Lady Warriors WIN 2 out of 3 this week!

This has been an exciting week for the Lady Warrior softball team. As I mentioned on Wednesday, we only won one game last year. The girls have played extremely well this week. Winning 2 of their 3 games. Coupled with their win on Friday last week, that’s 3 of the last 4 games!

Needless-to-say, the girls’ morale is really good. :) We have a new coach this year and he works them REALLY REALLY HARD, but it is clearly paying off!

I think Offspring played really well tonight. I only got to see her bat once (I was late getting there. Sorry, Offspring!)

Sometimes I like to think she’s daring them to pick her off...


Although, I got to see her play more defensively. Her fellow infield players need to make some better throws - she’s having to stretch quite a bit to make the outs. Here are some pictures showing some of the action... ​

A dad got this... as you see she’s having to lean over...


Here it is from my seat...


But gravity took over...
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...but good news ... she kept ahold of the ball and...
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...the runner was OUT!​​


Nice job, Lady Warriors! And Offspring... I’m glad you’re having fun getting dirty! :)

New Blog Address

To make things easier for readers (and me when I tell people about my blog), I have purchased the TooMuchTooDoSoLittleTime.com domain name. So know you don’t need to worry about entering “http://toomuchtodosolittletime.blogspot.com”. You can just enter www.TooMuchTooDoSoLittleTime.com.

As you can see by the address line, the hosting site automatically redirects you.

Stop and smell the flowers

Remember a few days ago when I puppy-sat Rosie? Well, she did something I just had to share, but first let’s take some time to smell the flowers...

I’ve always loved lavender. It reminds me of my childhood. We had a lavender bush at the house where I grew up. ... fond memories. I want to plant one or two in our yard! (I’ll add that to my “To Do” list.)
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My favorite flower... the rose...
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Carnations. and chrysanthemums (at least​ I think that is what that white flower is... I’m no expert)

Not sure what this is.. but it is sure pretty...
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Butterflies are so pretty... these are nice touch...
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Now back to Rosie... look how smart of a dog she is...

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I knew she was smart, but never imagined she knew how to dial the phone or even had a credit card!




I suspect she had Ma do it... Thank you, Rosie (Ma)!!

Love you!
Me

P.S. You did NOT have to order me flowers... Puppy sitting is what friends do... at least in my world... I didn’t give it a second thought...

Rejoice!

Reasons to rejoice today...

1. The sun is out... (at least for now)
2. It’s Friday
3. A very dear long-time friend’s birthday is today - Happy 53rd Birthday, Poper! 53... you’re still young!
4. Two other new friend’s birthdays are today - Happy Birthday, Kelly M and Jennifer J!
5. I got a post on my blog from a stranger. Remember my first blog posting? You know... I met Pioneer Woman... yeah... now you remember.. Well, one of the women (Abigail) I visited with that night found my blog via Pioneer Woman’s Facebook page. She posted a comment! Needless-to-say, I was excited and haven’t stopped smiling.
6. It’s Friday - I know I already said that, but... the week’s almost over.
7. UPDATE... Received my 2nd "stranger" blog comment - this time from Becky from the the Pioneer Woman book signing.

What are you rejoicing about today? Are you happy it’s Friday or is there something special making you smile today?

Well... speaking of Friday... off to work now...

Lady Warriors WIN - AGAIN!

Even with the on-and-off rain, the Warriors softball team won tonight! Beating their opponent 4-2. It’s their second win - more games than they did last year or and I think the year before... :) Last night’s game was close (2-1 loss).

The girls scored early - 3 in the first inning! Nice job ladies!
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Offspring played really well. She was 3 for 3... line drive up the middle, ground ball to left field (between 3rd and short); and she had an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G    D-O-U-B-L-E to the fence in right-center! GREAT job!! These first three photos are graciously provided by one of the dads. Thanks, Jim!!

This is ground ball to left field


She also made a diving catch.


Offspring’s good friend and my “#2 Daughter” joined me at the game. It was her first high school softball game. She made a nice sign for to cheer on Offspring. The Athletic Director came and told her to put it away - like OUT OF SIGHT (not next to her, but behind her legs) because it was against District and State rules!! Stupid rule!!! "Spectators are not permitted to have signs or banners (larger than 8 ½ by 11 inches), confetti, balloons or glass containers.Spectators are required to wear shirts."

