Don't Try This At Home

Overheard at The Lake

Wild Thing: Mom, can we go swimming?

Me: No. We're going swimming this afternoon. Besides, you just took a shower.

Wild Thing: Well, that's not the same as swimming.

Thanks for the Encouragement!

I just want to say thank you to all of you for the awesome comments on my bags! You all really know how to encourage a girl. THANK YOU!

In answer to a question several of you had: I have thought about selling my bags, but didn't know if there was anyone who'd actually buy them. I think I may have the courage to make a few and try out etsy or just sell them here. It will be a few weeks, though, as I'm on vacation right now and then I have some family business to attend to before I get back to sewing. I'll let you all know when they're up and ready!

In answer to the second most popular question: The pattern I used is a Kwik Sew pattern (don't know the exact number right now as I'm in Iowa and the pattern is in Oklahoma). I like the Kwik Sew patterns because they are made of a sturdier typing paper instead of flimsy tissue paper. These patterns also have very easy-to-follow directions with pictures. Because I used an actual pattern, I'm not comfortable with giving out the instructions (copyrights and all). When I return to Oklahoma, I'll find the pattern number for you. MmmmmmK?

Thanks again for all of your encouraging words. You have no idea how thrilling it was to read your comments!

Iowa: Now What are You Going to Do?

When we’re at the lake or the farm—anywhere in Iowa—the pace is slower, the freedoms larger. My children are in awe that they can run wherever they like without worrying me, they can drive great-grandpa’s lawnmower or golf cart without my hovering to help them.

The first time Max drove the golf cart my grandpa uses to get around the farm, he ran it right up to a log. He couldn’t drive over it and he couldn’t easily turn to get around it. My grandpa had been standing there watching and he asked, “Now what are you going to do?”

This was so different from the response Husband or I would have had: Look what you did! What if you’d broken the cart? You need to look where you’re going! Be careful! OK, now put it in reverse so you can go around it. We would have been worried he was going to break the cart and reprimanded him or told him how to solve the problem.

My grandpa, though, having raised eight children of his own and watched about 20 grandkids grow up and who is now watching his great-grandchildren grow, simply said, “Now what are you going to do?” He knew that if he gave Max the room, Max would find his way.

Max jumped out of the seat. “It’s your turn Wild Thing!”

Wild Thing jumped into the driver's seat, reversed, then floored it around the log. Problem solved.

A Very Crafty Tuesday to You

Do you just love it or what?!? I made this for my Aunt M. She's invited us to stay at her lake house for a week. She's so much fun and we are having a blast visiting her and my uncle! And my grandparents. And my eleventy-two cousins (which, by the way, do not all belong to Aunt M.).

(NOTE: You can click on all photos for larger views.)

The inside is funky, just like Aunt M.

I also made this tote for my step-mom.

The inside is swirly and a nice compliment to the flowers with swirly middles.

 

Shoe-be Doobie Doo

I loves me some shoes. The problem, of course, is that I'm wicked cheap and won't spend money on shoes. I buy lots of $5 shoes, y'all.

In the past month, though, I've come across three pairs of bargain shoes that I could not pass up.

These blue ones were the first to catch my eye:

How cute is blue camouflage? And so versatile. Blue camouflage is the new brown flip-flop.

These little cream ones were on sale and perfect for a dress I just bought:

Let me just say these are some incredibly cute shoes. They'd have to be because y'all? I HATE white shoes and any variation thereof regardless of what holiday you're talking about. HATE. THEM. But these I love. How could you not? Hello! Kitten heel!

And these little gems:

Don't you just love the hula girls? Apparently Rocket Dog is cool. Apparently Rocket Dog is the brand the teens wear. (You know, I just looked it up and it said Chilihead = Wicked Cool. But I digress.) Want to know WHY Rocket Dog is so popular with the teens? Because when you take them out of the shoe box and put them in your closet and leave them there, the closet is filled with the harsh rubber scent of the soles and that oh-so-necessarily-prominent Rocket Dog logo. If I were a teen stashing pot? I'd totally have ten pairs of these.

