A little culture

On Saturday my Sexy Man loaded all of us up in "Clifford" (our big red suburban). He was on a mission. A mission to teach us all some culture and refinement. Off to the Museum of Art we went and heck or high water......he was going to make ladies and gentlemen of us all.

We learned a lot. We learned that you can't take food or drink into a museum so before you enter you have to eat your apple really really fast with big bites.




Second, we learned that we are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum cataloging our experience so that we could later look at the photos and see where we could improve on our manners, decorum, and posture.



Thirdly, (and my final straw) we learned that you are not allowed to sit down inside of the museum even if one of your little ones who is not so little wants to be held so instead of standing there trying to lug your 70 pound "baby" around you try to sit on the ground and hold him only to be told by security that you can't sit down.

Conclusion: If culture and refinement require security.....give me back my apple cuz I wanna chuck it at em.

Are ya kidding me?

The world is covered in white again.



Mother nature is spring cleaning. You can always tell when it is her shaking out her bedding filling it with new feathers instead of Old Man Winter rearing his ugly head.



Here's the difference. Can you see it? Can you see this lovely spring flower covered in down?



Don't be afraid or upset at this spring cleaning. Embrace it.




Even Mother Nature has to adhere to social etiquette and spring clean. It isn't her fault that she throws a temper tantrum every once in awhile and we get covered in down. I feel the same way and have been throwing items out my front door for weeks. Moving furniture and cleaning under, washing linens, rearranging.....organizing...reorganizing....and then reorganizing again only to throw it all out the door in the trash because I'm beyond trying to figure out how to organize it all. Happens every spring!

The Wedgie!

It's that time of year again. Has been since our first son started Cub Scouts 8 years ago. The SM has been helping our boys make these cars year after year. If you think the Super Bowl is huge, try being in our household around Derby time. For the last SEVERAL years we've had brothers competing against brothers. When we had The Natives close together it didn't even occur to us that someday Derby would turn into an ugly word.

Who do you cheer for? Thankfully, The Natives put their tomahawks aside and before the Derby we'd smoke peace pipes and put on our public face.

A couple of years ago The SM was out of the country and the Derby was looming ever closer and the cars that are always left to the last minute didn't look like they were going to get done since once again, brother would be competing against brother. Two cars needed to be made.

I do not believe in competition at all. I am a very level headed individual and believe that all of the boys should get a prize and all should be winners. I told The SM that I would make one of the cars and he could make one thus taking some of the pressure off of his broad strong shoulders. Beings as I am NOT competitive at all this should have relieved his mind especially when I told him that I thought it would be funny if the stay at home momma beat the genius engineer daddy. No pressure though because I'm not competitive at all!

The day of the Derby arrived and I ran and bought a kit to start my sons car. I hurried and cut it on the scroll saw and when I went to pick up The Native's  from school was madly sanding the sucker out in the parking lot. Got home and had my son paint the car to which we then applied a very scientific paint drying job approach with my hair dryer. The hour was close as we then madly dashed into the kitchen trying to find something to decorate the car with and our eyes lit on the stickers on the banana's. Pasted those suckers on and we had the "Chiquita" car! It was a beauty. Not that it mattered.......because I'm not competitive and I promise you I did NOT rub it in that The SM had spent days and hours on his while my son and I had whipped his together in one afternoon.

I probably should end the story here because it really doesn't matter who won that night. All are winners and every boy came home with a certificate and it didn't really matter that my son whose car I helped make came home with THE BLUE FIRST PLACE RIBBON because that isn't important nor was it really important for me to point out to my engineer SM that I'd beaten him because that would be unsportsman like conduct.

Thankfully, The SM is man enough to pat his little immature wife on the back and move on because he has helped his boys make many a winning car and last night was no different.





Here our Derby Native is setting up his red hot car there on the left.



Run after run after run that little red hot Mario Car flashed into first place heat after heat!



All of the boys got a certificate. An "award". The "most patriotic award" or the "coolest military car" award" or the "smoothest paint job" award.......Our native's was "the wedgie" award. Hee ha ho HA! Ahem...sorry......What a crack up!