I told #2 Daughter that we’ll have to be sure to always wear shirts!   S T U P I D    R U L E!!

Congrats, Lady Warriors

Puppy sitting

Our wonderful neighbors (Ma and Pa) have an adorable dog. Her name is Rosie. When Rosie goes outside to “do her business” she always looks towards our house to see if I’m in the backyard or looking out the window. She’s a fan on mine. I’m a fan of hers.

When I go for a visit she greets me with such great excitement. I immediately stop, bend over and rub her ears. She then rolls over and wants her tummy rubbed. What a doll!

Here she is yesterday... she was happy to come for a visit...


Well, Rosie sometimes barks when company comes. Not so much when I visit, but with new people ... she lets her voice be heard.

This week Ma and Pa have some out of town visitors and I offered to puppy sit while they were there - just to make it easier on everyone. Especially Ma (she’s recovering from surgery a week ago). So, Rosie came for a visit again today. I was working from home. While I was working at the kitchen table and Rosie stayed close by...

She just curled up underneath the table and waited for me to move...
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Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of a dog who is just waiting for you to get up so she can follow you?


When Hubby came into the room she got up and greeted him. She’s not too familiar with him... But Hubby said, “Now, Rosie, you’re in my house now...” He leaned over and pet her. She then followed his every move...

Then he sat down to put his shoes on... Rosie was not letting him out of her sight!


She was so cute. When he left for an errand, she sat by the door and watched it... waiting for him to return... alas... her Pa called me. He was home and it was time for her to leave... She quickly forgot about my Hubby ... she had her Pa.

Thanks for visiting today, Rosie. Come back when you can stay longer! :)

Inductee

We had an exciting evening tonight! Hubby and I sat with other parents in the auditorium of the school. We listened intently and then swelled with GREAT PRIDE as we listened the fact that of the approximately 1,500 eligible students The Offspring was joined by 57 other students to be inducted into the 2010-11 National Honor Society!

My motherly insides started to flutter as she walked across the stage....



I fought back tears as she reached her fellow student to receive her certificate...
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Offspring, you have no idea how proud your X and X chromosome donors are! CONGRATULATIONS, Sweetie!!

You and all your friends (including “My Sarah” who's not in this photo) should be very proud.

Newest experiment, first attempt

Someone at work mentioned a new term - "flexitarian". According to MSNBC the term flexitarian is for part-time vegetarians. I don’t see how one can be a “part-time” vegetarian. Either you are or you’re not.

Having grown in up the midwest I’m a carnivore and love meat and potatoes, but with all the news about how bad “red meat” is for you and the “mad cow”/ecoli warnings I don’t eat as much red meat as I used to. In fact, maybe once a week or even less. I have chicken because it’s cheap and in our state no anti-biotics can be used. I drink milk every day.

I eat healthy 6 days a week... on my 7th day or “free” day, I don’t care... Even then I still read labels. Doesn’t sound like a “free” day does it?

Where am I going with this? I love to cook and bake. I also LOVE Lara bars, but they’re so expensive (maybe $2.00). They are labeled as “GLUTEN FREE * DAIRY FREE * SOY FREE * NON-GMO * VEGAN * KOSHER”. A friend at work has been making her own. It’s something I thought I’d try. I searched the internet and have found a recipe.

Here’s what a “real” Lara bar looks like.




I went to the grocery store and bought bulk items - whole pitted dates, raisins, cashews, and cranberries (not sure I’ll use them as they have added sugar). Also bought frozen unsweetened cherries.

My first attempt tasted good, but didn’t make a “bar”. Let me share my semi-failed attempt to make a “Lara-type” bar...

I used my hand/imersion blender and food processor attachment to chop the dates and cherries. When done, put contents into a bowl. Mine didn’t look like the recipe web site’s “paste”, but I kept going.



Then I put the almonds in the food processor attachment and I wanted a finer nut mixture than the recipe site’s nut mixture. But I kept going...


When I finished the nuts, I poured them into the bowl and mixed them up...

Ummmmmmmm... mine doesn’t look like her’s.

Mine
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It tastes GREAT... just isn’t at “bar”. I think I mushed the fruit too much. Well, that just means I to make more... I’ll keep you posted.

Warriors WIN!

