In Memorium

This is to announce the passing of our young, once vibrant, Garbage Disposal. Garbage Disposal has been an important member of our family since late 2006, and we regret to inform the public that he is no longer with us.

After a brief encounter involving chicken parts, Garbage Disposal quickly succumbed to a short illness in which the vital grinding mechanisms were compromised. Valiant until the last, Garbage Disposal continued to work for us for some time despite horrifyingly guttural noises coming from the innermost depths of the sink. Early Wednesday evening, however, Garbage Disposal was unable to continue functioning. The guttural noises were replaced by a quiet hum, indicating that Garbage Disposal will grind no more.

Services for Garbage Disposal will be held this weekend, but due to space constraints, they will be limited to close family and friends.

Thank you, Garbage Disposal, for giving us a reason to keep food out of our trash and for helping to make our kitchen just a little bit less stinky. We'll miss you.

Stinker Dinker

This is what I get for leaving Savanna unattended on the kitchen counter. One bottle of Oregano, gone. One bottle of Lawry's Season Salt, gone. One bottle of dried chives, gone. The explanation?

"I'm making dinner!"

Philosophizing with a four-year-old

A couple weeks ago, Julia and I were in the car together on the way home from a Primary activity. At a stoplight, I looked over next to us and saw a heavy-set, long-haired man on a motorcycle, with a youngish girl on the back. I thought I'd pick her brain a little, so I said, "Julia, do you think Daddy should get a motorcycle like that?" She thought for a minute, then said, "No, 'cause then Daddy would have to change. He'd have to look like that guy." I asked her, "and would Mommy have to look like that girl?"

Pause. More thinking...

"Yeah. And you'd have to not have any kids."

I love four-year-old logic.

Zooventures

Okay, folks, as excited as I am to post the pics of our Fun August Camping Adventure, (the one that was completely stress-free and relaxing, in which my kids stayed impeccably clean the whole time--wink wink) I promised myself that I'd get caught up on some previous events first.

So, my parents came to visit us in July and kindly treated us to a day at the World Wildlife Zoo in Surprise over 4th of July weekend. We spent the morning at the zoo and then came back to visit the aquarium at night...so much stinkin' fun despite the fact that it was so hot that our smiles and eyebrows literally started melting off of our faces. You can probably see the sweat and pink-cheeked flushiness in most of these pics, so now you know what hard-core Arizonans we are... surely we won't let a little 115 degree heat get in the way of our outdoor adventures.

Grandma and Grandpa (without the beard) and our lovely girls.

Feeding a giraffe--one of the coolest things I've ever seen

Here I am with a mysterious handsome man that I found by the flamingos.

Here's that same hottie holding one of my kids.

The petting zoo--not stinky at all on such a hot day.

Here's J ready for a safari.

Oh, so Lovely

So, today I am wearing my usual not-going-anywhere uniform (comfy sweat capris and a pink t-shirt) and Julia comes up to me while I'm making dinner and rubs my leg and says, "Mommy, you look so pretty!"

Oh, just keep 'em coming, my sweet girl!