Sunday YouTube: Menergy

A total spoof on energy drinks and manly men. Be warned: the f-bomb will be heard one time and there is an un-PC reference to Kenyans and running. Obviously I got past these things and laughed my butt off.

Dining Out Meme

Y'all, I have been low. Oh so low. Shannon can attest to my low-ness. I don't even feel like putting fingers to keyboard to write something semi-boring. This kitchen remodel is getting me down. (Poor Cinderella! Poor, poor Cinderella! -- And her new freakin' kitchen!)

I'm so tired of living in a dusty, gluey, stinky mess. I'm actually getting a little claustrophobic from shutting my eyes every time I pass the kitchen/living room. (The living room, you see, is where we are storing the kitchen stuff until the new kitchen is complete.) I have the bruises to prove the eye-shutting thing.

Clemntine, funny lady extraordinare extrodin of the highest order, has tagged me for an dining out meme. Now, since I can't cook (because of the kitchen being torn up! Not because I can't cook. I can! I will!), you know we've been eating out. AND this little meme will mean I've actually posted TWICE this week.

Rules:

1. Link to name of person that tagged you.
2. Include state and country you live in.
3. List top 5 favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Where I live: Oklahoma, USA

Top Five Local Restaurants

Tulsa is the heart and home of the chain restaurant. We have a few solo proprietors, but not many make it. In fact, we had Ford's Filling Station for about six months before it left--it was owned by Harrison Ford's son. Apparently even celebrity won't help you here.

1. Fifty5 Degrees. Named for the true temp at which red wine should be served. I don't know if this restaurant will make it. It was great when it opened, but it has stiff competition in it's location. It's expensive and not terribly intimate. I would feel better spending the money if I didn't feel like the people next to me were close enough to steal my plate. BUT! The food is fantastic. The family that owns this restaurant owns two others in town and they know what they're doing. This restaurant has a terrific wine list. It even has a special room you can book for wine tasting. It's kept at...55 degrees. They even have robes for you to wear so you don't get cold. (Yes, the first time I saw that I made many a wisecrack.) The pear and cheese plate appetizer is delicious.
2. Tin Star. This is sit-down fast food. They serve gourmet soft tacos; my favorite is #10, which isn't on the menu. It's chicken, red onions, asparagus, and vinaigrette. They're sweet corn salsa is to die for. And I've never had bad guacamole here, either. It's all-around good and a great place to have a quick lunch with friends. If you dare, try the chocolate mousse cake with cheesecake embedded in it. Oh. My. Word.
3. Hideaway Pizza. I'm an OSU alum and Hideaway Pizza was started in Stillwater, OK. My kids love the noodles, Husband loves the Big Country (think copious meat and cheddar cheese and try not to hurl), I love the Pizza of the Gods (olive oil and artichoke hearts). I also love to look at the collages they are known for. Some of them are truly remarkable. This particular restaurant has opened branches in just about every major city in Oklahoma (all two of them!).
4. The Savoy. This place is an institution and it's family-owned. It's an old diner, but it's very large for a diner. This is the place to go for breakfast. The portions are huge, inexpensive, and delicious. I think my tea refills aren't free (!), but I'll live because the cinnamon rolls and pecan sticky buns are to die for. It's a treat for us to eat breakfast here. Next time you're in town we'll do this!
5. Taco Bueno. Did you really think I could make a list without my old standby? Bean burrito and a muchaco, please. Or just some Mexi Dips and Chips. And don't forget the cheesecake chimichangas. And the churros. I'm pretty sure they lace their food with something addictive. Oh wait. That's call trans fats. Got it.

Tags:

1. dcrmom at Musings of a Housewife (because she's all about the memes)
   
2. Shalee at Shalee's Diner (hello? DINER? She has to know a restaurant or two just for competition's sake)
3. Green3 (since she has nothing to write about these days and I wonder if her town even has restaurants)
4. Peach at Without Fear (because I'm so glad she's back)
5. GiBee at Kisses of Sunshine (because this woman's a whiz in the kitchen and I'd love to see where she eats when she's not cooking!)

Kitchen Renovation Update

We now have a ceiling, drywall, and wood flooring in the kitchen.

Then, the cabinets came in!

Paneling for various things:

My new pantry (I had a shelf before):

Today my new stove and my new fridge will magically appear and be installed. Soon, I will have a sink and dishwasher. Then? Then my friends, I will be in cleaning heaven.

Oh yes. I have reached that stage where all I want is to live in a clean house without the dust that keeps settling. I have lofty ideas of running the dishwasher with every single one of my dishes before I put them in their new homes. I will mop until my back is permanently hunched. Furniture will be moved and moved again until it's just right and corners are clean.

You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Husband and I sleep in our room at night, but every morning we are invaded with various workers and I am forced to seek the privacy of the playroom. I shuffle the children upstairs and think of various activities to do until we can safely come out without getting in the way. The last time I cleaned, the kids were in school. It became so fruitless I gave up. I tried dusting a few days ago, but two hours later it looked like it had snowed.

You can see the progress of our kitchen renovation via these posts:

• I'm Getting a New Kitchen!
• Kitchen Renovation
• I Really Love Him. I Do. But ...

Father's Day iFilm

This one's for you, Dad. Happy Father's Day! I love you!

Watch Out For That...Spatula?

We are at a funeral today so I offer you this humorous story (originally published in January 2006). It is completely true.

The Background

About 10 years ago (before kids), we lived in a cottage with a steep driveway. We lived across the street from the cutest little family ever (they had a 2yo). We had two cars; of those, my husband's was a Mitsubishi Mighty Max truck. The name was clearly wishful thinking because it was nothing more than a wind-up car. I was out of town visiting my mom.

The Story

My husband was preparing to go somewhere (probably to play golf) and forgot something in the house. He went back in and when he came out his truck was rolling down the driveway, across the street, across the cute family's lawn, and into their chimney. Yes you read that right. INTO THEIR CHIMNEY--he forgot to set the truck's emergency break on that big hill of a driveway.

That was bad enough, but the family was actually out in their driveway watching the truck roll toward their house and wondering why my husband was trying to run them over. When my husband came running out the house his first thought was for the cute family's cute little daughter. Thankfully, she was fine and no where near the truck. As it turns out the truck did not do any damage to their home. Woo hoo! You would think this is where the story ends. If I weren't such a busy body it probably would have ended there, but read on.

As my husband is relaying this story to me I am mortified. How on earth were we going to make this up to them? Well, duh! I'll make them rice crispy treats! Nothing says I'm sorry I hit your house and almost ran over your family like a batch of rice crispy treats. Right? So you see my logic.

At that time I was not known for my prowess in the kitchen. Seriously, though, how hard could rice crispy treats be? So I gather my ingredients, my pot, and my spatula. I'm stirring and I'm stirring. Then I take out my spatuala. Hmmmm. Something looks different...My spatula is now a stick without the flat spatula part. Huh? Where'd it go?

I dig a little though the mix and can't find it. Maybe it melted? Ah well. It's still good. Yes, again, you read that right: IT'S STILL GOOD.

I proceeded to spread the mix into the pan and take it over to the neighbor's house. Yes. I. Did. I also saved a little sumpin' sumpin' for myself.

I presented my masterpiece to the neighbors and they gave me tour of their house. I apologized profusely and hoped they would take the rice crispy treats as a token of my embarrassment.

When I returned to the house I dove into my little stash. Two bites in I can't chew the treats. I take that piece out of my mouth and...it's the spatula.

In answer to your obvious question: Yes. I'm available to cater your next event.