Looking Forward to the Weekend

This week seemed to have gone by so quickly! I can not believe it's Friday - Yay!!! I love fast weeks.

Today I went to the DMV and finally got my name changed. I feel so responsible and legal! Also I made the change at the bank AND ordered my new checks!! Woo Hoo!

Tonight we are going to see Enchanted. It seems like our usual Friday night "date" with Buddy. It's cold and rainy so the movies will be nice. mmmm popcorn and M&M's.

Tomorrow I have to work all day with Buddy on his book report. I feel like such a bad mom sometimes. He was given this book report over a month ago and it's not done. I should have been making him read every night. I wonder how other moms/wives do it. I get home - cook dinner - clean up. And in there some where is homework time. I feel like I'm failing him by not pushing him harder to read more, do his flash cards, etc. I was really sad last night thinking of all this. I definitely need to help him have better study habits. No more Mrs. Nice Mom. Damn!

Sunday I'm taking Daughter to see Ragtime at a local community theater. One of the lovely Knotties that I have met on the wedding board is in the play and there are a few of us that are going. I'm looking forward to seeing the play but really looking forward to meeting these ladies that I enjoy so much.

There is not a lot planned - and I love that!!!!

I Finally Did It!!!

After writing yesterday about how I needed to get my lazy behind to the DMV and finally get my name changed - it made me even more determined to do it. So I did it!!!

I was totally dreading it after my attempt last month - I walked in to find a line that lasted for days (I left because I did not feel like waiting). So I was fully prepared this morning for an hour or even two hour wait. I decided I'd try a different DMV in the next little town over - only about a 10 minute drive (the same DMV that Daughter took her drivers license test). It was TOTALLY worth it. I arrived with only one person in front of me - took my number at 8:29am.

Was called about 10 minutes later - got my picture taken, they handed me my temporary license and I walked out of there at 8:50! Why did I put that off for so long!!!! Now I can mark that off my list.

Now I just need to get my name changed at the bank so I can order checks.....

******Update on our work computers*****

Although the IT guy has done wonders I still don't have e-mail - BUT I don't have to wait 20 minutes after opening a file in Word....

Things I HAVE to do

1) Get myself to the DMV and get my new license with my name changed!!! Today marks our 5 month anniversary since the wedding. And I have yet to change me name with the DMV. I have changed it with SSN but I need to quit procrastinating and just do it!!!!

2) Order new checks. I've been living on temporary checks since June - Why? See above.

**no these aren't my real checks - but they are oh so cute!**

3) Bathe Duncan - my poor dog stinks!!!

4) Take my test for my on-line traffic school to clear a ticket I got for speeding.... I've finished the course - just need to take the test at the UPS store. Something else I've been putting off. I wonder if there is a time limit - I hope not....

S-L-O-W

That's how fast our computers at work are running right now. We live in a fast paced world, everything is so rush rush. When the things we rely on such as computers run at an extra slow pace it makes you really realize how quickly we are used to doing things. Something is definitely wrong with our server so e-mails are taking - I kid you not - 1 to 2 to even 3 hours to reach it's destination.

How sad is that?

We have become so dependent on just hitting "send" it seems like such a chore to get up and go talk to another department or to make a call to check on a shipment. It's just not e-mail it's every thing. It's taking us 20 minutes to do something that normally takes 1 - 2 minutes. It does make me realize how much we take technology for granted.

Our poor server is very very sick and I hope the doctor comes to fix it very quickly.

Hello, My Name is Cute

I love all things girlie and cute. I know I want to make some people throw up but I just can't help it. I've always been this way.

Cute in the kitchen - I love these aprons!!!


Cute when Cleaning - I hate, hate, HATE cleaning or doing the dishes without gloves so these would be right my alley. Although I don't have anything like these - I would so wear them!!!

Cute Hats, Hats and more hats!!!

Loooong Weekend Recap

Today is the Monday after Thanksgiving. I'm still full, tired and really not wanting to be at work today. It was a great weekend spent with family and friends.

Thanksgiving

I had volunteered to make the mashed potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole this year. J has fried the turkey for the past 2 years so keeping with tradition we also brought the turkey to my mom's.

(my sister and Cousin)

(my cute mom)

My cousin from Oklahoma is working in Los Angeles right now so she was able to spend the day with us. We had so much food (as we always do) and were too stuffed to do too much after dinner.

