I had thought to lubricate,

my brownie cookies wouldn't have been practically impossible to get off the pan. Other than that they were "practically perfect in every way"

Ever since February I have been making cake cookies because they were featured on Bakerella. They are so easy and so yummy. We (well maybe I) have even dubbed fun-fetti mix with rainbow chip frosting (because this is VERY different that fun-fetti frosting!!) to be "Birthday cake cookies". Anywhoo, I started thinking "hmmm brownie mix, would that work the same way?" So yesterday I tried it out. I got the Fresh and Easy box mix for brownies (no trans fat hunny!) got my butter out on the counter-waited a few hours for it to soften- and set off to make brownie cookies.

Everything started off the same as the cake cookies. I mixed the eggs (2) butter (1 stick) and box of mix. Set my oven to 350, dolloped out the batter onto cookie sheets, poped one in the oven and waited 10min. I took them out and thought the next batch could go a little under. As I started to take the cookies off I realized how hard brownies can be to get out of the pan and thought "duh! I should have used Pam or something" Well I got the cookies off eventually- some better than others. They taste awesome, I think. Just like brownies but in cookie form.

If you like really thick and not chewy brownies these are not for you. but I think they are chocolatey (and I don't like chocolate cookies) chewy (which is important for me in a cookie) and practically perfect in every way! (next time I think I'll use a silpat though)

I had better used natures tools in the past,

I never would have had to find the sandals I threw at the sea gulls.

I took Joe, Sophia and one of Joe's friends, Matthew, to the beach today. Never mind that it was totally foggy the whole day- the boys had fun. Anywhoo, the boys set out immediately to go collect rocks and shells along the beach, oh goody. As I'm thinking about how I might secretly dump half of these rocks so I don't have to treck them back to the car, those darn birds start to show up.

The gulls begin tearing appart a "neighbors" lunch and I'm thinking--really? you are this dumb? have you never been to the beach before? Wrap up your damn food! Then my guilt gets to me. Megan, you should do something. Scare the birds away, it's the right thing to do. Well normally I would send Joe in that direction but the crazy child was playing in the water with his friend. Sophie is too small to get it, and I'm huddled under a towel because there is no sun. What to do, throw a sand toy? Ah ha! The rocks! This is great, none of the rocks are too big and I won't have to go get them after I throw them at the gulls. Yes, I was careful not to throw towards other people.

This revalation was amazing. I mean duh! But seriously, I just kept the little rock bucket next to me the rest of the day scaring the birds away from us and the niegboring blankets. Occasionally the birds though I was throwing food at them though, they would trie to eat the rocks-it was really funny.

Never underestimate the little things!

I didn't have this crazy aversion to finishing projects,

I wouldn't have a million half done things around the house.

1) I began making a crocheted blanket = 1/3 done

2) I started really organizing the garage = it looks horrible again

3) I vowed to do all of the laundry = I still haven't hung up the shirts

4) I'm going through the kitchen = I only threw out moldy food and made the counters look quazi clean

5) I'm getting in shape = I went back for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday

6) I love to scrapbook = I haven't gotten past Joe's first birthday (minus all the wedding albums I do in the week after the weddings we go to for "family")

7) I want to try out some new baking recipes = I have looked online and stared at my new pans, this is all.

I mean does some sick part of me not want to finish things because then they will be done? Do I really think that I won't have more to do later? Or am I really just that lazy?

Lets recap:

1) blanket-- I am pretty sure it is going to look really bad and maybe I just don't want that after all the time it has taken

2) garage-- Tim went camping and hasn't really helped to put everything back (it's true hon you know it), plus I just throw stuff on the ground--It shouldn't take to long, and I only see it when I get out of the car. Perhaps I should leave the garage door open more to have an insensitive for a clean garage...

3) Laundry - "'nough said" ;)

4) Kitchen -- this is a BIG job. Yes the kitchen is only one room but the cupboards and drwares--ugh, I need to man up--I don't even know what is past the first 6 inches in the pantry, that's bad.

5) Gym Time - I'm trying again, really I am but Sophie sucks! I had to go and get her today- yesterday she was fine but today-no. I'm going again tomorrow 8am spin so we'll see. Just gotta keep it up, first thing in the day so it's done with!

6) Scrapbook- I complain that it is so hard to order pictures- but I'm being baby. I need to clean the office out-throw crap away and really get organized (do we see a pattern?) Then I can get to it...hopefully. Plus who am I kidding this is a never ending Job, always a work in progress. i just need to do about 6 years of catch up, that's all...

7) Baking) I have already anounced on here tht I would but now I have told Tim I am baking a cake this week so I guess I'm halfway there, only I need to figure out what exactly I'm baking.

Ok, so I have issues with organization of myself and "things" I'm a work in progress... ;)

our HOA weren't idiots,

then our pool would be open by now.

Perhaps you too have been inconvenienced by the new filters that have been passed into law for all pools. The drains and all have to be retrofitted because they were not as safe before (sad stories but this is a rant so later for that). Well, we have known about this since the BEGINNING of the year, you know that time when none of the community pools are open!

Our HOA even put a sign up 1 month before spring break with a padlock telling people they couldn't go in the pool and that they would be getting new covers for the drain things. This was back in March--in case you didn't know it is JUNE now. Um, really?!?!?! No pool? Really?!?!? This is such crap. It has been warm enough to swim a bunch since then and it would be so nice to take the kids after school but NOooooOooo damn HOA are a bunch of people who are either idiots or think we are. I mean could it really take this long to get someone out here to fix it? I don't think so, I think they are just putting it off...

the boxed Sprinkles cupcake mix, was a good as the real thing,

I wouldn't still have half of them on my counter.

Oh and by half, I mean six. Yes, the boxed mix only makes 12 cupcakes! Although I still enjoy them, there is something about the ones that "they" make that is just oh so much better. I do get it that however much they are charging for a cupcake is absurd, but not really. I mean have you ever had one? Have you ever noticed how you can NEVER make cupcakes taste that good at home- no matter what box they are from (hmm maybe I should try some from scratch...). Sprinkles cupcakes are damn good and I think that is irrefutable. On a side not-I have never paid for one personally, in fact the only time I have ever had them is when my mom snuck home a dozen for me from a friend's 50th birthday party. We had like 5 different kinds, and I would eat a half of a cupcake a day- they were all AMAZING. And they weren't bad 4 days old either.

So sadly I say to you, the $14 cupcake mix (which only makes 12) is NO better that the $1.50 Betty Crocker stuff at Target. Now the icing recipe... mmmmmmmm! Definately better than canned. Unless of course you are talking about my birthday cake, then I would like boxed yellow cake with caned chocolate frosting, but only if you make it a day in advance and leave it out on the counter over night to get the proper "crust" on the frosting!

I wasn't a terrible person,

I might have been better about updating my blog this week.

Seriously, I finally go tell people I have one and then don't update it as often as I did when nobody knew about it? I'm messed up. I guess I could blame it on the fact that this week wasn't the most fun. The oven broke, I had to do all the laundry for the boys for camping, I had to make sure the house was immaculate by Friday because the landlord was coming over, and as per usual I procrastinated on EVERYHTING!

I will have to post about the oven though...

the kids didn't love eachother so much,

I wouldn't have woken up to Sophia crying, "Joe, Joe Jooooooooe!"

Sure it's really cute, and sad at the same time. You see Joe left yesterday with Tim to go camping in Big Sur-which Sophia and Lilo weren't too happy about. The two girls kept climbing into the car while Tim was packing up all of the camping gear. Once the boys left it was time for Sophia's nap thank goodness, but she woke up cranky and didn't change too much before bed time.

It was apparent why her mood was so off when she woke me up this morning. She really does miss her brother, Tim too I'm sure. She was trying to call to him to come down from his bed, take her out and play with her. This poor girl is spoiled by her brother.

The thing is, the love doesn't go one way. Joe really loves her too, it's cute (borderline disgusting). He will try to do anything for her. The kids were getting ready for bed the other night and finishing Nemo (it was just the credit at the end- don't ask me), Sophie brought Joe some of his toys, normal right? Joe takes them then puts his arms out so she can climb onto the couch with him and sit in his lap-WHAT?!?! Crazy cuteness that's what that is.

Today I have found myself wanting to say "Joe, where are you? Come back and play with your sister...please!"