My baby is 6!!!

Westin is officially 6 years old!

How crazy is that?????

How old does that make me feel???

*WAY! is the answer to both of the above questions!

random...catching up

this summer we....


had our last day of school: (yes! I am THAT behind)

*** had a lemonade stand:

hung out with the dogs:

Flip Flop Summer Tour

A whole crew of us (10 in all) rented a 12 passenger van and traveled to Des Moines Friday night to see Pat Green, Sugarland and, of course, Kenny Chesney! It was AWESOME. What is it about concerts that makes the music that much more meaningful, inspirational, cool....whatever you want to call...just that much more everything???

If any of you ever get a chance to go to a concert with my brother, I would highly recommend you do just that. You will NEVER see a happier individual in your life, than Josh at a Kenny Chesney concert.

Sea Port Village

*Alayna had a bad cold.

*Westin did not.

finally...vacation pictures

whatup dog????

one last look

one last picture for you all to see the house as it is. We are going to get new siding and new windows. I am so excited! I'm excited to be done with the decision making process and so excited to see how it will look. we are going with a clay color (get it??? we live on Clay st.--isn't that fun) and white trim, I won't know what to do with easy clean windows. Our windows now are original to the house (circa 1923)


I've decided that you know you are old when this stuff is what you look forward to.

ANOTHER winter storm coming at us. with ice and wind and all of that good stuff. I check the weather in Arizona every morning next Wednesday when we get there it is forecasted to be 88 degrees and "abundantly sunny" YA-HOO.

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my Good ness! I can't believe it. I don't know what changed, but I am FINALLY able to post!!!! HURRAY! now I need to think of something good to say.

I'll give you the readers digest version of my last 3 months:

*survived Christmas & New Years

*Mike quit his job Jan. 5

*Mike left to go to California to become an actor Jan 11(to try it for 6 months at least)

*Mike came home Feb. 2nd (maybe he does like us!)

*Hale tore a ligament in hig leg on Jan 17th required surgery and a fare amount of $$$$) but he is completely recovered!

*went to IKEA...that is all that needs to be said about that!

Look at that tree!!!!!

I'm on a roll so we'll keep on a posting!

I just wanted everyone to be able to appreciates the sheer GINORMOUSNESS of our Christmas tree.

not as cool in the light but you can get a better feel for the size...BIG! I had to lopp off some of the top so the angel wouldn't break her neck.

Hale damage

He looks so innocent doesn't he? A little decieving I must say. I am not kidding when I say he walks around with a 5lb. dumbell in his mouth as a chew toy. We take it away from him and no matter what we do with it he ALWAYS finds it!

Anyway...14 wks old 27lbs. (18lbs at 11wks) Mike and I thought we were being so smart. We put up a zip line in the back yard running from the back door frame to the clothes line so that Hale can play a little while he is outside (without us freezing) We can't train him on the underground fence until he is at least 6 mos. old...so in the meantime the zip line was up. He liked it for about 2 wks, then yesterday Alayna comes upstairs and says"uhh, you guys might want to come outside and see what Hale did." So I went and this is what I found...

He pulled the door frame off. So on to plan B.......

Luckily that cute thing really works for him!

and for dessert

I couldn't leave you without dessert. This recipe is wonderful! and very easy...(you can do it Becky!--I have faith!!!) For those of you wondering YES I did take a picture of my bread pudding. I'm a dork like that.

BREAD PUDDING
3 cups bread cubes
4 cups scalded milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Butter an 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Soak bread in hot milk for five minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, salt, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into the baking dish.
Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place baking dish on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

While pudding cools, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and stir 3 minutes more. Spoon over warm bread pudding.

Taco Soup

My cousin Becky had a blog that is WAY better than my and being the overachiever she is she keeps coming up with these fun little blog-game type things. I am supposed to post a good soup recipe and her blog links here so her people can see it....I'm telling you she is in the advanced blogging club, ALPHA, National Honor Society or whatever your high school called the smart people...she is in that club! Anyway, Here is my Souper (ha-get it?) good recipe!

(Hint: I made it by the recipe to the letter the first time, now I change it up a little every time..sometimes spicy, sometimes not)

SLOW COOKER TACO SOUP

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
DIRECTIONS
In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain, and set aside.
Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours.

and for those of you on weight watchers like me:

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 363
Total Fat: 16.3g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 1395mg
Total Carbs: 38.2g
Dietary Fiber: 8.7g
Protein: 18.1g

pumpkin farm

so, yes I know we are now well into the Christmas season, but I am a "slacker-blogger" so bettr late than never! The girls and I went out to Heritage Farms for their "Kirby Kangaroo" pumpkin party thing. Let me say it was SO cold! The girls loved it but there was cocoa to be had once we got home!

monkey's

I found these two little monkey's in our neighbors lilac tree. Bob, the neighbor just recently told them that they are more than welcome to climb the tree whenever they want to, as long as it is ok with Mike and I. Well, little did Bob know...he was my excuse to keep both of their feet firmly on the ground. I just told them that it wasn't our tree and Bob probably didn't want people climbing in his tree.

There goes that excuse.

Here is the funny thig: I very clearly remember climbing up into some VERY high trees with Josh when we were little. I don't know how my mom didn't have a heart attack. I'm no good at all at that whole "let life happen,,,they'll learn" thing.
I shall work on that!

Heeeere's Hale!

We have added another to our brood...

His name is Hale. He is a 6wk old Rottweiler. (and the cutest thing I have seen in a long time)

He seems to be adjusting well, but we have had him for all of 6 hours. I expect alot of whining tonight.

