It always starts with food …

1.  Our meal Thursday evening was breaded portobella mushrooms on whole wheat hoagies with advocados.  Delish!  I first had this type sandwich at the golf course.  It was so delicious my friend Laura didn’t eat her chicken salad and ate some of mine instead.  In our attempts to eat no animal products finding vegan alternatives that are really yummy is a bonus! We won’t be looking for any cattle supplies.

2.  Amanda’s cute new hair cut!

3.  morning run.

4.  my almost 7 year old girl iz…

5. flowers I got from matt…

Wanna share your faves?  Visit Susanne!

Another busy week! I really thought that Summer break would mean a less hectic schedule, but that’s just not happening! Anyway, I haven’t really had much chance to “blog” this week… but here’s my fave five:

1.   I saw this post over at Jill’s blog about her nails.  I have been considering getting my nails done again for some time and her post helped push me over the nail edge.  I have had so much trouble typing today with these new things even in short length.  I stopped getting nails when Izzy had her accident so it’s been a while… gonna take some getting used to.  (you are right Jill, it is hard to take a pic of your own hand!)

2.  My favorite day this week was probably Monday!  Even though we were on some kind of crazy chase for the right person or place to be at the University of Oklahoma, it was still fun to walk around the beautiful campus.  We finally were directed to the honors college and joined the scholars program enrollment.  I got to sit in a parent’s meeting while Amanda got all enrolled.  I was mistaken for her sister once and her classmate another time.  I was ok with that. 

3.  My other bloggy friend Angie gave me a tip about learning to run effortlessly.  That’s kind of a joke to me, but still a goal for this year.  I am happy to report that after about a week of using her method today was actually invigorating.  I took Bailey and his friend Christian with me and actually out ran them a time or two.  The first time I went it was awful! So I am hopeful I will be able to do this!  Thanks Ang!

4.  I saw this recipe for Chicken Divan over at OHAmanda… and I can’t do a post without food in it! 

5.  These shoes!  They are so comfy and even cute!

That’s my five. Visit Susanne to share yours.

After finally clearing out my huge number of unread posts on bloglines, I realized quickly that the general concensus is that blogging is taking a back seat for many people.  I’ve said it before, facebook is just flat out easier than blogging.  Instant social gratification.  You can type one sentence and connect with fifty people you haven’t seen in fifteen years.  But, I still refuse to end the blog.  I like the way I can look back at what happened two years ago in April or what that recipe was that we liked… just by searching my posts.  I still love the blog. 

In honor of “blogging…”  I am gonna list my fave five things I read on other people’s blogs this week.

1.  My friend Dena “growing up girlie“ way over in S.C. has an adorable children’s shop.  She has been dabbling in sewing clothes for her sweet little girl Annie (her last name is my maiden name!).  Cool huh?  Well she made this adorable little outfit and I am so on this!  If I ever get a free moment I am going to attempt this for Iz.

2.  I’ve really been intending to make this pizza I saw posted on BIGMAMA’s blog!

3.  This was a great devo on Internet Cafe…

4.  Sandra posted a monkey bread recipe!  Matt made monkey bread when I saw it posted on Pioneer Woman a few weeks ago.  YUM.  Sandra’s reminder made me want to have some this weekend!  Sandra always posts delish recipes.

5.  OHAmanda’s top ten tuesday list!  Love her!

I realize that over half of this post was about food.  There were other interesting things I read on blogs… like some info on the Gosselins I almost wish I hadn’t read, Kat saying she was going to quit blogging, Gail making tents in her dining room with the grandkids which reminded me of the tents we used to make in the dining room, and lots of other fun stuff.  Amazon books rock.

Visit Susanne to share your fave five!

What a crazy busy week!  There were a few five highlights worth mentioning… (in no particular order)

one.

I finished my first batch of spill plans.  They are being delivered now and I couldn’t be more happy to have them done.  This new “job” has been a challenge and just finishing something even though there are so many more to do really is great.  I have decided to find someone to hire to do the CADS for me because I just don’t have time.  Seeing those big folders full of spill plans on their way to Texas just made me smile.

two.

I broke my laptop this week.  That’s not a favorite moment, in fact it was a really really bad moment… but a few good things followed (like usual).  Mom immediately brought her laptop for me to use and I had backed up almost all my data on a 8 gb thumb drive so I had access to what I needed to keep working.  Matt commented that mom’s act of lending her laptop was like saying, “oh you killed your dog, here’s mine.”  After loaning me her laptop she and my dad drove mine to the computer repair store and convinced them to rush the repair (new screen).  The next good thing was the 8 a.m. call saying, “your computer is ready!”  It was not even a full day when they quoted three days! Now to do a review for Outer Banks rentals.

three.

Izzy’s IEP.  Honestly I don’t generally enjoy those meetings … but with the group surrounding izzy they are almost filled with positives rather than discussing all the things she “cannot do.”  Melanie always works so hard to constantly speak positives and I think that is one of the characteristics of a great teacher!  Camilla and Izzy just have a special bond, there is love there on both sides, and it shows.  I say it all the time, but we are so blessed in that area.  The goals set were much like those last year but she did meet some of this years goals which is great… 

four.

hot rollers.  Random huh?  I pulled out the old pack of hot rollers this week because I’ve been noticing some hair that looked like soft curls and figured my hair was long enough not to look like a pouf head. Not a great picture, but you get the idea… 

five.

Walks at the park.  We’ve been continuing our nightly walks at the park.  My goal now is to jog/run effortlessly.  I see these people (usually guys) that just run so effortlessly.  I want to do that!  That’s my goal, but for a now a walk in the park is great for raising my heart rate and clearing my head!

What are your faves from the week?

Better late than never…  It’s been a crazy full of tons of work kinda week!

Izzy was not feeling well several days this week so she got to go to work with me.  She seemed to enjoy getting out with me and I enjoyed having her with me too.

1.

My first favorite thing from this week was our house and the homes of our family members in Choctaw being spared from the fire.  Matt and I drove around this afternoon and looked at a lot of damage.  It was so sad to see so many houses burned down to the ground.  There were many news reporters and lots of traffic out looking. 

2.

Next is the cute outfit Gram ordered for Izzy to wear for Easter!  I heart Hanna Andersson!  Thanks Gram!

3.

My third favorite thing of this week was the scale reading today!  Apparently working a lot does wonders for losing weight ! 

4. 

Weekends!  I’m so happy it’s Friday night and hope to sleep past six a.m. tomorrow.  I have work to do over the weekend, but I have a good handle on what needs to be done!

5.

Easter!  Amanda wants to dye eggs tomorrow.  We’ll have a Easter Egg Hunt and a delicious ham dinner (yay mom!)… Church on Sunday and a special service Sunday night!  It’s about way more than running around finding coordinating outfits for all the kids !  Hope you all have a blessed and wonderful Easter weekend. 

p.s. Thank you Haley and Nancy Face for the cute Easter cards!

Visit Susanne for more fave fives.

Still crazy busy… but a girl needs shoes!

Here’s two faves from this week (both from Payless)…

1.

2. and these…

They are both really cute on and with the prices at payless plus a 20% off coupon… you can’t beat it!

3. Matt and I got gyros to go and ate at the park at the picnic table again this friday evening before walking.  I have a cough and just wasn’t hungry but Princess & Matt managed to eat my dinner too.  It was a perfect evening for a walk and mom and dad showed up and we walked with them another lap around the park.  It was nice.

4.  ER.  I was sad to watch the last episode last night.  UGH.  I heart that show.

5.  Laura!  I got to catch up with my dear long time friend Laura at lunch today.  I have really missed her! 

Visit Susanne to share your fave fives…