Half Way There

We are half-way through the summer and we're in a pretty good groove.  First, to give you the finale to the ring caper, the plumbing company give me a check for the full appraised value of all my jewelry within 2 weeks of the date I reported it stolen.  I could not believe what stand-up people they were.  We were truly grateful and although it's sad to know that things like that can happen, it restored my faith a bit to know that they went out of there way to make it right.

Anyway, the first week of summer was filled with both CCE and scout camp.  Our church here allows the kids to finish an entire year (30 hours) worth of CCE in 10 days (3 hours a day).  It was intense, and I won't say that the boys loved it, or even really liked it, but the good news is that they were with their friends and it's now done for the year.  After CCE was cub scout day camp. This was Grant's first year as a new tiger cub, but veteran Jackson's 2nd year.  They were exhausted as the camp ran from 2:30-8:00 and they had CCE from 9-12 in the am, but we got through it.  One funny incident, on the last day of camp at the parent's performance, the four year old of one of our friends got sick and threw up red gatorade in front of everyone.  Which made Jack get sick.  Jackson announced "I couldn't help it, wierd colored puke makes me puke!"  Overall, camp was a success, both boys shot bb guns and bow and arrows, climbed a rock wall (Jack made it to the top 2 times!) and had various other fun activities.


Then came our trip to Concan where we stayed at Neals Lodges and spent the evenings dancing at Garner State Park.  It was wonderful.  The weather was terrific, the water was cool and the boys had an outstanding time with all of their buddies.  We stayed in a cabin with our good friends, the Bargainers and our other good friends the Cheves stayed right down the road.  All told we had 9 kiddos, a four year old, 5-six year olds, an 8 year old and two nine-year olds.  It was a crazy good time.  Mostly we relaxed in the water on floats while the kids swam, jumped off the rocks, fished with nets, swung out over the river on the rope swing, or whatever other adventure came their way.  In the evenings we went to Garner State Park to the nightly dance.  The dance at Garner is a very longstanding tradition since 1941.  Heath's dad danced at the Garner State Park.  Most of Jackson's teachers did too.  From the Lindy Hop to the Bunny Hop, and the waltz to the Whip, every dance imaginable has been done on that floor.  The best tradition of all though, is that EVERYONE that can walk dances.  All the little girls, and some are LITTLE, line up along the sides while the boys ask them to dance.  Jackson wasn't so sure at first, but by the end of vacation he had 16 dances to his credit.  Grant stuck to dancing with mommy and daddy, but it didn't keep him from going out "scouting" with Jackson for girls.  He did tell me he found "the one" but he wasn't going to ask her until next year.  Sure hope her parents decide to go the last week of June!

Last week Jackson took his now 2nd annual trip to Nana and Poppop's house.  He's a veteran now of flying by himself, and with his know-it-all attitude, I'm surprised he didn't tell the pilot how to fly the plane!  He had a blast in Florida, he went to Universal Studios Orlando and could not get enough of it, particularly the Harry Potter exhibit and ride.  He also spent lots of beach time with Poppop and even went fishing and caught an alligator gar in a lake nearby.  He was ready to see Heath and I, but not really ready to leave Florida.  I can't say I blame him!  Meanwhile, Grant and I held down the fort here while Heath worked.  We had a nice visit with good friends from Colorado and a spectacular fireworks show viewed from a high-rise apartment overlooking downtown.  We spent quite a bit of time at the Bargainer's pool and generally took it easy.


Well, that's it for now.  Next week both boys have science camp during the day, and then the week after that they go to zoo camp for the week.  I'll be able to get at least two weeks of work in this summer!  Heath I'm sure just misses me at the office SO MUCH.  Then they are off for a few weeks and hopefully we are off to Ruidoso, NM on the 15th of August.  School is starting a full week later this year and I want nothing more than to escape this oppressive heat.  I'll post with updates!

