February 5, 2009

This past week, Meem, TallGuy and our new grand baby, LittleOne, were here visiting us from Chicago.  They were thrilled to be here in CA with us and out of the single digit temperatures in Chicago. We were also thrilled to have them here with us. They were here almost a week and we had so much fun that I can't even begin to share the details. I'd probably boo hoo through writing the whole post. I'd love to show you all the photos full of total cuteness, but this is the only one I can share of LittleOne.

How cute is he??? He's a big boy...only four months old!!

We bought LittleOne this adorable little CA surfer dude swimsuit when he got here. The poor little guy hasn't been out of a snow suit for months and his feet had never felt grass or sand until he came for this visit. We miss them a lot already and won't get to see them for a couple of months, so it was hard to see them leave.

There was only one member of this household who was not sad to see them leave. If you guessed TomTom, you guessed right!  He did NOT like the fact that he wasn't the center of attention while they were here. He acted up the entire time, so he spent a lot of time in “kitty time out” in his room a/k/a the Laundry Room. Of course, that just pissed him off more!

Here he is in LittleOne's car seat. Look at that smug look on his face! If you think he looks sweet in this photo, then guess again. If we would have tried to take him out of this car seat, his fangs definitely would have come out! Seriously!  Do you think that he's trying to tell us that he's the baby of this house?

~LilSis

January 21, 2009

Today, January 21st, is the two year anniversary of our Dad passing away. We don't want to talk about recipes or beauty products, or anything trivial today.  We would just like to reflect on what all has happened in these past two years. On one hand, it seems like only yesterday, and on the other hand, it seems like a lifetime ago. It's been a rough two years, but we all know that he is in a better place, and that he is at peace!

I've had several friends ask to see the tattoo that I got on the inside of my arm in Daddy's memory, but I've never really thought that there was an appropriate time to share it on this blog. But, today might just be the right day to share it.  Here's the memorial tattoo that I got last summer for D.

John 11:25 says:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

We all miss our Dad terribly, and SisMama misses the love of her life more than anything.  Today we send a big hug out to each other, to SisMama, BDot, BooBoo and all the rest of our family and friends.

~LilSis

November 7, 2008

Sea World San Diego is a fantastic place to visit for anyone coming to this area. On their last visit here; we took the little guys, and BigGuy to Sea World.  We took lots of great pictures of the little guys.

This happens to be one of my favorites! They were amazed by these fascinating beluga whales!

They are totally in awe of the Beluga Whales!

Here they are petting the Manta Rays.  LittleGuy#2 had no fear at all until one of them popped out of the water and looked him straight in the eye! He had the entire crowd in laughter when he shouted at the top of his lungs; “Did you see those eyes?”

Nice Manta Ray!

We all had a great time at Sea World.  Maybe on the little guys' next visit here, we will take them to the San Diego Zoo.

~LilSis

October 12, 2008

After 4 days in the hospital, I've been sprung!  Woo hoo!  I'm going to post later on what I learned from this out-of-the-blue experience, but for now I have to say I'm very very happy to be home.  This episode appears to have been the result of a random virus that hopped on me when I hopped on a plane from California to Texas a couple of weeks ago. All I can say is that it was N-A-S-T-Y and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even the people who annoy me most in this world.

So.  This Sunday's supper isn't about what's on the menu, because the menu for the next couple of weeks is supposed to be bland and easy-to-digest.  This supper is about being thankful for being home, and having my little bowl of potato soup at my little table instead of in a hospital room, and enjoying the beautiful flowers I received this last week.  Thank you to everyone who sent flowers and their well wishes and prayers.  I appreciate you!

BigSis Sunday Supper October 12

Still beautiful after almost a week

Orchid with curious Gaby in corner

~BigSis

October 10, 2008

Here is a short list of Favorites that lets you know just a little more about each of us.  We won't get into our favorite products here because we'll be talking about those a lot in later posts.  Get us talking about MAC eyeshadows, nail polish, and the latest eye cream and we could go on forever.  Seriously.

Favorite time of day?

LilSis: Mornings

BigSis: Mornings

Favorite pastime?

