I'm wondering....

....why parents ever bother buying actual toys? Boxes are where it's at!

{insert nose-picking joke here}

*trust me, I stopped the nose-picking right after the picture. Priorities, people!

All My Posts Are About Brandi.

Making fake shirts is frightening addictive. Here's what I came up with!



"Team Brandi: Save the blog" here.

"I killed Leilani Perkiboobs" here.

"Google Ads = Thieving Bastards" here.

"Team Brandi: You mess with one bean, you mess with the whole burrito" here.

You make one too! Post the link in the comments so we can all bask in your amazingness.

Love Letters

Dear Blake,

Happy Anniversary! We've had nine years, five (almost six!) moves, two kids.....oh, and one time where you got stuck in those branches by Blockbuster and I laughed so hard I almost died. You are funny and kind and really good in bed (see? I've finally blogged about it!) Remember: nine years = GRAPEFRUIT! I love you!

Dear Drivers on the H-1,

Thank goodness you slowed down to cause a mile-long traffic jam while passing by the small fender bender that had clearly happened a while earlier and was all the way off to the side of the road. Otherwise we all would have just driven right by without issue. Phew, that was a close one.

Dear pirates,

Seriously? Pirates? That's your chosen vocation? What year is it? Also I thought you guys were hot and brilliant and quirky and, despite initial appearances, ultimately good and loyal men on the inside--you know, like Jack Sparrow. No?

Dear LOST friends,

Holy crap, I keep forgetting to blog about LOST. But then I feel like a loser blogging about LOST. Thoughts? P.S. Sawyer just had a new baby girl in real life. I'm sure she is really ugly, and that he does not look hot fawning all over her.

For Brandi.

Sorry people are sucking today. What bean do you want me to beat up?

*I have exhausted all my Photoshopping skills right here.

Alternate taglines considered:

"I admit it. I am Anonymous."

'"Oh, the humanity' and other current lingo"

"Frebreezing people since 2009"

"Lawerance of Arabia is my homeboy"

Got any more lines from that awesome blog??

Someone list a reason why babies stink.

Because seriously? I might have to ban myself from photographing chunky 4 month olds.

Just for Grandma.

Look! They're still alive!

(although I'm pretty sure one of them is a little unhinged)

A Child's Prayer

Dear Lord,

Please help me have a good hair day today.

Amen.

Is this a food blog?

I know! Another one! Am I boring you guys with my recipes? I've been on a cooking kick and I'm finding all kinds of great recipes.

This recipe even got Blake eating and enjoying barley (a sentence I don't think I've ever written) If you're feeling super ambitious, you can make bread bowls too!



Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Rinse barley clean under running water. Place in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 hour; drain.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, barley, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until barley is tender.

Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Try it! It's really good and the leftovers are fantastic. Now, do YOU have any recipes I've just got to try? You know, before Subway and me go back to being lovers.

April Food Day

If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one. -Mother Teresa

April 1, bloggers are getting together for a very worthwhile cause: fighting hunger. Times are tougher than ever. Unemployment and underemployment have devastated our country, and charitable contributions are dwindling.

Please give to your local food bank. This link can help you find a food bank in your community. Please consider donating to this worthy cause.

Another option is to make a direct contribution to Feeding America through their secure website. Even as little as $1 will provide 10 pounds of food and grocery items.

Happy April Food Day!