Side Note: The SM does believe in having the boys participate in "the fun part" of building the car start to finish with one exception. The wheels......are not to be touched......except by his engineering hands......thus making this part of the car sacred. Don't mess with the wheels!

Upon closer inspection.

Every year at about this time as the bald eagles migrate they stop to rest for a tidge right here along the river trail. It is a magnificent sight to see.




Several times my boys have been out here riding horses and have spotted the eagles as they soar over their heads looking for their appetizer, lunch, emotional snack between lunch and dinner.......





It was on an eagle sight seeing outing that this photo was taken. The natives were running around, all were craning necks to see the tops of trees, the two younger natives being shoe less were being carried by my SM and oldest son.



When the photos were being taken I wasn't thinking about symbolism. I was just shooting photos.





It wasn't until I saw the photos on my computer after downloading them that I saw the photo with my son carrying his baby brother up close and it melted my heart and everything else in me.



I got to thinking about how so many times life is like this. We have so much going on around us that until we zoom in on something and focus on it we really don't see it or understand the situation.




And yet that doesn't always work.




Because sometimes we are too close to a subject or situation




and it isn't until we take a step back





that we see the bigger picture and can evaluate what exactly is going on. Life is complicated. I'm so full of wisdom today aren't I? It's terrifying really. Which is why I'll never be a very good photographer. I zoom when I should step back and I open things wide open when I should zoom. Kind of like my parenting.....

And the winner is.......

Before I announce I just want to say that 1st of all, this was a lot of fun for me watching all of your replies yesterday and 2nd, picking the winner is harder than I thought it was going to be because I like all of your answers.

Chastina's "Why Brothers are so important" is perfect. I thought about all of the different elements in that saying all day yesterday

Lelanie's "Little Britches" again says so much. The different levels here in this saying and also who "Little Britches" was.

The Lovelorn Eeyore Collecting Commuter's (there has got to be a story behind that name.....care to share?) "Bro, I got your back" once again has so many wonderful avenues.

Alex's "don't cowboy up or your back might get wet" is great. My sisters used to tease me and call me weetzer.

Kristen's "we would care for you as nursing mothers and carry you on our shoulders . . ." is beautiful. The story you posted is beautiful too. I hope everyone read it.

Ginna's "Little Piggy" is perfect again on so many levels.

Denae and Jody yes, you were late but I love your answers and am so glad that you posted even though you missed the deadline. How about this? We'll do this again some time cuz this is fun!!!

Okay, the winner! The winner is........

Before I can announce the winner I have to say that this is REALLY HARD because I really like all of the answers. Do I have to pick just one winner????


"Bro, I got your back!" is the winner. Eeyore takes the prize and I would love to deliver this prize but I've no idea who you are! :) Could you please e-mail me at trashrubow@gmail.com to accept your prize.

Thank you all for playing. Can't wait to do this again. Peace, love, and happiness! I'm off to a doctor's appt. on this blessed happy day.

Name this photo.

After looking and puzzling at this photo for quite some time I realized what it was that was disturbing me. This photo needs a name. I could sit here for hours trying to analyze and come up with a name myself but that would get my hiney all bunchy and I do not like having a bunchy hiney so I figured since spring decided to run away for a week I'd add some excitement and have a contest. A "name this photo" contest.

You have until 10:00 Pacific Time this evening (Tuesday) until the contest ends. The winner will be posted tomorrow and believe you me. You are going to want to win cuz I have a good prize in mind.

This is a photo of my oldest son carrying his baby brother on his shoulders. "Cowboy Up Homeland Security" is the saying on his t-shirt.

Only one entry please per person. On your mark, get set, GO!

Lemon, Poppy seeds, cold and grey outside....time to make some of these:

Lemon poppy seed muffins is what it says on the recipe. If you are my baby you call them cupcakes and if you are Levi you call them papa seed muffins!




