Date night

It is rare that Cory and I get to go out. Alone. As adults. You know, still a couple- not just mom and dad. We did that last night.

I got all dolled up- which means I put on clean clothes and combed my hair. Just kidding, I really did- and it was fun, and we felt grown up. For a few hours.

We went to go see W. It was a great movie, and we really liked it.

Then we went to dinner. It was not a great dinner, and I did not really like it.

We splurged, and ordered an appetizer. It was greasy, and left a funny film in my mouth.

Then, because I am watching my weight (of course!) I decided to try to be good, and ordered a seared Ahi salad. Booooo salad. The salad was mushy, and there was like a pound of ginger in the middle, so it looked like a big salad but it was not. I can deal with this, no big deal. But then I got to the Ahi- also mushy. Blah.

The waiter was totally cool though, and took it off. (So long gigantic unaffordable bill!)

At this point, we are tiiiiiiiiiiiiired from the time change, it has been so long since my face has seen makeup that it is now sliding off, and I am starving- so we go.

Then we decided that it was probably time to get los boyos from my dear mother in laws house. Totally missed the whole dinner, bedtime, story routine which is pretty sweet.

Until we get outside.

And Oliver starts hacking....and hacking.....and really hacking....

and throws up all over me.

We are talking projectile vomiting here folks.

I saw cookies, I smelled sprite, I met his hot dog dinner. Part of it is still in my adorable new(ish) flats.

When we got home, Oliver wrapped in my beautiful Ivory car coat, I asked him if he wanted some cough syrup.

His response- "No I want waffle syrup"

And our date night was over, projectile vomiting and all.

XoXo,

J.Danger

Halloween was (three days ago!) fun!

So, now that I have kept you in suspense all weekend (thank YOU very much computer!)
here are all of our Halloween pictures-

We were- literally- one out of only two groups trick or treating that night. It was dead, eerily dead.



Oliver would not let Phoenix out of his sight, or his hand.



Zombie pumpkin fun was had by all at the carving soiree.




Dark knight, a good witch, and the Hulk (the muscles in his shirt actually protruded so much that they pushed his mask off!)





Tired "tricky treaters" as Oliver said.






I just love it.

Hope your halloween was safe and fun!

Now go do your motherly duties by raiding all their candy bags and telling them you are doing them a favor by saving them from tooth decay!

XoXo,
J.Danger

Los Boyos visit the Fire Station

A few weekends ago our local fire station held an open house. The boys got to go climb all over the trucks, push buttons in the trucks, see the sleeping quarters, wear fire suits, it was great fun.

Oliver in the fire suit- so disastrous.

He was so tiny in that thing. The poor fire fighter said "Just don't touch any buttons". Really?! Good luck with that pal.

Oh brother! Look out town!

Tomas in the get-up. So heavy! Oh, and the hubby and some strange woman in the background. Personally, I think Cory is way cuter.

XoXo,

J.Danger

It's Halloween Time!

Today we took Los Boyos over to the Pumpkin City Pumpkin Patch to grab their soon to be Jack O' Lanterns. Fun was had by all on yet another successful Danger Family Funday.





Tomas in the Tea Cup Squashers. Intense.


SUCH an improvement from last years Pony ride disaster.




Tomas and his stallion o' Halloween spirit.





Oliver? Are you in there? It's all a blur of orange....






I swear, it was funny while taking the picture. But now?






Oliver and his cherry red stud mobile. Oh yes.

But, at the end of the day, despite all their efforts, they still left together.

XOXO,

J.Danger

Because FREE is better than CHEAP.

Trish, over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? is having another giveaway!  She has a copy of The Likeness up for grabs.  Go check it out-

Hey Lady!  Whatcha' Readin'?

I am off being exceptionally nerdy today, walking around like a winner.

XOXO,

J.Danger

You talkin' trash?!

So I swear to you that I am not a crunchy granola-y dirty liberal (a.k.a Hippie).  But I do have children, whom I do not want to force to live in a Mad Max-esque landscape when I die because we as a generation were lazy and irresponsible. So- we need to realize that we need to start making changes now.

Plus- even if you don't love the environment, who doesn't love money?! Right?!  Well guess what- when you consume less, you spend less!

Consume Less, Think More….ways to make a difference…In the Kitchen!

• Recycle everything you can. Recycling an aluminum can takes 96% less energy than creating a new one. Check your city’s website for what can be recycled curbside. It is really not that difficult.  If you can't do it curbside, most grocery stores have recycling centers.  And guess what- THEY PAY YOU. Win win folks.

