ALLOWED!!!

That's right...
NO BOYS ALLOWED!!!
...at least not when these gals get together...
(and I pity the one that dare try and cross the barrier).

We have the best, most genuine friends a person could care to dream of...
...and last night we got our families together for an end of summer BBQ at 'The Farm.'
A great place for get togethers...
but I'll get into that more in a minute.
ANYHOW...
Our families have a lot in common
The first being that between our three families we have 8 girls...
and NOT ONE BOY.
Our husbands have their own personal theory about why this has happened...
but it's a little crude so I won't share the specifics...
let's just say that...
we'll, no, on second thought, I'm just gonna leave it alone...
and I'll let you ask them.

I was unsuccessful in getting a picture with all 8 gals facing one direction...
as soon as I turned around to get a picture of the ducks...
this is what I was greeted with.
How funny, huh?
Kind of reminds me of a Verizon commercial.

They are Pete, Priscilla, Petunia and ???

(another girl name that also starts with 'P')

Here are the youngest of the gang getting a peek at the ducks.
They are all within 11 weeks apart of each other in age...
and I think they have decided there is safety in numbers.

Here we are...

'The Matriarchs' of our families.
My dear friend, Theresa is on the right (your right, my left).
She is awesome...very thoughtful, giving without end, a wonderful momma, a devoted wife...
and she almost always laughs at my jokes (which is secretly my favorite quality about her).

The gal on the left (my right) is my "Sister from another Mister," Dawn.
I love this woman to no end.
We met my sophomore year of high school and well...the details are endless, so I'll just say that we hit it off from the start.
She is that person that I can call ANYTIME of day (or night) to ask the most random of questions ("Dawn, do you like Kraft Mac-n-Cheese or Velveeta Shells-n-Cheese?")
And hands down, no contest, it's Velveeta.
Anyhow, she is someone that I look to for parenting advice, marriage advice, biblical questions, recipes, etc, etc, etc.
And I love that we can be completely honest with each other and no one gets hurt feelings.
Dawn, in case it's been awhile, I Love You.

This is our 'babysitter.'

His name is Oliver and when he's not hanging with the other 'boys' he can be found keeping an eye out on the girls. I think he is so handsome. He looks so stoic and noble here.

On the farm, the 'boys' (aka dads) are able to be boy's.
Which means they are able to:
BBQ
drink beer
retell hunting stories 100 times over
drink beer
scratch
drink beer
pee outside
(OK, in their defense they are surrounded by 11 girls when our families get together,
so they are allowed)

It's a great place for get togethers.
The girls are able to run-amok and get into all kinds of good kid mischief.
Including, but not limited to:
Chasing, getting chased and /or petting the goats
Collecting eggs
Having a 'mooing' contest
Looking for frogs
Climbing in the orchard
Picking a variety of different berries...
...the only limits are their imaginations (and their mommas).

Below is the result of what happens when:
the boys have been outside too long,
the kids are playing wonderfully AND we've eaten WAY too much!

The scary truth is that three years ago, this picture was a reality...and we were all pregnant.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT:
None of us were pregnant at the time this photo was taken...at least not that I know of)
The following photos are of some of Dawn's fun treasures that I openly covet:
And if the initials 'TS' are found under any of them...it's shear coincidence.
How cute is this bottle?
It's what Dawn uses to dispense her dish soap.

Oh! How I love this red bench!
Wouldn't it be the perfect prop for a family photo?
Oh wait is and it was.

When you owe your dear friend money...what do you repay her with?
Money? Heavens NO!
You find some great blocks, spell her name in them and call it a 'wash.'
I [heart] them.

OK..You ready?
Cause you're gonna love this next one.
READY?
I LOVE THIS LAUNDRY BASKET!
Dawn got this from her mom, who pulled it from the blackberry bushes at an estate sale.
AMAZING!
What's even more amazing?
That I was at this estate sale for a good hour before her mom got there...and I didn't see it.
DANG IT!

