The ultimate in mischief!

I speak of none other than Brandon, whom I adore... but who also is a very active, curious, and trouble-finding boy! Case in point: He loves to do what we tell him not to do... like jump off the couch.



Luckily we catch him:)
He loves acting bigger than he is, like trying to ride a bike...
And he tuckers himself out with all of his action, from the time he wakes up until he crashes, he is on the go!
We love you Brandon!

Writing recipes

My children see me all the time dealing with recipes, whether it is finding new recipes, planning for a shopping trip, making a meal from a recipe, or organizing recipes onto 3x5 cards. So it came to no surprise to me that Kimball wanted to copy me, it was so darn cute though, I just had to take pictures. He told me that he had a corn cake for me. I asked him where is recipe was, and he told me that he needed to write it down. So I grabbed him a pen and paper and he proceeded to write down his "Corn Cake" recipe......

Here is what we ended up with.....
And (use your imagination) is the finished product.... Corn Cake!
I told him that he had to test his cake before he fed it to anyone else and so he obliged.....

What a cute kid... I love every second with him!

The Eastern Idaho State fair!!!!

We had a BLAST on Labor Day, in Blackfoot, chillin at the fair. We brought Mor-Mor along for the fun, and I think it is safe to say that between the delicious food, the animals, the rides, and the prizes, we all had a blast! The only negative about the experience were the crowds, it is always packed on Labor day... but that is the only day we were all available, go figure. So the pics...

Mor-mor playing darts

Brandon looking around, from the comfort of his stroller

We all fell in love with this black lab puppy, too cute!

See, I told you! This look on Mike's face is "Oh Tiff,
Can we please buy it and take him home?"

Kimball is giving 2 thumbs up on the free ride...
a train of mini cars pulled behind a 4-wheeler.

I can't wait til next year, love it!

Preschool

A friend of mine, Ashley Krieger, had a desire to get started with her daughters education. She played with the idea of putting her into preschool, but ultimately decided to take the matter into her own hands. She started organizing a preschool, for her daughter Katie, and also for the children of some of her friends. Through much discussion and tweeking, via facebook, the Preschool idea has been developed and implemented. Ashley has put so much hard work into her grand idea, she amazes me! The final class roster came down to 6 girls and my Kimball... yup, Kimball is now "a ladies man", in the words of his dad! He loves it though! From his backpack, filled with all the school supplies he needs, to the time away from home to be a big boy, to the friends, the field trips, the activities, the songs, and everything in between, he adores it all.

After a planning meeting of the moms last Sunday night, we started the first week. Monday Aug 30 was the first day, held at Danielle Larsen's house. The theme of the day was "Y for Yellow and colors." Kimball came home singing "The wheels on the bus" and talking about the playdough and his friends. Wednesday Sept 1st, Brandon and I joined all the other moms and kids at the Pocatello Zoo. Here are some pics from that Field trip:

Preschool kids (and Brandon) on the stairs of the
large tree house. Top L-R: Hailey, McKenna, Kimball, and Piper
Bottom L-R: Brandon, Tiaya, and Katie

Looking through the glass at the animals

Brandon strolling around

Climbing the fence for a better look
at the Buffalo

We rotate around through all the moms houses, and Ashley has planned several field trips. My main duties are to watch Konrad, Ashley's little boy, during preschool to free up her time and hands for the preschool kids. Amanda, the twins Piper and Tiaya's mom, and I are in charge of planning the activities to coincide with the different themes for preschool. Other than that, I am there to provide ideas, and my home occasionally, when it comes my turn to host preschool. That, in a nut shell, is Kimball's current schooling experience.

Extreme Fun... Extreme charity!

There was a lot of hype surrounding our community not too long ago. August 18th was a big day for the Marshall-Spreiers family, because they were surprised by Ty Pennington, and the Extreme Makeover Home Edition crew. They had lost their house due to a fire, and their dog had saved their lives by barking, to alert them of the fire. Go here to read more. We really wanted to help, but there was a HUGE response from the community, and they had to turn people away. We were able to purchase the wrist bands being sold to help raise funds for the family.

On saturday the 21st, we decided we wanted to go see the building of their new house in person. Here are the pictures that we took.

Construction worker dancing on roof

Walmart providing Food to workers

Unfinished house

What a blessing to this family, and the Pocatello and surrounding communities! We had fun following the charity in our community, what people were doing to help out. It will be fun to watch this episode in Sep/Oct, when it is aired.

Asparagus Tomato Salad

Did anyone try the Grecian Chicken salad that I posted back in March? I hope someone did, because it is so delicious. I made another one of my favorite recipes the other week, took a picture, and forgot to make a post about it (typical me). I first came across this recipe at the "Taste of Home Cooking School" in May. I decided that I had to try it, and I fell in love (so did my mom). She brought it to every family get together this summer. Without further ado...

