RoyalMom

My sister and I went to the midnight show. The biggest surprise was the young girls laughing through the entire film, when I didn't feel like the scenes were intended to be funny. a testament to the cheesy delivery and awful make-up I suppose.

USA Today sums it up well:

Verdict: Negative
And despite questionable casting, wooden acting, laughable dialogue and truly awful makeup, nothing is likely to stop young girls from swarming to this kitschy adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's popular novel.” —Claudia Puig

That said, I did enjoy it a little and look forward to seeing it again in a QUIET setting.

We bought one of those immersion blenders, by KitchenAid and it is AWESOME! I'm in full on crock pot soup mode and it made my split pea/lentil soup nice and smooth.

Isaac is starting to come around to my healthy recipes but Xander somehow gets by without eating much of anything I serve. I'm hoping he'll be more tempted to try them if I blend out the textures and blatant vegetables.

...nope, it didn't work. Xander gagged on the single bite of soup. It is the most mild flavored soup, I swear!

Here is the list of things he will eat:

Mac n' cheese (whole wheat pasta is okay)
PB&J (whole wheat bread and low sugar "all fruit spread" is okay)
Pizza (again, whole wheat is fine)
Spaghetti Pie recipe (whole wheat pasta)
bananas
grapes
baked potatoes

otherwise...cookies, cakes, candy, chips and sugar cereals are the foods he loves. He is definitely my junk food junky!

Out of our three chicks we hatched last summer, two ended up being hens (yay!) and the little roo was taken to the feed store.

One of them has refused to sleep in the coop and chooses to rough it in the wild. I've had a hard time finding her and Jason and I watched her heading to roost tonight...

Found you! Way up in the tree...a tree I have seen two raccoons. We should be seeing our first eggs from her next month. I hope she makes it.

By the way...

do you remember my interest in maybe slaughtering our own chicken for food? The mother hen had come down with Marek's disease and could barely walk. She'd fall on her head when I put her down and the other hens were trying to peck her to death.

I decided to put her down. and although it wouldn't be for food (since she was unhealthy) it would be an opportunity for me to learn about the process and see if it would be something we could do.

I researched a couple places for how to slaughter a chicken and decided to give it a go.

One site said to bonk them in the head with a stick to stun them first. Jason actualy did this by accident once by barely bumping one, coralling it into the coop and it layed on the ground looking dead for 20 minutes. So I give it a try and she's sitting there, eyes wide open, looking at me like "why did you just hit me with that stick?"

So I forget that and just do a little chicken calming and lay her on my chopping 4x4 over some straw to absorb the blood. I position her neck and go for a direct chop with a hatchet. NOT EVEN A SCRATCH! again she's looking at me like "why did you just hit me with that axe?"

It was awful! I was just abusing this poor chicken and not getting the job done. Jason said it was because I had it on straw and it absorbed the shock. ooops!

He did the deed for me, no problem and then the kids and I opened her up to see the anatomy. It was so tough! the feathers were a big mess and I needed a better knife for the job. I decided if it was to be done for real it would need some investments like the big pot, the chicken plucking tumbler and an outdoor sink. Not worth it for our occasional chicken farming on the sly in our suburban hood.

I am glad we got to experience it though. The kids and I got to dissect the crop and see what she'd been eating, find the lungs, heart and a kidney. There was also a really weird yellow yolk looking thing in her chest cavaty.

It was an interesting experience.

If you are a baby here, you will get a whole lotta attention and smothering!

Becoming a tradition for our kids age 1-2...

simon...

Xander...

Is she delicious or what!?

I kept waiting for everything to be perfect for pics of the completed deck and patio project. Alas, fall is here and everything is covered with leaves. The rain is often and we didn't get an opportunity to stain it. The stain will have to wait.

I took the camera out for some video. Zoe practices video editing. I asked Jason if it was too cheesy and his response: "Like Swiss."

The Wii of course! But only so they can exercise with the Wii Fit. hahaha!

Too bad I have to fight for my right to use it. Even Simon was going to be royally upset until he could swing the controller around for himself.

Jason and I often snap pics on the little camera to show each other what the kids did while we were away. This is what they were up to while I was working this last weekend.

Forts! Man, I used to get up early and get every dining room chair involved in my Saturday morning creations. Good times.

The spice line up. (simon is good at dragging a chair around to get what he needs)

One small loop (10 houses maybe?) and we were back home dumping out our loot on the living room floor.

