Heading to High School

After spending all afternoon making the most time consuming, pot dirtying, labor intensive chicken pot pie (think homemade chicken stock, roasted chicken, fresh and lightly steamed veggies, homemade biscuits, and thoughts of 'will this recipe EVER end?) we sat down for the worlds fastest meal before heading out the door for the high school open house.

And to top it all off, it wasn't very good.

The chicken pot pie, that is.  The open house was nice.

We pulled into the parking lot and were promptly ditched by our youngest, who feels he owns the place already.  That guy that I like so much and I looked at each other and laughed out loud...the 'here we go again' laugh.

And then we laughed about the fact that when we were at this same event EIGHT YEARS AGO with our oldest, we looked around and commented on how old all the parents looked.  

Eight years ago we were young.  Eight years later?  Not so much.

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In other exciting news of the day:

• Paid $3.99/gallon for gas.  (by me, it's still in the $4.30's...UGH.)  
• Got a free car wash and my car now smells so fresh and clean and un-locker-room-ish.  
• I got accused of not doing some work I had done but can't prove it because I emptied my work email (storage is small, so I have to do that often...not anymore, though)  and deleted all proof last month, thinking I wouldn't need it anymore.  I have the work, just not the proof that I emailed it.  Whatev's.  
• Cleaned out my closet and bagged up THREE large trash bags for goodwill.
• Sat in the garden for a few minutes in the warm afternoon sun and fell asleep for 10 minutes.  JOY.  There is something to that whole 'power nap' scenario.
• Craving the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies.  Might have to fix that.

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Dancing With the Stars

Today was an adventure.

A fun, totally last minute adventure.

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Loaded up my dented, gas guzzling car and drove an hour north to LA (that's Los Angeles, in case you were wondering) and had a late lunch at Pink's.

Pink's Hot Dog's.

Total girl food.

My girlfriend and I pretended we were on vacation...and we kinda were.  No kids.  No laundry.  No 'have you done your homework yet?'.  No...boys.

I love me some boys...but sometimes it's nice to escape for just a bit.

After eating our 'light' lunch (hot dogs topped with mustard, onions, chili and sauerkraut with a side of onion rings counts as light, doesn't it?),  we drove around the corner to the CBS studio lot, parked and proceeded to change from jeans and flip flops into cocktail attire.

In the parking lot.

We're classy like that.  Or lazy...the bathroom was too far away.

I learned somethin' new...lots of other network shows film on the CBS lot.  Shows like DWTS and American Idol.  Who knew?  

Anyway, we glammed up in that parking lot...after all, we had famous people to hang with.

I'm gonna be honest here...I don't watch much TV anymore.  I had gotten to a place where I felt I was wasting too much time watching trash, so we hardly ever turn ours on anymore.  

That being said, I haven't watched Dancing With the Stars this season.  Or last season.  Or (sorry!) the season before that.  But last night a girlfriend (whose daughter is the manager of two of the dancers on the show...Karina and Peta) offered another girlfriend and me VIP tickets to a taping...not just a taping, but access to the press line and Karina (and her trailer).

Our answer?

OK.

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Saw Ryan Seacrest's trailer.  Not him, but his trailer, though I'm not sure I'd recognize him anyway.

And then the security guard took my phone, which is also my camera, and snapped a picture of his finger in the process.

Attractive.

Not one picture of anything inside the gate was allowed.  Sad...but I took lots of pictures in my brain and that will have to do.  All in all, it was a super fun afternoon hanging on the studio lot, dancing, hob nobbing...not to mention seeing how the show is put together.  

Makes me realize that some people have totally cool jobs in this world, that's for sure.

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Tired Tuesday

Last week it was chilly and rainy...this week it looks like it will be sunny and warm.

Warm.

I've missed warm.

Child #3's braces have been paid for and now it's my turn.  I'm actually excited...not so much about having my dead FRONT TOOTH pulled and having a hole in my mouth, but thanks to modern dentistry (with a modern price tag..so thankful for really good dental insurance!!!!) it can easily be fixed.  

And to my oldest son, who head butted me when he was 8 months old and caused my front tooth to die, well....want me to set up a payment plan for you?

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The first event on our 'oh my, three kids graduating plus a confirmation' calendar has come and gone.  

Let the graduating begin.

Speaking of graduating...that guy that I like so much and I watched The Graduate this weekend for the first time ever.  Great music.  Disturbing movie.  

Brian's life verse was almost too fun to pick out.  He's, ummm, slightly strong willed, this youngest child of mine.  Slightly.

Romans 12:2 fits him perfectly.

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Big concert weekend for that guy that I like so much and I am so ready to kick Mozart (and his buddy Bach) to the curb. They've become like a wet blanket in my happy little house...it's time for them to go visit someone else.  

They've overstayed their welcome.

And tonight?  I'll be on Dancing With the Stars...well, sitting in the VIP section.  Pays to know somebody who knows somebody.  I have no idea what to expect, except that I have to wear a cocktail dress and cannot bring in a phone or camera I actually have no clue who is even on the show (but don't tell that I said that, ok?)...should be fun, though!

