Saucy

Paul is soooooooo proud. I am proud of him. He doesn't think his mom actually believes it. Paul made the sauce! And it turned out great! Yep, that's right. Paul doesn't have to rely on his mom coming out and making the sauce and us freezing enough to last until she comes out again. We have a freezer full, all thanks to Paul.

Until recently, Paul's mom was the only one in the entire family who could make the sauce (at least where it turned out right). Paul decided to give it a go, it's been quite a few years since he has tried. He added all the right ingredients: pork ribs, italian sausage, and ONLY 52 meatballs. He sounded said when the count was 52. But I explained that we are only a family of 4, we don't need a million meatballs.

He called his mom to tell her to move outta the way, there is a new sauce maker in town. He is not so sure she believed him on how good it tasted.


It was excellent!

I have to admit I was leary myself, but he did a fabulous job.

Camping

Friday night Paul took BOTH the boys camping with Joe and Jase Holdaway. I told Paul he was a brave soul, what with taking Dominic and all. They had fun. At first. Here are some happy pictures.



The boys played at the playground, ate dinner, roasted marshmallows, and watched tv. Yep, they watched tv. Because how would camping be complete without getting to watch a movie too?
Then the fun started to end. The boys decided to check out the river.


Here is the river.


Here is Dominic when Paul dragged him away from the river. The water was soooooo calling his name!

Then things started to get worse. Bedtime came. And went. And at 3:30 a.m. Paul threw in the towel and brought Dominic home. The poor kiddo had been crying on and off all night! It scared me half to death waking up to someone in my bedroom with no lights on! Dominic grabbed on to me like he hadn't seen me in years and sobbed some more. After a few minutes of consoling him, to bed he went. Paul returned to the campsite.

Dom woke up cranky the next morning. Lucky me! At the campground, Jase woke up Paul and Ashton around 7 a.m. and the boys got back to having some fun. They cooked breakfast and went hiking in the woods.


I just love this picture of Jase and Ashton. Aren't they cuties!

All in all a good time was had by all. Just not all at the same time. They want to go again this year, just not with Dominic!

Blueberries

I fianally have a working computer! It had a miraculous full recovery. I am sitting here, crossing my fingers as I type hoping this is a permanent fix.

I know I haven't posted in a long time. It was the computer, I swear. And maybe a bit of my laziness. And we have been busy too.

I took Dominic blueberry picking while Paul took Ashton to his first dentist appointment. It was crazy busy when we got there. That's fine, I can deal with busy. I got out of the van and a gust of wind blew out a contact. That never happens. Ever. Okay, so I can deal with only seeing out of one eye on a sunny day.

Dom and I got to picking. He prefers the green blueberries. Only green. The bucket must be filled with green ones only. If mommy has the audacity to put blue ones in, then they must get thrown out. Fine, I can deal with an 18 mo. old who thinks green blueberries are the way to go.

We were going well for about a half hour. Then Dominic started to get needy. I had to pick a few berries, rub Dom's back, give him a hug, and then resume the cycle. That lasted about 15 minutes before I said I give up. I can handle busy, walking far with a 30 lb. kid, drinks and berries, squiting and seeing 8 blueberries where there was only one, a know it all kiddo - but a draw the line at a crying, needy little monster. We left with only six pounds picked. Yikes. But he was done for.

Paul went back that night with Ashton and they had a ball. They picked more and Paul insisted I make a blueberry pie. Now here's the thing. I don't bake. I can't. I have given up. If it doesn't come from a box, count me out.

But it actually came out well. And, it only took me two attempts to make pie crust! Something I have never been able to do before. Yeah, I know it is easy. At least that is what everyone tells me. But I have never had a successful crust. Yay, I am so proud.


I over cooked it a little, but I don't care. It was still good!


This is the face Dom made when he took a bite.

Dom was surprised to learn that blueberries are not bananas. You know, the only fruit or vegetable that he will eat. So he decided to eat the crust only. And if any blueberry accidently got in his mouth, he would spit it all over himself. Yep, that's my boy. Ashton, however, loved eating a pie from the blueberries he picked. He was so proud.


He is just way too happy here!

Misty's 27th Birthday

Last week I turned 27, so Paul says that I am an old lady now. Which he proceeded to teach Ashton to say. Which he now does say. Which he has now generalized to the entire female adult population. So if Ashton happens to tell you that you are an old lady, take it up with Paul.

Ashton gave me a "little computer" (a digital picture key chain) and a bag of chocolate. Dominic gave me a Mickey Mouse card that sings - which he promptly ripped from my hands and has yet to give back. Paul told me to go buy myself whatever I wanted - yeah I know, he's a real creative thinker. Wink wink. My mom gave me a book which Ashton tried to return to the library today.

Paul to me to dinner at Mountain Jacks. Now we never go out. We never have a babysitter. I don't even know how to find a babysitter. So we usually go out when we have relatives in town to watch the boys. This sitter thing was new to Ashton. Paul arranged the sitter, a grad student from his department. Stephanie showed up and Ashton was immediately smitten. He turned to us, pointed at Paul and then me saying, "You and you leave. You (Stephanie) stay here build Geo-Trax," while practically shoving us out the door. I love you too sweetheart! I thought I still had a few years of being the most important person in his life, I guess I was wrong! He found his new love. He has asked for her several times since.