Shrimp with Candied Walnuts (ala PF Changs)

I have an obsession, it's the Shrimp with Candied Walnuts at PF Changs.  My obsession has a problem in that I refuse to take my children to PF Changs AND there's only so many times I have a babysitter in any given year.  Since we're talking like in the very low double digits, and considering that we live in one of the restaurant capitals of the free world PF Changs only makes it into the rotation a couple of times a year.  Anyway, previously I was obsessed with the Orange Peel Beef.  I tried, unsuccessfully, to recreate this dish at home.  I never could get that crispy texture to the thinly shaved beef.  Those little crisp, (think bacon fat) citrus-y bits just didn't quite make it in the home skillet.  (side note, home skillet just made me laugh...I think my high school boyfriend called his friends that.) ANYWAY, I digress. 

The Shrimp with Candied Walnuts (yes it deserves constant capitalization) was discovered accidentally by a dining companion.  I HATE honeydew melon so I would've avoided this dish as it has melon balls in the recipe.  However, my friend, who is melon-ambivalent, tried one and pronounced it heavenly.  I tentatively tried it and HEAVEN.  How a dish can take something I despise and turn it into a wonderful taste sensation I do not know.  Anyway, I've been searching for a recipe, since now I have TWO favorite dishes at a restaurant I only go to two times per year.  Once every 365 days is not an option. 

So, after careful searching, I think I've got it.  I won't profess that it's EXACTLY as good as PF Changs, but it's a very close second.

Shrimp with Candied Walnuts (serves 2)

Candied Walnuts
1/2 c water
1/2 c brown sugar
1 T butter
pinch of salt
1 c walnuts (halves not pieces)

MAKE AHEAD.  Bring all ingredients except walnuts to a boil over med high heat.  Add walnuts, stir constantly 5-10 minutes until thickened and coating the nuts.  Pour out over parchment paper and let cool completely.  Can be made 1 day ahead.

Sauce
1/2 c coconut milk
1/4 c sweetened condensed milk
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp celery salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. 

Shrimp
1 lb medium shrimp (I used 15 count and I think they could've been smaller)
1/2 c flour
2 T cornstarch
1 T seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
canola oil for frying in

Pour about 1 c oil in cast iron skillet (about 1 inch) and bring to very high heat.  Meanwhile, put flour and next three ingredients in ziplock bag.  Add the shrimp a few at a time, shake to coat then shake off excess flour and place on paper towel.  When oil is hot, fry shrimp a few at a time, do not overcrowd.  Remove and place on paper towel.

To serve:
In a serving bowl add approx 1/4 honeydew melon, balled (about 10-15 melon balls), shrimp and walnuts.  Pour sauce over the top and serve over cooked rice. 

Disquietude

The title for this post was the word of the day, and when trying to think of a title as I sit here musing over the last few weeks, it's the first word that popped into my head.  I've been unsettled, my roots were shaken, luckily not to the core.  After having a faucet in my master bath break, my engagement ring, wedding band and a diamond cross necklace Heath gave me for our 5th anniversary "turned up missing." 

After the faucet incident, plumbers were called, repairs were begun, and I discovered the theft.  It still feels weird to say "theft."  After the initial shock and dismay over my wedding rings! I think the most upsetting part was that a) someone actually stole from me and b) I had to accuse someone of stealing from me.  Weird, that I was more concerned about the accusation than nearly anything else.  I cried for two days more because I just couldn't believe I had to accuse someone of this.  Someone that I might add, who had been in my house, and had been KIND TO ME.  When the repairs were under way, they seemed to be going out of their way to get it fixed in a way that my somewhat less than stellar home warranty coverage would actually cover. 

Anyway, hopefully this will be over soon.  I told the risk manager at the plumbing company, who has been very nice, that I want this resolved so I don't have to feel this pit in my stomach every time I catch a glimpse of my hand.  I still have an indentation in my left ring finger.  It's there from the years of wearing it too tight.  I was so afraid that it would fall off someday and it's like my ring is still there, just invisible.  Weird after almost one full week. 

