Hotel Fun

Remember being a kid, and the first time you stayed in a hotel, and the UNDENIABLE URGE to jump back and forth between the beds??  REMEMBER that amazing feeling??  The joy??  The guilty pleasure of doing something you would NEVER be allowed to do at home...  

How could I deny my adorable boys this?? 

We also walked down to the breakfast room in our pjs, ran through the halls in our swimsuits, and played with the thermostat. 

It was a blast. 

The FINAL Birthday

Evan likes to tell anyone who will listen that he turned ELEVEN this year.

According to Evan, every time you have a birthday party, you are one year older.

Let's count:

Yeah.  Birthday Party times FOUR!!!

So, he's 11.

If I had to pick a theme:  LEGOS.

Montana Birthday Party (because there were so many we had to NAME them) was LEGO CITY. 

As in he actually got Lego City kits!!

From James, two things:  1, a HUGE police semi.  2, a Firetruck for James' collection, but that Evan got to help put together.  FUN!!  (Literally, hours of fun.)

Next, a HUGE airplane COMPLETE with airport terminal from Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Wade.

SO MUCH FUN!! 

Another "Hold on, it's coming" Post

Seriously, I need to unload the rest of the pictures from my camera. 

So, uhhh... how about a little story about Ryan.

Want to know what his favorite thing to do after our 17 hours in a car is??

He makes this burping noise, and then says, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" until I say "What Ryan"

"I TOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO TTTTTED!"

He has confused farting and burping in a way that only the mother of BOYS would find adorable.

"Mommy, I TOOOOOooooooTTTTTTed!!"

Then he dissolves into giggles... and grins... and adorableness.

And mostly I look at him and think "If only you could be potty trained and hold down a job and know your abcs and STILL be this dang cute!"

Twimming.

The hotel we stayed at in Montana had an awesome pool... with a waterslide AND a kiddy pool.

The first morning, Ryan did NOT want to put on his swim diaper or his trunks.  He screammed and kicked and I literally had to hold him down to get him dressed.

That was the last time I had to do that. 

It took just a few minutes in the water for him to fall in love.

 

My favorite part was watching him run down the hallway to the pool after his brother as fast as his little legs would carry him.  I'd hang back each time and watch him. 

Evan was super brave and tried the water slide twice, but each time he tried, he banged his head.  After the second time, he was content to chase his brother around the pool and learn to do flips and handstands. 

 He absolutely had a BLAST when his Uncles came and joined the fun.  The would throw him in the air, splash and chase him around the pool. 

We swam at least twice a day each day we were there.  I'm sure the boys would have been happy swimming the entire time.  Silly Little Fishes!



EBB-BBBBOOOOONNNNNNNN!!!!!!!

Hehehehehe. 

If only I had audio to go with this picture.

EEEEEbbbbbBBBBbbbbOOOOOOOONNNNnnnnNNNN!

We're back from Montana...

Updates and pictures coming soon.

First, a boat load of laundry. 

So enjoy this image for the time being!

Excuse the lack of posts...

We've escaped to Montana to play with Grandpa and Grandma.

We will return later.

Pink Cupcakes at the Princess Table

Featuring: My two boys. 

And their rough and tumble tomboy/cowgirl cousin.

Ryan was way to danity. 

 We need to have him hang out with Gracie more...

Lucky

My niece, Gracie, is a TRUE Cowgirl. 

I joke not.

She even has boots.

And a horse.

Named Lucky.

Okay, so the horse isn't real.

But Ryan sure did love "riding" Lucky!  

After this, Gracie taught Ryan how to climb up the wrong side of the banister. 

She's also a tomboy. 

And I am SO happy that she moved to Utah and that my boys get to grow up with her. 

She is a RIOT. 

And she will most definitely give my boys a run for their money!

It's part of the Dennis genes!

Roots

Ever think about where you come from?

I'm not talking about your great great who ever that sailed, walked, rode in a wagon, etc. 

I'm talking about what made you who you are.  Where did you learn what makes you who you are right now??

What developed YOU into YOU?

I've been thinking a lot about that lately... maybe it's watching two very different boys grow... maybe it's the fact that we have had a lot of family around lately, and I love to sit and look at how different everyone is... even though we have similar features.

There are things I see in myself that I learned from my parents.  

My mom is a knitter, and while I prefer crochet because it's faster, she taught me that having a little yarn in my hands can help me sit still long enough to actually enjoy a TV show or movie.... or a conversation.  She also taught me to embroidery... and how to cook (honestly, why follow a recipe???).  She taught me pretty much all the other soft girly skills I never learned in home ec. 

My dad can build a table or box or anything you want out of wood... without blue prints.  He taught me the love of beautiful wood.  He also taught me how to take the things I invision and make them materialize with the work of my hands.  He instilled in me the love of old things... the smell, the feel, the history that comes with every piece that has been held by more than one owner.

They have both taught me to use the brain I have rattling around in my head.  They taught me to be inquisitive and to just FIGURE things out.  If I want to learn how to do something, I jump in and try give it a go.  I may be timid in some areas, but finding solutions... learning... that's just not one of them.   