I have to make a special note about my mom's pumpkin roll. This thing is to die for. She says it is easy to make but I'm too scared to tackle this one. Maybe for Christmas...

Also keeping with tradition we spread out the ads for Black Friday and mapped out our plan for our shopping trip.

Sister and I have gone out shopping the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. Kohls opened up at 4am this year so this meant getting up and out there around 2am. We have our system down. We take our chairs, blankets and DVD player. By the time the movie is over it's time to put away the chairs and get ready for them to open up the doors.

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Besides having to get up at 1:30am - it's really pleasant. Until you have someone cut in line!!! It's just so rude - especially to all the people that got up sooo early to have some inconsiderate people just slide in line right before the doors open. I was ready to go to blows but I didn't have time - I had to get in and get my shop on!!!

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These pictures do not show how incredibly long the line was but we were about the 15th in line I tried to get a picture of the cutters but couldn't without being too obvious. The front of the line

The end of the line is wwwwwwwwwwayyyy back there.

I did pick up a couple things for me - including this cute little hat...

We spent the rest of the day shopping until I literally dropped. I'm too old for this. I, I mean Santa did find the long sought after Wii for Buddy and a great deal on a camera for Daughter.

Saturday we went to J's mom's house in Laguna Beach for Thanksgiving with his family. Thank goodness she completely understands the lack of desire to travel on holidays. I brought my absolute favorite Thanksgiving dish - sweet potatoes.



Buddy was so good and patient while we waited and waited and waited for the turkey to finish. J's mom's oven is old and needs to be replaced... He helped himself to his fave - black olives.

Is there any wonder why I love this boy so much!!!


Sunday we (Me, J, Buddy, Daughter, "B" Daughter's boyfriend) all went bowling. It was the first time I've actually ever bowled with Daughter - it was a lot of fun. After bowling we hit the arcade. All I hear is "mom - quit taking pictures".

Even J showed his appreciation for the constantly taking pictures....

I have so much to be thankful for - I need to remember to appreciate every day and thank God every day for what I have.

Meaning Of Thanksgiving

I wanted to post this before Thanksgiving - but didn't get the chance. I still think it deserves to be posted.
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The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving
As we all enjoy turkey and the trimmings this Thanksgiving, you may be interested to know that the first Thanksgiving celebration in America was a completely religious observance that didn't include a feast.
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It occurred in 1619 -- more than a year before the Pilgrims arrived from Massachusetts. A group of 38 English settlers arrived in Virginia and set aside a day to give thanks to God for their safe passage. The three-day festival of food and friendship that was the origin of Thanksgiving as we know it today didn't occur until 1621.
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Not Just a Private Celebration, a Public Thanks to God
Ever since, Thanksgiving has been a time for Americans not just to celebrate privately in our homes but to give public thanks to God -- and not just for our material blessings but for our freedom. Our earliest Thanksgivings were in times when that freedom was at its most vulnerable.
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In 1789, George Washington issued a proclamation calling for a day of "public thanksgiving and prayer" -- a day for Americans to acknowledge "the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
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But Washington didn't just say that individual Americans should thank God. He proclaimed that nations -- especially the one-year-old United States of America -- have obligations to God as well. He wrote, "It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."
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Lincoln Makes It a Yearly Celebration
But it wasn't until more than 70 years later -- at a time when America faced its greatest crisis -- that Thanksgiving became a yearly celebration.
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The Civil War was raging. Three months earlier, the Battle of Gettysburg had left 50,000 Americans killed, wounded or missing. Riots were tearing apart American cities.In the midst of this chaos, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in October 1863 that the last Thursday of November should henceforth be set aside as a day of thanksgiving.
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Lincoln acknowledged that the nation was "in the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity." But he focused instead on the nation's blessings, urging his fellow Americans to remember that "No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy."
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And Lincoln, too, proclaimed that all Americans set aside the day for a public expression of gratitude to God. He wrote, "It has seemed to me fit and proper that they [gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...

And I have so much to be thankful for.

My dad is such a wonderful dad. I am so thankful that I still have him. He has had many brushes with death including a heart attack 11 years ago ~ he amazed everyone when he made a full recovery. He's survived prostate cancer. I'm very thankful for every day I have with my dad. We have a standing "date" every day at 5:00. I call him on my way home from work (he's in Oklahoma) and we chit chat about everything - news, weather, how Uncle Earl is, the kids, etc.

