Way Out West

Slow Days

2012-01-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

Griffin, convalescing, with the ever-faithful Smokey

Things have been pretty slow around here these past few days, and things haven't been going exactly as planned. That is usually the case when there is sickness in the air. The latest victim in our family is Griffin - - he seems to be fighting some sort of respiratory flu, complete with fever, chills, hacking cough, and the like. So, he is resting, and I am playing nursemaid. Days like today serve to remind me of how thankful I am to be doing what I do. I am so glad that I don't have to fret about whether or not I have sick time to use so that I can stay home from work, or that I have to send a child back to school before he is truly ready, because I can't miss another day of work. So, while I am sad that Griff is sick, I am glad that I am here with him.

The weather has turned bitter-cold here in Idaho, and the weatherman tells us that we are in for some snow. Finally! I was starting to think that maybe winter had decided to skip us all together. Unfortunately, that snow is going to be followed by a string of days of rain and gloom. At this point I think I will be happy if we get an early spring. If it is going to be cold, I'd at least like some snow to go with it.

I am currently still computer-less, and struggling to maintain this blog. I miss writing, and I've also found that since my computer died, I'm just not taking many pictures. Typically, I take pictures nearly every day, and upload them every couple of days. Steve finally uploaded pictures from my Sony camera the other day, and it still had my pictures from Christmas on it. Not sure when I will solve this problem, but I'm not thinking it will be any time soon. So, I'm hoping to come up with a plan pretty quick here.

In the meantime, I have a sick boy to tend to. Here's hoping his fever will subside and we can be done with this current round of illness!

In With the New

2012-01-04T09:58:00.000-08:00

I love the start of a new year. Even though I thoroughly enjoy the month of December and all of the festivities that go with it, I'm always happy to put the chaotic part of it behind me. We have been experiencing some rather mild weather here in Idaho, and although I'd like to see some snow eventually, I am enjoying these sunny days.

Just the same, I planted some narcissus bulbs a few weeks ago, and am thrilled to have them blooming on my dining room table. It is so nice to see some green. I never like to wish time away, but I would be lying if I said spring could take its time getting here. It can't get here fast enough, as far as I am concerned. I don't enjoy being cooped up in the house at all - - I don't think any of us do. Winter is definitely my most challenging season, in this profession.

Camden headed back to school today, and Griffin has another week before preschool starts back up. We are easing back into our routine, as I continue organizing and purging this house of unnecessary clutter. I have some grand plans in mind for the coming months, but they require a level of organization on my part that I have never quite been able to master.

I didn't set any concrete goals for 2012. I'm not big on resolutions per se, but I do love the idea of "starting fresh" each January. My focus for this new year continues to be my health and physical fitness, because finally, after all these years, I am learning that if that takes a place of priority, everything else falls into place so much more easily.

The Waiting (is the Hardest Part)

2011-12-30T05:57:00.001-08:00

Griffin patiently waits for his best buddy to wake up.

Being five is hard.

Gearing Up for the New Year

2011-12-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! For whatever reason, things came together smoothly this year, so there wasn't any crazy running around at the last minute or any of that. The anticipation just about did the boys in on Christmas Eve...poor ol' Griff appeared to be in physical pain a couple of times -- he just could not stand the waiting! I am happy to report that they both survived though, and had such a fun day. Unfortunately, Camden woke up the day after Christmas sick to his stomach, but luckily it passed quickly and soon he was back to his old self. Just glad the poor thing wasn't sick ON Christmas day...that would have been a major bummer.

Santa did not bring me a new laptop, so I am still blogging via Smartphone, I fear. I really miss my computer! The impending New Year has given me the motivation I needed to do some organizing, which has been great. I have been getting rid of things I don't want or need anymore and I hope to tackle more drawers, closets, etc. in the coming weeks.

It has also dawned one that I will be turning 40 in 37 days. How did that happen?!? I am not exactly sure how I feel about it. I don't remember caring one way or the other, when I turned 30. I think somewhere around 38 I might have raised an eyebrow. I think I am mostly thinking, 'Holy cow, I can't believe I am 40!' It just seems so odd to me. The good news is, I am in better shape than I was at age 30, feel better about myself, and am more content than I have ever been before. This past year in particular has been a year of letting go -- letting go of disappointment, letting go of things and people I can't control...still a lot of work to do in that area, but it is a start. So, I suppose I am looking at the coming year as a challenge (the good kind)...with my health being at the top of the list (physical, mental, and otherwise). Let the games begin!

Making Progress

2011-12-21T05:50:00.000-08:00

As you can see, a bit of progress has been made in the Roy/Smokey area. Don't get too excited though...they still spend the majority of their time wrestling and yowling. This was the first time, however, that Smokey attempted laying on the sofa at the same time as Roy. Baby steps, kitties, baby steps.

I have finally started letting Smokey outside this week. The boys are not happy about this at all, especially Griffin. He is afraid she will leave and won't come back. So far she hasn't even attempted to leave the yard. She does love it out there, though, and I am happy to report that she zeroed in on the pesky Squirrel Brothers in the blue spruce almost immediately. I hope they are shaking in their nasty little squirrel boots.

As for Riley, I don't know if he is experiencing a second wind, or if the old boy is just excited for Christmas. He has always loved a good squeak toy, and has quite a collection of them, but he stopped playing with his toys all together, a few months ago. However, for the past few days, he has been back to digging through his toy box and dragging out random toys throughout the day. It has been good to see him doing that again.

Blogging: Smartphone Edition

2011-12-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

This post comes to you via my Smartphone. I am beginning to realize that my computer problem isn't going to be solved anytime soon, so I figured I had better see if I could blog from this thing. I can't believe I even figured out how to upload photos...it is crazy! Anyway, the above picture is of Camden and one of his classmates, reading instructions to their class on how to make a Christmas Cracker. The third grade classes are doing 'Christmas Around the World' this year, and his class is studying Australia. He has had a lot of fun with it. I have Pavlova baking in the oven as I type, for the feast at his school today. Then, at 3:30 p.m., we can all breath a big sigh of relief and I will probably have to sit and stare off onto space for a couple of hours! After that, the boys and I will get down to the fun stuff...getting our own family traditions in order, and get ready for the Big Day.

*Post edit: It turns out I had a crazy spelling error in the above post, thanks to Auto-correct. Unfortunately, editing is not something that is easy to do via Smartphone, and it took me about 45 minutes to finally erase that one word. So, I'm thinking that Smartphone blogging may not be for me after all! Ha!

Computerless

2011-12-19T04:09:00.000-08:00

Well I have been without my computer for a week now. The battery has not died (yet), but unfortunately we are having a modem problem, that, oddly enough, only affects my laptop. Right now I am on Steve's work laptop, which is leaving with him to go to work for the week in about 5 minutes. Boo! So, if I am not responding to email very quickly, or blogging, or any of that fun stuff, it is because I am really bad at typing on my Smartphone. I miss my computer! I may even try to get the archaic desktop working.

This week is going to be busy. I will be working at the library this morning, followed by volunteering in Camden's class. Will be doing that again tomorrow, and then he is on Christmas vacation, yay! Griffin's vacation already began last week, so he is busy chomping at the bit, waiting for Santa to hurry up and get here already. Steve has five days off starting on Friday, so we are all looking forward to a nice, long holiday weekend. Hope you all are busy with Christmas preparations and enjoying this time!

Blabber

2011-12-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, this week

I am getting really excited for Christmas! Thinking back, I would say that Christmas day last year was probably the most depressing day of Steve's entire deployment. Of course, I so enjoyed the boys and their excitement, but I just wanted a distraction from missing Steve. I remember we were able to Skype with him in the morning, but there was no Christmas dinner, or company, or anything like that. I remember wanting so badly for the phone to ring that day. Oh, I am so happy that is behind us! Now that we have Steve home with us, I am so eager to get back to our family traditions. We do Christmas pretty much like my parents did when I was little - - very laid back. I like to make some sort of egg casserole or cinnamon rolls the day before, so I can pop it in the oven the next morning when we get up, but not have to fuss in the kitchen. I like to stay in my pajamas as long as possible on Christmas morning, too. So, that is what I am looking forward to. So, SO happy that Steve is here with us this year to enjoy it all, too!

Speaking of Steve, he has been in Colorado this week for work. Both of the boys were pretty upset about him leaving, but I'm happy to report that they have done just fine. He is actually coming home a day early but they don't know that...can't wait to surprise them tomorrow!

Don't know exactly what happened with my Christmas shopping this year, but I managed to do 95% of it online, and I am pretty much done! I feel like I found exactly what I was looking for, for everyone on my list and it is so nice to have it done early and not be scrambling! I also tried something new and have been wrapping as I bought things, rather than leaving it all until the last minute. Should have tried this years ago! Ha!

Next week will be crazy with Cub Scouts, school festivities, baking for Steve's office party, and the like. I am hoping to get a good plan in place this weekend so I will be ready. I am itching to get baking some Christmas cookies but haven't gotten around to it yet. Anyone have any favorite recipes?

Week in Review

2011-12-03T08:04:00.001-08:00

This week was a humdinger, to say the least. It started out like any other week really, with school, karate, and Cub Scouts on Monday. This was the first pack meeting that we were able to attend this year, and it was a lot of fun. I think we are in for a great year of scouting! By Tuesday morning, I was making a call to Riley's vet to make an appointment to have him euthanized. He is 14 1/2 years old now, and in the past 6 months his health and well-being have failed quite a bit. Over the past couple of weeks I had talked with the vet a few times, trying to decide what was best for ol' Riley. Such a hard thing to have to think about, but I also don't want to make the mistake of having him suffer. By Wednesday morning, I was driving down the vet clinic to cancel the Thursday appointment. By lunchtime on Wednesday I had called back and rescheduled it. I was pretty much a wreck. Whenever there weren't children in sight that day, I would get all choked up at the thought of Riley not being here. So Thursday came, and Steve took the morning off to offer some moral support. He took the boys to school and at 9 a.m., the vet and one of his technicians showed up. I could tell almost as soon as they came in that they were thinking maybe it wasn't such a good idea. I just love our vet - - I am so thankful for his wisdom and for how deeply he cares for animals, but also for their people. He decided to draw some blood and run some labs to see how Riley's liver function was, among other things, and we talked about a new schedule of medication that will allow Riley to sleep better at night and be more comfortable during the day. Riley still eats really well, so that isn't an issue for him.

I have to admit, when the vet said he didn't think euthanizing him was a good idea after looking him over, I felt like an awful dog mom! I struggle so with not wanting to be selfish (keeping Riley around because I don't want to let him go) and doing what is best for him. So, now Riley and I have a new lease on life. I don't know how long Riley has left, but I am going to make sure that it is high on quality. I sure love that pup, and I'm so thankful that we get to spend more time together.

A Vicious Cycle

2011-11-30T05:47:00.000-08:00

Ugh...I really dislike blogging droughts, because for me, the longer I go without writing, the harder it becomes for me to actually sit down and write. Then the day comes along where I remind myself that I only keep this blog to remember what is going on in my life and it suddenly becomes appealing again. I am just not a pressure girl...if I feel the slightest bit of pressure to do something, then I don't want to do it anymore. Mind you, my blogging pressure is 100% self-imposed, but anyway, here I am.

One of my big problems is that I feel like I have at least one picture in order to write. I'm going to try to get over that and see if I can actually produce more writing.

Another problem I am currently facing is that I am getting that message from my laptop that says, "although your battery can still charge normally, it is reaching the end of its usable life". In other words, one day soon I go to turn on my laptop and it will be dead. I have already decided No More Batteries for this sucker...they are soooo expensive and I have already been through three. So then it will be back to a 9-year-old desktop that doesn't like to blog so much.

In September, I got a Smart phone. This keeps me from even turning my laptop on, most of the time. I can quickly check email and news on it and get on with my life. So it has cut way back on my computer time, which isn't a bad thing, y'all.

Life is BUSY. After two months of relaxation and reintegration, Steve headed back to work in mid-November. This was the point in which I had some adjusting to do. I will tell you that the first week was very hard for me! It took some getting use to. I am happy to say that we are now officially back into our old groove of family life and it feels good. That being said, any spare time is consumed with karate, Cub Scouts, homework, gymnastics, and the like. But it is all good.

