We had a berry good day

It's that time again...We got word the berries were ready so we donned our hats, rustled up our free labor, uh, I mean the kids and made the trek out to Bailey's Barry Patch. We got there early in an effort to beat the heat, but I think we were a couple of months late. The heat made us work quickly to collect 4 gallons of blackberries. That should last the boys through the night! Actually, what we collected last year only lasted 6 months and I think we only made one cobbler. If we have to move into an apartment when our house sells, our nearest and dearest friends and family can expect some cobbler or at the very least some frozen blackberries because we'll have to pull the plug on our freezer. Are your fingers and toes crossed for us to sell our house now?


This berry farm is pesticide-free and it's a good thing because Kyle can't seem to wait until we wash the berries before eating them. He actually looks pretty clean this year.


This is one of the few good pics I got of Barrett. He was too busy picking berries to look at the camera. We happened to run into a friend from Barrett's school there. Isn't it funny how you always run into people you know when you leave your little corner of the world?


With acres and acres to roam, they insist on occupying the same square inch!

When we got home, we took naps, at least I did which makes it a good day right there! Why don't my kids have the same philosophy? After dinner, I made a blackberry cobbler. Then, Cody and I danced in the kitchen while it was cooking. Can't ask for a better ending to my day than that! Dessert and dancing with my man.


This was the first time I made this recipe. It tasted great, but I think cobbler should be super easy to make and this one was an ordeal. I probably won't make it again. It looked pretty though.

Hawaiian Falls

We took the boys to Hawaiian Falls today. It was a great time. They can't wait to go back! They rode all the slides they were tall enough to ride, we took a trip around the lazy river, splashed in all the splash pad areas, and Kyle was very adventurous in the wave pool...although he may think he's 6 feet tall. It's a good thing we're getting swim lessons soon!



Barrett coming out of one of the slides

Kyle did this slide at least 20 times!

You gotta have snacks when you go swimming. Here's Barrett eating his gorp. I don't know if I can really call this gorp because I am not exactly sure but I think G.O.R.P. stands for Good Old Raisins and Peanuts but I am too tired from Hawaiian Falls to google it right now. Anyway, this is raisins, roasted peas, and sunflower seeds. I guess that would make this gorpass? hehe. yummy.

It was a peaceful, quiet ride home.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Band-Aids

This is Barrett covered in Handy Manny Band-Aids while giving me his "Tough Guy" face.

Here's a little poem that is very fitting.

Band-Aids by Shel Silverstein

I have a Band-Aid on my finger,

One on my knee, and one on my nose,

One on my heel, and two on my shoulder,

Three on my elbow, and nine on my toes.

Two on my wrist, and one on my ankle,

One on my chin, and one on my thigh,

Four on my belly, and five on my bottom,

One on my forehead, and one on my eye.

One on my neck, and in case I might need 'em

I have a box full of thirty five more.

But oh! I do think it's sort of of a pity

I don't have a cut or a sore.

monkey business

Daddy's on a "business trip" at DisneyWorld. We sent along one of the boys' friends to help document his trip. He's a sarcastic little monkey that is reporting back to us about everything Daddy is up to. (Pics taken with camera phone)
By the way, I am showing the pictures to Barrett as I get them and I am posting them here so hopefully Papa can show Kyle. Here's the monkey's report so far... This band played Disney music like "When you wish upon a star" in the hotel lobby. I wished I hadn't pooped on that tray when that man blew the horn right in my ear!

Your daddy's Dessert. He ate the whole thing and didn't offer me one bite despite my wimpering and unmasked display of pathetic, precious, starving puppy-dog eyes.Your daddy almost cut me out of this shot! Good thing I leaned over! There's some boats, and if you squint real hard you can see the DisneyWorld Castle in the background. Maybe we'll get closer later...
Your daddy said he saw a mouse so I jumped up here on this rolled up towel. I wonder why it's all rolled up like this...

More to come later

Geographical confusion...inspired by a friend

An old friend of mine, Dave MaGee has written a couple blog posts recently about geographical confusion. He cracks me up-you gotta read his stuff! Anyway, after reading his blog I had to post this interacation between myself and a college-educated friend who will remain nameless.

Friend: Man, I would never want to live down in Alaska.
me: ummm, what do you mean down in Alaska?
Friend: You know, Alaska's down over there by Hawaii.
me: (after I picked myself up off the floor from laughing my butt off) No, it's shown that way on the maps so it will fit.

We *heart* Summertime

It's warming up here in Texas, although for June, it's really quite nice. North Texas breezes really help. We are soaking it up. Here's why we love summer...

1. Playing in the water hose

2. Staying up past bedtime

3. Frozen fruit juice popcicles

4. Our car pulls into every Sonic for a Route 44 Unsweet Tea like there was a giant magnet pulling it in

5. The days are so long and there's nothing on TV so I can get so much done or just do nothing and enjoy it

6. Wearing flippy-floppys (formerly known as flip flops). My toes love to be free but they don't always look pretty.

7. Eating outside-whether it be our back porch or a restaurant patio-we LOVE to dine al fresco!

brotherly banter

Barrett is off at Camp Grandma (7 glorious days spent at Grandma and Papa's in the summer doing fun stuff without Mom and Dad). Kyle's going in a couple weeks. Tonight we called Barrett and the boys talked to each other on the phone. I think this is the first time they have done this. Usually it's either Cody or myself talking to one of them. It was so cute hearing their little conversation. Barrett told Kyle what he had been doing. Kyle got a little sad and his lip got very big and heavy when Barrett said he had gone fishing today. They talked about what they were eating and the weather. I hope they always know they can pick up the phone and call each other when they miss each other or need to talk.