Our three day weekend was a blast! Friday was already documented- but today and saturday were my favorite days. Saturday morning we took a family run to Maumee for the Maumee summer fest parade! The run there was pleasant- but it was pretty bad on the return trip home. We were all very sweaty and very hot when we got back.

Zeb loved the candy at the parade (and so did I). He loved the construction hats they threw out too. These parades are fabulous.
and the parade wouldn't have been complete without the creepily freakish dilapidated doll and misfit toy vehicles. It appears that the parade "regular" invited a friend to bring his car along too. This time I got close-ups. Why on Earth do people do things like this? and why do they parade them around in front of little children? I shouldn't be questioning these people, though. I love that they do it.
This little girl is actually doing the beauty pageant wave out the car window. She's also wearing a tiara. Maybe this her royalty float.


And here's the back of the royalty car. It scares me waaaay bad. Click on the picture to get the full effect. check out that doll head. eww.
after the hot hellish run home- we cooled off in the pool. Zeb spent most of his time blowing at dandelions.
after our swim, Kent and I went and saw a movie- AT THE THEATER! we hadn't been to the theater since Christmas 2007- and we only went then because my parents paid for us all to go :) Usually we don't like to spend that much money to see a movie- but we've been waiting to see Harry Potter for what seems like FOREVER. It did not disappoint. 1- we had no kids (thank you cyndi!!!) 2- We got tickets for five bucks a piece because Kent is in the air force!!! it cost us HALF of what we thought it would! and 3- we loved the movie. I realize it did not follow the book perfectly, but we went with the realization that it wouldn't. What it did capture- it captured perfectly. Plus, I don't remember all the details of the book anyway. Kent did fill me in on everything that was missing however.
I don't think that they could have cast Harry, Ron, or Hermione any better for all of these movies. I just LOVE them. I want to watch it again.

Today was a wonderful calm sunday. Have I mentioned that I LOVE nine o'clock church? It's so much more relaxing. Too bad this next weekend won't be so nice. Kent works Friday, Saturday, AND sunday.

Kent's 24 hour shifts aren't too shabby when they fall on thursdays. It means he doesn't have to go in on friday, saturday, or sunday! and zeb is the most excited about it.

yeah- this picture is fuzzy, but just look at his little bum!

two crazies and two recipes

It was the absolute prime beach day. The humidity was low, the temperature was wonderful, it was partly cloudy and the place was nearly empty. Plus Zeb loved playing around with his friends and the water seemed to be cleaner than last time. To top it all off, zeb did not drink half of Lake erie and should be diarrhea free.



After we got home from the bay- I let the kids roll around in their diapers for awhile.Ike loves to rip apart zeb's carefully laid train tracks. He's definitely going to love trains. Really he has no choice in the matter because we aren't buying new toys for him.

Both rugrats were very cooperative in picture taking today. It's a rare day when I can get such good smiles simultaneously.
And here are two new recipes I've tried this week. I forgot to take pictures so neither are mine- but they look pretty darn similar. The blttb was delicious!! and I liked the brown sugar chicken quite a bit- but not nearly as much as I thought that I would (considering the heinous amount of brown sugar!).

BLTTB- bacon lettuce tomato turkey burgers

• 1 lb ground turkey (I actually halved this and just eyed everything else)
  
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup mayo (lowfat or ff)
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon each fresh lemon juice and finely shredded lemon zest

Mix all the ingredients together and cook up burgers!

• 4 toasted buns (we did whole wheat)
  
• 8 strips (turkey) bacon (about 8 oz.), cooked until crisp
• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken!
frozen chicken breasts
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (I think you could add a little lemon juice instead)
2/3 cup vinegar (I used apple cider)
3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper

Place frozen chicken and all ingredients in crockpot 4-6 hours (depending on amount of chicken and crockpot setting).

crazy weather!

This morning our run was crazy miserable hot and humid. We got home and there was an insane thunder and lightening rain storm. This afternoon after naps it was the perfect weather for a dip in the pool.

I think these two look so much alike in this picture! I get asked almost every day if they are twins. I understand that they look a alike- but they are totally different sizes! One is a baby for heavens sake.Ike had his first real enjoyable swim today. We've had bad luck at the pool with cold water- or a sleeping baby- or just a grumpy baby, but today was perfect. Ike just hung out in his little floaty and loved it. Zeb also loved his fabulous pink car floaty (with a working horn and turning steering wheel!) thanks to Roxanne- our friend here at Heather Hills.


