Bricked

Playing Legos with the kids...


Don't touch the outlet, Superman!!

I love these days. There won't be nearly enough of them. I am re-learning how to appreciate my children and every moment with them - being amazed by each thing they do and learn.




And then Rocky beat up Superman. Apparently Rocky is more than just an amazing boxer. Ha ha.


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Potty Training Volume 2 Issue 3 - well, that was easy

Potty training is (almost) officially done. In basically one day. She still hasn’t pooped in the potty (she’s done it twice in her undies) but I think that is just a matter of me paying better attention, and her getting used to doing it on the potty. It’s a lot of new stuff for one stinker to learn! And she’s done SO well!

We’re doing the potty-every-half-hour routine, and so far she’ll go right away by herself to the potty and go pee. Her diaper was dry when she woke up this morning, and she went pee right away in the potty. She’s been dry all day (she doesn’t pee when she poops, and I think that is part of why it’s hard for her to learn to poo in the potty – she used to poop in a perfectly dry diaper before we started potty training).

I’m so grateful that it was so easy. I feel like I can go back to life as normal again. Things are going to get better. I know it.

PS – the kids are so entertained in this picture because I took it with the webcam and they could see themselves on the computer screen. They thought that was hilarious. I LOVE these babies!!

Potty Training Vol 2 Issue 2

Why do I feel like I've done this before?




We originally started with Joseline back in February, but she was too stubborn (and I too impatient) for it to work. Maybe if had been more patient.... Anyway, the important part is that we had brains enough to stop. And then life happened (a LOT) and we had brains enough to know we should wait until things got a little less crazy (that is, we waited until I got a little less crazy - but that is another story entirely).

Now we're back at it - and we decided to do it kind of randomly yesterday.



So far (about and hour and a half) we're already to the timer phase - I set the timer for 10 min (I started with 15, but after she went to the potty herself(!) once before the timer rang I shortened the intervals to 10 min just to make sure it wasn't a fluke). I think she just wanted a cookie...

No accidents (yet - I'm prepared for it to happen, but crossing my fingers that it doesn't).

This second time around has been easier than Vincente ever was!

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Motorcycle Family

When the weather is good, we like to ride on Papai’s motorcycle. Vincente has a DOT approved helmet we found at DI, so Russ will take him around the block (just on our neighborhood streets) and back.

Joseline had never been on a motorcycle before this picture was taken, and she freaked out. Russ was just letting them ride while he pulled the bike into the garage. Silly babies.

When Russ and I go on dates, our preferred mode of transportation is the motorcycle is the weather is even half decent. Our favorite rides together were in California when we rode to Santa Cruz for a marriage retreat, and then our frequent rides to the movie theater in Monterey. That ocean air all around you, the smell of sea brine, the cool breeze – it was perfect. We miss that place a lot, and if we get a chance to go back we will in a heart beat!

Now our motorcycle dates are usually to the dollar theater in Sandy or West Valley.

Russ is such a responsible motorcycle driver, and so observant. I never worry about riding with him on his bike (ironically, I’m more scared riding with him driving a car than I am with him riding a bike…)

Buying that bike is probably one of the best decisions we ever made! And it’s paid for, which makes it that much sweeter.

Teach Me How To Jimmer

Ahh…. Jimmer Fredette.
Well, when things got crazy with Jimmer Fredette, we had to watch a few games. I think we watched a few games leading up to March Madness, and then we watched the sweet sixteen game when they lost (you know, when Jimmer practically choked). Anyway, the games leading up to March Madness were fun, and Vincente quickly learned who Jimmer was.

I watched this music video with Vincente, and he quickly learned the “chorus”: “Teach me how to Jimmer, teach me, teach me how to Jimmer.” He was a Jimmer fan from the first time he knew who Jimmer was.

A few days after seeing this video (and maybe watching a game or two) Vincente was out on the deck “shooting hoops” and ran to the door to tell me, very excitedly, “Look, Mamãe!! I’m Jimmer!!” and proceeded to carry the ball across the deck and dunk it.

Later in the summer, the BYU Alumni magazine had a four-page fold out of Jimmer, and Vincente wanted to hang it on his wall.
It was there for a while until Joseline ripped it into a few pieces. Crazy child.

Back Again

Well, here I am, a month between posts again, with not really much desire to post anyway, but feeling like I should (since it’s been so long…)

Writing usually makes me feel better, but right now all I can think about it all the things that need to get done and haven’t in the past few days (weeks?).

Basically I feel behind, overwhelmed, sick, and tired (allergies, anyone?). Blah.

Neighborhood Fun Run

The first weekend of June is our neighborhood’s annual Fun Run. It’s free, fun, and mostly just for kicks.

 

This is our first year to participate, but I am sure it won’t be our last. It was really a lot of fun to get out with our neighborhood, and the run was around our neighborhood, so it was perfectly safe for the kids.

They had a 1/2 miler, a 1 miler, and a 5K. I would like to do the 5K next year, but this year I just did the 1/2 miler with the kids.

This year the run was on a drill weekend, so Russ wasn’t there, but we had a blast anyway!

