See This Smile?

She's smiling because she is in love.  With her new BOYFRIEND.  Maddie spends so much time talking about boys that Ella has decided she would like a boyfriend, too.  So how did Ella find a new love so quickly, and at such a young age?  Simple - like everything else my kids realize they don't have...but want, they simply made her one out of paper.

Meet Eyen (Ian).  He's yellow, loves the color green and is madly in love with Ella.  Oh, and apparently he sleeps upside down while hanging from a wall....that's not creepy or anything.

Here's to a happy future for Ella and Eyen.  May they have many joyous times together before Claire finds him and rips him apart.

And if you were wondering, yes...her pants ARE on backwards.

BDEM:  Tough call. I loved family Wii time, but that hour and a half nap was pretty darn nice!

Water:  Oops.  20?  I forget on days when I don't work out!

Asparagus Pizza

I've already posted about food three times this week - so heck, why don't we just finish it off with my favorite meal of the week.

If you like asparagus....keep reading.  If you don't - click HERE.

For those of you that still consider me a friend, I'd like to share this delicious meal with you.  We had it last week, and it was grown up dinner at its finest.

The pizza crust was one of those cheap "just add water" mixes from the store.  I rolled it out SUPER thin, to keep things crispy.

Instead of marinara sauce, cover the dough in olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover the pizza with shredded FONTINA cheese.  Makes all the difference.

Top with fresh asparagus (no need to pre-cook...but don't forget to snap off the ends), ham, and green onions.

Cook according to the directions on the crust mix.

So pretty, so easy and so delicious!

BDEM:  My house has been a disaster all day today, so after getting the kids bathed and in bed, I took a few minutes to clean and vacuum.  Just sitting here in a quiet and CLEAN house is heavenly.  

Water:  40 oz  - and all of it was at the gym.  Guess I really slowed down after that!

Date Night At Home

What do you get when you add

1 huge under-baked chocolate chip cookie +
3 large scoops of vanilla ice cream +
chocolate and caramel syrup +
2 spoons?

Two very bloated and miserable adults who wish that date night had never involved cookies and ice cream.

I had no idea that two hours after taking this picture it would be the ugliest and most nauseating thing I had ever seen.

Vomit.

(Rob actually just said, "I feel like I'm going to throw up)

KILL ME NOW!!


BDEM:  I don't know - all I can remember is the time when I didn't feel like THIS!  So, probably two hours ago when the whole pizookie thing was just a "good idea!"

Water:  90 oz.  Honestly.

Who Doesn't Love Drama?

I wish my drama was this much fun!

BDEM:  I have been wearing the same running shoes for about three years, so yesterday I broke down and bought some new ones.  THEY ARE SO LIGHT!  I couldn't believe how wonderful they felt to run in. On top of that, aren't they adorable?!  

I can't wait to go again tomorrow!

Water:  70 oz

And Then Along Came Minis

I love food.  I've mentioned in the past - and as I type this, I'm starving - so forgive my need to talk about it more!  I've been pretty good about my food choices as of late, but COME ON!  Where the heck did THESE things come from?!

I remember the first time I tried these - I was a (self-claimed) Sophomore in college (my credits would indicate that I was probably still in high school).  My (self-claimed) Canadian roommate (is that place still around?)  Tara asked me to drive her to Walmart so she could pick up a few bags of these babies.  She told me that they were Easter's most delicious treat - and that I'd need to grab at least one bag for myself.  Just kidding about the Canada jokes.  They're just so easy!  Love you, Mexico of the North!  ANYWAY - the eggs.  I bought a bag, had a few, and decided that they were just plain disgusting.

That, however, did not discourage me from buying them every year for the next decade because I was SURE there was something I must have been missing.  Everyone loved them and they were constantly selling out at stores.  I'd eat a few - then toss them at some point in June when I realized we were not a match.

Fast forward to Easter 2012.  I picked up a couple of bags for Easter basket purposes.  I opened one, had a bite and once again told Rob that I just "didn't get it!"  If that's the case - then why the heck am I counting down to the moment of each day where I allow myself to eat four?  I think I might be changing my mind...just a little.  Maybe crazy Tara isn't as crazy as I remember.  I still have a bag and a half sitting in my cabinet and I'm worried that four a day may turn to five or maybe two pounds worth.  Somebody stop me!

BDEM:  Sometimes I just need a little bit of love from my littlest redhead.  What is it about babies that just make everything better?!  And, no.  Don't even say it.

Water:  80 oz!

