Play Around in Memphis

This is a sponsored guest post written by Memphis Travel on behalf of Memphis CVB. Post powered by Sponzai.

More than just the home of the blues and barbeque, Memphis gives you plenty of ways to play around, with fun things to do no matter who you are or what you like. Of course, if you’re into Elvis, rock-and-roll and mouth-watering ribs, you’ve got to check out Graceland, Sun Studios, and the Rendezvous. But Memphis has much more to offer than this holy trinity of southern culture, with enough to see, do and eat to make it the perfect location for your next long weekend getaway. 

    The families out there (or the wild at heart) should be sure to check out the Memphis Zoo, one of only four U.S. zoos with giant pandas. Recently ranked the #1 zoo in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com, the Memphis Zoo lets you get up close and personal with the animal kingdom. And with the recent addition the Northwest Passage, home to Polar bears in a see-through underwater exhibit, and the zoo’s newest section, Teton Trek, kids and adults alike are certain to have a blast.

    Don’t let your midtown experience stop at the zoo; the Cooper-Young and Overton Square neighborhoods are just down the street. Ask a local Memphian where to find a tasty bite to eat, great local music and ice cold beer, and they will probably direct you here. Speaking of beer … the environmentally conscious visitor can enjoy a locally brewed beer by Ghost River Brewing or walk through the natural landscape and educational facilities at the Lichterman Nature Center.

    Memphis has museums for just about everything. From the Civil Rights Museum, Cotton Museum and Fire Museum in downtown to the Brooks Museum, Children’s Museum of Memphis and the Pink Palace Museum further east, the number of places to have fun while you learn are as bountiful as the barbeque restaurants. Families, friends, sports fans, history buffs, self-proclaimed food critics – Memphis has everything you need to keep everyone happy.

     So when you visit Memphis, stay a few extra days. Even the locals don’t run out of things to do. And to make it easy, memphistravel.com is launching a new travel guide to help you plan your next vacation. Simply choose from a list of interests and you’ll be given a sample itinerary with lots of great ideas. You can also register for a chance to win one of twelve trip packages that include tours, gift certificates to Memphis’ favorite restaurants, hotel stays and more. Go to itinerary.memphistravel.com to get started.

Seriously, I Love This Website

A couple of weeks ago, I made meatloaf.  I have been using the same canned meatloaf mix for a while now, but the past two times I have made it, it has been horrible.  This last time, the texture was so bad, I had to throw every bit of it away.  I can only assume they changed the ingredients in the canned mix, because I did nothing else different. 

Since I will no longer use this mix, I need to find a new recipe.  I was thinking of trying to make a meatloaf from scratch, so I went in search of an easy recipe to follow.  I ended up finding a BBQ meatloaf recipe on FoodConnect.com that I can not wait to try.  It sounds delicious, and I'm not just saying that because I have a slight addiction to BBQ sauce.

This is the first time I have been on FoodConnect, and I am seriously loving this site.  Not only do they have a ton of recipes to look through, they also have a section called FoodConnect Events, where you can find out if there are any food related events going on in your area.   It was through this site that I found out the is a Watermelon Festival in North Carolina this weekend that my kids would love going to.  I am going to have to ask Junior if it is close enough for a road trip.

You can also find restaurants in your area, and read reviews written by people who have eaten there.  You can also write about your own experience for other people to read.

I think this might be my new favorite website.  In fact, I think I am going print out that meatloaf recipe and add this site to my favorites.  I have to make it easy to find, because I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time there.

School Supplies

Last week, I started buying school supplies for my kids.  I am almost done buying just their class supplies (no clothes or shoes yet) and have already spent a small fortune.  Can someone please tell me why a binder costs $2.50?  And why do Ryan and Kasi have to have a separate one for each class?  And each one needs dividers, which cost another $1, and then the filler paper that is $.75 a pack...it's ridiculous. 

I also have to buy Ryan a scientific calculator, which is going to cost me $15 at registration, because they have to have a specific one.  He also needs specific colored gym shorts and tshirts.  I don't know how people who are on a stricter budget than us afford all this.  Hell, I don't know how we are going to afford all this.

Planning Next Year's Vacations

The kids have finally figured out that we won't be camping at all this Summer.  As much as we wanted to, financially, we just can't do it.  But, we are already planning next years family holiday, and it looks like we might be taking a few trips.  

