our weekend

This weekend we stayed home mostly, but we were very busy none the less. First off, Brady has had an all access pass to the house and he has done a wonderful job!! Brady hasn't had all access for a whole weekend EVER!! He usually either chews something up or gets on a bed and slowly loses his privileges. This weekend he is doing great. We even have trained him not to leave the foyer when we go into the garage. Next we are going to work on not leaving the foyer when we go out the front door... you know as opposed to being 5 neighborhoods away within 2 seconds.

We touched up most of the places that needed a touch up this weekend.

And we hung the shelves and frames that we got at IKEA. I think they look amazing. Here is a play by play.






I worked on organizing our pictures and I am finally putting the pictures on a CD for Erica of Alice and Eden's visit last summer. That is... once I go and purchase a CD to put them on.

Mr. D. smoked chicken wings this weekend. They were very tasty.
On the Wii Fit- I almost have a perfect center of balance.
Brady didn't feel well this am. Mr. D. insist he felt fine- but the long and short of it is that he licked the bottom of the dishwasher last night after Mr. D. loaded it and licked up a lot of hot sauce that dripped from the sauce bowl for the wings. He had a belly ache. He spent his morning lying on top of me. Here is a picture of us - cozy in the recliner. One of us is more cozy than the other.

Tonight my class had a community outing at the local baseball team's game. It was actually a fun night. I love getting together outside of school.
While I was organizing the pictures, I had a great idea of something to put in the frame that would festive for our guest at the SSDC and would look better than the papers that came with the Frame. Costco makes this very easy and cheap to accomplish. We are working on some amazing photography to put in the frames- we just need to figure out our artsy vision and follow through with it!
Hope you all had a great weekend.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

This afternoon and evening, I felt like I was in the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. If you are unfamiliar with this children's book - the premise is that if you do one thing it leads to another and so on and so on. So this afternoon was a lot like that for me.

On Thursday I was supposed to make Tacos for dinner, but we didn't have any cheese.

So.. I made a deal with Mr. D. that we would go out for dinner and I would stop and get the cheese on the way home Friday.

I stopped to get the cheese ........and we also needed an air conditioner filter and toilet paper.

So, I had to go all over Wal*mart to get things. While I walked the store, I found these 2 presents for Mr. D.

I hadn't eaten much today and so that lead to this....Yes! The buggy is that full!
The tacos turned into nachos. So, when I got home I started cooking nachos.

Because I bought so many groceries, I had to clean out the pantry.

After I cleaned out the pantry we ate dinner. Then I cleaned out the refrigerator...........

And the freezer.............(Mother, you may want to bring more half eaten sundaes and milkshakes- I threw all of yours out!)
And after I did all of that, I had to load the dishwasher and clean up the dinner dishes.
I thought everything was clean until I went into the living room where Brady had destroyed a box. So... I cleaned it up as well.

Now I am exhausted!!!

Quote from Kate

If you didn't see the pictures of sweet Rylee ... scroll on down!!

Here is something Kate said that I found humorous and wanted to share.

"Sandy, God is not going to give us more than we can handle and he sure must thinks an awful lot of the two of us"

Rylee Grace

I just love love love her already! Can't wait to meet you sweet Rylee!!

Thursday 13: thirteen things I want to happen before the end of the summer

Before summer ends, I want to...

1) ...pull off the ultimate surprise on July 1st!
2) ...have a super fun SSDC this year.
3) ...fix my web cam situation in the nick of time to see sweet Henry online.
4) ...hone our photography skills and take some awesome pictures for our new frame collection in our bedroom.
5) ...get a pedicure.
6) ...declutter my life (now isn't that my ultimate goal for all time!)
7) ...hear from the birth mother who is carrying my precious baby
8) ...finish the bedroom/bathroom makeover (probably not going to happen!)
9) ...spend a little more time relaxing and a lot less time so busy
10) ...do something fun with my neglected friends
11) ... get a jump start on the new school year by planning ahead
12) ... find a great pasta salad recipe I can call my own (my goal for last summer, but it didn't happen then, so I will continue my quest this summer)
13) ...see Karen and crew!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rylee

She is here!! She weighed 7lbs and 13 ounces and she is 21 inches long. Pictures to follow!

She's on her way!!

