The Best Day of His Life.......................

I can think of no better title for this post. Today was probably the most exciting day of my sons life. My 17 year old son has been doing some volunteer work at the local airport, helping prepare the airport for a 'Fly In' next week. During this volunteer work my son met a gentleman who introduced him to the 'Young Eagles' . The Young Eagles is a program that was developed to introduce young people between the ages of 8 and 17 to the world of Aviation. I don't think there is anything in this world that fascinates my son more than an airplane.

Today was the day that the young people got to take a ride. There were several different airplanes and I can't even pretend to know what types of planes they are except for the biplane. I only know what a biplane is now because that is what my son was given a ride in.

Nobody I know, just thought this was a nice shot........

Another nice shot..............

Son and his friends first trip out to the runway to wait for their plane. On this first trip out to the runway my sons two friends got into their planes. Sad news for my sons plane though.......... the young man who took the trip ahead of him didn't handle it too well and the plane had to be pulled to the side for a clean up.

This is my sons second walk out to the runway. Hopefully things will be a success this time around. The young man with him hopped in his plane and away he went. Not so lucky for my son again... his plane now needs fuel. So away the plane goes to the pump.

Another cool shot of the biplanes. Very exciting how they veer off to the left before they land.

My son has now walked over to the fuel pump to meet his plane. He is one of the last riders of the day so it is just easier for him to go to the plane instead of the plane coming to him. Here he is striking a pose.

There he goes.........

Look at that big ole goofy grin!! I think somebody really enjoyed their ride. Excuse the grunge look, he was planning to do volunteer work at the airport after his ride so there was no reason to dress up.

Bussels Sprouts are on the way.....................

I am very easily pleased. Don't bring me diamonds and pearls. Just sprout from the ground and I will be jumping for joy. I have worked so hard over the last month trying to get my brussel sprouts to germinate but I think it has just been too hot. Finally today I noticed some seedlings popping forth from the earth.

And no I am not growing money now , wish I were though! I just put the quarter there to show the size of these barely there little seedlings. And besides................ if I was growing money don't you think I would be growing bills instead of coins.

Yuck........

This little critter was hanging across my pool. Thank goodness swimming season is over!!!!

Take a peek at my new widget over to the right -------->

yep I am just a boring ole stepmom, but I am oober excited. My stepdaughter and her hubby are expecting. This will be the first grandbaby in our branch of the family.



And here is the first pic that Stacey has sent.........Whatch think? Boy or Girl?

Not for the faint of heart...................

I am on the hunt! For a nasty little gopher. You wouldn't think such a small creature could be so destructive. It isn't just the obvious mounds of dirt all over the place. The hidden menace are the tunnels that you can't see. You can be skipping across your yard, high on life, when BAM, you are flattened, twisted ankle, down for the count.

My main concern isn't really my lawn because be honest, how often does a middle aged woman skip across her lawn, high on life. No, for me my main concern is my garden. I have been fighting the mounds like crazy the last few weeks. I take a garden stake and poke away at the tunnels and blast the tunnels with water, in hopes that I can just chase the little bugger over to my neighbors. Honestly, I don't hate my neighbors, don't really even know them. It is just that they don't have gardens and I don't usually see them skipping around high on life either.

Anyways.................... my tactics have not been working so it is time for me to get serious. Poison is not an option because realistically would I want a chemical poison near my garden, not really. Time to pull out the gopher traps. Unfortunately gopher traps are not some cute little cage that I can trap the gopher and tote him off to a gopher rescue. Nope, gopher traps look like large rat traps with some nasty spikes.... oooh shiver!

So wish me luck, and if you are a PETA member, well all I can say is if you would like to come to my home and find a more humane way to cure my problem then come on over. There are quite a few eggplants out in the garden that you can nibble on to sustain yourself while you ponder this dilemma.

Homecoming Dance 2008

No my kids didn't go to the dance together. They both went stag with their friends. They even got out of the car at different times. Although daughters motive for getting out of the car later than her brother was actually to try and avoid the rain, not to avoid her brother (at least I think that was her motive).

The polka dots on daughters dress are actually a silver rather than the white that they appear in these pictures.

I would also like to point out daughters very sensible shoes. She enjoys dancing. Why on earth wear high heels. I found it very funny when I went to pick the kids up at 11:30 watching all the girls walking out of the dance in their heels. You could tell they were miserable, clomping across the parking lot.

Sorry these pictures are a bit on the orangeish side. We were rushing around town for a final errand and trying to get to the park before the sun set. We arrived at the park at the last possible minute before the sun was gone. It was a very orange sunset that night.

Homecoming 2008

Really great game. Lots of spirit and excitement.

This is my youngun

Few girls from the JV squad.

Another one of my younguns. Don't know if I should claim this one.

You need to be brave and trustworthy to be a flyer.

OOPS, hope this young man is ok.


Why so many cheerleaders you might ask? There are three squads, freshman, junior varsity and varsity. All three squads cheer for the first half of the homecoming game.

Cheesing it up for the camera.

Woohoo! Final results.

The Great Eggplant Attack.....................

This is another plant that just hung out and taunted me over the summer. We did get a few random eggplant unlike the pepper plant. But all of a sudden.............................. Eggplant explosion. This picture doesn't even begin to show all the eggplants and blooms. I know there are at least 12 eggplants growing right now and by tomorrow morning many of those blooms could already be showing signs of new eggplants.

How many ways can you cook an eggplant, let me count the ways.

Surprise peppers...............

My garden is doing some weird things. It is messing with my mind! Isn't this the sorriest plant you have ever seen. It is a pepper plant that I planted in late February. Pepper plants are supposed to like heat. Well this little bugger sat around all summer just taunting me. Never flowering, never giving me a single pepper.

About a week ago I found this little pepper tucked away behind some leaves. It is a beautiful purple color on the outside and bright green inside.
And this morning I found another pepper tucked away behind some leaves. What in the world is up with this. I was ready to pull this plant out a few weeks ago and decided to wait only to get these little surprises.
Well that beautiful puple pepper made it into my breakfast this morning. A plate full of migas, very yummy. I have made this recipe before with just the eggs and corn tortillas and I never even knew there was a name for this dish. I came across this delicious recipe yesterday at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/09/ree-drummond-migas/ Give it a try, you won't regret it.

Yummy...Chicken Salad

Just a simple chicken salad recipe I created one day and the kids loved it (always a good thing when kids love something). Oldest son has been asking for this lately so today was the day.

5 cups cooked diced chicken
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced walnut pieces
1 cup mayo
1 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Simply mix all ingredients together and serve your favorite way. My favorite is on a croissant but I didnt have any on this day.