Weird Lisa Habit - #1

Weird Lisa habit #1 - I dont change my earrings. I have worn the same earrings for more than two or three years straight.

What can I say, I like hoops. I can sleep in them and they dont hurt. They kind of go with everything, at least everything that I wear. They're basic. They're nondescript. They work for me.

But earlier this week, I changed them for the first time in a VERY LONG TIME. Matt found a diamond earring of mine on the ground in our bedroom. Im positive that Seamus was rummaging around in my very measly jewelry box and accidently dropped it on the ground. The idea of the earring, a gift from Matt, being unnoticed and lost forever upset me so much that I took off my hoops to put them on, but then I didnt. Instead, I put on another pair of diamond earrings (also from Matt) and they're on my ears right now. See:

Its been four days since I put these earings on and I still feel really weird about it. I think I want my hoops back.

Happy Friday!

For Jennifer

You said you were coming over today. You didnt.
In leiu of your presence here are some pics. :)

The Great Outdoors

Summer brings glorious, warm weather. What better place to eat meals then outside, right?

I believe this was Seamus' thinking when he suggested on Monday night that we eat in our back yard. I was busy making dinner and didnt recall hearing his suggestion. In fact, I went ahead and had Finn set the table thinking we'd be eating inside as we always do. As Matt was taking the food off the barbecue and I was bringing food to the table, Seamus exclaimed "I thought we were eating outside!"

In Casa McGarvey we dont have a patio or outside area to eat. In fact, we dont even have a table and chairs - a fact we are hoping to change soon. But Matt and I looked at each other and agreed it would be a nice change. After all, it was nicer outside then it was in our house. So what if we dont have a table or a designated area to eat. Instead, we got our beach chairs and sat together in the lawn with our meal. It was quick meal , but a nice one.

Maybe next time we'll eat picnic style: on a piece of fabric directly on the lawn. I think that would be kind of cool.

Happy Thursday. :)

Food Glorious Food

When we eat at our bonfires, we traditionally make pizza pockets. My kids arent grilled hot dog people (they prefer them boiled) so pizza pockets were a great substitution. The sand can sometimes get in the way, but after numerous bonfires, we have created a system where we can make them rather quickly and without much fuss. Pizza pockets are always a crowd pleaser: they taste great and they're fun to make.

Do you guys know what pizza pockets are?

Matt introduced me to these delectable treats while we were dating. We used to camp in Joshua Tree a lot and he used the hot apple pie cookers to make us pizza pockets. For those who dont know, an apple pie cooker is a metal contraption that cooks apple, cherry or blueberry pie filling between bread to make a pie. To make pizza pockets, you substitute the pie filling with pizza sauce, cheese and any toppings you like. We usually make ours with pepperoni but you can throw anything in there. Then you pop it over the fire and wait for it to cook - usually 3-5 minutes. They are really delish. You can see a picture of a apple pie cooker below - its the back square type thing that James is holding on the far left.

The Huelsman family usually joins us for bonfires and a couple summers ago, they introduced brats to our bonfire food lineup. I never had a brat over the fire until they shared one with me. Im not a big hot dog fan (I eat them at baseball games and thats about it) so I didnt think Id like them. I finally tried one at the end of the summer and I loved it! They were fantastic tasting - very juicy and flavorful.

Last Friday, instead of taking one of the Hueslman's brats (they're always gracious - offering brats to everyone) I asked Matt to buy some of our own so we could eat them to our heart's content without emptying our friend's stash. While the kids were changing their clothes, I decided to break out the brats early and eat one quickly before they came back. It was sooooo good. Why do things cooked over the fire always taste better than the food prepared at home? Its a mystery. In any case, I ate my brat with a pickle and honey mustard and it absolutely hit the spot. As if on cue, the boys were on their way over to our bonfire so I began getting the pizza pockets ready for them. After about 45 minutes of preparing and cooking, we were all fed and happy. Below are the recipients of some of the pizza pockets.


About two hours after eating my first brat, I began to get hungry for another. Let me state right now that I wasnt physically hungry for something to eat. I had eaten enough, but I knew there was one last brat left in our cooler. I began to fixate on it - thinking how yummy it would taste in my mouth. Finally when I couldn't stand it any longer, I got our campfire stick, cooked it and ate it. It was sooooooo good and I felt very satsified. YUM YUM YUM!

