Just another Day at the Kihns

Bad Girl!

2012-01-31T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'm a bad blogger. It's not that I intended to neglect the blog, I just have been busy. Crazy busy. A little more crazy than busy. You get the idea.

We are all still alive and the Bobos are still into everything. More to come...

What the Bobos Have Been Up To

2011-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

This may be one of those posts where the short list is what they haven't been up to. The Bobos have not visited the Eiffel Tower, they did not join the Peace Corps, or hit it big in Vegas. They have however been quite busy.

They've been to the dresser top

They found a new indoor sandbox

They visited the hedgehog

And they've given mom more than a few gray hairs! But they are awfully cute, and good thing!

Offensive!

2011-11-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night, Victoria's Secret broadcast a fashion show featuring models in Victoria's Secret under wear. Stations around the country censored the broadcast because it was offensive. They are right, but their reasoning is wrong. I fully agree that it is offensive, but not because models are walking the cat walk in bras and panties.

The Victoria's Secret show is offensive because of the models. It is offensive that we allow women all over to believe that those models represent an ideal feminine body. Hell, it's offensive that we allow them to represent a female's body at all! Young girls, already struggling with their body image, now feel fat and ugly. Wives, mothers, and single women doubt their attractiveness. Even men wonder why they can't find a woman like that.

Women like we see on that stage don't exist. Those models might as well be Stepford Wives robots. Just read about the diets the women undertake prior to the show. They are anorexic. If you have ever looked into the real world of modeling, many of those women are chain smokers or drug users. Both help them keep that unrealistic, skeleton like physique. Their real hair is supplemented with weaves and extensions. Their make up is caked on to remove all blemishes. Their bodies are tanned and also made up to cover anything that may make them appear human.

I haven't bought Victoria's Secret products in years, and I am not about to start. Shame on them, and so many others for continuing to spread this propaganda of unhealthy body image. Yes, this post is written by someone that is 5 feet 5 inches and weighing in at 130 pounds. But, I promise you, I can grab a handful of belly. That belly has stretch marks. My butt jiggles when I walk, and so do my thighs. My boobs are small, my face has wrinkles, and while I naturally have a lot of hair, it will never look like what Victoria's Secret portrayed last night.

I'm a real woman. I've given birth to 4 kids. I eat food, and enjoy it. I don't smoke, or use drugs to stay thin. The only tan I get is come by honestly as I work in my garden in the summer. My kids love me, my husband loves me, my friends love me, and we are all real. All of us ladies need to start loving ourselves. We need to love each other. We need to be real! Stop letting corporations sell us robots as women, fight back! Teach young women and men everywhere what real women are. We can do it!

An 8 year old's Christmas List

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm including a photo, just to prove I did not make this up! This is her list, although I have edited the spelling.

ten dollars
make-up
laptop
phone (as in cell phone)
candy canes
conditioner
shampoo
soap
mints
Kinect
bunk bed
art kit
sister
hair dyed red
face paint kit
monkey bars
maid
I want to meet Ke$ha

The list garnered plenty of snickers and smirks from her dad and I. From the simple, to the impossible, the girl knows what she wants!

I Have a Plan

2011-11-29T06:09:00.000-08:00

This plan came to me at about 3 a.m. the other morning. No matter how hard I try, I can't shake the idea. Maybe I should up the dose on my happy pills, or take a nap, but here is the plan:

I will strip off all my clothes and light my hair on fire. Then I will run around my neighborhood. Hopefully this will be insane enough to secure a bed on the psych ward of the local hospital. While there, I can sleep without hourly interruptions, my meals will be cooked for me, and I may even score some good drugs.

It sounds like a perfect plan, but I hear from a nurse that psych is full. It usually is, and I wonder how many are sleep deprived moms?

How to tell if you are having a bad day

2011-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

You may be having a bad day, if on the way out the door, your 2 year old let's the expensive indoor cat out. And as you run down the stairs in your high heels you yell "dammit" loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

You may be having a bad day, if once outside, you have to chase said 2 year old down the driveway and snatch him out of the road while yelling to your daughter, "we need to catch the grey piece of #@$%"

You may be having a bad day, if you get to the supermarket and realize that you forgot to pack your daughter's lunch, so the $1.50 in cash you scrounged up won't be sufficient to purchase the hard candy (cough drops not being allowed at school) and a lunchable.

You may be having a bad day, if while walking through the supermarket, you look at the woman who is approximately your age, maybe a bit older, calmly shopping in her name brand workout gear (the gym is just next door) and want to strangle the life out of her for her child free, healthy, and peaceful morning.

I'm not an expert, but if those things happen, you may be having a bad day!

Every little bit helps

2011-10-19T20:58:00.001-07:00

One of my friends from middle and high school lost her son yesterday. She was 38 weeks pregnant when he passed. Today she delivered him. Her fiancee was out of work due to surgery, and now they are facing cremation costs without any funds. If you are able to help Erik and Kandi, you can do so at Give it Forward.
http://www.giveforward.com/ryderwilliam

Life Goes On

2011-10-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

We've been staying busy, busy!

Kaia has looked forward to having the opportunity to work in the school kitchen since the start of the school year. You have to be in 3rd grade before you can do the work and she really wanted to do it. She's now on her 2nd week of kitchen duty and loving it. I'm loving it too! She gets free school lunch when she works. School lunches cost me $2.25, and the average home lunch I pack her is probably about $1.00. Either way, I'm saving time and money, and she's learning how to be responsible!

The Bobos turned 2 this weekend. And when they do something, they like to go all out. So to celebrate turning 2, they started off their birthday by breaking our tv. Our tv that was $900 plus tax and a warranty. And as it always works, the warranty doesn't cover 2 year old twins throwing stuff at the screen. They had an enjoyable party and are having a great time playing with all their new cars.

I'm busy trying to get Morgan's curriculum ordered so that we can get him on track with kindergarten. Of course, what should be easy seems like a daunting task to me. Once we have the curriculum though, I know it will all go well, he's such a smart kid.

It's definitely Fall here, and the days seem to just fly by in their busyness.

Menu Plan Monday again!!

2011-10-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

Something about Fall, my favorite season, makes me a menu planner! Today is exceptionally crazy, as I've admitted defeat and we are bug bombing today. The good news is this will not only kill fleas but earwigs and flies! The bad news is, that means the kids, cats, hedgehog and our dinner have to be out of the house! More good news, they are all going to my Mother in Law's house, except the hedgehog and the outdoor cat. So she will be able to fix her plate before dinner comes home with us.

Monday: This was supposed to be Sunday's meal, but I made lasagna on Saturday, and the soup on Sunday, so we bumped the roast to today.
Roast, potatoes, carrots and onions in the crock pot

Tuesday:
Tacos using leftover roast shredded and leftover beans from last week.

Wednesday:
Chicken Strips, macaroni and cheese, salad

Thursday: I'm working at the Pillars Party, so dinner is for Dana and the kids.
Papa Murphy's Perfect Pizza (using the coupon)

Friday:
Hamburgers, french fries and veggies

Saturday:
Huevos Rancheros

Sunday:
Free day

What's on your meal plan this week?

Exciting News!

2011-10-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

While cleaning yesterday, I found the manual to my steam cleaner. I thought maybe there would be a troubleshooting section. There was, and there was only one issue that they troubleshoot. Thankfully, it was the exact problem I had been having. After following the directions and beating the cleaner on the floor in different directions, I now have a working steam cleaner! scratch that off my list.

My Christmas List

2011-09-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's not even October, and here I am discussing Christmas. But right now is when I'm doing Christmas shopping. I keep an eye out for clearance items, so I can buy gifts that are out of our price range, but become in our price range when it's 75-90% off. I already have my nieces' gifts, one nephew's gift, and two of Kaia's gifts.

So I got to thinking about what I would really like, and then laughed at how simple it all is. What I really would like for Christmas:

A House Keeper. Seriously! I've realized that I cannot keep up. My schedule keeps getting crazier, and the kids seem to get messier. I went on Care.Com and found that there are several in my area that work for $10-15 an hour. And I really would just need someone for 2 hours a week. Even if someone just paid for a few months, it would be so nice to have some help!
A steam cleaner. This was a Christmas gift a few years ago from my parents. I loved it. It made cleaning our textured vinyl floors simple and they came so clean! Then it died. It died after I told Kaia to quit messing around with it or she would break it. Not sure if the two things are related, but my floors haven't been clean since. I've cleaned them, but it's not the same.
Food. Yes, it sounds so crazy. But I love when we get a Thanksgiving or Christmas box from the church. Being able to fill up the pantry, and not have to worry about groceries is a luxury. Last year we received a gift certificate for meat from a local butcher, and that was so nice. And the added bonus is, when we don't have to buy a bunch of groceries each week, it frees up some money to buy things that we like to eat, but are more expensive.
Electrolosis. I will fill you in on something. I'm hairy. Really hairy. Worse though, is my hair grows insanely fast. It's a blessing for the top of my head, but a curse everywhere else. I'd love to have electrolosis on my underarms. Not only would it save me the daily shaving and ingrown hairs, but it helps cut down on sweating. And that would be fantastic!

So there is my list. Practical as always. Have you started any holiday preparations?

A Meal Plan at Last!

2011-09-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Summer's seem to be an unscheduled, go with the flow time for us. It's something that definitely does not work during Fall, when Kaia is in school (and Morgan is enrolled in the Virtual Academy), and Dana and I are both busy at work.

With everything that has been going on this month, we haven't left that summer schedule behind, and it shows! The house is a disaster, meals are last minute, and the grocery budget is out of control. It is time to stop this insanity, and get some order back into our lives. Step one is a meal plan!

Monday: Connecticut Beef Supper and green beans. This is a Betty Crocker Recipe that is a favorite. It's sliced beef (any inexpensive steak cut works) browned with onions, then cooked with thin sliced potatoes in a cream of mushroom, sour cream and milk mixture. Topped with shredded cheese and crushed wheat cereal.

Tuesday: Spaghetti and meatballs. The sauce is going to cook in the crock pot all day, so when I get home, all I need is to cook noodles.

Wednesday: Pinto Beans and Ham in the crock pot.

Thursday: S.O.S. with fruit

Friday: Chili Dogs

Saturday: Potato Soup

Sunday: Roast or leftovers day

What are you eating this week?

Not in my house!

2011-09-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

When I first realized we had a flea infestation, and the doctor confirmed the Bobos were covered in flea bites, I was sure that I was the worst housekeeper and mother ever. I knew they had come in on our cat Callie before we had her put down. I remember clearly the time she came in and was so filthy, something very unlike her, and one of the first signs that it was time to consider euthanasia. But to have them in our home bad enough that the boys were bit all over, I had to have won some sort of award for my inadequacies.

Then, when I posted such thoughts on Facebook, my eyes were opened. So many people came forward telling me about their battle with fleas. So many, that I realized, this isn't something to feel bad about or ashamed of, it is something that many people deal with. Many people deal with, and few discuss. That's where I come in. I discuss it. So, let it be known, we have fleas in our home. I'm still fighting them. It's not an easy battle. The doctor recommended using a bug bomb. I have problems with that. Number 1, I don't like the idea of spreading poison all over the house. Number 2, everyone I've talked to, and everything I've read says that the bomb doesn't do it. You still have a ton more work. So I researched our options.

I researched and opted to spot treat all the remaining cats. I also bought pesticide for the carpets, but they can only be used in limited rooms, at limited times because we have 4 kids and 4 cats. So I treated the Bobos room, as it is one of the worst, and have been using Borax on the rest of the carpets and vacuuming often. We will win our battle, and I won't be ashamed that they are living in my house. The little bastards will die!

I have to wonder though, how many things do many of us live with, and hide for fear of being looked down on?

A Memory Saved

2011-09-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

At the end of Despicable Me, the Minions line up to get a goodnight kiss from Gru. One minion keeps cutting back into line to get an extra kiss. I was blessed to watch this scene play out live, every weekday evening as I picked the boys up from Grammy and Papa's house. The twins would go give Papa a kiss, and then head to the door, then run back for one last kiss. And run back again for just one more.

