Veterans Day

To all our service men and women today and yesterday, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!

I remember the Fear...

In October 2002, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo terrorized the Washington DC area...21 days of sheer terror!!! Nine people were shot dead, some, just innocently pumping gas at a gas station.

I remember purposefully NOT going out and running errands/shopping and only stopping to get gas when I absolutely had to. I remember sitting in gridlock on the beltway when law enforcement shut it down after a shooting. I remember the fear.

Tonight, John Allen Muhammad is being executed for all those sad and senseless killings.

I hope some justice is now brought to the families of all the victims. Please say a prayer for all those who were murdered and their families who have gone on without them.

Spotlight on Banana

Tonight we are going to a pizza party at a local restaurant to celebrate Banana and her Super Stars soccer teammates. They had a good season, and it was great to see how much Banana improved and how much she loves playing! This is Banana's fifth season playing, and it's been her BREAKOUT season. She always has the love and support of her family & friends cheering her on, but she finally got a coach that she totally clicked with.

Congrats Super Stars!!! We're looking forward to the celebration tonight and to your final game on Saturday.

We ARE....

...the Fall 2009 CHAMPS!!!



Congrats to the Vikings and my main man, Tank!!!

The game was a nailbiter. We were down 6-0 at halftime, then tied up at 12-12. The amazing Eagles won the OT coin toss, and were finally stopped at the 10-yard line. Somehow, our amazing team managed to get the win. I wish I had my video camera trained on Tank after all the game-ending formalities. He ran, CRYING tears and all, across the field into his dad's arms, screaming, "We won, we won, we won."

Tank and the Vikings advance to the Semis...

Do you think we are excited about our Vikings team advancing to the semi-finals tomorrow morning???




The whole team played exceptionally well this morning. And, Tank scored on a 90-yard touchdown!!! Check him out...I cringed around the 50-yard line when I saw this HUGE kid try to mow down my boy.




Tank outran them all!!!

Fall Season is almost over!!!

Saturdays used to be spent running errands with the kids under tow...Now our Saturdays are spent schlepping all 3 children to each of her/his soccer games and also to Tank's flag football game. My kids have been playing soccer for two years already, but flag football is the new sport this Fall....And, Tank loves it! We lucked out that we didn't have many conflicts between his soccer and football games...but we had many conflicts where two children were playing at the same time and in different places. Mr. O and I just had to split up.

Tank's team is the Vikings, and they finished the season UNDEFEATED!!! Tank scored two touchdowns and also proved to be a worthy defensive player...Way to go, Tank!

This weekend is the championship tournament. They play one game tomorrow, and hopefully, two games on Sunday. No matter how it turns out, it will be a fun weekend!

Go Vikings....and Go Tank!

New House, Same Destiny!

The New York Yankees are the 2009 World Series champions. The new Yankee Stadium was officially christened last night with its 27th World Series Title 86 years after Babe Ruth and company won the first of 26 championships in the old Yankee Stadium. A sign in the stands read "New Home, Same Destiny". How fitting!!!

Congratulations to the 2009 New York Yankees and to all Yankee fans everywhere!


P.S. I really ♥ Derek Jeter!!! :)

Photography: 201

Back in April, I wrote about what happens when you give a monkey a camera. Please note that I did not give her MY camera...she stole it. Well, anyway, her skills have certainly improved in 6 months.

A lovely self-portrait!!!


Her princess snowglobe!


Her brother's K'Nex tractor!


And all the baskets of CLEAN laundry that still needs to be folded...Thanks, little monkey!!!

It's starting to look like Christmas...Part II

My children love to draw...They also love to display their art. While I am thrilled to showcase some of their artwork in our kitchen, they would prefer to showcase almost all of it. For instance, just check out the door to Banana & Tank's bedroom...


Yesterday I wrote how my little monkey is enamored by all the holiday catalogs/circulars coming in the mail and daily newspaper. Well, today, when I went to put get some clothes from her room, I noticed that most of her artwork was down from her door. In place, I found this...

If you zoom in, here's what you'll see...


Do you think she is trying to tell me something? My monkey is only FOUR...I swear she's been here before!!!

It's starting to look like Christmas!!!

The catalogs are pouring in. Today, my little monkey spent almost an hour enamored by this weeks ToyRUs circular. :) I remember my older brother and I doing the same thing when we were younger...only then, the JCPenney catalog was as large as a dictionary!

Halloween Parade

Our neighborhood Circle (1/3 mile around) hosts an annual Halloween parade and Chili cook-off the Sunday before Halloween. The parade is led by the local Fire Department. :)


My monkey dressed as a HSM cheerleader. :)

Banana was Superwoman. :)

and Tank was a Star Wars Clone Trooper. :)

Happy Birthday to my Best Sister!!!

Happy Birthday, baby sister...now we're only 4 years apart!!! :)

I am blessed and fortunate that my sister is also one of my closest friends. She's always there for me, at the lowest of lows and all they joys as well. We are blessed that our children are close cousins and friends.

