The Power of Super Glue

29 Year Old Father: 'You want me to glue your fingers together, puppy?'
8 Year Old Daughter: 'Sure'

Fingers are then glued together with super glue and 8 year old cannot pull them apart. Panic ensues. Knife used. Skin cut. Rubbing alcohol applied. It stings. 15 minutes later, fingers are apart with a film of glue on both index finger and thumb.

8 Year Old Daughter: 'Now you do it, dad'
29 Year Old Father [hesitates]: 'Okay, but only because you did it.'

Fingers are then glued together with superglue. 29 year old, being big, bad and tough, acts as if it is no big deal. 30 minutes later, fingers still haven't come unglued, but progress is being made. Eventually, 29 year old's fingers are unglued, with a patch of skin having been peeled off of the thumb.

A few hours later...

28 Year Old Mother: 'So, why did you glue your fingers together?'
29 Year old Father: 'I wanted her to develop a healthy respect for the power of super glue'
28 Year Old Mother: 'Okay...so why did you glue your fingers together?'

::Silence::

Good Lesson Learned? I hope so...

Ace of Cakes

Cake is my ultimate weakness, so naturally, I would love a show about cake. I watch Ace of Cakes every week and the work that they do is amazing. I love watching them put the cakes together, the little stories behind each cake, and I love watching the amazingly talented Anna, Kathryn and Ben do their stuff. Duff [owner of Charm City Cakes] is the star of the show, but you never really see him working on too many cakes, so this is the reason he isn't listed on my 'amazingly talented' list. The artists make beautiful cakes look so simple and inspire me [for 30 minutes at least] to become an award winning pastry chef!

On that note, I do have a bit of criticism. The cakes are more like art than they are edible creations. They cover wood and other inedible material in fondant as well as cakes--and from experience, fondant and gum paste are not tasty...at all. It is hard for me to figure out which part of their final product is the cake and which is art made to look like the yummy pastry.

I never see any of the employees washing their hands or any sanatizing bins anywhere on the show and this bothers me greatly. They touch the crap out of these cakes...they touch materials that don't look clean to these cakes and when they do piping, the artist's faces are about an inch from the cake, no mask on, leaving them to breathe all over the cake. Yuck!

I began thinking about this when I saw the office manager [red head, is her name Mary Beth, I can't recall...] delivering a cake. She drives to her destination, brings the cake inside and starts assembling it--by pulling it out of the box with her bare hands.

I am very fortunate to have a family member that makes AMAZINGLY wonderful cakes. A family member that I know is clean and takes great pride in her work. So, if I ever need a piece of art to wow the pants off of a crowd [not to mention if I'm ever in Maryland and have oodles of extra cash on hand], then Charm City Cakes it is...but you will not catch me eating one of those creations!!!
Here are a few pics of the spectacular and fun work that you will see on Ace of Cakes:



Click Here and view the photos on the website to see some of the other amazing cakes that Charm City Cakes has made.

Eating on a Budget

Andy and I are really bad about going out to eat; in fact, I think we eat at home approximately once every two weeks. We do this out of convenience sake [and the fact that I can't cook]. It is really hard to go home after working an 8 hour day [lately we have been following this up with 1+ hours at the gym] and muster up the energy to stand in front of a hot stove/oven. It's a double waste for me since, as previously stated, I really and honest-to-goodness cannot prepare an edible meal.
So with this post I am asking - no, BEGGING - for some help/advice. I would LOVE it if you would comment or e-mail me regarding this post with dinner ideas that are simple and easy on the budget [and tasty. Let's not forget tasty].

Once I tackle this problem...its on to expensive lunch issues!!!

Officially Entered!

Well, it's official. I am entered in the Oklahoma Memorial Half-Marathon. It is virtually impossible [for me] to train for the running portion, so my sister and I are going to walk. All 13 miles.

I refuse to forgo the $55 entry fee, so I better lace up the walking shoes and hit the treadmill...after racquetball, of course!

Now I need to figure out how I'm going to drag my happy arse out of bed on the day of. I've still got time to ponder that issue.

Like the little engine that could said 'I think I can I think I can...'

Happy Birthday, Boo!!!

Happy 27th Birthday to the person who has been by my side, causing mischief since I was two years old!!! I hope that you have the most fantabulous day ever, Steph--27 will be a good year, I can FEEL it!!!
[Everytime you get older, I get older...sigh...]

