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    Tuesday
    Dec092008

    SPT: JOY

    it's a JOY to have a Jim who lets me de-stress in many ways.family picture attempt. 

    need I say more?

    Sunday
    Dec072008

    our combined genetic code

    Jim's youngest brother, T, is 18.  And the boys - of course - think that he is the ultimate in cool.  I think he's pretty dang cool myself.

    So when T was chasing the chickens tonight, Aidan followed with equal vigor and speed (or the 5-year-old version of equal speed). 

    Then it was Davyn's turn.And a not quite the same scene ensued.

    ***

    When Aidan began toddling & talking, my mom could never relate to any of the issues I faced.  The messes.  The noise.  The chaos.  Because "her children" were not like that.  "They" were (and yes, this means "I was", of course) docile and sweet and still.  Jim and I rolled our eyes, figuring that her memory was on the blink.  Because our boy was crazy.  And loud.  And messy.   And my older sister JoDee, who had jumped into the mom game years before, obviously couldn't remember anything either.  Her toddler description bore a strange resemblance to Cyndee's ridiculous proclamation.

    But, Kay.  I liked Kay.  Because she smiled knowingly.  And I thought, "Finally, someone willing to tell the truth!"  And my in-law trips confirmed this truth.  T was still only 12.  And shockingly loud.  Obviously the older model of our tiny human.

    Well...when Davyn came along I had to repent of my eye-rolling Cyn judgment.  Because he was different.  He fit her mold.  Here is a boy who I can take with me to the salon.  Color, cut, conditioning treatment, style - and he's still happily coloring in the corner from start to end.  I shudder to think of what Aidan would have been up to at the same age and stage.  But what's difficult at a salon is - of course - sheer delight racing on our backyard track, a place where D doesn't quite keep up.

    The boys are so different.  And it's ridiculous to overly generalize their personalities, but Aidan is mostly Jim.  As Davyn is mostly me.  Which makes me wonder why our genetic code didn't like to mingle more.  Oh wait, mingling is definitely not a trait of either.  Makes sense.  So then I wonder what our third child (not yet on the way, thank you for asking) will bring to the mix.  I'm pretty sure we're set with any amalgamation of this genetic pool:  Cyn's artistry.  Papa's ingeniuty.  Kay's perfectionism.  JoDee's fun.  Mandi's patience.  Tyler's contentment.  Megan's intensity.  Jared's technical prowess.  Daniel's work-ethic.  Michael's athleticism.  Jenna's generosity.  T's dang cool.

    (And that's not even touching great grandparents.  My boys are quadruply blessed in those.)A with Grandma Hulsey

    It's a pool in which I'm proud to be knee-deep.

    Wednesday
    Dec032008

    I forgot to hit publish on Wednesday

    2 years

    352 posts

    &

    I'm still bloggin'

    Monday
    Dec012008

    December 1 rambling

    Something about that date has been shocking me all day.  Seriously? 

    Another shock came when I saw that my gas tank was empty.  As in the light was on when I got in the car and I have no clue when that happened.  But that wasn't the shock.  The shock came when I filled it up for $42.31.  A beautiful thing.  Seriously.

    But back to the whole "it's already December" thing.  Today I nixed Christmas cards from my to-do list.  Which is quite different from checking them off as done.  My rationalization:  everyone I'd send one to already reads this blog, hears excessive gushing about my boys, knows my daily dailies, is likely tired of my rants.  I can just write a few Christmas thoughts here later this month and send my love through cyberspace.  Right?  Please please say yes.  The nixing felt necessary.

    Tonight I took some pictures of Mandi's family.  And I'm nixing family pictures from my "want to learn how to" list.  One person I can handle.  Two, likewise.  Anything more and I'm at a loss for controlling the details.  Savs was looking down half of the time.  In 30-ish pictures.  How did I miss that?!

    When I got back from this mini excursion, it was dinner & Family Home Evening time. I wanted to set up our nativities and talk about Christ's birth to set the tone for the month ahead.  But we didn't even make it to the opening song before the boys were duking it on on the couch.  A full on fist fight.  I've never witnessed anything quite like it from them.  Jim said something about FHE being the only fight that begins and ends with prayer.  I laughed, but wanted to cry.  Because I really hope that's not the tone for our December. 

