For my mom! Happy Mothers Day!

In honor of Mothers Day I am posting one of my favorite pictures of me and my mom.

This was taken around 1979 or 1980. 

I really love it because I look at it and I can see my kids in my face, I can see me in my moms face and I feel the whole circle is complete.

When everyone tells me the kids look just like Charles, I can pull out these pictures and see that they are a little bit me, too. I wasnt just an oven.

Even though my mom went to college full time, she still made time for us. She still kept the house clean, the laundry done, the lunches packed, the dinners cooked and everything else on top of it.

This picture to me sums up her love for me and my brothers. She would always take the time to let us know how much she loved us and appreciated us.

After college she worked as a nurse full time. She has the best time management of anyone I know.  She always seemed to have it together.  I always feel I am floundering and wonder how on earth she was able to get everything done!  I have a new and great respect for her as a mom and working mother and wife.

fast forward 30+ years...

I love my mom, she is still a beautiful lady. (and whoever does her hair does a FANTASTIC job...)

Would you believe she is 65??

Happy Mothers Day to my mom.

a wonderful Mothers day

So today I woke up without an alarm. The birds were chirping, the sky is blue(ish) and my kids are getting along.  My cats Rusty and Skittles must know it's my special day, as they have been circling my legs, meowing and wanting attention all morning (Oh, wait they havent been fed. Thats what they want).

I have a bounteous supply of gifts from my hubby and kids to share.

Last night we went to Carrabbas Italian Grill.  One of my fave restaurants. Considering we got there at 6pm and it was Mothers Day Weekend AND Prom, we were lucky we got a seat fairly quickly. Only a 15 minute wait. Thankfully we got there when we did, as it quickly escalated to a 2 hour wait by the time we had left.

I had the Trout Nicciola.  It was a hazelnut crusted Trout, wood grilled with tomatoes, basil and lemon butter sauce.  It was delicious. We had started off with one of my favorite appetizers, Calamari.  They also bring the hot fresh italian bread and olive oil with the herbs and spices for dipping. LOVE IT.

Then my Hubba Bubba, who knows me so well, got me THE BEST GIFT EVER!!

If anyone really knows me, they know I LOVE Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog.  I will watch it at least once or twice a month, and I LOVE the music.  In my head, I am Penny. Watch out Joss Whedon, you may have another internet sensation on your hands, starring ME!

HE GOT ME THE DR HORRIBLE SING ALONG BLOG BOOK!!!!!  It has pictures, notes, full script, commentaries, behind the scened, drafts, sketches and best of all THE MUSIC SCORE!!  The OFFICIAL music score.

I then got to open the gifts from my children.  Peters class had made all the mothers a Recipe book.  each child had to bring in a favorite recipe. They typed them up and compiled them.  It has 25 great recipes in it, which I am excited to try out!

Finn Hid his present to me in my closet, and I had to try and find it.

It is a small hand painted flower pot with chocolates and candies in it.  The thumbprint flowers, caterpillers and ladybuge.  Super cute.  Then the "coupon bouquet" card.  The coupons include Write something nice, draw something ncie, a hug, dirty clothes and wash windows.

Inside the card he had written a poem:

Mother

Loving, Kind, Helpful

WHo likes to do hair and play

Wii with the family

Who uses the computer to play Zuma

Who wants to go to Disney World

Who needs a clean house

Who gives me and my brother money

for doing our chores

who says "do your homework"

who loves Chocolate.

Mom.

Love, Finn.



Now hubba bubba is going to try and make me French Toast....but thats a completely different blog!

Happy Mothers day to all past, present and future mothers out there!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

I love this video. I watch it and think "they must know my brother".

I feel like I am watching something that occurred 20 years ago in my own household.

Please to enjoy Tucker and Brad and "The Mothers Day Photo"

So Happy Mothers Day to all my friends and blogger friends. Not a mother yet?? Then happy future mothers day. Look what we have to look forward to??

Things charles is allowed to cook

My husband is forbidden in the kitchen. Unless it is something like Macaroni and cheese, ramen, sandwiches or Nachos, his cooking is a no-no. (Although that one night he made a romantic pot roast for our 2 year anniversary...i got pregnant that night...anyhoo, thats NOT why he isnt allowed in the kitchen).

He doesnt know how to follow a recipe. Somehow when he cooks his brain shuts down, spices and seasonings get forgotten, Tsp turns into TBSP and...well you get the point.

One night he decided to make hamburgers. I was working all day and came home to the foreman grill and a bowl of ground beef. He declared "I'm making dinner!".

Trustingly, I head off to shower and come back down to hamburgers and probably some sort of canned vegetable. I dont remember. All I do remember is taking a bite of the hamburger and thinking "hmmmm this tastes really odd". Turns out he channeled the Colonel and added 11 secret herbs and spices...including CINNAMON. (we had previously lived in cincinnati where their chili has cinnamon in it. He thought it would be a good idea). Needless to say 2 bites was all I could stomach. All night I heard "I'm sorry, I thought it would be a good idea..."

Another night i came home and he was making his own version of hot wings. He was boiling(or scorching, same difference) his version of wing sauce, filling the entire house with eye watering pepper sauce and vinegar. The wings were pathetic. i think we ended up ordering a pizza.

BUT Charles is a savant in the kitchen when it comes to desserts and sweets. He can whip up a Texas Fudge cake that will leave you in the throes of food orgasm passion. His desserts are legendary. It as if he gets a dessert recipe and all the planets align, the heavens shine down, his cooking brain clicks on and BOOM dessert nirvhana.

Yesterday afternoon after church he let me take a nap. He fed the boys, kept them quiet etc. THEN last night he let me watch my chick flicks (27 Dresses and The Holiday) and made me a rock em sock em batch of my favorite cookies NO BAKES. Honestly, BEST MOTHERS DAY PRESENT YET!!

But let me share with you the recipe:

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

in saucepan combine and sugar and cocoa, add milk and melted butter. Mix thoroughly and Bring to a boil and let boil for ONE MINUTE. Do not overboil.

Remove from heat and add the following:

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cup quick oats

1 tsp vanilla.

stir well until PB is melted and oats are mixed in.

drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper or foil to cool. then enjoy

so to all the mothers or to be mothers, Hope you had a great mothers day.