There Is Something To Say...

...when the weather warms up BECAUSE the wind is blowing!  Seriously, the temp is 18° but the real feel is 25° and the sun has long ago set.  A warm breeze is blowing this cold nastiness out and we are looking at temps in the 20 & 30s for next week...yeehaw!  Never thought I would be so happy to see 32° in the forecast.  That said I get one more day to complain about this cold...on this day last year it was 50°…can i order that back?  Teaching my water aerobic classes has been rather interesting.  The water is a nice 85° but the air on deck (where I teach 2/3 days) is subjected to much colder air creating quite the fog.  Today I forgot my long sleeve shirt/jacket and had to, after 15 minutes telling myself I didn't need to, run and get my winter coat (thanks mom for mailing it back to me!) to finish the class.  I could literally feel ice crystals forming on my skin-didn't help that I was sweaty from spinning right before. Tomorrow I will be getting IN the water!

What Do You Do...

...when you get 5 miles from home and you realize that the roads are so bad you should have just stayed home, but now you are too scared to try to turn around? You drive veeeeerrrrryyyy slowly, white knuckled, behind a school bus and pray you both make it to Burley safely. We did make it there safely. At one point the kids saw the first ambulance and insisted on mimicing it the rest of the way. As if my adrenaline wasn't pumping fast enough.

Then when all your work is done you find more things to do to stall the drive home in hopes of having the sun melt the snow/ice and pray the wind dies down a bit. After my class this morning the kids and I killed some time at the library and then bribed Dad into taking us to lunch.

Thankfully by the time we came home at 1:00 the sun had been shining and most of the road had been cleared. There is still a good 7 or so mile stretch that was NOT fun in fact I was driving along and noticed a plow truck behind me so in the rare stretch of highway that didn't have snow/ice I pulled over to let him pass so I could follow him. I am not sure he was doing much good, but I felt safer (after I stopped in the road and let him get a safe distance in front of me)

In case you have never experienced a ground blizzard here are some pictures I took one year when I was the passenger during one. They are crazy unsafe, not only do you have ice on the roads, but add drifted snow and high winds to that and sheesh, it is best to stay home. The 20 miles from here to Burley have to be some of the worst roads in Idaho and possibly the country.

Today should have been a snow day for sure!

Spider Bites In January...

...???? that was my first thought when Jacey came home from school and asked me if she showed me her spider bite. She hadn't, so she showed me. I didn't look more than a glance at where the bite was, I was too distracted by the bright red streak running from her thumb to her elbow. Then my second thought was "DANG!! I should have believed Greg when he said we had Hobos in our house" and then we ran her into the doctors office. What she thought was a bug bite was really a small crack in her skin+germ=infection. We got her loaded up with antibiotics and we should be good to go...hopefully! We will keep an eye on it tonight and make sure it doesn't continue to streak. While on our way home I had another thought...why couldn't she bring home the germs in the form of a cold like all the other kids do? She really does have to have the weird conditions, doesn't she?



Speaking of bugs...is it Spring? This bug seems to think it is, and Borg so badly wanted it!

Other than a little dusting of snow here and there, followed quickly by rain to wash it all away it is the strangest winter I can remember. I was looking out my kitchen window the other day and through the dead grass there were sprouts of new green grass popping through. Are you kidding me?

Spring Or Winter?

I think mother nature is as mismatched as Skye's outfit. It has been so unseasonably warm and you would think I would be grateful but seeing how every year Spring comes later and later I really want winter!

poor little buddy face planted at the gym today (the gym hallway is as rough as a newly rocked road) the funniest part (if I can say that without sounding morbid) was that his little legs were going so fast that when his face hit the ground his legs kept going and he ended up in a face stand feet straight up in the air. Then my tough little buddy hoped up, cried for a min. and started running down the hallway again.

Amazing Light Show...

...last Sunday we had a most spectacular storm. It started about 4:00 (about the time Greg was coming home with the kids, and I was nervous) and continued off and on throughout the night. We have been having some killer lightning and thunder lately, but nothing tops the light show we got that night.

I dare you to try to count all the strikes in this video...the video really doesn't do the awesomeness much justice, but it is the best I could do.

Unreal...

...yet at the same time I witnessed it so it was very real. The most amazing, God-fearing storm I have ever been surrounded by. We all (minus Colt) sat on the front porch and watched it roll in, trying and failing to get one good bolt of lighting on the camera. There was so much going on, but just not when my shutter was pushed. The "roll in" was pretty amazing, but when the real storm actually hit...WOW...WOW...WOW...and, um WOW! I got all of these within seconds of each other, and I could have kept going on and on and on but honestly I was a little scared and had to go hide.

should I mention that there was no zoom for these pictures...
that really is how close it was to the house...ahhhh!

How Bizare...

