The Modern

Sunday, we ate at our favorite after-church-lunch-place in Fort Worth, Cafe Modern. It is the restaurant inside the Modern Art Museum. The menu changes four times a year to go along with the four seasons. As of yesterday, we have experienced all four seasons/menus. Hold on to your hats, because Austin got the TIRAMISU PANCAKES and I got the modern omelet with fresh friut. Both dishes were very delicious, but Austin's took the (pan)cake!! There are no words for how ridiculously good they were. They were so sweet and rich that he could not power through and finish them off. Good thing for him I was there to pick up the slack! To see the Sunday brunch menu, click here. The menu describes the pancakes. We love the atmosphere at the Cafe Modern and have never had to wait for a table, even on a Sunday after church. Also, it is GREAT for summer because the restaurant is always cold (so bring a sweater)!!
We have taken the Sankses's'ss (I have no idea how to write the plural of Sanks) to eat there before, but I believe it was an off experience and it did not impress. I hope they will give it another try because it is well worth it!
On a side note, the Cafe Modern has THE BEST strawberry-white chocolate scones on the face of the earth! I asked if the chef gives out her recipe, and sadly she does not. But, I do not blame her, I would not either! The bad news is the scones are not for sale either...they are only available in your bread basket (and they only bring one!).
So, there ya go. Go enjoy the Cafe Modern!!!

The Business of Being Born

Today I (Ashley) watched a documentary called The Business of Being Born. Since watching it, I am unable to think of anything else...it was truly thought-provoking in my opinion. I'd like for some of my friends (mainly the females) to watch it so I can discuss it with someone. Austin is scheduled to watch it sometime this week, but I am assuming his view might be limited since he is unable to give birth. We picked the dvd up (free!!) from the library, but I am assuming you can get it at Blockbuster or through Netflix. Be warned, there is real footage of women giving birth, but the footage isn't gratuitous though...also, there is female nudity, but not in a sexy way. Now, run out and get your hands on a copy!
Oh, yeah, Ricki Lake was involved in this project...At first I thought this was going to be all about her, but it totally is not. Personally, I think this was done very well!

Nap Time

Again, a pictureless post.....
It is currently 2:45pm at the J household, which is gloriously known as "nap"time to S (3.5yrs) and "rest"time to G (5.5yrs). No matter what you call it, Miss A calls it her favorite time of the day! G could totally do without it, but I cannot! This is one of the biggest perks of my job...a 2 hour block of silence, or mindless t.v., whichever I am in the mood for. Today, there are painters in the house so I banished myself to the guestroom with the computer. I am across the hall from G and can hear him playing out some sort of good-guy action hero scenario. He is such an imaginative fella. I can also hear the not-so-quiet painters as they drop buckets on the hardwood floors and it echoes up the open stairway and into S's room. They are also yelling to each other in Spanish. Good thing S is a hard sleeper, but for everyone's sake, I hope they do not wake her up. Oh, no....I hear them stomping up the loud creaky stairs!!! I swear, I become an angry mama bear when it comes to nap time and someone waking up the kids.
Not much is going on in the life of the Perry's. Austin is still enjoying his new job at UTA. We are crossing our fingers that he will be selected to go to a Regional meeting in Mexico in the fall. And along with crossed fingers, we are hoping that I will be able to tag along with him! More to come on that if he/we get to go! I (ashley) am getting excited the closer we get to July, August, and September. In July, my friends from Zambia, Tommy and Stephanie (my roomie in Zambia), will be moving to Ft. Worth...along with their cutie-pie daughter, Claire. I am excited that so many of my good friends will be in such a close proximity. I would like to go ahead and extend a SingStar challenge to the Knighten's!
In August, Michael and Meg will be moving back to this side of the metroplex with baby Naomi in tow! Now, if we can only get the house next door to come up for rent soon and have all the renovations completed!

**Interruption** I am trying to keep from losing my religion with the punk teenage kid from across the street who came and rang the super-loud doorbell TWICE within the span of 15 SECONDS!!!!! He needed me to move my car so their U-haul can stick out into the road about 10 feet. Needless to say, I think he sensed my displeasure with him after he caught my evil eye and finger sushing when coming to answer the door. I did not know if I wanted to rip his head off or punch him in the face!!! Okay, I think the blood pressure is starting to come back down.****

Finally, in September, the first Perry Grandchild will be born!!! Nate and Stacy will be welcoming baby Emma into the world. Good thing I have been practicing my Auntee skills with Sawyer and Jax! I LOVE buying pink stuff!
Only about 30 more mins left in naptime. So, I guess I am off to surf more blogs. Happy reading to all!!

What's the deal?

So for the past several months (four or five!) I have had trouble staying under my 900 verizon wireless minutes. WOW! How in the world is that possible?? NINE HUNDRED minutes is a lot of talk time! I attribute it to not having a land line, although we have never had a land line and the problem did not exist before. In fact, many tmes in the past I had minutes to spare....but greedy verizon does not do roll-over minutes, which I think is such a scam! Hopefully the situation will change in the fall when Austin and I can finally be on the same network. Now the only choice is AT&T or Verizon.....AT&T does have roll-over minutes!

Here Kitty, Kitty

For those who do not know, we have a cat. She showed up at our seminary house last spring and never left (thanks in part to saucers of milk left by Ashley on the back steps). We were not allowed pets, so we never could officially call her "our" cat...even though she slept inside most nights and we saw her through her first litter of kittens at that house. Many people in the neighborhood left food for her and even let her in as well. Austin named her "Meri," after the street we lived on, Merida. When the time came for us to move, I could not bear the thought of leaving her behind...so she came with us...although, the harlot was great with child. After a drama-filled Easter night and a 4am visit to the emergency vet, she delivered litter #2. We have finally found homes for all the kittens and decided to prevent any future offspring. Well, today Meri had her appointment with destiny. I (Ashley) picked her up this afternoon and brought her back to the house. When I let her out of the carrier, she very gingerly crept out. She looked almost as if they removed her stomach, because she appeared sooo skinny. Her back legs seemed a bit wobbly and at first I thought maybe they were numb from the surgery, but then I saw her belly and realized that she got a serious tummy tuck and was probably in pain! Poor kitty! I cannot recall being around a female cat that was recently spayed before. I feel so bad for her, because she is so pitiful!