I made Monster Cookies this afternoon. I found a recipe for them at Bake or Break, which differed slightly from the one I had been previously using (which I honestly wasn’t all that pleased with). My eyes will never wander again, looking for a better recipe, as these came out ridiculously delicious. I remember my aunt Phyllis making Monster cookies when I was a kid and LOVING them. I always wondered why my mom never made them but, as I was mixing the dough this afternoon, I think I figured out the reason. My mom realized, in her motherly wisdom, that I could not be controlled around these cookies. Well, look at them! Unless you are stricken with a peanut allergy (my condolences…), what would ever keep you back from those?! (Stop licking the screen, Jenn – that’s gross) Which is why the only time I make these is when I am getting them out of my house and into other people’s stomachs as soon as possible. Though I never can make a batch without having at least one (okay, okay… four).
After many nice, sunny days, we have rain today. And while our plants and lawn definitely needed the rain, I wasn’t in a rush for it to fall! I would much rather be going for a walk or bike ride this evening than be stuck inside. As you can see, Norm wishes it wasn’t raining either!
Okay, so most of you have seen our fence, and realize what a big task it is to repaint the crazy thing. Yes, we got a big chunk of it done on Saturday, but that still left another big chunk! As a surprise for Justin (Surprise!), who is out golfing today, I asked a neighborhood boy (Thanks, Luke!) over to help hold the cardboard so I could paint as much as possible. We were flying! 
As you can see, some things OTHER than the fence got painted as well! The only parts left to paint are the areas that our plants are by, which will have to wait until fall when we cut them back (probably only another 1/2 hour of work). But this is huge! We really accomplished a lot, and I know Justin will be excited that he doesn’t have to commit another day to this project (well, until the fall!).
A very nice, relaxing day after many busy ones! Not that we still didn’t fit a lot in, but at least we weren’t rushing around. I went to the gym this morning, then came home and we played some MarioKart on the Wii. Justin got some work done as well as putzing in the garden a bit, after which we walked downtown, picked up sandwiches for lunch, stopped at the library, and walked home. Justin worked again and I mowed the lawn, and then we both had a chance to sit in the swing or hammock outside in the sun and read our newly borrowed books. This evening we are heading out for small group. The picture is Justin’s view of what got accomplished today…
Goodness Gracious. 6 cans of paint, a trip to Menards (for more paint), and 4 hours later, a big portion of our fence is repainted. It has been needing to be done for the last 3 years, and we finally got to it. Last year we got CLOSE – we at least bought some paint and a paint sprayer, but alas, both sat in our garage and basement over the winter. This year we are determined to get it done. We still have the front and east side of our lot to do, but that is not as tall as the west and north side. Hopefully the next nice weekend we get we can hammer it out. I think we can… I think we can… 
We also took the cats out this afternoon, and Storm was chasing something through the flowers. I am assuming it was a bunny, but it could have been anything. Whatever it was, it knew she was coming a mile away. Storm doesn’t exactly possess a “stealth” ability. She was going through those flowers like Godzilla goes through Tokyo. She isn’t as bad as 
Don’t get me wrong – I am all about killing any living organism (germ, virus, bacteria, etc) that might be in our toilet, but the FLU virus?? I didn’t realize there was such a high risk of catching the FLU from the TOILET BOWL! Who has heard of someone catching the flu from the toilet? And if so, I think they just might need an updated lesson on how to use the toilet exactly!
They have been camping there for the week. We spent a very nice morning riding bikes, reading on the beach, talking, and walking along some of the trails. The day was mostly sunny, but very breezy at times. 
They had a great campsite location, right off the beach, and the breezes kept all the bugs away. John and Justin’s round took much longer than expected – very busy – and we didn’t end up eating lunch/ dinner until after 3:30. But it was very tasty. There was a slight mishap with the tripod spilling the brats, but as the guys hadn’t shown up yet, we just rinsed them off and put them back on the grate! 
Well, I did get to have the pleasure of having a few more shots in between there (typhoid & hep A vaccines this time). And, in my defense, I made a somewhat healthy cookie today (as opposed to the peanut butter brownies, which there is probably a picture of next to “unhealthy” in the dictionary!). I tried another new recipe, and Justin and I have both pronounced it a hit. And at only around 85 calories per cookie, they are practically guilt-free (until you reach your fourth or fifth of the day!!).
Well, both Justin and I have sore arms today from tetanus shots. I needed to get one for when I go to Peru in August, and since they were only $4 at the free local clinic, I dragged Justin along to experience the fun right along with me! It has been over 10 years since either of us had had one, so we were due anyway. We were both very grown up about it, and neither of us cried at all. 
peanut butter chocolate bars (I know, I know. Quite laughing at me!). I am completely hooked on a new (to me) blog, 
Justin drove up to Wausau today to play a round of golf at Greenwood Hills Country Club. It is one of the nicer courses in the area, but as it is a country club and he needs to be invited by a member to play, he doesn’t get to go very often. Hopefully he and his dad will have a good time with the other two men they are playing with, no matter what the scorecard says!
