The Laws of leggings

Just as I have been with blogging and texting, it took me a long time to come around to leggings. Probably because I did them in like 4th and 5th grade, and wasn't exactly in my best looks at the time. Also because I see people around me wearing leggings in ways that make me cringe. So I have for myself, and recommend you all follow certain laws when it comes to leggings... I hope this will help avoid us all looking back and saying "yikes! did I actually think that looked good?"

1. Cover your tushie! Leggings are not pants, no matter how great your hind end is, it looks silly to wear leggings and a regular length shirt.

2. There are two types of leggings- footless tights which are thinner and heh-hemm sheer (more sheer then some wearers realize) and the kind that are thicker. As in rule #1 even the thicker should be worn with a longer tunicy type top, but the thinner ones should be treated as nylons- if you wouldn't wear this with flesh colored nylons, don't wear it with tights. (see picture below! eek!) This is more a modesty issue then a fashion issue. I personally don't wear leggings to church- I think it's a more causual look.

3. wear the right shoes, some look better then others, I like round toe wedges.

4. If your a beginner start slow, don't jump into electric blue, start with black and grey. I personally will probably remain a beginner until the trend is over!

Halloween at Disneyland

Halloween at Disneyland is very cool. I love how all out the decorations are and I just love a good Disney villian! Remember if anyone has Disney plans, let us know- we'll come too!

Pumkin Bread to die for...

This is super yummy, and anyone who would like to swing by on this drizzly fall Sunday, will be treated to some hot cocoa and warm pumkin bread. But if you can't stop by, the recipie is below!

The Bread:
1 cup veg oil
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs

mix those then add

2 cups pumkin
3/4 cup milk

then dry ingrediants

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbl cinnimon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

pour into bread pans, makes 3 ish, can also be poured into cupcake tins

The spread:
2 cubes butter
1 package cream cheese
2 cups brown sugar
cinnimon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg to taste

blend until smooth

***this stuff is amazing, somehow it is greater than the sum of it's parts- it's just super yummy, and hard to keep out of. Also great to dip ginger snaps in!

Book Review

I recommended this series and I finnished the 3rd (and final) book a few days ago and so I thought I'd "review" it. I loved, I mean loved the first book, one of my favorite books ever, #2 was good, it made me really excited for #3. Mocking jay however had a couple of things lacking that totally bummed me out. I don't want to ruin it for anyone so I'll try to be somewhat vauge with still giving my opinion, but if you don't want any clue, stop reading now!

The good: very exciting, heart pumping, especially the last 2/3rds it's just go, go, go. Heart wrenching... of course people you love die, I got teary eyed in one place and did the ugly cry in another. It has to be good writing for you to care that much. As far as the love triangle goes, her choice is what I thought it should be.

The disappointments: The ending is abrupt, leaving awkward dead ends to long standing realationships. The two biggest choices she makes, (one political the other with the love triangle thing) left me without the why filled in very well. I want the scenes, monologue and dialoge that leave me understanding her choices, this was done so well in the other books!! AAAHHH! It bothered me deeply for about a day, and at this point I've rewritten it in my head so that it feels more done.

anyone else love or hate it?

My shopping Mecca... well one of them

Did you know that everything throughout the country that is returned to a Nordstom store is sent to one central place and sold to those in the know at great prices? It's called Last Chance and it's in Phoenix and I have flown in to Phoenix for the sole purpose of shopping there on a few occasions. Even if you don't like to shop, just grabbing a bench and watching the cat fights over the Prada shoes is worth it.

It is the weirdest store ever in a lot of ways. Overwhelming and constantly crowded, and you have to dig for, or sometimes snatch quickley the good stuff. You know how Nordstrom will take back anything supposedly. After shopping at Last chance you will have a testimony of that fact. I am amazed at what people manage to return with a strait face. I've seen some very interesting stains, rips and bizarre things. My friend once tried to buy a pair of shoes without a tag only to find out they were some random persons that decided to walk out in a new pair. I bought 4 huge bags full of stuff (and made poor James figure out how to get it back home!) for about $180.00 4 coats, 5 pairs of earrings, 5 pairs of shoes (3 for Adri, 2 for me), 3 cardigans, 3 shirs, a scarf, 2 pairs of tights, fishnet spanx (they were not selling the guts to wear them unfortunatly) and my new favorite purse a turquoise hobo bag. More I'm sure, here are some of the highlights...and if anyone wants to go shopping with me just say the word!

We are the excited owners of...

Disneyland annual passes! Yes we are hooked, so you get to be bored again and again by my pictures. We just returned from the craziest itinerary which had James driving from Washington to SanDiego, just him, Mason (6) and Adrienne (3) What a brave brave man! He said it wasn't too bad, but I noticed he brought ear plugs....

They picked me up at the San Diego airport, I was so lucky to make the sold out flight, the only non rev passanger on a very full Southwest flight.

