Case of the Missing Keys

Hello my friends and family! How are you tonight? I am doing great! I am surrounded by family and loved ones and it doesn't get much better than this!

I woke up too early (earlier than my eyelids wanted to open), so my sweet hubby told me to go back to sleep as he quietly exited our bedroom. He doesn't think that was a big deal at all, but to me that was great to just be able to roll over and go right back to sleep without feeling the least bit guilty about it! I slept for another 1 1/2 hours (oops)! Anita got up, got showered and started on breakfast. I showered, then hurried out to lend a hand. I fried up a 1/2 lb. of bacon, and half a package of sausage patties. Anita made an amazing egg casserole with green chilies in it...did I ever mention how much I love green chili??? Then Anita put together a fruit salad with plain yogurt and coconut shavings mixed in...yummola! Then to top things off, Anita whipped up a batch of blueberry lemon muffins. Talk about a feast fit for a king! We even enjoyed this feast sitting on Duane and Anita's back porch enjoying the view of the mountains. What a mighty and awesome God I serve! He created things so beautiful, from the tiniest of butterflies to the vast mountain ranges set before us!

I got the boys to do a little school, then we ran some errands in town. Against my better judgement, I allowed Anita to drive us (Anita, Aaron, Jordan and myself) back over to Trapper Jon's Knife Shop. It was as if my boys hadn't even been there the day before. We were on a mission. Jordan knew exactly what we were going in to get...ONE item and ONE item only. It was supposed to be a quick in-n-out. I was hoping it would only take 5 minutes tops since I had a bunch of errand I needed to do myself. Forty-five minutes later...and several knives later...

We left there and stopped by Anita's bank. While Anita was inside making a withdrawal, the boys were sitting in the back seat having contests who, at the count of three, could whip out their blade the fastest. I could see disaster written on the wall, so after a few minutes, I forbid anymore contests...I know, what a mean mother I am!!!

We ran a couple of errands for my dad. Let me back up my story a little bit. This morning before we left to run our errands, my mom had called Anita's cell phone looking for me. She couldn't reach me on my cell (still plugged in by my bed) or at Anita's home phone (since we were enjoying a leisurely breakfast on the back patio). We only heard Anita's cell phone ring as we were carrying breakfast back into the house. Mom was kind of frantic wondering if I had my dad's truck keys by accident. She asked me to go dump my purse out and look for his keys. I told her I had only driven his truck twice while we were staying with them. For those of you who don't know, my dad just bought a brand new Ford Ranger truck recently, still has a new car smell! It's kind of his "baby". Whoever drives must be very careful. I told mom where I hung the keys up after I used them last. I hung them on the key post in their house. She said it wasn't there and my dad was in a panic to find his keys. I called my dad and told him where I left the keys. The keys I used were on a purple lanyard and also had keys to my mom's car on it. Dad explained that those were her keys with her copy of his keys on it. Unfortunately, Mom was at work (she's a substitute teacher in her retirement) with her keys in her possession. I had no idea what my dad's keys even looked like. I don't think I've ever seen his key ring. I told my dad I was sorry he couldn't find them and that I would keep my eyes open for them. Five minutes later, Jordan walked in the room with a sheepish grin on his face. He walked in the room dangling my dad's keys in front of him. What a goober!!! I didn't even know he even used my dad's keys. He said he had found them in the pocket of one of his pants after he heard Grandpa couldn't find the keys to his truck...whoops!

So after we ran a couple of errands for my dad, we stopped by his house and dropped of some lumpia wrappers, a couple of photos and of coarse...his missing keys!

From there, we went shopping at a couple of stores for my Sensei's daughter. Her birthday is this Sunday, so for the first time ever, I went shopping for girls' clothes...I had way too much fun! However, what you need to know about me is that I shop like a man...a man on a mission. I do not like to take time and browse around. I have a mission to look for something specific. If I do not see it immediately, I leave and move on to the next store. It usually doesn't take me long to go shopping if I know exactly what I'm after! My boys don't mind shopping with me!

We came back home after I found 3 purchases. We grabbed some Subway sandwiches on the way. After we ate, about 2:15, I made Apple Dumplings for the first time ever! Boy! What have I been missing all my life??? Anita made Chicken Parmesan and French Bread. I cut up some mushrooms, onions, broccoli, green bell pepper, red chili pepper, asparagus and yellow crooked neck squash. I drizzled it all with balsamic vinegar and coconut oil. I seasoned it with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. We baked it and it was yummy! I also made butternut squash French fries. I peeled the squash, cut it into fries, placed them on a greased cookie sheet, drizzled them with coconut oil, salt and a little thyme. Then I baked them until they were crispy. They did not go begging! Anita made a salad. We were stuffed. Jordan's favorite was the chicken! I think he went back for thirds! I made the apple dumplings by making pie crust. I peeled and cored 7 apples, stuffed them with butter and brown sugar. Then I sprinkled the apples with cinnamon and nutmeg. Then a pulled up the corners of the pie crust to make little pockets to hold the apples. Anita placed the apple dumplings in a greased dish and she also made some sort of cinnamon sauce and pour in the pan around the dumplings. She baked them till the apples were tense rand the syrup thickened. It was divine!

Well, now that I'm stuffed, I'm having a hard time getting to sleep! I have to go to bed though. Tomorrow is my sweetie's birthday and I have a lot planned! Until then...God bless!