The Mowrer Powrer Hourer

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2011-03-10T08:41:00.001-08:00

Beep

Comment problems

2010-08-15T20:23:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends:
We are having some problems witn our blog. It is sending us your comments to approve, but not letting us approve them. Sorry if you have posted recently and it is not up. We are working on it. Thanks for your feedback though. We appreciate your comments and hope to have this problem worked out soon.

Dessert Ninja

2010-08-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

So this post is a little late, but is it ever too late to show off? Ever? ;) I made this killer fruit tart for my dad on Father's day. We had a bakery one at a seminary broadcast where he was kind enough to accompany me as my date back in November and he was wondering how someone could make one. I told him I was pretty sure I could do it and I'd make him one for Father's Day. So here it is. I even made it the fancy French way (read finicky, annoying, fall apart crust, real pastry cream, and apricot glaze to make it glisten. I love you dad and this is the proof.

The puppy has spawned much new material

2010-07-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

Referring to the dog opening her mouth to receive a toy:
I like when she just opens it like she's a space station and there's a ship coming through.

More about the dog:
Beren: That sound she makes with her claws is really handy.
Mama: How so?
Beren: It tells you where she is and how fast she's going. "ticka, ticka, ticka = bullet train! Tick, tick, tick, means she's going slow.

"Mom! I kissed Pandy on the lips and she kissed me to at the exact same time! I'll never take a bath again!"

Our puppy was lying in the sun in a rare moment of quietude:
Mama: Wow, she's really floppy right now, but she can be feisty and frisky in the mornings.
Beren: Yeah. But lately she's been more frisk than feist, so that's good.

While hugging Pandora as she single-mindedly consumes her kibble:
Beren: Wow, there's nothing like a little food to take the edge off a dog!

Comments Now Restricted

2010-06-15T09:26:00.001-07:00

The spammers finally got us on their list and now I get more posts in Chinese than from you loyal followers. Some might say that's because we only have like... 5 loyal followers, but I say... never mind about that. The spammers are now shut out. I will accept membership requests from anybody Heather or I have ever heard of or suspect we know either directly or via a mutual friend.

Mother's Day Reflections

2010-05-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

MOTHER'S DAY

The weekend before Mother's Day, we celebrated my son, Beren's, 7th birthday. I had lost my voice due to illness and was exhausted from caring for the new puppy he'd received as an early present, but decided to go ahead with the planned extended-family celebration. I'm glad I did. It was a wonderful day, for him and for us, but it left me completely wiped out and entirely mute.

When I entered Beren's room that evening bearing a laundry basket, I was seized with a tremendous coughing fit. When it finally passed, I collapsed onto his bed and groaned weakly. He solemnly pressed my hand between his sweaty palms and gazed intently at my face for a moment, then uttered one word: "Come."

I was too depleted to resist. I let him lead me into the hallway and through the door of my own bedroom where he pointed commandingly towards the bed. I didn't move. I knew that if I laid down in that bed I probably wouldn't be able to rise again any time soon. Beren must have sensed my hesitation because at that moment he marched towards me, wading through the sea of clothing I had strewn about the floor, and towed me firmly across the room. After stowing me (none to gently) beneath the covers, he flipped on the humidifier I had sitting on my night stand and crawled into bed next to me.

For a few moments we just laid there and cuddled, but then, the inevitable: . . ."Mom. Stay right here. Don't go anywhere. I have to go to the bathroom." I can't tell you how often this happens. If Beren Chritstopher Mowrer is ever elected president of the United States, I guarantee you that on the way to his swearing in, the entire motorcade if going to have to pull over and wait for the Commander-in-Chief to take a poo.

He was gone a long time (even for him) and when he finally came back he had a surprise. With no fanfare whatsoever, he slapped a dripping wet rag across my forehead and then stood back to behold my delight. "Uh . . . thanks," I sputtered, wondering which cartoon I had to thank for teaching him that little first aid technique. "You're welcome," he affirmed benevolently. I can also use the massager on you if you want." Without waiting to find out if "I want" or not, he scrambled over the side of the bed and fired it up.

Since I was lying on my back, Beren demonstrated great adaptability by massaging the palms of my hands on the highest setting for several minutes. When I could no longer stand the intense relaxation this produced in my nervous system, I tactfully suggested that perhaps I could turn over and let him work on my back. He agreed and soon the 10 pound massage wand was racing over my spine and shoulder blades like a stock car at the Indianapolis 500.

At some point in the midst of all this muscle therapy, I began to cough again. Beren quickly flipped off the massager and began pounding me heartily on the back like an enthusiastic life guard trying to save a drowning swimmer.

When I recovered from the coughing and its "cure," Beren draped his body across mine and intoned with great solemnity: "I ----- love----you." There was something funny about the way he said it and it took me a minute to figure out what it was. He wasn't just saying the words to be nice . . . he was applying them like one would administer ointment on a cut or the final stitch that seals the wound. Evidently he considered this a crucial part of my recovery. "And why not?" I mused. I certainly never neglected to include it when trying to heal him. "Let me know if you need more snuggling," he directed. I held out my arms to indicate that I did.

I keep a flashlight by my bed for reading and a few minutes later it caught Beren's attention. He repositioned the wet rag over my eyes (creating many new rivulets that ran down my neck and pooled in my hair) and began shining it at various angles into my face, asking each time, "Can you see the light now?" I was pretty sure we were done with "tenderness" now that his mind had taken a scientific turn, but I was wrong.

After determining that I could indeed see the light if he shoved it practically up my nose, Beren finally turned it off and asked me a question: "Mom, have you ever read a book, seen a movie, or played a video game about the original Star Wars?" "Yes," I croaked. He brightened, "Want me to read to you about it?" I nodded.

He dashed from the room and returned clutching a blue book with a tattered binding. "You're gonna love this," he promised. After courteously fluffing my pillow for me he began: "Long ago and far, far away, there was an evil empire . . . "

He was right. I did love it. I loved all of it. My bruised ribs, the damp pillow, the hum of the humidifier, and the age old battle of good an evil being played out in my son's childish voice next to my ear. Heck! I even loved the dang puppy who piddles on my floor and keeps eating my rug every chance she gets. It's part of the whole glorious, untidy, maddening, wonderful package that is motherhood.

You can't pick which pieces you'll get and which you'll leave out. There are as many ways to celebrate mothers as there are stars in the sky. None of them is wrong. But I'd like to suggest that sometimes the celebrations come when you least expect them (and some times they feel like a punishment). But try not to miss them. The same circumstances that create one perfect moment with your child will never come together in exactly the same way again.

