I guess it's my week to see famous vehicles driving around Phoenix. Earlier this week, we saw the Weinermobile. Today, I was driving to downtown Phoenix to see our son perform in the Arizona State Championship Drumline Competition and all of a sudden the most beautiful firetruck I've ever seen passes me on my right. Of course I wasn't able to take a picture while driving on the freeway, so I borrowed a photo from their website. I'm waiting for our son to come home now. What a long day it has been, it's 12:23 am and the bus hasn't quite arrived. However . . . they won! I'm so proud of all of them. They work so hard. While I'm waiting up, I've been reading some of the wonderful stories on pinkribbontour.

I recently chaperoned our daughter's field trip to the Arizona Renaissance Festival. It was very entertaining to say the least.
This was my little group. I enjoyed spending the day with them and I tried my best to make sure that they had a taste of the entire experience.

We shopped at several of the vendors. The girls each bought a charm from this glass blower.

We each took our turn at archery. I had to show them what to do. Can't believe I even remember.



They all eventually got the hang of it. Too bad we can't do that more often. I think it would be great for hand/eye coordination.

They took a ride on the "Flying Machine".

We saw a fairy.
Check out her wings!

We went to a sword fighting show.

We went home very tired and happy at the end of a long, fun-filled day.

Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner . . . is what we had to sing to receive a Oscar Meyer Weiner whistle today when we visited the Weinermobile that stopped in Chandler. Do you know that the Weinermobile drivers are called "hotdoggers"??
Check out their cool license plate!


My kids were disappointed that they were not giving out or selling hotdogs! Darn, I had to buy them lunch inside at McDonalds. My son told us a joke on the way home.
This guy was walking along the beach, found a bottle, rubbed it and a genie came out. He told him he had three wishes. Of course, the guy was amazed and couldn't believe this actually happened. He said his first wish was for a Corvette. His second wish was for five million dollars. The genie told him that the money would be in the trunk of his Corvette. The guy couldn't think of his third wish. The genie told him that whenever he decided, he could just say "I wish for . . ." and it would come true. He was driving home in his new Corvette with his five mil and the Oscar Mayer Weiner jingle came on the radio. He started singing along to it . . . and that's why a weiner was driving a Corvette down the road with five mil in the trunk!

We are on our way to my father-in-law's 75th birthday celebration. He hates that number. I would too. My husband would tell us on every trip, everytime he spotted an A&W Rootbeer billboard that his father always stopped for them. When I saw this mug, I knew that I had to create one for him. I found the mug at the Dollar Tree and after looking at several stores, I found the A&W Rootbeer Barrels at Albertsons in their Brach's bins. I had fun putting it together for him.

We had a big outing yesterday. My kids and I rode the new Phoenix Light Rail from a park and ride lot in Mesa to downtown Tempe/Mill Avenue near ASU. My son had the opportunity to earn extra credit for one of his honors classes by experiencing the light rail.
We were able to quickly purchase our tickets, cross the street and wait for the train. They run every 15 minutes.
WARNING! Find a seat quickly. The train starts as soon as the doors close and I almost fell! Wouldn't that have been entertaining for everyone on the train?

Lucky for me, my dear friend, Angie, had taken this same trip last week and suggested that we stop in at MOJO's frozen yogurt. Yum! I gave up sweets for Lent, so I'm counting my very small "Birthday Cake" yogurt as dairy.

I told the kids to hold out for "Cookiez" to get a homemade cookie/ice cream cookie.
I did not anticipate their cookies to be soft and fresh out of the oven. Oooh they were hard to resist.

As we walked further down Mill Avenue, I was surprised to see a little shop that I frequented with my girlfriends when I moved from Iowa to Tempe in my early 20's.
We went to several fun and funky shops, enjoyed people watching and had a great experience.
Next time we go to an ASU football game, I'm recommended that we take the light rail. There is a stop at the stadium door! Can't get any better than that.

Okay, I promised to tell you how both of my kiddos sprained their wrists. Within one week of each other I might add. They are very competitive with each other, usually just with their straight A's, but this is ridiculous. Three years ago they both broke their arms within a month of each other. This time, we lucked out with just sprains. Taylor was first . . . both times. This time she came running in from the backyard crying and saying that she thought she broke her wrist. She had been doing handsprings and fell the wrong way. A few short days later, Cole fell walking down a slippery truck ramp loading their band truck after a drumline competition. Those modern-day splints have titanium rods in them. They run $45 each. Could they have possible shared one??? Oh no, one sprained the left, the other the right. Also they have to wear them for 2 weeks and their little accidents were within a week of each other. I guess we weren't blessed with the luck of the Irish. Or maybe we were. Sprained wrists are so bad. Just returned from a neighborhood St. Patrick's Day party. I brought Pistachio bread. It was surprisingly good. Everyone agreed. Here's the recipe:

Pistachio Bread Recipe
Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, I'm sharing one of my very favorite quick bread recipes--make it on Monday night to serve to your family for breakfast this Tuesday. They will LOVE it!

I got this yummy recipe from a Discovery Toys rep once--I went to her house for a Stampin' Up Party & concentrated more on this quick bread than I did the stamping. Kathleen, the hostess, willingly shared the recipe & I'm forever grateful. Kimber started calling it "Green Bread" and while it sounds strange, to eat something that is so very green, it really is delicious and Easter at our house (and St. Patrick's Day and, well, the 4th of July!) wouldn't be the same without it.

Pistachio Bread
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 small pkgs. instant pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/8 cup water (may omit--but I always use it)
1 cup sour cream
pecans, optional

Mix all ingredients together on low with electric mixer. The mixture will be very thick & sticky. Grease the bottom of two loaf pans, then cinnamon & sugar them. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. You can also do this in one bundt pan or in mini loaf pans or cupcake liners--bake until they're golden and cooked in the center.
I found the recipe on Becca's Random Thoughts blog.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

One week ago today, I had the privelege of meeting Sandy. Sandy and I were Valentine swap partners two years ago. What are the chances that I would one day meet her. She lives thousands of miles away in Canada. She is as sweet and fun in person as I thought she would be.
Sandy met our mutual friend, Maija, at Silver Bella last year. Sandy arrived bearing the most incredible gifts. She generously gave us each one of her darling dollhead pincushions.
I will cherish it forever.
She also brought us each a package of goodies including Tim Horton coffee, a pen from Canada, luscious chocolate that I'm saving until after Lent and a fun, blingy eye mask.

Maija hosted a little soiree Friday night at her beautiful, warm, creative home. As you can imagine, Maija's home is filled with her incredible art. You see her jaw-dropping studio as soon as you enter her home. I loved being there and she is a wonderful hostess. She served us mango margarita's, mexican food and yummy cupcakes.
The famed Mary of Sweetpeas and Snapshots, super-model Tamerie, charming Deb who adorns the most fabulous tee-shirts, purses and aprons, Tricia and her sweet mama were there. Mary, Tamerie and Deb drove over from California.


Tamerie brought us each a wonderful bag of goodies. I can't wait to wear my aqua glittered starfish necklace.
I brought the out-of-town guests a chicken wire cloche with a love nest inside.

I can't believe it took me an entire week to post about our fun get together, but I will post more about what has kept me busy this week. Hint: Both of our children have sprained wrists.