Healthy Frozen Treat

It is HOT here in Santa Clarita! Nothing beats the heat like popsicles and colddddd frozen treats. But most popsicles are just so unhealthy, and the healthy all-fruit ones can be so expensive, especially when there are 3 boys around eating them. I have been making this special treat over and over around here, and can't keep them in the freezer. They are cheap, relatively healthy, and amazingly delicious. They call for Greek yogurt, which, did you know, has twice the protein of regular yogurt? Try these some day soon, you will not regret it!

Mixed Fruit Smoothie Pops

8 oz plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz whipped cream
2 cups frozen chopped strawberries
1 can crushed pineapple
2 bananas, chopped

Mix the yogurt with the sugar and blend well. Stir in the whipped cream. Add all other ingredients, and mix gently. Pour into popsicle molds, or you can use dixie cups and popsicle sticks, if you wish. Freeze until firm. Watch them disappear!

Grace and mercy in loss

We lost our beloved little puppy Sprocket. God gave him to us for three short weeks, and he spent those three weeks extremely ill. We cared for him like he was a human child, spoon feeding him every two hours because he had stopped eating. He had lost 20% of his already frail self, and by the time we took him back to the vet again, he had fluid in his belly, the possibility of pneumonia, and he was extremely malnourished and dehydrated. The cause was a really bad case of roundworms, which infested his lungs and kept him from being able to absorb any nutrients. The day we put him to sleep was so sad. I don't think I have ever cried that much over the loss of a pet. I felt bad that we couldn't do more. We wanted nothing more than to help him and see him get healthy. We were all so heartbroken.

Dave said if the boys wanted to try again, we could go adopt another puppy. Knowing we had already paid the adoption fees and medical costs of Sprocket, and that the shelter makes no guarantees of health for their animals, we figured we would again incur the cost of adopting a new pet. Although the shelter has a 30 day exchange policy should your animal not work out, they didn't have any guarantees should your animal get sick or die.

With all our little hearts heavy and broken, we set out to another shelter to take a look at a sweet little puppy we saw on the website. When we got there and took him into the "Get to know you" room, we all INSTANTLY fell in love again. It really was magical. It was so apparent that God led us to this one, and that we wouldn't be with this one had it not been for Sprocket and what we went through with him.

We knew this was the one, so we headed to the front of the building to do the paperwork. We shared our story with the lady at the front desk, who immediately went to her supervisor to plead on our behalf for a free exchange. God completely exceeded our expectations, and they gave us the new puppy completely free! She even told me I could file a claim to try and recoop the medical expenses we incurred with Sprocket. I felt so overwhelmed by God's grace and mercy, even in such a small matter as this. God does care about little things, and He is the author of all our adventures.

So here we are again, except this time with a bumbling, over-enthusiastic, abounding in energy little two month old puppy, doing all the things puppies should do! He is a two month old Staffordshire mix. The vet we took him to for his free checkup said he is probably mixed with Lab. He has the most beautiful brindle coat, and is just oh-so-cute. We named him Magnum. The boys all wanted to name him after a gun, and I wanted to name him after some sort of food since he is brown. Well, turns out we both won. Magnum is a type of gun, and also a chocolate covered ice cream bar. Win. Win.

We are just loving these days with our puppy...his fat little self has already gained 5 lbs in the two weeks since he was admitted into the shelter until now. He is like carrying a ton of bricks! The boys absolutely adore him, Summer is loving having a new friend to play with, and we are all feeling abundantly blessed.

New Baby!

Introducing........

Sprocket!!!!! He's an American Staffordshire/Akita mix. We just rescued him from the local animal shelter. We have been talking for quiet a while about getting a companion for Summer, and after doing some research, learned that this type breed would be a good match for Summer.

He is literally the perfect puppy. Introducing our dogs went even better than expected, and Summer welcomed him immediately (I think she thinks he is her baby....it's the cutest thing). From day one, Sprocket has slept all through the night, and goes potty every time we take him out. It's almost like he came trained! We couldn't ask for more, and we are just loving having a puppy around. We're so thankful the Lord has eased our worries about the whole transition to two dogs.

I highly recommend getting an animal from the shelter. There are so many shelters around, and so many wonderful animals that need homes! You can't beat the price (about $100 for the animal, including mandatory spay/neuter, microchip, and shots). They even come with an exchange guarantee, should the animal not work out for some reason. I only wish we could have taken home more!!!!!

Spr

Pictures don't do it justice

You just can't fit Sequoia in the lens of your camera.

The grandeur is too large.

The scale of it too extensive.

The magnitude too overwhelmingly amazing.

The beauty of God's creation so unfathomable.

So breathtaking.

You just can't capture it in the lens.

These pictures don't do any of it justice. You just can't even fit a sampling of the grandeur and breathtaking beauty into the small area your camera can capture. Looking down from 7,000 feet into the valley below, where you can see what looks like a miniscule little line of white but is really a huge, fast flowing rushing river.....looking at the Great Western Divide with their snow-capped peaks that seems to go on forever....looking up at a tree, the size and magnitude of which I have never seen before in my life, so big I cannot move my neck back far even to even see it all....this is Sequoia. You can see the handiwork of the Creator in amazing detail. Dave and I talked about how God is so gracious to allow us to see such beauty here in our world. We discussed how if this is how it looks now, imagine the world before the fall of man, before sin entered into the world! There really aren't that many places in the world like this. While I do think Yosemite is a tad bit more beautiful, Sequoia and Kings Canyon have beauty and splendor you just can't even imagine. As we were driving through, we were amazed at how much the scenery changed in a matter of minutes. One minute we would be at 6000 feet elevation, looking down into the valley, with its trees and rivers....and then around a few bends, we were back down at 1000 foot elevation looking up at granite monoliths!!

We dropped the kiddos off at their various weekend getaway spots, and we headed out on the road after stopping at Goldsteins' for a bagel and cream cheese. We entered the park through the Three Rivers entrance, where our hotel was also located, just 6 miles from the entrance. We spent several hours in Sequoia the first day, seeing the General Sherman tree, the largest in North America. You just can't grasp the size of this tree!!!!! It is enormous. I was surprised at how much snow was still there at the end of May. It was hard packed, as thick as 3-4 feet in some places. The hike down to the General Sherman tree was flowing with water from snow melt! We got our clothes and shoes a bit wet and muddy, but who cares! We then made our way over to Moro Rock, which was, I think, the hightlight of the trip. You can climb the 400 steps up the side of the giant granite rock to the top, where they have a viewing platform. The whole trip up, I kept stopping to take a look off the side....magnificent. If you wanted to, you could just climb over the guardrail and slide down the rock straight down.....to your death. Upon cresting the top, I just had to catch my breath. Not so much from the hike up, but from the incredible, once in a lifetime views. We were at about 6700 feet elevation, looking down into the valley below. The park map said by some estimations, the drop into the valley floor from the top is deeper than the Grand Canyon. On one side of the rock, you see the Great Western Divide, and just behind that is the largest peak in North America, Mount Whitney. The mountains were all covered in snow...breathtaking. On the other side, you could look down and see the road you travelled to get up there, along with the beautiful Kings River. Add in hundreds and hundreds of trees and some granite rocks, and it truly is a marvel of creation. I didn't want to go back down to the car! We headed back to the hotel to change, and headed to Visalia, a short 20 minute drive around Lake Kaweah for dinner at a fantastic Japanese restaurant. We knew it would be good, as the place was buzzing with locals, and everyone was so happy and having a wonderful time. Filet mignon teriyaki and some sushi, and we were a very happy couple!

The next day, we took the drive into Kings Canyon. Driving through pretty much the middle of nowhere, hardly ever seeing any other cars, we wondered if we were lost! The only life forms we saw were cows. Lots of cows. The road followed a beautiful stream the whole time as we climbed up the mountain. Eventually we made our way into the park. I was ecstatic to find a little food cart next to the little convenience store/gift shop when we got in. The dear foreigner who ran the cart was selling hot dogs and Starbucks coffee. You can't imagine how happy I was to find this gem!!! There was snow on the ground, it was chilly, and that coffee just hit the spot. We headed down to the grove of large sequoias to see the General Grant tree. They also had fallen trees you could actually walk through. Back in the car, we drove the beautiful back country, seeing waterfalls and many other sights to get to Boyden Cave to take a tour. Wow! What a gem. Alongside rushing water lies a large mountain. A short steep climb led us to the entrance of the cave, where a guide took us through, showing us stalagtites and several other types of cave growth. I had never been inside a cave before, and it was intriguing. You could hear the sound of rushing water inside, you could see the water drops forming the new stalagtites, and it was chilly and smelled good, like fresh clean smelling. I can't explain it. How do people find these things, anyways??? I felt like I was inside the log ride at Knott's Berry farm, or inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, except this was the real thing! We returned to the car for the drive back to town. It took a couple of hours, and by that time, we were hungry. There is a darling little downtown in Visalia, kind of reminiscent of Old Town Pasadena but much smaller. We ate at a wonderful Mexican restaurant, out on the front patio that bordered the street, and then took a stroll around the town.