The girls played awesome tonight! They won!!!! We beat Sunset.... #2 in state last year. We’re #6 (last place) in our league!!!!

Sunset wasn’t hitting tonight. Our pitcher did a GREAT job and our girls made no errors.According to one of the seniors in all the years they’ve played Sunset we’ve NEVER won! Needless-to-say, everyone was smiling. Well, except Sunset - they’re pretty upset being beat by the last place team.

No time to breathe (or is it eat), let alone yard work

How am I supposed to get it all done? I feel like I don’t have time to breathe, let alone do yard work. We had several trees planted in December (dormant time in the Pacific Northwest).

The guy who planted it did not tie it up. The nursery claims and the wind whipped it around and it fell over.

Day 2... (back in December) ​

Now look at it...  clearly it didn't make it.

Three of the four Portuguese Laurel have some sort of disease and have now all but died.
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Healthy....
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​Not so healthy....
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Even sicker....
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Really sick....


It normally rains most of the winter in the Pacific Northwest, so “remembering to water” isn’t something we really have to do. But NOOOOOO not this winter... the last month has been dryer than usual. Trying to remember to put soaker hose out and water is difficult to remember - especially since I also tend to forget to eat.  At least these are dead and I don't have to remember watering them! :)

At least I am still breathing!!! :)

Meeting Pioneer Woman - A dream come true

WOW!  What a night!  A dream come true for sure... I REALLY do love The Pioneer Woman’s blogs and cookbook! I made her “Best Ever Chocolate Sheet Cake” recipe for Sean’s birthday (except I made his with dark chocolate cocoa).

There were over 350 people.  I got there around 4:45pm.  It was supposed to start at 6:00pm.  Powells (bookstore) was handing out tickets starting at 4:30 (didn’t know this in advance). My ticket was #256 (they started at #20).

We all patiently waited for Ree (aka Pioneer Woman, we’re such good friends now I feel comfortable calling her by her given name) to arrive. The place was packed.



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Ree spoke and sang her Ethel Merman impersonation for us. Then she started signing autographs.


I found a comfy chair and waited among the stacks of books.​ I met a few ladies who come from near and far. Mrs. Baker (or was it Backer?  Update:  It was "Bake".  She found my blog.  You can read her blog post from the night ) came from a couple minutes away. Sorry! I can’t remember... I didn’t catch her first name either. Then there was Abigail came 2 hours away (update: Abigail found my blog through Pioneer Woman's Facebook page.  Here's her blog entry for the night). She drove up from college - even with a mid-term the next day.


I waited over five hours to meet her - almost exactly.  It was SOOOOO worth the wait!!!  She is SOOOOOOOOO AWESOME and FUNNY!!!!!!!  Her daughter and mother-in-law were also so very nice.

Anybody know how to remove a double chin from a photo????  MAN the first one isn’t flattering at all!!!   When I knelt down next to her I said, “I’m going to get down here and hide cuz I don’t have Spanx on like you.”  We both cracked up (duh, you can tell that).  Just so you don’t think I’m rude for saying she wears Spanx... she mentioned it earlier when she started her talk.

I am soooo excited!! It was SOOOOO AMAZING meeting her!!!!



She LOVES my pink hair!!!  See the envelope sitting on her little stack of stuff to her right?  That’s from me.  :)  She had several gifts from people.  I gave her a thank you card with one of my “Henry Fonda” rose pictures to thank her for coming to the Rose City.  She asked if there was one rose for the city.  I said that I didn’t think so and that we have an International Rose Test Garden here.  Roses are her favorite flower. :)   She even answered my question (Sean told me to ask her).  “What is the best size for a Dutch/French Oven?”  Her reply, “I can never keep the quarts straight.  Just get a big one.”  “Round or oval?” I asked.  “Round, they fit better on the burner.”



Smile!



Her daughter is sooo quiet, but very nice and polite.  She signed my book, too.  She HAS A NAME!  It’s Alex.  Not “Oldest Girl” or “Oldest Punk”.  She’s TWELVE!  Look how tall she is!  I look awful, but Alex sure looks pretty.  We (a lady I met at the signing) talked with Pioneer Woman’s mother-in-law.  Hope we didn’t over-extend our visit.


Thank you, Ree and Alex! Also, thanks, Becky for taking my pictures!!