3anklebiters

Henny Penny's House, Est. Jan. 2012

2012-01-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

The roofing crew came and finished putting the tin on the roof. We recycled the old roofing from the shop for the chicken coop. The tin was removed from the shop as the wind had damaged it in several places. But, the shop is much larger than the coop and we had undamaged lengths enough to cover the coop.

This is the final product. In the spring it will get the finishing touches of caulking, paint, window screens, a chicken door at the back and landscaping. We will be adding a fenced and covered run behind it, along the goat pasture fence. The additional space will be necessary as Keeli wants more hens that lay clean (AKA white) eggs and Tatum wants to try raising turkeys.

Inside it is warm and toasty, compared the to the rough living the chickens have had the past few months. They have several roosting options and these vintage tin nesting boxes. I found them on the curb as leftovers waiting for the second-hand store to pick up after a local tag sale.

The girls - and Bob the Rooster - can also access the window for a view of the great outdoors, or at least a view of the goats wandering around the pasture.

C-C-C-Cold Construction

2012-01-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

Although we are in the middle of winter, it is - apparently, according to Rick - time to build the chicken coop. It all started with constructing the base and wall frames on the driveway.

Then, we moved the platform and all four walls out to the "building site" and started assembling. At first Rick wanted to just carry everything across the yard. But, his construction crew consists of me and the puppy. The platform includes 10 4x4s and there is no way I'm carrying that anywhere! We loaded all the parts on the trailer and drove across the yard.

After the platform was leveled, the walls went up. The door of the coop will face the yard and the chickens will have access to the pasture from a little chicken door at the back of the coop.

The roof supports and siding went up quick and easy. Thankfully! The wind had picked up and the temperature had started to drop drastically. It was time to call it a day.

Rick was left to contemplate installing the window and how he will provide access for an extention cord for a heat lamp in cold weather. Construction will resume and conclude this weekend!

I found some vintage tin nesting boxes at a junk sale this summer. These will be installed, along with a roost or two, a hanging feeder and a chicken nipple watering system. Can't wait to get the chickens back in a coop and on a regular laying schedule.

Cooter the Crazy Dog

2012-01-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

The newest member of our little farm, Cooter, is now 3 months old. Isn't he a handsome little fellow?!

He is a border collie, Austrialian shephard cross. He currently keeps us on our toes at all times.

Over the past two weekends as we have been constructing the new chicken coop, Cooter has attempted to be as involved as possible, like all the other family members. For him, this meant chewing the corners off random 2x4s, carrying off boxes of screws/nails and engaging Rick in a game of keep away with small hand tools like measuring tapes, pencils and saws.

Another V-ball player!

2011-12-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

The 5th grader boys completed their volleyball season the last week of classes before Christmas break. It was his first time on the court trying to master this sport and he did AWESOME! Must be genetic.

He is very focused on learning sports, but struggles for acceptance among the other players as he is usually the smallest on his teams. Size is such a big deal to boys!

He isn't afraid to show off his mad skilz! LOL. He thinks he is setting, but doesn't quite have all the motor skills happening in the right order or combination yet. For those who think volleyball is easy, it actually requires your entire body to be doing the right things in th right order to move the ball. It isn't an easy sport to master.

But, Rikard gives it his all everytime!

We have a few weeks before his basketball season starts up at school. Tatum's club volleyball season starts up the first week of the new year. She was moved up to a U-14 tournament team (she's only 12), so the heat is on.

Christmas memories

2011-12-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was fairly low-key at our house. No visitors. Just us. An an agenda to rip open all the presents we could and eat all the cookies and candy in the kitchen!

After what seemed like hours and hours of getting chores done (can you hear the whiny pre-teen?), throwing the turkey in the oven, attending a quick church service and getting some breakfast, the kids finally got to attack their presents. Rikard wanted to take a few minutes and organize all the gifts into piles for each receiver so it was quicker handing them out later. It was quite comical to watch him compare the sizes and sounds all the boxes made.

Keeli, in true 7-year-old fashion, didn't need much more than the first gift she opened. She has been "arting" (as she calls what she does with an art set) up a storm ever since. We didn't see or hear much from Tatum all day as she found an e-reader under the tree and is now absorbed in an endless supply of books.

Before the morning was over, the kids pitched in and cleaned up the mess. I don't decorate much and the trees will remain up during Rick and the kids' break from school.

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

The kids were invited last weekend to a cookie decorating party at Legacy Farms (the Christmas tree farm that neighbors our property). They grabbed their aprons and raced over!

More than 300 shaped sugar cookies were waiting for the army of kids that arrived on their doorstep. Rikard and Tatum were among the "older" kids who took part, that's why he looks so tall next to the others. If you look closely, each of Rikard's cookies is covered with jelly beans. Sprinkles just weren't enough for him.

Keeli was very methodical. She chose three of each shape, decorated the trees green, the Santas red, the chickens yellow, the stars white, etc. And, showing her frugal side, she made sure she didn't open a full bottle of sprinkles until checking to see if there was a partially used one already on the table somewhere.

There were also craft projects for the kids to create ornaments, picture frames and other holiday decorations. It is amazing how some paper, foam sheets, cut outs, scissors and glue can transform a room filled with crazy kids into a room filled with quiet, busy kids.

In all, 20 kids participated and took home containers filled to the brim with beautiful cookies they took pride in creating.

When we were all done, the all the kids posed outside with Annabelle (the vintage Chevy) and Miss Lisa (in the red apron). Tatum is standing next to Lisa (yes, in shorts), Keeli is in the center front on the truck bed in the purple jacket and Rikard is in the top row on the truck bed straight above Tatum in a black/white sweatshirt.

Santa Claus

2011-12-16T23:18:00.000-08:00

Santa paid a visit to Greenbluff so the kids lined up to tell him their wants/needs/desires and get their photo taken. We had a great time at the Greenbluff Grange's Christmas party! They even got to bring home to giant jingle bell necklaces - how lucky was that?!

Trouble with William

2011-10-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Rikard has been pestering us for about two years about wanting to switch his goat business from focusing on raising meat goats to raising fiber goats. Over the summer he met a woman who rescued some pygora goats and arranged to get these two - Trouble and William - at no cost. Maybe he has a future in business!

My friend Francine and I made a road trip over the weekend to bring these guys home. Currently our herd is seperated and these guys are settling in with the babies born last spring quite nicely.

William appears to be a standard angora. He is the biggest goat in our herd other than the billy. He is nearly 2 years old and was recently castrated so hopefully he and his horns stop growing.

He has 6-8 weeks of growth right now and won't be sheered again until early spring. His wool is a nice creamy white color and hangs in lovely ringlet curls.

Meet Trouble. Trouble and William are brothers, but not twins. LOL. Trouble is about the same size as our 2-year-old withers. He has a sweet little face and is a very gentle little guy.

His wool is straigher than a standard angora and grows straight out from his skin. He is like a big black/grey puff ball. He also has about 6-8 weeks of growth, but he doesn't produce as much length as quickly as William.

And, over at the hen house, we welcomed Lucy and Ethel. I found these girls listed on craigslist. They are urban chicks who lived a life of luxury sharing a big house and yard for the past three years. Their lease was up! They are slowly but surely adjusting to country life with a big family on Green Bluff.

Gone Visitin'

2011-09-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend on a spur of the moment road trip to the Yakima Valley to visit family and - of course - collect some fantastic fruit.

The kids all got some extra hugs and giggles from Grandma Bert. Bert had ordered us eight 40 lbs boxes of fresh pears. We spent the next several days waiting for them to ripen. Since then we've been canning and baking all sorts of wonderful things.

We made a quick trip out to the farm to visit Papa Charlie. He gave the kids another of his famous tours around the yard and helped them pick apples that were way to green. He taught the kids to use them to play fetch with Girly the dog.

And, what's a visit to the farm without a little bit of time spent giving back to Uncle Joe what he dishes out! Actually, when we arrived he was taking a nap and he was so tired from all the "work" they'd been doing, these three monsters and the overexcited Girly didn't interupt his snores!

Back to School

2011-09-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today, everyone returned to school for the 2011-2012 year. It was Tatum's first day of middle school - such a "precious" time. She was completely unhappy that I was snapping pictures as she is too old for this. Can you tell?

Next, it was a race to the bus. You can just see Rikard reaching the bus door and Keeli scrambling to catch up. Not only was it Keeli's first day of 1st grade, but it was her 7th birthday! Happy Birthday to Keeli! The shopping bag is filled with her favorite snacks, cheese and Ritz crackers for everyone.

Rick is teaching 8th grade science this year, specifically physics and earth science. He had to move his classroom down the hall and around the corner at the end of last school year, but on the up-side he now has a window to the outside. A little sunshine never hurt anyone's perspective.

Bob vs. Stubby

2011-08-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

There is no love lost between these two competitors. When they enter the cage (aka barnyard) IT - IS - ON! Stubby gets her coyote face on, snaps her jaws, yips and darts at Bob. Bob doesn't even flinch. He lets Stubby take a couple of stabs and then he charges her. She takes off running, only to come back for Round 2, and Round 3 and Round 4. If we let them, it would go on from sun up to sun down.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2011-08-28T23:55:00.000-07:00

We gathered recently to celebrate Grandma Mary's 90th birthday!

As most of you know, I have a BIG family that can sometimes overwhelm. We are missing a few, but I'm going to attempt to name everyone. Front row (l-r): Tatum Holestine, Keeli Holestine, Manda Moore, Rikard Holestine, Charlie Lyons. Middle row (l-r): Bailey Gilchrist, Kelly Lyons, Tabitha Lopez, Shaney Lyons, BIRTHDAY GIRL MARY LYONS, Jim Lyons, Madison Lyons, Michael Lyons. Back row (l-r): Kate' Lyons-Holestine (that's me), Rick Holestine, Jennifer, Brian Lux, Joyce Lyons, Brett Lyons, Tami Lyons.

Fruity Cordials

2011-08-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

I will pick the last of the raspberries from the patch tonight and head out to a local orchard (Cherry Hill) tomorrow for my last batch of fresh picked cherries. I need a few more pie cherries to dry and maybe make a cherry crisp.

After every batch of jam I've made the past few weeks, there has been enough berries to do something with, but not enough for another batch of jam. What to do?! Then, I remembered a good friend saying something about cordial so I searched the internet for recipes. Be careful what you seek, there are nearly as many cordial recipes as there are people who drink cordial.

The raspberry cordial (on the right) is made with 2 lbs. of whole berries, 2 cups of vodka and 1 cup of sugar. It took about 5 days for the sugar to dissolve and the fruit to start breaking down. You can see a layer of seeds at the bottom of the jar.

The cherry cordial is made with a mix of bing and rainier cherries. I had two large bowls full of cherries and am home alone for a few days. It contains 2 lbs. cherries, 2 cups sugar, 3 whole allspice, 1 cup of brandy and 1 cup of rum. Hopefully the bing cherries will add some of their deep red color to the mix. I don't like the dirty look of the rum/brandy mix. The sugar dissolved better in this mixture, but you can still see a thin film of sugar at the bottom of the jar. I'm sure this is going to be one "sweet" drink when it is ready.

