WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF THE BIRDS

we're just a family of finches making our way in the town w/o a frown.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

i'm leaving on a jet plane

WORD OF THE DAY- melange: A mixture; a medley.

i was having a discussion the other day with pattylicious about how much i enjoy thankful Thursdays. i spend all week thinking about what ten I'm going to list, so i look for things to be thankful for. this tends to make me more aware of all the wonderful things that i have to be thankful for. i will be in the DC area from tomorrow until next Thursday, then in Austin until Sunday. i will try to get a thankful list up next week, but no promises. so for this week here we go.
i am thankful for:

1. baking soda- not only does it help make chocolate chip cookies it takes vaporub out of 2 year olds hair. did i mention she climbs?

2. disposable diapers- i don't know how people do cloth, i just don't have the patience

3. yahoo messenger- it is way fun. i get to chat with my homies all day

4. byrd house- she made my day. i did her summer swap and will be doing her fall swap. while putting my info together she realized the difference in sizes from then and now. she shot me a real short email about it. it made my day/week.

5. my awesome fun socks- there is just something so awesome about looking down at you feet and seeing smiley faces. thanks lola.

6. coffee- i like it plain or with the frills. i just like it. i miss going for coffee and just sitting, talking and hanging out.

7. my awesome phone- the hubby just got me a 2 gig memory card for it. now it will hold tons of songs, pictures, or other random stuff. we're getting the data pkg for it in sept. way excited

8. movies in the car- i have never been a big proponent for movies in the car. until i had a little girl who HATES to ride in the car. she can be somewhat pacified with movies, but even then she is a bit cantankerous.

9. fruities- i can have the whole package of candy for a mere 1 point. this will come in handy during the trip.

10. individualism- I'm glad that i get to be myself. however crazy that may be.

what are you thankful for this week? take time to think about it. have a great weekend, i know i will. :)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- IN THE WORDS OF KATHERINE HEPBURN "Acting is the most minor of gifts and not a very high-class way to earn a living. After all, Shirley Temple could do it at the age of four."

Friday, July 18, 2008

i want to talk about me

i found this meme over at ramfaminnova so i'm sharing with you
Anyone who reads my blog -- would you like to join in? Here are 10 questions so you can know a bit about me.

1. Favorite Summer drink -- Mint suntea

2. Worst part of Summer -- the heat

3. Best part of Summer -- swimming, being with friends, long days, sorry couldn't choose just one

4. Favorite Shopping Experience -- hobby lobby, barnes and noble and demo saturday at united (all of these should only be enjoyed with the famous/infamous pattylicious)

5. What I'm reading -- WW magazine and a few knitting and craft books

6. What I'm praying about -- wow, so many things: my dad, jack, shelly's pregnancy, shelly's friend who had the miscarriage, a one time friend, tara, shelby, my mom, and so many more

7. What I'm currently knitting -- wash cloths and i need to get yarn for some baby projects that i'm wanting to start.

8. What I'm currently writing -- more letters and blogs

9. Where my time has been most-focused lately -- getting ready for camp and vacation

10. Favorite quote of the day: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye." miss piggy

Please post this meme on your blog and link to it in my comments so I can learn a bit about you!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

all she wants is another baby

WORD OF THE DAY-mephitic: 1. Offensive to the smell; as, mephitic odors. 2. Poisonous; noxious.

what a week it has been so far. the hubby and i are discussing expanding the family. the reality of the situation is we've gotten very comfy with our girls. would adding one more shake things up beyond recognition? i don't remember this much discussion about the 2nd child. we originally wanted 4 or 6, but after waiting 6 years between the first two we are adjusting our ideas. our eldest will be 9 this fall and i will be 30. also have i mentioned that my mom is a triplet. she and my aunt sue are identical twins. not sure how long i want to continue changing diapers. that sounds really selfish when said out loud doesn't it. if pregnancy was easy on me it might not be such a difficult decision. with monkey i was sick from conception to delivery. after i delivered her my mom made the comment that she didn't think i would carry to term due to my constant illness. then the miscarriage at 11 1/2 weeks. i was on modified bedrest the majority of my pregnancy with her highness. my ob told me that she would sono me regularly starting at roughly 36 weeks to make sure that the baby wouldn't be too big. monkey weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was about 2 1/2 weeks early. her highness weighed in at 9 lbs. 7 1/2 oz. and was a week early. i didn't gain much weight with either of them. it always feels better when you get things off your chest. it seems that everyone is in baby mode. my friend shellybabes is preggers, so happy for her, this will be #3 for her and her wonderful hubby. my friend trisha is having a little boy in december. krista is preggers, and pattylicious just had 2 little girls. it just seems that all of the reasons not to have another are rather selfish. who cares if i'm not as thin as i would like to be. will another child really disrupt our future plans? the only real concern is how to pay for the sweet creature. anyway on with thankful thursdays.
i am thankful for....

