{smooch}

morning glory

2012-01-20T07:57:00.001-07:00

in trying to wake my son this morning, he confides in me “do you know what I like to do?” one eye opened, the other squinty. “I like to take my first look at the world and then go back to sleep.”

NYE moment

2012-01-17T18:30:00.001-07:00

keaton SLAMS the piñata in two pieces with one swing! I think the neighbors down the street may have heard the WHACK…atta boy!

at the family kickball game

2011-12-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

we aren’t the first picked for the teams, but we look good in gray.

seriously, the typewriter was a cool gift.

2011-12-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Christmas Favorites

2011-12-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

the anticipation

the $2 fishing pole keaton bought at our neighbor, chuck’s, garage sale. It was the first thing he picked for his dad to open.

the hugs

the {unexpected} light aqua vintage typewriter

the homemade aprons from mom.

going to church together to worship and remember what this day is all about.

the 24th

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve never seems to have enough hours.

There is so much to cram into one day.

I always start off the day by going to the bread store to get my bread bowls for soup that night. I brought two helpers along with me so they could smell the heavenly bread store smells on this Christmas Eve’s morn.

Then the traditionalists that we are, we went for mexican food for lunch.

This was, of course, just a precursor to the next holiday-ish activity:

SHOOTING!

Who doesn’t go shooting on Christmas eve????

On the way home, Weston insisted we must make homemade cookies for Santa.

We just have to.

So we did.

(I was hoping to let this one slide by and make do with an already made goody for the jolly guy…but the boy was so emphatic)

We round out the evening with creamy chicken noodle soup in bread bowls, reading Luke 2, opening new jammies and watching the old B&W version of A Christmas Carol.

It is one of my favorite days of the year because it is so full…of us.

the boys build a house

2011-12-24T08:14:00.001-07:00

a gingerbread house, that is.

at first glance, it seems a fine little house, obviously adorned with only the candies and cheap fondant that came in the kit.

and a little powdered sugar.

but…

at second glance

you see what I like to call

ingenuity.

yes, indeed

ingenuity and powered sugar take everyday and turn it to exceptional.

(the budding geniuses)

three favorite hawaiian memories

2011-12-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

[our sunday drive & figuring out the self timer on the camera]

[taking the restaurant advice from the valet. JIMBO’S…looks so scary…tastes so good]

and lastly…

[the lonesome swing out in the middle of nowhere, just begging for a swinger]

thanksgiving

2011-11-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for ninja toys

2011-11-09T08:46:00.001-07:00

and the boy who hangs it from my thankful frame:

I adore him in his hat

2011-11-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

gone fishin’

2011-10-31T17:06:00.001-07:00

On Saturday Brian took the boys fishing, with their very own poles and tackle box. I decided that there is something surely sublime about a Daddy teaching his boys to bait a hook and cast a line.

Keaton caught the first fish of the day and he was elated. He said to me, “ I have always dreamed of going fishing.”

They each ended up catching 8 fish. Weston let me know that “fishing is hard work” and that catching a fish makes him very thirsty. Good thing we brought along gatorade.

I am glad they brought me along, too. I loved being the cheerleader and the picture taker.

Although, Weston decided I was there for a different reason, as I held out the salmon eggs to him, “Mom, you’re like the egg girl.”

I love my boys!

my halloween darlings + 1

2011-10-29T22:19:00.002-07:00

kea and wen are still satisfied with cheapo whatever costumes as long as they get candy.

(i think this is W's third ninja costume)

shelby is in that phase where she is not really sure about dressing up.

kate and bentley, obviously, are happy to be a little wacky as long as they are together.

(miss K spoke in a british accent ALL NIGHT LONG)

fifteen

2011-10-24T19:58:00.001-07:00

what makes her happy? good food, family, friends, art and books

what makes her sad? bad grades and death

what makes her laugh? witty jokes

favorite dessert? frozen yogurt

favorite place to go? the beach

favorite smell? orange blossoms

worth a splurge? shoes

favorite dinner? zuppa toscana

what she wants to be when she is grown up? a pianist

favorite item of clothing? her new black blazer

what she does when there is nothing to do? read and watch reruns of The Amanda Show

where would she go in the world? England because they have cute accents

what she doesn’t want to be without? music and family

happy birthday baby girl.

ha-lay-loo-ya

2011-10-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

before:

after:

the boy turns 10

2011-10-19T23:59:00.001-07:00

goodbye single digits for my first born son.

we celebrated his 10th one day early.

on keaton’s real birthday, bri, kate and I were dressed up like pioneers and pulling handcarts through the wilderness (see photo below).

so we spoiled him just a little bit—acoustic guitar and a whole box of costco candy bars all to himself.

then fondue for dinner.

he loved putting his hand through the steam. he explained that it made him feel mysterious.

i loved being with him and his mysterious hand.

just crazy about him and all his ten years.

