The Secret Revealed!

Road Trip 2009, originally uploaded by Scatteredmom.

Okay, so I couldn't wait until Monday. THIS is what I've been doing over the past three weeks, 8 US states, and 8000 kms. Road trippin, baby!

For the next three weeks, you get the play by play, because baby, I blogged the whole thing. Twittered, too. (I wanted to go live but heard some stuff about safety and people breaking into your house while you're gone and stuff, so decided this way is better). You'll get to see where we stay, what we eat, what we do, just as if you've slipped into our trunk and joined us for the ride.

Although the trunk was SO FULL of stuff by the time we came home, this way is better for sure because you never would've fit.

Are ya ready? Set? GO!

First stop: Bozeman, Montana.

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I Have a Secret....

As you all have been here reading over the past few weeks, I have been busy doing all sorts of interesting stuff that I can't wait to tell you about. What? Really? There's more?

Darn right there's more. Actually I've been a pretty busy girl, what with it being summer and all, and having a teenager in the house that is now taller than me and can eat the equivalent of what would feed an entire small African village. I mean, really Jake, CAN your feet get any bigger? Can't you just go up 1/2 size or maybe even a size at a time, instead of 2 sizes every time we turn around? Size 11? ELEVEN? Good lord boy, this is insanity!!

Wha? Oh ya. The stuff I've been up to. Have I mentioned that I'm easily distracted?

I have ached to just spill what I'm up to, but I have been forced to keep my fingers quiet until just the right time. If you can be patient until Monday, only then can I finally spill the beans.

Prepare yourself. As Jake would say, it's "uber-awesomeness!"

Oh and while you're waiting? I've been a featured blogger over at Mom Central Canada! Go read about how to calm the high school jitters for your newly minted teenager.

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When Hubs Gets Hold of the Camera

The place was Mesa Verde, Colorado. We were waiting for a tour to start, and Hubs just grabbed the camera and snapped. I'm not sure what I was saying (or doing), but I look seriously dorkish here. Now I make him tell me before he hits that button, because sheesh! Who wants to look like THAT?

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Cookie Crumbs: What You Don't Know...

"Honey! Star Trek is at the theater! We have to go! You ready? It's tonight!"

Silence. Wait, maybe he wasn't listening. Let's repeat that.

"Honnnney....Star Trek is here! Remember, we were going to go? Do you want to go tonight? I mean you love Star Trek, and it's supposed to be good, and..."

"Do we have to?" Hubs doesn't look thrilled at all. He looks...pained. Like I'm making him do something he doesn't want to.

"No, I just thought you'd really want to see it. Wait. Oh my GOD, you aren't like HIM, are you?"
I point at Jake. Jake, the child who can't stand to be in a movie theater because it's too loud.

Hubs sheepishly nods.

"You mean to tell me that we've been married for seventeen years and you've only faked that you liked the theater all this time?!? What else aren't you telling me? Do you even LIKE movies?"

"Sometimes."

I don't believe it. Seventeen long years of me dragging him to movies, and NOW he tells me.

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Recipe Tuesdays: Home made Turtles

I made these awhile ago as a gift for Jake's teachers. I won't lie to you-they were a lot of work, but the recipe made a lot I think they were delicious! It was my first time making caramel, and the only thing I think I would do differently is not cook it quite as long because they were a bit too chewy.

Then of course, the chocolate took what seemed like forever to set. I was really upset, thinking that I had wasted so much cash on nuts and good chocolate only to end up with a product that I really couldn't give away in the end. I'm picky like that.

I woke up the next day and they were perfection! Delicious! All I needed was a bit of patience.

Want to make some too? Find the recipe here.

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Parental Revenge

At 6 am, you can smell bread being toasted and coffee brewed. It's the first day of Jake's summer vacation and, exhausted from the first round of finals he's ever written, he's curled up in bed sound asleep.

It's no secret that Hubs and I are jealous of this. Summer is wasted on the young, my friends. The kids that whine that they are bored and don't really truly appreciate the bliss of having whole stretches of days ahead of you with nothing important to do just don't realize how wonderful that really is.

Hubs and I are still working.

"Do you think I should wake him up?" Hubs whispers right outside Jake's door.

"What? Are you kidding?"

"Ah come on, it could be fun. Just imagine going in there and bouncing on his bed, telling him that actually Jake, you need to go to school just ONE MORE DAY." Hubs grins slyly, relishing the thought.

"No. You can't do that." Adamantly, I shake my head in disagreement.

"Aw, why not?" Hubs pouts. He's disappointed, but he really doesn't understand the implications of following through with his evil plan. He reaches for the doorknob, but I slap his hands away.

"Because then in a few weeks I'm on vacation too. You work all summer, but I'm here for two whole months with the boy on a daily basis. He'll wait until I forget about it, and when I'm least expecting it, he'll get revenge. That will be when I wake up to being squirted with cold water, or he'll put plastic wrap on the toilet seat, or fix the sprinklers so I get soaked. NO. You are NOT ALLOWED. "

Maybe at least save it for when we're closer to the END of summer vacation.

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Garden Envy

One Sunday while we poked around the garden center, I saw this amazing flower. Now THAT makes me want to be a gardener, but knowing my luck, I'd likely kill it. How about you?

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