Post 928, if you're keeping track at home

I talked to a co-worker this morning. We started blogging on the same day. He never gets comments of any kind, let alone snarky ones, but he had a brilliant idea - turn off comments. Huh! Hadn't thought of that.

Just eliminate the feedback.

Maybe that's a solution?

Regardless -

Here's one of those lame posts where people just put up a lot of pictures of what they've been up to lately because 1) they can't think of anything better to write about; 2) they think we all really care about their weekend or 3) they are tired of reading about health care on the blogs of everyone else.

No health care debate here. What is health care anyway?

Here you go:
1: We got invited to our first official pre-schooler birthday party. Well, I wasn't invited, neither was the Chick but we tagged along for the ride because cupcakes were involved and the Monkey can't drive.





2: The boys spent some time at their favorite store - home depot. They made some returns. Because my husband was too embarrassed to just make returns while pushing around a giant shopping cart, he made a few purchases.

You know, Bee Killer!

To kill all the bees that are going to be a problem....



3: I've started knitting hats again. In the spring. Brilliant idea, no? And what's better than a springtime knitted hat than a hat with felt roses on it.



4: Someone know where the spoons are. Enough said.



5: These two boys look great in green. They choose to be all matchy-matchy, too.

Flash back Friday

I was looking through some old movies the other day and found this one. It was from March 2009 and I cannot believe how my little monkey has grown up (literally and figuratively) in the last year.




This just absolutely made me smile and laugh.

Stealing the question from Hamlet

To be or not to be....

a private blog, that is.

I'm really not sure.

Nine of you voted in my little poll.  Thank you.  The votes for "No!  do not go private!" won by a vote.

Not that the little poll was going to make my decision for me, but it was helpful thanks.

Two years ago I ranted about people who put things on the internet in private and how dumb I thought that was - my argument being why use a public forum and turn around and privatize the users and content.  I just didn't get it.

Perhaps now I've been humbled a bit.  I know a lot of people who have hit the "private" button on their blogs and I get it.  There are too many people out there, too many potential cat-fights and too many goobers.  I'm not nervous about the safety or me or my kids, but I guess that the element of the unknown is starting to eat at me a bit.

I've been told many times (thanks Mom) that I'm a decent writer.  I've even been published twice in the last few years in a magazine and a book.  I enjoy writing and really like the fact that there are people out there, even some who aren't related to me, that enjoy reading what I write.

Regardless - there is the whole private vs. public issue looming in my head.  Most of my family has told me to go private and my husband has told me to just quit all together.  I think that maybe I've found a compromise.

This little blog was started in 2005.  That was 5 years ago.  In that time, I've written nearly 1000 posts, about 926 to be exact.  I'm not 100% on the idea yet, but I think that when I hit post 1000, then the blog will be laid to rest.  It could take me the year, or it could take me a few months.

We'll see what happens, right?

Sugar Rush

On Saturday, my mom and I hosted a baby shower for my cute cousin.  Her baby is due in a month.  She received some wonderful gifts.  I have a very kind and generous family.

As usual, I was put in charge of the sugar.  I'm pretty sure that I didn't let anyone down.

The menu:
Chocolate brownies (store bought)

Lime bars (made by my momacita - yummy)



Chocolate Mousse in edible white chocolate cups



Cake Ball cupcakes (thanks Bakerella for the ideas and recipie)



Giant turtle and whale sugar cookies for the party favor



Limeade punch with such a kick that my family, who all enjoy sour, guzzled the stuff up like it was going out of style.

With a menu like that, it's no wonder I gained two pounds over the weekend.  On Friday night, I was covered in powdered sugar and on Saturday morning I was covered in chocolate.

What a yummy weekend.

Next up?  A baby shower for my sister......

what to make...what to make...???????

A Special Dinner

Picture trois, originally uploaded by bookemdano1978.

On St. Patrick's Day the boys and I visited my grandparents. I asked them if it would be okay if I brought dinner to them on Friday night.

My grandma informed me that it was their wedding anniversary today, March 19. They've been married for almost 60 years.

"You mean you aren't going out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate?" I asked my grandma, who is on oxygen among many other things.

"We're going to the eye doctor!" my Grandpa answered for her, "So no, we're not going to dinner!"

I decided then that it was not only the perfect night to bring them something tasty to eat, but that it was an even more perfect night to do it up a little fancy.

I snuck over to their house when they were at their doctor's appointment. I set the table up real pretty, got them some "champagne", typed up some menus and put all the food in the fridge. I then left them a note pinned to the cupboard over the sink with all their cooking instructions. It may have been a fancy dinner, but they did have to cook it themselves.

My grandma called me in tears when they got home. It had been a rough visit to the eye doctor with some bad news about her vision. Just one more thing to add to my amazing grandma's list of serious ailments. Dinner made her day.

It made me happy to know that today at least, on her wedding anniversary, there was a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.