Smells like heaven

While Mads & Mina were napping...

Rulon and I made Erin's "Seed Bread" as Rulon calls it!

I'm not kidding around people, Rulon is cutest, most dedicated cooking helper I could ever ask for.

He was in it from start to end.

Measuring, smelling, mixing, pouring,

And you better believe he was super excited when I told him he needed to rub margerine all over his hands like lotion to help with the filling of the pans and shaping of the dough.  Thrills-ville!

I believe his words went something like this," Mom! I bet in 1st grade none of the other boys know how to make bread like this!! Or any bread really.  I could probably teach the lunch room workers how to make this best bread ever too.  They would probably say thank you so much to me because it would be pretty amazing."

 Here it is, Round one!

When we were in Raymond I ran over to Erin's house to WATCH the magic happen in her kitchen with my own eyeballs.  It helped! This bread turned out delish!!!  For dinner the boys just wanted to eat their mini loaves, nothing else.  Mmmmmm, Erin we loooove your "seed bread"!

AND WE LOVE YOU!!

Hmmm....

For the life of me I can't remember why we used to call him Rulon Monster.

Back in the day

I was just thinking about how much I love Chester!

I thought I really super crazy loved him back when this photo was taken in October 1998...

Not even sure how to say how much I love him now!

Even more!!!!!!!

Just a little poke.

Anyone curious how big the needle is that says "howdy do" to my backside each morning?

Well, here it is.

I am grateful for Dr. Chester who does the honors for me.

Now lets get us a bun in the oven!!

Said bun is scheduled to be transfered this Wednesday morning.

That's in 2 days.

Exciting!!!!

Hope that bun likes my oven :)

Oh me, oh my, a Mona pie (almost)

What naturally follows a Family Home Evening activity of picking a bazillion cherries?

Making cherry pies, of course.

It all began after the chillins were tucked in their cozy beds.

The googling "how to pit a cherry without a pitter tool"

The cherry pitting party for one.

The getting out of the baking ingredients, flour, salt, lard (what a yummy word)...

When Chester came home form work (and the gym or basketball or whatever) at midnight and I was in the middle of this...

 He was so excited that his tender heart bubbled over in praises of his hot little wife trying her best to make a Mona pie.  He loves that I love to learn this stuff.  I love that Mona answers my last minute 20 questions over the phone.

Well, there they are.  5 cherry pies. 

Baked ont the next day.

And gobbled a piece.  Hmm, I will improve.  But it was not bad at all!

If I keep practicing I will get to the point that I can share my pies.

If I keep practicing at 2am I will get to the point that the coma is permanent.

What fun!!!!!

Family Home Evening

A super nice neighbor invited us to pick some of his bazillions of cherries if we wanted to... yes please! So, for family home evening I was excited to have a great cherry picking activity followed by a simple lesson, scripture, etc, etc.  This was the only part that turned out well.  The rest of our FHE was mostly whining, melt downs, complaints and time outs.  I care not.  At least the activity was AWESOME!!!

 Mads was an extraordinary cherry picker.  He investigated each cherry closely to avoid ones that had been "pecked big time by a bird or munched by a bug"

Mina will taste anything she can get her hands on.

The expression hides the fact that she really liked them!!

Cherry juice washes right out, right?

Oh, and I was there too.

It was really fun!

Shag-ra-la

Mads requested a hair cut.

 I obliged.  Sigh, good bye cute shag hair.

Canadian Partay!!

Ok, Here are our favorites from our Canada Vacation!!!

Chester's

#1:  Softball with the family 

#2:  Staying up til all hours with the brothers.

 #3:  Motorcycles

#4:   His own beard

Julie's

#1:  Erin, my sister from another mother.

#2:  Mona, my other mother :)

#3:  Watching softball with Mina Miss.

(Thank you Amber for the photographic evidence

of my existence in Raymond each year)

#4:  The smiles on the faces of my happy, happy children.

#5:  Mona's magical everything... this happens to be cherry pie.

Rulon's

#1:  Riding in Grandpa Gordie's dump truck...

...and kickin off the dirt on the hitch

#2:  Watching softball and running the bases

#3:  Riding on Uncle Mark's Harley

#4:  Cousins, cousins, and more cousins!

#5:  Watching the fireworks with Auntie Amber

Mads'

#1:  The parade, cousins and candy

#2:  Hitting

#3: And running

#3:  Riding on Uncle Mark's Harley!

#4:  Food and drinks at the softball games.

(Watching the games was secondary)

Mina's

#1: Grandma Mona!!!!!

#2: Cousing Ophelie, who looked out for her as much as possible.

#3:  Watching the softball games... closely... from the back of her head.

We miss you Raymond Powelson Family!!!!!!!!!!!

See you soon!

"Mom, watch my tricks!"

When the boys ask me to watch their awsome tricks...

I drop whatever I might be doing

every time

grab the camera

sit down

and watch their every move with awe and wonder.

Well, this time I did anyway.

Sweet moves Rulon!

Kung Fu comin atchoo! Right on Madser Man!

Not to be outdone, Mina had a move or two.



I do believe she will decide to walk soon :)
Don't miss the kiss she blows at the end!