Sniper Files

This is a strange bush. I never noticed it before in the back yard. From the looks of it, the dogs haven't seen it before either.Oh my! It's not a shrubbery! It's a boy. Tyler was hiding in his ghillie suit.

Brett made this ghillie suit, it took him at least 24 hours to loop individual threads and create it. Don't ask why we have ghillie suits. I don't have a good answer. It seems to be perfect for hide and seek though.

Partner's Dinner

Last Tuesday I went to dinner in Laguna Beach for my last Partner's meeting with my friend Tish. Partner's is a one on one bible study we do through our church, kind of a mentoring program that takes you through the basics of Christianity and the bible. It was a refresher course for me, and a great way to further bond with my friend Tish. I met over a year ago in our Bunco group. She has fast become one of my favorite people and best friends. She took me to dinner at a restaurant called 5 Feet and we had an awesome time.

This right here was why we went to this place. This is a WHOLE catfish, (I know, catfish? Who'da thunk it?) it was marinated for 48 hours, tempuraed, then deep fried for seven minutes, served with cilantro, leeks and some szechuan sauce that made me cry it was so good. This fish was to die for. I kid you not.All the delicous sauces for our appetizer.

Appetizer for two.

Tish and the Chef. I love Tish, she has been a blessing to my life. We have decided to start a book club now, so we don't have to quit meeting weekly!

Easter and Random Phone Pictures

This is the face of a boy on the verge of becoming a teenager. Notice how he looks a little bored, like he wants you to know that this coloring egg thing was forced on him. In reality, he set the whole thing up and forced it on me.

This here is my BUNCO group. I love these ladies. Desiree(bestest friend on my block), me, Tish(I love my Tish), Cindy, Tami, Cindy P.(who had a baby two days after this photo was taken) and Sandy(Desiree's mom) We have been playing together for over a year.

Wiener dogs on a rock.

Matt's first grade class at their Jog-A-Thon.

Eggstravaganza Event, our church puts it on every year. One of the egg hunts.

Eggstravaganza. Balloon tommy gun. Life doesn't get much better.

Oh brother Chris, did your head recover from all the bleach I burned you with? That's the price you pay to be a blonde.

Brett at Disneyland.

San Diego Mud Run

First mud run of the year was awesome! This was Brett's very first race, the San Diego Mud Run 5k. Brett, me, Brett's sister Michele, her son Alex, and a few of Michele's neighbors all did the run. It was a good course, thirty mud pits, nasty hill (steepest 500 foot hill I have ever climbed), lots of hoses to dodge, way fun. Michele beat us all, AGAIN. That girl is quick. In June we do the big Camp Pendleton Mud Run, 10k (six miles) and we are all excited about that one. Even my brother David will be coming down for that.

Mud Run head tattoo.The last mud pit, Brett pre-mud.

Alex, Brett, me, Michele and her neighbors.

Look at Michele and her thumbs up!

Here comes Brett out of a pit.

These were our showers. Cold.

After mud.

Happy St. Paddys Day!

How cute are these cakes? Also on the menu was Kobe Corned Beef and Cabbage, whiskey-maple glazed carrots, and finger potatoes. Guinness was poured and enjoyed. All was well.

Quickie Camping

I came home from the grocery store on Saturday afternoon to Chris and Brett asking how much it would cost to go camping over in the canyon. Brett had some new gear he wanted to try out, and they were bored. Within two hours, we had the kids and the men packed up to go on an over-nighter at Lake Irvine. I didn't have to go! I was going to have a whole evening to myself! Of course, it didn't work out that way. I wound up picking Matt up later that night, and he and I shared my bed with our three dogs and Chris's dog, who I wound up babysitting.

Here are some fish that the guy next to them caught. Once again, for the fourth time in a row, the boys caught ZERO fish. None.Tyler likes the idea of catching fish. Its too bad he doesn't have someone around who actually knows how and could teach him. So he has to settle for staring at the fish caught by a stranger.

The night before at camp, I created a new dessert. See Tyler enjoying it here:

Bad photo, but this is my creation, a toasted marshmallow, cup full of popcorn, mix well. Campfire popcorn balls!

Brett is so happy to be out in the wilds of Irvine.

Matt is content to stare at shiny lights.

I haven't popped popcorn like this in years. Way fun.

Looks promising, like he is ready to catch a fish! But no. No fish for you.

Awana Hike

Yesterday Matthew and I participated in the annual Awana Sparkies Hike, at a park in San Juan Capistrano. It's a section of their workbooks that they are required to complete each year. It was lots of fun, Matthew is really enjoying making new friends through our church.

Here the kids are, following the knowledgable hike leader, who happens to be an environmental consultant. He was very funny, taught the kids all about poison oak, since we kept running across it. Oh, and stink bugs. We kept finding those, too.They also learned about some flowers that they could eat, and eat them they did.

Look at all those mustard flowers! They make me sneeze.