Question from a 21st century boy

2011-10-08T11:19:00.001-07:00

“Mom, what is this?”

(I love my curious keaton)

folded & flung at me during conference

2011-10-02T11:09:00.001-07:00

blueberry sauce

2011-10-02T11:01:00.001-07:00

2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
juice of one lemon

combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick.

thought I’d try a new twist on our aebleskivers this semi-annual conference morn.

they were delectable, good enough to get out of bed for.

{last night, before bed, Weston, repeatedly and emphatically instructed us not to wake him up in the morning.

“Do not wake me up in the morning.”

“No one wake me up in the morning!”

Shelby reminded him,”Then you will miss aebleskivers.’

Weston quickly changed his mind.”Okay, wake me up.”}

cha-cha-cha-changes

2011-09-28T08:16:00.001-07:00

This morning I looked at my trash can and thought, “You have been replaced, upgraded. But you have been good. You have served me well for many years.”

Although these babies are fully functioning, my old trash can hasn’t found a new home yet.

Guess I am just used to seeing that old silver guy sitting around. He was a Christmas gift back in ‘04. I think 7 years is a pretty good run, considering almost everything in this photo is no longer with us.

Even the paint and carpet have been changed.

So have these 2004 faces:

And, sadly, my face isn’t so fresh anymore either:

But change can be good when it brings a new kitchen!

It still has some finishing bits, but I love it.

Hope I still do in 2018, because it’s not going anywhere for a long time.

the boxes are being opened

2011-09-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

and a new kitchen is inside. i kept telling myself that since the layout was staying basically the same, that it wouldn’t seem like a big change. but as the cabinets go up, one by one, i am starting to let myself get a little excited.

yay!

signed, sealed, delivered

2011-09-14T09:41:00.001-07:00

the undoing and the undone

2011-09-13T09:45:00.001-07:00

we tore out our kitchen this weekend.

it was interesting to see it come out, piece by piece. a few things were unearthed that i hadn’t seen for a while. we came across some blue & pink plastic, sectioned trays that i used to serve the kiddos lunches on (think school cafeteria tray). i miss those little sectioned lunches.

the last thing to go was the sink…that is what I miss most in the empty kitchen.

the new cabinets should arrive this week. I am crossing my fingers and toes and hope everything works without a glitch.

golden girl

2011-08-30T08:56:00.001-07:00

I think I have crossed the line.

somehow, someway I have turned old.

this is how I know…

I filled my jar with butter mints!

on purpose!

…and I am happy and excited that they are in there!

free at last

2011-08-29T10:45:00.001-07:00

first day 2011, long gone

2011-08-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

kate=high school

shelb=junior high

keaton=4th grade

weston=3rd grade

after we let go of the last little hand, we looked at each other with wet eyes and held each other’s hand on the way back to the car.

and so it goes.

girls camp 2011

2011-07-10T09:50:00.001-07:00

wherever you may roam…

…there is no place like home!

standing O

2011-06-19T17:18:00.001-07:00

saturday morning, my sweetie took me on a date to the post office.

we waited in line to use the automated teller. it wasn’t a long wait.

when it was my turn, i zipped right through the process (not to boast, but I have become quite proficient at it…it is one of my skills) and was almost finished when an elderly couple walked in. they expressed surprise that the regular part of the post office was closed and they were concerned that they wouldn’t know how to use the automated teller. as I waited for my receipt to print I turned to them and told them that it was really easy, that they just need to read the screen and answer the questions.

the gentleman asked, “would you mind staying and showing me how to use it?”

the people in the front of the line graciously offered them to go ahead and i was secretly thrilled to guide this aged couple through the wonderful world of automated telling. (the clicking sounds the buttons make is one of my favorite sounds.)

i was like jack, nimble and quick, and soon two packages were stamped and ready to put in the bin.