Yesterday, we said good bye to Papa Gordie. He passed a few hours after we left. It breaks my heart knowing that I won't ever see this sweet scene again. Also, I know from my own experience, that the boys will have limited memories of Papa, if they remember him at all. So I will hold on to this memory, and more to share with them as they grow.

Beginnings and Endings

2011-08-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a full week, and it's only Wednesday. Monday I started Morgan's enrollment in Columbia Virtual Academy. Technically this way, he isn't home schooled. He is enrolled in a school district, that then partners with me to provide the curriculum, and to which I will make weekly reports. This will ensure that he starts 1st grade with all the other 6 year olds next year. It also means that the money the school district gets for having Morgan enrolled is paid out to us in curriculum and support.

Kaia started 3rd grade on Tuesday. She was so excited. Her only apprehension: she has the teacher that doesn't allow you to rest your chin on your hand. She's sure that she cannot not do this. I think it will be an excellent lesson in sitting up and paying attention.

Tuesday, after dropping off the boys with Grammy and Papa, and Kaia at school, we said good bye to our dear sweet cat Callie. She was suffering from paralysis, which was only getting worse, and the vet said nothing could be done to help. She would continue to lose more and more function. It wasn't fair to make her lay around in her feces because her back legs couldn't hold her up long enough to finish business. It was hard holding her as she purred, knowing it would be her last. But at the same time, I knew that's how I would want to go out of this world. Happy. And as she drifted off to sleep from the sedative they give first, she was happy.

Brendon's Conversation

2011-08-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Brendon had a conversation with Grammy that was too cute and had to be written down.
Brendon: Buh Bye. Buh Bye.
Grammy: Buh Bye Brendon.
Brendon: Nuh-uh (with head shaking no)
Grammy: Nuh-uh? No Buh Bye?
Brendon: Meow

This Summer Left Us in Stitches!

2011-08-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

We've had children for 8 years, and not one set of stitches, and then this summer, we are already on our second set! I guarantee this will not be the last set. Our kids are far to wild for that.

I do believe Bryce may have ruined his chance at ever pulling a switcheroo on teachers. He is going to have a scar from his tumble off the couch.

This is right after we got home from the doctor. We opted for the liquid stitches because holding down a screaming toddler didn't sound like fun. He had the area bleeding again within a few hours.

Here he is this morning. Dana has now nicknamed the boys, Scarface and Babyface.

Getting Published

2011-07-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

Lately our family is being highlighted in a few local magazines. One happens to be available to read online, and shows a photo of Kaia at the beach on page 30. Another magazine recently quoted me regarding having pets and kids. I was slightly misquoted, as we didn't have all the animals at once, but that's ok, the point is still there.

The most exciting piece though, is that I have written an article about our TTTS story that will be published in an upcoming edition of Playdate Magazine. I'm very happy about this, as I've spent over a year trying to get someone to notice the importance of telling our story. Not for our publicity, but to create awareness around TTTS. I hear of too many parents losing their babies to TTTS, and it's not ok. I want all moms pregnant with twins to know about TTTS, whether they may be at risk, and the symptoms that a mom will have, if there is TTTS. This story is a step in the right direction. And once it is published, I will try to scan a copy or at least publish my story.

Repurposing a Saucer

2011-07-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have this pretty little saucer that my Granny gave to me. I like that it is floral, without being too girly. I used to use it for candles, and I think that is how it originally came to my office. But recently, I found a new and much more useful purpose for it.

It's much prettier than the plastic paper clip holders, and much easier to grab a clip from.

Do you have anything pretty that you have made useful?

Who Said Healthy Food Costs Too Much?

2011-07-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

I always read articles that say our obesity problem is linked to low socio-economic status. These poor people with little money just can't afford to eat decent food. Um, B.S. Is it expensive to buy organic, or processed all natural products? Yes. Is it expensive to eat steak, many types of fish, and chicken breasts? Yes, for the most part. It is not expensive to buy fresh meats and produce. If people buy in season, and buy less expensive cuts that may need more prep work or cooking time, there is no added expense.

The truth: People are lazy. They can't be bothered to deal with a whole chicken, or trimming the fat of a cut of beef. I went to the store last night with the goal of refilling our produce drawer. Our neighbor has brought us several boxes and bags of produce recently from the food bank, but with 4 kids, it's gone in a very short time. So for proof that buying produce in season isn't expensive, you can see what I purchased last night in the above photo.
Here is the cost breakdown:
2 Jalapenos $.012
Romaine Lettuuce $0.88
2 Red Bell Peppers $1.00
1.4 lbs Roma Tomatoes $1.09
2 Nectarines (purchased because a twin grabbed and started eating one) $1.12
1 Cucumber $0.44
3 Ears of Corn $0.90
.54 lbs Green Beans $0.75
1.95 lbs Green Grapes $2.50
Grand Total: $9.24

Not even $10 for all of that. And none of that is in season here yet, we had a late growing season, so this is all up from California. I expect prices to drop further once we have local produce available. How do you eat healthy on a budget?

Frivolous Spending or Investment in the Future?

2011-07-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

I admit that I've always felt magazines were a frivolous expenditure. Spending $3-6 to read a bunch of ads seemed like a waste of money, and besides I have several magazines I receive for free through different survey websites. However, recently I've altered my view.

It was about 3 years ago that I went through the Lou Tice Investment in Excellence course. What I learned there, is in order to change, we must see what we want as the norm for our life. Therefore, if you are always running late, you cannot continue to say, "hey, that's me, I'm just a late arriver." Instead you must tell yourself, I'm an on time person. I plan ahead so that I can arrive on time to my committments. You can't just say it, you also have to visualize it. The more you do so, the more you will strive subconciously to be that person.

That is why I have begun to purchase Real Simple magazine. I love the organization tips, and the easy recipes. I looked at it once and thought, "I wish that was me! I want to be the organized person with a clean house, and great meals." It finally donned on me, that by reading that magazine, and envisioning myself being that person, I could become that person. I also receive Shape and Martha Stewart Living (for free) and plan to read those with a whole new outlook. I'm not an observer of those lifestyles, that is my lifestyle.

I look forward to becoming the person I want to be! And if I can't find Real Simple for free, the $5 a month investment is well worth it!

To My Favorite Daughter!

2011-06-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

A big Happy 8th Birthday to my favorite daughter!

Back In Time

2011-06-27T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've always reluctantly kept up with technology. Pagers were becoming a thing of the past when I finally purchased one at the age of 17. I held out on getting a cell phone until 2003, and I only was convinced then because Dana had a job that kept him traveling all over Washington, and I was due in a few months with Kaia. I didn't give in to the Smart Phone age until a few months ago. And now, for the first time since 2003, I do not have a cell phone.

It's not that I willingly gave up my cell phone. No, I wouldn't do that. My phone is my watch, my weather forecaster, my link to friends and family, and is currently sitting in a plastic bag full of rice. Bryce made off with my cell phone, and when I realized he was in the bathroom, I went running. My phone was on the floor, and I was thrilled. Phew... Dodged a bullet that time. Except when I picked it up, I realized, I hadn't. He dipped my phone into water. Either the cat's bowl or the foot bath. Which one doesn't matter, the result is the same, a dead phone that needs the moisture extracting rice to revive it.

So until it's resurrection 48-72 hours later, I'm unreachable. And while right now I feel naked, and out of sorts, I may just survive this!

The Book of Mo

2011-06-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

The joke on the Popsicle stick: Which birds are always sad? Mo's answer: Vegetarians

The other night Morgan became so upset over dinner he was crying. I told him I was making burritos. And he cried because he doesn't like Chinese food.

Morgan has a callous on his foot. If you ask him about it, he got it in the military. He told Grammy that Dana and I went on vacation and left him in the military camp, but he told me that we were there too. Apparently he had a scope, a gun and a chainsaw. And he got the mark from a stamp in the military.

Morgan also told Grammy that I cook up some really good octopus eyes, in my octopus eye cooker of course. We salt them and they are deee-licious. He told us that all militaries eat octopus eyes and when he was a kid in the military they were his favorite meal.

According to Morgan, a house of horrors is full of hores.

Morgan told Grammy he bought his camo hat at the Chinese people's yard sale. I told Morgan our neighbors weren't Chinese, they are Mexican. And I also told him that we probably should just say our neighbor's yard sale, as it really doesn't matter.

Morgan's favorite food is roasted snail. And the bestest bug to eat is cooker ants. And you roast them and make bug pancakes with bug syrup.

You honestly never know what will come out of his mouth. Yes, he's one funny kid!

Monster Truck Show aka The Day We Spent a Small Fortune to See Our Kids Smile

2011-06-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to the Monster Truck Show. Dana had been considering taking Morgan, and Grandma Owie offered to pay for their tickets. In the end, all 6 of us went with friends, and had a great time! It was definitely worth it!

Kaia gets a good view of Captain USA's rollover

Brendon did enjoy it, in spite of the serious face.

We had great seats, as you can see.

Now She has a Story!

2011-06-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, Kaia was riding her bike at the end of the driveway when she fell. The neighbor was over visiting with Dana, and he came into the house to tell me I had better get out there. I rushed out to see what the damage was, and saw blood. Lots and lots of it! Dana had given Kaia a clean shop rag and instructed her to hold it to her chin. I had her remove it so I could take a look, and we all agreed, she needed stitches.

Kaia was distraught the whole way to the hospital. She didn't want stitches and wanted to know every little detail about how getting stitches would feel. We arrived in emergency and were immediately given a room. The nurse came in and was very nice to Kaia, and explained that she was going to put some medicine on to numb it. The nurse practitioner came in and explained what she was going to do and had Kaia lay back, and covered her eyes with a towel.

It was a long process of cleaning the wound and stitching. There was a fair amount of asphalt in it. But in the end, Kaia did great. She has 2 interior stitches, and 7 exterior stitches. And for Kaia, best of all, she now has huge audiences to retell the story to! She loved telling everyone at church Sunday morning. And she was excited to show her class.

Shredded Beef

2011-05-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a super simple recipe that makes a good 2 to 3 meals. And different meals at that.
Step One is add a can of diced tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped garlic, a bit of cumin, and a bit of hot sauce (I prefer using a hot sauce that isn't super hot, and has other spices in it) to a slow cooker.

Step Two add an arm roast (or was it shoulder?) Just ask your butcher which roast cut is best to use for shredded meat.

Cook the meat on low all day long. Then in the evening, shred it with a fork. It should practically fall apart for you.

Meal one: Burritos with Spanish Rice. Take 2 cups of the liquid from the slow cooker, and boil it in a pot. Add 1 cup of rice, turn heat to low, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Then take your favorite kind of tortillas, add non fat refried beans, shredded meat, rice, avocado and fresh spinach. Or if your family is less adventurous, just add your usual fixings to it and enjoy!

Meal two: Beef Sandwiches. Put the meat in a pot. Add about 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and 3 T of steak sauce. You don't want to coat the meat and have lots of sauce, you just want to add flavor. Also add some mesquite or BBQ spice mix. Heat through. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, pickles, onions, cheese and tomatoes.

Easter anda Birthday

2011-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

This post has been delayed while I try to retrieve photos. I've sent them to my pc twice, and still don't have them! So photos will come soon.

We did it! We pulled off an Easter Sunday, Easter celebrations and Birthday Party all in one very crazy day!
First a photo of the actual Birthday. He loved his gift, as he no longer has to use sissy's pink DS to play games.

Easter Sunday started like they always do. Me tearing through the church parking lot because we are 5 minutes late to Sunrise Service that starts at 7:15 a.m. under the picnic shelter. After the beautiful service (with nice weather for once) we had a yummy breakfast served by the Elders and Deacons, and I gathered the kids for a photo.

We all met up after church at our home. We had a wonderful ham dinner, with lots of fruit salad, green salad, and of course deviled eggs. The birthday party included an egg hunt. Anna is just the right age to understand this concept, Brendon was following her lead, but still only picked up a few eggs. Bry couldn't understand why we picked them up at all.

There were lots of gifts.

And a monster truck cake. I watched Katie Brown Workshop late one night, and saw her bundt cake idea, and converted it to a chocolate mountain. Her frosting tip was to add flour to store bought frosting, then microwave 45 seconds. I actually microwaved longer to produce a chocolate coating. I don't care for cake or chocolate, but I admit this was pretty good.