So, here I am, playing Russian Roulette with my laptop. Here's hoping this battery will hang on for a couple more weeks, since I am feeling a renewed sense of creativity and all. As for now, my coffee cup is empty, which means it is time to wake up some little boys and get this day in motion.

Kitchen Therapy

2011-11-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Butter makes everything better.

Oh goodness, my heart has been heavy these past few days. It seems my mind has been bogged down with worries that are fruitless, and situations that feel to be beyond my control. I do wish that I had that ability to look at something, place it into the appropriate compartment, and move on, but alas, I am not that good at it - - never have been. All I can do is keep trying, I suppose.

In the meantime, whenever I am feeling out-of-sorts, a bit of time in the kitchen is usually just what I need to feel like me again. I love to cook, and I love to feed people - - it makes me happy. So, this past Sunday morning, while all of my boys were otherwise occupied, I holed up in my yellow kitchen and turned a bunch of ingredients into food for my family. I made honey wheat bread. I made rosemary bread. I filled my crock pot, and set some beef stew simmering. Best of all? After ten years of marriage, I'm happy to report that I finally cracked the code to the perfect apple streusel pie, as declared by Steve on Sunday evening. The apples were soft, but not too soft. The pie sliced perfectly, with no runny mess left in the pie plate. Pie nirvana, I tell you.

Music is always an important part of a kitchen marathon. I am all over the place in that area - - I like a little bit of everything. Through the sifting, dicing, slicing, and kneading, I listened to Nora Jones, Jessie Colter, Margaret Whiting, Doris Day, Pink, Miranda Lambert, George Jones, and Justin Timberlake. See? All over the place.

When all was said and done, I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders, somehow.

What do you do, when you need to reset your frame-of-mind?

Date Night: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks & Lemon

2011-10-30T05:18:00.000-07:00

Steve and I have never been good about making time to hire a babysitter and go out together. We don't really know anyone who babysits around these parts either, so that doesn't help. We both like to cook though, so recently we've taken to making some mac & cheese, getting a Redbox, and banishing the children in the family room so that we can have 1.5-2 hours of kid-free time to cook and have a meal together (the kind of meal that the children would most likely gag and make faces at). I'm on a personal mission to make sure we do this once a week. It will become especially important when Steve heads back to work in a couple of weeks, and the stress level around here goes from zero to about 250. Not exactly looking forward to that. But, I digress...

I think I've mentioned before that I love the magazine Everyday Food. I look forward to receiving my subscription every month, and I always end up making something from every issue. For last week's date night, I made Pasta Carbonara with Leeks & Lemon. Below is my own adaptation of the recipe - - I made a couple of changes to suit our tastes. You can find the original recipe in the November 2011 issue, on page 16.

Pasta Carbonara with Leeks & Lemons

10 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise in 1-inch pieces

2 large leeks (white and light green part only), halved lengthwise and sliced thin **

3/4 lb. short pasta, such as orecchiette or fusilli

2 large, fresh eggs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)

1/2 - 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest, depending on taste. I used 1 Tbsp. and liked the flavor; Steve could have done with less lemon.

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

** Leeks can be a pain to clean. Dirt likes to hide between the layers. If you cut them crosswise, then hold on to one end firmly, you can separate the layers under running water and wash away all the grit. You can also Google "cleaning leeks" and find all kinds of different ways to clean them without a lot of effort.

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Remove all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon grease from the pan, and add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring often, until leeks are beginning to brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, whisk the eggs together in a bowl. Whisk in the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove 1/4 cup of the boiling pasta water, and whisk it into the egg mixture.

Drain the cooked pasta, and immediately add to the egg mixture, along with the bacon, leeks, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Tastes even better the second day!

A Quick Trip to Maine

2011-10-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

A few short weeks ago, my dear friend Jen's husband (hi, Chad!) contacted me, to see if there was a chance I could come to a surprise party for Jen's 40th birthday (in Maine!). I mentioned it to Steve and he thought I should just go for it. After going back and fourth for a few days about it, I found an airline ticket that would work, and started planning. It was pretty spur-of-the moment, but Jen and I have shared some unique and crazy adventures together over the years, so it all seemed fitting. It would be a weekend trip, and with two full days of travel, that left me with little more than two days in Maine, but boy, did I make the most of it!

Even though it was the quickest trip ever, I was determined to see Kate. Kate and I have known each other since the fourth grade ~ definitely one of my oldest friends. Every time I've been to Maine in the past 10 years we attempt to get together but have never been able to make it happen, so I was thrilled to see her. I got off the plane and met her for dinner (yay for real seafood!) and wish we could have spent more time together, but I sure was happy just to see her at all. Kate will most likely disown me for posting the above picture, but I'm willing to take the risk. I had to do some photo-editing because my face was so darn shiny from being on an airplane all day. Lovely! On a side note, if you've never visited Kate's blog before, do yourself a favor. Lots of creativity and dry wit. Kate, you're the best!

After dinner with Kate, I sped down to Topsham for some sleep and some time with my mother (who, I didn't get one single picture of). Next, I set off for the southern tip of Maine (more or less) and the scenic town of Wells. Somewhere between landing in Maine and arriving in Wells, I learned that Jen actually knew all about her surprise (stinker!). At least the pressure was off to make sure nobody blew my cover, and I even got to arrive a little early and spend more time with Jen.

We had a wonderful birthday dinner at Pedro's in Kennebunk, and I even got to see an old college friend (Darcey, on the left) who I hadn't seen in probably 18 years ~ she was just as I'd remembered her! If you live in the Brunswick/Topsham area, you may recognize her, as she is a doctor at Midcoast Hospital.

Had to get a picture with my favorite sports writer.

The next morning, Jen and I had a late breakfast and then headed to Ogunquit and a walk along Marginal Way. The weather was perfect and I'm so glad that I got to see the ocean.

That evening, I zoomed back up the coast to Topsham for dinner with my mother, and some sleep. Monday proved hectic with packing, a trip to the post office, and then a mad dash to see my nephews and sister-in-law. I had never met my youngest nephew, Oliver, before, so I was really glad to have the chance. My sister-in-law is lucky I didn't stuff Max (on the left, below) into my suitcase and take him back to Idaho with me. What a sweet little boy.

After leaving Dani and the boys, I zipped over to the Tontine Mall parking lot, for a lightening-speed visit and hug with my friend Heather. Heather, along with Kate and Jen, was a huge support to me while Steve was deployed, and I was so happy to see her, even if only for a few minutes.

Next it was off to the airport and back to Idaho. By the time I landed at 11 p.m. that night, my head was spinning. I can't believe how much I managed to cram into those couple of days, while still keeping the pace enjoyable.

A huge thank you to Steve, who really made the whole trip possible. He held down the fort for me while I was gone, and I came back to happy children and a clean house. Hooray!

A Little Anniversary Celebration

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Steve and I recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, he was still at Ft. Lewis on the actual day of our anniversary, so we waited for a few days until he was settled at home. We like to cook together, so we decided to get the boys a pizza and a movie and send them to the family room, while we cooked up a storm. It was fun thumbing through some of our favorite cookbooks last week, trying to decide what we wanted to make. We settled on Julia Child's Coq au Vin for our main course, and it didn't disappoint. We'd planned to make a lovely appetizer from Bob and Melinda Blanchard's "Cook What You Love", but alas, those plans were spoiled by our local supermarket, who seems to have a problem stocking fresh ingredients at times. Boo!

Above is my corny little table display ~ the chapel we were married in, the inn where we spent our wedding night, and the picture of the boys that I gave Steve as an anniversary gift. Tin/aluminum for the tenth anniversary proved to be a bit tricky, so I went with a tin-ish looking picture frame and an impromptu photo shoot with Steve's best boys. I'm afraid Steve really out-did me when he gave me a beautiful strand of pearls ~ something I have always wanted.

When Cam and Griff's movie ended, Camden offered to be our butler.

Things got really crazy when we decided to dig out and try on our wedding attire. I would like to point out that Steve is wearing Camden's bow tie. I'm also pretty sure facial hair is against regulation with that uniform. I would also like to point out that my wedding gown is now too big for me. Not quite sure how that happened, but I'm not complaining. Ha!

We had a great evening that I will never forget. So glad to be blessed with such a great husband!

Bronze Star Ceremony

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few days after Steve came home, he held a little ceremony for the boys, to award them for their bravery while he was deployed. He cooked this whole thing up on his own, making up the certificates, and ordering the certificate folders and bronze star pins while he was still in Iraq.

Anyone who knows Steve won't be surprised by any of this ~ he is completely and utterly dedicated to his role as father, and he doesn't take it lightly

He missed his boys so much while he was away, and didn't waste any time at all, jumping right back into family life. He's been taking Camden to school every morning, and picking him up in the afternoon. During the day, he pretty much does whatever Griffin wants, which of course, thrills Griffin to no end!

I love seeing my three boys together, and I'm so proud that I married a man who sets such a good example for our children.

Griffin Turns Five

2011-09-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

A certain little boy I know turned five recently. Griffin Peter has been counting the days until his birthday for about the past two months. Every morning upon waking he'd say, "Mom, how many sleeps until my birthday?"

We were really lucky that Steve made it home in time to celebrate with him. (As you can see, Steve is taking full advantage of the fact that he doesn't have to report back to work until mid-November, and therefore opting out of shaving).

Griffin wanted to put his Transformer "from Nana and Papa" on top of his birthday cake, so that is what we did. It was so big that I didn't have room to write his name. He proclaimed it his "best birthday cake EVER!"

Our dear Margaret spoiled him rotten, and he loved every minute of it.

Riley hasn't been feeling great lately, but he perked right up when he smelled birthday cake, and saw presents being opened. That dog loves a good party.

Griffin had a great time with his friends. I just can't believe my little Griff is five!

At Last

2011-09-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Steve has been home for a little over a week now, and we are slowly settling back into a normal routine around here. The ten days or so before he arrived were a bit on the frantic side, and the time since then has been spent on lots of family togetherness and time away from the normal hustle and bustle of daily life. Now it is time to get back to our new "old" normal, as we are all craving some structure, so that is our goal for this week. As for my blog ~ it needs some work, and some catching up. So, I am hoping to have the opportunity to attack that this week. I fear my laptop is mired down with too many files, too many pictures, as well as feeling its age, so it hasn't been exactly cooperative lately. Hopefully it will allow me to eek out a few blog posts before it throws in the towel completely!

Done (okay, not really)

2011-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Back from Iraq ~ the first time ~ October, 2005

Oh my goodness...I am so done with this deployment. I just want Steve to be here NOW, so badly. You would think I could hold it together - - I mean, he's been gone for nearly a year, but this last little bit is just about doing me in. I am not a patient girl when it gets right down to the wire, and although it appears he will be coming home right around the time we've thought he'd be coming all along, all I can think about is, "why isn't he here now? why can't he come home earlier?" I seriously need to get a grip.

The boys (including Steve) and I have been through a lot this year. We were very lucky to have both my parents and my in-laws both come out for extended visits during that time. We've experienced kindness from the most unexpected places. The hardest parts of a deployment, though, are the parts that nobody else can help you with. Camden and Griffin have both struggled emotionally, in different ways. At times it has been so heartbreaking to watch, and really, there hasn't been a lot I could do other than listen. I really, truly was not prepared to deal with the effect that Steve's absence would have on the boys.

Long separation is rough on a marriage. Even a really good marriage. It is difficult to parent children from opposite sides of the globe, and to make decisions regarding your children. Stress certainly plays a major factor in making it more difficult, and I know that Steve and I both went through a period for a few months where our stress levels were so high that it was difficult to accomplish much at all. I think the worst time for me was after Steve had been home on leave, and it kind of carried on through the end of the school year. Never have I ever been happier for summer vacation and being able to have lots of fun with the boys ~ what a great distraction!

In the end, I'm proud of how we pulled through. Over the years, Steve has been gone a lot, so I knew before he left this time that I was completely capable of caring for the boys on my own. That being said, life is just a whole lot nicer with Steve around. Can't wait to have him back.

Riley and Smokey: An Update

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

After much barking, whining, yelping, and pouting, I'm happy to report that Riley finally threw in the towel yesterday, and decided to be friends with Smokey.

