Camping Out

This is the Farrell's tent that I borrowed for VBS last week. While at work one night Brian put it up in the boys room for a camp out. They were camping in style, with mattress'. When I came home and he told me about it I just had to see if they were actually sleeping inside the tent. This picture is what I saw. Just too cute for words so I had to snap a picture.

Our 1st Picnic Lunch! Pizza and cartoons inside.

13 Things your server wont tell you

13 Things Your Waiter Won't Tell You

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by Reader's Digest Magazine, on Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:24am PDT
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Waiters share insider secrets about restaurants -- from tipping to what days to avoid dining out
Photo: Clipart.com
1. Avoid eating out on holidays and Saturday nights. The sheer volume of customers guarantees that most kitchens will be pushed beyond their ability to produce a high-quality dish.
2. There are almost never any sick days in the restaurant business. A busboy with a kid to support isn't going to stay home and miss out on $100 because he's got strep throat. And these are the people handling your food.
3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Some waiters can and do spit in people's food.
4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door.
5. Treat others as you want to be treated. (Yes, people need to be reminded of this.)
6. Don't snap your fingers to get our attention. Remember, we have shears that cut through bone in the kitchen.
7. Don't order meals that aren't on the menu. You're forcing the chef to cook something he doesn't make on a regular basis. If he makes the same entrée 10,000 times a month, the odds are good that the dish will be a home run every time.
8. Splitting entrées is okay, but don't ask for water, lemon, and sugar so you can make your own lemonade. What's next, grapes so you can press your own wine?
9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you.
10. If you can't afford to leave a tip, you can't afford to eat in the restaurant. Servers could be giving 20 to 40 percent to the busboys, bartenders, maître d', or hostess.
11. Always examine the check. Sometimes large parties are unaware that a gratuity has been added to the bill, so they tip on top of it. Waiters "facilitate" this error. It's dishonest, it's wrong-and I did it all the time.
12. If you want to hang out, that's fine. But increase the tip to make up for money the server would have made if he or she had had another seating at that table.
13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity.

From Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by The Waiter (Ecco/HarperCollins) copied from Yahoo news!

1st day of Vacation Bible School

So I woke up this morning and was running late from the minute I got up. Holy moly!! Then I got soap in my eye while washing my face. That was a major set back. It took me what seemed like forever but I am sure was only 5 minutes until I could be functioning. I got the boys ready in a timely fashion but then they thought they were going to stay on the couch like they normally do and watch Toons(cartoons).

It seemed like I was never going to get out the house and make it to the church on time. Once finally out the door we got caught at every red light on the way to the interstate.

At church I made the mistake of parking near the recreation field. Mason immediately wanted to play with the balls but I was late for morning prayer. So he cried all the way inside. Therefore, our preschool coordinator took Aidan inside for me so I could calm Mason down outside. Once in the building, since prayer had started, I was telling the boys to be quiet and to shhh! Big mistake..they told me the same thing but in little boy noise level. Which we all know is outside tone all the time.

AHHH!

Finally, upstairs to my class. I have 17 boys and girls. What a great turn out for 5th graders. They usually act like they are too cool. But my kids are great. The boys are a bit wild but what 10-12 year old boys arent. They all were very interactive in the lesson discussion. I loved it. We learned about Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John and how the Lord called them to be "fisher of men"

John 15:9

As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in my LOVE!

Am I losing my mind or are they losing it for me?

Having twins is any everyday adventure. Well I suppose just having one can be difficult sometimes. But with my two they help each other out. So they terrorize more stuff and get in more trouble. I know they are just curious. However, one day their curiousity is going to get them hurt, I just know it.



Yesterday, Sunday, I put Dora the Explorer on so that I could go get a shower. They love that cartoon and will sit completely still to watch it. So I head up the steps in the shower. When I get out I realize it is overly quiet. I have to come downstairs anywhere to get part of my outfit for the day and to check on them. I figured they were in their room playing and that is why I didnt hear anything. WRONG! As I am getting my article of clothing from the dryer I look out the window and see my little boys outside. OUTSIDE..They have on shoes and are throwing pine cones into the street. They think that is funny. Especially Mason. So I put some clothes on really fast and head outside to get them. They look at me like, WHAT Mom. After much coxing I get them in the house to get them dressed because did I mention they are still in pj's.



