STRIIIIKE! (Not.)

Well 2010 is here, and while we're trying to dodge sickness (and pretty much FAILING at that-each child has had no less than 3 colds and a virus since Thanksgiving!) and stay warm in this ridiculously cold weather-we are getting to do some fun things to keep us busy!



January 5 was the wonderfully momentous occasion of Banks' Fifth Birthday :) For a dog whom we spend a majority of the time scolding, he sure does get pampered too! Ty wanted to make him a birthday treat, so we made dog cookies...


Measuring out the eccentric ingredients...whole wheat flour, beef barley, garlic powder, powdered milk...eek.


Whisking in the egg. Note to self: DO NOT make savory dog treats (especially ones containing beef derivatives) at any hour before noon, and certainly be ready to burn some heavily scented candles afterwards (OR make a very aromatic pumpkin bread with a cinnamon streusel topping-with just a hint of cardamom, mmm, which is what I did!)

Gotta use that good ol' rolling pin!

Snow Day!

Puzzles are currently Ty's favorite pasttime...

Look at those chompers :)

Ty decided it would be kind of fun to put nearly every one of my racing medals around his neck (including the Little Rock Marathon one-which is apparently the World's largest, ha!)




Teasing her best (furry) friend at the back door!

Nah nah na boo boo!

Bumper Bowling! Ty's very first time! It started out kind of rough-as in, he was having a tantrum as we walked in to the bowling alley. However, as soon as he tossed (barely flicked!) his ball for the first time, he was hooked! Thankfully, there were snacks and juice as time fillers between turns. Marlo just cozied along in the sling and said "baa" or "ball" about 725 times. He made it about 8 frames (impressive) and I think his score was about 25 or 30 (yes, TOTAL!) by that point. He couldn't have cared less about how many pins went down, and a few times he got so impatient with how slow the ball went down the lane that he wandered off and forgot to watch the end result of his turn, ha! If you must know, it was a CODE BROWN that called him away from his game before its completion. Don't know what that is? I'll give you one glaring hint: BOWLING ALLEYS DO NOT HAVE CHANGING TABLES IN THEIR RESTROOMS...)

There were other important things to do besides watching your ball go insanely slow down the lane , (as deemed appropriate by a toddler boy of course), like eat pretzels, try to lift up 18 lb. balls, and stare at the endless black abyss that is the ball return thingy!...

All together now, "COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"

And if you have the patience, here's a video of one of those painfully slow throws...remember I had to watch about 16 of these...I'm waiting with bated breath for my "World's Most Patient Mom" Medal. I'll gladly wear that bling!