Restaurant Impossible Visited Spunky Monkey

Rick and I had date night last Saturday, the boys were at the YMCA Kids Night Out and we had a free night.  I love watching Restaurant Impossible and they came to a town not to far from us and we had to go check it out.  

The Spunky Monkey is in Auburn, Washington.  It's a Bar / Restaurant.  I used to go hang there with friends pre kids.  It was what you would expect a bar to be like dark and greasy food!  Robert and his crew did a great job sprucing the place up.  It was a fun night out, the staff were very nice but the food was way over priced.  We walked out around $52, which I thought was crazy high.  

I started with the hummus for $8 it was a good deal, the salmon I had was like $17 and you had a small amount of sweet potato (really it was yams but they can call them sweet potatoes).  Which I guess is the going price but I'd expect that in a big fancy place not a bar / restaurant.  We had fun and that is all that matters, we don't get many date nights out.  Rick is usually working 2 jobs and doesn't leave to many free night.  You may have saw him on the SeaHawks game 2 weeks ago (he was the security guard that opened the gate for the 2nd injured player, see pic below).

Here are some fun pictures of our date night!

Rick on TV :)

Have a great day, I'm recovering from eye surgery!

Friday Funny!

We don't get out very often but this is so true.  HECK this is true for just getting the kids out the door for school.  Darn kids ... LOL  I hope to maybe even go out this weekend, we'll see.  I'm still so tired I may just get more sleep ... lol.

I'm still recovering from being in Boston and now trying to get my legs back on my routine, so why not post a funny.  I'll be around soon to say hi, sorry I'm missing you all.  I saw this on FB and just had to share a funny.

Wonder Years they are ...

Last Friday Rick and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary  It has been a whirl wind life.  We were friends for 2 years, my mom said that is the man you'll marry.  I thought she was crazy told her no he is just a friend.  She was right we dated for 2 and then married!  We went to Miami for our honeymoon, because it was so darn cheap (YUP didn't think about hurricane season .. duh). It was a nice place to visit the one time.  We came back to find I was pregnant with our first son Cole!  We then went on the buy a bank-repo house, we got the keys on Christmas Eve.  I was 6 months pregnant and happy to have the new house!  1 month later we actually got to move in due to the work that had to be done to make it livable.  3 years and 3 months later we had baby #2 Caden!  Mom says he is my sweetheart because I wished so hard for a girl.  

We have gone through many different jobs, and our fair share of ups and many downs.  I'm happy to say I'm happy were we are and I'm happy with myself.  I'm not at my goal but I'm so darn close and it's been one heck of a journey to be happy to have pictures taken of us.  

We celebrated with a movie (Grown Ups 2), which I thought was going to be a total Rick movie but I actually enjoyed!  We then had a Restaurant.com coupon I picked up for $2 for a $25 GC at a local Italian restaurant.  It worked out perfect the boys were at the boys and girls club until 6p so we hit an early movie. Then the church next to home had a VBS 6p to 8p that allowed us to hit dinner and not have to pay a babysitter!  Talk about happy dance!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  

Our Date Night:

Yes he never smiles in photos.

They made me a special steak and veggie meal! Love them!

Here's some pictures of us:

He's loved me thick, to thin, to thick to thin to thick and back to thin :)

Me vs Spanks ... The Olympics of dressing up

Last week Rick and I got to go on a double date with my best friend and her hubby.  The men love buffet's but we're not big eaters so it's always a waste for us.  She found a local casino had a deal for $12.95 for the month of August.  So we figured that was what we would pay for a normal meal so we can go along.  Going on a date sounds all great until you have to get ready for one.  So we start the Olympics of getting dressed.  Get your Spanks ready here we go (insert some fun music here):

