Boo.

good night. don't forget to brush your teeth.

what candy are you going to swipe (or have already swiped) from your kids' stash?

Some fun Halloween songs for the kids

Click here to see a long list of songs the kids can learn for Halloween. You can even listen to the tunes they are sung to.

My favorite?

I will forever remember listening to my Aunt Karma sing this song. It conjures up all my childhood Halloween memories.

Listen to "This is Halloween "(even though the organ accompaniment is a little freaky, you get the idea).

Three little pumpkins sitting on the porch

The first one said, "I think my inside's scorched."

The second one said, "Who made my eyes like this?"
The third one said, "It was those crazy kids!"

"Wooooo," went the wind, and OUT went the lights,
And the three little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

word of the evening = slimy

Other things the pumpkins overheard:

Makai: "Look, with the knife stuck right here it looks like Pinnocchio!"
Lindy: "When I was little, we used to eat these."
Aki: "Don't cut yourself!"(repeat as necessary)
Ame: "Ooooh, spooky."
Makai: "That one looks like a vampire. I hope I don't dream about it."
Ame: "Zoiks!"(always the Scooby-Doo fan)
Lindy: "Where are the dang matches?"
Aki: "Halloween is the weirdest holiday."
Ame: "I want another donut, pleeeeeeeeeease!"
Makai: "Mom, why do jackals use pumpkins?"

Menu Plan Monday - 10/29

Here's our menu for this week:

SUN: Crockpot roast, potatoes and carrots, jello salad, marinated cucumbers
MON: Chicken & veggie stir-fry, steamed rice, crab won tons
TUE: Corn chowder, rolls, veggie platter
WED: [Halloween party at church: ham, potatoes, salad, cookies…and candy]
THU: Shredded beef soft tacos, Mexican rice, refried beans
FRI: Poppyseed chicken on rice, steamed broccoli
SAT: Leftovers / Fend for yourself

Updates, for sale, and a P.S.

1.) Well, yesterday's good day turned into not-so-good (and very long) night. We were all nice and cozy in bed when Ame climbed in. Fine, until the puke, that is. It's now 7 am, I've been awake since 1 am, and I've lost count how many times she has ralphed / puked / vomited / barfed / spewed / upchucked / heaved&hoed. I could probably just count the dirty towels that are piled high. Poor little duffer.

2.) Our family has found a Christmas rental. Wahoo! Thanks to all of you who contacted me with possible leads. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort. We will be staying in a 7-bedroom house in SLC, close to the ski resorts, but close to civilization too (which means stores and movie theater). Nearly all 40 of us will be in attendance. Par-tay!

3.) My sis-in-law Melinda is leaving back to Hawaii today. We will miss her and wish her the best! We know she won't miss Makai's energy and Ame's attitude.

4.) I was not very successful in my projects to-do list this week, since we were all feeling under the weather.

• wedding DVD — half done
• baby quilt — half done
• wedding prints — not started
• site design — text left to go

5.) I'm tired of meme week. As fun as it was (and it really was), enough answering questions about moi! Now that I have it out of my system, we can go back to regularly scheduled (or not scheduled) programming.

6.) I have 2 items for sale, if any of you are interested:

1. an almost-new, point-and-shoot Kodak EasyShare Z760 digital camera ($150). I bought it just over a year ago, then lost it this summer. Couldn't find it anywhere, so after 2 months, bought a new one. Then, of course, I found it when getting carpets shampooed…it was under the couch. Works just fine, 6.1 mp and 3x optical zoom. Includes mini tripod, 256 MB memory card, and battery.
2. brand new Fiskars rotary cutting kit ($25). I somehow received 2 of these for my birfday, but returning it to Joann's without a receipt is worthless. So, if it's a good deal to someone out there who's local, I'll give it to you for $25.00.

P.S. I just looked up vomit in an on-line thesaurus, curious to know how many synonyms there actually are. I inadvertently left out: retch, hurl, purge, gag, spit up, and regurgitate. You learn something new every day!

Good Day Sunshine

October 26 was a very good day

beautiful sunny skies
chatting with sister Symonie
kisses and giggles from Baby Satchel
playing outside with Nina
yummy lunch at Great Harvest
time alone at Joann's sale (despite the long lines)
driving time conversations with Ame

Our Story - Day 5 of Meme Week

Where did you meet your husband?

