boys

When I found out I was having a boy, I was worried about things like this.


And this:



definitely about this:


Those poor critters didn't stand a chance.


I really thought we'd be surrounded by girls and I would spend my time with my kids painting nails and playing barbies; instead, we have snakes and legos in the play room, we're going to a monster truck show this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited.

This post is mainly a diary type entry. nothing about our boys, decor other cool amazing thing that I feel the need to share with you will be posted here. please skip this one if you're not interested in my brain's garbage. thanks.

(this may or may not be my brain)


SO this week I got some troubling news. it involves an unexpected phone call during a busy part of my day. it caused me to stop and really ponder some things: how I handle stress, what I do when I am anxious, and what's really at the root of these feelings when news of this sort comes my way. I have had lots of distressing news/events in the last few years. some of the things happening to me, around me, or in the lives of people who are very close to me(thus affecting me). Not sure if I am feeling nostalgic and reflective because it's the new year, and I can't help but be reflective during Christmas and New Year's, or if it's my minds way of telling me to start dealing with it all, purge it, and to move on.
I like to discuss and analyze with my friends, and then re-discuss and re-analyze. If you've ever helped me out with a problem, you've witnessed this first hand. but mostly you've gotten sick of talking about my issue, problem, friends problem, conflict, conflict resolution, or other such drama; and I love you just the same :)

I find that I don't often physically show stress, maybe in my face,


but I generally don't freak out and get all angry. I find that in times of extreme stress I just get quiet, and try to inwardly figure out a solution. this usually ends up in me getting super anxious and I begin to feel a burden of how can I do this alone.
As I reflect today, I'm reminded of the one who can help, who can ease all burdens, who is the answer to all questions. I would say I have a healthy prayer life, and am so glad that I have the Lord to turn to in times of worry, stress, anxiety, or anger; but also in times of joy, appreciation and happiness. like my theme song for this year: Blessed be the name of the Lord. It's just SO true!!
I love that praying really is communication; a conversation with our creator.


(I always talk to God on a headset)

the same one who invented me, and the formula for me, the one who CREATED me (sorry, sometimes it blows my mind!). There are times when I have to remind myself of this, HE made no mistakes when he made me, it was my sin that caused my problems and all my special little neuroses. He knows all about what's going on and he's probably laughing at my little way of "dealing" with it. He knows he'll hear from me again and again (and again, and...) about it. the best part: he still loves me.
I know that He is waiting to hear from me about the news of this week, and most of all hoping I trust in him, and his perfect plan. I know all about His perfect timing, and am so blessed to be able to glorify him to others through the story of my recent miscarriage.
So, because it's the new year, instead of resolving to be thinner, younger looking, work harder, or make more time, I will be working on trusting the Lord, and being less selfish when it comes to prayer, and my interactions with others. If you're stil reading this, thanks for "listening".

Mobius

We are really blessed to have a children's museum in Spokane. It's called Mobius and there's a TON of things to do there for kids. I would say it's small but packs in the greatest hits of all things kids love:


A huge water table


Bugs


A "market" where you can shop, or be shop owner


you could even pack your canoe with as many food items as possible for your trek downriver to your dino excavation, as my boys did.


A roadway complete with real traffic signals and "cars".



There's even an excavator run on hydraulics! Asher scooping out a ditch in a sea of lentils:

We don't visit Mobius as often as I or the boys would like, but I am so glad it's there. Especially with the winters being what they are here, we may visit more often!

Scone recipe

This Scone recipe. How can I even describe it? It's moist, sweet, and delectable. It can also be savory, or spicy depending on how you want to flavor it.
On Christmas morning I always make these scones, a savory batch and a cranberry orange batch. They're usually both gone before I can have one! this is not a flaky dry scone that you'll want to dip in coffee, if you like that, just cut out some of the sour cream and it will harden up. I like mine to be great on their own, with out having to dip them in anything.

If you want to make the dough for a savory batch cut the sugar in half, and in the end stage of scone making add your bacon, cheddar and onion or smoked salmon and Gruyere; or even this idea: ham chunks and green onion, then when they're done baking swipe some brie in the center while it's still warm. Hungry yet?

For the sweeter version, you can add pumpkin and spices to make a starbucks like scone, you can even add blackberries and lemon zest and make a lemony glaze for the top. let me know if you are interested in these variations and I can write one up for you.


Beki's Scones
3/4 c Sour cream (I sometimes use 1 cup to make these over the top moist, and melty in your mouthy)
1 tsp Baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar (cut this down to 1/3c for savory scones)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 c Butter, cold-ish
1 egg, gently beaten
1-1/4c dried cranberries (if making pumpkin, only add 1/3c, and then 1-2t pumpkin pie spice)
2 large oranges for zesting and juicing.
1/4 c orange zest, divided (some will go in the dough, some will go in the glaze)

