Oh where did the time go?

Hello my bloggy friends!

Sorry to have left for so long...the tears you shed while I was away I'm sure were bountiful...the vacation with the fam and from the craziness that is my life was much needed.

But, never fear, for I am back and ready to kick off the summer with a vengeance (right after I run off the 800 bazillion calories I ate last week...but wait, do calories really count on vacation?)

The time Husband, D-Man and I spent together last week was AMAZING! I can't tell you how great it is to spend time with my FAVORITE guys in the whole entire world. And here is a recap to prove it because I know each of you has been waiting on pins and needles for the last few days itching to know exactly how our vacation went. Right? Right.

We began the trip in the car and we ended the trip in the car. We ate. We slept. We ate. We swam. That's about all.

What? Isn't that enough? Don't tell me you expected more?

You want more details? Ok, you asked for it...

The highlight of the trip for me was the Snickers cheesecake I ate at The Cheesecake Factory. Yes, that's right. The highlight of the first real vacation we've had in a couple of years was made when I consumed some food. A big piece of too-many-calories-to-count cheesecake. And I enjoyed every minute of it. Every.single.minute.Here's a picture to prove it.

I took this right before I licked the plate clean!

One of the highlights of the trip for the fam was our trip to the Kansas City Zoo.

The sheep and Husband bonded. Sheep like feed. He fed sheep. Very happy sheep.

D-Man enjoyed the orangutan exhibit and was temporarily glued to this fence watching them swing.

He even decided to play a quick game of peek-a-boo with this duck. Guess what, the duck wasn't interested.



Food was a must on a trip...especially the "fry-fries." I think D-Man broke the world record for number of "fry-fries" consumed in only a few days.

D-Man loved any exhibit that had water involved. He wanted to get his "swimming suit" on and go swim anytime he saw water.

This had to be one of D-Man's favorite part of the zoo. It was a curvy slide that was nestled inside a fabricated 300 year old tree trunk. I believe he went up the stairs and down the slide more times than I can count.


D-Man took me on a date one of the days that we were there; he is such a gentleman. We went to the Crayola Cafe and hand a grand time (thanks Queen B for the tip!) He had the mini corn dogs (w/ fries...imagine that) and I had the burger (cheeseburger that is) and enjoyed every last "fry-fry" on my plate.

And the rest of the trip really was spent just hanging around, swimming at the hotel, eating out and yes, Husband did allow me to do a little shopping. All in all, a fun time was had by all and we feel relaxed, revived and ready to face the world again.

And thanks for the sports I like to play...

Just dropping in to say that I'm working on the vacation recap...I know you are all so anxious to hear about it.

In the meantime, here's an exact, word for word account of D-Man's prayer tonight before he went to bed.

"Dear Lord, thank you for this bootiful day. Thank you for letting me play basketball with my mommy. Umm...thank you for letting mommy play basketball with me. Please let mommy play basketball with me. I love you Lord, Amen."

Still a work in progress...

Vacation...we've finally gotten one!

Ok...my blogging for the rest of the week will be sporadic because we are on VACATION!

HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!

Husband has some continuing education to catch up on Thursday and Friday, so D-Man and I came along for some much needed family time. We are in the great state of Kansas and are enjoying each other's company...most of the time...until Husband starts being a bit ornry...and then D-Man starts being ornry with this Daddy...and then Mommy goes to have a Diet Coke with Vanilla and extra ice (otherwise known as a DVC) from Sonic.

We've already been to one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory. Thanks Queen B for introducing me several years back. I had a piece of cheesecake for you tonight (the Snickers Bar Chunks & Cheesecake...yum, yum, yum!)

Tomorrow is the zoo and the rest, well, the possiblities are endless. I may go so far as to lay in my bed for hours each morning reading a great book or watching mindless tv. I'm pretty wild, aren't I?

So, check back daily for any updates I have and then make sure to check back Monday for a complete wrap-up and some snazzy photos!

Happy Wednesday!

Titles on Tuesday: Movie Edition

Today's Titles on Tuesday selection is actually a movie title that all of you out there with kids need to see.

Here in the D House, we -heart- Curious George (or Cur, Curious George as D-Man likes to call him...he doesn't stutter, he just sings part of the theme song when he says George's name).

Anywho, we have loved Curious George for quite awhile now and really enjoy watching him on PBS each morning. And we love to watch his movies in the car when we go on long trips. So, I, I mean D-Man was elated when we got the movie, Curious George.

It tells of the adventures of the Man in the Yellow Hat as he tries to keep his job by bringing back a mysterious idol from Africa to bring in major crowds to the museum. As luck would have it, he instead brings back a smart monkey who becomes the infamous Curious George. It has an interesting cast of characters (Will Ferrell and Drew Barrymore) and boasts 88 minutes of good, wholesome family fun.

It is a great addition to any movie collection and will surely bring hours of viewing enjoyment!

It just might overtake me

My OCD, it rules the roost. I mean, it really rules the roost.

It makes me check the bed after it's made, and then check it again making sure all is lined up properly.

It makes me check the locked door and then check it again because it really might have unlocked itself in the nanosecond since I last checked it.

It causes me to check a sleeping D-Man only 8 times before I go to bed instead of the usual 1 that normal people check.

It makes me pull out the swiffer at any available moment to get the lingering dust particles off of the dashboard.

It causes my house to be clean before my housekeeper comes every two weeks.

It makes me over pack for any trip I take even if it is just from my front door to the mailbox (you never know when you might need your toothbrush, mascara and hairspray between the door and the mail).

And it totally explains my need for a diet coke (or two or three) each day to keep my OCD self going.

So, I've got to stop now and read and re-read what I've just written for it might need a pillow fluff, a deadbolt turned, a hug goodnight, a quick swiffer, a touch of hairspray and a sip of diet coke to make sure it is perfect, just perfect.

Rooted in normalcy, uprooted by change

A little over a month ago, something happened in a town very close to me that one might consider catastrophic; and it happened on Easter Sunday. The largest employer in the county caught fire and burned to the ground. In a matter of moments, a normal Easter Sunday was disrupted and changed forever.


Many have waited to learn the fate of this company and it's employees. They have waited and waited and waited and today they got their answer.


The answer they didn't want to hear.


The answer that will undoubtedly change their lives.


The company has decided to put their focus in areas where they already have plants instead of rebuilding. Just like that, lives changed.

It's made me stop and really evaluate my life and the daily "normalcy" that I live in.

I get up, I take care of my family, I serve God (or I try to to the best of my ability), I go to bed only to begin all over again the next day. But, what if God has a change for me...I mean major change...coming in the future? Am I COMPLETELY open to His changes?

Would I take the change and run with it, or sink into a pit of pity for poor, old me?

This event, though it does not directly effect me, has had an affect on me. It's made me get up and view each day a little different and it has made me more content with the change that is going on in my life. I'm open to what God has in store for me and though it won't always be comfortable, I know that His will will get me through the changes.

For those who love noodles and chicken and cheese

I've had a few requests for my chicken spaghetti recipe that I talked about in yesterdays's post.

And, you know I aim to please.

So, without any more words, I give you my recipe.

Chicken Spaghetti

5-6 chicken tenderloins, boiled and cubed
1/2 pkg of spaghetti noodles (cooked)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheese soup
1 can rotel
1/2 cup chopped onions (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
shredded cheese (enough to cover the entire dish)

Combine all the above ingredients and place in baking dish (a 9 x 13 works well). Cover with cheese and place in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly. Remove. Cool. Serve with bread and a salad and you are in business.

Now go, run to the store, get all the ingredients, make it and have me over for dinner!