Recently, I saw a framed poem in a thrift store by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton that I can't seem to forget. I'm going to leave an excerpt of it with you as my final thought for Mother's Day 2010.

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

I Don't Speak Chinese

2010-04-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

So please stop posting in it!

(Also, my parts are the size mother nature intended.)

Berenisms part 347

2010-03-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Things I never thought my six year old would say
"Daddy, will you help me get a wife?"
(I found out later that he meant to acquire one in a video game he and my husband were both playing. It was a game about farming and the farmers have to find wives to help them on their farm if they are to progress to the next level)

Questions, Questions,Questions . . .When he was 3 Beren asked me questions I could answer, like "Why does he grass grow back when we cut it?" and "How come kitty has fur and we don't?" Now that he is 6 I get things like this questions which he laid on me this morning in the car:
"Mom, what is the difference between FedEx Ground, FedEx, and FedEx Kinkos?"

Beren Vocabulary

2010-03-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

My intent wasn't for this blog to be exclusively about Beren, but I have no choice but to give you yet another Beren update. He is using words like debris and original (et cetera) correctly in sentences without prompting. I don't even use the word debris. Let alone correctly.

Captain "Beroni" and the Title of Liberty!

2010-03-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Beren was gravely disappointed that he is still not old enough (you have to be 8) to qualify for Eric's company's "Take you child to work" day. To soothe his feelings I told him he could go to work (seminary) with me some morning if he wantd to. He loved the idea, and didn't even mind getting up early.
Natually, I enlisted him for help with the lesson. He was brilliant! It gave me a faint hope that I may someday be watching him perform in plays instead of competing in chess club. (My genes have got to be in there somewhere, right?)
Anyway, here he is in the head-lining role of "Captain Moroni." He acted out the whole story while the class listened to it on a tape.

School Berenisms

2010-02-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

The Human Abacus
After 2 weeks of Beren finishing his math homework in under 2 minutes, I suggested to his teacher that he was ready for something a little more challenging.
When confronted with the much larger numbers, Beren looked at me in consternation. "How am I going to solve that?!" he demanded. "The most I can do is 20."
Whereupon he promptly whipped off his socks and planted his bare toes on the lip of the kitchen table, presumably to have all the necessary calculating tools to hand.

The Sins of Others
From our conversation the previous day I knew that Beren wasn't overly fond of the substitute who was covering for his sick teacher. When he came home from school on the second day I asked,
"How was is today?"
"About the same," he responded.
Then after climbing onto my lap for some snuggles,
"She's so . . . . . fierce.
She's fierce and I don't like it. I'm not even the problem. It's the other kids in my class. They're the problem. I'm trying to be part of the solution!"

Silent Monks Sing

2009-12-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Not real monks.

Dental Dilemma

2009-11-29T22:03:00.000-08:00

Beren is experienceing a rite of passage often associated with six year olds of losing your baby teeth. Necessary this may be, but it is also cruel to a young man who only likes corn when it is on the cobb. (Note the rows of missed kernals---tis like a poorly gleaned field!)

Baby Fat Lard

2009-11-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

I have recently uncovered this baby pic of myself and have thus proven once and for all the my inclination towards mild chubbiness is genetic and has nothing whatsoever to do with my adult food intake choices.

What am I demanding? Justice? Consistency?

2009-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Today at the store, I really needed relief for my sore throat, but I knew I still had to purchase my prescription later, so I thought it would be ok to take just the one, and then buy the box with my purchase. We've all done that before, right? I've seen others do it many times. I've done it myself more than once.

Well, for some reason, I wanted to be extra up front about it so as to not make anybody feel nervous if they happened to see me break into a box I hadn't purchased yet so I asked the lady.

"Would it be ok if I took one of these now and payed for the box with my prescription that you are filling?"

"Yeah, sure, you just need to pay for it now."

OK... First of all, the answer is No, which is the opposite of "yeah, sure". Secondly... consider this, Mrs. checkout lady... Someone comes in to pick up a prescription and hands you an already opened box of lozenges as if to pay for it as well. How would you react in that situation? No reaction at all, perhaps? Certainly you wouldn't hand them over to security or even give them a lecture about what they've done.

Why then, is this situation really that much different? Sometimes I feel like people are running on some kind of script and are otherwise totally incapable of thinking even the simplest things through without a backup script that fits the situation.

You may say, well, she can't condone that, she would be responsible. Would she not also be responsible for turning in a known "thief" when they attempt to purchase goods which they had previously stolen?

OK, so maybe it's not the lady at fault, but the store policy that thwarts honesty and does little to nothing to catch actual law breaking.

Either way, I lose and the people who aren't so considerate win (in addition to those who are actively trying to steal... as if a thief would ask permission first).

Anyway... just wanted to rant about that. Cheers.

Berenisms summer 2009

2009-09-08T01:08:00.000-07:00

Mom turns on a CD in the van while family is driving down the road. Beren starts tapping away and humming. A minute later, Dad turns it off.
Mom: Hey! Beren was listening to that!
Beren: It's okay mom. It's not a major crisis.

Sometimes I make Beren remove his shirt if dinner is messy and the probabililty of spills is high. Anticipating the giant pan of red sauce chicken enchiladas, I said, "Beren, you'd better take off all your clothes. Get buck-naked for this one." I was only joking, but when I turned around, Beren was seated at the table in his underwear. His father, eyeing him with amusement, picked up the ball and ran with it. "Son," he admonished, your mom said buck-naked. Why are you still wearing your undies?" Beren, surveying both of us through slitted eyes, balefully replied, "Best I can do."

As part of my new seminary calling, I made a slide show type presentation of photos set to catchy music to introduce myself to the students on the first day. If I was looking for praise from my son, I was sorely disappointed. After viewing the video, he turned to me and inquired, "Are you sure this music is appropriate for church?"

Beren's Summer Activities and a Berenism

2009-08-05T00:13:00.000-07:00

Beren has become a business man. When I asked him what he wanted to do this summer he said, "Run a lemonade stand and go camping. (We're camping next weekend). We set up our stand in front of a business near our neighborhood (with permission, of course). We hoped to hail passing cars, but they were all going too fast. Fortunately we did get a good showing from friends who'd I'd sent an annoucement email to. Beren made a little over $20.00 and got to practice his customer service and change-making skills. Next time, I'll let him enjoy the full full experience by teaching him about gross and net. This time, I just didn't have the heart. He was so tickled with his little hoard of cash; kept running around with it and giggling like a maniac.

Beren got to go to a very cool birthday party on Monday for his friend, Madeline. It started with a tour of a fire station and ended with lunch and games at Chucky Cheese's.

