Blizzard ‘09

Last week, we got to experience the Blizzard of ‘09 right here in Iowa. We got more than a foot of snow on the ground, then the winds came. Up to 50-60 mph. Whew!

When I opened the back door to let the dogs outside… this is what we found.

Then I took a peek at the swingset…

And then of course, there was the front yard and the cars…

We were stuck in the house for a couple of days… but then my hubby (who is awesome) braved the outdoors to clear the driveway. And he did an awesome job!

The wind was still blowing when the snow finally eased up, but we just couldn’t resist taking Zack outside to experience some of the big drifts in the backyard. At first, he wasn’t sure about how deep it was.

But it didn’t take long for him to start having fun! (and then, of course, there were tears when I said we had to go inside)

We’re still pretty covered in snow around here…but at least we can get around again. (Although, I’m beginning to think the City of Des Moines has forgotten our neighborhood…Bring a plow down our streets for goodness sake!!)

A Little Late…But Still Thankful

So, I have yet to get a post up about our Thanksgiving trip to Oklahoma…but I’m finally getting to it now!

We left Des Moines at 4am the day before Thanksgiving. We left this early on our last trip to Oklahoma and it worked out really well because we arrive around 2pm and we get more time with my family. :)

Mom and Jake outdid themselves with the food, as usual. It was all delicious!

It was Austin’s first Thanksgiving, so we let him try a drumstick (basically just for photo opportunities…) He LOVED it! In fact, he cried when I finally took it away.

Zack, on the other hand, had this reaction when I GAVE him a drumstick. Suffice to say, our boys are different in many ways. ;)

Thanksgiving night, we celebrated Christmas with my family. The boys had  a lot of fun and got lots of fun new things.

I was blessed with this awesome gift… Footie pajamas from my mom.

Complete with MONKEY FEET! (I laughed…A LOT)

Besides all the holiday festivities, we of course had to get outside with the boys. The weather was beautiful! Zack spent most his time outdoors with Grandpa. One of the first orders of business…riding the tractor, of course!

And Austin had to get out to see Whisper and Bunny, of course. Bunny just wanted to know if they were hiding any treats…

And Whisper wasn’t about to be outdone.

We had a great time in Oklahoma, and loved getting to spend time with my parents and my brother, Jake. And we’re looking forward to seeing Mom and Dad again this week as they come up to see Zack in his Christmas program!

For now, goodbye from Reindeer Austin…

And Zack… uh, I mean, Luigi. ;)

A Mommy Project

I know, I'm incredibly behind in my posts. Not sure anyone really notices that, but I have several posts rattling around in my head that I want to get typed up... just haven't had the time. Today, just a short one... to show you all a little video I put together for Austin's first birthday. There are a couple of glitches (as I'm trying to figure out software I hadn't used before) and I didn't take as much time on it as I would have liked... but I'm pretty satisfied with it. Of course, I could watch home movies of my kids for hours... ;) So, please try to forget I'm supposed to be trained in video shooting & editing! Just view from a mommy's point of view...

Austin's First Year from Kristy Heilman on Vimeo.

The First Year

It’s official. My baby is a year old.

At 3:16pm today, Austin moved on from the “___-months old” category to one YEAR old. Sure, it seems insignificant, but not to a mom.

Our littlest man entered the world at 8lbs 10z and 20 inches. Today, he tips the scales at nearly 23lbs.

That sizable weight gain is due in part to his incredible love for food. I kid you not – Austin will eat just about anything. He has RARELY refused anything. He’ll at LEAST try it – and chances are he’ll probably like it. Zack, on the other hand, is a picky eater. Not so with his little brother. Austin not only eats just about anything – he ENJOYS it, too. Practically the entire time he’s eating he’s making noise. Something like, “Mmmm, Num Num Num” and such.

Our Austin also came into this world with some slightly misaligned feet. Today, you would never be able to tell.

(Below: Austin tries to find weak spots in Zack’s fortress)

Austin began his treatment for clubfoot when he was about 2 weeks old. He’s received EXCELLENT care from Dr. Dietz at the Ponseti clinic in Iowa City. What an amazing gift from God. Not only was the world expert on clubfoot in the U.S. – he was in Iowa… just an hour and a half drive from our door. We have known beyond a shadow of a doubt that God led us to Iowa. He has proven it over and over again. This was just further confirmation.

 

Now after spending weeks in casts and months in a brace – Austin is mobile. He’s been trying to walk and showing interest, but usually goes for crawling (because it’s just easier). Today, he turned a corner… He walked across the living room BY HIMSELF without any coaxing. He was SO EXCITED when he did it! It was precious! Then, of course, he wanted to keep going! I have a feeling he’s going to be walking and RUNNING all over the place in no time!

He’s growing and changing so quickly – and I’m so glad I’m here to see it all happen.

Here are a few of Austin’s other favorite things/new discoveries:

• Austin’s first word was probably ‘Dada.’ He says it ALL the time now. He has also started saying, “This!” and pointing to things. It’s SO cute (of course, I’m biased). He’s also starting to say ‘Mama’ (which makes me giddy, of course)
• Austin has figured out that many animals growl or roar. He’s also figured out that he can make such a sound. So now, most animal toys he plays with growl or roar… even if it’s an elephant.
• Austin also loves cars and trucks. So, the same “roaring” sound he uses for animals is also used in connection with cars and trucks. He loves to make an “engine” noise and push cars and trucks around.
• Austin LOVES Blue’s Clues. We discovered this kind of by accident. Now, he adores it and gets SO excited when he hears the music at the beginning of the show. He also says, “Cues! Cues!” (aka: “Blues Clues!”) when watching it. Of course, this show is in reruns now, so finding Blue’s Clues toys, etc is difficult…
• Last, but definitely not least, Austin loves his brother. I’m pretty sure he’d follow Zack to the ends of the earth – even if he had to crawl the whole way. In Austin’s eyes, Zack is pretty much the coolest guy on the planet, and also hysterically funny. Zack, seems to only be mildly aware that he’s revered in such a way. He adores Austin, but doesn’t yet realize the power he COULD have over him (I know, he’ll discover that eventually).

And so ends my birthday post for Austin. My sweet, sweet little boy. I should clarify: My sweet little boy is also incredibly onery…but is so darn adorable while being onery it’s distracting. ;P

Austin, I love you. We are so blessed that God has entrusted you to us. Our hearts have grown so much since you joined us a year ago. I’m so excited to see the man you’ll grow to be – but I’m not in a hurry to get there. You and your brother are treasures to your daddy and I.

Happy birthday, little bubba. :)

Blame it on the hormones...

...or just the fact that I'm a mommy. (which also presumes mucho hormones) Either way, I've been feeling pretty emotional today. Tomorrow, my baby turns 1.

One year ago tonight we were doing last minute preps before heading in to the hospital for me to be induced. (In the pic, Zack is giving Austin & I a hug before we leave)


It's so crazy to think how quickly this year has passed. To quote my friend (and marriage expert) Barb Rosberg, "These are the longest days and the shortest years." How VERY true. There have been days in the last year that I thought I would never survive... but now looking back it seems to have all passed in a blur.

I've been looking at Austin this week and saying, "He's not a baby anymore." But Josh is quick to say, "Yes he is!" He says I have another 6 months to a year before he's REALLY not a baby. Sure, sure - but the fact that I have to say "YEAR" in his age instead of "MONTHS" just brings home that he's growing up quickly.

So this is pretty much just a quick post to vent some of these pent up emotions (or not-so-pent-up if you ask my husband). More posts to come later.... including a post about our Thanksgiving in Oklahoma and a birthday post for Austin.

Now, I need to go catch some of these quickly passing minutes with my boys.

Recipe Swap

Ok, so it’s not exactly a swap… more of a recipe SHARE. I have a couple of recipes that have been big hits in our house, so I thought I’d share them with all of you!

Both recipes are so easy to make, and SO tasty! All my picky eaters like them both! :)

Here’s the first…

**Chicken Tortilla Soup**

Ingredients

6 corn tortillas (6 inch), divided

1-1/2 tsp.  oil, divided

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cans  (14 oz. each) chicken broth

1 cup salsa

1 cup  frozen corn

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

HEAT oven to 400°F. Cut 2 tortillas into strips; toss with 1/2 tsp. oil. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until crisp, stirring occasionally.