5 Years

2011-08-30T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today marks five years since I became a stay-at-home mom. It just doesn't seem like it has been that long but I suppose it has, since I stopped working just a few weeks before I had Griffin. I cannot get over how much life has changed between now and then.

I don't have many memories of those early days, probably due to the fact that I had a newborn at home, and I was trying to keep a 3 1/2 year old happy, too. I do remember that in the first few days, I called Steve at work A LOT. He must have thought I was a nut. I remember that it seemed like the days were dragging by so slowly. I literally counted the minutes until he would come home at night. Thankfully, that feeling didn't last awfully long. I also have a distinct memory of being faced with attending some sort of military function that fall, and I actually had a good cry about it. I didn't want to go, because I just knew that someone would ask me what I did (as in, what I did for work). I didn't want to have to say that I stayed at home, because I guess I worried about what people would think of me. Just typing that, I cannot believe how silly that sounds to me now, but at the time, it was really upsetting to me back then. I had worked all of my adult life - - all through high school, through college, and after that. I suppose my identity and probably my self worth were pretty tied up in my job, although in the years immediately before I became a mother, I had a series of jobs that I really didn't like at all.

Since then, my viewpoint has obviously changed a lot. Not without struggle though. Five years later, I cannot imagine the day that I go back to work. I suppose that when both boys are in school, I will search out some sort of part-time job, but I hope that I'll be able to find something that will allow me to be home in the morning, and also in the afternoon when they get home from school.

I have never gotten so much satisfaction out of anything I've ever done, as I do from being home with my boys. I worked full-time until Camden was 3 1/2, with two hours of commute time each day, and I can definitely tell you that being home is far more work! It is a common misconception that stay-at-home moms lay on the sofa, eat candy, and watch t.v. all day...maybe some do, but I can assure you that I'm not one of them! I take a lot of pride in how hard I work every day. From time to time, I do miss the adult interaction, the distraction, and frankly, the freedom that came with working outside the home, but definitely not enough to wish that I was working again. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to do what I do and I couldn't be happier. Life is good!

First Day of School, Third Grade Edition

2011-08-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Can't believe my big boy is in the third grade! Here's to a wonderful school year!

A New Family Member

2011-08-23T05:43:00.001-07:00

The boys and I were having a back yard camp out a couple of weeks ago, when this young lady waltzed up to us, well after dark. I immediately thought she was too small to be outside, wandering around by herself. Upon closer examination it was clear that she was a stray, which made me pretty sad, but our entire city is riddled with strays, unfortunately (spay and neuter your animals, people!!).

As you can probably guess, once Camden got a load of her it was all over. She was equally infatuated with him. We kept her in the laundry room of our rental for a couple of days until I could get her to the vet and have her checked out. After getting her ears cleaned, some flea repellent, and some antibiotics, she moved in and was dubbed, "Smokey" by Camden and Griffin.

So far, things are going well. Roy pretends like he doesn't like her, but when nobody is looking, he wrestles with her and he can't make me believe for a second that he isn't having fun, having a kitty friend to play with. Riley isn't as impressed, and mostly spends a lot of time barking at her. He doesn't like it when Roy and Smokey wrestle, when the boys play with Smokey, when I play with Smokey...he pretty much just doesn't like her. Camden did catch him giving Smokey a lick on the back of the head yesterday though, so we may be making progress.

Steve has reminded me that I've gone over his preference of a 2-pet household by 3 pets since he's been gone (lets not forget Gary and Junior, the hermit crabs). So for now, we're maxed out in the animal department. I'm pretty happy that Smokey found us ~ she's a nice addition to the family.

Getting Ready for the Third Grade

2011-08-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

We have reached that weird part of summer where I am not ready for Camden to be gone all day, every day again, but at the same time, we are all in need of getting back to our school-year routine. So, I guess it really is time for back-to-school. I think we are all ready ~ we will be going to "Meet Your Teacher" night tomorrow at Camden's new school. Camden wanted to make "survival kits" like we did last year, so we tackled that last week. All of the items, including the box, can be found at your local dollar store, and I just made a tag to tie to the top. Camden has two teachers this year (one teaches the a.m. portion, and one in the afternoon) so we just doubled up.

This past Friday, I had a special dinner for the boys to celebrate back to school, which has sort of turned into a tradition around here. I always make a special treat, and really wanted to make some cake pops, but wasn't really looking forward to it. This was due to the fact that I've made cake balls before (same thing, only without the stick) and they were a messy, messy disaster. I guess I just wasn't making them properly, because these cute little apples were easy to make and came out so cute! I followed the instructions found here, and the only thing I did differently was to stick the cake pops in the freezer for about 15 minutes, after I'd attached the sticks and before I'd dipped them in the candy melts. The boys loved them. Warning: using a regular cake mix will produce a TON of these things. Going forward, I think I will use one of the mixes you can find at the dollar store for 12 cupcakes. I now can totally understand why people have blogs dedicated solely to cake pop-making...they are addictive!

A Lovely Saturday

2011-08-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

We only have four more days until Camden heads back to school, so yesterday we headed to Boise to scratch a couple more items off our 'summer fun' list (more about that, later). Camden loves, LOVES a good museum, and he's been wanting to go to the Idaho Historical Museum for a long time. I'm so glad we did it ~ it was wonderful! The boys had a great time and the weather was great. They have also always wanted to eat at Burger King (not sure how they got that in their heads, but a commercial on t.v., I am sure), so we accomplished that, as well. When we got home, we had a relaxing evening and a little swimming in the pool. Can't believe that by this time next week, we'll be back to the grind of the school year.

My garden is bursting at the seams these past couple of weeks, and this has been my standard dinner. Bright red tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of pesto (made from the basil I grew earlier this summer), and some Udi's gluten-free bread on the side. Yum. I think today I am going to roast some more of the tomatoes and freeze some more pizza sauce.

Summer's Winding Down

2011-08-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Behold, the mammoth pile of school supplies that signals the start of the school year. I have mixed emotions about summer coming to an end. I love, LOVE summer vacation with the boys, and so enjoy having them with me. I can't get over how quickly it sped by. On the other hand, Camden has been mentioning the last couple of weeks how he just can't wait to see his friends, and frankly, the boys are hitting 'summer burnout' ~ they are bickering a little more than usual, it is super-hot out (so lots of time spent inside) ~ I don't like to say it out loud but I'm afraid we are ready to get back to our school-year routine. Most importantly, for the past year I have said over and over, "When school starts, Daddy will be coming home", so the end of summer means End of Deployment to us. I'm hoping that Steve will be back with us by late September, but unfortunately we don't (and won't) know when he is coming, until he is almost here.

Tomorrow, the boys wrap up their second session of swimming lessons for the summer. This year I decided to try private lessons instead of taking them to the city pool like I have in years past. I am so glad I did ~ the instructor was wonderful and the cost was the same as going to the city pool. The big plus was that the lessons were one-on-one, rather than with a big group of kids at the city pool. I seriously have two little swimmers on my hands now and I couldn't be happier!

My garden is coming right along. I just finished making and freezing some pizza sauce, using the over-abundance (2.5 lbs.) of cherry tomatoes I had. I had made a couple of pasta salads with them but didn't want all the rest to go to waste. I just tossed them on a cookie sheet with some garlic, peppers, and a little balsamic vinegar and roasted everything. When they were done, I added some seasoning, then threw it all in the blender. Now it is stored away in the freezer, waiting for pizza night.

I'm trying to get back into the routine of blogging ~ I've struggled for months with that and I think my biggest issue is time. I don't often get a chance to sit and organize my thoughts during the day, but there is a lot I want to get written down so I suppose I will just have to work harder at that. As for now, I need some sleep!

Mom School

2011-07-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

The boys and I have been loving these Summer Express books from Scholastic this summer! All three of us do much better when we have structure to our days, so I decided that part of our summer structure this year would be "Mom School". Every morning at 9:00, the boys sit down and tackle a new worksheet for the day. The books are geared for "between" grades, so Camden is working on the "between 2nd and 3rd grade" book, while Griff has the "pre-K and Kindergarten" book. Each week has a corresponding sticker chart where they track their completed worksheets, along with their daily reading goals. I can't recommend these workbooks enough ~ they are wonderful.

My mother found some great books in the dollar section at Target ~ Junior Classics for Young Readers ~ she picked some up for Camden and so far he's read White Fang and Pinocchio. He loves these books and I hope I can come across some more titles for him. He has a reading goal of 30 minutes each day, but he usually averages at least 1.5 hours ~ I'm so proud of my little reader! Griffin's reading goal consists of him looking at books on his own, as well as me reading to him.

I'm hoping that our extra work this summer will have both boys in good shape at the start of the school year. It has been a lot of fun for all of us, and I definitely plan to do the same thing next summer.

A Great Visit

2011-07-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

(photo by Camden M. Arnett)

My parents went back to Maine today, so the boys and I have been kind of down-in-the-dumps today. We had such a good visit with them ~ they arrived on June 1st, and having them here was just what we all needed. My parents are so laid back, good to me, good to the boys, and I love being with them. Camden and Griffin had some good sleepovers, mastered my mom's IPad, coaxed both of my parents to get in the pool with them, had some movie dates with them, Happy Meals every Tuesday night, foot rubs, endless amounts of ice cream, and Camden had a standing Tuesday night date with my mother to watch, "America's Got Talent". The boys were pretty much in and out of their house all day, every day, which is just how my parents like it. Riley got in on the action too ~ I think he stayed at their house about 95% of the time that they were here. He'd come home from time to time, but then would head right back next door, where Nana gave him biscuits (and always had a dish of food waiting on the window sill for Roy). My dad did some projects that Steve had been wanting done, and I am really thankful to him for that. Just a great visit. It went by too quickly, though. We miss you already!

Swimming with Papa

2011-07-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lemon Ricotta Dip (and some gardening blogs)

2011-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

My little garden is coming along nicely this summer, but more on that later. This is my third attempt at having a garden ~ the first year, pretty successful, the second year, a big ol' bomb, and this year...I think this is the year that will have me hooked. I am already envisioning more raised beds next year, and expanding on what has been successful so far. For gardening inspiration, I have two blogs that I am just loving right now.

The first is Seed. Sow. Water. Grow. and is written by Angela in Oregon. She includes recipes, and I recently tried her Lemon Ricotta Dip ~ it was fabulous (I called it dip, although it is Lemon Ricotta Spread in the original recipe - - mine came out with a dip consistency but maybe that had something to do with my technique...who knows!). I also made the pita chips, and I can tell you, I will be making this over and over. I just checked to see if I have the ingredients on hand (I do) so I think I'll whip up another batch today. Yum!

The second is Sweat Bread, written by Jordan in North Carolina. She also includes recipes, and I just love seeing what she's growing in her garden and serving at her dinner table.

The only thing I've harvested so far is a ton of basil, mint, and rosemary, and one little cherry tomato! I think in about a week I should have some zucchini, and I already have plans for that!

Pizza Bianca

2011-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love making pizza on Friday nights. It is a quick and easy dinner, and all three of my boys look forward to it. I usually try to make one "kid friendly" pizza (always pepperoni, or half pepperoni/half cheese) and then one pizza that's a little out of the ordinary. Since Steve's been deployed, I've kind of gotten into the habit of making a pepperoni pizza for the boys, and then a small pizza for myself on a gluten-free crust. I'm trying to get more adventurous again, in preparation for Steve's return, so I tried a new recipe last Friday, which was featured in the June 2011 issue of Everyday Food (my most-favorite cooking magazine). I really liked it, so I will definitely have to try it out on Steve when he gets back.

Pizza Bianca

1 lb. pizza dough (this is my new favorite recipe ~ it makes 1.5 lbs though, so just remove 1/3 from your ball of dough and make a thin crust pizza)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/3 cup grated parmesan (fresh grated preferable)

2 oz. baby arugula

2 tsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ricotta, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Par-bake your pizza crust at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spread ricotta mixture over crust. Top with mozzarella and parmesan. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes, until it begins to brown very lightly. Remove from oven. Toss arugula with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper and apply to top of pizza.

