I win!

I have the most adorable little girls.

Its true, they are A-DOR-A-BLE.

You can try and tell me that yours are more adorable. But you would be wrong.

Mine are the most adorable.

Dont believe me?

Check this out...



Oh and this...



And individually they are just as adorable.




See. Adorable.

But just when you think they cant get any more adorable, they get back together and...



Say it with me now, "ADORABLE"!

So dont try and tell me you know other girls that are more adorable, because I will win that fight.

Someone else can usually say it better

The planes flew in, the night was dark,they took away a piece of our heart, we held hands and we held strong,even though they did us wrong, we will make it this is true, but for Americans that is nothing new!

Lori Ann Geri Kane


We will never forget September 11, 2001

No big deal

Its no big deal.

Nothing too big.

Not too exciting.

I just wanted to let people know...

in case you were interested...

that my family...


...IS MOVING TO HAWAII !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*clears throat*

Like I said, no biggie.

Just thought you should know

*giddily skipping out of the room*

For a laugh

Since I posted that daily show clip I decided to post another, but this time completely non-politics related.

Last week we lost our chocolate lab Chloe. She was a 14 year old sweetheart that we adopted a year ago when one of hubby's commanders was moving overseas and couldn't bring her. We brought her into our home and into our hearts. It was a sad day when it was decided that she was better off being put to sleep, but the really sad part was actually bringing her ailing self into the vet, signing away her life and saying goodbye for the last time. I had no idea just how much I would miss her and how much it hurt to say goodbye until it was time. Those adorable brown eyes looking into mine when I kissed her, scratched under her ear and removed her collar will be forever etched in my memory.

My girls had grown so attached to her in that short year and is was normal for them both to come screaming "Chwooowweee" out of their bedroom in the morning as they rushed to see her. Coming home and trying to explain that she was gone forever to them was equally as heart wrenching. I had prepared myself for all the toddler questions and had some good answers. I was prepared to repeat the line "she was real sick and had go to the doctors and wont be coming home anymore". I was ready for tears and not understanding.

What I got when I returned from the vet was a 3 year old that just said "yeah Chwowe real sick, she all done now".

Wow, that was easy!

Maybe this wouldnt be the big production I had dreaded. Maybe they would just understand and we could move on.

The next morning though, when they both ran to greet her in the kitchen I had to explain again. Still not sooo bad, they are kids after all.

Then again at lunch that day they called her name while looking in the backyard for her. Again I explained, and this time the answer changed to "Chloe was sick and remember I told you she isnt coming back home...ever again". That had to do it... how graphic would I have to be?

Fast forward to 2 days later of asking "where's Chwowee?" and me responding with "I told you, Chloe is gone! She isnt coming home ever again... ever"

It was at that moment that I was reminded of one the funniest moments of television that I have ever seen. It was an episode of Roseanne and Jackie is explaining to her deaf aunt on the phone that their father has died. I just had to laugh at the whole situation. I was trying to explain death to a 3 year old and a 16 month old... and I expected them to understand! It was all really funny and so because I think everyone needs a laugh here is the clip I was referring to. Enjoy!

3 minutes in is the phone call I was reminded of, but the whole clip is pretty funny :)

Roseanne - Dad's Dead!!! - Free videos are just a click away

PS I do not think its funny that I had to put my dog to sleep, but come on people, this situation was funny!!!

I usually try to stay away from all this

Politics is not something I would like to fill my blog with. It seems easier to just stay away for controversial topics and stick with light funny quotes from my girls or yummy recipes. I saw this episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and particularly felt moved by this piece. I hope the best of us can take something away from this. I think we all need to take a step back and think about what this whole "Mosque at Ground Zero" thing is really about! Think about what the true value of Freedom of Religion is. John Stewart says it best and I think this something everyone needs to watch.

As a strongly republican friend of mine said "the last 2.5 minutes of this is simply amazing".

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Extremist Makeover - Homeland Edition
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Well done Jon Stewart! As usual he takes a bit of a detour for comedic effect but the point is clear, we need to value and cherish ALL of our rights for ALL of our fellow citizens.

That's enough politics for now :)

In case you need a laugh

I was cleaning up a mess in the kitchen yesterday and decided to plop the kiddos in front of Finding Nemo to stay out of trouble for 10 minutes. I walked out and found my three year old like this. She found her daddy's swimming goggles and put them on ALL BY HERSELF! She also pulled her swimsuit out of her drawer and put that on. I really thing it adds to the whole Nemo experience.

The Bestest Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was on a mission to find the perfect recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. I knew that Nestle Toll House had already done it but I wanted something different. I wanted a heartier cookie, something with a bit more substance. I wanted to be able to eat just 1 or 2 (or 10 or 12) and be satisfied, not have to eat the whole package. I also wanted to incorporate a few more healthy ingredients. I have never been a huge fan of oatmeal raisin cookies, the oatmeal just ends up tasting like... well... oatmeal. Well it took me a while but I finally found a recipe that I am happy with. I asked many, many people what they thought and there was overwhelming consensus that I needed to look no further.

I made somewhere around 20 batches. First I started with my favorite granola, Cascadian Farms Organic Maple Brown Sugar (which is where I altered the recipe from), but you can use any old granola that your grocers carries. I would avoid a flavored granola but whatever floats your boat :)

Then I tried to find the perfect nut, this was a problem, everyone liked a different nut. I tried pecans and thought they didn't stand up enough against the chocolate, I tried almonds and some thought they had too much flavor. Walnuts were good until a bad one ended up in the mix and ruined a whole batch. In the end I decided that which ever nut you like best will make the cookies best for you. I prefer almonds, chopped small they are the perfect match for me.

Then I started messing around with adding instant coffee, a few times I added too much and it was a shock to the system. 2 tablespoons seems to work out nicely. The Flax Seeds are a bonus, they add nutrition and a heartiness that the cookies were missing. I used ground seeds but you can use the whole seeds if you want, really what ever you find.

Lastly I decided it all came down to the chocolate. I have never been a big semi sweet fan, I like good milk chocolate. I used Ghiradelli because it is amazing. But again if you prefer semi sweet than that will just make the cookies that much better for you.

After 20 batches I figured out that everyone has different tastes, some will like pecans with semi-sweet chips, others will up the coffee and use flavored granola, it all depends on your tastes. But this final version was the most well received, in fact everyone had a hard time walking away from the platter.

So without further delay...



Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Butter (softened)
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Flax Seed (I used ground)
2 tablespoons Instant Coffee Granules
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
4 cups Granola
1 bag Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine Butter, Sugars, Vanilla, Eggs, Flax Seed and Coffee on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt until well mixed. Stir in Granola, Chocolate Chips, and Nuts. Drop spoonfuls on ungreased cookies sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until a light golden brown color. Cool 1 minute on sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

My Better Butter Chicken

I recently tried a recipe from a food website that I L-O-V-E, love! Tasty Kitchen. Those of you that are familiar with the site know that there are TONS of great recipes there. Well the most recent one I tried reminded me of an Indian recipe that I have been wanting to try but never got around to it. Its called Murgh Makhani and some call it "butter chicken". When I was perusing the Tasty Kitchen's main course section I stumbled upon something called "Butter Chicken". I knew I had to try it since the recipe was very similar to mine and maybe a little easier! Plus Pioneer Woman had featured it so I KNEW it would be great. I decided to make a few adjustments of my own and I think it turned out amazing!!!

Make this as soon as possible and it will change your appreciation for Indian food.

My Better Butter Chicken
*my alterations

4 pieces Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
5 Cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
*1/4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoons Ground Coriander
1/4 teaspoons Cumin
1/4 teaspoons Cardamom
1 Whole Lime, Juiced
1 Whole Onion, Diced
1/4 ups Butter
1 can (15 oz) Tomato Sauce
1 can (15 oz) Petite Diced Tomatoes
*1 cup Whipping Cream (light cream or half-and-half works too)
*1 cup Coconut Milk
*1/4 cup Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky depending on taste)
1 bunch Chopped Cilantro

Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight, though I only had 3 hours and it was fine.
Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated Chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, covered. Add the whipping cream, coconut milk and peanut butter, allow to return to a simmer. Add the cilantro just before serving and serve over Basmati Rice. Enjoy, your life will never be the same!


The original recipe called for 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper but I am serving to kids so I wanted to cut back the heat, it was still plenty hot for us will 1/4 teaspoons. I cut the whipping cream in half and replaced with coconut milk because, well, coconut cream is amazing and the things it does to a dish are indescribable. I also added peanut butter because it sounded right and the recipe seemed to be lacking something, but dropping this ingredient for allergies would be fine, it would still be a great dish.

Original recipe found here

My angels enjoying their dinner :)

My Penance

For your amusement:

me: "Dear father, It has been over a month since my last blog. I have neglected my family and the many many adoring fans, I have promised people there would be updates then decided to catch up on a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" marathon instead, kept funny stories to myself instead of sharing them with the world when I knew the masses needed to hear them...I'm sure there is more but I am too lazy to even list them. I am truly sorry for this and will happily do my penance."

Imaginary priest: "This blog you speak of, do you REALLY think people tune in?"

me: "well...I mean...you know...if you count...no. I guess you can add lying to a priest on there too."

I.P.: "Your penance is to do 3 posts by tomorrow."

me: "Can I count this as one?"

IP: "No."

me: "OK, sure, of course, whatever you say...I just mean because this is a pretty lame post. And I'm not sure how much longer I can drag this one out so it will be short. And a short and lame post won't bring the people back."

IP: "Are these your imaginary fans you speak of?"

me: "...yes"

IP: "Fine. Update your "adoring fans" with what has been going on with your life this past month in this post, plus 2 new posts by tomorrow. Now go in peace...and please, TRY to be amusing!"


Some random thoughts...

1. I just found my 3 year old "reading" a sushi menu to her fish. She is far too young to understand the absolute hilarity in that situation.

2. My baby brother got married this past Sunday! I wasn't there...I hate myself a little bit.

3. Maybe stuffing a brownie in my mouth will help me deal with the pain of missing my baby brothers wedding.

4. Nope...maybe 2?

5. Nope...maybe 3? This could get ugly folks, lets move on.

6. We had a garage sale this past weekend and I realized that the saying "people will buy anything" is not true. People will buy anything, except stuff that has actual value and is still in good shape. Instead of buying a top of the line infant car seat and 2 bases for $50 (selling on eBay for $120) they choose to buy a broken cordless phone that has no battery power for $1. Or a torn book for $.50 that came free in a cereal box.

7. We did sell enough of our crappy stuff to buy a new TV for our bedroom.

8. In the on-line world, people use the letters DH instead of typing out Dear Husband. I swore I would never used this stupid acronym because hubby sounds cuter and it isn't that bad to just type out hubby. Hubby, hubby, hubby, hubby. See, not so bad. Stop being so lazy people!

9. DH now wants to have an other garage sale to see what else we can buy with the profits. I think he is tempted to sell all our clothes and see if we can afford a boat.

10. My adorable 16 month old angel is acting less angelic everyday. I think she wants me to never want another child ever again. She wants to stay my baby. She has no desire for a baby sister or brother. Anytime I get even a little sad that she is growing up she throws a fit over a sippy cup and it reminds me to call my doctor and see if he has any room to perform a full hysterectomy this afternoon.

11. IT IS FREAKIN HOT IN OKLAHOMA IN AUGUST!!!

12. I need to buy new plants for my front yard since there is no amount of water on earth that would have been able to save my little beauties from the scorching sun.

13. IT IS FREAKIN HOT IN OKLAHOMA IN AUGUST!!!

14. I went wedding dress shopping with my baby sis when I was in Cali. I was so thrilled to be there for that. She looked amazing and will look even more amazing on her wedding day.

15. Just remembered that I missed my baby brothers wedding. Where are the rest of those damn brownies!?

16. We are waiting for final words on where our next assignment will be. Hopefully we will find out SOON. I love getting new assignments.

17. I hate moving.

18. I need to get my house in order so that hopefully someone will want to buy it!!! I really hope someone will buy it! God I hope someone will buy it. We don't have enough money to pay the mortgage here and live somewhere else.

19. I will now have nightmares tonight about what to do if someone doesn't want to buy my house.

20. My 3 year old needs new clothes. Hopefully she can wait until someone buys the house. Otherwise I may have to turn into a Von Trap and turn the curtains into new outfits for her... but I don't know how to sew... hopefully they have a very lenient dress code at her school.

21. Look at this beautiful picture and eat a brownie if you have one, that's what I will be doing.

Communication is Key

When you have been married as long as I have you learn the keys to a successful marriage. There are many keys. Many, many keys... its like a janitors key ring there are so many keys.

