Team Puga

Can I make granola without coconut?

2012-01-27T14:14:00.000-06:00

Nope, I just can't bring myself to do it. It would be like making chocolate chips cookies without adding the chocolate chips.

Where can you buy bulk coconut?

First home

2012-01-24T16:19:00.000-06:00

We bought a house! The past two months have been crazy, but good. More on everything later. Just wanted to let whoever might look at this know that we are still alive. Thanks for reading.

Sitting on Santa CHAMP

2011-12-07T15:37:00.000-06:00

Last Christmas, by the way he howled, making Rody sit on Santa's lap paralleled disowning him.

This year, our kid was a CHAMP! He asked for a ball (baseball, of course). He even smiled in a picture. And, the blue teddy bear Santa presented has become the new best friend of his all-time favorite horse that Aunt Marci gave him last year.

His horse, Pioneer (Rody chose the name himself), pulls the wagon (empty graham cracker box) with the blue bear riding inside all around the living room.

Beet Soup

2011-11-23T18:16:00.001-06:00

I'm a big fan of beet soup. It always seems to come out yummy even when I change up the ingredients.

Saute peeled and chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery in butter.
Add a quart or two of chicken stock.
Add peeled and chopped beets and lots of potatoes.
Boil it all until the potatoes and beets are soft enough to puree in a blender.
Make the puree (leaving some of the beets and potatoes in the soup) then stir it back into the soup.
Add a tablespoon or so of vinegar or lemon juice for a very tiny little kick.
Add lots of dill weed, salt, pepper and any other herbs that sound good at the time.
Simmer 'till you can't wait any longer to eat.

Yum!

horse transformer

2011-11-07T22:46:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, I made a very homemade hobby horse of cardboard and duct tape for my horse-loving boy. He named it "Pioneer."

Rody loves the amazing, high-tech transforming ability of this horse: the stick becomes a baseball bat when he pulls it out.

I might put a picture up sometime, maybe . . . if it becomes a horse again.

"Look, Mom! I'm Angel Moroni on top of the temple."

2011-10-20T20:48:00.005-05:00

When I heard the proclamation, I came around the corner from washing dishes to behold my little climber atop the exercise bike. He proceeded to make a trumpet noise and shouted, "Jesus is coming! [more fanfare] The gospel is restored!"

Olive Fingers

2011-10-16T21:14:00.002-05:00

The baseball glove shown is the one I used as a kid. Now, my kid rarely takes it off. Luckily, for him, he only needs one hand to eat olives.

Backyard in Autumn

2011-10-08T20:50:00.002-05:00

Our leaf pile became a campfire for roasting hot dogs

That was fun; now let's play baseball. (surprize, surprize)

Kindle a Fire

2011-10-01T22:02:00.004-05:00

Isaiah 50:11
"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow."

For years, I was intrigued by the imagery of kindling sparks, fire and light in the first sentence of this scripture. But, I never understood and even felt slightly disturbed by the seemingly strange juxtaposition of second sentence, especially considering the discordant ideas presented. First, the beautiful imagery of light, hope, faith, then sorrow??? and at the hand of the Lord? What is going on here?

Several times in the last couple months, I've pondered over this scripture. In the last few days, I've received additional insight that presents a profound beauty and wisdom of the previously disturbing juxtaposition mentioned above.

When the scripture above is considered with a connection to Genesis 3:16 and Moses 5:11, a whole new meaning opens up in my heart and mind.

Genesis 3:16
"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children . . . ."

Moses 5:11
"And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient."

When I think of the sorrow at the hand of the Lord as mentioned in Isaiah as the sorrow that comes with the creation of children and families, then the juxtaposition makes sense. The positive imagery in the first sentence comes to life with such a deeper meaning.

"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled."

Sparks become Children. Fire becomes Family. Light becomes Love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the LOVE OF MY LIFE!

2011-09-30T22:51:00.004-05:00

I could, but I won't get all mushy about how much I love my amazing husband and how grateful I am that my best friend will be with me for all eternity.

Instead, let it suffice to say that because they played on Pedro's birthday, [deep breath] I'm glad BYU's football team got lucky and barely beat my Utah State Aggies.

Happy Birthday, Love!

Grandma and Grandpa come to Minnesota

2011-09-26T15:54:00.000-05:00

What did we do while G&G were here? What didn't we do?

Hopefully, I'll get a highlights video made and posted in the next few days.

Thanks for coming! We LOVED having you here.

Sesame Street Glee

2011-09-26T15:40:00.002-05:00

My friend's post that I stole this clip off stated, "Sesame Street has made all my dreams come true! A G-rated version of Glee - YESS!!" Awesome!

Kites and Talking Milk

2011-09-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

Before lunch, Rody colored all over a piece of paper which we turned into a kite and attempted with some success to fly in the back yard. Fortunately, he has no idea how little air time we achieved compared to normal kite-flying expectations. He had a magnificent time running with the spool in his hand, the kite mostly dragging behind him catching a couple feet of air every lucky second or two.

At lunch, Rody turned his head sideways, put his ear down on top of his cup of milk, and said, "The milk says 'Come play with us.'"

At the lake

2011-09-11T20:36:00.000-05:00

We spent a memorable weekend with our friends at their cabin near Bemidji, Minnesota. (Isn't that the coolest name for a town?) Both Pedro's had the time of their lives fishing for bass, pike, minnows and plastic blue fish tied to the end of the line.

After seeing four-year-old, Tate jump off the floating dock, Rody begged to go swimming. So, we stripped him down to nothing but a life jacket. So excited, Rody bravely jumped off about 30 times as long as we held his hands to pull him back on to do it again and again.

I had a great time chatting with my friend, Charis, and watching our boys have a great time playing with friends and fish. I enjoyed taking Rody on a kayak ride around the small lake at sunset, too. Beautiful!

We were really grateful our friends just happen to be doctors when Rody somehow got his elbow popped out of place at church and she was able to quickly fix it, saving him lots of tears and a trip to the doctor.

I got some video of the boys on the dock, but I forgot to visually document most of the trip. Oops. I wish I had on video Rody making sure he, his papa and his mama each had a horse to ride (you know the kind with stuffed heads on half a broom stick), all of us riding around the cabin, and his prayer later that night "bless Papa, Mama, Pedro and bless Papa's horse and Mama's horse and Pedro's horse."

We had a fantastic weekend! We're sure grateful for good friends!

