uh, uh, no you diint!

My day was going along just fine. Had my coffee and Kashi cereal for breakfast. Got myself, the kids and my parents to church in time for donuts, coffee (none for me, thanks), potty breaks and service with no meltdowns. Heard the greatness of Voddie Baucham, guest speaker. Got out of the building at a reasonable time and headed to lunch.

Here begins the foundation of my sad tale.

Mom wanted Luby's - line too long. Across the parking lot - Freebirds! It's been awhile since I've had me some yummy Freebirds. In college, my roommate was a manager at the one in Northgate, so needless to say...

Line was just as long at Freebirds, but, well, it's so worth it. As I wrestled with my order (side info: Since Easter, I've been very careful with my food choices - losin' weight and all - about 15 lbs worth!), I was torn between getting nothing but lettuce and some chicken and enjoying a decent burrito. I opted for the decent burrito. Initially I was going to get a 1/2 burrito but Shawn decided that I should spend 75 cents more and get a Freebird. He would finish the rest...or so he thought.

Aside from a few bites I shared with Asher, I downed that thing! Yum from beginning to end! And I didn't feel too guilty because I passed on sour cream and all, until...

I got home and looked up the nutritional info. I am reeling, profoundly shocked. Did you know that the bbq sauce on a Freebird is almost 200 calories and 11 grams of fat?? What the..???

So, as penance for eating a thousand-plus calorie burrito for lunch, I must write about it. Call it a public service announcement or something.

It just ain't right, but it's oh so good.

highlights

Nothing like my voice magnified and echoized.

Good stuff.

highlights from our week

A little swimmin' with our friends!

Asher's first time in a pool - it's ALL good.
I'm cold but momma is warmin' me up.
Bring on the sparkles, I'm a happy gal.
No pictures please. I'm not dressed yet.

the sweetest things...

It's a good stage right now. I love it. Avery is a funny, smart, sweet big sister. Asher is getting around on his own, fascinated by his big sister and curious about everything. They both have the greatest smiles. We love these kids!

summer reading

A friend asked me to list my top faves for summer reading. I'll share a few I think are worthy of checking out - you do the same!

1. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty - I found this book delightful. A story of triplet sisters during their 33rd year. This is the first book by this author and I think she knocked it out of the park. If I were to ever write a book, this is what I would hope for.
*L, S, comical V*

2. Aunt Dimity Series by Nancy Atherton - A true "cozy" novel. Nothing profound, nothing "R" rated - just a good snack book. Lori, a thirtysomething mom to twin boys and wife of lawyer Bill, gets into trouble and finds adventure in small town Finch. Aunty Dimity is a...well, you'll have to read to find out. I have read most of them and really enjoy their simple, sweet small English town feel.

3. The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas - Not for the faint of heart. AMAZING! One of my all time favs. It is LONG but holds you until the very end. Told from the point of view of a Roman soldier at the crucifixition, we journey with him as he seeks to learn about this man called Jesus.

4. Any chick lit book from Kristin Billerbeck. She sets her stories in the Sillicon Valley. Single gals navigating through life, love and the occasional spa trip. Fun! Fun! Fun!

5. Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy Sayers - my hands down favorite books. I love Lord Peter, I love the time period (20s and 30s) and I love the location (England). She is a smart writer, dripping with dry wit - that wonderful british humor. She was a contemporary of CS Lewis and one of the first women to attend Oxford. She has written both fiction and nonfiction. I have read all of the Wimsey series and always hope to stumble upon an undiscovered one.

I'll start there. Those at least have stuck with me. So often I read a book and never think about it again. And I'll have to be honest - I never make it through self-help books nor do I choose non-fiction too often.

Alright folks, start posting your faves!

*UPDATE* - Just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Very very good! I had a good cry.

birhtday schmirthday

i'm still in that fuzzy wake up haze. my eyes are bleary, the zit on my chin hurts and i probably should get back in bed.

but here i am.

i've got a bit of a birthday hangover. i wish it were from cake, ice cream and receiving lots of presents. no, its from unmet expectations.

i hate expectations. they always seem to let you down.

not that my birthday was a bad day - it just wasn't the stuff that dreams are made of. a sick child, no luck shopping, needing to say, "i need some me time" but feeling guilty for even thinking it. losing my temper. of course, ALL of this spurred on by raging hormones from my good ol' aunt flo (i feel positively adolescent using that term!).

last night, as my day was coming to a close, i told shawn that i wanted to celebrate on another day, a happy simri day. no water weight, no expectations, no problem finding something to buy. he sweetly agreed that was a good idea.

i've got 364 days to make it happen.

there were some silver linings:

- Cheesecake Factory for lunch
- trying on Lucky Brand jeans in a size I haven't worn in many moons. How great to walk in to a store, have the young sales guy look you up and down and declare, "you're long and lean, so we'll try these jeans." He also mentioned my "Cute figure" (hey bud, i'm old enough enough to be your...aunt!) and brought me lots of skimpy tops and jeans with the price tag tucked neatly out of sight. I applied good ol' biblical wisdom and "guarded my heart". no matter how good i felt, i just can't bring myself to pay over a hundred bucks for any one piece of clothing. I think Shawn actually would have let me get them. Or maybe I was a victim of reverse psychology. Either way, i left empty handed but feeling good.
-Chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. For me, cake just doesn't cut it the way warm chocolate chip cookies and milk do.
-Avery sang "Happy Birthday" to me. That might seem simple but the girl has an aversion to that song. She bursts into tears when it's sung to her on her birthday. She hides her face at other birthdays when the song is begun. But for me, she sang proudly, loudly and with gestures!
-Being remembered by friends and family! Thank you!

So, in hindsight, it was a good day.

too cold

The excitement wore off quite fast after i moved the pool onto the porch and refilled it with fresh cold water. Sorry, kid, you got mom's super-fair, quick-to-fry skin. I promise, it'll be hot enough soon enough and you'll be glad for the shade.

salad perfection

this is greatness...

Romaine lettuce

grilled chicken

mandarin oranges

feta cheese

pecans

balsamic vinagrette

mmmmmmmm! so tasty! didn't even wait for the kids to go down for a nap to tear into this. (i like to eat in peace)