Doesn't matter what you call them really, as long as they look like this and taste like this. When the kids have a day off from school I like to make these as a treat for them. The photo looks blurry but in actuality, it is steam from that just out of the oven muffin/cupcake. If you look at the top of the photo at the muffins still in the pan you can see the steam on them. Looks smokey. Kind of cool and would look even better if I knew how to take decent photo's and then photo shopped them.




It helps if you have an awesome sister like I do that buys you really cool jumbo muffin pottery like this one for Christmas years ago. It helps if your pan is covered in chips and cracks that are now stained brown. This is a well loved piece of kitchen crockery. Pieces of burnt batter on dripping off the edges gives it a nice touch too!




I used to be able to feed my entire family with that big jumbo muffin dish but the natives kept coming and so I have to make the jumbo ones and these to fill em all up. We eat a lot and I'm afraid it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better for a few more years.

The heat is rising....and not just outside.

The sound of noses honking and blowing can be heard from several various corners of our house which brings a question to mind. Why would a person want to "catch" a cold? It doesn't make sense to me.

"Ya, I was walking along and saw this person with green goo spurting forth and thought I'd like to catch me some of that so I reached out my hand as they walked by and I snatched their cold right out of the air as they launched it at me with a hacking cough".

It's like catching a bouquet of flowers at a wedding when the bride launches them into a crowd of hopeful young ladies. "I want that cold." "Noooo, I want that cold". "Get out of the way you old hag I want that cold".

Just because!

These showed up the other day.




I asked my SM what the occasion was and he said,




"Just because".




I love it when he spoils me "just because".

What every expectant parent needs to know before giving birth.

It is at times like these (family gatherings, birthday parties) that I am reminded of why family is so important.



My nephew Tyler and his wife Alex came to Levi's birthday. Their gift to Levi was this rubber chicken.





Not just "any" rubber chicken.




I am so grateful for older cousins sharing in these special moments and for the example they are to their younger and very impressionable cousins.

My sister will be so proud of her son and the things he is passing on to the younger generations.



And the more my nephew and beautiful niece pass onto my children.....it's catching you know?



Makes me want to return the favor. I can't wait until they have their baby!

It's his birthday and I'll cry if I want to!

On Monday we celebrated Levi's 7th birthday.





Before the dinner of macaroni and cheese which he asked for, cake, ice cream, and festivities, Levi's happy day started with donuts early in the day at school and when he got home a day at "Randle's". "Hey Randle" he calls Kristen. "Hey Randle, thanks for letting me ride Sophie". Levi is the only one who can call her that.

Thank you G for taking such fun photo's and K for letting us spend the afternoon riding with you.




This was one gift that needed to be opened before the rest of the party could go on.




Not that we don't already have several of these lying around but with a house full of male natives they each think they need their own and Levi needed his own to participate........




in this! It isn't a proper birthday party around here unless you have one of these. Poor Mr. Short Shanks here is slightly disadvantaged I think. But only with the hitting part. When the goodies fall....he's closer in range thus walking away with a fairly fuller bag of candy then the other natives.



Brings new meaning to "Kung Foo Panda".



My baby girl knows what this is all about. No wimpy hitting from the side. She realizes that yes, she's holding a baseball bat but this is when good form becomes bad form. A karate chop down straight down does the most damage.




This would be where my SM jumps in and grabs the bat out of this natives hands deciding blindfolding the older natives, turning them in circles, only results in the natives hitting the wall and door jam instead of the pinata.

We believe in recycling around here. After the pinata is bashed to pieces we'll be taking what paper mache is left to patch up the walls.




The older the native the more handicaps they are given. This one had to be not only blind folded but on his knees.




This native is right handed so he had to use "only" his left hand, blind folded, and on his knees.......




And this native........speaks for itself!

My baby.

When ever I have seen other mother's babying their babies it has just disgusted me.
"I will NEVER baby my baby" I would say.




Look at the look on this natives face! Is it not pitiful? Doesn't it look like his little heart is just broken because his mother had the audacity to suggest he walk instead of being carried? Those are real tears man!




