Burstin' with Pride

It's taken 3 & 1/2 years of dedication, hard work, two taekwondo outfits, several different colored belts, and countless Hi-Yahs to get my boys their BLACK BELTS!! We are so proud of them!



They started back in 2004 when Nick was in first grade and Nolan had just turned five years old. They were hilarious to watch because they couldn't even do a jumping jack or push-ups. But while we sat and watched them test for their black belts on Saturday, it was evident they have transformed into very coordinated, strong, and confident boys. It was fun to watch them demonstrate all that they have learned. It truly is amazing how much they had to do to get their belts. It took about two hours for them to complete the entire test which included forms (a long series of blocks, punches, kicks, etc), sparring, self-defense moves, board breaking, and reading a thesis out loud to the audience about how Tae Kwon Do has affected their lives.


This is Nolan breaking one of five boards. He got to choose five different breaking techniques some hand and some foot. It was awesome!

Look at those feet high in the air! In the beginning they could barely kick higher than their kneecaps! We'd tease them endlessly about them being able to take out a rabid raccoon or a short goat, but these days I don't think any one would want to mess with these bad boys! I know for sure if I tried to kick that high, I would have to spend the rest of the day in the urgent care center.

They were so proud of themselves, you should've seen the looks on their faces when their Master tied the new black belts around their waists.

Just watch this video of Nicholas in action as he slices through all five boards! So cool!!! I think we have enough wood to construct a small house, maybe Hazel would like a new dog house???

I think this has been a great experience for them. It's taught them to stick with something and to know that with hard work you can reach a lofty goal! While at the same time has taught them respect, discipline, and confidence. Way to go boys, your dad and I are SO PROUD of you both!! Congratulations!!

I love a good practical joke...

One of our friends gave us a great idea to play a joke on our poor neighbor who just had their roof ripped to shreds. Our neighborhood is known for its strict covenants, if you break any you are quick to get a friendly reminder postcard in your mail box. Our neighbor across the street was the president of the board last year so we thought it would be funny to send her a bogus postcard stating the following:





Lake Winterwood October 19, 2007
Violation Notice

Please be advised that your new roofing material has not been approved by the Board. “Blue Tarp” is not on the approved color palette for homes in our development.

Additionally, your removal of trees from the community greenbelt has not been approved. The cottonwoods are meant for the enjoyment of everyone.

We will expect you to attend the next Board meeting to explain these actions.

Sincerely,A Concerned Neighbor

Hee hee hee....We are hoping they have a good sense of humor!!

Look what the wind blew in...

Alas... one more reason I don't like Fall..... Wind Storms!




Luckily, we don't have to worry about any large trees toppling down on our home. The only thing we have to watch for is the occasional lawn chair flying by or Hazel's food dish blowing away.




I wish the same were true for our neighbors across the street....























Isn't that awful!!?? Luckily, no one was hurt. They lost a total of seven trees in their back yard. A group of cotton wood trees came crashing down on the major trusses above their bedroom. She invited me in to see the damage and I was shocked to see an 8x8 foot hole in their master bedroom ceiling. They now have a lovely view of the sky.

She was the only one home at the time. Thankfully, she was downstairs getting her camera when the roof collapsed. She said she's never ran so fast in all her life to get out of the house because it sounded like the top floor was crashing down. SCARY!!






This is what it looked like from the backyard (that is Connor on the roof helping to cover the gaping hole with a tarp!). It's hard to believe no windows were broken!
Today a crane will be coming to lift the tree off of the house so they can start the process of rebuilding. They have a guest room in their basement, so that is where they will be sleeping for the next couple of months!

Don't you just hate it when bad things happen to good people? These neighbors are the BEST and I feel so bad that this happened to them. They've been working so hard the past 2 years renovating their home. At least now they will be getting the new roof they'd been talking about.

My boy is turning into a Mennen

Nick informed me last week that all of his buddies at school use deodorant. He asked me if I thought he needed any. In my head I was thinking..."I don't think so, you are only ten years old, you wash regularly, and you don't stink." But, of course, I said "You smell great to me, but if it would make you feel better I think you should get some."
So off to the store I went. I was not aware that almost all mens deodorant is designed to smell like you are either a lumberjack/hunter guy or giant line backer/wrestle mania man. Seriously strong scents going on in that aisle. Where is the scent that says I'm just a young kid who wants to grow up too soon but smell fresh scent? After much searching and sniffing I settled on the "ocean breeze" deodorant. How wrong can you go smelling like a fresh day at the beach.
Nicholas was beyond pleased with my purchase and the next morning, after his shower, he ran into my room and said..."Well I think I did it right!" He had come in to get my approval of his deodorant applying technique. I thought that was pretty funny! Luckily, it all was applied as intended and Nick happily went about his day smelling as fresh as a daisy at the beach.

Weed-B-Gone Needed

The other day, one of my favorite neighbors pointed something out to me that I really should've noticed on my own. Any observant mother would have had her watchful eye ready for what had happened. How did I miss it? I had been watching and waiting for this event for the past couple of years, wondering if it would happen. What is IT you ask?...

My sweet little 8 year old Nolan has grown taller than his big brother, Nick. He must have grown a couple inches just this past summer. Where have I been? How does his own mother not notice such things?

Now I've heard many a parent say "Oh, my kids are growin' like weeds." And I've witnessed many a kid grow by leaps and bounds. (My niece, Jesse, is the fasted growin' weed around!) I just think it's quite interesting that Connor and I have produced two very different plant varieties! We have Nolan the dandelion and Nicholas the bonsai tree.

How does big brother feel about the latest news to hit the family you ask? He's a stud! It doesn't seem to bother him in the least. He says he likes being the shrimp. He is looking forward to the days (maybe in highschool or college) that his growing years will kick it in high gear. I'm glad he's so open minded about the whole thing. It does help him to know that his father was vertically challenged until college. He grew to be 6 feet tall...so this is all the proof Nick needs feel comfortable in his size 8-10 pants. :)

As for me, I'm a little bit sad that my baby is so bloomin' tall and is too heavy for me to pick up without throwing my back out. How did he go from blowing raspberries in the highchair to being able to reach the plates in the upper cabinets so darned quickly? I guess I'd better just enjoy each day, because pretty soon I have a feeling he'll be looking down at me and asking for my car keys. YIKES!

Rachael Ray would be proud

I am not known for being a very good cook. Luckily, my kids think I'm the best, but really...what do they know? I think if I really put more effort into my cooking I'd actually be pretty good. But every once in awhile, I get inspired. Sometimes I just feel like trying something new. So when the mood strikes I like to visit one of my all time favorite websites. Have you ever visited http://www.allrecipes.com/? If not, you really should give it a try. You can find ANYTHING there and the best part is the recipes are rated and reviewed so you know if your creation is going to be good. You can even submit a recipe for all the world to try.



The other day, the fall weather (and an employee at Fred Meyer) inspired me to bake up a batch of some pumpkin apple bread. I found a fantastic recipe called Pumpkin Apple Struesel Muffins. They turned out delicious and my whole house smelled like a bakery. YUMMY!



The only problem is... I've eaten way too many of the yummy muffins, so now I must go do some time on the treadmill. Bon Appetite!