Then there's Jackson.  We're on day three of a very weird virus that causes a headache, stomach ache and very high fever.  Weird because all three symptoms only occur between the hours of 7 pm and midnight.  All day he's fine...then seven pm comes along and boom...sick.  And from the moment he wakes until that point, moments when he should be in school, he's whining.  Not about being sick, about being bored.  Mommy can we bake cookies (um, yeah cause you're not going to stick your germy little hand in the cookie dough at all), mommy can I play on the computer, mommy can you take me to the mall to pick out a present (because that's what I did when his brother broke his arm last year and had to miss the end of school party) mommy can we go to Chuck E Cheese (because why have one virus when you can have 2 concurrently?)  I'm blessed he's not actually sick or in any pain, it would just be a bit easier to tolerate being grounded to my house if he acted a bit less peppy, that's all.

And finally, the third wheel, AKA Buddy.  Buddy is Melissa's dog and I love Melissa.  Buddy is Lucy's best friend and I adore Lucy.  Buddy is also one more mouth to feed, one more mess to clean up, and one more living breathing thing to take care of.  Buddy is lucky that Dixie and Daisy also think he's pretty cool.  If Buddy is a general representation of male dogs, I think I'll stick with females.  I don't think my animals are in any way special or anything, and they definitely have their moments (Dixie occasionally shows displeasure with Heath and I by rolling in poop and Daisy at least once weekly poops on Jacksons rug in his room).  But Buddy smells like a dog, more like a little boy that's been playing outside all day smells.  He just stinks.  And he slops his water.  No daintily lapping up water for him, after his turn at the "trough" there's water everywhere.  And have I mentioned his complete and utter TERROR of thunderstorms?  He barks through the ENTIRE performance.  Melissa has mentioned this, but mere words cannot impress upon a person the shear exhaustion and absolute stress one feels after listening to a dog bark.  NON STOP ALL DAY.  And finally, Buddy chases and CATCHES enormous comically disgusting bullfrogs.  Like soccer ball sized bull frogs.  And then shakes them.  Dead.

But, hopefully the worst is behind me.  By the end of the week my jewelry ordeal should be over, according to my contact at the plumbing company.  Melissa should be back to get her dog and Jackson should be back to school.  And then I'm sure Grant or I will come down with whatever Jackson had.

MTV Spring Break...Nobles Style

Today we decided to have a little dance party.  It was pretty impromptu.  I got a new iPod for my birthday since my old one was stolen out of the truck last year.  I love it.  Nice and small and square.  It's perfect.  Anyway, I loaded it up with tunes and the boys and I started dancing around the living room.  Jackson loves to dance, but Grant can ACTUALLY dance, and it's pretty funny to watch.  I was cracking up the whole time.  And the song in the background? That would be "I Like to Move It" by will.I.am.  From the movie "Madagascar 2"  Grant's played that song about 149 times over the last couple of years.  There was one of those singing Hallmark cards at one time that sang the song.  Everytime we walked into the Hallmark store he went straight for that card.  CoCo bought him one once.  After about a thousand listenings it stopped.  Daddy bought him another the next time they were in there.  It got to be where the lady at the Hallmark store knew him well.  This was about 2 years ago.  We were in there 2 weeks ago getting a card for a friend of mine, Hallmark lady STILL remembered him and found him another of those cards.  He is a charmer.  And Jack?  Sweet Jack asked me tonight how to teach him to dance with a girl.  We did NOT dance to Moto Moto, more like Fun.'s "We are Young" and Heath had to cut in a few times.

Anyway, day one of spring break was a success.

Mini Me

Here's Jackson, carb loading after a full day at the rodeo...where he basically ate his way from Reliant Center thru the carnival to Reliant Arena.  We are in the beginnings of the legendary boy appetite stage of life, particularly as it relates to pasta, bread and cheese.  I won't bore you with a blow by blow description of all he ate at the carnival, let's just say it was impressive.  And expensive.  And his brother couldn't handle it and vomited, luckily in an appropriate place, even more luckily at the point in the day when I was more than ready to call it quits.  Jackson was a trooper and not only felt pretty good, but decided just 3 short hours later that he was hungry, and ravioli with creamy tomato basil sauce was the cure.  I've always maintained that had it not been for whatever brave soul decided to eat old curdled milk from another species of animal (aka CHEESE!) I'd be significantly thinner.  Cheese and pasta are the best foods on the earth, and at least one of my kiddos agree!

Best Buddies

Friday night was the annual cub scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  Blue and Gold banquet, for those of you not "in the know" is a celebration of the anniversary of boy scouting.  Additionally, all the scouts earn their rank badges.  It's a lot of fun for the kiddos.  This year we had a photographer, Jenna Whidby, on hand to take pictures.  Our family did not partake in the pictures because I had been up at the middle school since 4:00 preparing for the banquet itself, and was in no condition to have my disheveled state documented.

Grant however, had no problems smiling for the camera.  Which is a bit odd, since normally he shies from a camera like an aboriginal believing his soul will be taken.  I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that his best friend in the whole world, Landon was in the picture too.  Landon is on Grant's baseball team, his "seat buddy" in Mrs. Golden's kindergarten class, and his future "Tiger" den mate.  No, Landon is NOT the little boy on the right.  Landon is the little boy in the middle...the little boy on the right is Landon's four year old brother.  Yes, my children may be a bit vertically challenged, but to be fair, Landon and Reid are giants!  As a bonus, this awesome little duo comes with a big brother, Hayden...considered to be, by Jackson, the coolest boy ever.  Hayden is in third grade, and of course, that very fact alone is cool.  Luckily, Hayden is also a super sweet kiddo, so we count ourselves pretty lucky!  I don't yet have the picture documenting this, but I've been told Grant is in Landon's family picture.  What's one more boy when you already have 3?

Grant's Lego Party

The "tablescape"...although I hate that word.

The goodie bags

Marshmallow Lego Heads

Grant and the LEGO Cowboy

Balloon pop game

The cake with the Lego Minifigure decorations

It's Rodeo Time!

It's the middle of February and that means several things in the Nobles' household.  First, that I'm two thirds of the way through the 3 biggest events of the year.  Christmas, Jackson's birthday, and up this weekend, Grant's birthday.  Second, that it's getting to be rodeo time.  The festivities kick off on the 23rd with the World Famous BBQ cookoff; a week in which I'm lucky if I see Heath more than a few hours.  The cookoff lasts the weekend and then the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins it's 4 week stint.  This year both Heath and I are on committees, Heath on Horsepitality and School Art, and me on School Art.  It'll be a busy but very fun time.

The boys are getting in the spirit as well.  They have Western and GoTexan days coming up at school and they've both learned quite a few songs and dances for the performance.  I heard Grant singing the song "Ole' Dan Tucker" in the bathtub the other night.  Hilarious.

So, in order to get in the rodeo spirit, new starched shirts are being tried out this weekend as they head out to the farm for a day of riding Little Spot, driving the four-wheeler (AKA electric golf cart) and practicing their ropin' skills on the unsuspecting hay bales outfitted with a plastic cow's head.  As I'm just getting over a cold (and in reality have NO desire to spend the day in 35 degree weather) I elected to stay home and get some chores done...and some recorded shows watched.  I packed quite the lunch for them, six sandwiches, potato salad, strawberries, pineapple, cokes and lemonades, chips, and various other snacks.  Afterwards I looked at Heath and said, at 10:30 am, "now that was way too much work for you to be home before 4:00, at the earliest."  He just laughed and reminded me of the days when he would take them out there and I would be upset if they weren't home safe and sound by 2:00 at the latest.

Still want them safe and sound, I just know now that boys being boys and getting all that pent up "boyness" out at the farm is preferable to doing it in my house!

You've Got to Know Your Audience

I like to cook.  I mean I really enjoy getting in there and making a meal for people to enjoy (and hopefully compliment!).  I would be even happier to have a sous chef, someone to do all that pesky chopping and cleaning up afterwards, but generally speaking, cooking is a task that, if I won the lottery, I wouldn't employ someone else to do. 

Preparing a meal for small people that a)have eaten outside the walls of this house and know what McD's tastes like and b) have an opinion...on everything, is sometimes a bit of an undertaking.  Generally, I over-think it.  I'm planning grilled tilapia fish tacos and they're thinking fish sticks and mac and cheese.  Not that they are the pickiest of eaters.  Comparatively speaking they do pretty well.  Anyway, as I remember doing as a kid, from the moment they get home from school all they want to know is "what's for dinner?"  They could've just eaten lunch and they still want to know what's in store for them later.  I guess they need time to prepare their arguments and/or plan whether dessert will even be worth choking down the swill they'll surely be served.  You know, 'cause I serve swill a bunch.

