Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Blast From the Past:: Softball

When I was a 9 and 10 year old I played softball.

I remember chewing double bubble bubble and bazooka gum.
I also remember the late afternoon practices, where the sun would hit me right in the eyes as I'd try to catch a ball way off in the outfield.

I believe that the reason why the middle finger on my right hand does this weird joint thing is due to a softball I was tossing up in the air once. On it's way back down it jammed the finger. Maybe it's all hooha... but that's what I think...and I'm sticking to it. Yes, I'd be happy to show you in person one day.


My daughters want to keep this trophy, mitt and ball - to add to their collection of toys. This picture will last longer...


The first year of softball I was fearless. I hit a home run nearly every time at plate. For some reason I became really self-conscious the second year. I stood at home plate, terrified I'd strike out. So instead, I stood, paralyzed until I walked to first.


Other than softball, I would play soccer with my brothers and at school. I loved soccer. Though, I never did play on an organized team. I love volleyball - beach style. I did play for my high school's ... you may guffaw - badminton team. I was awarded, "most improved player". hehehe

So you can tell, sports, not really my strong suit. I enjoy it recreationally - but definitely not competitively. The ugliness of competitive sports is a total turn off.

What about you? What sports did you do in that oft remembered youth?

Cheers!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Happiness Post:: Post 19

When we're helping we're happy...







I love that the girls get excited about helping. Not all the time, mind you. They are not fond of putting away their things. 


However, if it's something NEW! DIFFERENT! Or MESSY! They can't wait to help.





It's nice when the offspring can begin to contribute. Even if it's just for fun. That...makes me happy.















Monday, March 28, 2011

Blast from the Past:: Progress Reports

We are in full swing over here with "operation spring cleaning".


every progress report 1st-12th grade is in this book


Hubby's finally getting our garage organized, and it only took eight years since we bought the house! I kid...sort of...not at all. I will say that it is astounding how much he's gotten done in the last week. I'll post pictures of that project once it's all finished.


That box in the middle is twice the size of the blue one - it is filled with stuff I'm recycling. The three boxes stacked to the right are the ones I'm keeping...until I evolve again.

My job during this was to condense my six boxes of memories into a smaller amount (I've also been reorganizing all the drawers/cupboard of the kitchen too...I didn't realize how much time the kitchen reorg would take). I've gotten the boxes down to three. Which, is pretty amazing for me. Apparently, I'm a bit of a pack rat. 


I'm keeping my first pair of scriptures from when I turned 8 (L), and the binders are all empty...because I've gotten rid of all their contents (R) 


It's been nostalgic going through all the stuff I've preserved. In honor of the past, I'm devoting this week to all things historical. That just makes my life sound so much more important. Ha! 

it doesn't look like a lot of sheet protectors... trust me... it is.

I wonder, do any of you have any boxes of old stuff you'd want to share?


For Day 1:


I have every progress report since first grade. Naturally, I enjoyed reading through the comments. 


My 6YO, Avant Garde Gal, recently received a progress report that said this:


"AGG is a bright student. She works very slowly and carefully, and is very artistic. She is very capable of doing first grade work. AGG is kind to friends and helpful in class. However, sometimes AGG gets easily frustrated and does not participate..."




I had asked her teachers about the "easily frustrated" part and they told me PE is one area AGG is not fond of. I can relate. Sometimes she gets her glasses knocked off when they play crab ball, or some other sort of game with a ball. Dude. I'd be pissed off if that happened, had happened. My daughter is also a bit of a perfectionist. She likes to get things right. We're constantly telling her that it doesn't have to be perfect, just her best work, and that mistakes are part of learning.


Me with my mom in kindergarten...hiding behind my mom, just like my girls do to me at this age.


For a while I've been baffled. I don't feel that I am a perfectionist... I tend to let things happen as they please... so it was entertaining to read these:

 first grade



second grade... you can get a 1 or a 2... one is better...apparently I didn't like PE either.


 third grade... aha! Apparently, it's genetic.


There's that show I enjoy, "Who Do You Think You Are?" I like to think that saving my history, will help my posterity understand, or have someone to relate to when they get frustrated.


Ha! See how I just justified my pack-rattiness? Sneaky. Just like a rat.


Cheers!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Never Smile at a Crocodile

Today in primary they did a sharing time on Elder Boyd K. Packer's talk Spiritual Crocodiles.


They showed a short clip of the video below where the crocodile gets its prey. 
The clip we saw begins at :35 and they ended at 2:45. 
Enjoy the clip before reading on.





This was our conversation on the ride home from Church.