Ode to my Aggies, who very nearly toppled Auburn, the defending national champs

2011-09-03T15:27:00.001-05:00

Aggies, oh Aggies, you were so close
to beating the team that you wanted to most.
With a record to set, this was the day.
You were up by 10 POINTS with two minutes to play.
At the end, those Tigers got through with a trick,
but I'm proud of my Aggies for being so quick,
for playing so well from beginning to end.
You played like true champs with a message to send:
"We'll bring you our A-game! - forget an easy win!"
College Football is here. Let the challenge begin!

In honor of an awesome game played, enjoy "the Scotsman" - only the greatest song every sung at a football game, behind the national anthem. (pause the music to the right)

Twins baseball

2011-08-21T20:51:00.002-05:00

Rody LOVES baseball.

When I first introduced him to the game we used a tennis racket to up his odds at actually hitting the ball. Now, he can get a hit off the end of his bat/fishing pole stick if it's a good pitch. He carries around my old glove and wants to play catch all the time.

Pedro's firm (he started two weeks ago, yes, it's going well) rotates season tickets to Twins games. Sitting in awesome seats, we got to see the Twins totally defeat the Yankees 9 - 4. We all had a blast (well, the Yankees didn't, I guess).

Goo Goo Goggle Prayer

2011-08-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

Last week Rody's personal prayers were generally very short: "Heavenly Father, Thank Thee, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

This week he began to add more details. Below are direct quotes from Rody's personal (no help given) prayers the past three days:

"Thank Thee por Mama, Papa, Pedrito . . . and Pedrito. Please bless Grandpa Blake, Nana, Darla, Brette, Andrew, Pedrito."

"Please bless Grandma, Grandpa, Kelsey, Devan, Darla."

And, my favorite (after reading Dr. Seuss' ABC's book):

"Thank Thee por goo goo goggles, Mama, Papa. Please bless Papa, goo goo goggles."

UTAH

2011-08-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME IN UTAH. MORE DETAILS TO COME, probably.

WE LOVE OUR FAMILY!!!

Paper Towel Butterflies

2011-07-21T20:40:00.000-05:00

I got this idea off the Make it and Love it blog (link to the right). It is so easy (and inexpensive). And, Rody loves making and playing with these butterflies. He gave some to a few neighbor kids who thought they were cool.

Add a drop or two of food coloring to a little bit of water in different bowls for each color.
Fold up a paper towel in half then half again and again into a small square or triangle.
Dip the corners or sides into the various bowls of colored water.
Unfold the paper towel and set it out to dry on whatever you have (newspaper, empty cereal boxes or paperbags cut so they lay flat, whatever).
After they dry, bunch the center of a paper towel and tie it with pipe cleaners or whatever you have (produce twist ties, rubber bands, paper clips, etc.)

A pretty simple, no-worries-if-it-breaks toy. Enjoy!

Granola Recipe

2011-07-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

As requested, here is the recipe for delicious, easy granola. I half this recipe because I don't have a big enough bowl nor a big enough oven. I've never been very good at following recipes with exact measuring. It bites me back sometimes, but I've made this granola twice and it came out yummy both times.

Preheat oven to 325*

Heat and whisk:
1 cup oil (I used part coconut oil and part canola oil)
1 tsp vanilla (I used 3 tsp even with a halved recipe because I really like vanilla)
1 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup maple syrup (I used a maple syrup made with brown rice syrup because I'm trying to reduce corn syrup in our family's diet, but I'm too cheap to buy real maple syrup.)

My recipe didn't say how hot to heat this mixture or for how long. My guess is that you heat it because it helps the oil combine with all the other ingredients. I keep it on a low heat and whisk it occasionally for only as long as it takes me to dump all the other ingredients in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix any combination of oats with nuts or seeds that you like.

This is what I use:
12 cups regular rolled oats (I think you could use quick oats, but they have a different texture/flavor. I get the regular oats from the LDS Cannery).
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 sesame seeds
1 cup almonds (I add a cup even with a half batch)
1 cup sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)
1/3 cup flax seeds (I think I upped the amount of flax seeds, too - gotta love omega-3s)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted)

Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. Divide in half and spread on to shallow pans. Stir every 10 minutes. Cook until golden about 20 - 30 minutes (mine took 30).

Tip: I line the pans with aluminum foil so when it is time to stir it is easy to lift the foil by the corners and dump the granola back into the big bowl, stir it up, then pour it back on the foil in the pan.

When the granola is cool, add dried fruit of your choice.

This morning, I halved the cooled granola, added chopped dates and craisins to one bowl and dried cherries to the other. I have long been a fan of craisins, but, for the granola, dried cherries are by far my favorite. They have so much flavor, you don't need to add very many. I bought a bag at Costco and I think it will last for about 4 - 5 batches of granola.

Some where online I read that you should store granola in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, so I do.

ENJOY!!!

Delicious Homemade Granola

2011-07-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

Delicious Success!

Pedro and I just finished off two bowls each of my homemade cherry vanilla granola. It tastes amazing, is much healthier for us and is less expensive than other cereals we might eat.

This is the first time I've ever made granola. It was so easy to make, I might not buy another box of cereal for a long while.

Thank you Relief Society for the recipe!

Puddle Jumping Diaper Hat & Sticker Make-Over

2011-07-14T13:43:00.000-05:00

I like this dog

2011-07-12T20:25:00.000-05:00

If we ever get a place where we can have a dog, I hope it is a Brittany Spaniel like this one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYCEN!!!

2011-07-07T14:56:00.001-05:00

Eat Clouds!

Does a suit made entirely out of DUCT TAPE itch terribly?

I like it!

I like to look at that view of the mountains, too. I think your shoe lace is untied.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!

2011-07-05T16:25:00.004-05:00

I kinda knew Meg would be my best friend as soon as I met her on the bus on my way to my first day at a new school the middle of my sophomore year of high school.

Megan and I have had so many great adventures over the past 12 years. In fact, Pedro and I met when Megan and Pedro were set up on a blind date and we doubled (thanks Meg and Grant).

Today is Megan's birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I LOVE YOUR GUTS!!!

She writes cool songs (note guitar in background)

At the Logan temple after all four of us came home from missions

After a walking self-guided tour of Washington, D.C. sin umbrellas

Meg and her husband Tyler making brownie sculptures on a double date with us

Happy Birthday America, America!

2011-07-04T23:00:00.001-05:00

Pedro hung up our flag off the porch. Hooray! I love seeing the flag every time I walk in the front door.

