married... with children: feeling the return of the MOJO

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

1 avocado

1 cup milk

1 cup ice

2T sugar

1/2 t vanilla

blend and drink.

BANANA SPLIT ICE-CREAM CAKE!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted, plus 1/4 cup butter

5 medium bananas, sliced

1 1/2 quarts strawberry ice cream, soft

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1 t vanilla

8 oz whipping cream

combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. set aside half a cup of it and press the remaining into a 9x13 pan. place bananas in a single layer over the cookie crust. spread soft ice cream on top and then add nuts on top and freeze. til firm. meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the 1/4 c. butter til smooth. add the powdered sugar and evaporated milk. cook over medium heat til thick, 8 minutes or so. take off heat and add vanilla. cool then pour over the ice cream mixture and freeze again. spread the whipping cream on top and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup reserved crumbs. now freeze for 3-4 hours. remove 15 minutes before serving.

actually i think a REAL banana split would be A LOT faster and easier...this just sounded good!!

before the tree fell down

and after it fell...

boy it sure was lovely - the shade it provided, privacy, and it add charm to the yard that i loved.

i'm not sure how we can creatively charm it back up but i realize there is NO need for grief. it can ALWAYS be worse. we had a yardful of children just a couple of days before this happened. what a nightmare that would have been. there are folks all over the world dealing with disaster after disaster, and loss after loss. on that scale, i look at this as a blessing. now we can get rid of the play structure and put in a garden. we'll plant another tree - like an avocado tree! we'll put in an awning structure over the deck. seriously, i feel no loss, it's too bad, but not sad. it is what it is and i realize that stuff happens. roll with it. it can always be worse.

daddy's bday this past week. i love that i married a younger man and so does he.

my friend kristin and lauren wanted to "fix me up" so i let them. then i looked in the mirror. "aye carumba" i thought! they put a "bump-it" in my hair and did my makeup and put this scarf thing on my head. not my style but nice try guys!