My 33rd Birthday Morning (that was in March)

Yes. That is an espresso mousse inside of a demi cup made of chocolate. It took me over a week to finish it. But I did. Oh, I did.

Alden and Dustin are very good at remembering my special day. Tuesday birthday's can be a little boring but they make it fun!


Each year just gets better and better. Aside from some physical marks of age (hello, boobs gazing all cross-eyed at my gut), I'm feeling stronger and wiser each year.

The Village People Called...

This doesn't happen to you? You don't come up from your office to grab a cup of coffee and you're greeted by a couple of hunks? NO? You should come to work with me. I get whistled at constantly.

New Ka-shower

This entry title and the last are referencing a stupid (read: awesome) inside joke in our family. Alden has been consumed and enamored by Lightening McQueen of the Cars movie. Over time and after watching that movie over a chabillion times, I tried making a couple of jokes that use Lightening's tag line, "Ka-chow". Here are a few examples:

Q: What does Lightening McQueen do right after a long, hot race?
A: He takes a Ka-shower.

Q: What does Lightening McQueen say if he gets a boo-boo while racing?
A: Aw, Ka-chowie!

Q: What is Lightening McQueen's favorite Chinese take-out meal?
A: Kung Ka-chow Chicken

I'll stop there so you don't spurt coffee out of your nose. Everyone I told these to first hand just groaned. A certain family told me to "Ka-shut up". They're just jealous of my mad comic skills. And our new shower.


It feels like you are showering in a hull of a boat.
Easy to clean and so much better than the cold, faux tile that was molding and flaking all over the tub.

Yes, the concrete has now made it into a fourth room of our house. Only two to go and we'll have concrete domination! It is the best material to work with and Dustin swears by it's versatility and ease of use.

New Ka-Closet

Over the last three years, this closet has been created, updated, and improved more than any other part of the house. This is excluding the leak in the roof that is on it's 6th extensive repair. Don't mention that one to D. It's a fragile topic that is mostly explained in exasperated non-words.

Pre-Baby Room April 2009

Alden's room May 2009

Renter "improvement". She took the liberty to change the closet out for this striking magenta update. 2010

View from the door 2012

These are the real deal wooden rods. Growing up, we'd had a metal pipe in our closet. This here is fancy. I insisted on it. 2012

Cement floors 2012

Alden is growing and his need (our need) for better storage is now accommodated. Dustin did a great job and we are all better off for it!

Hide-and-Seek

At any moment in our home, Alden is being hunted. He'll hide randomly and we'll seek when we notice it is far too quiet.


Hide. Yell "walla, walla" until we find him. Repeat.

We're Almost There!

You can almost see the spring curly willow leaf buds through the holiday lights on our porch. This means two things:
1) It is nearly mother-lovin' spring. Sun. Bright. Not so cutty and sad.
2) We are that family that has Christmas lights still up in March.
c) It is nearly my birthday. My birthday toe is itching to get broken again...

Brush-a, Brush-a, Brush-a

The family that brushes together also flosses together.

These two are learning to brush... Alden in general with his many teeth and Aunt Bekki with her new braces. Adorable.