Easy like Sunday morning

Late, late morning. And WOW!

Enough said.

The story of Noir

Meet Noir. Named by Aidan. She is a stray who we have befriended because of the despicable behavior of our neighbor, but I digress...Every few days Noir shows up on our back step for a bite to eat.
Today she was noticed by more than just the humans.

Alice: Wow, man you gotta check this out. Something is not right out there.

Alice: I'm SER-I-OUS. Get over here MAN!

Alice: This makes me very uncomfortable man. Quick, come see!

Alice: See, I told ya! Weird huh? What do you think they are doing?

Spark: Uhhhhhhhh I dunno, uhhhhhh whose there?

Alice: Look man, I think we should be worried. I don't like this one bit. This doesn't look good man.

Spark: Is that a cat?

Alice: Please don't do this... don't you see what I already have to put up with? Whoa, is this dejavu???

Noir: HeeHee Hee

Narrated by Tony.

Easter 2009

We began with a lovely new tradition of a basket scavenger hunt.

We had a lovely meal.
(insert pictures of the whole crew enjoying said lovely meal and maybe a picture or two of the cooperative effort the meal took that I WISH I had taken here).


We had lovely company.

We had a lovely little hunt.
(and by lovely I mean indoors because it was too cold and rainy outside)
(and by little I mean 150 cash and candy filled eggs)



Tying for first dish this year (in my opinion only) were Sara's Pastilitos and my dad's Grilled Head of Cabbage. I also enjoyed my sisters recipe for Asparagus Rolls (we missed you Andria, David, Lane and Kaid).

I really can not wait to do this again.

Ringing in a Saturday

Two cute little gold stars...
One beautiful grown-up girl!
We have asked Nadia since she was three if she wanted her ears pierced every time we would pass the place in the mall. She always replied with a fanatic "NO!" Well a two weeks ago she said YES! We were not prepared for that. Thankfully the lady who was ready to do the task looked like a trucker from a bad B-movie and that scared Nadia away. Today the lady looked sweet as sugar and now she has two very tiny holes in her ears.

My sister reminded me I cried, well screamed was more like it. Nadia held her quivering lip tight and looked at me with big questioning eyes. I scooped her up and told her she could cry. She didn't because Aidan burst through the half door and rubbed her back to comfort her. What a lucky girl to have such a wonderful big brother.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I love my dad!
Last night we went to the Brew Pub in Waitsburg and celebrated my dad's 67th birthday. Every year I get him a shirt. I don't know why, it is just what I do. This year I got him a 5/8"-100' hose. Fancy, I know, but what do you get a guy like my dad? Someone who is strong and hardworking, who is a wonderful Papa that catches salamanders and listens to wild tales, who doesn't like sappy and has a dry sense of humor, who seems to have a need to take care of animals of all varieties, who is a good listener and can braid hair? Somehow I don't think a hose is enough of a commemoration for his birthday.

A quick note

Here is a quick one because I really should be working on my national boards...
Picture a sick Aidan with Tony at the kids' school on Friday. Tony, the super-fantabulous father and PTO member that he is, is counting laps for a contest.
Aidan announces within earshot of a couple PTO moms, "Dad, I know what a honkey is".
Tony, giving him a death-stare and scanning the moms to see who is judging says, "Aidan, that is not an appropriate word. It is very derogatory. Do not ever say that again."
Aidan waits and quietly says, "hey Dad, it means a horse and a donkey"

Way to go mom for introducing the interbreeding of species like tigers and lions, horse and donkeys.
Smooth, real smooth.

a category for the uncategorical

I can't grow anything, let alone get a plant to actually bloom. Aren't you proud Andria? I am taking good care of your cactus.

Oh yeah, she's a hard rocker. During a rare but spectacular and laughter inducing fit last weekend she refused to apologize to me for yelling at me. Instead she began to sing a song she was composing impromptu. The song discussed the past and the present and the future and how we should leave our anger in the past. Deep.

He can be so tender sometimes. I truly do believe he will have a zoo someday. He loves animals so deeply, even the plastic variety.

No, I do not lock children in cages. This was all their doing, they were locking their babies in cages and pretending to be puppies, the plot of their game was a little muddled. We were celebrating my mom's birthday. (yes I am a schmuck for not writing her a wonderful blog which she totally deserves because she was the perfect mom for me). Happy belated birthday Mom. I love you very much.

I love this cat. He steals my jewelry, polly pockets, small stuffies... if he can carry it, he will steal it. He jumps up and hangs off of my hip, he tries to shower with me, he has begun shedding and he can clear a room if you know what I mean but he shows me that he loves me. Pets have a very special purpose here on Earth.

Well that is it. I had no way to relate any of this to anything. Maybe next week will make more sense.