Frozen Meals and a Visit to the Girl Doctor

Okay so those two things really don't have anything to do with eachother, but I don't feel like doing two posts.

First off I went to get a physical yesterday and to do all the "girl stuff". Yuck. Why is it that it never gets any better? Anyways, she was doing the breast exam and I really wanted to say "Don't worry, my husband assures me that it will be pretty obvious if there is a lump there..." What a kind husband I have! :) I was also referred to a physical therapist to see what's wrong with my hip. Hopefully I'll be able to go in soon and figure out a way to make it stop hurting.

Second, at the Northwest Womens show I got a coupon for a free Dinner's Ready meal. The coupon was worth $25. Yesterday I went to get something, hoping we could eat if for dinner, but in the end they only had frozen meals available. I guess they are switching around their menu, and so they didn't have meals available to put together on the spot. Anyways, the point of the story is...they handed me a bunch of ziploc bags, inside a big ziploc bag, that had the directions for cooking on it. The funny thing about this, is that some friends and I do a frozen dinner exchange and we hand meals to eachother that are packaged the same. Ladies, did you realize we are handing out $24 meals??? So maybe we should make all the meals, but instead of trading with eachother sell them to the crazy people that would pay $24 for something that could be made at home for 6 or 7 (at that would be on the high end, more like $3). Seriously, I can't believe they sell anything. I guess when you compare it to eating out it's cheaper/healthier than 4 people going to Red Robin. But still...is it that hard to go to the grocery store, grab a few veggies, chop them up and add them to the frozen chicken you have sitting in your freezer???? Serving's for 6 were almost $40!!!

So basically, if anyone is thinking about going to Dinner's Ready, just call/email me...I'll make you a dinner and only charge you $12...that's half price!!! What a deal!

Soccer In the Snow/Hail/Rain/Sun

You might think based on the title that I'd be covering Kimber's whole season of soccer...but no...just last Saturday. We're talking an hour people, and we saw every type of weather. I really couldn't help but laugh (and complain of course :))!

I trapped Sam and Alli in the jogger with the cover on so they'd stay warm. It's like a sauna in there. Luckily it worked. They stayed warm, dry, and happy (when I added cookies into the picture). Notice Kimber all bundled...

Then the sun came out and the coat came off. Along with the hat and gloves. Once the sun went away they gloves and hat made it back on.

If you look closely you can see the snow/hail falling. What a day for soccer!

Puyallup Fair---Spring Version

We've been doing the regular Puyallup fair every year since we moved back to Washington, but we've never tried out the Spring one. I thought it was sooo much better, especially for the kids. We were there for 3 hours and barely covered 1/3 of it, probably not even close to a 1/3 of it.

We watched Pig Races (which my girls still talk about daily). They were fascinated with "Swifty" the baby pig who could swim.

We saw a Pirate Fire Show. Pretty boring if you ask me but the kids were amazed. I just couldn't get over all the bare skin that was showing that DEFINITELY should not have been. Were talking pasty-white-roley-poley-skin! Yuck!

The kids caught live trout out of the fishing pond. We headed over there thinking we were going to throw a pretend hook over some sheet and they'd get a sucker or something...nope we're talking real stinky fish. They even gave the option of taking it home -- gross! Needless to say, we left ours at the fair. Allison and her friend Gavin did it together and caught one in like 15 seconds. They weren't too sure about getting splashed on while the fish was wiggling around, but they were pretty amazed by the whole thing. Kimber caught 2 (I think...she was with my friend Tami) and Sam decided not to participate.


We then walked into one of the exhibit halls where Barbie was hanging out. Kimber and Alli went and visited with her, again Sam didn't participate. Something about people in costume, even pretty people like Barbie....

They also held a huge python...gross. Sam did hold the snake.


(sorry it's sideways..my computer is too slow to go back and fix it)

Alli and Kimber also had their faces painted. Sam had a tramatic potty accident before they got all painted up, so she wasn't feeling up to it. Poor girl! Note to self...always care extra clothes!!!!