Tonight was no exception.  Forget the tornado warnings which prompted drills in school today, all they wanted to know was what was being served for dinner.  Happily I told them chicken tacos, since I know that they both love that.  Grant looks at me skeptically and says, "Aunt Melissa's chicken tacos?"  Now I'm not disparaging my sister or her culinary skills, however when she was here over Thanksgiving she decided to make chicken tacos.  She however, did NOT make chicken tacos as she wasn't ever sure exactly what she wanted to do (indecision is exacerbated with 4 small children running around.)  I wanted to make sure we had dinner so I just threw the chicken breasts in a crock pot covered in rotel and then shredded it all up when we returned from the zoo 4 exhausting hours later.  It was pretty darn good.  Not an experience mind you, but pretty good.  Grant and Jackson apparently LOVED it.  Hence forth, it is Aunt Melissa's chicken tacos.

It all boils down to knowing your audience.  My boys loved those easy-peasy chicken tacos so much that they attribute them to their favorite aunt.  For that reason, I bake homemade cakes for adults, but always do kroger cake/cupcakes for kids parties.  I'm all about conserving my creative energy.

One last thought.  When Heath and I were first married, I made him a painstakingly complicated lasagna.  Several layers, a bechamel, it was intense...and heavenly.  Growing up in my family we let it be known how much work it took to make a dish, and we always down play it, saying it isn't that great.  Even if it's the best thing on the planet, we say something along the lines of "are you sure you like it, it's not my best work."  We're a humble folk... or not.  Maybe we're just fishing for compliments.  Anyway, Heath's comment after I served it to him, telling him that it probably wasn't that great?  Heath: "Well, it's pretty good.  Next time why not just heat up a Stouffer's?"  Yes, we are still married.  And no, he doesn't make remarks like that anymore. 

Eight is Great!

Happy Birthday Breakfast

After the belt test

So it was a very busy birthday weekend in the Nobles household.  Friday evening several of the neighborhood kiddos came over to bounce on the trampoline after school which ended in an improptu pizza night with their family.  The kids bounced and the adults played the giant Jenga game that Heath and I (and Home Depot) made last weekend.  If you don't know what giant Jenga is, just picture regular Jenga, only with 2x4s sawed to about 12 inches long.  It's a lot of fun, and makes a terrific party game. 

Saturday was the belt test for Taekwondo, about 25 kids participated.  Jackson did an outstanding job and earned his yellow belt.  You can see that several of his good friends have been doing this for a while!  He really loves Taekwondo and it's been great not only physically, but mentally too.  Lot's of good discipline reinforced! 

Sunday morning Jackson woke up to a floor filled with blown up balloons, a Happy Birthday Banner across the doorway, and streamers everywhere.  He had his requested cinnamon roll breakfast and proceeded to open his gifts.  Grant was very proud of the gift he gave Jack, the newest "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book.  Jackson loves those books.  Sunday night we went out to dinner at Jackson's request to Collina's.  He devoured an enormous plate of ravioli and have a loaf of bread before we went to Marble Slab for his favorite "Vanilla Ice Cream with Oreos and Gummy Bears."  Yes, that's right...gummy bears!  They are disgustingly hard in ice cream, but he loves them.  Anyway, he had a great weekend, and of course the fun doesn't stop there.  Next weekend is the family "combined" party for all the kids born Dec-February and then the weekend after that is his laser-tag party with several friends from school.  Then two weeks later is Grant's birthday.  Thankfully, the festivities end after February 21st! 

Brotherly Love

Perfect Children

Jackson is at Connie and Mike's house where he spent the night yesterday after going to pick out a new pair of cowboy boots for his birthday.  Grant is enjoying the benefits of a little one-on-one time with Heath and I, specifically being "bounced real high" on the trampoline.  You can see from this smile, just how much fun this is.

