Take A Hike

Blake went on a hike a couple of weeks ago. I have looked at the pictures a couple of times. Herein lies the dilemma. How do you talk about a hike that you did not go on? Solution: make up subtitles for each picture. I am fairly sure that my running commentary for these pictures are spot on and are a direct representation of what actually took place on this hike. Your welcome.

"Here I am on a mountain." "Looking off in the distance makes me look smart. Think deep thoughts. Cumulonimbus clouds belong to the Clouds with Vertical Growth group..."This is Bryan. This is David.This is David trying to smash Bryan's head in with a rock. The altitude evidently went to his head.Blake I am fairly sure that the two guys behind you would be willing to take your picture. Where most people walk with two legs Bryan likes to one up them and use four."I am up high, take my picture." "Does pointing make me look like a Greek God?""Blake, this is how you are suppose to pose on a mountain."

"Or you can up the ante by doing this. Try it Bryan.""Uh...no thanks.""OK. How about this?"Cough, cough. "I think I pulled something.""Come here, Bestie."Prom style.Guys can totally take pictures together. It is totally normal. "Quick, someone is coming. Act natural."Just a guy's guy standing on a mountain. Nothing funny going on here."Look over there."Totally normal.Nothing out of the ordinary.Completely Kosher.I'm a little worried."Lets go guys. I'm so hungry I am starting to eat this plant."

You Take What You Can Get

Canon? When you are all done eating you need to clear your plate, please. Bud? You left some noodles behind. Then, it is apparent that he has done more than left a couple of noodles behind. He has gone all sorts of Hansel and Gretal on us. There are some on the floor in the dining room and into the kitchen. Did you clear your plate and take it into the kitchen?

"Yep. I did."

Eating

MilkyWay Cake

Made this for a get together with friends and it was a big hit. It tastes more like brownies and less like cake though.

Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro and Jalapeno Slaw

Delicious, and makes your house smell really good while cooking it.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

We got 3 butternut squash in our Bountiful basket one week and figured that this would be a good way to use one of them. It was a big hit. Gavin said it was the best ever. I am making it again this week. Lucky Gavin.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

Tastes like banana bread until you put the frosting on and then it tastes like banana flavored carrot cake. (Cuz that makes a ton of sense.)

Number Two

While checking my email the other day I got an update from a website called My Habit. It is a baby of Amazon and sells designer clothes for cheap. As I was looking through the designers that they had for sale that day I came across this dress. I immediately emailed Blake with the subject of "Does this look familiar?" and a link to the dress.Now, mind you, before you go thinking that I am all sorts of crazy town to spend $140 (originally $350) on a jersey dress hear me out. I made it. The dress. Bought myself a pattern that was from that designer at JoAnns for $1.99. I originally bought the pattern thinking it would make a good swim suit cover up. Then once I realized that it had a zipper that idea went out the window. So instead I wore it to church on Sunday. Three cheers for inexpensive, suppose to cost an arm and a leg, dresses.

Spaghetti At Our House

When I don't really feel like making dinner we normally end up eating spaghetti. Not that that is a bad thing, just a lazy thing. Our kids love it though and it may be the only meal that they don't have a complete meltdown about eating.

However there is a method to the spaghetti eating madness at our house.

1. All kids strip down to there undies/diapers. We don't really tell them to, it is just a given. Kind of like having the grody fake Parmesan cheese to put onto of their spaghetti...given. 2. Napkins are passed out, normally by Canon, in abundance. We normally have to put up a napkin embargo around number 5. 3. Games are played using noodles. All of which are strongly discouraged by Mom who is blatantly ignored. 4. We encourage all to eat their fill. Sometimes this elicits a food coma but never fear we allow you to chillax how ever you please. Even if getting comfortable includes undies climbing up your bum. Who are we to say what is or isn't comfortable?

Almost There

Somebody pinch me. I feel like time is just flying by and I can't figure out how it happened. Penny is 11 months and is just as feisty as ever.

I realize that I need to come to grips with the fact that she is growing up but, heaven help me, I just can't see how this is gonna work out. I am thinking of breastfeeding her until she is 10...bad idea?

