Snicker Doodles Anyone!

Living in California definitely had it's benefits, one of those was Jimmy V's ( the sports cafe' on campus). Their menu was fabulous...smoothies, burgers(mr. pig), the fresh fruit, and of course you cannot forget the yummy snicker doodles made daily. These cookies were a favorite amongst the camp councilor's and were a daily purchase, along with a cup of coffee bigger than one of the counselors head. Since then I have forever been trying to find a recipe that will match those delectable, warm buttery, cinnamon discs. Although I have not found the perfect recipe I have found others that are close. My most recent discovery comes from a Foodie Blog called The Noble Pig ( which I peruse daily). This particular recipe interestingly enough calls for Cheerios and at first I debated making these because this particular cookie is supposed to be chewy and soft...not crisp and crunchy. With the weather outside reaching as high as 100 degrees, I decided to give it a try with help from the kids. They were not as interested in the finished product as much as they were in the pre-baked cookie dough. HMMM! So of course I ended up eating most of them.

Belated: Happy Father's Day

So I know that Father's day has come and gone... but I wanted to blog about this special day and since my world for the last two weeks has been caught in the eye of the storm.. I am late( which is not so shocking anymore) Sorry about that! I am actually nearing the end of my swim league job. Woot! If you have been around during the week before the BIG (1400 participant) Championship meet you know, I am running around like a mad women trying to get everything organized, laminated, printed and ordered. So this next week is complete chaos as the meet inches closer. But back to the big picture... Father's Day.

We had a great day together as a family, running errands, swimming, and then a fabulous steak dinner. Although I did not have a chance to print, frame and hang... here is J's fathers day present...

Happy Father's Day to all those dad's who have left an imprint on the children they love and adore! ( I know my dad has.. and for that I thank him!)

The Lake House

It may not be the same Lake House that Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves stared in but we were able to create our own comical magic!

We took the kids up to the lake this weekend... and at first I was to say the least alittle nervous as this was not a pool with a visable ground (and if you know me... you know that I hate the unknown!) Funny story to go along with that... I must have been in 5th grade, I guess that makes me about 12. My dad (who is quite the fisherman) decided to get us up early one morning while at the lake house and take my brother and I fishing. We did a lot of trolling for fish(probably my dad's plan for keeping us from getting board)... which if I remember correctly is casting your lines out the back of the boat and then slowly driving the boat in a forward motion. This morning we we trolling and something bit at my line, and then again, this time practically wrenching the pole right out of my hands. I believe we lost the the hook, line and pole that morning. Turns out after talking to some of the locals... it could have been a large cat-fish. (which makes me think of Grumpy Old Men!) Anyway, I digress.
We had a great weekend, the kids had a blast in the lake and I am not so nervous after this trip and plan on returning very soon!

Strawberries

Well this week has been a busy one...like there are any that are not now days!
I started my new job this week. So now I have swim league duties, mum duties, and a new job, so the days are sure to just get longer. I managed to get in a trip to the strawberry farm this week, which for the kids was fun for about 5 minutes. O ate more then the bucket held, The Boy, well he helped wrangle the girls down the isles as they attempted to run off, and K as helpful as she sometimes is... Is the total DIVA and thinks she is a princess, so when she is ready to do something there is nothing that is going to stop her. I was however able to fill our bucket and make some yummy Jam, and some mousse.

It's a Wonderful World....Full of Germs

Oh where do I begin....

The Good...This weekend My Sister and her family were in town ( Hello Baby Sally, who by the way shares a very special day with me "Our Birthday") And my kids absolutely adore her... The boy is so proud to be her cousin although I think he knows he is the biggest on my side of the family where as on Jason side he is the youngest... you know it makes him feel like the big kid on the block! Anyway.. I convinced my sisters a couple of months ago to sign up for a race. They decided to run/walk the 5k, while I wanted to get a time in the 10k. The weather had predicted that there was a chance of thundershowers but on the way to the race it looked like we might just beat the weather. Aah Not a chance, I wouldn't be so lucky. The race had just started, the sounds of pounding feet were beating around me. "Move to the right," the race Marshall screamed into the bullhorn, while runners tried to get into there groove weaving past others that might be to slow or just in the way. (by the way this is the part of the race I hate the most, too many people in a small space all trying to one up the other.) Then less then a mile in, the crowds have thinned slightly and I personally have gotten into my groove and than the clouds much like a saturated sponge finally lost the battle and breathed a sigh of release as they dumped all their moisture on the the earth. The only thoughts consuming my head were " I really hope this slows down" and "Oh God, My sisters are going to kill me". The course now full of water, and I don't mean puddles it was full on " The River Runs Through It!" Not even two miles in my clothes were soaked through, my shoes and socks well let just say it would have been more appropriate to be in flippers and a swim suit. Never good when the water from inside your shoes is actually splashing up your ankles with every step you take. It did eventually slow but continued to rain the entire race. I thought I would be lucky to swim, I mean run it in under an hour, but as I turned to corner I saw the big 50 on the timer and I bolted for the finish line. So with all the hurdles the world threw at me I was able to complete my 10k in 51 mins (Race Results) Emily and Katie finished their 5k in 45 mins.

The Ugly... So I told you a couple weeks ago that we were the sick house well seems that we are still the sick house. Although my children seem to be unfazed by this. Playing, jumping, singing, dancing, throwing, biting... yep nothing different here. Which is why I did not think we were sick. But after weeks of battling K's cough, and a fever here and there, I took her to the doctor. Sure enough she has an ear infection. Just to play it safe I asked the doctor if he would check O's ears, because I am quickly learning that what one has the other will share (weird twin thing) and yes I left the office with two perscriptions in hand. This whole ear infection thing is all very new to me as the boy never once had one. The girls however have had multiple and I still have no way to read the signs as some mothers say you can.

More ramblings to come... thanks for listening