as i turned to leave, the 7 people gathered in line behind us clapped for me and offered words of encouragement on a job well done.

this is the stuff that dreams are made of.

clean

2011-06-19T16:45:00.001-07:00

under the weather

2011-06-14T21:32:00.001-07:00

let’s make lots of money

2011-06-14T21:03:00.001-07:00

my boys and their buddies made a few bucks selling snow cones.

thank you sweet neighbors who bought them from a bare-footed, bathing-suited salesman knocking on your door at 3 in the afternoon.

promoted

2011-06-14T20:36:00.001-07:00

goodbye elementary school .

hello high school.

let me put on my slightly larger glasses.

2011-06-03T16:44:00.001-07:00

right.

glad we paid good moolah to get this girl contact lenses so we can buy cheap fake glasses at f21.

the boy had a birthday

2011-05-26T09:20:00.001-07:00

weston’s birthday fell on a sunday this year, so the festivities were a little quieter.

he did get breakfast in bed (per his request).

he did open his presents before church (per his request).

he did open, among other things, a cub scout shirt with all the fixins’.

after all the gifts were open, he took it upon himself to put on his new cub shirt.

all by himself.

he took it off after a while, then he put it on again…

and again….and again…

he is excited to be 8 and to be getting baptized, but I think he is most excited about doing his best, for God and his country, helping other people and obeying the law of the pack.

oh…and having a very loud and crazy 8 year old birthday party….

love my spirited and amazing boy.

i believe i can fly

2011-05-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

keaton has been trying to fly ever since he could walk. i think he saw buzz lightyear do it years ago and has been trying to do something like it ever since.

so when the school high jump competition came around and he was one of the few third graders who qualified he was sky high.

he ended up being the third grade champ and tying with the fourth grade champ.

watching him jump 3 feet 11 inches, chest down, delighted me. made me giggle every time.

(from his journal)

ADORE him!

maybe I need to up my game a little…

2011-05-08T15:22:00.001-07:00

weston made a mother’s day card at school for me.

according to him I have no favorite sport, pet, animal, tv show, game, or favorite thing to do for fun.

I do, however, like sushi and m&m’s and the color grey.

an open book

2011-05-03T11:43:00.001-07:00

back in the saddle again

2011-04-30T16:15:00.001-07:00

Baseball season is in full swing. Literally.

Go Lugnuts and that cute little slugger #10!

root, root , root for the Angels and precious #4!

easter 2011

2011-04-26T08:09:00.001-07:00

a little hunting in the morning starts off the day

{easter chocolate} and german pancakes for breakfast.

I like mine smothered in homemade jam so I don’t really taste the egg part.

easter dressed and ready for church. (somebody doesn’t hide his feelings very well.)

first talk in church for this girl. she was amazing.

ham, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes, strawberries, rolls, jello, deviled eggs …

…and cousins with dinner.

(note to self: new white shirt & weston=not the best combination. by nights end, the white parts were smeared in red jello, red strawberry juice and dirt, of course.)

little loves from gwen baby top off the night just right.

what about that girl?

2011-04-15T12:05:00.001-07:00

I love these ladies…and I am sure the girl in the back is very nice, even though she does not seem very happy that her hubby is taking the picture for us.

another one bites the dust

2011-04-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

the remains of the glasses, the morning after the declaration, “You’re the worst Dad, ever!” and being sent to bed early.

oh the joy of raising a spirited child.

girls and film

2011-04-04T15:34:00.001-07:00

simple

2011-04-01T09:41:00.001-07:00

found this note in weston’s backpack.

it was from his buddy at school.

I guess they were not friends at recess.

now they are.

burgers & bacon

2011-03-27T19:24:00.001-07:00

oh, my Keaton, what do you think about when you have nothing to think about?

roughing it

2011-03-24T21:20:00.001-07:00

spring break + 2 nights+ tent + dirt + campfire + too many ring pops + hobo dinners + singing old choir songs + shooting bb guns + cold nights + sleeping bags + marshmallows + pancakes + cousins + sequence + hot chocolate (lots) + more dirt + hungry transient + starry nights + full moon + monkey bread + frisbee + even more dirt + stick to your ribs groats + more ringpops = an unforgettable camping trip

I don’t like green milk

2011-03-17T08:25:00.002-07:00

i don’t like corned beef and cabbage.

i don’t enjoy pinching people. (except Bri)

i don’t really like leprechauns.

this is as good as it gets around here.

