Traditions

It has been a boring few days and any time it gets boring, I start baking. I let Jason help me make Scott's favorite treat--Peanut Butter Bars. They are like oatmeal cookie dough with peanut butter with melted chocolate on top. So yummy.
It was a little bit of a struggle to keep him from cracking eggs all over the counter when I wasn't looking, but once he got to start eating the dough, we were on a roll. Hopefully I can pass on my love of baking to my kids--even my boys!

A not so laborious Labor Day weekend!

Thank goodness for a break once in a while. I know some people look at "stay-at-home" mommies and think, "wow she's got it easy" or better yet, "what is she complaining about, I'd trade places with her in a heart beat!" Well, after hearing "mommy, mommy, mommy" repeated for the 20th time for no reason at all, wipping runny noses because both my boys are teething, trying to teach Ryan not to eat the sand in the fireplace and Jason not to spank Ryan for eating the sand...well you get the picture...I don't think they'd be so quick to think the grass was so green on this side of the hill. (besides, I live in Las Vegas...there is no green grass!)

However, this Labor Day was great. We stayed in town--no insane packing, hauling the family to some crowded vacation spot only to wrestle with the kids and do what I do everyday just in a less convenient location (some holiday)! We got up Monday morning and headed to the park for some shaded play time outside, took a long nap while the boys napped, tried to duplicate the P.F. Changs Candied Walnut Shrimp recipe (which by the way if you have not tried it you are completely missing out. It is one of the best culinary experiences you'll have in a long time--fabulous but my attempt came no where close...we'll try again later), and then Jason got a special treat. Scott took him to a putting green. Jason got to bring his clubs and balls, just like dad. They even stopped and got icecream on the way home. Mommy got some great alone time since Ryan was napping. I finished the menus for my business and then sat, with the remote in MY HAND, not Scott's, and watched what ever junk was on tv simply because I could, acutally it was Prison Break and I'm totally addicted. We almost named Jason Lincoln, which we got from that show.

I need another non-Labor Day soon. We should call it Mother's Day--wait we already have one of those but it generally isn't anywhere close to being non-laborious. Oh well, here's to wishing right?



my curly headed baby--I won't let Scott cut his hair!


golf and icecream with dad


Jason is really into forts right now. He has a favorite babysitter who built this latest one for him and he refuses let me tear it down. He even grabbed a sleeping bag the first night and thought it was going to be his new room!

California Dreamin'

I'm reminded of a funny birthday card I read a few years ago. On the front it had four cartoon best friends, young & pretty, in grass skirts & coconut tops dancing the hula on a tropical island. It said "Here on the island, we have only one rule..." You open the card and suddenly the perky young women are "middle aged" slightly hunched over, wrinkly, weathered women struggling to hula and it said "never let your coconuts hang lower than your skirt!"

Oh to look the way I did before I had 2 kids in 2 years, worrying that my board shorts aren't long enough to hide the stretch marks on my "upper thigh"--you know what I'm talking about! And for you ladies without children yet (i.e. my 2 younger more beautiful sisters with no stretch marks in crazy places, wider hips, things sagging that shouldn't be sagging etc!) live it up while you can!

Scott surprised me with a weekend trip to Huntington Beach, CA for my birthday (which is what brought on the wishful thinking). But saggy coconuts aside, we had an absolute blast. Scott has a friend who works at the Hyatt and she set us up with an awesome room, a birthday treat bucket delivered when we arrived, free dinner with her at the hotel restaurant--Katie R. you are the best! Saturday we got up and headed to the beach for a day of sun, eating sand (Ryan), being terrified of the water (Jason), body surfing (Scott), and lounging/eating/shopping (me of course). I can easily see why people love it in Southern California! We even went to a little place called "Downtown Disney" - just a free, outside Disney themed shopping area with music, restaurants, street vendors etc. Sunday morning was a leisurely breakfast while Scott got the insider's tour of the Hyatt with Katie.

We can't wait to go back--hopefully do the Disney & Sea World thing once the kids are a little older and if my family will comply--rope them into babysitting while Scott and I take off for a weekend get away of our own sometime. Yes, yes, the drive back was depressing as the landscape got browner and drier and we got hotter. Again, I shake my head knowing that I live in Las Vegas! So for now, I'll just dream of California & grass skirts that aren't 3 sizes larger than when I was in college!


Us in front of the hotel


Dad & boys...


Mom & boys at the Huntington Beach Pier


Jason trying to climb into the police car and Scott dragging him away while the policemen laugh in the background


Jason running from the waves--I think he gets this from me!


Ryan trying to walk in wet sand


Exhausted boys, finally sleeping!

Good Enough To Eat!

I had a friend call this weekend wanting me to make a few desserts for her son's birthday on Sunday. Here's what I came up with...

Death By Chocolate cake!



This is Berries n' Cream...my personal favorite because who doesn't love straight whipping cream, blueberries, raspberries and cake?



And last was just a simple cake for the kids to dig into...