Rebekah . . .

This girl cracks me up! So adorable :)

Rebekah is starting to push up a bit on her hands a bit-- she really loves to roll and scoot. She is sitting unassited for short periods too. She is starting to be a little mischief maker-- this week as luck would have it she fell in love with Preston's favorite teddybear--and she doesn't get distracted easily so the old trade thing isn't as effective as I was hoping (It probably doesn't help that Preston prances around and says, " NO Rebekah-- this is MY bear!" while waving it just beyond her reach . . .I guess that is what older brothers are for!)

I think I would cuddle and hold this little girl all day if I could. She is so enjoyable to be with . . .

Mud

It doesn't matter how little or how much mud is around, little boys will be boys.

Yes the pants and shirt are on backwards and he is wearing a hat that is about a million times too big for him! It was only later that I learned that the mud where he was playing (which came from the sprinklers running out into our driveway) was by a pipe that was experiencing sewage overflow-- I am SO sick every time I think about it. Oh well. He seems to be fine even a few weeks later.

This is the back yard jungle. We love having a yard with grass, but it needs so much work! At least the sprinklers are in and work well :)

eggplant must be an aquired taste . . .

Last night I attempted to make Eggplant Parmesan. I think it turned out right . . . there were not problems as far as overcooked or undercooked . . . except that I can officially say I don't like eggplant so it wasn't a hit. At the risk of boring you here is the story:


So one of our neighbors grows a humongous garden and is a chef. He gave me the eggplant and told me how to prepare it. I told him that we had tried eggplant a few times, but I had never been pleased with the texture or flavor. So here goes nothing I decided. But I was wrong. 4:30 pm I start--Burke is usually home by 6. I peeled and sliced the eggplant and set it out on a cooling rack to "sweat"-- a process that removes the bitterness of the plant by sprinkling coarse sea salt on the surface. Rebekah started crying and I was washing dishes. I finished the dishes and sat down to feed the baby. Hmmm. Where is Preston? He has snuck a bag of Sunday's rolls into his bedroom and is having a tea party. Bread and crumbs everywhere. Some rolls can be salvaged. I didn't yell. Back to the eggplant. Rinse and dry the eggplant. Rebekah is shrieking again. Put Rebekah in the front pack. Head back to the Kitchen. Pull out the blender to make breadcrumbs. Make the breadcrumbs out of stale loaf ends. Beat a few eggs in a square pan. Dip the eggplant slices and bread. Rebekah wants to touch everything so it takes longer than it should. Finish the first pan. Where is Preston? After some hunting I find him (because it is strangely quiet and he is not answering my calls) Found . . . in my closet spraying all of my clothes (& let's face it Burke's too) with purfume. There is also a bottle of hairspray on the floor and his hair is very sticky. I yell this time. 5:36pm Where is Burke?! He has been off work only 6 minutes-- and that is if he left on time-- can't count on him for help just yet! Clean up Preston (somewhat) and redirect. Return to the kitchen. Dip and bread the second pan of eggplant. Bake 10 minutes per side. Burke gets home and takes Rebekah at this point. I tell him if he doesn't like this dinner we are going out to eat. It has just been that kind of day. I start cleaning again (I do miss all of the counter space I had in my last kitchen. I keep telling myself we are going to have a nice evening and enjoy each other. I am feeling less stressed. By 6:30 I am assembling the casserole-- layering eggplant, red sauce, and cheeses. End with cheese and sprinkle with basil. Bake 20 minutes more. Then I remember that I am supposed to serve with pasta. No water boiling. I decide I can still land on my feet. Put the water on high heat. Find some pasta. Somehow it is now after 7. Why is everything taking so long?! 7:30 we finally sit down to eat. Whew! I am feeling relieved and ready to be done. I am the only one eating. Burke and Preston are picking at this afraid it might jump out and bite them. It is an unusal taste, but not terribly gross. I decide I probably won't make it again. Preston declares he is finished. Burke asks where I want to go to dinner. I almost start to cry. He is nice and appreciative but I still feel bad. Three hours of work. We still need dinner. How is Burger King better than what I just made? I find myself not hungry. I order a milkshake. While I drink it I decide eggplant must be an aquired taste. I think we are having ramen noodles tonight!

Husband Tag

1. What is his name? Burke Benjamin Hill
2.Who eats more? Me. This has been true as long as I can remember.
3. Who said, "I love you" first? Him.
4. Who is taller? Him.
5. Who is smarter? Him.
6. Who is more sensitive? Me.
7. Who does the laundry? Probably 50/50
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me--Burke is pretty funny about this one. It really bugs him when I change things up on his/hers stuff-- Case in point I got in trouble for using "his" sink in our bathroom . . .
9. Who pays the bills? Burke, sometimes me but usually Burke
10. Who cooks more? lol* ME*
11. Who is more stubborn? That is a draw-- both of us can be very stubborn.
12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? Me.
13. Who has more siblings? Me-- I have 8 Burke has 7.
14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Burke * ahem at least our relationship works best when that is what I let him think! ;) *
15. What do you like to do together? Sometimes we read together . . . but truthfully he works 50-60 hours and we have 2 kiddos so we are rarely together just he and I. Board games are a favorite standby.
16. Who eats more sweets? Burke
17. Guilty Pleasures? Fortune magazine
18. How did you meet? 1st Grade-- Mrs. Stuart's class. Seriously, I can't remember meeting him, I have always known him!
19. Who asked whom out first? Burke asked me.
20. Who kissed whom first? Burke kissed me.
21. Who proposed? Burke asked me-- he is pretty traditional so I am not sure he would have said yes if I had asked . . .
22. His best features and qualities? Burke is patient and a lot of fun to be around. He is handsome and funny :) One of his best qualities is his love for me and our beautiful children.

I tag Brittney, Anne, Mindy, Mel Reynolds, anyone else who wants to do this!!

Goodbye Wyoming Dirt . . .

While there are things I miss about Pinedale, the dirt is not one of them! We lived a few miles down a dirt road (that was sometimes very rough to drive on!) and the cars were always filthy. I don't know how much $ I spent on car washes because it was so constantly being done (and nobody could ever tell) but it probably should have had it's own line item in the budget ledger! This was our first Saturday morning in Fruita--Burke couldn't wait to blast the tar and dirt off of his truck and then he wanted me to help him clean mine-- so focus on the mud you can see under the vehicles on the driveway pavement--it is all good old Wyoming dirt washed away . . .The pics don't really do it justice there was SO much dirt!

Mr. Independent

Warning: This is not to be construed as cool fashion tips!




I have said many times to myself that if we are not about to have family pictures and it is not church this child can wear what he wants how he wants. I do have to say I am getting some strange looks about what my little Preston decides to wear these days!

Rebekah

Does anyone else find it hard to believe Rebekah is 5 1/2 months old?! I cannot believe how fast it has gone for me this time. She is so fun. A few milestones she is hitting: Experimenting with pitch and very noisy "telling stories" whenever she is awake. Her two bottom teeth I can feel (though I cannot see them yet!) She is also perfecting the roll and scoot so she gets around the room pretty well. I have seen her try to go up on hands and knees a few times. She really wants to move :) She has also been very giggly lately. There is nothing as wonderful and sweet as a baby laugh. Here she is with her two new loves: The Johnny Jump up (Preston calls this a "Johnny Bouncer!") and the pacifier . . .

I know all the baby books say wean the baby from the pacifier at 6 months-- Rebekah decided she liked it at 5 months! What do you do?!