The End of Spring Break '10

Yes the time has come. I did have a wonderful, equally productive and relaxing spring break. Monday I went to the eye doctor and met with our accountant to get our tax stuff together. Tuesday I laid on the couch. Wednesday I ran some errands around town and went to lunch with Coby. Aren't lunch dates the best? Thursday...don't remember. But Friday, Friday I spent 7 hours cleaning the house! Top to bottom. Scrubbed baseboards, walls, cabinets, doors, and floors. Shampooed the carpet, swept, vacuumed, and mopped, and scrubbed the bathrooms. We are having Easter lunch at our house so hopefully there won't be too much to clean before then. Yesterday we spent the day at the lake letting the dogs swim and visited with Coby's mom, grandparents, and aunt.
We are also in the search for a new car for me. I drive a wonderful 2000 Honda Civic (want it? e-mail me). We are looking at the 2010 Chevy Equinox(es?). They are super nice. I was just wanting something a little bigger and wanting to sell my Honda while I can still get a little money out of it.


We have also booked a trip to San Francisco over fourth of July. We are SUPER excited. We wavered awhile over whether or not we should go but we decided there is never the "perfect" time to take a big trip and we should "just do it" (thank you 90's nike).
So that's that. Work starts back and it's the busy season. Evaluations on most of my kids and parent conferences with all of them. ~2 months left until summer! (Hopefully it will start to warm up a bit by then).

Chef's Ball 2010

We went to the annual Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Culinary Federation annual Chef's Ball last night. These are always so much fun. Good food, drinks, and music. Last year Coby did the soup course and this year he did the main course. I had good intentions of taking pictures of each course before I ate them but only managed to remember to take pictures of two courses...after I had already eaten half! The theme was Arkansas products.
Here is the fish course. I was a buttermilk fried catfish.

And here is Coby's dish. AR white cheese grits, AR shiitake mushroom, AR smoked beef tenderloin, and a cornshoot. (half eaten)

I did manage to take some pictures of him and family but I really wish I would have brought my good camera because these turned out really grainy.
Me and my wonderful hubby.

Coby and his uncle Jay, Papaw (Coby's grandfather), Pops(Coby's Dad), and brother Clay.

Coby and C-C (his mom), and Bubba (his grandmother).

Aunt Lisa and Papaw breakin it down on the dance floor.

Bubba and Papaw showing off their dancing skills. They've been married 65 years and still get jealous if the other talks to someone of the opposite sex!

They are so fun and so in love.

3 things

If you have not read the book drop everything, now, and go get it.

AND...
Black Heals to Tractor Wheels!!!!!

Mission Madness

Kelly at Kelly's Korner is doing a Show Us Your Life: Mission Trips today so I thought it would be fun to reminisce and share.
A few summers ago, during my last year of OT school, I went with some other students on a mission trip with Students International. They are a great and reputable organization that does wonderful missions in a few different countries. We went to Dominican Republic. Students International does a great job with finding areas where the countries could use help but also area where the students can use the skills they have learned in school. They have missions in health clinics, schools,and construction. We were able to work in a great school, Centro Especial Genesis. Here is a link to the blog of one of the OT's who is currently in the DR working at the school full time.
This was one of the best experiences of my life. Here are some pictures. I had to scan them in, sorry for the poor quality.

This is the boy who would show up everyday around lunch time, no shoes, same clothes. We would always pack a little extra.

This is Juan-Ramone. So smart and look at those eyes!

This is the school. It was used to be a night club and brothel. The top level is now a church (used to be the dance club), and the in the lower levels are the classrooms (used to be the brothel). The therapy room is where the center, bottom doors are.

This is Danny. I would have smuggled him on the plane with me if I thought I could get away with it.


This is the night we went to a restaurant to eat dinner. I just wanted to show how great my hair did in that humidity!

BEAUTIFUL country.


Here is the hotel we stayed in the first night. Long story short we missed our flight in and ended up in the wrong city. They lost our luggage and we had to stay in a shady hotel. I was the only one who spoke any amount of Spanish and that was acquired from Spanish 1 and 2 in high school!

Spring is Near!!!!

I haven't updated in awhile. I know I said I would have pictures of our weekend in Fayetville but that didn't happen. I just didn't feel like taking my camera to the game or to dinner. The basketball game was great right up until the last 3 minutes and I still don't want to talk about it. We stayed at The Inn at the Mill and is was very nice and cozy for a good price. The service was a like a bed and breakfast but the room was like a nice hotel. Dinner at James at the Mill was nice as well. Some of the food was a little over salted and the chef was not very nice (Coby met him in the lobby of the hotel-didn't tell him he was a chef-and he was very arrogant}. It was overall a nice dinning experience.
This past week flew by. I just have to get through this week and then will have a week off for spring break. Not big plans, just not working.
Here's our meal plan for the week. I've already gone to the grocery store, the house is clean, and I am getting laundry caught up. A great way to start the first full week of day light savings!

spaghetti and salad
shrimp fried rice (didn't get done last week, and that's a whole other post)
tacos
potato soup
Hawaiian chicken.

Got to go, husband is waiting to push play on The Pacific (HBO).

Mangosteen!!!

My wonderful husband participated in Diamond Chef Arkansas on Wednesday. It's an Iron Chef type of local competition. He helped out Donnie Ferneau of Ferneau and they did a great job. Each team was given a "mystery basket" including a protein, starch, fruit, vegetable, cheese, and some extras. These items included things such as mangosteen, peanut butter, fiddlehead fern, dill pickles, brussel sprouts, cottage cheese, corn flakes, and steak. The event was a great success and I had a wonderful time watching my hubby doing what he does!






We are going to Fayettville this weekend to watch the Hogs play a little basketball and stay at James At The Mill. Hopefully I will have pictures to share when we get back. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and enjoys this beautiful weather!