I really want to visit an aquarium.  It has been too many years since I have been to one, and my kids have never been.  There is a big one in Atlanta, and I think that is where we are going to go.  Right now, we are planning a long weekend away in February, as long as it doesn't snow.  Brandi also wants to go to the beach, so we are trying to figure out the best time to go there, too.  I want to go in May, when it will be warm enough to swim, but too cold to be "in season", which means we should get a good deal on a hotel. 

We are also going to book a week at our favorite campsite for next Summer.  I figure if we book, and pay for, all of these trips in February when we get our tax refund, there will be no excuse not to go.  For the rest of this Summer, though, we will just continue to enjoy my mom's pool, and maybe squeeze in another mountain trip.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Just A Little Christmas Sign

Cute, right?

The Water Was Off. Again. With No Warning.

One of the things I hate the most about living where we do is that they continually have trouble with the water lines.  We don't pay a water bill, so I really shouldn't be complaining, but it seems like every other week they are turning off the water to fix some "problem", but they never give any warning. This happened the other day when I was sick, and it really ticked me off.  I will be so happy when we can finally afford to by our own place, and not have to deal with landlords and maintenance people.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I like where we live just fine.  Granted, I can not do any bathroom shower remodeling on my own, or paint the walls, but I have found other ways to make this place our home. I have hung lots and lots of pictures, and for the girls room, I bought some of those giant wall stickers, which they absolutely love.  I also have all my elephants and books on display, which always makes me feel at home.  Weird, I know, but that's me.

Of course, there are benefits of renting, like not having to worry about fixing anything major if it breaks, like the a/c or the water heater.  When we first moved in, one of the homes had the shower floor fall out, and the maintenance man had to fix it, not the tenant.  I'm not sure if he used a Spokane Bathroom Remodel contractor, but I know the job was done in less than a day.  I am sure that tenant is enjoying his or her new luxury bath, knowing it didn't cost them a thing.

I know I would be.  At least until they turn the water off again without warning. 

Elephant Wedding Cake Topper

How awesome is this?  I never had a wedding, and now I want one so I can have a cake with this one top.  (of course, my elephants will be two shades of purple)  I love the little name banner...it gives it such a personal touch!  I found it here. It can be completely customized, from the color of the flowers to the butterfly. 

While browsing the site, I also found this cake topper, which is even cuter than the last one!  I love that this one has the date on it.  

This shop has so many different unique cake toppers, from dolphins to hamsters, and each one is cuter than the next.  If you have a wedding coming up, and want something adorable to top your cake, check out this site. 

In Fact, It Is Brain Surgery

Tuesday night, my girls watched Deadliest Catch with me.  In that episode, the rest of the fleet found out about Captain Phil's death.  As usual, I had tears running down my cheeks by the time it was over.  It was especially hard for me to watch when Sig found out Phil had died.  When it ended, Brandi asked me why I was crying.  I told her it was because the show was so sad.  She just shrugged and walked away.

Yesterday, Junior asked about the show, and if I cried while watching.  I told him I did, and then Brandi again asked why it was so sad, and when I told her, she wanted to know why Phil died.  I told her, and we started talking about Phil's head in the last couple of episodes, because it was shaved, and kind of sunk in where they had removed his skull.  I told her the next time she saw my dad, to ask to his scar.

I was trying to figure it out, and I think it was in 1994 that my dad had a brain aneurysm and had to have brain surgery.  He didn't need gamma knife treatment; the doctors just went in and fixed the aneurysm.   Thankfully, and luckily, he didn't have any permanent damage.

I know that most people have some kind of negative side effects after brain surgery, whether it be from tradition surgery or acoustic neuroma gamma knife surgery.   Even brain tumors can cause all kinds of problems to a persons brain. There is memory loss, and loss of function to the body, just to name a couple.  I remember an episode of ER where Dr. Greene went to a brain tumor clinic and they operated on his brain while he was still awake, to make sure he didn't lose any functions.   I wonder if they do that in real life?

Brandi's 2010 Ornament

I don't know what was up with my camera last night, but these pictures came out horrible.  But, you get the idea.  Brandi's is pink, her favorite color.  I am going to hang it with a pink ribbon, too. 