100 Foods to Eat Before you Die

I keep seeing this app pop up on Facebook, but I really have a hard time pressing "ALLOW" on apps.  The last thing I want is for every one of my friends to have to see the dumb things I do to waste time.  But you... my REAL friends, I can show you this because, well...I show you just about everything.

After skipping the ALLOW button, I just googled this to get the real list.  What are your numbers? I'll put an X next to the ones I've tried.    


      1.   Abalone  

2.   Absinthe

3.   Alligator  X

4.   Baba  Ghanoush

5.   Bagel and lox    X

6.   Baklava   X

7.   Barbecue ribs   X

8.   Bellini

9.   Bird’s Nest Soup

10. Biscuits and gravy   X

11.  Black Pudding

12.  Black Truffle

13.  Borscht

14.  Calamari   X

15.  Carp   X

16.  Caviar   X

17.  Cheese fondue   X

18.  Chicken and waffles (this is in the works - a local chef is going to start making these!)

19.  Chicken Tikka Masala   X

20.  Chile Relleno   X

21.  Chitterlings/Chitlins

22.  Churros   X

23.  Clam Chowder   X

24.  Cognac

25.  Crabcakes   X

26.  Crickets   X (chocolate covered!)

27.  Currywurst   X (a PERSONAL favorite)

28.  Dandelion wine

29.  Dulce de leche

30.  Durian

31.  Eel   X

32.  Eggs benedict   X

33.  Fish Tacos   X

34.  Foie Gras

35.  Fresh Spring Rolls

36.  Fried Catfish   X

37.  Fried Green Tomatoes   X

38.  Fried Plaintain

39.  Frito Pie   X

40.  Frog’s Legs

41.  Fugu

42.  Funnel Cake   X

43.  Gazpacho

44.  Goat

45.  Goat’s milk   X

46.  Goulash   X

47.  Gumbo   X

48.  Haggis

49.  Head Cheese

50.  Heirloom Tomatoes

51.  Honeycomb   X

52.  Hostess Fruit Pie   X

53.  Huevos Rancheros   X

54.  Jerk Chicken   X

55.  Kangaroo (isn't that like eating dolphin?)

56.  Key Lime Pie  X

57.  Kobe Beef   X

58.  Lassi (The dog?)

59.  Lobster   X

60.  Mimosa

61.  MoonPie   X

62.  Morel Mushrooms

63.  Nettle Tea

64.  Octopus   X

65.  Oxtail Soup

66.  Paella   X

67.  Paneer

68.  Pastrami on Rye   X

69.  Pavlova

70.  Phaal

71.  Philly Cheesesteak   X

72.  Pho

73.  Pineapple and cottage cheese   X (A Culver favorite)

74.  Pistachio Ice Cream   X - what a waste!

75.  Po’ boy

76.  Pocky

77.  Polenta  X

78.  Prickly Pear

79.  Rabbit Stew

80.  Raw Oysters

81.  Root Beer Float   X

82.  S’mores   X

83.  Sauerkraut   X

84.  Sea Urchin

85.  Shark   X

86.  Snail   X

87.  Snake   X

88.  Soft Shell Crab

89.  Som Tam

90.  Spaetzle   X

91.  Spam   X

92.  Squirrel

93.  Steak Tartare

94.  Sweet Potato Fries   X

95.  Sweetbreads

96.  Tom Yum

97.  Umeboshi

98.  Venison   X

99.  Wasabi Peas

100.Zucchini Flowers

49 - not TOO bad.  I'll bet my Dad could KILL me at this.  

What's your number?  

BDEM:  Rob and I laughed all morning about the "Most Awkward Handshake of 2012" video.  Hilarious:

Water:  60 oz

Melissa Moment: What Was She Thinking?

While looking through some old photos that I had been tagged in on facebook I ran across this little gem of me circa 1999.

 Seriously - um, what the heck is up with my makeup?  I look like a nine year old who got busted while playing in Mommy's makeup.  Talk about clown face!  I also can't ignore my brother Greg in this picture - I'm glad he's doing his best to detract from the fact that I look like this:

Oddly enough, this picture was taken just moments before.  What could have gone SO WRONG in those few moments?!

BDEM:  Maddie's lie.  It was a DOOZIE, and watching her try to get out of it was hilarious.  See, she woke up this morning with a bloody nose - so I sent her to the bathroom to get some tissue.  Hours later while in her room, Rob and I notice that she has smeared blood all over the rails on her bunk bed.  I'm talking everywhere.  When Rob questioned her as to why she didn't just get up immediately to wipe her nose she says, "Oh, that's because I remember you telling me a long time ago that if I ever had a bloody nose in bed I should just wipe it on the bed."