MEANWHILE, finely chop remaining 4 tortillas. Heat remaining oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. Add chopped tortillas, broth, salsa and corn. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 15 min.

SERVE topped with cheese and tortilla strips.

 

HELPFUL HINTS: I actually use another one or two tortillas for the ones I put in the soup (but that’s just my personal taste). Also, I don’t usually use oil to cook my chicken because I feel like it comes out a little tough. Instead, I actually just use a little water in the pan to keep it from sticking. The chicken comes out nice and tender.

And here’s recipe #2 (PERFECT for fall!)….

 

**Pumpkin Pancakes**

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

 

Directions

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375°F. Grease griddle with vegetable oil if necessary. In medium bowl, stir all pancake

ingredients until well blended. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle.

Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook other sides until golden brown. Serve with syrup.

 

HELPFUL HINTS:  If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and ground ginger instead.

...Love and Marriage...

Zack has had a fascination with weddings and marriage since he was in Uncle Jared and Aunt Laura's wedding back in May. The topic seems to come up at random intervals... including tonight during dinner. What follows is a little "transcript" of the conversation that went on between Zack and Daddy (because Mommy was having a hard time keeping a straight face...) And keep in mind, this came up out of the blue...

Zack: I need a wife.
Daddy: What?
Zack: I need a wife!
Daddy: Why?
Zack: Because I need one!
Daddy:You don't need a wife...
Zack: Miriam is...
Daddy: Miriam is what?
Zack: Miriam is my wife.
Daddy: No, you didn't get married.
Zack: I want to.
Daddy: You want to what?
Zack: I want to get married.
Daddy: I'm pretty sure you have to be at least 16 to get married in the state of Iowa and even then I don't think you should get married that young.
Zack: When I'm 5 I want to be in Sparks. (AWANA)
Daddy: Ok, but that doesn't have anything to do with marriage.
Zack: But when I'm 5 I could be in Sparks.
Daddy: Sure, when you're 5 you can be in Sparks if you want to.
Zack: Ok.

Yep, that's the gist of it... and all the while I was half hiding my face 'cause I didn't want Zack to see/hear me giggling... ;)

Playtime

I admit it. I love summer, but hate the dreadfully hot weather. What I love more? Fall. I love 70ish degrees with a slight breeze. I love wearing long sleeves (but not a coat) and feeling not too hot, and not too cold. I love the crisp air in the mornings and the sun through the golden and orange leaves.

The boys and I have taken advantage of the fall weather when we get a chance (I am acutely aware of those “perfect” days right now especially because of some unseasonably COLD weather we’ve been having.) So when those perfect fall days come around… we try to head outside.

One of our new favorite places to go is Grandview Park. It’s just down the road from our house, and when you go at the right time (school hours on a weekday!) there’s practically no one there. It rocks to have nearly an entire park to yourself. :)

Here are a couple pics of the boys enjoying the playground…

Austin’s new favorite… the swings!

It never fails that Austin’s hair will be sticking up wildly in one place or another (or MORE than one place, for that matter).

Here’s Zack in what he calls the “intraption” (a.k.a. CONtraption)

Zack also loves the bridge. If he’s on it, it probably means he’s pretending to be Indiana Jones.

And he’s starting to get the hang of “pumping” his legs to swing on his own (but he much prefers to be pushed.) Here, he’s checking out his shadow.

So, once the ground dries up again, I’m sure we’ll be out again… maybe in a park near you ;)

My Worst Enemy

It's me. Do you ever feel that way? I know it's true (well, except for the devil himself...)

My "bad" days are the days I get so full of SELF that I make myself miserable. Oh sure, I could give all kinds of reasons why I'm having a bad day... but the truth is, most of it has to do with me. Whether it's feeling sorry for myself, getting too wrapped up in circumstances, or just giving myself too much credit. It never fails to leave me feeling down and frustrated. I KNOW what can take that feeling of hopelessness or despair away, but what's so crazy is how hard it can sometimes be in those times to give it up...to let go...to refocus on God (instead of mySELF). And really, let's be honest, that's a form of selfishness, too. That's just me wanting to hold onto control of things...or what I perceive as "control." And while we're still being honest...sometimes we just LIKE to have a pity party. To play the victim. And we like to get a little pity from others, too. I say it 'cause I've been guilty of doing it.

Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want to keep getting trapped in this vicious cycle. I don't want to give the evil one that kind of victory over me. Especially when I know he has no power over me unless I GIVE it to him. So, I'm on a mission to dump out this overload of "self" I've got lying around... Join me, if you'd like, and we'll bury the evil one in it. ;)

Philippians 2:3-11

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

God Speaks

I’ve recently had the pleasure of taking part in an awesome ladies Bible study at my church. It’s the Beth Moore study, “Stepping Up,” which goes through the Psalms of ascent. I’ve learned so much just about the history involved in these Psalms, but more than that, I’ve learned so much about God’s heart. He has used this study to teach me and draw me closer to Himself. It’s been an incredible journey! (and I’m sad to see it end next week).

One of the days this past week really hit me – particularly a Psalm that was referenced in the study time (but isn’t one of the actual Psalms of ascent). It’s Psalm 139. I ended up highlighting the entire Psalm in my Bible because I just couldn’t stop… it’s amazing.

What I love about God’s Word is it is a LIVING word. You can read something in the Word one day, and God can use it. Then you can read that same something weeks or months later and God can use it in a completely different way. This was one of those Psalms I’d heard and read many times before, but for some reason this last week it reached me much more deeply than it ever has…

I’ve pasted it in here (the NIV version) for you to read for yourself, but here are just a few things that jumped out at me:

• God is with us ALWAYS, even when we don’t want Him. There isn’t anywhere we could ever go that He isn’t there as well. We can never be separated from Him – and I’m SO thankful for that! (v. 5-12)
• God knows us COMPLETELY. No one on this planet will ever know us as well as He does. We don’t even know ourselves as well as He does. He’s known us since before we were born – and LOVED us just as long. (v. 1-4 & 13-16)
• We must always come clean with God. There isn’t anything about us He doesn’t already know, but He wants to be in RELATIONSHIP with us – and part of that is coming to Him and confessing or venting or just talking to Him about whatever’s on our heart. He already knows – He just wants us to share our heart with Him. Also, we should ask Him to reveal to us anything that we need to clean up in ourselves. He’ll show us and help us to become the person He meant for us to be. (v. 23-24)

With that… please read and enjoy… and may God speak to your heart, as He did mine.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, ^[a] you are there.

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

I *Do* Mourn the Wicked…

The musical, that is… ;)

Last year, I saw that ‘Wicked’ would be coming to Des Moines in October 2009. I promptly informed Josh that THAT is what I wanted for my birthday in 2009…tickets to see the show. My husband (being the awesome man that he is) bought me tickets almost as soon as they were available. Yep, he’s amazing. :)

So, it turns out the show opened in DSM in September…and Josh got me tickets for opening night…so I got my birthday present about a month early. No complaints here! :)

Josh isn’t much of a fan of musicals, so I spared him the apparent torture he would have experienced… and didn’t make him go with me. My mother-in-law was kind enough to join me and we had a blast! I also did not take this rare opportunity to dress-up for granted. I decided an “emerald green” top would be quite appropriate…

The show was beyond description. Ok, sure, I’m gushing, but I’ve never seen anything like it. The costumes, the sets, the lighting, the effects – everything was just amazing! And that’s not even mentioning the performances!

The leads on this leg of the tour were played by Marcia Dodd (Elphaba) and Helene Yorke (Glinda).

I have to tell you – they were AMAZING! I’ve seen the “originals” playing the parts on TV (Kristen Chenowith as Glinda and Idina Menzel as Elphaba) and honestly, I like Marcia and Helene BETTER! Especially, Helene. Her version of Glinda was just incredible! I was laughing so hard at her during the “Makeover/Popular” scene.

She had just the perfect take on that character. I loved it.

