Lotsa Happenings

The past few days have been so full of happenings in our family that it is hard to know where to begin to write about all that is going on. Each event deserves its own blog entry but for the sake of time and actually getting it done I thought I would tell you the story of our weekend in pictures! We started the weekend of celebrations with Caleb's 16 1/2 birthday. Yes, we celebrate 1/2 birthdays...a little quirky I know....but it is a great excuse for another opportunity for fun, family and food! We started celebrating 1/2 birthdays because Caleb was born 4 days before Christmas so we wanted him to have his own time a little more separated from Christmas. We still celebrate his birthday but he gets the bulk of his gifts on his 1/2 birthday...and of course once we started doing that for him 1/2 birthdays became a tradition for everyone! This year Caleb got backpacking gear, a tripod for his camera and some cash for the new lens he is saving up for. He also got to choose the menu for the day which included Ribs ala Dad, Potato Salad, watermelon, chips & guac. We had beans as well even though that wasn't his choice but how can you have potato salad without beans....they must go together...I am sure there is a rule about that somewhere in someone's book! For dessert we had homemade ice cream and fruit. I like to try new recipes so when the request for ice cream came in I set off on a quest to find the best vanilla ice cream recipe on the net. I came across a recipe on Food Network from Good Eats called Seriously Vanilla Ice Cream. It called for real vanilla beans!! I have never cooked with real vanilla beans before so I had to give it a try. Now, once something is decided and a path has been chosen there is no turning back....not even when the vanilla beans are on sale for a mere $3 and change per bean. The gal who was helping me find them in the store assured me that that was a deal! Hmmmmm...I sucked it up and bought 2 beans....it was for Caleb after all....I was supposed to use 4 but opted on a compromise....2 beans and vanilla extract. I explained to Dave that it was all good because I had saved all kinds of money between the sale and the compromise! The reviews on the ice cream though were very good!
I don't know how often I will splurge on vanilla beans but the ice cream sure was yummy! Hmmmm.....when is the next special occasion...surely someone is having some kind of celebration that warrants $3 vanilla beans soon! Here's to hoping!

Josh, Micah and Nicole decided that they would continue the celebration by braving a cold Colorado night and sleeping under the stars on the tramp.

Here is how they started the night



and here is how they finished






On Sunday we got to celebrate Father's Day with both my Dad and Dave. It was great to have two wonderful Dads in the house for that special day. After a wonderful time at church where the highlight was Sam...one of Caleb's good friends...asking her stepdad to adopt her in front of the whole church. What a special Father's Day for him and a great reminder of our adoption by our Heavenly Father. It was a special moment. We came home to watch some golf on tv...now the only time we ever watch golf is when we are with my parents but I have to say that we all sat around the tv glued to the US Open like we loved it. We followed golf with more food of course...steaks, asparagus, grilled corn, chips and salsa and blackberry cobbler accompanied with gifts for the Dads!