Man oh Man.  I have to say I found a new product that I LOVE.  Most of you know that when I love a product I can’t keep it to myself.  Two old time favorites are the magic eraser and that Glad Press and Seal wrap.  That wrap sticks to anything.  Love it.  My new love however is bad.  I love those Lay’s Limon potato chips.  The Chile Limon are just as good.  Now you must know that I am not a snacker.  I eat meals and that is it, not even a desert(except the chocolate thunder down under at outback).  I happened upon these one day and BAM!  The only problem is……..I really can’t eat just one.  I am going to have to kick this habit.

We have been really busy!  I haven’t had time to blog or do much of anything.  Now we have the holiday weekend.  We have BBQ’s this weekend and of course the ball game and fireworks(1/2 price beer on thursdays).  We will be spending most of the weekend at Jungle Java constructing things and putting things in their place.  Things are starting to be finalized.  As with construction things happen but I believe we are on target to open Friday, July 11th for our friends party.  We have hired our first set of staff.  I even trained them for 2 hours today and will pick up on the training Monday.  The play structure guys should be done by Saturday.  They’re Canadian so they aren’t concerned about the 4th of July.  Most of the structure is done already.  Noah and Cooper often play in the structure while we get things done.  This weekend we are going to get some of the guys together and throw a a few cases of beer in our new fridges(they were delivered today) and put together shoe bins and everything.  We can work and all the kids can play in the structure.  Sounds good to me!

The buzz about JJ has been OUTSTANDING.  We are generating 1/3 of the hits on the the JJ site and we are  even open.  I have over 6 groups coming and have one birthday party booked.  We get lots of people stopping by and looking in and just in awe.  They can’t wait til it opens.  No one is more eager than me!!

Well I need to get bak to work.  Once things settle I can get back to blogging a little more.

That is what you heard at my house on Thursday night around 9:43.  Right in the middle of the Lost Finale we lost power.  The whole neighborhood lost power.  The island had just disappeared and the helicopter was going down.  Yep that is where my tivo left off.  I still haven’t seen the end yet.  I’m going to watch it today during nap time.

Wednesday I played volleyball.  I thought I was crazy playing volleyball in 90 degree heat but it wasn’t bad at all.  I wish I could say the same thing for our team.  Not bad for a group that hadn’t played in YEARS.  I even subbed for another team after our game and hurt my hand.  I din’t know how bad until the next day when the whole wrist and thumb turned black and blue.  Ouch.  Getting old sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had another nice weekend.  We had a nice family fun night complete with appetizers that I made.  I pigged out.  Saturday the community had a BBQ cook off.  Mike and Mandy and Jaime and Joel teamed up to make some killer (2 kinds)Brisket, ribs, and cobbler.  Mike Smith also entered his pasta salad.  It was guys against the girls.  Everything had to be made on site and the girls had a secret weapon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A76V2E/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=1919547581&ref=pd_sl_4v6kwcbshp_b  This cute little thing brought them the gold.  They won best “other ” for their cobbler.  The judges even came over to see how they cooked it.  That CajaChina was pretty cool.  THe guys would not be outdone they won for best ribs.  So our friends won 2 out of the 4 categories.  I don’t know who won for best brisket but I really liked Mike and Joels Brisket.  We ate soooooo well that day.  They even had a slip and slide, wet slides, and a dunk tank.  The kids had a blast.  I took the boys to the pool earlier that day for the kindergarten round up.  We stayed there for 2 1/2 hours.  It was fun.  WE are going to spend a lot of time at the pool this summer(at least until I have to work).  AND……….later that night Cooper took it upon himself to ride the big two wheeler bike.  It does have training wheels but it is still a big step.  Noah even tried it again.  The ever cautious one wasn’t sure it was a good idea.

