The Reason i am NOT having a tree this year

Jasper and last years tree. And I can tell you, he hasn't improved in his manners.

We've got a new addition

Its been a busy few weeks. And this week was no exception - we had a sweet baby niece and cousin enter the family. Sure was a great week.

Life Flies by in Seconds.....

Today my baby turned 10!! *SOB*



It is some consolation that she is smart, fun, loving and a joy to be around.

Projects, Projects Everywhere.......

Last week was school project central. K1 had a History Fair entry due and K2 had a "game made out of a Simple Machine" project due - both on the same day. What's a simple machine? Well - good question!! There are lots of suspects, but the easiest one to make a game out of is the "incline plane" -
so K2 and her dad made a race track.



On Friday when it was due (along with the dwarf hamster exhibit), I got quite a kick out of all the parents carrying big old wooden incline plane games into the school. Very cute!

K1's history project was on Isabella of Spain. A good friend who got me into scrapbooking always told me that all the money I spent on supplies would also be "great for school projects" - oh boy, she wasn't kidding!! K1 got 3rd place individual out of 50 submissions. Pretty cool!




And then last night, as we were eating dinner and I felt our projects were behind us, K1 announced:

"oh, i found out when that memorial model is due"
"Really?"
"Yeah, Friday!"
"Friday next week?"
"No, Friday this week"
"You do realize it is 6:30 PM on a Thursday, right?"
(insert crickets chirping)

- apparently NOT!!


So, we brainstormed and decided to do Arlington National Cemetery. P thought K1 could "cut out some crosses" - oh yeah - right!! So - off to the Hobby Store and with a stroke of very good luck found a cross punch that would work. Love those scrapbook supplies! (and living close to shops! heavenly shops!)
So, K1 punched out 77 crosses, spray painted some Styrofoam (a gimpy dad project, as he has banged up his knee and is on crutches - no, I'm not ready for my 9 year old to be let loose with a can of paint) and glue sticked toothpicks on the back. (joint effort again, 9 year olds and hot glue guns aren't allowed to play together alone yet) Whew. It isn't gorgeous or elaborate - but it is better than a big fat zero.



Lets hope next week is project free. :) Aren't daily homework battles punishment enough for us parents?

Omnivore Meme

This is a a fun meme- post this list and bold what you've eaten. Some blogger somewhere decided that these are the 100 things every omnivore should eat before they die. Thanks to webfrau who got it from jww for this.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - a habenero, right? I haven't had a whole one but i did try a little at The Firehouse
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - oh yeah - in Monterrey - YUM
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whiskey from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear - in jam - does that count?
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Har
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake - boy scout jamboree as a child

hmm, some of these things i have no idea what they are! lol

Halloween 2008

We had the traditional pumpkin carving followed the next night by the hunt for the mostest candy. The girls got an impressive haul. K1 was a charm school witch and K2 was Zorro. Sawyer even got to go. They had a great time.

Flickr claims this slideshow will work, so i'm giving it a try......

Almost Rodent Free again

Last night I sent the girls up to get ready for bed and before i could join then, there were screams and cries and wailing of gigantic proportions. The Hamster cage had been knocked off the desk where it sat and was in pieces. (Two guesses who pushed it off) Hamsters no where in sight - which was a good sign. No fur, no little feet, no nothing. Looking around the room and thinking they could be anywhere, P sent K1 downstairs for a flashlight. From DOWNSTAIRS she screamed (not a mere yell, oh no) that the cats had one cornered in the front room.

Downstairs? How the heck did it get downstairs? Was it carried? Did it jump?

She grabbed it - it was Salsa, and aside from Post-traumatic-stress-syndrome, it appeared to be perfectly fine.

So, one found, but one still in some unimaginable terror so the wails and screams and drama continued. After about 30 minutes of looking, and watching the cats, and even letting the little dogs (which are SUPPOSED to be Ratters) in, P noticed that one cat, Scooter, kept returning to our bedroom. Belle the dog went in there a few times, but all the commotion made by the girls, kept her too distracted. Jasper - the other cat - likes his food well cooked and on a plate - he wasn't much help. Sawyer never once moved from his position on the floor - no help at all.