Well Communication is the one that I find to be one of the most important. The Communication key. My husband and i have it down! We are like a well oiled machine sometimes. Anytime we have a disagreement we sit down and work out exactly how hubby was wrong so we can avoid his mishaps in the future. Its exhausting righting him all the time but its all in the name of a happy marriage. Patience is another key but that is a different story. So is being blissfully unaware of reality.

The reason I bring this up is an event that happened yesterday. We were down in OKC at a furniture store buying a new couch. We had already picked the couch that we both loved and to kill some time while we waited for it to be pulled from the warehouse for pickup we decided to venture to the stadium sized bedroom furniture department. I was interested in looking at all the linens that they sell since we both want a new bed spread.

We spent the next 20 minutes walking by the approximately bazillion mock bedrooms admiring all the gorgeous comforters, pillows, shams and throws. Unfortunately we weren't getting anywhere towards actually purchasing a new set. Every item I loved he hated, if he said he liked it I was disappointed in his apparent lack of taste. We talked about colors and lines, comfort and style.

I would say
"I like these colors together"
he would say
"that is too cold, and dark"

Or he would say
"I like this, its beachy"
and I would say
"did you just say peachy?"
"no I said BEACHY"

Finally we reached the end of the line and there wasn't anything that we both liked. The last bed we saw happened to be a comforter that friends of ours had just purchased.

me: "well you aren't allowed to like that last one since M & K just bought it"
him: "what? I thought their headboard had leather on it?"
me: "yeah, that wasn't their bed that was their comforter"
him: "oh, I didn't pay any attention to the comforter"
pause
me: "what? why not?"
him: "why would I look at the comforter?"
long pause
me: "because that is what we are shopping for!"
him: "oh I was looking at the furniture"
me: "the whole time?!"
him: "you said we were looking at a bedroom set"
me: "i said we were looking for a COMFORTER set for our bedroom"
him: "well i did not hear that part"
me [palm to head slap] "did you not look at any of them?"
him: "not even one"
me: "well do you want to go back through?"
him: "not even a little"

If only everyone could communicate as clearly as we do! I'm sure the divorce rate would be lower, though murder suicide rates would likely skyrocket.

Traveling with Toddlers, Part 2

Traveling with toddlers can have cute times and really bad times, this is one of those bad times.

While on the road, hubby and I got a craving for some ice cream. This happens often, I think it has something to do with living in England for 3 years and not having any opportunity for ice cream on a whim. They sell ice cream at the grocery stores but they have never even heard of an Ice Cream shop. And grocery stores were maybe the worst experiences of living there, it was rare if we found it worth the trauma of a quick stop for ice cream. We basically went without for 3 years.

Anyway, back to the ice cream. We quickly found and stopped at a Sonic. That is one thing I love about the midwest, there is a Sonic in every town. It would seem there is no population minimum, all you need are 2 houses and that is considered worthy of a sonic. We stopped the car and got an Oreo blast for hubby, a snickers blast for myself and a small ice cream cup for B (A would just take a few bites of mine). Sam and I were talking nicely in the front seat, enjoying our blasts while B is in her car seat going to town on her cup. A was enjoying her bites of mine, giving cute little "mmmm" sounds after each bite and cracking the biggest smile after we would laugh.

Sam: "Wow, she sure is happy"
Me: "I know, I guess she really likes ice cream!"

Suddenly, through the giggles in the back seat and our pleasant conversation in the front it hits us like a brick wall.

A smell so bad it caused us to cough a little. I quickly roll down my window, annoyed that hubby must have let one off in the car.

Sam: "What is that smell?"
Me: "I thought it was you"
Sam: "No, is that why you rolled down the window?"
Me: "Yeah"

For a brief second it hits us that we already know what that smell is... our eyes lock and we slowly turn to look in the back seat at the culprit.

There she is, my littlest angel.

The one I carried for 9 months in my belly. Had ripped from my abdomen by surgeons. Happily breast fed at 2 in the morning. Cuddled and rocked to sleep for hours. Kissed those kissable chubby cheeks and tickled that adorable little belly.

My Baby.

She is holding her legs high in the air with the biggest, happiest smile I have ever seen on another humans face. A smile of pure joy and happiness. A smile that still couldn't keep my eyes from focusing on the insane amount of poop flowing from her diaper onto her seat.

It was everywhere, up her legs, on her clothes and shoes, hands, seat... EVERYWHERE!

We were in complete shock for a second. What do you do in that situation?! We cant just throw the kid, car seat and all her clothes in the trash like we secretly wanted.

After staring at her poop covered smiling self for a few seconds longer than necessary we both chuckled nervously and got to work. I cleaned the kid while hubby cleaned the seat. 10 minutes and about 300 wipes later we deemed her the cleanest child ever and got back on the road. Both feeling a little traumatized by what we had just been through neither hubby or I said much for the next few minutes. My wonderful husband broke the silence by saying

"No wonder she was so happy. I would be that happy too if I had just shit my bench press weight!"

And then it was all ok.

Traveling with Toddlers

Traveling with kiddos can always be hard. At times it gets so bad that you think to yourself "why do we ever try to leave the house?" But without putting up with those bad times you would miss out on the truly wonderful times. Times like...

It is around 12:30 am, we have been driving for 5 hours and B is still awake. I can tell she is getting close to sleep but it could still be an hour away. That is one thing that is truly amazing about that kid, she has the will power of an olympic athlete, if she wants to stay awake and watch mommy drive, then she will! And she is NEVER quiet, she may hush her voice because sissy and daddy are sleeping but she doesn't ever stop talking. And it rarely makes sense, mostly little stories to her self, singing, counting, occasional giggles and a million times she will say "Mamma, I not tired".

This night she is spouting off lyrics to songs one minute and the next she is counting...something. I tune out every once in a while because her hushed little voice would lull me to sleep easily if I would let it. I am pulled back into her conversation when I hear this half sung conversation.

"Mary had a little lamb... ten, eleven...twwwelve... white snoooow... fifteen, sixteen... sixteen... sixteen... .... .....sssixteen... ... ... ... ...sssssixteeeeeee"

I looked back to find her completely passed out.

Sometimes I just have to laugh

I have come to the realization that the real reason we had kids is because of their entertainment value. The hard times are quickly outweighed by the sometimes hilarious things they say. And it isn't always WHAT they say, more the fact that they are tiny little people with tiny little voices saying big people things.

This morning I walked into the girls room when I heard them wake up. Immediately B ran up to me and said

B: "Momma I real hungwe"
Me: "Yeah, well what do you want to eat?"
B: "Umm... just food"
Me: "Just food huh? Well how about some cereal?"
B: "Yeah that'll do"

And off she ran to the kitchen... I just had to laugh.

