Wow!

Man, I am getting so behind! I keep grounding myself from the computer until I get everything done on my list, that keeps not happening so I haven't been on here in a while - sorry to all my followers that are missing my witty chatter :) I miss you all too! It's not easy you know, I'm an addict, I'll spend hours on here not even realizing time has totally passed me by; that's particularly irritating when I just burn through Kenzie's nap without getting a single thing done! Thus, grounded... pauvre petit Natalie...

So to catch up on everything from the last ummm, who knows how long - anytime I don't post a few times a week I'm behind... I take a lot of pictures, that happens when you have really cute people around you, you just can't help it...I was getting ready to go visiting teaching and told Dill to get ready, apparently putting this hat on meant he was ready to go, he wore it almost the whole time.The kids were being super heroes - I think it is safe to say Kenzie is the bad guy... please note the stethoscope around his waist - this is all part of being a superhero for those of you with no boys to educate them about such things. ( I love this picture, Kenz spends most of the day with that expression while looking at Dillon) I have described Kenzie to many people as "having fire in her veins rather than blood". This is only getting more and more true as she gets older - I'm hoping that's stops after a while or she will be sold to her grandparents. Please excuse her dirty face and the fact that those are my pjs (my friends here know those pj's well) tied around her neck, she is the most stubborn person I have ever known - and she's not even 2.Matching pedicures. She's so cute about girly stuff, she loves it! It's hard to see but she has a little matching flower too. Story. We were going to visit my parents in Texas, but for a number of reasons it turned out we couldn't go. I had, however, already told Dillon about going on a big airplane to see Bowzer, GG and Grandpa... my bad. One day I came out to find Dillon had emptied most of his drawers on the floor and was "folding" them to put in his suitcase (backpack) I asked him why he was doing this and he informed me "cause we have to go on a airplane to see Grampa and Gramma cause they miss me soooooooooooooo much!"

Camping with Friends

Dillon pushing Kenzie, Olivia, and Thomas

Throwin' rocks...

Shoulder rides with Kenz 'n' me

Brandon jumping off the tower with a rope swing

Best tree house ever!!! Dillon was a little scared of it at first but as soon as he saw his friend going up he took a chance and loved it.

My Kenzie girl loves swings. She would swing all day if I let her! I wish this picture was bigger, the look on her face is pure delight!

This swing was the best part of the campsite was the playground, it had the coolest swings. This was our favorite.

The husbands pretending to be kids again. Brandon and our friend Jaron.

Kenzie's love of swinging, quite possibly, is genetic:)

I love camping - everything about it, the smell, the freedom, the food, the ability to appreciate something majestic! (With the exception of outhouses, which Dillon informed me are "disgusting!" It's so great! I am fortunate enough to be friends with one of those really awesome "take charge" people, she's a doer you know, we all talk about stuff and want to do things but she's the kind that if you talk about it, she's going to do it, she amazes me! (A HUGE thanks to Maggie, she's the one I'm talking about here and she put this entire trip together!!)

12 couples, mainly from the ward and then a few extras. We went to a church camp, Zions, 45 minutes from Tacoma. We had such a blast!!! We are going again in August, anyone wanting to join us is welcome:) With this place camping was almost as fun as it was when I was a kid!

Dillon Tag

Tag kid style...

1. Dillon is an outside boy, life is only good if he is outside (or watching tv... dang it.)

2. Dillon is very smart. When he was just learning his abc's we made a game out of it when we were in stores to keep him entertained and we would sing them together. Then our game was what a letter says, now it's I'll say a word and he has to tell me what letter it starts with. I'm not a numbers person and we were noticing that you can totally tell in the things I've taught him because it's all letters and words - I'll be working on that next but he can count to 13 and then he needs a bit of help...

3. Dillon loves babies. He keeps telling Brandon and I that we need another baby and that I should get one in my tummy. He went as far as telling my visiting teachers one time that we had a baby that lived in the tree with the squirrels, named Thomas (his little best buddy is Thomas). He loves playing with kids younger than him, he is so sweet to them.

4. His favorite lunch and snack is cut up green peppers, cucumbers, pickles, carrots, apples and cheese, and of course if Dillon likes it Kenzie does too. How did I get such healthy kids? Lucky, lucky mom:)

5. He loves brushing his teeth.

6. He loves playing computer games, his favorites are www.starfall.com and www.pbskids.org , he's really his daddy's boy - he is so smart with the computer and he will sit there with Kenzie in the chair watching (MOMMY FREE TIME!!!)

7. He loves everything boy, trains, planes , tractors and cars.

8. He loves singing, lately his favorite songs are "It's too late to apologize (One Republic)," Hairspray, Enchanted and Bob the Builder.

9. He's my little shadow, especially in the kitchen, he loves cooking with me.

10. He loves reading books and going to the library, his favorite thing at the library is getting to pick out his own movie.

11. He loves talking on the phone.

12. He is a very passionate little guy.

13. He tells just about everyone that we meet that we live in Kent Washington, but he used to live in "Hideyho" (translation - Idaho)

14. One day I asked him why I kiss him so much and he told me straight faced and matter of fact," Because I'm so cute"

15. He has the most infectious smile and laugh.

Okay I think we are suppose to tag someone so ... we tag Garen Tyler (once Lindsey has time...)

Black Forest Brownies

From: Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke a Hannah Swenson Mystery (Refer to post "forever and always a book worm).
These are so good. I made them for Brandon for a fathers day treat and they are perfect blend. You all need these, you and your children are far too skinny. :)

4 -1 oz squares semi sweet chocolate or 3/4 cup choc chips
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs - beaten
1 tsp vanilla or if you can find it cherry extract
1 c flour - pack it down
1/2 c pecans (we didn't, of course)
1/2 c. cherries chopped, either chopped maraschino - which we did (side note - I don't like maraschino cherries... who'da thunk???), or dried cherries which Hannah suggests dried bing cherries she also says they make the brownies chewier.
1/2 c chocolate chips


preheat 350
foil a 9 by 13 and spray it with pam.
Microwave butter and chocolate slowly to not burn the chocolate, stirring frequently. Add the sugar (I didn't have a bowl big enough to fit everything and small enough to be in the microwave so I added this mixture to the sugar instead) Let cool for a bit and feel the bowl, you don't want to cook the egg when you add it so wait until it's cool enough before you add them. Mix in vanilla. Mix in flour and stir just until moist. Add pecans, cherries and chocolate chips and stir, spread in pan bake 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, when completely cool pull out foil and place face down on your serving plate peel off foil and either dust with powdered sugar or ice with fudge frosting (this alternative is far superior... :) ) Cut and devour.

JAZZERCISE!!!!!

My friend, Karri, convinced me to sign up for a class through the community center-- Jazzercise. Tonight was the first night, I walked in and took notice of the 40 - 70 year old women and men and got a little cocky... I'm 25 and I've got a fairly decent body, not horrible shape but no "regular" work out routine (unless you count carrying around a 20 lb & a 50 lb toddler and our sporadic mommy 'n' kids dance off :) ) - if they can do this, it's going to be a walk in the park for me! I sit before you rather humbled... The dear sweet elderly woman in front of me was doing her workout with 25 lb weights and I was using ... ummm ... air. I am writing this now before I am so sore I can't move - which will be the second I wake up tomorrow morning.

On a lighter note. That was the most fun I have ever paid for!!! Most of the time I was laughing - both out of enjoyment and at my unfortunate lack of coordination - I have less than none (possible??? yes, come watch me some time) The music and movements with the hip thrust, rolling shoulders and my work out pants ... I felt like some sexy/worldly back up dancer... until I looked in the mirror at myself :) Can I say just one more time how much fun that was?!?!?! Incredible.

Brittany, Jessica & Julie - prepare yourself cause the next session starts in July and I'm dragging you there. To my other friends - if you ever get the chance to Jazzercise - DO IT!!! Yes, you will look like an idiot, but you will never look as bad as me - uncoordinated, wheezing, watching the whole class go the opposite direction as me and smiling the whole time.

Have a great day!!!