Berenism:
It was morning. The child was moving like molasses. I was frustrated:
Mom: Beren, get dressed.
Beren: I keep getting interrupted.
Mom: (exasperated)By yourself!
Beren: Yes. My imagination and brain.
Mom: Well turn it off!
Beren: I can't! I don't know where they hid my off switch!

New Family picture: Ding!

2009-07-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

First Berenism, or for that matter, any post at all in a really long time

2009-07-16T23:17:00.001-07:00

Beren: Beren no wike it.
Mama: Why are you talking baby talk?
Beren: It's one of my languages.
Mama: Oh . . . how many languages do you speak?
Beren: I don't know. Wait! . . . four.
Mama: What are they?
Beren: Um . . Dogspeak, Meowish, English and baby talk.
(He then proceeded to demonstrate them all--I couldn't really tell how fluent he was, but the cat seemed gratified at least)

BERENISMS

2009-04-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

For scripture study in the morning, Beren and I read about Lehi's vision of the tree of life. Beren was so enthralled he wanted to continue learning about it that night at family home evening. Fortunately, I had a folder of cut-outs representing each symbol in the dream. As I laid them on the table, I asked Beren what each one was:
“What is this?”
The iron rod.”
“And this?”
“The river of yucky water.”
“How about this one?” (the great and spacious building)
“Oh! I know that one! That's the “Tower of Mock!”

Beren was at the table writing names of friends on birthday invitations:
“Mama, can you guess who I will choose to do first?”
“Sophie.”
“Yeah! How did you know?”
(a few moments later)
“Who am I gonna do now?”
“Hmmmm . . . Aiden?”
(looking at me with perplexed awe) “It's like there's a little one of you inside my head!”

This morning:
B: “I can't believe we had “Writer's Workshop” yesterday.
M: “Really? On a Monday? It's usually on Wednesday isn't it?
B: “Yeah.”
M: “What did you write about?”
B: “I don't remember.”
M: “You don't remember? It was only yesterday!”
B: (with great patience) “Mama, you know what happens when I go to sleep. It's like my chalkboard gets erased.”

Oh, and You Asked For It

2009-04-05T23:33:00.000-07:00

I give you.... noisy chicken!!!!

To commemorate my utter failure at posting to this blog...

2009-04-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

Tea Party Cast List

2009-04-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

(clockwise from left)
Jamie Bowlsby as "Charlotte Philomena"
Holly Blanchard as "Katherine Henrietta"
Kathy Raymond as "Savannah Abigale"
Elana Nordstrom as "Constance Sophronia"
Becki Brallier as "Mildred Sarah"
Heather Mowrer as "Edwina Winnifred"

A Dream Not Deferred

2009-04-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have finally fufilled my dream of hosting a Victorian tea party. It took 33 years, but hey, better late than never. For my birthday this year I gathered some dear friends and took the plunge. Special thanks to my mother-in-law, Mary, who was our server (maid) and also the person who made my costume and gifted me with the tea paraphernalia over the years once she found out I wanted to do this. My guests created their own hats at the party (it was glue-gun madness!) and drew Victorian names out of a hat to use during the party. I don't think there was a favorite "tea," but the cheezy-bacon pinwheels definitely took the cake for most beloved savory. The ladies actually called it back out of retirement in the kitchen after we'd moved on to another course! I'll post the recipe for any interested parties. To sum up, it was a ton of work (did I mention redecorating my living room to provide ambiance?)but is was fun. I hope it made a nice memory for everyone who came and it's one more item I can cross off my list of things I want to do before I die.

Cheezy Bacon Pinwheels

2009-04-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 C cooked, finely chopped bacon (we used real bacon bits)
2 TBS finely chopped onion (green onions good for color)
1/4 C cheddar cheese
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except rolls in a medium-sized bowl. Separate crescent rolls into two rectangles. Spread cream cheese mixture on each rectangle and roll it up like a cinnamon roll, starting at the longest side, and then seal the edge. Cut each roll into 16 slices. Place the slices, cut side down, on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 32 pinwheels

Berenisms (the pic is from when he was 3; don't panic)

2009-02-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

PAINFUL HONESTY
On the way into the house after school I had several bags of groceries in my hands and also the keys. Beren tried to take the keys from me to open the door, but I declined because it takes him forever:
"Thank you Beren, that's very nice of you, but I think I'd rather open it myself."
"I wasn't doing it to be helpful, Mom," he informed me coldly. "I just want to get into the darn house."
"Oh."

CAN I GET A SIDE OF SURGURY WITH THAT?
This morning Beren was playing a game on the computer called "Microbe Combat" which sparked a discussion about diseases and how our body fights them. Eventually, the the topic of vacinations came up.
Mom: So that's why I take you to get shots. To let your body have a chance to develop a weapon against serious illnesses before it has to send its white blood cell soldiers to fight those germs for real."
Beren: Well, I get it, but I don't like shots at all. If you're gonna take me to the doctor, I want surgury. Like when I broke my arm. They let me have a popsickle that night in the hospital. You know, I kind of like medical places!

Brady Marshall Blanchard has arrived!!!

2009-02-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

My new nephew is finally here. He is dang good looking (like all us Blanchards)and very strong and alert. His parents think he's a keeper. Baby was 8 lbs 3 oz. and 21.5 inches long. Beren is tickled to have a new cousin. We only do this once every 3 years in my family, so it's a big deal.

I'm Never Playing Settlers Again Without This Card

2009-01-18T13:22:00.001-08:00

You Might Have Noticed

2009-01-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

As you can plainly see, the blog is going through some changes. New template. New colors. New Sidebar stuff.

I'm messing around with the title section, trying to find a good background to go in there. Also, I've discovered that blogspot supports polls, so please participate in our fist ever poll (on the right). The outcome could change the future of this blog.

No dog unless it's this one

2009-01-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

On the way home from the gym:
Mom: Oh Beren look at those cute little doggies! They have sweaters on.
Beren: Awwwww . . .they are cuties. Oh, don't even talk about it. I want a dog so bad I can't take it!
Mom: We're not getting a dog until you are old enough to help take care of it in a serious way and I don't mean just feeding it. Dogs have to be bathed and taken for walks and you have to pick up their poop . . .
Beren: Ew! No way! That's your job. I'm not going anywhere near poop.
Mom: And that is why we're not ready to have a dog.

Maybe this one.

2009-01-17T14:14:00.001-08:00

Who thinks we should have a puppy? I want you to look deep into his eyes and ask yourself.

Yes, He's a Gamer, Folks!

