Next best place next to Churchhill Downs...

So the Derby Hats are ready to go...For all the St. Louis inquiring minds....maybe one of these lovelies is the hat..maybe not.  We are headed to the big Derby Party in  St. Louis in just a few short days.  Some of you may be thinking....hmmm I had no idea they were into horse racing? We're not...but who can pass up a great party, old friends and fabulous hats...I have decided though to let you in on my faves for this year's race....Please note:  I would not use the following if you are planning to wager anything on this race...not even a penny!  Remember...it is not too late to plan your Derby Party!

• Big Brown (Kim, Jill and Sara (sister) if you are reading....you are laughing)
• Colonel John (Chris' grandfather's name was Colonel, My grandfather's name was John!)
• Big Truck (Classic, solid name)
• Eight Belles (Who knows...just sounds right!)

A little Addie funny for the day....

The great thing about a blog is that you can record little things that could potentially (and usually do) get lost in the day to day...here are a few funny things (or at least they struck me --Addie's mom) as funny things:

• While roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire we had in the backyard this weekend...Addie looks at us and in all seriousness ask, "Are we camping?".
• This morning...when I emerged from the bathroom dressed and ready for work, Addie says very enthusiastically, "Mommy you are READY FOR WORK, you are ready to ROCK AND ROLL." Who wouldn't be ready to go to work with such cheer leading behind your efforts!
• Addie loves to play restaurant and was taking our orders this morning...after Chris ordered he asked her, "how long will that take, ma'am?"....without even turning around and again in a very serious I am a professional waitress voice Addie said, "It is gonna to be awhile".

Partying Pioneer Court Style

My grandma's assisted living facility hosts "themed" parties a few times a year.  My kids love going because there is usually some sort of sweet treat available and dancing! Last night was no different at the 50's party...ice cream treats, hot-dogs, cheese fries and dancing....lots of dancing! This party also featured "tattoos"....even Grandma Dorothy (almost 93) decided to get a tat! What I love about these parties is seeing the faces of the residents as they watch the "younger" generation(s) dance and have fun and also watching my children interact with the residents.  The kids are not afraid to say hi or shake a wrinkled, tired hand--again reminding me of the open, caring spirit of a child.  

Rock Around the Clock!

No--we are not "stage parents"...Addie begged to sing...so when the band handed her the microphone...she suddenly decided the lime-light was not for her!

   

Good Eats!

My sister gave me a subscription to Everyday Food for Christmas....here are few reasons I love it:

• It is smaller than normal recipe magazines...thus not taking up library size space!
• It has recipes that appear to have that Martha Stewartesque quality to them...but they (most of the time) use items that we have already or that we don't have to set out on a four day journey to locate.
• It is gives you "how to's" for things you are "supposed" to know how to do---like cutting an avocado without turning it into mush...good stuff like that

I was hoping to link this recipe....but they have not posted the May magazine on-line....so copy write hounds out there...all props are going to M.S. herself....Sorry to all the vegetarians out there....sometimes a good steak is just that good!

Citrus Steak Salad

Enjoyed with a bottle of Riparosso Illuminati

(Serves 4)

4 Strip Steaks (4-6oz. each)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger (okay...so I left this out!)

1 head of romaine lettuce, cored (or...get a bag o'salad!...Sorry Martha!)

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 carrots cut into matchsticks

1. We (which I mean Chris) grilled the steaks outside on the gas grill....season steaks with salt and pepper. Once grilled, cut them into thin slices (crosswise).

2. Cut oranges to release segments (doesn't it sound like you are freeing hostages!) (Again...sorry Martha). Squeeze remaining membranes to release 2 tablespoons juice, whisk in oil, honey and ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce, onion, carrots and orange segments, toss to combine. Top salad with steak. Enjoy...it was very yummy especially with a bottle of red wine!

Weighing in on Weigh-in

Addie turns three at the end of May.....which means I no longer have " extra baby weight" I have (or had) just plain extra weight! I have a B.S. in Exercise Science--I know how to teach many types of group exercise classes, I know what good "portions" of food are, etc.,etc. But I also like to eat and not only do I like to eat... I eat when I'm bored, sad, excited, nervous, happy---you get the picture! In February a friend suggested that instead of joining Weight Watchers we would form our own on-line buddy system to "report in" and ( this is the best part) instead of the $10/week we would spend at Weight Watchers....we would put $10/week into our New York City Fund--for the girls trip we are going on in June. Sounds like a plan....a plan indeed!

Today was the weigh-in where I reached my initial goal--which is crazy because I have basically lost the equivalent of 1/2 of one of my children---yikes!! What is more important is that I have done it without missing some sort of dessert at the end of the day, dinner out on the weekends and a glass or two (or three) of wine. Life happens---all the time---all around us and I knew that I had to learn to deal with life in order to lose the weight. I can't thank my friend enough for encouraging the plan and for sticking it with it herself and also those ladies that through their weight loss this year inspired me to get going...you know who you are M & J--you both look fabulous...and more importantly I know you feel fabulous!

The weekend in pictures

This weekend we should have had a lot of great pictures to share--right?  Breakfast with the neighbors, spaghetti dinner and Chris singing at church...but at approx. 6:48p.m. on Friday night our camera started a revolt and this is all we were able to capture.  You may ask..."Why a winking picture with the True Value receipt?" at which point Clare would reply..."Why not?!?"  An artist in the making!

Like a good neighbor...

You are all humming...State Farm is there, right?  Ahhh the power of an advertising jingle!  While my father-in-law(A state farm agent) would love this post to be a State Farm post....it isn't...but I have now mentioned State Farm four times....so that is a good start!