Simon figured out the process after two houses and after that wouldn't let me hold his hand or his bag of candy. His bag was dragged along the sidewalk. It was a crack up!

We got to babysit baby Noa for the first time and it was such a joy! Xander especially loved holding her on his lap.

ran through the corn maze today...

Children of the corn...haha!

Can you see the beautiful fall view out my living room window? It's fire yellow now...the prettiest season before I lose my privacy screen altogether until spring. We live in a split level home and it feels like a tree house with tree tops in every window.

Now I'm eager to go on another camping adventure. I think I'm addicted to camping:D We have another hike to cross off the list at Sauvie Island, so that may be our day trip tomorrow.

Jason kept Simon again and the big boys and I headed out, late evening, toward Tillamook. I meant to head out earlier but couldn't motivate myself to pack up the trailer until Jason was off work to help...LAZY!

Since there is no way I can back in the trailer in the dark (not even in the day, really), we stayed in a cheesy RV only park, that had a convenient pull-through site, the first night.

Look at all the people who RV! It's an interesting culture of people and I think I am liking them very much. There is always a friendly person to help me back in my trailer (during the daylight hours).

On our way to our intended camp site, Devil's Lake Campground, we stopped at the light house and "Octopus tree" at Cape Meares.

Xan and I express our disdain for the no climbing rule. The sweetest climbing tree you have ever seen and we're not allowed! (looks like I'm accosting him with my camera lens. haha!)

Silly root beer drinkers.

And finally the reason we stayed at the lake...

I wanted to try fishing. It was the first time, aside from one time at camp, and it was fun! Unfortunately the kids had no attention span for it and were being loud and throwing lily pads and rocks into the water. Of course if it weren't for those issues I WOULD have caught a huge fish. No doubt about it;)

delicious.

I was having some major Noa cravings and finally got my snuggle fix today. She's five months of cuteness...

(I made them bigger, upon click, so you can download for web sizes, Aundi, Casey, mom and dad).

And my little assistant, Simon, who let me get one shot. Kinda soft focus in the eyes...figures. Some good looking cousins, both with steel blue eyes.

ha! we actually had a lot of fun the next night when we rode The Deuce to Fremont street. We sat at the top of the double decker bus and got to see the entire strip without hurting our feet.

There were a couple locals sitting behind us comparing warrants and that was almost as interesting as the view.

Alas, we are home again and poor Simon was not happy about the abandonment. He stared at me with such a blank face the entire way home from the Max station. It was our first time leaving him, thankfully with my sister and in his own home, but maybe still too soon.

Our next trip will be with the kids and I am thinking it will be The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. It sounds interesting! I hope we can really explore the house in detail and not feel a separation of too many velvet ropes and closed off quarters.

Vegas Bitches! My first time and it feels like a carni for grown ups. Or a ridiculously huge Chuck E. Cheese.

My curiosity is satiated and I am glad for that but I don't think this visit will be repeated. There is no charm to this place. Like one giant mall which I usually try to avoid. Superficial, smoky and porn on every corner.

I am getting old I guess. I am going to have to take the kids camping again to cleanse myself.

not too good with the self, couple photo

I think Elvis and Zoro was a little offended by our photo request..."no...errr...um...can you take a picture of us? no, I don't mean us as in you and me, I mean us as in "us" ...us and not you" with our silly $18 drink that produced minor belly bloat without the anticipated, relaxing buzz of an alcoholic beverage after a long day of walking. oh well.

Our second one-nighter camping trip in the trailer and we're having so much fun! Jason suggested I leave Simon and just take the big boys and it was such a treat. I love my Simmy but the break was nice. (I actually got to sleep!)

I can't believe how many wonderful places are just 30-40 minutes from home. We just pick our spot and leave the trailer hitched to the car. Do some hiking and then snuggle into our camper for movies and reading.

I'm barreling through the Twilight series... in fact, I was deep in the story last night, after the kids had fallen asleep, when I heard a shrill noise outside the camper, like a bunch of women making some noise. It freaked me out since we were the only campers up there in the woods. When I stuck my head out side to listen, I heard that it was a freakin' pack of coyotes or something howling and yipping so close somewhere in the forest.

What a chill! Here I'm reading about vampires and werewolves and I hear a real pack of coyotes out there sounding like they're executing a kill. I was freaked...in an exciting way! The campsite was so dark and quiet.