Here is a picture of Sleeping Beauty. Add a few wrinkles, white hair and saggy skin--and that is what she will look like in her coffin as well! Ha!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET SISTER OF MINE!

Book Club: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Our March book club pick was The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I enjoyed this book because it was very short and the subject matter was light. It is the first in a series by McCall Smith and I look forward to whizzing on through to the final book. Written by a British author [lately my favorite kind!], The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a hit in Europe and is about to be a made for TV series on HBO, which I am highly excited about!!!

Today's book club treats were a scrumptious banana cake and some Bush tea. Yeah, I said Bush--as in African Bush, the place the tea originated. This herbal concoction gained popularity and sales due to the widespread acclaim for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency!

Book:

Bush Tea:

Jadyn Justified - Prez Facts

Jadyn spent last night giving Andy and me a few presidential facts [as she remembered them] from a book that her teacher read in class called Why is the White House White?:

President Taffy was so fat that he got stuck in the bathtub, so they built a special one for him [President Taft];

Teddy Bear Roosevelt is who the stuffed bear is named for [Theodore Roosevelt];

One of our presidents liked to wake up two hours early every morning to go skinny dipping [James Madison];

Abraham Lincoln was killed in a movie theater [side note: when Jadyn was four, she called President Lincoln "Hammerham Lincoln"];

When there was a battle being fought near the white house, the president's wife rescued a painting of George Washington [Dolly Madison, wife of James]; and

John Adams hung all of their dirty underwear up in the 'big room' of the white house [doing laundry, I assume.]

Seeing the world through the eyes of an eight year old is remarkable. I love all of the tid-bits and "facts" she shares with us. Jadyn is pretty damn amazing and she is growing up WAY too quickly.

Bye Bye Spring Break

The end of Spring Break has hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm SO sad! So sad that I can't hang out with my daughter tomorrow, so sad that I can't have a movie marathon night...so sad that I can't stay up until 2 in the morning [however, I may be doing the last part unintentionally tonight and be a zombie for work in the morning...]

I had a lot of fun hanging out with my daughter and my sister! We went to Guthrie, Stephanie made dinner for us, we played racquetball every day, went shopping, celebrated a friend's birthday with dinner, celebrated a friend's promotion at work with dinner, played tennis, went to the zoo, had lunch with a friend that I had not seen in YEARS, had a Melting Pot dinner with another friend, went to the Casino and had a girls night with games! Surprisingly, I didn't find time to clean the house from top to bottom, as I vowed to do!

In addition to all of the activities, Andy and I watched a few movies, which I have outlined below:

Slumdog Millionaire - LOVED it!
Still Waiting - Very Funny...even w/o Ryan Reynolds and Anna Farris!
Milk - Loved it, developing small crush on James Franco [despite the role he played]
Role Models - eh, it was okay. I do like Paul Rudd
The Haunting of Molly Hartley - Skip it. Seriously.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Surprisingly good
Nights in Rodanthe - OMG tearjerker! [James Franco has an uncredited role in this movie. Yeah he does...]
Drive Thru - Absolutely horrible--but what did I expect from a free channel called FearNet?

Anyway, I do love the RedBox, it is an awesome and very practical idea!

Crazy Car

Look at this Crazy Car Stephanie and I saw at Firelake Grand Casino the other night. Yes, that is a cigarette in the grill...

*Bad.Ass*

Zoo Adventures

Yesterday, my sister and I took Jadyn and her BFF to the zoo for some animal fun. We thought it would be a major headache [too many people] due to the status reports from friends on Monday and Wednesday, but we were pleasantly surprised with a minimal crowd and awesome, not too hot-not too cold weather. We walked around and saw all of the animals--my favorite portion of the zoo being the Oklahoma Trails--and we took a tram around at the end to get some info on the animals that we visited.

Did I mention the bear fight? One of the brown bears had a mean right hook!


Here is a pic of Jade and her BFF on the tram:


After the zoo...and after I dropped Jadyn off with her dad where she and her brother proceeded to the art museum...I met up with my friend at The Melting Pot for some cheese and chocolate. It was so awesome--and totally didn't break the bank! However, my adventure to the casino with my sister later in the evening TOTALLY broke my bank...but sis won her arse off. I ended up losing all of my money and then $23.00 of hers...oops!!!

