The Trombone Twins

These two crack me up.  Rea has been counting the days till she's in 4th grade and can play an instrument.  She finally settled on the trombone after changing her mind half a dozen times.  Ma-lak played baritone last year, and was set on the trumpet this year.  He was SO good, and we hated to see him switch since most bands are historically short in the bass department.  He missed the deadline earlier this month to get the trumpet, thanks to his "forgetting issues" (more on that later) so we told him last week, pick something out - if you don't come home with some sort of instrument this week then you may not be playing this year.   So, home he comes with a trombone, and they are having so much fun - dueling trombones, interesting concept!

Speaking of forgetfulness...  This may be the perfect timing for a new, special edition of "funny things my kids say".   

Earlier this week, Ma-lak forgot his homework, and sadly this was not the first or second time this year already.   He was getting a little lecture from me in the car on the way to school, and I said something like, "What's up with you forgetting your homework all the time?"  Without missing a beat, he nonchalantly says, "Oh, I have this thing where I forget stuff a lot."  Hmmm....  A "thing" huh?....  (Cue the segway lecture on being responsible.)

Tonight Daryle came home from a meeting and asked the boys why they hadn't taken the trash out yet (one of their nightly chores).  Ma-lak muttered something about forgetting, but Ya'shar boldly and confidently announced, "It's because our minds aren't focused on the some things yours is."   ?!?!?!??  Where does he get this stuff?!  His honesty is refreshing, if anything.  :) 

Jack London 5K Chocolate Run

 It's harvest season out here in wine country, and I love how beautiful it is all the time, but especially this time of year.  I've gradually been adding on a mile here or there to my runs, and throwing in a Zumba class for some fun, and I decided it was time to run a 5K again!  It's been over 2 years since I've done any sort of extensive running, let alone an event, but when I heard about the CHOCOLATE run at a beautiful historic park, I had to go!  This was a pretty hilly trail run through the boonies, and my dogs were barkin' going up those steep places, but I loved it.  There's something so serene about being out early in the morning in the crisp fall air!  Rea was supposed to go with me, but ended up with some 24 hour stomach bug the night before and threw up that morning.  She was soooo devastated and cried most of the day, poor baby!  My running buddy Angie couldn't make it either due to being up all night with her teething baby, so I was on my own!  Next time, girls!

 The medals at the end of the run, all made out of chocolate!!!

 This open area was acutally ruins from a fire 50 years ago. They use it for special events, like a pancake breakfast for us after the run!

 Loved reading about the cactus - Jack was a pretty savvy farmer dude!

Very grateful for fences....

 Done!!!  And number 334 finishes was a sad time of 41:45.  Nice little 14 minute mile pace.  Good gracious.....  Pretty slow, but hey, I finished!!!  And there WERE a lot of hills.....  :)

 The after race refreshments consisted of chocolate chip pancakes, a chocolate fountain, and all the chocolate candy you could imagine!  It sounds like it should be delicious, but it was not appetizing at all....

Vineyards off of Highway 12 east of Sonoma.

The Next Big Adventure

 The kids will be joining the Junior Sports Shooters Club this fall (sponsored by the American Legion that Daryle is on a committee for), so to get some practice in, he took them to a shooting range in Richmond yesterday.  They loved it!  These guys will be out hunting with their uncles and grandpa in no time!

Our House Just Got a Little Quieter.... (Or not.)

Rea came home from school last week with a trombone.  Fantastic, but this was after she had decided to play the trumpet, no the flute, no actually the clarinet, well she really wanted to play the drums, but oh wait then they have cellos in the orchestra!  And after all that, she brings home a trombone.  So far so good!  And Ma-lak decided to change from the baritone to the trumpet.  So the Smith family is leaning towards the brass section apparently.  (I can't wait for the Christmas concert!!)

"Why were you boiling VINEGAR?!"

 Yes, that's the question I was constantly asked by healthcare officials during my little kitchen mishap a couple weeks ago.  (Seriously, is that important information at a time like this??)  Well, to answer the question, I was making a delicious balsamic reduction for my caprese salad, and it was awesome, till I spilled the boiling contents down the front of my legs when trying to transfer it to the frig to cool it rapidly, because (I know it's a shock) I was in a hurry....  Ma-lak was such a little trooper, he made phonecalls and brought me ice and water and ibuprofen and cleaned up my horrible sticky mess.  Daryle and the other kids were at swim practice at the time.  I thought I could take care of this myself (after calling my family doctor and a nurse hotline number and talking to a friend who'd had similar but worse accident years ago) but by Saturday, 3 days later, one of the deeper burns was starting to look funky and smell a little weird.  Not good.

 So off I went to the nearest Urgent care where I got Silvadene and bandages and a tetanus shot.  Excuse the gnarly pictures, but this IS a journal, so someday I might want to remember this and that I actually got through it.  I've never had so much compassion before for burn victims - I'm whining about a few spots but imagine being trapped in a burning car or worse.  Lord, thanks for your protection!  So grateful this wasn't one of those meals where the kids were helping me.... 11 days later I'm still dressing my wounds (and wearing pants when it's 85 degrees out.)  Happy Healing!  And on we go.

Labor Day Weekend!

 Saturday night the kids were begging for marshmallows and we were out of firewood - so we did the next best thing!  I tried my friend Miguel's recipe for fish tacos, and wow were they good!  It's the most authentic-ly Mexican tasting thing that I've ever managed to cook before, only took 11 years....

 We took advantage of the gorgeous weather, and after church Sunday the kids helped Daryle wash the car.  They thought this was SO much fun - funny we have done it much before - so we'll have to make this happen a little more often!

 Holidays around here for me sometimes don't have that special holiday feel - without the big family gatherings and other various adventures that usually accompany a weekend like Labor Day!  But every year God does something to my heart a little bit, and He does it through my children.  And I remember how it was when I was a kid, just knowing that the day was a holiday made it FEEL special and exciting, and I want to create those memories for my kids.  So we make LOTS of food, and try new recipes, and play games and go to the park and have together time, not even anything all that special, but I know how special it is for them. The girls adore helping me in the kitchen and the boys do too.  Our little family is growing in love together and with one another more every day!

 Ni'ke's new favorite outfit - a too small romper that shrunk in the wash and she still wants to keep it forever.  I was horrified when I found out she made it out of the house to SCHOOL in this outfit the other day - Mommy was at work, and Daddy needs to practice his attention to detail....  :)  Thankfully she had a tshirt on underneath, but yowsa - a wee bit short.

 These are my mom's famous molasses cookies - they are perfect for every occasion, or for no occasion at all.  I always make these for the kids on the first day of school this year, and now I call them back-to-school cookies!

Dog Days at the Park

 These are pictures from a few weeks ago!  Finally got around to loading them up.  My friend Babs came over with her dog, and a dog she was dog-sitting for, and the girls played in the park with them.  Let's just say they aren't really dog people (my girls anyway) - they like to LOOK at them, but if they get too close or heaven forbid LICK them or jump on them, they get a little freaked out!  They've come a long way though!