Summer of 1996: via letters from the MTC. My sister Camie was in his Spanish class and arranged the whole thing. Elder Funaki and I wrote letters to each other on and off for the next few years (letters were totally neutral…we never imagined we'd ever meet!).
February 2001: we talk on the phone for first time; he lets me know he is coming to Utah and would like to meet me.
March 30, 2001: he shows up at my house at around 11:00 pm, after I'm already in pajamas and have washed my face. Brilliant.

What was the first thing you said to your husband?

[from my mouth:] Hi! [pause, trying to register what was happening] Wow. [pause] Come on in.
[in my mind:] What the heck?! Why are you here so late? And who is the chick with you? Why is she wearing fishnet stockings?

Where was your first date?

Since we didn't have the traditional meeting, we didn't have a "first date" either. We basically spent that whole weekend together, then saw each other just about every single day after that until getting engaged. Like most couples in Provoland, we liked going out to eat and to movies. We would also go window shopping and create a virtual life for ourselves. :) But mainly we hung out with our family and friends.

Where was your first kiss?

That first night we met. We had stayed up talking for hours until my crazy downstairs neighbor Phil came to the door around 2:00 AM. Thinking he was going to tell us to pipe down, I quickly opened the door ready to apologize. He blurted out, "Have you ever seen an Aurora?" What? "Uh, no." "Well then come out here and check it out!"

We followed him out to the front yard, where in the sky was a beautiful aurora borealis (or "northern lights"), red and green lights streaking across the sky. He left us alone after a few minutes, and Aki and I stood there gazing up at the light-filled sky, enjoying the perfectly quiet night. Then Aki put his arms around my waist and told me he should probably be going. So, we woke up girl-in-the-fishnet-stockings (who was his ride), she got in the car, then just as he was going to get in the car, he quickly leaned down and kissed me and whispered, "You're beautiful." I don't know if it was the crazy natural phenomenon going on, or the fact that it was so late, but I was in la-la land, dizzyingly in love.

Did you have a long or short engagement/courtship?

Oh, short everything. We met face-to-face for the first time on March 30. We were engaged on May 31 and married on August 11.

Where did you get engaged?

We got engaged on a Southwest Airlines plane, somewhere in the sky between SLC and Phoenix (we were going to AZ so he could meet my parents). Aki was blabbing on about how he always wanted to be a pilot and even went to flight school, but he had realized there was something more he wanted out of life. When he said, "I want to be a husband and father," my ears really perked up. I started actually listening, then quickly realized he was about to propose. I was all kinds of excited and loved wearing the ring. The best part was the high school baseball team sitting behind us, spying the whole time. They let the news out that Aki had just proposed, so we scored some free drinks from the stewardess. Can't beat that.

How was the honeymoon?

Short and sweet. Since Aki's family had come all the way from Tonga, arriving the night before the wedding and staying only a week, we couldn't just take off for days on end (Aki hadn't spent more than a couple days with his parents in nearly 6 years). So, we spent the weekend in St. George at a bed-and-breakfast. Let's just say it was fun and functional. :)

Crazy 8s - Day 4 of Meme Week

(You lucky dogs…twice the info and fun!)

8 Things I'm Passionate About

1. Aki, Makai, and Ame
2. procrastination
3. all things baby
4. interpersonal communication
5. veggies at meals
6. list-making
7. lifelong learning
8. family history & memory preservation

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die

1. learn how to do something proficiently, whether it be sewing, cooking, crafting or cleaning
2. get my kids' baby books done
3. become organized (ha!)
4. be at a healthier weight
5. be completely debt-free
6. travel (to destinations too numerous to mention)
7. win a shopping spree
8. conduct some sort of entrepreneurial endeavor

8 Things I Say Often

1. "Oh my heck" / "What in the heck"
2. "Seriously."
3. "Maaaah-kAAAAaaii!…" / "AAAAAAaaaaaah-maaaaay!…"
4. "I love you."
5,6,7,8. I have no idea! I guess I should be more self-aware…for these last 4, why don't some of you who know me well help me out here.

