Summer Slayage and Bugeoning Patriotism

So Aislinn killed an earwig for me today.... and the kids kept singing the following tune every time we passed a flag on the way home from the mechanic's:

Should old acquaintance be forgot
Keep your eye on the grand old flag

Which at some point turned into:

Keep your eye on the big fat flag

And later:

Keep your eye on the stinky flag

Quinton was the one to point out that this was probably disrespectful. But he kept singing it.

So that's been my day. :)

New(ish) Contact Info for Brita

We start moving today... so dang many boxes. ARG! I'm already tired.

Here is our new address:
108 Julia Martin Drive Apt. H
Bozeman, MT 59715

both my cell phone # and landline are the same:
406-522-0330 (h)
406-570-5418 (c)

More Funnies

Liz has inspired me to share funny Q and A stories. Night before last, we had baby shell noodles for dinner, and Quinton decided that they looked like perfect homes for tiny hermit crabs. He was telling Aislinn how delicious hermit crabs were, and she became incensed, insisting that hermit crabs would never fit inside those shells, and even if they did, they'd be too hard to eat. Quinton then informed her that the adults were just deep fried, and that in their "larval form," hermit crabs were always soft and tasty, like noodles. She thought about this for a minute, then said, "ok," and continued eating.

This morning on the way to school, Quinton was practicing his rapping sound skills with his mouth, which he has apparently recently learned at school (remember that one Christmas, Beck, when Dad asked us to wrap?), and then he turns to Aislinn and says, "You try." She makes a half-hearted effort to do the raspberry deep bass sound, then devolves into a coughing fit. Quinton says, "No, Silly, it's like this..." then his effort somehow turns into a Donald Duck voice. The entire trip to school ended up being a complex array of soundbits from whistles to snorts all mingled with Quinton's pplllb/ch ch rapping and a whole lot of giggling, including mine. Every trip to school should be so entertaining.

When a golf putt won't drop--OR--a day in my life

Since you won't read the newspaper where I am declared mother of the year or at least mother of the week (wouldn't that article be fabulous!!) I will give you highlights. This is the stuff that I shared with Mom all the time and produce large quantities of laughter..I miss her chuckles--so decided to share with you all.

My week started with attending McKay's readers workshop. In order to keep Abby entertained I let her play with my water bottle. The child was so pleasant and calm until the gagging noise began. As another mother jumped to Abby's rescue, I used my best mommy tool (my fingers) to fish out the lid to the bottle that Abby had started to swallow.

Who knew she was so advanced and had skills to remove the lid!! I, of course, impressed all the mothers that I too remembered "if it fits inside a toilet paper roll--they can choke" rule! I just didn't want them to be jealous of my advanced child!! I know how to make the party rock!

Next, I was in charge of treats for Anna's soccer game. At the start of the season the city sent out a big memo about "healthy treats" and discouraging sticky sweets and gooey messes (what kids love!!). I was deliberate in my selection of treats and had an overwhelming sense of a job well-done as I approached the soccer field, treats in hand. As we opened the treat bags to a wonderful selection of 100% apple juice and peanut butter crackers, I was struck with how many children were saying "no thank-you" to the treats.

WOW, I thought they really don't like the healthy stuff. One mother was standing there with her crying son (a younger sibling) and I decided to offer treats to the child, when the mother with kindness and clarity reminded me that many children on the team had PEANUT allergies--Who knew???

The week continued with the school carnival...ah, yes the school carnival. We made a failed attempt to convince our children that we had just been to the bounce houses at classic skate for Monica's birthday and we really didn't need to go again.

We even went so far as to schedule a hike with another family. Because of our work schedule we had to back out of the hike...leaving kids completely upset because of the lack of fun activities. With swift parental skill we decided to go the carnival for a short amount of time--satisfying everyone schedule and desire!

Short indeed, the lightening strikes were a bit alarming--but not as alarming as the towering three-story princess bounce house crashing down on three small Shields children (a power outage). You should have seen Zach and me crying out to them as we tried to hold up the yards of plastic fabric and guide them back to the entrance...it was a heart stopper. I think it may have squelched a bit of the bounce house charm (at least for the parents).

I am sure I had many more incidents to add to this record week of parenting...but I hate to brag!!

Happy 81st birthday Dad

We miss you Brita and Annette!!

READ THIS TALK!!

"And to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in. Never surrender. Never allow despair to overcome your spirit. Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart." The Infinite Power of Hope ~ President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

How do you create HOPE

I am feeling powerless to help in so many different situations. In a feeble attempt to try to create some hope or even a small bit of joy I tried to do something mom would do! I made dessert! I am not good at dessert, truth be told I don't usually think of dessert in my planning. I've made dinner for dad most days since mom's passing and after one dinner, he said, "your mother never forgot dessert". I thought about "not forgetting" dessert and I thought about sweet little moments that come in life--just the little things like grandchildren, or a job well done, or a sweet smile... that is dessert. So back to my attempt at dessert--Sunday I made a dessert that may bring a smile to some of your faces Devil's Float. Each Sunday dinner mom brought dessert to my house, but this Sunday it was time for me to bring dessert. Each Sunday mom brought hope, but this Sunday it was my turn to bring hope. It came in the form of an ooey gooey chocolate cake...and it was just that, a bit of hope, a smile, a bit of mom enjoying our Sunday feast. Here is the recipe. Please take my offer for a bit of hope. Chocolate never hurts and Mom would always remember dessert! I love you all.

P.s. dad said that this recipe was handed down from Grandma Asplund to mom.

Devil's Float

Sift together:
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder

add:
2 tlb butter
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 square of melted baker chocolate

Pudding:
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tlb cocoa
1 c boiling water

Mix pudding and place in 8x8 pan. Add batter on top of pudding and place in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour