Maylie

Our dog is weird! Don't get me wrong, Maylie is a very dear and loved member of this family. But she sure has some odd behaviors. For example:

When I get the hiccups, she gets nervous and tries to find a hiding place. Right, like a 180 pound dog can hide in this house!

Also, she won't eat her food if either of the boys are crying, OR, if she suspects we are leaving the house shortly.

When I was away this past weekend with the boys, Prince Charming said that every time the phone rang, she would get up from a dead sleep (which is how she spends most of her time) and want to be let outside. However, when Prince Charming would go to let her out, she would run from him.

During thunderstorms (YAY Arizona) she tries to get into our small closet and hide.

I am only able to trim her nails (one at a time) when she is in a coma. The trimming usually wakes her up.

When she has been outside for a while and scratches on the door to be let in, I open it and she just stands there and looks at me. So, I shut it, she scratches, I open it, she stands there. This game could go on and on until she finally realizes that she actually wanted to come in.

I could sit here and list many more things that make our Maylie unique. Bottom line, our huge dog complete with her hot breath (don't breathe on me!), her endless supply of drool (and the uncanny ability to get it all over your clean dark pants), her big feet, and her all around freakish nature is very much a part of this family. And, quite frankly, life wouldn't be as much fun without her in it.

Thank you, Maylie, for being you and loving us no matter what. We love you!

Wishes

To my hot husband:

How I wish you were here to enjoy this lovely weekend getaway to the forest. The boys are in their element and the weather is perfect. In fact, it is a little chilly. I have to admit, my jammies are not suitable for cold evenings and I need you to cuddle with me in my small twin bed to keep me warm.

I also want to wish you the best of luck on your very important exam today. I shouldn't say "luck" because I know you don't need that. You are one of the smartest men I know and you will crush this test, as you say. You have been working very hard for our future and I want you to know that I appreciate all that you do for our family.

So, as much as it stinks that you aren't here to relax with us this weekend, we are thinking of you every second as you prepare for and ace your audit exam. So, without further ado...

I love you babe. Drive safely, and good luck on your test!

WWF here we come!

Dad and the boys came up wrestling names today.

B the Body

and

El the Smell

I wish I had pictures of their signature moves. Beware of E's Armpit Assault. It can send even the strongest of men to their knees. Don't turn your back on B because with his Single Leg Take Down, no one stands a chance!

Sleepy Head

I LOVE taking pictures of my sleeping babes. Last night I found E at the end of his bed cuddling with his blankets and possibly drooling out of his mouth. I wanted to snuggle right up next to him and listen to him dream.

While I'm talking about food...

I decided a while ago that I wanted to try to make my own whole wheat bread for family consumption. I am not too excited about any of the breads I am finding at the store, so I thought I should fashion my own! So, I grabbed a few recipes off the Internet and went shopping.

I tried recipe #1 today. It turned out pretty good, as far as bread goes. It tastes good and is a little chewy (just like I like it). However, it needs to be more "whole wheat" than bread flour. The recipe made three loaves, so we are into it for at least a little while. I had been looking for a recipe that uses only whole wheat, but I was coming up empty handed. Had I spent a little more than 10 minutes online looking for recipes that met my criteria, I probably could have found one. Recipe #2 has a better whole wheat flour to other flour ratio, so that is why I grabbed that one. Also, there was a little descriptor (about recipe #2 that is) that it is the most delicious and chewy whole wheat bread anyone will ever taste. Obviously my hopes are really high! When I was putting away the flour this afternoon, I noticed a recipe on the back of the whole wheat flour for 100% whole wheat bread. Sheesh! I wish I had seen that before I started baking! Even if I had seen it, I didn't have all of the ingredients. Who has dry milk at their house? At the moment, I don't!

All in all, it was a good baking day. The boys wanted more than one slice and it is a good start for me! They aren't the prettiest looking loaves, but here they are in all their glory!

I just LOVE cooking up delicious things!

Some tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onions and garlic....

Serve over pasta, add a litte Parmesan cheese, and POOF, a lovely meal for a lovely September evening!

Fun Day Out

This past Sunday we were able to get out for an afternoon of fun with some friends! My parents have season tickets to the Arizona Cardinals football games at the sweet new Glendale stadium. Since they were to be out of town, Dad handed me the tickets so that we could use them! With 6 tickets burning a hole in my pocket, Prince Charming and I gathered 4 friends to join us. At the last minute, we threw together a little tailgate party at our house complete with hotdogs, yummy sides, and some brewskis. I missed out on the brewskis since I was the driver. But there were also some chocolate cookies that I had quite a few of! Anyway, the Cardinals were playing the Miami Dolphins. Long story short, the Cardinals kicked some Florida butt! It was a fun time. I even saw M, Prince Charming's brother, on the jumbo tron after we scored one of the touchdowns! After locating where his seats were, I took a picture of him and his friend. I would post it here, but it is kind of blurry and you wouldn't know who I was talking about unless I had an arrow pointing to him. Want to hear another little fun tidbit of info? My sister in law texted me to let me know that Johnny Depp was in the stands....somewhere! I wish I could have said he was sitting next to us, but he wasn't. All in all, it was a great game with great company and conversation. I hope we get to do it again, soon. I actually remembered to bring my camera with me and got some pics of the great people who joined us. Jessi and D'nita almost didn't make it to the game considering D'nita is about to have her baby! We convinced her into coming by the simple fact that she would be able to tell her daughter that she was born in a football stadium. Look how happy she is! You wouldn't know that she was having contractions all throughout the duration of the game! Heather and Dan (right) also joined us. Unlike D'nita, Heather was not experiencing impending childbirth. So, I am guessing her chair was a bit more comfortable. The game was not complete without cheesy nachos, popcorn, and expensive bottled water! Oh, there was lots of cheering, too.