• Do you Wii Zumba (saying a little pray to loose 30 lbs before getting dressed)
• Step on the scale (say a few nasty words) not even close to a 30lb loss
• Get in shower, turn into an acrobat putting legs up to shave them!  
• Step out see you miss a patch have to sit on the tub and try to do a dry shave an nick yourself.
• Say a few more not so nice words look for a band-aid
• Find an Angry Bird one and think yup that is sexy!
• Find a dress you have been praying would fit, put it on husb says you're wearing that? 
• "What do I look bad?" "No it's just fancy" - GIVE him Hair Eyeball
• Take it off second guessing yourself and put on Capri's and feel frumpy
• Go back to dress, now feel self conscious.
• NOW the hunt for Spanks that fit, finally find a pair
• NOW the spanks pull up, FEELING like the lady in Steel Magnolias that looks like 2 pigs wrestling under her dress ... YUP that is how I looked pulling those suckers UP!
• Put on pretty shoes
• Tell the babysitter good bye and hit the car.
• Of course hit traffic and have to sit in said spanks not so comfy
• Hit the casino crawl out of the car praying "Please legs work, let you have circulation" 
• Get in and the cold air hits me and now I must pee ... Damn it sucks getting old
• Hit the bathroom and pray as I roll the spanks down that they don't shoot off like a rubber-band
• Everything goes good, I do have to do the 2 pig dance to get them back up, Knock my head and elbow on the stall but all is good!
• Hit up dinner and actually able to sit for a night of dinner.
• Then of course comes the need to pee again ... YUP we repeat the dance and the knocking of body parts!
• Another ride home and time to release the spanks ... yup those suckers flew off like a rubber-band and on went the pink cupcake PJ's oh yes sexy I am.

Thank God we only go out every few months!  How do ladies wear those every day??

Tuesday Dinners (Pineapple Chicken & Blueberry Scones)

Happy Monday everyone, I seems to be a crazy week already.  I’m just hoping that we want have any drama like last week.  We did have a great dinner with our Tuesday dinner date.  I switched swim days so I can attend a small group at church on Monday which works out better since now we can swim at 4p instead of 6:30pm and be home earlier.

So I found this Crockpot Pineapple Chicken recipe and let it cook away while I ran out got the boys to swim and back home.  This was a very yummy dish and easy to make.  It was a little dry I think next time I won’t drain the pineapple.

And for a yummy simple dessert I made this Blueberry Streusel Scones that turned out so yummy I had to send the left over’s home with my guest so I wouldn’t eat them all. SUPER easy and yummy!!

Happy Monday everyone!  So what is on your menu tonight?

No Pony Rides but it was a good day …

So yesterday was the the big 35 and sadly no pony rides or jumpy houses.  Oh wait I guess we only get those big over the top (cost of my car payment) when your young .. lol.  I had a good day, when you get older good is by far a wish come true.  I start of the day was a little rocky but it got better.  You all know I’m crazy control freak (what I’m working on it).  So if someone takes over something I’ve been working on I may just get a little freaked … lol I know I told you I’m working on it.  So after getting my panties in a bundle I had another cup of coffee and just said screw it let the person do it, I know I did my part and I’m happy with what I do if they finish it whatever … ok maybe not ok with it but AGAIN I told you I’m working on it!

Rick’s car has been a pain in our behinds for sometime now last paycheck it was brakes and rotors to the tune of $300 … UGH.  This paycheck it was a tune-up & oil change to the tune of $200.  So this one hour fix turned into 3 1/2 hours he was gone.  Thankfully the kids played outside and I worked on catching up on my emails.  So I guess I did get some quiet time, not the FULL day I asked for in my list but hey I take what I can get.  So I did get some:

Rick got home around 6:30pm and I ran to the salon to get my pedi!  Now I didn’t have a cup of coffee (since if I stopped to get it the salon would be closing).  BUT the lady was very nice and let me read my book on the iPad in peace.  She barely spoke to me … YEAH.  I know that sounds rude but I really just wanted to relax.  So I did get to do half of this:

Rick got me dinner so I didn’t have to cook!  He picked up Alice Springs Chicken & Cheesy Fries at my Favorite place Outback.  So I blew the diet but it was super yummy!!  So I got this:

Rick said I could order my camera, yeah so I have a working camera .  So I got this:

Rick also gave me a very nice card he had the boys sign, my favorite desert Flan and some Hard Cider.  I don’t drink very often but I do love a hard cider once a year or so .  It was very yummy!  So I got:

So sadly no Nanny, no house cleaner, no new body or spanx & no bare minerals.  But overall it was a GOOD day, again people Good is just that and you take what you get and cherish it .  Thank you again for all the birthday wishes, that meant the world to me.  XOXO

WWW ~ Me time and Even a Date Night

Well it was one heck of a weekend as always. I set out to take care of me, I've been putting myself off for sometime and knowing that if I don't feel good about me then I'm not doing any good for anyone around me.

Saturday after work I was surprised by my parents stopping by to take the boys for a few hours. My prayers had been answered! They took them over to my grandfather's estate to run around and I got some me time. Then surprise #2 my friend texted me to see what I was doing, she headed up and we hit the town. We got pedi's it was so nice to sit and talk and enjoy adult time!! She got a parfin wax on her hands also :). I took advantage of it and got my eyebrows waxed! Then taking full advantage we hit the hair salon to get my hair cut, had a little weight so we hit subway for lunch. What a heck of a day! Oh yes mom and Christina bought me coffee, talk about a Heaven Sent Day!!!

Fun things with the boys, the airforce base had an air show the last weekend, so the boys set up their own airshow on my fence :). Caden who loves rocks is now a klepto and "borrowed" some from the empty lot next door ... yes I made him take them back. Caden decided to roller skate around the house, as I hear a click click down the hall to see this :). Our neighbor buddy came over, we're sure going to miss them they move this weekend :(.

Hair cut time for Cole, when asked why Caden didn't get one I tell everyone to hide his bruises one day that boy will learn to walk. Cole started VBS down the street, our church's program was wrapped with the daycare and $500 so we went for the church down the street. He is LOVING it!!

Sunday I thought I'd do a quick weeding and revamp on my garden and yard. 3 hours later and missed church I got the bed cleaned up and had a few bugs stop by to say hi, even a frog but I couldn't catch him before he jumped.

Then Dad called and invited us up to the lake. Yeah I even went to Avenue to pick up a swimsuit since they were half off. Take that everyone who has been on me about buying a suit. Caden hates the water he's so like me :). Mom hates that I read, she rather chit chat me I take the time to read and enjoy :). Dad even made me a bloody mary, it was a great day!

Monday was our 7 year anniversary, my dad bless his soul was being so sweet and called and offered to take the boys again! God was answering my prayers this weekend. We ended up using the last of our GC at Anthony's and even got to meet up Dad and the boys for a walk around the river.

What a full packed weekend, I'm so glad I got some me time and even a date night. Working forward and hoping we are moving in a great direction.

Weekend Wrap Wednesday ~ Did We Already Do That???

Wow yet again a fast weekend! We got some major things done, or I should say Rick did around the house. I just worked ... lol :)

The boys room got a make over!

We're doing a Planes, Trains & Automobile

More to come ....

Right now black, grey and white paint up.

And bunk beds up, crib down (of course forgot to take a pic)

My parents picked up Cole @ 3:30pm Friday

They met Caden & I for dinner

Then Cole stayed the night, poor Caden cried.

Caden took a nap in his new bed yes that is the carpet he grabbed :)

And the Fohawk for Caden!

Invites done! The magnetic price went up pkg of 3 not 5 anymore

for $3.99, so I only did 3 pkgs the others will get just a photo.

Cole put up his photo and put his name under it ... lol

And guess what a impromptu date night

Rick knew I was totally needing some me time!

So he got his friend to come over and we used the GC to Anthonys

Yes of course I got coffee and snagged his crackers :)

So not a healthy night but this is RARE occasion!

Getting ready, what I'm not ready oh crap my hair .. LOL

I short but sweet one this week, I'm pooped time for bed :). HUGS love you all!

Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday ~ Mommy got a break and a DATE night!

Guess what yup, I'm finally going to play along. Don't laugh I finally have something to post about that is s time out for momma! It doesn't happen often but when it does we must post and share :).

As many of you know I rarely get a break or just a few minutes by myself and this past week I was blessed with a few! I know knock me over with a feather ... well it would have to be one large and heavy duty feather ... Oh wait off track ... sorry :).

