the one in which i get honest (and get an award)

I received the Versatile Blogger Award from Jess over at (appropriately enough) Made by Jess.

Somehow I've never seen her blog before (sorry!) and from reading through her posts she seems like a super sweet gal! 21 years old and a mom & stepmom of 3--WOW! She's got me beat :0)



Thanks Jess!
So, I have to share 7 things about myself, and then pass the award along.
I am soooo NOT GOOD at this!

Here goes:
1. I was 18 when I married googiedaddy. We knew we were young (he was 20), but we knew it was right, and didn't want to wait. We've been unbelievably happy for what will be 12 years in October.

2 Little Bear was due on our 10th anniversary. Visions of just googiedaddy and I in bathing suits on a warm beach with pina coladas in hand were replaced with visions of hospital gowns and soothing (ha) blue walls and ice chips in hand. But I liked that better :0)

3. I always wished I had a sister. I still do. I love the fact that my daughters have sisters. It makes me excited to see their relationship as they grow.

4. I kind of wish LittleMan had a brother.

5. I haven't sewn anything in about a month (except for a little at work. but that doesn't really count.) I go in spurts, and I haven't really had the sewing bug lately, even thought I have a pile of half-finished and unstarted projects awaiting my attention.

6. I am a voracious reader. I have to limit the amount of books I get from the library at one time. If I get 1 book, I'll read it in a week. If I get 10 books, I'll read them in a week. And my house will fall apart, nothing will get done, my kids will wear dirty clothes 7 days in a row and eat granola bars and fruit snacks for all meals.

7. Last week I stole a mirror right off the wall of my mom's house. I stopped by for a minute, saw it, and took it. Just like that. And she didn't even notice until I mentioned it. I'm not sure which is worse.

Okay, phew. That was alot tougher than I think it should have been. I don't know why I feel all 7 things have to be some earth-shattering revelations, instead of just "I buy my underwear at Walmart", but there it is. (and I do, mostly)

I never even finished the 9 things (or was it 11?) I was supposed to do with my last award and the one before that.

The other thing I never did was pass the award on to other bloggers.

Here's the thing: (and I'm not saying this from some sense of false modesty or anything)...I feel like "who am I?"

Who am I to get attention from someone else?
Who am I to decide who's worthy of an award?

Every single comment I get I go crazy over. I'm small stuff in the blogosphere, and I know it.
I read lots of other blogs, but they're all more "popular".
I feel like, seriously, am I going to give the Versatile Blogger award to Dana at Made? Or Katy at No Big Dill? Or Disney at Ruffles and Stuff? They probably get about 7 of these things a day.

So, here's my compromise. See those blogs on the right? The ones I have listed there? Those are the blogs I love and read with my cuppa joe in the mornings. The blogs that I steal ideas from inspire me.
So go, shoo. Check 'em out. They're good reads--crafty, funny, heartbreaking, versatile, honest scrap stuff.
I hereby pass my awards on to all of them.

just call me snookie

you're not hearing much from me this week.

googiedaddy is on vacation since last Thursday, and we've been enjoying some much needed family & relaxation time.

doing things around the house.
doing things with kids.
doing nothing at all.

yesterday was our first trip to the beach this summer.

i'm not a beach type person. I have red hair, fair skin, and freckles.

i burn if you say the word "sun" too close to me.

somehow i ended up with 4 beach babies.

they love the water







well, 3 out of 4 love the water.
one of them wasn't so sure about the water.



but she loved the sand



and the sandwiches



and the sand





the water though? she kept a wary on it, lest it try to reach up and attack her again...



but the other three? they're practically fish







and partly movie star (apparently)


slow down Time! she's only 10!

we even collected some new friends, courtesy of Pop, who's a Fearless Jellyfish Hunter





gotta love the Jersey Shore. there's nothing else like it.

sugar and spice and everything nice

A few months ago we reorganized our large kitchen closet/pantry, and got a deep freezer. Since then I've been food shopping for one month at a time.

I love it.

LOVE IT.

I guess because I'm in the "month" frame of mind, I decided to go on a cooking rampage today.
At one point I looked around and realized my kitchen looked like this:



Nice, huh?

Let me break it down a little for ya:



But I did it.
And when the dust flour cleared, I was one happy momma.
Bread, rolls, casseroles, pitas...all prepared and packed and put away in the freezer. So that when needed they're ready and waiting.
Perfect for these hot summer days when I'm busy with kids all day, and the inevitable "What's for dinner?" begins sounding.

The final tally?


doesn't it look like I have a super shiny counter reflecting 3 loaves instead of 6 loaves of bread stacked up?

2 pans of Four Cheese Mac & Cheese
2 pans of Tofu Casserole (sort of like a chicken divan, but with tofu instead of chicken)
6 loaves of Whole Wheat Bread
30 Steakhouse Freezer Rolls
18 Pitas

Ah Ah Ah.



On a related note~~
Do you eat pita? You MUST make homemade pita. It is un.be.liev.able. Full stop.

The cardboard rounds you buy in the food store? NOT a pita.
Not even CLOSE to pita.

I use this recipe by Farmgirl Fare.
Honestly, I can't say it enough--get thee to the kitchen NOW!

googiemomma out.