I haven't been able to capture it on video yet, but Rody sings the most adorable rendition of "America the Beautiful".

I LOVE THE 4th of JULY!!!

I took Rody to his first parade. I think he would sum up his reaction as so: horrifyingly loud, intriguingly fun. We potluck-lunched with church friends at a park. That night we exposed our son to the joys and terrors of driveway fireworks. He loved waving around a sparkler - until it went out and he touched the hot part. Oops. Sorry buddy. If I remember, I'll post the video of that experience.

I randomly sang patriotic songs throughout the day and loved every minute of it.

While Papa is studying

2011-06-20T16:36:00.001-05:00

Bubble Beards

Cotton ball Sheep Art

Color Time

Shadow Bunnies

Froot Loop Fun

Extracting bone marrow for nearly authentic Bolivian Saltenas

Happy Birthday Gabby! Happy Birthday Tami!

2011-06-13T13:14:00.001-05:00

Temple trip adventures

2011-06-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

Rody came with Momma to the temple. Relief Society offered free child care at the church - thanks! After Momma was finished, we walked around the temple. Rody got to touch the temple wall and smell the flowers. We sat on a bench and sang one of his favorite songs "I Love to See the Temple."

We talked about how because of the temple, Papa, Momma and Rody get to live together forever as a family. We are so grateful for the temple and the blessings we receive through keeping our covenants.

What do Minnesota and Bolivia have in common?

2011-06-07T14:42:00.000-05:00

I've never felt such high humidity/heat-induced lethargy than in Minnesota and Bolivia. Until last night I never worried about getting heat stroke at midnight in my own bedroom.

For those who hail from Southern California or somewhere equally unbearable in the summer, I feel for you and I covet your A/C.

Okay, I think I'm finished with my whining session. Thanks for your patience.

On a upbeat, Rody got his first underwater swimming experience in a neighbor's thigh-high pool. He was very brave, but declined when asked if he wanted to do it again.

Cheers!

Semi-guilty pleasures

2011-05-28T22:31:00.000-05:00

I am eating cookie dough and blogging about it to get my strength up so I can attack the montrous mountain of dishes threatening to take over the rest of our apartment after they finish off the kitchen.

What are your guily pleasures or strength-building (aka procrastination) techniques?

"appy! appy!" with Nana & Grandpa Blake

2011-05-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

Graduation!

2011-05-16T15:28:00.001-05:00

Congratulations, Pedro! Hail the conquering hero! He has slain the law school dragon!

His son shouted his favorite cheer "Hoo-ray! Hoo-ray! Hoo-ray!" for his Papa and yelled "I LOVE MAMA!" during Vice-President Walter Mondale's speech in the stadium full of silent grad-supporters at commencement.

We were happy that Pedro's parents could be here. Our dear friends who attended our Graduation Celebration BBQ were happy to eat the nearly 120 tortillas Alma made by hand.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T22:54:00.000-05:00

In nursury, at church, my son made a Mother's Day card with a crayon outline of his hand inside. Excitedly, he gave it to me with the most beautiful smile ever seen in creation. It doesn't get better than that. I love being his mom!

Thanks, Mom, for showing me how to love being a mom! You are amazing!

Thanks, Pedro, for making me feel so special today. The blackberry crepes for breakfast and the shrimp tacos with mango salsa for dinner were absolutely divine.

"Yup", disco dancing, bubble wrap, etc

2011-04-23T22:05:00.001-05:00

Rody's favorite reply to any question: "yup"

Enjoy some clips to prove we are still alive and haven't disappeared into oblivion.

Rody escaped the confines of the indoor playland tunnels to bust a move under the disco ball.

How we celebrated St. Patrick's Day: Dancing to Celtic music on bubble wrap is as close to river dancing as I'll ever get.

How to entertain my boy for hours: a few balls and water

Our favorite furry friend in Mendon

What the cool kids do

pingkong with Gampah

2011-03-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

Rody and I are having fun hanging out in Mendon, Utah to celebrate my parents' 30th wedding anniversary (and missing our "Papa"/Sweet Hubby who had to stay for work/school).

Rody loves all the attention from his "Gampah, Gagam, Kesey, Byben, De-en, Bet and A-ew."

The first words out of Rody's mouth in the morning and his last before he goes to sleep at night are "pingkong? pingkong?"or "da-ee? da-ee?" (ping pong and Dolly, our lovable, old cocker spaniel)

Staying in Minnesota

2011-03-15T00:03:00.001-05:00

Pedro graduates from law school in May. "Has it really been three years?" you ask. Yes, it has.

A few months ago, more than one person commented, "Are you glad you can see the light at the end of the tunnel?" - referring to life after graduation. It seemed strange to me because I felt like I was in the light moving toward a dark tunnel of uncertainty (no clue where we would live/work/eat after graduation). I finally came to terms with and felt okay about our decision to move to California without a job. I was very, very, very excited to live closer to family and in warmer weather.

Then, Ben, had to go and throw a wrench in the plan. Oh beautiful wrench!

Ben is Pedro's friend who passed on his resume to the partner of an intellectual property law firm in Minneapolis. This led to an interview which led to an offer to get work experience at the firm with an unofficial job offer which will most likely lead to an official job offer after Pedro passes the bar.

Hooray!

We feel so blessed that Pedro will get this experience in his preferred area of law. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who have kept us in their prayers. We are so grateful for this opportunity that, if it goes as expected, will allow us to be more self-reliant and able to bless others.

So, we are staying in Minnesota. After all, our son can run out to 12* weather without a coat and not be phased a bit. As Pedro says, "He's a Minnesotan kid."

I guess with good friends, supportive family and a kind, loving Heavenly Father, this tunnel wasn't so long that I couldn't hold my breath.

Oatmeal and Spaghetti - Gotta Love It!

2011-03-06T22:20:00.002-06:00

A good FULL day!

2011-03-02T22:08:00.001-06:00

Today I: greeted the sunrise, enjoyed my personal study time before my boy woke up, got ready, ate and gave Rody breakfast, made dinner for my family and the newest mother in the ward, took Rody to a ear-nose-throat doctor (tubes are on the horizon), dropped off dinner, took the car in for an oil/filter change and fuel cleaning (yay! the car isn't jumpy), made friends in the waiting room (Rody learned how to say Nick, who promised to attend his basketball games in a few years), fed us lunch, worked on CTC board business and the database for the Father Project while Rody took a long nap (thank you son!), enjoyed my afternoon not making dinner, but doing math problems and baking cookies with one of my favorite 11-year-olds and my boy, danced to primary songs with Rody, called Rody's papa twice before bed, read Elmo, enjoyed my favorite time of the day - holding my son while singing him lullabies, jogged 8 miles while watching Biggest Loser (can you believe they sent Arthur home?? - please!) and procrastinated the dishes until after a quick blog post. Watch out dishes! Here I come!