LilSis: Working in my ceramic studio, working on my yoga practice, reading, riding my bike.  It's too hard to choose just one.

BigSis: Baking, walking, crafting, yoga-ing, visiting estate sales.

Favorite place to relax?

LilSis: The beach, the yoga studio, or in the backyard by the pool.

BigSis: The beach, but since I'm a jillion miles away from one, the pool has to do.

Favorite vacation?

LilSis: Maui

BigSis: Maui Maui Maui!  And in my dreams – Italy and Greece!

Favorite flower?

LilSis: Special japanese white lily, stargazer lilies, yellow roses, bird of paradise, hybiscus, hydrangas.  I can't choose just one.

BigSis: Hydrangea, roses and kaleidoscope orchids…they're about the only ones I'm not allergic to.  Good thing I love them.

Favorite game?

LilSis: Bowling on Wii (I hold the household record of 289!). Second place goes to RockBand on Wii. I used to love playing Sims on the PC, but there's no time for that these days. I could play that for hours!

BigSis: The Wii is pretty darn fun, but I don't have one.  I have to admit that my secret guilty pleasure for the last 8 years or so is playing Diablo on the PC, and even though I don't have time to do it much any more, it's still my favorite.

Favorite magazine?

LilSis: At present, it's a tie between Body+Soul and Fit Yoga.

BigSis: Although I subscribe to “Bon Appetit” and “Domino”, rIght now, I'm liking “More”.  The content just seems more relevant and accessible, rather than presenting airbrushed and photoshopped model twigs that don't even look like that themselves.

Favorite Dessert?

LilSis: I don't eat dessert.

BigSis: I'm not a big sweet eater, but when confronted by a brownie or cheesecake, I WILL have to have a bite!

Favorite fast food place?

LilSis: Taco Bell or Wendy's

BigSis: Schlotsky's!

Favorite restaurant?

LilSis: Locally, it's Vigilluccis on Coast Highway in Carlsbad. In Texas, it would have to be Anamia's in Southlake or Abuelo's in North Richland Hills.

BigSis: Mia's on Lemmon Avenue in Dallas for Mexican, Patrizio's or Taverna for Italian.

Favorite drink (non-alcoholic)?

LilSis: Diet Rock Star first thing in the morning.  Then I switch to “Smart Water” for the rest of the day.

BigSis: Water

Favorite drink (alcoholic)?

LilSis: Kettle One & Fresca

BigSis: Heineken Light

Favorite television show?

LilSis: If I have the television on while I'm home alone, it's always on Food Network. I did get hooked on “Hells Kitchen” when it was on.

BigSis: Lost!  And Project Runway and Top Chef!

Favorite movie?

LilSis: I'm a sap for anything that has a happy ending.

BigSis: Lord of the Rings (first one) or Forrest Gump?  Big, Steel Magnolias, Dirty Dancing, Rocky #1?  It's hard to say!

October 9, 2008

For any of you that have already started reading our blog on a regular basis, you may have noticed that we haven't had a post or comment from BigSis in several days.  She became ill last Thursday and was admitted in the hospital on Monday.  It's not life threatening, but she was really, really sick.

BigSis, just want you to know that we are all thinking of you and praying for a speedy recovery! Love ya!

~LilSis

October 8, 2008

Today, I was going to write about getting started on decorating the house for Halloween.  I got inspired after my visit to the Pumpkin Farm in Chicago. But, that will have to wait for another day. It feels like summer here and I just can't make myself go pumpkin shopping! Now that I think about it, I haven't even seen pumpkins for sale here yet.  We are having unseasonably hot weather here in Southern California today. It was 91 at the coast! We usually don't even get temps like these in the summer.

Great Waves at the Harbor Today!

HayHay has joined the surf team at his high school and they are supposed to practice at least three times a week. Now he has a perfect excuse to “have to go to the beach.” Somedays, I'm able to stay down there with them, but today, I had too much work to do. So, his friend's mom dropped them off and I picked them up. I always have to take a couple of photos of HayHay, my “surfer dude.”

Time to go!

HayHay loves his new board!