8 Books I've Recently Read

1. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
2. My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck (kids book)
3. Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
4. Twilight by Stephenie Myer
5. Mary, Mary by James Patterson (vacation read)
6. Anytime, Anywhere by John H. Groberg (LDS book)
7. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
8. 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know by Brent L. Top and Bruce A. Chadwick

8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over

1. "Nessun Dorma" by The Three Tenors
2. "Heavenly Day" by Patty Griffin
3. "Water is Wide" by James Taylor
4. "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
5. "Jesu Joy of Man's Desire" (many versions)
6. "Vivir sin Aire" by Mana
7. "Here, There, and Everywhere" by The Beatles
8. "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison

8 Things that Attract Me to My Best Friends

1. I laugh with them, cry with them
2. I gossip with them, unfortunately, and share other weaknesses
3. I try to be honest with them
4. I don't judge them and hopefully uplift them
5. I'm happy for their successes and good happenings
6. I like food, so I'm always up for eating
7. I won't ever show off all that money I have ;)
8. I undoubtedly make them look good next to me

8+ Things I've Learned (and re-learned) in the Last Year

1. a guest room is a very good idea
2. teenagers need lots of ego-boosting love and validation
3. when i lived in SLC, i didn't appreciate how easily i could go shopping
4. a schedule is a girl's best friend
5. kids grow way too fast and learn at an amazing rate
6. trying out new foods/ingredients is so worth it
7. a) a house is a big-time money sucker, b) the value of a budget
8. forgiveness is real, it's needed, and it works
9. I really, really love DVR
10. being a SAH Mom is a complicated thing, for me anyway
11. there is a whole other world out there…it starts with 'b' and ends with 'g'
12. the way to a man's heart is through his stomach
13. patience is a virtue (that I am in really short supply of)
14. habits and old routines (like seeing adults on a daily basis, spending money) are so hard to break

8 People that I Think Should Do "8s" (hopefully you haven't already)

1. Stormy S.
2. Jaime H.
3. Alli U.
4. Maren S.
5. Tiffany H.
6. Anne Marie K.
7. Wynne U.
8. Kim B.

"Four Things" - Day 3 of Meme Week

Four jobs I've had:

1. yearbook editor (Ricks College)
2. editorial assistant (UofU)
3. secretary @ BYU's Business School, School of Education, and Alumni House
4. secretary @ LDS Hospital pharmacy

Four places I have lived:

1. St. Johns, AZ
2. Rexburg, ID
3. Los Angeles, CA
4. Provo/Salt Lake/Tooele, UT

Four favorite T.V. Shows:

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Law & Order
3. Lost
4. Biggest Loser, American Idol, SYTYCD

(more than) Four favorite foods:

1. Savory: curry, mexican anything, steak
2. sweet: ice cream, cinnamon rolls
3. junk: microwave popcorn, diet coke
4. healthy: apples, watermelon, broccoli, carrots

Four websites I visit:

1. Yahoo mail
2. CNN/MSNBC
3. Bloglines (check all my blogs at once!)
4. America First Credit Union

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Fiji or Tonga, enjoying the sun and sand
2. Mexico (specifically at a little hole in the wall called El Pollo de Oro)
3. Arizona, visiting my g-mas and other family
4. Cafe Rio, any location

Four movies I love:

1. The Sound of Music
2. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
3. Shadowlands
4. Pride and Prejudice

Four things on my to-do list today:

1. list digital camera on ebay
2. call Dish Network
3. take snacks to M's preschool
4. grocery shopping

Four people I tag:

1. Lori VW
2. Crystal P
3. Daisy R
4. Jenn S

Googling fun - Day 2 of Meme Week

1 The site meter I use tells you what the referring page was. Sometimes, it's a Google search that leads to Funaki Fam. Here are the most recent Google searches resulting in my blog page:

• poop stain removal
• polka dot sheet
• favorite things about the fall
• how much food coloring is too much?
• cute rain boots
• chewy caramel popcorn
• happy happy birthday children dear
• simple spanish love song
• extreme makeover
• schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated

2 You've heard about doing a Google search with your first name and 'should' then seeing what the results are. Here's what Lindy should do:

1. Lindy should look at dingo claims again. (dingo claims?)
   
2. Lindy should be thankful, too. (you're right)
3. Lindy should tape this up in the room. (i will!)
4. Lindy should put Brian up with Hank and put Toni with Spacek. (are you sure spacek shouldn't be put up with brian?)
5. Lindy should bust out the Herb Brooks speech from the Olympic Gold Medal game in Lake Placid (if i could only find where i put it…)
6. Lindy should stop whining. (okay, what's aki been saying?)
7. Lindy should consider auditioning for David Letterman's stupid pet tricks routine. (i have considered it, believe me)
8. Lindy should look fluid, energetic, and sophisticated. (should being the key word there)
9. Lindy should never have gone to jail on the evidence. (so true)
10. Lindy should be given a bit of credit. (are y'all listening to google?)

Here's what Aki should do:

1. Aki should not be used for that purpose. (oh, all right)
   
2. Aki should suffer from vertigo. (he's not that tall)
   
3. Aki should experience good feelings.
4. Aki should command top shelf talent.
5. Aki should take a rest with Def Jam. (coo-uhl!)
   
6. Aki should have known what constituted social gambling. (i've told him many times)
   
7. Aki should play in Helsinki. (totally)
   
8. Aki should merit some consideration.
9. Aki should leave his seat in the Senate. (no, no stay!)
   
10. Aki should control the bad guy.

Meme week here at FunakiFam

I need to finish up some projects I've been working on, so this week I will be auto-posting fluff…a different meme every day. I'm sure you're thrilled. This will help me take care of those 'tags' I've been hit with and also let you know I am alive but otherwise preoccupied.

What I hope to finish by Friday:

• wedding DVD (deluxe edition) for Brigham and Shayla
• wedding prints for Mom
• Travis' dog kennel site design
• baby blanket for Jaal
• unpack and organize 2 huge boxes in basement

And now for the memes—I'm doing 2 short ones today:

NO ONE ELSE ON YOUR FRIENDS LIST

1. Name a CD you own that no one else on your friends list does: There are probably a few of them. Let's see, Kenny G (don't ask), Lucy Kaplanski, Las Alacranes, Lucky Dube (R.I.P.)
2. Name a book you own that no one else on your friends list does: Reviving Ophelia
3. Name a movie you own on DVD/VHS/whatever that no one else on your friends list does: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
4. Name a place that you have visited that no one else on your friends list has: Tonga (if you have, I want to know about it!)
5. Name a piece of technology or any sort of tool you own that you think no one else on your friends list has: A machete ??

Now, if I'm wrong about any of these, please tell me what we're twins on (because some of you people in my list I don't really know).

FAVORITES

1. What is your favorite smell? a fresh orange being peeled and eaten
2. What is your favorite sight? positive numbers in the bank account
   
3. What is your favorite taste? awesome Mexican food
   
4. What is your favorite sound? a baby laughing
   
5. What is your favorite touch? A big 'uma' (kiss) and squeeze from my sweet kids

Menu Plan Monday - 10/22

I've always planned the next week's meals and stuck it up on the frig (this started when I was working full-time and sometimes Aki would make it home before I would…he could look to see what I had planned and get it started by thawing meat or whatever). So, I thought I would join up with Menu Plan Monday via Organizing Junkie for a few reasons:

1. I get to share what I'm making and get ideas from others—I might try something new!
2. I will plan more consistently—I will be posting this every Monday morning.
3. Not as many repeats…I'll have a record of what I've made, so I won't make the same thing every single week. Variety is good.

Here's our menu for this week:

SUN: Salmon, herbed rice, corn, green salad, biscuits (dessert=brownies)
MON: Taco salad on tortilla chips
TUE: Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green salad, steamed carrots
WED: Pesto chicken pasta, french bread, spinach salad
THU: Beef enchiladas, Mexican rice, black beans, cucumber slices
FRI: Broccoli-Cheese-Potato soup, breadsticks
SAT: Leftovers

Weekend Update

I'm off to go window shopping here (see below) and here while Aki goes here. And I'm going to see her. Should be fun. Have a great weekend yourself!

Not to be outdone by Rice Krispies

Oh, that was just the beginning. It never ends with Makai in charge.