(thank you to someone out there {wish i could remember} for the free printable)

(oh, and mary see for making good chocolate coins)

i am a mother to boys

2011-03-04T15:36:00.001-07:00

{the sight that greeted me as I walked down the stairs this fine morning}

cake

2011-02-23T01:23:00.001-07:00

last year i resolved to learn how to use fondant. I know it wasn’t a particularly important or soul stirring resolution, but one i wanted to achieve, nonetheless.

one year came and went fondant-less.

i made the same resolution last month thinking that maybe this year would be the one.

this year probably would not have been fondant-full either if my talented friend Melissa hadn’t come along.

she offered me a spot in a small cake class she was teaching. I immediately said, “yes and please.”

it just so happened that the class was a few days before shelby’s birthday, so I made a special cake for my girl this year.

shelby’s favorite color (this month) is purple, so a purple cake it became.

check one off the list. yay!

our newest bee in the hive

2011-02-21T22:25:00.001-07:00

{new beginnings february 2011}

what makes her great

2011-02-20T17:44:00.001-07:00

the perfect breakfast to bring her in bed on the morning she turned 12: whole grain toast, fresh strawberries and hot chocolate with whipped cream.

easy.

she wanted to take two of her girlfriends to lunch and chose their favorite place to eat—not necessarily hers.

that is so shelby.

pedicures instead of a big party.

so simple.

for a fun surprise I took the girls to the mac counter for a little makeup. shelby is so excited to wear makeup. she wants a huge collection of makeup so she can help other people by doing their makeup for them.

sweetest heart.

she wanted a dinner at home with the family instead of going out to eat. (she didn’t say so, but I got the inkling that she thought it would be asking too much for both lunch and dinner out.)

so thoughtful.

she chose this pasta dish because she knew her two friends sharing dinner with us would love it.

that is just how she is.

I am so blessed to have her peaceful, beautiful life intertwined with mine.

she is an angel.

sweets

2011-02-16T23:49:00.001-07:00

my valentine went to three different see’s candy stores on monday to find me some milk bordeauxs.

sold out.

he filled a box with milk butterchews (big caramel square—no nuts). I think he felt bad that it was second best.

no need to feel that way. he didn’t know I happened to pick up a box of bordeauxs the week before.

furthermore, i can’t choose which one i like better. it can change day to day, sometimes moment to moment.

today it was the caramel.

one vans shoe box, brown paper, red sharpie

2011-02-15T09:20:00.002-07:00

about twenty minutes before we needed to leave for school, weston remembered he needed a box for his valentine’s party at school.

“are you sure you need one?” I asked.

“yep. I just forgot to tell you.”

“you are positive you needed to make a box at home. you did not make one at school?”

“yes, I am sure.”

“let’s make a box then.”

(the broken heart and the valentine)

I doubt there was a better box!!!!!

love, us

2011-02-14T09:22:00.001-07:00

shades

2011-01-30T15:46:00.001-07:00

(s)mothering

2011-01-29T00:07:00.003-07:00

spelling has not come too easy for my little son.

he has struggled in that school arena.

last night we went over his spelling words and he spelled them right. I cheered and told him I believed in him. he said he believed in himself, too.

I wanted to go over them again in the morning to cement in his brain that he could do it, but of course were rushed getting out the door and I forgot to drill him.

in fact I didn’t remember about the spelling test until he was getting out of the car.

so what did I do?

what does a mother do for her baby? a smothering mother?

I follow along side in my car as he walks to the crosswalk in front of the school. I roll down the car window and yell out to him:

“Weston—remember your ending sounds are oo and ue” (if only I had yesterday’s smeared mascara to make this picture complete)

and what does the smothered child do?

he covers his ears and keeps on walking.

been an awful good girl

2011-01-25T13:45:00.001-07:00

the song of choice while I showered and got ready this morning: santa baby by eartha kitt

I put it on repeat.

I listened to it at least 12 times.

And I sang along every time.

january 20th

2011-01-21T09:19:00.001-07:00

I hosted book club last night.

I chose this book.

I quite enjoyed it. I love the characters, the storytelling as well as the themes of surviving and forgiveness.

I also loved that the characters referred to dessert as “hereafter”.