I am so sad that Spring Break is almost over...So very sad, indeed.

Water Logged

It has been more than 9 weeks [68 days, but who's counting???] since my last soda/coke/pop--whatever you would like to call it. I've been sober since January 12, 2009. My [unfortunate] drink of choice has been clear and flavorless: water, although I have had a few hot chocolates during this eternity time frame.

The effects that caffeine has on the body are funny, yes? Not funny-ha-ha, but funny-what-the-eff. When I drink it every day [oh how I miss you, Coca Cola and Diet Dr. Pepper!], and then stop for a day, I get excruciating headaches--unbearable pain pulsating through my temples with limited toleration for light and noise. Not unusual, but apparently the opposite affect is true, as well. When I am off the hard stuff for awhile and then have a minimal amount [such as in a hot chocolate], I get a really bad headache. I'm pretty sure it's my body warning me not to fall into my old habits--and it is working…so far.

The red can of Coca Cola tries to seduce me everytime I open the fridge--be it at work or home. It's hard not to fall into her wicked ways…

I ceased consuming this delicious brew for the P|M Challenge [need I remind you that the winner was not moi?]. I have heard tales about how so-and-so stopped drinking soda and the pounds melted off like butter. That didn't happen for me. At all. In fact, I'm beginning to ponder the point of my quitting. Hmm…

All of this soda-talk reminds me of that childhood song:

Coca-Cola went to town,
Diet Pepsi shot him down,
Dr. Pepper fixed him up,
but now we all drink 7-Up!

Good Times in Guthrie

For our first day of Spring Break fun, my sister, Jadyn and I went to historic Guthrie, Oklahoma. Guthrie brings a feeling of nostalgia to me--memories of men in cowboy boots getting wasted in the brick buildings, having a grand 'ol time in the bordellos and even whipping out pistols during poker games. It is amazing to me that the buildings and brick streets have lasted for over a hundred years--they have witnessed so much history! We went on the Trolly tour through the town and finished our trip with a few antique stores which was So. Much. Fun. To top it off, the weather was absolutely beautiful. Couldn't have asked for a better start to a Spring Break in Oklahoma!!

Stephanie and Jadyn waiting for the Trolly to arrive:

Jadyn takes a break:

The Trolly is here!

Let's get this party started:


HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY, YO!

March Madness

In honor of all the March Madness flying around Oklahoma City, today we have a guest writer, Jennifer, with a post that adequately represents her love of the game:

We are happily well into the month of March. And what a month it has already been! We have seen both snow and 80 degree days here in Oklahoma City. The trees are starting to bloom. And the kids are all enjoying spring break this week. But the best part about March? It's gotta be the ball.

What other sport can you watch for 4 + solid days [oh and I have on more than one occasion] and LOVE every second of it? We are privileged to get to see 18-19-20 year-old kids who have been eating, breathing, living and dreaming about the "One Shining Moment" their entire lives play a game that they absolutely and whole-heartedly love. A game where "Cinderella" goes by the names of North Carolina State (NCAA Champs 1983), Valparaiso (Sweet Sixteen 1998), Gonzaga (Elite Eight 1999) and George Mason (Final Four 2006).

These kids play 40 minutes, sometimes longer (such as the 70 minutes UCONN and Syracuse recently played in their 6 overtime instant classic showdown), for the chance to move on and play more. You win, you move on. You lose, you go home and wonder what might have been. Nothing else is quite as "pure" as the NCAA tournament - where the best team, having proven itself throughout the tournament, is crowned the National Champion (April 6, 2009) . And there is no controversy over who "should be" number 1.

Unlike football where helmets often obscure heartbreak and joy, basketball allows you to experience a whole range of emotions along with the players. I have a difficult time rooting against anyone. Because you can see the heartbreak on each kids' face when they lose. And the winners? I get Goosebumps just thinking about the fact that they are getting that much closer to living out their - along with thousands of other kids - dreams.

So have a happy spring break, enjoy the beautiful weather, and don't forget to watch a little hoops these last few week(end)s of March. There will surely be a Cinderella amongst us - and you wouldn't want to miss seeing her would you?

Happy Birthday, Padre!

Today is my dad's 58th Birthday--Happy Birthday to the most amazing, loving and generous man in the world! My father is the best, always there for my sister and me and I couldn't have asked for a better dad. Happy, Happy Day!!!

