Fake it, Don't make it

The July issue of Real Simple had a very easy ice cream cake idea. I didn't use the word "recipe" because it was so easy that it didn't feel like a recipe.

Whip up some real whipped cream.

In a loaf pan, I used a bigger pan, place a piece of wax paper. Layer ice cream sandwiches, we did half vanilla and half mint, with the whipped cream. Add crushed candy bar on top, we used a Hershey's bar and some toffee pieces.

Freeze for at least 1 hour. Great to make ahead.

The boys LOVED this. I think I will make it again for Friday with red and blue candies on top.

It's a good thing he's cute

Griffin helped himself to chocolate milk this morning. He accidently spilled the sugary chocolate and a lot of it got behind the fridge.


Back story on fridge...It is huge, when we got it we had to remove the cabinet above and trim down the one on the side to get it to fit. It is a HUGE pain to move. Last year (almost exactly one year ago) we noticed a leak from the water / ice maker line. We had the leak fixed, the basement carpet professionally dried (it leaked through the floor to the guest room), the wood floors were dried then sanded and refinished. When the restoration guys came to move all of our belongings back into the house (the whole main level is wood floor and the had to refinish the entire area) they attached the water line and it began leaking again. The wood floor guys had nicked the line with the sander. The guys that finished the basement covered the shut off switch in the wall.

So what this means is we have 1/2 inch of plastic water line to fix. And no way to get more line without ripping up the basement walls.

Fast forward to today. We move the fridge to clean up the chocolate sugar mess. When pushing the fridge back, it nicked the water line again. We hurry to turn off the water to the house, Ben goes to Home Depot for the new fitting, the darn thing is still leaking. Our neighbor Mike comes over to help, it still leaks. We are just about to tear into the basement wall to find the shut off valve when Mike comes up with another idea. It works. No more leak!

We dodged the bullet on this one, but next time the darn thing leaks, the basement walls will be torn up.

4 hours without water. Then the water was back on for an hour and the entire neighborhood lost power...for 3 hours!!

space on left side of fridge


space on right side of fridge


8 inches of space behind fridge. We can't push it back any further or it will run over the water line AGAIN!

A weeks worth of posts wrapped up in one

I haven't only been lounging by the pool and chatting it up with Hillary and Natalie this week. We had a busy, busy week of fun.

Thursday night: Sky Sox game. Carter brought two friends, and we brought our neighbors. A total of 6 boys ages 4-14 and 4 adults. We had several rain delays, and finally packed it in at 10:30 pm, the bottom of the 10th, and took everyone home.






Friday morning: Hayden's birthday party at the pool. He turned 4 the week before but I couldn't get anything scheduled until now. All the kids had fun swimming. Ben took off work early and cooked burgers and hot dogs. He is our only summer baby, we love having parties at the pool!




Friday afternoon: Griffin's private swim lesson with Eric the lifeguard. Griffin needed help with the technical stuff for swim team, he has DQ the breast stroke both times he swam it. He needed this little extra help to get things perfect.



Friday later afternoon: Pack it up and drive to Lake Pueblo for a fun weekend of camping and boating. Oops, took a wrong turn (thanks for not saying I told you so honey), added 1 hour to our 1 hour trip.

Saturday: Big Family Fun on Grandpa's boat. We got a great campsite with shade! The boys had lots of fun fishing.









Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: T-Ball, T-Ball, T-Ball, T-Ball

Next week I hope to be a better blogger and not overload you at the end of the week!

What is the matter with that kid's hair?

I love when his hair looks like this

Or this

Sometimes it is long enough to do this



But usually it looks like this

And on a GOOD DAY it could look like this

Or heaven forbid, it looks like this

But now most days it looks like this

So from now on it will look like this


I am just a little sad that the floppy, feathered 70's hair is gone. But I am so happy that I won't have to fight with Griffin to comb through that tangled mess of chlorinated straw anymore.

It's real life, a look inside the Testosterone Zone

I missed the actual day of the It's Real Life Carnival hosted by Jessica on Thursday, but you know what they say, "better late than pregnant," oops I mean "never". (Sorry, no offense to all of you pregnant moms!) The idea was to take pictures of specific things or rooms in your home, without cleaning or prepping. I took the pictures, got all ready to blog, and had to leave for the baseball game, then the birthday party, then camping.

So here you go...A look inside the Testosterone Zone.