...how bizare! The weather today was WILD and CRAZY some of the oddest stuff we have seen all year. We didn't live here back in the day of the Oakley Tornado, but I think we might have lived through one today. We didn't actually see a funnel, but we also didn't dare go out and look. It lasted all of maybe 30 seconds with wind and rain and the damage was huge! The house shook and we watched as our garbage can blew down the street, the neighbors wooden fence split and flew and then someones metal roofing for a trailer across the block came flying through the air and landed next to the city sheds (in case you want it back)

We keep saying we should just chop the big tree down in the backyard, but I think if we just hang out for another year of crazy storms the tree will be down without us having to chop it. The poor tree is looking so sad though. It used to be so big and full and shaded the whole yard...not so much any more :( The kids have been warned against playing under the tree...let's pray they listen and obey. There are a few limbs that are broken and just hanging on by little branches.

I think Greg will be up on the roof replacing shingles soon
with all these wild storms we have been so grateful that non of our trees have fallen across the fence and smashed the trailer house next to us, they almost got it today though (with their own tree) this is their car and not to find good in other's misfortune this car has been sitting in this same spot (so at least it wasn't a working car that got smashed) for as long as I can remember and I hate that every time I take a picture on that side of the house I have to dodge the red car...well problem solved

oh and not to mention the smoke filled valley earlier today...not sure where the fire was, but there was lots of smoke everywhere

Rain Rain Go Away...

...come again while we sleep. This is what my kids have started chanting, and I have to say I am in agreement. I LOVE how green my lawn is, I LOVE not having to drag a hose, I LOVE that what little garden I have planted is getting some lovin' BUT I don't love that my kids are stuck inside, or that I have had to cancel 2 photo shoots the the past week because of bad weather, or that my kids BEG to go swimming and I have to be a responsible mommy and tell them no because they will catch their death if I let them. So join the chant with us...rain rain go away come again while we sleep.

I have peeked at the forecast and I am hopeful, so we all enjoyed a day of few chores and lots of play. We were even very pleasantly surprised with a knock on the door (although I am not sure why she knocks since she has lived in this house longer than we have) by my mom. She just happened to be in the neighborhood. Thanks mom! Feel free to stop by anytime.

And So It Begins...

...it would seem that our summer vacation (which officially started today) always begins with swimming in the Nelson Lake instead of the pool. Nice that the temps are warm enough that they can do this, but this also means more trips to the lovely laundromat. But hey, they had a blast so who am I to stop them?

um yes those are her nice Sunday shoes...silly girl!

Good thing my soil was recently tilled and most of the water soaked right in...now start praying it survives the flood, and that it doesn't turn into last year.

The Warm Before The Storm...

...maybe if we all hype it up it will not come at all. I can't tell you how happy the past few days have made me. I have been able to walk Dax to school do yard work with Colt outside with me and not freak out if the kids left their doors open. LOVE! But because it is Spring we will also welcome the rain the next few days...just hoping we don't have rain like we did last year. I am a bit behind in my garden plans so I need more sunny days to get caught up.

I love the yellow that this tree gets when it blooms!


So speaking of gardens I have herbs growing out of my ears if any of you want some let me know and I will get them ready for you! They are perfect indoor plants and will hold up outside once it gets a bit warmer all day and night.

So since we are being a bit random...remember how OCD Jacey used to be about her clothes and her toys and her food? She would line everything up in even rows and if her clothes were even a tiny bit crooked she would throw a fit. We thought she had outgrown it, but tonight at dinner she announced that she ate 116 peas...funny girl! Who counts their peas? This is actually not the first time she has kept count. She makes me happy!

Fall Favorites..

...the fact that it is still warm enough to have a nap outside. It was such a BEAUTIFUL day that I could not pass up the chance for a nice walk...and Skye, who skipped her nap today to play with Jacey's toys, decided to have one in the stroller. This of course lead to a late night with her. Where the other 2 were asleep by 7:15 (I am still loving this time change thing) she was up until 8:45 so late for her!


Another favorite is the harvest moon...the orange cast from all the dust in the air...LOVE IT!



Oh yeah I do have other kids and will try hard to get them on the blog soon :)

Fall Favorites..

...here are a few more of my favorite things...

stacked wood and the heat of a wood burning stove

lots of color...although I think our early snow dampened them a little

this little thing is an every day favorite. she is entering the "terrible twos" which occurs just before they turn 3 in case you haven't reached that stage with your kids yet. she can throw herself and scream and kick and then turn around and be miss cutie patootie. she also is very independent and cannot be told her clothes don't match or that her clothes are on upside down in today's case. She wore her shirt like this all day until finally I won with a "you don't get to come play at Dax's class unless you put on a shirt that 1) matches and 2) is not upside down...silly girl!

Fall Favorites..

...again with all the food. This is about the only time of the year that I bake goodies so it is a TREAT for sure. The kids were told to make some "scary" cupcakes, and the mess that was made sure scares me! In fact I think I might just go turn off the kitchen light and pretend it is not there until tomorrow.

they were pulling their "scary" faces
the less scary ones that were shared with the neighbors-otherwise I would eat them all



I almost made this second part a completely different post since it is NOT a Fall favorite, but here it is anyways. Skye had a ROUGH day today...you moms out there know the days were you want to lock your kids in a padded room that was me with Skye today. First off this morning she came running through the kitchen (when will they learn I don't say "don't run in the house" to be mean?) and tripped in the kitchen and started to cry. She went to get up and knocked her head on kitchen drawer that she left open after playing in it. I got her all kissed better and went to put the clean dishes away when she came out of the bathroom and walked right into another open drawer...poor thing! Well we were sitting down to lunch and I noticed some redness on her arm and got to looking and noticed the "A"...weird


Where did it come from?

poor girl was branded...ouch!


