the birthday DAY

Adam's birthday was on a Sunday and he loved every minute of it. First was breakfast with a package of mini cereal boxes... a tradition from my family (where did I get my addiction to cereal?!). Next we were off to church... and he loved going to church/primary on his actual birthday. Once home, he requested "white macaroni and cheese" for lunch... Aunt Mary's recipe that's a simple but delicious one. Then he got to open a few presents and several cards from family and friends. He loved all the attention. I think his favorite gift that day was the marble racing set thingy (what are those even called?). We've had fun putting it together many times since then. A close second was a particular Chipmunk movie that I had to track down on Amazon because no one really sells it anymore. It's an episode called "Batmunk" that Adam used to love checking out from the Tosa library. Fun times. Anyway, for dinner he requested steak (after a quiet suggestion from me... since our wonderful neighbors had given us some a couple of days before). Unfortunately, we didn't get to really enjoy the dinner for very long because I had caused too much stress in the kitchen attempting to make this pirate cake. Looks pretty simple, right?! Well, Guy and I (whose idea was it again?) had the grand idea to put the pirate ship on water. Makes sense, right? And since I had made a volcano cake w/red candy lava for my nephew's bday not too long ago, I thought I'd just use that candy recipe and make it blue for water instead. But let's not just make water. Let's print "Happy Birthday Adam" underneath the water! I'm far from being a candy-making expert, and it's all about timing, temperature, stirring, etc. ...Needless to say, it only took us FOUR tries to get our blue "water" to the right consistency (and correct amount to fill the plate). So, that's the roughest part, right? The candy/water base? I totally cheated and just used a box cake mix and even pre-made frosting so the rest was supposed to be easy. Unfortunately, I'm not the best pirate-ship-cake-put-together-er... and it was falling apart all over the place. I finally resorted to tying a frieking (yeah, I was even using the word "frieking" by that point ;) ...though I'm still not sure exactly how to spell it)... tying a frieking ribbon around my cake to hold it together! Then I just frosted over it to conceal the evidence. Awesome idea, right? Well, too bad this pretty much makes the cake uncuttable and, therefore, basically inedible by this point. Oh, and I forgot to mention that there were half a dozen dowels (skewers) scattered throughout the cake from when Guy tried to help me solve the problem. Oh well. Problem basically was solved, I frosted the cake, and did my best to finish it off in some sort of pirate fashion. Except now I had to make cupcakes to serve everyone because I couldn't really use the real cake, I ran out of eggs and couldn't run to the store because it was Sunday, ... ran out of frosting because of all the patching up I was doing... had to make real frosting from scratch (imagine that)... put about a cup too much cocoa in it... yada yada yada... Long story short (or not so short) the cake and cupcakes finally get finished enough and we have a few friends over to enjoy. Ended up being a fun night! So, if you've made it though this way-too-long paragraph, you can now reward yourself w/a few pictures. KatieL, those are your delicious chocolate chip cookies as well (w/M&Ms)...SO good! :)

Still good enough for a lick! :)

best birthday EVER!

Isn't that first one the greatest picture ever?! I love it. Adam was SO excited to get a strike when we went bowling for an early bday activity last week. Karin & her fam were nice enough to join us since they were going to be out of town for Adam's official birthday. We even made "bugs in the dirt" cupcakes and everything. (We crushed up grasshopper cookies for the "dirt"... the mint flavor was delicious!:) Guy and I really were there too... our camera has been taking some very fuzzy shots lately so not many turned out well. Don't worry (I'm sure you were), I'll get some of us out here somewhere.

another first

Last night we were playing at our friends' house when Adam jumped from a height that he shouldn't have jumped from and got his first broken bone. ...A "supracondylar fracture of the elbow" to be exact. But he was a pretty tough sport about it! No tears. Just plenty of moaning and whimpering. No worries, though. Watermelon, Cheetos, and a Tom & Jerry cartoon brought him back to his old self in no time (oh, the tylenol w/codein probably helped, too). I was surprised to have him sleep in late this morning and he's barely complained of pain at all today... maybe we won't need those meds after all.