Anyways it was a great day AND it only cost us $5!!!! Whoo-hoo! Thank goodness I've got cheap friends that like to spend as little as possible --- just like me!!!

Until next year Spring Ferris Wheel (as Alli would say)!

Soccer Fun

Kimber is playing Spring Soccer...although it feels more like freezing-cold-winter soccer. These pictures are from the only game that it wasn't hailing/raining. She decided she loves soccer on sunny days!

Playing offense...her least favorite position, although she did great on Saturday

I know she doesn't look like she is enjoying herself, but she was just hot and tired.

The Dances and Grandma came to support her...they are fair-weather fans :) (I don't blame them!)

Tami got this picture of Sam...too funny!

Hopefully we'll have more days like this...but it's not looking too likely right now (freezing cold, windy, and rainy....where is Spring?????) !

Spring Break Fun

We had a pretty good Spring Break.

It started off great b/c the girls got to stay at my mom's for a night. It was weird to be home with out them. I'm used to the whole vacation stuff...but having time to do stuff around home was different. It was nice! Thanks Mom!

We found a wonderful new park. The kids had a blast and keep asking to go back. We went twice in 3 days, and I'm sure there will be many more sunny days spent there.

We also went to the zoo, which is always fun. We saw many animals, but I think this peacock was the biggest hit. They were so excited b/c they could be so close to it. We also learned that crows love vanilla wafers...don't leave them out on your stroller, unless you intend to share.

One Year Ago Today....

I was leaving for my Price is Right vacation. Too bad we're not going this year too. Since I wasn't blogging back then I figured I could do a post about it now.

Tami, Darcy, Carrie and I all left our families behind and flew to L.A. (all on different planes, but within an hour or so of eachother). We spent 3 days enjoying some girl time.

We went to Six Flags, where I took my dramamine so I could make it through the day, and rode almost every ride we could. It was a chilly day, but we still had fun. We realized we were all old though. Our bodies didn't handle the jarring/shaking like they used to.

The second day we went shopping at a mall in Santa Monica and then to Venice Beach to buy all the touristy junk and watch all the interesting people.

Tami at the mall after getting some fancy bling in her hair

Carrie and Darcy on their phones for like the 100th time. :)

Walking the boardwalk at Venice Beach

The last day started at 1:00 in the morning when we jumped in line outside the CBS studios. We hung out on the streets (next to 100's of other people and the rats that live off the junk those people left lying around) until 6:00 a.m. We then received a number. We then drove back to our hotel so Carrie, Tami, and I could shower. Back to the studios at 8, to receive the same number but on a different piece of paper. Back to the hotel where Darcy showered. Back to the studios at 10:00, where we remained sitting in our number order until 2:00 when they took us onto the Price is Right stage. It was quite the LONG day waiting in line. After basically waiting in line for 13 hours we were starting to wonder if it was worth it (well Tami wasn't b/c she had done it all before), but all it took for me was walking into that room that I have seen so many times on TV. Talk about exciting. Call me a dork, but I totally cried when Bob came onto the stage. I'm still claiming it was because of the lack of sleep. Really though, it was just being there, doing something I had ALWAYS wanted to do. We ended up being on the special night version, celebrating Bob's 50 years on TV. We didn't get on stage but we got lots of TV time. We helped a guy win 3 stinking cars...but we didn't get him the showcase. :( Tami and I were very prepared...we each made spread sheets and studied shows for weeks prior to this adventure. We would have won every game, if only we had gotten on stage! We only got to see 3 games played (which really lowered our chances of getting on) and we didn't get to see the big wheel. We did see Adam Sandler in person though. Bob even talked to us during a commercial break. He said he'd come work out with us so he could get buff like the picture of him on our shirts. It was a great 2 hours and well worth the wait, for me at least. We were ready to jump back in line if we could've, but instead we headed to the airport.

All of us before the show. Our shirts say "Mom's on Break. We left this (picture of crying children)..."

"For this....(picture of Bob's head on a muscular body)"

On the shuttle on the way to the airport. (Obviously the driver wasn't a photographer)

Hopefully we'll go back again someday. Not sure if it will be the same without Bob, but maybe we'll get on stage this time!