No, I am not able to master everything I try.   But they taught me to try.

I think something else they taught me, for better or worse, is that following directions is for the unimaginative and unskilled!  Nothing frustrates me more than a list of steps that cannot be deviated from.  I love structure, I hate following directions.  I think that's why I like to learn things on my own, rather than take a class or uhhh... read directions.  Yes, I end up swearing a little more than I should.  Yes, it would probably go faster, smoother, whatever... if I just did.  But that is SO not me.   For me, it's about understanding WHY a process is a certain way.  If I never challenge the directions, I won't understand completely WHY it works.  For example, the science behind cooking.  If I know how a cake will rise, and can manipulate ingredients in a manner that makes it taste the way I want, while following the science of cooking to make it rise, I have mastered it.  And that makes me happy.

So, my parents are to blame.  Just so you know.

My Latest "Junk"

Isn't it pretty??

(Don't worry, even if you think it's an old busted wooden box like my husband, who has NO imagination, I'll still like you... after all, I still like him.)

Speaking of my husband's lack of imagination.

We were standing around the kitchen this weekend, and I was cutting the guts out of an old book I had picked up for an upcoming project.  He was looking at me like I was NUTS... so I said, "Isn't this cool?  I got it at the DI for FIFTY CENTS!" and then I demonstrated how I was going to use it.  "They charge like $30 for this!!"

He looked at me and said, "You went to the DI?" (Our local thrift store.) 

 Wait:  Let me translate that since you can't here his tone of voice.  It was more like "EWWWWWWWW You went to the DI??  Did you completely sanitize yourself after you left?? You soooo have cooties now!!"

I looked at him blankly. 

"I go the DI a lot."

"YOU DO??" Again, with inferred tone: EWWWW!!! You're gross!!

At which point I laughed.  And I started pointing out some of my DI purchases (the majority of which are up-cycled into display pieces around our house). 

His jaw hit the FLOOR. 

 "You did NOT get that OR that (pointing at this and this) at the DI."

"Well, that's not how they came, but yes, I bought them at the DI."

"Why would you go to the DI?  Can't you get that crap at the craft store?"

"Yes, and I could have paid $30 for a frame instead of $4.  And I wouldn't enjoy it as much."

I could see my husband struggling with his dislike for second hand stores and his love of my NOT spending money. 

He stopped talking.

I have taken that to mean that 1. I can buy whatever I feel like at the craft store if 2. I never ever ever tell him about my trips to DI again. 



Brothers

I don't know how it started, but we refer to these two as "Brother" a lot.  

For example, if I need Ryan to go find Evan, I say: Go find Brother!

Same for Evan: Can you get Brother's milk?

I LOVE it.

This morning, Evan and Ryan were both up and awake as we were leaving for work.

There was a chorus of "Bye Brother" (or bye bu-uder, depending on the speaker).

It makes all the heartache of raising a second little one melt away.  

Am I way to busy?  

Do I wish I had more time to do things I wanted, more time to spend with my husband, my friends?  

Wish my house was cleaner, or that I had more time to CLEAN it, or that it would actually stay clean longer??????  

You bet.  

But those sacrifices to do not even come close to making me regret our choice to have second.

The most tangible evidence of that?  

A 5:30am chorus of:

LOVE YOU BUDER!!  See ya!  HAVE A GOOD DAY!  BYE BUDER

Followed by his older brother running into the cold garage, 

in his bare feet, 

to give him one more kiss and hug good bye. 

WW: Month One in a Nutshell

So, I've officially been doing Weight Watchers for a month now!  (Okay, this post is late, I've been doing it for a month and one week.)

Here's the low down: 

IT'S WORKING!!!

I've lost:
a. 3 inches from my hips
b. 2 inches from my gut
c. 11 pounds

PLUS several other inches worth of flub from other body parts. 

The new points system took a little getting used to... and it was really really hard to force myself to each the points.  Yes, the person with the weight problem was having trouble eating!  The points are figured so totally differently (and you are given more), so I was looking at the POINTS rather than the food choices and trying to balance my day.  That didn't work so well.  But I think I finally have my balance back, and the weight loss is settling into a pattern.  A good pattern.

I tried to take a picture earlier to show progress, but little stinky one kept getting in the way.  So instead, I'll share one of my favorite new recipes.

Potatoes, Spinach and Chicken

Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup fat free/low sodium chicken broth
1 T olive oil
1 T garlic powder
1 T oregano
1 T thyme
1 t red pepper flakes
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in half, and pounded to an even thickness
4 med sized Yukon Gold Potatoes (thinly sliced)
4 cups fresh, clean spinach
4 T crumbled feta
Cooking spray

Mix the lemon juice, broth, oil and spices together to make a marinade.  Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, not more than 4 (unless you really like lemon!).   Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer potatoes evenly, place chicken in a single layer on top, and drizzle the marinade over the top.   Place in a 350 degree oven for approx 30 mins (until potatoes are just fork tender).  Remove the chicken, toss the spinach in, and mix with potatoes.  Place chicken back on top, and cook for about 15 mins more.  Sprinkle with feta.  Makes 4 servings.

Chalkboard Placemats

HOW COOL ARE THESE???

I saw them on the Pioneer Woman a few weeks ago?  days?  I don't remember! 

You can purchase them here.

Or, you can make your own!

Mix 1 cup of latex paint (ANY COLOR YOU WANT!!) with 2 tablespoons non sanded grout.  Paint on anything you want... including board the size of a placemat. 

This is on my list of "AS SOON AS I HAVE A FINISHED CRAFT ROOM" projects. 

There are a lot of things on that list...

Old School

Remember playing on this??

Remember spinning and spinning until you thought you would throw up??

hehehehehehe.

Sara found one for Ryan at Christmas time. 

He didn't really understand it at first, but now, it's a favorite time waster!

My favorite is when he spins so fast he falls off, and then does the dizzy wobble as he tries to climb back on!

Monkey

DISCLAIMER:  Do Not allow children to climb light poles.

I am a horrible horrible mother for allowing this, he obviously should have had a safety harness on, and I am going straight to hell. 

(And PS, if you tell me any of this in a snarky email, I will more than likely completely ignore you as I will be too busy encouraging my son to run with scissors on his way outside to cut the safety harness you sent him.)

Oh yeah, and have you ever heard that phrase "Monkey see, Monkey do?"

(And before you have a SECOND heart attack and send me a SECOND email about my up coming trip to hell, this is as far up the pole as he got.)

Did I mention that our Friday Fun day this week will either be Cliff Diving or Base Jumping?

My NEXT BIG Project

Yeah... I like projects. 

I'm on the last legs of two BIG ones.  Okay, one, I'm on the last legs of time wise.... the other I'm past the 1/2 mark of the "List of Steps", but the second to last step is a BIG STEP.

BUT, I'm not focusing on that! 

Silly. 

Why would I think logically when planning out what I want to accomplish NEXT???

So, hmmm... what should I do??

My current projects are fabric/yarn based... and I think it's time to bust out more power tools!

I saw THIS and THIS and REALLY want to tackle it.  I think if my Dad comes to visit this summer, I might ask him to help me.  (It's listed as beginner... and I understand all the directions... ummm... I just need my dad for moral support!)

And I REALLY love this, however, I think that I can piece it together with Ikea furniture for less $$ and more importantly, less swearing. 

And I've been eyeing a table just like this at Pottery Barn, but didn't want to spend $500 on it! 

And oh my good grief, I should have never started looking at that site!

Daddy Love

Seriously, how much better could it get?

Ryan has finally reached the stage where it's not all about Mama. 

He still runs to me when he's hurt, but he wakes up in the morning asking for his Daddy! 

He throws a fit in the morning if he can't at least say hello.

On the weekends, his favorite thing to do is cuddle with his Dad in our bed.  On Fridays, when he wakes up late, and Mark has left for work, he cries crocodile tears when he realizes there will be no cuddle time.  

He says to me, "Daddy?"  I say, 'Daddy's at work." He responds, lip quivering, "WHY?"

The fact that he loves his Daddy Time so much, I love love love.

BABUSHKA!!

So a few days ago, I mentioned that Evan won an award at school. 

Each month, the teachers choose a student who has done something SPECTACULAR.  The parents are invited, and they receive a certificate, a round of applause and their work is displayed on the main bulletin board.

Evan created THIS:

He is such a great artist!!  These are done in oil pastels.  He said that he based the "old woman" on his Grandma Francie, who died a few years ago... How sweet! 

I LOVE how thrilled everyone looks in this picture!!  HA!  It was first thing in the morning, I doubt anyone was really awake yet!

Anyway, totally proud of my little man!  I told him that day that he was getting so big that I couldn't call him my BOY anymore.

Eight

Eight Years.

Really?

Oh, he was such a good baby... he's still such a good kid.

He's patient.

He's loving.

He's soooo sooo smart.

He's handsome.

He's everthing a mom could ever dream.

He's also growing up way to fast.



Cousin Party

Three of the four Dennis cousins now reside in the SAME STATE!  Wahhoooo!

So when Grandma Joycie came down this month, with the three of them having birthdays all within a month of each other... we decided to BBQ and have a party.  We also invited our good friends Rick and Robyn, and their ADORABLE little boy, Trevor.

Instead of trying to have a cake with candles for them (and fighting over who blew out what candles or what the decorations should be), I had the BRILLIANT (yes, I decided it was brilliant!) idea to use a muffin top pan and make "cake tops" for them to decorate!

Not only did it have great entertainment value, but it was the perfect amount of cake for them! 

They all exchanged gifts, but the winner, as far as adult entertainment value... was Evan's gift from Uncle Justin.

This UFO looking toy that flies... I have a LOT of pictures of the adults staring off into space as they watch it float and whirl around. 

Cracks me UP!