Really this is tiring ...

I have to complain for a moment ... okay, so I complain all the time. What's it to ya?! I'm tired of McH always being gone. I'm tired of how you have to clean every five minutes to actually have a clean house (it was clean when Cissy left two weeks ago and I was gone for a week, but it's still a mess). I'm tired of my weedeater not working because McH is too strong for all of us and screwed the cap on too tight. And, did I mention I'm tired of McH always being gone? lol

Talked to him late last night. He sounded very tired, but said that things are going well. I miss him. Over the past two weeks we've talked twice and for only a few minutes. I miss him. Oh, I said that already. He should be home sometime next week ... I have a lot to do around here, but I am ready for him to be home.

Well, enough of that! Here are some pictures from the duckpond. We went with Cissy. It was nice, but I have a slight fear of birds so I got a little nervous LOL

The Mommy and the monkey

Throw it!

If I'm really sneaky I'll catch that pigeon.

Hmmm ...

We also headed over to Olive Garden since Cissy isn't near one anymore. Honest, we fed him more than dessert .......
He loved the lemon cake!

A lot ...

A lot a lot a lot ... some might say he "like i' a lo'" ... okay, so my Jim Carrey doesn't come out so well in typing.

A little after dinner coffee from the creamer pot.

Man, who came up with these after dinner mints?!

Seriously ...

Oh, and if you want to read a funny blog, check out Rosebud

Fun times at the Museum

Actually, that's a bit misleading. That title implies that we saw more than about 20 feet of the museum! They, at some point, combined the Natural History museum with the children's museum (and if you're from the Chicago area, do NOT compare the size of YOUR museums to ours lol).

Anyway, it's on the Baylor campus and was a really nice building, but Mumble was only interested in the animals and the toys LOL In fact, we only saw a few rooms of the children's part, but it was nice and the main thing is that he enjoyed it which meant that we enjoyed it!

Mumble playing on the BIG toys

Cissy and Mumble checking out the turtles

We had just walked in and he beelined for the animals. As you can see in the vid, he can't seem to sit still, he has to run back and forth to see them all as MANY times as possible lol

These jumbo block thingies were way fun and the bug just really got him goin'!

And, finally, just a short few seconds where I thought Cissy's camera was in picture mode, when it was actually in vid mode. But, it's cute watching them ... I'm sure they're hatching an evil plan.

Been a long time blogger!

Well, I don't have much of an excuse for my bad blogging habits. But, things have been a bit busy around here. We're coming up on both a second birthday and a second deployment, both are leaving the family a bit crabby (birthday - not for the birthday itself, but the whole "terrible" part).

We are ending (insert wailing and gnashing of teeth) a visit from Abuelita. It was SUPER fun and despite Mumble's propensity to have his "moments" he was on his best, cutest behavior. Mama isn't really looking forward to tomorrow LOL

I'll have lots more pics over the next day or so, but here are a few.

Enjoy!

Two peas in a pod

Playin' in the leaves

Wiggle worm

Most of the time a happy boy =)

My new hobby ...

... which may be short-lived! I have often been awed by my aunt's ability to make a great cake. And, I always find myself staring at cakes wondering how on earth they do that. So, I decided to give it a go. I thought I'd start with cupcakes since I'd be able to practice MANY times without making MANY cakes. I don't really know my neighbors, so who would eat all those cakes?!

I learned a few things.

• First, if you actually check your baked goods at the right time (and if not finished, every couple minutes for real) they actually turn out without burning.
• Second, if you measure the ingredients correctly, your baked goods will taste like heaven. And, I'm talking, running the knife over the edge of the measuring cup to get it perfect and everything ... a "heaven" taste isn't easy, after all.
• Third, air-tight tupperware is fantastic for storing icing. However, unless it's a huge tupperware or a tiny bit of icing, don't try and re-whip the icing in the tupperware.

So, here's where I started. Yes, they're a bit misshapen. I don't know why. Please ignore it. Thanks.

And, voila. Quick and easy as those kitchens on tv.