Later that night, while I was gabbing on the phone, Makai decided he wanted a treat, so out came 3 cartons of ice cream onto the kitchen floor, and he went to town with a wooden spoon. After scooping it all out of the original cartons and taking a few bites, he walked away, leaving a literally melting pot of flavors (raspberry swirl, cookies 'n' cream, and pumpkin to be exact) that would soon seep under the frig and pantry doors. (Is being a mom awesome or WHAT?!)

And not wanting to ruin his streak, he pulled a great one today. I was cleaning the kitchen and getting ready to make lunch while the little ones were happily playing outside. No screams, no threats, no cries were heard, so I thought all was fine. Think again. Makai came inside saying, "Mom, I think I need to take a bath. This honey won't come off." That got my attention. Honey? Hon-ey?!

I went to take a look only to find Makai drenched from head to toe in with an unknown thick liquid, hands outstretched and glistening. So I simultaneously herd him back out the door while screaming asking with concern, "What happened? What is that? What the heck were you doing, rolling in it?" He answers, "Playing in J's dad's truck."

Off we go to J's house. J is hiding in the bushes, certainly afraid of adult intervention. Said mysterious liquid is dripping from truck bed. The garden hose is turned on full blast, water soaking the carport and lawn and running down the sidewalk (the effects of a failed attempt at washing off). Makai directs me to the honey…five large–now empty–bottles of motor oil.

What to do?

Strip the kid down to his skivvies right then and there, order him to the bathtub ("and use lots of soap!"), throw the clothes in the trash can that's still sitting on the curb since Monday, leave J in the bushes with hose still running (so his dad can appreciate the full effect), and go inside to yet again start making lunch. Perhaps p.b. & honey sandwiches in honor of today?

I really do love him.

Popcorn popping on a polka-dot sheet

We had our family home evening last night since Aki came home late on Monday. After the lesson, we had fun with the air popper—I spread out a clean sheet and, after washing their hands, let the kids take the top off the popper so that the popped corn shot up in the air. Lots of giggles, squeals, and jumping around. Then a race to see who could put the most in their bowl.
We collected all the popcorn and made this scrumptious caramel corn. If you like the ooey, gooey, chewy caramel popcorn, this recipe is for you (courtesy of my sis-in-law Tennille)! But be warned, this makes A TON, so you'll probably be bagging some up to take around to the neighbors like we did.

CARAMEL POPCORN

1-1/2 to 2 cups unpopped corn kernels
2 1/3 cups brown sugar
2 cubes margarine
1 cup Karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pop corn using air popper or on stove (it will most likely not all fit in one bowl). Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until soft-ball stage, stirring frequently. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Store in airtight container.

Here is the marshallow m&m popcorn recipe, courtesy of my sis-in-law Heidi though she tells me it's a Martha recipe from a few years ago, that makes great popcorn balls:

MARSHMALLOW M&M POPCORN BALLS

1/2 c. unpopped corn kernels
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/4 c. brown sugar
12 oz. marshmallows
1 c. m&m candies

Pop corn and set aside. Combine butter, brown sugar, marshmallows in a saucepan over medium heat until marshmallows are melted, stirring frequently. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Form into balls. This makes 10-15 fist-sized balls, so double or triple for a crowd.

Or, if you prefer the crunchy (think Crunch 'n' Munch) caramel popcorn, try this recipe.

How do you like your caramel popcorn? [Speaking of chewy vs. crunchy, I'm curious to know which kind of cut-out, frosted sugar cookie do you prefer—thin and crispy or thick and soft?]

"But Mom, we were hungry!"

2 crazy kids
+ largest Tupperware container they could find
+ 1 gallon of milk
+ 1 box of Rice Krispies
+ 2 spoons
= what happens when Mom decides to take a shower

Is anyone else having Blogger problems?

I can't get any photos to post. I've tried now 20 times in the last few hours. Frustration. I'll go do another item on my 'to do' list, I guess. Maybe this is God's way of making sure I actually accomplish something today.

UPDATE: Hallelujah, it's working!!

