To Neptune, Alice, to Neptune!

So I didn't post anything yesterday. I was tired worn out exhausted. I walked and Noah and the kids rode to Neptune for goodness sake! We have a Planet walk out by Fort Walla Walla. We recently discovered this path and are having fun walking it on the weekends.

The distance is to scale and has information about the "planet" at each sphere. Sarah really likes to compare the length of days for the planets.

This one is of us at Uranus. Haha. Yes, we do have the sense humor of 4th graders. They yelled, "Uranus!" when we took the picture.

As you can also see Benjamin is being Benjamin. He was not at all interested in taking pictures for memories or for Mom's blog for that matter. An older gentleman walked by and laughed, "I had four of them. There is always an independant one." 

There really is. There is ours...

Here we are at Neptune. Sarah wanted to go to Pluto. We couldn't even see Pluto. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are all very close. The rest of the planets are spaced quite a ways away. We only made it to Uranus last time before turning around. Hahaha! Sorry....

While we were out there we went across the road to Fort Walla Walla Museum. We love it out there. Noah and I are History dorks and the Fort Walla Walla staff have really made the experience kid friendly. Lots of things for the kids to look at and some hand on things as well. Last year they put in an awesome new playground. We have a membership so we try to get out there once a week or so. The living history programs on the weekends are great too. People dress up and act the part of interesting historical people from Walla Walla and the Pacific Northwest. Our favorites so far have been Joe Meek, mountain man (gee I wonder why) and Dutch Jo, Walla Walla's most prominent Madame.
Anyway, it happened to be Fort Walla Walla Days. All the people who play parts get together and create something that is almost like an old town. There are towns people, Military branches from history, fur traders and Indians, etc. Tents, cannons, wagons, etc.

Here are the kids in front of a Douglas Fir.

 Kids in the tee pee.

Some teenagers getting in on the old fashioned fun.

I hope this is an act and not the First Aid booth

This guy was really cool. As we were walking by he asked if we wanted a picture. Of course we would!
                                      
 "I want a gun too!"

A big thanks to:

And the kids always have fun on the toys.

 "Look at Mom. She wants a picture of you!"



I just get a kick out of this little seat every time we go. Do you see the tiny seat on the side of the wagon? I couldn't fit one tookis cheek on that little seat! I can't imagine riding all the way from Missouri to Washington on that thing. 

When we got home we everyone else played with the RC car. Duke loves chasing it but he knows he will be tempted to bite it if he catches it. He taught himself to run with the ball in his mouth and chew on it so he won't bite the car.

I couldn't even make it in the house. I just sat down outside.

I was dog tired.

 But it was a good day for dogs. :o)

The Sun Came Out!

Thanks for all your help singing Mr. Sunshine out; it finally paid off yesterday. Lots of sun. It got into the high 60's, maybe even into a low 70. Pretty warm for what the weather has been but not a normal thing for the Pacific Northwest. We are usually in the 90's by June.  Madison was "dying to death!" (of the heat) when we walked to the bus stop to get Sarah from her last day of Second Grade. Apparently Madison and Sarah are not used to this "heat wave" because when I kicked them outside to play in the afternoon they headed straight to Grandma T's house next door to cool off. Good grief!

Benjamin and I had other ideas however.

Like playing ball with Duke

Jumping on the Tramampoline

Benjamin found a new game to play on the tramampoline. He jumps around then touches Mom and...ZAP! I get electrocuted and he thinks it is hilarious! He yells, "Again! Again!"

And he is so cute I just keep playing along.

Spying on Duke under the tramampoline

It is a good thing the sun came out because that means it might be warm enough to switch to sandals for Benjamin. Have you seen his shoes? He wore the insides off from scooting his "blue car" down the driveway.

Or where ever else he can convince me to take the "blue car". When we go places in the van he yells, "blue car!" and we throw that in the van too. What's one more toy in there?
Benjamin four wheeling through the yard. FYI this is not the easiest way across the yard on the "blue car"

Nothing this kid does is the "easy way." Here he is getting off the tramampoline. He couldn't just go down the stairs, he had to go off the top stair. I snapped this picture right before he started yelling, "Mom! Mom!" And I had to rescue my Little Man.

So we decided to swing.

And the girls finally came out. Sarah took over the role of Family Photographer. I wasn't very impressed with the ones of myself. I am going to blame that on being ZAPPED for 20 minutes by Benjamin. I thought this one of Madison was cute though.

The girls think eating Smarties makes you smart so...We are going to bee eating Smarties this summer so we don't loose any of our nowledge we learned this skool year. :o)

I also got to go on a walk all by myself yesterday. I walked around Bennington Lake. It was so nice. A cool breeze and the sun was starting to set. I sat on a bench for a while and watched the water, the sun, the people, and nature in general. (I'll take my camera next time) It has been a long time since I have been able to sit and enjoy our Creator and His creations. Alone. Quietly. Without interruption.
Unfortunately, that was the last place I knew where I was. I spent the next 45 minutes lost on the trails. The sun was starting to set and it was getting cooler. Sometimes I couldn't even tell if there were people around anymore. I was thinking back to the cougars in town last fall. I did see a bunny and 3 deer. Pretty cool. I decided that instead of panicking I should be praying. So I prayed. I was shown several things on my walk:

1.) Trust in Him.
2.) Pray continuously.
3.) All roads lead back to Him.
4.) I can't undo what I have done but I can make different choices to get to where I need to be again.
5.) I cannot do this alone.
6.) Even when life is hard I still need to slow down and see the beauty in it.
7.) Sometimes life is hard because He is growing me to be exactly who I need to be.
8.) I am not alone. I am never alone.
9.)
10.)

I left the last two blank because I am still contemplating my walk. Because He is not done with me yet.

