Dirty Muddy Fun

Hello! I'd like to add to the plethora of Memorial Day posts! We went to Indian Creek, which is just east of Palisades Dam. We had a grand old time up in the mountains with my crazy family. We had so much fun, that I'm actually posting a picture of myself. This first pic is of our first night there. We had just set up our bed and we were very excited to be there and Ev was very hyper. Here's some twiners. My mom spent so much time with Evelyn that Evelyn has actually called me Grandma a couple times today.

Alright, so this is Evelyns face every time she's around Faye. She loves her! They're all buckled up in Jamies rhino before we took a ride down to Palisades.

Here's my man out doing his thing in the mud.

Here's my daughter out doing her thing in the mud.

So much fun, and such a big mess.

I really enjoy camping, especially when I get home and am clean and I smell good and I get to lay down in my bed with all my pillows... ahhhhh...

Dear Santa,

I've been reading, 'In Praise of Stay-at-Home-Moms', Dr. Lauras' new book. Derek gave it to me for Mothers Day. I just read the funniest thing, an e-mail that Dr. Laura received from a stay-at-home-mom. It's a hoot, hope you enjoy:

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited doctor's offices more than my doctor and sold 62 cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my Christmas list over several years, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows if I'll find any more free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in an color except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the 7th month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big-ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint-resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy," to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three jean skirts that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take you hands off you sister," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would also be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling my name, and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.

Yours always, Mom.

P.S.: One more thing... you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to always believe in Santa.

Big Shot

Well, my husband is officially famous. I'm sure you all get Potato Grower Magazine, but for the few of you who don't, he is on the cover this month. Just let us know if you want an autograph.