Family Photos

I have accomplished the impossible task of finding a day when the whole family is home.... Melissa's braces are off, Andrew is awake, Katie is not working, Megan and  Melissa are not at the school for practice, Mom is not out of town, and Dad is willing to make Mom happy by putting up with a photo shoot.  We went to the Legacy Ridge Entrance in the hot bright sun, our tripod was broken so we brought a ladder, we put up with one grouchy child, one teasing child, (well more than one...) but we got some wonderful pictures of these kids that have grown up WAY too fast.  My kids have been putting up with photos shoots their whole lives.  I love pictures.  I have to capture time.  It is working against me everyday....

  

 

It's Chocolate Milk Day!! 3-13-13

It is Chocolate Milk Day of the century today!!!

When Melissa was little she struggled with finishing her milk at dinner.  Every night she would ask to add NesQuick powder to make it chocolate milk.  One night we came up with a fun code 3-13 for chocolate milk.  3=c for chocolate, and 13=m for milk.  So she would just say "Mom, 3-13??"  It stuck and everytime I see those numbers together I think of Lis and chocolate milk. 

So today is 3-13 - chocolate milk day.  And 3-13-13, chocolate milk day of the century!!!! 

The rest of the story of Melissa's milk struggle is when we were on a tight budget, I tried to save money by mixing milk.  1/2 store bought with 1/2 powered milk, just like my Mom did when I was young.  (Is this milk mixed yet, I remember asking before drinking any....)  No matter how cold you got it, it still tasted so gross!  But looking back I wonder how Mom fed 7 kids and sent them to college and paid a full tithe.  Mixed milk was a weapon in her arsonal...  Anyway, Melissa hated the mixed milk.  And to add insult to injury, when I was working and Diane would babysit, Diane would also mix milk to help her budget but she would add vanilla to hers.  That was the deal breaker for poor little Melissa.  Gag reflex activated, shutters down spine, close eyes and swallow the spit, cheeks sucking in, making her puke to think of it, not working for Lis.  Mike brought home vanilla soy milk the other day and Melissa had a case of post traumatic milk disorder... She was good not even trying the stuff.

So happy Chocolate Milk Day to our crazy 3-13-girl!  We love you Lis!

Anniversary Trip to Hawaii!!

Mike and I went back to Kauai' for the second time. So relaxing and warm. We love the charm of this island and the privacy of the military cottages. Such a great way to recharge and celebrate our Anniversary. I feel so lucky to see the beauty of this island paradise two years on a row! Live Aloha!!

Happy 22 years!

We loved a little church in Hanalai, we loved dinner at Shenanigans, loved the sunsets, we didn't do much sightseeing but loved seeing the whales at the light house and from our front porch. We loved shave ice, and fishing on the beach, I loved looking for shells, and sitting on the beach hour after hour. We loved seeing all the chickens and feeding the birds, especially the cardinals that came to our picnic table. Warm and wonderful!!!!

 

 

 

The Things We Learn in Young Womens!

What is quinoa anyway? We planned a cooking challenge combined activity with the Teachers this week and the rules were that you had to use the mystery ingredient quinoa. I had no experience at all with it. Malinda Wagstaff called it a super food and I got a recipe from Bethany using quinoa flour to make chocolate cookies. We got together at Jenessa's house and made the cookies and then went to Bennets for a dinner.

The Teachers surprised us and went all out on a chicken dinner with quinoa side dish - like rice. Yummy! They were all gentlemen and fed us first and sat us at the table. It is so fun to be serving in YW with my own daughters. I love all the girls. They keep me young!