Happy Memorial Day!

May we never forget the sacrifices that have been made for our us.  

Thank you and God bless those who have lost their lives, or a loved one, in the name of freedom. 

Mere words will never be enough to show the depth of my gratitude. 

At The Park

A penny for your thoughts.

Which appliance do I need more: a Bosch mixer? Or a Vitamix blender?
I'm saving up for both of them and it occurred to me that I may be able to do either/or.
On the one hand, I've been told that a Bosch can make an unbelievable amount of bread at a time. Currently, I make it twice a week.  I need a bigger mixer.  Actually, I need a mixer, period.  Mine fizzled out for the second time and it is currently in our storage locker.
On the other hand, I need a bigger blender.  And I heard you can put crazy things in the Vitamix and it blends it up to nothing.  Like, a whole orange- peel and everything.  Hmmm.
So, your thoughts? Bosch mixer, Vitamix blender, or both?

Happy Birthday, friend.

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite friends of all time.  

And the past year has been an extremely difficult year for her.  

She's been dealt more than should be fair for anyone.  

And still, she doesn't realize house amazingly strong she is.  

I'm thankful that God has blessed her with her husband, Paul. 

Together, they have made an incredible team.  

My wish for her is that she is blessed with peace and happiness in her life.  

More than she ever believed possible.  

May all your dreams come true, my friend.  

Happy birthday, Peggy.  

You really are one of my favorite friends of all time. 

MUAH.  

Lots of love.  

(Please join me in wishing her the happiest of birthdays.) 

It's my diet and I'll bake if I want to.

As I type, the smell of Monster Cookies is tickling my nose.  Well.  That, and the black beans in my crock pot.  Which might seem like a strange combination, but I actually made a healthy treat for Zane and I to partake of the other day.  And it was basically a cookie made with chickpeas.  And it was delicious.  Who knew? On the other hand, the chocolate avocado pudding needs some tweaking.  Anyway.  This whole healthy eating thing is a bit of a double edged sword for me.  I have a seemingly endless supply of energy.  Which always, without fail, sends me into the kitchen.  And then you know what happens after that.  

The inspiration for this latest batch of temptation? (I can come up with many reasons when I have boundless energy) Well, duh.  Take your kids to work day.  Obviously, I cannot send my kids to work with Z and not have them bring treats.  DUH.  I just hope they can make it out the door before I devour them.  I have to wait for Saturday for that.  

My favorite homemade cookie is pictured above.  Mrs. Kivisto, my kindergarten teacher, was the best teacher in the whole wide world.  She wore this long skirt with booties.  You know, the short boots that  are so popular these days?  We'd be all gathered around her, sitting indian-style on the floor.  She would be on a chair, with her leg crossed and her boot would peek out from her skirt, as she read to us.  I'd dream about the day that I looked just like that.  (Come to think of it, I have that outfit.  I should wear it.)  For our birthdays, she would make monster cookies.  Not just your run of the mill monster cookies.  No.  The cookies she gave us were huge.  About the size of a plate.  I waited all year for mine, making it that much sweeter when I got it.  It was the most amazing thing ever.  To this day, I think of her every time I make or eat those delectable treats.  I miss her.  She was a really amazing lady.  

And here I am again, waiting for my monster cookie.  I get it on Saturday, which is my birthday.  This year, I've been waiting and counting down the days like my kids do for their special day.  We've been trying to eat healthy, so this is going to be a splurge day.  I can't wait.  I'm eating pizza from the best little pizza joint.  And in place of cake?  Hot fudge brownie sundaes.  And my cookie.  My delectable birthday cookie.  Mmmmmmmmmmm.  Is it Saturday yet? 

I'm getting hungry.  I better go eat a carrot. ;)  

Objects in this blog are not as they appear.

I hope you know I was kidding in the last post.  I won't send you out with my GPS if you come to visit.  My GPS blows chunks.  It needs to be updated.  Plus, I'll probably want to spend time with you.  

Anyway.  What I was really wondering was this: all you bloggers, why do my pictures come out so pixelated when I upload them to blogger?  Some of my best pictures totally stink when I put them out there.  I hate that.  Help! 

To whom the weather may concern,

It's not snowing here.  Unless the blossoms being carried in the breeze counts.
My house is big.  And I'd love to have you.  Well.  If I know you somehow.  No random strangers, please. When we hit the heart of summer and the humidity is unbearable here, I might need you to return the favor.  Not to mention, this is the best time for sightseeing in this area.  From what I hear.
And I believe it.  We did DC mid-summer a couple years ago and it was far from ideal.
Even the shade offered no relief.  That being said, if you want to come mid-summer, my AC is up and running.  I'll welcome you.  I just might send you off alone on your sightseeing adventures.  You can use my GPS, though.