Stinkin' Hot Friday

It was a balmy 106 degrees here in Tucson today.  At least, when we were outside, and these pictures were taken, it was 106.  Yes, you read that correctly, east coast/northwest people.  ONE HUNDRED SIX.

So, since it was such a nice day and all, we took a trip to Lowe's and then thought we'd do some yard work.  

Yeah.  I know.  We are SO SMART.

First we set up the pool for the kiddos.  Behold pure joy.

Then, since another plant died last year that I'd had in this big black pot, we bought another plant.  I think it's called "Pincushion Flower" or something like that.  I dunno...but it's PURPLE and it SMELLS PRETTY.  So that's all I cared about.  Oh, and it's supposed to be "hardy" for the desert heat.  Also a huge plus.

Part of my planter and also my vincas, which I confess I tried to kill last year, but they just. wouldn't. die.  So now I'm embracing them.  Yay, pink vincas!

The whole reason we even ended up at Lowe's in the first place, was to buy a little cilantro plant.  Because, well, remember the HUGE cilantro plant I had earlier this year?  I attempted to trim it down a bit a few months ago, and...well, I pretty much killed it.  All that's left of it is that tiny vine-y thing you see in the middle.

The lush plant on the far end is my mint, which is providing us with much-needed minty iced tea right now.  Then there's the poor little cilantro vine.  (Would you believe that both Home Depot AND Lowe's were out of cilantro plants?  I guess Arizonans love their cilantro.  I don't blame them.  'Cause it's yummy and we love it too.)

The plant nearest to the camera is our new tomato plant!  Bryan decided we should try to grow our own tomatoes.  We bought the Roma type, since that's what we like to use in our guacamole and salsa.  And pasta salads, and regular salads.  Pretty much everything.  Let's see if I can keep this one alive.

Bryan is building a new planter for my new bougainvillea bushes...he wanted to buy them for me; I'd been wanting them for some years now, and I thought it was the sweetest thing that he remembered.

This is true love, people.  Remember the 106-degree heat.  I told him he could wait to do it when it cooled off this evening, but no...he wanted to do it right then.  I love that man.  

And below are my new bougainvillea bushes!  Bryan bought three of them for me.  "Royal Purple", of course.  Everyone has pink around here - we had to be different!  

After planting my new Pincushion flowers and Roma tomato plants, Mama had to take a break:

This is one HOT Mama.  And I mean that lit-ra-lee.  HOT.  Note my red face.  Dirty fingers from potting plants.  Purple water bottle.  The wooden rocking dinosaur in the back agrees.  It was STINKIN' HOT.

We are enjoying our patio so much.  Bryan built it last year.  Yeah, he's pretty much amazing.  He laid the tiles, built the planters, built the shade...no, he will not build one for you.  He does have a day job.  ;)   But he'll be very kind and gracious about turning you down.  

Thanks for sticking with such a long post!  I put up my latest stitching project on the Cottage Stitch-a-Long blog too, if you're interested.  

Happy Weekend!  Happy June!  

Five Things Friday

Since it is now already March, I thought I'd better get back into the real swing of things on my blog!

So here is the first "Five Things Friday" of 2012:

1.  I've started my first real cross-stitch sampler.  (I think they are called "samplers" because there is a sample of alphabet, numbers, and different motifs that you stitch in them.  But if you're a real stitcher out there...don't laugh at my attempt at the definition!  Because that is not nice.)  

Anyway, this design is called "Margaret Cottam Aged 9" and La-D-Da is the designer.  (I love that name, "La-D-Da"!  And the designs are great, too.)  

The problem I'm having with this design is that for some crazy reason, I decided to stitch it on 40-count linen.  40-count (for my non-stitching friends) means that there are 40 stitches per inch.  40 little squares.  Except, I am stitching it over two threads, so really it's more like 20-count size stitches...but still...there are all those tiny holes!!!  My eyes start crossing after a while.  So it's official.  I'm getting old.  Even my bifocal  eyeglass lenses aren't helping much.  Needless to say, progress is slow!  But I do love working on this piece!  

2.  Paper plates.  These are my new favorite thing in my house.  Huge stack of paper plates at Target: $3.99.  Less dishes to wash: absolutely priceless.  This will last me about two weeks.  We don't eat on paper plates for every meal -- but my boys tend to eat a lot during the day, so these are awesome for their breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, lunch, dinner, second dinner...  ;) 

(Try not to notice our cluttery kitchen counter. No, I don't normally put the plates on the glass platter. I need to return the platter to Aunt Claire, and it's clean, so to prevent other, dirtier things being put on it - I put the plates.  And yes, that is a random potato in the background.  And my husband's yummy cinnamon rolls under plastic wrap. and the kids' allergy medicine.   Hmmm...I should put some stuff away, no?)

3.  Cilantro, anyone?  Yes, that huge bushy thing is our cilantro plant.  The smaller one to the right is Mint.  Basil used to reside on the other side of Cilantro, but he died in a freeze earlier in the winter.  :(  (That is what I get for NOT watching the 10:00 news!  I didn't know it was going to freeze, so I didn't cover my plant babies.)

I am not trying to neglect poor Cilantro -- two weeks ago, my boys were all sick with colds, and last week, I was sick with a cold myself, and during those two weeks, Cilantro decided to grow like crazy, and I didn't have time to trim him back.  So it's his fault.

Those of you in Tucson...come on over, we've got plenty of cilantro!!

Note the McQueen/Mater Pillow Pets face-off.

4.  Little Big Planet.  Otherwise known as, "The Girl Game" in our house.  This was my Valentine's gift from my hubby (yes, I did want it), but Ben thinks it's for him.  He's getting pretty good at it, actually.  

(By the way, he calls it "The Girl Game" because Mama dresses her little sack person like a girl - because...well, I'm a girl.)  

There's my cute little man with his fading temporary monster truck tattoo on his forearm and his tissue for the booger that he'd just "accidentally picked".  Love this guy!

5.  Whammer.  McSlammer.  Napping through brother's round of Little Girl Game.  Sat down on the couch and totally sacked out.  Ben was worried he'd fall off the couch, so he moved the coffee table over for him.  Such a good big brother!

It's good to be back, Five Things Friday!  Happy Weekend, Everyone!!

It Snot a Good Week

So this week is not going as I'd planned.  But then, does any week ever go as planned?  Especially where children are involved?  I think not.  But this one is really off-base.  I'm having to really rearrange my whole mind-set and perspective.  It hurts.  My brain hurts.

Poor Benner...he is miserable with terrible congestion.  No, not a cold.  Allergies.  The silly boy refused to blow his nose for about five days.  So now we are all suffering for his stubbornness.  Holed up at home with humidifiers running 24/7...occasional wrestling matches to get the sinus drops up his blocked nose...constant attempts to get him to blow his nose...his refusal to wipe his own nose...

Oh yeah.  We're partying down over here.

One thing really brightened my day today:

I went to make up next week's meal schedule, since I'll be doing the weekly grocery shopping tomorrow.

Oh, man.  What to eat?  I have no idea.  I skipped lunch today, then later had a bowl of cereal.  I can't even figure out what to eat now, much less what to feed my family next week.  Plus I'm constantly interrupted by a snotty Ben coming to have me help him blow his nose.  So I can't think of much beyond the next Kleenex.


I added the usual "staples" to the grocery list:

*milk - whole - 3 gallons (yes, my boys love milk)
*coffee creamer (a must-have for me)
*wheat bread
*eggs

Then I drew a blank.  Meals?  Nothing sounds good.

Suddenly I thought to turn the list over and brainstorm a list of potential meals on the back.

Guess what I found on the back of the list?

Last week, while making up my grocery list, I had a burst of ideas and, knowing that I'd be using the next page in the notepad for the following week's (this week's) groceries, I'd written out 4 of the 6 meals.


Whew!

Thank you, Last-Week-Self!!!


I actually did something kind of cool.  For myself.  Self, sometimes you are not too bad.  Especially the Past Self, when Past Self thinks ahead, and helps out Future (or now, the Present) Self.

Okay, I'm getting confused.

And I have a nose to wipe.  Not my own.  Ben's.

And a grocery list to finish.  Two more meals to think up.

Oh, I think one meal will be pizza.

So only one more to think up.

Do you need dinner ideas?  Here's our menu for next week:

1.  Oven-Fried Chicken (so, so, so easy and yummy)
2.  Tacos (with guacamole and salsa -- the boys love it all)
3.  Stir-Fry -- with chicken and veggies (bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, canned water chestnuts) and rice  (need to use up some rice in the pantry that is taking up too much space for my liking)
4.  Fettuccine Alfredo -- also to use up both fettuccine and alfredo sauce that is in the pantry (I vaguely remember doing a pantry-check last week...wow I was on it!  Thanks again, Past Self!)
5.  Little Caesar's Pizza
6.  TBD (I'm going to wing it -- see what's on sale at the store...'cause I still can't think)

Now if I can just figure out tonight's dinner!!  I left it "TBD" and never "determined" it.  Ha!