Longest Password

I want to share with you one of the better blonde jokes I've received. Because I'm a closet genius and my blonde isn't as natural anymore, I'm not offended by these jokes.

We laugh but her ID is safe.

During a recent password audit by Microsoft & Google,
it was found that a blonde was using the following password:
"MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento"

When asked why she had such a long password, she said
she was told that it had to be at least 8 characters
long and include at least one capital.

Urban Decay

I have a 13 year old and it is more obvious now than ever before. This was the child who in kindergarten would kindly agree to outfits I picked out at the store, we'd bring them home and then she'd never wear them. She had an opinion about her wardrobe, but didn't share it for fear of hurting my feelings. She has an opinion still and is learning how to voice it. We've landed on a fun style fitting her fun and feminine personality.

This summer she asked about wearing eyeliner. I thought, we can do that. She said she'd like to go to Sephora where her friends bought theirs. How much are we talking? Well, I don't spend that much so we'll start in the Cover Girl/Maybeline range. No opinion voiced, but I could tell this wasn't what she had hoped for. We picked it out, were on our way home and this thought hit me upside the head. She wants the kind like her friends, not the kind you want her to have. She wants to fit in. DUH! I turn the car around and off to Sephora we go. This is not my area of expertise, she needed Aunt Shelly for this. The cute employee with purple streaked hair was awesome. The brand she wanted: Urban Decay. Ga-rose. Who would choose that name for a brand. Here are my thoughts:

ur·banAdjective/ˈərbən/

1. In, relating to, or characteristic of a city or town: "the urban population".

2. Denoting or relating to popular dance music.

de·cay/diˈkā/

Verb: (of organic matter) Rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.

Noun: The state or process of rotting or decomposition.

 

 

Put those 2 definitions together as you like, here is what I chose: Eyeliner made of city rot. See? Ga-rose. But they didn't ask me in their company name planning meeting.

After spending more than I do on eyeliner, we left with a lesson in applying eyeliner and more importantly... a very happy teenager who will fit in with her friends. She was more than thankful and I got it... she is just like I was at that age. Besides, Urban Decay sure beats my liquid purple (or maybe it was green) eyeliner. Mom, what were you thinking? Oh, that you wanted me to fit in too, that's right!

Lesson learned.

Celebrating 40 Together

It really has been quite the celebrating! Brace yourself again in 10 years, but for now, one more update! We had a combined 40th party... this way neither of us had to endure a surprise party that we most likely found out about. So we threw our own sugar-infested party!!! Here are the pictures to show you the fun. We wish everyone could have come!

It started with a great cake thanks to my parents.

Love the picture circa '92?

Our good friend Vicky brought Apple Dumplings infused with Mountain Dew,

in honor of our lush, Scott! Everyone loved them.

SUGAR RUSH!!

Ice cream, toppings, Cinnamon S'more, Rice Krispy Treats, brownies...

our fave candies, KK's Nibs and SK's Peanut M&M's.

Our friends and their families came to help us celebrate!

It was fun on the patio before the mosquitoes came out in full force!

Kim & Vong are still trying to get my parents to adopt them!

Good girlfriends!

Good friends and our favorite little girl!

Even the kids had great friends to celebrate with!!

At the end of the evening our taste buds were on sugar overload, our smiles were big, we were swapping stories, and our family fell into bed. Thanks for a great celebration! It was just what we had hoped for! Here is to a great decade to come!

Not Your Momma's Pea Salad

It is no secret that I love to cook. Tonight was a prime example of how I get about food and cooking... giddy. I decided to make a repeat recipe paired with a new one. The main course (repeat) was Hot Ham and Cheese Mini Sandwiches. Find the recipe at http://letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/01/mini-hot-ham-and-cheese-sandwiches.html A couple of notes about this dish:

1. She calls for a stick of butter. Her heart must be clogged because even half a stick was too much.
2. I use less Dijon than called for for the kids sake.
3. I'm not sure what the difference is between party rolls and dinner rolls and why you'd need a dozen of one and 2 dozen of the other... but I'm here to say that the dinner rolls I bought (think Thanksgiving) would need to be 2 dozen to feed my family to full, 1 dozen if we had sides.
4. Poppy seeds are unnecessary, garlic like you'd have on an everything bagel is supreme.

