I normally like to cook from scratch..... but.......

I tried a new product i saw on the shelf of the grocery store today........

Organic Batter Blaster... in a container as if it were Redi-Whip....

How strange, i stared at it as i was getting my $1.59 Milk.... what a deal, i mean can you blame me for stocking up on that priced milk! Oh yeah!

2 milks...... check!

1 package strawberries...... check!

...... and 1 can Batter Blaster... ...... check! what?! So it wasn't on the list... but ...... but......

Tonight kids..... Breakfast for dinner!

which happens to be one of my favorite things to make for dinner!

I was a little apprehensive, i will admit, but why not!~

Step one....... take can out of fridge.... wow.... that was easy!

Step 2....... heat pan.... OK... i can do this step even quicker! Now spray batter in pan...... we tried waffles too....

WOW... so so easy..... NEXT

make eggs, bacon...... and I'm done!

Honestly, everything looks better on my Anthro plates......

And the taste.......

DELICIOUS... I'M SHOCKED!!!!

They came out very thin, no matter what size, almost like a crepe..... but had really yummy flavor...

Go figure, it was a hit.... with all of us...

Sometimes you need a little help.... so.. this was no mess, no fuss... easy clean up!

Everyone cleaned their plates..... they loved it!

Pretend Vacay.... anyone... anyone?

Doesn't anyone else out there, plan pretend vacations?

I'm on the phone with a friend today......

.... hearing.... what seems to be "charlie browns teacher" on the other end, because I'm not paying attention at all!

My responses, Uh huh, yeah, mmmm, oh sure..... because I'm intently staring at my computer screen, not paying one word attention to who is on the other line! (thank goodness i have understanding friends)!

I'm meandering through pictures, countries, tours, "hot spots" if you will.... of what is going to be my "Pretend Vacation" ... do i go in the summer, so i get a chance to wear great little sundresses and Italian leather sandals.... or winter so i can wear my warm cute woollies, and Burberry fur scarf (which i still haven't had the chance to wear yet, now going on 3 years)

*Side Note* I normally would refrain from buying

furry anything, was a gift, that just sits in my closet,

that's sad actually isn't it.....

As "my friend" is saying to me, "what are you doing over there?"

I respond with, "I'm planning my pretend vacation online," don't you ever do that?

I get a one word..... "NO!"..... oh, um..... errr.....

I go on to one of the many websites, where you can get the full package!

Hotel, rental car, airfare....

I think of a dream place i want to go........ as you can see from the pictures above, today i am going to plan a trip to Italy!

I plan what days, how long, where am i going to stay, what will i do there.....

Check out pricing, wow.... "surprisingly that's not as much as i thought"......

(now the trip i checked out to Bora Bora.....

well that would have left

me broke-a broke-a, almost $10000 wow!)

I think i do this, because i so am craving a chance to get out of my day to day!

Do something new, see new things.... meet new people!

Is that crazy? I don't think so......

.... others might think so....... Sure!

But, yes i am that kind of girl, that people are normally throwing a coin up to see if I'm crazy or not.... Never know if it will land on heads or tails that day!

You just never know!!!!

So, as i finished my journey to Italy.....

....i add another resolution to the list of things to do in life.....

and therefor am planning for the future trip to Italy...... future far off future...

I did only plan for 1 ticket...

hey, I'm not taking the kids to Italy!

I need a day off too, or a week in this matter,

so once Tag & Jack are old

enough...

"I'm leaving, on a jet plane...... "

Someday!

Beep....Boop

Its funny, the things we teach our kids to do at a young age!

This is Tag and I.....

If you put your finger out towards him, he will touch yours with his finger and say.....

Either....

BEEP

or

BOOP!

Hmmm... yeah, that's a little strange too....

Yes, that is a PoppySeed Salami Sandwich...

Yes, that is strange i have taken a picture of my Poppy Seed Salami Sandwich!
This was my lunch today!
This sandwich, though..... is not just a indulgence, has alot of memories around it.....


I know we are not the only family that celebrates, congregates, and meanders with food being the center of the activity!


