Cramming It All In

I've got a houseful of company this week...my Aunt and Cousin are visiting from the land of cold and snow and I am showing them around the land of sunny and fair.  They are loving my weather...I've been wearing gloves.

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Here's the highlights, so far:

1.  The cousins, all together.  Tall...all of them tall.  And all of them male.  Big, tall, hungry, funny boys.

2. A day trip to Los Angeles.  The reason I go to LA?  A Pink's chili dog...with sauerkraut, please.  And the most incredible (not pictured) battered onion rings you'll ever find.  If you're a SoCal'er...the Buena Park Pink's isn't nearly as good.  Take the plunge and drive the extra 20 or so miles and keep in mind that all that traffic and waiting in line will be worth it.

Promise.

3. Hollywood.  It was worth the drive by, though there's a small awards ceremony happening this weekend which means many a closed off street.  It was a pain, but kinda exciting at the same time.  

4. Paramount Studio's.  The tour was interesting, though slightly boring.  First off, the place was a ghost town.  Second,  while visiting the sets was kinda neat, I don't follow any of the shows...including Glee. Third, it was COLD.  And lastly, our tour guide spoke in a mono-toned voice and the only time her voice showed any inflection was when she took us into the room with the lightbulbs and duct tape and tried to sell us on the fact that we were in a top secret place.

Yawn.  A $50.00 yawn.

5. Randy's donuts.  It's an institution.  Plus, it smells good.  

6. Bonus...the guy in the parking lot fixed my dent for a cool $10.00.  It involved fire and a crow bar and a sledge hammer...but then again, what do you expect for $10?  

7. The Beachcomber for breakfast.  It was cold and drizzly and still so beautiful and cozy.  I just might need to take that guy that I like so much back there on a date morning.  Sooner, rather than later.

8. Because we hadn't eaten enough, Ruby's.  The one in my neighborhood.  Nothing beats a Ruby's black cherry vanilla shake.  The 3 1/2 mile walk later that night meant we were even calorie wise.  Maybe?

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9. Balboa Island.  Twice, actually.  Might be three times because I am kicking myself for not buying the super cute maxi skirt in the store across from the frozen banana place.  Why do I always do that?  Maybe so I have an excuse to go back?

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Let's see...what else?  Crabs from the Crab Cooker, a jewelry making session, a meatball making session,  Old Town Orange, a visit to the Pechanga casino and lots of shopping.  And lots of eating.  Today we're heading north for lunch with my nephew before heading south to the airport for drop off.  I can't even think about it yet because I don't want this week to end.

So I'm going to live in denial for now.

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Playing Tour Guide

Well...it's Monday.  And my peeps are in town.  We're living it large this week...recovering from a crazy and fun filled family packed weekend by diving head first into a crazy and fun filled family packed week.  They're the tourists; I'm the tour guide...and there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

Sleep will happen next week.

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(my cousin Cindy captured our weekend perfectly with this collage!)

On Saturday night the weather was warm.  Tropical, almost.  We sat in the garden under the glow of twinkly lights and candles, ate Italian food (complete with homemade meatballs, frozen and carried on the plane from Chicago...because nobody makes a meatball as good as my Aunt does!!) and told fun stories of our childhood while the cousins (all boys...and all teens and older) rolled their eyes at us.

It was heavenly.  It's so easy to think of the parts that are broken...and then when you're with the parts that are not broken, you question why you've focused so long on the broken part.  Does that make sense?  

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A Valentine's Date

Let's see what random photos I have for you today.

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On Valentine's morning, that guy that I like so much and I went for a coffee.  I think that's the one thing I miss the most about his Sabbatical being over is our little coffee dates we took over the course of the semester.  The kind where we'd actually go in, order a fun coffee and then drink it there.  In mugs. 

I like the mugs.

But yesterday, Valentine's Day, we got it to go.  Plain for him, fancied up (as in sugar free vanilla) for me.

I took this for Brian.  That boy loves him some Chipotle.  Big time.  I like it, too....but he could seriously eat it every day.  And I think he does...it's right across from his school and is on his lunch time rotation, along with philly cheesesteaks and pizza.  The kid eats well!

Spring is, well, springing around here.  It's still too cold for my taste, but I did wear flip flops (instead of clogs) to the grocery store the other day.  My toes were numb, but I was feeling rebellious.  I can feel in my bones that sunny and fair is coming to my neck of the woods soon...and I am VERY excited.

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Anyway, with coffees in hand, that guy that I like so much and I took to the trail and did my favorite loop.  It's so pretty...lots of birds singing this morning but not a snake (yet) in sight.  Maybe they'll stay away.