My mother-in-law always tells me that Heath was the perfect child.  Despite the numerous tales I've heard from Heath to the contrary, in Connie and Mike's mind, Heath was the perfect child.  It's important to note here, that Heath was the ONLY child.  As I've come to discover now that the boys are old enough to venture out without me, spending the night at a friend's house or grandparent's house, one kid...on their own...is the perfect child. 

I wouldn't trade either for anything, obviously, Jackson and Grant both are the blessings that make my life.   Jackson provides a fresh persepective to almost everything I thought I knew.  His perspective on the world around him is amazing to me and his personality is so close to my own that although it has it's downsides, it is also so wonderful.  Grant is my love, he's the one to cuddle up to me every morning, and the one to always hold my hand and just generally feel the need to randomly take a time out from his otherwise all boy personality to get a hug. 

I remember thinking before Grant was born that I wasn't sure how I could ever love another child like I loved Jackson.  It's amazing the heart's capacity to expand like that.  It was also a big shock to realize just how easy I had it with only one child!  With one child, you never hear bickering, you never wonder who broke it, or who spilled it, or who forgot to shut it...whatever it is.   Despite of this, I'm grateful for both my children.  I would never be able to fully appreciate each of them on their own without having both of them all the time.  I'm especially grateful that they will grow up to have each other.  I know that boys are different from girls, but I hope they will have a relationship with each other similar to the one I have with my sister.  I hope they will always be able to depend on each other.  I hope that they will be best friends for life.  And I know, that in 35 years, I will look back and say that they were both "perfect" children.

I've got feathers in my mouth and I don't know why.

One of the downsides of Facebook is that sometimes I feel it only exists to make me feel bad about myself.  I see these posts of people saying things like "I'm so blessed, (insert random kid's name here) is just a joy, he/she is so wonderful, they said the sweetest things in their prayers last night, they are already doing algebra in kindergarten, they are doing just great in their Portuguese lessons, etc."  Or, you get the "wow, just finished a 10 k after being up all night making sure every shirt in the house is laundered and now I need to go study for the bar exam."  Generally, I either REALLY don't measure up or they're just flat out lying.  I don't post status updates because someone would probably call CPS.  "Just finished screaming my head off at my eight year old because he peed all over the bathroom floor.  His excuse..."it was dark, I couldn't see what I was doing." Or how about "Is it about even if you go run 2 miles then come home and eat 4 spoonfulls of Nutella?"  My status is not anything anyone wants to know about. 

That being said, I have been truly blessed with two sweet, healthy, and generally normal little boys.  I say this because I feel like sometimes my sarcastic sense of humor tends to make it seem like I don't appreciate what I've got.  I do.  It's just that being me, and I'm sure that this is a universal feeling, is just so darn hard sometimes.  Now, I know it's not hard in the HARD sense or anything, but it is hard in the day to day dealings with people who have no brains yet. 

Case in point.  I have a border collie, Dixie, who is TERRIFIED of thunderstorms.  This morning we awoke, later than we should've due to the darkness outside, to epic thunderstorms.  As a walked down the hall to the boys rooms to wake them for school, I noticed the carpet was a bit damp.  Then as I proceeded to the hardwood floors, downright wet, culminating in an enormous puddle in the boys' bathroom.  First thought was that, once again, the art of toileting in the dark had escaped one of my children.  Then I remembered the carpet and thankfully remembered that even at their worst, this was beyond their bladders capabilities.  No leaks of any kind could be discovered.  It was a mystery...until Heath remembered...Jack had bathed last night.

Now Jackson can't be expected to remember to use soap, or wash his hair, or even sometimes take off his clothing before he gets in the tub.  He DEFINITELY needs to be reminded to pull the drain afterwards.  Before you are confused, yes, Jackson is the eight year old.  I'd worry more, but apparently it's rampant in 7-8 year old boys to have extreme bath aversions.  Dixie in her constant terror of thunder had gone to the only closed in room of the house and jumped in the tub.  That was still filled with water.  Cold water.  That was now all over a 45 pound border collie.  A SCARED border collie who then proceeded to race through the house shaking to get dry. 

I'm just saying.  Life with small and the not so small is hard work and don't believe everything you read on Facebook.