The third picture is from earlier in the day yesterday when he was such a great helper for me. Doing dishes for like 30 minutes straight (he'd wash em and I'd put them in the dishwasher), and then check out his laundry-folding job! No help from me... he laid out the towel, folded the clothes, and put them in the appropriate piles. I think I'm learning how to take advantage of his OCD tendencies! ;) What a great kid. We're so blessed. Hopefully it'll be quite a while before we (he) ever have to deal w/another broken bone!

p.s. For those of you who've been bugging me 'cuz I haven't posted in a while... I hope you're happy now!! ;)

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow

(Mark Twain)

This has kinda been my blogging philosophy. And I will probably still continue to keep this philosophy and just catch up when it's convenient for me. :) I posted back in May, but really haven't updated for real since like January. So I've organized my pictures and will slowly update as I can (and I'm going to try to cheat and date the posts close to when I took the pix... so you may have to jump around if you're really interested in checking 'em out). 3 reasons I'm going back 6 months to do this: 1) so I can have these things documented if I ever actually print this blog to a book, 2) I owe several people several pictures, so hopefully they can just steal them from here (if not, let me know and I'll email them to you:), and 3) I've gotten many remarks on how it's been way too long since I've updated... and you know how I am with peer pressure.

Milwaukee, you will be missed!

Not to get sappy, but during the long drive I just kept thinking of all the great experiences and memories I'll be taking from our 4 years in Milwaukee. Dozens kept popping in my head, so I decided to start writing them down. And what better way to make the list "permanent" than the blog! And a good excuse to actually post again (that sweet post from Guy has been up there way too long!:). In no particular order (because there ended up being too many on the list), here are my 101 random reasons why we will miss you, Milwaukee. (Yeah, there are a lot…probably only interesting to you if you live(d) here too. Or if you’re really bored right now…

