jaunt 'round the blogosphere: other blogs' blogrolls
Perhaps I'm just procrastinating, but I've had this urge to check out blogrolls lately. So, I went to all of my "Daily Treats" blogs on my blogroll, then checked out the blogs on their blogrolls. Oh, the loveliness! Now, here's me sharing all the loveliness...
.: My plan: To have a house that looks like Nikole's. I love the all-white walls!
.: I'm going to make my hair look like I've been swimming at the beach all day... everyday.
.: Another reason to love mid-century modern and Don Draper. If the desk is a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'. Hehe.
.: Beauty in the simplest things. (My artist cousin's blog.)
.: Primal BLT in a Bowl. Yummah.
.: I'd MUCH rather vacay here than go camping!
.: As much as I love white walls, this all-black bedroom is making me yearn. YEARN, people!
.: How I've been eating. LOVE this. Feeling great. Clothes getting looser.
.: Do you?
.: Having a hard time staying optimistic? Here's help.
Have a lovely weekend!
it rained mosquitoes, then we came home.
Did you know we went camping? Yeah, we did. That's why instead of not getting a new blog post for 5 days, you didn't get one for 7 days. I wasn't as stealthy this year as I was last year. Not too worried really.
Still, I tend to not announce when my house is fair game for all sorts of riff-raff, because I've come to accept that Mittens, who we left in the loving care of Harmzie's Norah, just isn't the most effective guard cat. She'd just look at you in that "are you here to feed me?" way of hers, then ignore you when she realizes that you're really just there to take stuff. Like the stereo. Hehe. Stereo. We are so old skool.
Anyway, Roomie, Lam, Mini and I left on the 15th and got back at exactly 11:53pm on the 20th, and I gotta say, our almost-week in the wilderness this year was nothing like last year's camping-trip-that-didn't-suck-as-much-as-I-thought-it-would. Not in a good way either. Truly sad about that. I had such high hopes for this trip.
Two of the major themes this week were mosquitoes and illness, two things that would put the kibosh on any fun family trip. But there were moments of true gold with my little family -- it wasn't all crap-crap-crap, so this post won't be a complete downer and put you off camping for the rest of your days. Or me off camping for the rest of my days. I hope.
Anyway, enough intro... on to the meat... which interestingly enough was another theme of the trip...
- We were supposed to be there until the 22nd. Three days in, I got sick. By the 20th, I knew I'd have rather stabbed my eyeballs with a tent peg than sleep on an air mattress in a cold tent in the middle of Mosquitoeville one more night.
- Yes, the mosquito population was CRAZY, thanks to the heavy rain from a few weeks back. We spent so little time outside. Even in the middle of the day, they were out harassing us. By dusk, we made sure we were done dinner, toothbrushed, and safely pajama'd in our tent before the little bastards truly became nuts.
Lots of Mosquitoes on Our Tent
- Our 2nd best purchase for Camping 2010 was our beach tent. We avoided the "race for prime shade spot under the lone tree" and got to enjoy the most time at the beach than any other camping year. Which was good because the beach was the only outdoor place we could go without being accosted by mosquitoes.
And it only cost us a sweet $15.
Roomie in Repose
- The 1st best purchase? Lam's pack of 6 Bakugan balls he bought at the Home Hardware in Carberry. Advertised for $28, he got it for $10. Yeah, shopping while camping. We totally know how to rough it.
- As usual, I overpacked. Especially when it came to meat. I'm not kidding. Bacon, smokies, beef weiners, steak... And we came back with over half of what we brought. I should've known when just looking at the meatfilled cooler gave me the meat sweats.
- Overheard many times: (Mini) "I don't want to be a bug buffet!!!"
- On the 19th, we had breakfast at Carberry. The small-town folk stared at us a lot. Perhaps it was because we looked shifty.
Shady Characters
- Gotta say, hard-boiled eggs are still the best camping food. EVER.
- We only got to roast marshmallows 1 night out of the 5 we spent there. Thanks to the mosquitoes. And we never got to make s'mores.
- We didn't get to do many of the programs at the nature interpretive center. Because of the mosquitoes. Like the Critter Dip. Seriously? Critter Dip? Do we look like chumps? We might as well be wearing "Bite Me" signs. Assuming mosquitoes can read. And we weren't trying to be insulting.