After the party we had a blast throwing the Boing Putty all over the place. It really was a great day!

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

2011-04-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but our oldest boy turns 5 today! Tonight we'll eat Papa Murphy's Family Favorite Pizza (1/2 Pepperoni, 1/2 Hawaiian) and he'll open his presents from Dad and Mom. Sunday, after church we'll have a big party with family and friends. Photos of this year's Monster Truck Cake to come.

So to our ever creative, full of energy, story telling, monster truck loving, green eyed boy: Happy Birthday! We love you!

Backyard Improvements

2011-04-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, we are reclaiming our backyard this year. For too long we've allowed the dogs full reign while we stayed inside or out front. We started with a fence, then some major poop pick up, followed by Dana pressure washing the deck, and now the play set. We'll continue by planting the previously lush garden bed with flowers once again!

The kids, are thrilled with the new development.

Illogical

2011-04-13T05:53:00.000-07:00

I'm a big geek. Some of you may not know this, but I love to create puns and to find illogical arguments, and even create my own. So last night this illogical tidbit came to me:

There are 6 people in our family. 4 have blue eyes and 2 have green eyes.
The 4 blue eyed people in our family can take amoxicillin, the 2 green eyed people are allergic to it. So green eyed people are allergic to amoxicillin.

It may seem ridiculous, but next time you hear or read an argument or hypothesis on the news, you may find something just as ridiculous being said. Just listen to politics, talk radio, or read some recent archaeology findings.

PS if you also love puns, it makes you very good at answering the jokes on Popsicle sticks.

Nothing To It

2011-04-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

Gates are for climbing over, right?

Garden Dreams

2011-03-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

I want to go out and get the garden ready this year, but the weather hasn't received my request yet. We have had an unusually cool and wet spring so far, and every weekend has brought us rain. So for now, I will settle for planting my seeds for setting out later. I'm hoping they all do well, and we have a bountiful garden all summer long.

I purchased all my seeds from Ed Hume Seeds and the plan is to not purchase plants. I'll let you know how that works out.

Here is the list for 2011:
Oregon Spring Tomato (these were fabulous 2 years ago)
Gourmet Blend Lettuce (Buttercrunch, Grand Rapids, Red Sails and Parris Island Romaine)
Cal Wonder 300 Bell Pepper
Arugula
Basil
Golden Cross Bantam Sweet Corn
Gold Nugget Tomato
Blue Curled Scotch Kale
Martino's Roma Tomato
Crimson Sweet Watermelon
Early Jalapeno Pepper
Olympia Hybrid Spinach
Spacemaster Cucumber
Mesclun Mixed Salad Greens
Cilantro
Cocozelle Zucchini
Sugar Ann Snap Peas
French Green Beans (bush beans)

And for the rest of the garden, and to get a start on our backyard garden:
Shasta Daisy
Godeti Double Azalea (free gift with my order)
California Poppy
Sweet William
Alpine Poppy
Heliotrope
Livingstone Daisy

More on our backyard garden plans to come. Let's just say we are reclaiming a large portion from the dogs, and our tax return is going to make it fun!

You can't always get what you want...

2011-03-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

You know the song, "you get what you need." Boy, has that been the case at our home. We didn't want another cat. The last thing we wanted was another mouth to feed, butt to clean, and one more furball under foot. However, we needed Alice.

These blurry photos show that she is doing quite well, and she and Nemesis are best of friends. We didn't realize how much Nemesis needed someone to play with. The other cats were really tired of his antics, but Alice loves them. There are regular pouncing sessions and wrestling matches. I haven't found them cuddling yet, but I'm fairly certain that's coming.

Parenting with an Open Mind

2011-03-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

So quick question, answer it as quickly as possible (in your head is fine):

Is it ok to send your child to school with pink or blue spray streaks in their hair?

Got your initial answer? Now think about it. Was your initial answer based on what others have told you was ok? Or was your answer something that you feel strongly about?

This exact question was a daunting one for me, and for Dana as well. I admit that my first answer to my question, is not the same as it is now. A few months ago my mom gave Kaia a can of pink hairspray. I admit right now, my first reaction was, "Oh no, she didn't..." The "mom" in me was cringing. It wasn't ok to put pink spray in my 7 year old's hair.

A few days later, the "me" in me grabbed the mom in a choke hold and called her a big hypocrite that had somehow lost touch with her own ideas. Somehow the "mom" in me was listening to what society might think, or what other parents might think, rather than what I might think. And it's true. Prior to Kaia starting school I looked at all the local options. First off, I'm a huge proponent of public schools. I strongly believe that while they may be underfunded, the teachers are there not for the great pay and benefits (which they don't have) but because they have a passion for the next generation. So I was ready to put Kaia into our local public school, but was concerned about child care before and after, and felt it would be best to look at all of our options. The problem was, every single private school whether Catholic, Christian or Seventh Day Adventist all had a student handbook. And every student handbook had some rule about the length of hair for boys, and color of hair for boys and girls. There were also rules on nail polish use, the banning of use by boys. Most also had policy on clothing and it wasn't just about modest clothing. With each rule I became upset.

Dana and I are the parents of our kids. If Dana and I are ok with our boys having long hair or painting their nails, I don't want a school telling us it's inappropriate. If Dana and I allow Kaia to dye her hair purple and spike it, then it is our decision, And if our kids want to wear jeans with holes in the knees, and sneakers that are falling apart as part of their self-expression, then so be it. We draw the line when clothing is immodest, or when the alteration is permanent like a tattoo or piercing, or last if the self-expression is actually rebellion that comes with attitude. But most of all we don't need a school telling us what is acceptable for our children.

I have heard the arguments that rules in school prep our kids for rules at work, and I'm fine if you feel that way. I strongly feel that childhood and adolescent years are for figuring out who you are, and if you are too busy trying to fit into someone else's box of what is acceptable, how can you do that?

Sure my initial reaction was very anti-pink hair, but this morning I sprayed 2 pink stripes into Kaia's hair, just like I did a few days ago. Pink hair doesn't hurt anyone.

I'm definitely going to start doing a check on myself when I have gut reactions to things. Too often, my initial reaction is not my own. Have you spotted any areas in your life where you are listening to others rather than listening to yourself?

New Orleans Part Duex

2011-03-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm finally well enough to think straight (thank you antibiotics and steroid spray) and tell you about the rest of our trip. First Jennifer's comment reminded me of something I forgot. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE in New Orleans was so nice! It's unfortunate that people being nice stood out so much, but as much as I love the Northwest, the people here aren't as friendly.

Thursday was a big day for us. We made plans to eat at Emeril's NOLA for our lunch break and our last "session" of the day was a service project at the Louisiana Nature Center. We were very excited when it was announced that the Honorable John Berry, Director of OPM (Office of Personnel Management for you non-feds) would be joining us on the project.

When we broke for lunch, Cheri and I quickly dropped our things in our hotel room and hopped on the streetcar for the French Quarter. There on Saint Louis Street, nestled among shops and restaurants was a yellow building, NOLA. We were seated at the Chef's Bar and were front row to watch as she made "Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza" and cooked the Drum (a red fish) in the wood oven. We asked for her recommendations and placed our order from a menu full of delicious foods. Cheri had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast, I chose the Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket. We both agreed it was the best meal we'd had, and we were so glad we took the time to eat there.

A blurry phone photo, but let me tell you the pickled green bean in my drink was delish!

After our very filling lunch, we stopped into a tourist shop for a few gifts, and headed back to the hotel to get ready for our service project. I knew we'd be driving through some hard hit neighborhoods, but seeing houses destroyed next to houses standing was an eye opener to the stark reality that still exists in New Orleans. The nature center itself is still not "open." None of the buildings are functional, and there are very few trees that survived. Most of those that survived the wind were killed by soaking for several weeks in 8 feet of saltwater.

All of us, along with John Berry and Keith Willingham (the Director of CFC) got to work with gloves and loppers pulling giant ragweed from around the young trees planted a year before. The hope is that it will give these trees a fighting chance for the sunshine they need to grow.

We were tired and dirty after the project, but all of us were happy to have helped. That night Cheri and I decided that you cannot go to New Orleans without at least seeing Bourbon Street. So we walked down Bourbon Street, and found a drink she liked. The Hand Grenade. We had a light dinner at Ember's Steakhouse. Neither of us was very hungry, but it was nice to sit outside on the balcony and people watch.

Friday was our last full day in New Orleans. When Jennifer got the news that she wouldn't be able to make it, we purchased Plantation Tour tickets for Friday afternoon. I was sad to miss meeting her in person, but it's a great excuse to head South again! So Friday at the close of our session Cheri and I made our familiar trip on the streetcar. We had thought we'd eat beignets at Cafe Du Monde before we boarded the bus to Oak Alley, but the cafe was packed. Instead we ate brunch at The Gumbo Pot, which was really good. On the bus we enjoyed watching a video about plantations along the Mississippi. Then our tour guide/bus driver got on the microphone and began to point out all the plantations and tell us their history. When we arrived at Oak Alley, it was nothing short of amazing. The 28 300 year old Live Oaks lining the walk up to the house was spectacular.

The house tour is guided by someone in period dress, and you could tell he enjoyed his job. It was beautiful inside, though no photography is allowed, so you must take my word, or purchase the picture book (I got a signed copy at the gift shop!). We were all surprised at how small the house is inside. It looks huge on the outside, but it would actually be a cozy home inside.

After the tour of the home, we stopped at the snack bar right outside to purchase mint juleps and lemonades. Then we were free to walk the grounds. Of course it was during this time that my camera died, as some dummy tried to charge the battery by putting it in backwards, and didn't realize the mistake until it was too late. My phone was also going dead, as the same dummy didn't charge it the night before. And that is the reason I had to purchase the picture book. I also purchased a signed Oak Alley cookbook in the gift shop.

The ride back to New Orleans was longer for two reasons. First the tour guide drives the old hwy that follows the river and goes past many plantations. He would slow down for us to get a good look and tell us about each home. We also got to see a really old cemetery. So old that many of the crypts were falling apart. This part of Louisiana was so beautiful, and honestly reminded me a lot of the Valley surrounding my home. Of course we have hills and there wasn't a one in sight there. The other reason the drive back took so long is that something happened to cause a huge traffic backup as we were going into New Orleans. We watched some more videos, and eventually the driver resorted to telling us what he could about the area we were in and what happened in the days and weeks following Katrina.

We finished the evening with beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and taking in the French Quarter homes one last time. It was sad to pack everything up that night, although I was very ready to get home to Dana and the kids. I definitely want to return to Louisiana, and sooner is better than later.

New Orleans

2011-02-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have so much to tell you about my trip to New Orleans. First off, it was a work trip, so while I was in conference every day, I loved it. I love all my colleagues from CFC and really enjoy all the ideas I get working with them.

Musician on the Riverwalk

Second, while it was a work trip, we had time for fun. The first full day we were there we walked the Riverwalk into the French Quarter and wandered around. We didn't have our first meeting until 1 p.m. so we enjoyed looking in the shops and had lunch at Poppy's Time Out which was right outside our hotel. I had a half a Muffaletta Sandwich.

As you can see it was huge! I ended up eating one half of my half sandwich at lunch and the other half at dinner. That evening we took the streetcar into the French Quarter and went on a Haunted History tour. It was so much fun hearing all the stories from the tour guide as we walked through the historic streets. While waiting to take the streetcar back, I picked up one of the seashells that can be found all over the tracks.

View from our window

The next day started early and we were in conferences all day long. Lunch was a reception where the speaker was from the Coast Guard and she filled us in about the Oil Spill response. We were tired by the end of a long day of conferences, and we walked up the road to Mother's for dinner. I had a fried shrimp Po' Boy and a cup of chicken and andouille gumbo. Yum!

To be continued...

Hanging In

2011-02-09T14:39:00.000-08:00

It never slows down at our house! Alice is healing quite nicely. After several days of her destroying the carrier by spilling water and spreading litter, we decided to let her have Kaia's room to roam in. It's a few days earlier than the vet recommended, however she was just so darn active.

I'm busy preparing to leave for New Orleans. Dana and I spent last weekend really cleaning up the house, so now it's just keeping it picked up before I leave. I also will be buying plenty of quick and easy meals for Dana and Kaia as they bach' it. The boys will be staying with Grammy and Papa, and I'm pretty sure the Bobos will forget all about me while I'm gone. They love Grammy and Papa.