20th ANNIVERSARY

2011-03-02T22:05:00.001-06:00

Twenty years ago, on March 2, my dad baptized and confirmed me a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I knew then that I was following Jesus. I know now that it was the best decision I would ever make. I entered the gate for the path that would bring me more joy than I could have ever imagined. I will be forever grateful to my parents who taught me what it means to take upon me the name of Christ, to keep His commandments and to always remember Him. I will be eternally grateful to my Savior, whose perfect love makes lasting happiness possible.

floor seasoning?

2011-02-25T09:09:00.000-06:00

Why is it my toddler insists on throwing his food on the floor and only eats it when he is supposed to be picking it up to throw it away. Does he know something I don't. Does being on the floor magically give it a special seasoning?

I told Pedro yesterday that Rody is unofficially two. I think he started the terrible two's six months early.

But, he just came up and gave me an unrequested, spontaneous hug, so maybe he just time travels occasionally.

Gifts

2011-02-16T22:51:00.001-06:00

I enjoyed a beautiful birthday sunrise and 50* temperatures from my Heavenly Father on top of everything else He has given me.

I delighted in the strawberry lemonade green smoothie I made in the new turbo blender Pedro surprised me with one day as an early birthday gift.

I felt so grateful to worship in the temple with my husband while my awesome visiting teacher babysat.

A dear friend surprised me with gorgeous tulips.

My sweet grandparents sent cards.

I spent most of the afternoon and evening talking with wonderful family and friends who called with birthday wishes.

My adorable son randomly pecked the side of my leg with kisses and actually held still and cuddled on my lap for about ten minutes.

Does life really get any better?

Why do videos take so long to upload?

2011-02-11T23:57:00.001-06:00

2+ hours!! Is that normal? Well, enjoy!

taking me back to Great Harvest

2011-02-10T21:10:00.001-06:00

In college, before my mission, I worked with my friend, Kiley, at Great Harvest Bread Co. It was by far the most fun job ever. Other jobs have been slightly more challenging with regard to intellect and interpersonal communication. But, working at the Great Harvest in Logan was just plain FUN. I loved baking delicious bread, slicing delicious bread, giving away free (and, of course, selling) delicious bread and EATING delicious bread.

James, the manager/owner, was down-to-earth, but business savvy. He knew how to make customers happy so they kept coming back for more. He encouraged a work atmosphere that was detail-oriented, upbeat, friendly and enthusiastic. We knew the names of our daily/weekly customers. It was like Cheers.

I later learned through sad experience that not all Great Harvests are managed equally. But, that is another story and not really the point of this post.

The point is that today I made bread - specialty bread: Garlic Cheddar, Spinach Muenster, and Sun-dried Tomato Basil.

Taste bud Heaven.

and, a nice little walk down memory lane past Great Harvest Bread Co.

Mmmm, can't you just smell it?

I caved

2011-01-31T21:46:00.002-06:00

It's not like I promised myself I would never do it. I always knew it would happen someday. It's just I really wished I could have gotten away with not doing it longer than I did.

But, today, I caved.

I plugged my son into a VeggieTales show so I could make dinner without my stubborn child forcing a step-stool up to the sink to play with (and drop) the dirty dishes or up to the stove to stir whatever is in the boiling pot.

I caved, and I liked it.

I got dinner in the oven in record time with only seven or eight interruptions. Then, I got to play ball with a happy, unplugged boy while it cooked.

Why My Christmas Tree is still up

2011-01-29T22:05:00.002-06:00

When Rody sees the tree, he points to it and says, "Wow?" That's my cue to plug in the lights. Then he gets a big smile on his face and says, "WOW!"

VIDEOS

2011-01-16T21:47:00.000-06:00

A wrap-up of our Christmas/New Years

2011-01-09T23:25:00.001-06:00

We thoroughly enjoyed our family vacation to Utah. Pedro's family traveled to Utah from California and Florida (and Minnesota). We felt so blessed to be able to spend time with our awesome brothers and sisters and our kind parents and grandparents. Thank you for your generosity and just plain coolness. We especially appreciated all the free babysitting.

Besides all the great times just hanging out, highlights of our time in Utah include:

Touring the new Church History Library
Lunching at the Beehive House (so delicious!)
Fuzzy Root beer Floats and Apples to Apples
Cheering on the Cougars at a BYU basketball game (we won)
$0.75 California Cheeseburgers at Sonic
A successful shopping trip to the D.I.
Exchanging homemade gifts with the Miles/Pugas/Figuerrez family
Tubing in Logan Canyon (Rody's first time - he loved it!)
A Christmas Eve program of music, poems and stories
CHRISTMAS
Watching Rody play with his new toys (he loves the horse, thanks Auntie M)
Dressing up Rody in his new clothes (thanks to his Grandmas)
Getting better from a yucky flu
Witnessing Pedro sing "the Scotsman" at a Utah State basketball game (we won)
Shopping with Mom and Sisters (loved that hat on you)
Cafe Rio sweet pork salad (Yum! When is Minnesota going to get a Cafe Rio/Costa Vida?)
Snowshoeing up Deep Canyon
New Year's Eve mafia
Family/friends volleyball and basketball at the church
"Rody-in-the-middle" Ping Pong (he loved standing on the table, the ball whizzing past)
Sister Sleepover
Dinner and a Movie Date Night - without the baby (thanks Brette)
Lisa's new bob (chopped at least 15 inches, won the bet)
Watching Rody laugh hysterically as he circled the ping pong table after a game of Around-the-World
Skiing/snowboarding Beaver on the most gorgeous, sunny, semi-warm, non-crowded day (Thanks)
Variations on indoor soccer: foosball, three-legged, rugby and defend-your-chair
Catching up with good friends

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

What do I mean when I say "Merry Christmas"?

