beginner's luck

when i play a game for the first time i usually win. this happens a lot. it's very frustrating to people playing with me because i usually don't try very hard. in fact, i play so carefree that i'm never considered a threat. i don't try to win. i take risks that are considered crazy by veteran players. risks that i would never do after playing the game a few times

(which is why i never win after the first time i play!).

...

last night we played

"settlers."

i know some of you are crazy fanatics about this game!!!

my final winning point was the

"longest road"

card.

the goal is to get to 10 points.

little houses called "settlements" are 1 point.

bigger houses called "cities" (i called them mansions) are worth 2 points.

look at that big & beautiful long orange road!!!

ahhhh, the

sweet

sound

of

victory!

i also made these two beauties for dinner.

we've started a friday night pizza tradition in our house.

i love making the dough and

throwing

on

all of the ingredients we are diggin' that night.

my favorite last night was the

olive, pepperoni, onion one above,

but the sausage below was also a big hit.

which one would you have liked?

do you have my button yet?

commando news!

exciting news!!!!!!

#1: i am a published blogger!!!

click

here

or

here

(light refreshments served is the site)

#2: brennan is commando crawling!!!

which basically means

he's crawling!

thank goodness.

10 1/2 months of thinking he would never accomplish this feat.

rumors and speculations of alleged reasons for not crawling

(mainly his "pork loin" status).

predictions of walking first

(which i don't think is far off either).

hallelujah,

wait, can we go back to not crawling now?

actually, i rather like this new found mobility.

less bending for me;-)

on another note:

does not wearing make up classify as

"letting oneself go?"

no sir!

(red lipstick does not count for makeup, you know,

'cause it's my new year's resolution...

or was it a

revolution?

to wear

red lipstick

a lot).

i must say,

i feel prettier,

more myself,

without make up on.

anyone else feelin' me on this?

i mean, people are really seeing me!

now, this can be scary at first, having worn make up since the age of 14,

but let me tell you people,

it's so empowering.

go ahead, try it.

make it a

no make up kind of day!

(of course, don't forget your russian red lipstick)

have you put my button on your blog yet?

upper right hand corner folks;-)

ACtual.evolving music.

this is my brother adam.

he blogs for

".evolving music."

(pen name "ACtual").

i was especially interested in two of their posts this week. their blog has multiple writers, and is dedicated to music, culture, technology, dance, film, and much more.

read my

comments

(posting as "Emilisq G")

on their post,

"are mommy bloggers into music tech?"

...

btw, those jeans were fresh from the dryer.

toasty and warm.

i know you're jealous.

...

tune in tomorrow

for a

link

to my first

published blogging piece!

...

did you

grab my button

for your page yet?!

google me!

i'm on google images, are you?

bottom right, don't forget, i used to be blonde.

confessions of a guitar hero addict

confession:

i have not spent a single minute of today on my book club book

(as previously mentioned i was to spend the entire day reading).

my guilt was lessened when LP sent me an email saying she was behind too,

so not to worry about finishing.

oh no,

the procrastination has been fed.

and so was my tummy...

guitar hero play date today

was what

i

did

instead.
well, more like the babies played

and we ate this:

it was really good.

tammy's artichoke dip.

but tammy was missing!

have you seen this mama?

m.i.a.

get well soon taylor!

the babies shared a binky

(really, it was so cute)

the bigger kids played "putput" golf down our hallway.

the "grown ups" (i guess i'm one of those now?),

well we chatted,

and ate...

and chatted...

and ate...and played guitar hero...and ate...

and chatted.

it was good for the soul.

and for the tummy

(as previously mentioned).

and for the kids/babies.

for sure, we did the entire thing for them;-)
not for ourselves at all.

we are that selfless!

;-)

tammy's artichoke dip:

1 pkg softened cream cheese (i microwaved it for 30-60 sec)

1/4 c. mayo

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 4 oz. can diced green chilies

1 c. grated parmesan

garlic salt (a few shakes)

mix it all together

bake at 350* for 30 min.

serve with chips pipin' hot!

seriously,you might want to make it tonight.

word of the day: smokin'

as in "that's smokin' hot."

book thief

so i'm in this cute little book club.

LP

is hosting tomorrow night.

i am on pg. 253

out

of

552 pgs.

so, today i will be doing

this

and

only

this.

reading, that is.

the book thief

is about a 9 yr. old girl in nazi germany

who learns to read

and steals books to fulfill her new found reading passion.

throw in foster parents, death, and hiding a jewish man,

and you've got one heck of a page turner.

have you snagged my button yet?

it's new today.

so put it on your page already!

proud

i am

proud to be
an american.

did you know obama was a lefty?
me neither!

domestic goddess

domestic goddess.

that is what my family has called me since forever.

because i do things like bake bread, cookies, and casseroles.

and enjoy it.
i baked these beauties last night.

i love warm bread.

i must confess,

i grew up feeling embarrassed about enjoying these things.

i was making dinner for my parents and stepsister one night and told my stepsister,

"i can't wait to have a family and make dinner for them every night."

she almost died right on the spot.

i really meant it though!

even though it's exhausting some nights,

i really do love making dinner for my family.

for the first time i'm finally holding my head high as i say this.

my parents were from the hippie generation.

they are amazing people.

beatle loving people.

they have great family values,

but they weren't exactly the generation that was all about

baking bread and casseroles,

if you get ma' drift.

it still feels NOT politically correct to say,

"i'm a homemaker, and i love it."

gasp!

what did that woman say?

did she really admit that she chooses to stay with her children and take care of her home?

"oh, she must have not had enough will power to really make it."

i graduated with my bachelor's degree in elementary education,

and taught school for two years.

i've heard some say,

"what a waste of an education."

to that i say,

no sir!

i am proud of the things that i do everyday.

i have a great sense of accomplishment as i cultivate new skills.

i use my degree every moment,

and am currently working on my master's

in

motherhood;-)

i don't mind doing laundry.

it's so refreshing.

(sandma is rolling her eyes right now;-)

"oh, give it a few years honey, a few more kids, and a few more loads a day."

ok, maybe so, but why not enjoy it now?

i love cooking.

i love baking homemade bread.

the steam that rises off when you cut the first slice.

the melty butter i smear on it.

mmmmm.

i love baking cookies.

they are famous cookies.

i love playing with brennan.

i love putting lotion on his fatty rolls.

i love kissing his chunky cheeks.

i don't love cleaning the bathroom.

or emptying the garbage.

thank you my love for doing these things more often than not.

i love seeing vacuum lines in my carpet.

i love a made bed.

this is amazing that i am saying this b/c i have just recently come to love this.

tangent: i have to get into a made bed to go to sleep, but i never used to make it until just before i got into it. this drove sean crazy. we agreed that if he would soak his dishes i would make the bed. it's been a great compromise.

i love my job.

i love homemaking.

that may sound too 1950's,

but the today show says that with the obama's in the white house, family values & homemaking are supposed to be more popular now;-)

like 50 cent,

or something.

on saturday i learned that jumping off of a diving board is good for the soul.

do it three times in a row.

oh, and the verdict is still out on my sewing abilities...

i have three lovely aprons waiting to be made.

i will get to you, i will.