MY REFRIGERATOR



Yes, it is busy. Included on the fridge: Chuck E Cheese sketch of Hayden and me, Ovarian Cancer Awareness ad, favorite picture of Hayden and Griffin, Carter's photo magnet from kindergarten, Hayden's birth certificate (just got it last month, never needed it before T-ball, sorry but he is the third), school calendar, David Letterman magnet (he is on my "list"!), library hours.



Did you notice in the last picture that the doors are weird? We have a wide by side. Easier to get big things in freezer and fridge. We also have a freezer in the garage so it isn't such an issue but it is nice to have the room in the fridge. Now we just need food.

OUR CLOSET

His side



My side. And of course, nothing fits!



THE KITCHEN SINK

It is clean because Carter is looking for allowance. Way to go Carter!

THE TOILET

Our basement bathroom, otherwise known as MOMMY'S BATHROOM. No, I really don't run downstairs to use the restroom, maybe I should, think of the exercise. This is the bathroom we put in when we had the basement finished 2 years ago. The tub is jetted, I picked the decor; lavender, black and silver. I love, love, love taking long, hot baths down there. We even had a cable jack installed so I would never have to leave.




MY FAVORITE SHOES

Ok, yeah, scary, I know. I love all my shoes! I love running shoes, dressy sandals, rocket dogs, flip flops. I love them all. Did you notice the top of the closet picture? Scroll back up and see that scary sight.

MY FAVORITE ROOM

Our basement family room; cool in the summer, warm in the winter, currently clean, offers refreshing beverages.

After passing MOMMY'S BATHROOM, you see the wet bar and my old dollhouse, currently GI Joe's home.

Our old couch from before we got married, obviously since it is white! Or it once was white. Above the couch are my very cool pictures from our first trip to Moab.

Ahh, the bar. I love the tile border on the floor!

On the right: My awesome husband bought me the Bill Buckner and Mookie Wilson autographed picture, remember the 1986 World Series, game 6? Click the link. I still get goose bumps watching that video! Bill Buckner bobbled the easy grounder and Ray Knight scored. The Mets won game six and went on to win game seven. Amazing METS!

The picture on the left: an original poster from Woodstock (the real one) and an official unused ticket from August 16, 1969 (my birthday). My fabulous parents found this for me at a cool little shop in UpState New York. I love it!

The toy closet, the best thing I could have added to our basement.

WHAT MY KIDS ARE DOING NOW

Carter is looking for more allowance, feeding the cats (Fred and Wilma).

Hayden is playing on the tire swing with Julia.

Hey, wasn't there one more boy in that house? Where is that one....

Aha Griffin, just in time to make it on the blog.

MY LAUNDRY PILE

The boys think we have a laundry chute.

The clean clothes can often be found in the basement. My previously mentioned awesome husband handles the laundry.

Good job Darling, time to relax.

SELF PORTRAIT

oops ran out of time

Here is a shot of Ben and I in Goblins Valley State Park, Utah just outside of Moab (taken by Hayden).

So there you have it, the Testosterone Zone. Oh no, have to go referee a boy brawl. See you bloggers later!

It's a Major Award. I won it!

You really must make your way over to the McMommy Chronicles, if you haven't already. Just this week she hosted the McMommy Bloggy Awards and guess what?

It's a major award and I won it!



For those of you who missed my acceptance speech, I have Tivoed it for you. But it didn't work, here is a copy of the transcript...

Sniff, sniff. I really don't have anything prepared. (papers rustling) Well, just a few words of thanks.

First I would like to thank my husband for that Y chromosome. Yes, I know I often complain and hide in fear of being over-run by boys, but I wouldn't change a thing.

Secondly, I would like to thank my former employer, Cheap Tickets, for allowing me to win those two tickets to Mexico. And thanks to Jose (Cuervo, of course) for making such yummy margaritas, they really make me lose my inhibitions. If I hadn't lost those inhibitions I would be the mother of two boys and not the award winning THREE BOYS!

I would also like to thank Carter Weil for attending my high school and being so darn cute. Without you, I might have just skipped over Carter in the baby name book...Nah!

And finally I would like to thank McMommy for hosting these wonderful awards. You motivate me to post more interesting stories and funny memories. I am a much better blogger having known you.

Congratulations to Karen and all the other winners. What a fun time.

Thank... BUZZZ. What was that? Oh, I am out of time. Thank you.....thank you...



Next I hope to win the "Survivor...Mom of Three Boys" award.