Isaac got a little scared without a night light (will need to buy one for next time) and he ended up sleeping with me. Xander sleeps like a rock.

The kids helped me set up the camper this time:

Bright afternoon

Dark trail in the thick nobles

Critter find #1: salamander?

(Xander cam) running wild in the deserted campground.

Critter find #2: fuzzy yellow caterpillar

Good morning! (xander cam)

I took the camper for a short distance test night and it was a success! I needed some neighboring campers to guide me into my spot and then I left it hitched to the car.

We went the the champoeg state park just 45 minutes away. It's one of the first settlements in Oregon and preserved for tourists. The house and school museums were closed, unfortunately, but we did get to walk through the garden and enjoy some trails.

Yea, we tasted the grapes. shhh!

The kids were not in the mood to hike:( So we went back to the trailer and they watched Thundercats on the laptop and I read "Twilight"...yep, I feel like I'm 15 again reading my Vampire Lestat books.

It rained most the night and the pitter patter on the trailer was wonderful and cozy!

Isaac was the last to wake up so I had to snap a pic of him in his loft nest.

The kids and I did the 3/4 mile hike into the Ape cave, lava tube today. It's a childhood favorite of mine! Pitch black with an icy breeze, it's an unusual adventure.

There is a longer, more difficult path but no way the kids can make that trip yet. Actually, they might be able to do it but I couldn't climb up and down all the rock piles with Simon on my back.

After 1.5 miles over 1.5 hours (yeah, we're slow!) the first signs of natural light streaming through the mouth of the cave is such a thrill for the kids. :)

Some friends let us know about a little open house, of sorts, at a local alpaca farm. We got to ooh and aaah at all the new babies and dig our fingers through the soft wool. We watched the spinners working the wool and enjoyed the outdoors.

They had a drawing in the works for picking out a name for one baby. Xander was very excited to come up with a name and wrote this...

("Cuddley") Yeah, I know, not even close but I love that he went for it anyway:) He also wanted me to write in "Little Basketball." I don't know that we'll ever find out if his names were chosen.

...working on a session:)

The most adorable 1965 Winnebago camping trailer! The kids and I are looking forward to some overnight adventures soon. Hopefully I can fine tune my hitching skills. It doesn't look easy. Too bad it's not magnetic;)

here's the inside...

On Sauvie's Island..."an island on an island."

We got out of the car too soon and walked down the road...oops!

....but it gave us a chance to see if we could throw rocks into the pond. It would have required a super powered throw, to cover the distance, and not a single one made it in.

Several times I'd look back to find Simon squatting down poking the ground with a stick or grabbing up dirt. We're definitely the tortoise and not the hare in this race:)

This view was AMAZING! Three mountains on the horizon. The kid's feet and shoes were sucked up by the mud. It was an adventure.

Unfortunately the last two of three miles were one monotonous stretch of mowed out grassy trail, completely level. This would have been great for a pleasant stroll and gab session amongst adults but the kids need more excitement to keep them going.

Xander was getting really hot and tired. If there were any wild animals to be seen they would have heard Xander's loud protests way before we could ever spot them. Isaac, at this point in the trail, said, can we never come here again?

I bought the book Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon and we've already crossed two off the list.

Today we did the Wahclella Falls trail and then stopped in the Bonneville dam and fish hatchery. They were harvesting the adult salmon so we got to see the assembly line bringing the fish down, sending them through a shoot and tossing them into the bins of ice. cool stuff!

Simon giving me a heart attack walking along the edge of the cliff and refusing to hold my hand. Thank goodness for the baby carrier!

slug!

Isaac and Xan last year (and two years before that!). Poor Isaac is now too big for the Old Navy costumes. he wanted one so much. We'll be checking around for a special one just for him.

Smile!

I'll make Simon smile...

This time three nights on the beach and it was a ton of fun. Campfire cooking, strolls on the beach, kite flying, dune climbing, crab hunting.

Trying to spot a sea lion.

See the starfish?

little crabs under every rock during low tide.

Climbing the dune to a small lake and rope swing.

The ride home, just a small spot left for the dog.

Isaac has always wondered what it'd be like to ride on a big yellow school bus and today was the day he got to find out.

$2 zoo day was jam packed and busses shuttled us in from a further parking lot...

A long line...so many people, lots of homeschoolers.

Always a transformer in hand.