One of my favorite quotes:
The Lord loves you just the way you are; but He loves you too much to leave you that way.

p.s. THANK YOU LORD FOR THE SUNSHINE!!!

Still Alive

So it has been a while since my last post *ahem...February...*. I have not forgotten about you. I will try to post a lot more over the summer since I don't have to "work" (I still work as a stay at home mom, I just don't get paid) and plan on doing lots of fun things with the kids. I just hope summer remembers to come this year. Sweatshirt weather in June? Really?

My favorite children's musician and a fun song to get you through until I post again (I promise it won't be 4 months before I post again this time). Maybe if we all sing together the sun will come out. Anyway, I am charging my camera and looking forward to what the next few months may bring. Talk at you soon!

First Date Chicken

I had some chicken and couldn't settle on one idea for dinner so I decided to let Hubby decide what to do with it. He picked the recipe I had no desire to make or eat. It was one of the BEST meals we have had in a while! I had to share the recipe. I didn't think it would turn out this awesome so I didn't bother to take pictures. The only pictures I did get were not of the best chickens. Those all got ate. I had to fight the ravenous rascals off just to get this picture.

First Date Chicken

2 Boneless, skinless Chicken breasts (we used 5)
4 oz cream cheese*
2 green onions, sliced*
2 bacon slices (I put 2 slices of bacon on each chicken)
garlic salt
white pepper

*I bought an 8oz container green onion and chive cream cheese. It cut down on prep time and I figure it tasted better because the green onion and chives marinated in the cream cheese for extra flavor.  :o)

Make sure all of the chicken pieces are of even thickness. Pound if necessary. Slice the onions and combine with the cream cheese. Place chicken on a Silpat (I used a Flexipat so the bacon grease wouldn't catch my house on fire by dripping into the bottom of the oven) and sprinkle on garlic salt and white pepper. Place about 2 oz cream cheese on each chicken breast. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.

I got this recipe from Demarle at Home Cook Book Cooking Across America

New Year, New Goals

OK. I'm pretty late getting this one up. Better late than never though, right? I am telling myself it was better to wait so I could pig out on Superbowl Sunday. Even though we didn't actually do anything for Superbowl Sunday I have spent the last month pigging out and putting off my New Year Goals.

I didn't make any resolutions this year. I fail every year at those darn resolutions. This year I decided will be the year of goals (sorry, Rabbits). I want to work on setting some goals and then figuring out the steps to accomplish said goals. I want to have a few personal goals, a few family goals, a few money goals, a few marriage goals and a few spiritual goals.

One of my goals in setting goals is to teach my children (and Hubby) how to life plan. In working with the teen moms one thing that keeps popping into my mind is that some of these girls have no life plan, goals or plan as to doing anything whatsoever with their life. I want my kids to have a plan. Even if it is just a rough outline of life, at least there is a path.

So stepping off my soap box and into my thinking cap:

Personal Goals
To make meal planning a priority
To be on time or early (not by this skin of our teeth)
Stop fluttering and sputtering and start FLYing with FlyLady
Loose weight (I will never be "skinny" but I can still be healthy)
Consistently blog

Family Goals
Spend more time together not preoccupied by media sources
Take a family vacation (We liked Leavenworth but just about anywhere would be great to get away to)
Buy a house

Money Goals
Make budgeting a priority
Start Dave Ramsey's practices
Get our savings account up

Marriage Goals
To make my hubby a priority
Do The Husband Project
To have a Date Night once a month

Spiritual Goals
Spend some time in the Bible each day
Pray more purposefully everyday (not just when I need help)


So there it is. My GOALS for 2011.
Many go hand in hand, some overlap others piggyback on other goals and some just are. Some seem so simple. If they were that simple I would have accomplished them when they were New Year Resolutions though...
Goals are great but they don't mean much without a plan. I think that I need to evaluate my goals and come up with some plans in which to accomplish these goals. Stay tuned!

Lemon Cream Currant Scones

Mix together:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt (Kosher)
1 tsp grated Lemon Zest
1/2 Cup Currants
Add:
1 1/3 Cups Heavy Cream

When Cream is integrated, knead 8-10 times on a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch circles with a biscuit cutter or drinking glass rim. OR form into an 8 inch circle and cut into pizza wedges. Place on a buttered cookie sheet (unbuttered Silpat) 1 inch apart.

Bake at 400 degrees (conventional oven or 350 degrees for a convection oven) for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

While the scones are baking you can make the Lemon Glaze

Mix together:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (I just squeeze the lemon I got the zest from)

Add more lemon juice as needed until glaze is smooth and slightly thick.
Drizzle on scones and top with more lemon zest.


*From the kitchen of Lauren Hemenway.

Moose!

Yesterday was pretty exciting here in Walla Walla. A Mama Moose and her two babies took a walk through town. Along the way they took a detour through our yard. I wasn't home but luckily, my Mother-in-law (MIL) was at her house next door with her camera.

They were across the street in a field

and then went down the cul-de-sac and into some one's back yard.

I asked my MIL how they got into our yard (we share a 3/4 acre lot) when we have such a hard time.

If you look closely you can see the plank that we use to climb over the fence. There is also a hole one can climb through.

MIL exclaimed, "MEGAN! They were HUGE! The Mama just stepped over and the babies hopped over."

They are as big as the swing set!

Hubby said the Mama was as tall as the overhang on the roof.

Hubby told me that the police were treating the situation as if the moose were blood thirsty children-eaters. They made people go into their houses and had MIL bring Duke Dog inside.

And then they crossed Plaza Way and ran off towards The Country Club. I think they were just late for their tee time. Golf, anyone?*

*Haha! I made myself laugh when I went back to proof read my blog. The window that the last picture is taken out of is the same window Hubby broke last summer while practicing his golf swing.