This is CoCo with my Banana, her goddaughter!

Fun at the local water park!!!

Here's Tank and KK sitting patiently in the pool.


Why, oh why, are they just sitting there???



LOL! I can barely make them out!!!

I Spy....

I spy a shark.



Click on the picture to see if you can too!

P.S. CoCo, you can comment but cannot participate!

Crazy Hair Day

Yesterday was "Crazy Hair" day at church camp.

Banana...


KK...


Tank's hair is too short...so we spiked the front. I offered to spray-paint it...he wanted no part of that.

Enjoying the beach...and a sandy self-portrait...

Wow, it's hard to believe it's only been a month since I posted here...It honestly feels much longer than that. Well, we've been at the beach for 3 weeks now, and the kids are certifiably beach bums. Do you think they are excited about hitting the surf?



Banana quickly drew a picture yesterday in a race against the surf. I managed to run to our blanket, grab the camera and snap a couple of pictures before the surf won.



I asked Banana if that was a self-portrait. She said, "No, Mama! That's me!!!" I, of course, busted out laughing. Can you see her dress has polka dots?

Kids Workshops at Home Depot

We recently discovered that all of the Home Depots host Kids Workshops the first Saturday of the month. Mr. O and I took the kids there for the June workshop. The kids each received their own Home Depot smock as well as a pin depicting their workshop project. This month the project was a tool organizing kit for Dad for Father's Day. The kids get to keep the smock, and every time they go back for workshops, they add a pin to their smocks.

At first, Tank thought he should put his kit together with wood glue...that didn't work out so well. He looks cute though, huh?

Here's Banana showing off her decorated kit...

KK was happy observing and letting Daddy do all work (as you can see in the picture of Tank above)...

We were the neophytes there...It was great to be welcomed by families who have been do this with their children for a few years already. One little boy had almost 30 pins on his smock...impressive!!! Here's a closeup of the pin each of the kids received upon completion of their projects...
Upcoming projects for the kids are picnic caddies (July) and a message board (August). We'll be at the beach then, but if the weather is crappy, we are sure going to find a local Home Depot to pass some time by constructively.

P.S. I've since learned that Lowe's also hosts Build and Grow Clinics for kids every other Saturdya. You do need to reserve a spot though.

Best Family Pets...

When I was growing up, we didn't have any pets. If any one of us (siblings) asked for one, my dad would say, "Here, pet your dog/cat/hamster Ghost," and he would pretend to pat a ghost pet. You can imagine my surprise when my folks finally brought a loving brown lab into the family once most of the children (4 of 5) graduated from high school and college. When Hokie graced our presence, the baby of our family was 9yo. Hokie was Baby Brother's dog from the beginning, but very quickly, became everyone's pet.

When I was pregnant with Banana and Tank, I was on bedrest for 19w. Most of the last 5w of my pregnancy was spent at my parents' home "in case" I was to go into labor while Mr. O was at work. I know Hokie sensed how carefully everyone treaded around me. And, once he finally saw me on my feet and pacing with two mewling or howling infants, he pretty much stayed out of the way. However, if any of the babies' caretakers (trust me, there were many between me, Mr. O, Mim, Pop, CoCo and whoever was in the house) walked more than 10 feet away, he would sidle up and stand guard. Here's a picture of Hokie in his last days guarding Tank in late 2003/early 2004.


In Spring 2004, my sis and the Toad bought a home close by to ours. They had and still have a beautiful Bighon Frise named Bailey. Since I was home taking care of the twinkers, my sister dropped Bailey off each morning and either she or the Toad would pick him up at the end of the day. What a great arrangement...my family got to experience having a pet without all the expenses of "having" a pet. Here's a picture of Bailey checking out Banana...
Now, let's talk about the pets in my own household. I saw no reason for us to get any because we have pets in the family that we can adopt for a day or two, or even a week. We'll take them longer if we have to...but, shhh!

So, what's(re) the perfect pet(s) for young children? I think we found them!!! Banana & Tank are 5.5 and KK is 4. Just last month their Mim (my Mom) bought them their first fish tank. :)

All you have to feed these fish are 2 drops of dish soap in "clean" water. ;) Here's what happens if you don't refresh the water and feed the fish regularly. Instead of just floating, they sink to the bottom. That's my first clue that I need to clean out the "tank."

So, I clean out the tank. Instead of flushing the fish down the toilet, I wash them. :) I plop them back into the tank with 2 drops of Palmolive, and all is right in the world again!

Chicken Cacciatore

Here's a great and super-uber easy recipe for Chicken Cacciatore. I found this on Food Network, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. This has become my go-to recipe when I volunteer to make food for other families. Every time I have made this dish I have doubled or tripled the recipe; it's so good!!! I've also only used boneless chicken thighs and added sliced mushrooms. I wanted to show a picture, but it appears to have been deleted from my camera...That's what happens when my baby confiscates the camera.

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

She's getting it...slowly, but surely!!!

I asked KK if she knew how to wink. Here's her response...




Ta Da!!!!

I really should get this on video!!!