2009-01-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

After informing Beren that he wouldn't be able to play Portal yesterday, he asked if he could at least watch me play. That sounds like something I would have said at his age (and probably did say). He's fizzled out on the board games a little bit, but I'll take what I can get!

With our combined forces, we will be unstoppable. We will have our Wii.... oh yes... we will have it (and a puppy... maybe... though Heather seems to actually be talking him out of that... which is weird, because I'm like "It's a puppy! What little kid doesn't want a PUPPY?!!").

Dang! The kid can read.

2009-01-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

Beren's kindergarten teacher sent home a booklet today with Beren that he was supposed to read to us. The booklet is designed to match whatever reading level they've tested him at: Level P. Whatever that means. Nevertheless, we were impressed with the results. Mind you he just got the book this afternoon. He also got something in his eye during the video, but he kept plugging away ;).

A new hat!

2009-01-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law, Mary, got me a cool new cloche hat for Christmas. Not only is it stylin' for its own sake, but it is also characteristic of the time period of the character I played in my show. Snazzy, eh?

Berenisms

2009-01-09T16:22:00.001-08:00

The day after Beren's Blanchard grandparents returned to Las Vegas, he emerged from the bathroom holding a paper cup with grandpa's name on it:
Beren: I want to keep it.
Mom: Uh . . .well Bear, I think Grandma said that Grandpa had a bit of a cold so I'm not sure if you should use that cup.
Beren: I don't want to drink out of it, I want to keep it! Like as in a museum.

A couple of weeks ago when I came into the kitchen after rising I saw a paper towel on the counter covered with with a huge mound of rainbow goldfish crackers.
"Beren, I said, "What is this?"
"You don't know?" he asked, incredulous.
"No," I affirmed. "You wanted a snack?"
"No. It's for Santa."
"Um, you know it's not Christmas yet, right?" (The fish were covering the writing when I first looked)
"Yes. I wanted to do it early. I thought it would entertain me."

We made it! We made it!

2009-01-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

On December 26, 2008, Eric and I celebrated our ten year anniversary. I know, we don't look that old, but it is true:). We took a break from family time and went off by ourselves to commemorate this milestone. I wore the same dress to dinner that I wore away from my wedding for nostalgia's sake. We also went out to eat at Olive Garden which is where we had our post-wedding luncheon and where I told Eric (5years later on a separate occasion)that I was pregnant with our son.

Christmas 2009

2009-01-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite present opening moments this year involved the "tie-chain" my mom ordered for my dad. When he pulled out that giant piece of bling I almost wet myself! Mom swears she will never order through a catalog sight unseen again.

No one says "no" to Mrs. Santa. No one!

We had a new Christmas breakfast this year called breakfast pizza. I will be eternally grateful to Melissa's family for passing along that tradition. There is no such thing as bad pizza anyway, but this took breakfast to a whole new level! There were no dissenters.

Melissa, Theona, and Ashley Prepared a tub of sugar cookies to die for. Beren did his best to eat his share.

We all gathered at Reid and Melissa for the big day. Fortunately,Santa found us all.

My Return to the Stage

2009-01-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

After 12 long years I finally was in the right life situation and had summoned sufficient courage to try out for a show again. Gresham Little Theater was doing auditions for their Christmas offerings, one of which was "The Gift of the Magi." My dad used to read me that classic story when I was younger and I always loved it, hence I was thrilled to be cast as Della. We lost 4 of our 9 scheduled performances to the snow, but many friends and family were still able to come. I enjoyed myself more than I can say. It is so satisfying to reconnect to a part of yourself that you haven't seen in awhile.

Let it snow . . . and then let it quit!

2009-01-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

Wow! I've never seen anything like it in all my 32 years as an Oregon resident. Snow that came and kept coming, and then came some more. It was not a singular event this time around. In some ways it was so cool, but by the end I could no longer raise even a weak cheer when the little alabaster flakes began fluttering down once more. At least we had some handy shovelers snowed in with us.

Raquetball Rules! Heather Dominates!

2009-01-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

So yeah, I love raquetball. I learned the basics a couple of years ago, but decided to take a class at Mount Hood Community College this fall to expand my skills and have a ready supply of partners. Beren went to kindergarten at just the right time so it was meant to be.

Thanksgiving at Amy's

2009-01-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

We traveled to decidedly un-snowy Utah this year for Thanksgiving. Beren was extremely happy to see his cousins and aunts and uncles again. The poor guy gets lonely knocking around our house with no sibbies. Eric's sister, Amy, prepared a lush feast which we were happy to scarf. The popocorn kernals were tied to a story of what the starving pilgrims had during one of their hard winters. Compared to the bounty we were enjoying, it was easy to be thankful.

Halloween

2009-01-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

We used Reid and Melissa's house at our base camp this year. We had a lot more adults than kids, but so what? One of the reasons I had kids was so I could reclaim some of the awesomeness of childhood that I was too complacent to appreciate the first time around. Anyone of a similar mind is welcome to join me in whatever right of passage Beren is currently journeying through :). True to form, Landon's question after every house was "More candy, Mommy?" Beren's comment was, "My feet are getting tired, mom. I've got enough candy. Let's go back to the house."

Pumpkin Patch!

2009-01-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Holly and I teamed up to set our sons' feet on this important ritual; the choosing of the pumpkin that will become the hallowed out jack-o-lantern carcass.

Grandma of the Year

2009-01-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

Well, my mom just couldn't take it and got on a plane after only a month and a half to come see us. We were glad to have her close by for all the halloween doings and she definitely improved Beren's quality of life.

Uncle Scott is Da Bomb!

2009-01-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally made it to Seattle to see Scott's hip condo pad. Beren wasn't overly impressed with the house like we were; he just likes hanging out with his uncle.

Unconditional Love

2008-11-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

I was a little irritated with Beren tonight when he showed up at the bathroom door needing to use the potty a mere two minutes after I had sunk down into a hot bath. "Beren, I grumbled, you knew I was coming in here. Why couldn't you have gone potty then?" "When you first came in here, I didn't feel like I had to go," he patiently explained. "Right!" I snorted. "Mama," he replied. "I love you. Even when you're difficult!"

The Public City Transit Bus

2008-11-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

So awhile back Beren got a video called "There Goes a Bus." It is a real-action documentary type show for kids that explains all about how buses operate. To ride one of these buses became Beren's fondest dream. Whenever we would see one he would gaze with longing and sigh deeply and meaningfully from the backseat. So yesterday, we decided to grant his strange little wish. We planned a bus trip into Portland to Powell's Book Store. On the way there Beren explained all the features of the bus to his neophyte parents. Eric has some experience with public transit but I am a complete innocent. Anything Beren couldn't recall from the video he asked our fellow passengers. He was especially delighted with the experience of pulling the cord to let the driver know our stop was coming up and with exiting out of the rear doors on our return journey. After book shopping we all got hot cocoa and cookies at a nearby shop. It was a great day!

