Bottom of the list

That's where my blogging has been lately. On the bottom of my "to-do's". Can't say why really. Maybe it's because a certain number of boys have confiscated my computers since school has been out. Or it might be due to the fact that I have now reached a whole new level of lazy. Or maybe it's because my creative juices aren't flowing nearly as much a the Diet DP is in my house. Either way, I have lots to catch up on. My faithful compy has been storing these photos for such an occasion. Today I give you a little school stuff.

FIRST:

This is what my front yard looks like

37 seconds after the "brudders" have left for the bus stop.

"Carlitos" doesn't like them to go......

48 seconds after the brudders have left for the bus stop.
63 seconds after the brudders have left for the bus stop.

This is followed by the question, "When are the brudders gonna be home mommy?'....repeated every 3600 seconds of my day.

He's glad that summer break is here for sure.

SECOND:

School track meet. Lollerz at the "hurdles" right?

That tongue thing Brains is doing is genetically passed down from Uncle Visor.

And it totally works.

Try it.

Coming up next deceased presidents and hotel swimming pools.

A coupla things

1. In honor of the hug Kris Allen gave his wife at the American Idol season finale (::swoon, bawl::) a couple shenanigans and I joked about writing a romance novel spun off of that moment. These particular ladies are high-larious and actually started emailing chapters back and forth. But because of circumstances (me being out of town, away from a compy over the weekend) and creative differences (ie. their bashing of CEC as well as the obvious fact that they are just way better writers than I am) I only contributed ONE chapter. You can check out this little novel HERE. No one knew what the next person would write so you never know whatcher gonna get! Tune in cuz they are posting a new chapter every day. My humble chapter three was posted today.


2. Gratuitous shots of my three hooligans:

Hooligan #1:

Hooligan #2:

Hooligan #3:

Cooking with Clara: Episode 8 - Candied Chex Mix (and how I will teach her of my ways)

Teach them young I tell you. Not sure if my sis would agree. But whatev, she's MINE for now!! ::evil laugh:: I think the pink iPhone case really suits her don't you think?
I would like to make a motion that chubby thighs should be considered "in" again.

"Attractive". "Loveable". "The norm". Any of those would do.

Whycome babies get away with it but I can't? Somebody write their congressman/tabloid. (they won't take my letters anymore)


She's not quite sure what to do with it. Hang in there Clara. It's instinctual. The iPhone beckons you with it's apps and it's music playing while you look at it. When you know........you know.

Aaaaaaaaaaand.........................wait for it................................

NAILED IT!

::round of applause inserted here::

This hooligan was feeling a little camera hungry.

Check him out right?

Hmmmmmm

Preschoolers, when shot in the "wild" are very delicate creatures indeed. When sneaking up on them from behind the sectional, go quietly. Do not let them hear you creep around the side, adjust your camera, and then...........BAM.

^^^^watching Max and Ruby. I'm pretty sure it was the Bunny Scouts bird watching debacle.


On to the food. Today we are making CANDIED CHEX MIX. This recipe has floated around many of my girlfriends so I don't' know who to give the credit to. So any girlfriend out there who made this up.......hollah!

The funny thing is that you actually do most of the cooking of this recipe in a brown grocery bag. I'm not kidding. You think I am. But I'd be kidding about that just as much as I'd be kidding about the fact that I don't' have crows feet yet.

CANDIED CHEX MIX

1 c butter
2 c brown sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 box chex mix (any kind 12-15 oz)
1 can mixed nuts (i only do almonds, that i roast, mmmmmmm)
peanut butter M&M's

Place cereal and nuts in a brown grocery bag. In saucepan mix butter, br. sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 1/2 min. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Then pour sugar/butter mixture into brown bag with nuts and cereal.

I know it goes against everything you believe in. Won't the caramel mixture burn the bag? Will my whole kitchen go up in flames? Won't it soak through and cause me a massive panic attack?

No, no and no. Just pour it in. Trust me.

You can see how it gets the bag all gross and wet here. That's normal.

K, now. put it in the microwave.

You heard me right. The whole bag.

Now microwave on high for 5 minutes, taking out the bag and shaking it up real good in between each minute. Let sit for 5 minutes in the bag. Open it up and spread out on cookie sheet to cool. Get in there and get dirty you gize. Scrape that stuff out of the bag. Don't worry. You won't get any "bag pieces" in your mix. That about as likely to happen as my getting rid of my cellulite. You can see where I'm going with this.

Then add your candies (I prefer PB M&M's but the store was all out so I had to go with plain)

Just DON'T leave it out on the kitchen island all day, forcing you to grab bites every time you walk by,..........which is often,..........which is why I'll never get rid of my........

never mind.