Tabasco was located behind the Highboy. (ALSO DOWNSTAIRS, What the heck!?) After much screaming and chasing him around the room (with him ending up on my foot and making me scream too) he was caught and looks in good health as well.

Go figure. I told the cats I was mighty disappointed in their feline abilities, but in this case - it was a good thing.

Rodent-free no more!

Last year K1 got to take her Guinea Pig, Princess to school for the class fair. Well, the fair is coming and K2 played the "it's not fair" card, and insisted a new rodent was needed. And she had her dad pretty much talked into a Ferret. A Ferret? IDONTTHINKSO. Luckily, we looked it up and saw it was basically a cat, a cat that poops where ever it chooses. Much more than I wanted to take on.

So i suggested a hamster - maybe a really little hamster ( K1 had an eye on a robo-hamster). Luckily - they bought that answer. When we got to the store, we ended up with 2 Dwarf hamsters. I admit - they are pretty cute. And little.



The cats thought we must have brought them a small crunchy treat. We even got them a few of those little balls and they run around like crazy. The girls named them Tabasco and Salsa. I have no idea why. I guess they are "spicy" :)



I can't tell who likes them better - the girls or the cats......

Pierre Cardin has done lost his mind

How dare he do that to a perfectly good sleeping bag. Seriously - someone pays him to come up with this?



And this one - i can't decide if it is a poncho gone wrong, a simulated shark, or perhaps a bubble ufo. Regardless, I'm happy to see they found my old boots from the 80's that I'm pretty sure I gave to Goodwill.

He also must have been eating a plate of oysters when the inspiration hit him for this doozey.




Go here to check out more. You'll notice he wore a suit. No sleeping bag for Pierre, no siree.

Dang - another busy weekend

This soccer stuff really is a time eater.

On Saturday, K2 had her first game. It was at THE EXACT SAME TIME as K1's game. It was also ACROSS TOWN. As I am about to leave, P remembers it is the Balloon Fest weekend, and I should probably adjust my route to avoid the traffic. (the park was pretty close to the Balloon Fest parking lot).

So, we got there just fine, and were amazed to see all the balloons! It was such a pretty view!




I actually thought one was going to land on the field. That was some close up Balloon Viewing.




Anyhow, K2 played her first game (And her second game the next day). She did ok, but she had fun, and that was the main thing. P (who was at K1's game) and I were texting scores back and forth and I sent him balloon photos. Gadget-fun, lol.

A Busy Weekend

Well, our first soccer game was played as bands of Ike passed through. Yes, these soccer people play through hurricanes! Luckily - it moved east of us and we only got rain and very little wind. Newbie soccer mom me didn't realize they played through rain and didn't bring an umbrella. Wow, what was I thinking?!? So, i put all the meltables in the car and got soaked. at least it was a warm rain. K1 played some right wing and left wing. She had a blast.

About 10 minutes before we left i got a call from my SIL that she and my brother were coming into town and wanted to see our house for the first time around 5! *GASP!* So, i tried to clean the house as best as i could (boy, it needed it!) in record time. Actually, i still had a mop in my hand and no shower when they arrived, opps! my brother must have a lead foot. I thought the big city traffic might intimidate him, no such luck.

It was awesome to see them! Now it is our turn to make a quick trip. :)

On a sad note, we lost K1's Guinea Pig, Princess. She had a lot of personality and i will miss her squeaks anytime she heard plastic rattle. Poor little Princess.

The Ike Man Cometh

Ike is on his way to Texas. Right now he looks pretty big and many of the predictions show it just skirting us. Even though its only a H2, its size is what makes it impressive. This morning they measured it on TV to be over 1200 miles wide and take up much of the Gulf.

I've always been a big fan of history, and on a visit to Galveston, we went to the Pier21 1900 storm exhibit. It really moved me. Back then, they had no idea what was coming. They would look at the sky and guess. Now i can sit and watch forecast paths on StormPulse ( definite hurricane porn). I sure hope Galveston fares better than it did then - it really never recovered its previous glory.


We should get some of the wind, some of the rain. But minor in comparison. At the worst case, it will postpone K1's first soccer game. I hope it doesn't, but with the size of it - no one can really tell when (or even if) the winds will hit. I'm going to the grocery store today just-in-case. I'm sure it will be a mad house. But, i hate shopping in the rain, and I'm providing snacks for the game tomorrow. Is that a good enough excuse? :)

1 practice down - many more to go....

