Random Friday...

1. I ran a 5k last Saturday: here I am with the Mister before the race started.  Doesn't he look GREAT?! He's lost over 42 lbs...SO Proud of him!!! 

 See why I run?  Doesn't it look fun?? 

The GREAT news: I got 2nd place in my age group!!!!!  
No, I couldn't find a bigger watch...

2. How cute is this EASY 4th of July snack?

Make sure you head over to this cutie's blog and see HOW-TO

what you make it

3. Summer-Bubbles-Stinkin' Adorable kid!!

4. I'm watching a news report right now about a Florida Principal who hypnotized his students...WHAT?!
Ummm....creepy, 3 of the students have killed themselves!  Remember when you learned how to spell p-r-i-n-c-i-p-a-l and your teacher told you it has "pal" on the end because your principal is your friend?
Not so sure here...

story and photo HERE


5. Need a new hobby? Want to know what's HOT?
EXTREME DOG GROOMING!!

source and more photos HERE!

more HERE!!!
I think momof5 and my Auntie ★ may be interested!!  Go to that 2nd link and check the gallery...#3 made my mouth fall open!


6. Wish you could learn about your camera and photoshop, lighting, actions and 9,000 other photo things??  I know I do!
Check out this link:
texas chicks blogs and pics HERE
I've had this site saved in my "Favorites" forever, now if I would just sit down and DO IT!


7. A little something that's in the "plans"...

a PLAYHOUSE!!!

source

More on this to come...

8. We like action shots around here

No, I can't get my mouth open any wider...

Don't you love how you take a picture and then think "holy cow, I have gotta get those weeds pulled and that front door and trim repainted!"  I think I also want to stain our porch, I'd rather tear it out and put in something like this

source

Check the above link for AMAZING porch ideas... I think I might buy curtains for mine after checking this site out!

9. Please don't do this if you love our country...

source

10. Even though it's HOT out, Don't forget the hat drive for the kids in China!! 

MORE info in the hat donation tab at the TOP.  NEW handmade (or store bought) hats for the kids left behind in the orphanages of China.  IF you'd rather donate $ and I'll do the pickin', hit that "DONATE" button at the top on the left!!
Thank you so much to those of you who have already donated!!
Ok, Americans, GO get started on your HOLIDAY weekend!

U2 at Michigan State University

Over a year ago the Mister bought us tickets to U2....then Bono had to have back surgery! info here  Finally, Sunday night we were at MSU Stadium to see them!!

  The stage alone was something to see!! I would have done it in pink, but that's just me!

We were 65 rows up, directly out from the stage, really great seats!!

The giant screen above the stage with info scrolling across it... notice what it says on the bottom?  I knew I had to "post" this picture!!

 These "light guys" loaded at the bottom and then rode up on their little seats, not sure I'd want to do that, but talk about the BEST seat in the house!! See them behind those lights?

 And then...there they were!!  Bono, are those high heeled boots?  It's ok if they are, I still LOVE you!! I have no idea how or why they wore the jackets... it was pretty stinkin' warm, even I had on a tank top (my tube top was in the wash)!!

 These 2 (lady in the white tee and guy in the blue tee) were having a blast, dancing their legs off, or having a serious medical condition?!  I love how the lady in the aqua tee (bottom rt) is looking back at them, maybe she was an EMT?  Don't ya love how dressed up everyone got for the boys?

The screen above the stage was AWESOME, I only wish my pictures of it would have been clearer.  Throughout the night there were close ups of the band, artwork, information and then....

 it moved and the screen spread out like one of those green mesh bags fruit comes in!

I'm not much of a concert goer, I usually get bored after an hour, but not Sunday night!  They were just incredible, I could have stayed ALL night....

But it was finally time to say "Good Night"....Say it isn't so!

Oh U2, you were SO worth being downwind from someone who apparently ate rotten fish and cabbage before the show and being mauled by that giant mean woman who was convinced she had to get on the bus before me!

Random Friday will be right back...