QS: Girls - tell Daddy about the crocodile.
DD (4YO): The crocodile ate one of the other animals.
AGG (6YO): It was a safari.

- I provided a brief synopsis of the above clip to Phantom - 


Phantom: You mean, they showed the actual crocodile, killing its prey?
QS: Yes. With all these little 3 YOs right in the front.
Phantom: They really showed it?
QS: Some teachers were trying to explain that "it's just nature". I thought it was awesome.
AGG: It's not awesome! You think it's awesome to die?!?  *pause* Lunatic!!!


My husband and I laughed, without breathing the rest of the way home. 

ps. So excited for General Conference this weekend. Yes. I, @QueenScarlett will be a tweeting lunatic this weekend. Excited to be reunited with the Twitter Stake - #ldsconf

Friday, March 25, 2011

A Hairy Week

Where should I begin?


My brother introduced my girls to the Lohan (pre-screw up) The Parent Trap movie the weekend we were in the Bay Area. They loved it. I have to mention that with every viewing I shake my head and sigh, thinking how adorable, precocious and sweet she was...and now, now she's a glorified mess. *sigh* 

Now I've got the original version that I loved queued up to arrive from Netflix.


A couple weeks ago my 4YO, Dauntless Daughter (DD) told me she wanted to cut her hair like the twins in the movie. I stated very clearly - that if she wanted a cut, we could make an appointment to get it done. She was not to, under any circumstance, cut it herself. My daughters have cut their hair in the past, they must enjoy keeping me on my toes, or they are just fashionistas in the making.


Well, Tuesday of this past week, the girls were upstairs with Phantom and I'm just browsing some news online, when I hear a screeching, wailing, bloody-hell, someone-is-dying-kind-of-a-scream. 
practicing her news sharing for class on the supermoon - she's so intelligent and pretty to me...


Turns out my 6YO, Avant Garde Gal (AGG) took her hair into her own hands to give herself bangs, like in The Parent Trap.


 the hair...and if you look to the bottom left - you'll find the pink gum - also, please enjoy the contents of our garbage...




There was no point in getting upset with her. She was pretty darn upset at herself. Which, admittedly, totally made me start laughing. I know, bad, easily entertained mommy... hehehehe


Luckily, AGG has never cut her bangs too short. 

It actually... doesn't look too bad. She's so darn cute, she makes anything look good.
she loves to sass it up...

Wednesday morning we fixed it cute, and she loved it.


That same morning when I woke little sister, DD up for school. As I brushed her hair, the brush was unable to get this one tangle out. As I used my fingers to break up the knot I found, to my horror...gum.

...sticky, lost cough drop...


I had a momentary, internal, "aw crap" moment, wherein I thought we'd have to chop her hair off to get the gum out. Luckily, it was relatively easy to peel apart. 


QS: How did you get gum in your hair?
DD: I was chewing gum and it fell out.
QS: Into your hair?
DD: I didn't know where it went. It disappeared.


She makes me laugh... and laugh I did.



Today? She comes to me trying to get something out of her hair. 


QS: Did you get gum in your hair again???
DD: I don't think so.
QS: *as I peel the hair off* Oh my...hehehee... it's a cough drop.
DD: Oh! That's where AGG's cough drop went. We couldn't find it last night.
my little ham...

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah


Yep. A hairy, hilarious week with my girls. Dang, I love them.



HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
ps. The rumor is... we'll get some sun come Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Thursday, Thursday the day before Friday

Saw this link today - it shows the spread of Bachelor degrees by county, demographic, etc. I'll admit, it is very disheartening how few have degrees. It explains why there are so many dumb reality shows on TV, why the country as a whole makes stupid choices, and why there are really bad celebrities and music. 

In honor of our collective stupidity, enjoy Conan's mock-u-song about Thursday, Thursday.

The actual music vid begins at 3:36 below. But it is hilarious whenever he mocks the teens and their videos they make these days.


hehehe - Happy Thursday, Thursday, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Top o' the mornin' to ye



I don't wear hats that often. My head shape is too big... but because I just got out of a nice HOT shower post-workout, I have to go back out into the NO-END-IN-SIGH-DELUGE of rain...and to keep the body heat contained you need to keep your head and feet covered. 


So... the hat.


How are you staying dry? What rainy day activities do you have instore? 

SAVE ME from this... ayudame!


Ya'll know I'm totally, utterly a solar powered, sun goddess worshipper - so I am wilting... wilting I tell ya!


Happy WEDNESDAY!

ps. It's also really weird when you've been using the term "solar powered" for like... ever, and then you hear someone who heard it from you, use it in a convo with you. (you = me) Did that make sense? Either way... it was weird! ;-)

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Happiness Post:: Post 18


I'm catching spring fever... the desperate need to get the corners of my home uncluttered.