Best friends:)

One of the two young roosters went to the feed store for sale today. The other slipped out of the transport box and I couldn't catch him again so he's still here.

I think I will work up the courage to butcher him myself. I really wanted to...to experience and gain appreciation for where our food comes from and what it takes to get it. and next year I want to plant my first vegetable garden.

we'll see...

There was a "not back to school day" at the Oaks park. I have lived here my entire life and never been to this establishment. The proximity to the river was nice but it was still an annoying carnival. The kids had a blast and that's what counts:)

Before we headed out I brushed the boys hair and decided to straighten Xan's hair for fun. It was so different to him he started to cry. All was good when he was assured a simple run through the water would bring his curlies back.

Our new deck has taken the entire summer and is still not finished. It's getting close though and we hired out for a patio under the deck to place the hot tub on and some extra seating.

We'll have a nice sidewalk from the driveway to the patio and another little path to a second set of stairs to the deck.

I'm thinking I should have waited until afternoon to take this pic! hahaha! three ragamuffins with pained looks on their faces.

Finally we can enjoy the fun things in town without the crowds. Library, pool, parks, zoo...the world is our oyster, here we come! They slept in until 9:30, ate homemade chocolate muffins and dove right in to video games.

Later we'll take a trip to the library and stop by the pool to sign up for the homeschool swim lessons.

Isaac asked if we could go camping. I'm guessing most people would say it's too late to get a camping site booked on a friday afternoon before a holiday weekend? Not us! Jason found us a spot at the Cascade Locks KOA. Not too far from home and the blaring trains, every hour just a short walk from our sleeping heads didn't stop us.

We enjoyed the walks along the Columbia river and the beautiful Columbia Gorge views.

Bridge of the Gods...

this spot was so windy, Xander had to feel it blow through his hair and WIDE open mouth. LOL!

lots of fishing poles in the water along here.

From the campgrounds we could venture over the train tracks, over this lumberyard/quarry to a path that runs along the river. The kids were certain the huge pile of gravel was left specifically for them to jump on.

Master of the fire and important jobs such as acquiring hot dogs and froofy alcoholic beverages...

The kids and I did a small hike today. I've been meaning to try a more adventurous outing with the kids and it went well. Simon (and Xander) is getting a little bigger now and single parent outings might be able to go a little longer than the usual stuff.

Just for fun, we conquered these steps.

water backpack and snacks:)

and look how big the chicks are getting! Two are definitely looking roo-ish. Only the little all-black chick is a lady. Mama hen is still tending to them around the clock.

I have NEVER eaten a Sloppy Joe in my life. I don't know what they are and they always seemed...well, sloppy. But I found a recipe for lentil sloppy joes and I love lentils so I thought I'd give it a go. WOW! Only two ingredients, easy to whip up in the crock pot and super delicious over a whole wheat bun. You could make your own sauce but the canned stuff is very low cal and zero fat.

Xander made a cake and couldn't get enough leverage to pour the batter from the table, since he is still a little height challenged. We moved his operation to the floor and I had to snap a pic. Do you think this would pass a food handlers inspection?

Two of my brothers had birthdays this month. We didn't exactly celebrate with them but we still had some cake in their honor. hehe!

Barbra and Chris's wedding had the usual ceremony and reception in the afternoon and then an "after party" at the club.

Jason and I enjoyed the night of dancing and drinks, chatting and snuggling.

A cool bunch of people...

My friend Barbra married her long time beau, Chris, today. It was so nice! We still have to party it up at the Fez club tonight.

He was picked up across the busy road. Thank goodness he's okay! I picked him up and went straight to the Pet Smart to replace his lost tag.

Now if we can just get the stairs and rails finished up on the deck so the kids aren't having to use the gate.

We have to go around from the front to get to the backyard while the deck is in progress...our dog Luke has escaped a few times with the kids going through the gate, not paying attention.

We've bailed him out of the pound once and a couple times he came back quickly on his own. This time he's been gone a few hours and it is dark now:( Waaaah! Where are you dog?

I'm going to be heartbroken if something happens to him. He's 8 years old and our first baby.

The kids took this pic of him earlier today...

My sister has three foster kitties and we get to kitty-sit while she is on vacation. I think I've gotten my fill of kitties for a long time. Omi said they could be trusted in the bedroom and after one day we had no less than 10 poops under our bed! YUCK!!!

They won't all stay in the basket for a pic...