That is the garlic I'm talking about, they are divine!

About that Pea Salad. I remember when I was little I would always ask my mom to make pea salad. I'm not sure what it was, but I loved that stuff. It was a layered salad: iceberg lettuce, mayo, parm shaken from a canister, peas, onion, bacon, more parm. It was heaven in a clear bowl so you could see the lovely layering. Every time I'd ask my mom to  make it she couldn't find the recipe. I'd have to call Mrs. Grieve and hope her phone wasn't busy so she could re-read me the recipe for the thousandth time. Good times, good times.

Today I made Pea, Feta and Crispy Prosciutto Salad to pair with the sands. This is not your momma's pea salad, it is the pea salad of 2011. I found it in my Real Simple magazine, and it is real simple. You can find it at: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pea-feta-prosciutto-salad-00000000054468/index.htmld  This upscale version doesn't even shake a can of parm.

Yum!! My kids loved it!

When I say upscale I mean no bacon, no mayo, no can o' parm, instead Prosciutto, feta and scallions! Don't tell Mrs. Grieve, she'd pass out.



 

August 19, 1961

Did you catch the date? That would be 50 years ago. The date my parents said I do and we're all so glad they did! They have known each other most of their lives and were high school sweethearts. He was by her side while she battled cancer as a 16 year old, she was by his side through his college education & career moves, and they've been a team ever since.

August 19, 1961
Looking beautiful cutting the cake!

In the getaway car!
I wonder what these two were thinking of their life together.
Did they imagine that they'd adopt 3 kids?
Did they imagine raising their family in Boulder, CO?
Did they imagine all of the amazing adventures coming their way?
(Sorry for the sideways photos, I can't make them change.)

In the early '80's dressed as Anthony and Cleopatra.

They would go on weekend getaways to places like Vail. Some would be further away, like extended business trips Mom would join Dad on. They'd get up early on a Saturday and go to the Golden Buff for breakfast... still getting up for breakfast at the Egg & I now. What we always knew was that they made their relationship a priority. When us kids moved out it was obvious that they weren't looking around for us to have fun, they liked each other so they were glad for their time together.

We are all thankful for the marriage they have and for what it has taught us. Their grand kids are fortunate to have the heritage of grandparents who still love each other all these years later. They see them playing their version of the license plate game (11 years running). They hear them make bets over the Cubs and Sox. We hear a lot about the south side of Chicago, about their friends and the fun they are having in retirement. We all look forward to being that happy when we've been married 50 years.

Looking beautiful in 2011

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary!!



College...

School is starting far sooner than anyone wants, especially on a good day. A good day is when everyone mostly gets along, you get at least 5 minutes alone, nobody complains about the plans for the day and at least one of the kids offers to help out. On a not so good day (which you get the drift on what that looks like), school could start right then and there.

A friend of mine at the gym was talking about her daughter leaving for college next week. I said, "Oh are you so sad?" "No, I'm just ready for it to happen already. There have been so many goodbyes to other friends, it's just time. She needs to go." Oh. I was misty-eyed for her at the loss of her first born to a far away school, her - not so much.

Tomorrow my nephew leaves for college. Again, as my heart beats a little faster, "Oh Steve, are you so sad?" Steve is my big brother. "No, I'm just ready for it to happen. The basement is full of so much stuff, it just needs to go. I'll be sad when I drive away though." Finally, a softy in the bunch. This is my brother, major softy, whose son is only going to be 15 miles away. I knew he'd shed a tear.

AJ is my oldest nephew. He was 5 months old when I met him, at my wedding. I could have eaten him right there, those cheeks! Those sunglasses! This one has kept us in stitches over the years with one single thing. He said "Big jeep bwak!" after seeing a big black jeep. We were all fools for him, still are!

In 5 years my 8th grader will graduate and go to college. I could bawl thinking about it, I'm not even kidding. In 7 years my baby girl will go... And I won't bother to do the math for when my baby will go, I can't even handle it. For now I'll just relish in the fact that my oldest daughter is obsessing over color coding everything for 8th grade - her folders, binders, locker set-up. I'll admire the joy in my baby girl's face over having her very own locker and her very own cello. And when my baby goes to school tomorrow to drop off his school supplies and meet his teacher for the first time, I'll fight the tears that are building as I think about it. I love these little people and I can't even think about college. So I won't!! I won't!!