K1's first practice went really well and she had a blast. Her coach is a PE teacher at another elementary and is beyond awesome. She got in there and went over the basics and K1 didn't feel uncomfortable at all. (many of the girls have played a long time, and she worried about not knowing what to do) There were even 2 girls from her school that she recognized, and that helped too.

Tonight we have K2's first practice. I hope it goes well, but K1's coach set the bar pretty high.

What? I'm A what?

Good grief - I'm officially a soccer mom. It's my fault for putting the girls in a summer program that was more sports oriented than school oriented. They decided they liked soccer and after many years of showing absolutely no interest - they are both on a team.

Tonight is the first practice - and i have to go buy shin guards.

And they're Off

Another year has begun. I know the girls are excited to see their friends again. My fingers are crossed that they give us a few days off before homework kicks in. P

Last day of Summer

Can you believe it? Wow - that was quick! Tonight we meet the new teachers and Monday - Back to School!!



Oh Summer, going so soon?

A Weekend Birthday Party at the American Girl Store

K1 got invited to a birthday party at the American Girl Boutique and Bistro this past weekend. The invitation said "bring your American girl doll" so its a good thing that K1 has a wonderful aunt who got her a doll last Christmas. Thanks Again!
So we arrive with doll in arm (on tax free weekend at the galleria - now you know i was worried about the parking and it was CRAZY) and there didn't appear to be a girl in there that didn't have a doll too.
It reminded me of PetSmart, except for dolls. I had NO IDEA. K1 loved just about everything in there (big surprise) She had a great time at the party and said it felt like it lasted "about 5 minutes" (it felt like 2 hours to me, even though i did get to walk the mall kid-free)
Luckily for me she had a sleepover planned for the evening and didn't want to waste time shopping after the party so we got out of there purchase-free (you know I'm shocked, but delighted) She did get a catalog, and I noticed it made the trip to Grandmother's last night. Smart Girl.

Sad. C'est Moi

The olympic swimming has come to an end *sniff* and I just don't know what I am going to do. The other sports wear entirely too many clothes. Except for the women, now why are they running races in little bikini things and the men are completely covered? Its just not fair. Don't they care about the ratings???

Sucked into the Olympic Vortex

I was pretty much apathetic about this years Olympics in China. Because, you know, its in China. The place that follows no laws save their own. That place which has no problem ripping off any brand that comes to their shore for a little cheap labor love.

But here I am a week into it and I'm watching it all the time. And I just can't figure out why.




Nope, no idea. Not a clue......





And if this girl is 16 then I am 29. Whatever. Why have rules if you let the gold metal team break them? It puts everyone else at a disadvantage and is JUST PLAIN WRONG. UGH. Shows what China thinks of rules, doesn't it? So why does Nike cry when they steal the shoe logo? Isn't that just "business as usual the chinese way"?

A quick trip to the Palace of Wax

We went to the Palace of Wax/Ripley's Believe it or Not last week. We had a really good time although the wax figures didn't strike me as all that amazing. The best part of the wax museum was the scary part - and K1 didn't care for that one bit. No haunted houses for her this year.



Our favorite part was probably the Mirror Maze. Maybe because we didn't expect too much. I like this picture because both girls are in front of me, but P is actually around the corner out of view. K2n has a hold of his wrist. It got confusing!



We had to wear gloves to keep from smudging the mirrors, and smudging really does ruin the effect. I think K2 left a cheek mark when she was 100% sure she was going the right way and face planted into the mirror. I probably shouldn't have laughed.

MMMM Enchiladas

Phillip and I had a debate over Beef enchiladas. I swore they were made with chili, ala canned chili. He swore it was not. So, i puttered around the internet and sure enough, it isn't chili ala tin, its called "Chili Gravy". So, last night I channeled my inner Lisa Garza, and using this recipe prepared Beef and bean enchiladas starting with a chili gravy. I even made a ROUX, we are talking cutting edge for this former burner of boiled eggs.

As i put it in the oven, i thought "there is no way the kids will eat this" - so I didn't take any photographic evidence.

