Our first golf outing

Garrett got a "real" golf club this week from the golf store. Randy has been wanting to get him one for a while. After all, "Tiger Woods started playing golf when he was 3."

Not sure what Daddy was expecting this first go 'round, but there was a lot of this:

And this:

Daddy did get some coaching in here and there, though!



The best part of the night was riding in the golf cart (and a stray dog that followed us everywhere we went...the kids thought it was great...Daddy, not so much!)

This looks like the beginning of a new Sapp Men hobby!

Charlotte had a hard time staying put at times, so I wedged her rear into the back of the seat! She was thrilled, as you can see.

She got in on some of the action, too!

While there was some golfing going on, there was a lot of silliness, too!

Come 7:30, these Sapps were getting tired!

We did manage to get a snack out of the deal, though. Which, according to Charlotte, is always a good thing! She had found her "little blankee" by this point, as it was approaching 8:00!

After all that, Garrett called Mama Cook the next day to tell her about it.

Mama Cook: "What did you do last night?"

Garrett: "We played baseball!"

My latest book review

I'm always on the prowl for a great read, and with my favorite Harry Potter and Twilight books at the top of my booklist, I'm sort of hard to please.

A few months ago, I came across this one:

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Its accolades include:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR:
CHILDREN'S FICTION
NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2008
AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TOP TEN BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION
AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK
2009 ALA AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT LIST
#1 ON WINTER '08/​'09 CHILDREN'S INDIE NEXT LIST
INDIES CHOICE--BEST INDIE YOUNG ADULT BUZZ BOOK HONOR
2008 CYBIL AWARD--FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
CBC TEEN CHOICE FINALIST
NYPL “STUFF FOR THE TEENAGE” LIST, 2009
CCBC CHOICES 2009
KIRKUS REVIEWS EDITOR’S CHOICE, 2008
A HORN BOOK FANFARE
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS Of 2008
A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE
LA TIMES FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 2008
BARNES & NOBLE BEST BOOKS OF 2008
FOR TEENS AND KIDS
BORDERS BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TEENS
AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF 2008:
TOP 100 EDITORS' PICK
TOP 10 BOOKS: TEENS

You get the picture...it did pretty well!

And, as I'm a huge fan of series, I was delighted when I found out that it would be a trilogy! (Though not at first...I got to the last page and was begging for more!)

So, September 1, the second book in this award-winning trilogy comes out:

Catching Fire

If you've not read the first one, I hope you'll check it out. I'm reading it again before Catching Fire comes out. It is such a fast read, and so much fun (although a little gorey at times!)

Let me know what you think of it!

New Summer Haircut

Most of you know, I can never do something halfway. Its all or nothin', Baby!

Haircuts are no exception! I can "just trim it up!"

Before

(Yes, this is another marker escapade...he did look a little like Hitler!)

AfterDoesn't he look handsome?!

I figured that with Garrett starting soccer soon, he would need a short haircut! Besides, this was much faster that my normal method of using scissors!

You decide...

Bad hair day?

or

Edward's love-child?

On Becoming Amish

So, we've toyed with the idea recently about "becoming Amish." Not sure if one just joins the group, or if you have to be born Amish...like being born German?


Anyway, with the world today, we think that it may be the way to go for our family...long skirts, hard work, isolation from negative influence...you get the picture.


So, in preparation for the transition, I've started trying some of the principles here at home. Yesterday, I made homemade whole wheat banana muffins, today I made homemade white bread (with my mom's hand-me-down breadmaker...does that still count?) And these little creations:

Frozen Yogurt Pops!

Garrett helped me fill the molds (from Target last year) with light strawberry yogurt (the kind in the large tub) just before lunch, we put them in the freezer, and they were ready after naptime!

Its official...I'm addicted

So, a little while ago, my friend HH shared with me her salsa recipe.



And, as is true to my nature, I had to do some tweaking of my own.



Her recipe called for cilantro....I do NOT like cilantro...you will NOT find it in my house.



Her recipe called for 2 cloves of garlic. Its my opinion that if you cannot taste the garlic in your mouth the next day, you did not add enough.


I seriously make this at least once a month, and that is often, considering the quantity it makes. So here it is:



And you must have one of these--Food Processor. You probably got one as a wedding gift, and never knew what to do with it. This is your answer. You might be able to get it to work in a blender, but its not going to be big enough...so be prepared!
I use a small onion and a generous helping of garlic cloves (5-7, some of these were quite large). Because nothing says, "Kiss me, Baby" like 7 cloves of garlic!I typically the juice of 2 large limes, but they were on the small side today, so I used 3. Also, this is a citrus reamer. I've just tried squeezing the limes before, but this is much easier! In addition to the above ingredients, put in your cans of tomatoes (don't drain them). I also use 2 packets of Equal (you could use sugar), which my Mama always told me takes the "tang" out of the tomatoes. (I also use it when I make chili!) Throw in about 8 or so pickled jalepeno rings and about a teaspoon of Kosher salt (or more, to taste) and grind it all up! I don't like chunky salsa, so I grind for a long time until its pretty smooth.It makes a generous amount of salsa! I like to keep it in the fridge for about 3 days before using it. It seems to taste better after all the flavors have "married."

The Best Salsa You've Ever Tasted

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 can of rotel or diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can of diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and

Juice of two limes

Sliced pickled jalapenos (I use about 8)

Small onion

5-7 cloves of garlic

Kosher salt (to taste)

2 packets of Equal (or 2 tsp sugar)

Blend it all up in a food processor, and store in refrigerator. I like to wait a few days before serving it for a better flavor. It will last several weeks in the refrigerator.

I leave them for 1 minute, and this is what I find

Mama Cook gave the kids new markers that "don't require lids!" or so that was written on their box.

They're supposed to never dry out, which also means that you don't have to help them take off the lids!

How smart is that? Who gives kids a box of uncapped markers?

To Garrett's credit, I think Charlotte started this trend.

Garrett just pulled an Adam: "God, it was this woman You gave me that made me do it!"