I have GOT to teach that girl that if she's going to lie - they had better at least be believable!


Water:  70 oz!  I finally did it!!

Happy Easter From All of Us

{take all of our faces, and combine us into a single, perfect picture in your mind}

BDEM:  Easter dinner at Derek and Jessica's house...easter egg hunt with the kids and lots of laughs for the adults.

Water:  20 oz.  This next week is bringing on a real change in water.  I'm rededicated!  

Eggstra-Eggstra! Read all about it!

 Thirty Year Old Woman Still Can't Dye Easter Eggs!

Um, seriously - what the heck is wrong with me?  Not a close enough shot?  Let me give you a better idea of how horrid my egg looks next to all the beauties my kids colored.

Yep - that's mine...old poopy-brown hiding in the upper left.


Every year it's the same thing.  Jude couldn't even fake a compliment on that one.  All I got was a, "Woah, Mom!"


Hope your Easter is hoppin'!

BDEM:  I got to play wedding photographer for a family in my neighborhood that I love dearly.  I have never done it before - I hope to HECK they get some usable photos...but it was a REALLY great experience, and I am flattered that they would even think to ask me.  

Water:  40 oz

Finally Saw

We finally saw The Hunger Games.

It was wonderful.

There were some interesting changes - though not many.  I'm sure wondering if the Mayor's daughter will ever become part of the series...they kind of just wiped her right out now didn't they?

I missed some of the character development, but think they all played their parts well.

I  L.O.V.E.D.  Caesar Flickerman.  Wasn't he just fantastic?  Oh, and I Effie was also perfect.  Quite possibly my two favorite characters.

I've read the book twice - but both times didn't catch the berries at the end for Seneca.  Did that really happen?  Sometimes I get going so fast in a book that I literally have to slow myself down and reread some parts because I get so excited.  Perhaps I missed that, twice!

The people of the capitol were everything I hoped they would be.

I was very surprised to see the photo of Papa Everdeen on the mantle - I had no idea the role was played by my good friend, Ben Quinn.  Rob and I both laughed hysterically.  (Please tell me you've seen the movie AND noticed that, Kat!)

Book Grade:  A
Movie Grade:  B+

BDEM:  Obviously, the movie.

Water:  60 oz

The Car

Remember how (what seems like) a gazillion years ago my car was so bad that we couldn't drive it to Arizona?  It sat in our garage - dumping antifreeze all over -the entire time we were gone.  When we returned we drove it from here to there always carefully watching the temperature gauge, but as of yesterday we decided that enough was enough, we were just going to have to shell out the dough to get the car fixed.  I wasn't sure how much a new radiator + labor + broken heater + extra things that were wrong were going to cost, but it was time.

We dropped it off this morning at about 9:30 so they could work on it today and tomorrow.  Rob loaded all three kids (Maddie was in school) in the back of his little car and we took a morning trip up to Ikea for some breakfast and to replace the blanket that Jude destroyed when he decided to go to sleep with Rocco hidden in his bed.  (Rocco was the made-from-silly-putty-pet that he created back around Christmastime).

Anywho - at about 10:15 the mechanic called to tell us that we could come and pick up our car.  Huh.  That was fast wasn't it?

At around noon we came back from Ikea and swung by to pick up the car.  The problem?  A hose clamp needed tightening.  No new radiator, no extra drama, just a hose clamp.  I pulled out my card to pay and the guy said, "Oh, it took like two seconds.  We're not going to charge you for that."

WHAT?!!! Oh, and the heat works fine now that the clamp is fixed.


Talk about a miracle!  They even filled up my tires for me while I was there.  Now THAT is great service!

BDEM:  Ikea brunch with Rob.  Every store should offer free babysitting and cheap food.  It's like a mini-date in the middle of the day!

Water:  Oh geez, maybe 10 oz?  Yeesh.

Ten Things

My sister in law used to do a day on her blog called Ten Things Tuesday.  Here is my attempt at a Ten Things Wednesday. The name isn't nearly as catchy - but it'll make for nice filler on a blog-day where I don't have any major family business to report.

1.  I was thinking today that razor scooters are awesome.  I never had a scooter as a kid, and honestly didn't have much interest, but I really REALLY enjoy "putting away" Madelyn's when she leaves it in the front yard.