Darling and I are off to see Cars II with some friends in just a bit...and I just ran and am sitting here smelling myself thinking there is NO way I have time to give RANDOM FRIDAY the attention it deserves right now.... So Let me leave you with this

and this:

notice the DONATE button on the top left of this blog... that's where you can just donate $dough$ to the hat drive if you don't want to make or buy a hat and you want me to do it cause you know i've got way too much time on my hands and it will give me something to do!!  I just posted it yesterday and within 10 minutes had $30.... Your generosity humbles me!!

I'll be back....

Best Cupcake Quest of Summer 2011

I know I said I'd show you my porch make-over today, but trust me, this is SO much better!  Plus the porch make-over is just starting so I'll post it when I've actually finished the cuteness!

Yesterday I was reading my friend Angela's blog - Pickles on Pizza (you can link to her on the left over there!).  She was saying there was a cute cupcake shop in the town where she works but how she was being good and resisting the urge to go in.  Well, that made me think how much I love cupcakes,and how I have no control to resist one.  I also wondered if we even have a cute little cupcake shop anywhere in our city, then I started thinking of the quest she and her husband went on to find the best snow-cone flavor one summer.  Suddenly Darling and I were headed out for Day 1 of our Great Cupcake Quest!!

 We loaded into "The Oven", which is my OLD Volvo that has NO a/c.... 

and made our 1st stop at: Cookies by Design, which is "Now Offering Cupcakes".  I should have taken my camera inside, the lady that was working wouldn't have minded a bit, but I always feel like a dork doing that-I know you're surprised that that stops me!

 Darling picked "Smores" and I picked a Raspberry Chocolate!!  

 Darling gives her pick the Thumb's Up!!

 The ONLY thing I didn't care for with mine... it was covered with chunky sugar.  I do NOT like sugar sprinkled on stuff-I hate that crunchy crunch of sugar, it feels like I'm eating sand.  I was the kid that soaked gumdrops in water to get the sugar off...  Did that sugar stop me from eating this cupcake like I hadn't eaten in 45 years?? Heck to the NO!!

Both cupcakes were SUPER moist and totally delicious, so our 1st stop definitely got 2 thumbs up....

WAY up!

 This is what it did as we were sitting in the car snarfing on our cakes...Hence eating the cupcakes IN the car and not on the curb like some weirdo.

(and yes, that is a headlamp hanging from my rear view mirror... I use it for my running club in the winter when it gets dark at 2 in the afternoon!)

A quick note about the baby hat/kid hat donation drive for the kids in China...

I am collecting Winter hats in ALL sizes for boys and girls.  They can be handmade OR store bought, trust me, these sweeties just need a warm hat! 

AND...

there will now be a paypal button where you can just donate funds and I will buy hats and ship them over to a chosen orphanage!!!!  Easy Peasy, right?!

Contact me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com with ANY questions!!!

AND...

see the tab above for more info and ADORABLE pictures of the kids from year #1!

Best Chicken Dip EVER!

Ok, do you need a QUICK dip to take to a party, or someone's popping in and you kinda wanna look like Martha? 

source

This is the chicken dip I take everywhere and it ALWAYS gets rave reviews and people beg for the recipe.  I'm sharing it with you and not even making you beg!

Creamy Chicken Dip

1 lb shredded chicken (I like to use 1 large CAN of shredded chicken)

8 oz can of chopped green chili's

1 block of softened cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

1 bag of cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients, back at 350 for 40 min (or until the top is bubbly and light brown) and serve with tortilla chips! 

Trust me, you'll be a SUPER ★ at your next bar-b-q!

Come on back tomorrow so I can show you part I of my porch make-over (IF blogger lets me post the pictures...)

10 Random Things Friday...

Eek, I'm not sure I'm into my summer schedule yet... This is only the 1st week so I'll cut myself some slack!

1. I am in love with this ring!!  You all know I love me some quirky, whimsical art... If only the Mister would have seen this when he was ring shoppin'

The artist is a fellow Michigander and this is only a TINY bit of her jewelry goodness, go check out her wonderful shop here: dolldisasterdesign

2. We are 5 days into Summer Vacation- on Monday I ran around the lake with Darling riding her bike beside me (that was a challenge), Tuesday we drove into town so I could run on the trail while Darling rode her bike beside me (that was still a challenge but without the cars driving by), Wednesday we went to a friends and yesterday we shopped all day.  

