"shrimp boil........."

I LOVE TO HAVE A SHRIMP BOIL!!!!!!!!!
I want to have one every weekend! Love to have friends over and cook for them. Love to eat the food. Love to cook the shrimp boil....... So tasty and fun. And since everyone knows how OCD I am about being organized.......I have everything all ready and contained in my cute little basket.

So when it't time to cook I can relax and have a glass of wine and visit.

We had Mark and Becky and their kids (+1) up for dinner.

The boys were no where to be seen most of the evening......until dinner was ready. hahahaa....They were tinkering around with computer/video game stuff. So us girls sat out on my patio and visited and drank wine..........(well............Becky and I drank wine......all the rest of the girls are too young!)

Becky and Gracie. Gracie loves to hang out with us momma's.....Dinner was delish! And obviously after dinner and a few drinks...............we had a brilliant idea to go to the dollar store and get candy!!!!! (last time it was donuts at Nana's house!). Well, we have a legal, licensed driver! Nicole will drive us!

Everyone PILE IN THE VAN!!!!!!!! (oh, the van.................) we were minus the dog this time. But I think we were dog sitting??????? Becky.........don't ever get rid of your van!

We found it neccessary to take fun pics in the van...................on the way to the dollar store..........to get candy..............with all of our kids............................Good times.............hahahaaa

And we continuted to take pictures AT the dollars store............ but before we left I had the youngest, cutest kids (Gracie) go ask the dad's for money...........we ended up scrounging up $10.00........

That's alot of sweets at the dollar store! Chocolate!!!!!!!

I'm sure we were disturbing the peace...........but life should ALWAYS be fun!!!!!!! The kids thought we were fun. And we thought we were funny......(easily amused!) and I LOVE shinnanaghans!!!

So we got back to the house with our stash..........................I think the kids ate most of it in about 5 minutes.........oh well..................they will probably always remember the "van-capades".......

And Luke is one of the sweetest little boys I know! He loves me..........and tells me I'm pretty :) and I gave him candy!!!!!!!!!

Fun Saturday night!!! We try and trade off dinner with the Bagenski's and this was our turn! Good food. Good company. Good wine. Good memories with our families! Yachat's is our next outing together!

"sweet little Emma...."

My cousins sweet little girl Emma had a dance recital!!!!!!!!
But before the recitial I needed to go over to their house for an "intervention". (not my 1st kitchen intervention!)
Emma had decided to cut her own hair. Just picked up hair on both sides and chopped it off! hahahhahahahahahhhahaaaaaaaaaa...........Not funny,.......but it kind of is...............
so I tried to "fix/blend/get rid of the mullet look" the best I could. She let me fuss with it. And lecture her about why we don't cut our own hair. And let me curl it! She pulled it off...... She is one of the cutest little girls I have ever met! And SASSY! And I love it!

Recital was adorable and made me miss my little girl being "little". Emma was the best dancer there (seriously.........she had the attitude!)

"snack-shack monster!"

When you get stuck at the admission/concession table at a basketball tournament (when your daughter is playing at another location!!!!!!! I need to learn to say NO!) when all else fails.
Take Tyler with you! He was a riot. We talked and laughed and took money and he ate more snacks that I had to pay for, then what admission would have been to get into the game! But he was charming........and funny. We sold more snacks at the game we volunteered for than anyone all day! oh.........but I paid for alot of those snacks.........hahhahaaa

How many dumb-dumb suckers can one 11 year old boy eat?????????????

"relay for life.........."

We participated in Relay for Life again this year.

Someone else had a camera so there are lots of cute pics floating around somewhere! If I get them I may post them someday. Didn't seem as fun as years past. I was tired from working all day/week and Nicole wasn't feeling very good. We did our assigned times and left at midnight.

"speaking of OCD heaven............."

I walked into Walmart in Newport.......and seriously......stopped in my tracks............
This is OCD heaven............................(so weird I know!!!!!!!!!!!) I like everything in my life to be in place and organized. And I can't control how other people act or react or when they are rude!!! but I can enjoy uniformity in my little bubble!

And this is just random..............(my walmart trip was kind of exciting! I really need to get a life!) I saw this and laughed out loud and sent this pic to my hubs. (funny joke with the names).

"father's day weekend......"

Father's day weekend............................
The ideal is to have a family BBQ and honor the father's in your life. Well..................
LeRoy didn't want to do anything.
My dad was coming home from the cabin.
LeRoy's dad was in Mexico.
So I decided..........to make yummy treats for my dad and my husband (even though he is not my father!)
I have been really watching what I've been eating and decided I was craving some carbs!
I went on a cook-from-scratch-frenzy!!!
I made: whole wheat banana bread, honey bread, pecan pie (for the dads), peach/pear cobbler (for the dads), homemade chili, pulled pork sandwiches, smoothies, omlets loaded with bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese and onions.
We didn't eat all of this in one day. hahahahhahaha!! But that's pretty much the menu for the weekend. You have to eat 3 meals a day right?! Does bread count as a meal????So since I was a little OCD about cooking.....................
I went way overboard with an OCD lovers dream weekend.........and cleaned too!
Oh, did I clean.........Nothing was safe.
I took the entire junk/misc. drawer in my kitchen.................and asked my loving husband to hold a trash bag for me cause I was dumping it! The entire drawer!!! A look of panic washed over his face as I started dumping and he started grabbing. You know..........like flashlights and crazy glue and stuff. hahahhahahahahaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....So liberating! I did pick out a "few" things worth saving. (except for yesterday when my hubs asked my for the Gorilla Glue..........00000ppps..that must not have made the dump).
I cleaned off book shelves. Recycled magazines. Priced garage sale stuff and had plenty of garbage! Helped the kids go through their clothes and donated or priced. Folded 10 loads of clean laundry and separated the mis-match sock basket. If the little sockies didn't have a mate...........buh-buyyyyyyy.............

Organize. Dust. Clean. Framed my awesome pic from Sophia.

Cleaned out all 3 bathrooms............

Even organized my cereal (have I mentioned I have OCD???) And I think the cereal is what started the entire clean-a-palooza in the first place. My husband was loving it! He hates clutter. (and I don't have a pantry.......so I think I have pantry-envy).

I washed containers and jars.......and put stuff in them! I like everything to be uniform and contained!

Medicine cabinets.........

My medicine cabinet. Who's medicine cabinet looks like this? Especially since we have lived in this house for 18 years!

Ahhhhhh............cleaned my makeup and organized it.........Makes me so happy! (It doesn't take much these days to make me happy).

I am getting so weird in my old age. I guess it's better than gambling or drinking right?????? And I spent from sun-up to sun-down on my little frenzy......No one tried to stop me..hahha

"thanks friend..................."

That is just what I needed..............................................A lovely invite to go to the Vault and have a glass of wine and some appetizers.
On a Thursday night. Outside..............with some fresh air.
When I have had a crummy week. (and people are rude! and mean!) And I have been working too much and am overbooked (I'm sure that classifies me as a "slacker". hahhaaaaaa
Your timing was perfect and I had such a great time!
Good food and the best company (and your hair looked awesome! Loved the flower.)
(Donna, next time you are coming!!!! We missed you!)We enjoyed fondue, fish tacos and sweet potato fries! (and 2 glasses of Muscato, YUM)
We had a wonderful visit, relaxed, enjoyed the short bursts of sunshine and went to the shoe store to look/try on shoes after! Perfect evening!
Can't wait for our little summer parties that we talked about! And for some sunshine!
Thanks friend...............................