A MOM "FIRST"...

...for me, at least!  I am sure this has happened to MANY moms out there - humor me, PLEASE!    I don't want to think for a second that I am the only one!

I LOCKED MY KIDS IN THE CAR!  Yes, yes - I am ashamed to say so.  I was on the phone, not paying attention, and OOPS!  I honestly can't recall exactly how that happened, but I'll take the blame for it 100%.  Tyler was still buckled in, and because these carseats really are childproof, he couldn't get himself out to unlock it.  Believe me, I tried to get him to!  Mallory was next to him, cool as a cucumber (for the first 10 minutes).  

I have to give a "shout out" to USAA Roadside Assistance.  They came through with flying colors to help a sorry soul like myself.  15 minutes after the phone call and they were there.  Thank goodness I put that sticker on my windshield!  And, luckily I had the phone in my hand when I exited the car.  (Kind of ironic, isn't it?)  It was 60 degrees and shady where I was parked, so I was okay with them in the car, and they were okay.  Or, I would have dialed Marietta's finest officers to help me out.  

When we were done, we went into the store and bought envelopes and glue, and had a good laugh about it.  

RUNNIN' ON CAFFEINE

Well, so much for keeping up with my journal!  I thought this would be a great way to let out my vents, thoughts, desires, concerns, etc. and well, obviously, I am releasing these things via voice and I am sure those poor souls would rather I'd type more!  So, let's give it another shot and try to be a little more up-to-date on my entries.  

I am taking a super quick break from printing final orders from Cotton Pickin' (and STILL dusting off the dirt from my products) while sipping my 1 cup a day of coffee (doctors orders when breastfeeding) that I didn't finish earlier this morning.  Mmmmmm.......  Mallory is sleeping (poor thing is so irritable - teething for sure!) and Tyler is still in school (that $10 for enrichment after school was WORTH IT!).  So, back to work.  

I promise I'll keep up this time.  PROMISE!

NEED A VACATION!!!

33 DAYS 'TIL HILTON HEAD
(enough said.)

THOSE DELICIOUS BLUEBERRIES....

Obsessed much??? I love blueberries, and I especially love them now! They are in season and wonderful. Here are some recipes I have stumbled across. I have used the syrup/sauce one twice. There are also some recipes on the Berry Patch site: www.berrypatchfarms.net and then I found these in my Parents magazine....

Berry Yogurt Pops
1 can (8 1/4oz.) pear halves in heavy syrup
1 cup blueberries
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
1. Drain the pears, reserving 2 Tbs. syrup. Place the pears, blueberries, and reserved syrup in blender or food processor. Cover and mix until it is smooth.
2. Add the yogurt to the blueberry mixture and blend again. Divide the mixture among 12 ice-pop molds; insert wooden sticks if your molds don't come with sticks or built-in handles. Freeze until firm, 4-6 hours. Makes 12 pop.

Blueberry Sauce/Syrup
3 cups blueberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
Stir together all ingredients in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Lower the heat and boil gently for 8 minutes, or until mixture gets thick. Be sure to stir the sauce often during cooking. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 2 cups.

Super-Easy Jam
3 cups blueberries
3 cups sugar
1/2 package (6oz.) liquid fruit pectin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1. Coarsely crush blueberries in a 4-quart pot using a potato masher. Stir in the sugar. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Stir in pectin and return to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and transfer jam to glass jelly jars. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or as long as 1 month. Stir before serving. Makes about 4 half-pints.

THE BIG 3-0

Holy cow - I've entered a new decade.

Time to break out the anti-wrinkle cream - I've already spotted many!

Happy Birthday to me! It has been a great 30 years and I hope to have 60 more...

AWESOME QUOTES

Here are some great quotes my encouraging husband just emailed me (per P'tree headquarters):

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can."
~ Unknown

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. "
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Fall seven times, stand up eight."
~ Japanese Proverb

"If you're going through hell, keep going. "
~ Winston Churchill

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. "
~ Unknown

"A champion is someone who gets up, even when he can't."
~ Jack Dempsey

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."
~ Vince Lombardi

And finally remember:
"Second place is just the first loser."

SO MUCH FOR TRAINING

Well, the P'tree Road Race is tomorrow, so I guess it is too late to become a runner. No matter what, I am looking forward to the experience (#3 for me) and festivities. It is such an amazing event. I recommend you try it at least once, if not go as a spectator. If you go to watch tomorrow, throw me an energy bar!!!
I'll be running and walking (even crawling) side-by-side with Colleen and Dan. I can't wait!

So much for a good night's sleep last night. Mallory was up with tummy issues. (What did I eat the other day??) So, no walk this morning. I've been working on Lily Pad and trying so hard to get my son to the toilet in time. Not so much. AGH!!!!!