I'M BAAAACK!!

Get ready for a new and improved blog! Maybe I will actually give my results from "The Great Sugar Cookie" adventure!

COMING SOON!!!

TACO???

Ok. So lately things have been a little hectic. Probably no more than usual and I know not really any busier than anyone else, but it has still been hectic. True, I have still been a slacker when it comes to blogging and I really do promise to do better; however the problem is that when we start a new project, or work on something new it always turns into something bigger than it probably should be. The kids joke that that is just the Draper way-- "GO BIG OR GO HOME". However, lately when we start talking about doing something like a poster for Jr. Miss, or decorations for the Accadian Auction or MORP, or remodeling the kitchen, the question now is if the project is going to turn into a 'TACO'.....

Let me explain...
When Erin was in third grade she 'jokingly' said she wanted to be a taco for Halloween. "Wouldn't that be an awesome costume?" she says. "That would be kind of cool" I say in return. "Let me think about it and see what I can come up with".

So I thought about it.... I had learned to work with foam a couple of years earlier when we did a float for the 24th of July Parade so I figured I could put those skills to work on a costume.

Erin went to bed one night and when she woke up, she was a taco! Who would have thought?

Anyway, now when ever Suzie or I say there is some project or another coming up, the first thing that comes out of someones mouth is "TACO?"....

Dumb question... of course it is going to be a taco! I wouldn't have it any other way! And really, the family might complain a little but they wouldn't have it any other way either! GO BIG DRAPER'S OR GO HOME!

(I think that was the same year I made four foot round m&m costumes out of foam for Scott, Deni and several of Deni's friends... but that is another story!).

SLCAKER, SLACKER, SLACKER!

Neighborhood 'round the block' parade.

So I admit that I have been a slacker lately. I have had a lot of 'things an stuff' going on and have been a little distracted, but I have been having a lot of fun also! Fun things that I need to share, so I promise to get back on top of it and do a little posting.

We had a neighborhood parade and breakfast for the 4th of July and I decorated a ride for Erin and Samantha. It was cute and fun and patriot. One of my neighbors said to me "Well, we can always count on you to do something dramatic and bizarre". DRAMATIC AND BIZARRE? Seriously. I have been called a lot of things in life but never that...

I decorated a wheel barrow and pushed the 2nd Attendant to Miss Sandy around the block. What is so bizarre about that? It was fun.

Anyway, I promise to do better going forward! and HAPPY 4th of JULY!

IT IS TOTALLY BLACK AND WHITE...

Self portrait in Black and White.

So, I don't usually take my clothes to the laundry until I am desperate and have nothing to wear. Needless to say, when I finally go there is a LOT of laundry. I picked up my dry cleaning the other day and was putting it away when Erin came in to see what I was doing. She took a look at the bed and said "Umm... Dad, I think we need an intervention! You have a color problem". My first response was 'hello pot... this is kettle!' since Erin's closet looks very much like mine.

Personally, I don't see a problem here. I do have one light blue sweater and a gray one, there might even be a purple sweater in this stack, so I am not totally afraid of color. And seriously, I am not afraid of pattern either. Really, I am not...

See, there is some pattern in my wardrobe... There is some plaid, some tattersall and a little organic floral. There are even some stripes. I am not afraid of pattern!

WHAT??? Honestly, I don't have a problem here. Just like I don't have a problem with holidays, or even a problem with sugar cookies for that matter. Really, I don't have a problem.

So I also have twenty pair of black shoes... doesn't everyone?

The GREAT EASTER EGG HUNT 2011!

Still not Grandma and Grandpa but we are Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny for our nieces and nephews and it is so much fun! We filled almost 700 eggs with treats and money (like nickels, dimes and quarters) and had lots of other fun items hiding in the bushes. Bubbles, rubber duckies, pens and pencils...

IT WAS FREEZING! It was raining and cold! This was the latest Easter could be in the year and it still felt like an early March Easter.

New this year was the prize table. There was a metallic egg for each child with their name written on it hidden somewhere in the yard. When they found it they could turn in their egg for a prize at the table. It was just a lot of random spring toys for boys and girls. You know, like whiffle balls and bats, kites, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, crowns, Slinky's, plastic gardening set. I think in the olden days everyone got gardening sets for Easter from the Easter Bunny. You know, a pail with a shovel, a hoe and a rake. We couldn't wait to get out and dig up the garden!

