Flip Flop Follies

“Tie Game” Tuesday

By Amy | Published: July 28, 2010

I thought The Cons were going to win today, but it looks like The Pros pulled out all the stops and tied up the game of Tuesday.

#1 For starters, Riggs (Border Collie) ran out the front door and went after the guy with the weed wacker. Fortunately a weed wacker is a good thing to have if a dog comes running at you. Unfortunately I had to go after him in my pink pajamas…braless.

#2 Above mentioned Riggs bit (aka “nipped really hard” in Border Collie language) me in his usual frenzy as the gardeners entered the backyard.

#3 As I was tending to my wound with an ice pack and a few curse words, Rascal decided, since he couldn’t go into the backyard to take care of business, to drop off a few kids on the red carpet! Thanks, Rascal. Living up to your name, I see.

#4 Approximately 2.5 seconds after I took care of that little matter, Holden decided his football undies were the place to take care of HIS business. Why? WHY?

#5 Had to pay almost $60 to retrieve E’s birth certificate for Kinder (Last Minute Lucy here!)

#6 Let the kids talk me into Mickey D’s drive-thru for lunch (I only got a Diet Coke…promise!)

*****

But, then The Pros started reminding me that the day wasn’t a total bust.

#1 Took Elliott for her FINAL vaccination and TB test for Kinder. (This may have been a Con in her book, but was definitely a Pro in mine)

#2 Ordered E’s birth certificate for Kinder (don’t know why I put that off for so long??!!??)

#3 All forms completed and ready to turn in to the elementary school

#4 Little old lady in The Dollar Tree told me I looked beautiful…so sweet! I needed that.

#5 Rumor has it that Taylor Lautner was at Swirley’s Fro Yo on Sunday which is just a half mile from my front door! (I was at neighboring Albertson’s on Sunday…..I wonder if our paths crossed!)

#6 We have 10 leftover Chicken McNuggets from lunch for the kid’s dinner. Awesome!

6-6

So glad it’s a tie.

I hate when The Cons win.

*****

Flip Flop Fitness Update ~ 7.27.10

1 cup coffee with 2 tbsp. creamer: 2 points

2 egg whites on a sandwich thin: 1.5 points

1 banana: 2 points

Whole wheat pita with 1/4 cup meat sauce and 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese: 6 points

Fat free Fro Yo: 2 points

Sesame Chicken Lean Cuisine: 7 points

Total points: 20.5

Workout:

Walked/jogged to clubhouse and home: 2 miles

47 minutes on elliptical: 4+ miles, 500 calories

*****

Posted in Fitness, Funnies | Leave a comment

58 Days

By Amy | Published: July 26, 2010

…until Fall.

I’m not counting down or anything.

Yesterday morning as we were leaving Yosemite through the little town of Oakhurst, we ran into Starbucks for a coffee to sip on the drive home and a pumpkin scone to share.

{starbucks.com}

It felt like Autumn.

I was in love.

I sipped my caramel macchiato, nibbled on the scone, looked out at the landscape and envisioned the trees out in their Fall colors.

I am SO ready.

Maybe it’s because I know that the first day of school is just 17 days away.

It feels like my favorite season is closer than it really is.

Until then, I will enjoy the rest of the summer with my little ones because 58 days will go by in a flash.

*****

Flip Flop Fitness Update ~ 7.26.10

2 cups coffee with 4 tbsp. creamer: 4 points

3 egg whites on a sandwich thin: 2 points

Turkey on sandwich thin: 4 points

Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken: 7 points

Total points: 17

Workout:

Walked to clubhouse and back: 2 miles

60 minutes on elliptical: 5.5+ miles, 650 calories

*****

Posted in Fitness | Tagged autumn, fall | Leave a comment

Dust & Mosquito Bites

By Amy | Published: July 25, 2010

Yup…we’ve been to the mountains!

Flip Flop Follies National Park Edition coming up…

Have flip flops, will travel!

*****

As always on the way up, we stop in Bako @ Sonic for a quick lunch and my all-time fave…

{Don’t bother me, I’m enjoying my Blended Root Beer Float!}

Note to self: Don’t bother me, I’m covering my grays!

Temptation:

We made it to “Camp Duke” just in time for Happy Hour on the deck.

Followed by good ol’ Camp Duke fare….Grilled Chicken, corn and salad:

S’mores for dessert!

*****

Good morning, Wawona!

Grilled veggie frittata:

Our annual stagecoach ride with Beryl:

Hiking to the swimming hole:

Waterlogged:

*****

It was a treat to witness two of the four baby bluejays leaving the nest!

Mama bird was squawking up a storm ~ I’m sure she was half yelling at us to get away from her babies and half scolding them for leaving the nest!

Sweet baby bluejay.

We cordoned off the deck so the pooches wouldn’t “harm” the baby bird!

This is the third little sweetheart that didn’t get the courage to leave the nest just yet. There is one more sibling in the nest behind him/her:

These were the most spoiled babies! They have grown up on peanuts, almonds and bread crusts thus far. The kids had fun putting the food out for Mama bird to swoop down and grab. She would go up in the trees above the deck, get the peanuts out of the shell and then fly off to feed her brood.

So fun to watch.

{She’ll eat your peanuts all day long, but DON’T get too close to her babies!}

We also caught the rear of a deer at the neighbor’s house:

The kiddos thought this was the bee’s knees.

We saw squirrels that tried to eat our lunch leftovers at the swimming hole!

Grunc saw a 10-point (5 “points” on each side) buck while walking home from the barn dance.

Yikes!

Nature is so busy with all our little animal friends.

*****

Next on the agenda, tri-tip dinner, more sweet corn, fresh green beans and salad:

More s’mores for dessert with the sweet neighbors, The Lowry’s!

*****

The next morning we took a short hike to some local waterfalls.

Holdy and I were on the “leisurely hike” plan!

He walked the whole way, though ~ bless his heart.

*****

Later that evening we went to our usual Summer BBQ at the gorgeous Wawona Hotel.

Holden demonstrates how to eat watermelon on a stick:

Elliott LOVES her some ribs:

Miss Elliott was also the most loved by the ‘squitos this year, unfortunately.

They LOVED her forehead!

Poor sweetie…

A true mountain girl!

After the BBQ, we always go listen to live piano music in the parlor of the hotel and sip:

…THEN, we go down to the barn dance and do a little do si do!

…and sit outside by the campfire:

Nothin’ like sittin’ in front of the horse stables at a campfire in your flip flops!

*****

I LOVE that we can kick up some dirt in the mountains, frolic in the sand & surf, enjoy the art at The Getty or spend an afternoon in bustling LA or Hollywood.

But we also love quiet time at home.

So great to live in Southern California and have all this at our fingertips.

After a few days away from real life, I am reminded of our family’s mission statement:

Strive for SIMPLICITY.

SEEK beauty in “the everyday”.

SAVOR these special moments.

Thank you, Unc for {again} being the host with the most with all the delicious, healthy Camp Duke fare and providing your tour guide services and cozy cabin.

Thank you, Gramma, for getting us there and back by filling up the car along the way and filling us with snacks, meals and Starbucks while on the road.

Dust and mosquito bites aside, it was another wonderful trip to Wawona!

Our Summer is now complete.

*****

Posted in Family, Fun | Tagged 2010, summer, yosemite | 2 Comments

Going On A Bear Hunt

By Amy | Published: July 22, 2010

We’ll be one with NATURE for the next few days.

Squirrels. Pine cones. Bubbling creeks. Meadows. Worn paths. Slippery rocks. Swimming holes. Skipping stones. Barn dance. Campfires. S’mores. Dandelions. Deer. Acorns. Mountain breezes. Starry skies.