Missed My Quota

Here we are.  Less than two days before 2012 is outta here and I have totally failed to meet my goal of 50 posts this year.  I did sit down to write a post once this month. Yes, once. But I got less than one sentence into it and ran out of time.  In my defense, I was planning on writing a bunch and getting the remaining posts up this month but in the past 4-5 weeks alone, I've had a bunch of totally legitimate and great excuses.  I may try to knock out a number of posts in the next day and see how close I can get (do I get a prize if I do it?) but in the meantime, here's a list of some of the reasons why I didn't put out one measly post in December before tonight:

• I've been busy.
• Max had a pretty rough recovery from his surgery for the first couple of weeks and I was his main helper.  He didn't need me with him 24-7 but that definitely took up a good chunk of my time.
• My parents came in town for a visit.  They didn't stay with us but I spent as much time as I could with them while they were here.
• On December 4th, I went and picked up a very darling almost 10-week-old yellow lab mix that we named Sally.
• Every day since December 4th, I've felt like I have been caring for a furry newborn that can't wear diapers and needs a whole lot more attention than I remembered puppies need.
• Ran a lot of errands.
• Did lots of laundry but I was so busy with other stuff that more than anything, I excelled at falling behind in it.  Let's just say my kids had to pull things out of their hampers a time or two.  Thankfully I was on top of it just enough to make sure that we all had clean underwear the whole time.
• Got back to volunteering in the kids' classrooms the week or two before Christmas.
• Went to the dermatologist.
• Being a creature of habit, I simply had to make three batches of caramels over the couple of weeks before Christmas.  This involves standing over the stove for a good 30-40 minutes during the cooking process (which I did at midnight one night) and then cutting and wrapping each batch on my own (well over 100 caramels per batch).
• Went to Hudson's last two basketball games of the season...new season starts in January.
• Delivered goodies to neighbors and friends with Hudson's help (I drove and he ran up to each door).
• Took the kids to Temple Square and City Creek to see the lights and then out to dinner afterwards.
• Headed up and coordinated Hudson's class holiday/winter/Christmas party.
• Finished up Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, etc.
• Shoveled snow a number of times on Christmas Eve (kudos to my little bro for doing the brunt of it!) and in the days after Christmas.  On Christmas Eve I managed to slip on our horrendous sealed driveway and seriously hurt my pride and my hip.  I have a killer bruise to show for it.

To make myself feel a little better about not succeeding in my 50 post goal, here are a few of the other things that I didn't get done this month:

• Our annual Christmas card complete with a current picture (or pictures) of the kids.  I bought stamps for the cards because I happened to be at Costco one day but that's as far as I got.  Maybe New Year's cards this year?  Maybe...
• Never finished getting my neighbor/friend gifts out to everyone...still have a couple of things sitting on the kitchen counter.
• My kids didn't have ANYTHING prepared to give their friends this year.  They both have a few friends to give something to.  Maybe New Year's gifts?
• Get enough sleep.
• I haven't written an e-mail to my family since the 11th of November...I usually write at least twice a month.  The thought of catching up there makes me shudder.
• Take my kids to Zoo Lights (annual tradition)...need to put it on my must-do list for December 2013.
• Check my e-mail on a regular basis...when I finally peeked at my shopping e-mail account yesterday, I had over 900 messages.  Thank goodness I was able to delete about 99.75% of them without having to look at them.
• Not a single thank you note has been written for Christmas gifts (by me or anyone else in our house).

Now that I've succeeded in talking about how crazy busy my life has been, I have to say that I have had a lot of help over the past several weeks.  Meals were brought in by great friends and neighbors, kids were given rides to basketball practice and dance, friends came to play with the kids so that they were occupied while I got things done, a couple of people came to spend time with Max towards the beginning of his recovery so that I could get out of the house, and my hubby did everything he could to help me each day in spite of his condition.

I may be busy but I'm one lucky girl.

So Thankful, Thankful, Thankful

I can hardly believe that November is coming to a close.  It seems like this month absolutely flew by...

 

The other day I took down our Thankful Tree.  I really enjoyed looking at all of the leaves and noticing some of the things that my kids wrote down this year.  They really put some thought into what they wrote.  They aren't just thankful for toys, candy, and other such things anymore.  They listed things like piano, music, senses, friends, individual family members, food & shelter, etc.  It's neat to see them growing up that way.

 

Now, I know I've done thankful lists before but I feel like I should close out the month with one last hurrah before December hits us.  I am, after all, blessed beyond measure in so many ways (aren't we all?).  I feel like I should voice/write some of the things I'm grateful/thankful for while they're fresh on my mind.

 

I am thankful for...

• my hard working, handsome, funny and supportive husband who puts up with my malarkey and sticks around in spite of it.
• two beautiful, smart, funny, thoughtful, kind, amazing and all around awesome children who make my life worthwhile.
• incredible parents who are always there for me.
• four amazing siblings who also happen to be four of my best friends.
• wonderful in-laws both in my family and in my hubby's...I've been blessed to find great friends and family in them.
• the greatest extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins) that anyone could ever dream of or ask for.  I love them to pieces!
• my good health, strength, and physical abilities.  Five years ago these things were either not part of my life or they were being threatened.  I am so grateful that I'm able to walk, hear, and function well in general on a daily basis without my pesky health issues causing problems.
• modern medicine (it ties in with my health but I have to give it its own nod) and how it has benefited my life and the lives of my loved ones.  If it weren't for advances in the medical world over the years, many of us wouldn't be here.
• the freedoms I enjoy living in this country.  I know that the government isn't perfect and that things look pretty bad at times but I feel so blessed to live the life that I do with the freedoms we have been given here.
• the opportunity I have to stay home and be a full time mom.  I know that this is not as common as it used to be and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else
• my blog.  It may sound cheesy but I enjoy writing, even if it is just about day to day stuff.  It's therapeutic for me and is good for my soul.
• technology that allows me to easily stay in touch with and communicate with my family and friends.  It wasn't that long ago that the Internet, e-mail, and cell phones were non-existent or uncommon luxuries.
• a roof over my head, food on the table, clothes on my back, and a warm bed.
• the little things in life that help me make it through the hard days...a visit or a phone call from a friend or family member, people who are good to my children and love them like I do, unexpected service or kindness from others, etc.
• my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the opportunity we have to celebrate his birth in December.  There is no greater blessing in life than His life, teachings, and atonement.

There are so many other things that I am thankful for but today, I'm especially grateful for the things that matter (and a few things that don't)...

