Thursday, May 31, 2012

Settling In


Basically, there is a male in every single crevice of my little house on my little street.

Everywhere I turn, a male.  Not just a male, but a male's stuff.  You know the stuff...wet towels, basketballs, shoes, dirty dishes.  Lots and lots of stuff for lots and lots of males.

Problem is...I'm  girl.  

We're doing the annual dance right now...the dance where all these males begin settling in to summer and settling in to the fact that there is a momma who does every little thing for them.  The momma who is ready and waiting to serve them 24/7....the momma who makes lunch like a short order cook.

Problem is...I am looking for that momma, too, so there has been a little bit of let down for all of us lately.  

Sigh.

Needing a little break,  I escaped for a day at the spa.  Or, rather, the lab where they took half the blood out of my body while chatting about what a nice day it was outside.  It seems like the older you get, the more blood they take out of you.  When the tech finished and said 'that's it!',  I couldn't help but ask, 'Are you sure?  Don't you want to take just one more tube????'

Work is winding down.  School is winding down.  Check writing for activities is at an all time high...as is the clutter in my little house on my little street.  Blood volume is (I hope) back to normal.  So is my mood.  (depending on who you ask....but only believe the good reports.) 

The males?

Still hoping for a momma who makes lunch.  

Me, too.

=0)



Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Back In America


The day started out like most days do...early morning work for me, coffee for that guy that I like so much and school for the younger boys.

But mid afternoon, that guy that I like so much and I hit the road for a little adventure.

First up was Roscoe's in a not so nice area of Los Angeles.  Security in the parking lot at 4:30pm?  Yes.  Thankfully.  Table by the window where we can watch our car?  OK.

Roscoe's is famous for fried chicken and waffles and we had heard so much about it that we were intrigued.  This is health food to the max...waffles with loads of butter and syrup, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and gravy.  Nuthin' green anywhere to be seen.  

I. loved. every. single. bite.  Oh my...fried chicken and waffles together?  I can't even imagine not eating them together ever again...not that I eat fried chicken all that much.  If Roscoe's were closer,  I would.  Often.

Awesomely awesome.

Who needs green anyway?

We had timed our supper with the arrival of the prodigal son's flight home, but then he was delayed and we had some time on our hands.

And where else would you go after eating a rather light and healthy meal of fried chicken and waffles?

Randy's donuts....of course.

Because life is too short to not binge on fried food.

Randy's is yet another Los Angeles landmark...and also conveniently located next to a gas station and the airport, so off we went.

The smell?  Heavenly.  Well, it probably would've been more heavenly if we weren't recovering from the fried smells of the restaurant....but we had a few stooges at home whom we knew would love a donut.  Or twelve.

This box of donuts just raised my popularity in my little house on my little street.  My ratings had dropped significantly do to the room cleanings that were required over the weekend...safe to say I am now back in the black.

With boys, it doesn't take much.  Thankfully.

=0)

And finally...he landed.  Tired and scruffy from traveling for close to 48 hours with hardly any sleep, but full of stories.  I am so proud of him and excited that he was able to have this adventure...but happy he is home, too.  

His first request...food.  American food.  

And finally...home.  Laundry.  A long, hot, private shower.  Sleep.

Nice having my trio all sleeping under one roof for the time being....I always sleep better when they're all here, too.

=0)


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Weekend


This weekend:

We finally saw The Avengers, which also involved breakfast out (I LOVE breakfast out) with the youngest child ordering a chocolate shake.  At 9:00am.  His parents just rolled their eyes because they are old.  And tired.  And battle weary.

In the big scheme things, a chocolate shake at 9:00am is small peanuts.

=0)

We ate crostini, topped with homemade tapenade and homegrown tomatoes.  Now I just need a goat to make homemade goat cheese.  Don't worry...it's on my Christmas list.

Big bowls of risotto milanese, thanks to a girlfriend who brought me back a million dollar container of saffron from lands far away.  

Prom pictures followed by a date night with friends followed by crazy pictures involving a security camera.

The first hydrangea of the summer season.  My dream would be to have massive bouquets of these puppies in every room of my house.  

New flip flops that scream tourist.

Lots of boys in and out all weekend.  A clean pantry.  An oldest child who is returning home soon from adventures far and away.  A job that is winding down for the summer.  Grilled burgers topped with caramelized onions.  A large pitcher of Sangria.  Fluorescent pink nail polish.  

How was your weekend?  

=0)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Senior Prom

Tuxes are every day wear in our little house on our little street...every day wear for most of the males who live here.

But for the boy in the middle, the kid who lives in basketball shorts and a-shirts...well, a tux is a super big deal.

Senior prom was this past weekend and it's customary at our school by the lake to take pictures at the lake before.  Hundreds of people gather and it's like old home week...more a party for the grown-ups who haven't seen one another for a long time than for the kids.

 Alex is blessed in the friend department and has lived my dream...the friends he met in kindergarten are the same friends he hangs out with as a senior in high school.

And it's funny...I attended more schools in more places than I can count and because of that know people all over the country.  I thought it was fine growing up but always looked at the lives of my cousins in the midwest who lived in the same house their whole childhood as the ideal way to grow up...so much so that once we planted ourselves in our little house on our little street, I never wanted to move. Not even a block away for a bigger house.  I wanted them to have what I never had.

My boys?  They talk of grand adventures and of moving to lands far and away because they are tired of living in the same place.

Once again I am forced to realize that no matter how you raise your children, it could've been done just a little bit better.  In their eyes, anyway.

=0)

Anyway, Alex's prom was held at the Nixon Library and after pictures they all loaded up in the party bus...and I'm pretty sure it was quite the night.

As of yet I am not hearing many details...gotta do a moms night out so that us moms can piece together all the little bits of info we each have.

Child #1 would have given me a few details.  Child #3 probably will, too.  Child #2...not. a. peep.

He and I?  Well, we're cut from the same cloth.  

After the boys were on their way, that guy that I like so much and I headed to Nick's for pizza with our friends...and we had our own little prom, minus the fancy dresses and the funky music.

And after?  A stroll through Home Depot for lightbulbs.

Totally romantic.

=0)




Friday, May 25, 2012

Warming Up


This week has flown by...the school year is sort of wrapping up around these parts (even though they are in school until the 3rd week of June) with all sorts of extra activities.

Alex's school held what he calls a ditch day (it was really a senior trip) and while he and all his friends were bussed to Six Flags, that guy that I like so much took advantage of our annual passes and headed to California Adventure.

It was one of those lovely days...we strolled.  We rode Soarin' Over California (my favorite) and then we ate.

Ate well.

Things like a roasted veggie salad and fritto misto.  On my list of things to do this weekend...buy a fry daddy.  Mama is gonna fry things this summer...and mama wants to be able to do it outside.

=0)

Bread baking is still in full force around here.  I bought this book and have read it cover to cover and if you eat bread the way my family does, this is the answer to keeping fresh bread in the house all the time.

The smell of fresh bread?  Almost too much to handle.

Warmer weather tip toed in and then tip toed back out again...but I feel like it is right around the corner and wanting to stay.  We've had a few suppers outside...chilly suppers, but the garden is in full bloom and it is so pretty back there.  The fig tree has so many buds on it, as does the lemon tree and the tomatoes are starting to ripen. 

Summer is coming.  I can tell.

Today we are going to breakfast as a family, followed by a movie.  Then home to begin the mountain of laundry that has accumulated all week and begin the cleaning out of various closets...I'm feeling the need to spring clean.

I'm actually feeling the need to lay in the sun and read a book while someone else spring cleans my house but I'm pretty sure that's not the way it will play out...so the next best thing is to just do it myself.

