Fancy Pants, Hat and Frames

Here are a few shots of a day with us.

Dad picked out my outfit.  The theory behind this outfit is that each piece is so cool on its own that it stands out independently and doesn't matter that they in no way match with each other (according to Mark, stylist extraordinare)

mixing bowl/hatware

mom got new frames.  This pic is a result of Taj figuring out how the camera works.  He did not in fact take this picture (mark did) but taj put together that what moves on the screen gets clicked and frozen and then you can look at it afterwards (does that make sense?)  Anyhow...once this was discovered we were taking A LOT of photos.

one that dad took of the two of them

isn't he enthusiastic?

thanks for playing!

Sweet Music

Tonight I went to see Tegan and Sara with Death Cab for Cutie.  I like Death Cab, but Tegan and Sara were my real draw and I was not disappointed.  They sounded great.  The audience "vibe" was good.  I always like a show where there seems to be a lot of diversity in the audience, age and style wise.  Plus they were quite polite and gracious during the little sound bites between songs.  Talented edgy with manners!  Perfect.

 

Lori was my date which also added to my happy night.  She is 17 and we hang out. That might reflect on my maturity level, but I honestly think it has more to do with hers.  Hang out with her!  You will love it and see what I mean!

Lil Slade...

So a couple weekends ago my longtime friend Amanda Slade Coon came to visit.  She was a year younger than us and not the only Slade we hung out with so was therefore dubbed lil slade.  Here are a few gems I dug out of the ole' shoe box of shame! (you're welcome!)

oh if i could only count how many meals of Taco Bell i had during my high school years.  this is amanda (hugandkiss) and lindsey.  i remember the shirt that lindsey is wearing was a savers find and much adored by us all.

typical afternoon in our college apartment.  again little slade's in back and you can learn about the pink masked toilet paper bandit here.

one spring break we got 20 something friends together and rented a house on newport beach.  don't do drugs kids and maybe your parents will be crazy enough to let you try something like this too.  it only cost us like $40 each since we had so many people.  

I did Slade's makeup for prom and as you can see, she was working it.  again...you're welcome!

These are all the seniors from my high school that came to stay with me during their spring break while i was at school.  Oh those crazy provo nights.  don't they look like a rowdy bunch? scantly clad all tatted and pierced.  wild ones!

what were your mothers thinking leaving you under my supervision! 

however, despite my powerful influence over her delicate adolescence, amanda turned out alright.  she is  a mama now to a super cute little elizabeth.  and although I do not have him pictured here her hubby is super cool to. 

another hs chum trisha came by with her 1.5 children and so did anna with her two boys but i didn't get any photos of them. sorry anna.

look at that face!  elizabeth is cool because she is not an easy sell.  you have to be exceptional hysterical to crack a smile on that face but it is SOO worth it when you do.  this picture is just a sampling.

i like you slade.  come back anytime!

Google Reader

I just jumped on the "google reader" bandwagon after my sister recommended it many a time.  It takes a little while to set up, especially if you have many a blog you like to stalk like I do, but it is WORTH it!  So I searched for images but couldn't find any good ones to "show" you so now I'm just going to try and tell you.  When you sign into your gmail account (which I believe you all have to have in order to blog on blogger), look across the top where it lists Gmail  Calendar  Documents  Photos   Reader  Web.  Click on the one that says reader and its pretty self explanatory from there.  You add the web address of any sites you like to keep up on.  And then next time you are web/blog surfing you just go check your list and it shows you any of you sites that have been updated.  That way you don't have to go searching every site.  Ok this may not sound life changing at first, but try it.  You will like it.  It will save you lots of time AND you will be the cool friend that always seems to be one of the first to comment!

You can thank me later.  And then I will defer the gratitude to Carolyn since she told me about it months ago and I just started to use it.

Scar Update

This is just Mark and Taj having a dance party in the kitchen.

Many of you will recall that a couple of weeks ago we endured our first stitch worthy cut.  Well we got those stitches in on a Friday and then out the following Wednesday.  The scab fell off the next day and it is healing up nicely if I do say so myself.  We try to put some ointment on it periodically but he messes with it non-stop if we put a band-aide on so there you have it.  He is (as you can tell) devastatingly handsome all the same!

Haircut~ Before and After

I like it!  We just juiced up the color and snipped me some bangs (as you can likely tell!)  

The end!

Anyone for a game of pool?

It's Alive!!!!

So I thought I would try to wash the outside of our bedroom window, because when I open it I can see lots of water spots and it bugs me.  So I went out to do it (finally) the other day and discovered that our bush had blossomed!  Isn't it lovely?

Here's a closer view.  Lovely Lovely!  But when I moved in for this photo I heard a distinct buzzing sound.  Needless to say the window didn't get washed.

