Wet Dog, Happy Dog

The J W Hershey

Biking past Saint Paul the other week we found an awesome tug idling by the shore.

Sam-pulling at Great Aunt Margie's

Beautiful Arboretum

Sweet and Irresitable

The primary source of high mischief in our household? Surprise! It's sugar. We don't have a lot of sweets around the house on purpose...aside from being not healthy, I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to handy sweet snacks. I deliberately only make sweets, never buy them, and try to limit this to only occasional treats and celebrations. Every time I stray from this I usually regret it...

When they were first potty training, I bought M&M's as "potty treats" in a small bag and only opened the bag only far enough to let out one M&M at a time. The bag lasted three weeks. Then, I bought a giant size bag to "save money" at Sam's, and opened the handy zipper-top. Four times as many M&M's lasted one week. Later, I got the idea to buy a box of Swiss Cake Rolls for 'special' potty treats (not for peeing...) I think I ate the box full in two days. Thank goodness I don't need to bribe them anymore for going potty.

So it should come to no surprise that my kids like sugar a lot...here's a sweet sampling (but not a complete listing) of recent sugar-related shenanigans...

Zucchini bread, the kids and I.  We made a double batch together, and they helped and tasted ingredients at every step.  When putting the second batch in the oven, I needed to run upstairs for something.  I found the sugar canister, completely full, without the lid, abandoned on the top step with obvious hand-scoop marks in it.  I still have no idea how Patrick got it off the counter and up the stairs without me or his brothers (both playing downstairs) noticing.  What's more amazing is he didn't spill a grain.  I can just see him concentrating to hold it steady...

Packing for camping, first trip.  The twins found the 'beverage and snack' box, which contained tea, cocoa, some granola/energy bars, oatmeal, and misc. freebie packages.  I found them upstairs in their closet (with the closet door shut) trying in vain to chew open two energy bars.

Packing for camping, second trip.  Patrick woke up early and rummaged through my camping food ready to be packed in the car.  He found a stray Trader Joe's chocolate bar and ate the whole thing by himself in the 'blankie corner' behind our couch.  He loved it so much he couldn't help telling Mike all about it when he came downstairs!
 
In the 'blankie corner' again.  Loading up the car to run errands (no simple task), I told Patrick that I needed to take out some things first, then we could get in the car.  Patrick replied "Ok."  Then he told me "That's ok Mommy, I'll wait for you here."  On my second trip he told me, "I can wait for you here, you can keep bringing things out to the car, and I'll wait here Mommy."  A little too agreeable, I thought.  And sure enough, I walked over to find his stash of  two granola bars he was furiously trying to open, he just needed a little more time...

Up at the cabin, in the corner, with the china.  Sam has a facination with the open shelving up at the cabin.  His great-grandma's dishes are sooo pretty.  I had to pull him away from the area a half-dozen times while I was unpacking things and trying to light the stove.  Then, as I was trying to light the fireplace, he discoved that the sugar and creamer set actually had sugar in it.  I caught him with the little blue china lid in one hand, his little eyes wide with excitement, trying to shove as much sugar as his little fist would carry into his mouth.

Biking the Black Hills

Lizzie as Lizzie

That smile, that bounce- what more can I say?

Granite + Boys

Paddy Apple Seed

We picked up a batch of very tasty apples at the farm the other day and the boys and I were around the counter sampling. We talked about the seeds and how they grow into apple trees. I was finishing making lunch when Patrick asked me, "Do we have apple trees in our minivan?" Hmmm...."No..." I replied, "Why do you ask?" Patrick had an excellent answer of course, "Because I dropped some apple seeds in there, did they grow into trees?" Dang it. Kids were paying attention to me again. Lesson part two: sunlight, soil and water plus seeds make plants :)

Razamatazzberry

There were a ton of raspberries all through the Black Hills when we were out there, and they must have had a great year for them as they were big, juicy, and super flavorful.  Biking up through the mountains Isaac would suddenly yell, "Mommy!  Look!  There are some berries and those berries aren't for birds, those are for People! Please, can I get out?!"  We stopped a lot for berries, but not every time.  Later at our campsite the three boys walked to get firewood with Mike and very proudly brought back three plastic hats filled with raspberries that they picked, but didn't eat!I had brought some sugar along, so later we made a batch of the best raspberry jam I've ever had.  I fried some slices of bread in butter and we sat by the fire eating jam toast.  Yummy!

Better than Thomas

We caught the steam train from Hill City and the twins loved it. It's a real steam engine, (they had several) that was retrofitted from burning coal to burning used motor oil. Definitely smelled like it too lol! Nevertheless I enjoyed every minute! Nice scenery, beautiful open air train cars, exciting atmosphere, and really awesome big engines- a perfect combination.

Camp-O-Rama

We had a great time camping out in the Black Hills right before labor day, a full ten days of driving around, exploring, biking trails, and enjoying the outdoors. We stayed in hotels a couple of nights (to wash laundry, wash boys, and in one case make a quick ER visit) and every night we did the boys were crushed that we were not going to camp. Since they don't have a real choice (they must like camping, as we do, so there) it was nice to realize we didn't even have to cajole them even a little bit. Can't wait for next summer!