Last Wednesday the 23rd my dad gave me a call that he'd pick the boys up from daycare. Well being the guy he is he was doing his Christmas shopping for mom and when I called at 6pm to check on the boys, let's just say I was making a mad dash to the daycare to pick them up. So Cole of course had his feelings totally hurt that Bapa didn't pick him up. So he asked to call Monnie and tell her he was sad. Nothing worse then a 5 y/o calling to tell you how sad they are that Bapa didn't pick them up. So at 7pm at night we head up to there house so Cole can spend the night! Well hey it's one kid down, and it was fine because Caden fell right to sleep and Rick was working late! Hallmark Channel and I had a date! He returned the next around 11am, it was a short visit but oh so loved!

Fast Forward the the 3 glorious hours that Rick took the kids to his friends house on Christmas night! You got to be kidding me you're taking both kids! LOVING it I'm taking a nap and that is just what I did. Ok I know this isn't a glorious use of my time but darn it I'll take what I can get :).

Check me out in my comfy Cozy Clothes

Crying at Hallmark and eating every cookie in the house

Yup the way I roll!

Guess what Sunday night Rick and I had a DATE NIGHT! You know that is our first date night out together in about 2 years! VERY over due, but thankfully with Rick's friend coming to watch the boys we were able to hit the town! Not only did we have a free babysitter (well I bought him a $9 piece of chocolate cake) my AMAZING bosses sent us a gift certificate for dinner. Since I work virtual and not in the area as them I wasn't able to go to the Christmas Party, believe me one day I will go there ... LOL :). So they sent us a VERY generous gift card to Anthony's. We have a great one right on the waterfront in Tacoma, it's an amazing fish house that is usually FAR FAR out of my price range! But thanks to the caring heart of my bosses we were able to go out.

Dinning room talk with two adults that never go out:

A: So what's new?

R: hmmmm I think we already covered this in the car (insert crickets here)

A: How's work?

R: It's work.

A: Well I could tell you funny things the kids did this week.

R: Oh please don't I already saw the writing on the wall (no really there was writing on the wall)

A: I guess we can enjoy the silence?

R: Yup

Oh joy adult time, darn if that glass of wine wasn't $10 I may have to have one ... LOL

Getting ready for date night.

Check me out even did my hair up in a french twist

Well as much as my short hair could!

Now onto dinner!

It was delish and check out these prices I almost died ... LOL

Small Caesar $3.75 x 2 ~ Yum we each started with this

Bowl White Chowder $6.95 (Rick had to have soup & salad)

Coffee $2.95 (come on like I wouldn't have coffee)

Coke $2.95 (Rick and his pop)

Top Sirloin $16.95 (Rick - He's usually the expensive one)

Crab & Shrimp fettuccine (minus shrimp and mushrooms)

What no discount or extra crab ... LOL $17.95 (darn by $1)

Burnt Cream $4.95 (it was small but oh so yummy)

No I didn't share :)

And the Extreme Chocolate Cake $8.95

Thank you tip generator on my new phone $11.34

Total $86.92 ~ Wow that went fast

Time out even though silent: PRICELESS

Plus we even have some left over for another date night.

Now to have my parents take both boys for a night :)

And the topper of this week, Rick was on the way to drop the boys off at Daycare Monday. Mom working from home and both boys home not a good combo! When my dad calls to say he's heading over to the island to work on my grandfather estate. My dad is the executer of the will and has to go check on the house often it's about an 1 1/2 hours from my house (add a 1/2 hour on from their house). So he meet up with Rick picked up both boys and took them to the island. It's on 11 acres with lot's of deer and LOT's of DIRT perfect for the boys. Yippee no paying for daycare and a quiet house for the day! He returned the boys right as I finished my calls for the day and was onto the data entry. Now I know technically I was working all day but not to have to worry about picking up the boys or have to do lunches for anyone was a dream come true! I was able to hang in my business casual all day you know my PJ'S :).

Wow that was my first Time Out For Theta Mom Thursday and I must say it was a heck of a dozy, now it may not happen for a VERY long time so enjoy ... LOL

How much can you do in one day ...

