Playing tourist. Playing chef.

I've got a backlog of family fun I haven't blogged. Here's a sampler...

TOURISTS

We gave Aunt Kay a lift from LAX to Santa Barbara and decided to check out the beaches. We got our exercise and toured the coast on this cool...bike. I guess you'd call it that. It was the perfect day: cool and sunny. Funny enough, I think our favorite part was when we drove through the Santa Barbara Cemetary on our way home. Beautiful views. My camera phone couldn't capture the beauty of this tree on the edge of the bluff with the ocean behind. Gorgeous. Not to mention the fascinating history just reading the gravestones. Is it weird that I like cemetaries?

CHEFS

J.R. with her fancy crepe pan
Emma and I saw a cooking show where this chef woman with crazy hair made crepes. We've been wanting to make them ever since. We saved it on our DVR because crazy-haired chef lady didn't have the recipe on her show's website. *hmpf!*

We had to wait for fresh cherries to go on sale. (Harland never misses that. I think he ate 5 lbs. by himself that week.) Lucky for me, it was the week of my birthday. We pitted ours (something new to try!) and made a yummy topping. Inside was a mixture of marscapone cheese, a little sugar and mini chocolate chips.

Emma working hard (see the tongue?) to make crepes in a regular pan.


This was the delicious result. Birthday cake paled in comparison to this dessert. Mmmmmm.

Differences

I carefully planned my last trip to Barnes & Noble. The boys were camping. Emma was at a friend's house. (Free time! No one to chase!) I had a $25 gift card to spend and no idea what I wanted to buy. After 3 hours (yes, three!) of wandering the stacks (none of which were in the children's section), leafing through books and sampling CDs in their music department I decided on this book (a sequel to this book which I read last summer) and a CD by this girl who I'd never heard of before but thought I'd like. There were probably 3 or 4 more books I would've liked and a CD or 2 that would've quickly been ripped and added to my MP3 player, but I stayed within my budget and still had some fantastic alone time.

Yesterday, my mom came home from a day out with Papa and a Don (family friend from AZ). Among the grocery bags I noticed the familiar Barnes & Noble bags. 2 bags! I was instantly jealous and went to peek at what treasures she'd found. I opened the first bag and was a little confused, so I checked the second bag, too. Sure enough it was identical to the first. Harry & David chocolate and chocolate covered popcorn. 6 boxes. So I ask my mom, "You went to B&N and all you bought was chocolate?"

Her immediate response, "IT WAS ON SALE! HALF OFF!"

sigh

39...for the first time

I'm not one to lie about my age. I say embrace your age...well, in theory. Last week, Rachel, my BFF, turned 39 (sorry to out you, sista). We had a rip roaring weekend where she got to eat whatever she wanted and not make any plans (yes, this is what is exciting to us these days)! Tomorrow is my turn. We're grilling (after church) and will have a fairly mellow "party" with just my family hanging out...like most Sundays around here.



I'm not against turning 39, but I'm not looking forward to it either. With some introspection (I didn't make that word up. I have a big vocabulary...or maybe I heard it on The Big Bang Theory) the thing that bothers me about being 39 *sigh* is that my next birthday...oh, I don't know if I can say it...I'll ...turn....*choke*....FORTY! 365 days until I am in my forties.

Why?! Why does it bother me so? My wonderful grandmother, Beth Fenton, used to tell me all the time, "Don't get old, dear. It's awful." Thanks, Gram.

But what am I worried about? 40 isn't old! I have friends who are in their forties. Fabulous, cool, funny, women who I admire (or is it "whom" - whatever). So, next year I could celebrate my 2nd annual 39th birthday....

...but instead I have 365 days to embrace the milestone that is coming my way. If I'm going to embrace it then I want a big party. I'm not talking a couple of my close friends at Chili's either. I'm talking throw down, all out, everyone I know is invited celebration of AnnaBeth.

Next year. Put it on your calendar, especially, if you are one of those women I love in their 40s (and if you are reading my blog, then I love you). I want every wonderful woman in her 40s that I know to come and share your secrets, share all the things you love about your age.

June 6, 2011.
Party.
My house.