And in the midst of all this, I got really sick. I ended up on antibiotics and off my fast. I'm starting to feel better now, but have a horrible barking cough. So with the sickness has come lots and lots of sleep. And that my friends, is a good thing.

10 Days on a Daniel Fast

2011-02-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

If my Vision Board post prompted you to look into the Daniel Fast, you may have wondered, "Just what do you eat?" Honestly there are quite a few things that can be eaten. Sadly though, they are things we have become unaccustomed to eating as our main diet here in North America. I thought I would share the menu from my first 10 days on the Daniel Fast.

First, let me say that I was a vegetarian for over 6 years, but never a vegan. I could always eat cheese and eggs, and only during my yeast free diet have I had to give up bread and sugar. This has been a struggle, but that is the nature of it. A fast isn't supposed to be fun or easy, it's about persistence, devotion, and setting aside oneself for a time. Do I plan to fast again? Sure, but I'm not sure I will do a 21 day Daniel Fast again. This study has helped me to learn what the Bible teaches regarding fasting, and it has helped strengthen my faith and my prayer life. It's definitely a great way to start off a new year.

Menu
Sunday-
Oatmeal and half an apple
Salad without dressing and a yam
Whole wheat spaghetti with a tomato mushroom sauce and spinach

Monday-
Oatmeal with banana
Split pea soup, Ry Krisp with hummus and fresh veggies
Leftover spaghetti and spinach

Tuesday-
Natural peanut butter on celery
Split pea soup, Ry Krisp with hummus
Pan fried potatoes, peas and a yam

Wednesday-
Pear and half a banana
Split pea soup
Stir fried veggies over brown rice with soy sauce

Thursday-
Banana and an apple
Mixed nuts, raisins and a pear
Black bean soup cup

Friday-
No breakfast
2 pears and a few bites of split pea soup
Vegan nachos (fried corn tortilla with fat free refried beans, olives, onion, lettuce and salsa)

Saturday-
Banana
Leftover nachos
Salad with kidney beans

Sunday-
Banana
Vegetarian chili and salad
Veggie soup

Monday-
Banana
Leftover chili
Stir fried veggies over brown rice

Tuesday-
Oatmeal with 1/2 jar of banana baby food
Leftover chili and soup
Pistachios
Boca burger with mustard, pickle and onion and tater tots

Snacks have been fresh veggies and fruit, but I didn't record each snack. Some days I felt horrible, and therefore ate very little. The detoxing my system wasn't pleasant, but I think it was a good thing. Follow this link for some more info on the fast.

Join Us!

2011-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

My friend Liz and I were texting the other day, and she came upon a great idea. Why not make a website about the crazy messes our kids create? I thought it was an excellent plan, and in no time she had the site created. Our friend Danielle is doing the art. I, along with several other friends, am a contributor on a new blog titled Mess Is My Life. I invite you to stop on by and enjoy our crazy lives!

Just Call Me Crazy

2011-01-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

I have ranted, and I have raved about how we have too many animals in our house. We live in a zoo with all the kids and pets underfoot. Did that stop me from rescuing a kitten that was hiding out under the Suburban last night? No. Did that stop me from becoming attached and naming her? No.

And I do see the irony of leaving an event to help the homeless and bringing a homeless kitten home with me. I thought she was just scared, and that's why she'd taken refuge under my vehicle. But, we soon found out, she was injured. Today the vet confirmed that Alice has a broken pelvis. It's not a pretty x-ray, but treatment is easy. She will be confined to her carrier for at least a week, closer to two. Then she can be allowed out, to walk as she desires, but don't force her. Because she's young the prognosis is good. Her growth plates will likely ensure that she has nicely healed hips by the time she's full grown.

The biggest blessing is the person that helped me rescue the kitten, loves animals. She loves them enough to have a fund set up to help pay for spay/neuter and shots. When I told her about the kitten, she called and said she'd pay for the vet visit. So Alice will be joining our home. I'm a firm believer that some of the best pets find you, not the other way around.

Saturday Fun

2011-01-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

This is our idea of going for a drive.

The Ugly Truth

2011-01-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

That is a photo of our front room. No matter how often we pick up, it always ends up looking just like that.

These are two of the cutest culprits, I've ever seen.

I'll leave what the floor underneath them looks like to your imagination.

Our home is a work in progress. Lots and lots of work, for just a little progress.

My Vision

2011-01-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

I've thought about making a vision board for a long time, but never knew what to put on it. This year, I finally have some ideas. Some are this year visions, others long term. But I want them all. Here are a few things going on my board.

In the center of my board is a cross. I am trying to be more dedicated to my faith this year, and will soon be taking part in a 21 day Daniel Fast (recipes to come). I expect during that time to really find some direction, so I no longer feel like I'm just going through the motions of life. I want to live life.

Boobs. Yes, you read that correctly, I want boobs. Once upon a time, I had boobs. That was 7 years ago. I've only seen them again during pregnancy and nursing. The rest of the time, they are just loose skin. But, I'm picky. I don't just want a boob job. I don't like the idea of putting some foreign objects there and hoping they look natural for years to come. I also want them to feel natural. So I want fat transplants. I don't know when it will happen, but it is a goal of mine. One that I would love to scratch off my list this year.

Fitness. This is something I've been working on more recently. I've been hitting the treadmill in the mornings and reading a book while I put in 15 minutes or more at 3.5 miles per hour. I feel great for doing it, and have more energy to make it through the day.

Sex. Who doesn't want sex? Unfortunately with four kids, it's not always easy to find a moment to escape with Dana. I am really enjoying the ideas and thoughts found on this christian blog though.

Beach House. This is one that has been a long term goal for me, for a long time. It's also one I know Dana would love as well. I've decided that while I do not want to move to the Oregon Coast any time soon, I want to own a home there. A home that we could rent out when we aren't using, and a home that we could pack up and head to for long weekends and vacations. I even found this one, just a few houses away from where we stayed in 2008.

Clean Home. Yes, I always hope for order. I dream of being able to keep up on housework while still spending time with my family. I'm getting there, little by little, day by day.

Healthy Diet. I'd like for us as a family to eat more fruits and vegetables, fresh meat and unprocessed foods. While I can't force that, I can at least make sure I serve healthier meals.

I hope to have a jpeg version of my vision board soon, and I will share it with you. What are your visions for your future?

Glorious Day

2010-12-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous sunrise followed our snow. It's been several weeks of snowing and melting followed by more snow. We will definitely have a white Christmas this year.

Snow Day

2010-12-11T15:24:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that yesterday we had very little snow left on the ground. It started falling this morning, and hasn't stopped. The kids of course, love it!

Precious

2010-12-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

It's a week later, and instead of posting my funny Christmas list, it's more bad news. Prayers are needed for a friend of mine. We met on BabyFit while I was pregnant with the twins, and she was pregnant with her second daughter. Yesterday, her daughter Sofia was suddenly taken to Jesus. Just one year old, and already gone.

My heart and soul hurt for her parents, Felicia and Ralphy. I cannot imagine the questions their 3 year old daughter is now asking. I spent yesterday crying and praying for the family, and continue to do so today. While driving home, I was reminded of the words of Jesus: For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ (Luke 23:29, New Living Translation)

I've never fully understood that verse until recently. There is something different about the death of a child, once you have your own. I do not mean that my dear friends without children, don't ache for the lost child, but something changes. You feel the loss of another woman's child, as deeply as if the child were your own. As a mother, we see how fragile our child's life really is, and we think of ourselves in that position. Suddenly we empathize in a way we didn't know how to before we gave birth.

Dana and I have even discussed how different death is to him now that he is a dad. The thought of losing a child, or even watching a drama about the death of a child is disturbing. Something neither of us gave a second thought about before Kaia.

I ask you today, to hug your children a little tighter, or your niece or nephew or any child in your life. Give them that extra kiss. And join me in praying for Sofia's family in this time of great sorrow. If you are willing join me in a partial fast, while praying for their comfort, strength and peace.

Christmas Time

2010-11-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Or it's already Christmas if you ask Morgan. It's been snowing, and we've been to a Christmas play already, so of course presents are coming any day... right?!

These photos were taken after the first snow, more has fallen, and more is on it's way. This has actually been a bit of a rough spell for us. The snow is beautiful, and the tree is up and decorated by Kaia and Morgan, but so much has been going on.

First was the death of a friend of mine. He suffered from diabetes and kidney failure and was only 40 years old. It was unexpected, completely a shock. Everyone believed that he would get a transplant and live a long life. He was so full of life he just had to. For Dana and I, it's scary to consider the parallels. Dana is just 2 years younger, and also suffers from diabetes. While his kidneys have held out, he has dealt with his fair share of health issues, and it really put things in perspective.

2 days after the funeral the snow began to fall. Snow means extra work for Dana. It means very early mornings and going into work on days off. It's tiring for him, and it isn't easy on the rest of us. The kids miss seeing daddy in the evenings, and Dana misses spending time with them. Right now our evenings are a rush to eat dinner and go to bed.

Then this weekend my great aunt Ruby died. It is a blessing that she is no longer in pain, but she will be missed. She was such a sweet lady, and Kaia had grown to love spending time with Aunt Ruby.

Through all of this though, Christmas approaches and it's not all sad news. My VISTA worker started this week, and is staying with us temporarily. A new face in the house means very excited and talkative kids. I'm also preparing for a conference in New Orleans. A city I've wanted to visit for a very long time, but wondered if I'd ever make it there. The twins continue to grow and are becoming quite the characters. And we all continue to enjoy good times spent with family.

Grandma Sarah's Rolls

2010-11-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, is just days away! I am really looking forward to watching the boys eat all the yummy food for the first time.

I'm bringing rolls and deviled eggs to our get together. The roll recipe is one I remember helping my grandma make many years ago. I found her recipe in the cookbook I received for my birthday a few years ago. Always a frugal woman, it was written on an old calendar that had been cut up into a notepad. This particular calendar was from 1959. I can't wait to taste these rolls again!

Back into Shape

2010-11-16T10:38:00.000-08:00

Not my body, no I'm still carrying 10+ pounds of twin weight on me, but my house is back into shape. It started last week when my mom and aunt came over to help out. They cooked, entertained the kids and picked up the kitchen. Somehow that gave me a little kick-start. By Saturday, I was feeling ~~well~~ drugged enough to clean the whole house up before we had guests over.

It is now Tuesday, and miraculously my kitchen is still clean, the dining area is clean, and the front room is as clean as can be expected with 4 kids living in it. It really hasn't been difficult, and yes I know that really that is only 2 full days of keeping it clean, but we did have a huge pile of dishes after our get together Saturday night. At the end of the day, I'm tired, I'm sore and the last thing I want to do after fixing dinner is dishes. But I did it last night, and I'm making it a habit of rinsing most things and putting them in the left side of the sink, so it's easy to catch up.

I also have been following a menu plan. This is helped by the fact that we were given meals for both Sunday and Monday nights. Tonight we will hopefully have leftover Olive Garden from the Board Meeting, and I have food planned for the next few nights.

I'm really not sure what has come over me, but maybe this broke rib is a good thing.

The Klutz

2010-11-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, here it is, another post filed under "owies." How do I continue to do this to myself? No idea, but I don't expect these posts to change any time soon.

Yesterday, while helping Dana in the garage I fell. Now I didn't just trip and fall, or slip in a wet spot and fall. No, I do both of those on a very regular basis in the garage. This time I stepped on a socket, it rolled and I went flying into the motorcycle jack. The pain was insane. The wind was knocked out of me. As Dana was looking at my back to see what happened, the garage door came down onto his shoulder. There wasn't much to see on my back. There still isn't.

I did spend over 3 hours in a very busy ER to learn that I did in fact break a rib. I did not puncture my lung though, but I now need to be careful so that I do not puncture my lung. And how is a mom of 4, with 2 toddlers supposed to take it easy?

Luckily I have the help of my family, and several friends have volunteered to help if needed. My mom and dad watched Kaia and the twins while I was at ER, and she watched Morgan after Dana stopped by with him. Then my mom picked up my prescription and a few groceries, while Dana went and picked up dinner at New York Teriyaki.