Why I hate Modern Warfare 2

Hate? Really you ask, is Hate the appropriate word.

The answer is a resounding YES. I realize that hate is a strong word, no one should ever have to use the word hate. Well I did and I do!

Let me first preface this by stating that I am not one of those wives who hates video games. I really don't. Though I have zero interest in playing them myself, I never mind when hubsters plays. It is how he chooses to let off some steam after a long day and I don't mind. He can play video games as often as he wants, and he usually wants quite often. But there are lots of things I like to do that don't involve him, like reading or nosing around on the computer, or there is always stalking people on Facebook or messing with the wonderful world of blogging, and he just isn't in to any of that. Video games are his outlet, his relaxing take-my-mind-off-things task.

So how is this game so different? How does this game take me from "I don't care if you play video games" to "I might pull my own hair out if I have to listen to that game for 2 more seconds"? Well, lucky for you I have compiled a little list...

First I need to explain what Modern Warfare 2 is... its a video game. It must be about war because it is loud, guns are firing, there is lots of yelling, whatever you get the point = a loud waste of time. On with the hate list!

1. Apparently this game must never be played without the volume level set at deafening.

2. When asked nicely to turn the volume down to "a level that wont leave the neighbors to wonder if there is an actual war going on in our home", the response is along the lines of "I can turn it down a click but really this gaming experience can not be fully enjoyed at a volume less than this".

3. Along with the sounds of gunfire, war, airplanes, bombs and killing there is also all the commentary of the fellow players. Some of whom have altered their microphones so they sound like annoying chipmunks screaming lines like "KILL HIM" or "DONT KILL ME".

4. Those annoying chipmunks usually never just scream the afore mentioned lines, in actuality they spew streams of profanity about others players mothers or sisters. Really valuable vocabulary lessons for my 3 years old daughter who is currently perfecting the art of repeating everything she hears.

5. Apparently Sam is not very good at this game. Or at least I cant imagine he could be when all I have to judge this on is every 2 minutes he throws the remote in frustration over being killed.

6. Sam doesn't just throw the remote, he usually punches the couch or yells at the TV "I KILLED YOU FIRST". Then after seeing that his beautiful girls have been distracted from their world of rainbows and butterflies and are looking at him, forces a smile and says "Daddy is terrible at this game and I hate it! But I love you". (End forced smile)

7. Sam HATES this game but LOVES this game. Please don't ask me to explain, there is a relationship between man and game that I don't think I will ever understand.

8. There is a whole world dedicated to this game. You are either a player or not and anyone who is not is automatically considered the enemy. Heaven forbid you should actually refer to the game as Call of Duty 2 (which by the way is what is says on the box) because it is MODERN WARFARE 2.

9. There is a whole boring back story to explain the correct title MW2 vs COD2. It is boring and I tuned out half way through, I am convinced it is all a twisted plot to weed out the true players from the enemy.. who must be destroyed.

And number 10! (cue drumroll please)

This game has taken over the television in my house! My husband is beyond addicted and when he gets a spare moment I can guarantee it will be on.

Example: Its a typical Saturday morning. The family has plans to run to the farmers market and maybe the playground so the kiddos can burn off some energy. Mom dresses herself, dresses the girls, finds shoes, changes a diaper, packs some snacks while Dad is getting dressed. Dad exits the bedroom ready to leave. Mom announces she needs to get different shoes from the closet and will be right back. No more than 20 second later she returns to find him completely immersed in a game while child number 2 has taken off her shoes and child number 1 is pulling her bow out of her hair while they fight over the snacks they have pulled from Mom's purse.

Mom: What are you doing playing? We are ready to leave!
Dad: You weren't ready so I am playing a game until you are.
Mom: I am ready, lets go.
Dad: Ok, this game will be over in 5 minutes.

Flash to Mom seething in a corner while she attempts to corral the girls, put shoes back on, wrestle the snacks away and redo child number 1's hair.

Dad finishes the game 12 minutes later and they all walk towards the car.

Mom secretly realizes she has to pee... decides to hold it forever if she has to.

End scene


And that is why HATE is the only appropriate word for MW2.

My Baby is starting to talk! Sorta.

I knew this day would come eventually. We are at the terrible point in communication where Lele knows that there is a way to tell me what she wants but doesn't yet have the ability to do so. As we can all imagine, this is incredibly frustrating for her. She usually just points in some direction as a clue that she wants something and whines which then turns into throwing herself on the ground screaming when I didn't hand it to her immediately. This whole time I am usually offering everything in sight that was in the general direction of where she pointed.

It has a taken me a while to figure it out (much longer than necessary), but the thing she wants most is milk. Sometimes she runs up to me with an empty cup and I know she wants more milk. But usually I am only alerted when I hear her crying in the kitchen after she has been in there for who knows how long reaching for the counter.

A lot of these words aren't exactly clear to anyone but me and some she doesn't exactly "say", more like acts out. I tried to teach her sign language (and i am still trying) but she really has no interest. Every time I make a sign she turns her head away in defiance.

No seriously, she does. I can tell she is going to be a peach to work on homework with. And remind me to never even consider homeschooling that one!

But she is communicating a few words to me, and that is all that matters, I cant wait to expand this list.

Some words she is "saying" now at 13 months.

More-Pronounced Mo
Milk-Pronounced Ma or throws and empty cup at you, or screams in the kitchen
No-Pronounced Na with a defiant head turn away. She will then look from the corner of her eye to see if you are still looking, if so, she will do it again.
Yes-Never spoken it but claps, or nods her head up and down. The nod cant be done without her whole body bouncing a little, the whole thing is really more of a dance.
Chip-Pronounced Cheeb, she will copy anyone when they say it but never says it alone.
Cup-Pronounced Umm, repeated many many times. Never refers to it without it in hand or sight so it makes it pretty easy to understand.
Kiss-Pronounced Muah followed by an unmistakable pucker that is all bottom lip with her chin jutted out.

That's all for now, updates coming soon!

Upcoming Posts

The problem with taking some time off from blogging is that life doesnt stop and there are always things I want to share so now I have to play catch up! A list of a few post I want to share...


*The Perfect Cookie Recipe. It is finished! Not trying to build it up too much but it is AWESOME!

*Trip to Tulsa

*Why I need to remove "Gardener" from my resume.

*Why Chicken Fried Rice may never be in my list of perfected recipes. I guess this doesnt need its own post, I can sum it up in 7 words "The Chinese restaurant just does it better".

