Step Up Time

This day we begin the count-down to one of our new favorite traditions; attending the "Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk" in Kansas City, Kansas in October.  Last year was my first opportunity to attend and I had a grand time.  This year Mr. Man will be making the trip with me.  

Help us help them by making a donation to  Team "Two Much Fun" Step Up for Down Syndrome!  All donations will be received with great appreciation.  Thank you!!

On the Road

Growing up it seemed that if we were to visit grandparents or cousins or extended family it always meant road travel.  It is just what we did.  We regularly weekly visited my mother’s parents.  The roads weren’t the same then and the trip was about 10 miles further then than it is today.  But no matter it is just what we did.  Doing what we did prepared me for my life today.  Road travel and air travel.  Our weekly travel to work adds up to over 500 miles.  Mr. Man travels an additional 500 miles as part of his job.  I tell you we are travelers.  And now air travel is part of the routine; making fun weekends happen.  Because it is just what we do!

Are we there yet??

Helaman 7:29

"Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be."


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Chick-a-dee-boom

Surprises are like that all chick-a-dee-boom!


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Sending Birthday Wishes

Sending out Happy Birthday Wishes to this Girl!!

Love.You.So!

Salmon

I'm thankful for the goodness of fresh salmon and especially for the wonderful friends who share it.  It is so so good!  Makes one never want to eat the store bought stuff again.

Habits

We all have them.  By definition it means an acquired pattern of behavior that often occurs automatically.  And that’s the key word to this habit business automatically.  As we all know there are good habits and bad habits.  But this isn’t so much about those differences it is just more to the point of the automatic business.  Case in point.  Each Sunday I go to church; this isn’t a habit this is our way of life and I would change nothing in that.  But each Sunday I automatically go to the same pew…..it’s a habit!  I just automatically go to the west side of the building and to a side pew five rows from the back.  I do it without thinking week after week without fail.  Interestingly this is a very common habit on Sunday.  In fact many times you know exactly who is missing because their pew is empty.  It is not like we have assigned seating it just seems to be the thing we do…..sit in the same place week after week.  Well last Sunday I decided it was high time I mixed it up so I did.  I went into the chapel on the East side and sat in the second row in the middle no less.  It was crazy.  People wondered what was going on, why I changed my spot?!?  It was energizing and I just might never sit in the same place twice again!

Garlic Fries

Last night we went to dinner at a favorite roadside diner.  It use to be called Taylor's Refresher; I remember going their as a kid for ice cream and a hamburger.  It is now called Gott's Roadside and believe me today it is more than ice cream and a hamburger.  Last night we chowed down on yummy garlic fries, among other things.  Oh and the fish tacos, well let me just say they are to die for.  Check it out next time you want to enjoy some great outdoor dining.  It is a must!   Believe me you won't be disappointed!

Happy Birthday Wishes

Sending Happy Birthday Wishes to this baby; who isn't such a baby anymore!

Happy Number Five!

Love.You.So!

Spicy Winner

Thank you for the spicy suggestions.  I did pick a winner because I said I would and I'm a women of my word!  Thank you again for thinking of me!  And thank you for sharing your ideas!  Your prize is on its way! You will love it!!

Alma 7:22

"And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received."

Just This Day

I pause to pray for those you have cause to mourn. 

May peace again return to their hearts.

Mint

I love mint.......the favor!  Mint ice cream, mint hot chocolate, you name I'm a mint fan.  And lately this little mint has been my number one favorite!

It is indeed a great taste sensation!

And look it is even a low fat food!!

Bread

I'm thankful for bread.  I'm thankful I know how to make it from scratch and that I gained that knowledge and the love for it from my grandmother.  I'm thankful my girls can make it too, and love it as much as I do.  I'm thankful to have opportunities to share that knowledge with friends.  Bread the staff of life!!

Persevere

This word is courtesy of Mr. Man.  I needed a word and he delivered!  So why this word today I ask?  Says he because you must persevere in order to succeed.  As a salesman he knows of what he speaks.

Spices

I love to use them but have a hard time keeping track of them.  There has got to be a way to better organize them.  I have a whole cupboard dedicated to spices.  But sometimes I feel like some of the bottles of spices I have are as old as the marriage; which for the record we are coming up on 39 million years of togetherness.  The marriage is great but I fear these spices are not! (Rest assured D1 I've tossed them)

Recently I needed some chili powder for a dry rub.  I was out or it was lost in the abyss!  Most frustrating.  Is it just me or do others share in my spice run amuck dilemma?  I'm sending out a life line to all the organized spice people of the world; how do you do it?!?

Send me your best tip for organizing your spices  (or the best tip you can find) and the winner of the best tip (of course I will be the picker of the best tip) will get my favorite nutmeg grater. (Well not my personal one, I love it too much to part with it, but I will send you your very own!)

You have until July 21, 2012, at midnight in Hawaii to get your tip to me!!

On your mark, get set, GO!!!

This could be yours!
You know you want one!!