- While others made sand castles, Mini and I made a BIG honkin' shopping mall!
The Mall of Mittens
- I started and finished Dan Brown's Digital Fortress. Nenette the Nerd didn't get lost in the terminology and was quite entertained. Nenette the Smut Novel Junkie thought it was just nice.
- Lam tried a bunch of stuff that wasn't weird to do at a beach.
Voguing
- We made 3 squirrel friends, who Mini named: Belle 1 (the skinny one), Belle 2 (the one Lam dubbed "Belle who likes beer" -- Yeah, I don't get it.), Belle 3 (the Rubenesque one that may have been stealing Belle 1's food)
Belle 1 or 2 or 3
But really, my family and I got a chance to enjoy some together time. Even if it was to huddle together in the tent, away from a common enemy. Yeah, in a weird way, I'll miss these days.
But not anytime soon.
I've linked this up at Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop under "Describe a memorable camping trip" as I'm sure this camping trip will be forever remembered in infamy.
Still, I tend to not announce when my house is fair game for all sorts of riff-raff, because I've come to accept that Mittens, who we left in the loving care of Harmzie's Norah, just isn't the most effective guard cat. She'd just look at you in that "are you here to feed me?" way of hers, then ignore you when she realizes that you're really just there to take stuff. Like the stereo. Hehe. Stereo. We are so old skool.
Anyway, Roomie, Lam, Mini and I left on the 15th and got back at exactly 11:53pm on the 20th, and I gotta say, our almost-week in the wilderness this year was nothing like last year's camping-trip-that-didn't-suck-as-much-as-I-thought-it-would. Not in a good way either. Truly sad about that. I had such high hopes for this trip.
Two of the major themes this week were mosquitoes and illness, two things that would put the kibosh on any fun family trip. But there were moments of true gold with my little family -- it wasn't all crap-crap-crap, so this post won't be a complete downer and put you off camping for the rest of your days. Or me off camping for the rest of my days. I hope.
Anyway, enough intro... on to the meat... which interestingly enough was another theme of the trip...
- We were supposed to be there until the 22nd. Three days in, I got sick. By the 20th, I knew I'd have rather stabbed my eyeballs with a tent peg than sleep on an air mattress in a cold tent in the middle of Mosquitoeville one more night.
- Yes, the mosquito population was CRAZY, thanks to the heavy rain from a few weeks back. We spent so little time outside. Even in the middle of the day, they were out harassing us. By dusk, we made sure we were done dinner, toothbrushed, and safely pajama'd in our tent before the little bastards truly became nuts.
Lots of Mosquitoes on Our Tent- Our 2nd best purchase for Camping 2010 was our beach tent. We avoided the "race for prime shade spot under the lone tree" and got to enjoy the most time at the beach than any other camping year. Which was good because the beach was the only outdoor place we could go without being accosted by mosquitoes.
And it only cost us a sweet $15.
Roomie in Repose- The 1st best purchase? Lam's pack of 6 Bakugan balls he bought at the Home Hardware in Carberry. Advertised for $28, he got it for $10. Yeah, shopping while camping. We totally know how to rough it.
- As usual, I overpacked. Especially when it came to meat. I'm not kidding. Bacon, smokies, beef weiners, steak... And we came back with over half of what we brought. I should've known when just looking at the meatfilled cooler gave me the meat sweats.
- Overheard many times: (Mini) "I don't want to be a bug buffet!!!"
- On the 19th, we had breakfast at Carberry. The small-town folk stared at us a lot. Perhaps it was because we looked shifty.
Shady Characters- Gotta say, hard-boiled eggs are still the best camping food. EVER.
- We only got to roast marshmallows 1 night out of the 5 we spent there. Thanks to the mosquitoes. And we never got to make s'mores.
- We didn't get to do many of the programs at the nature interpretive center. Because of the mosquitoes. Like the Critter Dip. Seriously? Critter Dip? Do we look like chumps? We might as well be wearing "Bite Me" signs. Assuming mosquitoes can read. And we weren't trying to be insulting.
- While others made sand castles, Mini and I made a BIG honkin' shopping mall!
