Here's a favorite around our house:
1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 15oz can pumpkin

Mix the two ingredients together.
Place batter into muffin pan with papers
(if the batter looks way too thick, its exactly as it should be)
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Makes 12.

Lower in calories and fat. Higher in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
And did we say they taste amazazazing?

I Wish...

Tonight, I recalled a childhood memory when my sister Ashley and I were watching Lassie as three and four year old little girls together. We loved Lassie... what a specimen.
As we are staring at the television together we are having similar thoughts like usual (and still like usual by the way). Ashley with eyes fixed on the action says in awe, "I wish I had a dog like Lassie." Without hesitation, eyes fixed on the wonder dog, I say, "I wish I was a dog like Lassie."

"Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?"
-- George Bernard Shaw
me too george, me too.

Multiple Choice

The scan-trons at work make this distinct clacking noise when a bad test runs through the machine; It is discarded to a pile on the other side with no mercy.

85...79....98...92

Some other teacher will inevitably walk by and go "oooooo....sounds like a bad one". That's the teacher's version of "somebodies got a case of the Mondays".

I always see the kids face when it goes through...I think all teachers do; their names are written there with uniform distinctness. That one kid that signs his test with an autograph, the perfectly neat stencil writing, the bubbly girl writing, the tiny and unimaginative right brained writing - their name, and the way they write it bears witness to their identity...and so does the test.

I have two opposing opinions about this concept. The first is that it is a shame that a piece of paper can somehow encapsulate a persons identity. That the number on that score can become a floor or a ceiling for a person's achievement.

My other opinion embraces this Darwinist mindset. Choices are so important. Every moment is an opportunity for choice, and every choice leaves a trail behind us that says, this is who I am, this is what I care about, and so on.

The kids are at home while the Scan-tron keeps humming, waiting to consume their next test, whether the kid studied for it or not. But then again, the test isn't where they are, it's where they've been. What they do next, is their choice.

First Week ....check...

Harlem World we don't stop, yo Mariah, we's on fiya.

Warning, your iPod is dangerous.

I haven't posted in a while since school has made my inner dialogue something like a conversation between a horse race announcer and the micro-machine man. Kyra made marinara tonight which translates to "love" for me and finally, I'm slowing down.

In case you wanted to know, Rose is currently out in the yard with her mother. She's wearing a green shirt, and panties, and that's it.

The good news is that we discovered the smell coming from her nose was due to "blockage". The color was verified by the doctor as being black. Rose must have disliked her visit to the doctor because when she learned she would have to return the next day she promptly "snot rocketed" the problem out of her nose and to our amusement (and soon to be yours) we discovered the culprit:



My old friend Jay said it best, "It smelled like a corpse."

Bad James

We had a high school youth pastor named Isaac Hunter.
Isaac has a church called Summit.
Summit has a great ethos.

L.Z.

One of my favorite parts about having babies is sitting back to watch their personalities come out. I think we contribute most of our personality traits to our growing years, which of course is a huge part of who we are, but watching my kids has made me realize there is just some personality that we are born with! Leo hasn't been the topic of many blogs because up until now his activity hasn't been much more than eating, sleeping, and mere reflexes. This week he has shown us so much more of his character and seems to a have hit a million milestones. I remember this same experience with Rose at 4 months.
So, his week starts out Monday with his 4 month checkup where he received 6 vaccinations and a diagnosis of eczema and ingrown toenails... thanks for the good genes Dad! The days follow with first tooth, first food, first fake cough, rolling belly to back, and having a full passionate conversation with his hands. He is a blanket loving kid, to soothe himself he rubs it all over his face and usually in his mouth to teethe on too, we refer to it as "cuddle blanky". Leo is so sensitive and is easily scared (especially by Rose). With attention he has a slow sweet bashful smile. With play he has an explosive excited squeal. Pretty much, he's a joy.
I found out a year ago around this time that we were going to have him and I was scared to death. Look at that smile. That's who I was scared of! When am I fully going to trust that God knows what he's doing?!

Our new favorite roommate...

I love the thought of a silent ninja assassin bug living in my home to protect my sleeping babies and my pride as a "protector provider".

This is why when we found Willie the Wheel bug perched like a gargoyle on a cobweb in our garage we welcomed him with open arms; in all terms, he is an assassin indeed.

His favorite hobby? Inviting other little bugs over to his house for book club...and then eating them!

Many of you recall that our recent history with a different species of bug that will remain unnamed caused a degree of apprehension about fully unpacking our new home. No more.

Who would have thought that a creature so blood thirsty would cause such peace of mind.

Ear Flips

Allow me to be neurotic for a moment...

So some of you may have noticed that my (OW) hair has several strange qualities. One that I have noticed as is grows longer is its propensity to defy gravity just around my ears and "flip" straight out of the sides of my head something like an older pipi long-stockings with bed head.

This used to confuse me because to me, hair on your head should generally be pretty uniform. By this I mean people generally don't have half a carrot-top and half a Michael Jackson hair doo etc. This is probably best so as not to appear indecisive or duplicitous or something like that...

Well anyways I'm feeling a little more encouraged these days because I've noticed that some of my favorite celebrity personalities have been sporting the flip including John Krasinski from the Office, and Jeff Dye from the Last Comic Standing.



It's still really strange that it does that though.

I May Have Opened Pandora's Box

Actually, I know I did. Pandora radio takes your artist search...the one you need to hear this afternoon, then streams music to your computer or iPhone that you will probably like.

It's a real treat.

New Look

Maybe Facebook inspired us but we redid the colors on our blog. I am fond of seasons changing. If you have a reader come check us out for a sec...

Then, have a great day!

"Fends"

Every so often at nap or bedtime I'll scan through pictures on the computer with Rose in order to settle her down enough for sleep. Tonight, I scanned through a file with pictures from a visit with our "fends" this July.
As we finished the album Rose sleepily said, "My fends come pay at my house again."
"You want your friends to come over and play with you at your house again?"
Rose rolls over, tucks her hand under her chin, "Yeah...I yuv my fends."

Happy Birthday Kyra

My favorite things about Krya:

• Kyra is kind.
• She has sexy teeth.
• She is a great mom and her kids adore her.
• She tries her best at everything.
• She is a directions genius.
• She is humble.
• She is thoughtful and comes up with great gifts at Christmas.
• She has a great sense of humor.
• She is original.
• Kyra smells good.
• She is hard working.
• She doesn't pout like me, when she gets upset she changes directions and tries something else.
• She is an assembly required genius.
• She loves God with all her heart.

to name a few... what do you love about Kyra?

Happy Birthday Kyra Wong!

Getting Old

I once heard a comedian speculate that people wear clothes that are out of fashion because the arch of human life brings us to this pinnacle season called our "prime" and once we reach this prime we never want to leave so we keep on dressing in the style of that era even though the era is over.

I always laughed at that joke until it was on me.

The other day I went to Plato's closet and found a pair of shoes for $18 dollars that I bought no questions asked. I put these things on, and they just felt right. I was pretty pleased with myself until I approached the register and realized that the first time I bought this model of shoes was during something like my sophomore year of college.

When I got home, I looked in my closet and found the same size and style of gap jeans one after the other. My dresser is stuffed with my collection of salvation army t-shirts with pithy quotes and strange prints on them.

Am I stuck in 2004 forever? Am I okay with that?

The Notebook

Tonight I was trying to describe The Notebook to some one.

"It's like you go into the movie knowing exactly what to expect, hoping that they will do something in the movie that you didn't predict...they don't...but you love them for it anyway."

Mom Jeans

She'll love the nine inch zipper...