What I wouldn't do for this backyard patio...

It is just BEGGING for al fresco dinners and curling up with a good book. Ahem, YKW... if you can make this happen, there may be something in it for you.

Do you know Juno?

Ok, so I am totally behind the times, I'll admit it. I just saw Juno. Loved it. Cried. Laughed. Cringed. It was everything a movie should be. It even contained the words PORK SWORDS. What could be better?

If you haven't seen this movie, go out and rent it. That's it... get your ass off your computer chair and go rent it now. You'll thank me.

Dinner, glorious dinner.

We had a most excellent dinner party last night that I had intended on taking photos of and well, forgot. So, instead of getting the super model at 2 am, you get her hideous alter ego... aka, "the morning after girl".

The Menu

• Salad - romaine, craisins, cinnamon Tabasco almonds, granny smith apple, & homemade vinegrette
• roasted asparagus with lemon
• orzo pasta with feta, dried cherries, and fresh basil with a lemon & olive oil dressing
• Zingerman's french bread
• grilled shrimp
• bacon wrapped filets

And of course... the most important part...

a pitcher of Bunny's crazy rum juice and our excellent guests brought a pitcher of apple margies.

Cake, glorious cake.

We had the little bug's birthday brunch yesterday. It was a great, relaxing way to celebrate. The food was good, the company even better. He was in a pretty good mood all morning, the pic above he is trying on Grandpa Rico's 60+ year old cap. The pic below he is destroying his very own mini carrot cake.

Priceless.

What a priceless thing to have shots of your friends' faces when you tell them you're PREGNANT! Really? It wasn't just Dave making an inappropriate comment? Emily is really really pregnant? Congrats a million times over to Emily and Ben on their great news!

You know what is so wonderful?

Pedicures.

My friend and I decided to get pedicures this morning and they were awesome. What is better than hanging out with an intelligent, funny, awesome friend? She is insanely generous and treated me to a birthday lunch after. Thanks friend for the company, the chat, and the laughter, you are awesome, but I'm sure you know that already.

Today was a good day.

It was a gorgeous 78 degrees here, so I am afraid that I didn't have time to think of something creative to blog about. My brain was focused on the fantastic lunch with Hizzle, despite the annoying waiter. And the walk over to see baby Myles... he is getting cuter by the day! The great nap Finn and I took and watching him laugh running around outside. It was just a great day.


Hope you all had a great day too!

Touched

Today is my thirty-second birthday.

I am touched that my husband stayed up until midnight, just to whisper "it is your birthday," into my almost sleeping ear.

I am touched that Finnegan gave me a huge hug this morning and woke up at 8:20 rather than his usual 7 am.

I reconnected with my friend Brian, my closest bestest male friend in the world, aside from my husband. It's been too long and I am touched that as I was getting ready to pop his card in the mail, he was sending me birthday messages. I really missed him a lot.

I was touched by Brittany, the massage therapist at Beauty Bar during my shirodhara treatment, my excellent birthday gift from my excellent mom.

I touched my tongue to my favorite lunch at Panera.

Finnegan hates to touch grass, even when we're sunning ourselves in Meme's backyard. Thanks to Mother Nature for finally getting it right, a BEAUTIFUL 74 degree day.

I am touched at all the well wishes from my girls, you know who you are.

I am touched at all of the cards and phone calls, mostly on my new celly and love from my family and friends.

I am touched that I have friends willing to give up a Saturday for pedicures and lunch and hilarious, heartfelt cards that make me all mushy.

I'm also touched for friends that drive over to my house and have much too generous gifts and cards so touching, they make my eyes well with happy tears.

And Hizzle, this one is for you. My tongue touched some abbbalos, abubbalos, allibaba, abbodos... Abuelos for dinner tonight with my two most favorite fellows in the world.

The Office, aka the best show in the universe, touched my funny bone.

Delish dinner

So just in case Jen the meal plan checker is listening... er, reading... I did stickish to my plan this week with a slight, and amazingly taste filled detour.

So the original plan was potstickers. We buy them at Costco and they are awesome. The little bug LOVES potstickers. Anywho, back to the potstickers plan. I was going to do salads with it with this asian ranch dressing from Tastefully Simple, but then Mara mentioned skewers of chili lime chicken and well... this is where the detour began. It was 60 degrees here today and perfect grilling weather so we went for it.

The little bug at two plates filled with chicken, potstickers, and rice. I'm guessing that means it was a big hit with the "under one" set.

Here is the chili lime marinade I used, very loosely taken from one found on all recipes. It makes enough for about 3 pounds of chicken or 2 pounds of chicken and some veggies.