Asparagus Tomato Salad

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small zucchini, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh flat leaf (italian) parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons sunflower kernels, toasted (optional)

Place the asparagus and zucchini in a steamer basket; place in a suacepan over 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 2 minutes (3-4 minutes if more tender vegetable desired). Rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, zucchini,tomatoes, onions and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, seasoned salt and mustard. Pour over asparagus mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and sunflower kernels if desired. Chill.
Enjoy!

Lately...

What have we been up to lately? A lot of wonderful things, we are trying to send our summer off in style! I should go to bed though, I won't have the energy tomorrow to laugh and play with my beautiful boys if I don't:) So, in brief...

We hosted a family Reunion in Pocatello for the Matusek side. We had Mike's parents and sister here for a few days.

Kimball showing off for Grammy and Grampy on the slip'n'slide

Grammy, Lyss, and Grampy watching the boys swim

Mike working on sack lunches, for our lunch in the park

We took orders through the kitchen window and wrote it on our special board:)

Grampy and Kimball enjoying the pool

Grammy watching the boys, so they don't jump into the creek

Grammy and Grampy walking to the Campfire...
we grilled dogs and had smores!

Kaydien and Brianna were in Pocatello quite a bit this summer. This is a picture taken this last Sunday. We were driving to Rexburg to spend time with Corey and his family. Corey and Mike, Kelvin, Kimball, and Kaydien went camping that night.

I snapped this pic in the car trip to Rexburg,
the boys were obviously tuckered out!

Kimball at the all-boy campout

Kelvin and Kaydien playing

Corey and Kaydien chilling by the campfire

On wednesday of this week, I had Kelvin, Brianna and Kaydien over for a swim party in our backyard. We set up the slip'n'slide on the little hill in the back yard. They zoom down that thing, so fun for them!

We said cookies, and they came running:)

We had a turtle in our pool.

Anyways, it has been a wonderful summer, full of fun and adventure. Now it is time for school to start, with all its busy craziness, I know there will be many sweet moments. Life is short, and I want to enjoy every moment that I have with my children.

This week has been eye opening for me, heart-wrenching. I was reading the paper on Wednesday morning. I never read the obituaries, but I felt like I should this particular morning. The first name that I looked at was "Jaqueline" and immediately I knew who was being referenced. My heart broke and I couldn't hold back the flood of emotions for her. Mike and I, when we were in our last ward, were team teachers in Primary. We had a little girl, Jaqueline, in our class. She was a spit fire, full of energy, so smart, and she participated so well. I never imagined that tragedy would strike, and her life would be ended. She was accidentally choked while playing with her four year old sister. Her mother tried to revive her, but was unable to. My heart breaks for her, just thinking about her trying to bring her little girl back, hoping that her little heart would beat again. I would never be the same, if I had to go through that. Only with my Heavenly Father's and Saviors help, through the Atonement, would I be able to overcome that kind of anguish, that surely Jaqueline's mother is experiencing. I can't imagine losing my husband to cancer, as she did, and then losing my daughter to a tragic accident a few short years later. I pray for comfort for their family, in this their time of suffering and grief.

Last, before I end, I saw this video and I was deeply touched about the message shared. My perspective about my own divine role as a mother was deepened by her perspective on life and motherhood, through all of the trials she has experienced. Go here to watch it.

Book update

I just wanted to do a quick post and let everyone know that I loved "The Scarlet Pimpernel". After the first 2 chapters, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I finished it 36 hours later. When my sister in-law was here a few weeks ago, I had just finished the book and couldn't stop talking about. it. I still had it checked out from the library, so she borrowed it while she was here and finished it in 2 days time (in between all the planned family reunion activities). It is so different from the movie, and I wish they had followed the book more closely. The ending of the book was completely different from the movie, I thought the books ending was so much better than the movie.

I went to my dad's library to pick out my next few reads. I am reading a book called "Shannon", which is about a shell-shocked WWI veteran who travels the length of the Shannon river in Ireland. He is seeking healing, post war, by returning to his ancestral roots in Ireland. It is good so far. My favorite part is all of my dad's commentary. He writes in all of his books, the thoughts and random facts that come to his mind as he is reading. What he writes makes me think, laugh, and cry... all within the space of a few pages!

I had to put this book down though today, to start "The Help" because I have been waiting on hold for months at the library... gotta read it while I can, right?

