One morning over the weekend I had Marcus take some bread out for the birds.  I told him to put it somewhere high so Copper wouldn't get to it and eat it.  So he was putting it on top of the block fencing...he wouldn't let me take pictures of him while I was outside, so I am actually taking these from inside my kitchen, looking out the window...he doesn't know  :)

            It looks like he is looking right at me, but he can't see me...

                   .....then he started throwing the bread over the fence into our neighbors yard..he still doesn't know im watching him....hehehe

                  Yay!!!  I was so excited to have a family visitor!!!  Annie had been in Santa Fe with her fiance Alex and a friend of theirs, Sam.  They made their way to Phoenix so Annie could catch a flight to go see a friend.  Her stay was WAY too short, but worth every minute I got to spend with her.  It was nice to meet Alex too...what a nice guy! 

       While us girls caught up visiting, Marcus showed the guys how to play his favorite wii games...

                       i put a few cold ones in a cooler and Panther liked playing with the ice..

                           Mitch grilled up steaks for anyone who wanted one...we had salad and homemade mac and cheese and I made my mom's super yummy chocolate bundt cake! 

                      Thanks for coming to see us!!!  It was a lot of fun!!!!

Winters weekends

     Mackenzie's friend Caitie came for a sleepover.  Mitch was nice and went and got them whatever they wanted from Sonic... they are busy chowing down!

                            I know you can't tell what Marcus is holding; he mixed cherry slush into his ranch and the girls dared him to eat it....he acted like he was going to, but decided against it in the end.

                                              Being goofy and cute!

 Panther LOVES to help me on the computer.  He is fixated on the little arrow and right now he is waiting for it to move again.  A lot of times he paws at the screen or wants to get as close as possible and will try to lay on the keyboard.

      Marcus has had trouble with the chain constantly coming off his bike.  Mitch has fixed it a couple times, but after a while it pops again.  Marcus came running into the kitchen yesterday and grabbed my kitchen gloves.  He was working hard trying to fix his bike, but didn't want grease all over his hands...bye bye dish gloves :/

Karate belt and cooking

 Marcus completed another semester in Karate.  He earned his green belt with blue stripe.  Good job buddy!!!

           Here are the monster cookies from the Rossville cookbook that Karen Kidd and I make a lot.  I have kids on my street ringing our doorbell for these! 

 This is the overnight french toast I love to make...this is before I baked it.  This time I diced up the bread into chunks....

                          Not the best photo, but it tastes REALLY good. 

                   Marcus got his first pocket knife from Papa...he loves cutting through things.  He found some rope outside and got right to work.

                                         He loves his pocket knife Papa!!!!!!

                                        I polished Mac's nails the other night.

Hangin' out in 2012

        Copper is still a puppy at 7 months, but she is growing up.  She literally is the one that takes YOU for a walk...

               She lets me take pictures of her whenever I want :)  I have to chase and beg my own children for a simple smile...

 Mitch made labels for my spices, I know you can't see the labels, but they looked so nice and shiny after I cleaned them up I felt the need to take a picture of them...Mitch just shook his head...

                This was New Year's Eve night...we hung out at home and played games with the kids.

               This has been his favorite past time over break...only a few days remain before they have to go back to school...

     But I could easily persuade him to go outside and ride his bike. It's been in the upper 70's all week.