Memories of Miles - Nice List

As I stated the other day in my post about some of Miles' naughty misdeeds over the years, the good things about him and the things he did right far outweigh the bad.  This one is going to be lengthy since I feel like I have to explain or tell a story with everything on the list so if you don't want the details, come back another day for a different post.

Without further ado, here's my list of some of the great things about Miles:

• When he was young, Miles would cower and make himself dead weight as soon as he realized the water running in the tub was meant for him.   In the past few years this changed and he would hop into the tub for a bath on command.  All I had to do was point and tell him to "get in the tub" and he was there.
• While he was very friendly to pretty much anyone he met, Miles had a keen sense of good vs. bad in people. On one particular occasion, I had a few people come to give us bids on replacing some windows in the house. He was fine with every single person that came...except one. A pair of guys from one company came together and Miles did NOT approve of one of them. The entire time they were here, he growled anytime the guy talked, got even more agitated when he'd get close to me, and he didn't calm down until the guy left. We never had those men come back.
• Miles was always very careful and gentle with babies and kids alike but he really had a thing for babies. He was still a young pup when I watched a friend's infant one day. I told Miles to stay away from the baby in the car seat/carrier and placed it in the kitchen where he wasn't supposed to go (we boundary trained him). Very slowly but surely, he literally "crawled" along on his tummy, closer and closer until he was right next to the baby's carrier. He didn't bother the little boy, he just wanted to be close to it and happily laid there as long as I let him.
• He never complained or whined when getting a check-up or shots at the vet's office - he actually liked going there.  He was very stoic and would just stand there and take whatever was coming without complaint.
• Miles absolutely LOVED the UPS man and the mail carrier. He would initially bark upon hearing the UPS truck but as soon as he saw our regular UPS guy coming up the walk, he'd be whining at the front window to be let out front for a visit. The UPS man liked Miles in return and would always stop to rub/pet him and talk to him for a minute. As for the mail carrier, if Miles was able to get out front when the truck pulled up to the mailbox, he'd run out there and climb up onto the steps of the truck for a hello. I can't tell you how many times I had to call him back so that the mail carrier could continue on his/her way.
• Going along with Miles being good with babies, Hudson was born when Miles was about 3 years old. He was Hudson's personal play thing and step stool until Hudson was probably about 2 years old.  Miles never growled or did anything around either of our kids to make us worry.  If he got tired of the treatment, he'd just quietly get up and go somewhere else.
• He was concerned when he could tell that something was wrong with someone in our family.  When one of the kids or I would cry, he was quick to come and check on us or sit with us as we cried.  When someone was sick, it was obvious that he was worried and he laid low and stayed closer than usual.  He was very much in tune with what was happening within our family.
• He remembered the people who loved him (and he loved in return) and was always eager to spend time with them when they'd visit. He loved my dad, my hubby's dad, the vet, my Aunt Shivaun, the carpet cleaning guy, the UPS man (as mentioned above), my brother's girl Abby, my niece Courtney (I swear they would have married each other had species not been an issue), and a number of our kids' friends.
• Other than a short time period when he tried to make the living room couch his bed, he was always obedient about our no furniture rule and would only hop up when given the okay (which was very rare until the last few weeks of his life when we were total suckers and allowed him up on the family couch every evening).
• Miles was one smart cookie.  He was very easy to boundary train - both at our old house and here - and learned how to use a dog door with nothing more than going out and back in once.  We watched other people's dogs on a couple of occasions (one of them in particular was hailed as being the smartest dog her owner had ever met) and in spite of our showing them over and over again, neither of them ever grasped the whole dog door concept...dumb as doornails.  It drove me crazy.

I think that my need for writing therapy over Miles' passing is finished.  I only cried while typing the first post about him (I've made great progress!) and I don't feel like there's anything else I need to get out.

 

I will say that it sure was nice to have an easy topic for three posts.  Now to knock out 14 more by the end of the year...yikes.

Memories of Miles - Naughty List

You may or may not have heard of a website out there dedicated to "dog shaming".  It's for people to send in pictures of their dog wearing a sign around its neck (or with one next to them) detailing said canine's naughty deeds and therefore shaming them for their behavior.  A couple of months ago I checked the website out and got thinking of some of the naughty things that Miles did over the years.  Here are a few treasures that would have earned him a spot on the wall of shame:

• chewed on our brand new upright Baldwin piano
• chewed on the cross-beams at the base of our coffee table
• stole an entire piece of pizza from my hand as I went to take a bite (we were sitting on the ground at a park)
• went through the trash baskets in the house numerous times to retrieve candy wrappers and Go-Gurt sleeves
• possibly chewed holes in our huge Persian area rug (his younger "brother" was possibly responsible for this but we were never sure of who was to blame - my guess it it was both of them)
• snuck up onto the leather couch in the living room when he knew we weren't paying attention...that didn't last long (he only had to get caught once and he learned his lesson)
• played keep-away with a dead baby bird he found in the backyard at our old house
• happily rolled around in deer feces whenever he could find them (usually in a neighbor's back or side yard)
• found the measuring cup for his food bin had been left out and destroyed it
• ran away to explore the neighborhood and refused to come home when called
• after refusing to use the outdoor "facilities" upon arriving at the groomer, he proceeded to relieve himself on a bag of dog food just after we walked in the door

Thankfully his naughty list isn't anywhere near as long as his nice list (which will come later this week) and the majority of his misdeeds were done in his younger years.  As much as his shenanigans drove me crazy, I'm glad I have those memories to think back on and smile about now that he's gone.

Max's Hip Surgery

Today I am thankful for modern medical procedures and practices, physicians, and medications.

 

Max had his big hip resurfacing surgery this morning.  His doctor called me when it was done and said that everything went perfectly and that hubby was doing well in recovery.  I wasn't able to see him until a little bit after noon but I was surprised at how good, alert and comfortable he looked.  When he had his left hip done 4 1/2 years ago, I wasn't able to visit him until a bit later in the day (Hudson was in preschool and Claire was only 7 months old) so seeing him so soon afterwards this time was a new thing for me.

 

Max was starting to hurt a bit when he came up from recovery and obviously the pain is going to get worse as everything wears off.  It's no fun to see someone that you love hurting and I know he will be doing just that for the next several days.

 

I'm really not worried about Max's recovery (other than the fact that I know that it's painful and slow going for him) or how things will be down the line.  We've done this before and more than anything, I'm just glad to know that his condition will improve each day from here on own rather than deteriorate.

 

Our lives and our family have been blessed by doctors and modern medicine over and over again throughout the years and I'm sure they will continue to be.  So today I am very thankful indeed.

Letting Go: Goodbye, Miles

On Saturday afternoon we chose to have our beloved dog Miles put down.  He had been with us for 11 of our 14 years of marriage.  Some will think or say that he was "just" an animal but he was a dear friend, family member, and companion to all of us.

 

After suddenly fainting and going stiff one day back in March, Miles was diagnosed with a large tumor in his abdomen (and some smaller ones to go along with it).  We thought we were going to lose him within weeks at that point but he'd bounced back and had been pretty doing well.  He did look old. He had a very distinguished white "beard" contrasting the black fur on his face and there were newer areas of white fur around his paws, knees and tummy. In recent months, I had taken to calling him "Old Man".  However, in the past 8 weeks or so, he had really started going down hill.  His back right leg had obviously been hurting or uncomfortable for a while, his tumors were getting larger, he was sleeping and laying around a lot more, he'd appeared to have slimmed down suddenly, etc.  Thinking that we might need to put him down, I took Miles to the vet the two Saturdays ago.  The vet thought he was still doing okay and sent us home with some additional pain meds to help his leg (we had an anti-inflammatory at home that we'd been using for a month or so).

 

While the meds did help somewhat with his ability to walk, early last week Miles suddenly cut way back on how much he was eating (though he was drinking a ton), he got drastically thinner over the course of a few days, and his back left leg started to go as well.  Both legs actually simultaneously gave out on him a couple of times during the week.

 

Friday morning we woke up to a blanket of snow and Miles was a little bit spunky (a rarity these days) and was obviously happy about it.  He was always a snow dog...winter was his favorite time of year.  When I went out to shovel the driveway and walks late morning, Miles had a blast playing in the white stuff - albeit at a slow pace - and got himself good and dirty and drenched.  He needed a bath afterwards.   As always, he was a good boy and went to hop in the tub when I told him to but his back legs couldn't do the job and I had to lift him in. For the first time ever, he actually voluntarily sat down a few times while I was bathing him as his legs were too weak. He was happy to be clean and after a good towel-drying, I sat down in our big chair by the fireplace in the the living room so that he would lay down in front of the fireplace to dry off.  He was worn out and slept there for a while.  That night, Max and I talked about Miles' condition.  We knew that it was time and decided Friday night that we'd need to make the call on Saturday.

 

I made the call Saturday morning then went out and cried to my husband about the fact that it was really happening.  Miles followed me around the yard as I shoveled and I got a few pictures of him with the kids.  The kids had already had a good cry about Miles the weekend before when we sat them down and told them that he'd be going soon so we didn't tell them what was happening until it was time to go.  When I was ready (a relative term...I was an absolute wreck) to take him to the vet on Saturday, we had the kids come and say goodbye.  They both started crying and they each gave him a big hug. We were all in tears.  I lifted Miles into the car and we headed down the hill.  Miles loved car rides and usually sat in the cargo area of my car but this time, he came up and laid down behind the center console.  I reached back and pet him as I talked to him the whole way there.  I got to be with Miles for a while before he was put down and I sat on the floor with him through the whole thing. He actually really liked the blanket that they put down for him and he was happy to lay on it with me sitting next to him. He went peacefully and quickly. The vet had only administered about half of the medication when he passed. She said that sometimes it takes until it has been completely injected for an animal to pass (or even a few minutes after), but that when the animal goes only partway through, it means that it really was their time to go. She reassured me that we had definitely made the right choice and that it was his time. I stayed there with him for a while afterwards.  I kind of expected him to lift his head at any moment.  Part of me was thinking and wishing that he'd suddenly wake up all renewed and healthy again, ready to walk out the door with me. It was hard to leave him lying there even though I knew he was gone.  I kept reminding myself: he's happy now and he's not in pain anymore.  That and he got to go on a perfect,  snowy day...we couldn't have picked a more fitting day for him. 

 

I do know that letting Miles go was the right thing to do but not having him here is going to take some getting used to. I sobbed the whole drive home and Max and I had a good cry together again when I got here.  I cried a few more times that evening and Claire sobbed for a good 10 minutes as she was getting ready for bed that night after stating, "Now our family only has 4 people in it." Talk about a heart breaker! We've all done pretty well since then but writing this has me all worked up again. Dang crying genes!  I honestly wonder how long it'll take me to stop crying at random over my furry boy.  Even if I don't cry, I know I'll still expect him to be here - I've already done several things and thought things as if he was here.  Max told me yesterday that he keeps doing the same.  There's going to be an adjustment time for all of us, I'm sure.

 

(picture taken summer 2011)

MILES

7/13/2001-11/10/2012

 

You are and will be sorely missed, Miles.  We loved you, we love you, and we will continue to love you.  Until we meet again...

Time To Quarantine?

Since mid-October, we've had a nice round of ailments at our house...

 

It started with Claire catching a cold/cough on a Tuesday morning.  The next day I came down with some sort of stomach bug.  Her cold lasted until Friday, as did my sickness.  It happened to be the week of hubby's birthday, our anniversary, and the kids' annual fall break from school.  What a great way to spend what should have been a fun few days!

 

The following week, I convinced hubby that he needed to go to the ER late one evening as he was having symptoms that pointed to kidney stones (he'd had them once before).  Only one was diagnosed that night but they didn't check his kidney on the CT scan and said there could be more hiding in there.  Sure enough, ever since then, my poor husband has had a number of good days and nights interspersed with a few rotten days and nights as he's dealt with additional stones.  On top of that grand fun, his hip is beyond ready for the surgery he's having on the 19th...it doesn't take much activity or use to leave him in discomfort or pain.

 

This week started with Max having to stay home on Sunday with kidney pain but Monday looked a little brighter.  The kids had the day off from school and everything was normal... until that night.  Claire got up coughing and in spite of medicine, a humidifier and opening her window to let some cold air in, it took her a while to settle down.  Yesterday morning she was coughing again and thoroughly congested.  She perked up within a few hours (and spent a good 20 minutes in the afternoon sobbing because she couldn't go out and play with friends) and I was hopeful that she was on the mend already.  Silly me!  Last night was a bit rough again.