I'm feeling ok but sore today. Breathing seems easier, and of course there are these lovely little things called pain pills. The one bright note from yesterday, I spent my time in ER reading Hungry Planet. Wow, it is fantastic! For now, I'm off. The pain pills are kicking in, and it's time to apply ice.

Use What You Have Menu Plan

2010-11-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

In our home there is someone in charge of the budget. It's that person's responsibility to make sure there is enough for all the bills and all the extras we may have planned each week. Unfortunately, that person is an airhead, and sometimes ~~I forget~~ they forget things like fuel or prescriptions in that planning.

This is one of those weeks, so I created a menu plan that will use what we have in the house with only a few $'s spent at the store. We have plenty of apples to snack on and for cooking. We also received some more potatoes yesterday, so I may do something more with them.

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole
Monday: Spaghetti, marinara sauce, bread
Tuesday: Tacos, beans and rice (beans and rice are in the freezer, and shredded steak cooked in the crock for the taco meat)
Wednesday: Barbeque chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh veggies
Thursday: Beans in the crockpot with homemade rolls
Friday: BBQ Pork and fried rice

What we'll need: dried beans, spaghetti sauce, and milk for a total of $5 at the grocery store.

Lunches are bologna sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, salads, and cheese and crackers for Kaia and Dana. I eat leftovers. Breakfast is cereal for the kids and Dana eats cereal alternating with sausage and egg.

On pay day, I plan to do some stocking up! Our freezers are empty of meat! I like to have at least a few pounds of ground beef, some inexpensive steak cuts and a whole chicken in the freezer. But, as you can see from the menu, we have chicken thighs, 1 steak, and the sausage is in the fridge. I'm hoping Wednesday's ads have some good prices!

What are you eating this week?

Oh Rats!

2010-10-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Enough serious posts about first birthday milestones, religion in politics and world food consumption. Today let's talk about rat sandwiches.

You may remember how I love rat sandwiches. In case you don't, I'll remind you. This summer Morgan dreamed that I ate a rat sandwich, and he was very upset over my poor choice in food. He lectured me for days about eating good foods, and rats and mice were not good food.

Apparently, my love of rat sandwiches has caused me to feed them to others. This week Morgan had an upset stomach and when his grandma asked him why he explained just what I had done.

We were driving and I spotted a dead rat in the road. Naturally being the good mother I am, I stopped and picked up the dead rat, took it home and made Morgan a rat sandwich. I even made him eat it. And that is why he had a tummy ache.

Hungry Planet

2010-10-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

My grandma forwarded an email that had photos and information from the book Hungry Planet. I'm amazed at what we eat, and am also inspired by what can feed a large family. There is definitely a middle ground where families are eating well, and inexpensively. There is also the extravagant, and the sparse. I've placed a hold on the book from my library, and I've been enjoying the photos at Time.com.
What the World Eats

Identity Crisis

2010-10-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Please bear with me, but I can take it no longer, and must let all this spill out here. I am a christian, because I believe that Jesus died for our sins, and I have repented, been baptized and follow Him. Lately though, the word "christian" has taken on such an ugly meaning, even in my mind. The behavior of several proclaimed christians has been so unlike the behavior of Christ that I hear a lot of people trash-talking christians as a whole, and I can't blame them. I know exactly why they feel that way, because I feel that way toward those people as well.

I'll start from the beginning, so that you may understand why my heart is so heavy. What once was anger has turned to despair. How can followers of Christ behave this way? Well over a year ago, Norm Johnson ran for a legislative office at the State level. In his campaign he was clear, he believed marriage was between a man and a woman, but felt that same-sex couples should be afforded the same legal rights as heterosexual couples. Legal rights that I believe most heterosexual couples take for granted. He was elected, and voted for a bill that would allow same-sex couples, and heterosexual couples over the age of 65 that were unmarried legal rights. Last year, the issue ended up in the hands of voters. The majority of the State chose to uphold those rights, but the majority (around 60%) in our area voted to withdraw them. Enter Michele Strobel. The wife of a Selah pastor. She vowed to run against Johnson and bring morals back to our State.

As a christian, she had every opportunity, and I expected her to, run a clean campaign. A campaign that would show everyone how believers in Christ behave. She and her team have failed. Her supporters include the owner of the local christian broadcasting, and many leaders of churches throughout our town. At first her platform was all about that one issue of granting rights to same-sex couples. Soon she added being a small business advocate. Soon her campaign became all about how Johnson is wrong, that he's owned by gay lobbyists. Emails went out from her supporters calling prominent people on Johnson's campaign team homosexuals. Except they weren't using nice words. No, they chose to use the derogatory terms "fag" and "dyke." Many of you may see a lawsuit in the making, but they were careful only to name another elected official (who cannot sue) and generalize that it was everyone else.

Then came the advertisement in the paper. A sketch of Johnson, as a king, with little gnomes at his feet wearing the label gay lobbyist. In the sea near him were 2 gay men being married by a Catholic priest. The sun and the birds were all visibly upset at this "unnatural" union. The story below told of King Canute and his attempt to go against nature, and compared Johnson to him. Attacks have continued, against Johnson's family (he has 2 sons that are gay) and claims that he is in office with his homosexual agenda. A term which I fail to understand.

I've attempted to fight back through a Facebook page, dedicated to letting people know that Strobel will not represent all of her constituents, only those that are heterosexual. I firmly believe that Jesus taught us to treat everyone well, to love everyone. He didn't come to this earth and walk among the saints. He came to this earth and dined with prostitutes and tax collectors. He came to help all of us, and we are all sinners. I'm not attempting to argue whether or not homosexuality is a sin or not, because I honestly am undecided on that fact. There are many things in the Bible that are prohibited that we do not apply today, and many that we do. So I leave that between you and God to decide for yourself. So my argument is based on what Strobel and her supporters believe.

If Strobel's group believes that homosexuals don't deserve the same rights as the rest of us because homosexuality is a sin, then should we also withdraw rights from adulterers because adultery is a sin? Should alcoholics be treated differently because they struggle with sin? Maybe anyone that has ever cursed, lied or gossiped should have some right withheld from them as punishment for that sin? Where does it end? The Bible doesn't have a rating scale of sin. Sin is sin. And every last one of us walking on this earth today has sinned.

I am ready for this campaign to be over. But that will not end the way I feel. I've been asked, "Why don't more christians behave like you?" For that my only answer is, "They are forgetting to act like Christ."

Happy First Birthday

2010-10-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Bryce and Brendon (or in photo order; Brendon and Bryce),
It is hard to believe that one year has gone by since we first met you boys in person! You boys are one of the greatest gifts our family could have ever been given. Your smiles, your laughs, and your distinct personalities make Daddy, Sissy, Big Brother and I so happy.

While you are "identical twins" it doesn't go much further than your DNA. Bryce, you have become quite the little ham. You love to laugh out loud, and try to make us laugh as well. You have the greatest laugh. You also have the loudest cry, and can really throw yourself down when you want to have a dramatic fit over something. You remind Daddy and Me of your sister when she was little. You love to eat paper, chew on cats, and crawl around on the coffee table making loud noises. You have also managed to escape over and under the baby gate, and Grammy caught you sitting on top of the dining room table.

Brendon, you are always the first to look at a stranger and give them a grin and flirt. You have a great giggle, but aren't a big talker yet. You love to crawl up into Daddy's lap and just hang out. You are so easy going and love to play with the toys. You are quite the walker, and are working hard to perfect that skill. You have learned to clap, and will applaud your walking efforts while waiting for everyone else to join you. You've done almost everything first. You watched Bryce attempt a crawl, and then got up and started doing it weeks before he figured it out.

Both of you love Kaia and Morgan, and both sets of grandparents, but you each have your favorite people. Brendon, you have taken a particular liking to your Auntie Kristin, cousin Nina, and Bob one of the elders at church. Bryce, you are drawn to Nana, Uncle Ian and Auntie Francis.

You both seem to eat the same foods, and love every food we've given you. You both seem to relish peaches and watermelon. Grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter sandwiches are both popular. You both surprised me the evening I gave you lamb and green beans with rice. I wondered if you'd even try the lamb, but you ate it as quickly as you could. Cheese omelet is your favorite breakfast, but you like scrambled eggs with cheese as well.

As for favorite toys, you both love to play with the kitty cats, cars, and Big Brother's monster trucks. Often you will both stand at the Fisher Price piano and make music for the rest of us. And your favorite thing on tv: The Lifewise Washington commercial. I don't know why, but you both love it.

In closing, Happy Birthday boys! You have completed our family and been a joy to us all. We love you!

Love,
Mom, Dad, Kaia and Morgan

Jumbalaya My Way

2010-10-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

This recipe originated in an Emeril Lagasse book. I of course want to use all of the ingredients, so I tweaked it and made it my own. The result is an inexpensive, quick and easy recipe, perfect for a busy evening. At one time the whole family loved this. Now everyone, but Morgan will eat it.

Jumbalaya
2-3 links of andouille or spicy smoked sausage
1 stalk of celery
1 green pepper
1/2 of a medium onion
1 cup of rice
bay leaf (optional)
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper to taste (or use a Cajun seasoning mix)

Chop the first 4 ingredients. First in just a small amount of oil, cook the sausage in a pot at Medium-High heat. As it starts to lightly brown add the veggies. Cook all of it for another 5 minutes. Then add the rice, and stir it in so that it browns a bit, and be sure to scrape up any bits of sausage.

Add 2 cups of water, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Add a very tiny amount of cayenne or a bit more of the Cajun seasoning. You can always add more later to make it spicier, or leave out the cayenne altogether and let the spiciness of the sausage flavor the rice. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, put a lid on the pot and in 20 minutes you have a fantastic meal!

A Day at the Fair

2010-10-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think they all had a great time, don't you?

Looking Good for Less

2010-10-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Friday night was our annual Pillars Party for United Way. I didn't attend last year, due to the fact that I was nearly due with the boys. This year, I was happy to go and work as a greeter, but was getting frustrated that my nice dresses (that are appropriate for an October event) were not fitting well with the twin pouch I still carry.

I was pretty discouraged Friday morning, and grabbed two dresses that are ill fitting. I left for work in a horrible mood, and only smiled when Mo said to me, "Kaia is going to turn 8, the babies are going to turn 1, I'm going to turn 5 and you'll be 18." I of course agreed with him.

My friend and co-worker Kate brought me a surprise back from lunch. A black tube dress that has lots of drapey fabric. She has the same dress in pink, and loves it because when her Crohn's is acting up it helps cover up her tummy. She gave me the black dress as she had never worn it. Then on my lunch break, I made a quick run to Target. I added a blue scarf ($3.24), a bracelet set ($4.39), and a nice set of earrings ($3.48). I already had a pair of hand me down black heels and some Spanx to help with the twin pouch (both from Kate as well).

I think it was a fabulous look for under $12. I felt amazing, and that's what really counts.

Please Read

2010-09-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

This post really hits home. I think it should for all of us. We should stop pretending, and start being ourselves.

A Day in My Life

2010-09-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

Last week I was supposed to see a new doctor to follow up on my appointment in August. Somehow though, I was rescheduled to see the Physician's Assistant that our whole family sees. There is something to be said for having someone that knows all about you. As I explained to him that the last doctor told me to exercise 30 minutes a day, he smirked and asked "When?" That was my thought. I would love to exercise 30 minutes a day, but am having trouble figuring out the when. And this is why:

5 am Wake up. Most often one of the boys or both will also wake up right at 5. Then I make breakfast for Dana, make coffee, and pack Dana's and Kaia's lunches. Also during this time I'm usually changing diapers and giving the boys milk and crackers. Kaia gets up right around the time Dana is leaving, and I try to get Morgan up then as well. I get showered, dressed, and ready for work. Hopefully by 7:30 am we are all piling into the Suburban.

I take Kaia to the child care at her school. All 5 of us walk in, drop off Kaia, and the 3 boys and I head back out. Then we do the 20 minute drive to Grammy and Papa's where I drop the boys off and I hopefully am at work by 8:30.