Feeling Better

Monday and Tuesday were rough days for me this week.  I woke up feeling like I couldn't breathe on Monday, and it just got worse as the day went on.  I ended up with a touch of a stomach virus, I think, and spent most of yesterday in bed.  Thankfully, I am feeling better today.  I have no idea how people who get sick all the time handle it.  I know I am a baby when it comes to being sick, and I would hate to feel like that all the time.

I am hoping the kids and Junior don't get whatever it was that I had.  It would be especially bad if Junior got sick, because when he is sick, he finds it hard to sleep using his bi-pap.  He needs a new one, too, I think.  I need to check out some medical equipment manufacturers and see if I can find a new one for a reasonable price.  The one he has now cost about $2,000 about ten years ago, so I hate to think about how expensive new ones are now.  Back then we had insurance, and they paid for the machine.  We will have to pay full price for a replacement.

I don't know how other people pay for san diego medical equipment without the assistance of medical insurance.  I am sure that even used ekg machines cost a small fortune.   With a little luck, Junior may just need an adjustment to the settings on his machine, and not a new one.  That will cost a good bit of money, too, but not as much as replacing it.

Kasi's 2010 Ornament

I painted this one purple, because just like me, that is her favorite color.  I think I need to do her name and the date in white instead of black.  The black kind of blends in, and I want the name and date to stand out.  What do you think?

My Boys Work Well Together

My son is just like my husband.  They could both spend their days inside an Ace Hardware Superstore and never get bored.   They love power tools and cars, and fixing anything they can get their hands on.  In fact, my son will take something apart just to see how it fits backs together.

When our water lines broke in the house we used to live it, Ryan was right up under Junior's skin, watching everything he did to fix the problem.  They even shopped for Discount Plumbing Supplies together. I love that Junior is patient enough (most of the time) to let Ryan watch him fix things, and ask questions.  It's a great way for him to learn.  There was a saying I learned while working my first job as a teenager, and it was, "Tell me, I'll forget.  Show me, I'll remember.  Let me try, I'll understand.".  Junior has no problem letting Ryan work right beside him, and help as much as he can.  In fact, Ryan can now change brake pads and do other minor repairs on cars, all because Junior took the time to let him learn from him.

Ryan has also helped Junior do a lot of work around my mom's house.  He has assisted in the cutting down of trees, the running of water lines and electrical outlets, and all kinds of other things.  Last weekend, he cut my mom's grass for her.  As a thank you, my mom is going to buy him the Wolverine Work Boots he has had his eye on.  

I know that this time spent with his dad means a lot to Ryan, and I hope someday, if and when he has a son of his own, they will have the same kind of relationship.

Ryan's 2010 Ornament

I hate the way this picture came out, but no matter how many times I tried to take it, it always came out the same.  Th ornament is blue (not black...even though it looks black) and it has his name and the year on it.  When the Holidays get here, I will take a picture of him to go in the middle.

I Miss Crafting

This is supposed to be my craft blog, but I have not been doing anything crafty lately.  The other night, the kids and I sat and painted some Christmas ornaments, but that has been about it.  I remember when I used to crochet all the time, and make my signs.  In fact, I still have to make room name signs for three of my nieces, and for the baby my sister has in January.  I just can not find the time lately to do any of it.

I think it was almost two years ago that I opened my etsy store.  I closed it a month or two later, because I never did get the hang of it.  I never needed product packaging services because I hardly sold anything.   My store was filled with my "welcome" and "name" signs, and they were really cute.  I just didn't know then that you shouldn't list everything at one time, and that you had to re-list every couple of days to stay current in the listings.  I know these things now, but I don't have the time now.  Or the product.  I sold every last sign at a yard sale last summer.  All of my signs were hand carved and painted, so making more would be very time consuming.  It's not like I can hire a vietnam manufacturing company to make them for me.  

I am hoping that once the kids go back to school, I will find the time to be crafty again.  I miss it.  It relaxes me.  And maybe once I get a few made, I can order custom plastic printing shipping supplies to ship my signs in.

That's assuming, of course, that I sell some this time.

Kasi Painted These

My Christmas tree is covered with home made ornaments.  The only store bought ones are ones people have given me as gifts.  Every year, I make a few more to add to my collection of ornaments.  This year, the girls wanted to help, and we had fun doing it together.

