Huckleberry trip - FINALLY

For some reason, blogger won't let me post 5 pictures at once anymore. Four is ok, five is not.

Anyway, we headed up to go picking to a spot that Annie recommended, but we arrived to find two other groups with maybe a dozen berries to their buckets combined. They said someone had already picked it clean. So we got back in the car and drove down the road a bit. Found a fun place to let the kids play and take some pictures...

Melia, getting whooped by bushes...

And if you know Gabe, you know we couldn't leave empty-handed...

Frustrated!

I have pictures of our somewhat failed yet fun huckleberry trip that blogger is not letting me upload! It has kicked me out three separate times! Grrr!

Isaac the... Elderly?

Melia says Isaac's hair is turning silver. :-)

We Giggled So Hard

Gabe and I are sitting on the couch watching a movie. It gets to a loud part. We hear the door open to the girls' room. Thunk!

Out walks Kiera. She's sleepy eyed, we understand that the movie woke her up. She heads back to bed.

Thunk!

On the way out... and on the way back in... She whacked her head on the doorknob... Both times.

Gabe says, "She needs antennae."

I think I Stumped Him

Last night Gabe was helping me pick raspberries. I was thoroughly enjoying spending some time outside with him since Kiera was inside finishing her lunch (for dinner...) and Melia was my eyes and ears making sure Kiera didn't feed any to Ziva. (Yes, she's a quick learner... learning from Isaac!) It was quiet, other than our own conversation!

I was a little jumpy, since it was evening and the wasps are out much more in the evening than the morning (but since I was sleeping that morning, I won't complain!!) and I'd already had either an earwig or a stink bug drop down on me a couple times, I was on super-alert bug lookout. I often get neck cramps from picking berries because of jerking this way and that way when I'm already pretty tense. It hurts, but I don't know how to avoid the "Get Away From the BUG NOW!" reaction.

Suddenly I looked up - and panicked! I screamed, squealed, and shook all over. Hyperventilating, I backed out of the raspberry bush as fast as I could. I gulped and gasped for air, breathing like you'd expect me to when scared out of my mind. Gabe patted me on the back and said "Breathe! Slow Down! What was it?"

As soon as I could talk, I shouted....

"Grasshoppers having sex!!!"

"What???"

Grrr... Vent Post- Know It Alls

Today we went to the Farmer's Market. When checking to see where it is located this year (it's been changing alot recently), I noticed that the website said they would have the Master Gardeners there. I thought, Hey! I can take my funky looking raspberries in and see what is causing the random white spots. (I thought it might be sunburn... :-)

So we went, had a great time, bought some tomatoes, nectarines, pears, dog biscuits, and flowers. Girls did AWESOME staying next to the stroller, so I hope to do this again soon.

The annoying part of the trip was when I stopped by the MG tent. I stood in line and listened to what to do about those pesky little stink bugs on the zucchini plant (because I have those too). My turn comes up; I show her my raspberries and she kinda reiterates about what to do because apparently the stink bugs are reeking havoc on my raspberries as well as the zucchini! And those REALLY annoying wasps and earwigs are apparently GOOD pests to have as they will eat the eggs of the stink bugs. JOY. Then I mentioned diatomaceous earth. Insert swear word here:_____. The lady about fell over. You'd think I was the dumbest person on the planet for using diatomaceous earth anywhere near anything edible! According to her, the way it kills insects (by scratching their exoskeleton and dehydrating them) is exactly what it's going to do to my insides. Also according to her, "urban legends" and "old wives' tales" are "garbage compared to her most up-to-date information straight from WSU." (Her words, not mine.)

Begin Vent! Why in the world is it so hard to find good information? Why can't modern medicine and traditional medicine work hand in hand? I have never found (and I LOOKED!) any information that would have led me to believe that DE was unsafe to use on foods- that's why I bought it instead of a bunch of insecticides! Even searching further today- it's FDA approved to use (GRAS- generally regarded as safe) to use as a filtering agent on food. MANY natural health sites recommend taking it internally to help with parasites and as a detoxificator. The only concerns I could find is that you don't want to breathe a whole lot of it in, and you don't want to use any that is not rated Food Grade, even on your plants (nonedibles) because of the chemicals and silicon that could be involved. It just drives me bonkers when someone goes off on me with their OPINION! If they want me to respect their opinion, they should be willing to respect mine. It's like with the gall bladder flush- I asked my doctor, and he laughed at me, but told me it was even safe to do when pregnant. Most medical professionals think I'm nuts, but gee, I avoided loosing my gall bladder with a fairly simple NONINVASIVE dietary flush. And I can do it again and again. But I'm the crazy one? GRRRR. Simply because of this annoying "My Way or the Highway" attitude, I'm more interested in researching natural health traditions. At least most individuals or groups teaching those traditions encourage me to do my own research and make my own decisions instead of "this is the only way and everything else is junk."

End vent. Not to say I don't appreciate modern medicine and all it's benefits. I may not have my children if it wasn't for them. (Notice I say MAY.) But I just think there is so much more viable options out there that are disregarded and discredited because it's all "old information."

Zucchini Yummy... or not.

In my effort to try to find different ways to eat this load...

I put together this. I thought it was pretty yummy, and Kiera ate two bowls. Melia did ok, but said there was a flavor that made her tongue unhappy. It had yellow squash from Shaun's house, lemon cucumber, zucchini and cherry tomatos from our garden, plus corn and carrots. I added Italian dressing for flavor. The next day Kiera literally took 6 hours to eat her one bowl, and Melia was gagging on whatever flavor that was :-) But by the time she was done, I had convinced her that she liked it. And when Kiera finally finished hers, she had a smile on her face. It's interesting just how much one takes from the other, and how much of eating "new" things is mind over matter. Not to say that I will convince myself to eat anything exotic, but when I know I "should" like it, it sure helps to do a little mental reprogramming :-)

Yesterday Melia also helped me make two loaves and 24 muffins of chocolate chip zucchin bread. They were yummy, but Gabe reminded me that he doesn't like chocolate... Sometimes I get so excited about making goodies that I forget he doesn't like chocolate goodies! Even Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips... (swoon..) Next time I think I'll try a batch of zucchini raspberry or huckleberry muffins. Because we ARE going picking. THIS summer. It IS going to happen.

Fishing Fun - 2010

Sunday after church, after lunch, and after getting everything together... we finally made it out to Shaun and Andrea's to go fishing with them and Mom & Dad! Andrea's post is here, for more pictures and her thoughts :-) (Don't forget to feed her frog!)

And here's some of my favorite pictures! Kiera was acting all afraid that the fish would be mean... It took a little forcing, but soon she was asking "Can I touch it?" every time!

After fishing was pretty much over, Shaun brought some food over so we could watch the fish jump :-) I wish I had gotten a picture of me holding Isaac out over the water so he could feed the fish; I'd put him down and he'd run right over to get some more food!

Note Gabe's funny face at where he hooked this one!

The point of many of our pictures was that he was catching trout with giant bass lures!

Grandma Debbie's "Success!" face :-)

Isaac inspecting one of the first catches which was almost as big as him!

Because water from a bottle is so much better than sippy cups....

I think this was my only real catch... And quite the fun pic!

Funnies from Our House

Kiera made me laugh when she said "I couldn't find the other of this one, so I put this one on too."

We made some family trees, one for each girl. They enjoyed this activity- it really helps them to see who's who instead of just so many grandmas and papas. Melia looked at her page and said "It's a good thing we have all this room over here to fit in all the more kids we're gonna have!"

When I ask them to clean their room, Kiera basically hits the floor in frustration. She brings every little thing out to me to ask me where it goes, so I thought I would help them out by making a "Cleaning" poster identifying which things have special places that they go. Melia thought of one more and headed out to the table to make her own little poster... upon which she wrote "cleaning" from memory!!! (Oh, and for the record, she wanted their "pets" included on the to-do pick-up list!)

This is Ziva, our big, scary... giant baby who tries to curl her whole body onto her special pillow...

Just some Watermelon Fun...

Date Night Blog, per Gabe's request

As indicated by the title, Gabe requested that I blog a detailed account of our date night yesterday evening. I will indulge him. And he wants comments people!

He's been working alot because of the new computer system, so I was thrilled when he asked yesterday morning what I wanted to do that evening! I said I was up for anything :-) Famous last words! Through an up and down, yes and no day, we finally managed to get away for dinner. Sam came over to watch the kiddos for a couple of hours, and we took off- me in the Aerostar and Gabe behind me on the bike to pick me up after I parked it with a For Sale sign in it. In the parking lot, I readied myself, helmet on, backpack on, all strapped up... and attempted to hop on the bike. I couldn't get on! His new bike is too tall for me to swing my leg over the top- I can get it up there, but I'm so stretched out that there is no "hopping" happening! I had to climb on the main seat, and then scootch myself back to the passenger seat, all while he is giggling uncontrollably (like this is just unbelievable- HEY! I know I am SHORT! This is NOT a BIG SURPRISE!!)

We cruised out to Country Boys for a delicioso dinner, and then back home. Not a long date, but a get-away none the less! (Although, for the first time ever, CB's pulled pork sandwiches were overwhelmingly greasy...bummer.) Both times Gabe was very helpful and parked next to a curb or our retaining wall so I would have no trouble getting on and off, though I'm sure he had a big grin on his face watching his "stubby" wife, sliding on and off his big new bike :-)

Now, let the short jokes and stubby comments begin! C'mon- I can take it ;-)

A Regular Biology Class...

How many of you have seen a praying mantis molt? Me neither! But Praise did! The pics aren't very good, but you can kind of see the skin hanging from a branch in the first one, and his wings unfurled (drying off?) in the second one. It's amazing to me that even their legs molt!

Gives me the creepy crawlys all over! But we've been learning all kinds of facts about praying mantis'... and watching "vs." videos on Youtube :-)

In addition to Praise, we also have a male black widow along with some other kind of spiny guy (probably a European Cross Spider) in a jar, plus a hornet that I shot with peppermint spray :-) He's dead now though. Mint is a neurotoxin, but it took him nearly 24 hours to finally die.

Christmas Idea

Costco's starting to get in their Christmas gift/toy/seasonal stuff, and I am adding a Microscope kit to our wish lists, for those of you who would be interested in this. And it's only $20 for those of you who might want one!!

:-)

Today was such a blessing...

Last night I was discussing with Gabe about how we have a travel trailer, the aerostar, and his bike that we need to clean up and sell. My biggest responsibility is getting the aerostar vacuumed and cleaned up, and my biggest complaint is that it's just too dang hot! By the time it cools down enough outside to work (hard! think sweat!) I'm busy getting dinner put away and kids in bed. Then I hardly feel like breaking a sweat! (Besides, that's when the spiders come out..)

Well, today, I resolved to get it at least washed. I can do that when it's hot, right? It was a BEAUTIFUL, CLOUDY day! Even a bit breezy! We got the car washed, and I even nearly burnt up my Dyson workin' it so hard. They do loose suction, by the way... at least when I suck up too many pistachio shellls at once... who knew? I pushed it so much while it was plugged up that it turned itself off :-) Whoops! So I went and got the steam cleaner and started doing that on the already-vacuumed area.

Anyway, long story short- the weather today was exactly what I needed to get movin' on selling that old thing! Thank you Lord, for the cool refreshment of today! (... now, how about another day so I can finish vacuuming? Please? Since that handy husband You blessed me with fixed my Dyson for me? ;-)

The bad thing was that I attempted to BBQ steak. And I did a perfect job- tender, moist, medium-well steak that tasted old. Yah, that's right. OLD. BLECH! I ended up eating corn on the cob and burnt-fried onions, along with a few fried mushy zucchinis for dinner... It's immensely frustrating when I work so hard on dinner and then it is barely edible... But, like Gabe says, A-1 covers a multitude of sins.... And Melia gobbled it down. Apparently she likes A1 too :-)

And about that zucchini.... I'd like some advice, if anyone knows how to cook it for a dinner side, not just a bread/sweet recipe. I breaded it and fried it (following the recipes' instructions to "evenly brown on both sides") and it was yucky mush. Tasted better raw... Suggestions? Please?

More Isaac Stuff

And, (see, I knew I forgot something!!) he has recently become INCREDIBLY picky about what he will eat! Not that he "doesn't like" something, but if he wants something else, he will NOT eat what he has, in addition to screaming, grunting, and "please-ing" to try to convince us to give him what he wants. And by not eating, I mean "spit-it-out-will-not-even-chew" not eat it.

A few examples:
* He wouldn't eat his scrambled eggs because he wanted a muffin.
* He wouldn't eat his noodles because he wanted his cereal.

All of these things he will normally eat, unless of course something better beckons to him... So far, it's been a draw each time. We won't give him what he wants until he eats what he has, and he hasn't eaten anything we've wanted him to. We'll see where this goes... Last night he went to bed with no dinner because it escalated to a screaming fit, and I dangled from the end of my rope. Maybe I just have to learn to make sure there are no other food or possibly edibles in sight before I sit him down... :-)

Oh, and he definitely has a taste for carbs over protein... :-) This could be a problem...

Wow... I knew we were in for a hard time, but this?

Isaac, at age 14.5 months, now knows how to spank his sisters. On the buns. With a wooden spoon.

The positive things he's learned are how to turn the computer off, type a few rambles, compact garbage (extra pack even!) and he understands what "Out" and "give it to mama" mean. Oh yea, and turn the TV on.... I'm sure I'm forgetting something....

Hotel Stuff

Last weekend, Gabe and I were able to get away for a couple nights by ourselves (Thanks Mom and Rennea!) I pricelined it again, and this time ended up with two nights at the Bellevue Hilton for $74/night. I thought that was pretty good, and we were excited to go! We arrived and felt like we were at a mini-Vegas, with a coffee shop, gift shop, and restaurant inside.

On the way home we discussed the differences between paying more for "nicer" rooms (they really were lovely- soft beds, soft pillows, soft towels... lots of room) versus less for more average rooms (although most of the time now they have mini-fridges and/or microwaves, where the Hilton didn't) and free hot breakfast. It seems that the more average hotel chains have to compete more for our business, so they really end up being the better deal, depending on how much you value soft towels and pillows...

We decided next time we'll go for the 3 star line and expect more for less, especially since we always bring our own pillows anyway! The sad part was that we slept in so late both days we weren't able to go out for breakfast- Gabe felt cheated on our weekend away because he didn't get a hot breakfast, so we had French Toast for dinner last night :-)

Oh, and by the way- Inception was a GREAT movie! Different plot, good acting, unpredictable... we really enjoyed it!

Lessons from Praise...

I am pretty sure our girls will be well versed in the art of torture.... plus the whole "hang on for dear life and never stop chewing" idea...