Ear surgery & the park

 Here are the only two pictures I got from little sister's ear surgery yesterday:

She was super, super happy before they took her back.  I was surprised because she was awake at about 630 am & she usually isn't up until an hour or so later than that.  She was just crawling all over the place, jabbering up a storm.  The nurses kept telling me how cute she was.  In fact, one nurse told me, "If all your babies are this cute, you need to have a dozen!"  When I told her B was number four she told me, "Well, you've got a good start."  Ha!  No way could I do a dozen!

I was glad I took her Minnie Mouse that Grandma Terri gave her for her birthday.  She spent a lot of time loving on Min Mouse.

Dr. Blotter (our ENT) said that when he cut into her ear drum it was thick (like scar tissue almost) because of all the ear infections she's had.  He said that her ear was inflamed and that he actually had to flush her ear out FOUR times.  He said that he had gone back and forth about what kind of tube or tubes to put in her ear.  He said he finally came to the decision that if it was his daughter, he would use a titanium tube (not a T tube) and he would use one that had a slightly larger opening in it.  He said that he was just very worried that if he put two in her little ear drum that it would perforate and then we'd have to go to repair mode like we did Sam.  We are doing drops 3 x a day for about five days.  Her first follow up appointment is May 29.  Cross your fingers her tube is open & not clogged when we go because I don't know what any of us will do if it's clogged again!

Recently little sister has gotten quite an attitude!  This is the face (along with a high pitched scream) I get when she wants my phone & I refuse to give it to her.

I took the boys & B to the park while Sam was a dance tonight.  She was thrilled that I got her out of her carseat and let her crawl around on the grass.  Usually by the time we get there she's so tired she just needs to konk so I don't let her get out and within five minutes she's out cold.

 Not super thrilled about the grandma butt I got in this photo, but oh well.

This was taken the other day when we walked/rode bikes down to the park at Lincoln Elementary.  B loved going down the slide with her siblings.

Summer Bucket List

My sister put this on her blog & I really liked the idea, so I copied it!  On my list that I'm typing up & printing out, I'm putting a little box to check off each item when I/we do it.  The once a week activities will get 11 checks if we do it every week!  The once a month activities will get 3 checks if we do it every month.  Let the summer begin!  What will YOU be doing?

Summer Bucket List

Try 1 new recipe a week 

Enroll 3 kids in swimming lessons 

Go to Hogle Zoo 

Go to the park at least once a week 

Go to the River Walk at least once a week 

Bust out the Easy Bake Oven at least once a week 

Sleep out in the yard 

Go camping at least once a month 

Go on at least one family vacation 

Go on a bike ride 

Participate in the Hyrum Library Summer Reading 

Survive summer school x 2 

Collect more than 18 lap beads at Relay 

Send Caleb to all 9 Summer Camps at Miss Shannon's house 

Have a boutique at my place 

Finish at least 10 sewing projects

Move all my sewing stuff downstairs 

Clean & organize the basement 

Get that fall/spring/summer cleaning done that continues to elude me 

Feed the goats by Cindy's house 

Go feed the ducks at First Dam 

Go fishing at least once a month 

Go to Lake Powell 

Use the grill at least once a week 

Eliminate the phrases "Can I play on the computer?" "Can I watch TV?" & "Can I play the XBOX/DS?" 

Stay out of the Dr.'s office! 

Make jam (raspberry & strawberry) 

Go to Bear Lake 

Can salsa 

Can pears

Let the kids blow as many bubbles as they want 

Run through the sprinklers at least once a week 

Help Samantha memorize all her multiplication tables (0-12) 

Go to the Hyrum 4th of July Parade 

Go to Manti at least once a month 

Potty train Caleb - completely & totally! 

Eliminate Brookelyn's bottle 

Phone dump

Little sister has decided she absolutely loves standing up in the tub.  She either reaches for me and tries not to belly slide out of the tub, or grabs a hold of the faucet & screams at the baby she can see.

Last weekend when we were at my dad's shop getting ready for the yard sale, Caleb had a face vs commercial toilet paper holder moment.  I told him, "It's ok bud.  Chicks dig scars."  Now he goes around and tells people, "Look at my face.  It's ok though because chicks dig scars."  Whoops. 

This was our Happy Birthday greeting to Brookelyn's birthday buddy Cindy (my "other mother") on May 8th.  We tease & say Brooke was Cindy's 50th birthday present.

She loves this stupid jellyfish I bought Caleb when we were in Oregon.  She also took quite a liking to the empty box.  Who needs real toys anyway?

I did double piggy tails in sister's hair for the first time the other day.  She did NOT like it.  I think it had more to do with the fact that her dad was holding her while I was doing it and he was pinning her down.  I always just put her in her high chair and give her some food or a toy & she doesn't scream too much.

We went to my cousin's wedding shower on Saturday.  We were finally able to get a picture of all FIVE great grandbabies that were born last year.  They are in order left to right from oldest to youngest.  I think Brooke is the biggest followed by Rhett who is the youngest, then Bryson (second to last), then Sunny (the oldest) and then Parker (center).  Parker's the only one walking yet though!

She totally has a knack for pulling out her pony tail when she gets sick of it.  Who needs the pony tail when you can rock a mohawk like this though?

This is where I found Caleb tonight.  Sound asleep, sitting upright, in the laundry basket, on the couch.  Who knew such a location would be comfortable enough to prompt sleep?

On Saturday we went out to my in law's house for a Mother's Day celebration.  First time I look at Nash I notice his forehead.  He doesn't even know what he did!  My father in law mentioned that they look an awful lot like the trampoline springs.  Seriously!  How do you NOT know what you did to yourself!  I thank heaven we have good medical insurance every single day!  We sure put it to good use over here!

A new recipe

Caleb's preschool teacher made these cupcakes for my yard sale/bake sale/fundraiser last weekend.  Everyone raved about them (I never got to try one).  We were going out to my in laws house tonight for a Mother's Day party so I decided to make them.  They ARE DELICIOUS!  Try it out!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Hi-Hat Cupcakes (From: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/) Yield: 18 cupcakes (I did a dbl batch & got 48 regular cupcakes & 18 mini ones)

Cupcake:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs
1/2 c. peanut oil
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate regular size)

Whisk flour, soda & coca.  In another bowl mix sugar, peanut butter and eggs until well combined.  Mix oil, milk & vanilla into wet ingredients.  Slowly add flour mixture until fully incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for 30 min (about 15-18 for me) or until done.

Frosting:
1 c. unsalted butter (room temp)
2 c. smooth peanut butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. + 2 TBSP milk

Mix butter and peanut butter until fully combined.  Mix in powdered sugar a little at a time.  Add milk a little at a time and keep mixing until frosting becomes light and fluffy (about 3 min).  Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake.  Place frosted cupcakes in freezer for 1 hour (I did 30 min).

Chocolate dip:
2 c. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate regular size)
3 TBSP peanut oil

Place chocolate chips and oil in tall microwave safe cup (2 c. pyrex cup).  Microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted.  Let chocolate sit a few minutes (you want it still warm but not hot to touch).  Take cupcakes out of freezer.  One by one take cupcakes by wrapper, turn upside down and dunk into melted chocolate.  Make sure frosting is covered.  Let excess chocolate chip drip off.  Store in fridge.