Great minds . . .

2008-11-16T18:46:00.000-08:00

So check it out. These are the pajamas Holly (my sister) and I picked out for our sons completely independent of each other. We only discovered the similarities when she and Landon came to stay overnight with us last week. Crazy, eh?

Beren's classroom

2008-11-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

After trick-or-treating

2008-11-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

Pilgrim Problems

2008-11-01T23:14:00.001-07:00

Mom: Well, Halloween is over now. What holiday comes next?
Beren: Um ... Christmas?
Mom: No, before that, in November.
Beren: Thanksgiving!
Mom: That's right. And what do we celebrate at Thanksgiving?
Beren:(long pause)... Chicken!

The Age of Accountability for Felines

2008-10-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

Beren: (to Mom) "I offered to baptize the cat, but he just looked at me, so I guess that's a no."

2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23...

2008-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

We were doing introductions in Elders Quorum today, so I said I was the instructor that taught on weeks of the month that were prime numbers, except for the 5th Sunday (and then reminded everyone that 1 is not a prime number). Most of them looked at me like I was an alien. Don't they teach math in school anymore?

Beren begins enjoying his Halloween costume. Should I buy some kibble?

2008-09-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

Holly and Reid's Birthdays

2008-09-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

We had the family who are currently living in Oregon (minus Adam who had to work) over on Sunday to celebrate aging. My camera's setting are screwed up again so some pics are a little washed out, but what can ya do? We also took some video for family members who are living out of state. I love my sibbies!

Peaches! Victory!

2008-09-10T23:29:00.001-07:00

The fact that these golden bottles of summer exist is a miracle considering what we went through to get them. There are too many obstacles to list but some of the highlights include crazed, greedy U-pickers and racoon attacks. Nevertheless, we have prevailed. My mom gave me the jars, my mother-in-law provided the equipment and expertise, and behold! I may now rest easy is the halls of my canning crazy ancestors.

The Mowrer Family Visits a Farm and Takes Goofy Pictures

2008-09-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Eric and Beren tackled the corn maze while mom and I determined that the Elberta peaches were too green to pick. We viewed the animals, rode the hay wagon and a cow train, and had some good eats. A nice 3-generational day! The sunflower picture is of us and Eric's parents, Jim and Mary. I couldn't ask for nicer in-laws :).

Beren Before First Day of Kindergarten

2008-09-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

Beren After First Day of Kindergarten

2008-09-08T22:29:00.000-07:00

Tooth Fairy Where art Thou?

2008-08-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

Big day at our house today. Beren couldn't quite make it to the first day of kindergarten before shedding teeth. He lies in bed as I speak, dreaming of the untold wealth accruing beneath his pillow. Earlier today he tried to convince me that said fairy leaves gifts as well as lucre. Nice try buddy! Gotta save something for Santa.

The Rice Crispy Rameumptom

2008-08-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

*Warning: If you are not a Mormon, this post will make no sense whatsoever.
So in my youth Sunday School class, we just got to the part about Alma and his bretheren going on a mission to reclaim the apostate Zoramites. When they get there, they discover the people have indeed gone astray and are worshipping by climbing to the the top of a tower (Rameumptom=Holy Stand), reciting a very unhumble "prayer" and then forgetting about God entirely until the following week. This was my idea to help the kids remember the story. Naturally we had to tear down that tower and consume it! One of them even tried to devour the Lego Zoramite, but I restrained him.

What Goes Through The Mind of a Five Year Old?

2008-08-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

On the way to church today, we got the following two questions from Beren out of nowhere.

1) Is metal harder than concrete?

2) Is power invisible?

It's like he's secretly building a mad scientist's bunker and had a few things he couldn't work out just yet.

Paul Senior's Got Nothin On Me!

2008-08-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

You lookin at me?! Are YOU looking at me??!!!!

Behold . . . the auto!

2008-07-10T00:59:00.000-07:00

Halleluia! Hosanna! Yee-haw! The great car search is over. Peace can once again reign in Castle Mowrer. Better make that that Hovel Mowrer since we are now financially of the peasant class. Oh well, we can always live in our car :). Long may it transport us thither and yon while watching DVD's, loafing on leather, and coasting along on cruise control. Ahhhhh . . . my Sienna, how I love thee. There ought to be a song . . .

Berenisms: Consumer Reports

2008-06-29T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Time to replace our tired old cars, or at least one of them. Heather picked up the latest edition of Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide. I kid you not, Beren has read that guide EASILY 10 times more than Heather and I put together. And, since he can actually read, and not just look at the pictures, he takes great pleasure in letting people know how desirable their cars are. We've had several talks about how it is not appropriate to tell Brother Soandso that their Chevy whatever is a terrible car because the 2005 redesign introduced clumsy handling and a harsh ride.. When he discovered that Grandma's car was a Consumer Reports 'best bet', he had to call her that night and share the great news.

He's 5. FIVE. As in one year for every finger on your right hand (based on the average hand, actual finger counts may vary).

What have we gotten ourselves into? I can only hope he'll use his powers for good.

Girls Night Out!

2008-06-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

So these chicks are my homies from the Yamhill Ward. We've been through a lot together . . . Sunday school, seminary, high school, and in some cases, college. Amazingly, we were all together in one place and are still so smokin', how could we not get together? Going clockwise from the left this is Sara Walker, Sarah Webster, Mindy Judd, Me, and Rachel Rollins (Rachel made me swear I would post that she is prego in this pic). So is Sarah (Blanchard) Webster., but more newly so.

CRUISE REUNION #3

2008-06-07T00:37:00.001-07:00

For those who may not remember, we made a couple of great friends on our first cruise 2 years ago. Since that time, Windy (Washington) and Brian (California) have come to see us annually to rekindle the joy.

We went on the Willamette jetboats this time which was totally fun, if a little damp. Brian graciously yielded his seat on the edge to me for the return trip. Hence my bespeckled teeshirt and hair that took two days to comb through. What a gentleman.

Chilling out at Saturday Market.

Okay, you have to admit, this is some killer photography. Too bad our friends had to suffer for my art.

Eric was so exhilarated when he found out he was getting two board games for his birthday that he transformed into Vishnu and promptly wet himself.

Beren's 5th Birthday!