Chili Lime Marinade

6 TB canola oil

2 TB balsamic vinegar

juice of two limes

2.5 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp of fresh minced garlic

4-5 shakes of Tabasco

fresh black pepper

Call me, call me any anytime...

So I'm no Blondie, but you can still hook a girl up with a phone call on my new birthday celly! YKW rocked the gift giving this year! So yeah, he had a cheat from my list, but I LOVE my new phone. I don't even care that it looks like a Barbie, should be carried by a sixteen year old, Paris Hilton wanna be phone. I was crazy surprised since I thought for sure he'd go for the spa day. Here's how it went down...

*************************************************

YKW: *casually puts wrapped gift on living room table, he knows full well that I can't deal with temptation of a wrapped gift. Ever. It is torture.*

me: What's that? My birthday present? Can I open it?

YKW: Sure.

me: *thinking for sure it is a TRICK!* Really?

YKW: *not paying attention to me typing on the computer* Yep.

me: *even MORE thinking it is a trick* Can I REALLY open it?

YKW: Yep. *clickety click click click type type* It's just an empty box so if you want to open it go ahead.

me: Damn it! Really? Can I seriously open it? Are you tricking me? Why is it empty? It's really empty?

YKW: Open it. It's just a place holder so you had something to open.

me: Well that isn't fun! Can I still open it?

( If I may interject here... You see how sad I am folks? I would rather open an empty box than to not open anything at all and today isn't even my real birthday.)

YKW: Sure.

me: *running over to get the box* Wait there is something in there!

YKW: *smiles*

And so he totally went over to Sprint this afternoon and hooked me up. He was praying the whole time he was gone that I didn't try to use my (old) cell phone and call Sprint complaining that it didn't work. He's a crafty fellow, that Dave.

Just another exciting Saturday night.

Watching British comedy on PBS is one of my very most guilty pleasures. I think it all started when I was in grade school and used to watch Are You Being Served when I probably should have been sleeping. From there it spread to shows like Ab Fab, Fawlty Towers, and who can forget (and I blame my uncle Jimmy for this one) Benny Hill?






I will watch complete crap if you slap a British accent on it. So now my Saturday nights are sometimes, ok, more often than not... spent watching As Time Goes By, The Vicar of Dibley, and ahem, Keeping Up Appearances. This last little entry is the guiltiest of all pleasures. And I would like you all to know, I am going to single handedly bring back the candlelight supper as an hommage to Hyacinth.






And so, it's almost 10 pm here and I must get my cup of tea in my Royal Doulton with hand-painted periwinkles. Cheerio my good readers.

10 Birthday Gifts I'd Love #1

A spa day.

And while my normal spa of choice is Ahava, this time I'd like to hit Beauty Bar. The reason? I reeeeeally want to try their shirodhara treatment! Not to mention I love their Pink Martini pedicures.

I'm teaching the dog to babysit...

and other excuses for not blogging...

1. I am busy teaching the dog to babysit Finnegan. He does a fabulous job watching him while he has a ball in his hand... we're still working on it.
2. Well, that is really it. Teaching a dog to babysit is hard work.

I promise to be back in full force here shortly.

I'm BIZ-A watching the Office.

Please share your most favorite Office episodes in the comments section.

And thank sweet Jesus that it is BACK next week. Oh Office, how I have missed thee. Lovely, hilarious Office, you make me pee a little every time I see you.

Oh, and Renee' you best get studying girlie.

The martian pjs made me do it.

"Just a minute mama! I need to reprogram the answering machine before bed!"

"Just a minute more... I need to also change the date stamp, oh and erase all the messages!"

You can always add yours.

Two cents that is... to any of the comments. And if you think someone in particular would like reading So Wonderful, So Marvelous, let me know their email and I will add them.

Happy Reading and keep your eye out for a special guest blogger!

I really love surprises!!! Really. A lot.

Firstly, I opened my front door and this box is sitting on my steps. Racking my brain trying to think of what the heck I ordered. What did I order? What did I order? Oh man, am I losing it? Did I order something and not remember? Something from Illinois? What?



When I finally wrangle the box open, my surprise and delight can. not. be. contained. Look AT THE MOST FUN SERVING PIECE EVER! I am seriously using it on Saturday. Because it ROCKS. I love it. Love it love it love it.

Jackie, your uncanny knack for finding the most amazing stuff never ceases to amaze me. Now, I must inform you that I am currently attempting to get your gift, but we're having issues getting it across state lines. That's all I'm saying for the moment. I miss you and thank you a million times over for this! You made my week.