Out To Chop A Tree

After looking at our calender for this month, searching for a good time to get our Christmas tree, I realized that it either needed to happen today or January 3rd. Although I am sure we could get a smokin' deal on their "after Christmas - fire hazard guaranteed special," I decided on being a big spender and getting a tree today. Here's a few pictures of the mighty lumberjacks.

No pictures of the final product, because.......I am still decorating. I've set a firm bedtime for midnight. Wish me luck.

Gratitude

The last few Sundays our Pastor Cory has been teaching a sermon series called, "How to be Rich." It's not an actual guide on wealth but instead a change in thinking of what rich really means. He gave us a great website to visit that is humbling to say the least. Simply put in your yearly income and the site ranks your salary globally.

This Thanksgiving I am richly blessed. My family is healthy. God has entrusted me with three special kids. I am in love with my husband and I feel love back. I know a God who knows me. He knows my faults and still loves me anyway. I pray the same riches for you my dear friends.

Wordless Wednesday

Breaking the rules of "Wordless Wednesday" to beg for your forgiveness of the previous post. To say that I feel like I was taken advantage of is an understatement. The scene was pathetic really. Me curled up on the couch praying to the god of ibuprofen to take the cramps away, Matt watching, "The Bachelor, After the Final Rose" (laugh away, I do.) and I moan, "I just really want to go to bed but I need to post something."
Matt looks at me like a white knight, "Honey, you rest, I'll post something for you."
I smile, wondering how I hit the husband lottery. I go to bed and dream of the poem or limerick that he is composing describing my beauty. I was horrified for all my blogging friends who lovingly took time to log on to my humble blog, anticipating the ooey gooey goodness of my mothering only to find guns, death, destruction and horrid violence. Really I shouldn't have been so surprised because this is what I look at on our bathroom floor everyday.

Dynamic Entries

In counter drug or hostage rescue operations, dynamic entries are executed to quickly and efficiently overcome a suspect with overwhelming speed and violence. Tactical teams typically will make a forcible entry into the structure, sometimes using high explosives, to quickly defeat any potential barricade and send the suspect into a perceived state of shock before the entry team neutralizes the threat. If you're still reading, you've probably guessed that Becca is not writing this because she is very tired and didn't want to blog. As you've read, I have clandestinely taken over the computer and began a campaign to re-shape the world of blogging as you know it. Now who's with me?

Warning: Blog Contains Peanuts

Slaving over a stove is right up their with the raking the leaves in a chicken costume. Meaning I only do it when absolutely necessary. Surprisingly, I do enjoy baking. Mostly because of that darn sweet tooth I have. I am passing on to you my recipe for our families favorite Peanut Butter Cookies. These are perfect for cold icky days like today or when a friend is having cravings. OR when your husband has been working an ungodly amount of overtime and you want to ease his homesickness.

1 cup (two cubes) of real butter, at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar*

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars together until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Shape into large dough balls. And then my secret touch, roll into granulated sugar. Place on baking sheets. Using a fork, mark each with a "X". Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 minuets, or until slightly golden. We always like ours a little under done.

Serve warm with a tall glass of milk.

*Now that brown sugar comes in a resealable plastic bag. I take great enjoyment of dipping my measuring cup into the sack, scooping up the sugar, then packing it with the outside plastic. Does that even make since? Anyway, it makes me feel like I am saving a step.

Sunday Open House: Tobin's Room & Bath

Tobin's room was so fun to decorate. I choose a vintage cowboy theme. So many others helped with the details. Grandma Pam Made the quilt!
The Tee Pee was a gift from my Dad and Jerry.
Grandpa Mike made the lamp.

Most of his clothes are from spoiling grandma's.

This dresser was my great-grandma Shaw's.
I framed these pictures from the Golden Book, "Dr. Dan". (I took the book from my mom's saved books.)
I got the pillow sham from my sister-in-law Dorinda.

Angie got me this cute little "Buckaroo" block.
Angela found this hand stiched quilt for $15 at a sale. My In-laws gave me this rocking chair long before I had babies to rock in it.

This is our up stairs bathroom. All oringal tile.

Next week will rap up my open house with my favorite room. The Nursery.

Homework

Your Homework Post
Sometime between now and the BLOG GATHERING, you will need to post the answers to the following questionnaire. Please include the questions and answers when you recreate it in your post. We will test your knowledge of, "Which blogger said...?" at the party...so, this will hopefully encourage you to be reading as many blogs as possible, from now until the then. Study hard and possibly win a prize. You can do this even if you can't make it to the party! There is still time to inquire about the party so if you are interested in coming. E-mail me.

What is your Motto?
Glorify God AND Dyslexics have more nuf.

What superhuman power would you most want to have?
Do things at lightning speed.

What makes you laugh?
I of course love my husband and family. But sometimes when the kids are in bed and Matt is out the boys or working late, I watch reruns of classic TV. Cosby's, Mary Tyler Moore, King of Queens, Friends. I laugh out loud.

Cats or dogs?
Until I find a cat or dog that does’t shed, does’t smell, can use the toilet AND wipe themselves . . . I’ll have to go with Jill and Ona’s answer of neither.

Would you rather be a little smarter or sexier?
Ok girls now I am going against the grain here. In my house Matt comes home to a ragged looking 30 year old me in flannel pants and yesterdays mascara marks under my eyes and has to have me right then. So sexier is something that might be dangerous in our marriage. I could always use more brains. Maybe then I could figure out why we park in driveways and drive on parkways.

