We are here.

Yesterday we got on a plane.
Just the two of us.
{I mentioned on twitter that there was not a stroller, a bag of goldfish crackers, or a portable dvd player anywhere in my luggage. It was awesome.}


This is the sky from yesterday.
And a rainbow over the Hollywood hills.

Before that rainbow...it poured.
While we were walking through Beverly Hills.
Without an umbrella.

We were so fancy.

Tonight we will try to get legitimately fancy.
We'll be here.

I'm all "tanned" and ready.

I'm not pale.

I prefer the term "melanin challenged".
Self tanner is my friend.

I don't overdo it.
I don't want to look like her:

{eww}

Since Gary and I are going to have to dress up and get all fancy this weekend, today I went to Target to buy myself a tan.

This is all I needed from Target.
Just this one thing.

So of course I also bought these:

To my credit I did buy the cake stuff for the kids to make with my parents this weekend.
But to my discredit I did open the eggs in the car and eat four.
Ouch.

And since I only needed that one thing from Target of course I also bought this:

Ah, yes...Merona.

I do believe it is physically impossible to walk into Target and not walk out with at least one unplanned purchase.

Or is it just me?

A milestone.

Avery's baby book
{which is still basically blank}
now has an envelope for the "first haircut" page.

Much to my relief...I didn't cry.
And she still has her little curls.





{And, to my Dad...no worries. She only cut half an inch.}

February Sun.

The past few days here have been glorious.


Sunny.
Blue skies.
High sixties.
(sorry, my snowed-in friends.)

(I didn't eat it all.)

I've tried to enjoy this weather as much as possible, because the rain is coming back Friday. (boo)

(We got to babysit my favorite 8 month old today. She has the best cheeks. And thighs. And she fell asleep and let me rock her and smell her head for 20 minutes. Loved it.)

Spring is coming. I can feel it.

(Lucy has been sleeping in the sun all day. I'm trying not to be jealous of her lifestyle.)

I think if I buy these it may encourage spring to come more quickly.
Yes, I definitely think spring needs a little more encouragement.

:: food love ::

You've heard of the five love languages?
Apparently my love language is the lesser known sixth:
food.

Those great big Hershey kisses are kind of a Valentine tradition round these parts.


Love also comes in the form of ready-to-bake scones on a red cake stand.


Dinner love was enchiladas, beans, and rice.
One of the few meals that no one in the family complains about.
{recipe here}


And dessert love, of course.
All chosen by the kids.

{that brown tube of chocolate was supposed to be magic shell, but it wasn't cooperating.}

And the last bit of food love:

From Gary's parents.
I know...tomatoes in February?!
They made my kitchen smell like summer.

For one bit of non-food love....


The seeds I planted back in fall are blooming.
This makes me happy.
That red frame in the background is a little project I'm working on.
It's making me happy as well.

I hope you had a lot of happy this weekend.

To do this weekend...

forts...


domino structures...


snuggling in comfy blankets...


oh...and tiling.


That ragged wall is going away soon....as is the mint chocolate chip ice cream colored wall.

There will probably be a romantic dinner for five somewhere in there as well.
{Sunday is Valentines Day, after all!}

Happy weekend to you.

Projects, Projects.

There's really nothing like waiting till {almost} the very last minute, is there?

The boys' class parties are Friday.
So I have declared today and tomorrow Valentine Making Days.

Today I began phase one:
crayons.


I asked for broken crayons on freecycle...and bought some at the dollar store.


Bake at 300* for 10 minutes of or so or until they are melted.


Tomorrow I'll be going *back* to the store to buy the card stock that I forgot to buy today to print out cards to attach the heart crayons.
{Along the lines of this. So cute.}


Oh...tomorrow is also Finish The Costumes For The Kindergarten Play day.


I think it might also be Starbucks Grande Skinny Hazelnut Latte day as well.

Tomorrow's going to be a lovely day.

Super Bowl.

No...not the football game.
(Although it was a good one.)

I'm talking about a super bowl of soup.

Yesterday we went to the most fun annual Superbowl party on the planet.
This year the hosts asked anyone who was interested in a little friendly competition to bring a crock pot full of soup.

And to prepare to be judged.

I knew what I was bringing the instant I saw the evite.

The *best* Creamy Tomato Basil Soup out there.
{At least I think so.}

I sure was wishing for some of my inlaws' tomatoes yesterday.
The ones at the store were pretty blech.
{But Gary's parents' tomato crop is just about ready - woo hoo!}


This soup is perfect for winter.
Perfect for all of you poor snowed-in souls.
Perfect for all of us water-logged west coasters.


And...as it turns out...perfect for a Super Bowl soup contest.
The Saints weren't the only ones awarded a trophy yesterday!

Yep...first place.
My prize was the coolest ladle on the planet.


Oh...and it's perfect for lunch the next day.

************************************

Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque
4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded & diced
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 pound butter
salt & ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine tomatoes and juice in stock pot and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Puree along with basil leaves in food processor. (note: this is probably *much* easier if done with an immersion blender right in the stock pot, but I don't have one.)
3. Return to stock pot and add heavy cream and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Neglected.

We've lived in our house for almost six years.
And for almost six years there has been nothing on the walls of our room
except three pictures of the kids.

Sad.

So today while the contractors were here installing our countertops (whee!) I holed myself up in my poor little neglected craft nook and finished a project that has been sitting on my desk for a couple of months.

A burlap banner:

Simple, but I like it.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to decorate our bedroom.
Maybe because it's really the only room that hides from company?

Next up: pillows.
And getting reacquainted with my poor neglected little craft nook.



{{And happy birthday to my beautiful Mom -- we love you!}}

Doing Life.

I've been MIA lately.
Not really doing anything in particular, just doing life stuff.

The kitchen is close to being almost finished.
{yep...close to almost.}
I'm ready to have it put back together.

I've been unplugged and haven't checked blogs as much.
{I'm not ignoring you...promise.}
Just busy.
And/or distracted.

Lots of homework...two writing contests...learning to tie shoes.


Our washer and dryer both died...had to buy new ones.
Is it wrong to be in love with appliances?


I bought two pints of heavy whipping cream for some recipes I'll be making in a few days...help me, Rhonda.


Two guys have come by our neighborhood in the last several days trying to sell us meat from the back of their truck.
That sounds like a great idea, doesn't it?
{sarcasm}


Thanks for the feedback about the fancy shoes.
I haven't bought any yet...still deciding on the dress.
I'm wearing them here.
Not sure if I'm more excited about the event or the weekend alone with Gary in LA.

I really need a tan before then.
{I wonder what Snookie's secret is?}