We did SeaWorld which was fun, more fun for Mason then Adrienne, may I just say that Dolphins have to be the coolest animals ever! Adrienne liked the pink birds (flamingos-I think they are kind of creepy looking) and Mason like the shark tunnel and stingrays. We all got an embarrassing display from a bold Walrus (children, cover your eyes)

then on to Disney for two days, so fun, and then drove over to Phoenix, for shopping, swimming and friends, Jaque and Momo flew down from SLC where they were partying with the cousins. We all had a ball and then flew home altogether. James, Adri, and I had a panic filled hour where it looked like we weren't going to make it home- but Alaska airlines came through for us, and terminal 2 at sky harbor was so empty we were able to run through the airport and get on a flight home.

I want to post more about Phoenix shopping and the surprise waiting for me when I returned home, but here are a few favorite Disney/seaworld/phx pics

PS whenever anyone is going to Disneyland and wants company, tell us! We'll come!!

3 things I've tried hard to like, but just don't...

1. Herbal tea

Maybe it was the childhood tea parties, grand events headed up by Shirley the Great (my grandmother who loves all things British) Maybe it's the fact that I don't drink coffee but still want to sip on something in a chic coffee house with my girlfriends, or perhaps the allure of beautiful teapots and teacups. I really want to like herbal tea. The names are pretty, the ingredients sound delightful. I repeatedly try them and my nose instantly wrinkles in disappointment. I know you tea drinkers out there are thinking I haven't tried the right kind, or I steeped too long or short, or I need to find the right amount of sugar and/or cream, but I'm telling you, no matter how dolled up (I've done tea time at the Ritz Carlton- THAT was cool), no matter what kind, there is a distinct taste of dried grass under the Mandarin, raspberry, blah blah flavor the package proclaims. I really want to like it, but I'll stick with hot chocolate, of which I am a connoisseur.

2. Running

You know that feeling when your heart is beating in time with your feet pounding the pavement. Fresh air moving freely in and out your lungs, a great song playing through your ipod that pushes you to new heights, the adrenilin is flowing and you just feel free? Well I DON'T! I'd like to, I know that everyone is suppose to have this goal of doing a marathon, or triathalon, but I have not the slightest interest in even a 5k. I like hiking, particularly in a beautiful place with beautiful friends, taking a walk, swimming, a bike ride (if I didn't feel ridiculous in a helmet) but I just can't do the running thing.

3. The Office

I have several good friends who are now writing me out of their wills. I'm really very sorry. I've tried, and I admit, I chuckle now and then, but it's mostly to fill the awkward silence. Maybe I don't relate because I've never worked in a cubical jungle. It's just too dry for me. So dry in fact that I'm willing to try and wash it down with another cup of herbal tea.

Whatcha Reading?

I love a good book, but a long time ago I lost the patience for reading so-so books. For me a book has to grab me fast so I have a 50 page rule. I have read the first 5o pages of many books, an author has that amount of my time to get me interested. Here is one set of books that passed my 5o page challenge with flying colors. Even James likes these books, and that's saying something!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (a 3 book series, the last one comes out later this summer)

Summer! At Last!

I LOVE summer. My favorite season by far, if we move back to Phoenix, I might have to change my favorite to Spring, but in Western Washington, spring is wet and grey for the most part, as was the 4th of July. But here on the 6th of July summer is finally here.

The front door is open and Adrienne is sitting on the steps while James is sawing and hammering and trying to finnish our front columns. With the windows open there is a perfect breeze flowing through and I smell someone bbq-ing and hear a lawn mower in the distance. AAAhhhhh, finally summer!

A few of my favorite things about summer:

boating up in the San Juan Islands

flip flop suntan lines

homeade blackberry icecream

watching cute freckles appear accross the bridge of Adri's nose

James making ribs, steaks, salmon or anything else out on the grill

ahhhhh summer in Seattle- all 6-8 weeks of it.

oh, and smores, and of course garage sales. think I've mentioned those before.

The wisdom of Jen Solomen

So the first Bible story that stuck in my head as a kid was the story of king solomen and how he could tell which was the real mamma cause she wouldn't want the baby cut in half... kind of a wierd story really, but let me tell you a funny on about Adri and Mo

So Morganne and Adrienne are really THE best of friends...most of the time. But after a long afternoon of celebrating Fathers day, they were pretty much done with each other. One particulary ugly battle was over a Barbie bike helmet that Momo insists she left here and Adri insists is hers. Niether Jaque or I could for sure say it beloned to us (toys have offspring when you arn't looking) so the battle raged on.

I finally said to the girls, helmet in hand, here is what we are going to do, I am going to cut this helmet in half and give half to each of you. Long pause... then Adri bursts into tears, no it will be broken! Morgan tilts her head to the side and says, I want the part with the Barbie picture on it.

So there you have it : ) (sent it home to Jq's house anyway)

Mmmmm cookies

I cannot stand store bought frosting. I just think it tastes gross, so I'm pretty good at homeade frosting, but what I can't ever get right is the amount! I keep adding more and more powdered sugar to get the consistancy right, and suddenly I have a giant bowel of frosting!

I love it when you rediscover a recipie you used to make a lot, but havn't made for years. That's what happened with the home made "oreo" cookies I made for young womens today. I only had one chocolate cake mix so I made some with a white cake mix too, and got a little inventive trying to make a fruity frosting for the middle...