If you don't care for arugula, you could also use baby spinach. I think this pizza would also be great with some prosciutto or some sausage.

Daddy Jars

2011-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

It has been tough-going in these parts lately ~ especially for an 8-year-old that I know. He struggles so with his Dad not being here. Camden is a sensitive little guy, and the older he gets, he tries to hold it in, which never seems to work out for him.

Going through a deployment with children who are old enough to understand that Daddy is gone for a long period of time can be so heartbreaking at times, but I know it is nothing compared to what the boys feel on the inside.

For whatever reason, we've just come out of a particularly rough patch, where not only was Camden not wanting to talk to Steve, he wasn't wanting Steve's name mentioned. He said it made him too sad, so he was just going to try not to think about it. He worked it out in his own way though, and seems to be feeling a lot better lately.

I was trying to come up with something that would help the boys see that we were on the downswing of this deployment, and that Steve would be coming home soon. So I got some pint-sized canning jars and a big bag of M&M's. I have a general idea of when Steve will be back, so we counted out those days in M&M's. The added bonus was that we soon saw that the pint-sized jars were way too big, so we grabbed some 8-ounce jelly jars instead. I made some little labels for the jars, and now, each day, the boys take their jars off the shelf in the living room and take out an M&M, one day closer to Daddy being home again. I think the visual of it has helped them to understand that, slowly but surely, we are getting there.

Homemade Ginger Ale

2011-07-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across this recipe for homemade ginger ale at Food For My Family. I'm not a big pop drinker, but I do like ginger ale. I also frequently steep and drink fresh ginger root and lemon juice for chronic stomach issues, so I thought this might be a good alternative. Plus it just sounded refreshing.

First, get a big ol' hunk of ginger root at the grocery store. You'll need enough to equal 3 cups. This piece only cost me about $2.00. Peel it, rinse it, and then chop it up.

Once you have your ginger root all chopped, you'll also want to carefully remove 1 tablespoon of lime peel from a fresh lime. It can be a little tricky, because you don't want to get any of the pith (the white part) or it will taste bitter. Add the lime peel and ginger root to 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn down to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Turn off the burner and let the syrup cool. Then, strain out the ginger chunks and lime peel, and pour the cooled syrup into an airtight container. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

To make a glass of ginger ale, pour 1/4 cup of the syrup over ice. Add 1 cup (or more, according to taste) of club soda. Stir gently and enjoy!

I really love this ginger ale - - it has quite a bite to it, but if you don't like it super-gingery, just add more club soda. I also think it would be great for mixing cocktails. Yum!

Fresh, Sweet Cherries

2011-07-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

We are very lucky to live near a plethora of orchards. Unfortunately, the number of these orchards have decreased drastically, just in the 10 years that I've lived here. I'm also embarrassed to admit that I've not taken advantage of them like I should have been, but from now on, I intend to. It is an inexpensive way to fill your freezer full of fresh, local fruits and veggies - - there's nothing better than that. So, the other day, Nana and I took the boys to a local orchard for some cherry picking. The boys had a blast and were great little pickers. All told, we picked 11 pounds between the four of us!

My mother might want to consider a second career as a cherry pitter. Thanks to her, all 11 pounds have been pitted and frozen. Yay for cherries!

Star Wars AT-AT Walker Birthday Cake

2011-06-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is the AT-AT Walker from the movie, "The Empire Strikes Back". Camden got a toy of this for Christmas and has literally played with it every day since then. Of course he knew months ago that he wanted to have a Star Wars theme for his 8th birthday party, and he wanted me to make an AT-AT Walker cake. What he really wanted was for me to make a cake that looked exactly like his toy, and while I am sure it is possible, I made the executive decision not to go down that road. Instead, I opted for making a cake in the shape of an AT-AT Walker by piecing it together from 3 sheet cakes.

I could have made this work using two sheet cakes, but Camden wanted both lemon cake and chocolate cake, so three it had to be. I ended up with quite a bit of cake scraps left over, but I suppose cake scraps don't have to be a bad thing!

Using his toy for a model, this is what I cut out.

I then used a rather large star tip, and simply piped the entire thing with grey frosting. It proved a little tricky in some spots, but wasn't too bad over all. My mother helped with the piping which was great because my poor old hand isn't what it use to be when it comes to all those little piped stars.

Here is the end result. I was going to do some detailing with some darker grey frosting, but Camden wanted it left the way it was. He pulled some guns off his AT-AT Walker toy and added them to the cake, and then positioned some Star Wars figures around it.

Camden told me after his party was over that this cake was his favorite cake that I'd ever made him. I love making special birthday cakes for the boys. I have so many good memories from cakes that my mother made for me growing up, so I hope my boys will, too.

Camden's Star Wars Birthday Party

2011-06-25T20:24:00.001-07:00

Camden's birthday fell on Father's Day this year, and what with all the Cherry Festival excitement that weekend, we held off on having a party until this weekend. Since Camden was turning eight, he got to invite 8 guests, so we mailed out invitations and got to our planning. The theme, of course, was Star wars.

I found a great idea on the Internet to make light sabers out of pool noodles. My mom ended up doing most of the work on those and they came out just great. The boys loved them!

The party started with a bang, with a light saber frenzy on the front lawn.

Riley found a new best friend in Camden's buddy, Race

Riley got so wrapped up in all of the attention he was getting, he just decided he was one of the boys and joined right in the party

Camden requested an AT-AT Walker cake, and he declared this evening that it was his favorite birthday cake ever. Phew!

The boys eating cake and ice cream

Steve arranged for a bounce house to be delivered, and we totally lucked out when the bounce house people asked if they could deliver it a day early, free of charge. So, the boys had been bouncing for hours upon hours when this picture was taken. See that lump on the lawn, on the left of this picture? That's Riley - - he passed out cold after everyone left. The poor old pup was partied out. Camden had a great day!

Smitten Kitchen's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

2011-06-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day, I made this cake for my dad, found at Smitten Kitchen. My dad loves peanut butter, and so I thought this would be the perfect cake for him. The recipe did not disappoint ~ it produces a super-moist, rich, delicious cake. Usually, I am not a fan of 'from scratch' cakes, because I find it difficult to come across many recipes that result in a moist cake. I find absolutely nothing wrong with cake mixes, in fact, I prefer them. However, this particular cake is so perfect in every way, it has been placed on a recipe card and added to my recipe box, where only my favorite recipes go. If you know someone who loves peanut butter, or more specifically, peanut butter and chocolate, give this cake a try...you will be happy you did!

Camden Turns Eight

2011-06-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

How did this happen? How is it possible that this sweet baby boy is now eight years old? I just cannot figure out how the time has flown by so quickly.

Camden's day started with presents, and despite some technical difficulties, Steve was able to join in via Skype, which was great. The rest of the day was spent at home - - we never left the house - - because the boys literally spent all day in the living room, playing with the aircraft carrier from Nana and Papa that Camden coveted for months, and the new Lego set from Uncle Kevin, Aunt Rachel, and Violet. Dinner was tacos, at Camden's request, followed by cupcakes. Camden declared it "an awesome day".

I'm pretty sure I'm incapable of summing up how much Steve and I love this little guy ~ he is a unique and wonderful little boy, with a huge, tender heart. He makes us proud every day, and we love being his mom and dad. Happy birthday, buddy!

Cherry Festival Round-Up

2011-06-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

The boys and I really tore it up at the Cherry Festival this year. We set aside one day for games, one for rides, one for the Children's Parade, and then the last day for the Great Cherry Bake-Off and the "big" parade. The boys won first place in the bike division of the children's parade on Friday, which earned them a spot in the big parade on Saturday. It was a really fun experience for them - - Camden loved waving to the crowd along the parade route! I had a great time at the bake-off! I hadn't participated in three years and I'm really glad I did it this year. I won first place in the muffins/breads division, first place in the desserts division, and third place overall. Now I guess I'd better start thinking about next year. We missed Steve a lot the past few days, and I think we are all glad he'll get to go with us, next year.

AT-AT Still Life

2011-06-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Camden loves his AT-AT Walker, his Papa, and drawing. So, he announced the other morning that he was going to 'go over to Papa's house' so they could sketch pictures of his AT-AT Walker. I'm pretty sure this picture will be one of my favorites, for years to come.

The Agony of Defeat

2011-06-13T07:52:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure this photo will become a family classic. Not exactly a clear picture, as it was taken through the screen of the boys' pup tent. As you can see, this was Griffin's reaction to Camden winning a game of Chutes and Ladders. I guess this means Griffin has officially entered the "I don't like losing" phase. Ha!

Sleepin' Hard

2011-06-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

My boys have been doing some heavy-duty sleeping these days. They are really enjoying their summer vacation and being outside...all that fresh air leads to nice, long solid nights of sleep. As I type, their 8:00 a.m. wake-up time is looming, so I must go rustle some little guys out of bed!

Crabby

2011-06-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Gary.

Meet Junior.

A few days ago, we welcomed two new family members, in the form of hermit crabs. The boys' cousin got some hermit crabs for his birthday recently, and they've been begging for their own ever since. I'll admit right up front that I wasn't thrilled about the idea, but I figured it was a better choice at this age than say a guinea pig or a hamster. So, off to the pet store I went. Hermit crabs themselves are very inexpensive, but all of their paraphernalia sure isn't. I sure was happy when I found the $30 aquarium that we'd seen at the fancy-pants pet store, for a mere $2.75 at our local thrift store. Score!

This picture cracks me up because the boys like to sit in front of the 'crabitat' (as we like to call it) and watch it like a television. I'll have you know that they also do this when they listen to the radio. Don't ask me why ~ I have absolutely no clue.

Now that Gary (Cam's crab) and Junior (Griff's crab) have been here for a few days, I have to say that I'm pretty fond of them. They are interesting little creatures, and they can live up to 10 years if cared for properly. Much to my delight, the boys are doing a great job taking care of them.

Here are a few things we've learned so far:

~ Crabs aren't too exciting when left to their own devices. They pretty much dig a hole in the sand and stay there all day long.

~ If removed from their little crabitat, however, they will crawl, crawl, crawl all over you.

~ If we set Gary down on the carpeting, he grabs on for dear life and won't let go of it.

~Hermit crabs eat just about anything.

~ They don't like to be alone and are happier when they have other little crab friends nearby.

~ They like their environment to be hot and humid. I find myself obsessing over the humidity level in their aquarium, and I think I check their little humidity gauge about a zillion times per day. Like I need something else to obsess about. Ha!

The Start of Summer

2011-06-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Shall we play catch-up? I feel as though I've been slugging through time lately ~ the weather hasn't been great, I'm deployment-weary, and darn it, I have just been in such a slump for the past couple of months. I can't stand it when I feel like that. Trying very hard to pull myself out and get on with it.

When I uploaded the pictures off my camera, I had over 200 if that tells you anything. Pretty much the entire month of May. So lets get to it:

I have a full-fledged reader on my hands now. Camden's been reading all year, but all of a sudden it all just clicked for him, and he can't devour chapter books fast enough. I love finding him in different places throughout the house, engrossed in a book.

Camden had to wear a heart monitor for a few days ~ seems he is prone to whatever it is that causes a person to faint. His little heart is just fine, but I have to say it was a bit bizarre having him hooked up to all those wires. He thought it was about the coolest thing ever, of course.

Griffin played soccer for the first time, and tore up the field. He just loved it and cannot wait to play again in the fall

Camden played soccer too, and did a great job. His favorite position is goalie, and he spent just about every game, begging to be put in goal.

The boys went all-out for me on Mother's Day, making it the best one since I've become a mother! We just had the best day together

One evening, Camden found some morel mushrooms growing around his swing set, of all places. Apparently, they are often found growing in bark mulch. Weird.

My basil plants are flourishing, despite the cold weather. Today I'll be making my second batch of pesto. Yum!

Griff finished his first year of preschool. He learned so much this year!

Gramma and Grampa Arnett's Idaho visit came to an end

Cub Scouts wrapped up for the summer

Camden (with his beloved Miss Gurney) finished second grade, and is now officially a third grader. The poor kid was worn out on the last day of school after a long week ~ his grandparents leaving that Monday, and then having to say goodbye to Miss Gurney on Friday, poor boy.

I finally joined The Farmgirl Sisterhood ~ call me a nerd if you must, but it satisfies the Laura Ingalls Wilder in me. So there.

We observed Memorial Day

And we started getting serious about our summer ice cream eating. Now, if the weather would just cooperate! It was only 54 degrees yesterday, but in a couple more days, the weatherman claims it will reach 80. Here's hoping!

Staleness

2011-05-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Is that even a word? Probably not. I hate it when my blog goes stale, but I fear life has gotten the best of me over the past few weeks. My camera is heavy with pictures, my mind is full of all that we've had going on, but I haven't made the time to sit down and chronicle any of it. Am hoping to get caught up over the weekend, so look for a few back-posts and hopefully, some current ones as well. Happy Friday, everyone!

A Fairytale Wedding

2011-04-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that I got up at 2:00 a.m. today to watch the Royal wedding. I had some local friends, as well as some East-coast friends who were up watching as well, and it was fun chatting about it all on Facebook as it happened. I thought the wedding was beautiful in every way, although it was strange how, 14 years later, it still seemed so bizarre that Princess Diana wasn't there. I bet she would be proud of her boys.

My favorite parts were seeing Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey, the dress, the kiss(es) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and when Prince William and Princess Catherine left the wedding reception in Prince Charles's Astin Martin. I'm still trying to figure out what the heck that was on Princess Beatrice's head, but I suppose that is a whole other post!

My early-morning t.v. viewing required me to plop Griffin in front of a cartoon around 10:00 a.m. so that I could take a 30-minute power nap - - then I was ready to face the day.

Finally, because I am a Royal Family fanatic, and because my heart belongs in England, I made myself some currant scones and some devonshire cream to enjoy along with my tea and strawberry jam.

Random Things I Like to Watch on YouTube: #2

2011-04-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Okay - - there are so many things that are wrong with this video - - the lighting, the sound, the camera man, the futuristic microphones, and good God, Barbra's jumpsuit with sparkles, pleats, and pockets. That being said, this has to be one of the best videos ever.

Easter Weekend

2011-04-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

The boys and I had a fun-filled Easter weekend, even if we were derailed slightly by a little fever. Luckily, Camden recovered enough to participate in all the festivities on Easter Sunday. We had fun decorating Easter eggs, drawing pictures for the Easter Bunny, and getting all decked out in our finery for dinner at Rod and Candy's house. Both boys were tuckered out and slept on the drive back from Weiser, which was proof to me that they'd eaten their weight in sugar (as it should be) and had a ton of fun. A wonderful weekend, indeed!

Random Things I Like to Watch On YouTube: #1

2011-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I could seriously sit for hours, watching random videos on YouTube. Pretty much anything you can think of that you might possibly want to watch, somebody has posted on YouTube. It's crazy! Luckily for me, I don't have a whole lot of spare time, so it isn't often that I get to sit and goof off with it. However, I do have a strange collection of videos that I watch over and over. This particular video is from the 2010 Grammy Awards, which I saw when it was on television, and I was fascinated by Pink's performance. I think part of my fascination comes from my secret burning desire to have an amazing singing voice (which I do not have!) and perform in front of an adoring crowd. Since that will never happen, I'll just watch Pink do it instead.

Please heed my warning: if you are the least bit offended by nearly-naked women who make more money, sing better, and have a better body than you or I can ever hope to have, then please, do not watch this video!

Hello, Spring? I Know You Are There...

2011-04-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

Our weather has been kind of strange lately. I suppose it is our typical spring weather, but we keep getting a warm-weather tease (mid-to-high 60's) followed by a drastic drop in temperature. Just the other day, I got a little too much sun doing yard work, and just two days later, it was spitting snow. I'm more than ready to put this fickle weather behind me and move right into summer, frankly.

On one of our recent balmy days, the boys got right to work, burying each other in the sand box. This is something that Griff particularly enjoys, for whatever reason. I am really looking forward to days on the patio, watching the boys play. Come on, warm weather!

More Fire Station Fun

2011-04-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

As if we didn't have enough fun this past Wednesday with Griff's field trip, our city fire station held its annual open house and chili feed yesterday, and of course we went, like we do every year. We missed having Steve with us though, and Camden mentioned he is glad that Daddy will get to come with us next year. The boys had fun climbing on all of the trucks and checking everything out. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Finding His Voice

2011-04-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

I'm on cloud nine because I finally got to see the movie, The King's Speech. Yes, I know that it is about to come out on DVD in a couple of days, but I had really hoped to see it on the big screen, and as luck would have it, it was playing at my local movie theater this weekend. It really is an amazing (and true) story about King George VI (the present Queen Elizabeth's father). It was so well done, and it is pretty clear as to why Colin Firth won the Oscar for Best Actor. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and visit with my good friend Google about George VI - - one of my favorite nerdly pass times. Carry on!

Superb Military Wife

2011-04-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

It has been an odd few weeks. It feels as though I sort of lost my mojo after Steve came home on leave back in February. I don't really know why, but for whatever reason, my confidence slipped, weariness of mind and body took over, and above all else, the gloomy weather that plagues this state during the month of March really sucked the life right out of me. Mind you, I still had all of my gazillion responsibilities to uphold, and uphold them I did - - just not with a whole lot of joy and enthusiasm, unfortunately. I have to be honest here and tell you, plain and simple: deployment sucks. At this point, this time around, I'm tired of it. I want it to be over with. However, we've still got a good 5 months to slug through and I'll be damned if those five months are going to feel like the past two have. No thank you. Contentment is definitely a state of mind, so I know I am in control over how all of this plays out, ultimately. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I don't want Steve to think I can't handle things here, because one, I can, and two, everyone knows that the mark of a superb military wife is how she does it all (perfectly, mind you) while not upsetting/stressing/annoying/worrying, etc. her deployed spouse. A superb military wife does not complain, does not ask for help, and certainly does not require any sort of break from the grueling demands of her "job". I am finally realizing that I just am not a superb military wife, and I am really okay with that.

Soccer Season Has Started!

2011-04-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

My boys officially started spring soccer season this week with their first games, and I officially started my first soccer season of having two children playing at the same time. I've seen lots of parents do it in seasons passed, and it isn't easy! Mostly, because I don't like leaving either of them during their games, but for now that is just how it is going to have to be! This means lots of running between soccer fields for me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This is Camden's fourth soccer season, so he's an old pro by now. His favorite position is goalie, and he does a great job . Griffin has been very excited that he is finally old enough to play soccer now, although he was a little timid at his first couple of practices, but was fine once he warmed up a bit. His first game went well, although I'm not sure that he exactly grasps the concept of the game yet - - that will come in time I am sure. So, for the next few weeks, we will spend three nights per week at the soccer fields. Can't believe our next activity will be summer swimming lessons...coming right up!

A Trip to the Fire Station

2011-04-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of being a chaperon on Griffin's school field trip to our local fire station today. The fire house was close enough to the preschool that we were all able to walk over. The Chief and one of the firefighters did a wonderful job with the children and everyone had a great time.

Griffin couldn't believe that Firefighter Todd let them sit in the fire truck. When we picked Camden up from school this afternoon, Griffin told him, "Cammy, I got to sit in the fire truck, I'm serious!"

The absolute highlight for Griff was having a turn with the fire hose. I'm pretty sure all of his classmates thought that was the best part, too.

Bunk Bed Boys

2011-04-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

I finally bought some bunk beds for my boys today, after a long quest. I've been stalking Craigslist for months, but could never find quite what I was looking for. This afternoon, I took a random trip to my local thrift store, and these beauties were sitting there, seemingly waiting for me to walk in. They are brand new, can separate into two individual twin beds, have side rails, and a ladder - - all features I was looking for.

I must admit, I've hesitated a few times in buying bunk beds, for worry that someone would launch off the top bunk and break an arm. I'm glad I got over that, because life is just too short, and the boys were so incredibly excited to see their new beds - - they just love them! At first, there was a squabble as to who would get the top bunk, but that was settled after Griff climbed to the top bunk the first time, and decided that the bottom bunk suited him just fine.

I still need to buy an additional twin mattress for Griffin, so for now he is using his toddler mattress. He feels like such a big boy in his new bed, and I know that Camden loves having his own little private haven up above his brother.

As for the fire truck bed - - it has served its purpose. We've decided that we won't be getting rid of it, but instead it will take up residence in the storage shed until maybe someone has a little boy of their own someday.

The fire truck bed had to go somewhere, and I can tell you I had a heck of a time trying to move it to the basement, but I sure felt like a rock star when I managed to get it down there by myself, without incident!

Royal Wedding Madness

2011-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am seriously counting the days (37!!) until the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I believe I will need to get up at 3:00 a.m. in order to watch it live, and I intend to do just that. In case you are wondering, I have not yet picked out my wedding attire, but I'm sure I'll be able to pull something together between now and then. I have had a life-long obsession with the British monarchy, or at least dating back to 1981, when Prince Charles married Princess Diana. I can still remember the day of that royal wedding... unfortunately, I had swimming lessons at Bowdoin College that morning, so I set up a cassette recorder (yes, this was before the VCR had been invented...ahem) and recorded the audio to the wedding. For years after that, I would sit up in my room and listen to that cassette tape, over and over. That led to many scrapbooks made, magazines and books collected, and then the ultimate of all random encounters...running into Princess Diana on Kensington High Street in 1992 while an exchange student in England. Seriously, the chances of that happening are so astronomically slim that at times I still cannot believe that it really did happen to me.

( I found this vintage tin at my local thrift shop the other day - - it commemorates the Queen's silver jubilee in 1977, so I guess that officially makes me "vintage" as well!)

Now, I find myself a couple of years older than Princess Diana was when she died. Her little boy is about to get married and I can only imagine how proud she is now, and how proud she would have been, had she lived to attend his wedding. With all the terrible things that have been happening in the world, especially in the last month or so, I really am looking forward to the happy distraction that all the pomp and circumstance of a royal wedding will bring.

Just Like Grace Kelly

2011-03-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, not just like Grace Kelly, but whatever. If you know me really well, then you are aware of the fact that I have always been madly in love with James Stewart, and that Rear Window is one of my all-time favorite movies. I think I've watched it a million times so far, and am bound to watch it a million more. There are so many things that I love about this movie, one of which is Grace Kelly's character, Lisa Fremont. There's one scene in the movie where Lisa whips out a Mark Cross overnight case, and inside the tiny bag is a nightgown and slippers (a rather scandalous thing for an unmarried woman to do in a man's apartment, back in 1954). I've always been fascinated with that overnight case, and would love to get my hands on one just like it. Unfortunately for me, the actual Mark Cross bag used in the movie (pictured below) sold at auction in 2002 for $5,016.00. Sigh.

Anyway, not too long ago, I found this little beauty at a local treasure shop for a mere $7.50. Not at all like Lisa Fremont's bag, but I love it just the same. I guess all that I need now is a fancy nightgown and slippers.

Cub Scout Cake Auction

2011-03-22T17:05:00.001-07:00

Last night was the annual Cub Scout cake auction fundraiser for our local Cub Scout pack. Cam and I had never been to one before (since we are new to Cub Scouts and all) and it was a lot of fun! Each boy is to make a cake with their father, which is then auctioned off to the highest bidder, to raise money for the pack. Since Camden's dad is off in a foreign land right now, he was stuck with me. As luck would have it, I know a thing or two about cake decorating.

Camden wanted to do a "camp site" cake, and this is what we came up with. There were quite a few other cakes that were along the same line, but they were all unique so that was great. I just could not get over how many great cakes the boys made. In the end, the pack raised well over a thousand dollars.

This is Camden giving a little background information on his cake to the wonderful auctioneer, Mr. Heath. My boy is a natural when you stick a microphone in front of his face.

I went with the intention of letting both Camden and Griffin bid on a cake. Unfortunately, Griff and I got caught up in the bidding excitement and ended up paying $45.00 for a gigantic lemon cake decorated as a target, with a real arrow sticking out of the top. Neither of them particularly like lemon cake, so basically I payed $45 for an arrow that I won't let either of them touch in fear of someone driving it through their eye socket. Camden really wanted me to "win" our cake so we could keep it, but since I'd spent all but $5 of our cake money on the arrow cake, it went to someone else. We had a great time and my mind is already abuzz with ideas for the next cake auction.

