Wordless Wednesday

Fun with Uncle Chad

My Summertime RANT

So this year when it came time to put together my flowerpots for the decks, I went all out and bought new ones. My previous ones were looking REALLLY rough after several seasons out in the elements. I bought those heavy LOOKING pots that are really made of the lightweight styrofoam-like material. The back deck ones came from Wal-Mart, the front from K-mart.
I loaded them up with soil, plunked in all of the flowers that I bought, strategically placed them and sat back to enjoy them. One. Tiny. Problem. THE STINKING THINGS HAVE NO DRAIN HOLES!!! NONE of them!!! Who decided this would be a good idea to sell such an item?! My poor plants are perpetually water-logged and the leaves are a sickly yellowy-green. As much rain as we've had lately, I can't keep up with tipping the pots to at least get the surface water off. To say I am aggravated is an understatment!

Menu Planning Monday

Well, back into a routine this week. I had VERY little problem being L.A.Z.Y. last week with the Dells and spending the weekend away, but alas, it can't last!! I'll be linking up to I'm an Organizing Junkie as always and I'm trying a couple of new things too. I've never made Ruebens, but I think I can pull it off--HA! Rock Cornish Hens were on sale this week, so I picked up some of those and found a recipe on allrecipes to try. Here's hoping they turn out!!

Monday: Boys mooched at Grandma's!!
Tuesday: Ruebens, kettle chips and coleslaw
Wednesday: Burgers and Brats on the grill, corn on the cob
Thursday: Fried chicken, mashed taters, corn, biscuits
Friday: Pork chops, pasta side, veggie
Saturday: Cornish hens with rice stuffing, roasted beans
Sunday: Bottom round steak (not sure what I'll do with it yet), taters, veggie

Saturday

We slept in on Saturday--believe it or not, HA!! Patti had heard of a little winery near Davenport that served lunch, so we were going to head that way with a stop in LeClaire, a quaint little town on the Mississippi River.
It was HOT, but being the troopers that we are, we ventured up and down the main drag and checked out almost every shop, LOL. In a big old house that has been turned into a shop they had the CUTEST lawn ornaments made out of "things". I bought the pink flamingo above made out of an old golf club and 2 "bugs" made out of glass vases and rusty wire. They had ones made out of old tools, lightbulbs, clothespins, mason jars and more--and GREAT prices too!! We also each found some adorable costume jewelry in another shop.
Then it was onto the winery where we had yummy sandwiches. We each had it narrowed down to 2 (the same ones--BFF's don't you know!!) so we split them and each had a half of our choices--a rueben panini and a roast beef with cheese, lettuce, tomato and "sweet beet horseradish", never heard of that but I recommend you give it a try if you every come across it!!
Then we puttered around town, stopped to visit a friend of Patti's and came back home for munchies--and an early bedtime!!!

A weekend with my BFF!!

About 12 years ago, my very best friend was introduced to a man, by HER BFF (I introduced Patti to Doug). Well, THIS backfired, they fell in love, got married and she had to move away since he job has a residency requirement =( She only moved a little over an hours drive away, but with raising our families and a million other committments, we don't get to see each other nearly enough.
This weekend though Kurt was off and I was able to pack up and go see her! I took along my laptop so I could blog as the days progressed, but I wasn't able to get an internet connection--very odd. So now ya'll get bombarded with posts all at once when it was supposed to be spaced out.

Friday: I got to her area before she was done with work, so I continued into Davenport and did a little shopping. Mainly TJ Maxx and Target, but a found some fun things in each place, so I was happy!! I met Patti at home and we had a YUMMY dinner of bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops and HUGE twice-baked potatoes--I wish they were sitting before me right now--HA!! Then we just mixed some very summer-y cocktails of UV Blue and lemonade and TALKED until 2:45am!! I cannot tell you the last time I stayed up that late!!!
Some random shots of my BFF and said cocktail appear above =)

Technology....

So we are back from our 4 days in the Wisconsin Dells. It was so nice that all 6 of us were there together for at least a portion of the time =) Six people and an unbelievable number of gadgets: 3 TomTom GPS's, 4 iPods, 3 laptops, 4 cellphones, 3 cameras, 2 travel DVD players, 1 Leapster, 1 Nintendo DS, that I can recall--there could be more!!!
I think we used every single thing--as shown in the pics, HA!!

Wordless Wednesday

This is a day late, but blogger wouldn't upload pics last night so I'm trying again!

Mini-Golf!!

So we are in the Dells for a few days (staying at Chula Vista, I recommend it--and not just because the suite is free--HA!) and right across from our building is the outdoor water area and mini-golf course. Of COURSE Parker was itching to get out and putt some balls, never mind he just did that yesterday!
The 4 boys played, Momma was there with her ever-present Canon (I shot 85 pictures of them playing putt-putt!!!). They had a good time, Paxton got a hole-in-one and was over the moon about it =) Beckett loved teeing off and then would pick his ball up, place it next to the cup and finish up. That left lots of free time while the other 3 finished for real for him to whack at the landscaping with that weapon called a putter--insert eyeroll here.
Noone was injured, they had a good time and Parker beat par so I think it's something we'd be willing to try again!!

Menu Planning Monday

This has to be the EASIEST week for menu planning I've ever had--HA!! Loving it too =) I'll be linking up at I'm an organizing Junkie again, even though I don't have much to share!!!

