Monster May 20, 2012

Some time ago, we decided that Brooklyn just loves dogs too much for us to not have one.  Actually, I blame Robb, because I’m pretty sure he decided that, and I went along with it.  He loves having a daughter, that one.

After some research and thought, and discussions with coworkers, we finally arrived at the perfect breed for us, the Bichon Frise.  These dogs are friendly, love attention, smart and good at tricks, hypo-allergenic, small, and most importantly… they don’t shed.  And, by the way, they are also kind of hard to find.

We decided to just keep our eyes open, and check ksl periodically.  This worked in our favor, and we were able to pick up an 8-month old male on the first day he was advertised in the classifieds.  We had to drive to Cedar City to pick him up, but we didn’t mind.  It was a fun day trip, and all worth it.  We left the boys behind, and since Grace was spending the weekend, she and Brooklyn came with us to Cedar City.

The moment we told her happened quite perfectly.  We were meeting the previous owner in a parking lot, and just as we told Brooklyn what was happening, the owner and dog pulled up next to us.  The dog seemed very happy to see us, and we had no trouble at all making friends.  We quickly bought him a collar and leash, and took him for a walk on the grass near the parking lot.  Brooklyn was in heaven!

The drive home was pretty fun.  The dog was very good natured, happy, and didn’t bark at all.  We brought him home and immediately washed him, fed him, and created a bathroom area in the yard for him.  He is already getting the hang of the bathroom spot, and being quiet, although he will still need some training in other areas.  He will also be getting a trip to the groomers and one to the vet soon!

Brooklyn decided to name him “Monster.”  I’m still a little disappointed that she didn’t choose my suggestion, which was Samson.  I think he would make an adorable “Sammy.”

I’ve never been much of a pet-lover, personally, so I hope this goes well.  As long as Brooklyn is happy (and willing to scoop the poop) I can’t complain!

“Half Black” May 19, 2012

After nearly 7 1/2 years of karate lessons, Quinn has arrived at high red belt.  This week was the test, and it was so fun to watch!!

Here are some fun facts about this belt test and rank:

• Black belt is belt number 11.  High red, which Quinn just received, is belt number 10.  Which means that within another year or two, he’ll be testing for black belt, and we will be throwing one humongous party!
• Quinn had to make up three scenarios, each involving using karate against two different attackers, both with weapons.  Quinn really tends to prefer the knife techniques.
• During circle grabs (where the tester is surrounded by people who take turns attacking very quickly, and he defends as quickly as possible from all sides), Quinn was attacked by the instructors.  He looked fantastic, and his teacher said he definitely felt the hits.  This is a long way from where he began 7 years ago!
• The head teacher, Mr. Bennett, mentioned aloud during the test that Quinn had improved a great deal recently, which is true.

Quinn looked fantastic in the test, and we were so proud of him!!

Happy Mothers Day! May 19, 2012

Since my grandparents are getting quite elderly, and having more and more trouble getting around, my mom decided to bring the Mothers Day celebration to them this year.  We had a little dinner spread by the pool Sunday afternoon.  By the time we got there, my Grandfathers time in the wheelchair had, of necessity, come to an end, and he had returned to his bed, near the sliding door where he could watch the remaining festivities.  I did manage to snap a few shots of them while we were there.

In this first picture, Ryan and Quinn are standing with Grandma, and she is commenting about how tall they are, and how they have passed her up in height.  Grandpa seemed surprised that Ryan just celebrated his 15th birthday.  Time marches on, I guess.

In this second shot, you can see all the kids with Grandma and Grandpa.  I’m glad Grandpa didn’t mind being photographed!!  It really was a very nice afternoon, and it was nice to visit with everyone.

Book Club and Marshmallow Pops May 11, 2012

Brooklyn and I hosted the mother-daughter book club this month.  We may or may not have been several weeks behind in organizing this.

We read the book  LAFCADIO The Lion Who Shot Back by Shel Silverstein.  It’s a fun story, and a quick read, which makes it perfect for book club.  Pretty much everyone reads the book on the last day anyway!  I told the girls that when they read the book, they would know for sure what our treat would be!  They all guessed right… marshmallows!

In the book, the lion joins the human lifestyle, and experiences firsthand the joy of marshmallow.  He eats them constantly, and even has a suit of marshmallows made for himself, which lasts until someone tries to press it.

Brooklyn and I put together some marshmallow pops with marshmallows that are as large as your face, or really close to that.  The girls dipped them in white chocolate and some fun toppings before scarfing them down.  For a complete tutorial, see the official Marshmallow Pop post on my other blog. (coming soon!)

It was a really fun night, and the marshmallows were so cute!  It really makes me look forward to next month!

Happy Birthday Ryan! May 11, 2012

Ryan has really been looking forward to his birthday this year.  Not that I can blame him.  Fifteen is a big one.  He has been… how can I say this?… what’s the opposite of subtle?  Whatever it is, that’s what he’s been about his gift ideas.  Whatever he sees at the store, or hears his friends talking about, or randomly thinks about, that’s what he wants.

He scored pretty well, though.  All his gifts seemed to suit his personality quite well.  There was A LOT of U of U paraphernalia, including pillowcases, a garbage can, a roll of duct tape, and a t-shirt.  He got the pull-up bar he’s been dreaming of.  (I’m pretty sure he’s the only family member that can even do one pull up.)  He got a new pillow, which is actually way more exciting than it sounds.  He even got a gift certificate to the go-kart place.

For his night out with the folks, we had dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Ryan drained his cherry limeade, scarfed the cheese fries, adored the rolls and cinnamon butter, and then didn’t have room for his NY Strip.  Oh well.  We then went to see “The Avengers,”  which Ryan described as “awesome.”  It was a pretty fun show, and certainly his style.  We had trouble getting seats, so we ended up at the late show.  Ryan carried our leftovers into the house, and nearly took them down to his bedroom.  I caught him and sent him to the kitchen, which apparently wasn’t enough direction, because I found the leftovers on the kitchen counter the next morning.  He blamed it on the late hour, and said he was tired.  I have my doubts.

Thought I’d share a couple other photos from the Roper party…

The girls think it’s hilarious to crowd Grandpa out of his chair.

And here’s one of me, because I have the most awesome bruise on my cheek, thanks to the dentist.  This is what I get for flossing.  Seriously.

All in all, Ryan seemed to have a really wonderful birthday.  He thanked everyone profusely, and said his gifts were perfect for him.  He said he got everything he wanted!  What more could a kid ask for?