St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so mad at myself! My sweet boys were dressed to the hilt for St. Patrick's Day - - green shirts, green hats, and even green hair...and I didn't take a single picture! I even remembered it after Camden went to school and vowed to take a picture of them together as soon as Cam came home...and I forgot a second time. Drats. As you can see, I did remember to take a picture of my brisket. Nowhere near as interesting as my boys, but delicious none-the-less. I usually boil brisket on the stove top, but this year I decided to try a slow cooker recipe. I'm happy to say that it turned out great! The only change I made to the recipe is that I used low sodium beef broth instead of beer (because that's what I had on hand) and the flavor was great. Also, I cooked it on low for 8 hours, rather than high as the recipe stated. I'm glad I did this, because the internal temperature registered as done after only 7 hours on low. I think if I'd cooked it on high, it would have turned out like an old leather shoe! This is definitely a recipe I will use again.

Some Signs of Spring

2011-03-15T12:18:00.001-07:00

Swinging

Tulips popping up!

Digging in the dirt

Bike riding

Getting ready to "untuck" the the Sweet Dream for the season

Today, unfortunately, is dark, rainy, and dreary. I just know that spring is coming, though. Just wish we could skip all this rain and get right to the good stuff!

Baby Goats

2011-03-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Today at Story Time, I had a co-worker bring some of her baby goats in for the children to see. She brought 4 total, and they were so cute! They were great with the kids, and seemed to have a high tolerance for being chased, petted, and held by small children. Griffin was particularly fond of the goat pictured here, which, he tells me, is named "Cutie Face".

Twins

2011-03-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

The boys both wanted to dress like Paul Bunyan for school today, so out came the black and red plaid shirts. The shirt Griff has on is actually Camden's "original" Paul Bunyan shirt, back when he first became a fan of the gigantic lumberjack. These two really crack me up - - they have such fun pretending.

A New Week and a New Attitude

2011-03-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, I realize the new week started a couple of days ago, but I declare today the end of my Week Of Pouting. Yes, I've been feeling pretty down-in-the-dumps for the past week, but enough is enough already. I almost can't stand myself anymore. I know for me, once I get feeling that way, it is super-difficult to pull myself out of it. I've gotten better lately at just "going with it", but picking an end date to the drama. Today is that day, my friends.

I woke up with a new attitude, and was super efficient getting the boys ready for school. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are key days for me - - these are the two days of the week where, for 2.5 hours on each of these days, both boys are in school. So, I do lots of list-writing, planning, and thinking about how to spend those precious 2.5 hours. Errand-running without children? Exercise? Housework without interruption? Cup of coffee and a magazine? (That last one sounds the most appealing by far).

Today, I chose exercise first. When I returned from my walk, I realized I'd locked myself out of the house. Unfortunately, this was all my overtired, emotionally-drained little psyche needed, in order to have a big ol' meltdown. Once I got into my house (about a half-hour later), I consoled myself with the hottest, longest, uninterrupted shower in recent history. I'm sure I drained the entire hot water heater (my mother would be horrified) but I did not feel the least bit guilty!

Next, it was off to the grocery store for a few odds and ends, because, any mother knows that a trip to the grocery store without small children in tow is pure heaven, even if in reality, we are still running boring old errands. Luckily for me, my local grocery store contains within it a Starbucks, so I treated myself to a mocha. The super-nice gals who work at Starbucks were telling me about some new treats they will be selling soon...cake pops, red velvet whoopie pies, and salted caramel sweet squares...all in miniature size. Much to my delight, they forced me to take a salted caramel sweet square, and it was out-of-this world delicious, and it confirmed my belief that any sweet with the word "salted" in it is to die for.

Riley Speaks....sort of

2011-03-07T08:02:00.001-08:00

The boys have been long-time fans of the PBS show, "Martha Speaks", and recently Griffin's been asking me to buy some Alphabet Soup to see if we could get Riley to talk (the premise behind "Martha Speaks," in case you aren't familiar with the show, is that a dog eats some alphabet soup, which gives her the ability to speak). I quickly learned that Alphabet Soup is hard to find! I don't know how many stores I looked, before I found some!

Griffin was very excited for our little "experiment" and could hardly stand the excitement.

Riley was very excited to be eating something different, out of a human dish, in the middle of the day...

As soon as Riley was done slurping up his bowl of soup, we commanded him to speak. I'm sorry to report that he only produced a normal old Riley bark. Griffin was not impressed. I'm pretty sure he stomped his feet a few times and declared that the soup "didn't work". Riley, on the other hand, wanted another bowl, which he didn't get.

The End.

My New Toy

2011-03-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Steve really surprised me this year on my birthday when he gave me this beautiful Sony a290 digital camera. I have wanted a camera like this for a long time now, but I didn't really ever think that I would own one. By the time my birthday rolled around, I was feeling extra proud of myself, because I received the package in the mail about two weeks prior to my birthday, but I quickly put it in my closet and didn't peek once. I think I am still slightly overwhelmed by this camera and all of its settings, but in the past week or so, I've really been taking a lot of pictures and getting myself familiar with how it works. I love the photo quality and just can't get over what wonderful pictures it takes. Can't wait to figure out all of the wonderful things I will be able to do with it!

Blah

2011-03-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

Double rainbow over Emmett ~ 3/3/11

For me, this is the absolute worst part of a deployment. At least this deployment anyway. The last time, I was working full-time, so I was blessed with the distraction of my job, the two hours of commute time each day, coworkers, and dare I say, the break in the monotony.

These past few days, I just cannot seem to escape that terrible lonely feeling. I thought today would be better, since it is the weekend and Camden is home, but I feel like I could climb the walls. At the moment, I can't fathom that there are 7 more months of this to get through.

The boys and I are planning to go to a matinee this afternoon, but I'll tell you, with Griff asking every 5 minutes if it is 4:00 yet, I'm starting to wonder if 4:00 will ever get here! I know this will all pass soon enough, and we will be back into our regular routine, but for now, it just plain stinks.

Griffin's New Sweater

2011-03-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Camden received a new sweater in the mail, made by his Nana. Griffin immediately asked, "Where's MY sweater?!!?" So, no surprise that Nana got her knitting needles right back out and went back to work. Griffin knew his sweater was on its way to Idaho, and asked me every day for a week if his package had arrived yet.

Thank goodness it finally came, and not only did he get a lovely new sweater, but also a hat to match. Griff was excited to wear them right away, and reports that both the hat and the sweater "work good". Thanks, Nana ~ we are continually impressed with your knitting skills!

Building the Merry-Go-Round

2011-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Steve was itching to add something new to the backyard playground while he was home, and we decided on a merry-go-round. Thanks to Tuesday Morning, we got a great deal on it. I picked it up after dropping him off at the airport, and my father-in-law and Griffin got right to work on it that afternoon.

Griff takes his projects pretty seriously, and was rather impressed with himself. My father-in-law was very patient with him, and I think they had fun with their project.

So far, the merry-go-round is a big hit. The boys just love to play outside, and they do a great job taking care of their outdoor equipment. Now, if it would only stop raining so we could get out there some more!

My Steve

2011-03-01T18:52:00.001-08:00

Steve left this morning.

Sitting here tonight, I can't believe the past two weeks came and went so quickly. The boys and I had the most wonderful time with him! We packed a lot of fun into 15 days, that is for sure.

R & R is a strange thing. It is something all four of us were waiting and waiting for, but once it arrives, there is a sense of dread that it is going to pass too quickly. I'm happy to say that both Steve and I felt like the pace was relaxed, and we spent our time wisely.

Steve put Camden and Griffin's needs above all else, which is what he does in every-day life anyway. He is such a devoted, involved, and loving father, and he amazes me. I am so proud of him.

One invaluable thing that comes from a deployment is the gift of perspective. I think all marriages could use some from time to time. Being apart really gives one pause to reflect upon what is really, really important in life. Friendship. Respect. Comfort. Understanding. Unconditional love. I'm happy to know that I have these things with my husband. I love him more than anything in the world.

When Steve left this morning, he left love notes for each of the boys, so they would find them when they woke up. This afternoon, when Griffin and I were out playing in the yard, I found this written on our walkway:

Seeing it totally made my day today. I love you, Steve. We miss you so much already.

Exploring by the River

2011-02-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today was Steve's last full day in Idaho, before he has to head back to Iraq to finish his tour. We didn't really have a plan for the day, other than to have quality time with our boys. The weather was a little chilly, but we decided to head down to the river to do some exploring. This is something that Steve does pretty regularly with the boys, and it is one of their favorite things to do. They both packed up their backpacks with their essential exploring gear, and we were off!

Skipping rocks is always a must

We spent quite a bit of time wandering and exploring and had a great time. Next, it was time for a scenic drive...

Steve relived his youth and impressed his sons, by doing some donuts in the truck.

All too quickly, the day was over with and it was time for stories and bed. We had a really wonderful day and I cannot wait for this deployment to be over with so we can get back to our normal little life.

Dinner In

2011-02-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was really hoping that Steve and I could have gotten away for dinner while he was home, but it didn't work out, so instead we opted to send the boys next door to Gramma and Grampa for a couple of hours so that we could cook dinner together. We ended up having a great time, and I'm so glad we did it!

We started out with a variety of cheeses, some candied walnuts, grapes, and baguette, along with some gin martinis. Yum.

I still have some work to do in perfecting my gin martini-making abilities, but these turned out pretty well...

We decided on a recipe that Steve had prepared for me before...Pan roasted chicken with lemon, olives, and rosemary, from one of our favorite cookbooks, At Blanchard's Table.

(I'm really noticing the difference in food photos with my new camera!)

By the time dinner was over, we'd eating a lot of great food, drank one-too-many martinis, and had a lot of laughs. A wonderful evening!

Hotel Touring

2011-02-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

I think I mentioned how Griffin wasn't exactly a team player when it came to leaving the hotel during our trip to McCall. He was more content with swimming in the pool, partaking in the continental breakfast, and "touring" the hotel. This involved walking up and down the hallways, trips to each and every floor (over and over) in the elevator, and finding and using all stairwells. I'm pretty sure he could have done this all day long. One afternoon, I sent Steve over to Ponderosa State Park so he could ski, and Camden and I were the unlucky victims of Griffin's hotel-touring-obsession. I actually wasn't too hesitant in indulging him, because I figured at least it might wear him out a little.

This photo depicts the moment when Camden had had his fill of wandering the halls. He was a good sport. Seriously, I hope Griffin outgrows his aversion to outdoor fun sometime soon!

A Little Getaway

2011-02-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Steve arrived home for 2 weeks of R&R just before midnight on February 13th. He'd been traveling for nearly 75 hours at that point, so the poor guy was exhausted. After about a day of recuperation, we packed up the boys and headed for McCall, where we could be alone and get reacquainted with each other. McCall is a winter-wonderland this time of year, and the only downside to our little trip was that Griffin was not "down" with all of the snow. So, our plans of sledding, skiing, and general snow-time fun were short-lived. The boys were mostly interested in the hotel and the hotel pool, which Steve and I can tell you, was not exactly "heated". Just the same, we had a wonderful time and I'm telling you now, if Steve ever gets deployed again, we will be spending R&R at an undisclosed location where nobody can find us! I can't tell you how important and precious the time together as a family unit is. Really, all I wanted was to hide away somewhere, so I am glad we had the opportunity to get away, if only for a few days. After a couple of nights in McCall, we headed back toward home, but spent a night in Boise first. Again, the boys were most excited about being in a hotel! We had a great time together but of course it went by much too quickly.

39

2011-02-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today was my 39th birthday, and it was truly a wonderful day. I haven't given much thought about my age for years now, but today I did lots of thinking. I'll save all the details for another post, but I was particularly excited to turn 39, I have to admit. So many good things have been happening for me lately, and I just feel thankful to have a healthy body and a happy life.