Once at work, I sink into my chair in my calming green office, and dig into work. My work varies day to day. Right now, it is campaign heavy, in the spring it will be community investment heavy. Today, I'll be in Ellensburg for a Statewide Combined Federal Campaign meeting. Before I leave I need to send off my charity listing info to the printer, and run reports for the audit.

Work is over at 5, and I usually head by the grocery store, or stop to buy fuel on my way out to get the boys. We arrive home somewhere between 6 and 6:45. I give the boys bottles while I make dinner, look through the mail, and listen to Kaia's day at school (or break up the fights between her and Morgan). After we eat dinner, the twins go to bed, and it's time for the older 2 to get ready for bed.

Dana and the older 2 usually go to bed about the same time, and I follow around 9:30 or 10. Occasionally I feel adventurous and I try to watch a show that comes on at 10 like the Mentalist. It works for a few minutes, but I'm usually asleep on the couch by the first or second commercial. If I'm lucky, I'll get to sleep all night long, if not I'll be up at least once or twice before 5 am.

Maybe you see an opening for exercise? I think my best bet is to use my lunch break. For now, I can go on walks outside, but come winter, that isn't an option. That's when some sort of gym membership or class is going to be helpful, but anything close by is expensive!

The Kihn Sandwich

2010-09-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

I discovered the true proof that Kaia and Morgan are Kihns last week. Never mind that they have the Kihn temper and look just like a Kihn, it's all in the sandwich. Kaia and Morgan have made the sandwich their new favorite snack. The Kihns all love this sandwich, I have not tried it, and because I'd rather lick a frog than eat bologna, I have no plans to try it. Perhaps you are braver than I?

Kihn Sandwich
2 slices white bread (the fluffy stuff with no nutritional value)
Sandwich Spread (the kind with relish in it)
Peanut Butter
Lettuce
Cheese (American is preferred, but you can use cheddar)
Bologna

On one slice of bread, spread Sandwich Spread, on the other spread Peanut Butter. In between the slices of bread add lettuce, cheese and bologna. Enjoy... or if you are me, pass it on to a family member that will eat it.

A Day in the Life

2010-09-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

I love looking at the lives of others. Especially when their world is so different from my own. My grandma's life in Mexico is definitely different from my day to day. I asked her if I could share this with you. I think this could be an interesting little series. If you would, please send me your typical day and I will post it, linking back to you, in the coming weeks. I promise to share my own typical day as well.

Today is a guest post from my Grandma Florence also known as Flossie of "Flossies Fast Food Fly Through" A feeding station for hummingbirds.

I'll try to tell you a few things I do daily.

Before dressing I shake my clothes & shake out my shoes. I have never found a scorpion but others have, Scorpions are not every day things but they are around. I have never been stung.

We do not flush toilet paper. The pipes may be cement tile that is rough & snags the paper to clog the pipes. I have a sign that says No paper to be flushed. The bank & Library have signs too. I keep small plastic bags to put the paper in & the garbage man comes by every day except Sun. I have to have the garbage out before 7 am!

We have a dry season & a rainy season. Of course it can rain a bit in the dry season too. The ad for our area calls it "The Land of Eternal Spring". It never freezes but I saw 43* once & 45-50*some nights in Dec & Jan. Rainy season can begin in May but usually about June 13th & lasts until Oct. Dry season the mountains are brown & rainy season beautiful green.

Most Mexicans shop daily. They eat lots of corn flakes for breakfast & sweet rolls & milk or hot chocolate. The little stores make sandwiches of this ham like loaf & cheese & hot pepper & wrap them & sell them. The Mexican people eat anytime. If you go any place by bus or car you will see small stands & people eating. There is no water to wash hands or dishes so they put a plastic bag over the plastic plate & a new bag for each person. Saves water anyway.

I walk to the store most mornings. Not for the warm buns that all stores sell, but looking for damaged or over ripe bananas. I love bananas & so does my dog. I buy a Papaya there each week. I buy eggs there too. They are sold by the Kilo = 2.2 lbs & are put in a plastic bag to carefully carry home. I have 2 cartons to put them in. There can be 14-16 eggs depending how big they are. Eggs are on the counter NOT in the fridge. On Fri morning I walk 4 blocks round trip to the plaza where they sell fruit only on Fri. I usually buy a few things & carry them home. Then Sun at 10:30 am my pastor picks me up for church. Near the church is a grocery store & then a tortilla place & then a fruit market so he stops & I buy more fruit & veges & corn toastadas at the store. That is where I get heavy stuff as I get a ride to my door. I get my Jiciama there. It is a root vegetable that you peel & slice or cube to eat raw. Some people put lemon juice & salt on them but I don't. I seldom eat meat but eat beans,brown rice & barley & cheese & eggs. My eggs have been less than $1.00 a Kilo & here eggs are $1.50 on sale & MORE a dozen. I give away parsley,basil & lemon grass. All fruit & veggies that can't be peeled we soak in drops of a disinfectent to kill parasites. I have a friend who soaks melons,Papayas,bananas & eggs. I don't! Parasites can make you sick. I take a pill about once a year to kill off any I may have. Some people take a pill every 6 months. I do peel & cut up my Papaya & Cants & put in quart Yogurt tubs that people give to me. Then they are ready to use.

I used to walk to the post office, but now as it is up a slight hill my gardener brings me my mail. I found out he went after mail for another lady so asked him to bring mine.

The View

2010-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

One way I kept the drive home from being boring over the summer was taking directions from the kids. There are a large number of ways to get from the freeway exit to our house. The most breath taking are the routes that take us up over the hills and we drive down into the valley. I had to snap a few photos, with my phone camera. They don't do the view justice, so some day I will pullover with the real camera and try to capture this.

Progress

2010-09-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Things are moving along at the Kihn house!

The boys turned 11 months old yesterday, and have started taking several steps at a time. In no time, we will have 2 walkers to keep up with. Their 1st Birthday is just around the corner, and I already have their Halloween costumes planned.

Morgan, who no longer likes to be called Mo, has slept 2 of the past 3 nights in a bed other than Dana's and mine. Both he and Kaia have been going to bed at 8:30 pm without much fuss as well. Another huge milestone, he has started going into the bathroom when he needs to poop. He's not using the toilet yet, but it is the first step to being potty trained according to the method I'm following. I owe a huge thank you to Mrs. Mordecai for sending me the article on this way of training.

Kaia is cruising through 2nd grade. She is reading 3rd grade level books, doing really well on her math homework when she applies herself, and has already been to one birthday party this school year.

Dana and I are enjoying having our bed to ourselves, and having a quiet house after all the kids are in bed.

The cats still do not like Nemesis, and Nemesis loves to terrorize the cats. This is just one of the photos I snapped during the 5 minutes Cinnamon and Nemesis got along.

My second 24 hours wasn't nearly as easy as the first. I didn't want to eat my foods, and everything I thought to make for dinner had something that wasn't allowed. I made fried rice, bbq pork and egg rolls for Dana and the kids to eat. I did cheat and had a few scrap pieces of bbq pork, but only because I wanted the super hot mustard. I love that stuff. I had roasted chicken thighs and broccoli. This morning I had leftover cold chicken and Ry Krisps with cream cheese for breakfast. For lunch, I met my brother at Pizza Hut for their buffet. I couldn't eat the pizza or pasta, but I enjoyed 2 plates of salad. Tonight I think we'll have meatloaf for dinner. Some of the grumpiness I can tell is hormones, and some is sugar withdrawl. I also remembered that I only did the 2 week diet last time, because I figured out quite quickly my trigger foods. So I will likely do the same as last time. I will add back in the foods I know I can eat, and stay away from the sugary stuff and the sweet baked goods which are usually what get me the worst.

The first 24 hours

2010-09-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Last time I was on the Yeast Free diet the first 24 hours was hell. I don't say that lightly. I really felt as if my body was shutting down and my head would explode. This time the first 24 hours was accompanied only by a minor headache. I feel pretty darn good, and sticking to this diet has been easy. Only a few times have I had to stop myself. The candy dish full of tootsie rolls and dots in my office is tempting, but I always passed by. This morning packing Dana and Kaia's lunches, I caught myself just before popping a chip and then a piece of cheese in my mouth. I wasn't aware how much I mindlessly snacked until today.

So, just what am I eating? Here is my menu starting Monday evening:
Dinner- Roasted chicken thigh and leg
Mashed potatoes
Gravy made with corn starch, water and chicken broth
Green salad with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes and a tiny amount of ranch dressing for flavor

Breakfast- Oat Groats (oats that haven't been rolled) with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
Small amounts of sugar are allowed, when they are consumed with a whole grain. Your body will digest it like a complex carb because you consume it with the complex carbs.

Lunch- Leftover chicken breast (2 oz)
Baked potato with cottage cheese on top
Handful of cherry tomatoes

Snack- Corn nuts Not the healthiest, but the ingredients are corn, corn oil and salt. Really satisfied my craving for something crunchy and salty.

Dinner- Eggplant Super Soup (recipe below)
Rye Krisps with cream cheese

Breakfast- 1.5 cups of oat groats with butter and 1 packet of sugar

I've been drinking 2 cups of coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day. Lunch today is leftovers from dinner last night. The soup is an excellent hearty recipe, easy to make, and was easy to convert to fit my diet. The recipe is from a Sunset Cookbook, but I as always, have considerably altered the recipe.

Eggplant Supper Soup
3/4 pound of ground beef
1/2 an onion chopped
1 small eggplant cubed
1 large clove of garlic
1 large can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice
2 cubes of beef bullion
2 large cans full of water
6-8 oz of brown rice penne pasta (Hodgson Mills makes excellent rice pasta)

Brown the ground beef and add the chopped onion near the end of the cooking. Add eggplant, garlic and tomatoes to the pot. Then add the cubes of bullion and water. Add or reduce water depending on desired thickness. I wanted this fairly thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes. Then add your pasta and cook until tender.

The eggplant soaks up all the flavors of the soup and makes this a delicious and hearty meal all by itself. Dana, Kaia and Morgan ate Saltine crackers with their soup. Brendon, Bryce and I had the Rye Krisps. It was a great way to use the free eggplant I received, and no one turned up their nose!

Back To Health 4 weeks of Yeast Control

2010-09-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've finally had it. I'm tired of being tired, achy, and fatigued. I'm tired of not being able to type because my hands are tingly and weak. I'm tired of falling asleep on the couch because I'm so worn out at the end of the day. I'm tired of wearing one size of clothing one week, and being at least a size bigger the next due to intestinal bloating. I'm tired of my allergies going non-stop, in spite of the loratadine I take daily.

There are many foods that can trigger pain and fatigue. Most programs and books recommend I talk to my doctor about an elimination diet. Then I would cut almost all foods out, then slowly add back in to figure out my triggers. The thing is, yeast or candida sensitivity is always on the list of triggers. It's been shown women with endometriosis struggle with candida sensitivity. People with fibromyalgia often struggle with it. And my allergist diagnosed me with a candida sensitivity. So it makes sense for me to use my already prescribed yeast control program first. If it brings relief, as it has in the past, then I know that there aren't any other trigger foods. If it doesn't bring relief, then I can begin eliminating other trigger foods.

You may wonder why I ever stopped following the program, if it worked well the first time. Honestly the program is designed so you can add back in foods, and just make some changes to your normal diet once the yeast is under control. The problem is, it felt so restrictive the first time, although looking at it again, it's not. Also the long term program allows you to add back in most foods. Just not in a large quantity, and not all of them. It's too easy to just start adding in everything, and the icky feeling from it comes on so slowly you don't realize how sick you are getting.

So join me over the next 4 weeks as I follow the program, outlined in Back To Health by Dennis W Remington, MD and Barbara Higa Swasey, RD.
The four main concepts are:
1. Most food from plant sources has natural fungal inhibitors.
2. Carbohydrates should be eaten as long as they are complex carbohydrates.
3. Avoid foods that contain yeast and fungi.
4. Eat enough food.
So for the first phase, I can eat the following:
All meats, fish, poultry and eggs.
All vegetables, including scrubbed potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and avocados.
All legumes.
All whole grains, including barley, corn, millet, oats, brown rice and wheat.
Whole grain muffins, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, rice cakes, whole wheat tortillas, and corn tortillas.
Hot or cold whole grain cereals.
Butter and cold pressed oils.
Milk, plain yogurt (I don't like flavored anyway), buttermilk, cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and cottage cheese.
Catsup, mustard, mayo, miso and soy sauce may be used sparingly.

