Flashback Friday

Talk about old school....

I'm assuming this was like 1986? Not sure, but I know it's definitely a long time ago.

From left to right, we have Bro. Rusty, Bro. Bob and good 'ol gramps.

Three men who were great examples, pillars in our church....who no longer live on this earth.

Life truly is a vapor. Let us do the will of our Lord...for soon, it will be us. We will be the ones who have passed and the only thing that will matter is what we did for God.

It takes but a moment....

Everything reminds me of my dad these days....

Everything.

I can look at a flower and remember how he loved to work in his yard and how he planted thousands of flowers in his lifetime. The care he had for them, and the time he spent pruning...

I look at dishes sitting in the sink and I can hear him "Isn't it just as easy to set this here plate in the dishwasher as it is to set it in the sink?" A saying I heard more times than I'd like to admit growing up....

I see a coke can and think of his great dislike of anything diet....

I hear myself in conversations saying things like "my dad loved those" or "my dad used to do this or that"...it doesn't matter what we're talking about or what I'm looking at...I see him. I hear him. My mind is constantly trying to sort things out...to learn how to let go. Like my quote over there on my sidebar...."Change is never easy, you fight to hold on, you fight to let go". I can say that is the truth.

This is the first time I've had to deal with this. It's something that I'm learning on a day to day basis. I want to be happy for him and I wouldn't bring him back to this evil world for anything. But on the other hand, I want him back.

As I was going through pictures on my camera, I came across some silly pictures of Dawson playing "Pretty, Pretty Princess". We don't have the game, so don't worry. I know what (some of) you are thinking ;o)

He could NOT go for a girl....even with all this garb on

It took but a moment for my mind to be flooded with a very distant memory. Like I said....everything reminds me of him...

While on one of our many houseboat trips, Megan thought it would be fun to play dress up. Apparently, all of us girls were too busy floatin' or being drug by Sea Doo's, so Papa volunteered. What a nice volunteer.

And a purdy one too.

I guess he wasn't the only one to let go of all pride...

Uncle Keifer played dress up too.

He's a purdy one too. The purdiest of them all.

Flashback Friday

Meet Penny.


Karly's precious bunny...her special friend....a gift from Uncle Chris and Aunt Jenn.


She loved Penny. Although Penny was as big as she was, Karly would continually drag her by the ear around the house...

and even....through the yard

These days you won't find Karly playing with Penny....but you WILL find Charlie playing with her. He's been known to drag her around the house too. We have come home to Penny laying by Charlie's water, his favorite place to bring toys. I have gotten on Karly a time or two for leaving Penny out and she laughs and says it wasn't her. Strange breed, that one.

Mayonnaise and Beer?

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the Mayonnaise Jar and the 2 Beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with a unanimous, "Yes!"

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things- your family, your children, your religion, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents." "Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented.The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. ....

The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."

HootNanny Pancakes

On Valentine's Day a few years back, my dear husband had secretly planned to get up and make a special breakfast for me. He's a special, special guy.

He had eaten Dutch Babies growing up and searched online for a recipe to surprise me with. And BOY was I surprised. Only not from the yummy breakfast. I was surprised by the child that was unexpectedly trying to escape my body. You see, my little Karly Rae wasn't supposed to arrive for another 3 weeks. So, needless to say, we were very surpised on that special morning. On a side note...I will NEVER forget the look on my sister's face and her oh so sweet little voice say "Happy Valentine's Day" in between my last few pains. Oh how I love her. Sorry, I'm totally off subject here.

He ended up making it the next morning and it was quite a hit. So much of a hit that we've been eating it twice a day ever since. Well, not really...but a lot. Our favorite time to eat it is while we're watching one of our many shows at night or watching a family movie with the kids.

The other day I was perusing the internet for some new recipes and came across one named Hootnanny Pancakes. I was immediately intrigued by the name and started to look it over. I was very surprised at how close it was to Keifer's Dutch Baby recipe.

Only you cooked it in a 9x13 instead of a dutch oven. I knew I wanted to try it. And soon.


Dylan and I were in awe as we watched this thing grow and grow and grow. Doesn't this look very abnormal for a pancake?

When I don't have anything to make for dinner, my mind immediately goes to breakfast! My kids absolutely love "breakfast dinners". This was very close to our normal Dutch Babies but better. I think it's a keeper!

Pancakes with berries and cream and a good 'ol Hootnanny....what do you think? Does this look like dinner?

I like this new version because it's spread out more and not so thick in the middle. Plus, you could feed more with it. Great for company and when we just feel like pigs and want to eat a lot.

Hootnanny Pancakes

6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp vanilla

Melt cube of butter in long pyrex pan (9×13) in the oven at 425 (I have also used a ceramic pan and it works fine).
Beat the remaining ingredients together.
Pour mixture into the pan with the melted, sizzling, butter and cook for 25-30 minutes.

