Where is my groove?

Has anybody seen it? I have to catch up on sooo much. I did not even do my Sunday toppings so here are Monday's leftovers.

My daughter is reading Nicholas Spark's. She started with The Notebook and loves it. Kudos to him for writing such good books. I can't wait to watch the movie with her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notebook

We had fun walking the streets of Royal Oak on Friday night. My daughter really likes this little store on Main St. called Pitaya. Pitaya always has cute dresses for girls & fun tops.

http://www.pitayaonline.com/

Had a great time perusing the aisles of TJMaxx all alone sans kids on Sunday. Wish I could show you the sundress/skirt that I bought! Love TJMaxx on a rainy day.


Hopefully this week I can blog more & find my groove!

360 cupcakes

It has come. I can't believe it is here. I am frosting the last cupcake of the last birthday of the last elementary year. Tomorrow is my son's birthday and I made the traditional cupcakes for his last elementary birthday.

I am sad. I knew this day would come but it came so fast.

I am happy. Elementary school is hard for kids and for parents. There is so much to do & so much to make like the dreaded 2nd grade castle project or the highly detailed 4th grade geometry poster project and lots and lots of cupcakes.

What is an elementary school birthday without cupcakes?!
I have made 30 cupcakes for 6 years now just for my son. Plus 30 cupcakes for 6 years for my daughter. That is 360 cupcakes!

I have made chocolate ones, vanilla ones, rainbow sprinkle one & red velvet ones. I have frosted them in vanilla & chocolate and made vanilla 1 year into a really bad shade of pink. I have put rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles on them and made them into faces one year I have done Barbie themes, animal themes and sports themes. I have made them in cones too.

I may have eaten almost as many "mistakes" too!

If I Could Talk to the Clothes (sung to If I Could Talk to the Animals)

I was just reading the blog C Jane Enjoy It. She mentioned that she wants some shoes. Not only did she mention it but she talked to them directly. That is me too!

I am a clothes horse! (Yes, you can continue humming If I Could Talk To The Animals - it is appropriate for a clothes horse) There are pieces I love like my new yellow coat, my new boots and my orange sweater. I always tell them that they are delicious. I apologize when I forget about them like I did when I found my orange sweater stuffed in the back of the drawer today. I have promised my yellow coat that I will wear it soon.

I have been anticipating putting away the winter clothes and pulling out my spring ones. Hello blue top with the bow on front and green coat that I just love. Spring is here!

I will continue to welcome you with each season & say a short adieu to you when the seasons pass. Plus I will introduce you to the new pieces that come. And don't we look good.

p.s. my yellow coat was $12 at a resale store in Houston. What a deal & yes, I do love ya!

Sunday Toppings

What to say? It was both a long week & a quick week with little time for myself.

It was the start of Lent so my daughter & I are giving up meat again & sugar. It is a fun challenge & I enjoy trying new veggie meals.

Tonight we are having linguine & clam sauce. I substitute the chicken broth with veggie broth. Yum.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1758,132190-252195,00.html

This week, we will also be having crepes with ricotta on the inside & tomato sauce on the top. This is a first time recipe but it sounds pretty good. Dare I say an easier lasagna?!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,195,145169-246205,00.html

We are also eating lots of peanut butter. And with peanut butter comes Nutella - Yum! If you have never tried this tasty spread, look for it next time in your peanut butter aisle at the grocery store. Target even has it! I wish the web site had a coupon for ya but didn't see one. Plus this could really be a sundae topping!

http://www.nutellausa.com/


Lots of food today but its good food.

How do you live without a ponytail?

I went yesterday & had my hair cut. It was getting long and dreams of shorter hair were dancing around in my head. I used to have really short hair as a child. Often people would think I was a boy. My mom thought less hair was the easiest way to go with four girls.

I did not grow my hair long until college simply because I never understood how to grow it out. In college, it was halfway down my back & long & really thick & really full. No more boy comments then & a ponytail was definitely needed from time to time. I cut it really short once more 13 years ago & hated it. Why? No ponytail.

A ponytail is a glorious thing on Saturday mornings when one does not have to care. Or Thursdays when one is sick of blowing out one's hair. Or Mondays when one can't face the mirror after being lazy all weekend. Or for the last-minute run that I try to get in before going to work. Or for those times when one just can't get to a mirror at all.

So needless to say, the hair was trimmed yesterday but just to my shoulders and long enough for a ponytail when needed...

Enjoy the weekend & DON'T let your hair down!

Bottled up past

I have been known to get on a streak now & then. I will buy something again & again until I tire of it. I definitely like to try & do new things but lately, I have been needing the past & I have been buying it.

Not my past but times gone by that I only read about & view on my t.v. I have spent the last few weeks cuddled up in the chair watching the DVD set of All Creatures Great & Small which shows simple farm life in the 1930's-40's in England.

Then I saw something else like it in the grocery store. It is a glass bottle of milk. How old-fashioned and simple and perfect. It costs a few more dollars but right now I love the look and the feel. Isn't that worth a few more dollars right now?

p.s. I bought chocolate milk in the bottle too
p.p.s. I don't even drink milk