So true.................

credit for the work here

Welcome Reese's Pieces

This weekend was a day of births. 

Not only was my amazing nephew, Shepard Mitt Romney, born 

happy and healthy to my fabulous sister and her husband; but our lovely friends

Katlin and Dave welcomed their beautiful baby girl.

Reese Cassandra Dorius. 

Naturally I will refer to her as Reese's Pieces. 

Proud daddy, and mommy with baby.

Reese's Pieces was the most perfect baby ever. Every time someone new held her
she just calmly gazed at them as if studying their face.

The proud uncles: uncle Pete, uncle Ben, uncle Ryanbroth and uncle Cam. Ps all these people including
Dave and Katlin are some of our closets friends in the entire world. 

Happy momma and baby

When we're all together it's pretty hysterical and the fact that Katlin just
went through a birth didn't stop us from having
a good time. Here's an excerpt from part of our conversation. We were talking
about how Ben has been to many hospitals to visit his newborn nieces and nephews.

Cam: Ben works part time as a midwife.

Ben: Yes, I do. I prefer doing tub births.

Katlin: Did you see the tub in the bathroom? I could have had a tub birth in there.

Cam: I can just see Ben in there skimming the water like a pool guy. He has a trash can next to him that 

says 'bio hazard'.

Ben: I'd take it home and lay it out in my garden as a nice fertilizer.

Cam: What?! Your plants would start talking to you! 

Ryanbroth: Feeeeddd uss Bennn...

....

P and I wore masks because we had both gotten over colds last week and we didn't want to

take any chances with the baby.

She was so tiny.....

Congrats to this beautiful family 

and

to my sister as well and little baby Shepard. 

Pictures of Shepard soon to come!

Sno cones

Snow Cone Lips
By Blurry Joy

Snow cone lips are cold to kiss.
A strange contrast,
Cold kissing lips,
To usual warm ones.
Snow cone lips are numb,
And offer a rainbow smile.
Red and blue and green,
Like the swirled dome atop the cone.
Snow cone lips are fun to kiss.
They tickle your cheek like a cold whisper.
Or they melt in your mouth,
With growing warmth.
But then another lick,And snow cone lips


Once more

How to make homemade grape juice

Good morning class. Today we're going to learn about how to 

can your own grape juice.

It started yesterday when my sister stumbled upon P and I's horde of frozen concord 

grapes. She asked me what I was going to use them 

for and I said I actually have no idea.

P and I had picked them from our friend Jake's vine and they've been 

in the freezer ever since. 

So she said I could teach you how to can them into grape juice if you'd like.

Don't mind if I do.

Step 1. Make sure you are using fresh or frozen Concord grapes.

Step 2. Decide if you are going to can them in pint size jars or quart size jars. I chose quart.

Step 3. If you are using pint size measure out: 1/2 cup of grapes and a 1/2 cup sugar.

If you are using quart jars measure: 1 cup grapes and 1 cup sugar.

Pour both in the jar. Continue to do so until you run out of grapes or jars...or both.

Step 4. Add water up until the neck of the jar. The neck is where the jar begins to get narrow and 

the thread begins for the lid to be screwed on.

Step 5. Screw the lids of the jars on nice and tight. Give the jar a good shake to help the sugar to mix around and the grapes float to the top.

Step 6. I used a 10 quart pot but if you have something bigger you're welcome to use it.

Put as many jars as will fit comfortable into the pot. I was able to get 3 in there.

Step 7. Fill the pot up with water until it covers the tops of the jars. 

Step 8. Put the pot on the stove and turn the heat on high.

Step 9. Watch the pot and see if the water really does boil.

Step 10. Once the water comes to a rapid boil, start your timer. The jars need to 

be boiled for atleast 40 mins. If you hear clanking or other such 

disturbing noises don't be alarmed. I think it's just the grapes protesting to 

being boiled alive. 

Step 11. The jars will be ready to be pulled out when the water in the jars has a reddish purple hue 

to them. 

Make sure you pull them out with canning tongs or something similar to it. The jars will be 

unbelievable hot and don't even get me started on the water...

Step 12. Let the jars sit on the towel and rest. This is the time when the lids will pop and they will 

seal themselves. Make sure you don't touch them. It can take up to an hour or longer but when you hear a popping noise from the kitchen, that's the jars sealing. It's very exciting. 

Step 13. Once all the jars have popped, you're allowed to move them if you wish. Or if you have a 

curious husband you may now allow him to examine the contents with fascination. 

Step 14. Store the jars in a cool dry place for at least 3 days before you attempt to make juice.

When you're ready for the juice and you've followed that 3 day commitment to your jars you may begin. 

For the juice, pour the contents from the jar into a pitcher using a strainer. You want to catch 

all the grapes from going into the pitcher. They're not allowed in there. Discard the grapes or dry them and 

use them for decor. Next, dilute your juice with 3 or 4 cups of water. Or until it's to your 

tasting. No need to add sugar, there's plenty of it already. 

Enjoy! Your canned juice has a shelf life up to a year. 

The wave ride that almost killed me.

Once upon a time when I was really really little (maybe six?)

my parents took me and my sibs to a water park.

There's only one thing I remember at this water park...

....

it almost killed me.

Does anyone remember those wave rides? The ones that fool you into thinking 

they're nothing but a calm pool where you 

can go to relax and float on your rubber doughnut without 

a care in the world?

And then without warning, these machines start to whirl and the 

next thing you know you're trapped in a vortex of waves and chaos and the only 

thing you can think of to do is hold on for dear life? And then as quickly as it 

had come the waves depart and it's all quiet on the western front. 

Dramatic? Maybe....to a six year old? The gospel truth.

So there I was floating on a inner tube with my dad and my oldest sister Amy.

My dad occupied the middle Amy and I sat on the sides. Eventually I got tired

from being in the sun so I laid down and just enjoyed the gentle swaying of 

movement until it lured me into a deadly lullaby of sleep.

....

The next thing I remember is waking up to the murdering waves crashing around

and I fell off my tube into the waters below. I remember looking up 

and freaking out because all I could see were tubes and feet. I couldn't find an opening to come up nor did 

I know how to swim that well. Not too mention I was being bombarded 

by waves. Not a second later, my dad's hand flew down and grabbed me and pulled 

me back up to the surface. I was thrilled to see daylight and that

I would be around to live another day. After making sure I was ok, Dad

helped me to hang on until the waves 

were over again and then we quickly exited 

the pool. I was only too happy

to leave that "ride" behind. 

What brought this story on you say? Pete's in the bathroom having a bath. 

And there you have it. 

New place!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately.

P and I just barely moved into our new place and we lovvvvee it. 

It's so much nice than our old place.

                                                                                          photo from imgfav.com

"According to Greek mythology, humans were originally 

created with 4 arms, 4 legs and a head with 2 faces.

Fearing their power,

Zeus split them into two separate 

parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search 

of their other halves."

---Plato