Summer lovin' happens so fast

This was a great Summer! Baby James made his first trip alone. Cousin Jessie did too! And Alex and I spent alot more time the usual just hanging out and enjoying each other! I actually got a tan! I sure hope all these visits become a summer tradition. We would LOVE LOVE Joey and Austin to join us!(hint hint)
The end of the summer is always marked by Alex's birthday. This year we had birthday dinner with Alex's favorite "twin" Allie Swain.

The girls choice Winger's of course. Truth be told I am getting kinda tired of it!

Little Stinker

The girls sure had fun! As always we enjoy our time hanging with the Swain gang!

Ice Cream

I was having a craving for some ice cream today, as anyone who knows me knows, I usually have several kinds to choose from!

I open the first carton and this is what I find!

One BITE!
In the next carton...

Two Bites!
I find the only person who would dare eat all of my ice cream and then leave a bite when she starts to feel guilty! That's right Alex!
This is what she had to say in defense of her self! Well at least the second one had more than just one spoon full, that was nice of me!

Morale of the story: When two girls are in one house, one bathroom and 3 pints of ice cream are not enough!

Blond who me?

I was going through old boxes and I came across a picture of Scott and I as toddlers! Blond!! ME!! Who would have ever guessed! My mom didn't even remember! Of course I look like my roots need to be dyed.

The energy of kids

In light of recent events in my life, I have decided to take up running again! Yuck I know!
Alex was totally offended that I would not let her go on my run with me. I explained that it was getting dark and I was planning on doing 2 miles. I didn't want her left behind on a dark road. To which she replied," I can train for it Lori"
Well how am I supposed to tell her that she can't! So off we went! She actually passed me! Twice! I was in worse shape than I thaught! The good news is I now have a LOUD little girl to bug me every night to go running! Nothing like motivation!

A new girl!

Alex does not like to brush her hair! I really do feel sorry for her with those tangles! Yesterday morning the tears started and I asked her for the 500 time if she wants to just get her hair cut short. She said,"If I want long hair I have to get used to it and get tuff"
I asked her if she would like to read The Swain blog and see Allie's new hair cut(a new reason to blog, peer pressure) She immediately said yes she would like her hair cut like Allie!

Side story when she was 5 she got a bad case of head lice! As you can imagine it's about impossible to get the eggs out of that light hair! To this day no one will admit to who's idea it was but she showed up at my house with a crew cut!! Since then she won't let anyone cut her hair!

She love her new hair cut! This morning she seemed very disappointed that it only took her 2 minutes to brush it out! I on the other had was thrilled!

Last Day 4 Baby James

Alex stated it so well," I know why we don't get along, He's a boy and I am a girl!!"

I couldn't have said it better myself. Needless to say James loves to make her mad and she loves to be mad at him.
We went to the park and met up with Stacie and Landon.
By the way James said next year he wants to stay 5 weeks!

Guess where we went for dinner?

That's right I know at least two girls who claim this as their "favorite" place(truth I am getting tired of it but don't tell the girls)

Baby James has been asking since he got here if he could go down the water slide at the pool. We didn't have the correct life jacket until today! I have never seen a kid so happy to try a new thing

Pictures

Sunday afternoon the Kids had their Birthday pictures taken and cousin Jessie had her senior pictures taken. Thank goodness for friends because this session never would have happened with out him! It has been a long time since I picked up a camera for anything more than a snap shot! ANYone who has experienced me as a photographer will tell you it's one of the 2 things in life that I have OCD about! The pictures are great! He even got a good one of me and the kids!

Thanks Again Big D for your help, you saved the day!

Kids at play

Mom took the kids to bridavil falls this afternoon... The said the water was cold! I missed the fun but Cousin Jessie took some pictures. We can't seem to get Alex to open her eyes!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Captain Obvious

In the car today Baby James was telling me how yummy the peach was that he was eating.
I asked him if he knew that there was a movie called James and the Giant Peach.
Alex looks over and said,"Yeah and your name is James!"

I should make a tee shirt for her that says," In case you don't notice, I will point out the obvious"

Alex and James Post

Becca Beth Alex James(left to right)

(OK well I'm not sure that the kids posting is a good idea but here goes!)
(Alex) Last night we went to the pool and movie theather and today we also went but we had the girls Becca and Beth. No Rachel when we all got there it was very surprising, (James) and very watery. He also wanted to add, "James is so funny, Aunt Lori and Alex and me our whole family is funny"

(Lori) Yesterday and today we did go swimming We went to the dollar show and saw Nim's Island. Surprisingly it was pretty good!
Alex helped me with my sun block and now I have an interesting burn on the one shoulder.

It's A Boy and a girl and another girl...

Everyone arrived late last night safe and sound! (what does that phrase mean anyway?)
Lot's of hugs an squishes all around!
Our house is very confusing for most people. It is circular in logic. So I spent 15 minutes making sure Baby James and Alex knew where the bathrooms and Aunt Lori where located!
I opened James' suitcase and he informed me,"You can't just take stuff out of there you will mess it up" Then he wanted to unpack at 10:15 at night. He could see no other way to get to his PJ's with out messin' up all the nice piles!

They bounced on the bed for at least 15 minutes and Alex fell asleep! James was still awake at 11. Though he was laying quietly on top of the blankets. He wanted to know why I couldn't sleep with him cause there was lots of space behind his back for me....Tempting but no thanks!

This morning started just like I thought it would. 6:08 am~ I felt someone searching through my blankets! It was morning for them! I grabbed some clothes and headed up the stairs. Where James explained to me "That's not how you're shirt post'a goes" Inside out shirts just don't cut it for him!

I was called out to a birth this afternoon so I missed the trip to the park :-(
Oh Baby James has a new nickname" muffin top" Well That's what I called him and his reply was "it's MR Muffin Top" Followed by "no it's "Dear Mister Muffin top to you"

The day ended with Alex crying hysterically because as she says "I have to miss everything and I have to do every thing" ( Can I just say that she woke up too early and now it's after 10:00)

They are too much fun! We start again in the morning!

And they're off..

The trip hasn't been going so well so far. Yesterday morning James woke up early and could not find grandma. He grabbed a zip lock bag and started packing his things. Then he woke u his mom and said that they left with out him!(luckly she isn't that forgetful yet)
Alex lost her chunks on grandma's clean laundry, everything had to be rewashed.
They waited for Uncle Aaron to decide he was moving here then change his mind and stay. They didn't leave Kansas City till late afternoon.
The caravan made it to a hotel in the middle of Nebraska last night. Cousin Jessie is helping to drive and it's a good thing cause Grandma is sooo poky, they might never get here!!!

Glad I am not there! We will see them tonight!

ONE MORE DAY

The kids get here tomorrow!! I wait for this all year! Baby James is old enough to come this time, he is 5 and a half!My cousin Jessie is coming for 2 weeks, I used to change her diapers! She is 17 now. She will be a great help!
Oh and my brother Aaron is moving out here too!
For the first time we will have more Mergell's than Bjarnson's in this house!

Let the fun begin!

Random Thoughts by Lori

Here in Utah not all restaurants carry Dr Pepper (they do in the Midwest) and it got me thinking. Who actually buys Mr Pibb? I mean doesn't everyone ask for Dr Pepper and then they settle for a Pibb?
Same goes for Mt Dew. Who buys Mellow Yellow on purpose?
It's one of those things that you buy because it was on sale!
When you go to someones house and they ask you if you would like a soda, you ask for a DP. They say oh we have Mr Pibb.
What do they always say next?
"It was on sale"

Moral to the story..

Don't be a Mr Pibb in a Dr Pepper world!

Link to the other Dr Pepper impersonators!

Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1979

On friday night a group of us went to the Melting Pot! The food was good but not worth what some people have been roomered to pay! We found out that you can order cheese dip, a salad and dessert for around $20 per person.

I don't know about this one

You Are An Exclamation Point

You are a bundle of... well, something. You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama. You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it. Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself. You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy. (But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.) You excel in: Public speaking You get along best with: the Dash

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Lets see I don't do public speaking and who is "the Dash" anyway?