Fingers crossed.

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We then went our own separate ways for the day but met up for dinner at one of our favorite places.  I had ordered pizza for the boys and put on a cute little dress...it was kinda fun to be on a real, live date.   Oh, and I got my box of candy from See's...so all is well in my little world.  And now it's 3:00am and I am wide awake...pretty sure that cappuccino wasn't decaf.

I'm thinking of Rome and googling airline prices.  Not happening anytime soon, but one can dream...especially in the middle of the night.  Let's see, I've also researched Rum Cake and how to make cats like each other...not that those things go together, but two things I'm longing for.  Oh, and how to repair a wall that has a full body sized hole in it.  

Welcome to my world.

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(Bri's girlfriend made him this for Valentine's! CUTE!)

And now, well...my eyes are getting sleepy, so I'm going to climb into my warm bed.  Lot's to do tomorrow...the men folk who live here have emptied the pantry of food and won't rest until it's restocked, so off to Costco I'll go.  I'm also going to make a pot of gravy (aka - spaghetti sauce) for the freezer and maybe, just maybe, some homemade pasta as well.  Oh, and a rum cake.  And banana bread.  And homemade bread.  

I'm pretty ambitious in the middle of the night.

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Ash Wednesday

I'm going to be honest here...I've been a bit of a mess lately.  I just can't seem to get it all together...there's just so much going on.  I need to take my own advice...the advice that I am always so willing to give to everyone else.  The whole 'slow down.  take time to breathe.  feel the sun, and the Son, on your face' advice.

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I had an interesting work experience this week.  I was screamed at (and yes, I do mean screamed.  Anything above yelling that includes multiple expletives is immediately bumped into the screaming category) so many times on the same day that I was ready to curl up in a ball and rock back and forth, back and forth.  Normally I can shake it off because it doesn't involve me, but a few of these did involve me and ugh,  it was just an icky day. 

And in BIG news...the rather, ummmm, snobby city I live in now has a WalMart.  And yep, I went to go check out the falling prices.  I have to say, it wasn't bad...but I do love me my Target.

Yesterday I had to take my mandatory online sexual harassment course.  Two hours of playing Words with Friends while pushing the 'next' button every few minutes.  I now feel harassed for having had to take it.  Seriously.  Don't sneeze in public in my state...you could be setting yourself up for a lawsuit.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and this is one girl who LOVES Lent.  After my particularly ugly work day the day before and after dropping Brian at school I found myself at Balboa Island...I was thinking a little walk along the water with a hot tea in hand might be the perfect beginning to my day.  I had forgotten what day it was and thought I'd duck into my favorite little Catholic church on the island for a little prayer time...and found myself sitting amongst the nuns for a little Lenten mass.  

And then that night, I sat in church with my youngest two when IT happened.  Brian was slouched over, being 14.  I was just about to reach over and give him the 'please have respect and sit up straight in church' pat on the leg, when I saw Alex's arm reach over...he put his hand on Brian's back and ever so gently asked him to sit up.

I didn't acknowledge that I had seen that.  I just closed my eyes and smiled.  I love when God whispers...and that moment was a whisper.  An 'it's all good' kind of whisper.

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Catching Up

It continues to be anything but 'sunny and fair' in southern California.  I've got gloves in my purse, gloves in my car, gloves in my jacket pockets.  We had a teaser of warmth last week and it's once again disappeared...but I can see that it's coming again.  

I made carrot cake pancakes on Saturday morning.  Oh my.  So amazingly good.  The recipe made 14 pancakes which I would normally double for my houseful of boys, but I wasn't sure who would like them.  Turns out they did and there wasn't a crumb left...and the one boy who slept late woke to a sweet smelling house and had nothing to show for it.  Oops.

I spent a few mornings last week out and about for work in the early mornings.  I like the quietness of that time of day...especially if I have a coffee along for the ride.  The cold and rain has made for some interesting issues in the world of crossing guards...oh, the drama.  But that drama keeps me employed and I only deal with it for 4 hours a day.  

Saturday night was a glorious at home night.  I was in my PJ's by 4:00pm with supper in the oven...a simple baked pasta with sausage and eggplant.  A little vino rosso and some Downton Abbey and it was a rather perfect evening.  We needed an evening home more than I can even tell you and just that one night made me feel like I had had a vacation.

Early morning hikes (with my gloves on!) are soooo beautiful, though my girlfriend and I ended up slipping and sliding in the muck for the last 1/2 mile or so.  It was worth it...and to the rattlesnakes?  Stay away, please.  I like this trail too.