We decided to take the coastal route home for a change of scenery. It was time to head back already! We drove through Santa Barbara trying to find a place to grab some lunch and take a walk on the beach, but since it was a holiday weekend, the place was just SO crowded. Too crowded for my taste. Aghhhhh.....too many stinkin' people!!!!! So we got back on the freeway and The Spot in Carpinteria came to mind. YES!!!! It was the bomb....yummy burgers and fries, but too windy and cold to walk on the beach ):

It was such a blessing to get away and take this trip. Dave and I just really enjoyed the time together. Time to regroup, talk about our kids, our goals for them, our memories....such precious time together. We were also so happy to be reunited with our kids, one by one, as we picked them up. While we enjoyed our time alone, we couldn't wait to all be together again. Thankful to the Lord for all these precious blessings!!!!

Interesting snack

Watch this video and get a glimpse into my silly, fun, crazy, strange, yet delightful life. Ignore the fact that the screen is turned sideways.

Yep. That is my son. And I love him.

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!

Do you see this adorable guy? And I don't mean Vance (even though he's adorable too).


This is my dad, and he turns 70 today! You would never know it, since he looks so young and still acts so spunky. So young, he has been mistaken for my sister's husband before. Haha!!!


He takes my boys on all kinds of adventures every year. Last month they went to the Long Beach Grand Prix after an amazing breakfast at The Pantry downtown. Every time he visits us, the boys yell "sugar run" while running out to his car to retrieve the boatload of treats he brings them. Yes, he's that fun.


He's a thougtful, loving, and caring Dad, and a sweet, spoiling, adventuresome Papa to my boys. I am very thankful and blessed.


Tonight, our whole family is celebrating at one of his favorite restaurants in Glendale, and then we are going to my sister's house for a special dessert, something that probably involves bananas, which is his favorite (:


Happy Birthday Daddy! May you be blessed with many more years to come, and good health as well. I love you tremendously.

Camping in Keyesville

We are back from our first dirt bike camping trip in one year! We joined our friends the Nardones and Potrykuses in their favorite spot, Keyesville. It is so beautiful this time of year. The drive alongside the Kern River is spectacular to say the least, and there are many sets of rapids that are breathtaking. Once up in the camping spot, we were nestled among hills and trees with a gorgeous view of the valley below.

We got a rough start, as when we left to head up Thursday night, Dave realized the trailer brakes were not working. Not a good thing when you are climbing steep mountainous roads. We headed back home, and Dave spent 5 hours trying to locate the source of the problem. With wiring, it is so hard to know where the problem is, and it could be a million different little things. Little by little, Dave eliminated sources, and he was finally able to track the problem to the corroded cables coming off the battery. He cleaned them off, and we instantly had full power to the brakes. So thankful for Dave's ability, otherwise the whole trip would have been cancelled. In God's providence, we left the next morning instead, and we made it there before 10am! Praising God that He allowed us to discover the problem before we left and not on the road.




There's my handsome husband all geared up and ready to ride!

Vance picked up some good speed this trip! He really is improving in his riding skills!
Luke and his buddy Matthew, who we call "Super M." These kids can really rock the dirt bikes.

By the way, remember the snake Dave caught? Well, we brought it, marinated it in barbecue sauce, and Gene grilled it to perfection on his barbecue, alongside his sausages.

Everyone took a taste just for fun, and we were all surprised at how delicious

it was. It really tasted like pork ribs! The kids DEVOURED it and were asking for more. Too funny. It was a great experience!