In those two words, I am really saying:

Let's rejoice together in the birth of our Savior. Let us rejoice that we are brothers and sisters, children of an involved, loving Heavenly Father. Let us remember that we celebrate the birth of Christ because what His death and resurrection means for us. Let us rejoice with gratitude for the peace that comes with accepting God's love in sending His Son and genuinely striving to do His will.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Secret Powers of Time

2010-12-17T14:38:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite secret past times is watching RSA Animate clips on YouTube.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

2010-12-13T22:02:00.002-06:00

Scroll down and pause the music at the right before you play this.

I love Christmas!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

2010-12-12T20:43:00.001-06:00

We love our amazing, wonderful, thoughtful, talented, supportive, loving mothers/grandmas who had birthdays in the past little while.

Keys, Candles, Snow, Snow and more Snow

2010-12-12T20:28:00.000-06:00

Keys don't open closed doors from the inside. That's what Rody (Little Pedro) learned today.

He loves using keys to try to open doors. The kid will spend 10 minutes trying to open a door from the inside. Tonight he got so frustrated when the door didn't magically open when he put a key by the handle. While he uses the key, he wanted me to stand by the door, open it, wait for him to say "brrrrrrr" as the 4* cold seeped in, then shut it and repeat. He could do this for an hour.

I'm hoping this kid decides to learn how to talk really soon. He gets so frustrated when he can't communicate what he wants. This morning he brought me a small birthday candle and grunt/squealed and nodded. I guessed at several meanings to the grunt/squeal and nod without success and with increased intensity in the squeal. Finally, I said, "Should we light it?" Suddenly he was pacified or just distracted (who knows) as I stuck it in a banana and lit the wick. I let him try to blow it out a few times then he decided he was much more interested in the banana. Problem solved or at least adverted.

Does he really remember from his first birthday what a candle is and that it can have a flame?

And for a completely opposite topic, we got 20+ inches of snow yesterday. The city practically shut down since visibility was too low for plows. The roof of the Metrodome where the Vikings were supposed to play the Giants collapsed.

Church was cancelled. We got dressed in Sunday best anyway and held our own little family worship service with songs, prayers, scripture reading and a special guest speaker, Pres. Uchtdorf: "Of Things That Matter Most". We love the new http://www.lds.org/ website, especially how the conference talks page lets us access conference talks so much better.

We decided to follow his counsel to spend some time appreciating and pondering God's creations. We changed and added lots of clothes and braved the 6* coldness with a windchill at some number ridiculously below 0*. The snow was a little higher than a picnic bench. I know because we took advantage of a picnic bench on our walk so we wouldn't sink down as much. The snow was over Rody's head in some places from snow drifts. But, it didn't matter; he couldn't walk with all his snow gear on anyway. Pedro forged our path with him in his arms. Rody laughed heartily as he watched me make a snow angel.

Back home our pile of snow clothes made a pile much higher than the snow, and we enjoyed a traditional Sunday lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Yum!

I am so grateful for a warm home, warm soup and warm hearts.

Tor-tu-ga

2010-12-11T22:26:00.000-06:00

Rody (my newest favorite nickname for Lil' Pedro) is BILINGUAL! He can say Mama (Spanish: Mama), Dada (Spanish: Papa) and Turtle (Spanish: Tortuga). He says Mama or Papa upon request only, but the past two days he has wandered around repeating tor-tu-ga in that adorable little voice of his just for fun. I taught Rody "turtle" first, and he enjoyed saying it for a few hours until his dad came home and taught him "tortuga". Most kids' first words are cup or ball or something useful, so what does it mean that our kid only says "tortuga" and seems content to stick with his grunt/squeal/point to communicate? He is either brilliant or, uh, well, let's just stay with brilliant.

Living Room Forts and Snow Camping

2010-12-09T16:12:00.003-06:00

Cool Hair!

Tickle Tickle Tickle

2010-12-02T19:50:00.001-06:00

Lil' Pedro likes to play "tickle toes." Whenever he sees our toes (or his), he pretends to tickle by wiggling his fingers at them while saying his version of "tickle tickle tickle."

The other day we were playing at a toddler's gym, a parks and rec program where parents can bring kids to play with balls, hoola hoops and small indoor slides and teeter totters. Pedro was playing basketball when the purple penguin socks of a girl caught his eye. He toddled over, pointed at the penguins and started to play the tickle game. The girl, who was about three, wasn't so comfortable with a strange kid wiggling his fingers near her feet, but she smiled when I explained that he thought her socks were really neat. I quickly distracted him with a basketball.

This kid makes me laugh all the time. (For Grandmas and aunts who care: See his new molar on his bottom right side.)

Lil' P loves to draw/write with pens. Crayons won't do for this little man. Maybe because he loves taking pen lids off and putting them on again as much as he likes drawing. Today, we compromised with some newly-purchased washable markers. He let me know when he finished with his masterpiece by throwing all the markers on the floor. I've started asking him to clean up whatever he throws on the floor, which he is pretty good about doing. So, he got to pick up the markers and put them back in a cup. The second I turned my back for two seconds, he started to work on a new type of canvas: the floor. Gotta love those washable markers.

a gratitude attitude

2010-11-26T19:49:00.000-06:00

I am grateful for (in a purposefully random order). . . ready, take a deep breath . . . here we go:

books guitar Devan piano my son Sandra Boynton indoor plants my husband balls sports good artists carpet toothbrushes white lights Christmas lights my dehydrator my husband digital camera socks sandals temple measuring spoons snow summer sandals summer thermometer floss pillow my husband fresh drinking water heated shower disposable diapers my son the Book of Mormon stars a sunrise a sunrise hike mountains my mom and dad cars heated cars bike Brycen good movies chocolate spinach Brette clothes my sunbeams long hair the Doctrine and Covenants laptop email shelves bed microwave doctors infant pain reliever/fever reducer sidewalks strollers libraries bananas Kelsey ear warmers the New Testament the American Flag interviews nice people basketball my husband pockets google maps aluminum foil my son blueberries a living prophet waterfalls literacy Ghana Alma and Blake vanilla Broadway music visiting teachers Disneyland rivers horses Old Testament stories green smoothies clementines Jordan and Rachel high school friends Excel Darla California our Grandmas and Grandpas trees back massages my husband snacks cellos my eyes Bolivia missionary work Sesame Street a working can opener yogurt porch lights big windows crayons and markers public servants in government mint drums Dani and JR Florida friends cell phones YOU

Bouncing

2010-11-19T08:26:00.003-06:00

Turning over couch cushions and bouncing up and down must be one of those innate abilities that surfaces once a kid is capable of bouncing. While this little boy imitates nearly everything we do, I promise he has never seen us turn over couch cushions and bounce on them (we wait 'till he's asleep - j.k.).