*Why I hate Modern Warfare 2. That can not be summed up in 7 words.

*A list of A's new words.


I'm sure there will be more by the time I get around to it but these are musts. Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend.

Peace out!

Time for catch up

It has been a few weeks since my last post.

What kind of blogger am I if I cant find time to blog???

Things have been a little crazy here. Not necessarily busy, but I haven't found the extra time or desire to sit down and blog. When the girls are awake we are gone. Trips to the park or pool, running errands or just playing outside in the backyard. The lawn has never looked so good... except for that tree that's dying, and the graveyard of vegetable plants that I call my garden. Spring cleaning fever hit a little late this year and I have been doing everything inside and outside from scrubbing the baseboards and vacuuming the porch ceiling fan to scrubbing windows and the fridge.

Side note: does anyone ever notice how spring cleaning usually ends up with an incredibly messy house minus a few spotless appliances or closets? I usually find myself halfway through a job and up to my elbows in clutter when I get distracted and pulled to another task. Then I have 2 messes where I previously had a neat house with a few small crumbs in the pantry.

Much like what I just did with this post! Now I have 2 stories I am trying to tell.

Just stick with one at a time Sara!

Ok I promise I will, but I just have to say one more thing...

How do baseboards get so dirty in the first place? I can honestly say I have never even seen them touched, yet once a year I take notice and find them caked with crap. Well, not literally caked with crap, but dirt, food, smudges, dust, you name it.

Ok, I'm back.

Aside from the spring cleaning we have been focusing on family time. Sometimes it gets hard to spend time together if I am hunched over in front of the computer or the hubby is doing his favorite pastime, playing Modern Warfare 2.

1 more side note: I have never cared much when WM plays video games, I know many women do but I just dont care that much. Well his obsession with MW2 has changed that, I have started to get a twitch whenever I hear that intro music starting. I have thought about this and i think I can explain why this time is so different. Maybe I should save that for its own post, it might take a while.

I'm not really sure if this post is salvageable after all these side notes but here is the jist of what I am trying to say.

These last few weeks have been less about taking pictures and blogging and Facebook, and more about family time together. When WM and I weren't playing with the girls and basking in their giggles we were working on the house or hanging out with friends. Just some family maintenance time. I think we all needed it.

*If you made it to the end of that post I applaud you... and perhaps question your sanity.

A moment I don't ever want to forget.

After morning snack my girls are usually quite hyper. Something having to do with a full belly I am guessing, but what ever the cause it is like clock work. As soon as they walk away from the table they are running after each other and laughing. It usually goes something along the lines of this...

B runs away with A trotting quickly behind her as fast as those little legs will allow. I stay in the kitchen to clean the mess for a few minutes. Screams or mischievous laughter or both drag me out to find one of several options.

1. The DVD tower will be completely emptied from its previously alphabetized state.

2. They will be emptying the toy box for no reason other than to have it empty. Seriously, they will have absolutely no interest in playing with anything.

3. The toilet paper roll will be unrolled and all or some will be in the toilet.

4. B will be chasing or running away from A. The child being chased usually is laughing with the other child's cup in hand who in turn is screaming.

5. They have found a way into my bathroom and are under the sink pulling out the millions of products I don't use but feel the need to keep.

I have become OK with these possibilities. I have learned that if I want the DVDs to stay alphabetized they need to be in another room. The toy box is supposed to be empty except at bed time. I should have learned my lesson by now to keep the toilet paper out of reach of little hands, and my bedroom door must remain locked all day long. And sisters fighting over things is part of being siblings, they will work it out and be fine. This is just how it is.

But today was different. Today no screaming alerted me it was time to save someone or something. It was just quiet. And quiet with toddlers is usually not a good thing. I assessed the situation to find the DVDs intact, toys still put away, and the bathroom doors still closed.

I snuck around the hall to find both girls in their bedroom. And I saw something wonderful.

I saw B "reading" her flash cards to A. They were both sitting on the ground facing each other while B showed a card to sissy, asked her what it was, then said "good girl" and gave her the card. All they while my little 1 year old was sitting completely amused in the cards big sister was giving her. They would smile at each other and laugh. They were sharing, and not because I told them to, because they just were. And it wasn't just that they were sharing, or not screaming, it was that in that moment they were completely happy.

I needed a picture of this! It is too easy to miss these moments. Too often I find myself after the fact saying "I wish I had taken a picture". Not this time, I would get my perfect shot now.

As I started to step away I stopped.

Something about the moment made me want to stay and watch and enjoy instead of rushing away for a picture. It seemed too personal for a picture, something just for me to see. The joy of seeing my 2 girls having fun together, being 2 sisters who not only love each other but like each other. And I knew the moment would end too soon, I couldn't just leave, I didn't want to miss a second of it. I don't need a picture, its too precious a moment to ever be properly captured on film. A picture cant possible do it justice. Stepping behind a camera would take me away from the pleasure of just being in the moment. So I just stayed and watched and enjoyed.

And when the moment ended, I thought...

I wish I had taken a picture.

But this other one is sweet too.

Cookie Mission: Update

This last batch was horrible!

Well as horrible as chocolate chip cookies can be.

They were flat, too soft and I tried pecans instead of almonds.

Note: Pecans lack any real flavor when mixed with yummy chocolate and granola. Almonds are a must.

The real reason for this bad batch is the granola, I am convinced. The commissary is the only place in town that sold my favorite brand of granola. So on Sunday when I ran to get my cookie supplies I found they had ran out. Only worse, they weren't just out, they had shuffled new items in its place...

*gasp* they have discontinued my favorite granola!!!

What am I going to do? Don't they know I am on the verge of a cookie breakthrough?! What are they trying to do to me?

I decided that it would be fine so I bought another brand ( and it was a different flavor too since apparently Cascadian Farms is the only one who can sell perfect granola ). It wasn't fine. This was the worst cookie so far.

But on the bright side I did learn a few things...

1. no pecans

2. always almonds

3. a tsp of instant coffee is sounding like a good idea

4. flax seed is another great addition, no flavor added only health :)

I am well on my way, hang in there with me folks and I will have the recipe soon

The 4 am ER trip

I have been a mom now for almost 3 years. In that time have never been to the ER. That seems to be quite a feat from what I have heard from other mom who are working on trips in the double digits by the time their kids reach 3 years.

Well, my perfect streak came to a screeching halt yesterday morning.