The Mall of Mittens- I started and finished Dan Brown's Digital Fortress. Nenette the Nerd didn't get lost in the terminology and was quite entertained. Nenette the Smut Novel Junkie thought it was just nice.
- Lam tried a bunch of stuff that wasn't weird to do at a beach.
Voguing- We made 3 squirrel friends, who Mini named: Belle 1 (the skinny one), Belle 2 (the one Lam dubbed "Belle who likes beer" -- Yeah, I don't get it.), Belle 3 (the Rubenesque one that may have been stealing Belle 1's food)
Belle 1 or 2 or 3But really, my family and I got a chance to enjoy some together time. Even if it was to huddle together in the tent, away from a common enemy. Yeah, in a weird way, I'll miss these days.
But not anytime soon.
~@~
I've linked this up at Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop under "Describe a memorable camping trip" as I'm sure this camping trip will be forever remembered in infamy.
10 things I love right now.
I'm totally blogging my ass off. About my recent camping trip. The one that was not at a spa, not somewhere tropical, and not where hot dudes in loin cloths serve me delicious drinks with tiny umbrellas. Basically, not what a camping trip really should be.
Anyway, I'll be publishing that spectacular post in the near future. But until that glorious day, I present the meme that I stole from my buddy Jami with a twist: 10 things I love right now.
I'm not listing the obvious -- family, friends, my pretend boyfriend Gerard Butler, etc. -- for simplicity.
Read mine, then go and do it too! Seriously. It's fun! And let me know, so I can read about your 10 things too...
Anyway, I'll be publishing that spectacular post in the near future. But until that glorious day, I present the meme that I stole from my buddy Jami with a twist: 10 things I love right now.
I'm not listing the obvious -- family, friends, my pretend boyfriend Gerard Butler, etc. -- for simplicity.
Read mine, then go and do it too! Seriously. It's fun! And let me know, so I can read about your 10 things too...
Ten Things I Love:
- Spring -- closer to summer when plants are starting to come up, after the dirty/muddy part but before the mosquitoes.
- the combination of coconut lotion and jasmine perfume, smoothed on everywhere, after a long hot shower.
- small, stylish, simply-designed houses.
- my ASUS eeePC netbook.
- pavlova -- with both blueberries and strawberries.
- the theme song to Futurama.
- a Starbucks venti unsweetened iced coffee.
- Dr. Who -- especially the episodes with David Tennant.
- a late-night dinner of papaya salad and grilled prawns.
- the natural, primal lifestyle.
princess, pokemon & the 6th.
I did not expect it AT ALL. And when I tell you, you will be equally shocked and amazed. So brace yourselves...
I will now wait for you to pick yourself up from your faint before I go on. Take your time. I know how stunned you were.
Ready? Okay.
Seriously, if you know my Mini, you'd know DANCING IS HER LIFE, so when I told her that her dance school hosts birthday parties, she just about had-a-bird/peed-her-pants/exploded/all-of-the-above.
For an hour, Mini, her brother, and 10 of her school friends hopped, twirled, and played games under the watchful eye of Miss Megan to the timeless tunes of the Princess and the Frog soundtrack.
Afterward, the little balls of energy were good and ready to enjoy cheese pizza, pop, and the true shock of the event... a slice of Pokemon cake! Because -- let's face it -- a dancing princess birthday party wouldn't be the same without Piplup.
Lam was an awesome big brother. He even helped his sister by reading her cards out loud.
And Mini thanked her friends with a carefully selected loot bag which included a most appropriate disco mirror ball. She was so happy with her party. To her, it was all worthy of a dancing princess.
My daughter wanted a Dancing Princess Birthday Party.
I will now wait for you to pick yourself up from your faint before I go on. Take your time. I know how stunned you were.
Ready? Okay.
Seriously, if you know my Mini, you'd know DANCING IS HER LIFE, so when I told her that her dance school hosts birthday parties, she just about had-a-bird/peed-her-pants/exploded/all-of-the-above.
For an hour, Mini, her brother, and 10 of her school friends hopped, twirled, and played games under the watchful eye of Miss Megan to the timeless tunes of the Princess and the Frog soundtrack.