Something we have tried to teach him that he does very well is kneeling down and folding his arms when someone mentions the word "prayer". And, his proud parents are awed when he actually stays kneeling with his arms folded for the entire prayer.

He is getting better at the game "Where's your nose [eyes,ears, mouth]. But, he sometimes confuses the action for "Touch your nose" with "touchdown", which is more fun to do anyway.

"It's always fun for everyone when Grandpa comes"

2010-11-14T21:00:00.003-06:00

test

2010-11-11T21:27:00.003-06:00

This is a test to see how it works. I really should go to sleep soon. My eyes are tired. I should also clean my house. Hmmmmmm.

wiggle bum slide, Tia Brette and apple sauce

2010-11-11T20:43:00.009-06:00

A few weeks ago my sister, Brette, came to visit. It was so fun to share our little Rocket Man with an aunt who loves and appreciates him as much as we do. We all got a kick out of his method of getting down the slide. Do all kids do the wiggle bum dance at the top of a slide?

A rather long side note on "Rocket Man": I started calling Lil' Pedro "Rocket Man" when he was first born due to the shape of his head. Now that he can walk/run, the nickname fits for his style of escape. He has learned how to do the limp noodle to more easily slide out of my arms and jet to explore whatever caught his interest. Inside our apartment, he likes to keep watch on me to make sure I'm not more than 10 feet away, but once outside our apartment, he lacks that inclination completely. Rocket Man is an explorer, not afraid to wander to the other side of the park or all over Walmart without really caring if I am following or not.

In a previous post, I mentioned my latest nickname "Rocky" which fits since Pedro means "Rock", but it's actually just short for "Rocket Man".

Who needs a spoon? How is it that this usually obnoxious slurping sound is so endearing coming from a 15-month-old?

Glorious green beans

2010-11-10T19:29:00.003-06:00

Little Pedro (Rocky, nickname this week) LOVES green beans straight out of a can. It's awesome because it's an easy way to get green veggies down his throat. I remember loving canned green beans when I was a kid, too. My mom called them green worms, and we pretended to be little birds as we ate.

Do your kids like canned green beans? I can just imagine the Jolly Green Giant marketing campaign if this is a commonality among toddlers.

Oh, and Rocky loves grapefruit, too. Who'da thought?

My thoughts on older kids who go trick-or-treating and don't even try to dress up

2010-10-31T19:50:00.002-05:00

LAME! SERIOUSLY LAME!!!

"Mom" of 6 for two days

2010-10-29T19:51:00.002-05:00

I am the oldest of five. It never seemed like we had lots of kids around the house.

When I babysit five other kids for a couple of days, five seemed like 7 or 8. Two of those five kids were two-year-old twins. WHOA! Need I say more? If you have taken care of two-year-old twins, I don't need to describe the experience; you know what it is like. If you have never taken care of two-year-old twins, I just can't describe it well enough to give you an accurate idea. So, go offer to babysit twins. Their mom will be grateful.

Honestly though, the kids were pretty good (most of the time). The older kids were angels and lots of fun.

Clips of singing, kayaking and curiosity - pause the music on the left

2010-10-26T12:46:00.006-05:00

He's got rhythm!

2010-10-25T20:23:00.002-05:00

My kid can dance! Sometimes it's a shoulder groovying thing; other times it's knee bounce. Pedroco (his newest nickname) changes rhythm when the song changes.

Yesterday, Pedro's cousin, Kyle, came to visit. Some other friends joined us for dinner. Afterward, Roco gave us a show when he started jamming out to his toy piano that plays pop songs. I wished I'd gotten it on video. It was SO cute!

Thanks for coming to visit us, Kyle!

Growling at the polar bear

2010-10-14T21:46:00.000-05:00

Elf-guided Hike and Red Wing Arts Festival

2010-10-10T12:17:00.000-05:00

Now you know what what Santa's helpers do in the off-season. They guide tours at a Minnesota state park. Unfortunately, our guide never showed. Christmas must be coming!

A boy, a ball and a bug

2010-10-06T16:28:00.000-05:00

The Pedros love to play basketball.

We discovered Little Pedrodeo (my newest nickname for him) has a skin contact allergy to milk/yogurt, so we are working at being less messing at meal times and not smearing milk/yogurt across his face.

This is a bug. A big bug. A fast bug. A scary-looking bug.
We became such good friends after he spent the afternoon on my table under a vase that I dropped him out by the back fence that night instead of in the toilet.

Moments of Pedro T. I didn't capture on camera because I was living in the moment

2010-10-05T19:37:00.002-05:00

PT begging for more tomatoes - do other kids like tomatoes???
PT sliding down the slide with an expression of pure, innocent glee
PT at the bottom of the slide looking up at the sky, his long hair straight out with static
PT signing "Thank You" without a reminder beforehand
PT trying to climb out of the bathtub with babybath lather all over his hair and body
PT blowing on everything coming at him on a fork - With his big trumpet lips he sucks in hard a couple times, then blows out like he was a Lamaze instructor. (Now that I've lived this moment, I hope I can get it on video sometime because it is too hilariously cute to miss.)

Magician Baby

2010-10-01T13:06:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I lifted Pedro out of his crib after his nap. I carried him as I filled up my waterbottle, then we went back to his room to sit in the rocking chair. I looked down and saw a diaperless-baby. We quickly remedied the situation. Thankfully, I discovered it before I had to change my clothes.

Sewing Motivation-Envy - like waves on the sand

2010-09-21T21:26:00.003-05:00

I see the amazing, cute, uber-useful items, people make on blogs like "Make it and Love it" (link to the right), and a wave of motivation swells up inside me. Then I remember how few sewing projects I have ever completed and how many I have in line for my attention somewhere in my closet and how I don't really know how to sew anyway and how I get so impatient because it takes so long to measure and cut and how easy it is to write a run-on sentence when discussing my sewing inhibitions, and the wave of motivation crashes and rolls out like the tide leaving behind the residue of envy with the realization that I could change all that with enough motivation and time, uh, lots of time. Darn.

Well, at least I participated in a productive meeting tonight (see post below).

Notes: 1.This particular post is a direct result of to the 2-1 stroller/messenger bag idea on http://www.makeit-loveit.com/
2. I usually don't use the word uber. It's a little too trendy, and I'm not that hip. But, super just didn't seem to suffice in this situation.

I love meetings!

2010-09-21T20:45:00.005-05:00

Most people I know express a general dislike for meetings. I am not one of those people. Even if I am subjected to an unorganized, inefficient meeting (they drive me crazy), I get a kick out of evaluating it and identifying how it could have been shorter or more effective. Weird, I know. I love agendas, too. Now that you know, go ahead and snicker in my general direction (northeast for most people reading this).

I've been involved as a member of the board of directors for our neighborhood cooperative for a little over a year now. I get a strange thrill of directing an efficient, interactive meeting regardless of the topic. Tonight we discussed a marketing plan, a pet policy, a grant funding option and reviewed our vision, mission and values to guide our strategic planning. It was awesome!

The members of our board are phenomenal. They are intelligent, considerate people from India, China, Jordan, Tanzania, Brazil and the USA. I love the dynamics as we analyze the options, play devil's advocate and learn from different points of view as we try to create or revise good policy for our community.

Some people like movies; I like meetings. Go figure.

Wicked

2010-09-17T14:58:00.002-05:00

My sweet husband stayed home to put the baby to bed last night. I joined 21 friends in taking up the last center row in the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis to experience Wicked.

What a great show! Powerful music. Clever plot. Amazing costumes. Witty lines. So fun!

Someday I will be able to sing like that, just give me a couple millennia.

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-09-13T09:28:00.002-05:00

I added frozen brownie chunks to my chocolate chip cookies. Two words: Super Yummy!

Kiss is to blame

2010-09-06T20:19:00.003-05:00

I'd thought I'd prepared a great Sunbeam lesson complete with games, acting out stories from the scriptures, a craft and a snack. But, apparently my Sunbeams didn't care. Usually, they are lots of fun, but this Sunday, they weren't too interested in participating or listening. Maybe I just didn't have the same inspiration as I did last week with Tim McGraw. The band at the State Fair Saturday night was Kiss. The "music" blared through our closed windows (okay, I admit I sang along to the chorus of "I want to rock and roll all night"). I can blame a rough Sunbeam lesson on a loud, obnoxious band. That's fair, right?

Tim McGraw - Live in concert - in my living room

2010-08-28T22:31:00.002-05:00

Pedro and I are sitting on our couch preparing our primary lessons . . . while we listen to Tim McGraw sing "Live like you were dying" live in concert. How cool is that?!!!

No I'm serious! I'm listening to Tim McGraw live in concert. The sound quality could be a little better. Maybe I should open more windows or go outside. See, he is performing at the Minnesota State Fair which is practically in my back yard.

Anyone who says Tim McGraw isn't inspirational never prepared a primary lesson while listening to his song "Live like you were dying."

Many Moods of a Milk Mustache

2010-07-27T21:24:00.005-05:00

Estate Sale: 10-cent items tell your life story

2010-07-24T10:41:00.007-05:00

My first time. So many little things for sale (everything 50% off), each one with a story, regardless if anyone remembers it. A price tag marked nearly everything but the electrical outlets in the cute little house on the corner of Idaho Ave. Strangers like us picking through all the things they ever owned that their kids didn't want.

This couple were active Christians. Refrigerator magnets (5 cents) quoted Romans. Titles of books (30 cents) on the shelf contained words like prayer and faith. On her sturdy sewing machine ($25), a wedding gift, she sewed beautiful lace curtains (no price tag) that brightened every window, especially on dark winter evenings. Sitting in a wooden rocking chair ($35) by the little heater ($20), she would sing to her baby or just hold him while they listened to the radio ($4.50) waiting for her husband to come home. When he did, he would take off his winter coat, the really thick, heavy one he got while in the Navy ($20), give her a kiss and welcome the hot tea from the shiny kettle ($5) whistling on the stove.

When their boy was a few years older, he and his dad played with puzzles (10 cents) after dinner. He could pop the states in their spot so fast on the wooden United States puzzle. He liked to finger his parent's pin collection (2 cents each) and remember the summer road trips. On one to Colorado, the boy bought his mom the beautiful painted coaster (10 cents) from his allowance money. Though it was just a coaster, she put it next to the other pretty little figurines (50 cents) he'd given her and would give her over the years for Mother's Day or Christmas.

On Saturdays, the tools ($1) on his workbench stayed busy, except on the days they all went sledding in Como Park, just down the street. He had made the kids' sleds ($5) and sharpened the runners himself. When they got older, he helped wax their cross-country skis ($10). After a day on the icy hills, he helped tuck the kids into bed under homemade blankets ($2) then opened the door to three of his buddies (friends since the second grade) for a few games of poker ($1) or billiards on the pool table ($150) they'd saved up years to buy.

Sundays were special. She wore her nicest pink dress ($8) to church, dawned clip-on earrings (50 cents) and a dab of perfume from the little 2 oz. bottle (30 cents). Before church she practiced on a small organ ($15) at home then later she accompanied the congregation. Sunday afternoons she respectfully set aside the hymn book ($3), opened the sheet music ($1) of her favorite classical work and turned to her beloved piano (no price tag). He would sit in his favorite comfy chair ($25) listening to her play, flipping through his pictures of ducks (10 cents) and dozing off now and then. When the kids were asleep and all was still, he would quietly put on a favorite record (25 cents), gently guide her away from the dishes (50 cents) and dance a few songs in the kitchen. As they circled, she would glance at the wall hangings ($1) - adages about seeing miracles in the ordinary, and she would smile (no price tag).

Playlist Sabotaged

2010-07-18T21:19:00.002-05:00

My playlist said "How deep is your love?" by the Bee Gees, but the song I heard was a beautiful Latin aria - definitely not by the Bee Gees.

So, if, while perusing our blog, you hear a song with questionable lyrics or nonexistent melody, please understand - it was sabotage!

Hopefully, you'll luck out with a beautiful aria.

Drumming with Daddy

2010-07-18T20:49:00.003-05:00

I finally did it!

2010-07-10T19:47:00.002-05:00

I went shopping for me (something I rarely do).
I tried on swimsuit (something I almost never do).
I bought a swimsuit (something I haven't done in years).
I wore my new swimsuit and board shorts (something I haven't done since before I was married, according to my husband).
I felt good in my swimsuit and board shorts (something that hasn't happened since, oh, maybe since I was 11)

We took little Pedro T. to a wading pool to splash around (something I plan to do a lot).

He loves walking while holding on my fingers and chasing a little ball around the pool. And, he really loves watching the other kids splash and play.

July is a great month!

Happy Independence Day!!!