Here are highlights from his birthday party last night--I hear that we left before it got REALLY crazy!!!
Who buys their 58-year old dad an enormous bottle of Vox Vodka for his birthday?? We do--that's who!

My dad, Naureen and Jeff:

Our kids before the party. [It's really hard to get Jadyn to smile seriously for pictures...ever] They were a big help in getting everything set up!

We love you, dad!!!

Chesapool

After Andy whooped me at racquetball yesterday, we decided to take the kids swimming for the first time this year. They were so excited and had a fantastic time. Starting with a race across the pool where Ethan came out victorious, the kids had an hour filled with flippers, noodles and fun! Here are Jadyn and Ethan living it up in the Chesapool:

It's Soccer Time!

Jadyn played her first two soccer games this weekend and her team, the Li'l Divas, kicked butt and took names [I know, I know--they are playing 'just for fun'...but I'm a highly competitive person]. On Saturday's game, Jadyn scored one goal and on Sunday she scored two goals, one from almost halfway down the field with her little power leg! Andy and I are so proud of her. This season, Jadyn's best friend is on her team and they made up a cute tummy-bump dance that they did on the field each time one of them scored...too cute!!! I have good feelings about Spring '09 Li'l Divas--great coach, great girls...a great team!
Here is a picture of the girls playing:

Here is a pep talk from coach Danny:

Here is Jadyn and her best friend:

Book Review: Wilt

After finishing the final book in Tom Sharpe's series [as I wasn't aware it was a series when I read it], I have finally tackled the first one. Wilt was even funnier than the other Tom Sharpe novel I read. I love British comedy! While indulging in British literature, I tend to use terms in everyday life such as 'mad', 'daft' and 'penis gobbler'. Tom Sharpe uses sex as comedy in the most unbelievable, hilarious ways and the reader is laughing all the way through.

Wilt is a very stubborn, logical fellow who hates his lazy, unintelligent wife, Eva. In this book, he is accused of murdering his wife and although he didn't, Eva has disappeared. The reader has all of the information regarding the circumstances, but the characters do not and it is quite humorous to watch it all wrap up in the end. Highly recommend this book for a light, funny read; however, if you are sensitive in terms of sexual connotations, I wouldn't advise partaking in this comedic masterpiece. Yes, masterpiece. Ha!

Workin' on my Fitness...

One of the [many] perks of Andy's new job is the on-site workout facility owned/operated by his company and for a ridiculously low price, our family of four are all members! The gym has everything from cardio equipment, weights, classes [all sorts], child care, swimming, an outdoor track, tanning, racquetball and squash courts--and that's not the half of it. A bonus is that one of our best friends (wo)mans the front desk and it is always fun to chit chat with her.

Lately, Andy and I have had the racquetball bug, going up there almost every evening to knock the ball around [no pun intended]. I am definitely getting better, almost able to stand my ground against him, but it is exhausting. We usually walk away soaking wet--who knew that working out could actually be fun???

The swimming pool is on the lower level of the facility near the racquetball courts and we have gotten to witness kayak training in there a few times. Pretty funny if you ask me! Seeing the pool, though, really makes me wish I could swim in public bodies of water--no matter how hard I try [and the amount of chlorine added], the mental grossness of it all overpowers me.

So, that's pretty much the update on my fitness regime…fun stuff!

Side Note: Racquetball can be a very dangerous sport. Andy accidentally pelted me on the side of the head last night [think: temple area] and there was some crying involved...

NFL Players Lost at Sea

This Story truly upsets me. I can't stop thinking about it and how vicious Mother Nature can be. I am so sad for the families of the three missing men.

Lopez Does Dallas

On Saturday, Andy and I headed to Las Colinas, a suburb of D-town, to celebrate the 30th birthday of my BFF's husband. Eric is the first person in our group of 'close friends' to cross the big 3-0 threshold and he did it in style!
We started the evening off with a delicious Italian dinner and a small group of friends. It was intimate and fun...and the five couples at the table are some our favorite peeps. The night was topped off at a bar called Republic with a very large group of McFriends and the biggest, most comfortable black leather couches ever. It was fun--and it was SO wonderful to see everyone!
Here is a picture of my BFF, Jules and the birthday boy:

Here is a picture of our other favorite Dallas couple, Christina and Brandon a/k/a 'mom-and-dad-to-be' [Congratulations, we Love you guys!!]: