Alive and Well

You guys must be wondering if The Big D finally did me in, huh? I mean, since you haven't heard from me in awhile? Nope, I'm still plugging away at at. It is going pretty well, but of course could be better. You know, like if I wiggled my nose like Samantha in Bewitched and all the weight disappeared. She really had it made with that little nose wiggle. Imagine...wiggle your nose and dinner's ready, the house is clean, and laundry's done. Oh, and remember how she could freeze people? Imagine how valuable THAT could be to a mother of young children! Mmmhmm.

I've actually been spending the last week and a half hanging out with my 16 year old niece, Lucy. She came to stay with us and we are having a great time showing her around B-town. Lots of shopping, swimming, playing, eating, movie renting, etc. She has been educating me on text messaging and giving me all her tricks and secrets. For awhile I thought she had a pet bee what with all the buzzing, but it was actually just her cell phone. But seriously, I'm truly thankful for our time together. I love getting to know her more as a person. She is such a special girl.

We have a few more days with Lucy and after that I will try to get back in the bloggy swing of things. I'm so far behind on my blog reading, I fear I will never recover. I'll try to get around and catch up with all of you soon.

Over and out.

Somehow I Have A Feeling He'll Still Want Something For Christmas

Within two days after I wrote this post and mentioned Richie's very loose front teeth, both teeth were out. The first one (as he was telling my niece tonight on the way home from the airport) was knocked out on Friday night when "the babysitter hit him in the mouth with her elbow". Just for the record...she was tickling him and the tooth was very loose. The second tooth he yanked (excuse me while I shudder) out at a birthday party (not his) on Saturday afternoon. Nothing like a little blood to go with your birthday cake. Mmm.

Oh, and we still can't seem to find any good help in the tooth fairy department. Each one we hire ends up being a complete slacker. We had to let another one go this week due to poor job performance. I mean, REALLY, how hard is to leave a buck under a pillow?

"Laws of Mercy!"

As my old college Humanities professor used to say!

I just made the most horrible, yet incredibly hilarious faux pax. I was borrowing my husband's computer and was catching up on blog reading...and commenting. I was just commenting along when I realized I was leaving comment's under my husband's login. The comments looked like they were from Rich and if you've seen his profile picture you will know why this could be an issue. You see his profile picture looks like this.



You see? He is quite the character.

And this is the comment I left on this post at this blog. The post was about her little girl's first birthday party.

"Okay, I am SO eating up the pink and brown matching outfits and party decor. Love it. And the pics with the cake...too cute!"

Pair the picture with that comment and it really could be somewhat troubling to a Mommy blogger.

Yeah. I know.

So I left another comment on her blog to explain.

"Okay, please don't be freaked out by the comment above. I'm using my husband's computer and accidentally used his login. Yes, that crazy character belongs to me and is not some weird guy who stumbled upon your blog....so sorry. It is kinda funny, though."

But I forgot AGAIN to change the login.

So I left ONE MORE comment (finally with the right login) that said this...

"Oh seriously, I just did it again. So sorry!! This is Alana from A Kiss, A Hug, and A Squeeze. I hope you are laughing."

How FUNNY is that????

SO. Just to cover all my bases, if you received a comment from "Rich" tonight (the 16th) between the about 10pm and 12:30 (midnight)...it was me, Alana. I should so OBVIOUSLY be in bed at this hour so I don't make these kinds of mistakes. And I'm going there now. Goodnight.

I Realize I'm Going Out On A Limb Here...

...and I might lose a few of you with this little revelation, but Rich and I were/are big fans of The X-files and can't wait to see the new movie on July 25th!

And yes, I do feel better now that "the truth is out (there)".

Tee hee.

Cue the music, please...

Doo doo doo doo doo doo.

In the Blink of an Eye

Seven Years Old Today.

Blueberry Pickin'

See those bushes? They have blueberries on them! LOTS and LOTS of ripe blueberries. Yum!

Here's my crew with their buckets rarin' to go!

The hardest worker of the bunch!

Um...this little one is cute, but didn't quiet earn his blueberry keep!

This cutie is holding proof that he did indeed pick blueberries. (On a side note, I sure wish those top two front teeth would come out already. If you look closely enough, you can see that they are really low and slightly crooked, but not loose enough to pull yet.)

The bountiful harvest! (Although, not as bountiful as it would have been if it hadn't started raining!)

Of course after all that hard work we had to have a little treat. Here is the house specialty...a Blueberry Thunder Muffin. Or what was left of it...

The boys chose ice cream for their treat.

It was really good.

Really, REALLY good.

And here is the view as we were leaving. Beautiful, isn't it?

Until next time, berry patch! We'll be back soon...maybe even later this summer for some blackberry pickin'!

Now...what to do with 3.5 lbs of blueberries? Any ideas that will not blow The Big D?

9 Thoughts on Perspective

Supporting my friend Angela with a 9 on the 9th post!

1) If I could remember EXACTLY what it feels like to be in the dressing room trying on bathing suits, surely I'd put the cookie down EVERY time!

2) If I knew JUST how quiet, still, and clean my house will be once these kiddos are grown, surely I'd APPRECIATE the chaos!

3) If I could remember how GREAT I feel after I exercise, surely I would choose to MOVE more often!

4) If I could perceive the mountain of TRASH I am creating, surely I would choose to be more GREEN!

5) If I would have KNOWN that I would accumulate 4600+ pictures in my iPhoto program, surely I would have dealt with them AS I went along.

6) If I was eye to eye with someone truly HUNGRY, surely I wouldn't WASTE a morsel.

7) If I could see my life the way GOD would have it, surely I would chose HIS way every time.

8) If I could see each PERSON as God does, surely I would MAKE time to share Christ with every one of them!

9) If I had realized how LONG this was going to take to write, surely I would have chosen ANOTHER subject.

Dialogue With a Four Year Old

Setting the scene:
A Mommy closes the door to the bathroom and locks it.(Mommy's can do that when their kids get a bit older.) Her four year old little boy appears at the door. (Naturally.)

Four Year Old: Mommy what are you doing?

Mommy: Going to the bathroom.

Four Year Old: Why'd you lock the door?

Mommy: So I could be alone.

Four Year old: What does that mean?

Mommy: (sigh) I don't know.

Blueberry Pie and 4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone! I thought I would post one of my favorite recipes for the 4th. Although, we aren't having it this year because of the Big D. "D"epressing, I know! But for those of you who are living it up this weekend in the eating department, it isn't too late to run to the store for the ingredients if you're looking for a last minute dessert! I am also posting my link to this over at my friend Linda's blog. She is hosting a 4th of July idea carnival. If you have a minute run on over and post your idea, too! And while you are over there read this post she wrote reminding us about why we celebrate this wonderful holiday!

Blueberry Pie
(This recipe was given to me by my Mom)

1 graham cracker crust
8 oz cream cheese
1 container Cool Whip (normal size)
1 can blueberries (drained) (I use this kind)
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup Cool Whip.

Spread into graham cracker crust.

Add blueberries.

Top with the rest of the Cool Whip. Garnish with fresh blueberries if you like!

Refrigerate.

p.s. I just thought recently that fresh strawberries would work really well in this pie, too. Or maybe have half blueberry and half strawberry? Yum! Also, I have tried both fresh blueberries and canned blueberries and I really prefer the canned with this recipe. FYI.

Counting Sheep

I can't sleep.
Not sure why.
It's 12:20am.
Could be the two cokes I had for dinner.
As you can see, I'm doing great on the big D.
Actually, I'm not doing that bad.
Except for the two Cokes, of course.
And then there was a minor infraction of Cheetos consumption on Sunday.
Thanks again, Shelley for bringing those ;-)
Yeah.
I also can't stop thinking about Richie's upcoming birthday party.
He'll be seven.
The guest list gets me every time.
I put ENTIRELY too much thought into it.
I over analyze it.
Seriously.
What's my problem?
They are SEVEN.
This post is really boring me.
I'm sure it is boring you, too.
Yet you are still reading.
Aren't you?
And you'll probably keep reading.
Until I stop typing.
Because it is just one more short sentence.
And one more.
Well, technically that was a fragment.
Okay, I'll stop.
Because I must.
I'm getting sleepy.
This worked even better than counting sheep.
I'm much obliged.
Thank you.
Yawn.
Goodnight.

Brotherhood of the Holey Pants?

You know those books about the traveling pants?


Clearly that would never work for a group of boys. I don't know about all of you other Mom's of boys, but this is how all of our jeans end up after a few short months (sometimes less). The speed and precision of their destruction simply defies the laws of nature. And can I just say...this is a mere SAMPLING of the holey pants we have in our possession. Shelley, I hope you are taking notes!