Heart Day

I like to add some neat homemade touches to dinner/dessert for Valentine's day. I don't like Chris to buy me expensive gifts- i.e flowers, candy- because they jack up the price ridiculously. I can spend that money on so many other things than flowers that will die or candy that makes me fatter.
In the past I have made heart-shaped meatloaf, pizza, and cheesecake. This year I heard and saw so many advertisements for "Shari' Berries" that I decided to make them myself. Okay they are not as professional looking as Shari's, but they still look yummy. Here is the best part- I spent $7.00 for 24+ berries and had berries to spare. To buy that number from Shari, plus the shipping it would cost $55.00. So I saved $48.00 :)
Happy Valentine's Day!

2 Teenagers in the House!

William turned 13 last week. Wow- how fast did that happen?!

He wanted to go to the beach to play mini golf at Ryan's and eat all our favorite beach treats.We went to Rehobeth on Saturday-- we don't usually go on Saturday 'cause it is usually busier than most other days. Ryan's is up on top of a building on the boardwalk and it overlooks the ocean. I like it there--- and since I have taught my son to be thrifty-  it is the cheapest mini golf around. ($4.00 per person) Another reason why William wanted to go there--- last year he won our game and also shot a hole-in-one on the last shot that entitled him to a free game coupon. So for his birthday he wanted to play that free game. (Thankfully I found that little ticket in and amongst some other funland ride tickets) He won the game this year also-- but didn't get another free game-- oh well. The funny thing is that everyone else tied  for 2nd place, so there really was no loser. I don't usually play, I am the score keeper. I was so busy adding, I forgot that I had my camera and so no golf action shots or pretty shots of the ocean. 

We were then getting hungry so we headed to Nicola Pizza- William does not like Grotto Pizza like the rest of the population.








We had to wait a while to be seated. Remember it was Saturday, so a bit crowded.  I realized that I had time to shoot a few pictures here.

Apparently he will not be smiling again until he is 14? 

He really was having a good time- just thinks that he can't smile so he won't. Maybe after the braces come off.

Next we went to all of our regular little places, while a band was playing some nice music from the grandstand.( Yes, a man stepped into my pic right as I shot it. Maybe some day I will learn to edit my pictures.)





We got some Thrashers fries-- (another family blocked stepped into the shot so I quickly ran around them and took this pic from the other side.)





 Yes, as a mom of all boys this is one of the favorites. The sports store.
We end up there every time. Yes, you can get just about anything with
your favorite sports team logo on it.
Right about now my family was questioning all the pictures-- The Indian looking store owners were looking at me strangely. So no pictures of any crazy items.

Now they are getting used to papparatzi-mommi. So they start finding things to pose with. We did not have the gelato. but the big icecream cone with a weird looking tootsie roll straw on top looked fun so they stopped and posed. Then Andrew found the Welcome bear and struck a pose.

It was getting late so we ended the evening at the famous Dolles for some carmel corn.

Apparently William was chewing quickly or trying to eat quicker than everyone else.Just imagine him with the closed mouth smile that he has been using the whole night.

Oh look there is still time left on the meter!. We only put in 18 quarters. Oh and William does have teeth!!

Unplanned hiatus

Soooo I've been MIA for a while--- ok, almost a year.....
 I want to get going on this blog posting again. I think that someday my kids will be glad that I recorded these memories.

I enjoy reading so many other blogs and clicking to the blog parties that I don't make time to post my own.
 

This and a diet both take some discipline.  Umm.... haven't done too good on that one either.


New goal: I am going to try to post at least 2x a month. I think a small goal is more attainable.

Cow appreciation day

It is one of our favorite national holidays  today!!
This is our third year that we have put on spots to get free meals.

Last year we saved our signs and cow masks- that we made out of paper plates. William pulled them out last night in preparation for today. We checked to see that everyone had a white T-shirt. We cut up a piece of black construction paper to make our spots. (Yes, we get new spots each year- we aren't that cheap that we save those too ;)   We remembered to bring the camera this year.
 You are allowed to have any meal that you want. I got a grilled chicken salad with fruit. The boys had chicken nugget combo meals. The total for our lunch said; $20.11--- we paid---- $00.00. Love it.

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Write it on your calendar for next year. The second Friday in July--- "dress like a cow day".

Swagbucks

Hey!
Have you ever heard of Swagbucks? I decided to download the toolbar so that I always search from it. You earn swagbucks that you can cash in for gift cards and prizes. I actually read about several ladies that have earned enough to pay for all their Christmas purchases. I don't expect it to be that good for me. But an Amazon.com gift card every now and then is incentive enough for me to use it.

Just click on the swidget on my side bar (where it says sign up) and that will take you to the site to learn about it. It will also help me. If you sign up, every swagbuck that you earn will also be credited to me. The more people that you encourage to sign up under you, will help to increase your "bucks".

Since I watched a CNBC documentary about google- I am a little nervous about using them. I love this alternative.
Check it out!!

Finally!!!!

I made a hair appointment and donated my old hair to "locks of love".

Feels so much better.










Next up-- working on that double chin.  :(

Farewell old friend

We are saying good bye to a long time friend. She has been in our lives for 9 years. For many years of schooling, she was invaluable to me.




I used her as a copier before we even had a computer.



Unfortunately... she has become too expensive to maintain.



Here is her replacement-----(insert ooo's and ahahh's here)