My mom is a wonderful wonderful lady. She has dedicated her whole life to me and my sister. She has such a warm and loving heart. She's a preschool teacher and is loved by all her students and their parents. I am so incredibly blessed to have her as my mom and my friend. She's a wonderful Grandma to Buddy and Daughter. She dotes on them and would do anything for them.

My loving husband, my wonderful sister, my two beautiful children(Daughter & Buddy), my dear dear friends (many I have had since grade school), my Duncan dog.

I don't take anything for granted. I know I'm blessed and am so thankful for everything I have and the people in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!!

Random Thoughts on Tuesday

• Some days I just love coffee with flavored creamer.


• You can't beat the price for lunch at Costco. $1.50 for hot dog and soda or big "a" slice of greasy pizza!!!

• I love that that make clothes for dogs. Especially little hoodies....

• Thank goodness we are punished for past hairdoos (this is me in the middle - my senior year)
I need to get motivated to organize my office.


• I can't wait for shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Kohls opens at 4am!!!


• I wonder what happened on Days of Our Lives today.... Will Belle marry Shawn this week??
That's it.

Weekend in Review

This was the first weekend in a long time that we didn't have to get up early for soccer. It was nice to be able to have a Saturday with nothing to do. And that was exactly what we did - nothing.... It was really nice. The weather was grey and a little chilly (for Southern California).

Friday night we kept with our what seems to be a Friday night ritual and went to the movies. We saw Mr. Magoriums. It was a cute movie. Not the best but cute. Before the show we ran into our old neighbors which was great! We hadn't seen them since our wedding so it was nice to catch up with them. They have a 3 - almost 4 year old that I adore. Ever since he could talk he's called me "neighbor". And he's "baby neighbor" to me. I was so excited to see them and catch up. They just bought a house so we were able to hear of their newest escapades. Of course they won't have great neighbors as they used to. : )
Saturday was a whole lot of nothing which was just fine with me!!! Our big outting was to Costco - mainly to pick up our peanut oil for the frying of our turkey... The best way to make a turkey in my book. We were good and didn't come home with too much that wasn't on our list. Later that night we bbq'd steak and I made my buddy's favorite Twice Baked Potatoes.

Sunday we did just about the same. Cleaned house and watched a bit of football. Buddy is going to play basketball - they held try-outs yesterday and he made it!!! Yay! Well, actually I think all kids make it but I thought it was cute when buddy stole the ball J yelled "Yea!!!"... it was cute but probably inappropriate being there were a couple girls on the other team. oops. He was just in the moment. He loves basketball - even the smell of the gym (gross) so he was beyond thrilled watching Buddy out on the court.

Later that night I made Chinese food. I have to pat myself on the back for this one... it was quite the meal and a lot of work but it was so yummy!!!! And then Buddy and I made sugar cookies while Daughter snuck cookie dough.

I'm a blessed lady with such a wonderful husband and children.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I found this recipe recently on a couple food blogs and had them on top of my "must tries". These were the absolute best cookies ever!!! Everyone loved them!
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Ingredients
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup dried cranberries *Next time I will increase this to 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 ½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup white chocolate chips *Next time I will decrease to 1/2 cup*
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, dried cranberries and vanilla and let stand for 1 hour, covered with plastic wrap.
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Cream together butter and sugars. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and soda to sugar mixture. Mix well. Blend in egg-cranberry mixture and oatmeal. Dough will be stiff. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
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Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet or roll in small balls and flatten slightly on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.Yield - about 6 dozen cookies.

Sisterly Love

I'm so very blessed to have such a great relationship with my sister. We are 2 1/2 years apart (I'm the oldest) but we are so much alike.

There is not a day goes by that I don't talk to her (either phone, text, IM, etc.).
I'm not sure when it started but we don't call each other by name - only "Sister". Even my kids call her "Sister". She is soo soo good to my kids - they adore "Sister".
We talk about how rare it is (we guess) to have such a tight relationship. We have many friends that have siblings but talk seldom. And think WE are strange because we are so tight. I can not imagine my life without my sister. I absolutely love this girl. My life would not be the same without her. She is not just my sister - she is truly my best friend.