There are, however, pros and cons of living in Southern California.  Right as I was leaving our house to go pick them up, I noticed a fire that had started pretty close to where I was located.

On my way to the beach

On my way home from the beach

Plane helping put out the fire!

When we got home, we heard on the news that it had burned 150 acres and then within a few hours, it had burned over 1000 acres. Luckily, there were no structures in immediate danger. There were actually planes and helicopters flying right over our neighborhood.

Photo taken from our house when we arrived home!

Last year, we were surrounded by the California fires.  HayHay missed a week of school due to the poor air quality. We were supposed to stay inside because it was raining “ash.”  Wildfires and earthquakes are definitely the drawbacks to living here in California. I always said that I would never live in California.

But, I also lived in Texas when tornadoes ripped through downtown Ft. Worth and were heading right in our direction. We actually had to take cover that time. We also lived in Upstate New York where it would snow for eight months out of the year. Our first year in New York, the first snow was on Halloween night and the last snow was on Mothers Day.  (And, I had already planted my herb garden.) We did love it there in the summer, though.

I guess no matter where you live, there will always be pros and cons.  We still love it here!

~LilSis

October 6, 2008

I'm writing this post this afternoon while HayHay & I are on the plane returning home from our long weekend in Chicago. SirHoney is staying an extra few days to visit. This photo was actually taken on our way to Chicago on Thursday night. I just love being above the clouds on a beautiful night. It's such a surreal feeling to me.

Above the Clouds!

On every trip to Chicago, we are always “on the go” and don't have too much downtime. We stay at SirHoneys' parents house, but the kids are scattered all over the “burbs” so we do alot of driving. Here are the highlights of the weekend.

SirHoney, SirHoneys' brother, R, BigGuy, and HayHay left for Indiana on Friday morning for a Notre Game football game and “boys weekend”. They attended the Pep Rally on Friday and had the opportunity to take a tour of the stadium and “tailgate” prior to the game. They all had a great time and BigGuy and HayHay could only describe it as a “ridiculously” fun time. Go Irish!

Notre Dame HayHay

While they were having their “boys weekend”; I had some time with the girls and our new grandbaby, LittleOne. He just turned two weeks old today. There's not much I can say other than he is absolutely beautiful and such a little sweetheart. He's a calm, really good baby.

We spent Friday afternoon visiting at Meems. Friday night, Meem had her first evening out since having the baby and TallGuy had his first evening alone with LittleOne. Bo, Meem & I went out to a local Italian restaurant and had a great dinner.

Saturday afternoon, myself, Bo, Meem,and LittleOne met MrsBigGuy, LittleGuy#1, and LittleGuy#2 at Bengston's Pumpkin Farm. The boys were so excited! I want to know how many people have ever watched a Pig Race? Maybe it's a Midwest thing, because honestly, I didn't know such a thing existed. (Not even at the Texas State Fair) Here's proof!

Pig #1

The boys got such a kick out of it! LittleGuy#2 was chosen from the crowd to be a “Pig Rooter” and was told to cheer for #1. Well, #1 lost and LittleGuy#2 was not happy!

LittleGuy#2 cheering for Pig#1

LittleGuy#1 is unbelievably strong for a six year old. He walked over to this pumpkin, grabbed it, says “I wonder how much this pumpkin weighs” and throws it up on the scale. It weighed 19 pounds!

LittleGuy#1 weighing pumpkin

We all had a great time! It was LittleOnes' first outing and he was terrific. All the boys were being so good, so we went out for Mexican food and went back to Bo's after dinner. Meem and LittleOne stayed with us since TallGuy was at a bachelor party. No doubt he and his friends will be taking a look at the escort münchen directory and getting up to all sorts of trouble! LittleOne managed to get a bellyache and Meem and I were up with him all night. Even though he didn't feel well, he's such a sweet little doll.

Sunday afternoon, we all met at SirHoneys' sisters' house for a cookout. We got to visit for a few hours, then Bo, HayHay, TallGuy and Meem went to the Statesville Haunted Prison. Apparently, it was very scary! I'm glad that I decided not to go. HayHay said that I wouldn't have enjoyed it. He said I would have gotten claustrophobic and would have had a panic attack. He's probably right!