When i see my sammy..... it reminds me of family summers, swimming in the pool, all of our friends over, my dad, my sister (when she use to eat meat, turned vegetarian, though you have to love the fact, she will still pull a slice out while making sandwiches for her kids and smell it! ) ha ha... she is such a nut!


The silly thing about this yummy little number, is it makes me miss my dad.... !


So, i just wanted to give my dad a "SHOUT OUT!" HI ROG... hope your having fun up there....:)

.....and to tell him that i miss him terribly... and his words of advice, and silly jokes, and commonly said one-liners are hugely missed around here... his silly way he use to sweep his hair across his forehead with his pinky! We have tried to copy how he did that, its harder then it sounds!.... but, everything, all the little things that use to make us all have such fun times with him...... are missed! XOXO

Jack"man"... the Day O' Doom!

Jack had a very exciting day yesterday!

The School Science Fair/Art Fair

We got to go to Jack's school and see his much talked about Volcano Erupt!!

We both had ideas in our head, about how this would all go down!

Jack and His Mama's Great Idea on the Volcano Eruption!~

We were thinking we would get to the school.....

Darkness would fall on Weinberg Elementary!

We would smell the odor of sulfur (pwef, stinky) and see

smoke rise from the buildings!

As we walked towards the third grade entrance....

There would be a "Ring of Fire" !! All the Volcano's the kids had built,

all over the 3rd grade courtyard!

One after another shooting hot lava (or as the kids learned, magma)

all over the school!

People screaming, kids crying, lava, magma everywhere!

Dust, dirt.... burns.... AHHHHH

HELP!!!!!!! SOS!!!!!!! HELP US!!!!!!

So, it didn't quite turn out that way!

As we approach the school, there is SUN shine! EVERYWHERE! ..... um.. (where be the clouds?)

As a matter of fact, i believe it was the sunniest day on record! :)

Kids are running around the playground... (where is the screaming in terror, this is laughter i hear!!)

We walked toward the much dreaded "3rd Grade Courtyard" .... and what is that we hear, but an old recording of Johnny Cash singing, "Ring of Fire".... What the...... hmmm.. catchy tune!

OK, well i know once we turn the corner, we are going to get slammed with MAGMA!

~Get ready for the 3rd degree burns kids, but its worth it to see Jack's Volcano he made~

Hmmm..... strange~

We hear more laughing, no burns, but kids with happy faces, parents cheering, bells ringing.... (bells, whats with the bells, there are no bells when a Volcano erupts)

We see all the kid made Volcano's, in a "RING of FIRE" ..... (at least i was right about that)

He finds his, picks it up, and we head to a Black tent!......

~Me thinking, OK this is it, they are tricking us!~

We enter, one family at a time into the..... Black Tent O' Death!!! (I named it that)

I think the teachers called it the "HAPPY LAVA TENT" but none the less.... we walk in to face our doom!

We sit at a table in the TENT O' DOOM!

...... this is strange, No magma, or lava... we have Baking Soda... and Vinegar....

(see, it was stinky of Vinegar... YES!!!! was right about it being smelly too!!!)

I got to hold a bell, and Jack got to sit across from his Volcano O' DOOM!

He poured some baking soda on the (very nicely sculpted volcano, i must add) and then was handed a cup, that I thought was just about to end our existence!

It was a cup of vinegar! Da da daaaaaaaaaa!

(Ah, thats why i got a bell to ring, had to drown out the sound of us screaming in horror when magma was about explode!)

HE poured the cup of Vinegar on the baking soda.... and........... I'm ringing the BELL O" DOOM...

Hmmmm.... there was a fizzing noise, and then it was done! LAVA was made!

Well, "ehm".... that wasn't so bad! (You guys want to go get some ice cream!)

I guess we exit out to the left......

Wait... i don't get to keep the bell?

And..... that was the DAY O" DOOM!... well almost doom!

So, since we lived through the "Ring of Fire"..... we went across the courtyard to the Cafeteria, to see the Art Fair.....

Jack's picture was lovely......

We walked to the car, (Jack's volcano in a garbage bag in hand) and went home to tell Grandma about the..... da da daaaaaaa..... DAY O' DOOM!

Ode' To My Favorite Shirt

Ode' to my Favorite Shirt......