The next day in conversation, Matt mentioned that those brats I ate had a lot of fat in them. I was genuinely confused. Werent they about the same fat/calories as hot dogs? Matt replied a resounding "Nooooooooooo." Turns out brats are awesome tasting because they have on average 19 grams of fat! HOLY SCHNIKIES!!!!! I about died when he told me. I didnt believe him at first so he went online to check. Sure enough, each of those beef brats I ate had 19 grams of fat and 210 calories. COWABUNGA! I almost felt sick.

Ive decided that at the next bonfire Im going to be more like my nephew, Eli: empty bun with some ketchup. No more brats for me.... even if they do taste delicious.


Happy Tuesday.

Slow Start This Morning.

Its almost noon and Im just starting to feel inspired.

Why is it that whenever I feel inspired money is involved? Im feeling a decorating tug right now. I just went through a bunch of my design blog favs and its got my head spinning. I wanna frame a lot of the kids artwork and put it on the walls. I wanna make some potted plants full of succulents. I wanna go to Ikea and walk around. I wanna collect some neat pillows and fabrics.

Cleaning would be good tooo... and thats free! I think I'll do the cleaning. God knows, my house needs it badly.

Some outdoor images that are making me feel inspired this morning (and Im sorry I dont have credits for these. I need to start writing that stuff down:)




Happy Monday!

Layout Shares

Layouts seen at www.twopeasinabucket.com

Awesome Album - Wilco

The latest Wilco album has been in heavy rotation here in Casa McGarvey. I love it!

I would not call myself a Wilco aficionado. I have a mild selection of Wilco songs in my itunes library - more of the mainstream stuff than the experimental, indie songs. Previous to this album, my most played Wilco songs were 1.) California Stars by Billy Bragg and Wilco, 2.) Jesus, etc on the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and 3.) Theologians on A Ghost is Born. I didnt listen to many of the albums from start to finish. I mostly just played the Wilco songs I liked.

But this album is rad. All of it. Actually there is one song I skip over (Bull Black Nova) but all the others move so beautifully into each other. I will listen to it from start to finish with a big smile on my face.

My favorite songs? Well, the first song I bought off this album was "You and I" (a duet with Fiest) so I think that's my fav. Its the one that stays in my mind the longest. Its got a really sweet flowing, easy melody and I love hearing the sound of Jeff Tweedy's voice in it. He sounds very intimate and natural. When the album came out, I sampled the songs on itunes, but I only bought "You and I." We were short on money so I only bought what I knew I would love. My propensity to spend money on music is legendary and I was really trying hard to temper it by not buying whole albums. However, the next day I bought a second song "You Never Know" after hearing it on the radio. LOVE that song too. Love how it changes tempos into the chorus. Love the hard pounding piano and the slide guitar. It was really soon after that last purchase that I went ahead and completed the whole album. It had to be done.

After buying the entire album, I got a huge appreciation for the time and effort it takes to make an album - for planning out how the songs roll. On Wilco, the songs blend so perfectly and effortlessly into each other. When I completed the album I was able to really enjoy the other songs on the album and how they relate to the first two songs I bought. I really like the title track "Wilco. " Its got a harder edge to it without being too out of hand. I love the feedback and amplified noises - kind of reminds me of "Im Waiting for the Man" by Velvet Underground but with a heavier vibe to it. I LOVE how the second track "Deeper Down" is like its negative image to "Wilco"- a mellow, serene, soaring type of song. The whole album is like this. Its a real pleasant experience to hear in its entirety.

So if you like music, check it out! :)

Retreat/ Recharge.

These pictures are from the place Matt and I stayed in Tuscany back in 2007. When I look at them, I feel peaceful and relaxed. I feel unburdened from the duties, routines and complications of my normal life. I feel light. In Italy there were no children to care for and/or worry about. There wasnt any stress concerning money and time management. I didnt feel judgement or expectations from others. In Italy, I was just me: a girl/woman who enjoyed adventure, beauty, art, nature, history and love.

Im feeling beat up right now so Im going to take a few days off to retreat/recharge. Im gonna try to channel me some Italy.

See you in a few days.

