freckles and delayed hygiene.

i'm still here and with sweet reminders about the next blog post, i finally sit down, with lots of stories and photos to share...but not all tonight as girlfriend is about ready to pass out, but can't until she showers...for the FIRST time today. it's not normal, but true. i have been saying i was going to jump in the shower for hours now. ha. it's kind of making me laugh now. hey, mama said there'd be days...

oh, how i miss the NEW POST page when i finally do sit to write a few things. in my mind, the blogger post page can get me into a frantic state..."i need to post? i want to post! what to post?"

however, when i arrive here and the white and blue computer screen stares back at me...it's comforting. i love that feeling.

i'm pretty sure the red wings just scored a few times, because my father-in-law is in the other room losing his mind and peyton (yes, she's supposed to be in bed, but she was and i missed her...and so she came downstairs and laid her sweet little freckled face on my arm and there she remains as i sit typing) and i keep saying things like...'that crazy gido!' and 'oh my goodness, the wings must have scored again.' i know i act like i could care two corn dogs less about the wings winning in their big game (or last one until the big one?), but when i hear the excitement in the other room, i am secretly proud of our red wings and i know it matters a lot to the loud guy, happy guy in the next room...and to daddy 2000 miles away too.

we have been having an amazing time here in michigan. i have had a couple shoots which have kept me as busy as i want to be, which leaves just as much time as i need to do what i really want to do, which is not a lot of anything.

well, a lot of nothing and by that i mean, i only want to do things...trips to the local parks that have lots of trees around and each one is different offering a new little piece of michigan heaven.

lots of visiting with friends, and aunties, and nona's and papa's!

a whole lotta nuttin' meaning backyard campfires making smores, the kind of campfire without fire and without marshmallows.

we have time cook something every night and when we are not cooking, we are talking about what we want to cook or try.

dinner with sito and gido each night followed by bath time where sito scrubs the kids clean and makes them smell nice which always makes them more lovable i think. ha.

pizza at chuck. e. cheeses with g-pa and aunties that style up my girl's hair all hannah montana-like...those photos will be the next post.

for now, a few casual photos of my super sweet and adorable niece, evie, whom i miss terribly...

love that little sprite!

the kids playing the pacman game which is a HUGE treat at sito and gidos house!

all three play like big kids and it is so sweet to watch and since my kids associate michigan with snow, they decided to pretend it was

snowing and sled around the deck...

and then a bonfire...

with fruit snacks instead of marshmallows and chopsticks instead of sticks ('cause sticks are too dirty, peyton said)

we take lots of walks...

where evie likes to spread her arms wide open...

toward her mama, my sister, who walks beside me and catches me up on...life!

posh and becks love their nona and papa!

sito teach us how to make her specialties such as...yknee or nic nic or heaven in a bowl...whatever you call it, just try it because it is so

warm and filling and fresh and comforting. you'll love it!

it's like a tomato based soup that you pour over linnies rice...it's delumputious (that's delicious and scrumptious.)

here is the recipe:

Yknee

one large onion

1 pound of filet or stew beef (linnie uses lamb, but i like beef, but great both ways)

2 cups carrots, big chop.

12 cups of chicken broth or stock

2 cans of petite diced toms

a bunch of green beans-cut into 3's or small enough to fit on the spoon when eating

another option: okra

2 garlic cloves-pressed. i'm pretty sure garlic presses have changed my life. i love 'em.

2 big potatoes, diced to throw in at end of cooking time when bean are done.

a knors's bouillion cube or a tablespoon of better than boullion (linnie's fave)

salt& pepper

in a soup or dutch oven, brown your meat in a little butter or olive oil. ( i use both)

then add broth and all other ingredients with the exception of the pots. let it simmer, simmer, simmer...

the true secret to good tasting food in my mind.

i would let it boil and then turn down the heat a bit. when the beans are done, throw in the pots. when those are cooked through,

your nic nic is done. serve it with pita bread and pour the yknee over linnie's rice.

this is a staple over here, especially on cold days. enjoy it!

beckham's face while snapping green beans...

whew, i made it out alive!

will snap green beans for a squirt of whipped cream!!!

a little catch up...

happy birthday lily! and a sweet party of ice skating for us which took us on an adventure

thank you, lily for getting beckham started in his new sport of choice...

yes, he moans and whines at every turn wanting his own hockey skates and a helmet with the 'lines' which i FINALLY figured out after

googling pictures of hockey helmets, meant hockey helmet with shield.

yes, our little guy is a sport nut and it's kinda driving me out of my mind with all the new sport's equipment he thinks he needs seeing as he's

not a player...yet! our sweet little guy. we are so proud of his enthusiasm.

okay, a little grateful list:

i love walking up and down the aisles of this store. they have any and everything you could want in the knick-knack-kinda-cool department.

nothing worse than not having these coupons on you when you finally decide to stop at BB&B, so now i rip them out of the mag and throw

them in the glove box in the truck. ha ha, i'll show them!

my 'inspire' sign that a friend gave me because she said she thought of me when she saw it. holla, a bigger compliment i can not think of right

now. thank you, leslie. i love it!

all the fun bath time soaps and potions to keep the little ones happy during bath time. sito always hooks it up. this time the big hit was

super scrubbers soap and lavender bubble bath.

these silly and sweet kids. driving me crazy and driving me to love them more and more each and every day!

the freckles i see more and more on my girl's face.

i love them. every. single. one.

the creativity and imagination that i see in my kids.

well, i am off...to shower and i still need to move my freckled beauty to her bed as she is snuggled up close...forget it

she stays with me;)

i hope everyone is enjoying their days as much as we are. trust me, it's not all rainbows and unicorns over here, we have

been in time-out city over here with my kids new favorite word...wait...here it comes...

POOPY or POOPY head. ?!?!?!?!

i don't get it. i really don't.

love from michigan,

heidi

xoxoxoxo

***ha, i just realized that the photos at the park, are from a couple months ago, i confused the two folders. updated ones

will follow one of these days***