Tasha turns 16!

Happy 16th Birthday!

Thanksgiving 2012

This Thanksgiving, we went over the river and through the woods to Beema's house we go.....

We had a great day at my mom's.

Mark and my brother met for the first time - crazy huh?

We laughed, shared, enjoyed the day together.

We goofed around, ate, played games, ate,

ate and ate.

Tink, Joe and Mary

Skyler, Ryan, Tasha, Briggor, Jade and Megan
(Andrew and Nettie are missing!)

Tink, Joe, my mom and me

Joe, Donna, My mom and Sally Coe (Donna's mom)

My Mom and Mrs. Coe

What's For Dinner?

Shredded Beef Tacos

Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:
1 (2.5 lb) chuck roast
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Juice of 1 lime

Serve with:
Warmed corn tortillas or warmed fresh flour tortillas*
Green or Iceburg lettuce, chopped
Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded
Guacamole or diced avocados
Sour cream
Fresh salsa
Cilantro
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Hot sauce

The Full recipe and the directions are here:

http://cookingclassy.blogspot.com/2012/01/shredded-beef-tacos.html

Briggor quotes....

Our 7 year old just informed me that he was going to study really hard and become a scientist when he grows up. He is going to make a time machine. :)   HHmmm!  Makes me think....

Mornings with Mark.....

As people we all know some children look more like one parent, less like the other. It's obvious and understandable. As parents we also know that children somehow (no matter how you raise them) act like one parent more than the other. Mary and I talk about that all the time. Sometimes  we just point and say "OK, that's your kid! LOL" .... I say "There is a Thomas trait! No way that's from me!" B

ut sometimes, when we are alone, we discuss the things we wish children would not trend towards being. Yes, its easy to comment "We'll love them and they will grow out of it".. Yea, duh. But its at that sad moment, at that quandary of fears and hopes that I feel its easier to point out that a child is acting more like our UPS driver rather than take blame for my own child hood.

Food For Thought....

So, what do you think?

Words of Wisdom......

Halloween 2012

The Mendenhall's did it again.  Our annual Haunted House was a 

big hit this year!  Mark took off work early again this year

to put up the house and the flying scary things!

When the sun went down.....

the kids starting arriving!

This year, people were showing up in car loads to

see our house!

 This skeleton below has a wireless mike where Mark

can talk to the kids.  He usually talks them out

of candy and we find the candy at the bottom of the cage.

(Laugh out Loud)

Honor Roll

Briggor is in 2nd grade.  This is the first year of actual grades.

The first quarter has ended and Briggor

earned Honor Roll status!

CONGRATULATIONS BRIGGOR!

Your family is proud of you!

Disneyland 2012 Part 2 - Jedi Training Academy

Well, Disneyland was fun! And each year Briggs chickens out when it comes time to fight as a Jedi in the Star Wars arena. Usually 100 kids beg and plead to be part of it, and they choose maybe 25. We arrived early and the show was still going on. During the show when Darth Vader is speaking, to keep the crowd involved, Darth Maul runs into the crowds and threatens the other kids and  scares them. It's funny. Briggor was off to one side with us eating. He was taking it all in. I managed to get Darth Mauls attention as he was in the crowd, I pointed at Briggs and smiled. He gave me a nod and the next time he had the chance to break off into the crowd he turned with a scowl and came right at Briggor. He got right in his face. When he turned and walked away Briggs moved 3 feet to his left and hid behind the bushes to watch the rest of the show. After the show he as having second thoughts about joining the next group of kids. Not to seem scared in front of his Mother, he did go out and plant himself amongst the other kids jumping and screaming begging to be chosen. Briggor barely raised his hand....hoping not to be chosen. Little did he know I had gone and chatted between shows with the cast, he was for sure going to be picked. Once he was chosen they dressed him and the other kids up like Jedi and gave them each a light saber. They train the kids and then the real show starts. loud music, Storm troopers (bad guys) and then the kids use their new training to fight Darth Vader or Darth Maul. Briggor kept slipping around until he was certain NOT to be in Darth Mauls line to fight It turns out that he was scared Darth Maul would remember him from earlier and beat the crap out of him. LOL As it was the closer he got to actually fighting the more worried he became. Mary got video of him as he was getting closer to the front of the line... he was taking long slow deep breaths, he was very worried. But all went well, he defeated Vader and got his diploma. all is well in the world........