Lucky, lucky me.

This is my gorgeous alarm clock.

Spooky Brownies

I'm in charge of Colin's kindergarten class Halloween treat. In true Harmony form, I must make their snack BETTER. THAN. ANY. SNACK. EVER.

Therefore, these ghost brownies (thanks Sharon for the link) Isn't he cute? I think I'm going to name him Shawn.

Although he looks a little forlorn. Here's a kissy face just for my loyal blog readers.

Mmmwah!

Update: If you are thinking of making these (and why wouldn't you? They're awesome) I heated the frosting for 20 seconds and then poured it over SLOWLY around the top outer rim of the marshmallow. Go SLOW! I used Red Hots for the eyes--drawing eyes is not for me. Smoochy mouths? That's another story)

Shake Your Groove Thang

Kate knows how to shake it. What's that? What's she dancing to?

That's right people. It's Romanian. Culture, people. Culture.

The Weekend In Pictures

Things we learned this weekend:

A pumpkin patch in 90 degree weather is not as magical as it sounds.

Kate has some hitch in her giddy-up. We don't know what that means either.

Shoes really do make the outfit. (thanks Mom!)

Dental hygiene is important.

Colin is cute...

...although he might need to start shaving. Or has rabies.

Colin

I love: drawing, school, the Wii, Batman, haunted houses, geckos, anything in "nugget" shape, sword fighting, personal nudity, Subway's "Five Dollar Foot Long" commercials, reading, napping in my parent's bed, pirates and car races.

I dislike: being misunderstood, traffic, my food touching, Kate crying, having my hair combed, the missionaries coming over, and long pants.

I am headstrong. I am kind. I am tall and skinny. I am a good older brother. I laugh way more than I cry. I am brave.

I am five. Hear me roar.

The Tutus are coming!

You guys, I'm in over my head right now. But SOON I will be putting up a tutu tutorial (trying saying that three times fast) which is so easy you'll be amazed. Not that I ever post anything particularly hard.

So order your tulle now. I got mine here. Get about 50 yards of the 6" width--it will put you out a whole 4 bucks.

'Cause I always have to write something down here. This tutu is pre-"trimmed" (where I freak out in my analness and cut them all the same length. It's a sickness)

I'm off to jam a two year old into bee wings for a party!

Two of my favorite things...

Who else loves Apple ads? (although heads up--this is not a real one)

Tell me you're not dancing too.

Chillaxin'

New "Office" tonight baby! You know what we'll be doing.

Love Letters

Dear Kate,

Do you know you do the exact same "fish face" lips that your dad does when you're concentrating? It's the one feature on you he can claim as his own.

Dear Colin,

You are a fantastic photographer. Look at your handiwork from today.

Dear me,

You are a big dork in your pictures. Dammit, give Colin something to work with.

Tourists

Tourism: the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity

Living in Hawaii gives you very different perspective on tourists. They are the ones who cut you off in their rented convertibles, they are the ones wearing color coordinated Hawaiian shirts, they always seem to be drunk. They are kind of annoying.

After two weeks of lugging around my in-laws (along with a random aunt) I can honestly say I bristled every time I heard the word "tourist". So much so that at the Polynesian Cultural Center when workers would ask me "where are you from, cousin?" (Cousin being a polite term around here!) I'd say "I LIVE HERE! HERE!" Then they would look my lily white self up and down and think "Sure whitey, sure"

So after a week, I embraced yet. Hell yeah, I'm a tourist. Give me my damn lei.

My best cheesy tourist pose. I only wish I was holding my drink poured into a pineapple.

Excuse the beet redness. Did you know it's hot and humid here? Did you also know I was at the PCC for ten hours?

The Weekend In Pictures

We watched men scale coconut trees.

We got temporary tattoos.

We went to a luau.

We got fancy and went to a ball (and this is the only picture on my camera. Dur, photographer Harmony)

We brunched. Yes, we do that (refer back to us being fancy) Some of us skipped the crab legs and went straight for the money item....the ice cream.

Took pictures of awesome-ly cute babies. Managed to not smuggle him home.

We passed out on the floor. For real, taken in the dark with her passed out on the floor. Classic.