Both ladies gave amazing vocal performances. I have had the songs stuck in my head since we saw the show! In particular, I can’t get the song “Popular” out of my head! In fact, if I’m NOT singing it (which isn’t that often lately) Zack says, “Mommy, sing your Wicked song!”

So, I’m still reeling over how much I LOVED the show. I would absolutely go see it again given the chance! And I can’t wait to check out more Broadway shows coming to Des Moines!

Much love to my awesome hubby for giving me a WICKED AWESOME birthday present this year. ;)

*singing* “And even in your case…though it’s the toughest case I’ve yet to face…”

Sometimes, a Mom just knows...

That would be my message to doctors these days. I *know* there are a lot of pushy parents out there that want to tell doctors how to do their jobs - but I know (because I've had recent encounters) that there are also doctors out there who will completely ignore a parent who has a pretty good idea what's going on with her child. Let's be honest here, Mom knows her kid better than you do Doc, so try listening to what she has to say!

Ok, so now that I have that little rant out of the way, I'll tell you why I say all that... As many of you probably already know, Zack got a bad case of the flu recently - directly after he got the flu vaccine. Coincidence? I think not. ANYWAY - he was incredibly sick for more than a week and ended up with an ear infection on top of the flu. He's *still* trying to get rid of a cough. After he got sick, Austin started to get some drainage, etc. Nothing too bad, I thought. Then, Friday night, he started sounding raspy and had a barky cough. Croup. (No, not "crap," croup - though I did THINK the other...) We had a rough night, and Saturday morning wasn't any better. After talking with my pediatrician's office, we took him to an Urgent Care clinic (on their suggestion - because they couldn't get us in). The doctor at the Urgent Care clinic said Austin had bronciolitis - and needed antibiotics and albuterol nebulizer treatments. This was after the nurse at the pediatrician's pretty much confirmed my suspicion of croup...and after saying "croup" at the urgent care clinic. So, I thought, "Ok, well, I guess I was wrong... glad we at least know what's going on now and he can get better."

So, we filled the meds, got him started on them, and then I was able to get him down for an afternoon nap. I was sure he was going to feel/sound at least a little better when he got up - I was wrong. He was WORSE and was having a really difficult time breathing. Long story short (ok, so it's already long), I called the Mercy Nurse and she said take him to the ER. We did. They QUICKLY diagnosed croup, gave him the PROPER treatment, and his breathing got better almost immediately.

Now, Austin's still sick, but the croupy cough is better and so is his breathing. He still has a nasty cough, and cries every time he coughs 'cause he hurts (the poor baby!) but he can BREATHE! We're hoping things just continue to get better for him.

All this to say, please docs - take the time to listen to mom and dad and give them some credit! We'll try not to be pushy about it, but much of the time we have a good idea what's going on with our kiddos. If the urgent care doc had done that, Austin would have been better by Saturday afternoon, instead of worse, and wouldn't have had to make a traumatic trip to the ER.

Ok, I'm done. *Stepping off the soapbox NOW*

Poor Little Guy…

The silly, energetic Zack in this pic isn’t the one in our house right now. Our little Zacky has been sick here lately. He got the flu vaccine (the intranasal one) last Wednesday (the 16th) and has been sick ever since. Fever, vomiting, congestion, cough…the works!  I’m taking him in to the doc today just because things seem to be dragging on and on…

In the midst of all this, Zack has said some pretty cute/funny (and sometimes heart-breaking) things.

Josh told him yesterday that sleep would help make him feel better because when we sleep our bodies can fix things that are wrong. So Zack said, “But I don’t want any tools in my belly!”  Then at bed time he told Daddy he was going to “Sleep a long time so the tools in my belly can fix me.”  When he woke up this morning he looked at me and said, “Mommy I’m still very sick. Nothing is fixing me!”

He’ll also tell me, “Mommy, I need you to make me feel better.” Which nearly puts me in tears because I *so* wish I could do that!

He seems to be SLIGHTLY better today, but I’m going to go ahead and take him in anyway…for peace of mind, if nothing else. He did manage to do a little dance this morning, so I figured that was a sign he may be (finally) on the mend. ;)

9 Months

Our ‘little’ Austin is 9 months old today. I really can’t get a handle on where this year has gone! It seems to just be rushing by.  I admit, those first few weeks seemed like they’d never end, but now I feel like each day goes by in a flash.

He seems to be doing something new every hour – more than one new thing each day. He crawls as fast as he possibly can most the time. He wants to stand, rather than sit. He desperately wants to keep up with Zack, and tries as hard as he can to do so. He’s a happy baby 99% of the time, but when he’s mad, he lets you know it! He babbles like there’s no tomorrow, clicks his tongue, makes a “kiss” sound, loves to “bop” to music, and now has 7 teeth (but is missing one of the front teeth still, which makes for a goofy grin). He adores his big brother, and loves to cuddle with Mommy and Daddy (but only when he has a mind to slow down).

I know his first birthday is quickly creeping up on us, but I try not to think about it too much. Right now, I’m just trying to enjoy every second I can with these boys who are growing so quickly I can barely keep up.

It’s State Fair Time!

Ok, this post is coming a little late… but at least it’s making an appearance ;)

The Iowa State Fair has wrapped up, and as usual, we made our yearly trek. My parents traveled up from Oklahoma to join us, and we spent a couple of days over there. The weather was SO much nicer than it usually is! We’re talking 80 degrees, instead of 100+ (a serious improvement!) Also, this year Zack was able to really participate in a lot more things, and try lots of new things, too! We had a lot of fun, got too much sun, ate some extra calories, and were worn out by the end of Day 2 – and it was all so worth it :)  Here are a few pics of our time…

Zack did “Little Hands on the Farm” for the second year in a row. He and Grandpa posed for a picture with a squash that Zack desperately wanted to bring home…

Here he’s checking out the “chickens.” He was a little confused as to why they weren’t moving…

Grandpa had to save Zack from a near collision with a straw bale. Zack was so focused on pedaling that he neglected to steer.

This is how Austin spent a large portion of the fair. He was awake quite a bit though, and enjoyed all the things there were to see.

One of the many new things Zack tried this year was the sky ride. He LOVED it. He kept looking up at Josh and saying, “Daddy I LOVE this!”

Austin woke up to ham-it-up for the camera a few times… and show off his snaggle-tooth smile ;)

On day two, Zack tried out the bungee bounce. Another first, and another thing he LOVED.

In fact… here’s video to prove it ;) You have to keep an eye out for the awesome Bruce Lee style kicks…

Rides were all the rage this year for Zack… He adored the motorcycle ride…and the helicopter ride…and the “dizzy dragons.”  Needless to say, I think next year we’re going to have to plan for the “ride budget!”

All in all, it was a great year at the fair. I’m sure we’ll end up there next year, as we can’t ever seem to resist it ;)

So, I’m a little odd…

I’ve had multiple realizations lately that I’m a little bit odd. Sure, sure, you knew that already… but I was possibly in a little bit of denial. So, I guess I’ll share some of the things that have come to mind recently that made me realize my, well…oddness? ;)

- It’s been 10 years since I owned a horse, but I still pine over nice horse trailers. You know the big four-horse ones with the windows that open for the horses to stick their heads out? And has living quarters up front? *sigh* I love ‘em!  I’ll probably always admire them, I guess, even though it looks unlikely that I’ll own another horse any time soon. (I’m very allergic)

- I want a motorcycle. I’ve decided this might be my way of “replacing” having a horse, but whatever it is, I do want one. I’ve never ridden one by myself, just ridden with my dad (who rocks the motorcycle world!) I figure it can’t be hard to learn, and it would be super fun. Maybe I could get a sidecar for the kids? ;)

- I occasionally enjoy watching kids’ shows. I’ve always been a fan of cartoons. I just can’t help myself. And yes, sometimes I laugh out loud at said kids’ shows.

- I enjoy grocery shopping. What I like is making my list, checking sales and coupons, and seeing how much I can get for the lowest amount of money (without compromising quality). I literally get a little thrill when I see the total at the register…and just how LONG my receipt is.

This is just a mild sampling, but I thought I’d share my oddities with all of you… just for the fun of it ;)