Why Does My House Smell Like Garlic???

 Answer: 

I foolishly thought that I could take a five minute shower by myself.

 She was so proud of herself...

until she realized that Mama wasn't too happy.

 Hmmm...which spice should I add to the mix?

Is it just coincidence that the bottle in her left hand is called 

"Slap Your Mama!"

 The marshmallows, to her right, was her true prize.  Since she is OBSESSED with marshmallows (calling them "Marsha-Marshos") and asks for them SEVERAL times a day, I know that's what she was after.  I wonder how they tasted with the garlic and steak seasoning?!

Who knows what I would have found had my shower been ten minutes?

YIKES!

Eating Around the World

 Phil and I enjoyed a mini-getaway last week.

 He was fortunate enough to get a free pair of tickets to Disney, but we had to use them before the end of the year.  Since my parents were in town, we decided to head to Epcot without a stroller or a 2-year-old.

We ate dinner at Joe's Crab Shack on Tuesday evening, 

and Phil "Got Crabs."

We slept in (which means 7:30 AM for us) on Wednesday morning, and then we made our way to Epcot.  I had to take the picture of my ball next to the big ball.

Instead of "drinking around the world," we snacked around the world.

Perfect idea for a pregnant lady!

We started with pastries in France.

Then we traveled to Morocco and Japan 

where we experimented with rice candy and wasabi treats.

We enjoyed soft pretzels (with just a touch of salt) and soda in America.

 CHOCOLATE in Germany!

 We had to eat it before it melted...of course!!!

 China's treat was egg rolls and pot stickers.

 Clearly, my belly was full by the time we made it to Norway.

It was a GREAT day!!!

Twins

For the last three days, we've had "twins" in the house.

Clare and I happened to dress alike...

with blue stripes and brown shorts.

Then Phil and I were both clad in red stripes.

This was at Kobe Steakhouse last night...

wish I had pictures of the feast we devoured!

Today, my dad and Clare wore the exact same color shirt.

Despite the size of my ever-growing belly...

I know there's only one in there.

10th (or maybe 11th) Annual Brother's Trip

 Phil and his brothers go on a trip every summer.

They take turns planning the adventure, and they always do something fun and unique (like visiting a bomb squad team in northern Michigan).

The wives aren't privy to the details of the trip...

...and we're usually okay with that!

This year was Marquette and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,

and they enjoyed swimming in Lake Superior....

...as well as hiking through different areas.

STUDS!

The boys were trying to remember all of the past trips, 

and this is what Phil could recall:

2000 - Canoe Trip

2001 - Pictured Rocks

2002 - Musky Fishing

2003 - Vermont and New Hampshire

2004 - Canada

2005 - Maine

2006 - Williamsburg, VA (white water rafting)

2007 - Salmon Fishing in Northern Michigan

2008 - Flying with Brian (local adventures)

2009 - Range Practice, 4-wheeling, and other "BOY stuff" in MI

2010 - Marquette and Bomb Squad

A Walk in the Park

These pictures are from last month...when we were in Michigan.

The 3.5 of us went for a little walk through some of the trails in northern Michigan, and we enjoyed being outside without the Florida heat and humidity.

We enjoyed the view as well as some time as a family.

"Don't worry, Dad.  I've got this!"

"Okay, I might need some help on the way back up."

All smiles before climbing back up to the top.

2-year-old Pictures

Phil's brother, Brian, took some pictures of Clare for her second birthday!!!  We love them!!! Here's a glimpse:

Daddy's Little Helper

Mowing the lawn was a family affair this past weekend.

Phil and Clare tore it up on the rider as I made my way around the tight corners with the push mower.  We were done in no time!  :)

Off they go...

Clare was content with a sucker in her hand.

Our Little Country Bumpkin.

Clare: "You want me to do what???"

Mommy and Daddy: "We want you to learn to mow the lawn so that we can sit back and relax for the next sixteen years."  HA!

Finally Finished!

This is a photo book of Clare's 1st year.
Yes, she just turned 2.
She'll probably be in college before I get to a book of her 2nd year.

Click here to view this photo book larger

One of those days...

And this look says it all!!!

It's only 1:49 PM, and I feel like I've already put in a full day.

Granted, the following pictures are NOT all from this morning, but they give a tiny glimpse of what my morning felt like.  I just didn't have the time to document the actual happenings of this crazy day.

In a bit of a predicament!

Just one thing after another....

My never-ending tornado girl!

Making a mess with food...

which IS a daily occurrence!

For Clare, everything is more fun when she's naked.

Why?  Why?  Why?

Even pouting on the floor is better without any clothes on.

Her new fascination includes taking off her poopy diaper (without letting me know) and walking it down to the bathroom so that she can flush it on her own.  Yes, she's missing the crucial step of simply doing the dirty on the toilet.  Where's the fun in that, right?  I do have a series of poop on the floor pictures, but my mom said that I shouldn't publish those.  Again I say, "Where's the fun in that?!"

BUT...

When I put her down for her nap a little bit ago, she said,

"Mama kiss...

Nite Nite...

Uvv Ooo (Love You)"

That effectively wiped away the stress of the morning and rejuvenated me enough to make it through the rest of the day.  I think.