Well guess what, My chili gravy was a bit on the thick side, but it was WONDERFUL. I got not 1 - but THREE (3!) thumbs up. Both kids had SECONDS. I cannot tell you what a rare event this is. RARE! REALLY RARE!

It would also be excellent over cheese/onion enchiladas. I am sure to make it again, and then i WILL take a picture.

Yea, I can now join the iZombie ranks

My own personal iphone-addict went and stood in a 10 minute line to get himself a new 3G iphone. On his way home, his first call to me DROPPED. Boy did that make me laugh (and he cussed a bit). And as of today, I HAVE HIS OLD ONE! SWEEEEEEEETTTTT. And it has all his programs on it - like iBeer, you know you gotta have iBeer.

Oh Rats!

21 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

But I outscored Kari, and she can actually cook! LOL

My favorite site when I'm feeling PMSy

Come on, you know you get that feeling too. They are rich and skinny, so i can giggle about their questionable fashion choices, can't I?

Go Fug Yourself: Because fugly is the new pretty

Well, i'm might just have to stop cooking

So, I got pulled in Hook, Line and sinker on the Food Network Star challenge.I only started watching because a local girl was on, and I like to support local talent when i can. And she is talented. VERY.

And on it i am struck that most of these cooks don't seem to adlib well (and I'm thinking their established stars - Paula Dean came across BADLY, as did Martha Stewart, as did Rachael Ray...)

And then they go and CHANGE THE RULES at the last minute, so 3 can go to the end and not the 2 that actually won the challenge. They even held the hand of the one that should have lost, and he still did badly, but still he advances. Now, WHY would they do that? Hmm, COULD IT BE, COULD REALITY TV BE RIGGED?? Shut YOUR MOUTH!! NO WAY!!

Then the brainiacs at the food network accidentally update their website with not only the WINNER(3 days early) but the name of the winner's new show!! (BIG DADDY'S HOUSE - are you freaking kidding me????) They fixed it, but you know, its forever on cyber-space now, you can't take it back.

Yeap, its the one they held the hand of, changed the rules for, and babysat to the bitter end. If you wanted him, just pick him and not make a fake contest the wasn't really a contest because the winner was pre-determined, alright? Now i feel had, and hell's going to have to freeze over before i watch his show, and i'm feel very chilly towards food network in general right now.

And lets not even bring up what they did to Mr Dinner:Impossible. I LOVED him. Come on, show me Rachel's resume.

Iphone - i don't get it

So, Phillip works near an Apple store, and i had jokingly asked if he was going to get in line at 8 to get me a new 2nd gen iPhone. He laughed at the notion that there would be people in a frenzy over it - after all, it was only a 2nd gen. Iphones had been out for a while.

And the 3G network was the only difference and i have a 3G Blackjack, and let me tell you, it is so NOT ready for prime time. I don't ever make it through a call without at least 1 drop, so until the 3G cells get more coverage around here, its no big attraction.

Well, he was WRONG. there were tons of people in line. And the bad part is, you couldn't just walk in and get one and hook it up at home ( like he did on the 1st gen) its a good 30 minute activation process for each and every customer. It was a hot day here friday, the line was still there when he went by at lunch, and people were getting a bit RIPE. (Stinky) They were still there at 5 when he went home.
Here is the line at 5 - notice the door is around the corner. Also, if it takes each person 30 minutes, how many minutes are in the line ahead of you??



all for a 2nd gen phone? I mean, its nice and all, even with the plastic back instead of the metal one, and oh yeah, how pissed are they going to be when the 3G drops them like it does me..... hmm, perhaps it will speed up getting some decent cell coverage around here and my blackjack won't feel like such a boat anchor.

Oh, and I'm not saying the iPhone doesn't rock - it totally does. But why do you need it day one, when you could have had one any time over the last year (up until June, when they stopped selling the 1st gen) with a better backplate, a better activation system, and a more reliable (around these parts anyhow) network? I'm so hoping Phillip decides to upgrade, I'd take his old one in a heartbeat.