As the night was winding down, we decided it was time for dessert.
I brought the PW's Creamy Lemon Bars and her Peach Crisp with Maple Sauce

(minus the maple sauce...I DON'T DO MAPLE.
So I made my own sauce using her recipe but substituting honey for maple extract.
As you can tell...it was a HUGE HIT!
"Ya'll washed your hands, right?"
Here is Dawn's third...
doing her best to NOT be photographed.
And here's her oldest...Miss K.
I adore this girl...and I'm sure it has nothing to do with her being a 'first born.'
How do you know that it's past our bedtimes and time to go home?
The babies start to confuse with boy is their dad.
For instance, this is not this girls daddy.

And the boy's start to 'google.'
Here they are 'googling' a guitarist by the name of Andy McKee.
But I have to admit, he is INCREDIBLY TALENTED.
Go ahead and 'google' him...I won't tell.
He IS good.

And FINALLY, the last picture of the night.
Everyone gathered around the kitchen.
We all had such a great time at 'the farm.'
I am already looking forward to our next visit...

EXCEPT:
hunting season has officially begun and that means that each of us momma's is about to become 'weekend widows' for the next 3 months.

DARN BOYS...for ruining our fun. :-)

September 2nd...you know what that means!?!

OH MY GOODNESS!!
Really?
How did this happen?
Today?
Really?
Nah!!
Couldn't be!!

Well...the calendar does say it's September 2nd, 2010...
...so I guess it is!

TODAY WAS A'S FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!!
WA-HOO!!!

It snuck up on me when I wasn't looking

(ok, that's not completely true...we all know what a planner I am...

...I knew she'd be starting Kindergarten before she was born).
Who am I trying to kid?

Here A and J are having a 'pre-breakfast' snack of Nilla wafers...
...only because I forgot to put them away the night before after Jas and I were practicing our own 'Minute-To-Win-It.'
You know the one where they have to skoot Oreo's from their forehead's to their mouths without using their hands.
Turns out it much harder than it looks on TV...and notice there are no pictures of us trying this. It was a RIOT! I strongly urge each of you to try this.

Here A is trying to decide which shoes she is going to wear her first day of school.
You know I was so proud when she picked her 'garage sale' cowboy boots.
Thatta girl!!
J was so pumped that she chose them, too.
We pray (DAILY) that she will stay true to herself and her own self of style and not be so heavily influenced by her peers.
(...and if she's anything like her dad...this will NOT be a problem)

Have I ever mentioned how much I love and adore our neighborhood.
Here is our dear neighbor and friend, Bri, coaching A on to eat her breakfast (while catching up on the newest Anthro catalog).

Bri came over extra early so that she could help me to take pictures of A's most special day!!
SO if there are any pictures that look like they are taken by a professional...Bri took them and I have to give her the credit.

How beautiful is this girl??? Takes my breath away.

My little poser! I say that in good way and with nothing but love!

Here Had is giving her big sissy a 'yub' (aka love) before we head off to school.

Here we are as a family heading off to A's first day of school.
I LOVE that her school is close enough that we can walk
(when the weather permits and I'm feeling motivated)...

We got lots of honks and waves on our trek to school.
A's school does not "bus" their students to school...

...parents are responsible for pick-up and drop-off.
I LOVE THIS!!!

It means that I, too, will also get to meet new friends...

...and that there is a lot more 'face' time with A's teacher.
...have I mentioned how much I love our neighborhood.

Bri was sweet enough to drive our car to A's school so that Jas could get to work at a decent hour.
"Hmmm...maybe this Kindergarten thing isn't such a bad thing after all!?!"
Here Had is thoroughly enjoying a donut provided by the PTA.

IT'S GOING TO BE SUCH A GREAT YEAR!!!

I am most excited for A and the friendships that she will make and potentially have for a very long time.
I have a very special friend of mine that is someone that I met when I was in Kindergarten...and here we are married, with kiddos and still dear friends.
We lovingly refer to each other as "K-12 Buddies.

Jas and I are so eager, excited and proud of our little (but growing bigger every day) girl
and are eager for what this year holds for us!