So Ethan told me something interesting today. I put in the Sleepless in Seattle Soundtrack and when track 12, When I Fall In Love, started playing he sat memorized. He loved it. When it finished playing he said, " Momma, that song was so beautiful. You wanna know the only thing I think would make it better? I think it would be so much better if Grandmas and Grandpas sang it."

Huh? What?
Grandmas and Grandpas? Can you imagine that?

Grandma and Grandpa you better start practicing Ethan has big plans for you at Thanksgiving!!!

Have you ever made a discovery that shook you to your core? Something that shocked you, changed the way you think?

Tyler just did. He was in the garage and found a box full of old stuff. While rummaging through the junk he came across a broken Willow Tree Statue. Her head had broken off and I'd chucked it in the box to be repaired someday. Tyler finds this head and well...he was disturbed.

"Momma(he has a stuttering problem) Wa Wa Wa Why dis girwl have no eyes." I explained that she was just a decoration and din't need eyes. Then he says, "Wa Wa Wa Why dis giwl have no mouth?" Once again I explained that she was just pretend and didn't need one. He then continues to ask me about her nose, ears, tongue, lips and every other feature a face should have. After I have explained and explained and I feel pretty confidant that he's over this faceless "girwl," he starts up again demanding to know how she can eat and cry and talk and hear without her features. This goes on most of the day. He carried the little head around with him everywhere and would look at her face and I could just see panic in his little eyes. "What kind of world is this..."girwls" without mouths?"

Just when I thought this dilemna would never resolve, that my three year old would be tormented by the faceless head forever, it magically resolved itself. We were sitting outside and without thinking about it he rubbed the head on the sidewalk. When he looked down and saw that her head made marks on the ground he was thrilled. "Momma, Her Her Her head is a crayon. She have a crayon head!" Gone was the confusion about heads with no face. The fact that she had a "crayon head" made up for that a thousand times over. Who needs a face anyway?

But, we do have a new problem. Ty is now asking me if he can try drawing with my head!

Here it is: the life threatening injury!!

Do you remember what it was like when you were 3? I'm not sure if I remember 3 exactly, but I do remember being little. I remember the way food tasted, it was so much more intense. I remember dry heaving when I had to eat disgusting things, which at that point in my life most things were disgusting. I remember how angry it would make me when the "grownups" laughed at me and my dry heaving and how unfair it was that they didn't believe me, " I'm not faking it guys...it really is disgusting!"
I remember thinking for hours on end about the Lisa Frank stickers at the store and that all my problems would be solved if I could just have them. I remember thinking that when I could finally do a cartwheel then I would be"cool." I remember running around and jumping and climbing and hearing my grandma say, "Oh, I'd give anything to have her energy," and I remember thinking, " What energy? What is she talking about? Grown-ups are strange." I remember all those things and more. I mostly remember always thinking that, "as soon as I'm a grown up all my problems will be over. Grown-ups have it soooooo easy. And I am going to remember this and never be mean to little kids!"

I do remember and I do try very hard not to be "mean" to little kids. I try so hard not to laugh when Ethan tells me he's not tired as he cries and rubs his eyes and throws himself on the floor. I try so so hard to hold the laughter in when Tyler calls me a mean Momma when I won't let him have chocolate chips and lemonade for breakfast and insists in his loudest and most serious voice, " Dis IS a healthy BREF-KISSST!!!" But I couldn't help it today. I couldn't!

You see, Tyler had a fatal wound this morning. A wound that threatened to end his life, all three years of it, and he was pretty sure that he was dying. "Momma it's Blood-Ing...it's Blood-Ing" No matter how many times I kissed it, hugged him or reassured him he'd be OK he became more frantic. I didn't want to laugh....I really didn't. But I just couldn't help it.

OH MY!! These are delicious. I think they may be the best brownie I've ever had...really. Try them...the work and ingredients are worth it. You end up with an enormous amount of gooey, chocolaty, divinity!

Chipster Brownies
(Basically a brownie with cookie dough on top)

Ingredients
For the brownie layer:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped(or 1 cup chips)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

For the cookie layer:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan, line it with wax or parchment paper and butter the paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

To make the brownie batter:
Put both chocolates and the butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stirring occasionally, heat just until the ingredients are melted, shiny and smooth. If the mixture gets too hot, the butter will separate from the chocolates. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale, thick and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate and butter, mixing only until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then, still on low speed, add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the batter. Using the spatula, fold in the walnuts, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Set aside.

To make the cookie dough:
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer in the cleaned bowl or with the hand mixer in another large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, add the egg and the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Still on low, mix in the chopped chocolate. Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls over the brownie batter an, using a spatula and a light touch, spread it evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cookie top is deep golden brown and firm and a thin knife inserted into the brownie layer comes out with only faint streaks of moist chocolate. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, carefully run a knife between the sides of the pan and the brownies, then invert them onto another rack, remove the paper and turn right side up onto a cutting board. Cut into bars about 2 inches by 1 inch.

Tyler's Ideal of Style
OK...as Charlotte just reminded me I guess I owe you some money...no post yesterday. Oops. So for today...hmmm I am at a loss. I do have a cute Tyler story in his typical clueless fashion.

So yesterday at preschool Tyler's friend Hudson put on a cowboy hat and was playing. Tyler thought he should have a hat too so he put a lampshade on his head. The mom hosting preschool said, "Tyler you're silly. That's not a hat...it's a lampshade." Tyler then said, " It's not lampshde it's ...stylish." Oh I love that boy.

So, once again I have been in a major blogging slump. I don't know why...I really do love blogging. I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I have a ton to catch up on so I think this will be a pictorial essay on the last few weeks...but I am serious I am rededicated to the blog and I need to catch up on all your great blogs...I literally haven't even peeked at the blog in a long time. I am setting the goal to post something new everyday....guaranteed or your money back!

So...what's been happening around here. Well....

We made onion strings...yumm. I probably did some major damage to my arteries that night!

The Straders were here and let's just say there was some fun had. P90x.

While the Straders were here Tyler found a new best friend and a...
Painting Buddy and a ...

Dancing Partner!!


We finally got the irrigation in! Thanks Dad and Todd!

A photo of dirt to brighten your day.

Tyler started preschool...

with his buddy Hudson!
and...Ethan got his first note from school! Adorable.