4th of July

We went to Phillip's Uncles Lake house for 4th of July. The girls had a blast, they played in the pool, they played in the lake, they rode a "hot dog" pulled behind a boat, they rode a see-do with their Uncle, they fished for a little bit, they played with sparklers, they rolled down hills................. I pretty much just followed them around making sure they didn't drown while fetching food and drinks. (the catfish was great, but the Brisket was Awesome!!) Phillip's Aunt and Uncle were wonderful hosts.

Here are a few of the pictures from that day.

A suprise gift!!

My sweet H got me one of these nifty puppies! Now I can slice up a freaking storm. Its really very nice, and I love me some kitchen gadgets.

A few weeks back i tried a "shortcake" by my friend Kari. I didn't make enough crust, and I think I like it more like a pie crust and less like a shortcake - but the flavor of the filling was GREAT. Thanks, Kari. Documented, as requested. ;)

A Turduken - You're kidding right?

Ok, so i have nothing even close to a Gourmet palate, but I've been enjoying this show - the Next Food Network's Star. These people are seriously talented cooks and they are putting them through the wringer. Its brutal!! LOVE IT.

The one I watched last night ( DVR, don't ask me when it really aired) the Bon Appetite people wanted then to make " difficult food accessible" - and the 3 they choose pretty much reminded me why I never buy Bon Appetite. A beef wellington, A Coq Au Vin, and a TURDUCKEN. A what? A Turducken, a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey. OKAY. I've heard of this one. And it was a Frank Calliendo parody of John Madden, and i SERIOUSLY THOUGHT that Frank made up this ridiculous dish. Nope, its real. I'm not sure if I feel bad that i didn't know it was real or not.

Anyhow, I will never, never, never make a turducken. Even if it is 'easy' and that is a pretty loose use of the term

It must be memory lane day

Well, since Ellie May did it, I felt inclined to do the same. What, me be a copy cat? Well, I guess so.....

In the 60's. My father and my future father in law worked together on the F1-11. We all ended up in Fort Walton Beach when I was 3 and my brother and future husband were 8. I have to wonder what the heck my mom was thinking with the bubble monstrosity she put me in. Ugh. You can see my friend Joy wondering the same thing.



My favorite aspect of this picture is the fact that my brother and husband still sport the same hairstyles....

Misc Monday ramblings

You know, when the kids changed schools and friends, it didn't dawn on me right away that i would miss their mom's too. I liked the Mom's from school 1, and school 2. I remember K1's first birthday party at school 3 and not only was she feeling a bit out of sorts, i didn't know the moms at all! Lonely!!!

So, many of the Mom's from school 2 hang out poolside at the rec center - at least I've run into them twice so far. Its been so nice.



On the "try something new for the weekend" we tried the Beer margaritas.

Oh yes, they were tasty. Oh yes, they were STRONG, deceptively strong. I think i may have to 1/2 the tequila next time. Yowsa.

On an interesting note - no tequila headache the next morning. Not even a twinge. hmmm..

Gosh, I really like where I live.....

Over the last few years, we've been in flux. And it has probably affected K1 the most, as she has had 3 elementary school changes. (but all pretty close together) Each change i have agonized over - "will she like the new school - will she find friends?" and As K2 got to school age - the same questions. (only 2 changes for her)

But now, i really think all things are starting to "gel" in a super good way.

Yesterday was K1's first day in summer school ( a gifted program for the city, so it brings many elementary school kids together) In her first period, there were kids from school 3 and school 2. In second period, her best buddy from school 2, and in third period, a girl from school 1 who was in her girl scout troop. How cool is that?

Then we were to MCDonalds and ran into kids from school 3 ( our neighbor). After that to the rec center and ran into K1's good friend from school 1 and K2's good friend from school 2. Seems like its all worked out pretty well.


Oh, and I did try the "work out while the girls swim in the pool below the window" thing. There are 6 lifeguards and for the most part, i could see the kids from the stepper. It worked out well!

Funny thing is they were spotted by one of my most overprotective friends as "unsupervised". Thinking back to my childhood where I ran around unsupervised from the age of 4 and up - its amazing i survived. :)

Summer Fun

So summer has begun!




We've joined a wonderful rec center near by with awesome indoor and outdoor pools.


We've gone to a baseball game



Summer school is starting - just for the month of June



And of course - lots and lots of swimming.





looks to be a busy summer!





