Bandit and Oliver

A few weeks ago, we got Oliver, an off-white ferret with a brown stripe on his back. The other day, we just had to get him a friend. So we found Bandit. The two wrestle all the time, and when they aren't fighting, they're sleeping on top of eachother. I want more!

-Dave

My Odiferous House

I found more pictures of Lea Anna haming it up. These were taken about a week ago. Nothing exciting is going on here. Until today it has been to hot to do much other than hole up inside under the air conditioning when I am not at work. I tried to fry a ribeye for dinner but as soon as it hit the hot skillet it stank up my house so bad that 3 hours later it still reeks. Lysol Room and Air Disinfectant didn't help either. Now it just smells like roses and rotten meat. It makes Daniel's shoes smell pretty in comparison. The moral of the story is, never buy meat on sale at Kroger no matter what they claim the expiration date is. Blech!
Lea Anna has developed a deep and unexplained phobia of the garbage truck. I keep hoping it will pass but it is going on four weeks now. She will not go out on the back porch or even to the car. No matter that the truck only comes twice a week and in the morning only, but there is no reasoning with her. I did manage to drag her out to the car a few times but I literally had to pry her fingers off the door way while trying to block out her blood curdling screams.
I finally gave up and picked my sole Anahiem chili. After babying it all summer I only got one chili out of it. It may be a bit on the scraggly side but I am still going to enjoy it. Guacamole time!It is so much harder to grow stuff in the south. At Mom & Dad's house practically all you had to do is stick it in the dirt and water it. Besides the clay soil to deal with, I've had bunnies eating my tulips and grasshopper(s?) lay waste to my calla lily, and other sorts of interesting twists and turns. I'll still keep plugging away - just on a small scale until I get a house. Every now and then something I plant actually thrives.

LYAO

What would this blog look like if all tha gangstas in the ATL took over?

See for yourself!

Warning: some content may be offensive if you are not a gangsta or crack ho!

Just One More ...

Daniel, Adrian and Lea Anna are playing video games here. I had to use stealth to get any photos of Adrian so I have many of the back of his head, or where he just plain looks pissed. Lea Anna and Daniel are obviously still the little hams you remember. No one shall escape the wrath of the disposable camera!

Adrian's Groupies

Adrian is back living the good life (or at least one with out the humidity and gargantuan mosquitoes) in LA. We all miss him but are glad we got to see him for a few weeks. The kids stuck to him like glue the whole time and Lea Anna keeps wanting to go to California to visit him. Not a bad idea, but at her age she just don't understand why we can't hop in the car and drive anywhere in the world at a moments notice. I'll probably pose a few more pictures later. Ta Ta!

Go Lisa - It's Your Birfday!

Happy birthday to Lisa, a.k.a. Three of Six. Born on this day just a little over 29 years ago, Lisa was the classic middle child. Quiet, thoughtful, obedient...for a while!

The birthday book says people born on July 14th are fascinating, convincing and seductive. It goes on to say that what confidence they don't gain by a forthright, trustworthy image they magically induce through an unassuming charm. Sounds like a great skill set to me, Leese ; )

Attention Star Wars Geeks!

Think Geek is giving away $2,000 in Star Wars merchandise, all to one lucky recipient.

I might not be quite as into Star Wars as some of our bloggers, but I have to admit I have been wanting a light saber - a real one - ever since I first laid eyes on them (okay, so they were mostly created at ILM) in 1977. The desire to kick some serious Dark Side ass with a light saber is second only to my childhood wish to be able to fly like Superman.

Think Geek's prize package includes, among other things, two light sabers: the Darth Vader and the Anakin Skywalker models. So get on over there and enter the contest. And if you win, I call the first duel. You can be Darth Vader.

One of those days...or WEEKS

I've been a little frustrated at work for a number of reasons lately. It's still a pretty cool place to be, but some days...

There's this deadline for a Big Corporate Web Site that was, let's see...a week ago tomorrow. Ugh. Problem #1 is that I am the go-to person on several other projects besides this site. All of them were supposed to be done and out of the way so that I could focus on this big job. But like something out of Dawn of the Dead, they kept coming back to life with one more client request. And another, and still another.

When I could finally focus on the big project I had almost no time before it was due. And I ran into trouble. Let's just say I'm not thrilled with Microsoft at this point in time, and my problems with this site are still not resolved. I have a clue about it, but that's about it.

