Big Day

Sunset from the other day

Sorry that I've been quiet around the bloggy world this week. There is just so much going on. I'm trying to tie up any loose strings at work and get some projects done around the house. My last day at the office is today, AHHHH! I am looking forward to being home and to having the twins when they come (Wednesday!), its just such a strange thing to think that tomorrow I won't have a leave the house type of job. Although I would have loved to not leave the house this morning when I was cleaning SNOW off of my car and driving to work. The hubs and I have been cleaning (actually mostly laundry), winterizing the house and reorganizing to make room for the two little ones.
As far as the twins go, things are moving along. My poor niece has been running around getting everything in order (power of attorney, medical power of attorney, military id cards for them, doctors, toddler car seats). There is just so much to do with the twins moving up here and her moving down to Southern VA. Please say some prayers for her as this is a really difficult time, I just can't even imagine what she's going through.
As far as our house goes we just put the shrink wrap plastic stuff over our windows and I think I already notice a difference. Yes, we're due for some new windows sometime soon. I'm going to be paying attention to our electric bill and comparing to last year to see if there is a difference in our usage. I also want to insulate our laundry room door (to the outside) more too as its always so drafty in there. We have the twin's room all set to move in the cribs, with a bed in there for my niece for when she's up visiting. There is still a huge to do list but I think I'll be able to get the house in order by the time the twins come.

Our first snow of the year from this morning!!

Hawaii Pics pt 1-Minnesota

So I mentioned before that on the way out to Hawaii we had a layover in Minnesota (a.k.a. the frozen arctic tundra). Many of you know that my sister Anna lives in this tundra with her husband and her two little frozen children. I haven't seen her or her kids since January when I went to help her after her daughter was born. Yes, you read that right. I AM the best sister in the world, I went to MINNESOTA in JANUARY to help a sista out.

Me and K in Jan

So as kids are proned to do she has changed in the nine months that followed that little visit and I was floored to see the beauty she has become.


It was so great to see my sister and the kids. I hope its sooner rather than later that I get to visit with her again.

Crap Shot-Wordless Wednesday

I was reading The Shutter Sisters today and they were talking about Crap Shots. According to them a Crap Shots are those shots that wouldn't necessarily win an award, but that help you save an important story. So in the spirit of Wordless Wednesday and Crap Shots I give you:

The Wedding Dance
Yes the lighting wasn't good and I was far away but I just love this shot for the way they are looking at each other and how they are surrounded by family who are wishing them the best. Yes its not the best shot but I do love it.

Garden Bounty or as Beyonce would say Bountyliscious!

Mmmmmm we're still harvesting the goodness, below is some freaking awesome tomatoes we have going on at Casa de Dirkey.
I think I've said before I'm totally digging on this whole gardening thing! I love having the freshest best tasting veggies at my hand for dinner. I don't know if I've divulged this yet, but I'm kind of a veggie snob (shocker I know). I will not buy canned veggies and it causes great pain to buy frozen veggies but I will do it (rarely).
One of my favorite things that I've been making this summer has been Zucchini Parm. Mmm just typing it makes me drool...

Here's the recipe:
need
3-4 good size Zucchini's
Olive Oil
Diced Tomatoes (preferably fresh)
Mozzarella
Parmesan
2 white onions
7-8 cloves of garlic
Lots of spices (parsley, basil, oregano, etc)

I slice the Zuch's up into disks then lay out a layer of them in a Lasagna Pan. I then will spread 2-3 crushed garlic cloves over them and sprinkle with olive oil. Then I'll put a thin layer of diced tomatoes, diced onions, spices and cheese on. I repeat this all 3-4 times and bake at 350 for about an hour or until Zucchini is tender when you pierce with a fork. You might want to cover with aluminum foil until the last ten minutes of cooking time so your cheese on top doesn't get too brown.

Seriously-SO GOOD!

Happy Birthday Schmoop!

