garden

Isn't this a cool looking garden? It is mostly a vegetable garden with some flowers thrown in....I found it in Sunset Magazine...(mom do you have this issue?). Anyway, when I saw it, I really wanted to create it- I just love the look of it, but I don't have enough space...maybe if I got rid of the trampoline...

Here is what the garden looks like when you first plant it... Since I couldn't plant this actual garden, I went out and bought a few plants this weekend to make me feel better...artichokes, bell pepper, onions, catnip (for princess) cosmos, sunflowers and impatiens...hopefully it will all grow~!

Limo

One of two shots that I got of the kids in the limo...I am so mad at myself that I forgot the camera...

It looks like they were having fun...except for maybe Jake on the end...it looks like he was mad about something! :)

photos...

I love this picture of Jake. The gal that took this picture has taken some really cool shots and has posted them on a site called smugmug so that we can purchase them and raise $ for little league. I am lucky that her son is on Jake's t-ball team so she takes alot of pictures. I found out yesterday that she entered her photo that she took from Tanner's last allstar game- the winning run coming across the plate, it really is an awesome shot and she is in the running for Smithosonian Magazine's amatuer photographer or picture of the year (or something like that). Pretty cool.

I really wish I was a better photographer- I think I need a really good digital camera so I can see what I am taking as I go....I will have to work on getting one of those. In the meantime, I am lucky to get shots like these from someone else....

Desert

This is what we did this Easter weekend....another Easter in the dirt! :) It was a really fun trip. Caroline & Mike were very generous with Tanner and let him drive the polaris (against Caroline's better judgment). I think Tanner was a very cautious driver and the kids had fun with him.

(I think I need a polaris or a rhino to drive around...)







My little birthday girl. We celebrated Riley's 8th birthday while we were there. I like this picture...you cannot see all the lbs. I have gained... :)
These two had a great time together as usual. Isabella- if you are reading this, Riley cannot wait for you to come over on Wednesday! :)

More yummy stuff

Doesn't this look good? Another recipe I found on Rachael Ray's website. Looks good & easy to Make...
Cheesy Corn Bites

Maile CarpenterFrom Every Day with Rachael RayMarch 2008
MAKES 4 DOZEN Prep Time: 10 minCook Time: 20 min


8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
48 scoop-shaped tortilla chips (one 10-ounce bag)
Chopped chives or cilantro, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, egg and corn.2. Arrange the chips on a large rimmed baking sheet and place 1 teaspoon corn mixture in each. Bake until the filling sets, about 20 minutes.3. Sprinkle the corn bites with the chives; serve warm.

And I couldn't resist posting these two cute boys...I know I am a little biased...

Before & After

They both needed their hair cut really bad...so we went in on Sunday...Here is the before.....................

And here is the after.........Jake said he wanted spikey hair. The hairdresser asked me if I wanted him to have a mohawk, of course I said no. So instead she took his hair and made a psuedo mohawk. He loved it of course...Doesn't he look tough? I wish Riley would let me fix her hair like this. She doesn't have the patience for me (and I really don't have the patience either.

Riley had her sleepover birthday party this past Friday. There were 10 girls (including Riley). We got a limo for one hour...and the girls had alot of fun, I forgot my camera!!!!! I couldn't even believe it when I looked into my bag for the camera. I almost cried. Mom you have to send me the two pictures I took with your camera...boo hoo...

Que Pasta

Doesn't that look good? I found this on Rachael Ray's website...I think I might have to make it, even though I heard her recipes aren't always that tastey...

4 poblano chiles
Salt
1 pound farfalle (bowtie) pasta or whole wheat penne rigate pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (1/2 palmful)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander (1/2 palmful)
Pepper
2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or a mix of cheddar and queso fresco cheeses
2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
4 scallions, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
And then there was this table setting...Rachael says that she got stuff for the table at the dollar store....what dollar store does she go to??? I need to know, because I think this would be the perfect setting when I have to have the gourmet dinner at my house....I think she called this the Dine & Zen setting or something like that. Although then I would have to serve Asian type food, huh? Not my favorite...anyone have any suggestions?

Cute stuff...

The last day and half have been pretty crappy for me, so I decided today that I was going to think and act positive so maybe things would get back to normal quicker. (also, I think I have talked about it non stop and I don't want to talk about it anymore).

My friend Pam http://www.pureandsimpledesign.blogspot.com/, (still cannot figure out that link thing) always has cute & inspiring things on her blog, so I am trying to do that today.... how cute are these cupcakes? I found them on Martha Stewart Living... I think I might try to make them for Riley's birthday party... and then there are these...

These are cookie envelopes....soo cute. Wouldn't you love to get this type of an envelope instead of the ones I always get (bills)... :) I think we need to have a cookie exchange!!

Steal the bacon or better known as...

T-ball!
It is so relaxing and funny to watch Jake play t-ball...no yelling at the kids, no pressure to win, just good ole' fun.

Ok, so technically this should have been Jake's ball, (he was playing third) but the centerfielder and the shortstop came in for it too. Too Funny....and on almost every play that the ball comes towards Jake, he has to fall and slide and generally just roll around on the ground...funny kid.


(I know two posts in one day, but I decided that I really don't like that picture I posted below...didn't want to look at it anymore!!)

Saturday

This past Saturday was the school fundraiser for Tanner & Riley's school. It was held at the Irvine Marriott-a James Bond theme.

We bid on a few baskets and got three of them- just what we need more wine and Fox kid's t-shirts. The amount of money that comes out of the Live auction is incredible. I cannot believe the wealth of some of the families at that school.

I think this will be our last time attending the function, the fact that our oldest has been going to school there for 6 years and some people still cannot bring themselves to even smile at you or acknowledge the fact that they have seen you at the school, let alone our kids have been in the same class, really, really bugs me.

I would rather have been at our favorite restaurant or at Twisted Vine - the kids spent the night at my dad's and I feel like I wasted a night out because we went to the fundraiser....