I better go kiss their sleeping little faces. Just think, in 5 years I'll have one less little cheek to kiss. Bye, time is tickin'!

Oh Barbie

Last week Whitney experienced a great week at Camp Timberline in Estes Park. She made new friends, had great counselors and overall experienced amazing outdoor adventures. As all of us parents gathered for the closing ceremonies listening to all they did through the week, Tennison was off playing with a buddy. After a bit they come running over laughing. He has multiple Barbie body parts in his hands, LOOK at what I found. Lovely, give them to me... go play. He wanted to know what they were about, but I wasn't ready to take them time right then.

I took them home with me and decided to ask Whitney about it. She said, "We had Barbies and wrote on them the lies people told you (about yourself). I didn't really have any." Then they ripped off their legs, arms and head. "We threw ours in the mud", she says with a smile. She tells me, "It was kinda like getting rid of the lies people told you. And like you're perfect in God's eyes." Yes you are!

Here is the evidence... I even reenacted the setting for you in my backyard.

These are the items brought to me.

Upon closer view your heart starts to break a little.

And a little more.

When Whitney explained what it was about I knew this was a good exercise for girls. To learn at an early age that kids can say mean things, but that they are truly lies, is a valuable lesson. She didn't have anything negative to write about herself, as a mom that makes my heart soar. I hope she will always remember that she is PERFECT in God's eyes... and her mom's.

40

It is official, I'm 40 years old and I'm embracing it. I had the most amazing celebration a girl could have and I have my family and friends to thank for it. I do believe we celebrated all week, but for sure the 4 days around July 30th. I figure it was a day a decade leading to 40.

Let me recap the events! Scott did an amazing job making the week festive. Most importantly, he took the weekend off from work. The two of us went out for breakfast on Friday morning, later went horseback riding as a family it 95 degree weather along with rain (so cool), then went to the pool with pizzas that evening. 

Mat doesn't own a draft horse, so Scott had to ride this one.

July 30th... Saturday, the big day, started off with donuts on the patio.

My mug says I'm The Birthday Girl!

The best part of that morning was Whitney's baptism in Horsetooth Reservoir. What a special moment we'll always remember.

A little reassuring pep talk before the baptisms got started.

After the baptism Tennison had a slammin' lemonade stand thanks to friends coming to buy lemonade and animal crackers on a super hot day.

 

A few of Ten's cutest customers!!

Then it was off to Boulder to walk around and have dinner at Pasta Jay's with my parents. If ever you are in my homeland of Boulder, you must go there. You will want to bathe in their Alfredo sauce while eating their very garlicky bread. Ok, you might not, but I would.

I'm just sayin'!

Celebrating at Pasta Jay's. Next visit will be in the winter where the warmth warms me up, not makes me sweat. Although I will gladly suffer through for the garlic in any weather.

We passed this puppy around multiple times.

I won't tell my wish, all I can say is Ciao bella!

We continued to celebrate on Sunday when Scott and the kids hosted breakfast on the patio, compliments of Julie. She mailed all of the fixin's she could for waffles (Scott joked: isn't it crazy she even mailed the eggs).

The chefs were even sent hats & aprons to wear.

They were also sent the table decorations!

Spoiled... just plain spoiled!

The best!

Homeslice looks like Aunt Jemima!

Like I said, it was a 4 day celebration. However, because I've gone on and on (for my memories), I will stop with Sunday and blog more later. We had more fun Sunday evening when we went to my parents for a yummy celebration dinner followed by a carrot cake... they know what their girl loves.

No, I'm not 391 - I am 39 + 1.

Happy Birthday was sung while waving sparklers.

Like I said, the partying didn't stop there. Why would it? The newspaper had an article that day about turning 40 and making it a reason to throw a big party!! Taking that advice my friends threw a party Monday, and then Scott and I will have a "We're Turning 40" party this weekend.

Here is to another great year!!