Purple Plaid?

I am trying to find a way to exercise that I will enjoy.  That is the key for me; if I don't enjoy doing something, I just flat out won't do it.   That is how exercise and I have gotten along for my entire life so far. That is also why I am overweight.

One of the best ways to get exercise, without actually exercising, is to play golf.  Or so I've been told.  All the walking and swinging of clubs is supposed to be a good workout. I like mini-golf, but it doesn't seem relaxing to me to try and get a little ball in a little hole from so far away.  But, I am thinking about giving it a try.

I am not going to invest in any ladies golf clothing just yet, though. I never understood the outfits some guys golf in.  Plaid from head to toe?  Why?  I mean, if there is a reason for it, then that's one thing.  But I don't think I would willingly wear plaid, unless maybe it was cute little golf skorts.  Or maybe, just maybe, I'd wear a pair of plaid ladies golf shorts.  But it would have to be purple plaid, and I wouldn't wear a matching shirt.  Or socks.  I mean, I have my limits.

Santa Mask

Kasi painted this one.  Apparently she was channeling a younger Santa, when his beard was gray, not yet white.  The girls are writing a play to act out with their masks, and I can not wait to see it.

If I Owned My Own Home, It Would Be Purple

I hate renting.  I really do.  There is so much I would do to make this house more "me" if I was allowed to paint the walls.   My husband is going to be in for a surprise if we are ever able to buy our own place someday.  I will start in one room, and make it my own.  Then I will move on to the next room.  I will do the entire house, even if I have to hire a San Diego Painting Contractor to help me.  

I love painting, but I am sure by the third or fourth room, I will be looking to San Diego Painting Companies for some assistance.   The first room I tackle would probably be the kitchen.  I can see it so clearly in my head, too.  I want white cabinets, with black handles.  The walls will be white, with some kind of black accent.  The counter top will be black marble, and the appliances will be black, too.  The floor will be a black and white checkerboard, and all the accents will be silver.  Sounds cool, right?

The second room would be the living room, and this is where Junior and I will disagree.  I want a purple color, and I know he is going to hate it.  But, I'm the girl, so I usually get my way.  He should just be happy that I'm not going to search for "House Painting San Diego" and then hire someone to paint the outside of the house purple.

Brandi Painted These

Didn't they come out great?  I have quite the talented little artist on my hands.

A Dog Litter Box? Why Not.

Look at that face!  I don't think there is anything cuter in the world than a puppy.  Okay, kittens are cuter, but puppies come in second.  We always had a dog growing up.  My favorite, and the one I remember best, was my dad's Golden Retriever names Sadie.  I was probably 12 or so when he got her, and I was married when she had to be put to sleep. 

My husband and I have tried a couple of times to have a dog, but I just don't have the patience for it.  Or I should say, I didn't have the patience required to housebreak a puppy.  I could not stand having pee and poop on my carpet.  We always found good homes for the dogs we had, and sometimes Junior talks about getting another dog.  Brandi is afraid of dogs, which makes it even more difficult now, but he seems to think that if she is around dogs enough, she'll get over her fear.  I'm not sure I agree, which means for now, we are not getting a dog.

But, for future reference, how did you go about housebreaking your puppy?  There is so much information on this subject out there, and sometimes it is hard to know what works and what doesn't.  I mean, I was reading about a dog litter box, and was a little skeptical, but then I realized that it probably works just like those training pads do.   It's just a matter of teaching the dog to use it.  I was reading Dog Toilet Testimonials, and people really seem to like this.  

I guess if a cat can use a litter box, so can a dog.

Snowman Mask

Brandi painted this snowman mask the other night.  I was going through my craft stuff, and found a bunch of stuff I bought last year, after the Holidays.  The girls and I then had a little "Christmas in July" painting party!  So much fun!

Grimace Pins

I used to work at McDonald's.  Twice.  Once in New York when I was a teenager, and then in South Carolina after I became a mom.  I have always said that it takes a special kind of person to work fast food, because you have to know how to deal with the public, which is not always an easy thing to do.  I must have been one of those special people, because I loved working there. 