I served warm crepes for our hereafter. Filled with nutella, strawberries, bananas, topped with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar—the crepes never had it so good.

It was a good night.

boston cream cupcakes

2011-01-17T08:47:00.002-07:00

For stephen and rachel’s new year party this year I brought these cupcakes. they were kind of yummy.

*I made white cupcakes from a box mix. Once they were cooled I split them in half, horizontally so I had a top and bottom.

*The filling is a large box of vanilla pudding which I made according to package directions, then I beat in 8 oz. of cream cheese (I whipped the cream cheese first by itself, then mixed it in with the pudding).

*For the chocolate on top I (think) I combined about 1 part cream to 3 parts chocolate. I heated the cream in the microwave until very hot, then poured it over the chocolate chips; stir until smooth.

To assemble I just put a spoonful of cream on the bottom 1/2 of the cupcake then replaced the top. After they were all filled I spread the ganache on the top. (I didn’t make the ganache until I was ready to use it). To finish I dusted them with powdered sugar.

Christmas Eve Soup

2011-01-17T08:33:00.001-07:00

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 onion, minced
1 t. garlic
1 cup sliced carrots (heaping)
1 C. sliced celery (heaping)
1/2 C. flour
12 C. chicken broth
2-3 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie)
1 bag egg noodles

Sauté onion, garlic, carrots in celery in olive oil, for 2-3 minutes. Add flour; cook a few minutes more. Add chicken broth, stirring. Slowly bring up to a boil while stirring and cook until veggies are almost done. Add chicken and egg noodles and cook 3-4 minutes more or until noodles are soft.

Ahoy!

2011-01-06T20:54:00.001-07:00

I’ve said it before, I love finding these treasures in my house while the kiddos are at school.

it’s like they are leaving 3-d notes that say,”Don’t forget about me while I am away.”

and I think, “never ever.”

my son

2011-01-06T13:28:00.001-07:00

bewildered, amazed, dazzled, thrilled, enchanted, bewitched, enthralled and enlightened by the firework display on New Year’s Eve.

favorites

2011-01-04T22:57:00.001-07:00

eleventh hour

2010-12-21T21:47:00.002-07:00

got Christmas card pictures taken yesterday.
yesterday.
The 20th of December.
Pictures taken.
yesterday.

of course I love this one.

who is going to print me a 4x8, specialty size card by tomorrow at noon…?

not costco.

so I will send out another.

behind the lens

2010-12-07T20:22:00.001-07:00

most of my favorite pictures of my kids have been taken by my brother, Danny.

For more info go here.

where are the rainbows and butterflies?

2010-11-30T17:24:00.001-07:00

(original drawing by Keaton, age 9)

today I am thankful for family

2010-11-25T22:36:00.001-07:00

and family pictures. really old ones and not so old ones.

going through old photos again

2010-11-15T09:54:00.001-07:00

best pool on the planet!

after my own heart

2010-11-02T14:35:00.002-07:00

I may be in trouble for posting these pictures (sorry shelb!) but—c’mon-- laminated cards and an alternate outfit—how can I resist?

happy halloween

2010-10-31T23:11:00.001-07:00

question & answer

2010-10-31T23:04:00.001-07:00

children of halloween’s past

2010-10-31T00:26:00.001-07:00

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

the day

2010-10-29T12:33:00.001-07:00

the event {shopping}

the food {olive & ivy}

the gift {squeals of excitement that only 14 year old girls can do}

the cake(s) {red velvet for the birthday girl}

just love this girl for all she is and all she is becoming.

All too fast

2010-10-27T21:12:00.001-07:00

It seems as though it has been just a few years since I held my first son in my arms—certainly not nine years!

Yet, hasn’t he been with me forever? I hardly remember our family without him.

I just love this picture of him getting a drink {all by himself} when he was thirsty--

he is the yummiest boy in this one--

or maybe this one--

just love him--

{for nine years and always}

hot chocolate anytime…just one of the perks.