Adrienne was helping me and randomly started singing "Frosting the snowman" that girl cracks me up!

Now they are gone, and I'm sad.

Maple Valley Days

Friday night we went to "Maple Valley Days" which is held at Lake Wilderness, just down the street from us. They close down Witte road for several hours for a parade on Saturday, someday we will have to see that, but the past 2 years we've just felt trapped by it! Both James and I had to work so we had to get out before 9am and couldn't get back home until after 1pm. There has also been a lot of people parking down our street and police directed traffic. We are told they will be constructing a round about right there soon, and re-building the elementary school that is down the street at some point. So more hassels to come probably. I do love that we seem to be in the heart of everything though, I love that we could walk Adrienne to Lake Wilderness, the library, the community center, school, and the grocery store pretty easily. Here are some highlights, my favorite moment was when Adrienne attempted to untie her pony, probably to lead him on a more exciting ride then the circle! Least favorite moment- cotton candy puking after going down the slide 50 times. Of course she wanted her cotton candy right back after that.

I LOVE Garage sales!

I love garage sales! Of course I like shopping in all it's forms, but garage sales have a particular attraction. Recently my mom and sister and I actually left a family vacation early to make it back for an annual neighborhood sale. And week after week I get up super early on my only day to sleep to drive around in search of the sight that gets my heart palpitating... the yard sale sign! I think it is the thrill of the hunt for me... the unknown. Am I following arrows that will lead me to a mecca of Restoration Hardware/Ballard designs/Potterybarn furniture and housewares being sold for pennies on the dollar? Or will it be another lady selling scary porcelin collectables, native american plates and the left overs from her Mary Kay days. (I swear I've been to that sale over and over again), and some garage sale tips and ediquitte.

-bring change, no one wants to break large bills

-ask don't tell. I ALWAYS barter, but I try to do so politely. Say "would you take $2.00?" Not "I'll give ya 2 bucks" and I never ask for more than 1/2 off on small stuff and 30% off big stuff. Also if you think your going to buy a lot, (like me and clothes for Adri) you can say, will you make me a deal if I buy a lot? I have found 98% of people having a garage sale expect and are fine with bartering. The other 2%... well, I'll do a posting about how to appropriatly conduct a garage sale at a later time : )

-Keep things as you found them, some people have piles of stuff you dig through, others are very orderly, don't mess up peoples order.

***Big one*** I've been burned on this one, if you see something you may want don't stand admiring and appraising and deciding were it would go, someone else will snatch up that area rug right under your nose! Immediatly engage the seller in conversation about the piece and get it in hand as soon as possible.

- If you come to a good garage sale and the wife has made the bad decision of putting her husband in charge, buy everything quickley before she returns!

My favorite finds lately (things blend in to my house so quickly I forget, but here are a few!

See Kai run shoes 50cents! (I don't have a boy to put them in, but couldn't pass them up!)

An awesome coffee table (not the one pictured, but same look) for $22 (husband in charge)

The kitchen table of my dreams $60

Two great looking dress shirts for James from Banana Republic $1 each

I can always find DVD's for 1 or 2 dollars, hardly touched childrens books for 25cents to $1, clothing and shoes for cheap, vintagey knick knacks, expensive linins, frames, mirrors, for seriously cheap.

Aaaahhhhh I just love garage sales!

Our house is getting a makeover, finally we are implamenting some ideas we've had kicking around for a long time, I should have taken before picks, but I'll definitely post some afters!

Happy Birthday James!

Happy Birthday to my Honey!

3 little known facts about James....

He doesn't like celery or raisens

He makes the BEST ribs ever

He always, always, always comes through for me.

I love you babe!

The Happiest Place on Earth

We had the opportunity to take a trip to Disneyland that included both of my sisters and their kiddos, my parents, my Aunt and cousins family. We wondered if Adrienne was really old enough to enjoy it... here are some pictures that prove it to be the happiest place on Earth for our 3 year old. She can't stop talking about going to Disneyland, or singing It's a small world after all.... There were some melt downs, I must admit, but all in all, to see your little one completely star stuck as she meets Snow White, it's just priceless, and we will be returning soon!

peer pressure first texting, now this?

So... I wasn't going to do this. I'm waaayyy to late to be starting a blog. However, I started texting 3 months ago, so basically the horse is out of the barn. And truly I do love reading other peoples blogs, well some of them. Others.... not so much. So I will abide by the following rules. I may offend some people here.

I promise not to Edit myself and my family into such complete perfection my own mother would not recognize it as my life.

I promise no pictures of interesting medical conditions requesting your opinions

I promise no scandelous photos (I havn't ruled out running for office)

and I'm sure there are a lot more that I will add later. I will warn anyone who may want to read this, that I don't have time for spell check, or grammerical perfection. And if I talk way too much about shopping, home decorating, baking, family, work, shopping. Well this is my life and my blog, and you are certainly free to click that little x in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

Watch out world... the Isaacks have a blog...