I serve it with powdered sugar and lemon (the very best), fresh whipping cream and berries, syrup, or whatever else you'd like. People can choose their own toppings.

Flashback Friday

Is it really Friday already? This summer is going to be over in the blink of an eye.

With all this warm weather lately, I long for the Lake Mead days...

The days when we use to do this often....

I still can't believe my mother got on a wakeboard. And liked it.

She's so cool.

Fiddle-lee-do.....Fiddle-lee-da

Every year 'round these parts, they have the National Fiddler's Festival in Weiser. It's kind of a big deal. You know, for I-dee-ho.

With my hubby, being so adventurous and all, a Go-Getter with capital G's, we decided to go. I just love go-getters.

Here, we they sit, waiting for the parade to start.

It seems there are several parades such as these around here every year.....

Where the hometown high school cheerleaders and marching bands show off their stuff....

....and a lot of the good 'ol boys come out with their tractors....

...and people who sit in the back of a truck while they squirt all of us, very hot spectators, with a super soaker...

...and even ZEBRAS!

and in this particular parade several folks sitting and fiddlin' away on odd type floats.

Of course, the kids LOVE it. Who wouldn't? Everyone who comes through the parade line throw them all kinds of stuff.

They are constantly racing to fetch the most candy that's thrown out into the streets....

They even jump and wave their arms so that they will throw them MORE candy, Frisbees, water bottles, otter pops and lots of other neat stuff.

This was the second parade within a week that these little monkeys got to attend. They were pretty good at hollerin' by this time.

We then went over to one of the main parks in this po-dunk town and they were getting ready for a fireman challenge. All that was missing was Jeff Probst to announce the play by play.

There were two guys to a team and two teams competed against each other. Hoping for the best time in the end.

They had to run from water filled trash can to trash can and put on soaking wet fire gear

Then proceed to knock down those four little red water bottles you see, with a pump like squirt gun that was strapped to their backs. Here you can see team A was spanking team B.

Once they knocked over those bottles they both raced to the fire hydrants that were set up in the middle of the street and then tried to knock over the octagon shaped sign. You see all those amused spectators sitting on the curb next to the fireman? Keep these unfortunate souls in mind as you read on.

After watching 5-8 races, I wasn't too sure the people of Weiser could count on their firemen. The hoses got away from several of them as they tried to shoot the sign down. (Remember those people sitting on the curb?) I felt especially sorry for the little boy and his momma who were only feet away from this hose as it got away and pelted their body's for seconds longer than they would have liked, I'm sure.

Since it was a HOT day, a lot of the kids decided it would be fun to stand behind the octagon shaped signs, so that they could get wet. Here, you can see Dylan and Karly getting brave and wanting to chance the pelting themselves. What you can't see here, is Dawson....he, too, decided to brave the extremely strong stream of water. I'm pretty sure it didn't take very long for him to regret that decision....

In fact, it didn't take long at all. He was not happy. Not happy at all. Dylan on the other hand was a happy camper. Although I'm sure when he's about sixteen and looks back at this picture, he will not be happy. You know we all have them....those pictures that we'd like to burn. The ones that so clearly portray our wally (wolly? walle?) stages?

Even though it was extremely hot, and probably felt good, he would not look at me.

I tried and tried to get him to look at the camera, but he wasn't going for it. When little monkeys don't get naps, they are very cranky. In case you didn't know.

Before we left, we walked around, listened to several different bands, and enjoyed this the most.

A few guys standing under a tree jammin' acapella style. This guy in the middle with the blue hat was an awesome singer. Keith and I could have stood and listened for the whole afternoon. But Mr.-I-got-wet-and-love-to-whine put an end to that very quickly.

A camping we will go…..

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Dawson. I can just hear him now….very excitedly yelling “BIGGER, BIGGER!!!”

You see, these little guys were sitting here watching a teenager jump on his motorcycle, and they thought it was thee coolest thing ever. Us, parents, not so much. I believe Wayde and Keith clapped, actually clapped, when he parked his bike at his camp next to us and disembarked.

This here, is the super duper Walmart special that only lasted three times. A whole three launches, but it was really cool while it lasted.

You can tell it was super duper, just look at his face!

I think even he liked it.

As I was watching said rocket launch, I caught this one pickin’ a big one.

I’ll spare you the treasure he found. ‘Cuz I’m nice like that. I do have it though, in case any are interested.

Little Miss Lanky. Does she not look like she’s grown a couple’a feet since my last post? Good golly Miss Molly.

I’m so thankful the Lord blessed me with a little girl. I just love her to pieces.

Wayde and Cora brought this cool “swing ball” game….kind of like tetherball/tennis. Even the adults had a few rounds.

Auntie Jill is officially “the coolest aunt ever” and Aubrey is “SO lucky to have such a cool aunt” according to Dylan. Little did we know that she just so happened to set up camp a stones throw away and rode up one day to find us lardin’ out by the river.

