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Follow Up on the "Worlds Best Boss"

So, I put my kids to bed tonight feeling guilty and yucky for the amount of times I lost my temper over things that don't really matter. (Yes, I did apologize multiple times, but you other mom's know about the guilt that inevitably follows the outbursts). Any way, I came down stairs dreading the mountain of dishes and piles of clutter that is filling my floors, and decided to post-pone my stinky work. I went to check my email and was surprised at the amount of responses to the post about "The Office". Hoping to lift my spirits and find something to laugh about before I began the inevitable list of chores, I went to the NBC web page to see if there was anything about "The Office."

Now, (I'm coming to the point), I don't know how many of you have checked out that web page, but there is a link on there called "Creed Thoughts". For those of you who aren't faithful fans, Creed is a very strange man on the sitcom. He is the one who, in any real office situation, you stay far away from because you never can tell what's going down with him.

On one episode, he let known that he had a blog. Well, low and behold, they have posted several different "post's" that he has made on his "blog". Holy SMOKES! I have been laughing so hard that I actually wiped my eyes once or twice. Here's just a little sample of some of the funnies posted:

May 31, 06:06 PM

Creed Thoughts

Where’s Thousand Island? I’ve got some vacation time saved up and it sounds like a delicious place to visit.

Root beer floats. It does. I’ve tested it.

There’s a fat man that sits by me. He has some sort of jar of multi-colored power beans. I need those beans, man.

The last thing I want to deal with at work is people.

I’m thinking about buying a horse. Great for transportation and once you’re done with it, you’ve got about seven days worth of meals.

Never trust mailmen.

Reminder: Michael’s safe combo: 20-22-36.

That's just one entry. There's at least a dozen. If you need a good laugh, I highly recommend it. Sure cure for the "Guilty Mom Blues". Click Here to check it out.

Worlds Best Boss

Ok, so Jeramy and I are super fans of NBC's "The Office".

2 weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, Jeramy disappeared at 8:00 a.m. A half hour later he returned and handed me the Third Season of "The Office". We have finally got through watching all those episodes and I LOVE that show! It makes us laugh so hard!

We are both super excited for the Series Premiere which starts next Thursday, the 27th. Can't wait!

Changing Times

Hip, Hip, Hooray! I am so excited! We are finally out of the three digit weather! It feels as if this were the longest and hottest summer I can remember. (Of course at the end of September every year I feel that way.) Anyway, this week's forcast has me very extremely excited! (Geeze, I'm watching too much Disney Channel with my kids. I'm starting to talk like Lola.) Hope all of you are enjoying your weather wherever you are!

TODAY: 91°FClearWind: N at 5 mphHumidity: 22%
Tuesday: 89°F 59°F
Wednesday: 91°F 60°F
Thursday: 88°F 60°F
Friday: 85°F 59°F

True Landscape Architecture

Most of you know that I'm a Landscape Architect in training and Becky posted some images of some projects that I was working on in Mexico. But I also do other work besides deciding where people should plant their grass. Last week one of the projects I had the opportunity to work on opened. Becky and I got to go to the opening party and have cocktails and dinner with the whos who of Phoenix. It was 2 years behind schedule and way over budget but it turned out awesome. Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) in on the south bank of the Rio Salado next to the west dam.

It was a great learning experience working on a such a huge public project with so many consultants. It is amazing that any public project gets built with all the politics involved. If you have a chance to go down to Tempe Beach Park make sure you keep heading west to check out the 17 acre park attached to TCA and the 18,000 sq ft reflection pool with a negative edge that wraps around the art center. There is a mound of gray/blue river rock that is in the reflection pool. When it rains the roof drains to the point of the mount.

Also if you haven't been to the Mesa Arts Center in Downtown Mesa you should check that out. It has an artificial a arroyo that fills up with water and drains that runs through the middle of the project. A great place to take the kids and let them splash around. There are also some really cool water tables and the Architecture is probably the best there is in Mesa. I was able to work on this project when I first got out of school.

Some New Favorite Recipes

Breakfasts are really hard for me. I hate to wake up in the morning, so I usually crawl out of bed too late to make anything REAL from scratch. So , I was delighted when I came across this recipe for my own "instant pancake" mix. My family absolutely loved it (and they are pretty finicky when it comes to breakfast foods--especially Jeramy). And, while personally I'm not a fan of buttermilk pancakes, I like that I really am making them from scratch! The ingredients stay fresh for 3 months and its as easy as using Bisquick. Check it out!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_13660,00.html?rsrc=search

For those of you who know me, I love to cook. There are maybe 7 recipes that I reuse over and over. Every other recipe is usually a "new" one. Anyway, I am getting this new magazine and I love it. Not only does each issue give the recipes, but they also includes an explanation of how they figured out how to make it perfect. The last issue gave the recipe for the worlds juiciest (well done) cheeseburger. And believe me, there is NOTHING in this world that in better tasting than Cheeseburgers. But it also gives a whole bunch of weeknight 30 minute dishes. Everything I have made is super tasty and fairly simple. Here is just one recipe that was easy and good enough for even my picky children to enjoy:

BLT Salad

¾ c. Mayonnaise
4 (1-inch-thick) slices Italian Bread
12 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
3-4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 (10 ounce) bag chopped romaine lettuce (or one head romaine lettuce chopped)
Salt and Pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Spread ¼ cup mayonnaise over both sides of bread and transfer to baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, and then cut into 1 inch croutons.

2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Discard drippings.

3. Whisk remaining mayonnaise and vinegar in large bowl. Add bacon, tomatoes, lettuce and croutons and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Labor Day Weekend

We decided at the last minute to spend Labor Day weekend up in Flagstaff. Jeramy's step-grandmother (Grandma Fran) has some property up there and we decided to take advantage of the weekend. The weather in Flag was absolutely perfect. We took the boys to the Trout farm in Sedona and they all got to experience catching their first fishes. They were absolutely terrified of their fish once they left the water. Cooper's immediate reaction to the fish being pulled out of the water was to plug his ears. Funny kid.

We took the fish back to the house and grilled it. The boys loved it.

It was such beautiful weather that we were outside most of the time. Jeramy took the boys a little way off into the forest and they found a dead tree. They eagerly tore pieces of it off and collected them for firewood.

Jeramy and I sat on the porch watching Sawyer hunt for bugs, Cooper and Jackson hunt for fire wood and enjoyed reading our books. It was wonderful.

It was sad to have to return to they heat, but we made it home safely and I've finally caught up on all my house work. So, now we go back to normal. It really was fun while it lasted, though.