We enjoyed a fire each night, the kids roasted smores and we just enjoyed each other's company! The kids had a great time riding, hiking to the top of the nearby mountain, playing games, eating snacks, and generally just being kids! It was so good to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.

They brought a guest home for dinner

Today Dave and the boys went out for an afternoon of airsoft wars. It's such a male thing to do. They get all dressed in camouflage, pack up their guns, masks, hats, high-cap mags (I am impressing you with my vast knowledge of the sport), and all their other gun related items, and join some friends in a local mountainous area. They have an absolute blast.

But today, they brought a guest home for dinner. A somewhat unwelcome guest (in my opinion). One of my boys came running into the house with a bandana in their hands, concealing a large lumpy item. I just knew something nasty was in there when they came running up to me shoving it into my face. "Look, Mom!!!" Now, having multiple sons, I never know what is going to come through that door, and honestly I probably should not be surprised either. But the adventures are never ending!

It was a rattlesnake. A nice big juicy one, head and guts removed. After shooting and killing it with bb's, apparently they felt the need to bring it home for dinner. I sort of had a different idea for dinner, and already had some homemade pizzas in the oven and a salad ready to be tossed. But that's quite alright. I quickly shooed him out of my kitchen as he headed towards my sink to clean it. Yuck!!! I sent him outside to deal with it. He removed the skin, cleaned it, and placed it in a ziploc bag in the freezer. They are actually going to cook it....maybe marinate it and cook it on the grill. I will definitely give it a try, and report back to you.

Ready for the freezer!!!

Life with boys, folks. Life with boys. Always an adventure, and loving every minute of it (even if I do scream on occasion).

Vance's 10th Birthday Sleepover

Pizza dinner....

Nerf war at the park....

Chocolate Fountain......

Hunter enjoying the chocolate.....

Yum-O....

Fun, fun, fun....

Vance and Cooper!

Star Wars legos from Matthew!

Biggest Twinkie Box EVER and some gift cards from the Tubbs boys!

Travis gave him a Hex Bug and Mighty Beanz!

Two more Hex Bugs from Daniel!

Gift card from Josh!

Summer was wiped out from all the fun!

The boys all settling in for a movie and popcorn!!!

The next morning, they woke up early (a little TOO early), and enjoyed cinnamon rolls and fruit for breakfast, followed by some outdoor playtime in the backyard. Foursquare, basketball, stick ball, and Nerf wars! So thankful for my boys friends, and the wonderful families they come from!

Double Digits

My youngest just turned 10. There was a flood in my house last October. That's just too many monumental events for me, I tell ya. For some reason, this birthday for Vance makes me feel old! I really can't fathom that it has been a decade since my 3rd son made his entrance into this world. It has just flown by in the blink of an eye. I am learning to value and appreciate every moment having these sweet boys in our home, because I know it will be gone in a New York minute. Sniff, sniff.

I love my sweet little Fuzzy. His gregarious and entertaining nature makes me laugh every day. He is such a ham, and says the funniest things all the time. I won't embarass him too much at this point if I told you he is a big snuggler. He loves to cozy up to me on the couch with his giant fluffy pillow and blanket. He's my cute, curly topped boy. Yet he's also very rugged and all boy....loves all his Nerf guns (he owns an arsenal), and now he has a new airsoft gun too. In fact, he went out for his first battle today with his Daddy and brothers, and LOVED it. He loves God's little creatures, loves reading about them, and catching them (sometimes to my dismay), and can amaze you with random facts he has learned about them. He is also known for "naming" his belongings. It usually involves just adding a "Y" to the end of it. For instance, his pillow is "Pilly."

Anyways, I just adore this boy, my youngest, my baby. On his birthday, he wanted orange rolls for breakfast, so that's what we had.

He wanted sandwiches for lunch, so that's what we had (sorry, no pic, sandwiches are boring).

He wanted salmon (his favorite food on the planet), twice baked potatoes, and lettuce wedge salad, so guess what? That's what we had!

Finished that off with a SpongeBob cake for dessert.

He will be having a birthday sleepover to celebrate next weekend....I will be sure to post some pics of that. It should be fantastic. Boy parties are so easy....just throw some pizza at them and they are happy. So thankful to have his sweet friends over for a day of fun. In the meantime I leave you with this.

I've gone from Fisher Price to Full Metal AK in 10 years flat! Enjoy!