Forecast - A week of craziness

Those weekends sure fly by.  I just can't seem to hold on to them.  It has been a good weekend, we got lots of garden work done.  We tied up the tomatoes to the treillis, weeded all the garden except for the corn - (not mature enough to put a hoe through it) bug poisoned the beans.  Some little beetle sure is enjoying their leaves.  I even got to try a few snap peas off the vine - yummy.
  We got Mom's lawn mowed and some root fertilizer put down on some of the plants. 

We were going to come home and get the household chores done, but they have been pushed to Monday.  Our work mojo had disappeared.  Riley was completely worn out from playing with his cousin dogs and from the heat.  He didn't lift a head the rest of the day unless it was because he needed to potty.  The sore on his little bum was just about healed until it reared its ugly head again.  It looks like a boil.  Still kind of oozy.  Really gross, but I feel sorry for him. 

Today was a total relax day.  I got some birthday cards finished.  Just a couple more to go.  I will post pictures tomorrow.  So, this coming week is completely booked - full of good things!

Monday - Work, exercise at the gym, clean house, put up 4th of July Decorations, finish birthday cards.
Tuesday - Work, hair cut, exercise at the gym, finish anything that didn't get done the day before, prep for Presidency meeting
Wednesday - Work, exercise at the gym, presidency meeting, crash
Thursday - Work, exercise at the gym, prep for dinner guests on Friday - possible birthday party for monkey #4
Friday - Work, make sure house is ready for guests, dinner with guests (meatball subs, veggie plate, chips and dip, homemade icecream and cookies)
Saturday - 4th of July Breakfast at the park, Attend baptism for monkey #2, Hit the road (hopefully) for a little bit of holiday frivolity.

With that kind of week - I am going to need my rest.  I think I will hit the hay a little early.
Ta Ta for now

FYI - a little MEME

Yourself: A little stressed about finances, but otherwise looking forward to the weekend
Your Partner: Dropped 8 pounds this week and he is perfect for me!
Your Hair: Desperately needing a hair cut
Your Mother: A saint - I love her a lot.
Your Father: Missing him terribly
Your Favorite Item: My rubber stamps and accessories (I know that is more than one, but I couldn't narrow it down)
Your Dream Last night: I gained 6 pounds - thank goodness that one didn't come true!!!!
My favorite Drink: Of all time would have to be a Pina Colada - virgin of course.
My dream car: Right now is a Red tricked out Jeep
My dream home:  An updated home that has a huge kitchen with amazing appliances, a place to entertain and a big, well cared for, back yard with room for a garden.
The room you are in now: My cublicle at work
You Fear: Never getting out of our RUT!
Where you want to be in 10 years: In my own home with a few vacations under my belt
Who You hung out with last night: Riley and Ralph
You're not:  Everything
Wish list Items: Too Big to list - but a new car and furniture is at the top.
Last thing you did: Ate lunch
What are you wearing: Bright pink jacket with a floral print skirt and cute sandals
Favorite Weather: Sunny/Partly cloudy and about 65-70 degrees
Favorite Book: Polar Dream and my scriptures
Last thing I ate: Apple (i wanted pizza)
Your Life: Constantly guided and abundantly blessed
Your Mood: Anxious
Your Best Friend: Ralph
What are you thinking right now: That I have a lot of work to finish before the 30th
Your Car: Is limping along
What are you doing at this moment: besides blogging, listening to my list of favorite tunes
Relationship status: Taken, occupied, not available, married happily.
What is on TV: We stick with cooking channels and Nature/History shows and PBS
Last time I laughed: This morning, when someone told me the cutest story about their grandson. Way funny!

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

Ta Ta for Now

Just Stuff

Hello... Anybody out there?  I have a free evening - well not really, but I have to chosen to make it that way.  Being there is not much on the telly - Ralph and I watched a Miss Marple mystery.  There has to be at least 2 people die and it rarely ends up being who you suspected in the beginning.  We find them thoroughly entertaining and much better than most of the crap on TV.   With time to spare I thought I would update my blog.  I have started several posts, but never finished them so therefore they never got posted. 

I got a Stampin UP order a couple of days ago with all kinds of goodies in it. 

Some of what was inside the box was actually for me and in was some of the new product out of the new catalog.  Fun stuff.   So with yesterday being another Curtis family birthday - (I know it seems there is always a Curtis birthday) I decided to pull out some of the new stuff.  It wasn't easy making a card for the mystery man, after many attempts at jokes about Gas (cause you know that is where the birthday boy works) that got veto'd...Here is the card Ralph and I put together. 

Stamps - Nature Sillouettes, On Your Birthday
Ink - Black Staz on, Marina Mist
Paper - Basic Black, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Marina Mist
Accessories - Embossing Folder, 1 1/4 Circle punch, sponge

Have you enjoyed any of the soccer games.  I haven't been an avid watcher, but I have caught a few.  Here is the most annoying thing about those games...

Wouldn't you agree?  The constant "Buzzing" drives anyone crazy.   How about the USA team today? WOW what a finish.  Who would have guessed they would pull through in the last minutes of overage time. 

The garden is doing well - I meant to take pictures last night, but the sun went down before I finished my chores of helping Ralph put the tomato cages up.  Maybe this weekend.  The peas are about ready to pick.  I love to eat them straight off the vine.  Ralph has to have them at least blanched if not fully cooked.  Crazy - who doesn't love raw peas?

I finished a couple more books - The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti - A very Dickensian written story about an orphan and the very colorful characters he encounters.  I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

I also finished - The Weed that Strings the Hangmans Bag - Alan C. Bradley.  This is the second book in the series.  What can I say.  Flavia is up to her snooping around and gets into her usual troubles, but as always figures things out in the end.  A fun read and another one I would recommend.

One other note I need to mention - I made a Dulce de Leche cheesecake that was to die for.  I took a basic New York cheesecake recipe and made up my own recipe.  The texture was unbelievable perfect.  And the flavor - such a creamy caramel delight.  I wish I could have gotten pictures, because it was picture perfect.  Hopeully I will get a chance to make it again and then I will get pictures and share. 

Have a fabulous day and
Ta Ta for now

Pants on the Ground

So - Ralph and I are still doing well on our Isagenix program.  We continue to lose and we don't crave the things as much that made us the size we became.   I have dropped almost 2 sizes on the lower half of my body.  My shoulders and arms still pose a problem - I still look like I could be a football player.  I have set exercise goals and strive to reach them.  I don't have a desire to run a marathon, but would love to have the stamina to climb a few of the mountains around here.  Riley hasn't been too happy because his people food consumption has gone way down.  He just doesn't seem interested in broccoli and cabbage.  He does get an occasional bite of chicken.

But I now have a problem...

I don't have any pants that really fit.  Ralph was teasing me today about my baggy pants and needing a belt.  It is a good problem to have, but not really since I don't have a lot of money to replace them.  Lucky for me we are heading into summer and I have several skirts and t-shirts that should get me through. 

A birthday Card and Lessons Learned

Blogger has a new template and I love it!

It was my Mother's birthday this week. I really wanted to be there to celebrate it with her. My brother took good care of her - so I wasn't too worried. I don't know what I will do if he ever moves back to KY. It isn't that we see each other much, but it is knowing he is close to my Mom in case anything happens.

My Mom has several bird feeders just off of the deck of her home that faces the Payette River.  One of her favorite things it to watch and listen to her birds.  So based on that, here is my creation...

Just knockin, just singing, just wishing you a happy "bird"day.  She was even able to guess what kind of bird I was trying to copy.    No matter what age I get to I think I will always look for Mothers approval .

Well, my scheduled primary activity did not go off without a hitch.  Between Mother Nature and the building already being used by other wards today - I was not left with a lot of options.  So...I volunteered my house for the primary Articles of Faith scavenger hunt. 
Crazy I know!!!! Here are things I have made a "note to self" regarding primary activities...

1.  Don't over plan - too much for the amount of time and attention spans of small children.  (You can tell I totally don't have kids of my own)
2.  KISS - keep it simple stupid!
3.  It is not worth stressing -
4.  It is much easier to plan a YW/YM activity than it is a primary activity
5.  Next time plan a lot of running around - at least I won't have to tell them to sit down and be quiet.

6. Unlike the youth - if you call and remind them about the acitivity they actually show up - We had over 20 kids there - most of them under the age of 8.

I think the kids did have a good time and hopefully they learned something in the process.  My counselors were there with me through it all - even when it would have been much easier to bow out.

Well, I have a few things to prep for tomorrow so I will sign off for now.  Book review and some more cards to come!

Ta Ta for now

A quick 10 things in 10 words or less

The weekend has arrived!

1.  Stamp Club was the morning - pictures coming post haste
2.  We'll need the swamp cooler turned on - its getting warm
3.  Ralph has garden chores today
4.  I need to make my Mom a birthday card
5.  I am craving a big juicy hamburger - can I resist?
6.  Saturday house chores - here I come
7.  Riley wants me to play "toy" with him
8.  I have Ward Council tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. ugh!
9.  Hopefully I will make it to the gym today
10.  I can't wait to get the new Stampin UP Catalog

Ta Ta for now