I used these wonderful 2 quart Kerr canning jars that I rescued from my aunt's garage. As a kid I remember her making grape juice in them - it was wonderful stuff. I'm hoping these cordial recipes turn out as well.

Happy 2011!

2010-12-31T21:51:00.000-08:00

We started our New Year's Eve celebration off at the top of the world - or as close as we could get staying near home. We went sledding near the top of Mt. Spokane and had a great time. It was very, very cold, but there was enough sunshine to keep everyone's spirits up and smiles wide.

This was an enormous hill with a healthy drop at the top to get our speed up and a long run at the bottom to keep the thrill going! The entire run was 200+ yards long. Yes, our crazy dog, Stubby, chased every sled down the hill at breakneck speed and happily romped up the hill with the kids. The fun really started once the kids realized Stubby would chase an empty sled down the hill.

This is the fabulous view afforded us from near the peak of Mt. Spokane. This is looking southwest at about 3:30 p.m.

The temperatures dropped to 2-degrees F by dinner time. We stayed home, near the fireplace with a big simmering pot of chili, some cornbread and sparkling apple cider to ring in 2011. Watch out Jan. 1, 2011 - we're headed to a New Year's Day auction at State Line.

Fiascos and other fun

2010-11-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

Tatum attempted to make her first fancy cake in a fluted pan. This is a vintage Bundt® pressed aluminum pan that we picked up at a yardsale for 50¢ last summer. She's been itching to use it and with Nana coming to visit, she decided to try. Next time she will remember to treat the pan with some sort of spray or oil. The top half of the cake is stuck in the pan.

Keeli decided to take advantage of Nana's visit by getting a pink and purple toenail painting session. One toe is pink, the next is purple, the next is pink ... You get the idea. Nana has 5 more glorious days of this treatment.

This is Rick having the most fun he's had in weeks. It may be 7:44 a.m. on Sunday, but he isn't gearing up for fantasty football. He's headed across the skybridge to the airport and ultimately Los Cabos. Wait for me!

Scouting for food

2010-11-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

The Weblos went out today collecting non-perishable food donations for the Boy Scouts annual food drive. Our donations benefit 2nd Harvest Food Bank. To celebrate their success, the boys all went roller skating this afternoon.

Please consider donating to your local food bank. There are so many underprivileged children who depend on food banks. Many of these are chidlren who get most of their daily nutrition from free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs at their schools which are not available during the upcoming holiday school breaks - when so many of us enjoy hearty, wonderful meals with our families. 'Tis the season!

Baby steps

2010-11-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Freedom! I've gotten released to return to work and start taking baby steps on the broken leg/ankle. I'm not really walking, just hobbling along putting about 25% of my weight on the right foot, but it beats sitting in that recliner all day.

This is the most recent xray. As you can see (becaues I can't) everything is healing well, maybe even a bit ahead of schedule. I am now using crutches and taking little walks about the house and even went out to enjoy the sunshine on the deck this afternoon.

I go back to the doctor in four weeks to check my healing progress and schedule surgery to remove that really long screw that is holding the tibia and fibula together. Won't be able to walk with that in there!

Halloween Fun

2010-10-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

We had a houseful of company for the weekend, so everything seemed rushed, but we tried to pack all the holiday fun in we could.

Rikard has been dreaming, planning and designing his costume for months. Here he is in all his zombie mummy glory! It was impossible to get him to hold still so every photo has a different part of him in focus. UGH! Boys!

The girls were a bit easier. Keeli wanted to be a stick of pink cotton candy. She looks really good in person when her tulle is fluffed and pulled away from her body. Tatum is the Queen of Hearts, complete with pre-teen cranky attitude.

Saturday evening we took Papa Charlie and Uncle Joe to a local Halloween festival, complete with haunted house and games. Tatum spent most of her tickets at this crazy bowling game. Apparently this game had the best candy prizes.

At the end of the evening the kids talked Papa Charlie into the cake walk. There were three cakes left and when the first number was drawn it was the person next to Rikard. The second number drawn was someone else. Rick and I were excited that we didn't have to take a cake home. Then, Papa Charlie hit his lucky streak and won a candy corn cake!

Celebration cake

2010-10-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. My dad, Jim, is wearing the red shirt, and my mom, Joyce, is wearing the floral shirt. Here they are with my mother's siblings. To the left is Nancy (mom's older sister) and Ron, married 53 years. Immediately to the right of my parents are John (mom's brother) and Marcia, married 43 years. Farthest to the right is Jim and Paulette (the baby of the family), married 27 years.

My brother and sister-in-law did most of the preparation for the party, cooking, cleaning, organizing and inviting. They did a great job and everyone had a great time and more than enough to eat. We had a house full for the evening and enjoyed seeing cousins who traveled from far and wide for the celebration.

I decided to make a cake to take along. I found this recipe in a cookbook that was compiled as a fundraiser for my former workplace, Big Bend Community College. It is called Painted Peach Cake. It is simple and very tasty. My neice said it tasted like Christmas.

Blend together one white or yellow cake mix, 5 eggs and 6 oz. cream cheese. This will be much thicker than a normal cake batter, like a pound cake. Grease and flour a bundt pan well. Spread 2/3 of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Place 1 cup sliced and well drained peaches on top of batter, making sure none are touching the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cinnamon (red hot) candies. Top with remaining batter.

Top with remaining batter and bake at 350-degrees F for 35-45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting and removing.

This is a wonderfully moist and very tasty cake, a great change from your ordinary bundt cake.

Apple Pie

2010-10-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful children suprised us recently with their first ever team-effort apple pie. It definitely had the appearance of being constructed by enthusiastic youngesters in the kitchen.

After dinner, it was served up with big scoops of vanilla ice cream. It was *delicious.* When we cut it open we found a treasure trove of stories to share for years and years and years. The top crust was nearly 3/4" thick where the larger stars were located, and while golden brown on top it was barely cooked in the middle. Most of the apple slices still had their peel in tact. They forgot to add sugar.

Despite all these crazy things, it was a wonderful dessert shared with our children.

Apples & Eggs

2010-10-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

My family loves - L-O-V-E-S - apples. Red apples. Yellow apples. Sweet, juicy apples. Green apples. Apples that make you pucker.

After washing and slicing, they are put into the dehydrator. Some are left au-naturel, some are sprinkled with cinnamon for a little added anti-oxident and a flavor explosion.

After a couple of hours, the house is filled with the sweet, warm smell of baked apples and we have handfulls of sweet apple treats.

And, Suprise! Green eggs and ham for dinner. The lone surviving spring chick started laying last week and we are getting these fabulous-green shelled eggs. The hen is an Aracauna, the breed is also known as the "Easter Egg Chicken" because of the soft, pastel colored egg shells. Our other chicks are about 8 weeks old and should start laying between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Broken

2010-09-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

This was me as Tatum and Rikard watched me being carted away in an ambulance last Saturday. It really is a silly thing, while walking across the park I slipped and broke my ankle. I didn't trip on a stick, didn't fall into a hole, didn't bumble over a curb. I just fell straight down, feet forward onto my behind.

Technically it is a spiral fracture of the right fibula. During surgery, they repaired the break with a plate and seven screws. There is also an "anchor" screw which holds the fibula and tibia together during the healing process. I am off my feet for at least two weeks, probably more.

During this down time, Rick has gotten me pretty well set up. I'm habitating the recliner in the dining room. He's brought me a stitching project, my laptop, my thesis notes and a television. At least I can keep my mind occupied.

Another Beastie

2010-08-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

Look who moved into the flower beds!

The kids have named him Fred the Frog. He serenades us from his home among the newly planted hydrangea when the evening air begins to cool.

His nearest neighbor was Tim and Spider, who built a very complex web near the patio door. Tim apparently didn't like it here very much, he "moved out" while we were away from home Sunday.

Bobble heads

2010-06-21T00:01:00.001-07:00

Ever notice you can buy sports equipment for adults in all sorts of sizes, but manufacturers expect children to all be roughly the same size? It isn't a one-size fits all world and Keeli - AKA the bobble headed t-ball player - is a perfect example.
The season opened Tuesday and Keeli had a great time and - hopefully - is grasping some of the game's concepts. That giant helmet and the way it shifts forward, backward and side-to-side on her head with every move she makes is very distracting for a 5-year-old.
Ready position - enough said - no comment. I can't stop laughing when I see this going on!Her friend Mia did her best to tag Keeli out as she approached first, but the first rule of t-ball is all runners are safe and all runners get to score! Yeah for everyone!!! Keeli celebrates each and every advancement as if she were scoring the winning run. So, maybe she doesn't have all the concepts down quite yet. She has time to learn.

Last Bus Ride of 2009-10

2010-06-20T22:27:00.001-07:00

We closed the books on another school year Friday.

When the bus returns next fall Tatum will be headed to 6th grade, Rikard will be in 4th grade and Keeli will join them on her way to Kindergarten.

Both Tatum and Rikard returned home with "acceptable" report cards. I'm not sure I like the standards based grading system that is now in effect. They are both passing all their subject areas, although Rikard got a low mark in neatness and the component of music that has to do with carrying a tune. The system we have doesn't allow for any comments from the teachers regarding the level they receive (0-4 scale with 4 being the highest). And, most of their marks were 3s, which means they meet the grade level expectations. The biggest problem I have is that the system is very nebulous to the parents, we don't see the rubric or system their grades are based on and some of us - mainly me - do care.

Preschool Graduate

2010-05-31T22:30:00.001-07:00

There was a short ceremony at the preschool to honor the graduates. Teacher Lori read the list of all the items the children listed as their favorites or the tasks they did the best throughout the year. Keeli listed coloring in the lines, eating lunch, singing, counting and writing her name.

The students led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and sang Puff the Magic Dragon.

The school collected the kids' work throughout the year and photographed several activities. A scrapbook was compiled and on display for the preschoolers to share with their families and friends before the ceremony.

2010-05-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Keeli has flourished beyond expectations at preschool this year. She is often described as caring, helpful, considerate and bright by her teachers. She has worked very hard in the classroom and always creates more and more "homework" for herself outside the classroom.

This is a current sample of her handwriting. When the year started her K was a stick with two arms and her es were upside down, almost like 6s. It is still difficult to discern her l from her i, but she's getting there!

She counts to 20, recites her ABCs, and sings many lovely verses of The Wheels on the Bus and One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.

She has a graduation ceremony Wednesday evening. Stay tuned for photos.

Scout Camporee 2010

2010-05-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

Despite the chilly wind and pouring rain, we had a great day at the BSA Centennial Camporee. The local event was held at the Spokane County Fairgrounds. It is a huge camping event, drawing Scouts and their families from all over the Inland Northwest.Outside, the rain was pouring and a cold wind was blowing. Thankfully the indoor activities were plentiful. Rikard sat through a discussion of American Flag etiquette and learned to properly and respectfully fold the flag. I am constantly amazed at the level of respect and compassion the older Scouts have for the younger Scouts in teaching and guiding them through large events like these or small weekly den meetings. It is a such a dramatic contrast to what we see in some of our everday contacts with other children.