2010-10-21T16:20:00.001-07:00

grammaline treated the family to a mexican riviera cruise over fall break.

out on the deck we watched as we sailed out of san pedro. i missed the love boat confetti.

we loved the hot chocolate--

formal dinners--

pretty girls--

weston’s {serious} face

cabo san lucas was perfect--

weston hard core ice skater--

we went on a pirate ship excursion in puerta vallarta. crazy lucas was our personal pirate--

my favorite part was dinner each night, when we were all together, gathered around the table.

as we disembarked at the end of the cruise, Weston held on to my hand and said with full emotion, “I’m gonna miss that old cruise ship!”

we had a great time.

tell it like it is

2010-10-20T09:11:00.001-07:00

love this

2010-10-19T10:53:00.001-07:00

a journey

2010-09-27T15:05:00.001-07:00

Our prophet spoke to the women of the church on Saturday night and my soul was stirred. He spoke of charity and I knew I could be better.

Two quotes that I focused on were these:

“I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions; the kind of charity that forgives; the kind of charity that is patient.”

“Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down; it is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings.”

I resolved to be different.

Then Sunday came.

More specifically Sunday afternoon came.

Two brothers + two sisters= fighting, tormenting, teasing, tears, one long red scratch behind an ear, a scraped up thigh.

And then I lost it. Twice.

So quickly forgotten were thoughts of being patient and forgiving.

So glad I have another day to keep on trying.

distracted

2010-09-23T08:19:00.001-07:00

trying to find a formal dress for our cruise. not a lot of luck.

I keep getting sidetracked because I want to buy a tutu for my formal look, but I think that would embarrass half of my family.

maybe I will buy it anyway and put it on while I am vacuuming.

three unrelated things

2010-09-16T22:39:00.002-07:00

*Last night, after being sent to bed several times, Weston came in to our room, then sidled up to me on my side of the bed.

“Mom,” he said, "I just can’t stop thinking about you. No matter what I do, I just keep thinking about you.”

Translation: I want to fall asleep in your bed, cuddled in between you and Dad.

It was a nice try but it didn’t work.

*Today our painter is starting on the inside of our house. Our walls have been z-zip(grey-green) for 9 years and 4 months. They will soon be “oatmeal.”

*My back has a weird kink in it and I don’t like it.

fine art

2010-09-12T15:13:00.001-07:00

I’m leavin’ on a jet plane

2010-09-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Actually, I already left and I’m back again.

My good friend Tina and I headed up to Utah for Swiss days in Midway.

We spent our first day looking at some lovely things in cute shops.

I adore this tablecloth. I need it in my life someday.

Then there is this laundry bag. Oh my heart!

The second day we went up to Midway for Swiss Days.

Our first priority was this…

We moseyed around Swiss Days with all the moms and grandparents from all over Utah.

My cute friend Katie had a booth there and sold her darling headbands.

On the final day of our little trip we met up with Murline (mother in law) and Marilyn (friend) for lunch in Salt Lake City.

We ate lunch at a perfect lady lunch place and we shared desserts.

It was a sweet end to a fun little trip.

(But the sweetest was finding Brian’s to-do-right-before-Mom-comes-home list.)

pies and old pictures

2010-08-30T10:06:00.001-07:00

I made two pies this weekend. On Friday night we ate fresh raspberry pie while we watched a movie together. On Sunday I made a fresh strawberry pie and I served up a slice for everyone with their dinner. They were both good, but I think the strawberry is better.

So this morning as I was tidying, after the mad school rush, I got to thinking about pie. Thinking about pie made me think of pictures of me and my three-year-old Katie Jane making banana cream pie together. (Funny how minds work like that.)

She is just a little sweetie, isn’t she? Look at that cute little tongue sticking out in the last picture! What a doll.

"mama, how do you get germs?"

2010-08-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

we've been back to school for one week and we already have one down for the count.

candid

2010-08-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

this girl came home from church yesterday and put on an apron.

"Just in case I feel like baking those strawberry lemonade bars. And besides I really like this apron."

(recipe found here)

sixth, second & third

2010-08-11T21:58:00.001-07:00

this boy had a rough time saying goodbye and felt so nervous he might "explode!" but he made it through the day, all in one piece.

and so did i.

eighth grade

2010-08-11T21:03:00.001-07:00

after 16 years he still makes me laugh

2010-08-10T23:38:00.001-07:00

we celebrated another anniversary last week. and like every anniversary, i can't help but think about his proposal.

brian came up to my apartment, with a ring box tucked in his sock. he didn't know where to stick it...he thought his pocket was too obvious, so in the sock it went.

he hadn't planned much after that. when? where? how? i guess he figured he would propose when the time seemed right.

i went into my room to try on a new shirt i bought that day and brian waited out in the bathroom area of my apartment while i changed. in hindsight, he may not have situated himself in the bathroom, seeing as that was the spot where a piece of our history was made.

but that is where he was, in the bathroom, leaning up against the vanity, when he realized the ring box was digging in to his leg and he had to pull it out of his sock.

so the ring came out of hiding and i, of course, said "yes."

i even cried, just a little and then i laughed.

