Living on the Edge

Let them loose in the kitchen

Our girls are 9 and 11 now, heading off to 4th and 6th grades in only 5 days.  If you have kids this age you are dealing with the same battle. One moment they are acting mature and responsible and the next they are playing with Polly Pockets and fighting over who should be breathing the air in the living room.

Now, I would love to have them take on more responsibility.  Isn't that really why people have children?  Think back to the old days, people had large families so they would have built in hands on the farm. Schools used to have a "vacation" during harvest time so the kids could help at home. Oh, did you know there is a school district somewhere in Idaho that still does that?!  I'm sure those kids have ipods and cell phones, but that's cool that their lives still revolve around responsibilities to help with the family's livelihood.

Check out one of my many favorite blogs, www.thepioneerwoman.com.  They have 4 kids, and the two oldest girls, which are my girls' ages, drive trucks hauling hay and wrangle calves and ride horses to move their cattle herds.  How awesome is that? 

So, since I won't let my daughters drive anything larger than our Cub Cadet I think that unloading the dishwasher, feeding the dogs and chickens, bringing the laundry downstairs, and taking the trash out is pretty easy in comparison.

Of course, they don't like our choices for chores.  What they want to do, is to cook!  It is good and bad on so many levels!  The microwaveable macaroni and cheese incident flashes through my head whenever I think of them cooking....

FYI: cooking noodles in the microwave without water for 3 minutes, will melt the pasta together so that it looks like a burnt brain, enough smoke billows out to set off the smoke alarm, AND the smell does not leave the microwave for MONTHS!

Fortunately, their cooking skills have improved of late (nothing incinerated in the microwave lately)

The chocolate pudding was a masterpiece of chocolate lumpiness...but they were so proud of themselves!  (Please don't tell them that I couldn't bring myself to actually eat it!)

And the other night I came home after a meeting and they had this plate made up for me.  Cheddar, ritz crackers and chicken salad!  This I ate because CC, our 9 year old, actually makes this very well!

Now, the next lesson will be....How to Clean Up the Kitchen After You Cook Something!

whaa, whaa, whaa!

I'm not going to whine and complain....though it was one of those days. 

Do you ever have one of those days? The crazy mixed up kind? 

I really don't want to go into detail.  Lets just say, I think I need to make cookies soon and post the recipe!

While you wait to find a yummy recipe to show up, here is something cheery to start your day:

My sunflowers appear to be on growth hormones, or Barry Bond's leftover steroids!  They are about 12 feet tall and the bloom is about 16 inches wide!

Well lets all hope we have a wonderful day! 

Big Sky Country

As abundant and amazing as the wildlife was in Yellowstone...Looking up was just as impressive!  It never looked the same, one moment to the next. 

Can you hear the angels singing?

And then there were the amazing sunsets!  both of these were in Yellowstone.  If only my camera could capture its real beauty!

Montana is called the Big Sky state.  Can you see why?  The clouds had room to build and build and build!  This is in West Yellowstone, Montana at our campground.

Afternoon thundershowers sneak up on you from out of nowhere!  You can almost set your watch to them...an hour before the sky was clear blue in both these pictures!

Bison!

We had a crazy-busy summer!  It seemed soooo long, but in a good way.  We were hopping, especially the past 6 weeks.  Now that I'm home, I have access to my pictures again!  Whew!  I feel better now!

Our biggest adventure of the summer was our trip with the girls to Yellowstone. I used to work there back in 1988 and DD and I went there on our honeymoon 13 years ago.  So we couldn't wait to take the girls there and boy, they just loved it!  They kept a tally of how many different types of animals we saw and it was a long list!

Of all the animals we saw, probably the most impressive were the BISON!

It took two days to find these awesome beasts, but once we did, they were impressive and everywhere!

This is called a Bison Jam. 

The definition for Bison Jam:  (n) When all vehicle traffic stops in the middle of the road, regardless of turnouts.  Often the vehicle occupants actually abandon their vehicles in the road so they can walk closer to take a picture.

We finally caught a glimpse of the bison! Keep in mind we've been sitting in this Jam for over 30 minutes now!

These big boys didn't look for a crosswalk and they were not intimidated by the vehicles, regardless how big it is.

Why did the bison cross the road?

Because it felt like it!

Apparently, they are acting as if fall may be coming sooner than the calendar says...by the end of July they are already gathering and the boys are getting a little testy with one another.

They look nice and friendly like...but no one likes their butts sniffed...and all the grunting and groaning and the smell....man could you take a bath?!

Now this thoughtful fella was polite and bathed for our visit!  Thanks big boy!  You look just lovely now!

I spoiled it again!

Using someone else's computer is kind of frustrating.  I do appreciate the access, but if I lose my post one more time before I get a chance to save it I will.....heck I don't know, but it won't be pretty I'm sure.  It may involve some sort of alcoholic beverage or a gallon of chocolate ice cream!

First, I've lost two posts that I've spent a bit of time typing.

Second, I can't seem to download any digital pictures.  Jeff and Grammy told me where to "stick it" and it doesn't work!  So my post will be photoless. Wah! 

Third, what is it with MSN mail?  Does anyone else have trouble retrieving their mail from there when they are away from home?  I feel like a total imbecile when I try...I end up changing my password twice, go to my mom's mailbox three times, and then when I finally find my mail, it will only show me the new stuff....arrgh!

It's so funny! I started in such a good mood when I sat down to do a post...now I'm all grumpy!  You gotta love technology.  It is magical isn't it!?

Maybe tomorrow I can get back to what I originally started to type about...our day at the SF Zoo!

Is that chocolate ice cream I'm smelling downstairs?

Knee boarding 102

  it's only fair that I put CC's knee board lesson up as well.  I was a bit shocked that she wasn't the first to give it a try.  She is our dare-devil, our athletic one, our AFLAC kid (next installment on the last AFLAC accident will be next week)

But she let her sister give it a go... and when she saw that she did it without even crying...she had to do it too!

She got up on her knees quickly...that's those great muscular arms she has. Did you know she was one of the only girls in her 1st grade class to be able to do more than one pullup!  Yeah, I'm jealous!

Apparently she didn't think it was going too well....after a few minutes we realized she was having trouble getting the handle off and she was distressed because she was"supposed to take the handle off the hook, NOW"

She never got a huge grin like her sister...but I'm satisfied with this look of "yeah, I did it, I'm ok, just don't go too fast."

They both ran through an assortment of emotions while learning, but they both ended wanting to do it again!  That night CC even came home and had Dad show her what exercises to do on the weight machine to make her arms stronger.  Man what a problem solver she is! Already thinking ahead to next year!

You rock girl!

 

Susan G Komen Race For the Cure

Either this group didn't make it to Humboldt County yet, or I was just too busy with life to have noticed the name before. But since moving to Eastern Washington, I have heard that name soooo many times associated with cancer events.  I figured she must have been someone who died locally of cancer.

So I took a moment this morning as I was writing my newsletter for SpokaneMama.com to actually look up who this person is. I discovered it is much bigger than just this little part of the world.  Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find cures.

So the next time you see her name you will know...look for waysto support this amazing network of women fighting cancer for all of us!  Be a part of the battle by supporting an event or someone participating in one!

If you want to read an inspiring story of a woman's battle with cancer. Read what her sister wrote about Susan and her life...and death.  Just keep a box of tissues handy!

Some of Life’s unanswered questions:

Why do children eat spaghetti one night and then the next time you make it they swear that they will not eat it, do not like it and have never, ever in their WHOLE life ever liked it!

Why does the broiler burn the bread the moment you turn your back on the stove?

Why do you spill food (that is sure to stain) on yourself when you are wearing a white shirt, not when you are wearing brown, black or dark blue clothes?

Why does it only rain during soccer practice?

Why does the satellite signal go out during the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy?

Why do major appliances break and need fixing/replacing only when you’re short of money?

Where does that extra sock go from the dryer?

Why is it that my kids put clean clothes in the laundry hamper and their dirty socks and underwear have to be hunted down under their bed?

Buddy...the coolest dog ever!

This is Buddy.  He adopted us last summer.  He showed up after a thunder and lightning storm, during my oldest daughters slumber party.  I was nervous about this big dog in our yard with all these girls running around.  I tried to chase him off twice, but he stuck around. 

No, we are not going to have three dogs. We stopped at two children so we wouldn't be outnumbered and now I was not about to be outnumbered by the canines in our house. No way, uh-uh, never!!!

Yeah, that lasted a whole of two days!  He followed me all around and wouldn't leave my side.  He must have known I would be the hardest to sell on the idea, so he worked all his best doggy charm that he could muster and just sucked me right in!  Just look at that sweet face!!

So we started on the task of trying to find his owners.  No collar, no chip, terrified of men....Vet said he was about 10 months old--and 80 skinny pounds.  He probably weighed 85 pounds prior to pulling off all the ticks he had on him.  Anyway, we did the whole poster route, called the pound--they said they would have to put him down in 3 days if no one claimed or adopted him cuz they were so full right now. 

That was the moment that changed Buddy's life.  I couldn't bear the thought of being the one to take him in to face his demize.  My girls, especially my 11-year-old-love-every-animal-in-the-world-daughter, would be devastated.  So he became a part of our family...and my shadow ever since!

I will have to tell you about Lucy and Roslyn sometime....those are both stories for another day....

Knee boarding 101

Well, we have been without our Sea Ray boat all summer.  Global warming, which brought temperatures cold enough to freeze a pipe in our heated house this past winter also caused the engine to crack--regardless of our winterizing it.  It's been tough, living on the water and not having a boat.  We did save a little money with not buying gas, fishing licenses and toys for the boat...yeah, that's the optimistic side speaking.

Of course, the boat's engine has to be replaced and we are currently waiting for the boat fairy to leave one under our pillow, or the winning lottery ticket to pay for it's repair...so when I say we are saving money, I am being facetious (that's the new word for the summer....worthy of a post sometime probably).

Anyway, we have been blessed with friends who take pitty on our situation as land lubbers and have taken us out on their boats.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Just last week we headed out on the lake and the girls learned how to knee board!  Look at the pictures and they will tell the story....

That would be Q, our oldest, and gutsy...hey, wait!  She's not the one who usually takes chances and tries things first!  Usually it's CC our baby who takes all the risks!  Who is this kid out on the knee board?

Ok, now I recognize my eldest. See the look on that face?  I know that one.  There's a battle going on inside her...do I cry and give up, or do I overcome this? 

By the way, she's going to hate this picture...but it's my way of getting the upper edge since she's a middle schooler now!  That will teach her to get older on me!

Is she having fun yet?  The panic has finally left her face.  Could there be some enjoyment going on?

And she's SMILING!  Oh, she's loving it..oh, no....I see a purchase coming for next year's summer on the lake!