And the winner is....

(Or, I guess I should say and the winners are since there are two winners, not just one.)

Today's the day, folks! The day the the ever-so-lucky winners of my very lucrative giveaway* is announced. I know, I know, ya'll have been on the edge of your seats, right? I have been too. The original plan for picking the winners was that I was going to pick my favorite movie title for first place and second place would be picked at random. However, without wanting to appear completely biased and risk hearing some booo-hisses from the crowd a'la Princess Bride, (because let's be honest, I really liked my husband's idea. But who would think that's far if I picked him as the winner? I wouldn't, and I would boycott this blog. But I don't want boycotters, I want lovers! [lovers of the blog, that is, of the blog]) I opted to have both winners picked by random.

The selection process was quite detailed. It involved numerous equations, charts, graphs, calculators, meetings with the President, etc. You know, I wanted to make sure I was thorough. Technically, it involved none of that, but just a pen, a piece of paper, and my three (and a half!) year old son. Basically, I wrote everyone's name down that entered, tore them into individual pieces, interrupted my son who was quite methodically  playing with his Thomas Legos, and asked him to come close his eyes and pick two pieces of paper out of my little pile. I supposed the graphs and equations would have been cooler. Maybe someday.

Anyways. So do you want to know who won?



......




Do you?




Okay, drum roll please....


First Place: Amanda

Second Place: Kelly

Congratulations ladies! I hope you feel honored with this prestigous award....I mean giveaway. Like promised, you each will be receiving your favorite candy bar of choice. Please email me at cahocker at gmail dot com with your decision and your address. Also, look forward in the coming weeks for a post about my dear friend Amanda! (Since she won first place, she gets a post and a candy. Lucky duck).

Well, I hope this wasn't a complete waste of time for you all! I had a lot of fun doing it! Maybe we'll make this an annual thing or something. We'll see how high the demand is for cool giveaways.



Also, two things that I found interesting on the 'net today:

1. JTT is thirty! Who knew? I probably spent a lot of time and money on Tiger Beats when I was little and he was on the cover.

2. Schweddy Ball ice cream. That's just sort of funny, right?





*This giveaway is by no means lucrative. In fact, it might be unlucrative.

Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo...

Labor day is wonderful. Who doesn't like Mondays where you don't have to do anything? Today we headed out to Binder Park Zoo for our annual zoo trip. It's really a highlight every year.     Doesn't everyone like feeding those giraffes? I love our zoo, and I love spending time with my family. A girl can't ask for more!




James favorite part was the train. Seriously. We asked him, "What was your favorite animal at the zoo?" "The train." "No no, Animal...." "Oh, the monkey." Silly boy. Clara liked the ducks best, though there weren't really ducks there. Some geese and peacocks, no ducks. Oh well, I guess you can't stop our kids from enjoying what they really love!







 **Also, I've decided that the end of the giveaway is this Thursday, the 8th, so if you haven't entered, hurry up! Only two more days for fabulous gifts and cash prizes*!**




*Note: There are no cash prizes.

The Perfect Pair

Some things just go together, right? Like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Chips and Salsa. Pretzels and Milk. (Okay that one is mostly Dave's favorite combo, not mine). My favorite pair? Coffee and Chocolate. There is nothing better, right? So when I found this recipe for Mocha scones, which combines coffee and chocolate together, I just had to do it. Coffee....good. Chocolate.....good. (I sorta sound like Joey on that Thanksgiving episode of Friends where Rachel puts meat into the trifle..."I like it, what's not to like? Jam...good. Custard....good. Meat...goooooood.") Mix coffee and chocolate together and that's a beautiful thing.

This was my first adventure into making scones. Prior to this, I was sorta scared to go into scone-making territory. They seem so fancy and intricate and like you might need a cooking license to make them. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are not that hard. So much so that I am encouraged to find some more scone recipes and get my scone on. (How many times can I say scone in this post?). The only down side is- my hubby does not like scones. At all. He did take a bite of the ones that I made and said  that they were good as far as scones go, but he still didn't like it. (To quote, he said, "If I put chocolate chips on bread would it make it taste better? Yes, but I wouldn't want to eat it." Yes, yes, dear readers, he compared plain old wheat bread to a scone. I know, scone blasphemy. I covered their little scone ears.). Since he doesn't eat any, I'm left to devour a whole batch by myself. Seeing as I don't want to do that (or better, shouldn't do that), I am lucky to have some good friends and family (ahem Lauren and Ruth) who I graciously forced gave them some to enjoy.