My in-laws cut me loose for the day, and I didn't hesitate to head straight to Boise, and the Boise Town Square Mall. I'm not much of a mall person - - I probably go once or twice per year, and only when I absolutely have to. I think when a person has small children to tote around, there are certain things that just aren't appealing any longer! Knowing that I had a day to myself, I was determined not to waste it on running errands or anything like that. I have been needing a new pair of jeans, among other things, for quite some time, so I spent a better part of the day trying things on and just having fun. I'm happy to report that I found quite a few things for myself, took advantage of some great sales, and came home nice and relaxed. It was so great to be out by myself, shopping for myself (no offense, children).

When I got back, the boys had been busy decorating for a little party. We had a delicious dinner with my in-laws, and then my nephew, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law came down for cake. I had to include a picture of my birthday cake (which Camden and Griffin insisted on being strawberry...they know what Mummy likes!), because my mother-in-law truly thought I was turning 38! Thanks for shaving a year off, Bev!

All in all, a wonderful day, and I am really looking forward to the year ahead.

Pinewood Derby Pandemonium

2011-01-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight was Camden's first Pinewood Derby since becoming a Cub Scout. There's been a lot of anticipation building up to tonight! Since Steve isn't here, Camden's uncle and grandfather helped him make his car. He was very proud of it in the end, and was so excited about the race! I'm proud to report that he came in second place for Best of Show, and 3rd place for speed, in his age division. It was a fun evening, and Camden and I are already discussing ideas for next year's race.

There was a "non-Scout" division as well, so Griffin also made and raced a car. I didn't decide until the last minute as to whether or not Griffin was going to go, but after talking to his pediatrician and being assured it was okay, I took him along. Something was a little shifty about the scoring for that race though, as Griff won two out of three races, and came in second in the third race, but somehow did not place in the end. My boy got the shaft! Yes, I am wearing a boy scout uniform...I have to since I'm a den mother! Camden thinks I'm awesome when I wear it, so I'll go with that.

My den came in third place overall, so we were all pretty excited about that. I love having this special time with Camden, and I'm pretty sure it is something we will both always remember.

Scarlet Fever Boy

2011-01-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

Poor Griff has had a rough day. Late yesterday afternoon, he broke out in a small rash. By this morning, it covered his entire body, and he was soooo itchy, and he just didn't feel well at all. I called his pediatrician and ended up speaking to an on-call doctor who asked me to meet him at the hospital. After an exam, it was determined that he had scarlet fever, which was shocking to me because....people still GET scarlet fever??? Apparently so. After spending a few more hours at the hospital sitting in the ER, getting lab work done, etc., we were on our way home. Poor boy has had a rough few weeks. Here's hoping that after this round of antibiotics, we will have a healthy spring.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Coffee Edition

2011-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Steve sent me this fabulous Keurig coffee maker for Christmas, and I dare say, I nearly LEAP out of bed each morning, just so I can make myself a cup of coffee in this thing. If you've never seen one before, that little red basket is full of little K-cups, which you pop into the machine, select your coffee cup size, and, voila! Nice, hot coffee on demand. I am pretty much a one-cup-of-coffee in the morning kind of girl, and while I realize I can brew just one cup in a traditional coffee pot, it always seemed like such a waste of a coffee filter. I'm sure it all comes out in the wash, but I'll tell you what, I love this coffee maker. Love, love, LOVE it. Even though my gallbladder-less self isn't exactly down with coffee yet, I keep drinking it anyway. That's how much I love it. Another great thing about it is variety. Many times I've purchased a bag of flavored coffee, only to get sick of it after a few cups, but then I've felt compelled to choke down the rest of the bag. I have a nice variety of choices with my Keurig, so I just choose whatever I'm in the mood for. Whoever thought this thing up is a genius in my book.

Spring Cannot Come Soon Enough

2011-01-22T13:49:00.000-08:00

We seem to have a case of The Plague at our house, and apparently it is Lysol-wipe-resistant, because I cannot tell you how many times I have Lysoled, bleached, mopped, wiped, etc., just about every doorknob, surface, and so-on in this house, and yet, there seems to be a never-ending cycle of illness in one form or another. I'm tired of it!! We've had fevers, infections (viral and bacterial, thankyouverymuch), runny noses, sore throats, stomach bugs...you name it, it has cycled through. Today, Griffin is the latest victim - - a restless night of fever, and today he just feels puny. He's a trooper though, and hasn't let it get him down too much. As for me, I am counting down the 58 days remaining until spring arrives. Never mind the inversions - - I'm sick of being cooped up. Fresh air always puts an end to the cycle of winter illness, and I cannot wait for it to be over with!

I Heart These Cookies

2011-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

I think I've mentioned before, how much I love Everyday Food magazine. I can hardly wait for it to show up in my mailbox each month. It really is jam-packed full of easy, delicious recipes, as well as lots of helpful hints for the kitchen. Love it! Anyway, my new issue arrived this past week. I was set to provide food for fellowship hour at church this week, so I took the opportunity to whip up a batch of these cookies, and they did not disappoint! These are basically a rich butter cookie, but with the addition of cornmeal, which I think gives this cookie wonderful texture. Give these a try - - you won't be sorry. However....PLEASE, for the love of all things holy, do NOT use margarine when making these cookies. Use pure, unsalted butter. Thank you!

Heart-Glazed Cornmeal Cookies (Everyday Food, Jan./Feb. 2011 issue)

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

glaze:

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

2 drops red food coloring

1 3/4 tsp. water

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add egg and 1 tsp. of vanilla, beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until combined.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl; roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat with sugar. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. With the bottom of a glass, flatten the balls to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Press a 1-inch heart cookie cutter into each circle (do not cut all the way through). Bake until cookies are golden at edges, 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks (undecorated cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days).

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioner's sugar, remaining 1/4 tsp. vanilla, 1 3/4 tsp. water, and red food coloring. Using a small knife, spread glaze over the heart shape. Let set for 15 minutes.

Caramelized Onions

2011-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned a few times before that Friday night at our house is homemade pizza night. The boys all love it, and it is a guaranteed quick and easy meal for me to prepare. One of my favorite things to put on the "grown-up" pizza is caramelized onions. So easy to make, and so addictive and delicious. If you don't care for onions on your pizza, you still ought to give these a try, because it is a very different flavor than just chopping up some onions and throwing them on your pizza. All you need is one onion - - doesn't matter what kind. I have used red, white, and vidalia and all are great. Cut the onion in half, and then slice each half very thin. Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in your onions, and sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the top. Stir well. Continue stirring as they cook, for approximately 10 minutes.

If your onions start to brown at all, then you have the heat up too high and may want to turn it down a bit. You are looking for the onions to soften and turn a nice golden color. Don't try to rush them - - the slower they cook, the better they will be.

The end result should look like this. Put as many as you'd like on top of your pizza. I guarantee you, you've never tasted anything like this. They are soooo good. I just put whatever is left over in a Tupperware in the fridge and use them the following week. Some of my favorite combos using caramelized onion are pesto/fresh mozzarella/sausage/caramelized onion, and artichoke heart/black olive/caramelized onion. Just mix them with your favorite topping and give it a try!

Star Wars Village

2011-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have been trying, without much success, to get the "toy situation" under control in my house -- you know, the influx of new items from Christmas, mixed with the old stuff, the broken stuff, etc. Trying to organize it, get rid of things that are no longer played with, etc.. One of my road blocks is this cardboard contraption in the middle of the boys' room..this would be their Star Wars Village.... it occupies most of their waking hours these days. Santa brought Camden the coveted AT-AT Walker for Christmas, and brought Griffin a Snowspeeder. It continues to crack me up, that no matter how old they get, the lure of the cardboard box never wanes. Give these two some cardboard, some tape, and a couple of markers, and they come up with something that keeps their imagination engaged for hours.

Something to Try

2011-01-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Do you have an over-abundance of these little medicine-dispensing cups in your house? I actually just got done tossing about ten of them, when I was cleaning out my cupboards. They seem to multiply in the dark in there. I did save a couple though, because they make great maple-syrup-pourers for my little guys.

For some reason, pancakes just taste better when you get to pour your own syrup.

Demon Kitty

2011-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is Calli. Isn't she the cutest kitty you've ever seen? Don't let her fool you. She's completely insane. The boys and I have been kitty-sitting for the past two weeks for our friend Margaret, while she is in Maine visiting her daughter. We were very excited to have a kitten in the house, but I have to tell you, I'm just about kittened-out at this point. You see, Calli likes to eat all kinds of things (i.e. rubber bands, ribbon, Christmas ornaments, string, wrapping paper, socks, etc.), and then throw them up all over the house. She likes to get in the children's beds in the middle of the night and lick their faces or chew on their hands. She likes to climb my shower curtain. She likes to drink out of the toilet. She enjoys eating Riley's food. She jumps up on the dining table whenever I attempt to serve the boys a meal. She constantly claws the furniture. Every time one of us opens the door, she tries to escape (she's an indoor cat). She has, shall we say, messy litter box habits. Needless to say, I haven't gotten a solid night's sleep since she arrived on December 20th. I've been counting the days until she goes home, just about since the day she got here. Unfortunately, she started to grow on me over the past 24 hours. She's finally calming down just enough to not drive me insane all day long. I still won't miss her when she leaves though. Okay, maybe a little.

The Vortex

2011-01-02T17:13:00.000-08:00

I challenged my dear friend Kate to update her blog today, and told her I would update mine in return. You see, I don't like it when I click on Kate's blog and find a stale post. I like to know what she's up to. Besides that, she cracks me up. However, I was also attempting to get my own blog back on track after a few weeks of nothing-ness. I know, I know - - you are never supposed to go on and on, when you haven't been blogging, about the fact that you haven't been blogging. But, since a relatively small group of people actually read this, I'll just go right ahead and say whatever I want.

I haven't felt like blogging. I just haven't. I've had plenty to talk about - - December was an especially busy month for the boys and I. My main problem is that I'm pretty sure I've gotten sucked into the dreaded Vortex of the Winter Blahs. The closer we got to Christmas, the more I was missing Steve. The more I was missing Steve, the more anti-social and withdrawn I felt. You see? The Vortex. The boys and I really had a wonderful Christmas day, but on the same token, it was an exceptionally lonely-feeling day for me. I guess I just haven't been able to shake that feeling ever since.I don't like feeling this way, especially when I can admit it, but still can't seem to get out of my own way and do anything about it. As much as I love having Camden home with me, I think it is going to help a great deal to get back to our "regular" schedule of school, Cub Scouts, and library work, starting tomorrow morning.

I am happy to report that, rather than eating loads of garbage to deal with my general feelings of blah, I've been hitting the treadmill instead. I know - - hard to believe....exercise feels way better than mindless eating. Who would have thought! Lets see if I can keep it up!

*I would like to add that Kate has not updated her blog as of publication of this post. You have three hours and some change, Kate!*
***UPDATE*** Thank you, Kate!

For Steve

2010-12-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Matchy-Matchy

2010-12-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

I love buying Christmas jammies for the boys each year. I'm sure in the not-too-distant future, I won't be able to get away with holiday-themed jammies anymore, so I'm enjoying it while I can! I just love the children's Nick & Nora jammies that Target carries. I wasn't able to get matching sets in the right sizes this year, but they are cute, just the same.

I like a good set of pajamas myself, so my mom and I bought each other these cute Croft & Barrow flannel pajamas at Kohl's this year. I just love them!

Camden and Griffin's pajamas are wrapped and under the tree, for opening on Christmas Eve, but Mum and I had to try ours out the other night, before my parents headed back to Maine.

A Great Gift for Giving

2010-12-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

I love to buy children's books for gifts for the children in my life, and recently I found a new one that is just lovely. Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama is a beautifully illustrated book with a great message.

The book begins, "Have I told you lately how wonderful you are? How the sound of your feet running from afar brings dancing rhythms to my day? How you laugh and sunshine spills into the room?" It then goes on to ask, "Have I told you that you are creative/smart/brave/strong, etc.?" and then tells about Georgia O'Keeffe, and on through many notable people through history. The message of the book as a whole is the potential that all people have, to do great things, no matter where they come from. The illustrations by Loren Long are amazing!

Now, I love this book because it is truly a lovely book - - nothing to do with whether or not I like President Obama (I do, by the way). I'm curious to know - - do you teach your children to respect the President, regardless of your political views, or whether or not you think any particular president is doing a good job or not? I ask this because I have gotten some bizarre reactions from grown adults, mind you, when I've brought up this book in conversation and recommended it as a potential Christmas gift. Sad, my friends, but true. Anyway, enough about that...if you have a little person in your life that loves books, then this book is a gem. FYI, the best price I've found so far is at Costco.