After a few minutes everyone is dressed and ready to go with their bags and cups and snacks. But wait - where are my car keys? I look everywhere. LITERALLY. So I ask two 2 years olds. Not the smartest thing but I figured they were playing with them. They of course say I dont know. So I ask are they outside from their excursion this morning. They both say yes, go figure. I look outside and see nothing. At this time I am starting to wonder, Have I lost my mind? Where could my keys be. So retrace my steps from the night before, still nothing. And now it is getting past time we have to leave for church. We are going to be late and since I have to check them in and give 15 hugs per kid I really need to get out the door. I call Brian to find out if he saw my keys that morning. No answer. No answer via text either. I am starting to get upset. And the boys are waiting to go bye, bye to church. I simply explain to them without mommies keys we arent going anywhere. I take a deep breathe and decide I am going to take another look outside. I very long look. I walk the path I know they would take, down the walkway, up the sidewalk, looking in the clover patches because they probably stopped to pick them, up the passengers side of the car, over where they were throwing pine cones and now back towards the house. I stop next to my car think if they arent out here and they arent in the house then they boys must of brought them outside and a stranger has picked them up. GREAT! My mind begins to race about all the steps I need to take to make new keys and change locks. and then, I look down on the flower bed...TADA! There they are.

I missed a bullet. Am I losing my mind somedays when I think I miss place things? Or are the boys losing it for me?

Lamberts Point

Golf on my anniversary with a gorgeous view.!

If you had an Hour....

If you had an hour all to yourself what would you do?

Well every morning Monday thru Friday I get just that. Starting at 9 am until 10, Dora and Diego come on back to back. My boys are in love with both of those shows. It is the only shows they ask to watch and definetely the only shows they will sit still to watch. So I make sure they have a snack, juice, a blanket and pillow. They cuddle up on the couch and just watch the television so contently.

During this time I get an array of things done. Usually I try and get a shower, clean the kitchen from breakfast, start a load of laundry and check email but everyday is different.

Most people would take this is time to do something completely different but not me. It is my quiet time.

Baby Carrots

Information that needs to be shared!
The smallcocktail (baby) carrots you buy in small plastic bags are made using the largercrooked or deformed carrots which are put through a machine which cuts andshapes them into cocktail carrots - most people probably know thisalready.


What you may notknow and should know is the following:

Once the carrotsare cut and shaped into cocktail carrots they are dipped in a solution of waterand chlorine in order to preserve them. (this is the same chlorine used in yourpool)

Since they do nothave their skin or natural protective covering, they give them a higher dose ofchlorine.

You will noticethat once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a whitecovering will form on the carrots. This is the chlorine which resurfaces. Atwhat cost do we put our health at risk to have esthetically pleasingvegetables?

Chlorine is avery well-known carcinogen, which causes Cancer.. I thought this was worthpassing on. Pass it on to as many people as possible in hopes of informing themwhere these carrots come from and how they are processed.

I will be switching to organic carrots.

Golf NUT

John and Helen met while on vacation, and John fell head over heels in love with her. But after a couple of weeks in which John took Helen out to various dance clubs, restaurants, concerts, etc. He was convinced that it was true love. And so....on the last night of his vacation, the two of them went to dinner and had a serious talk about how the relationship would continue.

"It's only fair to warn you, I'm a total golf nut," John said to his new found lady friend. "I eat, sleep and breathe golf, so if that's going to be a problem, you'd better say so now!"

Helen took a deep breath and responded: "Since we're being honest with each other, here goes .... You need to know that I'm a hooker."

"I see," John replied. "That's a problem, for sure." He spent some time looking down at the table, deep in thought. Then he added, "You know, it's probably because you're not keeping your wrists straight when you tee off."

As most of you know Brian is teaching me to play golf. I hook the ball every now and then so I thought this joke was funny. I am not a hooker but I do have a issue of hooking the ball every now and then.

Day at the Zoo

Kodak moment at the last part of the zoo we saw. So lets all hop up on a turtle and snap a picture.