The Stages of a Moth

Last year Aly was really into collecting caterpillars in her bug box and watching them. We typically let her keep them for a day or so and had her release them so they would live. Well one of the times she had some caterpillars over night they spun a cocoon. We were shocked and Aly was thrilled. So of course we let her keep them and to our surprise we were able to see them emerge as moths just two short weeks later. It was really a learning experience for all of us. Hubby said when he used to see those sacks around the yard he would smoosh them because he thought they were spider sacks. So know that we know what they are we leave them alone. Aly collected caterpillars again this year. Here are the pics:

The Best Bunco EVER!!!!!!

Last night was the monthly GCM Bunco night. I try and go every month and usually make it. It seems like sometimes I have runs of luck where every time I go I will at least win my money back and other times I don't win for a few times. Well, last night was so awesome! GCM decided to give some money back to some of their members and brought gift cards to be raffled off. There were enough gift cards for each of the 12 women there to win one. They ranged from $5 Starbucks or Jamba juice gift cards, to $15 manicure or scrapit gift cards, to $25 Kohls, Regal Theatres, or Safeway gift cards. Well lucky me, I wasn't the second ticket drawn so I picked the Kohl's gift card. WOOHOO. Kohl's is my favorite store and I can't wait to go and buy myself something!!!!!

Not only did I win the gift card but I actually won most Buncos! This never happens to me. I swear in the past year I have probably only rolled a bunco once! Well, last night I rolled three buncos. I was thrilled! I won $45 dollars for having most buncos which is the biggest prize to win. I am so happy! What a great time!

The Wii craze

Today I read a blog from a friend of mine telling me all about the Wii Fit. I had heard about it but after reading her blog I really want one. One problem, I don't even have a Wii. Yeah, so if I want a Wii fit, I have to buy a Wii, which would be such an investment I just don't have that much to spend right now.

So, I decide to go do a search for current Wii contests that are giving away either a Wii or a Wii Fit. I have found quite a few. One of the contest is a photo contest asking to post a photo of the kid in you from 5minutesformom. So I have decided on this photo of me at Dillons Beach being a crazy kid jumping in the air!

I really hope that I win! Not only could I have fun with a Wii but Daddy and the kids will too. If you know of any more contests out there please post on the comments.

Aly gets bit by a goose!

Well today was quite a day filled with the unexpected! I had scheduled a playgroup at a local park and was to meet some of the other mom's there at 10:00 a.m. Upon arriving I notice that no one is at the park and the park is closed. I couldn't believe it! Our local parks have never been closed before. Apparently they were doing some renovations to the blacktop area and will reopen of Friday.



So here I have two sad kids who really want to go to the park. I quickly think in my mind, what other parks are there? I remember that there is a park we all nicknamed Duck Poop Pond because there are soo many ducks there, that on the grassy lawn area there is duck poop everywhere. It doesn't effect the playground area so I decided to give it a try. We get there and there is no one else at the park. We go and visit the ducks and geese. Within a few seconds of seeing the ducks, the geese are charging us. I am thinking they just want food so I don't worry too much. Nope, one of them reached right out and bit Aly! I couldn't believe it! Immediately she is screaming and I am thinking, it must have just scared her. How bad could a goose bite be? Then when I sit her down to look at the bite, I am in shock to find out that a goose does bite hard and yes indeed it does hurt. Aly began bruising immediately and you could see the exact shape of the goose's bite on her leg. Poor girl.

I know the picture isn't a really clear shot but it really is quite a bite.

After she got bit she didn't want to stay at that park anymore so we go over to the last park I could think of in town. No one is at that park either and what's worse, there are no bathrooms. Aly doesn't want to play there alone so we decide to go to the local McDonald's as there is a play center there.

The girls had a lot more fun at the play center. The only down fall is that someones child peed in the play center half way down one of the slides and KK slid right through it. Disgusting huh! Maybe this was just one of those days we should have stayed home!

Meatloaf recipe

I recently discovered this meatloaf recipe from Deceptively Delicious but of course I had to change it and make it my own. Here is my version:

1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

1/2 cup milk

1 package lipton onion soup mix

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup raw carrot finely chopped or pureed

1/4 cup cooked bacon bits

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tsp salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl combine all ingredients mixing thoroughly.

Put the mixture into loaf pan and add some ketchup on top. Bake until center of meatloaf is no longer pink, approximately 45-60 minutes depending on your oven. Cut and serve.

Lucky me again--with good odds though!

Last night was a Mom's Night Out for GCM's. We decided to go to Annabelle's Chocolate Lounge as they have regularly scheduled bands that play there on friday nights. This particular friday was a band called The Golden Caddillacs. They were a good, young band. They wrote some of their own music which was a nice, refreshing change. For some reason only half of the band had shown up in the beginning so they played with the lead singer/guitarist and the keyboard player for about an hour hour or so. Once the drum player and bass guitar player showed up the real fun began. Although now, we could no longer have any kind of conversation as it was very loud. There was quite a crowd of people there too ranging in ages from early 20's to late 60's. The dance floor was crowded and quite happy!