Foods to eliminate:
All sugars and sugar containg foods.
White flour, refined grains.
Yeast- yeast breads, pastries, crackers...
All cheese, except for those listed above
All fruit and fruit juices
All coffee, tea, herbal teas (I will not be following this part, as I found relief the first time while drinking coffee. I will limit my coffee intake, but not eliminate.)
Leftovers that have been in the fridge more than 2-3 days.
Obvious fungi- mushrooms
Peanuts and peanut products
Processed meats- lunch meat, bacon, ham, corned beef
Vinegar soaked products- pickles, relish, sauerkraut
All artificially sweetened drinks and foods

After 2 weeks on this diet, I can begin to add unsweetened cooked fruits.

So now you have my plan. Does it suck? Yeah, kind of. I like fresh fruit, and enjoy cheese. But we live in a valley full of produce, and I can eat all the veggies I want.

Stay tuned for my menus. Already I have oat groats cooking on the stove for breakfasts and lunches. Tonight I think I'll cook up some brown rice.

September

2010-09-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

One late lily

One early mum

Four busy kids, plus one kitten

All make for a beautiful September here at the Kihn House.

Accidental Garden

2010-09-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Golden Cherry Tomatoes

I planned my garden, I used my mother's day gift card to buy tomatoes, peppers, jalapenos, squash and cucumber, but they looked like they always do. Wilting. Then when we got home from our short vacation in Seattle I turned the water on, then fell asleep and forgot all about it. I expected a high water bill from that night of indiscretion, but what I received was amazing. My tomatoes really responded to all the water. I have the nicest tomato plants I've ever grown! Even now in September, I'm still picking lots of cherry tomatoes. We're eating them in salsa, salads, and just as a snack.

I have learned one little Tomato Law. The plants you stake well will not produce. The plants that end up in between staked plants, will grow abundantly. Go figure!

Very late jalapenos, hoping the weather holds

Sleepy

2010-09-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

The only thing that wasn't cute about this nap, was the fact that he was then wide awake well past 9 pm.

In case you felt that his falling asleep in such an odd place was a fluke, there is this proof as well

Part of the family!

2010-09-08T01:35:00.000-07:00

Nemesis has made himself at home in our home.

He loves attacking the other cats, and has learned to run when the twins attempt to eat him.

He isn't too sure about things like rain, but being an indoor cat, he doesn't have to worry much about that.

And a sure sign that HCC Arch Nemesis was present is the scratches. You go to sleep looking normal, and wake up with claw marks across your face. Mo should beware, as he spends most of his time annoying Nemesis.

Miss Me?

2010-09-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back to post! I'm using my lunch break, one of the first that was truly a break, to check in. It has been non-stop at work and at home.

Work has been non-stop interviews, presentations, meetings, and mailings. It looks like a filing cabinet puked on my desk. I worked late most nights last week, and when I didn't work late, I was at a school meeting.

Kaia started 2nd grade, and no surprise she loves it. Mo is having a hard time adjusting to his sissy being gone, and has been in quite the mood. I'm pretty sure both of them are going through a growth spurt, as more than 50% of the meals I make are going to the two of them, and Dana and I get what's left. The twins are starting to sleep through the night, and they keep us busy when they are awake. Dana and I are realizing that mornings are one of the few times we actually see each other during the week. We'll hopefully get a date night this weekend to go see Resident Evil Afterlife.

On the health front we've all been fighting a cold. I'm still fighting this fibromyalgia or whatever it is. I'm worn down, I hurt all over, and I'm tired of it. So Labor Day weekend was us being a bunch of bums and lounging around. I did tackle one big thing though. Kaia's room. I should have taken a before photo, but it was disgusting. What's important is to know that there was a 2 foot layer of clothes, toys and garbage. Not anymore. And her closet is even clean.

I hope to be back to blogging, and visiting your blogs again very soon! I miss keeping up with everyone.

He wasn't tired!

2010-08-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

Clearly, Dad and Mom know nothing. Bryce wasn't tired at all, he just felt like being a contortionist.

Sewing

2010-08-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

I used to sew a lot. I made myself skirts and dresses, then I had kids, and pretty much stopped sewing. Now I have a few items that need re-worked, and I found this blog: newdressaday.wordpress.com. It's been all over the news, and it is such a fun blog. I spent well over an hour looking at her creations.

First I have a cute dress my mom got for free in the locker room at work. It had been abandoned, and it was my size. So after a year my mom brought it home. I quickly found out why it was abandoned. It is poorly constructed. I'm thinking I will just cut it below the armholes, add a band of elastic, and have a sleeveless tube dress.

The more difficult piece of clothing is a work shirt. All staff and upper volunteers were given these very nice shirts. Only problem is, I don't like the way shirts like this fit me. They are too manly. Any ideas on some tailoring that could make it softer more feminine?

Mud!

2010-08-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

The kids were quiet, no one came in the house telling me what the other kid had done, I should have known something was up.

There was a shower for Kaia and a bath for Morgan shortly after these photos were taken.

Growing!

2010-08-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

Our 3 babies are growing up fast! Bryce and Brendon turned 10 months on Sunday. This photo is from dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants Saturday night. (taken by my mom or dad) They enjoyed eating chips, and corn tortillas with refried beans and cheese on them.

Nemesis has also been growing. While his size doesn't seem to have changed much, he has become the kitten of the house. He loves attacking Cinnamon, Hemi and Callie, earning his name. He tears through the house with his toy, runs through the little kitty condo we have, and spends his quiet time in a little cat bed we bought for Cinnamon. She seems to be very slowly warming up to him. (photo proof coming soon)

Nemesis even interacts well with the boys. That's a surprise because the boys are under the belief that Nemesis is actually a chew toy. They attempt to eat him every chance they get. Nemesis for the most part does not mind. Usually Dana or I must intervene before someone gets hurt.

It's a busy, but happy house.

Fibromyalgia

2010-08-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

And this is why my family loves me. Rather than calling around to tell people I went to the doctor and will start seeing an internist because I have fibromyalgia, that I'm being screened for arthritis and some other stuff, I now have a prescribed exercise regimen, and that I got a depo medrol shot that is already allowing me to move better, I blog. Normal people call their family and tell them, me, I write it out for everyone.

The news was really no surprise. For 16 years I've had spells where my skin felt like it was on fire, my muscles hurt, my bones ached and I had no energy. I've always learned to live with it, and sometimes it would go away for a really long time. But, now we have 4 kids at home, and my family needs me. I have spent the last 2 weeks being completely worthless at home. The simplest tasks were left undone because I was too fatigued to do them.

It started this time with a nasty allergy attack due to nearby fires. I had been feeling great with all the working out I was doing, but the allergy attack took me out. I couldn't do it. Even once I started taking Claritin, there was just a slight improvement. This past Saturday the pain started in my left arm. Every day since, I've lost all energy and the pain returned by afternoon. I'd make it home, fix dinner, put kids to bed, and promptly pass out on the couch. Every morning I was still exhausted. Today though, I could barely move. I struggled to make coffee. It hurt to squeeze toothpaste on my toothbrush. And as much as I didn't want to see a doctor, I knew I needed to.

I'm thankful the shot is already helping move better, and I even hope to start on the new exercise regimen tonight. I have to do a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, and add yoga or pilates as well. This doctor doesn't want me to try any of the medicines on the market for fibromyalgia, and I agree. The long term immune effect isn't known, and I'm still young. I will receive the shot as needed, exercise, and continue using antihistamines to control my symptoms. If the blood work shows anything, we'll deal with those as needed. For now, I'm looking forward to being a mom and wife again, instead of a cranky lump.

It's a Kitten's Life

2010-08-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

We have a kitten, and boy is his life rough! He sleeps, he cuddles, he plays, and gets batted around and hissed at by the 3 old fogies that have ruled the roost the past 7-9 years. Because of that he came to work with me today, and as you can see, he's made himself right at home in my chair.

We're still working on a name. All of the suggestions have been good, but they just aren't the right name for this rambunctious boy. So for now, he comes when we call "Little Boy."

Little Boy Blue

2010-08-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

Look at how grown up he is! Little Boy Blue comes home on Saturday, and we still have no name. Any ideas?

My Accomplishment

2010-07-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

I did this while we were on our vacation.

The much needed Vacay

2010-07-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I needed that vacation, going back to work this week has been insane! I'm officially working in my new job capacity, which has left me extremely busy. Add to that the stomach bug I came down with Wednesday evening, and had to take half a day off Thursday, and I'm ready for this weekend! Lots of exciting stuff happening, so more posts to come soon. For now, a few vacation photos.

Dana and Mo in front of Snoqualmie Falls

The kids in front of the Museum of Flight

The kids and I in front of the Falls

At the Train Museum

More Train Museum

Nonsense

2010-07-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day back to work after a wonderful vacation/stay-cation. Feel free to sigh with me. I really enjoyed reading all the potty training suggestions and commiserations from my post last week. We still have no progress, but Safeway brand pull-ups were on clearance before the trip, so I have to be happy about that.

I'll be back with some photos from our time off, but for now, some nonsense:

I had a dream where Dana and I were talking to a vet and he told us "the colonoscopy on the cat..." I woke up wanting to laugh at the ridiculous thought of a cat having a colonoscopy. I am now calling Hemi "colonoscopy cat."

3 am and I are tight. We are best friends. If I can re-learn how to sleep from 3 am to 4 am, I will gladly ditch 3 am. So maybe we aren't best friends.

When I wake up in the middle of the night and I'm hungry, I like to imagine a giant cup or pitcher filled with a thick vegetable or split pea soup. I just tilt my head back, like a sword-swallower, and pour that thick goodness in until my tummy is full. That has actually been an ongoing fantasy of mine for years.

I also have this visualization when I'm really sick and my glands are swollen. In that fantasy, a needle takes out everything in the gland and it magically stops hurting. Wouldn't work in real life, but sometimes it makes me feel better imagining it.

Mo had a dream the other night that I ate a rat sandwich. Now he has been lecturing me on making good food choices because rats and mice are not healthy to eat.

The boys were both playing near Dana and standing up. One of them lost balance and fell on his butt. Looking over, he saw that his brother was still standing, so he reached out and knocked his brother down. Sibling rivalry starts early.

Kaia has started telling people that Morgan is home schooled. I'm not entirely sure what she means by that, but I love that it makes me sound like a way better, much more organized super mom. My idea of home schooling right now is watching Super Why with Mo and not replacing "Super" with "Stupid" when the song comes on.

Super Simple Swiss Chard

2010-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The kids and I ate Swiss Chard for the first time ever on Sunday. A large cooler of chard had been brought in and set on the Harvest Table at church. Kaia wanted to take some home, so I encouraged her to fill one of the small bags. I looked up several recipes online, and they were all similar. Saute in olive oil and garlic then add a bit of balsamic vinegar. I never follow directions, so here is the recipe I created. I was surprised to find that it tasted really good, and the kids even finished what I gave to them.

1 teaspoon of bacon grease
4 or 5 big chard leaves with most of the stem removed
2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing
Saute chard in the bacon grease in a pan until the chard is heated and softens a bit. Then add the salad dressing and enjoy!

Poopy Pants

2010-07-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend has led Dana and I to the breaking point, which could also be called the screaming point, or the "this kid will have to be home schooled for the rest of his life" point. Morgan has been fully pee trained for a long while now, but he will not poop in the potty.

As if having spent the last 7 years of our life changing diapers wasn't bad enough, we are now changing diapers on 2 babies and cleaning poop several times a day out of Mo's rear and pants. It is gross! He knows when he needs to go, he knows how to go, but he chooses to do it in his pants. He does this even after long conversations about how he cannot poop in his swimming trunks, and if he feels like he needs to poop, he should come inside and get on the potty.

We implemented the lose 5 toys each time you poop your pants rule on Saturday after the 2nd set of poopy underwear. I took away 20 toys Saturday. Another 10 on Sunday, and I think I may still need to take a way another 5.