Monday: We are in the Dells
Tuesday: Dells
Wednesday: Tilapia, Rice, veggie
Thursday: Cube Steaks, taters, veggie
Friday: I'll be at my BFF's house, Kurt's in charge of the boys!
Saturday: Still at my BFF's
Sunday: Will probably be too pooped to cook, could be a take out night!!

Not much inspiration here this week, folks!!

Happy Dad's day!!!

We're having a pretty low-key Father's day here--Kurt and the little boys have left for the Dells and Parker and I will be following as soon as he is done with work. We took gifts to Grandpa and Papa this afternoon (missed Papa, he was out working).
Much love to Kurt, Papa and Grandpa today and everyday!!!

Flashback Friday!

Ah, an actual picture of me on my own blog--HA!! From 1997, me an a friend that you may know, Maxine from Hallmark =)

Sights of Summer

We are LOVING Summer!! Pool trips whenever we can, shorts and T-shirts, flip flops and sandals, time spent playing outside, eating on the deck---all of it!!!
The boys are getting as brown as little nuts (it fits in so many ways--HA!) and Momma spends just a little extra time on her tootsies =)

Plan B...

I WANTED to post some pictures of our "last day of school" celebration dinner out (chips and salsa which translates to Fiesta Cancun in boy speak), but when I tried to load the pictures onto my laptop there was a problem =(
So instead you get to view some random shots of the boys playing outside, enjoying the summertime!!!!!

Menu Planning Monday

This will be an ODD week for us--Kurt is working very different hours and Paxton starts summer school. I think my planning will work out--at any rate, I'll have something planned for each night!!
Monday: Kurt has fire, boys at Grandma's, I'll fend for myself!
Tuesday: Chicken patty sammies, homemade potato salad
Wednesday: Ham steaks (going to try them on the grill), potato foil packs
Thursday: Cube steaks, pasta side, veggie
Friday: Kurt's in charge!
Saturday: Roasted chicken with roasted red potatoes, veggie
Sunday: Leaving for Wisconsin Dells!!

I'll be linking up to I'm an Organizing Junkie as always--her blog is linked in my sidebar!

Parker's successful year!

To quickly recap Parker's golf season: As a team, the Hillmen finished 1st in the conference, won the conference meet, won their Regional, finished 3rd in their Sectional (quick yip here: a few years ago the WIAA allowed PRIVATE schools into the public school association--up until then the private schools had their own association with its own, separate tournament system. Now, in many sports, these private schools (who have the ability to recruit and offer scholarships to outstanding athletes) have overtaken the tournaments: football, basketball, tennis, golf and more. In our division, 5 of the 8 schools represented were private) the top 2 teams from the sectional go, so we missed by one =(
Individually Parker had a fabulous year as well. In the Platteville invitational he finished 3rd in his flight (of 17 schools, I believe). In the SWAL/SWC conference playoff he and his partner won their match and a share of the title. At Whistling Straits he carded the second best score of the team. He finished 14th in the entire conference in points, JUST missing making all-conference (had he not missed a meet due to the flu, his coach is certain he would have made it). He lettered again and was voted most improved by his teammates for taking about 5 strokes off of his score. WooHoo =)
**The letter and golfbag pin he received last year. This year he added the bar for lettering again, the medals are for conference, SWC/SWAL playoff and P-ville invitational.

Flashback Friday!

This one is about 10 years old--and I'm in it!! Big day, HA! Featured are my SIL Michelle, Niki (my sister) and myself after the reception of my cousin's wedding in New Jersey. Notice all of the CARP we are loaded down with---that DJ had more stuff to hand out than I'd ever seen before. Not one of us looks a day older either =)

Show us your Life!

hosts a weekly "Show us your Life" series and this week it's china patterns. I did a post a while ago, so I won't go into the whole story again (cool as it is!), but my pattern is by Sango and it's called Florence. Complete service for 12 minus the smaller platter which I need to track down at some point!!! It's a very simple, classic and pretty pattern that I love. We USE it too!!!
In abbreviated form, we were at my IL's shortly after we were married and MIL was pulling out dishes for dinner (she has 3 or four china patterns!) and I stared at them until she asked what was wrong? I tapped a plate and said "this is my Mom's china pattern!" She said "what?" and I said "this is the same pattern my Mom has for china!" (My parents were married in NJ 40+ years ago, MIL had purchased these locally years later). And without hesitation my MIL said "then these are yours! Niki can have your Mom's (which she had laid claim to YEARS before, HA!) and these go to you". And a few months later, they did!

Truthful Thursday--Continued....

Look at me---well into June and still plugging away on my New Year's resolutions!! Meal planning? Check. Developing photos? I have had about 500 done in the past few weeks--mostly golf ones for the boys on the team, but plenty of home ones too! Decluttering? Yup, still going strong there. An average of one bag a week is on it's way out the door to one place or another!
This was a decluttering project I did last week. Looks like a small accomplishment, but Lawdy, it needed to be done!!! Yeah, see Santa perched up there? And what you can't see, I'm slowly going through the insides and matching up pairs of earring, detangling bracelets and necklaces and tossing lone earrings and other miscellaneous "stuff" that I was compelled to hang on to at some point!!
My homemade apothecary jars are currently empty (and actually I have 3 up there now) but I have grand plans of filling them with something at some point!!!

Wordless Wednesday