3. I just bought this on ebay, 'cause I am a dork

4.  A new goody that will SOON be in my etsy shop

HERE: chinamommy

 5. I have a problem, actually 2... first: I have a embroidery/sewing machine that cost as much as a small KIA car, second: I THINK I can sew, I can't and yet... I bought this book yesterday.

6. If I hear the theme song to Phineas and Ferb one more time, I might drink bleach!

source

7. Squinkies are taking over my home.  No, this isn't all of them...

 8. Apparently "Color Changing" fingernail polish is "very drippy", so drippy in fact, that as soon as your 7 year old opens it, she'll drip the turquoise goodness on  your (soon-to-be-replaced) carpet- She got lucky, this time!!

9. My BEST summer find (so far): $1 ELF lip gloss!!  Found these at Target and for $1 each, they're perfect to throw in your purse, glove box, bathroom, pockets, and junk drawers!! I lose lip gloss like crazy, I just don't feel as bad when they're only $1, plus I don't lose $1 lip gloss, I lose the $10 ones!

10. Even though it's heating up outside, don't forget about my 2nd Annual Hat drive for the kids in China!!  Please see the above tab for ALL the information.  But... I'm taking hats now and will until mid Sept.  The one change I'm making this year: I'm asking that you send .50-$1 per hat to help offset the shipping to China!  BUT: if you CAN'T send the $ still send the hat!!! or if you can't send a hat, feel free to send the $- we're easy around here!!

You didn't forget these sweet faces from last year did ya?

Hand-made, Store bought, these kids do NOT care!!

❉ ❉Sizes from baby to 15 year old kids accepted❉ ❉

You can always send them to:

D. Shellenbarger

c/o chinamommy

146 East Main Street

Caledonia, MI 49316

(this is my Mister's work address...)

Have a GREAT weekend!!

Welcome Summer Vacation!!

What I wore to take the dog potty (cause i do fancy stuff like that in the morning):

 We're on STAY-CATION over here... So here's a little tour of my yard....

 This pink rose bush BLEW UP this spring!! Too bad I didn't get a picture before they were all blown out....

 My favorite purple Lupine's!!

 Love the sweet little face of a Pansy :)

 King Tut grass, my new MUST HAVE for porch pots!!

 Another porch pot "must have", I forget the name and I've gotta get breakfast for my kiddo that JUST got up (9:40 AM).

Calla Lily's, truly one of my FAVORITES, but don't ya love how I was playing with my manual camera and only got that back Calla in focus?

Ugh, the Fuchsia just isn't cut out for the sun I have on my porch....

Are you a flower freak? Perennials? Annuals?  Must have flowers? Porch Pots?

We tore out most of our landscaping 2 years ago (in the front of our home), we have about 5 more shrubs to take out this year but the thought doing an entire landscaping re-do on my own.... YIKES! I think we all remember the plaster disaster and the living room re-do...

If you know of any GREAT landscaping sites, let me know!!

Happy Summer Day!! 

10 Random Things Friday...

1. The Mister and I at a golf outing Tuesday

See all my teeth?  Good!

2.  Every year we put out our hummingbird feed and every year we have Hummingbirds!!

 Doesn't this one look like maybe she's going to lay some eggs?  She looks kinda chunky to me?

1 C sugar to 4 C water- store it in your fridge and add a little bit at a time!

3. My junk store find this week!!

❤❤❤

4.  Beach blanket with a handle from.....TARGET (of course!).

Now all I need is a tiger suit and a parrot...

5. Remember that time I cleaned my studio...

Me either!

6. My summer MUST have for my face...actually, I use it all year round.

7. Another summer MUST HAVE

8. The flip-flop basket right outside the door in our garage

9.  I got an idea this week and had to have a doll mold.  This might be for candy, I'm not sure but I don't think I want to eat a baby on a stick?!

 10. Today is my little sweetie's last day of 2nd grade...SO hard to believe!  This was last year, her last day of 1st grade...  She is SO excited to be a 3rd grader- Me?!, not so much!!

Have a great day and a great weekend.  This summer might be a little quiet on the blogging front, but I am going to keep up the random Fridays!!