• Eliminate or cut down on your use of foil, ziplock bags and plastic wrap by buying containers with sealable lids & pyrex or ceramic that come with glass tops instead of using tin foil.  Try these or - Reusable Mesh Bags. 
• Use recycled paper towels. Americans send 3000 tons of paper towels to landfills each day. The same goes for the paper you use on that cute little bum o' yours-  Trader Joes' has particularly inexpensive ones every day.
• Use hand towels to clean dishes and the kitchen instead of disposable sponges! Or if you just can't "sink" to that level (ha!) wash the sponges that you do use- you can throw them in the dishwasher, or in the laundry.  Then , we they are screaming to be put to rest- use them to scrub the toilets you flushed all that recycled T.P. down.  Bravo!  Maybe try these.
• Change to cloth napkins. On average, a person uses about 2200 paper napkins a year. If everyone used one less each day, landfills would have 1 billion pounds less paper a year. Plus, you can really make a statement in your kitchen ladies! Like here, here, or here.
  
• Buy recycled paper cups, plates, cups. It takes 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide. This is one we can all make a difference as we are all on the go and use disposables a lot! Or you could just NOT use them...
• Buy organic. Organic soils capture and store CO2 at much higher levels than the soils from conventional farms. Produce most affected by pesticides are peaches, apples, peppers, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, celery, grapes and pears.  You do not have to shop at fancy markets to buy organic.  Look in the mainstream supermarkets too- anything grown organically will have their number on the sticker coded with a 5 digit number beginning with a 5.  Read this- 
• Buy local. The average meal in the US travels 1200 miles from the farm to your plate.(Gross!)  Challenge yourself to buy only food produced within a 100 mile radius of your home.  Try your local farmers market, or produce co-ops.  They are almost always cheaper, and you are supporting your neighbor. Like this- 
• Buy fresh instead of frozen. Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce, and it kinda tastes gross. 
• Buy and use cloth grocery bags. Americans toss about 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags a year, and fewer than 1% of them are recycled. They can take up to 1000 years to biodegrade in landfills that emit harmful greenhouse gases.  This has got to be the easiest thing to do, as it is now everywhere!  Plus, again, they pay you.  Most of the large supermarkets offer a bag discount when you use your own bags.  Hello?!  Free money. Try these- 
• Buy the product with the least amount of packaging; Buy in bulk.  Don't have a big enough family for wholesale?  Not enough storage to keep it?  Spilt it up with a friend or two.  It is way cheaper. 
• Skip red meat once a week. If you alone gave it up once every 7 days, you would save the 840 gallons of fresh water it takes to produce a single serving.  Just one.  Besides, heart attacks are EXPENSIVE.  See?  Saving money folks.
• Only run a full dishwasher. Don’t pre-rinse dishes for your dishwasher. Save 6500 gallons of water and 100 lbs of CO2a year. Use the shortest cycle you can manage.
• If buying new appliances, buy only Energy Star.  AND!  You get money back!  Hello refund!
• Did you notice something here folks?  Every link I gave you is one that is off the consumer grid! By handmade, re-used, you know- the better way.  You save money, plus you support someone who is actually NOT a gigantic corporate powerhouse.  Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, Craig's List, and there are thousands of little websites all over the net...

You can thank me when you are rolling in the dough!  And your kids can thank my kids for having such awesome parents.  I know, its rough.

XOXO,

J.Danger

Mid Terms and Hormones-

You would think that right smack in the middle of midterms, and in the throws of all things emotional, the hormone problem would be mine right now- but it is not.  Our poor son is caught in the clutches of pre-pubescent glory, and my dear husband and I are trying our best to try and figure it out.  Here's hoping we don't go crazy...or turn into fanatic conservatives that lock their children in attics until they are 40.  Although....

This week is the beginning of midterms.  I completed one today, I have one in class essay tomorrow, a conference wed- Friday, and two large papers due next week.  No- 3 large ones, and one measly little tag along.  So far so good though.  I really need to keep my GPA high right now, so I am leaving no room for error.

So that's that-  not much on the Danger Family Ranch.  We are looking forward to Halloween and just spending some down time together.  Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Disneyland so that the boys could see all the decorations and Tom could see the Haunted Mansion.  We even got to see the evening parade.  Oliver almost pee'd his (big boy!) pants when he saw Mickey, which would have sucked because he was on my shoulders.  But fun was had by all on yet another successful Danger Family Funday.

Hope all is well with you and yours-

XOXO,

J.Danger

P.s. Today is the cutoff for voter registration-  are you registered?  You better be......or else....