I slicked Ike's hair back in this picture above- and he looks like such a little man.

yee haw.

Oh, how I love Sandy the one cent pony. Zeb even knows her name! Every time (and I swear we go to meijer AT LEAST three times a week! today it was just to escape the heat and our house) we leave the store- zeb says to me "I want to ride Sandy, mama! please?". She's a penny- and he always asks so nicely- how can I say no?

Here's my kid yelling "yeehaw" and throwing his arm up in the air like he's got a lasso. Where on Earth did he learn that? There must be a Little Einsteins episode or something with that phrase.
Lately Zeb and Ike have become SUCH better friends. Zeb finally interacts with Ike- and Ike always giggles when Zeb talks to him. The only altercations we have stem from Ike's new tendency to grab EVERYTHING within reach. It has been driving Zeb BONKERS during our runs. Every morning I have to remind him to keep his "whales crackers" to the side opposite Ike or else he's going to lose them. It's AMAZING how strong this little guy's grip is. Zeb is pretty good to share almost everything (including his blankets and even an occasional whale cracker into Ike's mouth) but today he reached his limit. On the run zeb started whining "no, ike, no". I asked what was going on and I looked down at them. Ike had his hand on Zeb's leg and Zeb said to me "no sharing zeb's knee mom. no sharing, please!".

Ike LOVES to eat now that I have stopped trying to force that rice cereal down his throat. I think I'd be dry heaving and refusing it too. He loved today's squash.

oh, what do you do....?

Today was the most miserable day thus far in 2009. Hot and humid as hell. I'm not swearing either. Hell is this hot and humid. The heat index was something like 105. Worse than a dishwasher.

So, what did we do? NOTHING- and it was really really nice. Church was nice and air conditioned- and just switched to nine AM. I LOVE nine o'clock church. I never understood it's amazingness until I became a mother of a toddler.

The kids went down for three hour naps at 12:30 and Kent and I enjoyed an afternoon of us. We talked. We made dinner. We read. We played games. We just relaxed.

For dinner we used this fabulous new product a friend recently introduced to me. Classico's pesto sauces. You can print off a coupon here. WOW. They are beyond divine. Tonight we used the sun dried tomato pesto. Just spread on chicken and bake. Also add to your favorite white or red sauce (we did a homemade flour/milk white sauce with canned tomatoes) and serve over multigrain pasta.

Really, I can't even begin to describe how tasty they are. I could eat it straight out of the jar. They are so full of flavor and so easy. None of this homemade pesto for me. I'll definitely be taking this to our "pasta" themed cooking group on Thursday.


After dinner I got to just sit and read- uninterrupted. This month's book club book is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It is an absolutely wonderful book. 4.5 stars. I LOVED it. If you haven't read it- request it now from your library. It's one of those books you just wish was true- and keep thinking that it is the entire time you are reading it.




And even though the day was so great because the rugrats were NOT present- here's the token kid pic. Ike has been SUPER constipated the past two days. He finally let it all out today- but the boy was trying so hard this morning that milk came out his nose. Poor kid. And completely aside from the pooing issue- Ike has been looking so much like Laney to me lately. I guess that means he's got me in him- although that I still don't see.

Since this freebie is such a great one- I wanted to remind everybody about it! Today starts Kraft's FREE GROCERIES promo. Today through the 23rd kraft will buy your groceries (25$)! There are a few rules (only at participating stores and certain kraft products) but they aren't too strict and WELL WORTH twenty five dollars! Happy shopping. Just click on the kraft picture for all of the details.


Yesterday we didn't post- because it was a crazy long fun and busy day! plus, by the time I saw Kent I wanted to spend time with him rather than blog!

On wednesday he started surgery. Check one off our list of future medical specialties. Perhaps if he loved doing it-the hours would somehow seem less torturous. For now it's HELL. I'm not complaining- just documenting- Kent's current atrocious schedule :) He was spoiled during pediatric surgery! I am glad that Kent is getting this rotation over with first, though. Everything should seem easier after these hours. He's still enjoying himself- and getting to take part in some really cool stuff.

This morning he had to head off at five so I got up with him to make him some food (the dang kid is dropping pounds like he's at fat camp or something) and say goodbye since I won't see him for awhile. I told him I wanted to take a picture of him in his "doctor" clothes. He wasn't too happy about the request- but he did entertain me. Check out his shoes- we've been searching for a great deal on some brown dress shoes and I picked these ones up for nine bucks yesterday.