2008-06-07T00:07:00.000-07:00

Beren, on the day he turned five, practicing his French Stewart impression

For his birthday activity, Beren chose to go to the Children's museum. Though I have hope for him to evidence theatrical tendencies, he seems to have inherited a disturbing amount of his father's minimalism. Out of the whole wardrobe room in the theater, all he wanted were the shoes.

His favorite place was the simulated grocery store. You can't tell from the photo, but he was very thorough. He passed every single item over the scanner individually even if the customer had millions of things in his/her cart.

Daddy had fun too. A little too much really.

Beren ponders the all important birthday wish . . . What would my mother want? Should I wish her a new dress, a new car, one full night of restful sleep? I wish I knew.

The Halls Grace us With Their Washingtonian Presence

2008-06-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by this stoic image. Moments before they were going down the slide and screaming like little girls.

This is their new chunk baby, Blake.

What goes up . . .

. . . Must come down.

Berenisms

2008-04-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

Dad: Some day you'll be as tall as I am. I'm done growing taller, but you're still going.

Beren: You're as old as you can get, huh?

Dad: lol. Something like that.

Why Can't Vacations Last Forever?

2008-04-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico! Just kidding . . . they're virgin :).

Scuba anyone? We almost didn't think we were gonna be able to do this. It was rather intimidating and felt extremely awkward at first. Fortunatley we persevered and lived.

Eric had this dress made for me for my birthday. Isn't he great? I got to pick the fabric, go to fittings etc. and pick the style.

Four-wheeling in Mazatlan. I could do this all day. Really.

Lunch at Pipis! We discovered the restuarant in 1996 and it became a favorite. Going back was pure nostalgic joy!

Beren Asserts His Independence

2008-03-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

All I want is a picture of my little boy practicing his talk for primary . . . smiling. Is that too much to ask?

It's my birfday!

2008-03-05T23:18:00.000-08:00

What can I say? Twenty-five never felt so good!

Happy Valentines(ish) Day!

2008-03-05T23:06:00.001-08:00

So if you read "Brallierfest" (and you really should)you already know about this, but for those of you who secretly resent Becki for her lightning-quick posting ability (her kids probably went hungry just so she could get hers up first) here is my more leisurely post about the same event. On February 16th we went to a stake dance together. We ate, we danced, we irritated older couples by taking tons of pictures and hiding in the decorative bushes and we played Balderdash in the gameroom (the reason Eric consented to go). They had a cool floor show with "Lion Dancers" (see pic) who shredded some lettuce from the Stake President's hand. We did not eat this symbolic salad, but a good time was had by all.

2008-03-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

I like to call this one: "Jolly Bralliers" OR "Handsome and the Hottie" OR "We're so happy to be friends with the Mowrers we can't stop grinning like maniacs"

The Nose Plays

2008-02-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

Beren clutches mom's sleeve in Blockbuster . . .
Beren: Did someone say my name?
Mom: No, I don't think so. Did you hear someone say it?
Beren: (in confidential tones) It's coming from inside my nose.
Mom: (Chortle, guffaw, chuckle etc.)

Later on that evening . . .
Mom: Is there still someone talking inside your nose?
Beren: (with great disdain) No Mom! That only happens about once a week.

The Golden Princess

2008-02-10T20:22:00.001-08:00

3/15/2008
3/22/2008

Nuff said?

Fleeting Sanity?

2008-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

For just the briefest of moments today, I was reading a forum post on BGG and suddenly felt incredibly disturbed that the text of the page was straight up and down and was likely to fall off the bottom of the screen if I didn't tilt the monitor backwards immediately.

I have no idea what this means.

The Toy Store

2008-01-07T23:17:00.000-08:00

So this was my genius idea for 2007 . . . let Beren set up a toystore to sell all his "outgrown, damaged, and too much hassle to keep any longer" toys to make room for the new installment of Christmas loot. But wait, there's more! Not only would he get to set up and run the store (an activity I knew he would love) but we would pay him real cash money for the toys AND he could use the money he makes from selling his toys to buy Christmas presents for us. Win, win, win! This might not work with every child, but Beren is just the right age and temperament for this sort of scheme. He was awesome during the weeding out process. We must have jettisoned 2/3 of his stuff. He had one wobbly moment regarding an oversized, plastic VW Beetle, but I was happy to relent in light of the gargantuan pile of puzzles, stuffed animals, and happy meal toys that we had already exiled. It was so funny to hear him argue for and against certain toys. He's pretty logical for a four year old and had pretty good reasons for hanging onto the things he did retain. Even when I disagreed in some particular, I respected his position. For example, he felt we needed two toy cash registers because it cut down on fighting when friends came over and wanted to play store.

2008-01-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

Because Beren had so many items to sell, we (Eric and I) had to come back to the store several times as different customers. Some were fairly memorable. Eric came back once as a shoplifter and Beren had to really bring the hammer down. He ended up calling the police I think. And he was very considerate of me in my "Old lady" get-up. After helping me choose toys for my fictional grandsons and assisting me with my cane, he spontaneously offered to take me to the Doctor once his shop closed. One of Beren's favorite aspects of running his toy store was using his cash registers and his ATM. We used real money so he had to do some quick calculations. Fortunately, one of the cash registers has a built in calculator and customers (excepting the nasty shoplifter) were suprisingly honest about the volume and pricing of their purchases. All in all, it was a lot of fun for our family and created some nice memories. Eric and I both enjoyed the carefully selected gifts Beren got for us with his toy store money. He gave daddy a giftcard for hot chocolates and pastries for a special father/son outing at Border's Cafe and he gave me a magical mailbox that not only contained two chocolate oranges, but continues to fill up with complimentary notes, coupons for shoulder rubs, and one of a kind art creations (kudos to daddy for his creative assistance on this one). I like checking my Christmas box (I know I have mail when the flag is up) way more than the one on the side of my house!

Berenisms

2008-01-06T19:03:00.001-08:00

Beren: *Pretending to be a vacuum cleaner while chasing and generally terrifying the cat around the house*
Dad: Beren, don't terrorize the cat!
Beren: But Dad, I'm a vacuum cleaner!
Dad: So?
Beren: Vacuum cleaners don't KNOW any better!

Berenisms

2008-01-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/37.pdf

This is the book Beren requested for reading the other night when it was my night to read him stories and put him down. You might have noticed that it is in fact the Oregon Driver Manual. Yes, that's correct. I didn't get the link wrong. When he saw the puzzled look on my face, he said "I have to learn a lot more about cars, Dad."

Christmas

2008-01-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

I've been mostly dead all Christmas. Let me explain. No, there is too much, let me sum up. Buttercup is marry' Humperdinck in a little less than half an hour. No wait... that's not right. Ah yes, Christmas. It was good times. I need a vacation now, though.