 

Today my girl woke up congested again so we kept her home from school a second day.  Hudson was up and getting ready for school as usual but seemed to be dragging along.  I thought that it might be a bit of "no-school jealousy" but he insisted that he felt weak, a bit tired, slow, and achy.  We thought he was probably just making it up but chose to let him have a day as well.  I'm glad that we did.  We checked on him mid-morning as Max was headed to work and he felt a bit warm so I decided to take his temperature.  He was nice and cozy at 100.5.  Oh, goody!  I gave the boy some Tylenol and sent him off to play quietly with his sister.

 

It's been a fine day, really.  No one is horribly sick, it's been relatively quiet, and I've been able to get some things done.  Oh - and I'm wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt and while I've showered, I haven't done my hair and I don't care because I'm not going anywhere today.  Bonus!! However, I'm 150% done with these pesky sicknesses and ailments making their rounds in our family.  With surgery less than 2 weeks away, I'm worried about Max catching one of the kids' bugs and I'm certainly in no mood to be sick myself.  I gave the kids very detailed instructions this morning about not touching ANY towel in the house except for their own bath towels in their bathroom upstairs and I'm getting things cleaned all over the house today.

 

Maybe I should just quarantine every member of our family until everything has worked its course. I know kidney stones aren't contagious, but still.

 

I will say one thing...  Times like these sure make me grateful for good health and all the days, weeks, and months of the year that we go without anyone being sick.  I gladly look forward to getting back to that!

Grateful: 5 Things On The 5th

If I'm going to meet my quota of 50 posts this year (and possibly out-do myself and go beyond that), I've seriously got to get it in gear.  Luckily, November and December are two of my favorite months of the year and therefore, I feel like I naturally have more to write about.  November ranks up there for three main reasons:

1. The weather is quite wonderful...not hot, sometimes warm, and seldom too cold.  That's my kind of deal.
2. Soup season starts.  I love making big pots of soup or stew or cheating and using my trusty slow cooker to do the job for me.  There's nothing like a big bowl of hot goodness paired with some fresh sourdough bread, sharp cheddar cheese, and apple slices (preferably Honey Crisp or Fuji).  My tummy loves November.
3. I positively LOVE Thanksgiving and thinking about gratitude.  I honestly have things I'm thankful for running through my mind quite regularly as the month goes along.  It's one of the reasons we have a Thankful Tree every year.

In honor of the beginning of this glorious month, I'm going to make a short list of a few things that I'm grateful for today...

 

5 Things I'm Thankful For On The 5th

1. The Daylight Saving time change.  I love the change in the spring as the days grow longer and I love it in the fall since I get an extra hour of sleep in the morning (the morning is my arch nemesis).  I also actually really enjoy that it gets dark early.  Before we had children, I would intentionally leave a light or two on when leaving for work in the morning so that when I arrived home as it grew dark - or already was dark - I felt like the house was welcoming me back when I saw the front porch lights on or perhaps a lamp on in the window.  I may be a weirdy, but that was always a comforting feeling to me.
2. My family's patience with me and their forgiveness of my shortcomings. I kind of lost it a couple of times today. I was frustrated with my kids for various reasons, I got upset and lashed out when I shouldn't have, and I was mad at myself for letting said frustration get the best of me. Bless their poor hearts, in spite of what a lame mom and wife I can be at times, at the end of the day, my hubby and kids still accept me: lost marbles, overreactions and all. My children especially get big kudos on this one because all it takes with them is a simple, sincere apology and they let my misgivings go. I am one lucky lady.
3. The fabulous television show Castle.  It is, after all, Monday night.  Our TiVo box is just finishing recording tonight's episode and I can hardly wait to go and plop down on the couch.  The writers, producers, etc. of the show really nailed it...the characters (who doesn't totally love Caskett [ha ha!], Ryan, and Esposito?), the one-liners, the story lines, etc.  If you haven't seen it or if you don't like it, then you've got something seriously wrong with you.
4. Great neighbors who also happen to be great friends...  We seriously hit the jackpot in terms of neighbors.  We live next to and around some of the most friendly, generous, kind, loving, thoughtful and giving people in the world.  Everyone watches out for each other and is genuinely concerned about each other's well being.  I couldn't ask for better.  Heaven forbid we should ever have to move because nothing compares to these people!
5. A hard working husband who does SO much for our family. Max works his tail off at the office and makes it possible for me to stay home with the kiddies. In addition to bringing home the bacon, he has also always been the one to do most of the yard work. While I enjoy doing yard work (to an extent...ahem), I'm afraid that I often take for granted just how much he does. With his being somewhat unable to work in the yard as of late, I've been trying to make things easier on him and pick up the slack. Today I spent hours outside raking, blowing, sweeping, and bagging leaves. I honestly enjoy the work and the results when I do it but it really is a lot of work. He keeps our yard pristine and lets me be the pansy I am when it comes to yard work most of the time. I am blessed to be married to him.

I have so much more that I'm thankful for but a) I'm not going to list it all now because I need more writing material for future posts and b) it's time for CASTLE...

Happy Halloween 2012

We had a very nice Halloween this year.  I was more organized than usual and that led to things running a bit more smoothly and quickly...weird.  We had tacos for dinner with orange & black tortilla chips, a peach flavored brain Jell-O with Cool Whip mixed in (you can see last year's brain Jell-O pics here...just imagine a very pale shade of pink instead of the dark red), and sliced apples.  Our drink was "Witches' Brew": lime sherbet with grape soda.  It's really quite tasty.  I also made devil's food cupcakes with white frosting and orange sugar crystal sprinkles for dessert....because the evening's haul of coma-inducing sugar just wouldn't have been enough.  I failed to take pictures of any of our semi-festive meal so you'll just have to imagine it.

 

As for trick-or-treating, Claire was dressed up as Disney's Belle and Hudson was a Clone Trooper from Star Wars.  Thanks to my good friend, neighbor, and hair genius, Melinda, Claire's hair was as perfect as it could have been.  And thanks to my sister-in-law, Heather, Hudson had a great costume that fit perfectly when his original costume plans (he wanted to be a miner) fell through.

 

Both kids loved their costumes and while I thought they looked great, I have one complaint about each:

• Hudson's: the Star Wars gun he used (came from another Star Wars costume I purchased a few years back) makes noise.  A lot of obnoxiously loud and annoying noise.  Why I haven't yet permanently confiscated it and sent it to the land of misfit toys is beyond me.

• Claire's: Holy freaking gold glitter.  Her beautiful dress/costume came from the Disney store, complete with a lifetime supply of glittery trim that sheds off like you wouldn't believe.  I thoroughly tape-rolled the back seats of my car the next day.  And there's still some left.  Glitter is of the devil.

Immediately after dinner we took the kids to see Max's parents across town.  We made it a quick stop so that we could get home and go trick-or-treating before it got too late.  This year I took the kids out on my own while hubby stayed home to 1) pass out candy, 2) save his poor hip from unnecessary pain, and 3) finish up his CE hours that were due by morning.  The kids and I took a spin around our little neighborhood "loop" and then drove a couple of blocks away to go to the homes of a few other friends.  While we were hitting those last few houses, Claire stated that she was just too tired, that she wanted to be done, and that besides, she already had "too much candy".  What?!  Strange, strange child.  However, in spite of said "too much candy", when Hudson decided to go to the homes of another friend or two, Claire would yell from the back seat, "Get me some candy, too, Huds!"  I couldn't help but chuckle.

 

I don't recall what time the kids and I finished up for the night.  I do know it wasn't the latest we'd been out on Halloween but we all welcomed the end of our fun.  Trick-or-treating is positively exhausting.  I don't know what it is, but I was plumb tuckered when we got home and I honestly had a hard time deciding whether to head to bed at the same time as the kids or to stay up for a while and relax.  Relaxation won.

 

I vote that next year, I stay home and pass out candy while hubby and the kids make the rounds.

Rewind: Mommy-Daughter Pre-K Date

When Hudson was about to start Kindergarten, I got a sitter for Claire one day and he and I went out for a day of fun.  The other day I was going through some of the picture folders on my computer when I discovered a bunch of pictures of Claire from the day I had with her at the end of August and realized I never posted about it.

Our day wasn't anything over the top or super exciting but it was as good as it could have been.  Just like any child, she needs quality one-on-one time and days like this one reminded me that I need to give that to both of my kids more often.

We dropped Hudson off at a friend's place late morning and Claire and I headed to Gardner Village in Salt Lake.  She was excited for our date but was apparently tired, too, and fell asleep for about 20 minutes on the way there.  We went to lunch at the main restaurant where I had a turkey sandwich and Claire had grilled cheese.  I ordered an appetizer of fried green tomatoes and Claire was brave enough to give them a try.  She wasn't a huge fan but ate a few bites.  As picky as my girl can be, I'm always impressed with how willing she is to be adventurous and try new things.

After lunch we headed to the salon/spa where Claire got to have her nails painted.  She chose a very bold pink with a clear glitter finish...so girly!  She was tickled to have her feet in the foam flip flops...it was obvious that she felt very important.  She looked so proud, happy, and grown up sitting there.

When her pretty toes were all ready to go, we walked around the other shops and got a treat at the bakery before leaving.  It was such a pleasant and easy time with my girl...something that we both needed.

It makes me a bit sad to think that I won't get to have a special pre-Kindergarten day with any more children of mine.  I guess I'll just have to find other reasons (or no reason at all!) to take my kids out for special days now and then.

Pack's Pumpkin Patch 2012

A couple of weeks ago I surprised the kids after school and took them up to Farmington for our annual trip to Pack's Pumpkin Patch.  It was a beautiful early fall day...not too cool and not too warm.  My only complaints would be 1) it was TOO dry out there and we all (including my car) came home pretty much covered in dirt and dust and 2) there were little thorns/stickers everywhere out in the fields - we had to pick them out of the bottoms of our shoes...dozens of them!

 

Each year the layout of the patch is slightly different but this year there were bigger changes than in the past.  Last year's parking lot is now pumpkin vine territory, the park lot is where the tent was last year, and the hay maze is where some of the vines were last year.  They made a new "bridge" for the hay maze on the flatbed of an old truck (the old bridge was looking pretty sad last year) and the maze seemed a bit bigger this time around.

 

After the kids had a few minutes in the maze, we headed out into the fields and took our sweet time picking out several pumpkins for carving and fall decor.  This year both kids were big enough to pull the cart and had fun taking turns doing so.  They both enjoyed it so much that I only had to pull it at the very end...darn!

 

 

 

In addition to the pumpkins pictured above, I picked out about 20 gourds and small/mini pumpkins to use on my fall fireplace mantle in a couple of week.  While I do love carving pumpkins and the fun of Halloween, I can hardly wait until its over so that I can decorate the house for harvest time and Thanksgiving!

 

Next up: one last "rewind" post from the end of the summer...

Kids + School + Busy = Me + Crazy

Holy smokes.  Forget the old saying about time flying when you're having fun.  Here's what I have to say:

 

"Time flies when the kids are just getting back in school, everyone is adjusting to a new schedule, and you think you're going to have SO much free time with the kids away and then you find out that you're horribly - almost hysterically - wrong."

 

I know the kids have been in school for several weeks now but still, it took a while for all of us to adjust and I'm just now starting to feel like we've gotten into the groove of things.  I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water for a solid month.  Those of you who have more kids than I do are probably rolling on the floor in fits of laughter right now.  I can see you.  And I can hear you saying, "You only have TWO kids, chica...try managing with 5!" (or 4, 7, 15 or any other number higher than 2).  Once upon a time I wanted at least 4 children.  I would have happily considered 5 and might have gone for 6 (if I had felt like I was supposed to have another).  Now, with as busy and crazed as I am with my 2, I wonder if I would have survived being a mom to that many kids.  And I wonder how those of you in that boat are sane.  Or are you?...

 

Now that I have conceded that I most likely have it easy with only two kids, I shall continue with my saga.  Since school started, our weeks have gotten more and more packed.  Our current schedules involve the following each week:

 

Claire

• group piano
• dance
• homework & piano practicing (daily)
• chores

Hudson

• piano
• Boy Scouts (3x/month)
• basketball practice (8 a.m. on Saturdays - blech!)
• basketball game (1 night/week)
• homework & piano practicing (daily)
• chores

Me

• volunteer all morning in C's class one day a week
• volunteer in H's class all morning one day a week
• pick up C & friend from school 2-3 times a week
• drive to and from dance every other week
• get H to & from basketball practices & attend games
• do all that other stuff that moms do: laundry, cleaning, cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, oversee/manage kids' homework & piano practicing (and chores!), and laundry
• attempt to stay sane and find some time for myself while doing all the things listed above

You want to know what the craziest part of all of this is?

 

I voluntarily got us into most of this.

 

Okay, I got into all of it when I became a mom...but a lot of it is what one could call "fluff".  My kids don't NEED to be in piano.  Claire doesn't NEED to be in dance and Hudson doesn't NEED to play basketball or go to Boy Scouts.  That being said, they're happy doing these things and that makes me happy.  I'm just glad that Max and I decided some time ago that we'll only allow one instrument and one sport at a time - 'cause if you ask me, signing up for more than that is like asking for a giant serving of psychosis with a generous helping of loony sauce on top.  Now, don't think I'm critical of those who do have their kids in multiple sports and such.  I'm actually somewhat in awe of them and their ability to juggle it all.  Besides, I'm sure that I will someday eat my words and you can all laugh at me again when I do.

 

In the meantime, I'm going to keep on running around like a chicken with her head cut off.  Oh - and just to mix things up a bit, Max had a kidney stone this week.  And he'll be having major surgery in a few weeks.  He's having his right hip resurfaced (left one was done about 4 1/2 years ago...the combination of hip dysplasia and degenerative arthritis is a real doozy).  Wish me luck!

Summer Rewind: Lagoon x 2

On August 6th I took my kids to Lagoon for the day.  Claire had never been before and both kids had been begging to go pretty much all summer long.  After doing a little research I chose to take them on a Monday in order to avoid the crowds as much as possible.  It turned out being a good choice...I think our longest wait was maybe 15 minutes.  The biggest hits of the day were Bombora (quick but fun coaster), the Bat (another quick coaster - this one with feet dangling), and the Dinosaur Drop and Ladybug Drop which are virtually the same, just with different decor.  We didn't make it onto any really "big" rides as Claire was either just below or barely at the height limit and Hudson wasn't too keen on anything intimidating.  Whenever we passed one of these bigger rides, Claire's eyes would get big and she'd exclaim, "I want to go on THAT!" Hudson would then say, "There's NO way I'm going on that. NO WAY!"  We always knew Claire was a little more or a daredevil than her brother and this just reiterated that fact.  She was almost in tears at one point because I told her we weren't going on a ride that would loop upside down.  We had a great day and I was glad to let the two of them go on a number of rides together at the end of the day while I sat and watched from the sidelines.  We stayed until the park closed and we all went home happy and exhausted.

A week later, we took advantage of the "bounce back" system/program and returned the following Monday to do it all again (and lines were even shorter!).  This time, I surprised the kids and arranged to pick up my niece from my brother on his way to work and she came with us.  It was SO nice to have a fourth person with us...everyone had a partner on every ride and no one felt like a 3rd wheel or left behind.  It was especially nice when Hudson and his cousin would head off to go on a ride and Claire and I would do something else.  Having a seatmate proved to be the trick for getting Hudson to try some of the bigger rides and while we didn't go on anything extreme (no upside down rides this time), all four of us went on a few things that we hadn't the week before and he and his cousin were quick to return to some of their favorites on their own.  Oh - and we decided to tally up the number of rides we went on this time.  I think that we each went on 50-something rides.  Not too shabby!

RECIPES: FRESH PEACH PIE + REAL Whipped Cream

I promised it and sometimes I keep promises.  So, here you go...

 

FRESH PEACH PIE

 

5 large peaches

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2/3 c. water

1 3 oz. package peach Jell-O

1/3 c. orange juice

1 9-inch pie crust

 

 

Make & bake regular pie crust (or just buy one in the freezer section and follow the directions like I do).  Cool completely.

 

While pie crust is baking, stir sugar and cornstarch together in a small or medium saucepan.  Add water and whisk together.  Cook over medium-high heat and while stirring/whisking constantly and bring to a boil.  Continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in Jell-O until dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

 

 

Peel, pit, and slice peaches (after peeling I cut mine into 8th's or 12th's) and put in a bowl with the orange juice, stirring occasionally to keep all peaches coated.

 

 

Once the Jell-O mixture has cooled to room temperature (don't let it sit or cool too long...it'll thicken too much), pour it over the peaches and orange juice and gently stir/mix well.  Spoon peaches into the pie shell and refrigerate at least a few hours prior to serving.

Top with whipped cream & enjoy!

 

 NOTES:

• The quality of your peaches will make or ruin your pie.  Great peaches make for great pie.  Sub-par peaches make for sub-par pie.  Buy the best, sweetest peaches you can get your hands on (I prefer Suncrest but I've been happy with Elbertas and Red Ladies as well).
• You don't have to, but when I prep my peaches, I like to cut out the outer-most part of the area around the pit.  I do leave a little red there but I get rid of the drier, stringier portion.
• I like my pies to be tall and mounded rather than even with the pie crust so I use more like 7-8 large peaches (or more).  The other day I made another one of these pies using about 12 small peaches and it just wasn't enough.  I haven't yet measured how many cups of peaches I use.  I just say when in doubt, add more.
• I've tried this with both regular and sugar-free Jell-O (which is what I usually use) and it does NOT turn out as well with the sugar-free.  The Jell-O didn't firm up as much and I was left with a semi-soggy bottom crust after it spent its time in the fridge.  Yuck.
• I don't like a lot of the Jell-O mixture in the pie so when I put the peaches in the crust, I use a good slotted spoon with wider slots so that a lot (if not most) of the Jell-O drops back into the mixing bowl.  Then, once I've transferred all the peaches and moved them around to my satisfaction, I drip a bit of the mixture in between some of the peaches.  On the last pie I made, I probably dumped over a cup of the stuff.  In the pie pictures in this post, you can see that I put too much Jell-O mixture on top at the end...it still tasted good but it was just too much for us.
• Yet another rule in my kitchen: Do NOT use canned/spray whipped cream (i.e. Reddi-Whip,or another such abomination).  It is fake and should be banned from existence.  I honestly can't think of the last time that I actually purchased the stuff...probably over 10 years ago.

That last note being said, I have to say that I have been seriously surprised over the years by how many of my friends (and a few extended family members) have never made their own whipped cream or have failed to have theirs turn out well.  Therefore, I feel the need to give you a "recipe" or instructions for that as well...

 

FRESH WHIPPED CREAM

 

heavy whipping cream

powdered/confectioner's sugar

hand-held mixer or stand mixer with wire whip

mixing bowl

 

Insert beaters into hand-held mixer or set up your stand mixer with the wire whip attachment.  Pour the cream into the mixing bowl.  Beat the cream on a low-ish speed for a few seconds and then let her rip...I turn mine all the way up to 7 (highest setting on my hand-held).  Beat it, beat it, and then beat it some more.  Once you reach your desired consistency, add powdered sugar, starting with about 1/4 cup to 1/2 pint whipping cream.  Mix well and then taste, adding more sugar as desired.  When you're done, you're done.  Pipe the whipped cream onto your pie using your frosting gear (I use a large round or large star) or if you're not feeling that creative, just spread it over the whole pie or plop a bit on top of each piece as you serve it.

 

 

NOTES:

• We like our whipped cream really thick...as you can see in the one picture, I make it so thick that absolutely nothing happens when I turn the bowl upside-down (I took several pictures while holding it that way and it never budged even a millimeter).  While you might not like it that thick, try not to leave it runny as that just makes for a mess on top of your pie.  Beating it to a soft-peak stage should be good enough.
• Do NOT use regular granulated sugar.  I once had someone complaining to me about how her homemade whipped cream never turned out well and asked what brand of granulated sugar I used.  It doesn't matter what brand you use...if you put granulated sugar in your whipped cream instead of powdered sugar, it won't end well.
• I use 1/2 pint of whipping cream for one pie and close to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for that amount (hubby likes it really sweet...).

Here's one more picture of the prettiest pie I've made (perfect amount of Jell-O mixture, perfect peaches, etc.).  It's not perfect but it's my perfect and I'm sure proud of it:

 

 

Hope you enjoy your pie.  If not, don't blame me.  You're either a weirdy for not liking fresh peach pie or you did something wrong.  Sorry folks, this stuff is AWESOME.  And I take no claim to fame on this recipe...my family got it from a couple of ladies at our church when I was a teenager.

 

 

Canning & I Made A Pie

August was a busy month in my kitchen.  I am glad to say that it wasn't a continual thing as I would have died of heat stroke had I turned on my stove and/or oven on a regular basis.  Whoever invented the natural gas outdoor grill is this girl's best friend...my family wouldn't have eaten all summer if it weren't for the Weber sitting on our back patio.

 

Anywho...

 

Back at the beginning of August, a local grocery store was having a ridiculous sale on red bell peppers.  They were something like $0.69 or $0.79 each.  And to make the deal even better, these peppers were positively enormous - literally about double the size of a normal red bell pepper.  Whenever those puppies go on good sale, I immediately start thinking about the jalapeno red pepper jelly that I make to give away at Christmas every few years.  Well, guess what folks.  Thanks to that fabulous sale, this just so happens to be one of those years.  I made a total of 5 batches of the stuff (about 30 jars - some 1/2 pint, others are pints) and it's all waiting in my basement cold storage room for me to wrap it up and give it away at Christmas.  Feels good to have at least some of the holiday hustle and bustle already done before the summer is out!

A couple of weekends ago, my little brother and his wife went up to Brigham City one day and brought me back a full bushel of Suncrest peaches.  I'm literally salivating from typing that.  I absolutely love Suncrest peaches - perfect flavor, texture, etc.  I think they're my favorite (thus far...haven't tried all of them).  Now, in case you didn't know, a bushel is a whole lot of fruit.  I spent all of one evening/night and another full day heating up my stove and running around my kitchen to make all sorts of goodies.  From said bushel of peaches I was able to make:

• double batch of fresh fruit freezer mix (peaches, grapes, crushed pineapple & OJ)
• 4 quarts of canned peach quarters
• triple batch of peach freezer jam (6 half pints)
• double batch of cooked peach jam (6 pints + 6 half pints)
• one fresh peach pie
• a handful of leftover fruit eaten plain or on cereal for breakfast

Now I'm totally out of peaches and it makes me kind of sad.  We have a nice fruit stand at the bottom of the hill...I think I'm going to have to stop there one of these days and at least get enough peaches to make another pie and have some for breakfast for a few days.

 

Oh - and I'm so nice.  I'm going to share the recipe for the peach pie on this here blog in the next few days...

BTS 2012: Kindergarten & 3rd Grade

My kiddies started a new school year on Tuesday.  I'm always thrilled to get back on a schedule and I honestly love sending my kids off to learn and have fun each day.  Yes, it's nice for me to have some time I'm excited for them, too.  School is part of growing up and I want them to enjoy it!

 

This year was a little bittersweet for me.  I didn't really get emotional about it but it's strange to think that all my kids (all two of them...I know, it's mind-blowing!) are officially in school and I don't get to have little ones at home any more.  My girl is no longer a baby or a toddler or a preschooler.  She's a "real girl" and she's moving up and on.

 

Both kids were so thrilled to get up and get going this morning.  Hudson (normally a bit of a dilly-dallyer) was ready with a solid 30 minutes to spare and while Claire got up later, she was just as eager to get out the door.  Both kids were excited to ride the bus (mostly empty the 1st day...only 7 kids on there) and after making sure they were on the yellow beast, I headed down the hill to meet them at the school.

 

Hudson was quick to head to his class, taking a neighbor friend/girl to her class first as she was a bit freaked out and didn't know where to go.  Claire and her little friend Sadie walked with me to the Kindergarten classroom and we arrived just as the teacher opened the doors.  Both girls settled right in and seemed happy as clams in their new surroundings.  I stayed at the school for Back To School Morning (attended 30 minute meetings in both classes while they sent the kids out to play), chatted with a few friends, went to the PTA display in the cafeteria, etc.  By the time I was finished, it was nearly time for Claire to get out (early out schedule the 1st day of school).  When I picked her up at her classroom, I asked her if it was a good day...that's when I got the thumbs-up in the picture below.  A happy girl makes for a happy mom!  Hudson loved his class, too.

 

Here's hoping that the rest of the year goes as smoothly and creates as much happiness as the first day!  Now, homework?  That's another story...

5 Years Old and 5+30 Years Old

I obviously never posted an official "5 Years Old" picture of my girl.  So here you go:

A few days before her birthday, we had a family (both sides) party here for her.  We had Max's parents, his local brother and his family and my two local brothers and their families here to celebrate with us.  I made the chocolate and cherry chip cupcakes with almond frosting that we had for dessert.  I didn't realize until my sister-in-law pointed out later in the evening that by chance, Claire chose to put on a purple and pink outfit for the shindig that almost perfectly matched the purple and pink frostings that I had made.  Between her clothes, the cupcakes and the balloons, we had a serious color coordination thing going on!

Her actual birthday was pretty laid back.  We ran a few errands and had a fairly normal day until the evening.  The kids and I went out to dinner at The Olive Garden (her choice - hubby had to work late and couldn't join us) followed by a little shopping trip at Carter's where Claire picked out a couple of things and a stop at Maggie Moo's to get a couple of custom packed quarts of tasty goodness to take home to accompany Claire's birthday cake.  Max was home when we got there so we all enjoyed Claire's birthday cake and ice cream and watched her open a few gifts.

