Saturday, July 03, 2010

In which I attempt to catch up ...

Yes, it's been way too long since I last posted (notice a pattern? Grr. I sure do. Blargh.).
I apologize for that.

I really should make more of a schedule about blogging.
(However, I won't be near a computer for about a WHOLE WEEK, really, later this month. HOW WILL I SURVIVE???)
(Answer: I'll be surrounded Monday-Friday by amazing Young Women and their leaders. Then I'll be with Michael, getting MAH PRESHUSSSS BAYBEES, and we'll take my Nana to a family reunion [My Dad's side, obviously. ^_^] ... so I'm going to be a busy Llanna.)

So, what's gone on since I last blogged?

For bedtime stories, we've gotten through:
  • Esio Trot
  • The Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • The Twits
  • The Magic Finger (all these are by Roald Dahl)
Now we're getting through Beatrix Potter's stories (which actually makes sense to follow Dahl with Potter ... he was quite a fan of hers). Looks like after this, we'll move onto Treasure Island. Which I've never read. Then we'll read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass ... which I personally love. 

I've been reading books. If you really are interested in which ones I'm getting through, just look at my Goodreads account. ^_^ 

What else have we been doing ... We've gone to the coast one weekend. Always fun. Finally got to the new Swampland exhibit at the aquarium. It's nice. I still miss some of the Oddwater exhibits (seahorses, clownfish, cuttlefish, horseshoe crabs, and being able to pet baby sharks and skates), but the kids did enjoy it. Thank goodness, since it'll be here for a while. ^_^

We went and visited family and went to the Umpqua Valley Summer Arts festival near my hometown. I bought a pound of Garlic Lover's Garlic from the Oregon Spice Rack booth (this company makes GOOD stuff. Mom and I have been loving their garlic mix for the last ... FIFTEEN YEARS? Oh. Em. Gee. I'm OLD.) and Bucket had fun in the Children's area, decorating a crown.
The kids were a little cranky, so we didn't stay all that long ... But we were there long enough to look at all the booths ... and for the kids to pet a tortoise and a ball python at the Wildlife Safari booth.

But, back to the Oregon Spice Rack, I know I'm going to sound like I'm trying to make you buy their stuff ... but, really, it's GOOD. I especially like the Garlic Lover's Garlic (duh), the Cajun Spice (GREAT on fries!), and the Cinnamon Toast Sprinkle. We've also tried the Caribbean Sunshine (it's like a relish/dipping sauce But GOOD. Since I don't really like regular relish), the jalepeno relish (I like to mix it with cream cheese and eat it with crackers. ^_^), and the Cajun catsup.

If you're interested in buying in person (especially so you can sample the products), the website lets you know where their booths will be. Which makes it nice. ^_^

But, yeah, enough about the AMAZING, BESTEST garlic mix ever ...

Last week, we had the missionaries come over for dinner. I made pizzas. A BBQ chicken and a taco-style (which Michael did the work on). And Michael made pudding for dessert. The elders were scheduled to come at 7:30 ... which is later than we've usually served them dinner. But, this time, they were late. So the kids went to bed SO LATE. 

Which meant that they were quieter than usual when my mom was up. They were so tired. Poor kiddos. But they had fun. They got to go to the VERY LAST part of a library-sponsored picnic/concert in the next town. Then we went to McDonald's for lunch, where they got to play. And Bucket got the EXACT TOY that she REALLY WANTED (well, after I exchanged the first one). Bruise ... well, he wasn't wild about his toy at first. But after we talked about it (since he'd ripped open its package, so we couldn't exchange it), he likes it. ^_^ Then they got to play at the park with Mutti while I volunteered. I left a few minutes early, since I had nothing left to shelve at the end of my shift. Which was perfect since I met Mom and the kids, coming back in, as I was ready to check out my holds that I'd picked up.
Then we went to T.J. Maxx and got the kids shorts for the summer (since Bruise had, what, ONE PAIR LEFT that still fit him. Oops. And Bucket needed some, too.) and I found a pair of capris that I can wear (and take to Girls' Camp). Then we went to the Farmers' Market. We picked up some fresh pastries (the kids got a blueberry scone to share. I opted for a Cherry Cheese pastry. Mom got Cream Cheese-swirled brownies for herself and Michael), some salad, and some berries (this time we're trying Golden Raspberries, along with some fresh strawberries). And some Kettle Corn. Yum.

I got a new rice cooker. It looks small, but it's really cute. It's red. And it's supposed to hold 10 cups of cooked rice. ^_^ AND it's NON-STICK ... which isn't really the case with my older rice cooker.

Thursday, Mom and I got some smell-good stuff at Bath and Body Work's sale. I got lotions and body sprays in Forever Sunshine (the new scent. I really like it), Cucumber Melon, and Twilight Woods. And I feel a little dirty for buying something with "Twilight" in the name. Because, really, I don't care for "Twilight" all that much. Yes, I've read the books. Yes, I have friends who are Twihards (I also have friends who HATE Twilight with the passion of one thousand burning suns) ... I'm somewhere in the middle, really.
(Personally, "The Host" had stronger writing. ... But I've liked vampire fiction since I was in, wow, JUNIOR HIGH ... And I think that L.J. Smith's "The Vampire Diaries" --all four books-- are better. I'm not all that into Anne Rice's vampire books. But I do like Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series [actually, just about EVERYTHING that Harris writes, I've enjoyed] ... along with some others.) ... I rather like to make fun of Twilight.

If you haven't seen the HISHE for Twilight, you MUST WATCH IT!!!

It never gets old. I could watch that over and over. Though it is missing the awesome Muse in the soundtrack. ^_^

I'm feeling fat again. Big surprise. But I'm trying to handle it ... and work up the motivation to actually make time to work out. So far, I haven't had much success. Besides walking down the street to a restaurant to pick up something they'd forgetten to give us (and they were so, so sweet about it).

Last weekend, we went to a party for a friend of Bruise and Bucket -- the son of one of my besties. They had a pool party. Bruise barely got out of the water -- paddling about in his water wings. Bucket's water wings had a hold in one of them, so I had taken her out. She went underwater, NOT of her own volition, and spent some time cuddling with Michael, getting her courage back up. She did swim with me ... clinging like a spider monkey with a DEATH GRIP. (She's a strong little munchkin). But she did have a great time, too. Then we went to our friends' house for a BBQ with the BEST POTATO SALAD (It had dill pickles in it. I really hate sweet pickles. They taste so gross to me. I know that I'm a freak of nature. So this potato salad was GREAT). And there was a really good broccoli salad. Strips of tomatoes, crumbles of bacon, and some vinagrette. SO good.

ANNOYING THING: The kids' spring horse (like a rocking horse, but on springs? Did you have one of them as a kid? I did. So did Michael) broke. AGAIN. And the company that originally made it went bankrupt and was bought out by a DIFFERENT company ... which doesn't make them any more ... and is out of replacement parts. Because the parts were made of plastic. Ugh.
So Michael -- my big, strong, Mr. Fix-It man -- is figuring out some way to fix it. With I-bolts (or is it eye-bolts? I wouldn't know). 

Yes, I don't deserve him. I know. I'm aware.

So ... yeah ... that's just about everything really pertinent that you might have missed. If you really care. (Which you must, since you're reading this. ^_^ Thank you. You know I love you. ^_^)

At least, I THINK that's everything.

If you have any questions or whatever, do feel free to leaven them in the comments or something. ^_^

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