Afterward, the little balls of energy were good and ready to enjoy cheese pizza, pop, and the true shock of the event... a slice of Pokemon cake! Because -- let's face it -- a dancing princess birthday party wouldn't be the same without Piplup.
Lam was an awesome big brother. He even helped his sister by reading her cards out loud.
And Mini thanked her friends with a carefully selected loot bag which included a most appropriate disco mirror ball. She was so happy with her party. To her, it was all worthy of a dancing princess.
Happy 6th Birthday, my darling girl!
We love you!
We love you!
copy cat.
The cat's been doing some odd stuff. It's still stuff cats would normally do, but she's never done them before. Like choosing a spot in the middle of the floor to drop and sprawl. She usually prefers the couches or the Annoying Caillou chair, but not lately. [1]
So, Roomie and the kids decided to see what all the fuss is about...
Verdict: Meh.
[1] - Update: No, it's not a temperature thing. Mittens is not trying to get cool. We have air conditioning. And be thankful we do, because otherwise, you'd be enjoying a "much-less-dressed Roomie" rather than a "full-pajama'd Roomie" in this picture.
So, Roomie and the kids decided to see what all the fuss is about...
Verdict: Meh.
[1] - Update: No, it's not a temperature thing. Mittens is not trying to get cool. We have air conditioning. And be thankful we do, because otherwise, you'd be enjoying a "much-less-dressed Roomie" rather than a "full-pajama'd Roomie" in this picture.
where I'm not saying "wiggle it or die!"
I'm going to have to break a promise. I said that I'd put up a video of my hula demo at my kids' school BBQ. Unfortunately, Roomie and I realized that every video displayed the gigantic wall mural with the school name in all its green-and-yellow glory.
Not cool. Who wants weirdos, who land here while googling for "chicks with dicks", to know where my kids go to school?!
So, you get this lovely still of me...
You're welcome.
Not cool. Who wants weirdos, who land here while googling for "chicks with dicks", to know where my kids go to school?!
So, you get this lovely still of me...
You're welcome.
weaponry for the 8th: a birthday post.
9 boys
2 girls
5 to 10 years of age
a LOT of sugar
... and a bunch of bows and arrows
Are you imagining chaos, mayhem, punctured children? Yeah, so was I, but hey, an afternoon at the archery range for my son's 8th birthday party seemed harmless enough. Right?
Sure enough, it wasn't all "groupies at a Justin Bieber concert". Here's one of our rare moments of order...
I know you probably don't recognize it, but that's what "kids quietly paying attention" looks like. Whoa, weird, right?
They obviously listened long enough to learn the basics and show us what they could do. Lam proved that he had the mad archery skills to give Green Arrow some serious competition...
Even little sister Mini showed that at the tender age of 5 she already has what it takes to fulfill her dream of becoming a Super-Model/Rocket-Scientist/Dancer/Archer...
Now, I gotta say that I wish we'd gone down to see the venue before we booked it. It looked like someone's gungy basement complete with dripping pipes and corners that look suspiciously moldy. But of course, the kids didn't seem to care.
Especially after they got their chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles.
At which point they became rabid, like Cujo, started foaming at the mouth, and truly went nuts...
2 girls
5 to 10 years of age
a LOT of sugar
... and a bunch of bows and arrows
Are you imagining chaos, mayhem, punctured children? Yeah, so was I, but hey, an afternoon at the archery range for my son's 8th birthday party seemed harmless enough. Right?
Sure enough, it wasn't all "groupies at a Justin Bieber concert". Here's one of our rare moments of order...
They obviously listened long enough to learn the basics and show us what they could do. Lam proved that he had the mad archery skills to give Green Arrow some serious competition...
Even little sister Mini showed that at the tender age of 5 she already has what it takes to fulfill her dream of becoming a Super-Model/Rocket-Scientist/Dancer/Archer...
Now, I gotta say that I wish we'd gone down to see the venue before we booked it. It looked like someone's gungy basement complete with dripping pipes and corners that look suspiciously moldy. But of course, the kids didn't seem to care.
Especially after they got their chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles.
At which point they became rabid, like Cujo, started foaming at the mouth, and truly went nuts...
Happy 8th Birthday, my dear son! We love you!
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