 Sunday lunch after church was at a new to us place called The Habit.  And it's about to become just that...a habit.  It's just burgers and fries...simple and really, really good.  We might just be back sooner rather than later.  Our bill was cheaper, thanks to the fact that one boy didn't get up in time for church.  I chose my battle today and didn't fight to wake him but told him after that he seems to make time for school and work and friends with no problem, but how about God?  

Guilt.  A mother's gift.  

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And to my OLDER cousin Laura...Happy, Happy Birthday.  Thank you for breaking in those BIG numbers ahead of me. 

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I'm a Sandwich Maker

 I kept thinking that maybe, just maybe, I would walk into my house today and all the laundry would be  done and the dishwasher would be unloaded (and reloaded with last nights dinner dishes) and that my very favorite amaretto creamer would be in the fridge...but it just didn't happen. 

What's up with that?

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I need a wife.  Badly.

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Instead, I chose the 'grin and bear it' method.  Denial is working for me lately and I say do whatever works for you...though denial doesn't do laundry even though I kept hoping it would.

Oh well.  Tomorrow is another day.  

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Brian had his last home game tonight and it was the longest. game. ever thanks to a ref who called every. single. foul.  We eeked out a win but it was a rather ugly win...but we'll take it.   One more snack bar to run and then I am retiring.  For reals this time.  I'll work it in future years but I won't be in charge...it's time for this mama to take a little break.

There.  I put it in writing.  Hold me to it, ok?

My middle son is a cook, which absolutely makes me smile.  I like reaping the benefits when I go visit him at work (hello extra avocado!!) but how come he still asks me to make him a sandwich when he's at home?  He's got this way of asking that makes me say yes every time, even though I tell him that this will be the absolute last time.  

And then I make him another sandwich.  And another.  Seriously, I'm like a robot when it comes to him...he walks in the front door, flashes a smile at me and I immediately take my position in the kitchen and start spreading mayo on bread.  I'm weak.  And his wife is going to hate me because I make him great sandwiches any time he wants.  It's ok...it's not like I totally cave.  I don't cut the sandwich or put chips on the plate or pour him drink.  

I have some self control after all.

Every night after dinner I break out my secret hidden stash of See's candy.  I'm pretty selfish in that I usually don't share...every month or so I go in to the actual store and put together a hand picked box.  If you haven't tried their chocolate covered cherries (or rum nougats for that matter) then, well, you haven't tried their chocolate covered cherries.

And you should.  For me.

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This Past Week

This past week has been a good week...a quiet week in spite of all the crazy busyness.  There is one more week of the basketball season...our last one ever with a freshman on a team.  It's strange to think that the babe of the family is now 'in' high school.  The first semester is over, the first finals are over, the first basketball season is nearly over.

He is constantly being told how much he looks like his bigger brother and while part of him likes that, the other part of him wants to be 'just' Brian.  Not the Brian that is Matthew's brother or Alex's brother but just the Brian who is Brian.

He does being his own person quite well.  On game days the team has to dress in a collared shirt.  My boy takes it to a whole 'nuther level.

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Last week I baked.  A lot.  I'm not  baker, but there is something so grounding about measuring and mixing and smelling and tasting.  Oh, and the waiting.  You can't rush baking, which means there is lots of time to clean up, sit a bit, hang out and wait.

I needed a week of sitting and waiting...and my family reaped the benefits.  The one thing they all agreed on?  They hate fruitcake.

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This morning I drove to our home church for worship.  There is something so comforting about driving the familiar road, parking in the familiar lot, sitting in the familiar wooden pew, hearing the familiar music, seeing the familiar faces.  And before you think that the morning was idealic, please stop.  My middle son was still in the shower 5 minutes before we had to leave, my youngest was downright rude and my car, which I don't drive all that often anymore, is in serious need of an alignment.

But...and this is a big 'but' (ha ha), I was able to drown all that out.  I sang 'In Christ Alone' at the top of my lungs and felt Jesus.  Yes, I felt him.  While worshipping I had a lovely bubble around me and was able to take the word in while being completely oblivious to the gloomy teens sitting next to me. 

It was glorious.

I still had to drive home with them, but I liked them just a tad bit more than I did on the way up.

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It's hard to believe the weekend is over.  I haven't accomplished much other than playing some really impressive words in Words with Friends and finally watching Pitch Perfect...which I loved, by the way.    The laundry is piled higher than high, but since Brian doesn't have school tomorrow I am going to work from home in the morning to the hum of the washer and dryer.  

That's the plan, anyway.  You never know what will happen.

(meaning...I have a boy who's been begging for breakfast at IHOP.  I might oblige him, which means the laundry will, once again, be put off for another day.  Pancakes or laundry?  No contest.)

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