Another room was filled with old-fashioned (non-electronic) games, including several versions of ring toss and bean bag games, maze putter golf and a magic show. Rikard also enjoyed the law enforcement displays (especially the K-9 officer), building a model rocket, watching model sail boats and airplanes, and a little hands-on whittling. There were over 150 activities to take part in, there was no way we could squeeze them all into one day.

There were several great interactive displays on fish and wildlife, habitat preservation, forestry, fossils and hiking. Here Rikard is using the microscope to view the surface of a dragon fly's eyes.

The family's favorite activity of all was building a mini cooking unit from the base of two aluminum pop cans.

Rick and Rikard worked well together to construct the little stove unit. Once completed it is filled with a clear fuel, like denatured alcohol , set inside a clean tuna can and lit. It burns quite nicely.

Tatum also completed one. We will take them camping next weekend and test them out!

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning I got my wish, a scenic drive up Mt. Spokane to see the sights and take a few photos. There wasn't much of note, but the view from (nearly) the top was fantastic.

Upon our return home, we dug right into our weekend project. There were two stumps from former ornamental Japenese Lace Leaf Maple trees. This weekend we removed one of the stumps and replaced it with a new tree.

Moving the decorative rock is just tedious, made worse by screams from Keeli of "don't hurt the roly-poly" and waiting while she relocates the little bugs. Stubby was really into the digging part, she just wasn't very focused on helping.

When it was time to place the tree in the hole, we realized after dropping it in the hole was far too deep for our little tree.

After we got it out of the hole, Rick left me holding it perched on the edge while he filled the bottom of the hole back in.

The little tree looks right at home. You can see the potten hydrangea under the basement windows. Those will be planted in the coming week to replace some small shrubs that didn't survive the winter well.

New Bloomies

2010-05-02T21:35:00.001-07:00

Tatum tagged along to Bloomsday with us this year. We arrived a bit early to the staging area and she was enthralled by all the craziness. The costumes, the beach balls, the team shirts, the posing for photos, the throwing of clothes into the trees... This gentlemen showed up in his themed costume and was posing for photos with everyone who would have him. Tatum tugged on his elbow to ask and without warning he scooped her up, threw her into the air and caught her. Her day was off to a great start!

You may notice our team has changed somewhat from last year. Kelly and Tabitha bailed on us. Because we didn't have the stroller, we started in the lilac staging area. Upon reviewing last year's photos, we may need to purchase a new sweatshirt for Joyce or talk to her about her strange superstition of wearing the same one for athletic competitions.

We were trapped in a sea of people. Thousands crowded ahead of us (above) and thousands poured in behind us (below). There was a solid moving river of people as far as we could see in both directions.

That didn't change for miles.

In fact we struggled against the crowd most of the morning. It was difficult to keep our pace up, when throngs of people in front of us were just plodding along, taking their time. This is the sea of people stretching ahead of us along mile 2 on Government Way, near the cemetery and memorial gardens.

Tatum saw Doomsday Hill from the bridge and thought she could easily conquer it. Oh, the ambition of an 11 year old! But there she was, running up the hill. Again, we wove in and out of the crowd, working to move forward and keep our pace relatively decent. We found breathing room at mile 5, near the top of Doomsday Hill.

As we rounded the corner from the courthouse and Tatum saw the finish line she proclaimed that she wasn't going to let her Nana finish before her and she started running. Nana was up to the challenge and took off after her. They finished together.

363 days until Bloomsday 2011.

How Rude!

2010-05-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes actions of convenience aren't well considered before they are completed. This is the finisher in a race-themed scultpure dedicated to Bloomsday, the city and all the event's participants. Notice how the garbage cans for the beer garden area are secured to it with a chain?I think it is a bit unsulting to the artist and all that the sculpture represents to treat it in this manner.

The scultpure was created by David Govedare. He is a talented artist and has many publicly displayed pieces that wonderful interpretations and representations of the Pacific Northwest natural and modern history.This is named The Joy of Running Together and is part of the City of Spokane's Sculpture Walk. It was installed and dedicated in 1984/85. Each year race organizers cover the metal runners with run t-shirts from past years. Runners completing each successive race recieve their finisher shirts very near this sculpture.

Today is the 34th running of Bloomsday. Joyce, Tatum and myself will be walking the 12K course this morning. Outside we have beautiful blue skies and lots of sunshine.

Fish tales

2010-04-27T22:32:00.001-07:00

Opening weekend of fishing season had its ups and downs - not necessarily on the waves. The season opened on most local lakes Saturday, but the weather did not cooperate. Sunday we had blue skies, calm waters an eager crew.Most of our crew were rookies. There were several nibbles on the lines which they didn't realized, but they learned quickly from their missed opportunities.Finally, Bailey got the first (and only) serious bite of the day. He was busy yelling "fish on" and trying to reel his line in with the rod still in the holder, ignoring Capt. Rick's instructions. Bailey reminds me so much of my brother at that age! You know, the age when excitement rules and rules only interfere with experiencing the excitement.

Bailey really didn't want to touch the fish. It took several minutes for him to get a grip on the fish without it squirting out from his hands and landing in the lawn.

Rikard on the other hand never misses an opportunity to show off a catch - even if it isn't his!

And, we introduced Stubby to the boating life. She took to the water well and even tried to jump overboard a couple times to catch nearby geese, ducks or loons. Stubby's a natural, amidst the chaos of Rick setting three kids up to fish and me learning the operate the new electric motor, she managed to eat an old-fashioned donut (traditional fishing food for this family) and drink the remains of my coffee.

Spring = Babies

2010-04-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

This birds are twittering, the bees are buzzing and the goats are increasing the size of the herd. Spring has sprung.

As of this week we have six new baby goats and we are waiting on one more nanny to kid. The latest addition to the herd is a little buck born this morning. He was already trying to stand and nurse within minutes of birth, so we gave them some privacy to get to know one another.

We raise goats for consumption, they are meat goats. We try to keep the herd high-percentage Boer and most of the goats have standard coloring, meaning white bodies are light to dark brown markings on their head and maybe lower legs. This makes for a lot of chubby white bodied goats running around the pasture. So when we get some color it adds a bit of interest to our day. This little girl's markings are not standard, but I think she's very interesting to look at, almost like a yin-yang symbol on legs. She is very friendly and very tame already.

Big Mamma is usually the best and most prolific nanny in the herd. Despite her coloring, she is also a Boer. This spring she looked like she was carrying three or four kids, but apparently she's just big boned. She blessed us with a single doe.

These are two of our three bummer kids this year. We have to bottle feed them 4-6 times a day and they are getting used to nibbling the dandelions and grass shoots. The kids have named the white and brown doe Star. The black and white buck is Buddy. His twin is also a buck, cinnamon in color with white ears, named Ranger. Ranger is learning to bottle feed this weekend as his momma went to the sales yard.

Which way to do we go?

2010-04-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

It is much better when the weekend presents a challenge, don't you think? Last weekend was Rikard's monthly Cub Scout Pack event. We hit the road for Finch Arboretum for an orienteering event.

Rick and Rikard got a quick tutorial on using a map and compass to find way or control points. The event was sponsored by the Eastern Washington Orienteering Club. They provided timers, compasses, maps and developed the course. It took us a few tries, but finally the boys had us on the right track.

For many in our little group, as soon as a direction was determined the race was on to find the next marker. Rikard held the map and compass, Tatum stamped the card at each control point and Keeli usually just ran and ran and ran with the dog. She did read us the numbers of the control points once she arrived, just so we knew we were at the right one.

Tatum was sidetracked more than once along the way. She needed to know out how old the trees were before they were cut down and stopped multiple times to read the educational tree markers and donation plaques along the paths.

Sometimes we saw our friends along the way, following another course. Hi Francine and David!

By the end of the morning and with the experience of two beginner courses under his belt, Rikard was fairly adept at determining the direction to follow to find the next control point.

Tatum turns 11

2010-04-10T22:54:00.001-07:00

Tatum turns 11 today, April 10.

Rick had a single responsibility during my pregancy - to find the perfect name. Tatum is on Old English name that means "cheerful" and "bringer of joy." She is definitely cheerful and brings joy to our lives everyday. I think he did an excellent job!

She is growing up quickly. It seems just yesterday she was learning to walk, learning to talk.

Today she is doing long division and enjoys reading historical fiction and mystery novels. She also likes to embroider and crochet. I must more make time to spend with her and her little sewing machine.

Nerd Day

2010-04-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

The school has spirit week activities the first week back from spring break. It has been a welcome distraction as the weather has been cold, wet and windy. Not much outside fun.

Today is Nerd Day in Rikard's classroom. His pocket has a calculator, some math flashcards, pencils (Ticonderoga #2 of course), a mechanical drafting pencil and some graph-lined index cards. We couldn't find a pocket protector! We did add a ring of keys, complete with a kid-sized tape measure, to his beltloops and a black comb to his back pocket after the photo was taken.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T22:25:00.001-07:00

Spring break antics

2010-04-01T23:26:00.000-07:00

We hit Cat Tales for the free kids Sunday. I think all those with free admission had a great time!

This little 750 lbs. guy was hands-down everyone's favorite.
Then, Bailey came to spend a couple days with us. He celebrated his birthday with a trip to the video game store with Uncle Rick and then a trip to the mall with Nana - for MORE video games.

Spring break is nearly over. Rick and Rikard squeezed in a day of fishing and brought home two beautiful trout that we ate for dinner. Three more days until we have to return to the routine.

Cheap peeps!

2010-03-24T21:00:00.001-07:00

I feel like Count von Count from Sesame Street every couple of hours when I check on these little balls of fluff, making sure all eight are still there. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...wait, didn't I already count you? 1, 2, 3...hold still!

These little chicks are just about a week old and all should be pullets or laying hens. The only possible rooster is this little gold and black one giving us "the eye" in the photo above. It is a Buttercup. The bin was filled with straight run chicks so we took a chance. Either way, the adult Buttercup is a beautiful bird.

This little ball of light yellow fluff is a very friendly, laid back chick. We're calling her Glinda. She will let anyone pet her or pick her up. In all my years of raising chickens, I've never seen one that likes to be this close to people. She is one of three Araucana/Americana chicks in the flock. One of the others is below and the third is currently covered in dark brown feather fluff.

The flock also includes two Barred Rocks and two Rhode Island Reds. We try to take them out in the afternoon sun for a little stroll through the yard.

4, 4, 3, 4

2010-03-16T21:49:00.001-07:00

Rikard's pinewood derby car finished 4th, 4th, 3rd and 4th during his respective heats. Like all pinewood derby cars, his started out with such promise at the top of the track (the white one with orange wheels on the right).

But promise wasn't enough. The finish line was a lonely place for Rikard's car. The others crossed the finish line L-O-N-G before his did. His car was at maximum weight, it was just poorly distributed.
We think maybe his race number was a bit foretelling. He was assigned #44. Sort of an ominous number after the first two races, huh? Or, maybe just something for us adults to laugh about.
You can see by the look on his face as he watches his car trail the others down the track how disappointed he was. Luckily his disappointment didn't last long. He was quite satisfied with the blue participation ribbon and the idea that he can make a better car next year.