I don't like scary stuff at all and definitely don't like violent stuff so I won't put up any of those photos. Here's a photo of the checkered room that is supposed to be quite the optical illusion.

Crazy Checkered Room

This morning, we drove to Meems to visit her and LittleOne one last time. BigGuy had picked up LittleGuy#2 from kindergarten and had picked up HayHay from Bo's so they were at Meems when we arrived. LittleGuy#2 actually rode with SirHoney to drop off HayHay and myself at the airport. He was thrilled that he got to spend time with Papa alone. LittleGuy#1 was still in school.

I had been kidding LittleGuy#2 all weekend telling him that I was bringing him with us back to California. He was so funny on the way to the airport, he said “I love airports. I'm going to order some cookies when I get on the plane.” I guess he really did think that I was taking him to California with me.

Unfortunately, BigT couldn't join us on this trip because he couldn't ask for two days off work so he stayed home and took care of TomTom and SarahGirl. I wonder what they did while we were gone?

If only TomTom could talk!

So, that leads me to where I am now; on the plane returning home. I'm always happy to leave for a long weekend, but I'm also very happy to return home to sleep in my own bed.

~LilSis

September 30, 2008

Since we have chosen to be anonymous in this blog; it might be a little rude and insensitive to use real names for family members or friends. We thought that it could be helpful to post the nicknames of the branches and twigs in our family tree.  You can't follow the game without knowing who the players are, right?  Any time we refer to a friend, we'll just be using a first initial.

LilSis has a large, blended, yours, mine, & ours family of 5 kids, so it could get confusing.  We feel very lucky, though, that all the kids refer to each other as brother and sister.  They have never referred to each other as “step brother/sister” or “half brother/sister”.  LilSis and SirHoney worked very hard over the last 17 years to keep this “blended” family very close.

Here is the cast of characters…the names have been changed to protect the innocent, as they used to say on “Dragnet”!

SisMama – BigSis' and LilSis' mother

BDot – BigSis' & LilSis' brother #1

Mrs. BDot – BDots' wife

T – BDots' daughter (Our niece)

BooBoo – BigSis' & LilSis' brother #2

Ashton a/k/a/ Ashy a/k/a Ashy Poo Poo – Big Sis' Flamepoint Siamese Kitty Boy

Gabriel a/k/a Gaby a/k/a Gabriella – Big Sis' solid black rascally Kitty Boy (named for the Angel Gabriel)

SirHoney – LilSis' husband (LilSis calls him Sir when having a work related conversation, mainly just to irritate him, and he's Honey at all other times.)

HayHay – LilSis' & SirHoneys' son (15 years old)

BigT – LilSis' first son (24 years old)

Tom Tom a/k/a Tommy Boy a/k/a Thomas (if he's in trouble) – LilSis' “hell on wheels” Siamese Kitty

SarahGirl – LilSis' & SirHoney's sweet, loving twelve year old Great Dane.  Also know as Sarah Jessica Barker.

Meem (SirHoneys' first daughter (31 years old)

TallGuy- Meems' husband (He's 6'7″; Meem calls him THSGuy, but don't ask what that stands for)

LittleOne – Meems' first born son (At this posting, only one week old. He was nicknamed LittleOne before we found out that he weighed 10 lbs 2 ozs at birth).  We still like the name, even though “little” he is not!

Bo – SirHoneys' second daughter (30 years old)

TessTess – Bo's eight year old Akita mix

AndyBoy – Bo's newest addition to the family, a adopted Bichon Frise

BigGuy – SirHoney's first son (29 years old)

Mrs. BigGuy- BigGuy's wife

LittleGuy #1 – BigGuy's & Mrs. BigGuys' first son (6 years old)

LittleGuy #2 – BigGuy's & Mrs. BigGuys' second son (5 years old)

Zeus – BigGuy & Mrs. BigGuys' latest addition to the family, a four month old Husky/Lab mix

That's the whole crew!  Stay tuned for dramatic episodes featuring these characters!

September 30, 2008

Welcome to the first post of BigSisLilSis! We've wanted to blog together for a long time, and finally decided that we weren't going to wait until we had the time to do it. Today is what we have, we are thankful for it and we're celebrating it!