Yesterday we cleaned cleaned cleaned.  The guys on the path helped Gregg build a work bench on Saturday(thank you) and Gregg and I cleaned and put things away.  We are going to clean out the garage and take the top off the jeep and leave it off all year long.  Now with a cleaned out garage we can put it in when it rains.  Back to the garage.  Gregg is going to pimp it out.  He has a nice size TV and Sat. TV.  He even has his stereo with Sirius there.  He can hook that up to the tv and get surround sound.  And of course we live in TExas so you have to have a fridge.  Right now he just has a small(dorm) fridge but I think that is all that will fit right now.  LOL

Fun things.  Gotta go check the paint progress at Jungle Java.  They said they will be done with the construction in 3 weeks.  WOOHOO

Thanks to everyone who showed up.  It was great finally getting to put faces with names.  I hope everyone had fun.  I can’t believe how far some you drove!!

Jules, my hand is so sore from that Big Buck Hunting game.

We are planning another get together at Duggans on Saturday.  The time is still to be determined but my guess would be 7 again.  Oh and if you haven’t eaten there fast until you get there.  The burgers, mussels, reubens and all of their appetizers(spicy shrimp) are the best!

Going back to the Jungle Java.  I’ll write more when I get a chance or half a brain to type anything.  I haven’t watched any TV so I am behind in Lost and everything.

Ok we are back on at 7:00 PM.  Our people were nice enough to work our training schedule around our get together.  So let’s plan on getting together for some food, fun, and drinks starting at 7:00.  We will be in the bar area(look for me and Jules at the video game) for most of the night.  Victor, Wojo, and others will be there as well.

Today was day 2 of our training.  We learned how to make the various salads and wraps and numerous other things.  One woman actually asked Gregg if he was Gregg Henson.  That was too funny.  He gets recognized and by a female client.  LOL.

We are eating well at Chez Hellens.  My parents love to cook and our waist lines are suffering.  But Hey I am loving the Prosecco.  Nice change from the Andre Extra Dry(not that I am dissing it).

OOOOHHHHHHHH  we had so much fun.  This was definitely worth the $35.  The funny thing is we said that out loud at the festival and someone turned around and was astonished we had only paid $35.  They had paid $50.  Mary explained about the early bird price.

It was a beautiful day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will post the pictures later.

Miss Shanna babysat the boys while we were gone and had a great time.  Thank you again Miss Shanna.  Oh and thanks for the impromptu dinner party last night.

Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well we finally got to pick up our Permit today.  I’ve dealt with construction before so I am not a total novice but man do things take forever in the builder world.  First we thought it would be ready by Friday at close of business then last minute they needed us to change something.  Then it was suppose to be ready on Monday.  Again it was something else(signatures), so when they said before noon on Wednesday and it was 1 and we hadn’t heard anything I wondered what now.  To my surprise Gregg told me when I got home for work that the permit was ready to be picked up.  We got it today at 4, faxed it to the bank, made copies and posted in our building.  We are all set to start construction!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m not sure how long t is going to take I have heard 45-90 days so that is kind of a big window.  I am still hoping for a beg/mid June opening.  I’m hoping we can have Noah’s party there.  When we come back to Detroit we will be having a party for both the boys at the Jungle Java there.

Another thing I can’t wait for is this weekend’s Texas Wine and Food Festival.  We are going to the wine fest on Sunday in GeorgeTown.  It is going to be lots of fun and we even got a great new babysitter.  The party is in San Gabriel Park from 12-5 and includes wine, food, music and cooking demonstrations.  We got our tickets in advance so they were only $35 now you have to pay $50.  Gregg was laughing about scalping them but he is determined to drink and eat his $35 worth.  We are going with our friends Mark and Mary and they got a sitter too.  Oh to have parents who live close by(LOL).

Noah can’t wait to get to Michigan and see the Jungle Java again.  He wants to visualize it.  They both can’t wait to see G-ma.  They see her everyday on the computer but she has been telling them all the things they will do when we get there.  Let’s just say there are going to be a lot of trips to Cold Stone Creamery and Dairy Queen.