My sweet cousin Kim's baby Rylee Grace is going to be born today!!

playing catch up

This week was another CRAZY one. I worked 7-3 and taught the cooking camp 3-5:15ish. The cooking camp went very well. We made salads, homemade dressing, the deep dish pizza recipe I have shared on here before and Symphony Bar Brownies. The kids took their meals home to their families on Wednesday night. I made a Mexican dip with them on Thursday just to enjoy in class and we made snow cones- thanks to Kate's snow cone machine. I didn't teach camp on Friday. I have another week of camp in July with different kids and have already been asked to offer this as an after school option in the Fall. WOW.

I am not sure what day it was this past week- but Tiffani and I met at the ice cream shop after camp. It was a million degrees that day and the ice cream shop had been without power. So, it was a million and one degrees in there and the ice cream was melting. It was free. I think we should try and go again one day- once their AC is up and running again. (There was a moment in the bathroom than reminded me of the episode of friends when Ross wore the leather pants- but I won't go there... just know it was hot!! )

Meghan took care of Brady and Mr. D. and I traveled to Atlanta Friday night. His Mother and Step-dad had made us dinner Friday night or turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, salad and blueberry pie. We chatted until way past everyone's bedtime that evening. Saturday morning the golfers got to play golf and the shoppers got to shop. We had lunch with Mr. D.'s brother and sister and the loves of their lives. It was fun chatting and laughing. After lunch we packed, and then hung out some more. I took a little (unintentional) nap. Then Mr. D. and I left and headed to IKEA and the MIL and FIL went to a concert. Mr. D. and I drove back to our city after the IKEA experience.

Just for fun- here are some pics of things I liked but that I didn't buy yesterday. I didn't really need any of this- and I am glad I didn't waste our money on any of it- but here are some things I totally could have bought.

Item #1. I have no idea the difficulty of these puzzles- but they could have possibly have been fun for the kids in my class. They were $5.99 each.

Item #2: These towels would have been perfect for my bathroom- if.. they were black and not brown and the circles were gray squares and not blue circles. Cost-$7.99/towel, $2.99/wash cloth. I think I would have needed at least 6 of each.
Item #3. This is something I totally didn't need- but at the same time thought was really cool. Cost- $9.99
Item #4. This is probably the item that was the hardest to walk away from. The square dinner plates that match my pasta set displayed in my kitchen.

Cost- $4.99 per plate and I would have purchased 6
Rational on not purchasing... do I really need more items to collect dust up on display on top of the cabinets in the kitchen?

Oh- and they had the canister set. 4 canisters- costing $7.99, $8.99, $9.99 and $10.99.


I thought this was REALLY cute- and it has my favorite color of blue! Cost $12.99. It would have blended in nicely with the millions of other purses I no longer use and just donated to Hannah Home.

So- this is how I saved around $160 dollars this weekend.

Before we left Atlanta, Mr. D. and I spend some time at IKEA. We had a gift card we had been saving specifically for this trip. As you all know- we are remodeling our bed and bathroom and I just knew IKEA was exactly where all of the things we wanted would be. Also IKEA always has wonderful things that my classroom can't live without.

When we were walking through the showroom area we saw this frame and ledge arrangement and both liked it for the wall in our bedroom. (Look for an upcoming post titled : Did it look this big in the store?)The best part about IKEA is how economical things are and while this looks very expensive - it isn't. So we both decided to remember it and when we got to the frames portion look at getting it. I am not sure why we didn't take a picture of it then, but we didn't.
We keep shopping and didn't really find anything else for the house but I did find amazing things for school. I found....For just a few pennies less than $20- my class will be enjoying a set of 4 little jars with lids, a kid sized bathroom scale, the bottom black thing is a bar to hang on the wall and they white things are baskets that hang on the bar (for crayons, markers, etc.) and 2 sets of kids sized serving utensils.

On another great weekend note- we just finished painting the ceiling in the bedroom- so other than minor touch up work- we are FINISHED with the painting!! Whoo- hoo!!

my cooking camp

Today was the first day of my cooking camp. I am working at this camp from 3-5 this week, and another week in July. We are working a little each day, and by the end of camp they will have an entire meal to take home for their families. I only have 6 kids at the most, today I only had 4. Today we chopped all of the vegetables that we will be needing and made homemade salad dressing for our salads.

look up

I totally made that all by myself!! I am amazed!