    But if that IS the harbinger of our holidays, it's definitely a good thing that I nixed the Christmas cards.  Who knows what might have arrived in your mailbox!

    Sunday
    Nov302008

    our sandy Thanksgiving

    was truly a delight.  We did break suction with our house by Wednesday noon-ish. And there was no looking back.  This post is purely for me & family & memories so feel free to skim...a picture overload of our Thanksgiving Dunes 2008.

    A was seldom helmetless, always wanting to be doing this...

    "Red Cat" is his best friend now.  Apparently.  Even in spite of a small crash.  Jim made him get back on the quad even as the tears flowed...it hurt my mother heart, but I knew Jim was right.  And I think the biggest comfort came to A when everyone started sharing their own "I fell off a quad" stories. 

    I thought we might finally get Davyn riding on this trip, but he was not interested.  He found a different best friend. 

    Jenna's Tyler is now officially his favorite person.  I love that my boys are surrounded by amazing aunts & uncles on these trips.  I'm sure they'll make the rounds through all of them as "favorite"'s over the years. 

    A little history:  Jim's brother Daniel married Tonya.  We've gone to the Dunes for years with both her family and the Scott family.  Almost two years ago, Tyler (Tonya's brother) married Jenna (Daniel & Jim's sister), doubling the family connection. Teambuilding with Tyler.  These were still in the back of our toyhauler from girl's camp.  Guess how far this group got?  Yes, the Jake caboose was more interested in his Sprite than in his "team". 

    Poor D has no bum.  Neither does Jim.  Neither does Mike.  So this was one of the MANY times Jim (or me..or anyone) pulled his pants up.

    Davyn & Jake in the Arctic Cat...a favorite spot.  Tasha took D on many a ride. 

    Gratitude Garland made by A & D & me.

    The only picture I got of Thanksgiving dinner.  Which was delish!

    The only picture I got of Jim (delish!).

    We dump shoes periodically during the day (mostly when we go inside the toyhauler).  This picture is no joke.  D's shoe.  I'm not sure how his foot still fit.

    Saturday was Jayson's birthday (Jim's brother who passed away 13 years ago).  Our family tradition is to send off messaged balloons and eat brownies (his favorite).  I vividly remember my first year as family to this rite...my A boy was in my belly and I just knew he knew the uncle I had never met. 

    We usually send the balloons off at night, but they were gorgeous in the bright blue of the dunes' sky.

    My gorgeous Abby Kay neice.  The kids (of course) each needed an extra balloon as a "keeper". 

    We weren't sure who won the ASU game, but on Saturday we had some football of our own.  I was obviously not part of the "we", but Jenna gladly joined the fray.  She's such an awesome mixture of sporty & girly (and might take issue that I define those as opposites in any spectrum).   Aidan frayed, too.  And grinned hugely at being included.

    What I didn't photograph:

    • Laughing with Shanon. 
    • Envying her mega-lens. 
    • Winning a mean game of Life.
    • A philosophizing drive to Wal-Mart & back (talking with Jenna is always a treat).
    • A whole pecan pie (Kay makes the best in the multiverse) that my toyhauler devoured.
    • The new $10 vacuum that gave me endless, sandsucking delight.
    • Being pee'd on by D. 
    • Fighting Jim from cabbaging my book when I was enjoying visiting more than reading.  He actually started reading it when I wasn't yet finished.  Shouldn't there be a law against such a thing?
    • Finishing (and LOVING) the book (hurry, hurry Jim..I need to talk now!).
    • Winning Cranium with Jim.
    • Watching Tasha draw tea bags.
    • Acting out "hackey sack" with Jenna as my puppet {she said it hurt}.
    • Talking parenting with Tammy.

    And since this post is already mega-long, I'll include my favorite conversation from the road trip. 

    I'm the i-pod controller on these trips.  And I do try to please all four, but this was in a moment of pleasing myself. 

    Aidan:  Why are we listening to this song?

    Me:  Because I want to listen to it. 

    Aidan:  You're a witch.

    Me silently:  what??

    Me aloud:  How am I a witch?

    Aidan:  Because you always get Dad to do whatever you want.

     

    If only, if only....