We're really sisters and really friends, but we live a long way away from each other so that means we're on the phone and emailing ALL THE TIME! We talk about everything and nothing at all, and just really felt inspired to share a little bit of what we've learned, what we believe in, what we're excited about, what we hope for and what we know to be true.

So, what's up with BigSis and LilSI? Here is a little frivolity and some fun facts so you can get to know us a bit:

Who are we?

LilSis: Forty-something wife/mother/sculpting student

BigSis: Forty-something/single/crafting/cookbook-collecting/recipe-contest-entering/compulsive organizing aunt

Where do we live?

LilSis: In a suburbian neighborhood in San Diego County where Bunco, Book Club meetings and “tupperware-ish parties” occur frequently, mainly as a reason for the girls to get together for cocktails.

BigSis: In a condo in Northern Texas

What is our living situation?

LilSis: I live with my husband, my two sons, a twelve year old Great Dane and a feisty Siamese Cat.

BigSis: I live with two rescued street cats; one is a sweet high-maintenance Siamese, the other is a solid black rascal.

What do we do for a living?

LilSis: I work from home for SirHoney's business. I happen to be juggling several positions at this time; AdMin, HR Director, Payroll Clerk and Accountant. Oh, and that's my real job. My night time job is doing laundry and cooking for three hungry men! And in my dreams, I'll someday make a living by doing a series of sculptures that are actually worthy of being displayed in local galleries.

BigSis: I have an intense position as the Business Manager of a small partnership in a Dallas high-rise building.

Meat Eater or Vegetarian?

LilSis: Meat Eater. I could probably be a vegetarian if I lived alone. But, considering that I live with three meat-eating men, it would be impossible for me at this point in time.

BigSis: Vegetarian for 14 years! I have days when I'm a raw-foodist and days when I'm a vegan, but I just strive to eat as consciously as I can and don't beat myself up on my off-days.

Breakfast Eater?

LilSis: Absolutely. I eat breakfast at 6:30 in the morning before taking my vitamins. First breakfast is usually Irish cut oatmeal or a banana and blackberries in Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt or a half of a wheat English Muffin. Then I usually have a second breakfast after exercise, which is most likely an egg or a light string cheese.

BigSis: Yes, yes. First breakfast is always a frozen fruit smoothie at 6 am with flax seeds, vitamin powder and unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze. Second breakfast is 3 hours later at the office, and is sometimes a banana, but usually Irish oatmeal.

Baker or Cook?

LilSis: Cook. I love to cook! I hate to measure and rarely follow a recipe that I don't change. I learned the hard way that doesn't work in baking. D used to tell me that I made good cornbread even though every single time I would inevitably do something wrong and it would turn out flat as a ding dang pancake.

BigSis: I love to cook, but being single, I can get away with being lazy at the end of the day, and just having a giant pile of salad for dinner. But I love love love to bake! Give me a reason, and I'm a baking fool! I'm a perfectionist, so the exact science of baking is right up my OCD alley.

Food weaknesses?

LilSis: I can't resist Crunchy Cheetos or any kind of Mexican Food. Basically, the saltier the better! And on the rare occasion that I actually go see a movie at a theater; I can't resist the popcorn even though I know that my stomach is going to blow up like a balloon. I don't know why as you get older; you can't eat the things that you used to enjoy without some sort of side effect. (Maybe we'll discuss that later.)

BigSis: I can't pass up a Crunchy Cheeto either, or Mexican food, or veggie pizza…darn these salty genes! But I have to admit my total-without-control food is Kettle Potato Chips. I don't even buy the ding dang things because they disappear into my tummy in a nano-second and magically appear in a nano-second on my derriere.

Signature Dish?

LilSis: The kids all love it when I make my Bowties and Sausage; which is originally from BigSis' cookbook. Back when all the kids were at home, I would triple the recipe and use 3 lbs of pasta and 3 lbs of sausage. BigGuy, Big T, and HayHay all request the holiday potatoes originally from BigSis' cookbook. I'm lucky if ten pounds of potatoes feeds these hungry guys!