I'm tired already -- right doggies??

A Room with a View - What the....?

Ok, there was a sleepover, and I was trying to outlast the kiddos (foolish, I know) so I started watching a Masterpiece theater adaption of one of my favorite movies - A Room with a View. It was on PBS a few weeks back and was sitting on my DVR taking up space.




*Backstory* - the 1985 Merchant/Ivory film of "A Room with a View" - has got to be one of my favorite movies. I've watched it many times. I've got the VHS and the DVD, I've bought the book (but it still sits waiting to be read) - so I'm not to keen on a new version to start with but I figure "what the heck".

So it starts off with her in Italy alone. What? Where is Charlotte? I am confused. Then you kind of figure out that she is older, and she is alone. hmmmm. Then we flash back to the story i know. Ok. I let it go.

The new Lucy - she's good. I like her. The new George - he's got pretty big Julian Sands boots to fill - and he's a bit of a..., ok - he's a HUGE nerd. On a scale of 1-10 for romantic lead, I'm feeling a 2 - TOPS. He's the son of the guy who plays a believable rat in Harry Potter for goodness sakes. Ok, I let that go.

Then comes the big "kiss in the wheat field"- the most romantic part of the movie - and he misses her lips and hits her chin. (i watched it twice to be sure) ok - not even a good kisser and it bothers me. They must have done many takes and that was the best they could do? *sigh* Ok, I let THAT go.

So, then it goes on like it has before. Except at the end - they show them reuniting together when George is lying in the pond in a pool of blood. He sits right up, so I suppose it wasn't serious - but I am baffled. Was he trying to kill himself? Was this in the book? No explanation.

Next scene - they are in Italy again like the other movie - but her hair is long. hmm.

They switch from this scene to a dark scene of a dead George on a random battlefield. What? What? What? Was he a soldier? When the heck was this? What?!? Again, no explanation.

Then we see the Short haired Lucy (aha!) mourning him. And in her efforts to mourn him, she hooks up with the carriage driver from the earlier scene where she and George first kiss. RIGHT. She's moved on. Lovely. NOT. We spend the whole movie waiting for them to get together, and after a 10 second flash that he is dead we are ready for her to date. I don't think so!!

I thought perhaps this was in the book, and i was suddenly quite glad i had never read it. Turns out all this flash back crap was added by the guy who adapted the book based on some after the fact musings of the author - which from what i have read, seems debatable.

Seems someone asked him how they thought Lucy & George would turn out and he said they had a few kids and he died later on in the war. And you know - he might have just been having a bad day and was tired of the freaking question. I don't think he intended the end of this movie to be a complete downer with her flirting with the carriage driver. Just ruined the WHOLE.DARN.THING.

So, this version promptly got deleted from my dvr never to be replayed. Bleh.

The Boston Globe seems to agree with me:

This room looks on a different view

A Flickr Meme

Saw this on a few sites, you know i got to try it for myself:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.



The Questions:
1. What is your first name? - Lorie
2. What is your favorite food? - Shrimp - one of many favorite foods
3. What high school did you go to? - South Garland
4. What is your favorite color?- Purple
5. Who is your celebrity crush? - hmm, changes daily - today Eric Bana
6. Favorite drink? - Red wine
7. Dream vacation? - Fiji
8. Favorite dessert? - chocolate cheesecake
9. What you want to be when you grow up? - Happy? :)
10. What do you love most in life? - my kids, and their dad
11. One Word to describe you. - protective
12. Your flickr name - Lorie G

With every addition - there comes a subtraction

Last Wed the Girls got out of school, and we took a few days off to just have some fun. We saw Kung Fu Panda and Indiana Jones ( and ate lots of popcorn). We went swimming a few times at this awesome rec center near us. We ate out a few times, we had sleepovers, we shopped a bit - just a busy fun time.
We also lost one of our rodents. Her Name was Fluffy and she was K2's guinea pig. She got sick and went down fast. Very sad.




In other news, Sawyer is doing great. He was missing from his spot on the tile the other night and he was located in K2's bed upstairs. (she was sleeping on the couch, which she likes to do on weekends, so i have no idea what attracted him) I think he is feeling comfortable.......