We bought these shelves at Target, I put together one all by myself, and hubby did the other. I used to avoid the laundry room so I wouldn't have to see the mess of shoes precariously balanced on a flimsy rack. Now, I walk over just to smile at our new shoe shelf.

I've also been busily organizing my pantry and various cupboards, drawers in the kitchen too. It doesn't sound like much, but my-oh-my how stuff accumulates.

It makes me happy to see all the clean spaces.

Do you have the fever?

Cheers!




Monday, March 21, 2011

Monday Mish Mash

image from vegnews

Do you have a thing?

When I go to a place that serves chili on the menu... I always order it. I.Heart.Chili. Any kind of chili. I prefer it spicy. I'll enjoy it tame. I like it drizzled on fries, saturating a burger, a hot dog, Cincinnati style... maybe I should go make a batch.

With this unending rain, and cloud cover, all I want is food that envelops me. Chili does that. It's also hearty...argh!

So yeah, I have a thing. It's chili.

Okay... disclaimer: I am also prolifically, potently musical post-bowl. *grin*

Friday, March 18, 2011

Guests and Old Amigas


I love having guests.

French onion soup, sliders, greek panzanella - all from Ina Garten's "How Easy Is That?" cookbook


Growing up my parents were very private. Still are very private. I longed for the day when I could have my own home and fling it open and wide to welcome my friends.

At our elementary art walk

Tasting the brief snowfall


Also, I need guests, visitors, play dates, just so I actually have deadlines to get my home clean. I don't know if it's obvious, I despise expending energy to clean. I always wish I was a wizard when it comes to cleaning.

Wii karaoke

Face painting



I tend to live for deadlines.


Playing Zingo!

Recently, one of my friends, Chastity, from BYU came to visit. She's also married to another of my friends from BYU, the crazy brilliant Jon. She brought her precocious, adorable children with her, and I give her props for doing this all on her own. I get grumpy just sitting in the passenger seat on a forever long car trip... I can just imagine the anxiety and paranoia of doing it on my own.


We had a great time.


I love getting together, staying in touch with old amigas.

A couple weekends ago the girls and I spontaneously, skipped off to the Bay Area to let the girls spend some time with the grandparents. While there we were there we scored a brunch with my friends from middle school (I moved the middle of my sophomore year in HS from Campbell to Cupertino).

Mia with her adorable daughter, preggo with number two! (She calls everyone Sophia...heh) And... Grace's cute youngest (Grace has two older daughters - TWINS!).


Grace and her sweet baby, who is a fan of pancakes.


I hadn't seen them ... in years, Mia I hadn't seen since high school, and Grace I saw while I dated my hubby... it was a long overdue visit. Mia and I found out we lived quite near each other when I was first married - but there wasn't Facebook then... so I am grateful for Facebook to keep me connected to people I am so fond of.

At Stacks in Campbell. Campbell's downtown has grown up! It's so adorable now.

It's so satisfying to get together with friends and discover how wonderful their offspring is, and find them happy and well.


At Toys, Toys, Toys in Campbell. We hit up the gelato shoppe after... great day.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Tamales

My friend Sylvia is the tamale queen. (She's also Chinese, like me. I have always thought ...all through college that there was a little latina inside me - maybe it's true for all us Asian chics?) She gave tamales as Christmas gifts back in 2008. I have not forgotten the taste. I have since tried to find tamales as good as hers, and failed miserably.

So, she taught me how to make them. The key is the masa.

In Newark, CA there's the Mexican Tortilla Factory that grinds fresh masa daily. The masa Sylvia uses is the red masa. Red masa rules. I don't know what's in it, but all sorts of magical goodness, because it is tasty. If you go, you can also get some delicious, made to order Mexican food, in addition to browsing all the Mexican grocery items to your heart's content. I'm starting to get hungry just typing this paragraph.


Since I was in the Bay Area two weekends ago, I loaded up on 20lbs of masa, two bags of corn husks, and two bags of California Chile Pods.

Sylvia was in charge of the tasty, tasty pork. She slow-cooked it with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic and a can of beer.


Then there's the chile pod sauce. You bring water to a boil w/the chile pods and garlic, then simmer for an hour to soften it all up. Blend and mix with the meat. That color of red is so lovely.



Soak the corn husks to make them pliable for tamale folding.


Hello delicious masa... I love you.


The meat is so good, my girls and I would pick at it and gobble it up.


Pretty. So pretty. Get in my belly.

Then steam, pour Cholula over it, add some guac and inhale.