Seems Like Old Times

It was a rare occasion - my friend Deejah and I both having the same day off. We took advantage and met up at an old favorite lunch spot, King Gyro, to dine and dish. Deejah introduced me to the mom and pop shop when we worked together at TriWest. She has since moved on, but fortunately our friendship has continued to flourish. We see each other frequently, sharing a love of our kids and all things entertainment. We swap book and movie reviews, single parenting tips and lots and lots of laughter. Oh, and fabulous meals too. King Gyro may just have the best grilled chicken and tatziki sauce in town.

Addicted

This summer I have been sweet on tomatoes. Even though we can't get the best here, the mouth-watering, plump, drip-down-your-face kinds like you can along the road in more rural, farming communities. But this batch came close.

My mom went down to Willcox to meet some college girlfriends for a bit of a reunion. Back with her came a small bag of these home-grown beauties and I too was reunited with a perfect treat.

Sweet Treat

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels and nothing beats a McDonald's vanilla cone. 150 calories and just 3 Weight Watchers points. Yummo!

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

I am not a cook, certainly not a chef, and for sure no gourmet! But this grilled cheese with tomatoes, spinach, cheddar, swiss and mustard was quite good. Gourmet tasting, even. Well, almost.

Someone Else Can

It's a common occurrence: The weekend is so jam-packed that I can't even get to the grocery store and we are kicking off the week with dinner out, day one. Who am I kidding? I have never loved going to the grocery store, and I can easily not make it there. But since joining Weight Watchers, I have been food shopping more frequently and found myself going through a brief spell of eating out withdrawals. Given a choice, E picked a family favorite in Zoe's Bistro. The smile lasted through our tasty dinner and we went home to a clean kitchen.

Big-mouth Buds

An impromptu conversation led E and I to meet friend and Auntie Judy for dinner at Pei Wei. Dinner got off to a rough start when the servers brought the adult fare first, leaving E grumpy and impatient. Judy helped lighten the mood and bring a smile to the Crankapatomus' face. The oranges didn't hurt either.

Pretty Piggies, Poolside

My feet are so hot, they just have to cool down!

Flower Power

What I am digging now.

Courtesy of my Silpada jewelry party with gal pal Amy.

Summer Goodness

Tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh basil, s&p. Doesn't get much better than that.

My Little Splashapotamus

Every Wednesday I have an appointment after work and E gets to go over to Gramma Kathy's house for dinner and hang time. Imagine my delight when I drove up and saw he and Gramma moving the hose and my instant idea for today's picture. You don't have to imagine his delight at my request, it's here for the viewing.

Cloudy Reflection

It's hotter than H-E-DOUBLE L and this is magnified by the daily cloud cover we are experiencing this week. Also magnified is my view through my rearview.

First Crush

I think it was love at first taste. He can't appreciate the bottle (mainly because I had to thicken it so that he could safely consume the orange fizzy goodness that is an Orange Crush), but the color, coldness and coolness of this drink was enough to satisfy this kid who is always one step ahead looking for the next cool thing. Retro, or otherwise.

Gorgeous

My favorite flowers at my friend Amy's house. This was the setting for a lovely jewelry party open house. We had a delicious menu of gourmet food that only required assembling, no cooking or heavy lifting. Because Amy is cool like that.

Drunk with Laughter!

The number of times I have seen this movie is irrelevant. If you haven't seen this movie and you can handle what happens in Vegas, then jump in on this comedy masterpiece which is destined to become a cult classic. Yep, you read it here.

The (frozen) Fruits of My Labor

3 lbs. of cherries + 2 crates of blueberries + 1 cherry pitter (aka PaperMate pen cap) / an overnight in the freezer + thawing leisurely at my desk = the perfect mid-morning snack.

Frankenberry

I love summer. Not for the brick oven pizza we all feel like here in the desert, but for the simple pleasures. Hanging out with friends and family, relaxing, fresh fruit and the random surprise hiding in the middle of a crate of perfectly delicious blueberries.

Which Hand Is It?

Tonight, E and Gramma Kathy were playing games and doing tricks. After Gramma stumped him with a guessing game of which hand was holding the rubber band, he was ready to try and fool her. Only problem? Here's how he started the line of questioning. We had to catch our breath from the laughter to explain he gave everything away.

Sweet boy.

Just finished. Just started. Coming up. (In artistically pleasing order)

Just Finished: My Sister's Keeper. It was my first Jodi Picoult book and I thoroughly enjoyed the read, despite the serious subject matter. It was one of few books that have made me cry and jolt up from my reading spot in utter surprise. Unfortunately, the movie did not yield the same response.

Just Started: April and Oliver is a debut novel with a lot of good buzz swirling around. It sounds like a perfect summer read and will be the first I review for my friend's online pop culture magazine. I am really excited by the opportunity and flattered by Allan's offer to contribute. More to come on that.

Coming Up: Then Came We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris. My second planned review and a book I have been anticipating. Thanks to the 'rents for placing it in my hands.

Oh Happy Day!