And this is what I found on Saturday when I walked into the living room...

They were watching cartons, and that dog (zoeie) is just silly enough that she stayed there for a good hour. It was pretty funny. Westin was quite proud.

*and to all of those who were praying for/worrying about Mike, his surgery went well, they had some problems with his bloodpressure in the recovery room, it got up to 156/122. which is very high for him. Dr. Davis also found some adhesions around the gallbladder that he also removed, which he wasn't expecting. but no big deal, maybe a little more pain. Other than that it went well. The liver looked Ok and Dr. Davis did not feel the need to perform a biopsy.

They will recheck his liver enzymes in about 6 weeks, and hopefully the gallbladder took care of the problem. We'll see. If not, I'm not sure what the next step would be. I'll keep you posted! Thank you for thinking of us.

For those who don't know him...

I don't know how many of you guys who read this have ever met Mike... so if you haven't here he is...

Pretty foxy guy huh???? ;-) Lucky Me.

We have had a long few days around here. Westin tested positive for Strep on Saturday and as of yesterday(Tuesday) she was still running a fever of 103.3. I took her back to the Dr. who gave a shot of antibiotics (in her thigh!!!--Ouch!) and ordered lab work. Westin, however did not agree with any of these decisions. Her exact words were "Mommy, that Dr. just wants to hurt me!" Dr. Pamulapati told her she was breaking her heart. It was all very dramatic and sad.Poor little thing. The shot worked. Her fever broke and she went to school today. Just in time. She has a birthday party tomorrow at Chuck E. Cheese for a friend from school.

Alayna's big news is that her class gets to participate in an "Museum school" thing where they go to the Grout museum all next week and have school like they did in the old days. She is so excited. Instead of a spelling test they will have a spelling bee, etc. They even get to dress the part. Mike, being the AWESOME dad that he is, is going to help on Tuesday. I'm sad for me yet proud of him to say that He has been on more field trips than me.

Baking with Wes.

So... anyone who knows me knows I don't like messes. Those people will appreciate this posting.

I know that baking with children is beneficial to them and a good learning experience and blah, blah, blah....you can call me a bad parent but I will say out loud what all of us mom's think....."Is the mess really worth it?"

Judging by these pictures the mess was worth it on this day.

But don't get any ideas about the future, it's a day to day thing.

Here it is...

YEAH! The new school is open!!!

Well, here it is Westin's first day of kindergarten. Last night they opened the school up so that everyone could go and tour and find their rooms. This helped the girls and especially me sleep better.

Westin had a blast and happily said she would go back tomorrow!

Needless to say Alayna was very excited to finally have Westin at her school! After seeing the school last night she kept telling Wes that school was going to be so fun. Westin finally said "I know, I know, You've said that like 20 times!" It was kind of funny. Both girls wanted us to just drop them off so that Alayna could walk Westin to her class. It was sweet, but a no-go. I wasn't letting go any sooner than I had to and somehow those 2 minutes seemed rather pivotal.

Goodbye Grandma Char.

Today was a very sad day for all of us. Mike's mother passed away this morning at 2:38am. The cancer was just too much. She fought a brave battle and lived to the fullest to the very end. We are very sad for ourselves but very happy for her, as she is no longer in pain.

Alayna & Westin are taking things in stride. Westin asks questions with the brutal honesty of a 5 yr. old and Alayna is just kind of taking it all in. It's hard for them, but they also know it is good for her. Westin is sure that Grandma Char is up in heaven playing with peanut (deceased hamster) and then taking Gunerr(Josh's Rottweiler in heaven) for a walk.

Mike is doing as well as a son can when losing his mother. He is being wonderful with the girls and making sure they know that whatever they need, no matter what, he is here for them. The next few days are going to be very hard on us all, but we will get through. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. They are much appreciated.

For those who would like to know...

• VISITATION---Monday August 21 from 4-8pm at The Dahl-VanHove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls.
• SERVICE---Tuesday August 22 10:30am at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls.
  

"When I die, she said, I'm coming back as a tree with deep roots & I'll wave
my leaves at the children every morning on their way to school & whisper
tree songs at night in their dreams.

Trees with deep roots know about the
things that children need". ~Brian Andeas "Deep Roots"

4 Things you may not know about me...

My cousin tagged me, so here we go.......

4 Jobs I have had in my Life.....
Chuck E. Cheese (Yes I was really Chuck)
Nurse Aide
Medical receptionist
Pharmacy Technician

4 Movies I would watch over and over......
Bad Boys 2 (I love Will Smith)
Hope Floats
When A Man Loves A Woman
Nothing to Lose

4 Places I have lived.....
Vinton
Marshalltown
Cedar Falls
Mustang, Oklahoma

4 TV Shows I love to watch........
Friends
Mad about You (I love it!!!)
Nip/Tuck (I know I'm not proud of it)
Miami Ink

4 Places I have been on Vacation......
Colorado
California (A LONG time ago)
Don't really travel much. I have great vacation ideas though

4 Websites I visit Daily.....
Blogs
Allrecipes.com
Storypeople.com
My yahoo page

4 of my favorite foods.........
Tacos
Meatloaf (I really do like it!)
Spaghetti
BBQ Ribs

4 places I would like to be right now.......
A bed & breakfast in Vermont
A dude ranch with my kids (I just think it would be fun)
anyplace with my family
COLORADO!

OK, I tag Holle and Josh....go!