1. music- so many stories that i can relate to.

2. books- over at vanilla frog's blog you can find a list of 100 books that we should all read. i have read 36 of them.

3. teachers- with out them i wouldn't have read those books.

4. leah- she is my hubby's baby sister. it took us a little while, but we've become pretty good friends. i just wish that she lived closer.

5. IM- it is the way that the hubby and i stay in touch while he's at work.

6. our military- i can never thank them or their families enough for what they do. THANK YOU

7. mail- the kind that surprises you. a little letter from a friend that says hello or thanks. it is nice to open the mail and see something other than bills.

8. fresh herbs- they really add a great touch to food.

9. my camry- with over 90,000 miles it still runs like it was new. love my car.

10. the love of a child- they love so completely even when it isn't always deserved.

and thankyou too all who read these and leave comments. i really appreciate them.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN THE WORDS OF Henry Ward Beecher "
Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?"

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

you are beautiful, no matter what they say

WORD OF THE DAY- Morbidly obese- is an abnormal obesity defined as the condition of having body weight over 100 lbs over an ideal body weight or having a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.

at my heaviest my bmi was over 40. i weighed in at roughly 265 or so. at my thinnest i weighed 135. currently i weigh roughly 214. those are some scary numbers there. for my height i should weigh between 124 and 155. i truly began my weight loss journey last February. a friend talked me into joining LA Weight loss. she said it really worked for her and it would work for me too. did i mention that i have never dieted before? when i was at my thinnest it was because of the extreme amount of exercise i did. i would roller blade for 2 hours or longer. did i mention that at my thinnest you could see all of my ribs when i stood up? anyway, when i joined LAW they weighed me in at 244.8. the plan did work at least until i got tired of not eating what i wanted. i stopped trying in may and stopped losing weight. then this past April i decided i hated who i saw in the mirror. i had heard LOTS of good things about WW, so i decided to make a go at it. when i started i weighed in at 229. my goal weigh is 145, we'll see what happens. i am already wearing clothes that i haven't worn in almost 9 years. the best thing about WW is i am allowed to eat whatever i want, as long as i do it within reason. it is somewhat freeing to put all those numbers down for all the world to see. well, the toddler calls.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- IN THE WORDS OF MISS PIGGY "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Pinata Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Pinata Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

check this out. these dresses are way to cute. wouldn't her highness be adorable

whoa, i'm feeling better now

WORD OF THE DAY- fiduciary: Relating to the holding of something in trust for another.

i received my apron from my swap partner. it is my favorite color and reversible. below are some pics of it. sign up for the fall apron swap has begun, so if you want to participate click on the button for summer sassy apron swap on the side of my blog.


now for some pics of the ever famous pattylicious clan. isn't constence sweet. she's waving at aunt reina
below the mayornator and constence hanging at our house.
sweet babies are everywhere. i love this pic. it is so sweet
her highness wanted to hold a baby, so we obliged. most of these were taken with my phone so the quality is somewhat lacking
what happened after this photo was taken is really humorous. constence went poo and her highness nearly threw the baby at us to get away from the smell.
a pic of the fourth of July in the pool.
this is from quite a while back. mille was holding her highness and they were singing together.

on a different note. the sip and see went very well. i forgot to take pics, sorry. the food was wonderful. i made two different kinds of quiches a green chili and a Italian. we ended up having about 5 dozen mini ones of each kind. i also made oregano focaccia and a thyme focaccia. we also had strawberry cake covered in white chocolate. i almost forgot the veggie tray with garlic dip and ranch dip that pattylicious made. a good time was had by everyone that came and there was a good crowd. it was come and go, so it never felt real crowded. hope everyone is having a good week so far.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- IN THE WORDS OF Anatole France -"People who have no weaknesses are terrible; there is no way of taking advantage of them."