I Can’t wait to see all my friends again.  It has been a while.  I’ve already called Julie and Debbie to line up our video/chow/bar nights.  Kim I’ll be calling you to.  I can’t wait to see Chris and Marty and their little Jo-Jo(Josephine).  She will be almost three months.  I’m bummed that I won’t get to see Al and Jess but I know they are happy to get out of Detroit and back in the DC area.  Oh can’t wait to go to Duggan’s and see Jason and get some of that terrific food.  Hey Jas get them to make the gazpacho before I come to town.  Oh and or all of you emailing me about the get together planned for everyone(listeners, etc.)  we really need to nail this down.  Vic is suppose to pick a place in the Novi area.  Others have mentioned meeting in the Rochester area as well.  I believe the Hamlin Pub was mentioned.  That could be good for the May 3rd meeting.  We’ll discuss this on Friday’s podcast and Gregg and I will post the place and times on our websites.  So keep open April 26 for the west side and May 3rd for the east side.  Lise I hope this answers your question!

I have more but I will save it for later.  Top Chef is on now so I have to go.

Having celiac in Texas sucks.  They do not have all the stuff we had in Michigan.  In Philly I had two stores, Giant and Wegmans that I could find a great selection of GF foods.  Here there is nothing.  I have to drive down to Whole Foods.  The selection at my HEB is bad.  They used to have some good stuff but don’t anymore.  I’m going old school and ordering stuff online again.

Good News/Bad News……………..Taco Bueno doesn’t have a GF menu……..yet the good news is that in talking to the owner he told me that they are building a Whole Foods in Cedar Park area.  That is closer than downtown!  woohoo!!!!

OK some Lost speculation.  I have to be fast cuz I have to get the kids.

I meant to watch the episode with Jin and Sun again.  Seeing Michael and Walt on the outside world had me thinking.  Perhaps even though they say Oceanic 6 some others may me back but not with their families.  They don’t count Walt as an oceanic six or even Ben.  Michael go to go home to his mom but couldn’t talk about anything.  That still would have been risky and I am surprised Ben trusted a hot head like Michael.  I was thinking perhaps the Jin flash was the future like 2012.  That is a bit of a jump though.  However 2000 was the year of the dragon and wasn’t Jin a poor fisherman’s son.  What would he have been doing courting a business client in 2000?  He said he wasn’t married.  Remember he got a job as a door bellman at Sun’s dad’s office.  Then her dad hired him to be a hitman.  That is what got me thinking about Jin and the future.  We already know there is a time Rift.  Desmond would be gone from his “body” for a longer time than when he was in the future.  I think it was something like 5 minutes in the future was 40 minutes or so he was in a dazed state.  So it’s not like it couldn’t have been a future flash.  Hurley had asked if anyone had showed up for the birth and such and Sun said no and he said good.  That had me wondering.  Why was that good unless he meant some of the “other oceanic” people.  You know wanting to keep them hidden and all.  And when Sun said she missed Jin it seemed like she missed him not Missed him.  ya know what I mean?

What the hell is up with Ben?  I am even more determined that they are some rogue government body.  That would only make sense and how they can get off and on the island and have dossiers of everyone.  Don’t ya love that the big other guy is gay.  LOL  I’m guessing and that is the point isn’t it that Mr. Whitmore is the bad guy.  I mean Ben hasn’t tried to make money off the island and its healing powers.  However, what was up with him setting up his daughter.  I knew he was going to kill the guy.  They showed him put his arm around her and Ben cringe.  But poor Danielle.  Why kill her.  She has been on the island forever.  I don’t think she would have ever left but come on.  Not sure what the plan is with that but again precision shooting only leads me back to rogue govt. agency.

Locke is usually smarter than listening to Ben.  I don’t know what is going on with him.  I wish he would get his mojo back but I am afraid he won’t because of the comment that Hurley made to Jack when they got back to the mainland.  “I’m sorry I listened to Locke.”  Locke was one of my favorites.