Major Bummer

2010-12-05T23:00:00.000-08:00

My parents left this morning to head back to Maine, and boy do we miss them already. The arrived in early September, and we have so enjoyed having them here. It was great to have their support while the boys and I adjusted to having Steve away. All of that aside, my folks are just really great people who we love and enjoy being around. I can't even put into words what it has meant to me, having them be a part of the boys' every-day life. Probably something a lot of people who live near their parents take for granted from time to time, I would imagine. Both my mom and my dad are really wonderful grandparents - - loving, gentle, attentive, but able to keep the boys in line when needed. It was really nice to have their companionship. Many times today already, I've had to stop myself from "popping in" next door, to see what they were up to. So, while it is going to take us a few days to adjust to not having them here, we are also going to look forward to their next visit. We miss you, Nana and Papa!

Saturday Pictures

2010-12-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

The boys, posing with the gingerbread house they made with Nana. A more accurate description might be 'the boys posing with the gingerbread house their Nana made while they supervised'

Random shot by Griffin. Right after he took this photo, he wandered off with my camera and "misplaced" it. I'm happy to report that it turned up after a massive search effort was executed. Little stinker.

I think the boys were playing "Titanic" in this shot. I like the clip-on neckties with their t-shirts. Fancy.

And finally, a super-creepy shot of Riley, playing dress-ups with the boys. He yawned right as I snapped the picture.

Festival of Lights

2010-12-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight was our local Festival of Lights, and so I decided to whip up some homemade pizza, bake a few goodies, and have a little party. We had some friends join us, along with Nana and Papa, before heading over to the city park.

Here I am with my mother and my good friend Jeanie. I met Jeanie at Camden's school - - she has a great little boy who is Camden's age. My mom got to know Jeanie too, this fall at soccer practice, when Jeanie's son and Camden were on the same team. It is impossible not to like Jeanie because she is so bubbly, fun, and friendly. I am so glad to know her!

There was entertainment at the band shell, food, cocoa, and a gingerbread house contest. We wondered around but mostly watched the boys play in the snow and throw snowballs.

Of course, Santa and Mrs. Clause were there. This picture of Griffin, getting squashed by Santa cracks me up. My ears perked up when I overheard Griffin telling Santa that he wants an electric guitar for Christmas. That's a new addition - - hadn't heard that one before. Unfortunately for Griff, the gifts have been purchased already, and he's definitely not getting an electric guitar!

It was a fun night, even though I think it took everyone a little while to thaw out after we got home!

Snow Day #2

2010-12-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned yesterday, snow days are rare around here, but somehow we ended up with another one today! Camden was so, so happy when he woke up and I told him that school had been cancelled for the second day in a row. The conditions weren't as good today though...lots of rain mixed in with the snow, and cold that goes right to the bone. I snuck out of town for a few hours to do some Christmas shopping, and the boys did some themselves, with Nana. They also totally lucked out when she took them on a date to McDonald's, for lunch. When I returned from my shopping adventure, Camden and Papa were out in the back yard, building a snowman. I'm pretty sure that there will be school tomorrow, but Camden's hoping for another miracle.

Snow Day

2010-12-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

We had a snow day today - - that doesn't happen very often in these parts! Only once in a great while do we get snow that actually "sticks" for more than a few hours. So, what a great surprise to wake up this morning and find all kinds of snow. It was made even better when we got our automated call from the superintendent of schools, telling us we had a snow day. The boys were thrilled, and I have to say, I sure was too! My mother and I braved the elements to hit up the local department store for some snow block makers, and then my dad made snow forts with the boys. It was a great day!

Thankful

2010-11-25T19:32:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy that my parents were in Idaho this year, for Thanksgiving. The boys and I are going to miss them so much when they head back to Maine in the next week or so...I can't even stand to think about it. I'm extra-thankful that they have been here to help me recuperate from gallbladder surgery this week - - while it is an outpatient procedure (like most surgeries these days) I can tell you that it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. Ouch! I really didn't feel well at all today, but I'm hoping that I'll be on the mend in the next day or so. I don't enjoy sitting around!

Here's what Thanksgiving dinner looks like when you've just had your gallbladder removed. I can tell you that the mashed potatoes agreed with me, so that's probably what I'll be eating for the next few days. We spent the afternoon relaxing, and now I'm getting ready to tuck the boys in (after we finish watching Elf, of course).

These boys of mine have it pretty good. It is a regular occurrence to be sitting on Nana's sofa in the evening, eating an ice cream cone, sometimes while getting a "lotion foot rub". Lucky boys!

The Wee Little Patient

2010-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Poor Griffer. He's had a rough week. He was sick last Tuesday, while I was kicking my heels up in New Orleans. In fact, in case you were wondering about the level of my mother's awesomeness, he threw up all over her, and she didn't bat an eyelash. She and my father spent the rest of the day taking extra-special care of him in my absence, ensuring that I didn't need to worry about him. Unfortunately, he was back at it early this morning (throwing up, that is), so we're off to the doctor this afternoon. He's had a cold for weeks that just won't go away, and the doctor thinks it sounds like a sinus infection. I'm hoping that is the case and that he'll soon be on the mend.

So, for today, life is on hold while we snuggle in the family room, and watch lots and lots of cartoons. And do laundry. And Lysol-wipe everything.

New Orleans: Food, Food, Food

2010-11-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

In the short amount of time that Steve and I stayed in New Orleans, we managed to eat a lot of wonderful food. I keep thinking of Julia Roberts in the movie Eat, Pray, Love - - that every bite I put into my mouth was going to be savored and enjoyed...and, it was. Besides beignets and cafe au lait, we made sure to indulge in other local favorites, such as gumbo, red beans and rice, hush puppies, catfish, and pralines. We had been given quite a few recommendations for restaurants, but found that our favorites ended up being places that we just happened to stumble upon.

Pecan Pie and cocktails at Pere Antoine on Royal Street, French Quarter

10-cent martinis with lunch, Bacco on Chartres, French Quarter

The most unbelievable Portobello Mushroom Bisque at The Marigny Brasserie, Frenchmen Street

We ate a couple of times at a great place called Stanley on Chartres...take a look at their website and read the "our story" section. We both had gumbo at Stanley and it was absolutely delicious. They also served a wonderful hearts of romaine salad, which we ordered both times we were there.

I do wish I'd eaten a Po'Boy while I was there, and also some bananas foster. Next time!

**Just wanted to add....I am having a terrible time uploading pictures to Blogger. I can upload them, but no longer seem to be able to move them to where I want them in my post, as I'm composing it. Is anyone else having this issue? It is driving me nuts!**

New Orleans: Cafe Du Monde

2010-11-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lets start at Cafe Du Monde, shall we? Cafe Du Monde was first established in the 1862 in New Orleans in the French Market at 800 Decatur Street. Pretty much, if you go to New Orleans, you have to go to Cafe Du Monde and eat beignets. Beignets are pretty much fried square

donutes, heavily doused with powdered sugar. They are delicious!

We headed straight to Cafe Du Monde the morning after I arrived in New Orleans, found ourselves a table and ordered some beignets and cafe au lait. Cafe au lait is coffee with chicory, mixed half and half with hot milk. Chicory comes from the root of the endive plant (a type of lettuce, oddly enough) - - it is roasted and ground and mixed with the coffee. The chicory cuts the bitterness of dark-roasted coffee. Cafe Du Monde serves only cafe au lait, beignets, milk, juice, iced and frozen cafe au lait. It is open 24-hours per day, and is always busy. I think it is a great place to go and people-watch.

Beautiful New Orleans

2010-11-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Decatur Street, New Orleans

I've just returned home after three days in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I went to spend some time with Steve before he left the country for his second deployment to Iraq. I was so lucky to have my parents here in Idaho, so that I could take this trip, as the boys stayed home with them. The trip was nothing short of wonderful! We had been to New Orleans before, back in 2004 for a quick weekend, but at the time I was pretty busy tending to a 10-month old baby, and didn't feel as though I was really able to take in my surroundings. Not the case this time, though! We did tons of walking, sight-seeing, and enjoying all of the fabulous local food. So, stay tuned for the next few days, and I'll tell you all about it!

Soup Time!

2010-10-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full-swing here in Idaho, and when it starts to get chilly, I want soup. I love to sit down to a bowl of soup for lunch, and one of my favorites is butternut squash soup. I love butternut squash anyway, but as a soup, the texture is perfect and the flavor is so comforting. Here is a little recipe that I came up with after looking at a few different recipes. It is super simple!

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 vidalia/sweet onion, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 can vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth, if you prefer)

salt and pepper, to taste

Peel and cube squash; set aside. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for another minute or so. Add the squash and stir to combine. Add the can of vegetable broth, and enough water to just cover the squash. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Puree the soup mixture with an immersion blender, or you can blend it in a blender in small batches (never fill the blender more than half-full when doing this!) until the whole pot has been pureed. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

I like to serve this with a dollop of sour cream. Delicious!

A Disney Surprise

2010-10-26T09:05:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, the boys received a package in the mail, in a bright, red Mickey Mouse box. Griffin immediately asked, "Did Mickey Mouse mail this to me?" Unfortunately for Griff, I informed him that we'd have to wait until his brother got home from school to find out. Believe me, he made me pay for that decision for the next 4 1/2 hours! When the boys finally opened their package, it was full of candy, Disney World trick-or-treat bags, pirate goodness, and a letter from Minnie Mouse herself. Turns out, my cousin had recently been to Disney World with her family, and went out of her way to send a special surprise to my boys. Although I haven't seen my cousin in about twenty years, and she's never met my family, she frequently takes the time to check in on me and the boys to see how we are doing, and boy, does that mean a lot. Thank you, Janet - - you really brightened the day of two Disney-lovin' boys!

The Round Up: 2010 Edition

2010-10-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, my sister-in-law, who also owns a vintage camper, suggested we have a little camp out in her back yard, just us and our posse of little boys. Hence, The Round Up was born. This gave both of us the jolt we needed to really hunker down and work on our little campers.

Since purchase, my camper has been parked out in my back yard. To get to Kasey's house, I obviously needed to hook the thing to my truck and drive up there (a mere 3 miles away). Luckily, I spotted my neighbor's son and begged him to help me hitch it up, and then even had him pull it around front for me. I'm such a wuss. When the boys and I arrived, we found Kasey and Banzer decked out in all their cowgirl/cowboy finery. I was feeling quite under dressed in my jeans and sneakers, but lucky for me, Kasey quickly produced some duds for me. Thanks, Kas!

Here's The Sweet Dream, in all her glory. Not so pretty on the outside, but I promise, she's very cute on the inside.

The bed came out just as I'd hoped it would...super cozy.

Here's the foot of the bed. I ended up putting a tension rod in the "ramp" area and hanging a sheer panel, in hopes of disguising the weird ramp/door - - I like how that part turned out.

I think my favorite bit of decor is my wine glass rack, made from a recycled rake. I had Steve save it for me years ago, as I'd seen this idea somewhere. I'm glad I finally remembered I had it, and that I got to use it!

Here we are in front of Kasey's camper. I think it is a 1956, but I'm not sure of the make. I love the shape of it.

Kasey's bed. I love the colors she chose for the interior. It is kind of hard to see in the picture, but she used rope as a trim piece, where the walls meet...I love this!

This is the end opposite her bed, which is a twin bed, but doubles as a sofa. I love the fabric she chose to cover the pillows and the sofa.

Once we got settled in, we sat down to a cowboy feast of brisket, corn on the cob, baked beans, yeast rolls, and Griffin's favorite, Little Smokies. After dinner, a fire was blazing in the fire pit, and we all kept nice and warm there.

By the time I went to bed, my boys were snug as could be. I have to say, even when sharing a full-size bed with two little guys, I was plenty comfortable and slept great. When we woke up in the morning, Camden declared that he was going to live in the camper from now on.

The next morning, we enjoyed another camp fire and some hot chocolate. We all had a great time, and I'm already looking forward to a trip to Sagehen next year.