Memorial Day Weekend

Today could not have been a nicer day. It was in the mid 80's with a slight breeze. We were in heaven! So relaxing. Our good friends Nicole and Russ came over with Dylan and Jacob. Mike and Russ (mainly Russ) did a ton of electrical work, mainly on my office and then installed a couple of power outlets outdoors. We BBQ'd kabobs, the kids ran laps (or drove cars) on the deck for hours. The big boys missed their naps and the little ones both took great naps. My office is rearranged into a perfect situation where the patio door is no longer behind me which means the horrible glare will be gone forever!!! Hopefully my eyes will start getting better and not feel blurry when looking at the computer. We couldn't make the switch until the electrical work was done because the plugs were in very bad shape, not grounded and the one I needed to use in the switch would shock you when you touched it. Not good at all. After two weekends of weddings I am free until June 13th (with one family session next weekend) so editing time it is for me! I took a break from the computer (ok the power was cut off to the office) but it felt great to sit and relax and hang out with friends.

To me, when I see watermelon it symbolizes summer.

Siena wanted to play with the boys so bad but she kept getting in the way of their bumper cars.

The boys did a lot of this -

and this. Although neither one of them was happy when the balloon popped on them.

and of course they got in may scuffles.

Jacob did a lot of this.

She's on to us

Now neither of us can eat ice cream in peace.

Sweet Clementines

Song sung to the tune of Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond.

They're not from a can or from the frozen section
You'll find them in produce, you can go wrong
They grow from the trees
The tress get there sun in the summer
That's when they really do grow strong

Cans…they're not from cans
Tasty fruit
Good for me and good for you!

Sweet clementines
Oranges never taste this good
I really like to eat 3 or 4, I could

They look like an orange, but smaller and ten times better
They really are so good for you
I can't get enough of these tasty little fruits now
Much better than apples or honeydew

Cans…they're not from cans
Tasty fruit
Good for me and good for you!

Everybody!

Sweet clementines
Oranges never taste this good (so good, so good)
I really like to eat 3 or 4, I could with you

(There kind of hard to peel, but my mom helps me
They kind of smell funny on my fingers too
There delicious in my mouth
Bursting with flavor, yes!, Yummy!)

Sweet clementines
Oranges never taste this good (so good, so good)
I really like to eat 3 or 4, I could

Sweet clementines
Oranges never taste this good (so good, so good)
I really like to eat 3 or 4, I could

A good substitute

With the garden being a long ways away, I don't have a tomato supply to go to every time I was salsa.  So this is a great substitute until summer time.  You really can't go wrong with any of their salsas.  This was the most recent one I picked up.  It has kick to it but in a good way.  The chips are awesome!

What happens when the freezer door gets left unlocked.

My not so secret addiction...

I have a little problem when it comes to jelly beans.  I have no self control. It only occurs with the Brach's brand.  All others I can turn down, no problem, except these.  Fortunately for me they are only available at Easter time.  I prefer the speckled eggs over the classic ones (lets not even bring up the spiced ones) for one and one reason only.  All of  the jelly beans in the speckled bag are edible where as in the classic bag they have dark purple and black that make up about 1/3 of the bag meaning that I am wasting my money and  not getting all my jelly beans.

I tend to stock up and eat so many of these that buy the time Easter actually gets here I am so sick of them, it takes about a year before I want to eat them again.

Annual Family Christmas Party

It's that time of year!  The annual Mesple Family Christmas party.  It is always so much fun.  Good food, good times, good friends and family.  

I made these amazing appetizers.

Click here for the recipe

Another decent family photo!

Remind me next time not to sit like that.

Is Cole actually smiling?

Cole got to spend a lot of time with his cousins who absolutely adore him.

We need to get him together with them more often.  That little guy ran till he was practically passed out.  He took a few 5 second siestas in the guitar case.

Cole - don't even think about asking Santa for one of those!

I attempted to give Cole his first taste at cow tongue.  Cole's a smart guy.  Avoid the cow tongue at all cost.  Give it to Grandpa Dale, he will eat it for sure!

We celebrated my grandpa's 90th birthday!

You would never guess by looking at him that he was 90.

Guitar playing in the back ground. 

Cole is of course involved in every situation.

Four generations.  Cole, me, my dad and my grandaunt Bertha.

My sister and her boyfriend are back from Mexico.

They sailed around Baja for 2 months.

(sorry Lennis - not the most flattering photo, but the only one I got)

Little guy on the way home.  He was so beat after running around all day Saturday.

Anniversary Trip to Tahoe

Cole acting like he cares that he is leaving us for a day and a half.

(by the way - this was the FIRST time I have spent the night away from Cole.  It was a little bit easier than I thought it would be.)

We went here first to wander around.  Got hungry and left to Kings Beach to find a cheeper lunch.

We had lunch here.  OVERPRICED and NOT GOOD.

Don't waste your time or money.

Should have eaten in Truckee.

I took Mike to the miniature golf course that I went to as a kid.  Still the same and still a lot of fun!

Mike kicked my butt.

I was almost 30 over par...

Beautiful views of the lake from Kings Beach

We had an amazing dinner at Gar Woods. 

Mike chose the restaurant about 2 months ago.

To our surprise we were treated to dinner by my parents.

Sneaky Sneaky!

The view from our table

Appetizer: Coconut Prawns - eaten way too fast to document with a photo

I also had French Onion Soup - as always a good choice

Chicken Picata

Jerk rubbed pork tenderloin

The restaurants dock at night

View back to Gar Woods

I think my pants may have still been unbuttoned at this point.

Too full from all the food.

We got White Chocolate Snicker Cheesecake to go.

The cabin in Rainbow we got to stay at for the night.

Thanks goes out to the Bonner's!

We played Yahtzee and ate cheesecake by the fire.

The only reason I had to get up in the middle of the night was to pee.

No child to tend too!

Onyx was so happy to see us, she jumped into the car to greet us with kisses.

Cole's reaction to seeing us was not so sweet.  He ran and hid between my mom's legs and then when I picked him up he head butted me and started crying.  Missed you too sweets.