Is there some sort of spa I can go to for recovery from my weekend?

My Challenge To You.

You guys, it almost physically pains me to post pictures of myself. Why is that? I read so many blogs where I have no idea what the writer even looks like--but her kids, her husband, her home--those are all beautifully photographed. Where is she?

I'm sure you've heard of Nie Nie. If not, you can read her story here. Her blog is chock full of pictures of her with her children. She makes me envious with her photographs. I wish I could be that brave.

Today my challenge to you is to photograph yourself. Or have someone photograph you. Now. With your kids or without. Even just parts of you. It doesn't matter. Print it or post it or keep it on your computer. Just take it. And save it.

You'll thank me. And your family will thank you.

Seriously, what are you waiting for?

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Made these today. They were so stinking good I had to pass the recipe on to you. Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. I'm eating one right now. I also have flour all down the front of my pants. Hey, it's how I roll.

Check out the pictures. Yeah, I'm fancy.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Adjust the oven racks to the low and middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. You're going to be using two baking sheets.

2) Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. I always, always sift the flour. But you can do whatever you want.

3) Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs (one at time)

4) Stir the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture with a wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

5) Working with a generous 2 tablespoons of dough each time, roll the dough into 2-inch balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.

6) Bake until the cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies with a wide spatula to a wire rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes.

Do not over bake these cookies. The edges should be browned, but the rest of the cookie should be very light in color

Enjoy!

Girl Party

The all-girl party ends today.

We had an awesome time.

silhouette family portrait

My brain is stuck on family pictures. Look at this cute idea.

Update: I like it better framed here.

Dear Blake,

I know you're busy in Kauai with your parents and all. By the way, kudos on saving your mother's and aunt's life this weekend (maybe you should guest blog and tell us all about it) but could you come home now?

I watched that M. Night Shyamalan scary movie last night, and now I'm sleeping with the hallway lights on. It's got to stop--Kate's making fun of me. See you tomorrow.

p.s You look really cute in this picture. That's why I'm re-posting it.

p.p.s. The internet says we have to buy Kate bee shoes. Don't ask.

Clothes Make The (Wo)Man

You guys, we have our family pictures coming up. No, not taken by me and a tripod--by a real photographer! She's awesome and I'm really excited.

Downside....um, the outfits. I'm all about family pictures that don't match but go together. What should we do? I need something fantastic where I don't have to suck my stomach in the entire time.

Internet, what do you suggest? Do my dirty work for me.

Update: Since we are on the very important topic of clothes, do you think it's insane to buy these for Kate's Halloween bee costume? Tell me that it is and I'll believe you.

The Weekend In Pictures

Blake and Colin (along with various assorted family members) are in Kauai this weekend so Kate and I basked in our general fabulousness.

We went swimming...

..and tried our best to avoid the paparazzi.

I know I always ask, but I want to know. How was your weekend?

Naptime.

Asleep.

Awake.

Poor woman wakes up just like her momma.

Notice the one lone tear. Drama queen.

Finding Joy In The Journey

We had our church's General Conference this past weekend where President Monson spoke about "Finding Joy In The Journey". Now my friend Lucy, who is already ahead of the pack had already named her blog that exact thing has challenged us to blog about how we find joy in our life's journey.

I have this print and while it is kind of silly (and feeds into my obsession with birdie prints from Etsy--it's a whole thing) it reminds me each day that you can take joy in the little things. It reminds me of the scripture ""Adam fell that we might be, and men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25)

One of the joys of photography is when I take a picture, you just see the positive. I can crop out the crap in the background, edit the picture of crying and screaming (unless they're cute) When we look back on our lives and (I think more importantly) during our life, I hope that's what we see. Our own snapshots of joy.

Even if you don't read Lucy's blog (which dude, you should) you can answer this too. How do you find joy in your journey?

Update: Find the entire talk here.

Tagged.

I've been tagged (which I'm trying to be a better sport about--look at me! I'm growing) by Sharon.

For this tag you go to your fourth photo file on your computer and post the fourth picture from that file.

Mine was Kate from the pumpkin patch in Julian, CA last year (which was kind of weird in it's serendipitousness) (look at me! I also make up new words) Ack, look how little she is. And chubs. Gotta love the chubs.