The maiden voyage

2010-03-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

This is one happy boatload! The maiden voyage of the __________ (still haven't named it/her) took place Sunday afternoon and it was a success. The three passengers, two crew members and the vessel itself returned to shore safely.

This is one happy captain. It has been years since he had a realiable boat, a boat he enjoyed spending time on, a boat he could call his own. The entire time we were on the lake he was listening to every little noise the boat made, was capitavated by the fish finder, tested the boat in turns for cavitation. He was just happy.

The lake was fantastic. There was no wind to speak of and only a handful of other boats. The water was like glass - and apparently the fish were biting if we are to believe all the fishermen lining the dock.
Of course, the kids had a great time too. At least most of them. Rikard and Tatum tested every seat on the boat. They soon realized that the bench seat on the back was the windiest, coldest seat available.

Keeli was huddled in the front seat, clinging to me and the dash for dear life, begging the captain to "slow down," "stay away from the bumps" and "get me back to land!"

Hoopster

2010-03-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

Tatum has taken to the court for basketball season. Her team is currently 3-0. She typically plays guard.Defense at this age/skill level is a free-for-all and sometimes very entertaining to watch. Free balls are always being chased by several girls with others visibly considering the idea of leaving their positions to go after the ball. There is a lot of running from end to end with the disappointment on one side of not scoring and the thrill on the other side of getting the ball and having a chance to score. Back and forth, back and forth. And, is it any suprise that my daughter is the shortest on her team? Nope.All this action-packed, thrilling basketball teamwork and you'd think Rikard would be riveted to his seat, cheering his sister on, right? No. He and his friends were climbing the walls.

Cake Diaries - The Finale

2010-02-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

If you watch enough Cake Boss you know a cake is never complete without some cereal treats. Rikard made his version of Olympic medals from cereal treats, frosting and colors sugar crystals.

Ta-da! The finished cake. His masterpiece. (A little voice keeps telling me we unleashed a cake creating monster, but I'm ignoring it right now). The pack raised $250+ at the cake auction.

The Blue and Gold banquet was a fun event. Our den chose an Asian theme for decorations and food. Rikard and I prepared ginger beef and teriyaki chicken for the banquet.
After all the singing, announcements, eating, cake bidding, guest speakers, fundraising pitches, award presentations, leader recognitions and the passing along of the spirit stick...we realized the evening went a little longer than some could handle.

The cake countdown

2010-02-22T07:18:00.000-08:00

After an expensive trip to the grocery store for cake mixes, powdered sugar, white frosting, gell food colorings, dowels and - of course - fondant, we were making cake the Cake Boss way.
Rikard designed his cake and the process to make it on 3x5 cards. The theme for the Scouts Blue and Gold Banquet is the Olympics and his cake is supposed to resemble the winners podium. Our first lesson was that rolling fondant with a rolling pin is hard work! They make it look much easier on television.

Getting it onto the rolling pin and then onto the cake proved tricky. I promised not to show the photos of the fondant spinning off the rolling pin onto the floor.

Another Cake Boss lesson - frosting is glue. Rikard found out those offset spatulas and pallette knives are much more difficult to use than they look!

Dad had some quick input on cutting fine details.

Making the numbers was very intense work.
Taking care and having patience when transferring the numbers onto the cake...

Nearly perfect!

Punky Brewster lives

2010-02-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

I truly enjoy the fact that my children are independent and show initiative. Sometimes however we have to help them take a step back to review their decisions.

She's 5 years old and big enough to dress herself in the morning. This is how she prepared herself to attend a big birthday party for her friend Natalie.

Orange sundress, brown bubble sleeved shirt, three-tone pink, grey striped tights and a pink camoflauge mini skirt underneath. Don't forget the black Mary Janes (her "shiny black shoes"). They are a daily staple.

Model Scout

2010-02-18T22:35:00.000-08:00

Rikard's latest Scouting project was to create and display a model. He chose a mini Erector race car model he got during he holidays and created a tiny race track to display it on. The model car took Rick and Rikard hours to put together. The tiny little nuts and bolts were very difficult under the axels. His final display piece was all his own handiwork.His den has several displays ready. Lego sets were by far the most plentiful. It was a very popular display.

Pearly whites

2010-02-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

We had a monumental visit to the dentist this week. Rikard underwent a procedure without any sort of sedation!
Granted this was a simple sealant application, it was a big step for him. When Rikard was 5YO he had two two root canals and crowns on molars done with only local anesthesia. He was so brave! His next trip to the dentist (with a different assistant) did not go well. He's required a mild conscious sedative since or the dentist hasn't been able to get any work completed. We've always had to take him home a little hobbly on his feet and nurse him out of his hangover.

He thought the blue light which cures the sealant was "awesome."

He spent the next hour after his appointment watching over the dentist's shoulder as Tatum had an open root canal checked and resealed. She wasn't as photogenic.

Sold

2010-01-28T21:49:00.001-08:00

Somebody took himself birthday shopping a couple weeks early. Good thing he found an off-season sale.

His little personal shopping assistant was quite helpful and supportive.

Experimental dinner

2010-01-22T22:04:00.001-08:00

We are trying some new things. This week it was egg rolls.

We loosely followed a recipe, using lots of vegetables. We chopped cabbage, yellow peppers, green onions, grated carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts and added it all to some cooked ground beef. After watching me roll up a couple, the kids gave it a try.

Using a pie making secret, we wet the corners of the egg roll squares with milk to make them stick and hold together better.

Once we had all the wrappers stuffed, you couldn't tell the difference between mine and the ones the kids created.
Lacking a deep fat fryer, we used a skilled with about an inch of oil. They cooked quickly and browned nicely. When it was all said and done, everyone enjoyed our first batch of egg rolls. The kids decided that next time we won't use meat and we need to add bigger pieces of carrots.

Random photos from this week

2010-01-16T15:44:00.000-08:00

The fog settling on the mountain during the late afternoon. Taken from the front deck.
Kids chasing giant bubbles at the middle school science fair.

The bubble master showing us how good he really is. And, he is!

Pizza night.

Goat get-away

2010-01-11T16:24:00.001-08:00

Maybe Dot should pound out a few tummy crunches and reduce her waistline as her new year's resolution.

Dot (so named because she has a big round brown dot/spot on her behind) was going for the fresh hay in the wagon and realized she could slip through the gate. She was out roaming the yard for a while and slipped back through the fence on her own as we watched.

This photo was taken after lunching at the trough - with a full belly. She was stuck. She was yelling. The kids and I had to go pull her through the gate and return her to the herd.

Whittling and wind power

2010-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

A pocketknife, a windmill and being behind bars at the local Border Patrol's holding cell were the highlights our recent Scouting outings.

Rikard recently earned his Bobcat Badge and chips (or segments) for law enforcement, whittling and collecting canned goods for a local food drive.

Before the boys could collect their whilttling chip, they had to recite a pledge. He basically promised to take care of the knife, treat it with respect and use it safely. HOWEVER - there is always a however with our son - he's already broken the tip off his knife, usually leaves it out in the shop and is constanly nagging us to get him a bigger knife so he can whittle bigger sticks.

2010-01-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

This fabulous double rainbow appeared after most of a dreary New Year's Day. It was a full arch and appeared east of our house over the mountain in the late afternoon.

It had snowed in the morning, rained all afternoon and just before sundown this beautiful rainbow appeared.

While looking for the leprechaun's lair under at the end of the rainbow, which was in the pumpkin patch across the road, we didn't find any little men hoarding gold. We did see several deer munching on what remains of the pumpkin patch. I can just make out three of them in the photo.

Holiday musicals

2009-12-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

The kids had some great muscial performances to share with us this year. We had to attend three evening concerts before Christmas. The first was Tatum's orchestra concert, followed by two evenings of their individual classes performing Christmas songs.

Tatum's choral concert was fairly traditional. Her class sang Beboppin' Santa Claus, Follow the Star and Winter Magic.

Rikard was a total ham in the front row (green shirt). He can't hold still so thankfully there was some dancing. During the sing-along, he started yawning as soon as the lights dimmed so the audience could follow the lyrics on the overhead. Do you wanna rock?

Before all the cute stuff began this was the scene from seats:

I just don't get some parents. No "excuse me." No attempt to kneel down. This mother wasn't the only one! Only a few of them displayed manners or any kind. It was a parade of parents with cameras and most of them were directing their children to stop singing and hold still for the photos or to wave or..... It completely disrupted the concert for a lot of other parents - not to mention those 3rd graders who already have a naturally short attention span. Thankfully it only took up the first song or two and then the parents settled down.

Ace!

2009-11-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

Tatum is in the middle of her first season playing this sport and having a great time. And, I'm having a great time watching her develop an interest in my favorite sport to watch and play.

I taught Tatum how to float an underhand serve and her serve has been difficult for other teams to return. She does well passing from the back row, but is a bit hesitant to return the ball while in the front row. She is afriad of getting tangled in the net.

The league is small, comprised of a handful of elementary schools and games are played one night a week, right after school. Many of the rules are modified. They can serve from 5 feet inside the service line, but must remain in the traditional service area. They only pass (bump)the ball. An individual player can only deliver 5 serves and then the team must rotate. Until all the players on the team can serve overhand serve, they all must serve underhand. Aggressive play at the net is discouraged because it is intimidating. We cheer for both teams equally.

I understand the ideas of fairness and wanting to encourage all the girls. However, I do not like the precidence it sets. In life there are losers and there are winners. Some must work hard, even struggle, to achieve goals, for some it comes naturally.There are people who take advantage of opportunities while others choose not to. Every person has a different set of abilities, interests and challenges. Why aren't we teaching our children that they can lose graciously and excell at another challenge or at the same challenge another day? Why are we turning our backs on opportunities to challenge children to be better, to improve themselves? Why are we teaching them that adequacy or being average is best?

Hay, You!

2009-11-10T22:13:00.001-08:00

With the snow visible on the mountains to the north and east (maybe there is some skiing in our future) we are preparing for winter. The order of the day was hay. So, while the kids learned to climb the big stacks...

...Rick packed a couple of tons onto the trailer and we headed for home. Where, of course, Rick had to unload it from the trailer and stack it in the shop. I helped a bit. I helped load the trailer with two tons the day before and drove it home (do you believe he trusted me with his truck and trailer?). Oh, I also wrote both checks. I'm good at that.

Slow commuting

2009-11-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

Usually I hit the road headed to work and home, sharing the two-lane highway with fellow work- and home-bound people, a couple pick-up trucks filled with firewood and the occassional logging truck. Last week I shared the road - at a much slower pace - with a horse-drawn wagon.

The first time I passed the wagon we near the Idaho-Washington border near Newport, Wash. Two days later I passed him while he was *refueling* (photo above) near Riverside High School along Highway 2. A distance that usually take me about 25 minutes took him two days.
This weekend we found him camped at the local Big R store. We were all interested in knowing more about him and saw him on the news when we got home. You can learn more about him at www.leehorselogger.com.