Thank you,

for draping on me so nicely and making my bosoms look bigger then they are.

Your color of green is such a lovely mixture of blue and teal......

The pleats around the neckline, and lace, its just so flattering....

Your job has been done, mission accomplished!

You are my favorite shirt.....

A Neighborhood is all about the Neighbors.

I love my neighborhood!

On a daily basis we have up to 10 boys playing football in the streets....

... kids riding bikes, scooters.... chalk being colored on the driveways....

We don't have many girls in "da hood".... but the boys make it so much fun!

I have to give a little shout out..."THANKS" to my great neighbors!

The "ladies" who i like to refer too them as, have become such important parts of the Hoffman Clan's lives...

We sit out on the driveway, have cocktails, play ball, talk and catch up with what ever may be happening in "da hood!"

Occasionally on the weekends, we let the kids stay up later then normal, we stay outside

playing, talking, laughing.

The occasional practical joke on the

neighbor that choose to "leave the hood" that night!

Sorry, Bryan for the "HOT" pepper in your beer that night!

If any consolation, it was Ray's idea!

It wouldn't be as much fun living here on Granite Street,

if we didn't have "the ladies", the husbands, the kids

who have become such an important part of our lives!

These BEAUTIES.....

Don't mind the kids in the background, though they are my little beauties too...... but I'm talking about the sweet little nothings that are perched perfectly on the counter.

I saw these yesterday.... just shopping around, looking for some new tops, when a force was pulling me to the shoe department.

It was such a strong force, that i nearly couldn't concentrate on the 11 shirts that were in my hand that i was "thinking" about buying...... (when i say "thinking" you all know, that i mean.. "AM")

For those of you wondering,

yes i did concur the questionable shirts,

and did walk away with 4 of them... :)

But back to my little beauties.....

... As i was being pulled into the shoe department, the smell of leather.... the shine of the shoes was so over powering...

I looked left, i looked right, and then sitting on a table ( light was shining on these little beauties as though, they were there waiting for me to grab them, just them, and just me! )

As i slip her on my foot (also noticing that i am in dire need of a pedicure, especially if i am going to get these little beauties)... she fits perfectly! It was though these were made specifically for me!

As i clenched them in my hand, (because that other lady, that was staring me down was not getting these) ... i ran... err.. i mean, briskly walked to the check out, before anyone could stop me, steel them from me, or even admire MY shoes, without my feet in them!

The purchase was made! Transaction complete!

I brought them home! Made a nice neat little spot next to my Jimmy Choo's.... and await the moment, that i get to show the world.....

**My Little Beauties!**

Why do i let that happen.......

I hate hate hate..... (first of all, i hate starting a blog with hate).... so...

I do not like, when you are in a situation....as, your in a great mood, no, no that part i like, i love having a great day, being in a wonderful mood!.......but having a lovely day..... and then,

All of the sudden... someone emails you, talks to you... mind you its not good news...... or just someone you know is full of drama, a negative nelly.......

and it completely DEFLATES you........

Its hard to come back from that!!!!

This must ..... it MUST be one of my Resolutions this year....

SAYING IT IN BOLD ALWAYS HELPS!....

**DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!!!!!

**DON'T LET SOMEONE ELSE's POO, TURN YOU BLUE!!!!

Toys..... Toys are so over-rated!

Have you ever watched while kids open up presents... they are so excited that they just cant help but to rip the packaging... they are so aggressive, and happy, and excited! Then.... they pull the toy out.... you think that their eyes are lighting up because of what you got for them.......

But just as you were thinking they would start playing with such a wonderful thing.......

They throw the fantastic toy aside, and start playing with the BOX! .....

WHAT?????!!?!

Its always been that way! Give a baby a metal pan and a spoon, and they can play for hours!

My kids tonight, come up to me as I'm in my room, reading through blogs, checking mail, etc.....

They were screaming with laughter, unable to speak words because they are giggling so hard!

I'm thinking to myself, wow, i must have out done myself with the X-mas presents this year, and the one they are playing with is just priceless and has them so full of joy......

Once again.... NOT QUITE a present i bought for them.... more like, well .... just read on....

Jack, the older of the 2..... has something in his hand........

wait... what is that? What on earth are they doing......