Today, TriWest Healthcare Alliance was awarded it's third consecutive Department of Defense contract to manage the healthcare needs of military personnel and their families. It was a historic day for our company and the country. The only incumbent to win one of three contracts, it means we can continue to do the great work we do, as a leader in this market. Here I am in the Communications Command Center hugging my monitor (which displays our official news release) after distributing the good news.

Aw, shucks!

We kept our cool today, hanging at the mall and by the pool. And a cool thing happened: E shucked his first ear of corn!

Served with grilled barbeque chicken and salad (courtesy a la Uncle Scott), the corn was crisp and juicy. And, just sweet enough that it didn't even need any butter.

Mmmmmmmm.

Splash!

It was a full day with a trip to the Science Center with good buddy David and celebrating a birthday with pal Jason at Hubbard Family Swim. A full day and a full camera of pictures to choose from. Tough as it was, it wasn't hard to see the pure fun in this one.

Slick

Our back patio, after a thorough hosing down by E.

Sneak Peek

Just a perfectly timed photo on an early summer evening.

Kick board Love

Tonight was E's last swim team practice. The close of a six-week stint that has been fun, if not a bit tiring. I am not sure if he loved it. Although, clearly, these unposed turtle kick boards did.

Well, I know that he liked the practices and not the meets. He enjoyed the coaches and the almost 45 minutes of practice swimming he got each night. His freestyle and backstrokes improved, and he even started doing a little butterfly. During the two meets we attended, he had a tendency to swim in slow motion, eschewing any real competitive nature, yet still encouraging me and other parents the cheer him on.

I guess he saves the rivalry for our nail-biting games of Sorry! where I hear, "Oh YEAH baby!" when he's drawn the perfect card to send my guy packing back to "Start" and he knocks the token off the board with a solid shove.

X-ray Vision

The good news: No fracture.

The bad news: Tendonitis in my dominant hand.

The Deal: I have been experiencing pain in my wrist at times (not all the time) when I put pressure on it. I thought it could be the long over due aftermath of an injury sustained when E and I took Sammy for a walk and the always-docile-other-dog-friendly-dog went nuts when we approached a man with three little yappy dogs ridiculously all on a single, three-pronged leash. The Sammy-going-nuts incident was due to the the yappy dogs getting all worked up being tied up so close together and having their own version of The Real Housewives of New Jersey (a reality show I actually don't watch) snippy-snappy infighting as we approached. It was this DRAMATICAL scene by The Real Annoying Dogs of Moon Valley Park bitch-slapping one another that got Sammy worked up and barreling into them to join in, while knocking me down in the process. But enough doggy drama. The dogs were all okay and so was I, or so I thought.

Well, it turns out I really am okay and I am suffering from Tendonitis.

The causes COULD be:

1. Too much typing. How am I supposed to do my work, update this blog or maintain an intriguing Facebook status without typing?
2. Too much texting. Really? I thought that would be the diagnosis for a 13 year old, and while I know I hardly look a day over 18, surely I am not texting so much as to cause TENDONITIS!
3. Continually lifting E onto things or off of things in an apparent effort to preserve his legs for catalog modeling or to be my only form of strength training that I can fit in during the day. Well that, or a combination of the three, resulting in this X-ray, a splint, and a prescription to take so much Ibuprofen I could be arrested on drug charges.

Blech. And yet, I keep on watching

He's a slime ball.

She's lacked better judgment.

It's a totally manufactured show.

There won't be a proposal in the end (or one that won't last).

And yet, I continue to watch. In fact, I haven't missed a single season of ABC's The Bachelor/The Bachelorette. It's something of which I am committed to and horrified by.

Yes, I am a Bachelor/Bachelorette addict.

My name is Lara and I can't let go ABC's "reality" train wreck.

Delightful!

It was my day to myself - a day each week that I have really come to cherish - and I had decided to get together with some girlfriends for lunch at Houston's and to see Away We Go. I got to the restaurant early in hopes of sitting in the shade, reading a few more pages of My Sister's Keeper and waiting for my friends. There were only two problems with this plan:

1. It was over a 100 degrees at 10:40 in the morning.
2. Houston's isn't open at 10:40 in the morning.

I saw staff milling about, getting ready for the day and I decided to chance it. The beads of sweat were rapidly forming; I had no choice. I pushed on the door and it was open.

Ahhhhh. Air-conditioning!

I stood in the entryway and waited. A hostess came up to clean the podium and asked if she could help me. After our exchange I learned that they didn't open until 11, but she would go ahead and seat me. This was in spite of the fact that I didn't have my full party with me - a previously heavily enforced Houston's seating policy - and they wouldn't be joining me until 11:30. The recession and heat have worn even the diligent Houston's staff down, and I think that's a good thing.

It was nice to have my choice of seats, especially at a place that can command crowds that elicit more than an hour wait during peak times. I chose upstairs, along the row of windows. Jazz played over the sound system, servers and chefs hustled and I was offered an ice cold beverage (Diet Coke with lime) to sip while I slipped in a few more pages. My gal pals started arriving shortly thereafter and we noshed on delicious burgers, baked potato soup, roasted artichokes and key lime pie.

Fast forward... and the reason for this particular Project 182 picture...

I had wanted to see Away We Go and was pleased to see the reviews had it Away We Going beyond the local arthouse theater and onto more screens (a very good sign). The movie was simply, delightful. A talky movie that is great for romantics at heart. It sweet without being sappy, quiet without being boring, and chock full of a quirky and charming supporting cast. Away We Go won't win any awards. It won't beat any box office records. It's just a sweet little film for a blisteringly hot summer day.

Hairy Potter

I really would have expected the photo of the day to be a traditional 4th of July type picture - E in his annual tee, some of the delicious roasted tomatoes I made (thanks to having read the divine My Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg), or of E swimming at Tia and Scott's (an annual tradition). But when all was said and done, it was this picture that took the top prize.

And, because I can't resist. Here's the best of the rest...


E sportin' Harry Potter specs and Bozo Nose (Thanks Gramma Kathy!)



A boy and his dog




These slow-roasted tomatoes were AMAZING (Kudos to Molly Wizenberg for providing the delish recipe in her book My Homemade Life)



CANNONBALL!

A Spontaneous Splash on a Hot Summer Day

A day off that started with a long sit at the car dealership while my oil was changed and the technicians were checking into the squeak and moan of my steering wheel and the declining power in my keyless remote. E asked no less than 20 times if he could have one of the doughnuts in the waiting area and an attractive guy struck up a conversation and directed us to the healthier fruit tray around the corner. We made our way out after a two hour wait and headed to the store for some fresh produce and ingredients for a homemade lunch.

The planned highlight of this day free of work and summer school was meeting up with some friends to see Ice Age 3 in 3D. En route to the theater, we literally ran into Tia Claudia... what are the chances?... and met up with Deejah and her daughter in front of the box office. The kids couldn't wait to put on their 3D glasses and were willing to actually share a kids pack of popcorn and candy. E certainly doesn't get his willingness to share food from me.

Third row seats kept their eyes glued to the screen and a number of unfortunate spills by previous patrons kept our feet sticky-stuck to the floor. The movie was good (even though or especially because it afforded me a 15 minute nap). On our way out we couldn't detour past the video games but were successful in not doling out cash for tokens. We parted and headed to the car, the sun beating down on our skin. Man, it was hot.

As we approached the outdoor fountain, we heard squealing children and laughing parents. It wasn't long before E looked up and said, "It's hot mommy. Can I go in the fountain?"

Normally, I would say no. He's fully clad in street clothes and it's going to be impossible to get him out of it once I open that proverbial door.

But, I went against the grain and said, "Sure honey. But only for 10 minutes. Promise?"

"Promise!" he gleamed.

He was cautious at first. The denim shorts and t-shirt had to be a slight deterrent. He stood near the water sprays as they shot up from the ground.

"Go on, get soaked!" I hollered.

With that confirmed approval, he jumped right in.

It was a completely impromptu moment. One that brought unadulterated fun into our day, not to mention a perfect smile... a perfect laugh... a perfect moment.

And, a perfect picture.

Late Start

I shouldn't be starting my day after 7, but that's the rut I am in right now.

Half-Assed is Still a Big Deal

So there's this fun, cool, intense, creative online photo project known as Project 365, where you take a picture every day of the year and upload to a place like Flickr and share your photowares in an online community. I have been intrigued by this project for a couple of years and made myself promise I would do this in 2009. Then 2009 came in with the usual uneventful fanfare of another year and I realized on January 12 that I missed the start. As friends and family can attest, I am a stickler for rules and process and formality and all that crap, so I let the notion pass. Plus, while cool, there's a big commitment to it and one for which I have obviously vacillated. But then I had an idea. An idea that would work in my rules-based head.

I could do this project for half the year.

It would be half the commitment and perhaps half-assed in the minds of the die-hard, repeat offender Project 365-ers. But more my style considering I have competed in in two half marathons which I enjoyed and one full which I abhorred. So, half-time, half-assed seemed wholly perfect.

I googled "What day is the exact middle day of the year?" And the answer was July 2, in a non-leap year. And then the challenge started to sink in and I started thinking.

Thinking about how busy life feels. How I am not sure I can manage all that I have chosen, or what has chosen me. And yet, this daily commitment to picture taking, selecting a single image to represent the day and subsequent blogging seems like an opportunity to slow down, an opportunity to capture the every day moments that when not paying attention can feel mundane or routine and are, in actuality, the sum total of this life.

That realization resonated with me in a way that was equal parts calming and disquieting. Contemplation continued. I posted the idea on my Facebook wall and got a lot of positive feedback (including a willing partner in Deejah), and I found myself making a commitment to both my friend and myself.

I am not entirely sure I need any more challenges right now, however, I do know that I need to create something. I have the urge to capture perspective and catalog the journey I am on. And for those reasons it feels like a good thing to do.

Here I go...