Its the hubs birthday, and we're heading out for a weekend of fun in Connecticut. My cousins wedding is tomorrow so we got a room for the weekend and we're gonna make it a mini-trip. We're thinking of heading to Mystic Seaport and checking that out and maybe heading into NYC cause the hubs wants and Irish pub to make him think he's in Dublin for his special day. We have a good amount of family coming in (my aunt from Hawaii and my uncle from Colorado) so it will be great to spend time with them and to see all the relatives we don't see too often.

So anyway, Happy Birthday to my wonderful Schmoop!
You are without a doubt the best person I've ever met. You're kindness, patience, compassion and love seem limitless. I can see that I am a better person when I'm with you. I am beyond thrilled that God has chosen you to be my partner through life and I look forward to many many years spent with you! The icing on the cake is you're so freaking fun to hang out with!
Love you with all of my heart!
Your Dirkey

Sleepless in Seattle

We flew in Sat and got here about 4pm, got back to our hotel then went into Seattle for a bit of site-seeing.


My favorite thing about Seattle is the Public Market. I've never seen anything like the gorgeous flowers that they have there. Whenever I'm able to go I take about a gillion pictures, one of the ones from last year is already super-enlarged and hanging above our fireplace. Here are some of my favorites from this year.

I love these little purple blooms

I was amazed at the construction of these flowers, all the perfectly formed and placed cylindrical petals. There was a burning in my ovaries for a macro lense so I could take super detailed pics of them.

I just loved this simple white bloom.

I forget the name on this red one in the foreground, but it really made me catch my breath. My camera skills don't do it justice but it was truly gorgeous.

You know I love me some vegetables!


Space needle!

Looking over Puget Sound.
Anyway I love the mountains and the lush greenery that surround Seattle. I'm amazed that on our two hour drive there is such a change; that we go from city, to lush mountains, to crazy dessert. I can't wait to share it with my hubs sometime.

I got it good

best decision of my life, hands down.

Photo Hunters-Funny Signs

This is one of our favorite signs, its found down the shore by my sisters house. The hubs and I cracked up the first time we saw it; yes we are THAT mature! :)
Enjoy!

Photo Hunters Thirteen

A flower with 13 petals taken by Dirkey in Michigan 6/28/06

Photo Hunters-Different

Yeah, he's different but thats a huge part of why I love him :)

Photo Hunters-I Love...

Come on this one was EASY!!!

Photo Hunters Flexible

Princess Hanastasia contortioning her way into the cat crate, that kid is crazy flexible!!

Photo Hunters-Classic

Some classic pumpkin action
Carved by my wonderful schmoop on Halloween

Photo Hunters Original

I love looking at baby's and seeing all their little pieces (ears, fingers, toes, etc), it amazes me how unique (or ORIGNAL) they all are.
This little guy is kitten mom's new little sweetie Drew, taken when he was a couple of days old.

Photo Hunters-Plastic

This was taken last July on our trip to Memphis. We took a romantic carriage ride through town and there was a whole lot of plastic going on behind us.

Photo Hunters-Music

So if you don't know already I work for an International music promoter, so this is something I'm really familiar with. So here is a picture of music that I've taken this summer at one of the events Schmoop and I went to. Not so much music but the crowd reacting to it.

Photo Hunters-Dirty

Taken by Dirkey 7/29/07 in Seattle.
The name made me laugh, the lusty lady. I was saying it all day long in some manly raspy voice that I made up. Seems appropriate for todays Photo Hunt.
On a side note do you think that ATM inside is the only one in the country to dispense ones?

Photo Hunters-Rows

mmm Rows of Sushi

Photo Hunters-Forky

Oh you said funky.. my bad..
Picture of schmoop taken on Labor day last year.

Photo Hunters Creative

I have two for this week, this is the first

As noted in the below post, I dropped a peanut jar on my computer so this is my "new" computer

This is probably one of the most creative things I have ever seen. I could never have come up with it.

Both photo's taken by Dirkey on 7/28/07 in George, Washington