Thursday 13: 13 Things I want to share with Kate about being an Aunt

Around 12:30 today, Kate became an aunt for the 1st time. We have been so excited because we were both getting nephews around the same time. Our other friend is getting a niece. So, here is my Thursday 13- Thirteen things I want to share with Kate about being an Aunt.


1) It is the best job you will ever have. I just love being with my nephew and niece. I can hardly wait to spend time with my upcoming nephew.





2) You will be amazed at all of the things that their parents say they can't have or can't do-- but they actually can have and do when they are with you. UMMMM- Meredith, maybe you should stop reading this. Oh- and Dawn too!! Stephanie- take notes!!
One of my fondest memories involves Donovan (around age 4)- who I think didn't eat his dinner or something and was told no more food until breakfast. I was spending the night at my Mom's and Donovan and I were in bed together. He said he was hungry- and VOILA! We were in the kitchen and I cooked him whatever it was he wanted in the middle of the night! (I think it was mashed potatoes). He sat on the counter while I cooked and we just chatted. Wait- did I just tell a big secret on my blog?? Did I mention how much that kid LOVED marshmallows after midnight?
3) Dress up. When I met Kaleigh for the first time she was just a few months old. I had bought her several outfits and I got to dress her up and take her pictures in each one. It was so much fun!







4) Getting cards in the mail address to Aunt Sandy. I just love it!! Oh and my heart just melts each year when I get a "To: Aunt Sandy" gift from the kids at Christmas time! It is my favorite gift of the year!









5) Being an Aunt- with my Aunt Patsy. Patsy is so very special to me and I just love being an Aunt with her. We talk about our niece and nephew. I learned from the best.







6) There will be a moment when you realize that they have realized that you are just a whole lot cooler than their parents- and that moment is AWESOME!






7) Did you know that I cook with Donovan every year and take pictures of us cooking? I am making a cookbook to give his wife as a wedding gift with the pictures in age order. I can hardly start waiting to cook with Kaleigh and Henry and do the same for them.







8) Sleepovers- while you NEVER get a good nights rest- the sleepovers are awesome! Oh- and there is nothing more fun that having to clean up gallons of water from the floor after you have given them a super fun bubble bath! I mean - it isn't like their parents would let them dive into the tub from the windowsill - right........ OK- I am totally kidding on that one!!






9) Everything you see at the store from this point forward will seem like a perfect gift for the baby! OH- and just WAIT until Christmas time!!

On a side note- my niece and nephew are coming home this year for Christmas- and naughty or nice- SANDY CLAUS and SANTA PAUL can't wait!
OH- and this year we will have Henry to spoil too! I can only imagine what we will be shipping to Durham. Can't wait!!





10) Story times, trips to the zoo, snow cones- everything is just more fun when you are spending time with them. Because I am a long distance Aunt- time when we are together- it is like Disney World every day! ... speaking of Disney--- SUMMER 2010 is right around the corner!








11) Spoiling like it is your JOB- You will be good at this! I love it too! Oh and the answer to "can I have this" is always YES!! I am sure Donovan thinks the word "no" does not even exist in my vocabulary!






12) Start thinking now of the new traditions you want to start! Last year I took Donovan on a one on one outing just the two of us. It was very nice spending time together without everyone else around. I can't wait to do this with Kaleigh and Henry too! While you will see your nephew a little more often that I do, I usually have once a year with Donovan and Kaleigh and will probably have once or twice a year with Henry. I try to make it as fun as I can for them, and for me as well. I feel I must make an impact that will help them to remember me until the next time as the super fun Aunt! But remember- spoil carefully, because their parents are going to be Aunts and Uncles to your kids someday and you know what they say about payback!



13) You will see that you have never loved anyone else before and will never love anyone else again the way you love this little one! Enjoy every minute of it!

Brady-rific SO terrific

I took this pic of my little side kick snoozing under the ladder yesterday while I was painting. I just love him!!I'll bet at least one of you is thinking - stop painting the ceiling and get some paint on those toes! It's summer after all!