I was violently awakened from my peaceful slumber at 4:00 am to the sounds of my youngest angel screaming from the top of her lungs. For a brief second I assessed the scream. Is is pain? Tired? Bad dream? Sick? I immediately decided that this scream wouldn't cry itself out and I needed to get in there before she woke her big sister. Amazingly her sister was still asleep so I whisked her out asap.

After checking her over I found a fever of 102, deep gravely cough, new tooth coming in and the worst diaper rash I have ever seen.

At this point a million things go through your mind. Is it serious enough to go see a doctor? Should I wait and see a doctor in the morning? Go to the ER now? Am I a bad mother to drag her out of the house now? Am I a bad mother to wait? Is it an ear infection? Croup? Do I bring big sister so daddy can go to work?

So I decided a trip to the ER would be best. But trips to the ER are always terrible aren't they? We have all heard the horror stories about late night runs to the emergency room. It would seem from those stories that my mom was right, nothing good ever happens after midnight.

But I decided my screaming child needed medical attention that I couldn't give. I doped her up with Tylenol, changed her diaper, got her dressed in comfy clothes, and whisked her off to the ER... oh, and with big sister sleepily in tow. We were quite a sight I can assure you.

I may or may not have left the house with a different flip flop on each foot. And I may have later discovered that my hair looked as though I had just stepped out of a wind tunnel... but it is Oklahoma so that is always a possible weather option here.

I decided the trip was a good idea. My baby wasn't terribly traumatized, though I'm sure being tired and sick in a strange hospital will do nothing to help her fear of doctors. It turns out she has a yeast infection. Poor baby!

Daddy of course replied with "how the hell did she get a yeast infection at 1 year old?!" I assured him it wasn't that bad, more like athletes foot on her rear. I realize now that shouldn't have made it seem any better but it worked for him. I explained that when sitting in a wet diaper for 24 hours an infection is almost inevitable. He calmed down, wished me good luck with the rest of my day and went back to sitting with his feet up on his desk, maybe catching an early nap before lunch. You know, the usual.

I realize that is not at all what any day is like for him, in fact he works very hard, I know he does. But when I have just been woken up after 4 hours of sleep, knowing I have a very hard day ahead of me with 2 tired toddlers, and no hopes of a nap, I couldn't help but get the image of WM lounging in his chair with his hat cocked over his eyes, snoozing.

The fever was under control quickly and with a super cream called "Poop Goop" coating her bottom she is well on her way to recovery.

Oh and B was amazing at the hospital. She helped me keep sissy full of Cheerios, kept her laughing by roaring at her (it always makes her laugh), and never strayed from my side. I love that little girl, and she is getting so big! I know I should feel bad about that but I cant help but feel happy, but mostly proud at what a good little girl she is becoming.

I use the term "Gardener" loosely!

Ok, so I have grown to LOVE doing things outside in the yard. Well, maybe its not so much the actual activities as the feeling of accomplishment when I have a beautiful garden to show for it. Pulling weeds isnt so bad, mowing can be fun and good exercise, planting is relaxing, and the end results are amazing. Before this year I never tried too many things in my garden, in fact less is usually more for me. I had perfected growing grass, replanted a few bushes, grown tulips and could dig up just about anything. So this year I decided I wanted to grow food. How hard can it be? I have planted tulips in the fall and waited all winter to see their beautiful sprouts in the spring, food cant be much harder!

Well, apparently food is a lot harder.

I made a few crucial mistakes. The first mistake is I decided to plant from seed. I should have started with plants and just replanted them, I know I can do that. Growing from seed requires little soil pods, water, a very delicate hand and tons of time and patience. Well, I dont have the patience required. As soon as I started to see anything green I threw those little pods in the ground thinking plants are like fish, they will only grow to the size their pot will allow. So I wanted them in the ground so they could get big fast and I could eat!

Well, they died. They all died! It is like, well, any scene in Saving Private Ryan out there. Except of course with little plant corpses instead of people. Its true, there is nothing left except little dried brown sprouts. I have tried everything, water, soil, food, sun, rain, nothing worked. They are gone. My dreams of a free organic garden are dead.

I just wish I hadn't told everyone I was planting a garden this year. And I wish I hadn't promised everyone a party with all my new great food. And that I hadn't already thought of all the delicious recipes, and thought of a perfect name for the party, "Sara's Delectable Vegetable Party". And I really wish I hadn't found these beautiful little plant invites that would be perfect for my Garden Party, and already bought them. I wish a lot of things.

Mostly I wish I had just bought plants to grow instead of seeds. Because I can do that! In fact I did buy one vegetable in plant instead of seed. Just check out my potatoes!

Why I Love Mother's Day

Ok, there really are too many things to list here, but being a mom to my 2 beautiful daughters is reason #1!

B is almost 3 and makes life more enjoyable everyday. Or depending on proximity to nap and or food time she can make life more hectic/exhausting/frustrating, etc. But lets go with enjoyable for now.

Yesterday was Mother's Day and it has surpassed any other day for me. The kisses, hugs, doting, cooking, gifts and general praise that my family gives me make my birthday and (sorry hubby) even my anniversary pale in comparison. Yesterday didn't disappoint.

My darling husband was have a secret conversation with my oldest angel at the breakfast table while I was grabbing yet another helping of the delicious breakfast that I didn't have to make. It was a very hushed conversation, and I knew it had to be something along the lines of "Tell Mommy Happy Mother's day". But the whispers were going on for quite a while and I knew it wasn't going well. After another few moments of whispers and my husbands giggles I couldn't play dumb any longer. I walked back to the table and heard the sweetest little voice whisper..

I'm realizing that I could fill a whole blog of all the crazy things my kids say! That's not what she said, I'm just realizing that and it would be great. Well, for me anyway! back to my angel, here is how it went down.

Mommy gets up from the table to grab seconds or thirds... or fourths of her Mother's Day Breakfast. Daddy leans over and whispers to B

Daddy: Tell your mom 'Happy Mother's Day'

B: (whispering) Tella oo mom Happy Other's Day

Daddy: (chuckles but still whispering) No, say it louder

B: (still whispering) Say it Wouder

Daddy: (chuckles again and whispers) Tell your mommy Happy Mother's Day but say it loud

B: (whispering) ghosjtodhfjwka uthejafduithjk - translation: ?????

Daddy: (whispering) What? Just say 'Happy Mother's Day', go tell your mom.

B looks right at me and whispers,

B: 'Happy Birthday Mom'

Daddy has a laughing fit. I might just need to have another one of these creatures in my life!

