skinniest GIRL EVER!!

I have been planning post for today titled "My battle of the....Spare Tire" however I saw this post yesterday and it was fairly disturbing. Since I have a daughter I worry about eating disorders more with her than with my boys. Don't get me wrong I know that boys can also have eating disorders. We encourage healthy eating, exercise and thinking about your food choices. We are not participating members of the "Clean Your Plate Club" but if you want ice cream or treats you do have to eat your veggies. Next: The Battle of the....Spare Tire... without pictures!

OCTO-NO Thank you!

House Special: Spicey Octopus
Bitten, Chewed and Spit Out!
What a brave eater son2 is!!

Early mornings, their really isn't anything like them. It is so peaceful and quiet as the world begins to wake up and face a new day. In the distance I can hear the train whistle, it is a comforting sound, although I am grateful to not have to live right next to the tracks, then I think it might be more of a nuisance. The birds are chirping, the rooster crows, whoever led me to believe that roosters only crow at sunrise never owned a rooster, the dog is barking at something I hope it is one of the neighborhood cats and not the skunk I smelled the other night..EEWWW!!

My kids are having a great time. I was feeling a little sad yesterday when I realized that I had not heard from son3 since he called his dad for father's day. It is like a double edge sword, at 7 I am glad he has the confidence and independence to fly on airplane by himself and stay with his friends for 2 weeks and not have some sort of screaming "I want my mommy" meltdown, but at the same time he is only 7, shouldn't he have some anxiety?? I did talk to him for a minute they were headed to the city pool to swim and everyone was getting sun-screened up, he was more into what was going on around him than talking to me. **Sigh**

I can't believe June is almost over, where does time go? July is alreadyshaping up to be a busy month with, 4th of July, family visits, the annual Ameri-Ben campout, and just life's general craziness. Then we will be back in school--oh wait so not ready to go down that road yet--

Only Child??

This has been a very unusual week. 3 of my 4 kids boarded a Southwest airplane on Monday headed to Denver, Colorado for the next 16 days. They made it to Denver with no problems, and I am positive it is because I prayed the entire time they were in the air that they would arrive safely. They arrived 25 minutes ahead of schedule and the person picking them up was still en-route to the airport. How many flights have you been on where they actually arrive Early?? Needless to say I spent 25 minutes biting my nails, as Son 1 of 3 made his way to baggage claim with his littlest brother and his little sister in tow. The pictures swirling around in my head were not pretty or calming. I pictured fighting, arguing, and the general "I am not doing what you say" attitude all the way to baggage claim and that would be if Son1 didn't just throw up his hands and walk off and leave them! Needless to say, they made it to baggage claim and got their luggage and met their ride with no calls from airport security about abandoned children at DIA.
So now I have gone from a mom of 4 kids to a mom of an only child (temporarily of course). Son 2 of 3 is now an only child and quite happy about it. He feels his life is absolutely perfect, at the moment, he can play video games and watch TV without interruption. He is also learning that as only child you have nobody to "blame the mess on", and all the chores that are usually divided between the siblings are now up to him. Mom doesn't bake as many cookies or brownies because their aren't as many people to eat them...maybe siblings are not such a bad thing.
J and I were planning a BBQ for father's day and as I was talking about getting more brats or maybe some burgers he had to remind me that we had plenty since we are currently 3 and with my parents and maybe my brother makes 6 instead of our usual 9. I am also pretty sure that when the day comes and all my children leave home I am going to have to re-learn how to cook and a batch of cookies could last a month...
I do miss the chaos and confusion and noise that having 4 kids brings. I also miss always having someone to talk to, and I miss the doorbell ringing with neighborhood kids who want to play.

In Memory Of A great Lady!

A great picture of an amazing lady who endured so much, but always found time to do for others! I will miss you my dear friend. Rest In Peace until we see each other again!

The Rinard Christmas Card in the Kuna Idaho shirts we sent them after we moved!!

Diane loved Dibbs and we ate them frequently, probably more than we should have, so it was only fitting that her birthday cake remind us all of Dibbs!

Christmas 2006 John, Diane and Lauren at our house in Pueblo West, CO.

Bacon Salt?

I was searching for recipes online tonight and found this product called Bacon Salt. It states the following: "Bacon Salt is a zero calorie, zero fat, vegetarian and kosher seasoning that makes everything taste like bacon." Um-huh!?!?! I have to wonder why would a vegetarian want everything to taste like bacon? I am a really a vegetarian, but when nobody is looking I put bacon salt on all my food, because I love the taste of bacon. In case you are interested http://www.baconsalt.com/

Potty Talk

J's company had their annual summer picnic today and thankfully the rain held off and it was not sweltering hot, although the humidity button could have been turned down. It was at a local park and as per the norm for my tiny little bladder, I knew I would have to eventually use the restroom. Now park restrooms are usually like rest area restrooms, pretty GROSS and I cringed and begged my bladder not to betray me and force me to have to search out the "park restroom" but alas my bladder had the last laugh...This restroom was either kept really clean or it was cleaned just for us. The toilets now they were something special, they were clean, but they were made out of some kind of metal and had no seat just the rim, guess they really don't want you getting too comfortable. So I said a quick "please don't let me catch anything and for sure don't let me loose my balance and fall in" prayer and sat, the toilet was so cold I thought I might actually get frostbite! As I left the restroom I saw another unsuspecting victim headed in, I briefly thought about warning her but decided everyone needed to experience the shock of that freezing cold, lid free, metal device!

The last day: (for 85 days including weekends!!):
1. It is the last day of 6th grade.
2. The last day I feel obligated to check PASS for current grades.
3. The last day as a high school freshman.
4. The last day I have to check and pay for hot lunch.
5. The last day I have to do the "do you have?" quiz...as they walk out the door for the bus.
6. The last day I have to say "because you have school tomorrow"
7. The last day I have to say "do you have any homework?"

Ahhhhhh Summer vacation!! (okay so son3 and D1 still have next week to go, but we are 1/2 way there!!)

The Great Blizzard cake of 2010!

I love the last few days of school...teachers are done teaching, and all has been learned for the year?? maybe maybe not. So today Son 2's 6th grade class could sign up to bring in a pre-baked cake and all the "edible things" necessary to decorate it. They had 2 1/2 hours to decorate them and then the cakes were judged by their classmates. Son2 did not receive an award for his cake but judging by the frosting all over his shorts he sure had some kind of fun decorating it. If you look closely you can see the person (the principal perhaps) and the school (maybe some wishful thinking) buried in the coconut blizzard.