2010-07-04T22:24:00.003-05:00

I love Independence Day!

I celebrated by going to church!

God Bless America!

"Are you his nanny?"

2010-06-26T20:37:00.008-05:00

Pedro and I like to walk, especially to the park. He gets excited when we see squirrels or rabbits, but he gets very excited when we he sees a dog. He LOVES dogs. (Side comment: To avoid any confusion, we are talking about little Pedro. His daddy loves dogs, too, but he doesn't wave his arms and kick his feet as much as little Pedro when he sees a dog.)

We stopped to talk with a lady who was walking her dog. She asked me, "So, are you his nanny?" A little surprised, I said, "Uh, no, he is my son." She said she thought I looked too young to be his mom. I guess I'll take it as a compliment.

Anyway, I'm glad I'm not his nanny. Lucky me - I get to be his full-time mom. We have so much fun together. I love my boy!

Happy Anniversary! Three Years and Counting!

2010-06-23T22:07:00.001-05:00

Pre- Year One

The BIG day - Together ForeverYear OneYear Two Year Three

We like to spread the celebration out over a couple of days. Saturday, we got a babysitter then went to a "Back to the 50's" Street Rod Car Show. Very cool cars and fun people. Wednesday, we got a babysitter then went out to dinner at a nice restaurant in downtown St. Paul.

Hooray for being married to my best friend and love of my life! Thanks for three years of 99% bliss.

Something

2010-06-22T22:39:00.003-05:00

Frequently, after an interesting thought, observation or incident, I think, "That would make a great blog post when I get a chance to blog." But, then life happens and suddenly two weeks have past without a post. Sorry.

I have about 40 minutes of video and another 200 pictures I could post, and I don't have time to upload all that now, nor do I expect you have that time to see it.

So, here's a cute picture of my boys.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T13:51:00.000-05:00

Good fathers deserve a lot of respect. I am so grateful for my amazing husband, my incredible dad, my awesome father-in-laws and my stupendous grandpas who are all such good fathers.

WE LOVE YOU!!!

More to come - for Brette

2010-06-04T21:47:00.005-05:00

Hiking on the North Shore of the Lake Superior

Playing with a friend

Enjoying a sandwich

Clapping for joy (or attention, maybe)

He started doing a crinkle nose smile a couple weeks ago. He has a genetic disposition to point with his middle finger. His aunt and grandpa have it, too. When she saw him point with it, the doctor said, "Oh, aren't you clever!" - I agree.

You've been asking for these, Sis. I'll post more soon.

WE LOVE YOU!!!

For all mothers everywhere, but especially for ours

2010-05-09T22:30:00.005-05:00

The most beautiful sound in the world is a baby's laugh.

For a better quality (or at least bigger) viewing experience, click on the link below.
JOY - captured on the face of a boy

Fazed by nothing

2010-05-01T19:35:00.003-05:00

This afternoon, I swooped down to rescue my son from a gigantic spider crawling across the floor only to realize I had saved the massive arachnid from my son who was trying to grab it with his chubby, little fingers, but the darn thing kept crawling away. Ewwww!!! I was a bit creeped out, but, of course, not knowing any better, he thought it was a fun game. [shudder] His daddy laughed when I told him about it, and said, "He is definitely a boy!"

Movie Time

2010-04-30T17:42:00.003-05:00

playing with friends

2010-04-21T09:24:00.003-05:00

Pedro loves playing with Rees. And, unlike adults, who make a dozen funny faces and noises for a hint of a grin, Rees can always get Pedro smiling and giggling.

More of the guy you really want to see

2010-04-19T12:27:00.001-05:00

I want to be like my uncles - Basketball stars and trumpet masters

2010-04-18T23:38:00.002-05:00

See my buzzing lips

Strawberry smoothie and baby poop stains

2010-04-05T20:49:00.005-05:00

It is somewhat ironic or at least interesting that the cute white skirt I wore in our engagement pictures ended up with two spots: a pink one from the strawberry smoothie I made my husband and a yellow one from my son's leaky diaper.

Last night when I saw the two stains, I reflected (somewhat sadly) how my clean white engagement skirt got ruined (indirectly in my husband's case) by the products of that engagement. Hmmm. Ponderous.

However, today I was able to wash out both stains - YAY! I can enjoy my skirt good as new and my sweet husband and lovable son. There's probably something ironic or symbolic or some kind of deeper meaning that could be extracted from these new developments, but I'm a mom and it's been a rough day with a teething tot, so that's all.

Avocado Smoothie - a more favorite

2010-03-25T22:18:00.004-05:00

It might sound a little bizarre, but this is one of my favorite smoothies. A couple years ago, some friends from Brazil showed us how to make this simple deliciousness: avocado, milk, sugar & vanilla.

Be brave! Try it! Love it!

Toothpaste cupcakes?

2010-03-17T19:32:00.006-05:00

These are NOT the cupcakes I made today. But, let me start at the beginning . . . "My libbib is on the flboor." In other words, the dentist went on a Novocaine shooting spree. The guy before me must have asked for a couple extra shots of the numbing painkiller. And, the dentist, just to play it safe or to have some fun, decided to give me an extra two rounds. I think he was just buying time since he went to work on other patients while I was numbing up.

I guess I shouldn't be too upset. I'd rather him go on a shooting spree than a non-numbing drilling spree. It's just that . . .

I ruined my cupcakes.

I had been looking forward to making chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting all week. The cupcakes came out great. I tasted the frosting as I made it to get just the right amount of mint. But when Pedro had a bite, he said, "It tastes like toothpaste." At my offended expression, he kindly suggested I wait until the numbness wore off before I frosted the rest of the cupcakes. I thought, "Well, he just doesn't like mint as much as I do."

Nope.

A few hours later, I discovered, to my great dismay, the frosting tasted like sugary toothpaste. I had been so numb, my taste buds couldn't quite communicate to my brain the actual amount of mint extract flavoring the frosting. Oops.

So, the cute, yummy St. Patty's Day mint chocolate cupcakes I envisioned only exist in my mind, and the unfrosted chocolate cupcakes only exist in my belly.

My baby gives me kisses

2010-03-14T20:49:00.000-05:00

Who guessed that big, wet, miss-placed slobbery kisses could bring such joy?

Pedro's new trick

2010-03-08T13:28:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday to our 7-month-old climber! He loves climbing. It's in his genes. Hopefully, he will learn to climb down soon, too, since he often gets stuck in his upright position and calls out for mom.