One thing I love about my kids

the way they talk! Oh those cute little voices can turn a day from bad to amazing with just a few words.

A isnt talking too much, well not real words at least, but everything she says is so adorable to me that I cant help but laugh. B is talking a storm and her delivery and mispronunciation is the best part. The thing that really got me thinking about this was dinner last night. We were eating mashed potatoes and she kept calling them "tatoes". Well as cute as it was her daddy wanted her to pronounce it correctly. Here is how it went.

Dad: "Say, Po-tay-toes"

B: "Tayyy Toes"

Dad: "Ha ha, no. Say Po-tay-toes"

B: "Payy Toes" (loud)

Dad: "Close. Say Po"

B: "PO" (louder)

Dad: "Tay"

B: "Tay" (even louder)

Dad: "Toes"

B: "Toes" (yes, louder)

Dad: "Potatoes"

B: (screaming) "Pawaynoes! Yay"

Then takes the biggest bite of Pawaynoes her spoon could handle. So big that excess amounts squeeze between her lips as she chews. Daddy handles this by falling out of his chair with laughter. I manage to look over at A who is just staring in awe at big sister, then throws up her hand to her for a high five... then I joined my husband on the floor laughing.

Mission : Cookies

Mission to find the perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies...I am almost there! This last batch was great but there was still a little room for improvement.

For me the perfect cookies have:

GOOD Chocolate - regular chocolate chips are great, but every recipe uses brands like Hershey's or Nestle. Plus the refrigerator cookies are great and easy, why would I try and make the same cookie at home with more steps and more time. Good chocolate, my favorite is Ghiradelli, really adds that extra pow that a good cookie needs.

Oats - oats add the necessary texture and mass that a good cookie needs. I don't want a flat cookie that breaks in half when you pick it up.

Nuts - I am still searching for the perfect nut to go with chocolate chip cookies. This last time I used Almonds. And they were great, but I think they really needed to be chopped smaller. Walnuts work good too but sometimes a bad walnut sneaks in and can be sour, not good for a cookie. I am going to try pecans next time but I am thinking I may need to find a mixture of several nuts. Hmm...

To be continued...

I am on a mission

to find the perfect recipes of a few staples. There are things that I make often and have tried too many variations to count for said recipes. I am tired of trying and trying and being disappointed... so I am on a mission.

I guess I figure if I set out on a mission than making the same meal 13 times in one month doesnt seem so crazy.

Well, maybe it still does.

But I don't care because I am on a mission.

This mission includes combining several recipes through trial and error until I find the perfect mixture to please my palate. Since mine is the one that matters since I am doing all the work.

Ok, the recipes I want to perfect are...

*Cookies, good ol choclate chip

*Marinade

*Chicken Fried Rice

*Enchilladas

*Granola Bars

*Cake

*Frosting

*Fish and or Shrimp Soup

*Paella

*Risotto

*Roast

*Salsa. Oh yeah, I can check that off the list already :)

*Chicken Curry/Tikka Masala/Kurma

*Lasagna or Macaroni Bake

*Pancakes

*Bolognase Sauce

and I'm sure the list will continue to grow.

I plan on posting my progress but please forgive the pictures, I am FAR from a professional. And since I just lost out on Pioneer Womans Camera Giveaway I am still working will a little point and shoot. Sigh, some day I will own a DSLR! But these recipes cant wait until then, I will have to push on with out it :)

Bad Gas

Around 10:00 this morning there was a knock at the front door. Pretty unusual for us. Even more unusual was the fact that it was a firewoman. Is that what they are called or are they female firemen?

Anyway, she informed us that there was a large gas by the house behind ours. She just wanted to inform us to avoid open flame and that it would be fixed soon. No problem... except that the girls were getting restless and wanted to go play outside. And it was stinky outside. Really stinky. It gave me a headache after a few minutes.

So I packed them up in the car with some lunch, water and blankets and we headed to the park for the next few hours. Or until they needed to crash, whichever comes first.

The park was great of course, the weather is fantastic and with the midget walking now they can both play by themselves and together. Except on the swings. God help me, I cant wait until they both learn how to pump their legs!

The nap time crash came later than I thought, which was great. They are currently sleeping and going on 3 hours now. Ahh I love the park! Not to say that I don't love spending time with them!

Oh and the gas is gone :) Thankfully there weren't any problems, I left the gas water heater on when I left and visions of huge mushroom clouds on the horizon were haunting me while at the park. Luckily I had the sounds of pure toddler bliss to keep me occupied :)

Feeling Artsy

I was having fun with my camera over the weekend and decided to post some of the better moments. Sadly I am not a photographer and I dont have a spectacular camera so keep that in mind as you look at these.

Really I was just having fun.

See the beautiful colors. I LOVE RED! Its true, its my favorite color, we have a special bond me and red. I love pink too... but that is just pale red, no wonder I love it.

This little ant was having a field day on here. I got so captivated I ended up watching him for about 5 minutes. All this time my girls were begging for some time on the swings.

"hang on, mommy is watching an ant"

...silence...

"ok, I'm coming"

But only if you will let me sneak a pic, and maybe a squeeze, of those deliciously chubby feet!

Ok, quit showing off your beautiful eyelashes. I think she knows I have a complex about my short stumps that are supposed to be my eyelashes, she does this to taunt me. I know it!

I think she will love this pics when she gets older. I know I love it now :)

A fantastic Weekend

Ahh, spring is here and I am LOVING it!!! The weather this weekend was fantastic and we tried to make the most of it. On Saturday morning we were up and out of the house by 8 ( since my lovely girls do not sleep in ) and off to the farmers market. Last weekend I tried to make a trip with just me and B and found the market completely empty. Low and behold the opening weekend was THIS weekend. So I had grand ideas for the opening ceremony.

The market was a little less than I expected.

Actually it was a lot less that I expected.

There was maybe 6 vendors and of those only 2 had any food to sell. The rest had crafty things that simply are not my cup of tea and a few only had ads for what they would bring next weekend!

What!? Next Weekend?! Why was the market even open this week then?

Anyway, I did find a lovely bag of mixed greens for a yummy salad and some oh so yummy cheese. One is a tomato basil white cheddar and the other is called a "cowboy" cheddar... uh, YUM! Actually it a blend of about 12 different spices but it looks delicious so we are pretty excited about that. Especially B, she kept saying "i wanna cowboy cheese peease".

There was a parade going on downtown right by the market so were were all set to show the girls their first parade.