What I'm doing

1. wearing my pajamas - striped bottoms and a T-shirt that says 'FBI: From Big Island.'
2. eating Cream of Wheat and toast with homemade jam (away from my keyboard, of course—that wouldn't be pretty).
3. listening to new cartoon Super Why…it's all about letter recognition and beginning reading. I love listening to Ame think she knows the letters they put on the screen (when in reality, she pretty much knows only the letters in her name), so no matter what the little cartoon guy asks, she squeals, "EEEeeeee!", "Aaaaaaayyyy!", "EMMMmmmmm!"
4. yelling at Makai to turn down the TV (which is now showing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse…I love the peppy little theme song). Background noise is fine. I can't hear myself think is another matter.
5. ignoring piles of laundry that have been calling my name for days…they are starting to decompose, I believe. (Oh, how I wish that little girl up there lived at my house.)
6. thinking about the book I finished last night, The Alchemist by Paul Coelho. Good, short read.
7. also thinking about last night's Heroes episode (I hate when the TO BE CONTINUED… appears. Aargh.)—good TV.
7. looking for a local rental home for the Christmas holiday—do you know ANYONE who owns a large home in northern Utah (4 or 5 bedroom with large family room) and is not using it at Christmas that might consider renting it out for a couple nights? Our family is in need of such a place, since my parents are on a mission and live in an apartment, and none of their children's homes are large enough for everyone. If you know of people I could at least ask, please send me their contact info (my email addy is on my profile). Gracias!

Whatchoo doin?

A wee bit of misfortune

Winners of the Nobel prizes were announced last week. While Al Gore's winning was often in the news, a UofU professor Dr. Mario Cappechi, also took home the prize. The remarkable thing about Mario's winning is that he came from anything but a prestigious background. In fact, he was homeless as a child, wandering the streets sick and starving (click here to learn more…but don't forget to come back!).

And this is a British op-ed piece in response to the story—Midgley's commentary is about those parents who think they're creating the world's most successful person starting in utero. An excerpt:

Now, is this a story that will make the average neurotic parent stop and reflect while preparing their little darling’s organic alfalfa packed lunch to eat at Saturday violin lessons? Will it register that, while they lie awake fretting that if they don’t get their toddler into exactly the right feeder nursery then their whole life is doomed, here is a person who has achieved the very zenith of success yet lived his formative years like a pack dog?

You'll have to read the piece for yourself, and don't forget to read people's comments in response…it's a hot topic. I loved the first comment:

To paraphrase in modern English a medieval Scots proverb:

"the best gift a Fairy Godmother
can give her new born godchild
is a wee bit of misfortune."

Amen.

Talk to Your Daughter - Real Beauty

I'm sure you've all seen the Dove commercials or print ads that have women of all ages, sizes, and colors promoting Dove's 'Real Beauty' campaign.

I think it's such an awesome message that is sorely needed in our media-saturated society—media that oversexualizes women and creates impossible standards of beauty. If any of you have daughters, nieces, or work with young women, be sure to explore Dove's website (Mac users, it works only in Firefox)—there is info for both moms/mentors and girls.

Please leave comments…even those who never leave a comment. I'm truly interested to know your thoughts about this subject. Two things I'm thinking about right now. 1: What can we do to make sure our daughter(s) both understand the deception of media and appreciate real human beauty and femininity, no matter how imperfect (but at the same time educate them about the importance of health and fitness)? and 2: Since most of us are guilty of believing 'the industry' ourselves, falling for the ridiculous standards of beauty and trying to be more beautiful ourselves, how can we effectively model a healthy attitude to our daughters and make our actions just as strong as our words?

ONSLAUGHT


EVOLUTION


Click here to see a third (older) video from the campaign. It breaks my heart—I never want my daughter to feel any of those things.

A baby's bath and broken broomstick

Yesterday was a fall beautiful day. When Makai returned home from preschool, we went to see my cousin Emily (Whiting) Pratt and her family, who are visiting the in-laws in Tooele. Makai was in heaven, what with the rides on the four-wheelers, driving the jeep, and playing on the big blow-up slide thing. It was great to talk with Emily and Scott and see their darling kids Tate and Tylie and THIS ONE (meet Grady):
I was in love with the first squeeze of his thighs. If I wasn't baby hungry before, I certainly am now! What a happy little guy, and willing to go a crazy stranger like me.

