Annie & Abbey at Silverlake

Since I hardly ever go out and have fun.... and Annie never updates her blog..... I will live vicariously through her and post her updates. Today her and Abbey hiked to Silver Lake above Tibble Resevoir. She said they had the trail all to themselves..... and when she got to the top she had a message for the member of our family who should have been a meteroligist and maybe was one in a previous life.... he has prevented all of us from getting frostbite in blinding snowstorms..... perishing in hailstorms.... drowning in tsunamis... and in general, been around to update us every hour on the hour about what mother nature has in store for us next.

One happy dog...

Morning Glory Muffins

So Grandma has been talking to me all week about this great muffin recipe she got from Barbara and how I should make some.... yeah, yeah, I will. But apparently I didn't do it soon enough because yesterday she went to the store and got all of the ingredients..... and when Ken took her coffee this morning she told him about these awesome muffins I was going to make. Ken came home and told me.... it looks like you're making muffins today. And so I did. If any of you are persistant and stick with something until you get or achieve it.... you need wonder no longer.... it is Grandma Porter Erickson trait. Love ya, mom.

Morning Glory Muffins
Mix together:
1 Cup plain yogurt
1 Cup mashed ripe banana
1 egg

Mix together and add to above:
1 Cup whole wheat flour
½ Cup white flour
1 Cup regular oats
¾ Cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. wheat bran
3 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Then add:
1 Cup chopped dates (or raisins)
½ Cup dried pineapple
¾ Cup walnuts
Bake at 350 for 20 min.

No wonder they are called Morning Glory…. they will make you wake up singing an aria. They are a rich muffin and very, very good. Next time I’m going to cut down on the brown sugar. Also I only cooked them for 15 min.

Summer Fun Challenge

So Jana has been making open invitations on facebook and even recruiting on the telephone to join her "Summer Fun Challenge" which works when you create a new heathy habit by doing it for 21 days in a row. Most of you know I am fundamentally opposed to trying to attain perfection.... somewhere along the line I think you need to find a balance between improving yourself and appreciating yourself for everything you've already accomplished. So, Jana, don't faint but I am joining your following. You will see the real gap between my generation and your generation of followers. I won't be doing your power 90 minute beach body workout.... or getting up at 5:00 am to do hardcore strength training or even a gentle yoga.....

HOWEVER.... I am committing to walk on the treadmill for 10 min. at a 3.0 speed which adds up to a 20 min. mile, which breaks down to walking a 1/2 mi. everyday. This is just my speed as I have bombed out on any exercise since I had that killer pnuemonia in July of 2007. In good faith I have posted my first day's time to show I think I am up to this task. Who knows where this may lead but I have had enough of my lazy little self, so I'll try it your way.....

First Hike of the Season

Yesterday Ken and Annie wiped the dust from the hiking books.... grabbed the sunscreen..... a leash for Abbey, donned their hiking apparel and headed out for Stewart Falls. I stayed home to babysit Grandma.... at least that is my cover story. The truth is I'm as out of shape as I've ever been..... apparently running up and down a flight of stairs a dozen times a day doesn't get you fit enough to propel yourself up the mountain trails. It looks like they had a great time and Annie took over my photography job.... the beautiful photos make for good motivation to pry myself away from my sewing machine and strap myself onto the treadmill. It's not Colorado but pretty dang close as you can get.

Our Goodnight Song

This is a video of the song we sang to each other every night before we went to sleep.

Sleep tight, Sandman's a comin'
And he'll be here mighty, mighty soon
So if you don't cry, he'll be comin' by
With a great big lollipop moon

How I love my pretty baby
Sweet and precious little baby
How I love my pretty baby
Honest to goodness I do

Day 22 - Last Day With The Munchkin'

It was a day of indoor projects and outdoor play for singing in the rain....

Kenzie is a lover of life..... a lover of humanity...... and animals too. She's a doer, independent, and imaginative. She's mischevious and her most endearing laugh is when she's about to play a trick on you. She's full of every emotion..... joyful elation and pure happiness.... sadness, madness, and poutiness. Her parents have done a great job in helping her give a definition to what she feels. And Kenzie feels what she feels..... then she is off to conquer new horizons. We've been happy, even if we had to run a little faster, to share this roller coaster ride of hers. We will surely be missing her.

Day 21 - Kangaroo Zoo

Last night Mackenzie loaded up her backpack.... it must have weighed 50 lbs..... and said she was getting ready to go to school in the morning...... so bright and early this morning she pops out of bed..... cheerfully says she has to get dressed and will I do her hair.... WHAT? That is a task that takes at least an hour of cajoling. Yes, don't you remember I'm going to school today. Well Mackenzie it's a long drive to Colorado to go to school. No, school is at that jumping place. Silly me.... I never seem to catch on to any of her bag of tricks.

So, first we had to do some cleaning chores.... as you know Kenzicans loves to clean. She thoroughly washed my garbage can and said, "It's so clean and shiny now, that even the garbage will look beautiful." Gotta love a child's perspective.

Then Erica came over and did some pudding painting with her.... she even got to to give it a final touch of sprinkles and then the best part..... art, good enough to eat. Erica told me about Kangaroo Zoo.... a place in Pleasant Grove that also has jumping things..... and when I can't distract Kenzie any longer..... we head out.

This place had more jumping toys for her age, yet the tall ones that are still fun. There were a ton of kids, so she got in the social interaction she is craving.... poor thing, she's starting to feel a bit stranded on Grandma's deserted island. We ended the day with a Happy Meal instead of Grandma's horrible home cooking.... all in all we had a pretty good day!!