In Sickness and in Health

I have lived a rather healthy life.  No broken bones, seldom a visit to the doctor as a child.  There was just never a need.  I guess because of that I have a very good memory of when I was sick as a child because it was such a rarity, even now for the most part sickness avoids me and I it. 

This memory however comes to me oddly because G6 has such a love of cupcakes.  When I was her age I too must have loved cupcakes.  On my 6^th birthday the plan was to take cupcakes to my classmates in kindergarten. (I don’t even know if they let you do that now?)  But my hopes of sharing what I’m sure were outstanding cupcakes were dashed.   You see about a week before my birthday I had come down with mumps but only on one side of my face.  It was planned that on my birthday I would be able to go back to school; cupcakes in hand.  Sadly however, on February 3, 1960, a Wednesday I woke up with mumps on the other side.  No cupcakes to be shared!

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ain't that the truth!

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The Zinnia's are Back

I have an area in the backyard I affectionately call the "B."  I planted zinnias from seed one year and each year since they have just re-seeded themselves; filling in the "B" with a wonderful carpet of zinnias.  I have a thing for zinnias.  I just love their brightness and their rainbow of wonderful colors. We have a history!  This year they have come back with a vengeance.

Watching This Girl

My favorite thing to do is watch this girl play in the water.  I know it is her favorite thing to do.  Boy she does love the water.

Timing

Today I'm thankful for timing.  I think timing is often over looked.  But if I slow down long enough each day I'm amazed at the timing of some events.  Maybe it is an unexpected phone call or email or text.  Maybe it is an article in a magazine or newspaper.  Maybe it is an unexpected visit or a story someone shares.  All of these seemingly insignificant things many times arrive or appear at the perfect moment.  It is all in the timing and for that I am most thankful.  Because I know someone is watching over me and knows exactly when I need what!

Bitter

Bitter evokes images of the less than desirable.  But by changing one letter in that nasty little word those images of despair turn into images of goodness.  Today I shall be better not bitter!

Quinoa Goodness

We love quinoa at our house.  I especially love to make it in the pressure cooker.  1 ½ cups of quinoa, 2 ¼ liquid, 2 minutes in the pressure cooker and 10 minutes natural release and ta-da you have perfectly cooked quinoa.

Last night I made quinoa goodness.  Here are the ingredients in the bowl of goodness:

• Quinoa
• Salmon
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Chives
• Fresh Parsley
• Lemon Juice

Eggs

You know how when you have an experience doing something you just know from that point on every time you do that “thing” you are going to think about the experience.  Case in point.  During the recent visit of the grans, Gran 11 requested scrambled eggs for breakfast.  A simple request.  Well when I prepare scrambled eggs I always add a little milk; my mother did and so I do.  Gran 11 asked me why I did that to which I replied, “it makes your scrambled eggs creamy.”  To which she replied, “I don’t want creamy scrambled eggs!!”  This was a problem!! She was so distressed about the milk in her eggs that she determined she no longer wanted said eggs. 

Distraction really is a good way to redirect ones thinking.  So I sent her to the other room to ask her sister what she might like for breakfast.  Upon her return I told her I took the milk out of the eggs via SuSu magic.  She was a believer!!  She ate the eggs and all was right with the world.  I’ll never make eggs again what I won’t think of her and the dismay she felt over milk in her eggs!!

Matthew 7:8

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Happy Birthday Shout Out

Sending Happy Birthday Wishes Your Way

And so much more!
Love.Love.

Catch of the Day

Nothing

Today nothing is my favorite.  Now don't take me wrong, I mean nothing in a good way.  Somedays sometimes it is just okay to do nothing!  And I'm okay when that happens to just sit and do nothing so I will!

The Visit

It began with a journey of 1,133 miles (one way); one dil and 5 grans.  It was a stay of 7 short nights and 6 even shorter days.  It was hours of laughter and minutes of tears.  It was snacks.  It was hula hooping.  It was snacks. It was games.  It was snacks. It was movies. It was snacks.  It was fishing. It was snacks. It was marshmallow shooting. It was snacks and so much more.  And mostly it was just way too much fun.  And for all of it I am so thankful!

Happy Birthday Shout Out

Happy Birthday America!!

We know you are the best!!

Jelly Belly

Yesterday my dil and I took the visiting grans to the Jelly Belly factory.  While they were all for visiting a place where candy is made, the actual tour wasn't really kid friendly in the sense that .......... well let's just say for them it was done right boring.  So combine that with an hour and a half drive and about a 45 minute wait in line to actually take the tour and well again boring!  There weren't enough jelly bellies in the whole place to compensate for their misery.  And believe me there were trillions and trillions of jelly bellies to be had.

So note to self.  When contemplating a tour of a candy factory probably the best thing to do is just get the candy, share it with the kids and then go in the backyard and let them play in the sprinklers.  That is what you call a win-win situation!!  Believe me, everyone will be happier!!!

Happy Birthday Shout Out

Sending Happy Birthday Wishes to this Girl!

I can't believe you are four!! Say it isn't so!

Love. You. S0!

(Still lacking in the current picture department.........just saying'!)

Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that ye be not judged.