the NASA cake

Isn't this awesome?!  Ben & Mady made it.  From a website.  By themselves.  YUM!

liv's slushy maker

i wasn't sure if she'd ever use this but she's wanted this for a long time.  i'm happy to report that she does!   ;)

august 28, 2009 and 2010

This was my post to blog last year on liv's bday but for some reason i didn't.  so here it is...last year's and this year's:
Questions from A Simple Woman's Day Book

Outside my window...2009:  the guys working on the pool patio that I’m sure they’ll still be working on next May (in their defense, though, they’re working very hard, it’s just all the preliminary work where you think nothing’s being done) and I’m putting a plug in here for my amazing brother-in-law, marc, who has been overseeing this project and making sure it’s PERFECT. He is awesome!!!!  2010:  There are about 6 residents and 4 employees from ECCR celebrating the kids' birthdays.  Kayt took them here, ordered a pizza and had a cake.  They're so adorable!

I am thinking... 2009: that my youngest daughter has gotten really good at the piano…when? Did I miss something?  2010: that i have really great kids.  they're all completely comfortable around these kids with disabilities and treat them just like anyone else.

I am thankful for... 2009: my husband who is more than understanding and compassionate. 2010: a finished pool!!

From the kitchen...2009: cooking? we’re going out!  2010: ditto

I am wearing…2009:  pants I haven’t been able to wear in a year-and feeling pretty good about it!  2010: capri's and short sleeved shirt~boring!

I am creating...2009: a digital scrapbook of france-never done one before. 2010:  an ipad with apps to make my life easier. (france book still not done~BIG surprise!!)

I am going... 2009: out for dinner-seafood special 7-course at rosemary & sage-yummy!!!  2010:  to charlie brown's for liv's 14th birthday.

I am reading...2009: j.c.ryle, and band of brothers  2010: a book by elisabeth elliott (can't remember the name cuz it's on my kindle) and laura ingraham's new book, the obama diaries~a birthday gift from my oldest daughter)

I am hoping... 2009: for a nice day tomorrow…liv’s birthday!! 13!! I’ll have 3 teenagers-aarrgghh! No, seriously, I love it  2010: for this year to go slower than last year!

I am hearing...2009: mady playing the piano.  2010: the yankees game

Around the house... 2009: pretty picked up~all done before ed gets home ;).  2010: in the midst of painting the inside of the garage so i can put up the new elfa garage organizing system.

One of my favorite things...2009: being at home with nowhere to go….2010: still my favorite

Mady the painter

painting the garage...finally.  when it's done i'll show you the disastrous before pics and the organized after pics.  stay tuned.

future culinary students BEWARE!

"Can Me &Ash  make something?"  (NOT that I haven't corrected her...and her 4 siblings...each and every time they have mis-used this way of speaking since they could talk, but anyway...i digress...)

"Sure, for dinner?"  (hoping like crazy this wasn't a dream!!)

"No, for lunch". (yep, it was)

"OK" (seriously, someone's offering to cook for me~I don't care if it's for high tea, it's fine with me!)

and this...

was the complete awakening of the culinary senses (yes, fyi, i did just make myself the expert on this) 

Here is the recipe (which I choked out of them because they were going to keep it a deep, dark, for-Oprah-to-award-them-big-cash-prizes secret...):

Ingredients:

1 box ziti

1/2 bag shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 bag mozzarella cheese

10 slices of bacon

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

6 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Boil water for ziti (hey, I can do that!!!)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3. Fry bacon (not crispy) and cut into approx. 1/4" to 1/2" pieces.  Set aside.

4.  Fill bottom of double boiler 1/4 of the way full with water, heat on medium until rolling boil.

5. Combine the cheeses.

6.  Melt 3/4 of the cheese (reserving 1/4)  and all of the milk in top of double boiler.

7.  In an 8x8 baking dish melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oven.

8.  Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente.

9.  Combine pasta, melted cheese and bacon.

10.  Melt remaining butter.  (you can use a microwave, that's what I'd do!)

11.  In freezer Ziploc, toss bread crumbs and melted butter.

12.  Sprinkle tossed mixture on top of pasta mix.

13.  Add remaining shredded cheese.

14.  Heat in oven until cheese melts.

Serve with tossed salad and fresh italian or french bread.

ENJOY  (I sure did!!)

did I mention that they came up with this completely on their own?  if not, consider yourself warned!

ben was here...

do you have a kid like this?  if there's anything that CAN be cut, WILL be cut.  the discretion is getting better as he gets older~haven't found any chairs or clothes with cuts in them lately.  my baby's growing up ;)

skiing in canada

this past weekend kayt and jake took a roadtrip to visit friends in canada.  my dear friend christine took these pictures of them skiing for me...gotta love friends who know the REAL important things in life!!

calvin

jake having a great time

i love calvin's faces!

tawnya~always an adorable smile

isn't this an amazing picture?  looks like he's boarding with an iceberg

deanna-such a pro she doesn't even need to hang on!

shannyn

cute, nick

whee!

someone wiped out...

and this, THIS is the lady who took these great pics.  thanks, chris!!

iPad

I'm feeling some serious love here, my friends!

thanks a million~you know who you are ;)

thought for week of august 16, 2010

Anger makes an enemy of a friend; meekness makes a friend of an enemy.  ~Jerrold Lewis 5/14/10

Dad & Mom Anniv. dinner 8-10-10

Dad & Mom N's anniversary dinner

August 10, 2010

 uncle marc's always such a good sport!

 slurp that spaghetti, jack...it's the best way to eat it!

 grandma honey & sarah

 me & my abby girlfriend

 mom & dad...i guess this is his mean face (sorry, the other ones didn't turn out)

 and this is mr. preston's mean face

 ben & ash (who wouldn't give your right arm for those eyelashes!!)

 this is what happens when the kids take the camera~silly cousins

 this is SO aunt fleur...having a little something for the kids to take along~and having one for jake!

 jake colored a pic for his grandma...of them whitewater rafter~like THAT's happening!!

bestest cousins foreva!

campfires

i just love campfires.  the sound of the wood crackling, and the smell of the smoke.  it always reminds me of being at my grandma & grandpa's trailer 'up north' and they had a fire pit that looked kind of like a washing machine drum...who knows, it could have been knowing how resourceful grandpa was!  i have so many good memories of standing there with the long sticks roasting marshmallows.  for a VERY special treat, we'd do s'mores.  i'd burn them to a crisp-black as tar- and then wait until the chocolate melted.  yum!  we'd all be sitting around in those woven lawn chairs trying to stay out of the smoke, moving from one adult's lap to another .  great memories. 

 i wonder what our kids will remember.