The marble run

This is what we got Luke for his birthday...
We gave it to him a week later because it had so many other things to play with and the weather was good for playing outside.
This is definitely an inside toy!

The boys have one like this at their school, but it is smaller.
Loren has to put it together (a lot, because it knocks over pretty easily)
But Luke seems to really like it (as does Jack!)

Marble races are fun!

Dennis the Mence

You can't quite tell, but the boys are standing in front of a Dennis the Menace statue at the entrance of a giant play ground.
It is in Monterrey and it is cool!
Big bridge to run across and lots of slides.
It is so big that it is easy to loose a child...especially when there are two of them!
Luckily, Jack likes to stay close to us so he comes back quickly!

This water fountain lion head is a big hit to keep the boys hydrated.

And, of course, every cool playground has a giant train to explore!
There is also a rock climbing wall!

Bye bye hammer head sharks

We went on Saturday to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium to say good bye to the outer reef exhibit.
They are closing it for a whole year for upgrades.
(I wish I had known that before I renewed our membership because that is our favorite exhibit!)

So we said farewell to the hammer head sharks, the giant tuna and the great whites...
see ya next year, we will miss you.  It seemed like they already started removing the fish as it was a bit emptier then normal.  I really wanted to get one last picture of the hammerhead, but he was a bit camera shy this time...
I can not imagine where they are going to put all these fish while they update the tank...

There are other fun things to to at the aquarium - turtles, penguins, flamingos...
It looks like some fish or amoeba is giving Luke rabbit fingers.

Birthday Mud Pie

Luke LOVES mud so on his birthday (and many other days)

he made a mud pie and sang happy birthday to himself.

Finally he is wearing flip flops and not rain boots!

Layered Shrimp Dip

When I started this blog I had wanted it to be more of a mix of family and food...all the good things in life.

  I have really let the food part slide.  I find it challenging just to feed everyone, let alone blog about it.

I'd really like to change that and put more food in - I really love food and love to cook.

Though it is hard to actually get to cook with the kids around, but I am going to try more.

Here is a great recipe for a very yummy dip that we had at looks birthday.

It is easy to make and every one's eyes light up when they realize that it has shrimp in it.

I use real shrimp and not canned.

 layered shrimp dip from taste of home magazine

Twins?

As they are growing up, they are looking more alike!

Luke is catching up in size and eats like a horse so he has more of a belly!

So, the "are they twins?" question will keep on coming up...but they are 1 year and 7 months different!

And you sure can tell that they are brothers!

WW: Freaking hot, then not!

Okay, so Saturday was cool, a cool 70 degrees,
but since then, a little hot.
Today it was 110.
Friday is slated for 69.
Is there not a happy medium?...We could really use one!
Anyway, this was our respite from the heat yesterday.

Happy Birthday Luke

Guess who turned 3 today...my baby!
We had a party for him yesterday and it was a lot of fun!
Lots of family and our favorite neighbors!

Luke enjoyed his basketball hoop cake ala safeway and let his friends help blow out his candles.

and then there were presents! Loving the presents.

This pop gun is a winner and so far the tv has been safe.
Today, on the real birthday, Luke is proving that the 3s are not much easier.

Tree house

We (Loren) have been reading chapter books to the boys and the favorite is
the Magic Tree House series.
It is about a boy, Jack, and his sister, Annie, and their adventures in a magic tree house.
I first heard about this series from a fellow Jan 06 baby mommy, JL.
http://thetobyshow.typepad.com/the_toby_show/
on her blog.

Someday, we would love to build a tree house for the boys, but so far our trees are not the best.
The other day, Jack started climbing one and pretending magic tree house.
It was really cool, except it was mostly about shooting things....
Such boys...

What to do?

"Mommy, what can I play?"

"Play with your cars and parking lot, Lukie."
"Sure Mommy, but first I must get my eye goggles."
"Okay?!"

This kid has personality!

Why the stairs?

So, we go on vacation to a nice, big house

and the boys favorite place to play...

The stairs....

Of all the spots, including outside...the stairs are the most dangerous.

I spent lots of time telling them to get off the stairs and stop throwing things up and down the stairs.

I gave up and said that they could play on the bottom 3 stairs, but it didn't last long as they crept up more.

And when I locked the little gate, they would try and hang on it which was even more dangerous...

Why do boys find the scariest things to play on and with!

WW: fun in the river

Fun walking in the Murphy's river.
(Luke didnt like it so much and I almost lost my flip flop)