Poor Aunt Visor

This is the thanks she gets for being such a good gramma. Two kids
piled in her lap wanting their back scratched. They have no
shame.....or regard for personal space.

The next Michael Phelps?

Somebody has a swimmers body. And it's not me.

There's a new love in my life

I've named her Marge.

Chuck E Cheese--Let's educate you.

Score: Memzy/CEC--one

Flem/antiCEC--zero

Flemmy came into town for a very short visit this week. And I felt it my duty, dare I say, my obligation to indoctrinate her with the joy and pleasure that comes from such an activity. Plus, Aunt and Uncle Visor totally wanted to meet us for lunch there sooooo....

I now crown thee the happiest baby on the planet.Oh have mercy. Clara has some competition.

ps. flem was on "vacation". But this is what she was having to do a lot. Business. Calls. She never rests that one.

This is Flem admitting that this place is actually pretty sweet. I believe her words were, "those bread sticks, tho made with white flour, are pretty tasty". It's true. Just ask the Visor's.


Note: you do not get tokens for your games unless you can properly do the math to divide the tokens by three (number of Flem's game-age-playing kids).



This looks like pure joy to me. You decide.

The loverly AV listening intently to us drone on about our college days.

Note: CEC even has green leaf lettuce AND vinaigrette

Uncle Visor catching up on Flem's kids and job.

Air hockey you say? Answer: doyee.

Fake tattoos? Very yes.

Ecstatic little girls? Fer super duh.

Baby Meg was developing her fascination with Aunt Visor.

It was only a matter of time before AV grabbed her from across the table and did a little of this:

some of that:

A lotta here:

A little there:

A smidge of this:

A smadgen of that:

We were there for 2 hours. I got up from my seat three times.............to refill my soda. I did not parent even once. Oh except the time when I told Char he could have more tokens only when he gave me a kiss.

Listen you gize. Chuck E Cheese is my own personal heaven. Get on the Memzy wagon. You won't be disappointed.

Flem wasn't.

Getting Married

My first wedding. Sooooo nervous-making you gize. But really fun. How can you NOT while seeing people in love get hitched right?

More to see on my photo site

HERE

Left out

Total bummer when the "brudders" go to cubscouts without you.

TUNE IN TUESDAY

There isn't much I won't do for my internet peeps. And because of that (and because I know so much stuff), I have wisely decided to take a break from AskMemzy/Tune In Tuesday for a while. You peeps are getting too overwhelmed with good information. I feel like I need to lay off for a bit. Let you "practice" what I've preached. Obviously you will be printing out all previous posts (if you haven't already) and keep them in a handy-dandy binder to refer to. I'm thinking once a month over the summer should be sufficient for me to indoctrinate you with my knowledge. But let me leave you with one last post to tide you over.


Good Advice #1: TV is educational. Fact. I just so happen to know exactly how they make crayons in the factories from How It's Made. I can also tell you the most calming color to paint your bedroom (it's blue) from Trading Spaces and the swiftness in which infection can spread by the hands thanks to a clever episode of Scrubs awhile back (and you don't really wanna know that one). Just the other day my 4 1/2 year old gives me a math problem. "Mom, if #1 is pee, and #2 is poo, then #3 is both at the same time. Get it? Cuz one plus two equals three." Lollerz. Soooper smart that one. And all thanks to Sesame Street. To top that off he learned from Ni Hao Kai-lan how to calm down when you are angry or upset. That came at a very inopportune time for my 10 year old, who was frustrated with his chores and had to listen to Char Char sing "calm.....calm....down" to him from the kitchen. In short--TV is awesome. Use it.


Good Advice #2: Mantras are what mothers made up to psyche themselves out. For example: School is almost out. Summer is coming. Kids home all day. "Don't panic. You can double up your Diet soda intake." <--my mantra I say daily into the mirror. Another example: Newly mopped floor. Spent an hour scrubbing half the house cuz so much is tile. Just put the mop away. Middle kid spills his chocolate milk right in the middle of my kitchen. mantra--"It's only milk. I should not hurt my child. It can be cleaned up. My child deserves to live." One more: Food is delish. Can't stop baking......or grabbing snacks every time I walk through the kitchen....or eating out with girlfriends. mantra--"My hiney is not actually that big. My mirror is actually a funny mirror...like the ones in the carnivals. I am actually totally skinny. My hiney is not that big." See? It works. Try it out.


K you gize. I'm here for you. Until next month. So make it count.

Cast a Pod

Just some fun start-of-the-week tidbit for you gize. Landee had me on her podcast again. I think it's gonna be about once a week or so. Check it out HERE

I giggled my way through the whole thing and then afterward when she finished it up to post I laughed all over again. So, if you are vacuuming or cleaning the bathrooms this morning, hook yourself up and check it out.

Happy podcasting....