Monday, February 26, 2007

Catch Mouse!

Catch Mouse!

When we moved into our new house last fall, we were told all the new home construction in the mountains had stirred the field mouse population and to expect to run across one in our garage or basement.

We did see a little one in our garage when we were moving in. He ran away before we could catch him and seen from a distance, the little thing was kinda cute.

When I realized this weekend there was one living in my CAR, totally creeped out, any memories I had involving cuteness towards the nasty creatures vanished.

We suspect he made his way into my car from the field, to our garage, to the stroller (which we sometimes store in the garage), to the car. I became aware of his presence when I found my half-marathon training schedule, which I had left in the backseat, chewed into suspiciously-looking nest-like shreds.

I went to the store and purchased every kind of mouse trap they had. I then left it to my hubby to rid my car of the beast.

My hubby had a preference for the traditional snapping mouse trap so he dotted two of these traps with the suggested peanut butter, set the triggers, and placed them in my car.

The next morning he checked the traps. The traps remained un-triggered, sitting exactly as before. With one exception. The peanut butter was licked clean.

Tricky little devil. I might expect such advanced thinking from a more experienced rodent, such as, say, a city rat. But a field mouse? My hatred toward the creature, now a clever adversary, grew stronger.

I took it into my own hands to dot two of the sticky traps from my mouse trap collection with peanut butter and place them strategically in the car. And I waited.

About 10 o'clock last night Jake checked on the traps. A little confused, he came in and asked me where I had placed them. I told him. He said one was still there, but the other was missing. Completely gone.

Back into the car and armed with only a flashlight, my hubby,and manly hunter, found the mouse. With its front paws stuck to the trap, he was under the driver's seat desperately trying to flee using only his hind legs.

Jake put him in a cardboard box, still stuck to the trap, while we tried to figure out what to do with him. We laughed when we noticed that although stuck and desperately fleeing for his life, the mouse had still taken advantage of his position and licked the peanut butter clean. We battled our sudden feelings of humanity toward the creature and our more dominent feelings of disgust.

Disgust won. He won't be coming back.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Find soundtrack.

Find "Music and Lyrics" soundtrack.

My hubby and I went on a date last weekend and he let me see "Music and Lyrics."

LOVE this show. LOVE.

NEED the soundtrack. Seriously-- need it.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Plan Dinners.

Plan Dinners.

So somehow I spent all but about $100 of our entire grocery/ household products budget in the first 7 days of the month.


Unfortunately, my hubby was the discoverer of this little tidbit and bewildered, looked around the house proclaiming we had no food and couldn't imagine what the money had purchased.


Perplexed myself, and knowing I did not have any sort of meal plan for the day let alone the remainder of the month, I rummaged through the pantry and freezer and made a list of meals I didn't need to go to the store before making. Despite my early-month overspending, I pledged I would still stay within the month's budget. (Lucky for me it is a short month). We have plenty of cereal, oatmeal, sandwich meats, and soups for breakfasts and lunches but dinner was the real trick. Below is my list without touching the $100 still in my pocket. Though it becomes quite a stretch towards the end of the month, still, I admit, I am quite proud of it.


Feb 10th- Garlic Shrimp Alfredo

11th-Pork Chile Verde

12th-Thanksgiving Dinner (Roasted the Turkey all day and everything. So yummy.)

13th-Turkey Casserole

14th-Lasagna


15th- Steak Dinner! (Liz and Jared were in town last night and came over to watch a TiVo-ed LOST --they made a bad, bad decision and are TV deprived right now-- and treated us to steaks on the barbie, well-salted veggies, Mtn Dew, of course, and ice cream and berries, yum!)


16th-Grilled Hamburgers and leftover steak

17th-DATE NIGHT! (We go out like twice a year, this meal doesn't count)

18th-Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

19th-Taco Salad

20th-Spaghetti and Meatballs

21st-Shrimp Primavera

22nd-Homemade Sausage Pizza

23rd-Ham-Roasted Red Beans and Rice

24th-Broccoli Chicken Pasta

25th-Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup and Grilled Cheese

26th-Beef Strogonoff

27th-Buffalo Wings and Mashed Potatoes

28th-Chicken Cordon Bleu
Any of these may also be substituted with Breakfast Dinner (Pancakes or French Toast, eggs, sausage and hashbrowns).

29th-And even if it was leap year, I have extra stuff for egg, ham, and cheese English Muffin Sandwiches.






Sunday, February 11, 2007

Cut Chase's Hair.

Cut Chase's Hair.

Chase has been sporting the long 'do and pulled it off like a rock star but we have had the itch to cut it all off for a while now.

The perfect excuse came along this weekend when I went a little crazy 'trimming" his hair. Here is Chase in his "before" picture.




















Soon after hair was flying everywhere.

















It made quite the pile.




















We have a brand new little boy running around the house. So cute with or without hair, don't you think?

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Practice my shot.

Practice my shot.

We have a three-week hiatus from church basketball and based on the last game, I think it wise to use this time to work on my shot, which is sadly far, far from my basketball life peak, pictured here in Jr. High at age 12. Don't I look fearsome.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Go Hunting.

Go hunting.

For those of you who were unaware, this morning was the morning of the big hunt.

I awakened at 5 am and as true hunters (huntresses?) do, dressed myself in appropriate winter hunting attire and rolled out of the driveway before the sun rose in anticipation of the hunting expedition before me.

The first animal I encountered was a wild rabbit, but as it scampered away, my eye was quickly drawn to a deer up ahead in the distance.

Stunned by my headlights, the deer stared at me--frightened-- as I drove right past and turned out of the neighborhood. I was not animal hunting; I was bargain hunting!

My sister-in-law and I met and drove to a large warehouse sale where brand new shirts, sweaters, and swim suits, all once priced as high as $80, were rumored to be selling for as low as $2 a piece! The doors opened at 7am and long lines were expected, even in the 17 degree darkness, to break those doors down when they did. We were expecting, and anticipating, the cat fight of all cat fights.

And disappointed we were not.

Arriving 30 minutes before opening, we were among the first in a long line of women desperate for a deal. Not being one for Black Friday or After-Christmas shopping, this was my first experience being crammed with a warehouse of women fighting over a $2 shirt. But $13, two swimsuits, two sweaters and a shirt later, I prevailed.

I proudly brought home my kill and showed the family, then hung it (in my closet) to be admired, and then worn (but not eaten). I also kept it in the front seat with me and did not strap it to the roof of my car. In case you were wondering.

Also, to clarify, I am not the girl pictured who killed the warthog.