Happy Birthday Brandon

 Brandon had to be in class all day on his birthday and we hardly even saw him this week.  He even had to make his own birthday cake which was a unique creation involving cake balls stuffed with Rollos.  Even though we didn't get to do much to celebrate, we will always be grateful for the most popular member of this household.  The girls love their daddy so much and I feel like the luckiest lady ever to have a best friend like him to share my life with.

And onto a completely unrelated topic:  I feel like I never have enough pictures of Daisy on here.  Mostly it has to do with the fact that she won't cooperate when the camera comes out.  Here are a few moments that try and catch some of her entertaining personality.

 She is proud of her belly and also fascinated with the way mine is growing. 

 I thought the other day that she was going to get attacked by a mama goose when she went after the babies with a red balloon.  She wasn't scared at all by the hissing because she was so enamored with the goslings.  They were super cute, but I was terrified that if it came to a fight between moms that the goose would get the better of me.  Luckily we got out of there once I mustered the guts to go and grab her.

Don't show this picture to the dentist.  A little bit of black licorice could last for days in that mouth.

A Fun Time with Family

Derek, Aynna, Jonah and Eleanor came out to visit and we had a great time.  We were having so much fun that I didn't even remember to get out my camera until we went to the coast.  It was a little bit overcast but still a beautiful day and the cousins had to get right into the water.

 Mostly everyone ended up either partially or completely soaked but it was worth it.  Rocky keeps talking about how she already misses Jonah and can't wait to see him again soon.

The only one out of like 10 pictures that Rocky showed her face, and it is grumpy.

 Two dead fish sleepers on the way home.

A Chair and Some Hamburger Cookies

 Rocky and Daisy found this chair at T.J. Maxx and Rocky insisted that I take a picture so that she could show her daddy.  I'm glad that I did because it makes me happy to see my girls sitting that close and both smiling.

Kathy sent the ingredients to make these hamburger cookies and we had a ton of fun putting them together. 

 Rocky was pretty diligent at getting right to work but Daisy was more interested in tasting the quality of each ingredient.

 Thanks Abia!

Hippie Chick Half

Lindsey, Marci, Randi, Audrey, Laurie, Janet, Michelle, and Heather

 On Saturday I had the awesome opportunity to run a half marathon with some of the greatest friends a girl could have.  I remember that way back in Young Womens they used to tell us to look for friends that encouraged us to be the best we could and I am happy to say that I've found a bunch of them here in Eugene.  I was completely inspired by the way everyone challenged themselves, whether it be through the length of the race, getting a P.R. or Laurie, running 13 miles at 8 1/2 months pregnant without even going into labor.  I was so proud of everyone and so excited to have such a beautiful day to enjoy.
I ran into Laurie and her camera at the turnaround and was cursing her out for taking a photo of me while I was walking through the water stop.  I had been trying to look cool the whole way back only to get caught slacking.   

 The course was beautiful and the atmosphere of the race was such a blast.  I hit it a little too hard the first 10 miles which made the last 3 pretty excruciating and really slow.  I swear that the mile between 12 and 13 was really 5 miles masquerading as one.  Whenever I started to think wimpy thoughts I had to remind myself of the little Hippie Chicklet that I was carrying with me and show her that her old mama can do hard things.  By the time I hit the finish my stride looked more like a stumble from the cramping in my calves but I felt great.  Officially I was at 2:19:58 and while it wasn't my fastest race ever, it was one of the best.

 

Happy Mother's Day

Another Mother's Day, another futile attempt to get all three of us smiling at once.  You can't see it but the new little sister is already rolling her eyes to get ready for next years photo, which will be even more of a challenge.

Sugar and Spice

We were excited to find out we are having a girl!  I'm not so sure that she is going to be 'everything nice' though because during the ultrasound the technician actually stopped recording and went back to prove that our half-baked baby had actually just flipped her off.  I know that these things aren't extremely detailed but, as far as any of us could tell, she had that middle finger suspiciously held in front of her face. 

I don't want everything to become a competition, but it seems that this little one is already challenging Daisy for early use of vulgarity.
Rocky is thrilled and says that we need to name her Daisy.  I told her that the name Daisy is already taken but she doesn't care.  When I asked her if she was sad that she wasn't going to have a brother she said, "Yeah, but just a little bit sad, not a big sad."
Daisy's response is that she has no idea what we are talking about.
I've started planning all the awesome girls only activities that we will be able to do together and Brandon is already looking to the peace and quiet that he will probably only have when the rest of us are out on those activities.

Cinco de Mayo

Delicioso

 Since we don't have any huge sombreros or fake mustaches to wear around town like the rest of the college students on Patterson we had no choice but to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant.
El Pato Verde is almost like a second home to our family and I have spent many a Tuesday and Saturday evening there wrapping burritos.  My little job working with Victor and Rosi has been more fun than work and we have appreciated how they have adopted us.

 If you haven't been there you are missing out on amazing food and the two nicest people you could ever meet.  Nestled next to campus on 13th between Patterson and Hilyard is the best place in town for delicious grilled burritos that will blow your mind. 

 I'm getting hungry just looking at the picture.

 We also hit up the music festival on campus.  Brandon did his part by cycling to power the instruments.  I didn't even take a picture of the band but they were great. 

 And Sunday night this week once again hit us hard.  It is 7:00 and both girls are completely out.  I think we are going to be in big trouble when they wake up and it is time for bed.  Right now it is a risk I am willing to take.

Where's Daisy?

Bonus pictures:

And just one more thing...Brandon and I actually went out and saw the Avengers.  Thanks to one incredibly awesome friend who watched the young'uns we were able to see it on opening day.  I'm going to admit that I got all misty-eyed several times and that I also laughed my guts out.  I find myself surprised at how delighted I am at all of these superhero movies but they are just so good.
I have been thinking a lot about it since we saw it and I really love that all the characters have different strengths.  As I go through life and meet cool people I start to think that there is a "right" way for a person to be.  For example, I think that it is right to have a perfectly clean house, or to run multiple marathons, or to make beautiful DIY crafts and that the rest of us that aren't really succeeding in those areas are just kind of failing.  As I watched the characters in the movie with their different skills it made me think that it is silly to assume that the right way to bring justice to humankind is by wielding an enchanted hammer, or that in order to correctly kick butt you would have to have an arc reactor imbedded in your chest and an iron suit to fly around in.  Sometimes what is needed is a big green monster with an incredibly explosive temper or a willowy gymnast/interrogator who does her own share of taking care of business.  There might even be a situation in which what is needed is a great leader who carries a bulletproof shield.  It is the differences in who they are that make the Avengers unstoppable. 
Okay, so I know this is a pretty big stretch, but I'm serious.  I needed comic book characters to show me that there isn't a perfect way, but a lot of great ways to be.  Not being good at everything doesn't mean failure, it just means that everybody has her own way of fighting alien armies that are trying to take over the world.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, whatever they are, let your superpowers shine...and let go of the rest.