Batta-UP!!

(Did you say the post title with the right voice inflection??
I'm hoping so.)
We just finished Bo's T-ball season.. and what can I say?? Not only can the boy hit a ball.. but he looks dang cute in Converse tennis shoes.

I know.. Converse are more of a 'basketball' shoe.. and actually, aren't even worn for that much anymore. But their his favorite, and they matched, and come on folks.. it's not the major leagues- it's T-ball.
Ya gotta love a sport where everyone gets a home run.. a bag of cookies and a Capri Sun are mandatory reward after each game..

and chattin' with your buddy at first base is way more interesting than actually focusing on getting to second, base..

and playing with the dirt is always an acceptable way to pass the time on third.
I pretty much enjoy watching Bo do anything..

but him running it home, in his Converse.. has to be one of my favorites.
Nice season my boy!

MY Cousins Are Cuter Than YOUR Cousins!

I love cousins. I like just being with them. Feeling connected, knowing that we all came from the same roots.. and that we've all eaten at the same fancy, meticulously set dining room table at Memas.. snuck gingersnaps from her pantry.. and played games on Papas beautiful acre of land. I love that we all know what real figgy pudding taste like.. and that we were all privy to closed-captioned T.V. at a young age. Oh.. and our Moms and Dads are brother and sister. I like that part too. As different as we all are.. and as little as we're able to get together.. as soon as we do-- it's homey. Cozy. Easy. I really do want to know what they're doing.. I really am interested in what their spouses are like.. and I really do like their chic and unique fashion flair. Yesterday I got the chance to meet up with them AND my sister (BONUS week! She's been here this week too..)at the Gateway in SaltLake.
I'm a spaze.. and know the streets of Salt Lake City about as well as I'd know the streets of Brooklyn-- so it took me awhile to actually ARRIVE at the Gateway.. but once I did.. was so worth the drive to find my sister and kids, cute Aunt, and 3 of my fun girly-girl cousins all ready to swap Old Navy deals and potty-training talk. I was of course too busy chattin' it up to take alot of pictures of my actual cousins.. but loved watching my own kids play in the fountains not only with their own cousins.. but my cousins kids. Yeah. I love cousins.

Cousins from American Fork.. Wisconsin, and Vegas...

(Does this count as water ballet??)
Can't wait til' next time.

Seriously, People....

So is this how it's gonna be? No new posts for weeks on end cause it's summer.. and you people have.. LIVES?? Come on now.
I know I haven't been an over-achiever myself in the blogger department.. but at least I give a valiant effort every so often. Truth be told.. if you do not supply me with a few more clever antidotes, and engaging pictures, a little more often-- I might have to actually GET SOMETHING DONE!
So please.. please.. whatever ya got.
I'm not picky.
Just give me somethin'.

I Have A Confession To Make...

So, something I've ended up loving about our quirky old house.. is that the kitchen is in the front of the house. There is a big open window over the sink (which being that I STILL have no dishwasher, comes in handy for watching the exciting front lawn and exhilerating street events while I do dishes MOST of my life.) I usually leave the blinds open in that window, all day-- and into the evening, til bedtime. That is.. unless.. I happen to be cooking something tasty.. or baking something even tastier. Almost nightly.. standing there in that front window, I often find myself shoving my face.. with, oh, maybe a bite of the kids fresh hot mac n' cheese (that I would never indulge in a whole carb-filled bowl of, but will easily down 8 forkfuls of in no time flat, straight from the pan) or a couple spoonfuls of taco meat.. just to test it. But it's the finger full of cake batter I catch myself skimming from the emptied bowl, draping to my mouth, often leaving an unflattering drip on my chin.. that usually causes me to realize the blinds are indeed still open, and the outer darkness, and inner track lighting, make the vision of my gluttony like a perfectly framed piece of revolting art for all those passing by. It's at any of these moments, (but especially the baked goods batter moment) that I grapple in a mad, chocolate-covered finger panic, for the blind cord-- and quickly slap them closed.. shutting out the world from the upsetting image, that is me.
So if ya drive by anytime before midnight, and see the blinds closed.. you can pretty much bet that at some point that evening I have been licking a knife covered in icing.. or seeing how big a piece of cake I can manuever into my mouth in one bite.
Yeah. It's true. Nightly.
And I just thought it would feel good to get it out there.