Your Heart Is Blue

Love is a doing word for you. You know it's love when you treat each other well. You are a giving lover, but you don't give too much. You expect something in return. Your flirting style: Friendly Your lucky first date: Lunch at an outdoor cafe Your dream lover: Is both generous and selfish What you bring to relationships: Loyalty

What Color Heart Do You Have?

Seester to Seester: Volume 1

My seester(Janet), not to be confused with my sister(Yolonda) and I have some funny text message conversation. At least we think they are funny and our mom does too. Wait maybe that's a good reason not to post this?!



Yesterday I was swimsuit shopping and this is what happened..



Me:Does Victoria Secret make good swim suits

Seester: I don;t know I have never tried any of them on

Me:They don't have them in the store but online and I have that gift card

Seester:Oh I think my friend Sheena has gotten some. And she seemed to like them.

Me: I used to have a speedo one that held everything in place but it was stolen :-<>

Seester:How did your swimsuit get stolen?
me: I dont know i was naked all of a sudden!

Me: I left it in a swim locker at the gym then it was gone

Seester: LOL. Did you get thrown out of the pool for becoming instantly naked?

Me:It was french
Seester:So you took a french dip?

Me: They didn't appreciate the bread floaties

Anybody out there?!?

Dear who ever is blog Stalking(not stoking) me-

The world my brain functions in is, well, different? Mostly my veiled attempts at humor are really just me trying to get out of homework.

I am so glad that you have joined me in Lori Land!
I know people stop by but why does everyone have to stay incognito?

I was wondering though, if you might that is if you feel up to it, Leave a message a comment of just grunt and let me know you were here.

Thanks
sincerely
Me

diffrent day diffrent toast

In my quest to stretch the lack of a college fund...I have started eating Toast.
Is there any comfort food easier to make? You pull it out of the toaster and plop on your favorite topping. Presto! Breakfast
The first is peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.
Topped with butter (or a butter substitute)
Topped with your favorite jam
Topped with peanut butter
Topped with honey butter
Topped with butter and sprinkled with a 30/70 mixture of cinnamon and sugar
Topped with butter and dipped into hot cocoa

Topped with butter and slices tomatoes
Topped with butter and slices of bacon
Topped with egg - alone or in combination with cheese and or a breakfast meat - to form an open-face McMuffin style sandwich
Topped with pizza, spaghetti or bruschetta sauce for a quick breakfast pizza (try adding bacon or breakfast sausage to make it more breakfast-specific)

Topped with salsa for a Mexican toast pizza
Rubbed with a sliced garlic clove and spread lightly with butter to create instant garlic toast (Breakfast garlic toast?)
Topped with a light spread of butter and a half teaspoon of finely grated orange or grapefruit rind. Sprinkle lightly with sugar to offset the slight bitterness that comes with the rind.
Topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon
Wonderful or Weird: Topped with cottage cheese and prune baby food (Breakfast Lover Rosie C. writes "...it's great on pancakes... a variation on an old Czech recipe my mother used to make... also nice on toast for a quick treat")
Brunch or Lunch? Topped with hummus for a savory Mediterranean-themed breakfast
Topped with peanut butter and banana

Topped with mushed bananas and cinnamon
Topped with avocado and cheese
Topped with sun-dried tomato, cream cheese and sliced onions
Topped with cream cheese and fresh blueberries

Feeling weird? Topped with peanut butter and cheese
Feeling weirder? Topped with peanut butter and sliced onion

Lest we forget... Topped with Spam
Hot Breakfast! Topped with jalapeno peppers and either butter or cream cheese
Topped with brie cheese, sweet cherries and pecan pieces and sprinkled lightly with baker's sugar

Topped with tangy lime butter
Toast your first piece of bread and spread some peanut butter over it while still warm... pop 2nd piece into toaster and while it's toasting, sprinkle milk-chocolate chips on the first piece... top with HOT 2nd piece of toast, wrap up in a paper towel... viola. Reese-Toast-Sandwich.

My dad's Favorite threat for dinner...chipped beef in cream sauce on toast, otherwise known as S. O. S.( Stuff on a shingle)
To get you in the mood, here is one of my pumpkins favorite songs
Yeah Toast!
http://toooast.ytmnd.com/
Please feel free to add more recipes to the comments section!