=0)

And could someone please tell my baby that he's not allowed to grown up anymore?

Thank you.

=0)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Can't Sleep


I can't sleep.

I wish I could, but I can't.

I need to, but I can't.

Can't.  Seem.  To.  Turn.  My.  Brain.  Off.

Sigh.

Here are my most current pictures from my phone.

Above?  Alex and I went to Costco and he conveniently helped me buy a new mattress for his brother, who was sleeping on a mattress with the springs sticking out...so it was time for a new one.

Below...I made 10 of these and they all sold this week.  I'm thinking I need one for me because it's kinda cute.

=0)

Breakfast...grilled bread, goat cheese, tomatoes from the garden, poached eggs and a sprinkling of fresh thyme.  Yummy in a big way.

Felt a jolt earlier today...turns out this beauty was centered a mile from me.  The 2nd jolty one we've had in as many months.

Is the big one coming?  

My new passion...homemade bread.  Kneading is cheaper than therapy and lately my need to knead has been high.

Very, very high.

Pretty sure my family is happy, even if I am crazy.  

=0)

And now, I need to sleep.

Sweet dreams.

=0)

Monday, May 21, 2012

A Date to Club 33


Saturday night was a long awaited date night...that guy that I like so much had returned from an exhausting trip to Europe (choir tours are a blast for the students but a ton of work for the director!) and a friend offered us something big.

Like totally big.

She offered up reservations to Club 33 at Disneyland.

We were sooooo excited...I mean, it's Club 33!  (for those that aren't Disney freaks,  it's a private members only restaurant in the park.  An EXPENSIVE, private, members only restaurant in the park.)

We had been given annual passes for Christmas but hadn't had any time yet to go...it's been a rather nightmarish semester around these parts, so we finally purchased them on Saturday, which is normally a black out day on our cheap SoCal plan, with the plan of swing dancing on Main Street before dinner.

Sadly, swing dancing was being refurbished.  Or, rather,  the pavilion where they hold the swing dancing was being refurbished.  Secretly, I was kinda glad....I'm a rock star swing dancer in my little house but in public?  Not so much.  Probably because I learned at the senior center, so I swing dance like a senior.  A 95 year old senior.  

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So you ring the secret bell and they come out to get you, escort you in and smile while you tell the peeps working there that you are SO excited to be there that you almost can't handle it.

Load up in the ancient elevator that many a famous person has ridden in.  Try and act cool.  Fail miserably.

Like I said, it's a million dollars...but who cares.  You only live once and well, you only live once.  Minimum amount required per person...$76.  Gulp.  But hey, it's Club 33!

We had a lovely corner table (not sure if there was a bad table in there...) right next to Ginnifer Goodwin's birthday party...and she was taking pictures of everything, too.   It's just that kinda place.

The food was amazing.  Like, really amazing.  We each ordered the Vintners menu but subbed out the entrees and dessert and the food (and wine...lotsa wine!) just kept coming and coming and coming.

So very, very yummy.

That guy that I like so much (of course) became BFF's with our server and pretty soon we were celebrating our anniversary a little early.  Good thing, since we'll be eating at home on our actual anniversary.

=0)

Part way through dinner, they brought us out onto a balcony to watch Fantasmic...we hadn't seen it in a long time so it was so fun.  More fun?  People watching from up there.

We were told to do a bunch of stuff...ride the elevator up, stairs down.  Use the bathroom (the toilets are thrones...kinda weird, but kinda cool) and sneak (our server told us to!) a towel.  Pay with a credit card and they'll let you keep the pens.  Ask to go on the balcony during the fireworks and fantasmic.  

We were total first timers and did it all.

=0)

We were there for 3 hours and had just enough time to sneak onto Pirates before heading home...by then the park was closed.  Truly a once in a lifetime experience (can't afford to go there again!) but soooo worth it.

And to my friend Cynthia...THANK YOU!  Truly magical.

=0)


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