We had arrived at Annabelles just after 6:30 and ordered wine and chocolate. GCM's was giving a raffle for the women that showed up to the event. Six women came and there were four giftcards making my odds to win quite good. So I was lucky enough to win a giftcard for $25 to use at Regal movie theatres. What is funny is that I already have four free tickets to the movies from Safeway's movie promotion so I will have a summer packed with free movies!

Aly's Favorite things

I thought it would be fun to write down some of Aly's favorite things as she is approaching five years old. I decided to ask her the following and she came up with some of her own questions as well:

Favorite color: purple and pink
Favorite number: 100
Favorite toy: Littlest Pet Shops
Favorite thing to do: Play puzzles
Favorite thing at school: playing bean bags
Best friend: Maya
Favorite thing to play:stuffed animals
Favorite thing to wear: Disneyland hats
Favorite thing to draw: a dolphin
Favorite thing on the computer: playing Blues Clues
Favorite food: Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite drink: Orange Juice
Favorite place to go: the mall (BTW this only happens a couple times a year since it is so far)
Favorite movie: Land Before Time
Favorite thing to play with friends: Ring Around the Rosie
Favorite character in the Land Before Time: The bird called Ruby
Favorite place to go on vacation: the beach to find shells
Favorite thing to collect: sea shells
Favorite art project: drawing turtles
Favorite thing to do on a rainy day: Splash in the puddles
Favorite song: 5 Green and Speckled frogs
Favorite animal: zebra
Favorite amphibian: frog
Favorite thing underwater: sea turtle
Favorite thing to do with Daddy: play outside in the rain
Favorite thing to do with mommy: read stories
Favorite thing to do with sister: play puzzles
Favorite outfit: Littlest Pet Shop doggie shirt
Favorite shoes: crocs!
Favorite stuffed animal: black bear and shelly the turtle
Favorite place to play: the park
Favorite dessert: ice cream cake
Favorite TV show: Stanely
Favorite book: Five Little Ducks

KK's favorite things

Here is a list of KK's favorite things. If she didn't answer I made my best guess about it.

Favorite color: green
Favorite number:10
Favorite toy: dollhouse people
Favorite thing to do: color
Best friend: Nathan
Favorite thing to play: whatever Aly is playing
Favorite thing to wear: shirts
Favorite thing to draw: a duck
Favorite food: pizza--Round Table Pizza snob at that!
Favorite drink: grape juice
Favorite place to go: the park
Favorite movie: Land Before Time
Favorite thing to play with friends: chase
Favorite character in the Land Before Time: The long neck Little Foot
Favorite place to go on vacation: Disneyland
Favorite thing to collect: books
Favorite art project: painting
Favorite thing to do on a rainy day: Splash in the puddles
Favorite song: Baby Beluga
Favorite animal: elephants and giraffes
Favorite thing underwater: dolphins
Favorite thing to do with Daddy: play crabby
Favorite thing to do with mommy: read stories and cuddle and cuddle and cuddle
Favorite thing to do with sister: anything that she is doing
Favorite outfit: anything with elephants or giraffes
Favorite shoes: crocs!
Favorite stuffed animal: giraffe
Favorite place to play: the park
Favorite dessert: ice cream and chocolate
Favorite TV show: Wow Wow Wubsy
Favorite book: Dr. Suess Go Dog Go

Cutting my own hair

You are probably going to laugh at me and think I am quite pathetic but for numerous reasons I tend to only get a paid haircut about twice a year. It's not that I don't want one more often, it is a combination of things. I have a hard time getting hubby to be available to watch the kids during a normal hairdressers hours, I have a hard time finding a hairdresser, I don't like to spend a lot of money on my hair, and sometimes it just takes me awhile to get around to it.

About a year or so ago I decided to change my hair a little more dramatically and I had them cut bangs for me. I never regretted it and like having bangs. The only downside is my hair grows so fast that I need my bangs cut about every 4 weeks as I hate to have hair in my eyes. So over the past year instead of paying to have my bangs cut I have been doing it myself. Most of the time they always turn out pretty good. The time before last I was in such a hurry I didn't do the best job. So this time I decided to slow down and do it right. I think it turned out great. What do you think?

So can you tell I cut them myself? For those of you who have known me for the past year did you know that I have been cutting my own bangs? Were there times you wanted to say, "Girl, what did you do to your hair?" Or do you think I do a pretty good job and no one would be the wiser?

Please comment, I have been feeling very lonely.....feels like I only have a one person audience....

Aly's last day of preschool

Today was Aly's last day of preschool. She has spent the last two years at the same school, with the same teacher. Miss Gilinda has been her teacher and has really done a good job making Aly feel comfortable at school, away from Mommy, and with other children.

Aly dressed for the occasion and enjoyed wearing a dress for a change. In the picture on the right she is receiving her preschool certificate. Aly seems to be o.k. with not going to preschool anymore and she is looking forward to a new school year in Kindergarten and the big kids school. I was surprised at how well she took it knowing that it was her last day of school.