I was quite pleased with how they turned out. Like I mentioned before, they go perfectly with a good cup of coffee. I think that's another good pair- scones and coffee. You really can't beat that, right? I mean, as long as you have some creamer with that coffee!

This also falls under my resolution of doing a new recipe a week. I'll be honest, there have been some weeks that I haven't done a new recipe, but at the same time, there have been times where I have done two or three new ones in one week. I figure it all evens out, right? The main goal I had setting this resolution was to be more adventurous and creative in the kitchen, and so far, I feel that I have accomplished that goal.

Do you all have any good scone recipes that you'd like to share? I know a while back I had an amazing scone that was made with cranberries. I think I'm gonna be on the hunt for a good cranberry scone recipe. Also, I want a good raisin bran muffin recipe. Does anyone have one? I think by far that is my favorite muffin, even though I am not 80 years old. I guess I just eat like one.

September First's Staccatos

I went to Dave's football game tonight sans children. It was glorious. (I may have also brought and finished the book Rebecca, but really only read it during half time...and maybe part of the third quarter).

I watched my hubby do his thing (coaching, that is), and it was good.

I think I sweated off at least 5 pounds during this game. It was bloody hot outside.

I also got bitten by at least 50 mosquitos during the game.

I have a wonderful Mimi who graciously offered to take care of  my kids so I could go watch my hubby, since this game and opponent was really far away and not the most kid-friendly event to attend.

I also have a wonderful Mimi who earlier in the day took my kids to the Little Chick Shoe Shop to get them new shoes.

I found out that I am a terrible mommy who has been forcing my kids to wear shoes that are waaay to small for them. Each kid got shoes that were at least 1 if not 2 sizes bigger than the ones they are currently wearing. Sorry kids.

I did some errands today in the terrible hot heat in my car that has no air conditioning.

I learned my lesson to do errands on colder days so my kids don't melt in the car as we drive.

I am happy that our other car, Mr. Jeep's, brakes are fixed and he is currently home from the auto body shop and in our driveway.

I am shocked and happy and grateful that Mr. Jeep was fixed for the grand total of $0. That's right my friends, free. Thank you life time warranty!

I'm sitting in my bed by my husband realizing how grateful I am for him.

I am realizing that it is getting late and I should go to sleep now.

I am done blogging.

A day in the life

Today was just a day. Nothing on the schedule, nothing to do. I even did all the laundry yesterday (I know, right? It is a crazy idea. Normally, I am so behind. Ask my husband). So really, nothing to do. We woke up, had breakfast, did the normal routine. The even got up early today, so I think we were dressed, fed, and ready at 9am. Even the beds were made.

We started out playing a Thomas game, because that's what you do when you have a boy who loves Thomas. You play Thomas games. After that I thought I would go on the computer, check some emails, do the Facebook thing, etc. It was then that I just sorta snapped a bit. James was playing with his Bronco Mr. Potato head, and insisted that I have an arm. I said no, I don't want an arm, I'm on the computer! He kept on insisting, and I kept refusing. Finally, I snapped and threw the arm the other way and declared (not very nicely) that No James, I did not want the arm! He got really sad, and rightly so. I knew I shouldn't have been computing away (doing nothing really productive, of course) and that I should be giving my kids love and attention. I notice that I become the mean, grouchy mom when I start to do the things that I want to do at not the right or good time. Like whenever I try to sneak on the computer for the umpteenth time, and the kids all start to hover, it's then that I snap at them to leave me alone- when really, I don't need to be on the computer anyway. Guh. I don't like when I'm out of sorts like I was today. My kids were totally good and fine, but for some reason, little things would make me snap. Patience was not my virtue.

In an effort to redeem myself, we had spurts of good times today.

We made monster pictures:

We played with chalk:

We were superheros:

We went on a walk:

  (Clara's idea for good walking shoes are one strappy high heal and one old flip flop. It's rather unbalanced).

There were ups and downs, goods and bads. I have no idea why at times I felt off. Nothing really was wrong in my world or heart today, and like I said, we had really nothing to do. I guess that is the rollercoaster that is motherhood, isn't it? (Or being a woman? Or human? Or maybe it's just me). (On a sidenote, I find that pictures are so funny too, because if I had just posted the pictures, it looks like a completely different day, perhaps a good one. But when I share some of the moments in between the snapshots, a different one unfolds. But I digress...). I just hope my kids keep all the good moments, and the bad ones just fade away.

So that's it. I don't know what the purpose was in sharing this post or this day, but it felt good to get off my chest. There you go, world. I wasn't perfect today.