Just Believe

Well, our summer is drawing to a close. Can you believe it! I really can't, although it has given many good memories, lots of cute babies to smooch and many lazy days just kickin back. Contrary to what I usually tell you my kids are pretty good kids. I enjoy being with them, most of the time.

I have goals to meet. Many goals and summer kind of interferes with me meeting these goals. So its time to mosey on down the road summer. Adios, sianara, shoo shoo. I gots to get back to reality.

Mamie's needs me, I am sure you are all tired of me whining about the wrectchedness of my peeps(refer to the previous paragraph) posting summer recipes thinking that inspires you and frankly not posting much at all. I tried Ok! Think back to my rockin 4th of July creations! They were magnificent! For reals.

So Goal #1- Boutiques. I want to participate in a few. Blissfest is taking a year off so I can't be a part of that! Darn it! So I really really want to go to the Believe Boutique. I visited it last year and had quite a fun time. I think I blogged about it here.

So the directors of this boutique need to see my goods. Thus being why I have dug through my archives and have posted all of these pics.

I am kind of proud of what I create. I don't mean to brag but I really love taking old things and breathing new life into them.

This is what I need to do with myself....breathe new life into me, and so it begins......Chapter 39!

XOXO~Mamie

Pit O Snakes......

This post needs to be top secret. I am not sure how that can be since I am choosing to post this out on the world wide web but it feels better to say it's top secret.

I don't want my girls to see this.

The chances are they wont. They don't usually read this blog. Madd's does on occasion but all in all I think its safe. Here goes nothin......

I once was a momma who had three little girls. Their hair was usually well kept, clothes trendy and sometimes I even dressed them in matching outfits. They took piano lessons without complaining. Dancing and ballet all so willing. They fought on occasion but nothing that seemed to out of the ordinary. My girls would pick up their rooms when asked, read to their baby brother and charm all who would come across us in the grocery aisle with their little smiles, curly hair and big blue eyes.

Those were the days...so long and forgotten.

One day in church a well respected and experienced father turned around and asked me how old our oldest daughter was. We answered "she's 13." Both of us turning to look at her and smiling with pride at the beautiful young woman she was becoming. He then asked the most appalling question " is she brain dead yet?" What? We just smiled at him, not sure what in the world he could be implying. Fortunately the meeting started and he turned back around.


6 months later we knew......braindead. Yes, all of a sudden our oldest, sweetest child was beginning to show signs of this mysterious condition that affects teenagers somewhere the ages of 12-14.

Since then we have become well seasoned parents to 3 teenage girls. We know all the ins and outs, distraction techniques, ways to get around the I don't remember you saying that, or that's not what you said or my all time favorite...... SAREEEEE!(sorry) with an attitude.

I have young friends. They have sweet kids, like I had. As I listen to them share with me tales of their daily lives. I love offering advice. As they share with me cute stories and mishaps I think back to the times when my girls were so tiny...and nice.

This morning one of my friends was talking to me......she was sharing with me a little story about her oldest....girl......who is getting.....sassy. I found myself giddy as a school girl as she was telling me some of the things her daughter had told her. My tummy was jumping and I was dishing out the advice faster than I could talk. I had to catch myself finally before I came off rude. What was happening? Why was I so happy to learn of my sweet friends suffering. I think I was happy that....a) I was getting proof to my long time theory that ALL children no matter how saint like they once were, can be snakey. b) my family is normal and 3)I will soon be having another friend cross over to the darkside. It's always good to have back up support.

Scott often comes home to a Pit of Snakes.....and who doesn't always love that!

XOXO~ Mamie

Sunday Summer'Que

We done et all the evidence, this picture is off the web......

Scott's Incredible Grilled Corn On The Cob

8 fresh ears of sweet corn, shucked and cleaned
wipe dry and place on cookie sheet
Brush each ear with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Grill on medium heat turning every 3 minutes for about 15 minutes or until it starts to look a little charred.

Trust me, you will never ever boil corn again........

Last Minute Steak Kabobs

recipe adapted from Country Living( have I ever mentioned that I love this magazine?)

1 cup red wine......I didn't have this so I subbed cranberry juice/cider vinegar
1/2 cup peanut oil....didn't have this so I used olive oil/sesame oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice.....had this!
1/4 cup soy sauce......check!
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley....I used flat Italian parsley, I like this better
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce....check!
2 tablespoons dry mustard.....hmmmmm I think I would use less and add garlic salt!
salt and fresh ground pepper. fresh ground is soooo much better, if you don't use this do! You can buy a little grinder for cheap at the grocery store!

Mix all of this together and set 1/2 cup aside in fridge

Kabobs- wooden skewers work fine, just soak in water before you use them.

Steak- I use a texas flat iron steak, 1 1/2 lbs of it. cubed into nice bite size cubes. Not too small!

wash and prep your veggies, we used cherry tomatoes whole, red bell pepper cut into nice squares, red onion cut into wedges, mushrooms wiped clean and left whole.