We said goodbye and made our way home so I could get ready for last night's youth activity. I made marshmallw popcorn balls w/ halloween m&ms (sil Heidi's recipe), wrapped and tied with cute black raffia. Off to the church I went, popcorn balls and broom in hand. Broom? For what? Well, you see, we were scheduled to play broom hockey.

Now, I've never played such a thing, so I didn't know what to expect. I actually didn't even believe they'd let a lady twice as big and twice as old play with them. But they did. And it was SO MUCH FUN. We played in the multi-purpose room (wood floor) with a small stuffed pumpkin as the puck, boys vs. girls. I kept laughing because I couldn't believe how physical the game was! The game ended, resulting not only in broken broomsticks, but a whole bunch of sweaty people with scraped knuckles, smashed fingers, bruised shins, and a bloody nose for me (don't ask me how, it just happened). The kids were loving it, though I'm sure when they got home their parents wondered just what had happened! The p-corn balls were a hit too (thanks, Heidi!).

Whatcha gonna do with that salmon?

I got a great deal on some fresh salmon, so knowing how much Aki and his sister like it, I got a lot, and the lady at the meat counter asked me that exact question. When I confessed that I don't know a lot about cooking fish, she was so kind to give me a whole handout of salmon recipes from a class she taught recently.

We tried two of the recipes the other night, and they were great! The meal was done so fast, very healthy, and my kids ate it like crazy.

MAPLE SALMON

2 T. maple syrup
2 T. soy sauce
1 minced garlic clove
2 salmon fillets (~6 oz. each)

Combine ingredients in small bowl. You can grill, pan fry, bake, or broil the fish (I broiled it). Place fish in a small baking pan. Spoon or brush sauce onto fish. Broil for about 10-12 minutes, pulling it out half-way through to spoon/brush the sauce from the pan on top of the fish.

SWEET-N-SOUR SALMON

2 salmon fillets (~6 oz. each)
4 T. rasberry or other jam (I used peach, and the lady said you can even use honey butter)
garlic salt to taste

Stir jam and garlic salt in a small bowl (you may need to microwave a bit to make it syrupy). Follow same directions as above recipe. Another option is to bake it with the jam only, and sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on it at the end.

I served the two flavors of fish with lemon-parsley rice, a green salad, and some crusty bread.

Happy Birthday to Nina

On Sunday we celebrated my niece Nina's 3rd birthday. My sister Symonie and I were pregnant at the same time with our girls, so Nina will always be special to me. She is a doll.

I heart these two

Makai is my big helper around the house. He does his chore chart and is really getting good at some of them. He also helps me babysit the neighbor kids once a week—I'm glad to know he will be great to have around when we have a new baby. He goes to preschool in the neighborhood and also goes 2 days a week to a district early intervention program, so he rides the bus and loves it. In both groups of kids, he just towers over them. He wanted to know why people always makes the comment, "Wow, you're tall!" when they learn he is 4. I reminded him that it's a good thing we're all different, some brown/white, some tall/short, fat/skinny, old/young, curly hair/straight hair. His summation? "Yeah, Dad is brown, I'm tall, you're fat, and Ame has curly hair." Well, then.
Ame loves to look at books and magazines. The girl is coloring 24/7. We just have to watch what she colors on (thank goodness for Magic Eraser!). She had fun doing the seasonal clothes switchout last weekend, declaring what was too small, too big, "for hot," or "for cold." When we were finished, I gave her a high five, and she told me:

Ame: Mom, we're best friends.
Lindy: We are?
Ame: Uh huh, I'm Velma and you're Daphne, and we're best friends.
Lindy: Wow, thanks, Ame!
Ame: No, wait, you're Velma, and I'm Daphne…yeah.

She had to rethink that little situation there…see, even kids know that something is inherently wrong with Velma (not that Daphne isn't a little freaky). I love to watch Ame and Makai play pretend; they are always assigning identities then playing them out. My favorite is when they play 'Mom and Dad' and Makai comes home from work and Ame kisses him and says, "Here's your dinner." Then Makai gets a call on his cell phone from his boss and says he'll have a long day tomorrow. They just giggle and laugh. It's too cute.

This is their other favorite thing to do, even though I hate it because they never clean it up!