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A Weekend With My Boys

Breakfast with my oldest son, Matthew, at his soon to be alma mater.  Graduation is less than three weeks away...he'll move his earthly belongings home, graduate the next day and leave the day after for Europe for a month.  Home after that for a few days and then it's looking like his summer job will involve traveling the country doing something he loves...this time for money.  Once that ends, he'll be moving an hour away for grad school.  

I guess he's a grown-up now.

The baby...well, he's not so much a baby anymore.   Brian was confirmed on Sunday, which basically meant that we were at church more this weekend than we weren't.  He stood in front and answered his questions with his cute little head cocked to one side, as it always is.  He wanted absolutely no fanfare...just a pizza.  

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This guy...my middle born, well, this picture captures his personality.  Alex returned from a trip down south for spring break, kissed his mama on the cheek, drank a gallon of milk and promptly fell asleep for 15 hours.  Want to witness someone living life to the fullest?  Follow him around for a day...and then either collapse in exhaustion or kneel down in prayer.  Both are acceptable.

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The three of them?  A force to be reckoned with.  

Triple trouble.

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And the pizza?  The 'as close to a Chicago pizza you can get on the West Coast' pizza?

Perfection.

Is it seriously Monday already?

Sigh.

Chocolate Waffles for Breakfast

This morning seemed like a good morning to run out for donuts...I mean, it is Spring Break after all.  Problem was, I had no desire to get dressed, let alone shower.  Heck, I had no desire to move from the couch.

Problem two...boys who are spoiled and think that special breakfasts (donuts fall into the special breakfast category) magically appear during school vacations.

Be very, very careful of traditions you start when your littles are little because someday they will be big and will still expect them.

However, I secretly like that.

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I googled 'chocolate waffles' and found this recipe for not just chocolate waffles but chocolate chocolate chip waffles and they were awesome...especially made into Mickey waffles on a 25 year old waffle maker.

Teen boys dig that.

The recipe made lots...perfect for my houseful and even more perfect for making breakfasts feel like Spring Break next week when they are all back in school.

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And all was happy in all the land...for the mama, too.  She got to sneak out for a relaxing coffee in the afternoon sun. 

(And that coffee?  Kept me awake half the night.  Mama's getting' old.)

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Woken Up By Rain

At 5:00am I was woken up by what sounded like a herd of elephants running on the roof of my little house on my little street...turns out the heavens had opened up and were pouring out buckets of water.

Torrential downpour.

I love listening to rain while laying in bed...though then I start thinking about all the crossing guards across SoCal who will be feeling 'flu-ish' and won't be able to work in the morning.  It's funny how that happens.  Or not.

We're halfway thru Spring Break today.  Last night found us drinking wine after supper while searching for destinations far and away to visit.  

With all that rain...the money tree might just bloom.

OK.  Not likely.  But dreaming is fun, too.

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Brian's plans for today involve Sky High with friends and a request for tacos for supper.  Both are do-able.  Add in the cleaning out of his closet (his brother is moving home for the summer, which involves the two of them sharing a room) and the mama will be happy, too.

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Other than that it's pretty quiet around here.  Brian is still sleeping, I've already been to the gym and that guy that I like so much is on his final push until the end of the school year.  The floors need to be mopped, but then again they always need to be mopped, so maybe that can wait.  Maybe I'll join my cat on the couch for a movie...I guess rain makes me feel lazy, too.

Yawn.

Quiet Spring Break

Yesterday began calm and then turned into a large work crisis.  Sigh.  Have you ever felt like the harder you try, the harder you screw up?  

Yeah.  Me too.

But before things went downhill, my car celebrated a fun number.  She asked for a cake but got a diet coke instead.

Had coffee with one of my best girlfriends followed by lunch out with my best boyfriend.

Supper?  Quesadilla's and cereal and a corn dog or two may have made an appearance.  I can't be the only one who doesn't cook the day after a major holiday?

(stroganoff from Pacific Whey...YUM!)

Following lunch...the car wash.  That guy that I like so much and I were livin' on the edge.  Lunch AND a car wash?  Woo Hoo!

My toes are LOVING the cute spring colors.  My budget loves that my neighbor is a nail tech and provides me all the fancy colors I could ever want...all in my price range.

That would be free.  Pays to know people.

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The shop?

Hasn't slowed down since Thanksgiving...the only difference is that I am getting LOTS more local orders.  It's fun meeting new people and figuring out the six degrees of separation...turns out my friends all have amazing friends.

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Day 2 of my younger boys spring break...one is on a senior trip (completely against my better judgement...please say a prayer for wise choices being made) and the other is hanging around here.  There's lots to be accomplished...skateboarding tricks to learn, movies to see, cookies to bake, confirmation questions to memorize, closets to clean out, friends to hang with.  

The best part?

Sleeping in!

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