1. Sprechers root beer (we smuggled 2 boxes across country from Sam’s Club in Milwaukee… then discovered that it seems they sell Sprechers in Utah… oh well!)
2. Game nights that, most of the time, turned into just “chat” nights due to certain friends :)
3. Restaurant Hoppers
4. Rekindling my love of reading (hopefully I’ll still feel that “pressure” and keep in touch via goodreads.com)
5. The occasional Settlers night (still so proud I made “the box”… and Guy is still so frustrated that he didn’t;)
6. OSCARS FROZEN CUSTARD! In their delicious homemade cone, of course. $2.32! Can’t beat that.
7. Betty Brinn Children’s Museum
8. Fox Brook Park
9. The Zoo
10. “Forced” to learn how to quilt by volunteering for a certain church project
11. Christmas dinner 2008 (who knew we could fit 17 people in that awesome, squeaky apartment?!)
12. Brewers games
13. Bucks games
14. Babysitting exchanges
15. All of our awesome help with moving. THANKS again, everyone! Despite my efforts to be fully ready, I really appreciated (and needed) your help. And, Jenny, sorry again about the oven…:)
16. Open gym, or, the “jumping place” as Adam calls it. I always had as much fun there as he did!
17. Teds
18. Juniper 61 & Café Lulu (mmmm… craving that falafel pita right now!)
19. Lake Michigan
20. Kite Festival (all festivals, actually… wish we would’ve done more)
21. Dells trips (Chula Vista is still the favorite)
22. The Big Backyard and those cool bike thingies… still baffle my mind!
23. The Branch (I know that’s way too broad… but, really, where would I begin?!)
24. Our beautiful church building
25. Our amazing Young Women
26. Synchronized swimming! (Katie, I’m still so glad you pulled it off!)
27. Leaders being excited about synchronized swimming :)
28. Iron Chef night
29. Constant candy flow from certain friends… and Adam subsequently getting hyped up on sugar (starbursts, skittles, licorice, whatever the offender may be)
30. Homemade doughnut night! A personal favorite.
31. The Chicago Temple (interesting how we move to an area where our new closest temple is
32. Boise… strikingly similar to Chicago)
33. Claim Jumper (I DO d’éclair!)
34. Preschool fun
35. Sincerely LOVING my friends’ kids and watching them grow
36. “Sandbox” built for 2 on the balcony
37. Being able to send the kids to the basement
38. The beauty of autumn
39. Pumpkin picking in autumn (still can’t believe we never made it to Apple Holler!)
40. American Idol karaoke nights
41. Girls nights
42. Hangin’ out at the slide on the front lawn (well, I know some who won’t miss that:)
43. Sunday dessert nights w/a little croquet
44. Having a cul-de-sac full of friends
45. Volleyball Mondays
46. BBQs
47. Birthday parties, baby showers, more baby showers, and any other excuse to get together
48. Awesome Relief Society teachers
49. FHE at the branch
50. Drinking from the “bubbler”
51. Walking outside and smelling yeast from the brewery (will sort of miss that)
52. Friends watching Adam while Guy works on my teeth
53. Friends watching Adam while Guy is supposed to be working on my teeth, but instead has to come help me fix the car when it won’t start… and it’s parked illegally
54. Illegal bunnies ;)
55. New-found love of running (p.s. please keep those motivational quotes coming! I have yet to go here…)
56. The WAC and the Kids Clubhouse… and the batman costume… Adam’s favorite thing to do there
57. The “regulars” who’d come to my fitness classes
58. Wintertime (oh wait, no… that must be a typo)
59. Rummage sales!
60. Softball at Enderis
61. The 21-mile bike ride that I surprisingly survived
62. Hearing loud noises at night and wondering if they might be gun shots… and wondering how close they were
63. Our back-door neighbors’ yelling matches in the middle of the night
64. Our cars getting broken into on multiple occasions… may or may not be related to #65
65. Visiting Daddy at school
66. Enderis Park’s free splash pad
67. Younger friends trying to keep us “cool”
68. Walks to the library
69. Farmers markets
70. Milwaukee’s rich history and cultures
71. Hmong egg rolls! I’ll have to try out that recipe and see if my version even remotely compares
72. Those who were good friends to Adam... both kids and adults
73. Die-hard Packer fans and the never-ending Brett Favre saga
74. Ski school w/Pres
75. StoneFire Pizza
76. The Domes
77. Craft-talented friends who make me think that maybe I can develop similar talents too someday
78. Unbelievably squeaky floors
79. Home invasions of Japanese beetles (but I dealt w/them better by calling them “orange ladybugs”)
80. Getting so many new and delicious recipes
81. Branch testimony meetings
82. Our dental school spouses’ alliance… it was an adventure!
83. Support during my middle-of-the-night ER visit and subsequent surgery and recovery
84. Support through our adoption struggles (and friends who try to make us look cooler so we’ll get chosen;)
85. Annual Harley Davidson convention... the streets are FILLED with Harleys!
86. Our first (and probably last… no offense to anyone) Medieval Fair experience
87. Free—or nearly free—haircuts from friends who need hair models
88. Institute
89. Book club
90. A certain group of girls waiting to go see (cough) Twilight with every other 13-year-old
91. Trying sushi for the first (and most definitely last) time
92. Summer dollar movies for the kids
93. Friends who loan me clothes for special occasions because my wardrobe is… lacking...to say the least
94. Learning from the generosity of others
95. Brats (as in Bratwursts… not a summer bbq could happen without ‘em!)
96. NO tickets in 4 years!! (quite possibly because the cops had better things to do out there)
97. “Gangster passing” in the imaginary extra right lane
98. Getting to know the RS presidency when I was put in at the beginning of our Milwaukee stay
99. My testimony strengthened from seeing the inspiring faith and perseverance of others
100. Friends who just say it like it is
101. An awesome husband who’s supported SO many indulgent girls outings, runs, etc… especially as our time in Milwaukee was drawing to a close

