my kids idea of obedience...taking it to another level

this is my kids idea of doing what I tell them..." hey will one of you take the T.P. and put it in the bathroom", "sure mom". Be careful of what you ask.

2 OVERLY AMBITIOUS PROJECTS ....NOW ALTERED

I HAD TWO THINGS TO POST OF OVERLY AMBITIOUS PROJECT ONE A RASPBERRY ALMOND TORTE OF WHICH I FORGOT TO TAKE A FINAL PICTURE with the whip cream and almonds...DOH! SO NOW I HAVE TO REDO THE 4 LAYER TORTE AND TAKE A FINAL PIC...(NOT TODAY,though) AND THEN AN ALTERATION PROJECT.

FIRST PROJECT.... I admit it, I sometimes buy things on sale that one day, yes one day I will use or have a use for... these were about 4 years in the making to come to find out...they don't really fit all the way. So what do you do when you have these calf length boots that you at one point thought they were quite kewl and you were going to get an outfit to wear with and.... then I .... can't zip them up ... calf length... so you... alter them. Its cold...Its Georgia and we have gotten into the 20's guys, its really cold and I have whipped out the leather conditioner for the jackets and these brown boots I have... But these denim boots that I so loved about 4 years ago...hmmm... not sure if infact I am ever going to wear them but I had a challenge. My first thought was to send them to the alterations, but at the thought of having some slim, 0% body fat lady look complete disbelieft at my request lower the calf length boot to a high ankle length boot. Kinda of reminded me of the glamour shot pictures about 20 years ago in which I insisted that purple eyeliner was a good color for me. And I consider the pity look she would give me at my request and the comments to other staffers in a language that would not be understandable to me why they snicker at my expense, literally... was a little more than I could handle. Probably as much as the laughter of my sister as I tried to explain the before and after and her joke was "did you take a picture of you wearing them before and after or was it while altering them". Funny Yolanda.



So here goes to any of you... who can understand my rambling, my thoughts, and my grief and satisfaccion of doing it....

scrappin'

when i pulled up these two pictures I could of never imagined the similarity in posture, alignment and expressions. It tugged at me and immediately gave me sense of loss and pain as well as accomplishment and pride. Anyone close to me understands the previous and has celebrated the latter. I thank you for that. Does two years, 2 months, and 7 days change anything ??? no, not much, the magnitude maybe, but not the inexplicable sense of loss no matter how immense the Happiness. I still miss him terribly, and ignorantly wishing he was with me every second, but alas... he is 2 days shy of 17 and I am accomplished in the fact that he is doing well and learning from experience, life, pain, love, understanding, compassion and empathy... probably more than another person his own age. For me 38 has hit and the realization of offspring 17 years of age is unbelievable almost. I do so look forward December when I can have him in my arms again and cherish that smell, that smile, that hug. May the good Lord above expedite these weeks for me and grant me my wish shortly.

SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE SINGLE MAPS I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SUNDAY. I SLEPT IN ON SATURDAY AND WOKE UP REFRESHED AND DETERMINED TO SCRAP. BUT ONCE I ARRANGED ALL MY YUMMY NEW PRODUCT OUT AND STOOD OVER MY TABLE NOTHING CAME TO ME. I WAS AT A STUMP, I COULDNT FIND PAPER I WANTED TO USE...(HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?) NO PICTURES WERE TALKING TO ME, I WAS TOTALLY STUMPED. OF COURSE BLAMED IT ON MY INNOCENT HUSBAND AND DEMANDED HE TAKE ME IMMEDIATELY TO GO AND PRINT UP "SOME" PICTURES AT MY NEIGHBORHOOD WALMART INSTANT FOTO PRINTER. SO OFF WE WENT... 5 SD CARDS IN HAND, MY CANON, AND TWO JUMP DRIVE WITH OVER 3,500 PICS HAD TO BRING ME SOME SORT OF INSPIRATION, IF NOT LAUGHTER FOR SOME UNKNOWN RECORDED EPISODES BETWEEN MY WHITTY 9 YR OLD AND MY INDULGENT 10 YR OLD. SO AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO MY HUSBANDS' FAVORITE HOBBY SHOP WE ARE OFF TO A BRAND NEW WALLY WORLD ON P.HILL. "MACHINES DOWN, MA'M". I REALLY CAN'T HANDLE INOPERABLE WALMARTS' THEY ARE INEXCUSABLE TO ME. ON A WEEKEND AISLE THAT ARE CLOSED, MACHINES DOWN... I CAN'T HANDLE IT TOO WELL. SO, AFTER A 8 YEAR TEMPER TANTRUM MY MATURE HUSBAND PICKS ME OFF THE FLOOR AND BUCKLES ME IN THE CAR AND DRIVES ME TO THE WALMART ON C. HILL, WHERE ALAS... A WORKING INSTANT MACHINE...AND THE ADDED PLUS WHERE I WAS ALL ALONE, NO PEOPLE WAITING FOR GROPPING ME WITH THEIR EYES TO HURRY UP. NO ME AND MY 3,500 PICS TO CHOOSE FROM. WELL, 45 MINS LATER AND 93 PICTURES LATER. I AM HAPPY, FULLFILLED AND TIRED. I CAME HOME WITH A MISSION. DETERMINED TO GET ALOT OF SCRAPPING DONE. I JUST OPEN THE FRESHLY PRINTED PICTUES WARM, AND A BIT WARPED FROM THE WEIGHT AND SIZE THE PACKAGE. SET THEM ON THE KITCHEN TABLE AND PULL OF THE FIRST. I JUST HAPPENED AFTER THAT I INSISTED THAT I WOULD JUST SCRAP FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF STACK. WELL I GOT ABOUT 9 PICTURES AND ABOUT 82 MORE TO GO. WISH ME THE BEST!!!!!!!

looky what i just found in the freezer....

looky what I just found in the freezer....

PARENTS 42ND ANNIVERSARY LUNCH WITH US KIDS AND GRANDKIDS ALMOST ALL OF THEM EXCEPT THE RAMIREZ'S, we miss you guys in Texas...

JUST SHARING SOME PICS OF FAMILY TIME - BASTO FAMILY PARENTS CELEBRATING 42 YEARS OCTOBER 29TH.... IT WAS INFORMAL LUNCH PLANNED FOR A LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. Not too early and not too late. I had planned a simple menu with focus on relaxation/conversation and a FALCONS game instead of my minute minute on cue agenda... I had everything planned out with seasoned steak and breast of chicken marinating from Saturday with Mojo and lime and about 6oz of Miller lite to help and our 4 starch side dishes which make everything complete. HA! To begin a nice Asaigo cheese loaf from Atlanta Bread co. Yum, not as good as Jocelyns' sour dough Loaf, I bet, but a cheap attempt. then of course I couldn't help to pick up some of their yummy pastries for after dinner treat.































love red leaf lettuce
















TG for rice cookers














Puertorican style red beans

my famous pico de gallo mix sans da avocado served separately




































i have a new dip, "papa chorreadas' Colombian dish



Mojito...

AFTER ALL THIS ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS: WHERE'S THE BEEF? HMMM... i DIDNT GET A PICTURE OF THAT....

the main course was the typical rice and beans, yeah look at them, there, beans, those are not just any beans, those are some red kidney bean with papa, olives, cilantro, recaito, yum. then yeah cooked rice from a rice cooker. The salad with some Balsamic dressing...you really cant see the cucumbers or the red leaf lettuce. Okay so where is everybody, just hanging around trying to fix Tia Esperanza laptop. Laughing at stuff and having a good family time.








































































































i love you bro!!!