 

It's hard to believe that my baby girl is really five years old.

 

In other news, I turned 35 a few days after Claire's birthday.  I got to spend more money than I wanted to on having my the screen on my iPhone 4 replaced. (I may or may not have dropped it and caused serious damage way back in June.  Thank goodness for a really strong screen protector that held it in place all this time.)  When Max got home from work that evening, he brought this with him:

Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting with chocolate draped over the top.  I did not complain.  Not even once.  Happy Birthday to me!

Claire: Fantastic Five

Five years ago this morning, I became the mother of a little girl.  My due date was September 11th but due to having had a C-section with Hudson (after a long day of labor), I was scheduled to have one with Claire as well and that was set for September 4th.  Obviously we didn't make it to that day.  This girl has always had plans of her own and the day she came into the world was no different.

If you want the details of her arrival, read on.  If not, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Here's how it went:

• I woke up the morning of my 37 week mark with a huge contraction a little bit before 5:00 a.m.
• Called the hospital after a few more contractions and the unintelligent younger nurse who answered the phone said that since I was a C-section patient and my contractions weren't time-able, I should rest and things should calm down (told later by a more experienced nurse that the girl should have had me get there immediately...she went to find out who I had talked to).
• As per instructions from the same nurse on a second phone call, we didn't leave for the hospital until contractions were 5 minutes apart.
• Had to drop off Hudson at the home of Max's brother on the way.
• Headed for the freeway to find it dead stopped (due to a Coke or Pepsi semi-trailer crash...do you locals remember that?  I do.).
• Took city roads until we could get on the freeway where it was moving along.  Hubby drove a wee bit over the speed limit as I was crying out and screaming a bit.  Okay...a lot over the speed limit and crying and screaming a lot.
• Arrived at the hospital with contractions 30-60 seconds apart.
• Got all set up and the nurse checked me...dilated to a 9, 100% effaced and somehow my water still hadn't broken.  It did so about 1 minute later.
• Begged for an epidural (every contraction felt like someone was hitting me in the lower back with a sledge hammer - now we know that it was that pesky tumor).
• An anesthesiologist came in the room within a few minutes and gave me the world's fastest epidural - put the needle in, gave me 2 shots and left.  No need to leave a line in since things were moving along.
• My doctor came in and said that we wouldn't be doing a C-section since 1) I was only at 37 weeks, 2) the baby was a girl and much smaller than her brother, and 3) I was so far progressed at my 36 week appointment (at a 3 and 60% the week before - apparently that doesn't happen for women who have only delivered by C-section).  I think he said, "We can do this."
• I didn't totally believe him.  I was kind of freaked out.
• Less than an hour after arriving at the hospital (45 minutes?) and 3 pushes later, my baby girl was born.
• Claire weighed only 7 lb 2 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long (I know that's probably big for being three weeks early and about average size...but she seemed tiny compared to her 8 lb 14 oz and 21 1/2 inch brother and was the only one out of the 10 babies that my mom, my sister, and I had that was under 8 lb).

Claire really gave us a run for our money that day and has done so on a regular basis since then.  She only does something when she decided she's going to and even then, everyone has to wait until she's good and ready.  Thankfully she doesn't usually make us wait long.  She looks a lot like me but with more of Max's coloring.  She was a very easy baby in a lot of ways but unlike her ultra-social older brother, she was extremely shy and quickly let us know who she would and would not go to.  She was and still is all girl with a love for all things pink, girly, soft, and/or sparkly.  At the same time, she's definitely our more adventurous child.  Sometimes we have to just close our eyes or turn our heads and hope she survives whatever she's doing...and she always does.  From the minute she was born, she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger approximately 500,000 times and that hasn't changed.  Not only does she look like me but she's a lot like me in terms of personality.  That's probably why she's SO good at pushing my buttons at times.  In spite of how crazy she makes me at times, I love her more than I know how to express.  I am so grateful to have Claire for my daughter.  It's hard to believe it's already been this long...

Happy 5th Birthday, Boo!

I'll try to post an official "5 Years Old" picture a little later today...

Anne Was Here!: Big BBQ

The day of my visit to the DMV and out trip to Thanksgiving Point was a very busy one, indeed.  That evening, we had a BBQ here at our house with my little family, Anne and her three kids, and each of our three brothers, their wives, and all of their children.  There were 25 of us in all and the only people missing from our family were my parents and Anne's husband.  What a bunch of party poopers!  We got over their absence, though, and had plenty of fun without them.

Dinner was easy for us...we did a pasta salad (made the night before), prepped the chicken, and made a big cooler of lemonade.  Everyone else brought veggies, fruit, and dessert.  Max was the grilling master and while he took care of business, we took several pictures of all of the grandkids together, the three brothers, the five sisters-in-law, and the five of us awesome siblings.  I do wish that the aforementioned absentees could have been here so that we could have taken pictures of everyone.

Pics of all the grandkids, the brothers, the sisters-in-law, the granddaughters, the grandsons, and the five siblings.

We don't always behave for the camera.

Best picture of the night...me and the BEST sister in the whole world.

After picture taking was done, the three brothers got up on the trampoline and the kids took turns being "bounced" high into the air.  A few of them were up over Matt's head at their peak...and he's 6'7" so they really got up there!  At the end of the pre-dinner fun, two of my sisters-in-law decided to let the guys have a go at them and unfortunately, my brother Dave's wife, Jeanette, ended up with what was diagnosed the next day as a nasty case of whiplash.  She could barely walk and was in a lot of pain.  Poor thing spent the evening laid out on our bed with her legs propped up on several pillows (my hubby is seriously a pro at this thanks to the many times he helped me when I was laid up with back problems).  We all helped take care of their baby girl (6 months old?), my sister fed Jeanette dinner since she couldn't sit up, and everyone went in and visited her off and on throughout the night.

In addition to just getting together for dinner, it happened to the birthday of Matt's middle child/daughter, Abby (she's the one in the bright green).  They brought very tasty red velvet mini cupcakes for the kids and red velvet cake from Costco for the adults. Yummy!!  It was great to combine an already fun get together with her big day.

Just over a week after this big BBQ, Dave and his family moved across the country to Connecticut so this was our last big hurrah for a while.  We're all planning on meeting up in Newport Coast, CA next summer but as my mom says, "Life is what happens while you're making plans."  I just hope that the whole family (and I mean everyone!) can be there next year.