It was COVERED in bees!  Just so you know I felt pretty hardcore moving in this close for the picture to the real able to sting me bee! 

Here are some others.  They are more on their way out than in...but still pretty nonetheless!

Ok but here is the real reason for my post!  See the green people!!! I GREW that!  Its basil.  I planted seeds and have been watering them religiously and LOOK!  Something is growing!  I did it! I did it!  If you know me or even if you don't.....this is a big big deal! Like called my husband at work all ecstatic to tell him type of big deal.  Just call me Mary Contrary from here on out please.

Pudding Plop

Yesterday we decided to try pudding as a snack.  A feed it to yourself all by yourself snack.  Here we go...spoon in hand. Let's do this!

This spoon is entirely too small and slow for my style.  Plus I keep getting more on my nose then in my mouth.

Much better.  Handfuls of pudding are much more gratifying.

Is it weird that I am sort of proud/impressed at how much of my son's hand he can fit into his mouth?

Fried Ravioli

Last week I saw this on my favorite cooking show Everyday Italian and decided to try it out.  It was a hit and we've already made it again this week.  And believe me...if I can make it, so can you!

Olive oil, for frying

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs

1 box store-bought ravioli (about 24 ravioli).  We've used cheese and chicken stuffed.  We both like chicken more.

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated for dipping

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches.  Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.  Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely.  Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl.  Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs.  Place the ravioli on a baking sheet and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Spring the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

No Thanks!

Yesterday Taj went "hiking" with his Daddo and about 15 feet into the "hike" (but was more like a regular walk) Taj tripped and fell straight into a rock.  It was just one of those things. Mark said that it wasn't a big fall and he couldn't even see the rock he hit, but nonetheless...hit it he did!  I was so glad that I wasn't there for this part because Mark said it bled A LOT.  He got Taj back in the car after taking his shirt off to use to absorb the bleeding and called me.  We met at the Pediatrician office who helped clean him up and then off to Quick Care for stitches.  The Pediatrician would normally have done it but the doctor on duty had hurt the tendons in his hand and could no longer perform stitches.  However you should know that by this time Taj was happy and just hanging out and most of the bleeding had stopped, but he still looked a fright!  Anyhow after the a few hours in the Quick Care waiting room he got himself 3 stitches!  That was no fun. Taj had only had himself 12 Ritz crackers for dinner and by now it is about 2 hours after his normal bedtime (PLUS..he had skipped his nap that day!) They actually asked Mark and I to stay and help hold him down...and that was no fun!  They wrap him in a blanket and then lay a cloth that has a hole in it over his face so that only the cut is showing.  So Taj is bound up, face covered and held down while being stitched up.  They give him a shot to numb the area so after that I knew he wasn't in pain...just terrified.  That last for about 15 min while they did the stitching and he kicked and screamed the whole time.  The sewing part doesn't gross me out...I just didn't like the crying.  But I kept my calm voice up and whispered into Taj's ear that we were right there and he was okay. The doctor commented on what a "good fighter" he was.  Once he was done being worked on and I got him in my arms he stopped crying, so it was okay.  But once we got into the car I had to have myself a good cry (and yes Mama I was missing you EXTRA right then:).  So it was not fun.  But Taj is a-ok now.  He was happy when we got home, just sleepy.  We had some milk and went straight to bed.  Then today he has been great.  He keeps messing with the band-aide we put on there, but he slept through the night and is a taking a dozy of a nap right now. 

Mark has been wonderfully calm and kind (as usual!) to both Taj and me throughout the ordeal, and I can safely say that I feel like I earned myself a badge of motherhood for enduring my first emergency room visit!

Booyah!

Mark got this balloon from work for his birthday! It provided about 45 min of punch drunk laughter between Taj and Josh...and any of us watching!

Ahhhh......(refreshing beverage sip sigh)

I just loved this picture so I wanted to post it.  We worked on the backyard most of the day Saturday.  Taj woke up from his nap but since he was still in his pj's I just let him strip down to come play and get dirty...little did I know the refreshing Gatorade beverage would be the main cause of the mess.  He enjoyed it though, in case you couldn't tell!

Easter Phase Three- Family Time

Ok so Easter Day itself was wonderful as well!  We went to my brother Travis' house for Easter dinner which was SOOOO good! (Thanks Bonnie!) They were also thoughtful enough to invite our other great friend's Josh and Chelsea.  After dinner we had a little egg hunt in their backyard with Alexis!  It also happened to be my boyfriend's birthday this year!  Mark is a whopping 27 years old!  We had a cake after dinner to commemorate the occasion!  It was a great day spent with family and friends...just like your supposed to! :)

This is what Alexis did when we asked her how princess jasmine might show us one of her easter eggs. :)

Taj loving his first ever chocalte bunny on Easter Morning!

The birthday cake!

Uncle Trav and Taj!  Quickly becoming wrestling chums!