Let it Go, Because Man, it's Gone

2007-11-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

Heather, Beren, and I got some hot chocolate at Borders yesterday. It's really fantastic hot chocolate, by the way, with syrup, whipped cream, white chocolate shavings and even a handy solid chocolate stirring stick. That's actually the source of this little story.

Beren, bless him, accidentilly dropped his stir stick down into the cup. When I explained to him that this was not a recoverable situation, the poor little guy cried the cry of 1000 deaths. He was really bummed, I mean REALLY upset about the loss of his little chocolate stir stick. Heather and I had absolutely no idea how very important that stir stick was to him until this moment when he let loose the most pathetic, genuine sob of remorse I think I've ever heard out of him. Our reaction, of course, was to laugh because... what else are you gonna do? We were caught so off guard. Poor guy. We eventually got him calmed down, you know, laid on with the "It will be OK, it will probably melt and make a yummy spot at the bottom" type of arguments, but it really shook him up. Maybe some day he can read this blog, look back on this, and laugh a little.

I yearn for a time where life will become so simple again, where priorities are so black and white, and there is nothing more important to worry about than the state of my solid chocolate stir stick.

As I think back, it reminds me of one of those SNL Jack Handy quotes:

“If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because man, they're gone.”

Got Costume Party?

2007-10-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

Michelle "Paris" Linton (with child) and her insecurity guard (Freeman)

Conrad and Lisa "giddyup" James

A man and his pregnant cat. Don't cover up the prego! Embrace the prego! (Elana and Nathan Nordstrom)

Brian "the climber" Bowlsby and his Punkin' (you see what I did here with the double entendre?)

PS - Pregnant, the third (with twins!)

Uncle Scott, the sage.... that cloak looks familiar... and that staff... all very familiar...

She's smiling cause she just whacked him in the head. He's smiling cause he thinks he's a dolphin now. (Dave and Becky Brallier)

Eric, the brigand and her majesty, the queen of 21658 SE Oak.

Christmas Wishlists

2007-10-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Because some of you have asked . . .here are the items on our santa lists this year:
(used items are okay)

BEREN:
- A race track set that allows him to race two cars against each other. This could be circular or straight, loops and underpasses welcome, but not required.
- A clip-on tie and white shirt for church (probably size 6) He wants a tie like Daddy. His favorite color is green, but any color is fine.
- Thomas the train: Quarry mine tunnel, load and sort recycling center, or Sodor engine wash building.
- Kidizoom Camera from V-tech (This is expensive($60), or other knock-off brand kids' camera for less. We saw several at Toys-R-Us.
- Any kind of metal car where the doors and trunk and (dare we hope it?) the hood open. Beren loves to "fiddle" with these things and the more detailed the better.
- Any kind of "city" play set that has road signs (yield, stop, merge) and safety cones etc. He really likes setting these up himself and maneuvering traffic around them.

HEATHER:
- Cuisinart (knock-off brand okay, just something that is large and lets me chop, dice, slice, grate etc.)
- Raquetball and tennisball pressurized storage cans (keeps balls from going flat)
- Covers for raquetball and tennis raquets
- Long sports duffle for transporting raquetball and tennis gear
- Gift card for "Napster" or simlar website that allows me to download MP3's to my fake I-pod. NOT I-tunes! They won't work on my fake-pod.
- Cherry wood curio cabinet with glass front door. (see example pic) I want to mount this on my wall and change the knick-knacks inside to go with the seasons. I think it will be fun to create a new display every couple of months and to select little miniatures that I like. One with a variety of shelf sizes would be good. That way I can get different sized figurines.

ERIC:
- Please see Eric's wish list on Board Game geek to know what he most desires. He LOVES games. He does not care if that is all he gets for Christmas. Really. Most games can be obtained at "www.funagaingames.com" or "www.boardsandbits.com" or "www.timewellspent.org" They also do gift certificates. Here is the link to his Board Game Geek wishlist: click here
- Note from Eric: I'm really just thrilled to recieve anything at all for Christmas. *blush*

Berenisms (He's on a Roll)

2007-09-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

Last night Beren says "Mommy, I love you. I wish I had a whole lot of mommies." Heather wasn't sure if she should be flattered or insulted.

Berenisms

2007-09-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

With the 'dangerous' bees incident behind us, we did what any self-respecting parents would do in this situation,... we decided to tease Beren about wild amimals (that's his world for Animals).

Beren: What are some wild amimals, Dad?
Me: Well,... there are bunnies....
Beren: No, you silly! Bunnies are NOT dangerous!
Me: Oh,... well,... let's see... there are chipmunks...
Beren: Yeah, chipmunks!

Berenisms Chapter V

2007-09-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

(While watching an animal cartoon on TV with Dad)
Beren: Caterpillars don't really talk do they?
Dad: Nope. Animals don't talk; it's only pretend.
Beren: Dogs talk though.
Dad: They do?
Beren: Yeah, they bark.
Dad: Well yeah, but that's not really talking. They don't speak English like we do.
Beren: They speak "Barkish."

(Eating breakfast with Grandma Blanchard before going to the Oregon State Fair)
Grandma: Are you excited about seeing the animals?
Beren: What?! There aren't any animals at the fair!
Grandma: Sure there are! Cows, chickens, goats, horses . . .
Beren: Oh, farm animals. But not any dangerous animals, right? Like bees?

(Following a conversation where I had explained that our friend's mom had passed away and what all that meant. Beren approached the kitchen table 10 minute later with this concern)
Beren: Mom?
Mom: Yes?
Beren: Did she die because someone forgot to say "bless you" when she sneezed?
Mom: Uhhhh . . . no. It was a little more serious than that. You know, Beren, when I said that it's polite to say "bless you" after someone sneezes, I didn't
mean . . .

(Beren's preschool class is taking a bird watching walk. Beren is at the front of the line)
Child #1: Look at that crow!
(all children point their mini-binoculars skyward)
Child #2: Look, teacher, I found a feather!
(I collect feather for our art project)
Beren: Mom! Quick! Bring the kids. This is very unusual.
(Children gather around an automobile parked on the curb)
Beren: This car is a Toyota . . . but its hubcaps say Volkswagen!

Laziest Cat Eh-var!

2007-08-22T04:14:00.000-07:00

So the other day while Eric and I were watching TV in the living room, Darth Kittius, who was lounging on the back of the couch, stood up, stretched, and tried to leave. He couldn't, however, because one of the claws on his front paw wouldn't unhook itself from where he had penetrated the upholstery. He pulled on it, he shook it, he wiggled it to and fro. In the end, he laid back down and went to sleep. Pitiful.

