‘Melamine’ Articles at Sweetnicks

My lovelies, can we pretend that today is Wednesday? As in Wordless Wednesday? Pretty please? See, here’s the thing. I had a bunch of photos from today that I was going to post tomorrow. And tonight I was going to tell you about some amazing, homemade, stupid simple, can’t do without, crab cakes. But yesterday afternoon I wrenched my neck somehow. Aleve last night didn’t help. And today it’s much of the same. As I told Mystic, as long as I don’t have to turn my head left or right, I’m golden. So in deference to an IcyHot patch, another dose of Aleve and getting one with my bed, I’m going to switch up the plans. Tonight, a dump from today’s memory card. And tomorrow? The crab cakes. Swear.

And before I forget. Apparently I can’t count. Luckily Sarah can. I only drew four names for the Luna Bar giveaway yesterday, instead of five, so I have since added one more. Go back and check yesterday’s post. It might have been you. And there are still a few of you to e-mail me your details — need it by Friday or your prize pack is going, going, gone. Sorry, folks, have a deadline to get the information into the corporate peeps.

And here we go…

This is how our morning started today. Discovering that Mocha ate Nick’s homework. Yes, folks, the dog ate his homework. I quickly printed out a picture of her, scribbled out a note to Nick’s teacher and hoped she’d understand. Nick reported that she did, saw that he completed the assignment, and asked him all sorts of questions about her. Phew! A ten month old dog definitely still has more than a hint of puppy in her. Patience, Cate, patience.

For now, it’s a good thing she’s so cute.

When I got to work this morning, I spied a little reminder from home. Brightened up the morning immensely.

Afternoon nap. She sleeps in the weirdest can’t-believe-it’s-comfortable positions.

Ran to Target before dinner to pick up a few things and the sun was gorgeously setting behind the building. But after I saw this shot on the computer, all I could think about was Mystic. Whenever he sees my camera out, he takes it and cleans all the lenses and mirrors and glass. Can you imagine why? He’s so good to me. After looking at this spotty reflection, you can see he has his work cut out for him.

Ever so slightly better….

Today is my Mom’s birthday.

She was born in Paris.

On Bastille Day (the French version of Independence Day).

So every year on her birthday, they set off fireworks.

Pretty cool, right?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

After I picked up Madeline from camp, we headed down to join my Mom for lunch and a frozen yogurt. One of my co-workers, Jaclyn, has been raving about this new place that opened up near my parents, Red Mango. I remember seeing the “coming soon” signs, but never having been to a Red Mango before, it didn’t really mean much to me.

Apparently I was about to be schooled.

Jaclyn had gone to them a bunch of times in the city, and in the past week has driven 25 minutes one way just to go to this new (and much closer) location. They’re that good, she said.

All self-serve. All natural. All non-fat.

When you walk in, you go to the back of the store and choose your container. The sizes are big and very big. A slick marketing ploy to get you to really load up, if you ask me. You know, since they charge by the pound on your finished concoction.

They had some 7 or 8 different flavors. I immediately knew I was going for: Light. Refreshing. Tropical.

The fact that I spied coconut frozen yogurt, along with pineapple, certainly helped steer that choice.

Then you pony up to the toppings bar, and that’s where the fun begins. And where you can go really wrong, making something seemingly healthy into a gluttonous mess. Everything from M&Ms and gummy bears to chocolate chips, fresh fruit and nuts. All their fruit is fresh, never frozen.

I went with raspberries and pineapples, and then added their granola mix.

Madeline went with dulce de leche and strawberry frozen yogurt, topped with sprinkles, M&Ms and gummy bears.

My mom went the chocolate and heath bar route….

Tuesday Photo Purge

Review: Red Mango