What's the one thing you'll never understand?
Why people like raisins in cookies and carrots in cake.

My life would be simpler if?
I had a personal assistant. You know someone I could assign all the unpleasant tasks that I put off. She would have to work for free and she would need to stay a secret from my husband so he could just live in awe over what I can accomplish in a day. Interested? Send me your resume.

The big decision I'm currently wrestling with is...
I promised Matt Peanut butter cookies to take to work tomorrow. Should I make them tonight so we have more family time after church? Or continue to enjoy the quiet house, TV on in the background while reading blogs? Why is life so hard?

Sweaterfest 2007

My Grandma made these gorgeous sweaters for the twins and my niece Mariko (born just two days after Jabe and Phoebe). My sister, Elisabeth and I had one wish. A picture with all the babies in the precious sweaters that Grandma knit. Toddlers, sitting still and posing for a pictures all at once. Easy right? Lightning striking a purple leprechaun would be easier to photograph. Here's a video and then some stills of what we got.





I love that I said "Smile" at the end.

Lit for Kids

Charlott's Web

Judy Blum Books

Thumbelina

Pippi Longstocking

Anne of Green Gables

Pollyanna

Island of the Blue Dolphin

American Girl Series

These are the stories that I remember having my nose in while growing up. I suppose I have read a few as a grown up too. These books gave me a love of fantasy and still sit on my book shelves. Today while I was doing my homework (to be posted this weekend.) I ran across these titles that you might enjoy.


CHILDREN'S BOOK TITLES
THAT NEVER MADE IT TO THE BEST SELLER LIST
You Were an Accident
Strangers Have the Best Candy
The Magic World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator
The Boy Who Died From Eating All His Vegetables
Your Nightmares Are Real!
Grandpa Gets a Casket
Dad’s New Wife, Robert
Curious George and the High Voltage Fence
The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy
Whining, Kicking and Screaming To Get Your Way
What Is That Dog Doing to That Other Dog?
Why Can't Mr. Fork and Ms. Electrical Outlet Be Friends?
Daddy Drinks Because You Cry

Becca's Barber Shop

Two mamma's sick of baby hair: Me and Angela

One hairdresser with no experience: Me

One encouraging assistant: Angela

Two costumers who have no way to refuse services: Trey and Phoebe

One pare of dull scissors: $2 Goody brand

Two friends laughing hysterically

One bloody injury: Angela, sorry she's being so offensive !

One girl mullet gone: Before

After

One "rats nest" hacked off: Before

After

Anybody else need a trim?

Commitments

I just got home from a much needed girls night with Angela and Shauna. Roadhouse for dinner, Martian Child for movie, and dessert at Konditori: pretty perfect. It's after ten, Matt is already asleep and I want nothing more than to snuggle into my side of the bed, BUT I made a commitment. To Blog. Everyday. And even though the rules weren't specific of what would happen to me if I missed a day, I certainly don't want to risk my worse nightmare (having to spend a day with Donald Trump).
So good night fellow bloggers, consider my commitment met.

PS Martian Child was good. A tad slow at times but great acting. John Cusack was tender and talented. Angela keep whispering to me that she thought he was cute. Anyway we all loved the pro-adoption message.

Fire Safety Week

Tobin had a week of learning "stop, drop, and roll" How to Dial 9-1-1, how to belly crawl under smoke and quickly escape outside. My fire fighter uncles will be so proud. One big problem: When the fire alarm goes off at our house ...... it just means that dinner's smokin not the house. So Tobin hardly even flinches when he hears it. And for goodness sakes don't stop dancing when you hear a measly alarm!




lessons are free of charge. You're welcome.

Sunday Open House: The basement

Ok so not the most flattering part of the house but because I will probably never have a basement again I suppose it's deserving of a post too.

When I was pregnant with Tobin we took on the task of splitting up the basement and adding a living/office/bath/media/exercise room. It's used for all and we are so glad to have added square footage to the house.

The laundry or as I like to think of it.....my second home. I am here all-the-time.

The staircase

Matt's workshop. I guess I occasionally go down here to retrieve a screwdriver or picture nail but other than that......it's not my cup of tea. Matt also has his "reloader" equipment down here. What? You don't know what a relaoder is? It's where Matt makes his own ammunition, Silly. I can't believe you even had to ask.

Whelp. That's it for this week.

Name Game

When Stefanie, Jill and I get together, one thing is certain to come up. Our love of naming babies. We say things like, "So if I have another girl what if I named her......." Or "I know this might sound weird at first but what do you think of ........" It's hours of fun. We've all swapped baby name books and even emailed new names and combinations when our minds starts daydreaming. So when I saw this little game on Shannon's blog. I HAD to do it. Feel free to use it too.
My answers are in red, Matt's in blue. (He rolled his eyes with every question )
YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Pepsi Sienna Odie Civic
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla Oreo Mint Peanut Butter
3.YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) B-Rid M-Rid
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Red Dolphin Black Squirrel
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Ridbe Ridma
6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The") The orange frappuccino Blue Coke (Matt's more like DRUG ADDICT NAME)
7. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Earl Eugene Clarance Dale
8. STRIPPER NAME : ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Juicy Couture Twix Eternity Whatchamacallit
9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Jane Lee Wayne Sue


Red Dolphin - Out.