We Are Still Here!

I just wanted to touch base and let you know we are still here. We have been having connectivity issues with our internet. Our desktop computer hasn't been online for a week. I'm anxious to post pictures from Josh's birthday, our garden plot and Josh with his new longboard. I will catch up as soon as we fix our computer problems.

We had a weird couple of weeks this month. We had our lawnmower stolen from our backyard a few weeks ago. Last week, apparently I left my van unlocked overnight and my stereo faceplate, CDs and nearly everything from my glovebox were stolen. Our coffeemaker stopped working. The stove is on the fritz. Carley lost her retainer. My iPhone screen cracked. I know there is something else I'm missing. I feel like we're bleeding money at the moment.

At first I was letting all of these things get me down, especially the thieves, but I realized that even while we have a lot of unexpected spending, we have it pretty good. We are financially able to replace these things, and they're just that: replaceable. The weather is good. (It's actually a little too warm.) We have a garden at home and a garden plot we share with friends, which are sprouting and growing. Walt has a great job and will be moving back to a day shift soon. And most importantly, the people we love are healthy and happy. We have a lot to be grateful for.

To hold you over for a little while longer, check out the prank that Walt pulled on his retiring assistant chief at work.


Walt didn't even have to clean up! He wasn't there when John came in for work so one of the guys set up a video camera in the locker room to capture the fun.

April Fool's Tradition

Every year on April Fool's Day I make the kids something to eat that looks like something other than what it is. You can see many of the past fool food in my blog post from 2011.

This year Walt had the kids at Taekwondo class why I whipped up some "meat loaf and mashed potatoes." Neither Josh or Carley like mashed potatoes and sort of dismissed dinner when they walked in the door.


Carley was the first to sit down. She touched the mashed potatoes and said "the potatoes are really cold.... like ICE CREAM!" She discovered the prank before taking a bite.


The meatloaf is a cocoa rice crispy treat loaf and the potatoes are ice cream with caramel sauce. The ice cream melted so fast so it was a giveaway.





This is one dorky tradition I plan to continue even if the kids figure out the trick before their first bite.