I know. I know.

plunder-rific

OK- I am sure you are all on pins and needles to see what funny funny funny things I have to share from my adventures at Granny's house. Please know that this fun can go on for months as we didn't really even scratch the surface of the "estate". For those of you who are new to my blog, or how can't remember here is a little key for you.

Patsy- my Aunt, my dad's sister, my granny's daughter- the person who I try to Aunt like most
Kim- her daughter, my cousin (4 years younger), expecting in a matter of days now (end of June-ish).


OK, I think that is all of the players involved. I also feel as though I have to put out a disclaimer. For the most part, my Granny was not senile. She had very logical reasons for everything you are about to see. I think Patsy put it best when she said Granny was one of a kind- except for you two girls (said to Kim and me). Kim and I freely admit that we are Granny Juniors and always have been. We both wanted to come home and clean house after our adventure at Granny's - but she opted for a nap and I opted for a vacation... so, hopefully we won't be dying before we can clean up our eccentric clutter.

OK- the first thing that had us cracked up is...........
The vacuum cleaner cover. Patsy informed us that we were not to fight over who got the vacuum cleaner cover. As we were laughing- she flipped up the dress and showed us that the cover and the vacuum were an attached set. Now- she told us that Granny had tied the doll to the vacuum cleaner because it kept falling off of the vacuum cleaner...hmmmmm, maybe because it wasn't actually a vacuum cleaner cover. This occurred early in the day- and it only get better from here.

The fabric... I know a girl who drives around with her hoarded fabric in her car (you know who you are!!)-- and she has nothing on Granny. Here is just a sampling of the fabric we found.
Oh- there is so much more that we haven't even seen yet. I know for a fact there is lots of fabric in the canning house (which never had anything canned in it). We even found around a hundred zippers. I have created in the back of my mind a cute bulletin board idea to uses some of the zippers.One treasure that we did find was the pattern to the family ABC quilt. Patsy and I decided we were going to be making them for the great grandchildren- Donovan, Kaleigh, Rylee, new baby and my baby and any more who follow. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I am still working (or better yet- not working, but need to be working on) Henry's blanket that I started on Spring Break. None the less, I had to come home and look at my blanket so we would know which fabrics we needed (# of colors, prints, etc). Hmmm... wonder where we will find some fabric. On a side note, I had to throw all of the pillows off of the guest bed (Meghan's bad) to take this picture. So, if something happens to me before I put them back on- know that we usually DO keep the pillows on the bed. On another note, I am not sure how old my blanket is, but a few years ago Granny put a new back on it for me since I had worn mine threadbare.

Lets see- where to go from here... we found a dress- but we weren't sure who it was for. It was not finished- but only lacked a hem on the bottom and the sleeves I believe. I tossed it to Kim and told her it could be her hospital outfit. Let's just say, it wasn't very flattering.. but looked mighty comfy!I also teased Kim about wasting her pennies on maternity clothes when we found several drawers of house dresses.

We also a package of antique looking stockings. We took one out and they were really long with the calf and heel built in.
Another things we found that cracked us up were some old timey pattern books. Who wants to look like this at the next cookout??

We did find more buttons. For those of you who may not know- Kim and I have a button collection. When we were little we "played" buttons all the time. When we got married (3 weeks apart) Granny split the collection in half and gave half to each of us (we also each got 1 alligator pump that we used to fight over.. but that is another story).

STILL READING??? Sorry this is a LONG one! Ok- you all know how I love the Pampered Chef- well, now I know another use for the quikcut paring knife.
Yes! You read it here first- if your toaster oven handle should break- just slip it in and voila!


And now- the moment you have all been waiting for- You have heard the rumors and now photo evidence of THE JUNK ROOM!!

Remind you of anything??

We didn't get too far into this room because 1) Mr. D. showed up with lunch and 2) we were tired, so this room is to be continued.... but here are 2 things I found that I thought were funny.

I thought this was a clever name of a doll company.
This paper stocking is nothing special - but at the top it is written "could be hung up". It struck us as the funniest thing. I don't know who- it just did. Maybe we were delusional at this point.

So that is that- it is WAY past my bedtime- so you will have to stay tuned for more post this week- including a special Thursday 13. I hope there weren't too many typos- (Meredith- I hope you didn't mark your screen up with the red pen!) - and that this wasn't too boring.