January 26

Happy Birthday Joshua! I don't know if you read here, I'll have to check if you have internet in your new appt. But regardless, I hope this is a great year for you.

As for us, I'm so tired my eyes are burning. Maybe I just rubbed them with salty hands. Who knows. But it was a Monday, busy busy busy. Grocery shopping always wears me out, but I got a lot of BOGO deals today. Owen was in a MUCH better mood, thank heavens. I think today he giggled about as much as he screamed yesterday.

After school was the typical mad dash of Zach's homework and 'chores' which he actually did without complaining (although he still required about 1003 reminders). Clean up the never ending dishes and table, work on dinner while helping Zach with spelling homework, dodge Owen running underfoot, clean a few 'DeeDee!' diapers (it's so cute, he tells me when he's 'stinky' now).

Also, I got a package in the mail today! I love packages. Zach always gets excited when there's a package as well, practically holding his breath hoping it's for him. This time it was something I'd ordered from a fellow blogger, and OMG it's so CUTE! Jenni knitted this adorable puppet named Ozzy and while I took a photo of him, I think I'll wait and do a more dedicated photo shoot tomorrow (it will combine well with my 'photo course' that a group of us are doing). Everyone should bombard Jenni and buy one of these, provided her fingers hold up for the knitting. Zach is in love with the little bird, Owen was a bit apprehensive but was laughing at the bird's bobbing head and gangly walk. Absolutely adorable. We love him. THANK YOU JENNI!!

After dh got home and we ate dinner, I rushed out to take some photos for today. But the light was already waning, it was pretty dim outside. I tried taking some of the bougainvillea but I am not so good with composition, or holding the camera steady for extended shutter speeds, and with the darkness setting in I finally gave up. I did get this one, lightened it just a tad. Voila, a basic bougainvillea getting ready to turn a nice pale pink color.













Then I came back in, was not feeling inspired so I took a photo of the main dinner course. Dh says I am free to cook this any time. It was from Rachel Ray's cookbook of 30 minute meals, crab stuffed portobello mushrooms, and we also had her accompanying greens with lemon-mustard vinaigrette. Very tasty. Zach scarfed his meal w/o complaint, except to be dramatic about the hot sauce that was in it. I was impressed. These two left over will make dh very happy for breakfast tomorrow. Blech. I can't eat seafood in the mornings.





So after the photo memory was digitally rendered, I sat down and finished what was left of my meal. Can you guess what kind? LOL