There are, of course, lots more. But, really, 101 is enough for this blog’s purposes. Please leave comments of any good ones I may have inadvertently left off! Long story short: Acquaintances became good friends, and good friends became like family. Our experiences and friendships there have shaped us into better people. …But enough of that sappiness… my next post will be something even more exciting… like… well, we’re still working on it. ;)

MAJOR road trip

Can't believe we're finally here! And finally with internet again (I finally feel a little more normal again). I had 3 full days of driving alone w/Adam in the car and Guy had 3 full days of driving the Penske while towing our other car... almost as enviable:). Adam actually did amazingly well... the 1st and 3rd days. Day #2 was really rough for both of us. Not sure who started it, me or him. But we're here in Mountain Home and we survived!

Here are just a few of my favorite lines from Adam during the trip:

• 7 minutes into the trip on day one: "Are we to Idaho yet?"
• A while later: "But we're not getting any exercise. You, or me, or Daddy aren't getting any exercise!"
• "Mom, can you please not let that smell come back here?" (Said anytime I opened the bag of peppered beef jerky... a must for me and road trips!)

Adam also kept asking to go to the park with his friends. He loves his friends! Missing you all already.

more girls outings

In April I was introduced to two of my now-favorite Milwaukee sister-restaurants: Cafe Lulu (first pic) and Juniper 61 (other pix). HELLO?! Where were you my first 4 years?! If you ever make it out there, I DEFINITELY recommend Juniper 61's felafel sandwich (BTW- thanks, Micah, for that recipe!!) and Lulu's grilled veggie pita. Both have delicious cucumber yogurt sauce and homemade potato chips. And special thanks to a certain not-so-shy waiter. YUM!! (uh, that's "yum" for the food he suggested... not for the waiter himself)

My Awesome Wife!

I usually don't post on our blog, but this weekend my amazing wife is out of town at a dental spouses convention and I thought I would take the opportunity to brag.

We have been in Wisconsin for school for almost 4 years now, and in those four years our lives (especially Kristin's) have changed. Before we moved Kristin was pretty much the main bread winner in our family with a great job that she loved and was great at. When we came out for school we were blessed with our sweet little Adam and Kristin was transformed into stay-at-home mom in a place far away from our old life and most anyone that we knew. I know that happens to a lot of people, but I just wanted to say how impressed I am with my wife and how much initiative she takes in every new role life brings to her table.

I can't stop and think about all the things that Kristin is involved in without getting tired myself. Whether it is this dental spouses alliance, one of the multiple church callings that she more than magnifies, getting trained to teach aerobics, sewing blankets, always trying new recipes, the countless times she has volunteered to babysit for someone in a crunch, the hours she has spent talking to friends that just needed a shoulder to cry on, or most importantly how she somehow still has the energy to chase a little 3 year old rocket around the house and teach him how to read, work, listen, pray, mind, etc...

Another thing that means more to me than she will ever know is how she has never doubted me once while I have at times struggled through school. Kristin never complains, and has a way of seeing the silver lining in every tough situation we go through. I really could not have made it through school without her.

I love you so much babe, and am so proud of everything you have become over the past four years. You are such a wonderful example to me and Adam, and I am so excited to see what this next chapter in our life brings.

girls outings

February's ward "restaurant hoppers" crew (Karisa, me, Anna, Nikki, Shandra). The Twisted Fork was delicious! Though I was a little disappointed in the creme brulee. Where can I get a good one these days?! Back in January we also had an American Idol Karoke night w/the cul-de-sac girls. Fun night and some great talent. ;)

Too many people singing "Let it Snow" =

What better way to get a new post after 2 1/2 months than pictures like this?!!! We had plans to go on a mini trip this weekend and we almost didn't make it after waking up Friday morning to constant snowfall that ended up amounting to 12.5 inches! We had to wait it out a bit and leave that afternoon. Luckily we made it there safe and sound, only to be blasted with another storm and another 4 inches of snow. What's up, Wisconsin? Isn't it just wrong to wake up only to learn that it's -10 degrees outside, with a windchill factor of -34?!!!! No worries, though. We will be blessed with more snow again tomorrow. I do enjoy the snow, and I do love Wisconsin, but I will not miss these winters. No I will not.