2.  I took a little bit of initiative and moved the Christmas tree from the side of the house to the back yard.  Rob and I will take an afternoon and light that thing up.  Watching Christmas trees burn is almost as fun as picking them out.

3.  I'm gaga over dresses this spring.  Here's my new love.

I want to own it, but going to the store, and trying it on just sounds like a lot of work. (I don't know this lady, she was just modeling the dress - but she is lovely.)

4.  Rob and I watched the movie Hugo tonight.  Great movie, but I couldn't get past the fact that Hugo was so much like Jude.  I'll do my best to make sure he never becomes a clock-fixing-orphan.  I'll also make sure he doesn't try to make this out of tinker toys......CUH-REEPY!

5.  We decided to buy "The Pass of All Passes" (a local thing that gets you into a bazillion different places/events)  I'm still not sure how I feel about it...I love water parks, but not with four kids.

6.  I just found this picture of Ella Bella.  I can't believe how big she's gotten!

7.  I've been assigned cheesy potatoes and dessert for Easter dinner.  I cannot believe Easter is this Sunday.  I'm trying to find a good Easter dessert that doesn't involve fruit.  Anyone in my family knows why!  I'm hoping I'll stumble across it tomorrow.

8.  Rob and I took our "before" shots for our P90x/Insanity hybrid workout.  That alone gives me reason enough to work out.  Nothing like a shot of your tummy-tum-tum to add some fuel to the work out fire!

9.  My cute friend threw an Easter party today, and the kids had a great time.  Jude could not believe that the Easter Bunny came to their house early to hide eggs.  He keeps asking me why I can't get the Bunny over here sooner.

10.  My husband is whistling hymns to his new computer.  I do believe this particular hymn is "Oh it is Wonderful."  I'm 99% sure that he was thinking that his new laptop was wonderful, and now he is subliminally praising it through hymn.  I don't think he has any idea what he's doing!  Oh - maybe he does.  He just switched to "Ground Control to Major Tom."  Excellent choice, Rob.


BDEM:  I really liked Hugo.  Probably enough to make it a BDEM.  Maybe there was a tie on this one - I also really liked listening to Rob try to hum the Bunny Hop song to Ella.  It was like he was just adding the words "Hop Hop Hop" onto the end of the spiderman theme song.  

Water:  40 oz

Sure Signs of Spring

Our Yard is covered in bright-plastic toys

The trampoline has made it's debut

Ella is once again cruising the streets on her motorcycle

We've wandered far enough into our yard to remember that I shoved our Christmas Tree on the side of the house and left it there for four months.  Oops.

Our little tree is getting buds

We are chowing down on hotdogs.

BDEM:  I DID IT!  I got my butt out of bed and exercised this morning.  It felt soooooo good, but I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow.

Water:  40 oz

More Redhead Talk

Today I honestly had a guy tell me that this girl wasn't a genuine redhead, she was just a strawberry blonde.  Now, I'm not one to try to fit in where I'm not welcome - but I absolutely disagree.  You don't get more ginger than this:

What a crazy old man!

Okay - he actually wasn't crazy or old.  Maybe he was just colorblind.

BDEM:  THIS...right here is my BDEM.  It is my promise to work out tomorrow.  I feel so lethargic and yucky, but Rob and I just can't seem to get our (going to be jiggly) butts out of bed when that alarm goes off.  BUT I will slack no longer.  

Water:  40 oz

Chorus Concert

Maddie had her first (and apparently only) choir concert last Thursday night.  She never mentioned that it was happening, and we only found out about it when they sent home a "reminder letter" the day of.  Against all odds we happened to have that night free - thank goodness, so we loaded up the fam and watched Madelyn go from

super excited:

to a little bit bored:

to wasted:

At the end she explained that she didn't know it would be so long (30 minutes to be exact) and wished she had eaten a bigger dinner.  Guess it took everything out of her!  It WAS darling though.  Now Maddie and I can sing "Seize the Day" from Newsies while cleaning the house together.  It hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure it's in the the works.

BDEM:  We really lazied it up today.  Lazied it up and made ridiculous amounts of food:  cinnamon rolls, homemade salsa, teriyaki chicken with coconut rice, grilled pineapple, and chocolate chip cookies. To say my stomach is sick is the understatement of the year - but I think I finally made the cinnamon roll of my dreams.  Most of the homemade cinnamon rolls I've made leave me feeling like something is missing. They're good - but just a waste of time compared to a Cinnabon. But last night I worked up a new recipe, and it was rich and divine, and I was mighty proud of myself.  


Water:  40 oz