So toward the end of the day today, after trying one thing after another to make the design for the aforementioned Big Web Site work, I was no further ahead than when I began the day. Then I got this e-mail from a normally reserved client that made my day:

Teresa,

I just finished creating this page on the website. I think this is the first time since November that I've created a whole page by myself!

When I finished, I did a little dance around my office and discovered that creating web pages makes me feel really cool.

And since you taught me how, that means you're really cool.

Thanks for all your help!

Lori

I'm having a margarita as I write. Dinner is cooking. Kelly and Cherie are coming to hang out soon. Saturday Amanda and I will hang and work a little and maybe play a little, too. I'll tangle with the Big Corporate Web Site en la mañana. Tonight life feels good : )

Yum

I found a new, fast, easy recipe, on recipezaar.com, and it's so good I just had to post it:

Dilapidated Tilapia Packets
3/4 lb tilapia fillets (approximately 4 small filets)
2 teaspoons butter
salt
pepper
2 scallions
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de provence
4 sheets aluminum foil


1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Clean the scallions, cutting off most of the green. Cut them in two pieces, and slice each piece in half lengthwise.

3. On each sheet of foil, place 1/2 teaspoon butter. Drape 1/4 of the tilapia filets over the butter, add salt and pepper to taste and one quarter of the sliced scallions. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of water to each packet, sprinkle 1/4 of the herbes de provence on top of each, then fold the foil up and over the filet until you have a loose packet, making sure there's some room inside to steam. Seal all edges. Repeat for the other filets.

4. Put the packets on a baking sheet. If you've folded them correctly they should not leak while they're in the oven. If you're in doubt, put them in a large oven dish instead. Put into oven for 20-25 minutes.

5. It's very difficult to overcook fish this way, so if you're leery of the fish being undercooked, leave it in slightly longer.

6. Open each packet at the table -- you don't want to miss that aroma!

p.s. - this also works well with shrimp, I just decreased the cooking time by about 5 minutes.

What's going on in my life-

Hello everyone I just came back from donating my blood, which was a fast, easy way that I could contribute. Sometimes I feel poor,like I have little to give, then God comes along and reminds me.....Does anyone remember the Parable of the two Talents? We had a sermon last time I went to church and they reminded us to give according to the talents God has gifted us.I may not have much but I have been through somethings that can help others out- so anyway to make a long story short I am excited about a new class I want to take "Discovering your Ministry" where they test you to find out which ministry you are suited for. It is like a vocation test.I already know what I want to do-work with the homeless and mentally ill, but we don't have a ministry for that, so I have to ask them to start one or maybe see where else I am suited. Anyway,That is what is going on in my life- I decided to remain at Hope Chapel instead of going to a closer church, I just feel in my spirit that it is the right thing to do. Chela just celebrated her seventh Birthday. We had a pinata, her friends came, and it went pretty well. What else? Hector and Ruben are into this videogame called "Adventure Quest" Someday I'll get my computer back..........I try to set limits but sometimes I like to give them extra time for helping me out with chores.Long as they don't become obssessed .Hector and Ruben are fine. They are such good boys! Chela is fine, difficult in the mornings, but fine. I always forget to plan the night before so when I wake up it is rush, rush, rush and her personality doesn't go with that.Well, school is fine and I still lack one class, but it is progressing nicely and I am doing well, getting a "B" so far. Dad is the same- grunon-cascarabias! You have to call me to see what that means, also because I probably spelled it wrong.There is no spanish N on my computer. Mom is the same - She probably will get mad at me for calling dad that, even though I am only joking.Luis is doing well, as a matter of fact he just came home so I have to go and fix him lunch. Typical Mexican Male! Well, bye to everyone-hugs and kisses let me know how everyone is doing.

Glamour Shots

Not too much going on in my life right now... extra duty is starting to take its toll. I'm a third of the way through it, though... 30 more days to go now. Luby took the kids to Glamour Shots the other day and here's the results. Best looking kids I've seen in a looooooooong time. I just exported the pics out of iPhoto, so the video is kinda cheesy... probably time I upgraded from iPhoto 2 to 6 or something. Enjoy!



Oh and I need everybody's mailing address so I can give you the full-length prints to put all over your homes.

My United States of...WHATEVA !!!

Happy 4th of July, Family!!! (Oh, and I listened to that Job Corps song, Aunt Teresa... HOAR-i-BULL!!!)