(we can't tuck in our grins!)

summer photos (edited by kate)

2010-08-10T23:09:00.001-07:00

(i LOVE alison's face in the background!)

what a great summer.

just because

2010-07-06T13:12:00.001-07:00

i miss this little face

Favorites from the 4th

2010-07-05T08:48:00.001-07:00

Tina's Cucumber Salad

3-4 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 C. mayo
1/4 C. sugar
4 T. vinegar
1/4-1/2 t. dill (to taste)
1/4-1/2 salt (to taste)

Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl. Mix up remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers. Refrigerate until ready to serve,

It was simple and delish!

Leg Wrestling

( or whatever it is called)

( i don't really care what it is called because I stink at it.)

(but whatever it is called, it was highly entertaining)

Beautiful Cake

(to my chagrin, it looked better than it tasted. darn, maybe next year i'll get it all right.)

Quote

"Oh, beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life! "

orthodontia round #3

2010-07-01T14:33:00.001-07:00

whenever i notice how quickly our money floats away from us, i do one of two things:

1. i think to myself the line from Hello Dolly, "Money is like manure. It ain't worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow."

(in this case, my orthodontist is probably a much bigger tree than we are, so i pull out my second feel-better tactic)

2. find brian, wherever he is, and sing to him in my best twang,"even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with you honey..."

works every time.

andy grows up

2010-06-29T12:17:00.002-07:00

we saw this movie last night:

i cried.

just a little.

i kept thinking about him.

and this little guy.

they are not packing their bags for college or missions yet, but I know about growing up and it comes all too fast.

(Keaton and "Buddy")

who's your daddy?

2010-06-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

(keaton's acrostic poem he made at cub scouts. Go Cubbies!)

(i spy a random peanut in the picture)

(he is a kid at heart)

(our sons and daughters adore him...and so do I)

scalped

2010-06-18T18:19:00.002-07:00

crawling around the pool with your eyes closed can be hazardous to your head (& hair).

hello summer

2010-06-16T23:01:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we are already three weeks in.

I can't believe that it's been three weeks since we've said goodbye to our great teachers and goodbye to 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th grades.

And yet, we've had 2 dentist (six cavities--one mouth!), 6 orthodontist, and 2 eye appointments.

Keaton's little league team finished up their season in the #1 bracket. So fun!

Kate has been to girls camp and back.

The boys have been going to a summer sports camp and loving it.

Brian and I snuck away to a hotel for a night and had a yummy breakfast in the morning. Fresh squeezed OJ to die for.

Kate and Shelby have cleaned out and wiped down and organized my kitchen cabinets, my pantry, and my inside & out refrigerators.

I've washed never-ending loads of towels and bathing suits.

Cups and more cups fill up my dishwasher everyday.

And we are only three weeks in.

Hello summer.

*unrelated p.s.*

This was on the wall in Keaton's classroom and I loved it:

"Discipline is a form of love and you will be loved."

Thousand(s) (of) Dollar(s) Smile

2010-06-07T18:17:00.001-07:00

double-whammy

2010-05-27T10:02:00.001-07:00

(cry)

(sob)

losing it

2010-05-25T15:58:00.001-07:00

Weston's front tooth has been wiggly for weeks now. It is barely hanging on but Weston refuses to pull it out (or let it be pulled) because I told him I would probably cry when it came out.

He says, in response to Brian's requests to yank it out," You don't want to make Mom cry, do you?!"

It makes me secretly happy when I hear that because I love those little teeth and it will be hard to say goodbye to them.

She is 13

2010-05-24T22:38:00.001-07:00

so, naturally, she includes "show off jeans" on her to-do list.

love her!

his birthday wish came true

2010-05-24T12:29:00.001-07:00

( weston found it out in the grassy field behind the baseball diamond where keaton was playing on friday night. it's name is weston. weston the frog did not come home with us.)