Marinate your steak and your veggies together for a few hours in the fridge.When you are ready to grill, thread them on your skewers rotating your meat with your veggies.

Grill on medium heat, rotating often for about 8 minutes!


Sooooooooooo yummy.

XOXOX~mamie

Kisses For Amy

I have a stupid cold.......I hate colds....

It's 116 degrees outside, stifling hot really. I walk outside and start to melt.

I'm feeling very sorry for myself. Then I remembered I hadn't checked my blogs out today. So I did. And I was reminded why I like to check out some of these blogs on a daily basis. One of my favorite blogs had this blog link on her post.

I thought I'd share. Maybe you need this as much as I did. I need to get over the heat, get off of the couch and share some love. I think that is what this sweet lady would want.

Love you`Mamie

Key Lime Chicken with Watermelon Salsa...........

Watermelon Salsa

From Country Living Magazine
4 cups diced watermelon
3 jalapenos seeded and diced
1/2 cup red onion diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
The juice of 4 key limes or 2 regular limes
a pinch of salt

Mix all together and chill before serving. Delish with tortilla chips but even better on this chicken that I made up!

Key Lime Chicken
2 lbs. chicken tenders thaw, rinse and pat dry. Place in a deep dish or bowl.

Drizzle chicken with the juice of 4 key limes or 2 regular limes add about 1/2 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 tsp or cumin, crushed oregano, 2 crushed cloves of garlic and salt and pepper. Let marinate for at least an hour.

After letting it sit grill chicken until cooked and no longer pink. Serve with the above salsa and a slice avocado!

So yummy, you can thank me later!

XOXO~ Mamie

For Laura Loo.......

I made these for my sweet friend Laura. She had a little girl Macey 8 weeks ago. I am a little slow on getting her gift to her. They turned out so cute. I probably shouldn't be posting this because Laura is an avid little blogger and I know she reads my blog occasionally. I have known Laura for hmmmmmm, lets see since 1995. She was one of my Merrie Miss in primary. She was such a cutie. She became part of our family as we moved 2 houses down from them. My girls LOVED having her around and sometimes I was quite sure they liked having her more than me. By the time I had daughter number 3 Laura was our one and only sitter. Madelyn my third daughter adored Laura or as Mads calls her La La. They have a special bond even to this day.

Laura was the greatest sitter as well as a dear friend to me. We loved her company and enjoyed being involved in every facet of her life. We were so happy to be at her high school graduation, cried when she left for a year to Japan and thrilled to be with her on the day she married the love of her life in the Idaho Falls temple.

I am in awe at the amazing woman Laura grew into. She is an incredible mother to Carson and Macey. You can check out how stinkin adorable they are here They even wear cloth diapers. She finds fantastic deals on the internet and is super crafty and smart with her money. She continues to think of me for Mother's day, she remembers all of our birthday's and even our anniversary.

I miss her. I really miss not being more involved in her life. I am kind of a poop when it comes to correspondence and am horrible about mailing things. Thus many of my friendships have suffered since we moved 5 years ago.

I love you Laura Loo and am so proud of you.

Love me

I've Never Been So Happy...............

WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!

I love this logo, and let me share with you why. I had some errands to do today. In the midst of these I decided to stop for lunch by myself at Cafe Rio. [yumm yumm] I do this often, lunch by myself. I don't mind it, I often have a book with me and I just sit and chill. I would just eat in my car but considering the horrific state of the temperature outside, I would prefer to eat in most of the time.

Anyways, I love Cafe Rio, as do most people. But Cafe Rio doesn't have those same wonderful feelings for me. It gets to me, in a way that bran cereal gets to me. It wreaks havoc with my intestinal track. But I keep going back, each time I go I know how it will end and yet week by week I think the outcome will be different. Today was one of those days. I ate and savored each bite. Not worrying about my kids. Corm was at a playdate and the girls were probably enjoying the absence of my nagging.

I ate the whole dang salad. I knew I would only have a few minutes until the war with my insides set in but I kept eating and reading and munching on Cafe Rio's new crushed ice! Then I did the most outlandish thing I have done in months. I got in my car and headed out of the parking lot and turned the opposite direction of my house.

What could I possibly been thinking? I drove and drove and drove some more to my next destination up in Scottsdale. It took about 5 minutes of rumbling to realize it was not going to be ok. I needed help and fast.

I already had a game plan....a fast food place, you can sneak in and out of those places without being noticed. Now I just had to find one. I was in a business part of town, not a lot of options. I thought about pulling off at a Dr's office. Surely they would understand my predicament. I thought about what if I get to my destination without finding anything? I can't go inside in this state!

I got to my turn off and straight in front of me on it's celestial lining of clouds I saw them. The golden arches of glory. I pulled in, parked and made a run for it. I even went in a little side door that led straight to the rest rooms. Bingo! It was even a private little suite. A one roomer. Oh, I was saved.

Today Mickey D's, I truly was Lovin it!

XOXO~ Mamie