Yummy Brownie's

Okay... If you are doing the lowfat thing...look away now. But if you are like me and having been looking for 'the perfect brownie recipe'... the ooey, gooey, put icecream and whip cream on top of me brownie. My friends.... this is it.

2c. sugar
1c. butter, softened
4 eggs
2t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2t. salt

preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar together. add eggs and vanilla, mix well. In a separate bowl mix flour, cocoa,and salt together. Slowly stir into cream mixture until well mixed. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Balancing act.... gone wrong.

Ryan: " oh, Colby it's bleeding...."

Ryan: "MOM, Colby is bleeding!"

I slowly place the book I was reading on the back of the couch and make my way downstairs, to see Ryan racing from the bathroom with toilet paper for Colby.

Me : "WHAT HAPPENED??????"

Colby: howling.......

I then observe that Colby is holding the tissue on his forehead....not the nosebleeds we usually encounter.

Me: "WHAT WERE YOU DOING?????"

Colby: (he is stark naked ,mind you, because he had just gotten out of the tub.) "I was standing on that basketball and it slipped and I hit my head on the dresser."

Me: "Let me see the cut. WHY WERE YOU STANDING ON THE BASKETBALL?????"

I carefully pry the tissue of his wound.

Me: " Ryan, please go get your Dad... Tell him Colby cut his forehead and I need to know if I need to take him for stitches."

I'm standing there, I had washed my face for the day.... I'm wearing cut off shorts and an old t-shirt.... my hair has definitely seen better days...and I am on the brink of sheer exhaustion... I know that the cut is bad enough that he probably should get stitches... but I am hoping with all that I am that Wade will come to the rescue and tell me it isn't that bad. By now Colby is really howling and upon hearing the words stitches and emergency room.... has all but started to hyperventilate.

Wade walks in... fortunately he is, and always has been, the calm in my storm. Somehow he can remain calm and even witty under these kinds of circumstances.

Me: (annoyed) " He was trying to balance on his basketball and ...look, does he need stitches?"

Wade: "Ah, that's not too bad..We are done with this emergency room thing... I am going to stock up our first aid kit... and we are not running to the emergency room anymore. He's a boy... scars are cool when your a boy."

And with that Colby stopped howling... because he realized he wasn't going to have to go get stitches and I was relieved that I didn't have to make another trip to the emergency room looking like something the cat drug home. Wade doctored him up and we all went to bed.

Colby was a little concerned about hving to go to school the next day... until Wade convinced him how cool his scar was going to look.

These are the moments I wonder if I was cut out to be a mother of boys.

Colby...thinking about having to go to school with his fresh wound.

Colby after his Dad convinced him 'scars are cool'

Back in the Saddle again.

While I love, love, love Summer and the freedom from schedules it brings... I have to admit... by the end of August I am ready for a little routine and scheduling back in my life. I mean one can only handle the 'no structure' lifestyle for so long.

This time of year (more than January) is my goal setting time... my time to evaluate my life and set challenges for myself and design my new list of 'projects'.

Ryan and Colby started school on August 21st. Ryan was thrilled to move to a new school that is closer and gives him the freedom to ride his bike to and from school . He has a group of 4or 5 other boys he meets up with each morning. He loves his new teacher and the excitement of being at a new school.

Colby loves riding the bus and is glad to be in school all day as a 1/2 day just wasn't enough for him. He loves being able to have lunch at school and being able to have computers, music and art classes added to his curriculum. He too, loves his new teacher.

Taylor loves spending his days playing with Jace ( the little boy I watch during the school year). We have finally reached the point where the hard work of having two tiny ones all day has paid off. The hardest part of my day now, is the hour between when Ryan and Colby leave for school and Jace arrives, and the two hours when Jace naps and Taylor doesn't have a buddy to play with. He comes in every 5 minutes for the whole two hours and says "Jace awake yet".

We spend one morning a week doing an excercise class for little kids while their moms go to aerobics at the recreation center here in Smithfield, and have made several trips to the park and library.

Ryan and Taylor both celebrated their birthday's this week. Ryan enjoyed his birthday dinner at Golden Corral (his choice) with his family and Grandpa and Grandma Lindley. Then we came back to our house, opened presents and enjoyed banana split brownie sundae's. Then Saturday he enjoyed a friend party, where Wade took them miniture golfing at the Celebration Center.

Taylor celebrated his birthday having lunch at the park , waiting for Dad to come home so he could open his presents, and then eating his favorite dinner, chicken alfredo, followed by cake and icecream. They both had enjoyable days and like being one year older.