BigSis: When I was a meat-eater and meat-cooker, it was my stuffed mushrooms with italian sausage and cream cheese. Now it's probably my vermicelli pasta salad or my brownies.

Exercise Routine?

LilSis: Run two times a week, do yoga twice a week, and ride my bike twice a week. I usually take one day off, which is usually Sunday. I'm getting motivated to add some weight training on my yoga days.

BigSis: Cardio and weight-training at the gym 3 or 4 times a week, and walking 2 to 4 times a week as the weather allows. I'm trying to get back into my routine of adding a 5 am yoga class 5 times a week, and doing the occasional Pilates DVD when I can.

Beliefs?

LilSis: Christian. I definitely believe in the Bible. I also enjoy reading a lot of books from Spiritual Teachers. I feel it just strengthens my religion as opposed to distracting from it as some people believe.

BigSis: Christian. I believe the Bible is the infallible Word of God, and it is the authority for my life.

Early Bird or Night Owl?

LilSis: Well, I go to bed around 11:00 or 11:30; I usually wake at 1:00 with insomnia and am awake for awhile, then wake up with the dog at 4:30, maybe go back to sleep for two hours and get up with HayHay at 6:30 to get him off to school. So, am I an early bird and a night owl? Luckily, I function pretty well if I get five hours of sleep at some point in the night.

BigSis: Early bird! Especially when I get in the 5 am yoga habit! I'm more productive early in the morning and have more energy. Don't ask me about the late night talk shows!

Signature Hair Color?

LilSis: Almost platinum blonde. (That's only because it matches my gray best)

BigSis: Garnier Nutrisse Medium Golden Brown. Totally DIY. I've never in my life had my hair color done in a salon! I'm a low maintenance girl!

Signature Pedicure?

LilSis: Another little fetish of mine; I am obsessed about keeping a nice pedicure. I guess my most common one I get is either a regular French Pedicure or the French Pedicure with a color on the tips. I always have to do something a little different. I get bored easily. Right now, I happen to have purple on my toes. It's a new OPI called Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not.

BigSis: Well, DIY again! I love the China Glaze and Essie brands. My signature color for my toes is China Glaze “Fuschia”, and Essie “Wife Goes On” occasionally. If I ever wear color on my fingernails, it's OPI “Bubble Bath”. Top coat is always Sally Hansen Power Shield with Sally Hansen Dry Kwik on top.

Music Style?

LilSis: I am still basically stuck in the 70s/80s classic rock style. I do listen to some pop, but my favorites are still the rock bands like U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Boston, Alice in Chains, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton, ZZ Top; I could go on and on…

BigSis: I listen to Christian pop about 95% of the time. The other 5% is a mix. I like Dave Matthews, Keith Urban, and Kelly Clarkson, for example. And Peter Frampton, can't forget him!

Piercings?

LilSis: Normal pierced ears, upper ear piercing in left ear and belly button piercing. (I just got a new piece of jewelry for my belly after having a simple ring in for almost ten years)

BigSis: Two sets of regular ear piercings. I almost got a belly button piercing several years ago before it was really popular, but once it became so mainstream I lost interest in it.

Tattoos?

LilSis: I have one memorial tattoo on the inside of my right arm in memory of D.

BigSis: None.

Weak area of body?

LilSis: Head (That's typical of Aries). Lucky for me I have a hard head. I've had a hammer dropped on my head from a boy in a treehouse, I've fallen from a tree landing straight on the sidewalk on my forehead and I've broken a car windshield in a car accident with my head but have never had stitches. (Knock on wood!) I used to have a lot of headaches; but not so much anymore.

BigSis: My weak spot is my lower back, and it flares up from time to time. It's a genetic weakness for sure that's always been a challenge, but it didn't help to be in an Acura-smushing car accident 20 years ago that involved a hit from behind from a careening old Cadillac that pushed my little car into the car in front of me. Can you say whiplash? A car accident attorney was definitely needed then!

Coming soon are our “Favorites” and our “Top Five” lists. Then, you'll know just about anything you could possibly care to know about us (maybe more) and we'll move on to more interesting topics!