Friday, July 11, 2008

you're so far away from me

WORD OF THE DAY- coruscate: to give off or reflect bright beams or flashes of light

well as to why thankful Thursday is again posting Friday morning.... well did post on Wednesday didn't i? pattylicious and crew spent yesterday with us planning the sip and see on Saturday. i am way excited. yesterday was also vbs, so while one adult ran the big kids the other manned the fort. it was a wonderful busy day. we had hot wings and homemade bread for supper last night and tara and her crew came over for a visit. as far as the garlic dip goes, well that is pattylicious' recipe so you will need to appeal to her. perhaps offer a recipe in exchange for it? anywho, without further ado what i am thankful for.....

1. baby noises- you forget all of the sweet and strange noises that emanate out of such small wonderful things.

2. cool evenings- actually july has been awesome so far. we've gotten rain and cool temps. if only june had been this friendly i might still have a garden.

3. cameras- to capture moments that you don't want to forget

4. natalie- not sure if she reads these or not. when we were in school together she was an awesome friend. i get to see her in a week. woo hoo

5. bonnie- though our first meeting didn't turn out so hot, we turned out to be great buds. her eldest daughter had a birthday yesterday. we don't talk often, but i know that if i need anything she would help.

6. communication- it is amazing what can happen when people actually sit and talk. misunderstandings go away, and things can actually be worked through.

7. the ability to cook/craft- i have always loved to cook. when i was little i was always in the kitchen with my granny. both of my daughters show the same inclination, and i am so proud.

8. size 14s- oh yeah that's the size i'm in now. considering my 18's were getting snug when i joined WW not to shabby.

9. companionship- whether in the form of an animal, a mate, a child, or a friend. it is necessary for happiness.

10. time away from the kiddos- my mom is getting the girls at lunch today and keeping them through sunday.

now a time to brag and reflect. i am overly conscious of favoritism between my children. i have never understood favoritism, and have taken a stand against it with my family. for some reason my family tends to favor my eldest. they say it is because she is older and capable of doing more, but they interacted with her fine when she was little. anyway, recently my mom got monkey some shorts and shirts for girl scout camp. i didn't expect her to get anything for her highness because we had already discussed monkeys need. when she called to tell me that she had gotten the clothes she let me know that she had also picked some up for her highness too. i was really glad because i am a big supporter of if you get something for one, you should get something for the other as well. well i need to go get the car cleaned out and packed for the upcoming weekend. hope everyone has a great one. can't wait to post about the sip and see.


FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN THE WORDS OF Albert Einstein "Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish."

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

say goodnight

this is for her highness. we saw this on sesame street and she now calls "con te partiro" elmo's song. i have the adrea bocelli's version on my playlist enjoy.


Tuesday, July 8, 2008

talk about your revolution, it's independence day

WORD OF THE DAY- GUSTATORY: Of or pertaining to the sense of taste.

what an awesome weekend we had. we headed in to the home of pattylicious for the noon day gathering. she made her famous baked beans, tater salad, and garlic dip. i don't think anyone got garlic dip other than us. the mayornator's family came over to enjoy the festivities, and for the most part everyone got along really well. after lunch it was time for washers. the hubby LOVES to play washers, so he was thrilled that steve brought them. everyone had a really good time. in fact we were having so much fun we didn't make it home in time for me to make bread for supper. we smoked a brisket at our house and it was fantastic. we also roasted corn on the cob which is alway soo good. the hubby made hot wings, they are way better than anything you get out. pattylicious requested trifle, so i was delighted to oblige. i whipped up a strawberry liqueur pound cake. it wasn't as good as the raspberry one i make, but it was still delicious. there was much splashing and playing in the pool. as well as holding sweet girls. saturday they came back over for pizza. we had the most delicious bbq pizza. again there was much playing. a great time was had by all. then suday we headed over to there house for a quick visit to pick up the motorcycle. i spent yesterday hanging at their house too. i find it interesting that no matter how often we see each other i am still way excited. i'm going to be bummed come august when she goes back to work. then our visits will be restricted to weekends only again. i hope everyone had a great weekend.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- IN THE WORDS OF MORRIE SCHWARTZ "The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."