This is about good neighbors and thankfully we have them!  On our last street we spoke to approximately 2 neighbors and waved to perhaps another 2!  What a difference the last (almost) a year has made....This Saturday we had a neighborhood outing to a local Swedish Restaurant--yummy Swedish Pancakes---but better than the Swedish pancakes was sharing time with 3 other families all with busy schedules and social calendars to just check in with each other.  Our children all play together on a regular basis (ages almost 3-10years) which in itself is a blessing---these are kids that like being outdoors, exploring in the woods and being active---which in today's world of x-box's and game-boys is rare.  We have already done more, experienced more and have been assisted more by our neighbors here in less than a year than the whole 6 years we spent on Foxfield.  Our first neighborhood was a great first place to start for us, but we always knew we weren't going to stay....our new neighborhood is the type that you start envisioning prom pictures or graduation parties in the backyard...because you don't see yourself moving....ever.  So on this beautiful, warm and sunny Sunday I raise my glass (of diet coke :-) to good neighbors and to being a good neighbor in return!

1/2 Great...1/2 Not so great

• 1/2 Great:  Clare has been wanting to learn how to tie her shoes....and today much to the shock of Chris and I....she did it!!!  This was a skill that I didn't master until I was a first grader and was forced to learn because everyone was tired of tying my Buster Browns....I guess I just figured my children had my shoe lacing genes....guess not...so far Clare has Chris' 20/20 vision and aptitude for lacing her shoes!!!  Great job Clare Bear
• 1/2 Not so great:  Addie woke up with an upset tummy that has turned into a full on puke fest this morning!  She and I have both changed clothes twice!  Currently she is resting on the couch--you know the set-up...sheet tucked into the cushions, bucket within arms reach....fun times.

Do we have enough?

One of my friends from church posted a website on her blog called the global rich list--you basically type in your annual income and you find out how your income ranks among the rest of the world....and then you find out how much you can provide with a small amount of money. It is really eye opening and a good reminder on all those days like today, when I am wishing for a pair of Joe's Jeans, that I really do have all I need already and so much more! That same friend and her husband (also my friend!) just found out they will be adopting two children (brother and sister) from Ethiopia--please keep them in your prayers as they embark on not only the journey to bring these bright eyed children to the states but the journey that will begin as the children are introduced to a new culture and a new land.

Home improvement?

So...It's funny that home improvement projects begin by destroying an area or a thing that works perfectly fine (i.e. Home Dis-improvement?...Home Un-improvement? Whatever the prefix...you get my drift). We decided that this would be the weekend that we were going to swap out the old vanity in our first floor bathroom....seems simple enough...remove said vanity/top and replace with newer, more up-to-date model....well it is simple enough until one(Chris) saws through the wall instead of the old vanity in attempts to remove it and saws through a water pipe....OOPS! I knew our Saturday morning was off to a great start after I heard an awful screeching, thunk, thunk, thunk noise and saw as I rounded the corner Old Faithful pouring out of the pipes. Thankfully Chris had shown me the water shut off valve the night before...so as I ran down to the basement trying not to freak out, I managed to get the water shut-off and proceeded to... freak out as I saw our basement ceiling in full on flood mode. We thought that our "home improvement...do it yourself....save yourself some money" project was doomed. However, after a few phone calls and some very kind neighbors (yes--there is a future post about how nice our neighbors are) Chris and Mark (neighbor) had the pipe fixed! I have attached some pics....we have come a long way....we still need a new mirror but are getting there!  We have learned some important lessons this weekend...namely beware of the sawzall....because....it saws all!!!!

Healthy Kids Day

Check out your local YMCA to see what they are doing for Healthy Kids Day--Saturday, April 12th! Did you know that the current generation of children is the first generation that is not predicted to not have a longer lifespan than their parents? It is all about being good role models for our children and introducing "play into our day" that doesn't involve sitting at a computer or playing video games. Kind of ironic that I'm sitting at a computer trying to get this message out to everyone-eh? However, I just got done teaching step aerobics and my kids just walked into the gym across my office to run around---which to them is not exercise but fun--little by little we can work to make that prediction not come true! Happy Healthy Kids Day Weekend to you!

Pictures Don't Lie!

This is the Easter picture that we wanted everyone to see...smiling, happy faces...

However, this is probably more what our life is like....Chris and I "think" we are taking a nice family picture...but the girls have a different idea of what would make a "nice" family portrait...Pictures always tell the real story!

Instantly transported back in time

Tonight I added a play-list to "the blog". Not only was I impressed that I managed to do this with little stress but I was reminded how powerful music can be to one's memory and heart. After listening to many of the songs I was instantly transported back to my high school days, my college days, newly out of college "what am I going to do now" days, newly in love days and even some days that weren't so long ago. As you are reading this (and you have speakers) perhaps some of these songs bring you back in time...or perhaps you are thinking "she really listened to this?" Not sure where I'm going with this...but maybe it is to encourage all of us to get "transported" back in time every once in awhile to remember what we have done, where we've been and how we got to where and who we are today...which for me is quite a happy place.

Here we go...or here I go

So...you will find that if this blog thing sticks, I will begin a lot of my posts with so...I have been encouraged by my husband and my sister-in-law to start my own "blog".  A blog is a scary thing--first it is the whole commitment to the blog, second it is the idea of putting everything that is going on inside your head on the outside for either people you know or random "hey I think I will click on her blog" people to read and judge and third I sometimes spell things wrong or have run-on sentences (this may be one?).  I may keep this blog a sercret for a bit...you know to practice my spelling/grammer or see if the whole blogging routine fits into my life...if you are here...it means you clicked on my profile and found this little nugget of information...stay tuned!