I can tell you this because today we fit as much as we could in one day! This morning started with an early rise from Caden, nothing new here! I got the boys up a little later so they could at least sleep since I no longer get that pleasure. I made a nice breakfast, you know pulling out all the stops with toast and scrambled eggs. I know hold on to your apron Julia Child's I'm moving in! Then I put on my apron once more for a wonderful lunch of Tuna fish sandwiches. I thought I'd take the kids to the zoo today and being the thrifty (penny pincher) that I am thought I'd pack lunch instead of paying the $6 for a little chicken sandwich or whatever else they try to sell you. So I pack my cloth bag (look at me being all earth wise, really you need to stop rolling your eyes @@ they may stick that way) with the sandwiches, juice boxes and water. I pack everyone up and try to usher 3 boys in the car. Ok so I'm running 1/2 hour behind what I said I would be but at least we're all in the car. Wow is all I can say 3 boys is so much fun to get out the door everyday, I can't wait until school next week!

We picked up the other exchange student and headed to the zoo. Something must be going right I pull up to the zoo and find a spot right in front. Then we unpack the car, Cole says he wants to walk so I only take the sun stroller. Cole then tries to do his independent stunt which of course make everyone look at us. Oh please we were starting off so well! I get him to calm down we walk in right behind a guy who is smoking like a chimney since you can't smoke in the zoo, after he flicks his cigarette in the bush (yup real thoughtful). We then start our tour, I think we're doing good I may ditch the trash talking guy and his loud obnoxious family but nope they follow the same path. At least this time it isn't my kids being looked, he's taking some of the glances off us. We then stop for lunch and guess who is right behind us, yup you guessed it! The kids of course don't want tuna fish, so they pick up some food and my boys get tuna. Well at least I tried to have them eat tuna, of course since the others were eating french fries tuna wasn't good enough. So my saving ways actually cost me because if I would have just skipped using the 3 CANS of tuna I could have just bought the fries I ended up buying and oh yeah the polar bear cup too! Fun Fun! But the best part was my friendly neighbor guy who decided that the "Don't Feed the Birds" sign didn't apply to him and started to chucking Cheetos (healthy) and sandwiches everywhere. Anyone for Alfred Hitchcock's "Birds", yup that was the scene we had in the eating area. Thankfully again dirty looks and comments were directed to them, so my kid screaming that he didn't want tuna just passed right over! Yeah!

Back thru the zoo we go, let's leave now before they get up and go this way they won't find us! Who am I kidding all of a sudden I hear a lot of screaming and look over at the other hill going to the spot we're trying to get to and what do I see? My friendly guy with his kid sitting in a old school metal wagon flying down the hill! Oh yeah and almost hit a girl, that was in a cast!!! Welcome to the zoo where you see all types of animals. We ended our trip after that quickly after that since now Cole is tired and wants to ride after calming telling him I didn't bring the wagon for him to ride in since he told me he wanted to walk! We ended our trip with one last stop at the merry-go-round. And oh yeah the gift shop because the exchange students want to buy stuff, I'm happy to report we didn't break anything we just got looks from people because Cole of course found the one toy that made the most noise! Now where is that guy when I need him?

Some fun pictures from our trip to the zoo:

Merry-Go-Round:

What I don't get to go on the Merry-Go-Round?

And this is what happens when you get home from the zoo:

One doesn't even want to get out of the car.

You can't even move your legs to get all they way on the couch.

After a quick nap we get a call from my friend Casey for a dinner date, hey why not let's do that also. So we meet up at Applebee's for dinner and have oh so much fun. You know between Caden whining and Cole doing his thing. Poor Roy what an experience to come into, welcome to America. After giving our dinning experience an hour, it's time to leave! This is what happens I forget what it is like eating out with the kids so every 6 months I try it and swear to never do it again. Hey check back in 6 months I'm sure I'll have another fun story!

Since it's now what 7:30 why not go to Wal-Mart to get our school supplies, you know it's only Saturday and school starts Tuesday for Cole and Wednesday for Roy! Sure it sounds like perfect timing! So we head to Wal-Mart to find the bins are completely empty? What empty don't they stock this stuff? Well sure they do you just need to go up and down isles and look thru a war zone that looks like the toy isle after Cole is been there! Guess what the one thing they don't have PINK erasers? Really what an odd item to run out of, guess we'll pick that up tomorrow. So after that lovely day I think it's time to go home before my legs give out, the walking is finally starting to get to me.