..... as i peak around the corner, and see.....

Jack is pulling his little brother Tag around the house with a sock!

I see Tag whipping around the corner, laughing so hard. Tag is holding on to one side, Jack is gripping so tight to the other end of the sockie! ....... THEIR THEY GO! THEIR OFF!!!!!

SO, bye bye expensive toys, see you later hundred dollar Lego sets.......

Next time, I'm just buying a pair of socks.... (gotta get a pair...you know, 1 for back up!)

My "Little Monster"....

You see... there is a little boy who i love so dearly.... We call him "Little Monster".. AKA.. Tag.

He is 2 years old, just a pistol, and full of energy, silly sayings, goofy giggles.

In the Hoffman home, we have experienced our 1st.... Broken Bone.

We honestly don't know how it happened, but we are going by Jacks story, which might be a bit UN detailed ... None the less, was an ACCIDENT!

The story goes as such... and mind you this is pure speculation.......

Takes place - Jacks Bedroom!

"screaming Tag" laying on the floor, in between the bed and door to Jacks room.....

ME: "Oh Tag, whats wrong? OH no, what happened? You OK?

Tag: "Screaming" holding his leg.

ME: "He cant WALK!" "He cant WALK!"

Tag: "Screaming" holding his leg.

ME: "Oh crap, something is wrong" Mom, what do you think!? (which is mistake number 1, never ask my mom to diagnose a problem, she thinks she is a DR, and comes up with the number 1 worst circumstance)

-Side Note-

When i was pregnant with Jack, i did a 3D ultrasound. How he was laying made seem as though he had 1 eye. The lady who did the ultra sound reassured me that was normal. Though, my Mom proceeded to tell me i was going to give birth to a 1 eyed baby.

OK.... back to the story.....

ME: "Jack, what happened to your brother"

Jack: "I don't know!"

ME: "Jack, its OK, tell me what happened!"

Jack: "I don't know, he was just jumping off the bed, onto my back, laughing, then he would do it again!" Jump, Laugh and Repeat!

So, we were thinking of many things that could have happened:

-Sprained ankle

-Broken leg (though no protruding bones)

-Just hurt his foot, twisted it funny

Just didn't know! So, called my favorite pediatric nurse, VALERIE (AKA. My BFF) She told me, it could be fractured, but doesn't know, and maybe i should just wait for the morning, and he is the same, limping, take him to Urgent care!

Next day, he woke up, his leg hurts, and Urgent Care here we come!

Now, to make a long story short, after Xrays, 3 Dr visits, and finally a trip to an Orthopedic Surgeon.... He had a fractured Tibia "Toddler Fracture"... shin bone! Poor Kid is in a very cool camo cast!

He gets his cast off after 4 weeks, which is Thursday the 15th! YEAH!

He is such a great sport, he waddles around, walks with, maybe we can call it a pimp walk! Or better yet, a man who took shrapnel in the War! None the less, he has made the best of the situation! Which in turn gives us a little giggle, when he walks, or when i was changing his diaper in the back of the car (sometimes it just has to be done, i mean this kid pees so much) and the sound of his leg hitting the back of the car, T H U D !!! Was priceless!

I just love my "Little Monster".... and can't wait till he is back running like a crazy kid around the house again!

Wait... maybe we can keep it on a month or so.... you know, just to make sure he is OK!

Its Resolution Time!

I think it helps, writing out the resolutions! It makes it more Official!

For 2009, my RESOLUTIONS are......

~ take more pictures of my family, and friends. (I hate always saying, I wish we

would have taken pictures)

~ do more fun activities with my kids! (and follow through)

~ Eat less, exercise MORE! (I have to say that, I think everyone does on Jan 1)

~ 2 words, SAVINGS ACCOUNT!

~ Take my kids on a great vacation!

~ See the best in a situation (gonna need some real help with this one, being

the pessimist that i am!)

~ Blog more, journal more, document more, organize more, de-clutter the ol' life!

I think these are all things i have wanted to work on, or wanted to do! OK... its on! The gauntlet is thrown~! Its gonna happen! ALL of them!

Look, I'm already blogging more! SWEET!