Free Red Robin

Yep, you read that right, Free Red Robin. Tami and I took our girls (minus Alli) to the new Red Robin in Renton and enjoyed $60 worth of food for zero dollars! My wonderful cousin Julie found out that Red Robin was doing 3 days of free food (with reservations) to train their waitstaff. Julie had made a reservation but ended up not being able to go, so she offered it to me. Thanks Julie!

We had a great time. We got food, drinks, and even a dessert for free. I even tried something new...my first chicken burger. It was delish! I have a new favorite now. It was easy to try something new b/c it was free. I'm always worried about trying something new when I'm paying for it...I hate to be disappointed with my food choices, especially at a restraunt. That is why I have my usuals EVERYWHERE I eat.

Anyways it was fun. We're going to do research on when the one being built in Covington is having the 3 day training...we'll let you know the details once we find them out.

I've Been Tagged

4 jobs I've had:
* donut froster/filler/seller
* hostess at Denny's
* Hogi Yogi Mangager
* preschool teacher

Last 4 movies I've seen:
* Ocean's 13
* The Holiday
* Juno
* 27 Dresses

4 places I've been:
* Belize
* Honduras
* Hawaii
* Virgin Islands

4 tv programs I watch:
* Survivor
* Biggest Loser
* American Idol
* LOST

4 radioshows:
* 92.5
*101.5
* 103.7
* 94.1

favorite foods:
* rice and pinto bean burrito's (Q'doba, Chipotle, Taco Del Mar, Cafe Rio)
* Kung Pao Chicken
* Lasagna
* peanut butter chex mix

4 places I'd rather be:
* on a cruise ship
* on a date with Konrad
* Hawaii
* Disneyland

I dont know who to tag... I will choose:
* Jana C.
* Melanie B.
* Laura M.
* Kristen J.

Too Much of a Good Thing

I baked a lot of treats this weekend. Friday I made chocolate chip cookies, Saturday Steph and I made 3 different kinds of doughnuts (we had to figure out the best recipe), and on Sunday I made a cake for my mom's birthday and cookies for Doug's birthday.

Anyways...there is such thing as too much of a good thing. I ate so much cookie dough, so many doughnuts, cake batter, topped off with more cookie dough and cookies. I went to bed every night sick to my stomach. It is definitely not helping in the weight factor either. I haven't been able to work out for 2+ weeks because of my hip, which makes it a bad time to be eating so many treats. I really need to gain some self control.

It doesn't help that Konrad has signed another of his "contracts" stating that he can only have 1 dessert a day...he should abandon this contract so that his wife doesn't catch up to him in weight! He needs to take one for the team...eating all that junk so that I don't!

Anyways, we've still got cake and some cookies in the freezer if anyone is interested! There are also a few donuts, but I doubt they are very good anymore. Oh we did find that our favorite doughnuts were just the refrigerated biscuits (the kind you pop out of the can) fried up and covered in powdered sugar. It doesn't seem as exciting as making them from scratch, but hey, they tasted great and are super easy.

Fun with Cousins

We had fun playing with our cousins this past Friday. We got to see Jack, Jordan, Makenna, and Makenna's friend Hallie. We spent all day Friday together and the kids had a blast.

Eating Lunch

Jack playing with the train Hallie, Alli, Steph, Jordan, Kenna, and Sam
All the "Riding" cousins

Jack was sad so Sam held him to help him feel better
Kenna
Aunt Michelle feeding baby Jordan
Alli, Sam, and Jack watching TV...can they get any closer??
It was a fun Friday...thanks for coming to play.

Twins From Another Mother

I am amazed how much my girls look like Darcy's boys. What do you think?


(Alex and Kimber too...but they weren't here when I took the pictures)

April Fools - Where's Daddy?

Kimber has been excited about April Fools Day for a couple of weeks so we figured we should make an attempt. Konrad did a quick search online and found this idea...

First a picture of what the girls saw when they walked into the kitchen:



We stuffed the legs of a pair of Konrad's pants and propped up a newspaper on a chair. Here is a video of Alli's reaction: