Wednesday, after Gabe was done with whatever training he was doing at work (it's a lot lately) we headed up to Dave and Karla's to glean pears. On the way up there, I asked Gabe to put some more fun ring tones on my new phone, and after he did that we got started into a game of "name that show" with the theme songs. (I love that game! It's so fun!)
At one point, Gabe played "I think we're alone now" by Tiffany. You know the intro with the drums? We were giggling at Melia rockin' out in the back of the car and Gabe said, "Oh, look at Isaac."
I turned my head, and suddenly lost control... of myself. I couldn't breathe, I was laughing so hard I was crying, and crying so hard I couldn't see. Literally. Thankfully we were driving through Entiat at the time, so I was only going 40ish instead of 60ish.
Picture this: Isaac strapped into his carseat, so he can't move very much. What he can move is his shoulders. Imagine the beat to the song (you know it, don't pretend you don't!), and picture his little shoulders rockin back and forth to the beat. He was BEYOND cute! SSSOOOO FUNNY!
I told Gabe I can't blog this (because it's his request that I blog how I almost wrecked my car) without a little video clip of him dancing... Gabe's not sure he can do that to his son, catching forever how he danced to Tiffany... oh, the humiliation... :-)
Friday, September 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Life Lessons: Eggs
A few days ago, I found the naughty renegade chicken's nest. I shot a pic with my phone and sent it to Gabe, only to hear back that he had found it 3 days earlier. He thought he sent me a picture, but I never got it. :-)
Today, the girls and I went to work cleaning it out with the plan to mark a few eggs and put them back to encourage her to keep laying there. They brought in a bucket of eggs, and I set about to washing them in the sink. I just figured that it was safer to count them all as too old, so I had no plans to use any. But as they were soaking in the bucket, I noticed that some floated, and some sank. Knowing this must mean something, I googled it.
Apparently, if you need to test your eggs (this counts for refrigerated eggs as well) put them in a deep bucket or bowl of water (I read both cold and room-temperature). If the eggs lay flat on the bottom, they are very fresh. If they sink, but one end floats, they are still usable. If they float off the bottom at all, they are bad. And I learned that if they are strong floaters, they will also be strong smellers when I toss them in the trash!
This one had part of the shell break off, but the membrane stayed intact- you can see how the inside has solidified. Bad eggs are lighter and feel like something solid is inside when you shake them.
Anyway- the girls had a ball learning and testing eggs. Oh, and if they are really bad, sometimes they will EXPLODE, releasing an amazing aroma :-)
Today, the girls and I went to work cleaning it out with the plan to mark a few eggs and put them back to encourage her to keep laying there. They brought in a bucket of eggs, and I set about to washing them in the sink. I just figured that it was safer to count them all as too old, so I had no plans to use any. But as they were soaking in the bucket, I noticed that some floated, and some sank. Knowing this must mean something, I googled it.
Apparently, if you need to test your eggs (this counts for refrigerated eggs as well) put them in a deep bucket or bowl of water (I read both cold and room-temperature). If the eggs lay flat on the bottom, they are very fresh. If they sink, but one end floats, they are still usable. If they float off the bottom at all, they are bad. And I learned that if they are strong floaters, they will also be strong smellers when I toss them in the trash!
This one had part of the shell break off, but the membrane stayed intact- you can see how the inside has solidified. Bad eggs are lighter and feel like something solid is inside when you shake them.
Anyway- the girls had a ball learning and testing eggs. Oh, and if they are really bad, sometimes they will EXPLODE, releasing an amazing aroma :-)Friday, August 27, 2010
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... Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
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."
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???"
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???"
Saturday, August 21, 2010
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."
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."
Thursday, August 19, 2010
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 :-)
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.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
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!
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!
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