I just loved this picture because the background was all circle-ly and out of focus (which I had no idea how to make happen then--did you know it has a name? The out-of-focus thingie? It's called bokeh) And the weird face? She had just bitten into the pumpkin. I don't think she loved it.

I'm tagging Kerry, Jen, Monique and Amanda. Bring it girls!

Guess.

Guess what happens tomorrow?

(shudder)

Hint: No, it's not the toilet police. That I would look forward to.

Chicken Salad Deliciousness

I just made these awesome chicken salad sandwiches last weekend for Laura. She just had the sweetest little boy and is already running around town. From a C-section. What's that about Laura?

This is one of those recipes where there is no specific amount for anything but the dressing. Like lots of grapes? Add lots of grapes. This is exactly the way I cook.

Ingredients

Salad:

Chicken (you know, one of those packages--like 3-4 breasts)

Celery, cut into small pieces (I add almost an entire stalk. I really like celery)

Red seedless grapes, cut in half or quarters (I haaaate cutting grapes so I would say I add two cups)

Small can mandarin oranges

Dressing:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayo

1 Tbsp grated onion

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1-2 Tbsp Italian seasoning mix (I just add the whole package of Italian seasoning mix--found in the salad dressing aisle)

Directions

Combine salad ingredients. Combine dressing ingredients. Mix everything together. Now I only add about 1/2 to 3/4 of the dressing. I don't like things super dressing-y. Save the rest for people who drown their chicken salad in dressing (coughblakecough)

Serve on hamburger buns. Here's the important part. Serve topped with rice noodles If you can't find those, chow mein noodles are okay, but not as good.

Enjoy!

Mission Accomplished.

Lessons learned making tissue ghosts:

1. Do not use the lotion saturated tissues your mom loves. They will make your hands oily. Really oily.

2. If you don't watch her, Kate will draw on her face with Magic Marker. Repeatedly.

3. Colin will also draw on his face, although not intentionaly. Do not point this out to him.

3. Tissue ghosts are awesome.

Does anyone else have cheapo Halloween decorating ideas? Pass them on!

Dreams of Flying

Have you seen these? I think they're really cool.

Who wants to loan me some patient kids? And a ladder.

My bed. 7 am.

Did I mention Colin has the whole week off for fall break? I plan on making tissue ghosts and baking cupcakes all day. Fabulous.

Hello "lose 10 lbs by November 7th" diet? Just a heads up--we're not going to be speaking today. Thank you.

The Weekend In Pictures

Yep, that's all I've got. Pretty much sums up the weekend. How was yours?

Things That Make Me Happy Today..

My cute red shoes.

My cute naked child.

Should I change the name of my blog to "Kate is always naked"? I bet that would get me all kind of weird traffic.

T.M.I.

If you're just a casual reader of this blog, beware that I am about to cross into Too Much Information (as the kids say, T.M.I) for you.

You were warned.

Oh my gosh, PMS is kicking my butt today. You know when you first learned about your menstral cycle and they'd say things like "you might notice a slight change in your moods in the days leading up to menstration" (stole that right from Wikipedia) That's like saying "Oh, is that a dead body in the corner? I didn't REALLY NOTICE"

PMS breakdowns I have had today:

Yelled at the next door dog for barking (not in a normal "cut it out" way--more like a "I will neuter you right now" kind of way)

Cried at "A Baby Story" (for those of you forward thinkers--I am NOT pregnant)

Cried when Blake told me he wants to go to Australia.

Cried when Blake brought me home sushi from my favorite spot.

Cried during the vice-presidental debates.

Okay, so I made that last one up. But that's still a lot of crying. So I locked myself in the bathroom and took a 400 degree bath. With candles.

It totally helped. You can still feel bad for Blake for the next 5-7 days.

On a total non-period moment, Kate wore her Halloween bee wings today (which I cropped most of out--because dammit, you need surprises)

Why does she look like she's wearing lip gloss? Discuss.

Vote!

Not that I ever want to agree with that dumb guy from "SuperBad", but you need to register and vote. For realz.

Best line: "Rampant like herpes....but for positive"