Happy Birthday Tomtom!

Another milestone

For sale!

He's turned around, it's time, he's too big to fit in the old carseat, so of course, it's time. BUT, it's hard on me! It is so hard for me to see my babies grow fast. When I had Alex, it didn't seem that hard: I figured he was only my first, and that I would be doing the carseat thing, the diaper thing, even the nursing thing again, and again. But now, Alex is 15 1/2 and my last baby will be 1 next Wednesday, and it's time to close the door on the baby thing (so Reed says anyway). I have this little tiny thing in my heart, not very big, but a little bit there, hurting, wanting to repeat the past over and over again. I was putting the threads of the Infant carseat back to the newborn stage (prepped up for Craigslist) and the little hurt was there. Will I ever do this again, for my grand-babies? What if my daughters-in-law hate me and don't let me be the crazzzy spoiller Gma that I plan to be? What if my kids all move away, far away, like I did? What if, what if, what if? But I must...or Reed will leave me ;)))

Wiener Schnitzel und Spaetzle

This our Easter Dinner. Walmart and Basha's had no more hams or hash brown (for Cheesy potatoes). So I made this.

Spaetzle (sh-pay-t-s-l-ae) is a sort of noodle, very popular in southwest Germany, originating from Stutgart's area.

It takes 4 eggs, 4 cups of flour, 1tbs of salt and 1 cup of water. You mix it together, then push the dought through a colander with big holes (unless you have a Spaetzle maker laying in your house, right!).

The Wiener Schnitzel are breaded pork loin chops.

Always served with a mushroom sauce. Very authentic, very good, very Deutsch!

The Great Phoenix

Reed and I dropped off the kiddos at Grandma's in Surprise on Friday. Then we headed off to our long far away trip, alllll the way downtown Phoenix. We stayed at Hyatt Regency. I hadn't been downtown in a long time, probably close to 10 years and it has changed a lot. They still have the hobos sleeping by the bus stops, but it just looked nice overall. ASU being there makes it even nicer and younger. It was a wonderful little getaway...and I didn't even miss the kiddos!

Here is Elly's room!

Our hotel

The light rail

Reed in the fast elevator

Turn down service, even.

View from the 21st floor...hmm and me in the tripple glass reflection


The Phoenix Museum of History...so glad I wasn't a pioneer!

But some poeple had money in the early century in Phoenix: the Rosson House in Heritage Square (where Bianco Pizzeria doesn't open until 5:00 PM, darn it!)

Preparedness

I have planned on doing a 24 hour emergency bag for a long time; it was part of my procrastination list (along with getting skinny, exercising, never skipping Family Home Evening, always having Family Scripture Study, hmmm, I'll stop before I put myself down more). So we finally did it. I got a few back-packs from Goodwill, supplies from Big lots and so forth. Every 6 months, at the time of General Conference, we'll eat what will expire before next Conference and hopefully replace it. It was hard to get it through the kids that this will NEVER be used (we sure hope so) and that if you stick your favorite doll in the bag, it's like throwing it away. Maddy suggested we put fruits or bread, I suggested her to put Ice Cream too (hmm, yes, I can't help myself and answer a dumb suggestion with a dumber one: there are NO teaching moments in our home, only sarcasm). So there, we're ready for the next snow blizzard or the next hurricane that hit Phoenix: bring it on!

Each bag has an extra assignment: get water, get gas tank, take care of Tommy, get Important Folder

And they are waiting in the laundry room, for the "just in case" time.

New scale

I bought a new scale today. Sam's Club had a great scale that measures your weight, your body fat and your water...and takes the trash out and do the laundry and folds it and puts it away and dream on...but the first part is true. So, of course, I had to try it out and now, I'm crying. Well, no, I knew that it would be different from my old one, and that chances were, the old one was going to be off by a few pounds, because that is how it always is: your old scale is never the one weighing you heavier. It's a well known fact that doctor's scales are always meaner that yours, and that it's never a happy moment to step on a scale anywhere else but in your bathroom, butt nacked, right after you peed, before you eat, drink or even brush your teeth (farting doesn't change a thing, it's air and you can thus abstain...someone had to say it!). But, this super- high- tech-guaranteed- for -175 yrs -of -accurancy -scale is ONLY 2 lbs off, 2 lbs more than my old one, of course, but I can take it, it didn't bring me down! So, now, I have more to lose today than I did an hour ago, BUT, it showed that my body fat is at a healthy place, oh so happy place :) I will only go with my new scale from now on, make it my BFF so that it doesn't piss me off too much and see if we can have a happy and healthy relationship!

Spring Bug

Here are some of my last projects. This is a daybed that I refinished, I didn't take a pix of it before (duh) but it was all oak, plain brown. I got it off Craigslist for $40.00. I just have to put it together, so the "after" picture will come soon. Maman, c'est ton futur lit, ca vous ira, il sera beau assez? This is the upstair's hall, finally finished.

This is towards the play room, that used to be twice as big, but we added a room for Nicky (blue on the picture) and one for Maddy further (not painted yet). Voici a quoi ca ressemble en haut, une fois fini. Reste encore la chambre a Maddou et la porte.

The pantry before (not too horrible, but in need of help still)

The pantry during ...and I see that I haven't taken that Winter sign down yet!

The amazing bag! I had the girls pose next to it to show its size. How can so much crap come out of my pantry??? Love the poses girls, love it!

Et voila, TADAAAAA!

I feel soooo clean, haaaaaaaa! I also cleaned my window, but since to most people it is NOT a great accomplishment, I didn't dare to take pictures. After 4 years in our house, I finally took the screens out and wash the windows. Yeah, I know, gross, but hey, if I have to chose between washing window or watching Oprah, well...

A give-away

I have seen a lot of people doing give- aways on their blog. So I decided to do the same:

Up for grab is a brand new white bra. The size is 42 DD. It's too small for me. Post a comment to tell me how you plan on filling the bra. I will email the winner on February 31st. Good luck!

Did you say surprise?

I love having teenagers in my life ;) This is what we discovered around 1:00 am after we finished our movie last night! They came much earlier, and we didn't hear a thing. It was some friends of Alex's of course, yes, all girls (boys wouldn't really put hearts all over our house). My fave had to be the bra on the front door! Very cute and very fun...and they came to clean up the next morning, even better. Thanks Katie and her friends :)

The perpertrators

Of course, a big bag cannot just be a big bag

Move over Alex, I'm next...

And you all thought Alex was the next one to drive....ha, nope, here is Tomtom behind the wheel
Check mirror first,

A happy driver is a safe driver

Ahhh, man, traffic jam, gonna be late for work...

Who cut me off? &^%%$#**&%%**^& woman driver for sure!!!