Long Haul Mini Donuts

The law of attraction is very powerful. Especially when you are married to Dustin Hardin. If I want something in life, he is bound to pick up on that and provide. Even if it is said in a flippant, one second conversation about a year ago. We were discussing the merits of owning a business and I mentioned that it could be fun to own a food cart like those in Portland. Funky, fun, and totally focused on one type of food. Well.

Here we go! In orange no less, we got a Chevy truck bed, ordered a donut machine and all of the fixings, and got to work.


It's not every day you get a pallet of goods delivered to your house.

Orange, orange, orange. Build, clean, happy, donuts, good times.

Boom. Because we are in it for the long haul.


Our crest symbolizes that here in southern Oregon we are making alliances through fried dough treats. Please join us.

During first Friday Art Walk in downtown Grants Pass, we had our picture taken for the paper. There has been a boom (count 8) food carts in town that ruffled some feathers about where we can operate. But you can't deny the public a donut. We will be setting up for every event we can and stretching to the limit from there!

Backyard = Attack Yard

The month of May brought about some great things for our back yard. Mostly a garden that was and is and seems to forever be committed to producing kale. I've eaten kale for three meals a day many a day this summer. I've juiced it, sauteed it, crisped it into chips, dried it, blended it. It may come to injecting it soon.



This will be our new driveway next summer now that we have gravel there and an alley way gate. It's been there the whole time, really, but we've always had piles of scrap from the yard, house, chickens, etc. Now it is free and clear for parking. Our master plan is working!

Our new patio breeze way... patio pending.

Boatnik Carnival

I imagine from the perspective of any kid, that all "carnabol" rides are outrageously huge, so it seems silly to measure your height to see if you can enjoy ANY of them.

Alden humored me and we were ok'd to ride some of the less intense rides. We didn't have to go far because the colossal Laffy Taffy pink slide was the ONLY thing he was interested in.



Now every time we are at Riverside Park, Alden asked that we ride the slide from the carnabol. While I'm typically relieved that Boatnik/Freaknik is but once a year, it is tough when explaining that to a kid that's just got his ticket to ride!

Just like a true Oregonian/Hardin... Alden saddles up to the first lil' lady that has cotton candy. Dustin always says that he has carny blood in his veins.

Boatnik Parade

Speaking of family, here are the two cousins - Conner and Colby - whom Alden asks to see daily. We met them and their mom, Megan, at the Boatnik parade during the Memorial Day weekend. For the first time in my shredded memory bank, it didn't rain!

We walked down to the Farmer's Market later and continued to run amok until Alden was all sweaty and whipped up. Who came up with the idea to toss candy out to children from the floats anyhow? Parades are already a good time, why do we need to bribe them to stay there? Picking candy up off the street from a stranger? Sounds totally smart!


Ok, I've joined the band of our family members from the Hardin side that insist that Conner is the spitting image of Uncle Ryan and that Alden is Dustin's mini-him. This is the evidence. It speaks for itself. Of course those of you who don't have access to a picture of brothers Ryan and Dustin from the 80's will have to trust me on this one.

First Camping Trip

Camping is good. Marshmallows are better. Especially ones that are the size of a toddlers hand.

We went on our maiden camping voyage with Megan, Max, and their 2 (soon-to-be three!)and their friends. We kept it local at Indian Mary making this my first time camping here, too. Alden loved sleeping in the barns (tents) and couldn't quite get over that we were outside when we had a fine home to do all of this in.

With a playground nearby and big kid bikes to ride, Alden was busy and exhausted at 9am the next morning! Success!

Fishing with Pops

In the 4 times that I've lived here in Grants Pass, including my entire youth, I cannot recall ever going to Lake Selmac. Just thirty minutes outside of town, it is so pretty, rather large, and perfect for taking your son fishing on for the first time.

Alden likes the lures and calls Power Bait "fish candy". He's got the right idea!

Dustin played it cool but I'm pretty sure he's been dreaming of this moment since we found out we had delivered a boy!

Cinco De Mayo

I don't know about you but when I think of Mexico's Independence Day, I think of pony rides.

Meet Ms. Annie and Cowboy Bob and Molly the pony. Alden hadn't ridden a pony since he was 6 months old. This time it really sunk in.

Art Class(es)

At the beginning of the warm months our community center offered art classes for toddlers. We went a few times to check out the progressive art that the great teachers patiently walked the kids through. They read books about colors and featured a historic artist of the week. I think that Alden was really there for the free period at the end where they could run around in circles in a toddler frenzy.

Finger painting becomes...

... elbow painting becomes...

... whole arm painting!

BFF Jackson and Alden made father's day cards one morning.

That's Good Bingo

All I wanted for my birthday this year was to play bingo. Since that's not your typical Saturday evening fun fest in Grants Pass, Oregon, we decided to host a game or 6 ourselves.

With daubers in hand, nearly 18 people sat patiently as we worked our way through so many games. It was fun. It was loud. And their were some prizes won. We had all sorts of things for the lucky winners: a baked potato shaped planter, a Pez dispenser, a Hall and Oats record, a ceramic taco holder, and cash money.





This kid was daubed out.

Roller Derby Name

I am joining this as soon as I can purchase my mouth gaurd. This has been over 6 years in the making. I'm was a chicken and now I'm not.

Help me decide on my Rolley Derby name:

Tangy Ream (like tangerine)

Rita Freakin' Book

Orange You Glad

Code Orange

Big Eddie Orange Punch

Blood Orange

Thanks to several submissions from Gavin. He gets me.

Shut the Front Door!

This new door came to us locally from Rogue Valley Door. Dustin does some of their marketing and design work. In trade, we scored this beautiful new front door. Dustin was committed to get it in for our guest to enter through for my birthday party!

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!