And I fall for it every time.........I think I need to have another one before I completely ruin this one with all of the babying.

Spring

You know it's spring when:

• the yard waste garbage truck starts waking you up at the unearthly hour of before the sun is up with it's beep beep beep while backing up to dump your neighbors trash.

• all of the Robin's this side of the Mississippi have landed in your back yard and are rehearsing in the wee hours before the sun comes up for the upcoming spring fest of "Show Me Your True Colors" and "Love Me Tender".

• the winter thaw has started and all that was covered and frozen in the form of dog bombs in your back yard are now no longer frozen and are filling the air with their aroma.

• the natives are late for school because you are madly trying to find their shoes, socks, coats, sweatshirts, etc. and when found the guilty parties show you soggy frost bitten clothing because in the morning it had been cold outside but as the day had progressed more was taken off and dumped where ever in the yard as the temperature had risen and then left for the night outside as the elements take on it's dampening hold.

• when the natives look like glazed donuts from ever runny noses because of the fluctuation in temperatures which might have to do with the above paragraph.

• last but not least.......when all of the above happens you don't care cuz you are tired of winter and are ready to throw yourself into SPRING!
  

We're back together again. Counseling will do that for ya.

Thank you all for your counseling and suggestions. As you can see, my blog decided to take me seriously and shape up. The side bar is lifted back up where it belongs (on the side) and is no longer sagging below.

Let this be a lesson. I'm all about appearances and if my blog can't hold its end of the deal up then I'm outa here! Ya hear? Outa here! And that is my final word on the matter.

It's broken I tell ya!

This here blog. It is broken. Time will do that I suppose. All of my side bar stuff slid south and is now at the "bottom" of the page.

I find it really irritating that over time all things slide south. I have tried and tried to get my side bar stuff back up to where it is supposed to be but no amount of exercising will get it back up there. It is forever sagging below.

I even tried putting my blog under the knife that is how desperate I am feeling but even that didn't work. I tried different templates but the side bar continues to sag.

Any of you out there know how to fix this problem because if this continues I just may have to divorce my blog if it can't keep it's end of things up! I'm shallow......I know...so please if anyone knows how to solve this problem I could use some counseling/tutorialing.

Inconvenience update.

The library called with some most inconvenient news. They found my drivers license! Apparently, the library book I'd taken to MT with me was a thief and ate my library card I was using as a book mark.

Of all the inconvenient timing!! Could they not have called me BEFORE I'd admitted to my SM that I'd lost the dang thing? Do they not understand the pleasure he has taken in teasing me after all of the years I've gotten after him for losing his wallet, his license, his credit card, his keys, etc.

This is most inconvenient........

Well this is inconvenient!

The other day a friend of mine who is oh so sweet took me for a spin in her new car up to "the big city". She took me to a store that is evil. Very very evil. It is full of all sorts of kitchen gadgets and chocolate. Hoards and hoards of chocolate.

When we left I told myself that I would be strong. I would withstand all temptation and not spend a dime. I don't need another gadget.

Apparently, I did cuz I ended up in line at the check out. It was my turn to pay and as I gave the cashier my credit card she asked, "may I see some I.D."? No problem, I went to give her my drivers license and IT'S GONE!

I dug around in my purse thinking it may have gotten lost in its endless depths but no. When I got home I looked in my jeans I'd worn last but no! Tracing back to the last time I'd used it was at the airport on my way home for I.D.

Do you know what this means? I have to get another one!!! I have to go through the whole bad hair photo experience! Not only that, but with my brain these days I have to retake the test and what if I fail??? Do you know how much fun the natives would have with that one?

And the worst part of this whole story.......if there can be a worst with the whole bad hair taking a photo part.......I tease my SM all the time about losing his!! Dang it! I hate it when things like this come back to bite me in the bum.

Oh my!

The other day whilst I was holding down the couch I looked over into my kitchen and saw this.



I love it when I witness moments like these. Makes me want to have a dozen more just like em.....almost.......



Until I notice what book my son is reading to his baby brother, "Where do babies come from".....