The next day, the boys made me a cake and decorated it. Wonder why I received a cake the day after my birthday? I sure did. Someone ask Paul. He claimed he planned it that way. I wonder...



Dominic helped by testing the cake before everyone else. Paul was digging out the sprinkles for Ashton while Dominic was wielding a spoon. He helped himself to a bite and must have decided it was good for everyone else to share. Ashton covered up Dom's hole with sprinkles and a giant glob of red frosting. They were so proud. So was I. Who wouldn't want a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting, red frosting, and just a touch of red and green sprinkles? Something must be wrong with you if you don't.

I had a great birthday. Birthday's just get better and better now with the kiddos pitching in to help. Ashton was so excited to give me my presents and present me with my cake. Not to mention saying Happy Birthday and Happy Mothers day several times a day since the big event.
His happiness and excitement not only made my day, but my week. I love my little goofballs.

Monty's Water Fun

My wonderful, wonderful hubby insists that I share a small tidbit of what life is like with Monty. Monty is the most high strung dog there ever was. If he is in the front yard playing and sees something that makes him wants to bark, he has to go in the backyard (behind any fence) to bark.

He's a pretty good dog. He won't run off. He behaves most of the time (except we can not get him to stop biting at the tv!). One time we were headed back to Ohio, and accidently left Monty behind. I know, it sounds horrible. We are the worst pet owner ever! But it wasn't entirely our fault. He is scared of long car rides, and completely understands that when we say we are going to Grammie's house, it will be a LONG car ride. The goofy dog stands for the entire seven hour trip. Anyways, we put him in the van twice! He jumped out the first time and we didn't see that he jumped out the second time.

Yep, we were driving along and all was good. We stopped to fill up before we were on the road and I had a Home Alone moment and asked "Where's Monty?" We immediately turned around and found him sitting, anxiously wagging his tail at our front door. Outside our front door! Any other dog would have run off to play but not Monty.

Another one of Monty's idiosyncrasies is that he loves water. Especially hoses and sprinklers. He likes waves too, but we are a little far from some out here. We set up the sprinkler just for him. He will play in it all day if we let him.

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The problem is not him playing in the water, it is what follows. I should have learned my lesson by now, but I had an airhead moment. After Monty was playing in the water, we all went in to eat dinner. He started dancing around, and I thought he just wanted some of our food. Then he ran into the kitchen and peed all over the floor. I guess it wasn't food he wanted! I KNOW this can happen, and yet it didn't dawn on me that the dog was asking to go out (it's way too easy to go up to a door and scratch or bark at it - it is much more fun to act goofy and stare at people expecting them to read my doggie mind). We haven't had that happen in years. Poor Monty was so upset by it. He thought he was in trouble and all Paul and I could do was laugh. The dog was so confused by us doubled over laughing when he did something he knew was wrong.

Lesson relearned. Whenever Monty plays with water, he must stay outside for a good two hours.

My Very Own Mud Bugs

I just love this picture. Here are a few of the reasons:

1. They are both in the same picture. A small feat for two young ones. You try rounding up my little monsters - I mean little guys.
2. They are both smiling in the same picture at the same time! This is a major accomplishment. One that may never occur again. Ashton always makes this strange face, kind of like he is in excruciating pain whenever I try to take his picture.
3. It was a candid shot. We would never be able to get them to cooperate if we tried.
4. And lastly, my favorite reason. It is COMPLETELY misleading. Looking at the boys one might think they got a little dirty. Played in the mud a little bit. No big deal. WRONG! The second we put the camera away, they decided to get their mud on. They were both covered from head to toe, inside of ear to belly button. The tub had to be drained and refilled while they were getting cleaned up - and it still looked like a mud pit when they got out. It took me hours to get the dirt out of their clothes and every random place mud landed in my house, and I couldn't get it all. But that is a perfect example of my kiddos. They love to be messy and dirty and full of new and exciting ideas on how to get messy and dirty. Those are my boys. I love 'em. I wouldn't have them any other way. Besides, if my boys didn't look like some version of that multiple times a day, what would I do with myself? I would have way too much free time on my hands!

Headland's Beach

On Memorial Day weekend, we went back home to Ohio. The boys got to play with their cousins and Grammie. More importantly, Paul and I got some time to ourselves. We spent TWO whole evenings without the boys! Yay! It may not seem like alot to some of you, but it was HUGE for us!

Dominic got to go to the beach for the first time. I love the beach, and really miss it here in Indiana. Ashton loves to go too. He thinks it is just "big water and big sand." We used to live within walking distance, but alas, now we live hours away! The water was still only in the 50's and it was extremely windy, but the boys had a blast.


Dominic decided to get wet in the freezing water while fully clothed.


The boys built sand castles and flung sand all over Paul and me. Ashton was wearing his Indians shirt because we were back in Cleveland Indians territory.

Here is a clip of Paul trying to teach Ashton how to make all of the seagulls fly away, but Ashton was a little too timid. They only sent some of the birds on their way.