All "Cooped" Up.. Got DIRT?.. And, What the HAIL??

So.. my boyfriend's been on vacation all week.. which became a trendy "Stay-Cation" so many recessioners are inventing these days. We're big on gettin' on out of town when we can.. and had plans for Yellowstone-- before we remembered:
1. There were still 4 chickens living in our bathroom, that something needed to be done about. (A coop, to be specific.)
2. We needed about 2 dump trucks full-o-mulch to fill in miles and miles (I know.. I'm an exaggerator by nature..) of landscape and retaining walls.. and
3. It was basically gonna be raining all week in the whole world.. AND Jasen's sister planned a last minute trip with her family all the way from St. Louie-Lou..
WOO-HOO! So why go anywhere?
So here ya have the photo tour of our happenin' week..
First off.. the completed coop. My husband is a handy one if I do say so myself.

He turned the back half of our shed (that was THE creepiest little nook of the world you ever did see..) into this perfectly cheery and chicken filled coop-o-fun.

And there's nothin' better than a coop.. than a coop-a-COUSINS. We had so much fun with Jasens family..

and as you can see..
the kids have taken to the farm-life we have forced upon them, with little resistance.

(And look! There's even real-life "nesting boxes"!
Makes ya wanna cozy right in, no?)

Sophie likes just "cuddling" the poultry.. and saying things like,
"There-there now.." to her little chicken baby dolls.










Oh.. and then came..
THE DIRT.

I mean.. come on.. doesn't this LOOK like vacation??
(Kay.. the kids would argue otherwise.. but it DOES look mighty nice..)

And lastly.. just wanted to share another piece of our JUNE vacation.. with those who may not live close by.
Just a little hailstorm.. outta NOWHERE.

Yes that, my friends.. is just a little bit of summer in Logan.


Oh! And Jasen turned 37-- which I promise we really did celebrate.. I just failed to document it in photo form.
It was a perfect Jasen day.. starting out with a romantic little morning trip to Borders.. just the two of us.. followed by a 2-hour-mission to find THE perfect sunglasses. After trying on at lEAST 60 pairs (all at our teeny tiny Cache Valley Mall.. which, without kids being SO bored and SO wanting to go home.. was a good time..) he found THE pair.. some classy little black Oakley's with whatever the important kinda shmancy lens is called. We ended the night at the much-recommended Maddox restaurant in Brigham City.. that I can't believe it's taken us 2 years to try out. Totally worth the drive (through may I mention the GORGEOUS Sardine Canyon this time of year?? Can you say Lush-alicious?? Highly recommend a drive through there soon. Breathtakingly beautiful. Kinda stuff ya see on posters and in travel books. I repeat.. ridiculously, gorgeous.) and the raspberry butter and rolls at Maddox's? I'm tellin' ya..
perhaps man CAN live on bread alone. VERY tasty.
And there ya have it. Happy-happy Staycation to us.

So That's What Grown-Ups Do..

Tonight we went on a "double date" with our friends from Nibley. Whenever we get together, we usually meet up with all our kids at one of our houses.. cook dinner and dessert together-- and have great but often interrupted conversation.. interspersed with a diaper or two, and always one minor, but emotional, child injury.
So tonight we decided to go out all by ourselves.
I put on my 'fancy' pants, and actually "did" my hair.
We chose a restaurant that WE grown-ups felt like.. and got seated immediately on a Friday night , cause there were only 4 of us-- (instead of the 12 we would of been with the kids.)
I didn't have to tell one person to NOT crawl under the table, cause it's bad manners, and really gross.
We talked, and laughed about stuff 8 year olds wouldn't get.
We didn't have to take anyone to the bathroom, or wipe up any spilled drinks.
I only had to cut my own food.
It was lovely.