Thursday, July 3, 2008

feeling like a monday, but someday i'll be saturday night

this song is on my playlist, but i wanted you my loyal readers to know why. this song describes how i felt about my father. they when i did meet him i was thrilled. then a year ago he broke my heart, and i'm back to this song. sorry nothing too upbeat today, it's a tough day for me.



What I'd Say
Earl Thomas Conley

Talkin to the mirror
whisperin your name
just like you were here, you'd think i was insane
I hold these conversations in the silence of my room
rehearsing all the things id say should i run into you

hows it going might be what id say
you broke my heart you know
or it looks like rain today
or maybe god i missed you since you went away
your lookin well
or go to hell might be what id say

theres times i feel so angry id put my fist right through the wall
then theres times i've come so close to giving you a call
i love you and i hate you all at the same time
i pray that you'll come back to me before i lose my mind


hows it going might be what id say
you broke my heart you know
or it looks like rain today
or maybe god i missed you since you went away
your lookin well
or go to hell might be what id say

Guess you'll have to wait until that day
to find out what i'd say

God i missed you since you went away
your looking well
or go to hell
might be what id say

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

paint your palette blue and gray

WORD OF THE DAY-KOBOLD: A kind of domestic spirit in German mythology.

the apricot butter recipe that you have asked me for:
5 lbs apricots, halved and pitted
6 c sugar
1 c water
4 Tbsp lemon juice

mix all in a large pot bring to boil. cook until it maintains its shape/about 22o degrees. add lemon juice. put in sterilized jars. put lids and bands on jars. tighten bands. put jars in hot water bath. boil 10 minutes. remove pot from heat, remove lid from pot, and let sit 5 minutes. remove jars from water bath cool and store. (keep in mind that this isn't a true butter because we do not make an equal consistency. if you would like to do this then email me and i will send the recipe to you. to make the amaretto butter add 1 oz. almond flavoring to the mixture.)

i had a question about my dad. i'm not sure how he is and i'm having a jumble of mixed emotions about the situation currently. i'm going to go ahead and post my thankful thursday post because tomorrow is my father's birthday and i already have a post scheduled for it.

i am thankful for:

1. music- i have always loved music and can find a song to fit almost any situation. i find it to be very comforting.

2. pattilicious- not only will she listen to me vent, she will plot revenge. she is an amazing woman. i can never say enough good things about her. when i had my miscarriage she brought me bright colored daisies to school. then when she heard someone had been hateful about the miscarriage she attempted to run them down. unfortunately the giant girl saw her coming and moved quickly in the opposite direction.

3. prayer- the amazing power that it has.

4. friday night pizza night- we have been doing this since monkey was roughly 2. she will be 9 this year. it is a great time to reconnect and just hang out. i am grateful that we have added the pattilicious clan to our tradition.

5. thankful thursdays- making a commitment to write down what i am thankful for has made me much more appreciative everyday.

6. angel food ministries- good food cheap. if you haven't tried them look them up.

7. pictures- we capture the best and happiest moments in our lives. those are what we should dwell on.

8. human touch- sometimes a hug or simple touch can convey more love than all the words available. it is a rare occasion that i offer these because i don't really like to be touched. i'm getting better with the help of the girls.

9. my bed- my father in law and hubby built it. it is so tall that i needed a step stool to get in it when i was pregnant.

10. the mayornator- this is pattilicious' husband. he is one of my hubby's only friends. i'm very grateful that they get along so well.

what are you grateful for? again i appreciate all of the nice comments. i almost forgot the sign up for the next sassy apron swap begins july 14. have a great week.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- IN THE WORDS OF Paul Harvey "In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these."