One of my favorite things was earning the Lapel Pins they would give to the crew to promote the different promotions, such as Monopoly, and also for doing an extraordinary job.  I have a ton of Grimace pins, because he was my favorite character, and I was always in charge of his visits to the store. We considered these pins Trading Pins, too.   If someone else earned a Grimace pin, they knew I would trade for it.  It was kind of like baseball fans trading Baseball Pins.  

I am hoping that if I hold on to these pins, they might be worth something someday.  I have some that are over 20 years old already.  They are in pretty good shape, too.  I just can't believe that I can now start a story with, "when I was working at McDonald's twenty years ago".  When did I get so old?

Fashion

For her birthday, Kasi got a really cool book about fashion.  It came with lots of different patterned paper and accessories like pom poms and fur, and Kasi uses these to make her own "fashions".  She absolutely loves it!  (thanks Missy!)  This is one of her most recent creations, and I love it!  She is now asking for a sewing machine and real fabric to make it for real.  I think I might have a future fashion designer in my house.

Getting Married? Renewing Vows?

I am the worst when it comes to writing thank you cards.  I never know exactly what to say.  I mean, I say thank you, it was thoughtful of you to think of me, blah, blah, blah.  I just don't think they come off as sincere and personal.  Thankfully I didn't have to worry about wedding thank you notes wording, because I never had a wedding, so I never got any wedding gifts that I had to thank people for.   Maybe someday Junior and I will renew our vows, and I will get to wear the white gown.  But, knowing how shy I am, I am not sure I can handle having to stand up in front of all those people.  I seriously have a little panic attack thinking about it.  It was probably a good idea that Junior and I were married at the courthouse, in front of just a small group of family. 

Maybe I will just look forward to my daughters getting married.  I think I could handle being the mother of the bride better than being the bride. 

How Cool Is This?

We ate at a fish camp tonight (for all you non-southerners reading...it's a seafood restaurant...I didn't know what the heck a fish camp was when I first moved to SC) and they had the coolest ships decorating the place.  Ryan went around and took a bunch of pictures, and this one is my favorite.  I love all the sails and stuff.

I wonder if i could make one of these?

My Mini Flood

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of goviral. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last week, I had a flood in my kitchen.  The hose that runs the water to my dishwasher came loose, and hot water was pouring out from underneath.  Thankfully, the kids and I were home, and even though I had no idea how to turn the water off, I was able to throw down lots of towels to contain the water while Ryan ran and got the maintenance man.

I don't want to think about what would have happened if we were not home.  Our vents for heat and A/C are on the floor, so the water would have filled the entire system I'm sure.  then it would have ruined the bottoms of my couch and entertainment center.  I don't even want to think about what it could have done to my books.

I learned how to turn the water off in the house, too, in case it happens again.  I don't like how helpless I felt, and it was just for a few minutes.  I can not imagine how people feel who lose everything in floods.  It must be such a helpless feeling.  The good news is that you can carry flood insurance, so you will have someone on your side who understands.

The only problem I had was having to wash every towel I own.  I was lucky, and I know it.

I Made Myself An Office

I am finding it hard to work with the kids home.  There are so many distractions, and it's always so loud in my house.  I tried to fix this problem by turning my desk around, and creating a little "office" for myself.  See that little space right in front between the bookshelf and my desk?  That is the only way to get to my desk, so the kids can't bug me as much.  The only drawback is that I can now see the television, which is a distraction in and of itself.

Maybe I can convince Junior to put up some type of temporary wall between me and the rest of the house?  Or do you think that is too extreme?

Rings

Last month, I celebrated my 15th wedding anniversary.  When we got married, we didn't have much money.  We weren't one of those couple who saved their money for years before saying "I do".  In fact, we didn't know each other very long before we got married.  Our wedding took place exactly six months from the day we met.  I didn't dream of shopping in a San Diego Jewelry store for a ring.  In fact, Junior asked what kind of cut I liked, and the next day I had a ring on my finger.   Not just any ring, though.  It's the perfect ring, because he chose it for me.

I didn't have to pour through San Diego Diamond Rings.  I didn't have to hint for months about which ring I wanted. Like I said, we didn't have much money, so even getting a ring at all was special.  There were so many other things he could have spent that money on, considering I was a little pregnant at the time.  But, he wanted me to have a symbol of our love, and it still sits on my finger today.

I did have a say on my wedding band, though.  Again, I didn't want anything fancy.  In fact, it is a simple gold band, and it matches my ring perfectly.  We didn't buy it at a San Diego Wedding Bands store, we bought it at a local flea market.  I know, that sounds crazy,but back then, it was all we could afford.  And it was all I wanted.

It's still all I want.

Cabana

My mom has this little lean to shed in her backyard that was attached to the fence that goes around her pool.  I think it was probably built to protect a riding mower from the weather, because it didn't have any side, just a roof.  When she opened the pool, she needed somewhere to keep all the chemicals and pool floats, so she had Ryan and Junior enclosed the lean to, to build a cabana of sorts.  I took this picture while they were still closing in the sides...doesn't it look great?  She wanted lattice originally, but when she saw these fence slats, she fell in love.  The finished product looks awesome...I will have to remember to get a shot of it the next time I am over there swimming.

Rearranged

One morning last week, I decided to rearrange the furniture in my living room.  My desk is in the corner of the room, and when I sat at the computer, my back was to the rest of the room.  This made it hard to watch television or even talk to anyone else who happened to be in the room.  Ryan helped me turn my desk around, so I can now look beside my computer screen and see the rest of the room.

There are a couple of problems with this, and I think I may need to check out some furniture stores san diego to find a solution.   The first problem is lighting.  My desk is a hutch type piece of furniture, and it blocks out the light from the rest of the room.  I was looking at lamps san diego and found a pretty cool floor lamp, which would be perfect.  I liked a couple of their regular lamps, too, but I don't have enough room on my desk for one. In fact, there is barely enough room on my desk for my keyboard.

The second problem I have is that now that I am facing the television, I am watching way too much of it.  I am finding it hard to get my work done everyday.  When the kids were in school, I didn't even turn the television on during the day.  Now that the kids are home, the television is always on.  Most of the time I don't even like what is on, but I find it to be such a distraction.  Maybe I should look at some del mar furniture, and find a new desk.  I could get one that could sit sideways in this room, so that my back wasn't to the room, but I wouldn't be able to see the television.  
Or maybe I should just send the kids to their rooms to watch television when I have to get some work done.

Me And Kasi

We took this picture last weekend while we were waiting for the fireworks to start.  Kasi just told me I look "soooo tired".  It seems like I have been soooo tired all Summer.  I think it's the heat, and the swimming, and everything else going on.  Maybe once the kids go back to school, I can get more rest.

California, Here We Come. Or Not.

 I have been getting letters in the mail recently from the kids schools.  This year, they will each be in a different school, which is going to make registration day a little hectic.  Or at least that's what I thought.  Turns out Ryan registers a week before the girls do, on August 3rd.  That is less than a month away!

I don't know why Summer is going by so fast.  As of yet, we haven't been on vacation, and we don't have any plans to do so.  Junior was talking about booking a couple of nights at the Holiday Inn Palmdale CA, which would be great if we lived closer to California. Unfortunately, we live on the opposite coast, so booking any type of Palmdale Lodging would be crazy.  I do not fly, so we would have to drive there, and that would mean at least three days in the van.  The gas alone for the trip could bankrupt us! 

However, visiting California would be awesome.  There are so many places I would love to visit, and my kids would love to put their feet in the Pacific Ocean.  Brandi has been bugging me for year to take her to the beach, and I hear that California has some beautiful ones.  We could stay in lancaster ca hotels and relax for a week or two.

Or, we can stay home and plan some day trips to places a little closer to home.  I hear the South Carolina coast has some nice beaches, too.

Where Has My Creativity Gone?

This is supposed to be a blog about the things I create.  Lately, though, it has been neglected.  I am posting pictures of things I love, that other people have created.  What's up with that?  I blame Summer, and swimming, and kids being home....yeah, I have tons of excuses, but none of them are any good.  No one ever comments over here, but I can't blame them.  I think I need to do a little re-vamp, but I just don't have the time, or the motivation, right now.

Maybe once the kids go back to school next month....

A Teenaged Boys Dream

I have a fourteen year old son, Ryan.  Just like every other boy this age, he is dreaming of getting his license in a few years.  He is also determined to have his own vehicle before he gets his license, that way he is fully prepared for the road when the time comes.  I am not too happy about this, because I now have an old, ugly truck sitting in my driveway, waiting to be driven by newly licensed teenager.