Here's his past three days schedule. It really hasn't been too bad on me (besides missing him) but poor old Zeb has no idea what's going on. He'll adapt quickly (kids always do) but for now the incessant whining for "paaaaapaaaa" has become even more so (if it's even possible to become more incessant).

Wednesday. 7a-7p. Not too bad.
Thursday. 6a-9p. Long day. The rugrats didn't ever see him.
Today. He went in at five this morning and won't be home until tomorrow at NOON.

seeya after your surgery rotation, kent! At least you get to be doing pretty cool stuff.

I've been feeling pretty guilty the past two years when Kent comes home and asks us what we did that day. It's always cool stuff like zoo trips, swimming parties, and playing with friends. Now he's the one coming home with the adventures.

six months.

Ike has been slower at rolling over, getting teeth, and sitting up than Zeb- but it looks like he's going to beat him at crawling! The kid made some real progress tonight on his crawl. Here's the best shot I could get of the action. It is so funny watching the kid move.
Kent had the kids tonight while I was gone to yw- and when I got home they were both awake but happier then they have been all week. I finally got zeb to agree to head to bed when I told him he could take his trains. It only took him about seven tries to get them all in his hands. He is such a fun two year old. We had the terrible terrible 20 month old but he's been a great two year old so far. I hear that three is actually the roughest. I can't wait.

Are all boys just instinctively dirty? I swear my girls would be like this too, but maybe I'm wrong and it's just an innate boy thing to love the dirt.

Zeb came home soooooo dirty today. This picture doesn't do his filthiness justice. I still think he's got dirt underneath his toenails that I couldn't get out.


What if I never have a girl? Growing up I always kinda felt like I'd be a mother of all boys. I could definitely be happy with all boys- but I'll be really really upset if I don't get to use any of the insanely amazing girl clothes that I have all boxed up. One of these days I'm going to get it all out and take a picture. I have got A LOT (I've been buying it since before I was married! and still at yard sales now I can't pass up a great deal)- and it's really CUTE. If I do end up girless- metta, daysa, and laney- I've got boxes for you guys.

the reading fair

This evening we went to the reading fair at the Maumee library for fhe! Zeb participated in the summer reading program and this was the concluding event. He had so much fun running around with Kent. He LOVED the hammer catapult frog game. He laughed and laughed and laughed every time the frog went flying.
He didn't love the snowcone all that much. He tasted it-played with it- and then dumped it out. He must take after his dad with the non sweet tooth thing.

The Ikester spent the evening cheering on Zeb and Kent. He had a really rough day today- but luckily LOVED being outside and was all smiles the entire evening. I'm not sure if he's teething- or constipated or what- but the kid was seriously uncomfortable today. It was so sad. I videoed his sad little cries and whimpers earlier in the day so I could show kent how terrible it was. I'll have to post it tomorrow. I think I'm just not used to this little kid's cries. It was the most he's cried EVER in his life. I'm hoping whatever it was is over and that he (and I) will be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.

Here's our little monkey. He's obsessed with the fact that his bed doubles as a jungle gym. In this picture he's mid fall. Unlike his monkey bar falling adventures at the playground- these falls don't end in tears.

And here's our 2nd monkey. We got him laughing so hard today I think he nearly passed out. It must have started to hurt! I should have recorded the laughs earlier when they weren't so forced- but you get the picture. He's adorable.

our life today (in all of it's boringness!).

Some nights Zeb just can't wait up for Kent! He tries and tries- but usually zonks on the floor. This past Thursday night he was trying to stand up to stay awake and ended up like this dead asleep. His all day whining for "papa" has worsened this week. This morning on our run it was NONstop so I called Kent and made him come join us so that Zeb would let me finish! It was insanely nice to run without a stroller for awhile.

This weekend kent has completely free because he finished his pediatric surgery rotation yesterday- and starts general surgery on monday. It should be equally as crazy- if not more- but also very interesting. He really enjoyed peds surgery- and saw some INSANE crazy stuff. He let me know that our kids won't be riding atvs EVER.

Ike is moving around like crazy. He'll be crawling anyday now I'm sure. For the time being he's like a steam roller and a merry go round all in one. He can spin in circles (pivoting from his belly) and roll around the house like a little machine! He can also shove his behind way into the air and be up on his tip toes- but still won't try to get up on his hands. I'm hoping that since his back half already has it figured out, he won't be a crazy army crawler like zebbo. Zeb was always soooo dirty from his chin to his toes.