Penny loves Canon, and the bath. If she hears the shower or bath going and you don't let her into the bathroom she screams and hits her feet on the ground. Which is quite a change from what she used to think of the bath. But, she has always loved Canon.

She still scoots around instead of crawling which I find endearing. Not only is it very effective but she is also wicked fast. She also is a wee bit of a stinker. She barks at you if she is not getting what she wants. She has to have different foods available to eat during every meal because heavens forbid she have to consume only one flavor.

And she would not sit still long enough for me to take the monthly picture with Brown Baby.

So this is the best that I got. Which if we are being honest here is just sad and pathetic.

So my assumption is the next ones will be taken when she is sleeping....bad idea?

It's Just a Bead

The kids found these little red beads out in our front yard and here are just a few of the gems that they said about them. "These are our babies. I am gonna name mine Rose and Gavin is gonna name his Nemo."

"Look how little it is. It is smaller than Penny. This can fit in a lid and Penny can't because my baby is little."

"Mine is gonna turn into a clown fish."

"Isn't it fun we all have babies? I have a baby and Gavin has a baby and Canon has a baby and you have Penny. Dad doesn't have a baby though."

"I think I left my baby in the car. Can you unlock it so I can find it?"

On a side note I did have to tell Canon to keep his "baby" out of his mouth. Fingers crossed this isn't a preview into the future.

The Whole Rig-A-Ma-Roll

Well, that was an unexpected hiatus. What can I say? Such is life I guess.

Our 4th of July was fun. I have to admit that the 4th of July is probably one of my least favorite holidays. I don't really like fireworks. They are loud, which is fine if you are the one lighting them off but is kind of annoying when you are the one trying to sleep, and they make dogs bark which just kind of adds to the noise. Growing up we didn't really light off fireworks. My uncle blew off some of his fingers when he was younger and I am sure that had some influence on my Mom and I am sure that the fact that fireworks are not cheap was the major influence with my Dad. I do love a good barbecue though, and I appreciate any reason to get together with friends. So I suppose it isn't a total bust of a holiday.

When the kids woke up in the morning the first thing they wanted to do was run through the sprinklers. Mind you it was 73 degrees out side and 8:00 in the morning. Have at it kids. They couldn't have been happier.There was running and jumping laughing and playing.Then reality hit. It was cold. Never mind the fact that Laney has a Donald Trump comb over in this picture. When you are cold you just don't care.Canon was sure that his siblings were crazy. But thought he should give them the benefit of the doubt. So he ran down the side walk as close to the sprinklers as you can get with out actually getting wet. Little concave chest screaming as he went.Blake really wanted to buy some fireworks this year. When he was asking me what I thought about that we had a conversation that went a little something like this:

B: I think it would be really fun for the kids to have some fireworks to set off.

H: If you wanna. They are expensive.

B: I think it would be fun.

H: You know how when I buy shoes or a dress that is $60 and you cringe a little on the inside?

B: Yeah.

H: That is how it is with you buying fireworks...only I don't light my dress and shoes on fire.

I would like to think that my scenario had a lasting effect but, the pyro in Blake won out.

So, we had our friends the Wheelers over, ate some burgers, played some games, had some ice cream then went into the front yard and lite some fireworks off before it was even dark.

We let Penny chew on the fireworks so that she could get in on the action. That is the kind of solid parenting skills that we possess. We also let Canon light off a few (with the help of Blake). We like to start our kids on the road to being a pyro as early as we can. Once again...solid parenting. It was the picture of perfection. Laney even went so far as to state "This is the best day ever. Just like Rapunzel."

Little did she know that at midnight Blake would start to throw up, then she started to throw up at 2, then Gavin at around 4 a.m. and then me at 9. Blake joked at midnight after he had thrown up ON the toilet "bet you didn't think you were going to do some extreme bathroom cleaning?" And he would be right.

The flu only lasted for 24 hours and we are all feeling back to normal. I managed to drop 4 lbs. in one day which is a feet in and of itself.

So was it the best day ever? Probably pretty close.