Okay, not really. It was several hours, a two year old that decided he was FOR SURE not going to go to bed, a hubby who had to get up at the crack of snot and was exhausted and a woman who seriously didn't know what she was doing. But, I did it! Oh, why did I do it, you might ask? Because I'd promised to send my misshapen little practice treats with McH to work. And, The Mommy doesn't break promises ... most of the time.

And the colors? The last picture is the most accurate. McH was a doll and stopped at the store on his way home to pick up food coloring. The sweetheart got ... NEON. I'm still laughing.

Oh, and did I mention they taste like heaven?

Beer Chops

I thought I'd share with y'all my latest recipe. I rarely make pork chops, but in an effort to get our lives into a better routine, I thought I'd try something new. I'd also never used my crockpot before and let me tell ya, I love it!

So, here it is. Beer chops:

2 butterfly pork chops
1 onion, sliced into rings (for only 2 chops, I'd say a small onion would be plenty)
salt/pepper
garlic seasoning
2 tblsp BBQ sauce
can of cream of chicken soup
can/bottle of beer (preference)

I used two butterfly pork chops, but I think the amount of sauce would handle another pork chop. Cut the chops in half and season with salt/pepper, garlic powder (I used a garlic grill seasoning mix). Brown the pork chops and onions in olive oil. Put in the crockpot when browned.

Mix the cream of chicken soup and 1/2 can/bottle of beer in a bowl. Add more seasonings to taste and bbq sauce. Pour over chops and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-3.

I checked mine at 6 hrs and they were falling apart. I also made the sauce into gravy with some corn starch and water.

Hope y'all enjoy it like we did! My in-laws said it made great leftover sandwiches!

Stompin'

Well, I'd like to keep this post to one topic, however when I downloaded our stompin' pictures I realized there were a few from AZ in there, so I'll add those in here first. Mumble really loves fruit, especially if he can do it himself! Here he is with Cissy eating an orange ... he likes it, ya think?!

All mine!

Here we are on our way to the Pheonix Airport. Mumble decided to try his hand at the camera!

Mumble missed the pool already! He's practicing how to hold his nose when he goes underwater!

Here's daddy and Mumble chillin' at the airport.

I think daddy was trying to sleep, but someone wasn't havin' it!

He's a zerbert master!

On to the Stompin'!!! This weekend the in-laws are here visiting and I forgot that I'd turned the sprinkler on very low for Mumble. Cut to hours, yes HOURS later and we had created, by accident, a mud pit! Here's Mumble looking for Nana to come back from their van.

Stompin' around in the mud pit.

Plop!

Mama, is there something on my face?

This is way super fun!

Ahh! More skin to get dirty! Now, how do we get more water up in herre?

Enjoy your muddy summer days!

The Mommy vs. The Frog

Maybe it was a toad, or I should say is a toad. And, I should also say that I am safely in the house and the frog/toad is still outside ... on the porch ... actually right outside the door.

So, here's the story. It begins with ants. Many ants. Ants everywhere. Most harmless, but few that are the mean-o kind. The fire ants. They've invaded my home, my yard. Attacked myself and my son. They are awful and I believe that I've developed a very serious fear of ants, red or otherwise.

Which lead me to spraying this lovely bug killer around the doors and floorboards.

Anyway, it brings us to the frog. Toad.

Aries spent time outside while I did the inside and then was in for a while when the outside was done. So, it was time for the pup to get outside. He dove out the door and I saw this poor frog ... toad, hop sadly across the porch to get away from the scary dog. I did my best to protect the sad little hopper while my doggy did his thing. I brought my furry friend in or started to and noticed the sad hopper coming toward the door rather than away from the door and where I was heading. Hmmm ... I stomped. I clapped. I grabbed a broom. I tapped it in front of the hopper. What did he ... it ... do? It attacked! No, I had to be wrong. So I tapped the broom in front of him again and he ATTACKED IT!

Seriously, I was going to call my father-in-law. Why? I don't know. I threw a bucket at it. Really. A bucket.

I think he's still out there.