My New Niece!!!!

Still behind in blogging, but this post can wait no longer. My oldest brother Matt and his wife Mesia have adopted a beautiful baby girl! Seneca Rae is now 5 weeks old and is about the cutest thing I've ever seen. They are so happy and I just can't wait to meet her. I stole these pictures from their website but some wouldn't copy over, so you'll have to check the others out for yourself...

The little rock star... I love this one!

Mesia and her DAUGHTER! Bringing her home for the first time.

This one's so sweet... Matt's eyes are just locked on his new little miracle.

I'm bummed that I haven't been able to meet her yet, but I'm blessed to have shared in a small part of the event. Matt was in Utah starting school while Mesia was in California waiting for news of Seneca's birth (and we were still in Utah). I was already awake with Adam when Matt was heading out the door for school early one morning. Then he gets a call on his cell... he hangs up and looks at me, "Guess who was born!!" So exciting. So he hops on the internet and finds the soonest flight he can get on. Quick packing and getting ready on both our parts, Adam and I rushed him to the airport so he could go be with Mesia and meet their new baby girl!

Shiver me timbers!

I'm still updating the blog w/more pictures, but then I just found out that today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Why didn't anyone tell me?! Arrr! I looked it up for myself, and it does appear to be legit. WHY, on the other hand, is an entirely different question.

Q: What do you call a pirate with 2 eyes and 2 legs?
A: Rookie!

Q: Why do pirates always bury their treasure 18" below ground?
A: Because booty is only shin deep!

...bad, I know.

Birthday morning

We had a nice little birthday morning together before flying out to Utah that afternoon. Adam opened up a couple of presents (as if he needs more toys) and we played/packed the rest of the morning. (Pix below)

More fun

The big 3-yr-old

I'm getting hounded again... I guess it's about time to try catching up on the blog. (My friend RaQuelle informed me that you can change the date on blog posts, so I can start posting things on the date that they actually happened! I can be lazy w/my posts and you'll have no way to prove it now...)

Well it's just crazy to think that our Adam is already 3! But I guess that's usually how it goes. Kids grow up without even asking permission. We had a fun night-before-the-birthday party with some friends. The weather cooperated well and Adam loved his spiderman cake, all the attention, and especially the participation when he asked to play "duck, duck, goose" before the party could officially end. Thanks, friends, for making it a fun night! I threw a bunch of pix in the slide show, below.

Happy Birthday, Adam!

My dentist is hotter than your dentist!

I had an appointment the other day with my dentist, and he was patient enough to let me take a few pix w/my camera phone...

He looks so professional!

Yoikes!
My view for 2 hours...
...and his view. I think I got the better end of the deal.

Ode to Summer

Please tell me it isn't really August already, and especially please don't tell me that our summmer days are already numbered! I love this place for so many reasons, but the pending doom of winter is definitely not one of them. I LOVE taking advantage of the days of spring, summer, and fall... even though they may only last about 3 months combined. So here's my ode to summer. May it stay as long as possible...




Adam and I just love being outside; whatever excuse we can find. This one in particular was in the fountains at an outdoor mall w/some friends.

Craigslist has been my close companion as we bought 2 bikes, a bike rack, and a bike trailer though there (all really cheap, trust me). I LOVE it! It's been a great way to get around and run close errands that way. Especially how gas is looking lately!

Monday night VOLLEYball! We started playing volleyball at a nearby park this summer, and it quickly became a weekly habit (after Family Home Evening, of course). It's been a lot of fun.

Oh, so many activities... so little room. Other fun things we look forward to are: Sunday night dessert nights in the cul-de-sac (usually followed by croquet and/or lasso golf), frequent visits to the zoo, cheap kids' movies w/free popcorn, parks with splash pads, tennis (though I'm still no better than I was on jr. high), festivals (Milwaukee os full of 'em!), BBQs, rummage sales, washing the car, rollercoasters, and more. Love these summer days!