My little girl turned 9!

I cannot believe she is 9 already....she is posing in one of her new outfits that she got from Grandma T. She REALLY
wanted those pink hi-tops with rhinestones on the side....she loves them!

This boy...

*pitched for the first time in 3 years and struck out at least 3 batters in 1 1/2 innings....

*makes me proud

*makes me want to pull my hair out

*is growing up too fast.....

Cheese Fondue

A few weeks ago, I made cheese fondue and it was really good...we dipped french bread and apples into it. We had a ton left over (since the kids really didn't like it so much) and the recipe was from a gourmet magazine, so needless to say the cheese that it called for was EXPENSIVE. I found this recipe on Rachael Ray's site and it looks easy, plus it doesn't call for expensive cheese...but it doesn't have the wine in it like the other had ;).

This recipe is only for two- so it will be perfect for Mark & I...can't wait to try it!

Recipe from the Rachael Ray Show...
Date Night Fondue
Fondue is a great way to spend a romantic night in with your honey and stretch a buck at the same time. Prepare the fondue below along with one sirloin steak (don't worry, one is plenty). Serve the steak thinly sliced along with some blanched asparagus and roasted potatoes and watch your food – and fun – last the whole night.

Ingredients
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
A few dashes hot sauce
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound shredded extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Yields: 2 servings

Preparation
Place the yolk in a mixing bowl and reserve. Place a heat-safe fondue pot or a medium saucepot over medium heat with the flour and butter, cook for a minute, then whisk in the Dijon, hot sauce and milk.
Right before the milk comes up to a simmer, turn the heat down to medium-low and add in the cheese, slowly stirring in figure-eight motion to melt.
Once all the cheese has melted, remove a ladleful of the hot cheese mixture and whisk it into the egg yolks to temper the yolks, then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the hot cheese mixture.

Cheetah

On Saturday, Riley and I headed down to Fallbrook for Isabella's play....she was a Cheetah in The Jungle Book. It was a really great play, put on by CYI. Isabella did so good with her dancing & singing! Riley was so sad when the play was over and she now has watched The Jungle Book video twice since last Saturday. She says Isabella's play was better than the movie!

Here is my first attempt at re-covering some old chairs we had....isn't the before picture just lovely? These chairs are 14 years old, they are from our first dining room table set.

And here is the after...not bad, if I do say so myself. I only have two chairs left from the set, so I didn't need much fabric. I went to JoAnn's and I found this really pretty fabric, but it was $29.00 a yard (which was all I needed). I almost bought it until I went to their sale section and found the above fabric for $7.00. I thought that was much better to buy since I wasn't even sure how it would turn out. I bought a few more things that day, so I wasn't paying attention to the price of the fabric. I was thinking though, that it seemed awfully cheap...well the fabric was $1.00, I covered both chairs for .50...how is that for thrifty? :)

Mammoth

(isn't this place gorgeous???)

We were lucky enough to go skiing last weekend in Mammoth. Larry got (for free) a beautiful townhome in Juniper Crest, that you could actually ski/walk to the chair lift! It was so nice and I don't know if we will be able to not compare everything we stay in from now on. Thanks Mom & Larry!

Has anyone read this? I am almost done with it and I cannot put it down! It is so good!

I seriously have been crying & laughing at the same time while I was reading it!