***
Put sour cream in a small bowl and stir in baking soda, let sit and proof on the counter while you sift the rest of the ingredients. I
n large mixing bowl or mixer with whisk attachment: flour, sugar, powder, tartar, salt. stir slowly til combined. cut in butter with wisk attachment or pastry cutter. then add the sour cream stuff, and the egg.
If you're using a mixer, get your dough hook out and switch from the the whisk. again, slowly stir just until combined, this will ensure you don't have a tough scone to bite into, you want moist, and flakey NOT chewy and tough.
at this point add your mix ins (again, i am using the cranberry and orange zest, reserving some of the zest for the glaze) mix them in. then turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, not to much flour or it will mix in and make the dough tough. shape into a disk about 1" thick, and cut like you would a pizza making a bunch of little triangle shapes. this will make about 8-10 large scones about starbucks's size. if you want the cute little sizes make 2 disks with your dough instead of one. get out a cookie sheet and spray with some spray oil, or lightly grease. bake at 350 for 12-15 mins, you want them to be set and just starting to get golden on the edges, do not over bake, they'll be dry. unless you like that sort of thing, then bake away!
when they're no longer hot, dig in and eat or pour a glaze over them like I do.

Orange Glaze
1/2c orange juice
1T orange zest
1c powdered sugar

mix together in a pyrex and gently pour over slightly warm Cranberry orange scones. this makes a lot of glaze, so you'll have enough for 2 coats of glaze

for a pumpkin glaze
1/2c water
1c powdered sugar
1/2t cinnamon
1/4t maple flavoring


I really hope you guys try these. they're amazing and always on my table on christmas morning, the perfect breakfast to grab inbetween gifts :)

calvin, is that you?

So Bright is on the very edge of being able to read whatever word is in front of him. he has a little ways to go, but still, he's a big boy! on one hand I want him to be able to read, on the other, I know it will mean I have ANOTHER max on my hands. all that means is, he'll pick up a book and I won't see him for days or until the book is finished. I am excited for that stage of Bright's life, and know that it will mean I won't be asked to play legos nearly as much. Anyway, he's been "reading" a lot of calvin and hobbes. he'll pick out words like "oh no!" and "AAAAAACCCKKK!" or things of that nature and he's pretty good at being able to tell what's going on in the comic just by looking at the pictures. oh, and it's about a boy with a HUGE imagination. Sound like a little boy you know? the similarities between my first born and calvin are endless.

Case in point:




If you look closely you can see on his Mayflower box he's written almost exactly what Calvin has written and in the same "font".
he was reading the comic strip and really thought it would be a good day to serve the public his special brew (aka, lemonade).
I may start reading more calvin in hopes to better understand what it is in my sweet boy that makes him snuggle me one second, and rumble down the hallway as a roaring monster truck, the next.

Just after max visited for a week in june, the boys and I were invited to a dairy farm with some friends. we drove way out west not knowing what to expect. Not sure how I got lost, since it seemed like only one road and tons of grass, but I did. Before long I figured out where I was and found my way to Spokane's Family Farm.
upon arriving we had a little lunch on some hay bales.


The Woman who runs the farm took us all on a tour and showed off her sweet kid loving animals. Here's a donkey, he even followed us around after all that petting.




Asher and bub braved the crowd and looked for eggs in the chicken coop. no luck.


This beautiful rooster was standing guard nearby. isn't he gorgeous?


Next were the horses. Everyone was feeding them and by the time it was our turn, the horses were full and uninterested. I this one felt sorry for my boys as he came over and politely nibbled. Asher was a tad unsure, so he only held out on blade of grass in an effort to look less desirable. this only made his fingers look yummier, and the horse gave them a taste. Asher wasn't bothered much, just annoyed his fingers were "wet".


We saw some cows out to pasture, and this is where a few were coming over to say hi.
asher was saying "gwoss, smewlls gwoss. jus gwoss"


And here's our last photo. After this was taken the boys had a melt down and we left shortly after. the tour was great, but a lot of it was eduacational for the parents benefit, and the kids got tired. this was taken in the milking area. Bright said "there's lotsa tubes and stuff"

June happenings

I know, once again I have let this blog go un-updated and I feel awful. mostly because it's max's way of keeping up with us. Consistency is not something I am very good at.

June was a month filled with happenings! The boys and I moved into our new home, though it was without max (and our household goods!) we were still very excited.
I picked up some temporary furniture, cooking utensils, and such from ikea and goodwill. I was loaned several other items from family and good friends, so I was able to set up house in a campy sort of way.

Max cam for a short visit in early june. we packed as many visits with friends and family as we could, and made sure to have some quality "us" time as well.
here is bright playing with one of his besties, Maddeck, Kyle and Laura's boy.


We all spent a day shopping for a bicycle for Brighton. he had a good time picking out his new bike and Toy Story helmet and knee pads.
Here he is trying it all out for the first time.


We have a huge field on the opposite side of the street from us belonging to a middle school. Max and the boys decided to play some ball.


Asher found a box, and played in it. he's like a kitten that way.


We also took trip a down to Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane. the squirrels were hungry so we obliged.




They also have rides there. here were are excited to ride. aren't we cute? and naive?


And this is when I imagined us all falling to our deaths.


a 2 year old in a rickety old ferris wheel chair with no seatbelt, flailing around in the air.not the greatest idea I've ever had. I must point out that we stayed up there while loading other passengers, so my little mind was going nuts for the longest 60 seconds ever. the did let us out, but not before "letting" us go around 2 more times. nice.

An end to a wonderful day. My loves: