You know you're getting old when.......

Does this guy look familiar to you? Okay, let me help you out. This is the dad in the new Disney made-for-tv movie, "Dadnapped." Okay, let me just tell you how old I'm really feeling right now. I just saw this advertisement and thought to myself, "No, it can't be!" Yes, that's right girls, this was one of my tv crushes.....all grown up now. He was the hot guy that Chris (Elizabeth Shue) met in "Adventures in Babysitting" (1987.)

Then he showed up again in one of my all-time favorite, uber cheesey movies --"Father of the Bride" (1991.) Of course he played Bryan MacKenzie, the all-too perfect fiance of Annie Banks (or Bahhnks as Franc would say.) Then, in 1995, another appearance as the perfect husband in "Father of the Bride II."

Over the years, he's popped up on some "Friends" episodes and several tv things here and there. But, alas, we are both at the stages of our lives where he is starring in Disney movies and I am watching them. On the flip side, at least we're still young enough that it's Disney :)

Life's a Beach

Had to get these last few pics out from the summer and start getting ready for school pics. Wow. This summer has really flown by!

A Day at the Park

I dragged R on another of my "family outings" the other night. I thought it would be fun to pack a picnic basket (a.k.a. sandwhiches & cookies from Naifeh's deli) and take the boys to the park. They had a blast! R decided it wasn't so bad, either. Moms really are the glue of a family. I look at my friends and think of all the little things we do for our children and our spouses. It's the little things that sometimes matter the most :)

How long is a long time?

Okay, so it feels like a lifetime to me since I posted about being on my diet for officially a week now. I'm only at the 11 day mark :( The weekends are the hardest because we tend to go so much. It's just so much easier to grab something while you're out and there's just not much healthy fast food. On the up side, I do feel like I'm gaining more self-control. The less sugary foods I eat, the less I seem to crave them. I even saw a good friend of mine on a date with her husband and she ordered chocolate cake. While the cake looked beautiful (as did the eater -- ever notice how cake looks prettier when a slim, attractive person is eating it?) I actually did not feel too much of a desire for it. I think I would have even been able to refuse it if a piece had been set in front of me -- I think.

Turning Over a New Leaf

So, I'm turning over a new leaf (or so I hope.) Let's face it. I'm swamped with the "stuff" of life and use it as an excuse not to exercise and quite frankly, reward myself with chocolate ____ and milk at the slightest sign of stress. I admit it!!! Anybody that knows me knows that I love to cook and eat and I hate to exercise. BAD COMBINATION, especially at my age (goodness I hate saying that!)

Anyway, that said, I tell you all this b/c I'll need lots of encouragement. I really, really, really, really wanted one of those fudge rounds my child was eating earlier, so much in fact that I told him to take it into the other room. I ask, no beg, that if you have any wonderful low sugar/low carb/low fat (did I take everything good out, yet?) recipes to share, please, please, please do!!! Broccolli and ranch is getting old REAL fast. On the up side, I have stuck to my diet for one week officially tomorrow and I have lost about 4lbs. I know it's mostly water weight, but it's a start :) Thanks to my inspiring friends --- you know who you are!!

Bunny fever

I have been playing with cupcakes again (my kids love that.) Someone asked me to make bunny cupcakes and I haven't quite figured out how I want to do it. Please remember that all of these are extrememly basic with none of those final touches that would go on a finished product, but I think I like the little bunny in the middle with a few adjustments on color, grass, and add a bow. Any suggestions?

Great Expectations

I don't know if it's because I watched too many sitcoms growing up or because I had a wonderful childhood or what, but I expect things (including holidays) to be a certain way. R jokes that my family is like the Cleavers. That said, I think I sometimes envision how we will be. For example, this 4th I would have liked to have gathered with my family and cooked out on Sat. and then gone with friends and kids to watch an awesome firework show that night---- just like last year.

Well, I made the boys their little shirts (the morning of, won't get to wear those again!) and set out to work on things for the day. R put on what I assumed was a pork butt/shoulder, but once taken out of the oven realized it was a pork sirloin? And was way overcooked. TRASH. My cute little star cookies that I made turned out dry and I decided I didn't like the icing on them. TRASH. My family all seemed to have other things going on, so no lunch. And, a storm was coming. It's sooo un-American for it to rain on the 4th of July!

In the end, I settled for some Capt. D's and fireworks from McDowell's. Luckily, some great friends came over, too, and I enjoyed the evening. In fact, I'd say that looking back years from now, my kids will probably remember how Dad would take them and buy fireworks at the local firework stand and we'd eat dinner together and then once it got dark, we'd go outside and sit around in camp chairs with friends and watch him shoot them (in the rain this year.) The small stuff. Isn't that what memories are really made of? The moral of today's story? Life is what you make it.

Pimento & Cheese

Okay, so I need a little help. I seem to be having a craving for pimento and cheese. I have to have some dental work done today and know that my mouth is going to be sore and thought this would be a soft thing to eat. I've actually never made pimento and cheese and have found so many different recipes. Does anyone have a family favorite?

My Beautiful Boys

This is one of my favorite pics from the beach. I think a "back" shot is the only way I could get a pic where both of them looked perfect at the same time! Any picture that required them to both look up was difficult :)