My shoes

2009-10-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

I am wearing a pair of shoes.
They are ugly, uncomfortable shoes.
I hate my shoes.
Each day I wear them, and each day I wish I had another pair.
Some days my shoes hurt so bad that I do not think I can take another step.
Yet, I continue to wear them.
I get funny looks wearing these shoes.
They are looks of sympathy.
I can tell in others eyes that they are glad they are my shoes and not theirs.
They never talk about my shoes.
To learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable.
To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them.
But, once you put them on, you can never take them off.
I now realize that I am not the only one who wears these shoes.
There are many pairs in this world.
Some women are like me and ache daily as they try and walk in them.
Some have learned how to walk in them so they don't hurt quite as much.
Some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by before they think about how much they hurt.
No woman deserves to wear these shoes.
Yet, because of these shoes I am a stronger woman.
These shoes have given me the strength to face anything.
They have made me who I am.
I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child.
~Author unknown

Audrea Makenzie Holestine would have turned 12 today.

Mmmmm, salsa

2009-09-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

It was a late night in the kitchen making salsa. I have spent a few years perfecting a salsa recipe that is just right for our needs.

This salsa contains tomatoes, onions, green and yellow bell pepper, banana peppers, garlic and jalepeno pepper. I usually make one batch that has habanero peppers. Spice it up! It is a fairly plain recipe, which makes it more versatile for cooking and enjoying straight out of the jar.

Most of this will get used straight out of the jar and onto chips or quesadillas. I usually add fresh cilantro. Sometimes I add avacado or shrimp just to change it up. I can also use this in recipes were I need to add other spices, herbs or seasonings without the salsa overpowering everything else. Like salsa baked chicken, Spanish rice or to spice up meatballs.

Coming of age

2009-09-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

All day we were peppered with questions as Keeli tried to make sense of the birthday event. What time is my birthday? Where is my birthday? Who is making my birthday? How many minutes until my birthday?

Keeli turned 5 today. Over the years, we have attempted to make birthdays about a celebration of time with family and building memories together rather than the expectation of gifts. Hopefully someday, she has many happy memories of today.

Tatum and Keeli created a sidewalk chalk mural celebrating Keeli's momentus occassions and announcing the big event to the entire neighborhood.
A large portion of the afternoon was devoted to cake baking and decorating. Everyone had a hand in stacking layers, frosting and sprinkling. Some even volunteered to eat the left over frosting. We left the combustible stuff to dad and the fire suppression to the birthday girl. We opened two presents, including a birthday card packed with cash and tiny sea shells from Nana Linda, who is currently in the Bahamas. Amazingly two of the shells survived the USPS.

And, in case you forgot, it was Keeli's 5th birthday today. 5.

And, so it begins...

2009-08-27T11:37:00.001-07:00

Bikes, helmets, backpacks, lunches and we were off! The kids are excited about returning to school. I spent my bike-ride to school today reminiscing about my 5th grade teacher Mr. Baerlocher and my 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Farnam. They are mostly good memories - although there are a few funny stories that could never happen in a modern classroom without loss of job or criminal charges. My fondest memory of Mr. Baerlocher was his naming a "student of the week" and treating the students to dinner and activities (many of us chose a trip to the skating rink). Mrs. Farnam is known to generations of children for her vice like loving hugs and her preference for straight pins over staples.

Tatum is now in 5th grade. She knows several of her classmates and is pleased with the teacher she was assigned. There was a bit of a fashion dilemma this morning over which tennis shoes to wear with her jeans.

Of course our day wouldn't have been complete without another dash of drama! The nylon zipper on her lunchbox broke. There are a few broken zipper teeth and the pull is completely removed from 1/2 the zipper. It was a struggle (literally), but we managed to get the zipper to work for today.

Getting to Rikard's classroom was a challenge. First we had to stop and see his 2nd grade teacher and give her a big hug. He missed her all summer. Then it was back to roaming the halls and searching for his new classroom. We eventually found it.

Rikard is so excited to have a male teacher for 3rd grade. He claims his new teacher is the best teacher because he wears kids clothes, go to recess and eats peanut butter sandwiches. Hopefully he has some mad teaching skills (and a lot of patience) hiding under that kid-friendly facade!

Pale Rider

2009-08-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

It was pony rides for all at daycare. Keeli and her mount Smokey got along just fine.Keeli was telling us all week that she was going to take her pony around the block and see how fast it could run. She was a little disappointed that they just kept going around and around in a circle. She did keep him to a nice walking speed (lol). A couple of the kids were too afraid to ride and I don't blame them, they've never seen livestock up close and personal.Rikard helped with the photography for the first time. He captured a great expression on Keeli's face as the ponies started their walk, but notice his big fingers in the photo?

After the rain

2009-07-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Puzzling Times

2009-07-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

And, so the summer goes. This is the second puzzle Rick and Tatum have tackled in a week. The first was sea shells and star fish. This one is an American flag decorated with presidential campaign buttons. Not as easy to put together as you may think.It was educational for Tatum. She learned a lot about various modern politicians (from the 1960s-present) from both major parties. Rick learned to embrace his obsessive personality that continually strives for everything to be perfectly in its place.

Cherries!

2009-07-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law arrived with two flat boxes filled with cherries. One filled with Rainiers and the other with Bings, freshly picked that morning from the Yakima Valley.They made for challenging project of preserving them while simultaneously hosting company in my house, helping my sister and mom hold a yard sale in my yard and entertaining children.

My mom helped clean all the cherries. She rinsed and pulled stems while I searched through our storage for my canning supplies. We water bath canned most of the cherries in quart jars. I find the process of canning, especially when doing it with my mom relaxing and productive - productive in a way that is different from other housework or office work.
There were enough for 28 quart jars and 14 pint jars of cherries. I even did one jar with a mixture of the two. The Rainier cherries look stark against the deep red juice the Bing cherries make in the jar.

There is something very gratifying about seeing your shelves filled with the "fruits of your labor."

After a couple hours of canning, there were still more cherries left than we could possibly eat before they spoiled. So, into the dehydrator they went. I cut each cherry in half and removed the pit. They looked like tiny peaches or nectarines. They were treated with Fruit Fresh in hopes they would retain their color after drying.

And, they did! They look wonderful and taste wonderful.

Looff Carrousel

2009-07-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

The Looff Caroussel at Riverfront Park turned 100 today. We got an early start on the day and participated in the celebration before the crowds gathered.The carrousel began operation on July 18, 1909, and all the original horses are still in use. There is a replacement goat, but he wasn't on the carrousel today. Tatum had to settle for a horse.I have fond memories of riding this carrousel. My grandparents let me ride several times during Expo '74. Grandma Mary took us to the carrousel, a tour of The Davenport and a movie at The Fox for Thanksgiving weekend amusement. I begin to wonder what it says about me that these things were mere amusement when I was a child, but now they are labeled historic or antique.
They all enjoyed the ride. Apparently this carrousel kicks it up a notch and goes "faster and smoother" than the carnival carrousels they have had the opportunity to sample. Everyone wants to go back - soon.

Of course, no carrousel ride would be complete without grabbing the brass ring. Today they are plastic. They don't hit the target as easily as the brass rings did. Happily we all got a brass ring with a commemorative card as a souvenir after the ride.

Holiday preparations

2009-06-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

The lawn is mowed. I think it is wonderful that my children are growing up and wanting additional responsibilities. I can remember when new chores were fun, almost a right of passage. Tatum now earns an allowance for laundry, emptying the dishwasher and mowing the lawn (under the careful supervison of her father). She is VERY slow, careful and methodical.

Rikard decorated. We can't have our own fireworks within the city or county limits here so we have to improvise. When the time comes, we will find a nice place to view the city's fireworks display, but chalk images of grand displays on the sidewalk will have to do at home.

And, we are doing all this to prepare for our weekend guests - the invited and uninvited ones. This little guy is making our carport home.

My sister and mom plan to hold a yard sale at our hosue Friday and Saturday and Rick's dad and uncle are scheduled to visit for the weekend. It will be an exciting balancing act to keep everyone properly entertained.

Our little man

2009-06-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago...he entered our lives and changed them forever. Today he is entertaining, handsome, vibrant and challenging. He has the most creative though processes, doesn't let much deter him and always does things his way.

WARNING - self promoting post

2009-06-15T23:31:00.001-07:00

Finally, a chance to talk - or brag - about myself. :-)

I walked through graduation this weekend, celebrating the near completion of a master's degree in communication studies. It was a gratifying experience, recognition for the time, effort and sacrifice it took to earn the degree.I asked Rick to take a photo of me with my parents. Somewhere there is a framed photo of the three of us celebrating my long-ago high school graduation. My mom has a photo of Rick, myself and the kids on her camera. I've learned to be patient.

I smuggled a camera in my gown and took photos of my classmates in the procession and while listening to speakers. If you look closely at the crowd you can pick out my fan club, my peeps. Rick, Tatum, Rikard, Keeli, Jim, Joyce, Kyle and Jessica all made the trek to watch this auspicious occassion.

All three of my children thought the ceremony had a lot of people talking for a long time, but overall they thought it was pretty good. There were a couple of speakers who should have been reigned in, like the one who reminded me to thank my high school counselor (whatever! like that would happen) and my residence hall advisor for helping me get to where I am today. That may have worked for the undergraduates, but not the crowd I was seated with.

Rikard wanted to wear the "smart hat." I look foward to the day when we can celebrate him wearing his own cap and gown. That should be in about 10 more years.Before he gets his accolades I will hopefully earn a doctoral degree. Keep your fingers crossed and hope I find a pot of gold to help pay tuition.

Drum roll please...

2009-05-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Our little Amadeus had a school performance recently. These are highlight photos from the 1st and 2nd grade spring music program, featuring the xylophone. Rikard and the other students were all very focused, very intent.

They had a special move in the middle of one of their pieces, called "click and spin." They clicked their batons together, quickly spun around in a circle and went right back to playing. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in intensity.

He wants to learn to play the drums and the electric guitar (like a rock star) before 5th grade when students here typically choose between band, choral or strings. I remember back in the day my brother practicing his trombone out in the barn because it was too much for the rest of us to bear in the house. I think we may be faced with a similar situation sooner than later.

Softball Superstar!

2009-05-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

Tatum has been struggling at the plate this season. Last year she played in a league where the pitches were VERY consistent. A pitching machine was used and they came right down the middle and fast. This year the girls are learning to pitch and the balls come at all different speeds and heights.

This week Tatum had some good contact with the ball. She is still not swinging with all her might, but she is getting on base. This ball kind of just rolled off the bat...and down the first-base line. She was paying close enough attention to hurdle over the ball on her way to first.
She's also getting much more confident fielding. Typically she plays 2nd base and rotates to center field. With the help of some grandstand coaching from her parents - and others - she is getting into position correctly and learning to back up her teammates and stop the ball before it gets to the outfield. Like her brother, she enjoys the action of the infield much more than the outfield.She keeps hinting at wanting to pitch, but there have been few practices and no direct instruction on these skills. It may be something we have to work on during the off season to prepare for next year.

