The snowball effect

When you go to buy a boat, someone needs to explain to you EXACTLY what you're in for. I mean, I expected to buy some cool gear for the boat, (i.e. awesome tubes, killer slalom ski, etc.). I expected the insurance, title, a little work on the trailer, and the gas (oh, the gas!!!!). No one told me I would have to spend way too much time and money on installing a concrete pad on the side of my house so we could store the dang thing.

But, Clay recruited his climbing friend (a TRUE friend to work that hard for that little, I might add) to help us prep and lay the concrete. He even let Clay take a turn behind the wheel...what a big kid!Poor Adam was there until way after dark doing his thing and making the concrete look so pretty...He even installed a fancy FRENCH drain...(I think it would be along the lines of french fries or french dressing, or french toast...anyone for the movie "Better Off Dead"?) And who doesn't like a cold beer (of the root variety) after a hard day's work. By the way, the beer-de-root was meant to be, seeing as how we probably pulled out a truck-load of roots that day!

I cannot pay tribute to this project without a big shout-out to the coolest neighborhood kids who spent the better portion of their day off on Monday devoted to the removal of a mountain of dirt. I mean, its a lot of dirt when you have to pay eight large teenagers for four HARD hours of digging. Ya'll rock! (No pun intended)

I can't wait to bring the boat back home to sleep for the long, cold winter. Anyone up for a trip to Lake Mead?

Happy Birthday, BOYS!

Some of you may be grateful that Clay and I found something ELSE to do this past February besides procreate. All three of my boys' birthdays are a week apart and it was Peter's turn for a party this year. Four BIG years old! We went down to the rec. center and had some good times in the "Splash Zone"...complete with lots of friends and a big Costco cake.
This Sunday we went to grandma's house and enjoyed another birthday bash for all the boys, complete with cousins, more presents, and more cake...
I have to explain the "big"cupcake for Nate. I forgot to give him the traditional birthday cake mess for his first birthday, so improvised for his second birthday. He would have nothing to do with the mess, but slowly dug into the cake and was irate every time dad (or mom or grandma) would steal a piece of it.

I was so proud of my creapy skull cupcakes! I'm trying my best to follow in Peggy's footsteps. She would always make elaborate cakes for Clay when he was growing up, including a large-breasted woman cake during the teen-years. (I've really got to find a picture of that one!)

So, happy birthday to the boys in my life...I would have WAY too much time on my hands and not enough love without you!

Who needs a dog...

...when you have a baby brother. (Note the Millie-stick, Jess)Nate will play fetch, lick food off the floor, growl at you, snuggle on your lap, pee on the floor, track mud in the house, and even bite if you give him the chance. He doesn't have fleas, but will bring home the occasional parasite.Sometimes I wouldn't mind sticking him in a cage...(oh, wait...there's always the crib). Who wouldn't love this mutt, anyway?