Didn't work out too well. We had a great spot right on the curb where we would be able to see the bands long before they got to us. It was a great spot until a local family came and sat next to us. There was nothing wrong with them in particular, except they were very overweight, thus taking up a lot of space that wasn't available and pushing us over into the people next to us. And they had 2 yappy little dogs (named "sassy" and "precious", *gag* ) that I was terrified were going to bite one or both of my angels. Oh and they had a box full of donuts, and of course any 3 year old sees donuts and immediately wants one. Not good for the parents who don't want said 3 year old to eat that kind of food, except on very rare occasions. So I guess there was a lot wrong with them. So we left before the parade even had a chance to start. Boo.

After that I dropped Wing Man and A off at home for nap time while I took my biggest angel to go shopping. (cue angels singing) Yes, shopping. Not on a time limit, just walking and randomly picking items to spend WM's money on. We had a great time and B was WONDERFUL, way better than I could have ever expected. My girl is growing up and I couldn't be happier about it :)

We lunched together and WM went to a Kentucky Derby party. He had a great time while I played with the munchkins. After he got home I went to a scrapbook party where I attempted to be creative, unsuccessfully.

Sunday was great with a trip to the park, commissary, yard work, blogging, and while WM rode his bike to the gym I took both girls to get Daddy's Father's Day present going. It is a super cute idea that I will share after FD so I don't kill the surprise. Let's just say it will have to be a yearly tradition around here from now on!

Ahh, I love family weekends don't you :)

This is Heaven

This is my idea of heaven! This really doesn't need any words to explain why its my heaven so I will just leave this picture. And on a bad day I can come back here to remember this wonderful moment.

Chicken Nuggets to Chicken Parm

Ahh, dinner time.

It never fails that it is 5:15 p.m. and I have put no thought into what to make for dinner. Usually my girls have started crying and I am just pulling things out of the fridge to try and throw together a decent meal, usually barely edible is as good as it gets around here.

See, I'm not the best cook. I can do OK with some things, and I'm not completely inept but I cant say I am good. Too often I have been known to just walk away and leave something to burn beyond recognition as the house fills with smoke and the alarms are going off and everyone is crying from the noise, and ADT is calling to see if I need the fire department to come rescue me. And then I have to tell them... well I will save that story for another time.

So last night I decided to make chicken nuggets, and I hate to buy frozen nuggets since they are.. well... disgusting! Thank you Jamie Oliver for ruining a yummy treat forever. So I have to make them myself. But Hubby HATES breaded chicken. I wont go into how he is the pickiest eater ever and yet will eat just about anything at another time.

Suddenly a light bulb came on in my brain. Chicken nuggets for the girls, throw some mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top over a beautiful pate of pasta with Marinara (which I had already made) and voila! Chicken Parmesan! He will eat that, why? I don't know, he just will. Its fine to be breaded if it is completely covered in sauce. Don't get me started on his crazy rules. It can be its own separate post.

The summary of my craziness is... I managed a quick healthy meal for different appetites, with out making 2 different meals = Happy Mom

Ladies Night!

I got to have a ladies night last night! There were 4 of us who just needed a night away from runny noses, clinging kids, poopy diapers and hungry husbands. The stove got a night off and so did I. We chose a local Irish Pub and it felt like being back in England again, and not just because of the bad service. Of course we were 4 moms with no time restrictions so the service really had no impact on our good time.

I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, mmm.

*Note to self, find good recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala. It needs to find a permanent place in my life.

As good as getting out for dinner is, it is never the best part of the night. Chatting like school girls is always the highlight of a good night. We talked about the hubby's and all their hilarious flaws, the kids and their highlights for the week, of course poop stories always make an appearance. And childbirth! Oh the stories of childbirth I have heard, and I never get tired of hearing them, or telling my own. There is something about that experience that we just love recalling. The gore, the hilarity, the scars, the pain, the recovery, the wait and weight. It is something all moms have in common, and I have never met a mom who wouldn't willingly part with all the personal details. I love it!

It was really nice to have some time away from you girls, but of course as soon as I got home I snuck in to check on you, and you always look so cute when you're sleeping. So cute in fact that I always have to sneak a kiss, fix the covers, fetch the fallen stuffed animals and whisper "I Love You" 's. But then I dart from the room as fast and quietly as my legs will allow as soon as you start to stir. I love you both but I don't want you awake!

Hmmm. A blog? What do I do now? I guess I am supposed to type something interesting, yes?

Sounds like a lot of work.

Witty?

Surely you wouldn't expect such a feat.

Funny! Funnny could work.

Mmm, that might be a stretch for me too.

Why don't I just start slow, its not like anyone else will read this anyway. This is more a self journey to tell my girls about myself, their dad and themselves as these years fly by. Ok, why am I doing this? I read and follow a lot of blogs and just felt jealous that all these incredible people had documented so much of their lives. See every day of my life flies by faster than the previous, and before I know it I will have wasted years with nothing to show for it but an incredible useless knowledge of anything and everything reality TV related. So many wonderful things happen around us and we are missing an incredible opportunity to relive them later. I have lived a very interesting life thus far and it should be a fun ride to try this out. Well, lets see...

*and if anyone ever stumbles upon this, I am incredibly sorry, I am anything but eloquent and as you would soon find out, a bit strange :)

A little but about me...My name is Sara. My 2 girls call me Mom. I am almost 30! Maybe that's what this is, a pre-midlife crisis sort of thing.

OK Sara, That's just pathetic!

Funny thing is I dont feel old. At all. Really, not even a little. It still feels awkward to call myself a woman! Wasn't I still just a kid yesterday? And kids dont feel old! But I am a housewife and mother, that could age someone for sure! Ok focus! What can I say about me... a third person, Hollywood Narrator type thing seems fitting.

An Average California girl and a wholesome boy from the Midwest. They met, fell in love, had beautiful baby girls and lived happily ever after... except nothing is ever that simple. You see, that wholesome boy from the midwest is a Pilot in the US Air Force, and that California girl had to decide between a lifetime of wedded bliss with her soulmate or pursuing a struggling career as a TV Producer. She wisely chose happiness, uprooted her life and followed him around the world. Getting married and having babies may be the only ordinary things they ever did. They live a crazy life of fancy Air Force events, moving every few years and dealing with deployments. Behind all the chaos they are left holding hands and striving for something ordinary.

That sounded pretty good. It's not the whole truth, but in a "life story in a nutshell" type of way it will do.

I hope my girls enjoy this someday and its not too embarrassing for them, but they are girls and I am their mom, so the embarrassment is inevitable :)