Speaking of being smarter.  What is the deal with Sayeed?  Yes Michael betrayed them but he came back to try to make a mends.  I would think you would want all the allies you could get on that boat.  I would trust none of them yet keep them all close.  Don’t know what he was thinking but he may have traded away a good source of info.

Well I fogto what else I was going to write and I have to get the boys.  If I remember(3 am) I will write more or add it to this weeks episode.

Ahhhh the first day of spring.  It has felt like spring for a while now but I guess at least now it is officially spring.

The boys had another egg hunt.  Today their school had an egg hunt.  I only made it in time to watch Noah scurry for eggs but fun was had by all.  My kids are going to think there are egg hunts every other day.

We also enjoyed lunch at Pluckers watching some NCAA Tournament ball.  That place filled up!  I’m not really big into college bball but it is always fun to watch a team come from behind to win.

I love having a long lunch.  I know some countries break for a long lunch/dinner early in the day.  It always makes me feel so refreshed to come home and see my kids and enjoy a meal.  I go back to work feeling re-energized.  Now off I go!!

Well, almost Easter.  Today Teravista held their easter egg hunt.  It was so cute to see so many kids all dressed up.  They had an easter bunny, balloon blowing clown, egg hunt and the cutest petting zoo.  Noah still has a dislike of farm animals.  Cooper loved it.  He pet the chicks, piglets, ducks, bunnies, goats, sheep and ducklings.  He fed the sheep and goats and was not afraid of them at all.  What a brave little man.  The egg hunt was nicely planned and went off without a hitch.  I was torn betwen putting Cooper in the 0-2 group or 3-4.  I’m glad I left him in the 0-2 because he is such a little pokey guy.  It took him a while to walk around and find 10 eggs.  On the other hand I think Noah had his 10 eggs in record time.

Afterwards we took the boys out to lunch.  We tried a new place in Georgetown called McAllister’s Deli.  The food was good but the authenticity can be summed up by the response I got when I asked for a pickle.  She said they don’t sell pickles but if I wanted a spear she would give me one.  It was a mushy pickle.  OK it was no Zingerman’s but what is.  They did have a great baked potato offering.  I got the 2 pounder potato.  I’m pretty sure it had everything on it.

Then the boys and I walked around the shopping area and stumbled into a Cold Stone Creamery and had to get some.  Noah got the cotton candy ice cream(I want the blue ice cream) with the gummi bears.  He told everyone that walked by how much he loved his ice cream and what exactly it was.  Such a social little guy.

On a side note I would like to tell Shannon that I have banned your comments from the message board.  You are free to continue to read my blog but your comments will go directly to a spam folder.  This is a website for family and friends and you are obivously neither.  I find your comments amusing and borderline pathetic but overall it is tiring.  I’m glad you are happy in Sterling Heights and Michigann.  My deepest wish for you is that you find some happiness in your life.

We started the day early(9:30) and we weren’t disappointed.  The rain stayed away for the festival but boy was it windy.  That was good for the pro kite flyers that were competing but not for Noah.  HEB had a kite making tent for the kids and Noah made a great kite.  He even flew it himself.  After a while the wind tore the tape and we had to go back to the tent for a little mending.  Colin brought his own big kite.  Mark got it in one tree and then another trying to get it out of the first but he was one of the few that actually got his kite out in one piece.  I guess we shouldn’t have stood so close to the tree line.  There were a lot of people trying to climb trees mostly to no avail.  The kite festival really is prettier with a blue sky.  The colors of the kites really pop better then.  Lots of fun was had by all and then we packed up and went to lunch at Hula Hut.  That was a nice part of Austin.    Very cute.  Lunch was great and never underestimate the power of a crayon to a 4 year old!

I gotta run but here are some pics of the event.

This is a view from our table