Hopefully she is getting some great lessons in teamwork, friendship and broadening her horizons while she plays. That is really what this league and this age should be all about.

Baseball prodigy - NOT

2009-05-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

After all our bragging last week about Rikard being a fantabulous (fantastic + fabulous) tee-ball player, we must hang our head in shame. Apparently he likes the action playing short stop, but gets a little bored waiting for the balls to make it to the outfield. Sadly he has found ways to entertain himself.

Please, laugh with us! I take all the blame for the shaky video, the tripod was not where Rick expected it to be. We are going to have some good times with his new video camera. Stay tuned.

Spring = Baseball

2009-05-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sunshine. Mild breeze. Freshly cut grass. Crack of the bat. It is Little League t-ball season for our little guy! Making the transition from outfield to short stop isn't easy for t-ballers. Rikard got some last-minute instruction on the "ready position" from his coach Saturday afternoon.
It was some timely instruction. Rikard flawlessly fielded the first ball that came his direction...
and made the throw to 1st base.
Then it was time for everyone's favorite part of the game, returning to the dug out for a cool drink and a chance to hit the ball.
Rikard is pretty proficient at batting. He really takes his time in the batting cages seriously and makes sure he uses his own bat all the time so his swing is the same every time. He's currently thinking it is "fun" to hit the ball high into the air.
His fan base is self-contained, portable and goes everywhere he goes.

Blast off!

2009-05-15T22:49:00.000-07:00

We had a rare opportunity this week to attend the NASA shuttle launch in person. The experience was fantastic! It was also the first vacation we've taken without children in 10+ years.

We watched the launch from the causeway between the mainland of Florida and Cape Canaveral. We were sitting about 5 miles away from the launch site with about 50,000 of our closest friends for the day. The view was unbeatable, the sound was deafening.

This is STS-125, the final NASA mission to the Hubble Telescope. Through my previous employment, I met NASA Astronaut Pilot Gregory C. Johnson. Our invitations to attend the launch and related activities came from him.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Kennedy Space Center. We hit all the tours, including the Rocket Garden, the Launch Experience. the art gallery, ate ice cream at the Milky Way and watched the new Star Trek movie on the KSC Imax.

These are models of the shuttle, the external fuel tank and booster rockets. We toured the inside of the shuttle - it is amazing how big it is for carrying cargo, but how small it seems to live in for an extended period of time.

After all the excitement of the launch was over, we headed out for some more fun in the sun. The first course we had a tee time scheduled for was socked in with smoke from a nearby fire. We ended up at the North Shore Golf Club and had a great time squeezing in 9 before catching our plane back home. We golfed with Pat and Roger, who were vacationing in Florida from England.

We're Bloomies!

2009-05-03T19:28:00.001-07:00

Joyce (my mom), Kelly, Tabitha and I participated in our first ever Bloomsday this weekend in Spokane, Wash. Our start time was an hour or two behind the elite athletes and the staging area for our group was several blocks away from the starting line. We arrived a bit early to secure a place in the crowd.
It is a 12K or 7.2 mile course. We treked down the street, throught the valley, across the river and up DOOMSDAY Hill amidst a sea of 1,000s. It isn't the incline of this hill that gets you, it is the length of the hill. My grandparents once had their home along the bluff directly behind where we were standing, they had a great view of Bloomsday activities.

The top of Doomsday Hill is the 5 mile mark - in other words you are on the downhill side of the race/walk.
In just a hair over two hours the four of us crossed the finish line downtown. No one told us it was another mile walk to our t-shirts and a suitable restroom! Then we hoofed it at least another mile through downtown to the car. We took a little break at Auntie's Bookstore, one of our favorite places.

Of Flying Frogs and Lazy Butterflies

2009-05-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

It was a dreary day, overcast, cool, on and off drizzly rain, but the kids really know how to make the most of a situation. The got their kites and headed to the park.

The wind was blustery, it would blow strong and cold for 10-15 minutes and then die down. For a long while, we kept the air was filled with a fluttery blutterfly and a crazy tree frog. Their kites were purchased last year from a shop in Cannon Beach, Oregon and are fantastic flying machines. They don't need much wind and are very sturdy. Rikard really enjoys his kite. He ran miles around the park keeping it aloft and dodging other kite flyers, football players and, occassionally, his little sister. Even when the wind was absent, he would shorten the string and run to keep his kite in the air.
Rick had some fun with Tatum and her butterfly kite. There wasn't enough wind for his parachute style kite, so he played a game of keep-away with Tatum. There was just enough wind to keep her kite tails just out of her reach. Then, the wind was no more. We packed up our kites and stowed them away for another day.

Fascinating facts Lisa wanted to know

2009-04-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

These have taken a while to think about, then I forgot about them, then I remembered them again. Applogies to Lisa, my *interviewer.* My life is full of busy-ness and won't be slowing day any time soon. So, I'd better get to it.

1. What situation gives you near-perfect peace? Near-perfect peace for me is that time when 1) my mind is free to think and find new ideas within itself, 2) I can dream of the future and develop ideas to follow and 3) when I can discover new connections between myself, ideas, things and people in my daily life that inspire me. It is usually during these times that I stop hearing the everyday noise around me, the kids, the traffic and my mind is in a different place. This of course requires time to allow my mind to wander and explore. I find this calm, quiet and thoughtful time mostly when immersed in my garden (I am looking forward to having a garden again someday), my sewing room, a kitchen project or a book. I can lose myself in any of these places and be physically doing something while my mind is somewhere else.

2. Top 5 books of your life? In no particular order I chose the following five novels. These five contain fantastic commentary on societal expectations, politics, interpersonal relationships, economics and individual and collective power structures. It was difficult to narrow my choices down to a mere handful as I am an avid reader of anything that catches my fancy from modern to classic and really enjoy most of what I read.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
The Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas
The Stand and It, by Stephen King (a tie, they are my favorite novels of his)
The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand

I often choose authors and read everything the write, rather than choosing individual books based on their title, flashy cover or previews. I also like big books, long stories that draw the reader in and capture the imagination. I also tend to favor hardcover editions or trade paperback editions (the larger sized paperback books) primarily for the size, less page turning, and smell of the paper used.

Other authors on my leaderboard include Diana Gabaldon, Michel Foucault, Cornelia Funke, L.. Frank Baum, Jean Auel, Peter Straub, C.S. Lewis, Christopher Paolini, Stephanie Meyer, Amy Tan, Madeleine L'Engle, Jennifer Chiaverini, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare and Leon Uris. That's all I can remember off the top of my head.

3. Do you have a favourite speech that gives you chills even just reading about it? Listening to the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign - really listening - to the speeches for the first time was a turning point in my thinking about being a woman (someday). As a class assignment in junior high we were supposed to watch the party convention speeches and discuss our opinions in class. Many ideas expressed in Geraldine Ferraro's acceptance speech for the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party impacted the way I looked at the world as a young woman - and still do today. She spoke of fairness, as America being a land where EVERYONE's dreams can come true if you are willing to work toward them, of equal pay for equal work, of not incurring debt for future generations, of opportunity for women, of human rights, of pride and excellence... Although I don't agree with either of the major U.S. political parties 100% or ally myself with them, this was a great speech. Those are things that still are important today and need the attention of leaders willing to tackle the difficult issues. She spoke of a government working for the public with the goal of bettering the lives of everyone, not just enriching themselves with money and power. My hope is that someday that is the reality.

4. How is your handwriting these days? I'm told my handwriting is good to excellent. I have very good penmanship if I say so myself. I took several calligraphy courses in college and penned all our wedding invitations myself. I like having nice handwriting, it makes sending a message much easier and nicer for the reader. I think penmanship is becoming a lost art. It isn't even taught in the school my children attend. Penmanship, along with spelling and proper grammar, are among the things my children's generation is not being taught in school IMHO. The the common use of keyboarding, typing, texting and email are outdating these formal skills. That said, I think the revolution of colloquial language and digital communication is a very interesting and exciting phenomenon.

5. How would you persuade a person with no goat experience to fall in love with them? Just look at this picture. How can you not love with that? (The little boy is pretty good-looking too.)Goats or chivos are the perfect pets to have. They are very green or environmentally friendly animals. They are fairly self-reliant, eating grass, weeds and other vegetation. They will work down a compost pile and recycle it in their own manner, eat yard and garden clippings - our herd prefers roses, blackberry brambles and sunflowers - and remove brush from the countryside to reduce fire hazards. They can remain home on the weekends alone as long as their trough is filled and the fence is standing. The love they return to you is similar to a dogs, they wag their tails when they are happy to see you, push their heads under your hands for a scratch behind the ears and always sniff at your hands and pockets for treats. They are like zebras, no two are exactly alike. They are similar in appearance, but have very distinct markings and personalities. They are the perfect size livestock for kids to interact with. They don't smell, even in a small pasture they don't have an overwhelming barnyard odor. They aren't as large and overwhelming as cattle to a child, they don't require the maintenance of sheep (unless you get angoras and then it's your fault) and they don't fly and scare little kids like chickens/chooks. They are also a fantastic source of protein, whether using their milk for drinking, butter, yogurt or cheese or raising them for meat. A majority of the world population relies on goats for their dietary protein.

Lisa created these questions for me. You can read the questions asked of her and her responses on her blog, The Tin House. Lisa's blog has been a draw for me since I *met* her online, we have so much in common, three children, academic careers, interest in current news and communication and a desire to live frugally. We just happen to live on opposite ends of the globe.

The crack of the bat

2009-04-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

It was opening weekend for Little League and Saturday was filled with nothing but softball, softball, softball and some more softball.First it was opening cermonies. There we met other parents, traded some of our gear for gear that fit, and took team and individual photos. Tatum is pretty excited that she is on the Mariner's team, she thinks it beats the options - the Orioles, Cardinals or Dodgers.

Then it was game time. Tatum's first at bat was a strike-out, but she rebounded well. She had two singles, a fielder's choice, 2RBIs and scored three runs. We may have to buy her a new batting helmet. The one provided by the team falls off her head when she rounds the bases or tries to run to fast, so she is constantly holding at least one of the ear flaps with her hands and trying to run.

Rick and I are struggling with watching from the sidelines as the coaches sit idle during games and practices. Apparently the girls are supposed to learn the game without instruction. We have two games this week and a double-header on Saturday if you're interested in taking in a bit of juniors softball.

Tatum turns 10

2009-04-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Collecting - educational/political commentary

2009-04-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

We are getting "reminders" in the kids' backpacks almost daily for all the school fundraisers and drives and how important they are to the quality of education offered at school. They just wrapped up a penny drive, which caused the kids to raid our secret stashes of change, including Rick's poker fund. The PTA is holding a dinner and silent auction. We are expected to donate an item, purchase dinner tickets and buy the item back at a higher price.