Lets Get Together and Feel Alright

"One Love, One Heart.
Lets get together and feel alright"
- Bob Marley and the Wailers

Bob was a smart man. Yesterday I was feeling the love and it was totally on account of being in the company of good people. These friends fill me up. I feel relaxed and contented when we're together. They are so easy to be around and are so easy to love. I adore these kids - I love them like they're mine. I love their mamas. Such brilliant women. There wasnt a bad egg in the house. Seriously. And I fed right off it - fed off the positive energy of everyone present. I needed to be recharged and yesterday did that.
In a nutshell: good friends, happy kids, hot weather, swimming, popsicles, laughter, scooters, pizza, Kool Aide, videogames, music, love, love, love.
Roll the pictures:

Bonfire Injuries

We had a bonfire last Friday with some good friends. I had a busy day and didnt plan well before leaving. My sweatshirt got left behind. Our flashlight suffered the same fate. And the glow sticks we use to keep tabs on the kids in the night were also left at home.

On Saturday morning I looked at Finn and he had all these little cuts on his face. When I asked him what happened, he said "I dont know. It was so dark and we bumped into each other a few times."

Note to self: not only do glow sticks allow me to monitor where the kids are in the dark; they also allow the kids to see each other. Good to know.

Happy Monday.:)

People Let Me Tell You About My Best Friends!

My kids have had a banner week.
Lots and lots of friends around.
Summer is so cool because we definitely get to hang and play with lots of people we normally dont get to see during the school year.
People like my cousin Emily:

And Christian Battle (my college roomate's son:)

And a whole mess of other friends:

Life is good.
Happy Saturday.

"This is Not My Beautiful House... This is Not my Beautiful Wife!"

You know that song "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads? David Byrne sings that part "And you may tell yourself... This is not beautiful house... this is not my beautiful wife!" I had a moment like that this week.

On Monday, we were homebound all day. Thats not normal for us. In the summertime, the boys and I try to get in a playdate or outing each day. When we dont have something scheduled, we hit the pool. Its very rare that we stay indoors for an entire day. But this past Monday, I was tired and it was hot. We had a busy weekend with reunion stuff and frankly I needed some down time. I sat on the couch all day long and watched about 9 hours of Veronica Mars on hulu. Im not exaggerating. 9 hours. I got up the couch to pee and eat. Thats it.

Here is my Talking Heads moment: the boys were perfect all freaking day. Let me say that again in caps: MY BOYS WERE PERFECT ALL DAY LONG. At first, I barely noticed. They were quiet. I didnt hear that annoying music coming from their Nintendo DS or the computer. I didnt hear them arguing with each other. When I got up to check on them I walked down the hallway and saw both of them playing legos in their room. They werent talking to each other. They just sat there on the floor,creating lego stuff, side by side.

Let me interject right here to say that legos are RAD! If your child does not own some legos, go buy him some right now. A milion blessings to the Danish people for inventing legos! They created a toy that is fun and engaging, but truly educational. Legos help develop fine motor skills and enhance a child's imagination. They are awesome! My kids have been into legos for years now and they are undoubtedly the best toys I have ever bought them. Legos might be expensive and they might kill like the Dickens when you step on them, but take it from me: they are worth their weight in gold. I have never seen my kids play for hours with a toy like they do with legos. And hello? My kids are ADHD. They have problems focusing. Not so with legos. Sure, they can sit in front of a videogame for hours, but we all know that's not a good thing. Videogames are like drugs. Legos are like vitamins!

So anyway, my kids were occupied with legos from 8am till 5pm and they were perfect, little angels. They didnt fight: no yelling, bickering, whining or crying. They didnt plug into any videgame or computer the entire day. They barely bugged me for a thing. It was seriously one of the best "me" days Ive had in a long time and the fact that they were here the entire time is nothing short of a miracle. They did take the legos outside at around 1pm and the nirvana state continued outdoors. They did make a pretty big mess in their room and in the hallway, but it was so worth it. They made an abundance of cool vehicles, buildings and gadgets and the three of us coexisted in harmony for hours.

I was so damn relaxed and happy that day. I lauded them to anyone who would listen: my mom, my sister and Matt. I was so fracking proud of them that day. Heck, I was proud of myself! As as ironic as it seems, I felt like a fantastic mother that day. Yeah... I know I was sitting on the couch watching tv for hours (something I literally NEVER do by the way,) but only a great mother could ignore her kids for that long and them not get into any trouble while playing beautifully together, right? I dont get many "Im a great mother" days but on Monday, I reveled in it. I got to chill and veg all day long and my kids, though with me, didnt spoil my self indulgent party. Ahhhhhhhh!

