toastability...

While the striking similarity of the bread slice and stoneware scraper thing are uncanny...the toast-ability of the latter is quite inferior.  QUITE inferior.  In fact, our house smells kind of like a plastic factory...or worse- I don't think it's common practice to burn the plastic at the factories.  Our poor toaster, it's fate is the trash pile after attempts to pick the plastic bits off the coils (broken coils as a result) and burning the plastic off (more terrible smells). I was honestly mad a Jude when the smoke started to bellow...but when I saw the little brown scrapper lying there on the counter, all bread slice looking...how could I be irritated any longer? =)  Poor toaster.

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random...

Brie cheese maybe the most perfect food...the most perfect. =)  The cups and the boots may seem random, but I got this loot from Good Will...that's right. =) The cups may not match, but I'm pretty certain they sell similar little gems at Anthropologie down the way at Keystone-only I paid $.50 instead of the decimal moved to the left.  The boots set me back a few more quarters though, I should have bartered.  9 month Christian Beckett has been quite a stinker about eating food the last few months...but today he was quite cooperative with lasagna...like father like son.  Luke will just have to hide it from the other boys in the future if he wants leftovers. =)  This is my first truly picky eater, any tips?  And speaking of like father like son...read fest on the couch anyone? =)

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Merry Christmas...

The way I see it (maybe one of the most annoying phrases ever =), who needs a wish list to Santa if you can just ask a kiddo what they would do with a million $s?  I actually didn't realize this school assignment would be my guide for gifts this year, but it was pretty efficient.  "I would buy legos...a wood truck...pizza."  I've just got to wrap up some pizza quick on Christmas morning, that should smell pretty good...with the pine scent subtle in the background...=)  Noah hasn't cut off all communication to Santa though, he's covering his bases.  He's not sure what this whole St Nick thing is all about, but if he's got presents, Noah wants to be on the list.  He asked me to mail the pictured note the other day.  "From Noah To Santa I have bin good this year."  Makes you want to dress up in a red suite and visit our house ringing some sleigh bells doesn't it...any volunteers...Clint? =)

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A little Christmas cheer...

"Well, there is good news and bad news about my Christmas decorations this year 
Good news is that I truly out did myself this year.  
The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days.
I had more people come up screaming than ever. 
Two things made me take it down.
First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.
Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy).

By the way, she was one of many people who attempted that. My yard couldn't take it either.
I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up in my yard. 
I think I made him too real this time.  
So it was fun while it lasted!"


This is circulating the e-mail realm...for once a mass e-mail was worth it's cyber space.  Thanks for the laugh Caleb.


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Happy 5th birthday Adrian

You'll need to like our family quite a bit to make it through this five minute saga...but the music is good-Ash said it seemed like the children would die anytime during the footage due to the emotional strains. At least I'll cry like a baby when I watch it 20 years from now. ;) Side note, the gun is a civil war reenactment one and only fires blanks...just in case viewers were worried.  Enjoy Scott and Gigi, thanks for the legos-aka treasure.

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Fire Safety...

Setting: Pre-school co-op learning about fire safety

Instructor: Sweet lady wearing a fire personnel badge, expecting her first grand baby soon, easily captivating her little pre-school audience with words like "smoke" "alarm" "fire" and "truck"

While giving pointers on the fine art of "stop, drop, cover, and roll" she asked for a volunteer. Adrian's little hand popped up and he was escorted to the front for a demo. The instructor made a flourish with her hands like she was placing a crown on her head and said in a mysterious tone "lets all put our imagination caps on..." Soon there was a campfire roaring, marshmallows roasting and then little Adrian's shirt caught on fire. Now was Adrian's glorious moment, the instructor Stated "stop, drop, cover and roll" as she gently started placing Adrian on the floor in front of her...the only problem was Adrian arched his back like a defiant little kitten and started dancing his feet around. I'm thinking "what in the world, how embarrassing" then I hear Adrian's little voice squeak "you're putting me in the FIRE" HA! Before we could go on we had to move the imaginary fire to the other side of the room. =) The instructor was quite humored. =)

As you can imagine, the experience had a lasting impact on Adrian and he will proudly state the four steps for you when prompted. There are actually five, the fifth being not rolling in the imaginary fire.




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We're home...she's a keeper =)

We all gathered around little Liliana Lee and smothered the dear little thing with love and much ooowing and awwwwing.  She is a dear.  A few pictures of pure cuteness.

It's always good to walk in the door of your own home after a trip...especially if there were no icky things left in the trash cans for a week...don't ask why I know that. =)

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