Books

I can't wait for the 24th of August, the third book in the Hunger Game series, "The Mockingjay" is being released on that date... the bummer part is I will be on a wait list at the library to read it (gotta love having a budget, or else I would buy it!). In the meanwhile, I am trying to find some good books to read. I have most recently finished reading "The Simeon Solution" and found it inspiring and uplifting. I found the concept of the solution very helpful, to have faith as Simeon from the Bible, who waited his whole life in anticipation of witnessing, with his own eyes, the Savior of the World in flesh. His faith was simple, and unwavering. He was promised that he wouldn't die without seeing Christ, and he believed in that promise, and looked forward to that day. It was a wholesome book, and I enjoyed how she used experiences from her own life to illustrate her points.
Right now I am trying (key word) to read "The Scarlet Pimpernel". I love the movie (introduced to me many years ago by my cousins Sarah and Rachel), but haven't been hooked by the book yet. I'm not going to give up... If I made it through 1000 pages plus of Les Miserables (which I did enjoy), then I can make it through this! Recently I tried to read "The Chocoalate Wars" but just couldn't overlook an underlying theme of sexuality... although it wasn't pervasive or provocative, I just wasn't enjoying it so much, and decided not to finish it.
I read "The Secret Life of Bee's" and enjoyed it, for the most part. The only part of it that weirded me out, for lack of a better term, was the worshiping the Mary, the mother of Jesus. The other book, along with "Mockingjay", that I really want to read is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I have been on hold at the library to read it for 3 months, no kidding. If the hold is that long, it has to be a good book right? At least, that is what I keep telling myself. What are ya'll reading now? I know that a lot of my readers are avid book junkies... also for lack of a better term:)

A Marathon of a Vacation

Georgia Trip 2010

Day One, July 15th:
After a good nights rest to re-coop from Wednesday's travels, we started our vacation out with a visit to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta on Thursday. It was a fun trip, we went with Nate, Mia, Kevin, and Mia's cousin John Luke. I have SO many pics from the trip, but rather than waste time uploading each and every single one, I've picked my fave's, as is my custom.

Nate pretending to be eaten by a giant clam shell?

Mike became friends with the stuffed turkeys

Kevin was suspicious of all the animals on display
in the glass cases, he kept thinking they were moving

Monkeys in their natural habitat:)

After the Museum we visited the famous Varsity fast food restauraunt... "What'll ya have?" (www.thevarsity.com). After that we went back to Griffin and I spent the afternoon with Mia while the boys went out and played some soccer. We enjoyed the rest of the evening with Mia at her house, getting to know some of her family.

Day 2, July 16th:
Mike and I were on our own all day, so we decided to go to Atlanta again and visit the World of Coke and the Aquarium. I made Mike go get our pic taken with the Coke bear... I thought he was cute. After the Aquarium we went on the most BORING tour of the CNN center in Atlanta, never again will I endure that!

We met up with Mia and Nate that evening for a nice dinner at an authentic Italian Pizzeria, Fritti's. Mike really enjoyed practicing his Italian on his trip to Georgia! He spoke Italian with the owner of Fritti's, the owner of another Italian bistro Bongiornos, in Birmingham, and then again at the Aquarium with an Italian tourist family. Anyways, after dinner we made our way to the Historic Fox theater in Atlanta, where I finally experienced "The Phantom of the Opera" on broadway! Words cannot describe how awesome it was... so I won't even try! Here is a pic of Mia and Nate before the show.
Day 3, July 17th:
What would a wedding celebration be without all the ladies going to get pampered before the wedding, and we did just that! Mia found an affordable nail salon and all the ladies went to get their nails done, and Mia suggested I get my toes painted green, so I did... Neon green. It was fun, my first professional nail experience. We then met up with Mia's family and close friends at a pre-wedding meet and greet. I snapped some good pics while there, here are a few:

Marge and Marty, chillin on the patio

Alyssa getting a pic of me

Mia was so kind to think of my birthday, and even got
me a birthday cake, which was yummy!

Day 4, July 18th (The BIG wedding day and my B-day):
The wedding day turned out to be overcast and cool, for a Georgia summer day, thank heavens! The wedding ceremony was nice, their vows were touching, I couldn't help but get teary eyed... you could feel their love for one another! Here are the pics of the wedding day:

This is the "Tea Room" in the reception house,
where little girls get dressed up and have tea...
Steve felt left out:)

The Kiss

The Groom's cake, pretty cool huh?

The Matusek Family (minus Kimball and Brandon)

After the wedding events, and seeing the Bride and Groom off on their Honeymoon, we followed Chris and Steve up to Atlanta to try Glady Knights Chicken and Waffles Restauraunt. The wait was super long though, 2 hours to get seated. Mike and Steve were soaked to the bone, from the storm that passed through while they were walking to the ATM. In lieu of this, we decided to forgo the wait and just get our food to go. It was interesting, to say the least, eating fried chicken and waffles in the same meal... We went to a movie that night, Inception, and if you haven't seen it you should go, you won't be let down. In fact, I want to see it again in theaters...

Day 5, July 19th:
Our trip was winding down at this point, and we really wanted to get home to our boys. But we decided to have one more day of fun, so we headed to the zoo. Right by the zoo was a Civil war museum, and this cannon out in front. I told Mike to go stand by it, and so he did, and this is how the pic turned out, gotta love my Mike!
I don't know why I posed in front of a Gorilla statue, but I did, and there you go:)

It was truly one Marathon of a Vacation, from which I am still recovering! I wouldn't change a moment of it, it was so fun to spend time with Mike, Mia, Nate, Marge, Marty, Kevin, Alyssa, Chris, and Steve, and also to meet Mia's family and friends and attend their wedding.