We also said no to anything Mo wanted at Fred Meyer and later at Wal-Mart. If he wants any toy, movie, game... he will poop in the potty. He also needs to stay out of Dana's and my bed. 7 days is all he has to complete to earn a toy. I think however his room will be empty before then.

We've tried so many different things, and so far, nothing has worked. We are going to be taking an overnight trip this week, and poopy pants are not going to be easy to deal with. Anyone have any good advice?

Washington DC

2010-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

We survived the heat, the humidity nearly killed us, and Obama didn't come to our awards ceremony. We went to Obama, or his likeness anyway. We didn't do nearly as many things as we would have liked, but our time was short and it was too hot to be active. We did an evening tour of the monuments, which were phenomenal in spite of a power outage. A ticket on the double decker bus allowed us to view much of the city in comfort and provided a nice way to get around town. Overall it was a fabulous trip.

Birthday Gift #1

2010-07-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

You've Come A Long Way!

2010-06-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

Happy 7th Birthday to our beautiful, talented Princess! We love you!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow...

2010-06-25T06:38:00.000-07:00

First, I want to tell you that I spelled that title without my spell check lighting up! WooHoo, I have finally taught myself to correctly spell the blasted word. Now to just work on vaccuum, or vacuum as it is actually spelled.

And I should know all about vacuum right now, as yesterday I left work early to pick up, vacuum, clean carpets, and steam clean floors. The public rooms of our house are clean! I feel so domestic now.

I also hit the grocery store and picked up the necessary foods for Dana to survive while I'm away. Frozen beef taquitos, Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches and a big box of Lucky Charms. I secretly think Dana and the kids like me leaving, because I buy food normally left off the list to stock the house when I'm gone. There are also a few bean and cheese burritos still in the freezer from my Ft. Worth trip.

Tomorrow is the big day! I'm being picked up in the morning and we're driving to the airport, and some time around 11:18 pm EST, I'll be in DC. I'm finally excited instead of stressed. Although I do have moments of panic. I still have to pick up Dana's prescriptions and finish packing, but I am ready. The only thing I don't have, is cute sundresses to wear in the heat there. It's not because I didn't look. I went to Target and ShopKo, but didn't find anything that I thought was decent to wear and reasonably priced.

I borrowed a very nice blue skirt suit from my friend, but with the weather forecast, I may just leave it at home. I don't think it will be bearable in the heat. Instead I'm opting for my silk dress. The silk dress that didn't fit until my friend/coworker gave me her pair of Spanx. It took me down a size and my dress fits beautifully now.

Expect lots of photos in the next few days! And no posts on forgotten luggage, thanks to traveling with others. I do have one request though: Anyone know how to best pack my silk dress so that it isn't horribly disfigured by the time I get to DC?

Onions and more

2010-06-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned our fantastic next door neighbors before, the kids fondly call them Papa and Grandma, Kaia and recently Mo have attended Sabbath services with them, and they are always helping us out. Recently we've been gifted with an abundance of produce from them.

Their church runs a food bank, and when a large amount of produce is donated, they take what they can distribute before it spoils for the food bank, and the rest is given to members of the congregation (to use and distribute to others). So Carl and Myke often bring some to share with us. Recently we've received 2 heads of iceberg lettuce, apples, grapes, yellow potatoes, a big bag of chopped broccoli and 6 onions.

The lettuce we quickly ate, and the apples and grapes go in lunches and are used for snacks. I love yellow potatoes for frying, soups and casseroles. The broccoli is easy to use, especially since it's all cut and ready.

But the onions... I love french onion soup, but don't think I could convince the rest of the family to eat it. I could make onion rings, but I'm really trying to eat healthier. Salsa is always a good option, but tomato prices are high. So tell me, what do you like to make that uses onions?

Looking Good

2010-06-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

They look like big boys now! It was kind of sad to see all the hair go, but this will stop most of the hair pulling that has been going on lately.

Brendon

Bryce

Both boys did great while I used the clippers. In fact, they could teach Mo a thing or two about getting his haircut.

Can we just slow down already?

2010-06-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day for the boys. They both waved goodbye as daddy left for work! So soon I will have them signing "more" and "please" and "eat" just as soon as I start working more at it. Brendon also attempted to eat Cinnamon this morning. She may not look happy in the photo, but she was purring the whole time.

This weekend is the last weekend before the trip to DC. I should be really excited, it's just 8 more days, but instead I find myself stressed. So much to do, so little time. Can I find some capris that fit before we go? What shoes do I wear at the awards ceremony that look nice, but won't kill me on the walk from our hotel? Can I get the house picked up before I leave, and how much money will I need for the different tours? Dana keeps telling me to relax and have fun, and I will, once I'm packed. And a huge bonus: this trip I have 2 people traveling with me to the airport, so no forgotten luggage or wrong date.

I'll be getting things ready this weekend, and we're planning to give the boys their first haircut. Have a fantastic weekend!

CoverGirl and Got2B Smoothing Lustre Lotion Review

2010-06-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

As a BzzAgent I received a gift pack of the Smoky Shadow Blast eye shadow and Shine Blast lip gloss to test and review. First let me say, I love the colors I chose. The eye shadow is a lime green base with a bronze for the second layer. It goes on so nice, and it looks so good, for about 3 hours and then it all starts to slide into the crease of my eye. I'm disappointed with that. I've tried powdering under the shadow and on top, but nothing seems to prevent the inevitable slide. I still wear the shadow, but only on days where I decide it is worth reapplying several times.

The lip gloss however is fabulous! It goes on shiny, the color doesn't clump up, and it's not sticky. It looks like I have wet lips for hours. It is by far my favorite lip gloss, and I've tried a lot of them. As part of my testing, I have $2 off Cover Girl coupons to give away. The coupons are good on any CG product. So if you are interested, email me your address, and I'll send you one (until I run out).

The second item I got to try was got2be Smoothing Lustre Lotion. I have been using this, but as I got near the end of my bottle I splurged and bought a Paul Mitchell product from my salon. After using it exclusively, I went back to the got2be, and then switched back to Paul Mitchell Fast Form. Honestly, I cannot tell the difference in the way my hair looks or behaves. The difference is in the price! $16 for Paul Mitchell, or $5.99 (MSRP) for got2be. From now on, I'm going to stick to got2be. For you, I have got2be samples! They sent little sample packets that include a tear off for one of your friends. If you'd like to give it a try, email me your address.

I'm hoping more beauty product campaigns open up, as I'm really having fun being pampered for free!

A few things I've learned about Mo

2010-06-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

"The Look" does not affect him when I'm standing at the back of the church and he's in the 3rd pew from the front. I need to work on my superpowers.

There is a handsome boy under all that scruffy hair. We finally convinced him to let us find out. He wasn't crying because of the haircut. He's crying because I made him wake up to get ready to leave the house.

There is a sweet boy with a heart of gold underneath the orneriness. (He told me this is "I love you.")

It's Monday

2010-06-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have a post all ready to go, I just need the photos I've emailed from my phone to complete it. They say they have sent successfully, but they haven't.

I should also be posting a menu plan since it's Monday. I've come to the conclusion that without a plan, and a shopping trip where I stock up on the items needed for the plan, our spending on food gets out of control. I make too many trips to the store, where I realize that we could use X, Y, and Z. Add to that an oops, where I thought I was getting the correct ground beef at Safeway, buy one and get one free. Turns out I didn't. Instead I spent over $20 on ground beef. At least it will last us for awhile.

So any menu suggestions for me this week?

Your Daily Dose of Cute

2010-06-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Grammy and Papa.

How long?

2010-06-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

Today marks 10 years of marriage for Dana and I. As I said on Facebook, it's been 10 crazy years. I told him this morning I'd like to think the next 10 will be uneventful, but in another 10 years we will have two teenagers and two 10 year olds, and I imagine a food budget that is through the roof.

What has made the past 10 years crazy? Let's just do a quick summary. 10 years ago we were living in Ellensburg, I was going to Central Washington University, we both worked full time (technically I was 35-37 hours a week, but close enough), and we managed a duplex complex. Within 2 years we were living in Yakima, renting a small duplex, and both working full time. In another year we had a huge surprise, a baby on the way and we were house shopping. Then there was another baby on the way, planned this time, and some major job changes for both Dana and I. Then I had that little tubal ligation surgery, Dana began having surgeries on his eyes, surgeries on his knees and then another surprise baby came along, then in a few weeks it became a huge surprise. Then Dana had his serious eye surgery, the boys were diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, I had surgery to save the boys, and we began the weekly trips to Seattle. Dana had his best job change yet, we doubled our number of children in one day, and we've all survived to this day.

But, you know what? I wouldn't change any of it. We've had joy and we've had pain. There have been trials and tests, but being put through those has only made us stronger.

I love my wonderful husband, and am looking forward to our night alone tomorrow. We're going out to eat at Gasperetti's and we'll enjoy sleeping without any middle of the night wake-up calls or children climbing in between. It's a simple pleasure, and one I'm excited about.

This just in...

2010-06-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Literally, Bryce just cut his 3rd tooth. I braved sticking a finger in his mouth last night (now that he has 2 bottom teeth, biting my fingers while checking for teeth has become a fun game) and a top tooth was through.

Brendon, poor Brendon, is still working on cutting his 2nd tooth. He's been working at it for 2 weeks now. Poor kid is not having fun. I'm hoping the rest of his teeth come in easier.

We also had our first roll down the stairs on Friday night. Bryce was at the window one second and the next I heard him thump-thump-thumping down the stairs. Luckily we have carpeted stairs and there are only a few to go down. He was fine, but definitely scared by his experience. For now, we are containing the crawlers by putting the car seats in the entry way, but that won't work for long. Our life just keeps getting busier!

A Couple of Cuties on Memorial Day

2010-06-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Monday was a lazy day. After a walk to the nearby nursery, we hung out outside for a bit. Bryce was really enjoying checking out the grass.

Well he was checking it out, until he noticed me snapping photos with the phone.

You may have noticed who was in the background. Brendon missed all the fun, but he was one snoozy boy.

That does not look comfy at all!

The Middle Child

2010-06-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Mo has been the middle child for almost 8 months now, and while he's still my good little boy, he's become quite the handful.

At home he tends to listen less, and his independent nature tends to exacerbate his feeling left out. He's always been happy to sit outside and dig in the dirt by himself, and at times he feels excluded even though he's chosen to go off on his own. Then when he comes in and wants to rough house with his brothers, he gets told to settle down. He just loves them so much, he can't wait for the opportunity to really play together.

At Sunday School he's become quite the story-teller, and occasionally a bit naughty. My brother helps out in the classroom, and he finds all the antics hilarious. One Sunday, the teacher was handing out the little baskets full of crayons. Mo got his and declared quite loudly, "Volcano!" He then threw the basket of crayons up in the air and had them rain down. Every question he's asked comes back with an answer about monster trucks. Such as, "And what does Jesus like us to do?" Mo's answer, "Jesus really likes monster trucks." And according to Mo, I recently had huge fireballs land in my garden, and I was really mad.

This imagination also extends into some fun stories. You may not know it, but Mo has a farm. A big farm out by Grammy and Papa's house. He has animals, and lots of John Deere equipment. He even told me how many acres it was, but I can't remember the number anymore. Mo also build I-82 in between Yakima and Ellensburg. He built it with his construction crew. I find this hilarious mostly because it was built in the 70's.

It's been a bumpy road transitioning from two kids to four, but we're all getting the hang of it. And I know from all the research that middle children are supposed to be among the most well-adjusted people, so in the end it will all work out.

We Survived and Had Fun!

2010-05-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived at our planned campground Friday night to find it hadn't been opened yet. So we drove back down to the Little Naches campground just down the road. We found a great spot, and set up camp in a downpour. Dana and I were soaked and freezing by the time we all ate hotdogs and pasta salad in the trailer. It didn't look like the first night was going well, but by the time we put the boys to bed, the rain had stopped and we went out and gathered around the campfire Dana made and ate s'mores.

Brendon

Bryce

Saturday and Sunday were beautiful. Better weather than they had in town. While we haven't been camping in over a year and a half, it felt like things were back to normal being outside and enjoying ourselves. I think the boys really liked their first trip, and we are all looking forward to the next time.

Just before Kaia fell

Doing what Mo's do best

The back of our campsite, the log provided plenty of fun.