So it’s been ages since we last went window shopping. And I really do mean ages! As in a whole month, maybe more !

We had to run an errand downtown recently. When it came lunch time, we decided to head for the nearest mall, all in an effort to avoid the wrinkles that come with lunchtime traffic. I swear shopping was the furthest thing from my mind .

Then again, is it even possible to be inside a mall and not take a quick look around? I mean, one quick look never hurt anyone, right? Surely a walk after lunch is good exercise, no?

Well, well, well, how were we to know love would be waiting for us? So unexpected, THIS!

Call it love at first sight! Ever the sucker for chunky jewelry, anything that’s even vaguely reminiscent of what the Queen of Sheba might wear is a must-have ! I love it. Raine loves it. Skye loves it. SOLD!

After report card day yesterday, I took the kids to McD’s for breakfast.

Me: I’ll have 3 sets of Breakfast No. 2 please.

Server: Okay. (And a minute later, as if she’s seeing me for the first time!) Yes?

Me: 3 sets of Breakfast No. 2 please with 1 orange juice and 2 tea.

Server: Okay, (punching earnestly into machine) 2 coffee and 1 tea.

Raine : No, 1 orange juice and 2 tea!

Server: And your order?

Me : Breakfast No. 2!

Server: What’s Breakfast No. 2?

Me : Sausage McMuffin with Egg.

(I was tempted to say, “Look, there’s a huge menu signboard behind you with even better than outdoor home lighting and you’re asking me?!!)

Server: How many sets?

Me : Three!!

I took a good look at the young lady serving us.

• She looks to be 20, not 85.
• She has stud earrings on, not headphones.
• The clock on the wall says 10:42am, not 4:12am.
• There are no good-looking hunks within a 6-mile radius of where we’re standing.

Pinch me, somebody! This is not really happening!!

Congratulations to myself! I made it through yet another report card day. And why not? I’m a very experienced parent as far as report cards go, having gone from the once-a-year meetings during Steev’s time to the current thrice-a-year charade.

It used to be a very important event that I felt I just had to attend, rain or shine. But over the years, my interest, in meeting the teachers, not my interest in my children’s education, have waned somewhere along the lines of hearing only the negative!

Nothing positive, nothing encouraging – when there’s clearly nothing that drastically wrong with my kids or their behavior at school! I would return from those meetings wondering how to get rid of wrinkles caused by meeting people who have nothing good to say.

Now after umpteen years of going to report card days, I’m an old pro at waving everything off with a smile. Oh and you want my autograph too? You got it . It’s all purely perfunctory. I know my kids better than anyone else. They’re well-behaved and they get good grades, no matter what anyone chooses to tell me. So there!

Happy today’s meeting with my girls’ teachers took all of 2 minutes each and I was outta there with a big smile on my face!! Nicely done !

Lookie here, if you’re thinking this is just any old mac and cheese, you’re wrong! Steev cooked this last Saturday!

Looks yummy, huh? This is his first real cooking attempt though he could cook rice by the time he was 8 and has been cooking the occasional Ramen (instant noodles) since.

And while that mac and cheese was bubbling merrily in the oven, Raine took over the skillet and cooked these spicy tricolor spirals.

Not too bad, eh !!

I’m so excited that my home cooking classes have finally taken off! But somehow because of all our different schedules, it’s been really hard to organize.

When Steev leaves home for college, I won’t be there to cook for him so he’s going to have to learn in a hurry. Like I tell the kids, cooking is not hard once you get the basics down pat. So begins our crash course.

Looks like we’re off to a good start. If I keep up these cooking classes, he should be able to whip up a few easy meals for himself and the rest of us will need the best fat burners for sure.

Lately Tyson has been one happy baby beagle. Hip2bDad and the girls have been taking him for walks every chance they get. Hopefully that’ll get him to work off the excess energy which he’s been channeling into chewing up the few measly roses and destroying what’s left of our little garden !

Here he is with his newfound friend who lives down the road. This Labrador is the only one in the neighborhood who would actually kiss Tyson.

The others, they just either stare as Tyson walks past or they get all upset because they don’t even come close to being the lady’s man that Tyson is !

Here’s dear Tyson, victorious after an evening’s adventure. Isn’t he absolutely gorgeous? By the way, those dark circles around his eyes aren’t due to lack of sleep ‘cos he’s one sleepy baby.

I never expected this but I’m thrilled to receive this award from not just one, but two beautiful blogger friends, Liz Has a Life and What Would Jen Do. Thank you, Liz and Jen, so honored .

And now for 7 things that you may or may not already know about me:

1. I’ve graduated from bathroom singing in my teens to terrorizing my teens with  my singing bawling!

2. There’s nothing more mind-blowing than spicy food!

3. Me and my girls can’t wait to go for another rock concert. Looks like I may have created a monster when we went to see the Backstreet Boys and then the All-American Rejects twice!

4. I look forward to occasions when I get to dress up and go out for a nice dinner.

5. My favorite nail polish colors are blue, green and purple. I’m growing my nails again and I’m going to splash them with color. Soon!

6. Sometimes I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’m some sort of schizophrenic. I’m a quiet person but I love to talk. Does that make any sense at all?

7. I hate popping pills even when I have a migraine. So no migraine headache relief for me, thanks, just leave me to my misery. I’m stubborn that way!

And now I’m going to pass this award along to these 3 ladies:

1. Living, Loving, Laughing
2. One Day at a Time
3. Once Upon a Mommy

Oh and if you love blogging and would like to challenge yourself to blog for 24 hours straight, here’s your chance to blog for a good cause. It isn’t as hard as you think, in fact, it’s a whole barrel of fun. Me and my daughters are going to give up our beauty sleep again this year to blog for our favorite charities. Blogathon 2010 is on July 31. Come on and join us. You can check out the details and register your blog here from July 1 (I think).

Busy as I am, I rarely get the chance to socialize with our neighbors. Those who are just as busy tend to keep to themselves and those who love to gossip for hours, I just don’t have the time for them.

Having said that, we do have a couple of darling neighbors. The lady who lives on our other side is in this wonderful habit of passing us barbecued pork and other yummies across the fence. Her husband takes it upon himself to water our plants and warns us if it rains and we still have our rugs hanging outside to dry!

The lady who lives across the street from us knows all my favorite foods, and whenever she cooks them, she always makes extra and brings me a bowl or sometimes, even a pot of it!! She sees me rushing about all day and she pampers me with her delicious herbal soups and comfort food. How sweet is that!