Cruise Irene Visits Oregon

2007-08-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

So we finally had a visit from another cruise member besides our beloved Brian and Windy. Irene, (on right)who was doing a bike tour on the Oregon coast, stopped by to say "hello" a couple of weeks ago. She brought a charming friend, and we enjoyed catching up and playing, you guessed it . . . board games! We liked our dining table mates from our cruise last year so much that we'd like to have them all visit at some point. So far we've only managed three. Six more to go!

Some Games Bring Out The Worst

2007-08-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

I just played my second game of Taj Mahal yesterday with my friends Sam and Dave. I must say, that game brings out the worst in me. I guess the good news is that the worst isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. But still, I just felt myself getting really angry and... we... call me crazy but that does NOT enhance the game experience for me (or anyone else).

There is this mechanic, it's basically an auction, where you're bidding on stuff. The problem is that if you bid, you pay, whether you win or not. This leads to the inevitable bidding war, followed by at least one person going home with nothing and having payed great cost for the privilege. Some people would call this 'intensity', but for me it's just complete and total frustration. The kind of frustration that makes me cranky... angry even. Thinking back, I think this sort of thing is a key factor in games that really tick me off. Not all games are this frustrating for me. Certainly, playing hard, making what you think are good choices, but then getting clobbered in a game will cause a certain amount of frustration, but not the kind that makes you want to hunt down the designer and surprise him in a dark alley.

I'm glad I've at least pinned down one of the mechanics that really sets me off. I'll have to think long and hard about a game with all or nothing auctions (where everybody pays) as one of the main mechanics.

I guess another known mechanic is direct combat. I don't like being attacked in a game. Even if it was a good tactical move for my opponent, I can't help but take it a little personally. This usually ends up in making retaliatory moves for the sake of revenge, rather than maximizing my score or potential for winning the game.

I should make a list of these. Then if somebody makes a game with everything on the list, I can skip out on playing and go straight to waiting around in dark alleys. At least then I'd have friends left, willing to visit me in the big house.

Cool friend Windy solves "zazzy" mystery

2007-08-16T23:24:00.000-07:00

PS: SHE IS NOT SO COOL THAT SHE WON'T SCARF CURLY POTATO THINGIES WITH ME THOUGH.

Heather! Great to hear from ya.

Here’s the scoop on Zazzy, it’s slang. See http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=zazzy

1. zazzy: A basic cross between "zany", "pizazz" and "snazzy" to create an adjective suggesting that something is too great to be confined to one word.

"Did you hear about that trip to Holland? Everyone's coming back saying it was completely zazzy!"

tags: snazzy jazzy zany crazy funky

2. zazzy: something shiny or flashy.

That's some zazzy silver you got there.
Forget bling, I got zazzy.

Girls camp was da bomb!

2007-08-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

They cooked all my meals. They let me make crafts and canoe on the lake. I hiked, I swam, I quilted, I ate snow cones. What's not to love? 'Course I also taught and watched over the well-being of seven 12 year olds, but that was fun too! Lovely girls :). My partner adult leader was great and we had two awesome junior counselors to help us out. I also discovered a new campfire dessert . . . chocolate eclairs. This consisted of toasting biscuit dough shaped around a wooden 3/4' dowel and then filling it with mini-chocolate chips (these melt quickly in the hot dough) and pastry cream like the kind they put in bismarks. Goo-ooo-ood! My camp talent was writing songs and chants for flag time. We had to come up with two of these a day so it was a handy skill. I usually wrote them during the morning devotional (while also paying very strict attention to the the speaker's message.) Late morning is a sleepy time for me so it was good to keep my hands moving. Nobody expected us to come up with much, just being 1st years and all, but we rocked their world. It was a lot of work getting ready for camp, but in the end it was totally worth it. I have lots of ideas for next year. Yes, I AM going every year that they'll let me! Wouldn't you? besides, I never did figure out what "Zazzy" means. New root idea: "Jazzy?"

The Pumpkin Vine That Ate The Bulldozer

2007-08-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Beren ran in from the yard a couple of weeks ago calling, "Mom! Come here! Something strange is happening!" I went outside to where where Beren was indignantly holding up a pumpkin leaf in the garden. "It's eating my toy!" he complained. Sure enough, it was. I'm pretty sure if we had got to it even one week later, it would have been a goner. The tendrils were complete wrapped around it in 3 places. This spawned a nice little discussion about the scientific method though and we ended up creating a hypothesis about viney plants and performed an experiment with the cucumber vine. Grandpa Blanchard (the science teacher) was proud.

Pirate Party

2007-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

So this is Beren and I before the pirate rock concert at the library. I know . . . "Hot!"

Blanchard Family Camping Trip

2007-07-19T00:08:00.001-07:00

You'll notice that Beren is holding the leash of the "fatted dog" that will be served later on for the dinner meal. It is a singular honor.

Nature Twins!

This is how Beren traveled for most of the camping trip. He found Uncle Reid to be energy efficient and to offer stunning views.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Adam and his girl friend, Ashley, are standing upright. These people are still asleep.

Reid and Melissa Cooked ribs for us on their dinner night. Mmmmmmm . . .

Matt and Theona thrilled us all with their stylish PJ's from the North Pole collection.

Zebra Booty

2007-07-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Soooo I'm going to Girl's Camp as a counselor next week. It is pretty much taking me an entire week to pack. I'm doing other things, but mostly they are just interruptions of the packing. Like today Beren and I went to a Pirate rock concert for kids. That was good times. I'll try to post some pictures later. We got all decked out like groupies. Pretty rad. The name of my unit at camp is "Zazzy Zebras." We actually picked this. (The camp theme is "Welcome to the Jungle." Actually though, I think zebras are more fond of the savannah. Anyway . . .) I don't think "zazzy" is even a word. I championed "Zesty," but the adolescents shot me down. "Zesty" is funny; like salad dressing or a beverage with a splash of lime. The thought of this adjective applied to striped, safari equine amuses me in ways I can't explain. It did not strike a similar chord with my charges. My goal at camp is to define "zazzy" once and for all. Root: pizazz? sassy? I'll probably have to conduct interviews. You may receive a phone call.

Dead Horse

2007-07-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture I drew at work today and sent out as an attachment to an email. I was trying to drive a certain point home, if you get my drift, and I'm quite pleased with the results. That considering I spent a grand total of about 30 seconds on it. Still makin' me chuckle...

LOLBGG

2007-06-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

Some funny BGG images. I'm bummed that I couldn't find the geeklist that had most of the good ones.