Currently the classrooms are in a contest to collect the most corporate labels. Like many other schools, they are collecting Campbell's Labels for Education and

General Mills' Box Tops for Education. The General Mills Box Tops for Education are worth 10¢ each. The Campbell's Soup labels are worth 1 or 5 points each depending upon the products purchased (who knows how much money this equates to?). General Mills proudly proclaims on its website this program has earned $250 million for schools across the nation over the past 12 years. While it may sound good, think about it carefully. Those dollars really can't stretch that far in improving education when you consider there are 100+ schools in our little community vying against 1,000s of others for a share of that money.

It is difficult to believe these little labels can make that much of a difference in the educational opportunities afford to our children, however every little bit will help until our government - both state and fenderal - decides education is the greatest social service we can provide our children. We shouldn't have to rely on purchased charity from private corporations to enhance our public schools.

If you'd like to chip in and donate your box tops or soup labels, email me at kate_stine (at) yahoo dot com. It may make a difference and tip the scales for one of the two classrooms represented in this house to win the drive.

Goat-a-palooza

2009-04-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Another quick road trip to check the final arrivals. This is #188 and her little one. She is an ultra-protective and doting mama goatie. The little kid's ears are just like hers, one with a full flip and one with a curl.Darbi came to visit and help Keeli chase and catch the new kids. They finally asked one of the adults to "hold this one still while we catch it." Too much cuteness in this picture!
Another set of new twins. This is a jack/jill pair, belonging to Scarlett. Their colorings are a reverse of Scarlett's, she is a lighter shade of brown with a white body stripe and face blaze.

This is #186's first year kidding, these twins are four days old. Her little ones are very petite, like she is. They spent most of their time today napping in a patch of sunshine.
Along the side of the pasture, among the volunteer poplar trees, you will find the babies. They almost look like patches of snow. Here they hop between the branches, run and play, stalk their mommas and obviously find a comfortable napping place.
We have an offer on a house, with acreage, existing patures and room for the goaties to roam and play - and more importantly for us to return to that rural lifestyle we enjoy. We are waiting on a response from the bank (it is a foreclosure sale). All positive thoughts sent this direction will be appreciated.

Kid count

2009-04-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

The nanies are done kidding. There are 17 new little goaties frolicking around the pasture. Now to find them - and us - a homestead.

New Kids on the Block

2009-03-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Kidding season is in full-swing. There are now nine babies romping about the pasture and four more nannies still to deliver. This little black and white doeling is the favorite so far based on coloring. She has a twin brother who is white with light brown spots, but he isn't nearly as unique and beautiful.
This little girl already knows she is pretty. She has changed so much since the day she was born. Her twin sister has a white star on her forehead and a brown tail.

This little doeling was the first to arrive. She has a very regal posture, it's almost as if she "wants" to be a show goat.

This year's herd is all thanks to this guy. Lance. He was our next door neighbor and was very dismayed when he learned we were moving. He offered to care for Tatum's goats for a year while we searched for a home and property. He didn't want her to lose what she had worked for. What a nice guy!

Lance grew up in the cattle business and takes this goat business very seriously. He checks them often, sometimes in the middle of the night. We are very grateful.

See ya!

2009-03-27T22:29:00.001-07:00

Keeli is off on her first trip away from home alone. Such a tender age, 4YO, and OBVIOUSLY heart broken at the thought of leaving her mom and dad for a whole 5 days. Her emotions were out of control when we sent her away with Nana and Papa in the dark of night.

She went to visit Uncle Hobo and Auntie Hami (known to others as Uncle Bobo and Auntie Tami) all the way away in Boise, Idaho for spring break. She's reportedly having a great time. Her cousin Madison is showering her with the princess-like attention Keeli believes she deserves. They have done their hair, painted their nails and read lots of stories to each other. Keeli has also taught her cousin Charlie the importance of taking his baby doll everywhere.

Apparently Uncle Hobo and Auntie Hami were alarmed at the amount of groceries she can pack away into her tiny self each day. Why do you think we sent her away for a week? The grocery bill is finally under control at this house.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch ...

2009-03-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tatum's goats began kidding season in fine style. Three little doelings arrived Sunday afternoon, right on time for the first week of spring.

These two little doelings are twins, born to Tatum's biggest and oldest nanny, who has the endearing name, Big Mama. They are fantastically healthy and have wonderful color markings for their breed (boer). They also seem fond of their little friend Todd the Rabbit.

There is one more little doeling to show off. Her mama is a first-time mama and was learning some "parenting skills" at the scheduled photo shoot time. They were secluded together for the nanny to allow the new baby to nurse.

Thanks Sue for the photos and Lance for caring for the herd all winter. The goats still live "back in the 'hood" as Sue likes to joke while we are in the city. We are searching for a new hobby farm style property so our kids can be reunited with the herd. We certainly miss having them to entertain us, keep us busy and cause occassional frustrations in our daily lives.

Mobius fun

2009-03-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

The kids' favorite weekend stop of late is the local children's museum, Mobius. They spend hours running around, experiencing all the interactive displays, painting, getting wet up to their armpits, playing in the sand/mud. Who would guess they were learning something?

The new displays are all sports related. Last week Tatum had tryouts for little league fast-pitch softball, so the "how fast is your pitch" display really caught her attention.

Most of her throws were over 30 mph. Rikard tried really hard, but couldn't get above 28 mph. Dad threw this fastball, the kids were amazed. There wasn't much room for an adult to throw the ball, Rick thinks he could have done a little better.

This machine allowed you to control the direction of the tennis racquet and then fire a tennis ball at it. There are old-fashioned silver desk bells on the plexiglass in front of their faces. The goals was to hit one of these. Rikard did pretty well.

This activity was supposed to teach you all about angles. The marks on the floor help you bounce the ball at certain angles to try and hit the target. Keeli didn't like the bouncing part, but liked the ball to go in the taget and down the return chute.

There are two standard displays the kids enjoy. This one teaches them about currents, water flow, waves and dams. The girls are at the top end of this "river" and use the blue and yellow cards to redirect the current. The kids have boats and other floating items to test their dams and the currents. They would stay at this station all day. That water is cold!
After our museum experience Rick let us ride the escalators all the way to the top of the mall for an ice cream treat at Ben and Jerry's.

Country drive

2009-03-16T19:51:00.001-07:00

The local area is almost all new to us, so we've taken to the roads on the weekends to see all there is to see. This was the third bald eagle we saw Sunday. This one flew away from its lunch on the side of the road as we approached.The other two eagles were chasing smaller birds from what appeared to be their nesting area along the stream. We also saw lots of deer, three racoons and signs of elk.

There appears to be an abandoned rail line along the side of this stream used for hiking and mountain biking. Looks like a good place to spend our weekends this spring and summer - once the snow is gone.

Snow plower

2009-03-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

Winter is apparently back. Sunday we woke up to about 2 new inches of the fluffy stuff and Rikard promptly put on his snow gear and headed out to clear the neighborhood.

We thought he would stop at the sidewalk, which he shoveled quite nicely. But he decided that since the city's snow plows hadn't found their way to our street by 10 a.m. he would take care of it himself. He was done in time for lunch. Now if he could just find a way to get paid for his endeavors.Using his shovel he cleared the street from side to side, back and forth, the length of four lots. He made sure to scoop the snow onto the existing berms so that it wasn't in anyone's way. What a thoughtful and industrious little guy.

House hunting, deer spotting

2009-03-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

We are searching for that perfect house that will be our next home. We are looking at houses that are in the process of foreclosure, the buyers are a bit more competitive and the houses go quickly. We have patience on our side. Today while we viewed another house (that has potential written all over it and a river running next to it) we met the neighbors.They were a bit stand-off-ish and weren't very chatty at all. In fact they were downright anti-social at times. Nothing like our previous neighbors. They were fun to watch roam through the pasture and watch us. Tatum and Rikard really like watching them. Keeli calls them reindeer and asks when Santa is going to come get them. She doesn't like them at all.
So, when this one dashed past us, she screamed like never before!

Down the road there were some other neighbors to meet. These guys were having lunch when we drove by. Apparently they are Highland cattle, also known as Kyloe.

Cookies, and memories of the first snowman

2009-02-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

This weekend we had some hands-on kid-friendly baking. We made the all-time favorite snickerdoodles - who can't like a crunchy cookie covered with copious amounts of cinnamon and sugar. A former co-worker of mine made the most fantastic snickerdoodles ever, this is her recipe.2 cubes butter, soft
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
Mix margarine, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Mix dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Shape into 1" balls. Roll in mix of 2 T sugar, 1 t cinnamon to coat. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Bake 8-10 minutes in 400°F oven.

I had my doubts about the kids because snickerdoodles are very hands-on. You have to form the dough into balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar and *lightly* press once on the cookie sheet. But They did great. The cookies didn't make it from the cooling rack to the cookie jar.

I found pictures of the kids' (and Rick's) first snowman/mouse of the year. They had just read the book The Tale of Desperaux and watched the movie as a treat when the first snow fell this winter. Our snowman was a fantastic representation of the hero Desperaux, complete with mouse whiskers and ears.

The snow is melting here. We still have a pile in the front yard as tall as me (some of you don't consider that too much, but still) and it is melting slowly. In the back yard we can just see the handlebars and seat of Rick's bike. We know Rikard's is nearby, but it isn't poking out of the snow yet. Why can't snow be as beautiful melting away as the day it fell to the ground?

Today the sun was shining. I linger while walking across campus to the library, feeling the warm sun on my face and knowing that spring is on its way - but I also realize it will take it's own sweet time in getting here.

Miscellany

2009-02-24T22:17:00.000-08:00

Pronunciation [mis-uh-ley-nee] –noun, plural -nies.
1. a miscellaneous collection or group of various or somewhat unrelated items.

First, we went for a Sunday drive through the countryside in the fog. This tree loomed out of the murkiness alongside the road and I made Rick stop so I could get a good picture. It is just a little spooky, a little artsy, with loads of character.Second, we had a visit with Nana and baby Tabitha over the weekend. Tabitha is now 5 months old and all cheeks - don't you just want to poke those cheeks and see how deep they go? She looked at me all day, even let me hold her. She talked and cooed and giggled for Rick, but I'm not jealous, nope, not a bit.
Then, Tatum and I made a cake. This is the not-so-secret JELL-O cake. I just made this one up from watching others and adapted it to do what I wanted and what I found worked best for me.

The directions are simple. I made my first JELL-O cake as a 4-H project way, way back in the day. Make any boxed white cake mix (not the pudding inside kinds) according to the box directions. Allow it to COMPLETELY cool. Then, use a large box of JELL-O, flavor of your choice. We have used nearly every flavor/color available. (pssssst - our secret is in the preparation of the JELL-O.) Use 2 cups boiling water, stir until dissolved and add only 1 cup cold water. Place this in the refrigerator until it is cool throughout and just begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Poke holes in your cake with a toothpick or skewer, don't use a fork as it just makes large holes in the cake and leaves a crumbly mess you can't frost. Slowly pour the tickened JELL-O over the top of the cake, allowing it to fill the holes, cover the entire cake. Refrigerate until the JELL-O has set, about 45 minutes. Frost with whipped topping for a little added sugary goodness.

A couple of items of note: if you pour the JELL-O on immediately after mixing, it is warm and fast flowing. It will barely saturate the holes, run down the sides to the bottom and you will have a JELL-O upside down cake. It is fun to make this cake without the kids around and use flavors/colors they haven't seen before, like blue and purple.

Sunday baking

2009-02-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

Warm sour cream coffee cake was the on the fresh menu this morning.This got a very high approval rating this morning from the kids. It has a really thick batter, but cooks up very moist.

Preheat oven to 350° F. For topping mix 1/4 c. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Cream together 1 c. sugar and 1/2 c. butter. Add two eggs and 1/2 pint of sour cream and 1 tsp. vanilla, blend well. Sift together 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda. Blend wet and dry ingredients well. Pour half the batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Cover with half of topping. Add remaining batter, cover with remaining topping. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

This recipe came from the cookbook, A Beary Delightful Collection of Beary Old and Beary New Recipes. The collection was compiled by the good ladies of the Lind United Methodist Church in Lind, Wash.

Some winter memories

2009-02-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

The days are suddenly getting longer and the snow is melting - it is melting somewhere just not in our yard. We have a huge snow/ice berm in our front yard that is still higher than the top of my car and extends the entire length of the yard. It is frozen solid and will be with us a while.

But, we had some great times with that snow! Keeli had her first snowball fight this year. She would pick up tiny little bits of snow...and throw them at her unsuspecting dad. She would laugh and he would play along like the snowball knocked him over.The kids built a really nice snowman. Tatum was reading The Tale of Desperaux and the snowman was built to look like him, big ears, pointy nose, whiskers and of course a sword. Some neighborhood hoodlums knocked him over.

So, the following weekend the built another. Keeli and Rikard rolled a big ball of snow until it was too large for them to move any farther.Then, they rolled another. Tatum was in charge of smoothing the sides and making sure the middle one was smaller than the bottom one (Rikard was all about the bigger the better, must be a boy thing). Rick helped them get creative with the second snowman. He couldn't just be a plain old snowman, he needed some character.

So, this guy was a *dude.* He had spiked hair and whiskers. This wasn't your average, boring, everyday snowman.

He lasted a couple of weeks until the kids discovered the snow pile from the roof made a great short speed sledding course and the snowman was in the way. Oh, more snowy memories...

Maiden Voyage - and breakfast

2009-02-08T22:41:00.001-08:00

Watch out world, she's mobile! It isn't a driver's license, but it is the next best thing when you are a kiddo. She got her own set of wheels this weekend, complete with training wheels and a helmet.She took her first trip up and down the sidewalk this afternoon. She had an escort beside and behind her, but still managed to take a spill. All was okay when she realized there was no blood and her legs weren't broken.

On the earlier side of today, I got up and made one of Rick's favorite treats, his mom's recipe for sticky buns.
These are super easy and really tasty. Simply use two loaves of frozen bread dough (or the equivalent of frozen dinner roll dough). Break it into bite-sized pieces and place in a greased pan (square, oblong, cake tube). Let dough rise 30-60 minutes (I usually skip this part). In a saucepan melt one stick of butter. Add one small package of Jello vanilla pudding*, one small package Jello butterscotch pudding*, one cup brown sugar, one tablespoon milk. Bake at 350-F for 35 minutes.

*use the pudding mix for cooked pudding, NOT instant." Yummy delicious" is how we describe it. It is very similar to monkey bread recipes I've encountered, but the butterscotch pudding gives it a distinctly different and unique flavor - tasty even to those who don't like butterscotch pudding.

The Weekend in Review

2009-02-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

Much like their father, these kids' idea of luxury far exceeds the ability of their pocketbooks to provide it! Here they are practicing sunbathing on a $72,000 pleasure boat.
The boat show had everything, EVERYTHING. It was a great place to let the kids explore and Rick to dream.

Some of us tried to sit in the captain's seat of every boat there, the speed boats, the runabouts, the fishing boats, the duck hunting boats, the party barges and the yachts. They were all fair game. We also tried out the tow ropes for skiing, several of the fancy tubes and thought we were way cool when we stepped into the wake boards.

Tatum had a good time talking with a park ranger at the Dworshak Dam information booth. She told them we "already knew all about that dam" because we go there all the time - well, at least once a year. Then she and Rikard told the story of being at the dam's visitor center once during a thunder and lightening storm.

Many of the boats were set on the floor, off their trailers. This made it easy for me and the kids to see everything. Others had step ladders or plywood box steps leading up into them. It was difficult to keep track of the kids at some points when there were several boats with different ladders, steps and boardwalk systems in a small area.

When we got to the yachts, the salespeople were dressed markedly

different than the guys trying to sell the fishing boats. The stairs leading up to the boats were carpeted and the landings were decorated. Rikard could not believe his eyes when he saw inside one boat and it looked just like the inside of Papa's motorhome. Then, when we got around the corner to the party barges, they were amazed that the boats would have a sink and a counter and SO MANY cupholders. Oh, my!

We went away with armloads of information, but weren't the cause of one of these. We came close, but not quite.
Rick has his eye on a Hewescraft (the Fisherman's Choice according to their marketing materials) or a Crestliner, which according to him offers the perfect balance between fun for the kids and fishing for him.

Rikard had to be hauled away to the barber shop. He decided late at night that his bangs were too close to his eyes and attempted a self-styling job that went all wrong. Silly boy. The only fix was to cut his hair really, really short.

Sunday morning I settled into the kitchen and patiently peeled and chopped and fried until I had the perfect pan of homefries. Mmmm, comfort food.

Science Symposium

2009-01-29T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Science Symposium - sounds imposing and important, huh? - was held this week at school. The kids had a good time preparing, they both developed their own ideas after several pointed suggestions from science teacher dad.

Rikard wanted to test what chocolate chip cookies would be like with and without baking soda. So, we whipped up a couple of batches. Rikard really has some *mad skills* in the kitchen, or so he tells me. He likes to make the cookie dough scoop work.

In total we made five batches of cookies and really only two were edible. The rest were like little toy boat anchors, or paper weights, or hockey pucks. He did a basic observation for his project, comparing texture, size, color, etc. Not bad for a 2nd grader.

These were some of his finest cookies. They didn't survive to make the trip to school - heck, they didn't even survive til morning.

Tatum's project was a bit more involved. She compared the evaporation rates between muddy and salty water. Downstairs in the mad scientist portion of the basement (Rick and Tatum's workroom) they developed these miniature environments under a heat lamp. Tatum ran her test a couple of times, always coming up with new questions.

They could only take a single display board to the symposium. Tatum used her new camera to document her test and did a pretty fair job of presenting her stuff for the event.

Keeli, the little queen of destruction, attended the symposium too. She went straight for the volcanoes.
Sadly for mom, the symposium was on a night she has class. So, dad rounded the evening out with dinner at the local pizza parlor. Isn't he the greatest?!

Kiddo update

2009-01-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

Friday morning Rikard complained that his throat was "hot." After school we got a phone call that he couldn't walk himself home and his temperature was 103°. Rick took him to the clinic and came home with the anticipated diagnosis of strep throat.

A few antibiotics and some Tylenol later and he was wanting scrammbled eggs. Of course he can cook them himself now.

We had a few friends over to dinner and Keeli had a great time entertaining. This was her minutes after our guests left.

Tatum has been hard to find in the late evenings. She is quietly working her way through the entire shelf of Nancy Drew mystery's at the library. Sometimes she turns off the light long enough for Keeli to fall asleep and then she is up reading for an hour or more into the night. Such a rebel! She's reading 5-7 of these books a week depending upon her available reading time.

Spunky

2009-01-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

Do these clothes make me look Spunky?

We have our own version of the famous-from-the-80s Punky Brewster (I don't really remember the show, but Rick does).

Keeli has taken a shine to choosing her own clothing and has, well, her own style. The shirts are layered deep, there are two underneath you can't see. The pants are from Valentine's Day last year and have tiny silver hearts on them. The orange sock is a fashion remnant from Halloween with little black bats flying all over it. And, don't be silly, socks DON'T have to match.

This is our typical weekend grocery shopping attire. Over the top were black mary janes on the wrong feet and a lime green parka, with a lime green fur trimmed hood.

And, it is all complimented by the red kool-aid mustache.

More baking, reading, cold trees

2009-01-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

This weekend's baking experiment was a German Apple Pancake. This is the first time I've attempted a recipe for this dish.I was really pleased with it once I got it out of the cast iron skillet it was cooked/baked in. The edges of the pancake were nice and crisp. The apples were warm, soft and a perfect mixture of sweet and tart. See your pretty green plate Nancy?

When I first took it from the oven I wasn't overly impressed. It didn't look like the finished photos from any resource I could find. It was lumpy, pale and ugly. Thank goodness this top turns into the bottom when it hits the breakfast table.
There are numerous recipes out there and this was from my America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Sorry, this recipe isn't availabe on the America's Test Kitchen website unless you subscribe. (Hint: the cookbook is available at Amazon.com and Costco, both for about $20.) I've had this prepared several different ways and prefer the more break-like pancake to the versions where the pancake is mostly eggs and the finished dish almost like quiche.

The kids really enjoyed it, especially the sprinkling of powdered sugar. Rick thought it was more dessert-ish than breakfast-y. Tatum, who rarely eats fruit, gobbled this one up completely.

After breakfast we took a quick trip to the library, where we all checked out some great reading. I'm going to re-read George Orwell's Animal Farm. Tatum once again loaded up on Nancy Drew mysteries. Keeli found a book about eating vegetables and Rikard decided to read Hank the Cowdog.

We then took a nice drive into the country to look at houses. We need to land somewhere sooner or later, we may as well look. We found these trees, south of the city where the snow still lays in thick blankets across the ground.
The fog had lifted a bit earlier inthe afternoon. The frost covered the trees, making the landscapes seem almost black and white. I'm sure there is some sort of field or crop under all that snow, but it is still deep enough in most places that aren't city streets to cover quite a bit.

Cinnamon bun recipe

2009-01-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

Apparently it is not nice to post photos of freshly baked cinnamon rolls without sharing the quick and easiest recipe for them ever. I am sorry! This recipe is from Kim and is printed in the latest copy of the BBCC Staff and Faculty Cookbook.

Ingredients
1 ¾ cups warm water
6 Tbs. sugar
½ cup oil
3 Tbs. dry yeast
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
5 ½ cups flour
butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
raisins

Mix water, sugar, oil and yeast. Let stand 15 minutes. Add eggs, salt and flour, mix well. Roll to ½" thickness. Spread with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins to taste. Roll up and cut in 1 ½" pieces. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise 10-15 minutes. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes. Cool and frost with vanilla or cream cheese frosting. Makes 24.

NOTES: I use my Kitchen Aid mixer and 6 cups of flour. I've used white and a mix of white and unbleached flour. I use confectioners icing, 2 cups of powdered sugar with enough milk whisked in to desired consistency. You must wait until they are nearly cooled to put this icing on.