Vincente ran almost the entire 1/2 mile (I was so proud of him!) and I ended up carrying Joseline for most of the 1/2 mile – I figure that carrying a 20-something pound two-year-old would make up for the fact that it was only a 1/2 mile.

Don’t you love it! And look at that Army haircut
(he wanted me to cut his hair like “Papai”)

Vincente at “parade rest” – don’t you love that serious “attention” look?
What a kid.

And then when people noticed his haircut he would say
“You can call me ‘Papai’”
Ba ha ha ha! Such a funny kid!!

Backyard Campout

We love camping. A lot. You wouldn’t know because we haven’t really ever been camping since we were married (other than the summer we spent in a cabin at Scout Camp – which was pretty much the most adventurous thing we have ever done).
Memorial Day weekend this year (2011) was the perfect opportunity for us to head out on a long awaited adventure. We were going to do it. It was going to be a blast. Then we looked at our budget. There was no way we could pay for a campground and gas to get there and still be able to pay the bills. Being the responsible (HA!) grown-ups we are, we decided to have a backyard campout.

It ended up being perfect. The weather was fine (a little cold, but hey, camping out is about roughing it, so that was perfect). Our backyard was mostly a big level area of dirt, perfect for pitching a tent. So pitch a tent is what we did. Then we started up a fire and cooked tinfoil dinners, then roasted marshmallows for S’mores, and then stayed up late into the night eating horrible snacks around the campfire, simply enjoying one another’s company. Then we piled into our little tent (we have got to upgrade before we go on a real campout) and spent the night enjoying the outdoors in our backyard. Doc stood guard over the campsite. And then slept in the tent with us. That sweet dog. We really like him!
Because I have lots of pictures about this campout, and not much to say, I have included recipes of the evenings food for your camping enjoyment!

And remember, you don’t have to even leave your backyard to have an adventure! Camping can be super fun (and super cheap) if you just camp in your backyard. You can even invite a few neighbors over and pull out the guitar and ukulele (what we always did at family campouts) and sing some fun camp songs.  Don’t know any camp songs? Check out the LDS Young Women’s camp songs on the Church website. Or just do a Google search for camp songs. You won’t come up empty, I’m sure of it.
Tin Foil (aka “Hobo”) Dinnerspotatoes
carrots
onions
meat (ground beef, chicken, steak, whatever whets your appetite)salt
pepper
other seasonings as desired (we use seasoned salt and a little garlic powder – we love garlic!)butter
square pieces of tin foil
---------------------------Slice the veggies (potatoes, carrots, onions, and any other veggies you decided to use) very thinly. If desired, spray your tin foil with non-stick spray, then line with carrots, then potatoes, then onions, then meat, then layer it again, but backwards (onions, potatoes, carrots). Your meat should be surrounded on all sides by the veggies – otherwise your meat will get dry and your veggies will be crunchy. No one likes a hobo dinner that is crunchy. On each layer, sprinkle some of your seasonings, and add a little blob of butter.
Once you are finished layering your food, take two sides of the tinfoil and pull them together, forming a triangle with the tinfoil (your food is at the bottom of the tinfoil). Roll the top (where the ends meet) down until it is tight on top of the food. Then roll up the ends.
Throw your dinner on the hot coals. Let it cook about 5-10 minutes on each side (depending on the amount of veggies, etc). When it’s done, dump it all out on a plate and enjoy!
Campfire Cornenough ears of corn for everyone in your campsite (plus extras if you want to share with the neighbors) – do not shuck your corn
salt water
-------------------------------------Make a big bucket or bowl of cold salt water and soak your (unshucked) corn for a few hours (we only let ours soak for about an hour and a half, and that was fine). About five minutes or so after you put your Hobo dinners on the coals, set your unshucked ears of corn on the coals as well. Turn the corn constantly – every few minutes or so – until the husks start looking cooked. It probably will only take about 5 minutes to cook the ears of corn. Take them off the coals and let them cool for a minute (probably about as long as it takes you to unwrap your Hobo dinner). Pull the husks down, but leave them on the corn – no need for ear holder things, just hold the husks. Smother your cob of corn in butter and salt, and enjoy!


S’moresAs if I need to post this recipe.name brand graham crackers (I’ve tried store brand, and unless they are different, store brand crackers are too crumbly to squish the marshmallow – our favorite brand is Honey Maid, but you use whatever you like – or have a coupon for)Hershey’s chocolate (again, a place you should not skimp when it comes to S’mores)Large Marshmallows (here, doesn’t matter what the brand is. But we tried these chocolate swirl marshmallows a while ago – WHOO HOO they were yummy)------------------------------------------------
   Take a whole graham cracker and break it in half. Place three squares (more if you like) of chocolate on one of the crackers. Place the marshmallow on a roasting stick. Hold it over the coals, turning constantly. Don’t worry that it doesn’t brown up all at once – the key to a perfectly brown marshmallow is to be patient, and turn it constantly. Once the marshmallow is all goldeny-brown, lay it (using the roasting stick) on top of the chocolate cracker. Take the other cracker and smash it down on top of the marshmallow. Slowly pull the roasting stick out of the marshmallow. This is the perfect way to make a S’more with the least amount of stickiness.