As I was making dinner that night, I looked out the window and had the thought to take a picture of them with their legos. Im sharing two of them here. I'll tell you what, as dorky a hobby as scrapbooking may be Im glad I do it because this day will never be forgotten. Not ever!

Bragging.

I am not a photographer; not by a long shot.
Im not schooled in how my camera works. Aperture and shutter speed confuse me. I have to take dozens of pictures to get that one good shot. I still have a hard time taking pictures in low light. I cant talk shop because I dont know what any of it means.
But every blue moon I get a shot like this one and I surprise myself.

Then again... maybe Im just in love with the subject.

Happy Tuesday.

Reunion Weekend

Welp, its Saturday morning and that means I survived the first night of my 20 year reunion weekend.

Was it nerve racking? Yes it was. And the crazy thing is that last night was the informal mixer thing. Tonight is the actual reunion. Also, I keep in touch with many of my high school friends. Erin, Kira, Lorena, Jen and Linnea are friends I talk with regularly. They were all there last night - in fact we went together. Some of us see each other more often than others, but we all keep in touch.
Last night:

Twenty years ago:

So why was last night such an intimidating experience? For me it was a lot of things, but it was all rooted in fear. First and foremost, I was afraid people would judge me: judge me by how I look and act and compare that to the person I was in high school. It was a weird feeling going into a room where most of the people there only knew me as a teenager. My four years in high school were not my best years and thankfully Im not that same person anymore. And yet... that is our connection. Its a pretty strange set up when you think about it. Thankfully it turned out good. I think many of us were feeling the same nervousness and it ended up being just fine.

Tonight=reunion. I think I can handle this. :)

Happy Saturday.

Photo Share

A couple days ago I bribed the kids to sit down with me and take some pictures. I dont do this often. They usually dont cooperate with me in this kind of setting and my frustration is not worth the pictures. Its much easier to take pictures of them doing their thing and in their element. But on this day I had the slip covers off the couch (they had to be washed) and had replaced them with these recently bought quilts. I got the quilts at a local antique/thrift shop. One quilt was cheaper than dirt; the other I paid way beyond what I should have. I wanted to get some pics of the boys with them as a backdrop.

Here are some photos I liked. There were literally DOZENS more that were just ok, crappy or out of focus. I love my 85 mm lens, but damn if it isnt temperamental. Even when Im using focal points, it doesnt always focus well. Oh well. Such is life.






Happy Thursday.

Dodgers vs Padres

Matt and my first date was a Dodger/Padre game at Qualcomm Stadium in late September 1995. My dad had a friend at work who had seats right by the third base dugout. They were amazing seats. I was a huge Dodger fan back then and the visiting dugout for the Padres was third base. Our seats gave us great access to the players and Lasorda. It was awesome. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost that game and my mood became sour with the loss. Thankfully it didnt stop Matt from holding my hand and sneaking in a "first kiss" upon arriving home.

Fourteen years later Matt and I got to revisit that first date, but this time we saw the game at Petco Park. Matt and I are lucky in that we are usually able to sneak away alone and watch the Padres each year. Usually its around our anniversary in August, but this year we got to go early. My parents had tickets for the Dodger/Padre game this past weekend but didnt use them. My dad asked me if I wanted them and I snatched them up without thinking twice. We had a great time.

It was a beautiful day: sunny and warm but with a great breeze off the bay. The place was packed! When the Dodgers come to town the crowds come out - many of them driving from LA to root on their team. The game went to extra innings with the Dodgers winning in the 13th. In 1995, I would have been overjoyed with that outcome, but these days Id prefer to see the home team win. We had a great time though and enjoyed all 13 innings. I know it sounds corny, but I feel so joyful watching baseball at a day game. Its a warm fuzzy feeling for me. I was telling Matt that I think we need to celebrate our half birthdays with my parents and invite everyone out to the ballpark each summer so we can feel that joy with family and friends. Such a happy place. :)

Here is a shot of us in our rally caps. It didnt help. ha ha

And here is Matt in a sea of Dodger fans. There were so many of them there - all decked out in thier Dodger jerseys. They are always very vocal, but most didnt get out of control. There was this one lady down near the field who had a big poster that read "This is Dodgerville USA." Eeeeeeekkkk! It made me cringe a bit every time she put that thing up and waved it. Dont get me wrong, I like to see the Dodgers win - just not when they play the Padres. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Dodgers, but Ive never been into disrespect at another team's home park.

Thanks to Mom and Dad for the great tickets.
Happy Wednesday!