It must have happened this morning when she fell in the kitchen-not sure how it happened, and she did not carry on or complain about it...poor thing!

Fall Favorites...

...okay seriously there might be a LOT of food posts during this week of Fall Favorites because come on it is my blog you are reading and everything thought I have revolves around food. It is no wonder I the scale keeps going up at such a rapid rate (or is that what happens when you are pregnant?-I think it is a combination of the two). I love "creative" foods and it usually helps Dax try food he normally wouldn't if it is called a "mummy wrap" rather than "stromboli".



So here is how I make it...
5 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 packages FAST acting yeast
1 T salt
2 cups hot water
1 1/2 T oil

If I know my yeast is fresh I skip the "proofing stage" and just combine everything at once (reserving about 1/4 cup flour for kneading) in my kitchen aide and mix for 1 min. I check the dough to see if it needs more flour, add as needed and then attach my hook and kneed for 5 min. in the processor. After that I take it out and kneed in remaining flour for about 3 min. I let it rest for 5 min. and cut the dough in half. This will make 2 "mummy wraps" or tonight I made one "mummy wrap" 5 rolls for dinner tomorrow and a medium loaf of bread.

Roll your dough to about the size and shape of a cookie sheet. It is hard to explain the braiding process, but I will try in steps:
1) once your bread is rolled out cut 8 strips on the 2 long sides (about 2 inches into the dough and 1 inch spacing)
2) place your filling down the middle with what ever you want ie. sandwich stuff, pizza stuff or taco stuff. Tonight I did pizza with left over spaghetti sauce, sausage, peperoni and cheese.
3) fold down your top strip and fold up your bottom strip (the only ones that go all the way across) tuck the edges around your filling so it is round and smooth
4) pull your other strips in a criss cross pattern half way down and then go to the bottom and criss cross the other ones up to meet in the middle
5) spray with butter spray and sprinkle with garlic salt.

bake on a cookie sheet at 350 for 20-25 min. I serve mine with a little extra sauce and carrots or some other veggie. The kids LOVE it! Of course they dissect it and eat it all in parts, but hey they eat it...

Fall Favorites...

...You know this really is my favorite season, but mostly because with it brings my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving...and all the yummy foods, smells and colors. Here are some of my favorites...

1) my favorite color(s) are those that can be found on the trees or ground in the fall.

2) cinnamon-yeah I might not like the reproductions of the smell 30 seconds after I get a whif, but for that tiny nanosecond before my nose stuffs up...mmm...ahhh...

3) potatoes baked or mashed anyway you have them they are a comfort food for me!

and since fall only comes once a year and it seems to be gone before I can really enjoy it this week is going to be dedicated to old favorites and maybe discovering some new ones...can't wait! Oh don't worry I will bring you all along with me.

Our Small Natural Disaster...

...Sunday morning I was first awaken by the kids running in at o'dark-a-clock it is SNOWING IT IS SNOWING! I quickly sent them out of my room and cuddled under the covers falling back asleep hoping it was just a dream I was later awaken by a gun like crack which unlike the kids happy cheers shot me out of bed fast! Sure enough we woke up to snow and quite a bit of it. The gun crack was tree limbs (not even branches) breaking off the tree. It is hard to explain the sight and sound even with the pictures. But try to imagine the still quiet of a snow storm (in the country) where there is not a sound to be heard-not even the buzz of electricity since it too was out. We are talking about hearing only the sound of the flakes piling on top of the other flakes and then in the distance a crack and a crash as a limb somewhere a neighbor (or yourself) was loosing yet another limb. I really only think you can appreciate it if you were here, but it was SURREAL!!

We spent a lot of the day powerless, but in the heat and comfort of a wood burning fire...ahhh thanks Greg!

Here is what it all looked like
Dax loved that their "fort" had turned into a "tent" and invited everyone to come see it-the kids love to play under this tree/bush

what is left of my garden-only the onions


you can see branches hanging on barely but note how full the tree appears
these trees (there are 3 here) are usually tall and skinny not spread out like this
these pictures were taken today-they are almost back to tall and skinny, but I think we will loose a few more of the branches (the ones not pointing back up) thankfully the neighbor's house was not harmed


so far so good for my fruit trees (you can only see my tiny apple tree here)
the bigger trees were the weaker of the bunch and they suffered lots of loss
who knows what is under all this mess-besides my stroller and wagon
remember how full the tree looked-it is now looking pretty sparse
with more branches barely hanging in there...careful when you walk under this tree
The "tent" is now back to a "fort" with no loss

and my lilac tree only lost 1 limb and seems to have bounced back up into place-yay!

really when compared to other parts of the world this really is minor, but to us it means lots of clean up and a HUGE bonfire (you are all invited to come help-bring your chain saws. Although I am tempted to wait until Spring).