Passion for pink

Ok, you all know me. You know how I am. For many months now I've just had this wild hair that my neighbor's (and dear friends) yard would look stunning accentuated with pink flamingos. I think the marketers for target agreed with me.

I was strolling thru the dollar section of target about 2 weeks ago and lo and behold, there they were, in their pink, smiling glory. I couldn't help myself. I bought 6. Two days later I decided 6 wasn't enough. We'll just say I bought a "few" more. Last week my neighbor awoke to a flock of flamingos grazing on her lawn. Brian was a really good sport about this and even admitted to having a blast thru the whole migration effort of flamingos traveling from our living room to their yard. They looked stunning there in the morning light. :-)

Precious moments

This is one of those moments that are rare these days. Upon growing as tall as his mom, reaching first grade and becoming "cool" I don't find Tyler looking to cuddle with me much. Part is of this is due to logistics, how do you hold a child that is the same length as you? Whose arms can circle your waist one and a half times if arms did that sort of thing?

The answer is, just like this. I was sitting on the couch, minding my own business and here comes my to-cool-for-this-nonsense kid. And he just climbs up and chills with me for a record 30 minutes. Best 30 minutes I've had with this kid in a long time. I started thinking about how I would have given anything to have 30 minutes without having to hold Ty when he was a baby. My how time changes things.

Manipua/Pork Bao

As strange as this post seems, it is necessary. This is the end of a 9 year long search for a little something we call manipua. (Right around now, I'd like to send a little holla to Christie, I know you know what I'm talkin about!) Between Guava bread and Manipua, I think I trace the beginning of my marriage weight gain. It all started on a sunny lunchtime in Laie, HI. Brian is showing me around the island and all his favorite places, which include the corner market that sells this fabulous creation called Manipua. I fall in love. Every day of that blissful week finds us at the corner market searching out a fresh little pork pouch.

Flash forward about a year. Finds us in San Fransisco on our way to Disneyland in China town. Searching from bakery to bakery looking for Manipua/Pork Bao. No one has it! No one!! Disappointment is mine, yet still dreaming about it.

Flash to present, 10:32 am on Saturday morning, April 25, 2009. Finds us driving thru Salt lake city, post haircuts and donuts at Banbury and we pass an Asian market. My thought is "hmm, lanterns for the patio, let's stop" My second thought, yes, you guessed it! " I wonder if they have Pork bao?" We search, none fresh. I get this crazy idea that maybe Asian would enjoy their favorites frozen the way we enjoy a frozen pizza. I wander the frozen isle, hopeful and longing like a child looking for the toy they have coveted on the shelves of a toy store. When, like a beacon, from down the isle I see it, in the distance, my long lost love. A bag of frozen manipua. I run, arms outstretched to recover it (ok not really, but my excitement did make a few of my fellow shoppers turn and stare for a minute). Five dollars! Five dollars for a whole bag of this deliciousness.

When we got home I just couldn't wait to see, so we tried one and it was EXACTLY the same! I am finally at peace with my food needs! Well, almost. I still haven't found a Nanaimo bar that stands up to the one from that little bakery in Surrey Canada..........

Ty's birthday

I'm finally getting around to blogging! After that whole cake fiasco I was very "over" Tyler's birthday. I'm finally having happy feelings about it all again, so here is the final cake result. Now mind you, this was not the cake I had designed and planned for. The cake I had designed and planned for was the uber cool creation of cake, frosting and fondant that was going to take me a few hours to put together. About 1 1/2 hours into THAT cake some friends stopped by, as we were talking in the kitchen I hear Bethany let out a slight gasp. I turn, to find Jake has reached up and grabbed a huge chunk out of the giant lego cake I had just painstakingly smoothed fondant over. (Mind you, I still had several hours worth left to do, so I was already pretty exhausted) I simply removed the cake from his hand, washed it, removed his glasses and escorted him to bed. At 7. In silence. Mommy done. I think the only reason I restrained the tears was because there were other people in the house.

So after all that ra-ra, I sat down in the toy room and devised a new plan. Toys on the cake. I hate toys on cakes, I think it's a cop-out. And frankly, I'm okay with that this year. I think it turned out to be a pretty dang cool cop-out if you ask me.

I went for Indiana Jones theme; and yes, I built those props all by myself. We've got a tent, a picnic table with lantern, map, walkie and cocoa cup. We've got Indie himselft and dear old dad, who is holding a shovel next to recently dug up buried treasure. I had a much better picture, but for some reason blogger won't let me stick it up.

The party was at Classic skating this year. We picked up 7 little boys and escorted them to a night of bouncing, laser tag and pizza. It was wild to say the least. I have to say this, Tyler has some awesome friends. I love each of these kids like family, so it was really fun. This picture has a couple of strangers in it, but for the most part you get the idea.

This picture disturbed me. Ty looks really handsome in it. And a little older. :.(

There they all are! Top row we've got Josh A., Tyler M. Hayden P. Bottom row: Gabe C. Our Tyler, Eric, and Jakey. The boys had a blast! All in all, it was a terrific birthday.

Update on us

Since I've been lazy, here's an update on us. Tyler had a tooth pulled on the 7th. One of his front baby teeth was jammed into his gums after a sledding accident. At a friends house. Sledding down the staircase. Uh yeah, 'nough said. It jammed behind the permenant tooth so we had it out. That wasn't his finest moment. Tyler also turned 7 this week. I'm feeling a little old after that. We celebrated by going to classic skating with friends, I'm sure that will be a post all it's own.

Jake's eye is greatly improving. I mentioned it in the bedroom remodel post. And he is showing his true capacity for naughtiness lately. I've never seen a more opinionated child before. He has the art of the silent treatment down and I'd like to say I handle this well, but I just can't help but laugh. Eventually I'll learn to keep a straight face.

Brian broke the cardinal law of eating in the living room and for some reason thought it would be smart to let the boys take bowls of raw brownie mix in to watch a movie. I'm sure I don't have to explain what happened next. Yeah. So Brian tried to clean it. With dish soap. Now I have a very large, conspicuous bleachy red stain in the middle of my living room. We are carpet shopping. When I'm less frosted about it, maybe I'll post a picture.

April fools!

What are the Gough's eating for dinner this April? You got it, Meatloaf, Peas and mash potatoes with gravy.......or is it?

I let the kids lull themselves into a false sense of security this year by not even mentioning April fools to them. They were innocently going about their day, thinking they were safe, until I served up some dinner. Jake was not impressed. He hates potatoes and green veggies, I offered to pay him to eat, he said ok. One bite later he says, wow mom, these potatoes taste like ice cream, I like mashed potatoes. Oops. Not where I was going with that! It took Tyler explaining they weren't real potatoes and finally the light bulbs appeared above their heads shining brilliantly!

We enjoyed our "dinner" of cocoa krispie treats, ice cream with caramel sauce and airheads rolled into peas. Then went to Chili's for real food. It was really fun and I have to say, I got them good this year. I'm already thinking what next year will bring....

Finished!

After such a long time, the bedroom is finally done! This wasn't really one of the pictures I was going to use, but there were two important things in it I wanted to display. Number one, This is the first and only time Abby has been nice to Jake. I thought that was worth mentioning. Number two, notice Jake's uncovered eye, it has red eye! At his last visit to the Optometrist we were informed that since patching every day for for hours for the last month, Jake's eye has not only stopped degenerating, it has reversed and now with glasses on, his vision is equal in both eyes! We would like to thank all of you for the prayers you have sent up in his behalf. We feel so blessed to have this kind of recovery happen so fast.

Okay, view number one, and yes, I do color co-ordinate my cat to my room! ;) The duvet cover courtesy of IKEA and Susan's (Kecia's mama) awesome suggestion.

Okay, not quite done with this wall. I'm planning on changing the frames to black. I was toying with the idea of making a couple of them red for affect. Any suggestions on that?

The dresser. If you knew how hard I worked for this stupid piece of furniture, you'd think I was nuts. I fell in crazy love with it the minute I saw it and had to have it.

I have to say, re-decorating the room has definitely made me a little more inclined to keep it tidy! I'm just loving it. The style, colors, everything has made it feel like Kelly and Brian space, instead of mom and dad space/dumping ground for toys, laundry, stuff......