Aubrey, who has camped with Auntie Jill lots of times, knew there were some 4-wheelers close by and asked her auntie if she could have a ride.

Of course, then everyone wanted one. I was glad Jill made the parents take their children. That way I got to ride it, too!

This one, actually, both of these guys were a bit nervous. Keifer was o.k. once he saw that it was like a SeaDoo and not like a motorcycle, where you have to change gears and such.

Oh and don’t worry Menders, I reminded Dylan that he, too, had an awesome aunt. We talked for a few minutes, I reminded him ever so gently of past activities…and he very quickly remember that YOU, too, were cool too. Love ya….uha

THIS was the home of the Cornwells. We don’t have a trailer. Yet.

Loungin’ and yappin’ the day away

Miss Donna did the girls’ hair the same, ‘cuz they love to be twinners.

Believe it or not, this is the cleanest his face looked all weekend. That GC dirt is some nasty stuff.

Even though we said we would never go back up to Idaho City, otherwise known as Bomb City, we did. We sure did. We visited the same football field last year and once again had a blast lighting off our own fireworks and watching 26 other shows.

Keifer visited a “real fireworks store” not just a stand and found REAL sparklers. You know, the really dangerous ones? The ones we used to use as kids and almost caught each other on fire with? Yep, those ones.

Yep, just as I remember when I was little. When those darn little sparks would hit you in the foot or on top of you head? Look closely and you’ll see Karly’s mistrustful look. She’s very very close to dropping it and taking off.

Here, we are watching the main fireworks show. Only there were umpteen other ones going on at the same time. We didn’t know where to look.

On our last morning, everyone was admiring Keith’s morning ‘do. This is pretty much what he looks like every morning. BUT, when you haven’t washed your hair in days, the mohawk ‘do is far more alive.

I promise, the water did NOT look this disgusting in person. My camera has put a nasty tint on it.

This was right before we were leaving. It’s so hard to say goodbye.

Goodbye to the dirt, marshmallows, campfires….

Goodbye to the most annoying pest on the whole earth…the ones who deplete your blood and leave you in misery for days….

Goodbye to the cold, cold water and the rocky river hikes…and the snakes.

Until next time.

Oh, and one more thing....HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE LINDA!

McCall Daytrip

Keith has a few customers up in McCall and decided to take the whole family with him (again) this past week.

I love it when he decides to take us places.

Our first stop, of course, was his customer. But after work was done we ate at The Pancake House. I could sit for hours on this deck and look at the beautiful scenery.

Keith and I were bummed out that we forgot to take a picture of the food we ordered. It was consumed way before the thought even entered our brains. The pancake was the size of a very large dinner plate and the cinnamon roll, oh my heavens, was HUGE. I've never seen anything like it.

If you ever have the chance to stop in, you won't be disappointed.

This is what I get when I tell Dawson to "give me a cool pose" He's so, so cool.

Now this girl, on the other hand, knows how to pose. I don't say anything to her and this is what I get. It scares me, quite frankly.

My two babies growing up before my eyes. It's hard to believe they once fit in my womb.

After breakfast lunch we went up the street to the Payette Lake. We sat on the beach and watched our kiddies have a blast in the water/sand.

Just like the old days.

You know...old days, as in a couple of years ago on our homeshores.

This one felt he was quite white and wanted to tan his pasty self. This helped, you should see him now. Mmmmhmmm.

Dawson called me as I was photographing the others and said "Mom, take a pitcher of me, I'm Sandman".

I'd say he was right on. Wouldn't you? Sandman, to the T.

Once Dylan heard that, he wanted me to bury him.

Then I had this brilliant idea for Dawson to hold Dylan's head and that maybe, just maybe it might look like this....

Only, It didn't work out quite the same. Dawson couldn't do it, so I got Karly to do it. It really didn't work out.

Then they ALL wanted to be buried....so Keifer and I whistled while we worked. Only I can't whistle.

It was quite funny to see all the people walking along the boardwalk in total awe. As if they've never seen someone buried before? Well, then again, this is Idaho......Maybe they haven't.

We were a popular group on this beach. True geniuses with a clever idea.

After looking at this picture of Dawson, I'm reminded of another one that I took a few years back. One that I will never forget...

Only the reason I buried my baby boy here is because he was a wild child running as fast as he could to the waves and I was beat down from chasing him over and over. So, I thought, this way he wouldn't be able to go anywhere....and it worked. At least for a few minutes.

Our McCall trips are so much fun. I sure hope Keith can keep those customers very happy so we may return again and again. Although I'm not sure he could make anyone unhappy.

Flashback Monday?

**This was supposed to automatically publish on Friday, but for some reason, blogger is not working when it comes to scheduling posts?? So, we have a Flashback Friday on a Monday morning. We've been super busy camping and enjoying our summer. More on that later.


We're goin' back folks. Back to a time when our family was much smaller.


We've gained several members and lost one who started it all.

Camp Lane 2003. Those were the days. Oh, how I miss those days.