It was too cold to count out the loot outside so everyone piled into the family room to see what they found. Ryan, Abby, Chase, Emma and Morgan check it out.

Ethan with piles of eggs.

Minde saw our egg hunt on my blog last year and was jealous! She brought Riley and Chase from New York City for the egg-stravaganza!

Lisa,Addy, Hayes and Taylor sort it all out.

Scott helps Garret while Cyd helps Ethan. Probably more sugar than one kid should have in a year. However, I am the Easter Bunny. I can spoil them all I want and then just send them home with their parents to deal with the sugar high! Hop, hop, hop.

Any thing the kids did not want to take home went into the recycling bag. I think they know that if I take the eggs home I will augment them with more next year and fill them all up! I think that is why the egg count goes up so much each year! That, and the fact that I can never remember how many eggs I have so I always buy more just to be safe...

I think I hopped one too many times! I was tired and needed a little bunny nap before I could get back on my feet!

Thanks to Mark and Gainell for their hospitality and for sharing their grand kids with us. The 'things and stuff' that make life worthwhile are focused around traditions and the people who are important to us, that is what makes our Easter egg hunt such a fun tradition!

ON THE FRINGE

It is always fun when someone I know makes it to the 'BIG TIME' with things and stuff they are doing.

My friend, Courtney Walker, has her first young adult book coming out in October this year. It is a paranormal story of a girl named Claire who is struggling to deal the murder of her childhood crush, Daniel. A near death experience mysteriously reconnects her with Daniel and they wonder if the experience will keep her trapped on the fringe forever.

The reviews I have read so far have been really good. You can check out an interview Courtney did this week at the following blog site:

http://blackfingernailreviews.blogspot.com/
(that's black finger nail reviews)

You can pre-order Courtney's book from Amazon for delivery in October. I have already ordered my copy, you should all order one also!

CINCO DE MAYO!

I just got back from New Mexico but the conference this year was at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort just outside of Albuquerque so I did not make it to Santa Fe for my traditional "Huevos" at the Plaza Cafe. Because I missed my traditional Cinco meal I decided that I needed to take some-'things' and stuff into my own hands and have our own Cinco De Mayo party this year. Actually we did it on Sunday so it was more like Uno De Mayo, but the thought was there!

For those who don't know, Cinco De Mayo means the Fifth of May and it commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It started out as a Mexican holiday but it has become a traditional celebration all over America also.

For our celebration we served up steak and chicken fajitas on the grill, fresh tortillas, mexican rice, a green salad, 'cowboy caviar' and VIRGIN Raspberry 'Sangre" Margaritas. YUM!

I am not sure where the name 'cowboy caviar' came from but it is one of our favorite summer snacks. Sometimes it is even considered dinner. It is so good and really easy to make.

RECIPE: COWBOY CAVIAR
I start with a container of fresh salsa or pico de gallo from the produce department. Some people spend a ton of time chopping tomatoes, onions and peppers but it is so much easier to just buy it already chopped. I like 'Condies' brand the best but any fresh salsa will do. Add two cans of black beans (drained and rinsed), a can of corn or a package of frozen corn (I like white corn better than yellow) and two or three chopped avocados. When all of the ingredients are in a bowl, add a package of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix, a little olive oil and some apple cider vinegar. Stir it all up and serve it with tortilla chips. I like to use the 'Lays Baked Tortilla Scoops' because they cut the calories a little and taste just as good... and the scoops make the dip easy to eat. Fresh and delicious!

Colorful chicken fajitas cooking on the grill outside... Soooo TASTY and you can buy them marinated and ready to grill in the meat department at Dan's. We also did steak fajitas. So good!

Cheers and a toast for good family fun and traditions with our virgin raspberry margaritas! No one wanted to be in the picture (everyone was in 'lounge' wear) so I just cut off their arms.

If you want to make our Raspberry Margaritas the recipe is SO easy!

STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS
Put half a can of Welch's White Grape Raspberry Juice Concentrate and a bunch of ice in a blender. Add some diet Sprite or 7-up and grind it up. Add some more soda and grind it some more until you get it to the consistency. I like it only slightly slushy. Just be careful to only add the soda a little at a time so it doesn't foam all over. Messy!

I did the flowers but I gave Samantha the assignment of draping the table and hanging the lights; I think she did a masterful job!