Dancing

I've written about our love of the Imagination Movers before.  It's still a big hit around here.  And I still don't find it too annoying, so needless to say, that's the show of choice most of the time when I let the boys watch t.v.  This is a little video of them dancing to one of the songs.  It's probably only entertaining to those who already love my kids.  So if you don't know us in "real" life, please don't feel obligated to watch.  If you do know us, well, it's pretty cute.  Luke has just started dancing and I'm pretty sure he has more rhythm than Mark does!

Toy Story

Mark wanted to go swimming yesterday.  (It didn't end up happening because we waited on Tim and the pool was then closed, but I digress.)  I told him to go put on his Buzz Lightyear "swimming pool pants."  (Yes, he calls them swimming pool pants for some weird reason - I don't even pretend to understand that kid!)  We started talking about Toy Story and I asked him what Buzz Lightyear says.  He proudly yelled, "To Infinity... And I Yawned!"  When I explained it was "To Infinity and Beyond," he was not buying it.  He just laughed and told me I was silly.  

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Do you ever stop to think about your freedom?  I mean, really.  Our country is far from perfect, but we enjoy a tremendous number of liberties that many in the world don't have.  I get so tired of hearing people talk about what's wrong with America.  There are so many people who just want more and more from our government.  And there is a seemingly general attitude of dissatisfaction toward the blessings and privileges we do have.  But even worse than that, there is little gratitude for those who have served and still serve to provide those blessings.  

You probably don't think about it much, but when you get up and go to worship in the place of your choice on Sunday morning someone is serving to protect that freedom.  When you blog about how much the stimulus package disgusts you, someone's husband is missing their anniversary to protect that freedom.  When you choose to watch one news channel over another, someone's Daddy just missed their miraculous entrance into this world to protect that freedom.  When you go dove hunting on September 1st every fall, someone's son is missing their birthday to protect that freedom.  

I'm not asking you to do anything for me.  I'm not even asking for sympathy or a pat on the back.  I just want to remind you of the sacrifices military families make for the freedom we all enjoy.  Our lives are filled with months of being single parents, more missed holidays, anniversaries and birthdays than you could count and weeks without any contact with our husbands.  We do it gladly because we love our husbands and our families, but it's often hard and lonely.   May is Military Appreciation Month and today is specifically Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  So if you know a military spouse, thank them for all that they do today.  Or thank a former military spouse who made sacrifices years ago for our freedom.  And if you really want to show them that you appreciate what they do you can email your congressman to ask them to support the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act.

The first of many homecomings...

Sleep well tonight because somewhere beneath the ocean 

depths my husband is protecting your freedom

Got Books?

Both my boys have always loved books.  Luke has recently really taken an interest in reading the same ones over and over again.  He even tries to read them to himself, babbling as he turns the pages.  It's really cute.  Now, if only we could work on taking one off at a time...

What year is it?

I feel like I need to ask that question today.  I've been reading The Time Traveler's Wife for a book club I am in over the last week or so.  And then last night we watched our favorite show.  (There are a number of shows I watch and enjoy.  Among my favorites are Chuck, CSI:Miami, NCIS, The Mentalist, How I Met Your Mother.)  But LOST takes the cake.  It is hands-down our most loved t.v. show.  

That being said, it is also the single most frustrating and confusing show around.  Most Wednesday evenings end with us sitting on the couch, looking at each other completely bewildered.  Last night was no different.  For those of you who don't watch, there are two story lines occurring on the island in 1977 and also in the present day - involving the same people who were originally on the island in real time the first 3 seasons.  So weird and confusing!

And my book is about a man who is chronologically-challenged and is constantly disappearing from the "present" and showing up in the past.  He even meets his wife when she is 6 and spends the next 16 years visiting her periodically before he actually "meets" her in real time.  The book is an account of all these hops through time from different points of view.  

So, I kinda feel the need to ask, is it really 2009?  Have I lost a year or so somewhere?  Or maybe am I losing my mind instead?  Just checking.

There are no appropriate words...

Well, except maybe "No!"

(Yeah, that's a dog bone.  We like to share around here.)

Check out more photos at Wordless Wednesday!  

Cold Coffee House Style Drinks

I love Starbucks.  But I live 20-30 minutes from one.  And even I lived closer, I don't think my wallet or my rear end would survive spending $5 a day on Iced Lattes and Frapachinos all summer.  But I think I just found something that will double my coffee consumption at home.  And while that in itself might not be a good thing, this new recipe is.  I found this concept in my latest issue of In Style magazine and am hooked.  The article explained that pouring hot coffee over ice rendered it bitter and offered a simple solution called cold brewing.  It's simple and costs a little more than the price of one drink from Starbucks.

1.  Start with 3/4 lb of good coffee.  (I used pre-ground, regular Dunkin' Doughnuts.)  You can use a flavor or grind your own.  Just don't grind it too fine or the coffee will not be easily strained.

2.  Place coffee in a container with 8 cups of cold water.  Use only good water here or your coffee flavor will be affected.  I used filtered water from my fridge.

3.  Let the coffee mixture sit overnight in the refrigerator.  

4.  Strain the mixture with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.  I used a mesh strainer and strained it 3 times.  The final time I added a paper towel to the inside of the strainer to make sure I got all the solids.

You'll be left with a very strong coffee that will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.  You can use the coffee to pour over ice with milk for an iced latte.  Or freeze it into cubes, then blend with milk for a blended coffee drink.  (I'm guessing that you could make it even yummier by adding a small scoop of ice cream!)

I like to pour 1/3 -1/2 cup of the coffee over ice in a large cup.  Then I add 1/2-1 oz of flavored syrup and fill with fat free milk.  Stir and enjoy!

Making my own coffee at home Works for Me!