Ritual Roasters Bag Change

That's right, they are not using the paper ones anymore.  

This is the new hybrid bag; more of a foil pouch.

Remember the old style?  

The seasonal espresso is still Lover's Quarrel.

The beans smelled fresher, more intense, when opening this bag.  

Though, that also could have been my anticipation of greatness. 

Honestly, the taste is so smooth.  After my latte is gone I crave another cup of this.  

I don't say that about every cup of Joe, truly, I don't.  

I briefly considered it was my cravings, but since each week we use a different bag of beans, I feel I have some small amount of perspective.

Other espressos sit heavier on my stomach, which sounds weird to say, but not these, these are perfection....ugh, even talking about it makes me want another swig....perhaps, I'll have to fill the void with that stash of dark chocolate I've accumulated.

March 18, 2013

Insta Friday

Instagram this week:

Right before he ripped out the tooth.

13 days ago he took out the other front tooth, the one I thought was not ready.  Whereas, this tooth seemed ripe for the taking, at least a month ago.  The adult tooth was growing in behind it, subsequently pushing it out at an angle.  We were calling it the beaver tooth.  I feel bad.  Even today I'm not convinced it was ready to be yanked.  There was a ton of blood.  I was running behind him saying "Don't drip any blood on the carpet!"

*Sigh* Found this in my clean laundry pile. 
#tankthechihuahuastrikesagain
Tank the chihuahua, it's always an adventure when you're around.


"Mom, Mom, look what happened to Tank!!" 
An unattended beef jerky bag meets it's demise#tankthechihuahuastrikesagain
I try not to be mad someone left a $5 package of beef jerky out and just laugh at the silliness instead.


Yep, driving around in something other than the minivan to run my errands
#whenyourmomtakesyourcar

I have refrained from talking too much about taking Liam's car away.  
If I can simmer down a bit, I'll do a post on that fun topic.  My thoughts are still pretty fiery.

March 15, 2013

Throwback Thursday - Easter at Roy's

Easter 2010 that is... 

Get ready for picture overload! 

First, look at my hair!

Was I better as a blond?

Should I be making an appoint to end my hair color sabbatical??  
   

Back to this post.

It should have been added to the blog, but somehow got stuck in draft.

Subsequently, all the following posts were not published, because I couldn't bare to do them out of order.

Eventually, there were SO many, I walked away from blogging all together.

I did not have the time to sit in front of the computer, uploading photos from my camera, editing them on the laptop, typing out any barely strung together details.

This was before iPad and iPhone, which have revolutionized my life in many ways.

Ease of blogging is just one.

AND back then I was still chasing a four year old Rett around, full-time.

These little boys 3 and 4 in a fancy restaurant.  I remember this day well.


Maybe I didn't post it because there was no writing attached?  

The pictures below certainly need explanation...

To make a fair Easter Egg hunt I put initials on all the eggs. D for Delaney, C for Connor, R for Rett and L for Liam.  

This way they were hidden at an age appropriate level and the littlest ended up with just as many eggs in his basket as the oldest.

Some of the eggs had puzzle pieces in them.
  
Once the puzzle was complete the kids got this picture: a desk in our house.

Underneath the desk, on that bottom shelf, was a personalized basket for each kiddo.  

Go Auntie Joy!!

Here are photos from the HUNT:

All the cousins together on Easter. It should create sweet emotions in my heart, but instead I stare at Rett's hair and shake my head.  Still reeling from  the self haircut.  This Easter, I will be thankful for hair.

April 4, 2010

Listening Session: Civil Wars Unplugged VH1

This morning I sat in the listening room waiting for my latte to be delivered by my darling husband. 

By the way, he has nearly mastered the leaf, as you can see.  

I was so busy snapping photos of said masterpiece and enjoying the fantastic flavor, I didn't realize he put a new album on the turntable.

The first song was one I know and love: I've Got this Friend.  Such a great sound and I love when I know the words to a piece.

It wasn't until song two, which I did not know by heart, that I realized the record playing was not our copy of Barton Hollow. Song two is Kingdom Come from the Hunger Games soundtrack; not what I was expecting.

Honestly, the clapping at the end of the songs should have been a dead give away this is a live version...did I mention the coffee??

At this point, I tune in to the music and take note of the fact, it is also an acoustic version. I ask my personal DJ husband "What IS this album?!" He proudly tells me Civil Wars Unplugged VH1.

Have I been under a rock? When did it come out? How do I not know about this? I have so many questions.

He shushes me.

I'm not kidding; there is no talking in the Listening Room, when "someone" is trying to listen.

Song three, even more baffling:  Portishead's Sour Time. I'm not familiar with the original, but the Civil Wars version is lovely, as is everything they do, so far as I am concerned.

Next up all the songs I expect from the Civil Wars: Poison and Wine, Barton Hollow and 20 years. Listening to them repeatedly  means I am very familiar with how these songs sound on MP3, which is good, decent.

The Barton Hollow album on vinyl is fantastic, but *this* acoustic, unplugged version, on vinyl, is SO...magical, ethereal even. I want to listen to it again tomorrow, that is how much I liked it.

It doesn't end there; the last song on the track list is a remake of Billie Jean!!! 

OMG. 

I had no idea. I was in complete shock, mouth open for at least the first verse. Just wow.

I found the YouTube video for you here. The vinyl is even better, completely superior sound!

Definitely my new favorite album.

March 13, 2013

Video Log VII

Talking about George Washington, Star Wars weapons, Easter clothes, dark chocolate, what I ate for lunch and the room addition.

Flower Arrangement Rewind

Using a left over bowl to recreate a flower arrangement given to me a couple of weeks ago.

I removed the dead flowers, but left the branches, which had been so artful placed in the bowl.  

The whole thing was also washed out with hot soapy water and rinsed with a bit of bleach water to kill any remaining yuckiness.

White tulips and colored alstroemeria were picked up from Trader Joe's; $4.99 and $3.99 respectively.

First, I chopped the bottom of the alstromeria.  Next, the bottom leaves were removed from the stems.

Each stem was futher cut depending on where it was placed in the bowl; shorter ones on the side, taller ones in the center.

After, the tulips were trimmed.  I cut just above where the bottom leaf joined the stem.  Cutting tulip leaves is preferable to peeling them away.

Tulips were then added to the arrangement.

Lastly, water, plant food and a few dirty pennies were put in the bowl.

March 11, 2013

Sunday Supper Spectrum

Met some friends down at Irvine Spectrum for an early dinner.  

The moms and youngins made a stop in at Children's Place, while the dads and teenager found a suitable eatery.  

Remember, my goal of purchasing only food until the addition gets built...well except that toilet and those hats, but other than those?!  

Well, now I have to add to the list of non-grocery purchases: Easter Shirt and tie for the little guy, the next size up of flip-flops AND hat and sunglasses chosen by Rett.  

Which looks like this:


At least it was all on sale.  

He didn't have a proper Easter outfit.

*sigh*

Other than these, I need to hunker down and stick to my goal; no more non-sense in my basket. (Heather, I can't stop saying it.)

On to our lovely dinner.

Lucky for us, the boys chose Javier's Mexican food, where the mango margaritas are divine.


Should have gotten a picture with the group of us, I was just having too much fun to remember.

March 10, 2013