The disguise

That tricky squash
Such a beautiful squash flower

Our container garden, the big one is the squash plants

My 12 year old son, Eaph, hates squash, he crinkles his nose even at the mention of the word. {Honestly, the name isn't too appetizing is it?...S.Q.U.A.S.H.} So the rest of the kids pick up on big brother's bad attitude...problem....Nope, no problem, because you do a little trick and... voila you've got a completely different veggie. Instead of slicing the zucchini in circles or semi- circles you slice 'em into sticks so they blend in with the carrots and onions and green beans....
Eaph rockin' out to makin his first batch of bread, all by himself

Eaph is eating his stir fry and picks out something that doesn't look like a carrot or an onion, and asks, "what's this?" "Uuuhh, I dunno", is all I can think of, but I thought a bit and the next time he asked me I was ready, "it's a leak, it's in the onion family"....Needless to say he and his siblings ate it all up. I confessed to him later, but he hasn't had a problem once he realized it was all in his head that he didn't like squash.

Yeah, it's squash disguising season. Let's make some zucchini apple pie, and relish, and even add it to jam. I just put it in with the fajita mix and had some killer fajitas....it worked really well. How do you do the disguise?

My extraordinary, super-duper, unsurpassed, exceptional mother

I took my dear mother to Tuacahn to their production Footloose a couple weeks ago for her birthday. {I highly recommend it...very well done}It's a heckufa lot better than what we were doing a year ago...me throwing her a hat party for her upcoming chemo. uuugggh..... We had a great time....

If I could just freeze time for the moment and make it last a bit longer. Life gets a bit harried and unexpected turns come our way. That moment to spend with just my mom was glorious to be sure. I am in heaven in her presence. I am enveloped in a soft, cozy blanket of love, unconditional love. She is so kind and without guile. She always finding ways to serve me, whether it be coming over to just say hi and ends up helping me with my floors or dishes or just snuggle kids and steal them away for the afternoon.

She loves to be a grandma, she is the first in at least 3 generations to be one. She always says: "I am so grateful I was able to be a grandma, I was just hoping I could live long enough to raise you kids, but look at me I made it to be a grandma, what a blessing. They feel like they're mine." Let's not leave out my dad...he is a super grandpa..along with my mom they make the perfect grandparent duo of selfless love, and never-ending patience. They both are very gracious, kind and generous.

Ways I will never be like my mom...her pores...did I say pores? What pores? None, zippo. I break out at least once a month, still. Her soft skin so soft....her face...her hands are younger than mine. Her porcelain, unblemished, clear skin, not a mark on it, yeah and we will probably be getting wrinkles together....what? And hair? What hair, her arms are as soft and smooth as the day she was born. As you can see she's beautiful But hey, I am okay with the skin I'm in. Love what is...

So since I will always have freckles and breakouts the one thing I can change is my spiritual blemishes and between my parents and in laws and husbands example I'm on my way.

Thank you dear mother for raising me so I can lift my head up high, thank you for being strong when dad was working outta town at the fire station, thank you for taking us to church so faithfully, thank you for trusting me, and believing in me, I believe in you....thank you for loving me and serving me..you have eased the burden of raising 6 kids...thank you for your Christ-like example. You were and are so courageous fighting for your life. Now you've conquered your Goliath, and you will keep on conquering.

I love you dear mother, my sister, my best friend...I am so grateful to have you longer in my life. We can celebrate this milestone...You're still here to bless so many more lives and people will draw strength from you...Look at you? You super, phenomenal woman you.

Pink it's like red, but not quite

Thank you Aerosmith for getting me through another run. Okay, and Def Leopard and Bon Jovi, all that butt rock. Man I gotta get some new music.

When you see me runnin, or anyone you know or don't know just....

honk,

smile,

wave,

thumbs up,

all that wonderful encouraging stuff.

It helps a lot. I got people smilin at me not knowin who I am with my hair pulled up and my sunglasses on. They are thinkin' "who is that crazy lady with the white legs?" It's just me.

My ipod musta ran outta battery today, because half way through it stopped....arrrgh. I didn't realize my dependance on the thing. It really helps.

I kept finding myself lookin for the next spot on the road pretending it was shade from a tree. I was becoming delirious. Not to mention it was 3 in the afternoon, I know....stupid, yeah it was, but I needed to run today. My husband had surgery on his shoulder yesterday so I couldn't leave him this morning with no one to care for him. I made it through. Hurray for me!!!!! Now if I can just do the 5 miles on Saturday.

My new runnin shoes

I'm in love all over again...

Get your own pair here: http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/shoes/brandsforshoes/keds/women/PRD~406503/Keds+Spright+Wedges.jsp
Or just hop over to Kohls~

Wicked~Girls Day

Jumping for joy...Wicked baby!!!!

An illegal picture of the stage,

Yeah we we're in the nose-bleeds,

hadda use binoculars, but I'd do it again,

and again.....
Another illegal pic , I almost got my camara confiscated, (not really....)

My sis-in-law (red head) started it all, she was soo thrilled that Wicked was coming to Ut, so we surprised her for her b-day last July and got her tickets...she cried.

At Olive Garden, with our *virgin* daquiri's

waitin for the the real food to come out...

Good food rounded out our trip...yummo!!!

{A BIG THANK YOU TO AUNT CINDY FOR WATCHIN MY LITTLE BABY DOLLY SO I COULD DO THIS.}