The truck is in no way road ready, and it will probably take Junior and Ryan a while to fix it up.  They know what is wrong with it, but don't have the money to put into it right now.  They talked about sending it to a auto repair in san diego, but quickly realized that it would be a great bonding experience if they did the work themselves.  I suggested waiting until Ryan could pay for the parts himself before starting the repairs.  In a few months he will be fifteen, and he is already gathering applications for employment from local establishments.  He's too young to do brake repair san diego, even though he knows how to do that.   In fact, I think the last time Junior replaced the brakes on our van, Ryan did most of the work.  Someday he might be doing san diego bmw repair, but for now, he is going to concentrate on fixing up his truck, so that when he gets his license, it will be ready to go.  

Two More Cute Elephants

I found these little guys in FimoFlora's Fantastical & Featherbrained Whatnots etsy shop.  Aren't they adorable?  The little pink one is a patchwork elephant.  I love the expression on his little face!  The gray one is called nutty buddy, and I love the little peanut in his trunk.  In fact, this one comes with three other little peanuts, too.  Both of these elephants are beads, but I would not use them as that.  I would set the pink one on a shelf with all my other tiny elephants, and I would make the gray one into a magnet.  They would both make a cute addition to my collection.

Mission Menus Challenge

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.
A few years ago, I tried out the Atkins diet.  The worst part for me was giving up bread.  Luckily, I was allowed to eat tortillas, as long as they were whole wheat.  One of my favorite lunches was to take a tortilla, and fill it with bacon, broccoli, black olives, and ranch dressing.  I know it doesn't sound like those flavors would work well together, but they really did.  In fact, even though I am no longer following that diet, I still like to eat this wrap.  Yes, it's that good.  We also eat a lot of tacos in this house, and with five of us, the soft taco shells that come in the dinner kits are never big enough, and there are never enough.  I always end up buying extra tortillas. 

Right now, though, I want to hear some of your favorite recipes using Mission Flour Tortillas.  You can even enter your favorite recipe into the Mission Menus Challenge as long as it uses Mission Flour Tortillas, is original (like mine), and can feed a family of five for $10 or less.  The grand prize winner will win round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations for two to the Mission Menus Challenge Cook-off on September 10, 2010 at the Hard Rock Café in Los Angeles.  How cool is that? They are also giving away a $10,000 dream kitchen makeover, and a bunch of other weekly prizes.  This contest runs until August 9, 2010, and you can submit your recipe online at www.missionmenuschallenge.com.

I'm thinking about entering my recipe.  I mean, I don't think you can get anymore original than broccoli and black olives.

Top Droppers ~ June

The following blogs dropped here most often in June:

Moonangelnay on Etsy ~ A contemporary handmade, fine art, photography, crafts, gifts, jewelry, fashion and Etsy focused blog, sharing weekly features, tutorials, original works and interviews of the new artists of Etsy.

My Gypsygoods ~  Life, creative moments, saving money, nature, eco-friendly tips. Supporting & promoting the handmade community. 

Alterity Art ~  Specializing in No Harm antique and vintage button jewelry to preserve button's value and hierloom/museum quality of the jewery. Each piece is one of a kind :] 

Ask Ms Recipe ~  A food blog like no other where I will answer your recipe questions and include your website with the answers.

my kids are my world ~  This is a blog about my life as a wife and mother of three kids, who are, obviously, my world.

Crazy Mom ~  I'm a mom of 4 boys. I have been married to the love of my life for over 20 years. We enjoy sports, cooking, gardening, crafts, painting, music, watching movies and I love to shop.

feeding my family of five ~  I write about the things I cook for, and with, my family.

Lovely Purses ~  this blog is all about creativity, my love of fabrics, bag design and construction, useful sewing advice, trends and current projects

Three Fates Design ~  A blog about a girl and her love of beadweaving and lampwork beads.

Ruth's Creations ~  This is my blog where I write, among other things, about my online business selling crocheted items I make. Part of my sales are donated to Demelza House Children's Hospice, the favored charity of British actor Daniel Radcliffe.

Thanks to all who dropped in June!