How To Remove Urine From Your Carpet

I suppose there are a lot of reasons why urine could be on your carpet.

Like maybe, you were working in Washington DC, and your cousin came by to visit. Then, your cousin took you out for a night on the town, and when you two returned he/she was too drunk to go home. So he/she spent the night, and peed on your hotel room floor. Maybe.

10 Fast Fix Snacks My Kids Love

So it's the first week of school, and I'm slightly scatter-brained.
Everything is going well. I think. Well if you don't count. . .

• The wrong bus tried to pick up my kids at the bus stop.

• The right bus is picked them up 25 minutes late and dropped them off 45 minutes late.

• Bella went to the bus rider line, the one day I wanted her to go to the car rider line.

Gigantic Banana Split Sundae and Heaven Help Me by George Michael

"Heaven help me, heaven help me.
Talk to strangers, talk to strangers.
Heaven help me.
Over you.
Help me over you.
I can't seem to take these changes.
Everything reminds my heart of you."

These lyrics  keep going through my mind, on repeat.
Over and over again.

Don't worry, Mr. Woo isn't leaving me.
This one is.

Rice Noodles with Mixed Vegetables and Beef Strips

We went to the beach this week for a mini-vacation and one last hoo-rah before school starts. We thought we'd surprised the kids like they do in the Walt Disney commercial. The kids wake up on Christmas morning, open their presents. . .and then the parents announce "We're going to DISNEYLAND!!!!" And everybody starts screaming and crying and the whole world couldn't be any better.  That's how I thought our rendition would turn out.  And it remotely did, for like 30 seconds. . . .

Quick and Easy Vegan "Cheeseburger" Mac (or Non-Vegan if you so prefer)

Yeah. I said it.

"I swear, If. One. More. Thing. Happens. THAT DOG IS GOING TO THE POUND!!!!"

And then all Hell broke loose.

Shelbi started crying and blaming the whole fiasco on Soledad, "It's all her fault. If she'd just act right. SHE RUINS EVERYTHING!!"

Bella started itching uncontrollably, it's a nervous reaction, AND WAILING. "Mommy, its just not fair. How can you just give him away? We are his family. That isn't right! You just don't give a member of your family away!" She's crying and inconsolable. And this is my kid who doesn't even like animals.

Soledad REFUSES to take the dog out to go potty for more than 1 minute. "Ummm. . .I don't think so," she says. "It's hot out there. I'm gonna be sweatin' up a storm." She turns her nose up like she's too good for the sun.

Lawry's Spicy Summertime Recipes and A GIVEAWAY!!!

UPDATE: 8/30/11

And the winner is. . . . . .

Ashlee:

I like to cook...just not during the week, since I don't like to be rushed while cooking.  So, my favorite thing to eat during the summer, is my husband's yummy grilled steak...that HE cooks!

Ashlee, please contact me at nickiwoo.thehomeguru@gmail.com in the next 48 hours to claim your prize!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I don’t consider myself a lucky person.
And, I don’t consider myself a griller.

But this week I won a mad crazy package of athletic gear from my fashionista friend, North On Harper  AND I totally rocked the grill while barbecuing with my buddy Lisa Stauber for a campaign with The Motherhood . 

So I think it’s completely safe to say that I might be the luckiest grilling person in my house.

Marble Poundcake and a Movie Review: The Help

I suppose works of art move people in different ways.

They can make you wonder in clouds of blue.
They can flood in memories of white-washed front porches and smells of Hydrangea after the rain.
Sometimes, they can make you think, plan, require more.

Last night, I saw The Help. The movie fashioned after the book, by Kathryn Stockett.

How to Easily Clean Your Jewelry Without Harsh Chemicals

I've raised these girls. One for 10 years. The other for 7.
I've been with them every single day, and for at least half of those minutes.

You'd think I'd know them.


I'm currently also raising the other two knuckleheads Soledad (5) and Phoebe (2), but this story is not about them, so pretend they aren't in the picture.


And every single day, I learn something new about them. About WHO they really are. Their spirits. Their souls.

A few days ago, I took Shelbi (10) and Bella (7) back to school shopping for girls clothes.  This is an activity I don't care too much for. The money spending makes me anxious. The rows, and rows, and rows, of clothes make me dizzy.  And the complaining. . . . makes me want to gorge my eyes out.

But on this day, something was different.

Old Fashioned Super EASY CARROT CAKE

My poor kids don't have any pets.

We had a rat. . . . .
but a tragic ending met its fate.

And then on a whim, I bought 6,000 fish.
Those sadly, have also expired.

Cry me a river.
Or a ocean as you might have it.

Gardening Tips from My Mom

I don't feel like talking about much today.
I just keep looking out my window at my garden.

And remembering when my mom was in it just a few short weeks ago.

How she jumped straight into my jungle of weeds, dirt and veg, and made it seem perfect again.

I keep thinking about how she dug some holes and then threw in the fish carcasses, to help my garden thrive.

Fresh Strawberry Lemonade and Somewhere Only We Know by Keane

Summer Weekend Galveston, TX