Fine Cuisine from the Huffman Kitchen

When Emmry's preschool friend came to play last week she brought along her favorite lunch and awakened Emme's taste buds to a fabulous new dish. Of coarse, I would not hear the end of it until we purchased some of our own. This week the kids and I went to the store, made our selection, and served it for lunch the next day.

Upon trying the new delicacy Braden said, "This is awesome! What is this called?"

"Top Ramen." My poor deprived children.

I'm Gonna Make Millions

Forget the Nanny Cam. This is much better. I'm going to patent a hat, a cute pink one with bows and flowers but with a solid chin strap that can't come undone. In the hat will be a camera. It will be much like what you see sky divers wear to document their jumps. The parent will wear a small screen on an arm band like a watch that receives video stream from the hat 24/7. The parent can know at all times where the child is and what she is doing.

You know those moments when it is quiet... when you don't want to look in for fear you'll be seen, yet your afraid not to look in for fear of what you will see. You will never have to worry about that again. You will never again hear, "Mommy the babies..." and hold your breath for what comes next. "Mommy the babies are playing in your makeup... mommy the babies dumped the cereal out on my floor... mommy the babies are naked on the trampoline... mommy the babies dumped all the dog food in the water bowl... mommy the babies pulled the shower curtain down, dumped out all the toys, and are in the bathtub with their dolls."

I imagine it will make millions, just like my sound proof glass separating the front seat of the car from the back.

From the Mouths of Babes

Emmry commented today on the excessive amount of hair on my arms. As a second-grader I remember this comment would send me running away in tears, but I have long since overcome the insecurity. In fact, there are many virtues to having a bit more hair on your arms, of which I can't think of any at the time being, but trust me there are.

The comment of excessive hair brought Emmry's thoughts around to her female piano teacher. She said to me, "My teacher has hair above her lip."

My comment, "Oh, that sometimes happens."

Her response, "Yah, she said she doesn't like it."

Am I glad I wasn't observing piano lessons that day.

Happy Birthday Braden!

It is amazing to think I have a 10-year-old. Where did the time go? On Saturday we will be holding an on-line Wii tournament with friends and cousins here and across the country. It's hard to move and lose friendships and we have been on the move since Braden was born. We have left a trail of dear friends in our wake, both our own and our childrens'. It has always been difficult, but for Braden this last one was especially hard. The other day someone asked him where he was from, his perplexed look said it all. Forget the 10-donut tower, the fondu dinner, and the presents. Perhaps the best gift we have to offer this year is stability. We're finally settled.

Happy Birthday Bubba!

Love Hurts

We had a parakeet for a while when we lived in Ohio. I found it one day beak down in its empty water dish. We have a few theories. Perry either died of dehydration, as evidence strongly suggests, or possibly hypothermia, as our 1940s house had no insulation and was a bit drafty. A third and probable theory is that Perry died from a lack of love.

Our dog, Chanel, on the other hand is sure to die from too much love. We are constantly amazed at the abuse she takes, just to return for more. Hadley and Chloe adore her and have a few nick names for her including Nell, Chin-chin, and baby. They tote her around as if she were their offspring, pushing her into car seats, beds, child-size chairs, strollers and closets. Amazingly, she shows no resistance when they come for her. With one arm under her belly and the other under her neck, they whisk her away. A few weeks back we were all gathered together, but Nellie was not there... quite unusual as she is usually underfoot. Our calls to her elicited no response. Not so much as even a bark. Finally we thought to ask the little girls... and no surprise, they knew just where she was. They had shut her in an empty box.

If any of this were not bad enough, their favorite act of torture is dancing with Nellie. By picking up her front paws they have found she will stagger back and forth at their whim. They also discovered that by picking up her back legs she will play wheel barrel. And yes, I have had to stop them from finding out what happens when you pick both up at the same time. You would think the poor dog would run when she sees the two of them coming, but she doesn't. She knows from whence the good food falls, and plants herself under highchair at meal time.

Though the little girls make Nellie endure a lot, they do show they love that poor dog. They snuggle up on the couch under blankets with her and build her forts out of the cushions. I've witnessed Chloe sharing a drink via a straw out of Nellie's water dish, and Hadley one of Nellie's favorite bathroom spots in the backyard. Everyone has grown very attached. Thankfully hypothermia will not be an issue in Arizona... I have come upon a very dry water bowl though.

Fourteen and Counting

Happy anniversary babe! It seems we've packed a lot into the past fourteen years and I've loved nearly every minute. Here are a few of my favorite:

$400 rent in 450 square feet (it was a simple life)
Reunions after two weeks at AIT training (lots of lovn')
Sharing a car at the U (love notes left and car gone missing)
Living in D.C. suburb (oh, the places we went!)
Golf date on my 33rd birthday (9 holes in your world)
Three ultrasounds, four babies (need I say more)
Med-school graduation on the White House lawn (surreal)
Our first house (a 1940s fixer-upper that underwent four years of fixin-up)
Two days, two nights interviewing in Twin Falls (the end of the tunnel's a'comin')

Too many prayers answered.

We've come a long way baby! I love you!

Staying True

Despite receiving pressure from family and friends at school to root for the hometown Cardinals, Braden stayed true to his loyalty to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mr. Smith, his third grade teacher in Ohio, would be proud!

Mr. Smith is from Pittsburgh and a devoted Steelers fan. His mission was to convert over as many Cleveland Browns fans as possible. It was all innocently done through homework assignments and extra credit points. Braden found himself finding the sum of the Steelers' running yards from the previous game or the number of touchdowns from a point total. Tuesday mornings we would be looking up the score of the Steelers game on the internet for a few bonus points.

I'm not sure how many impressionable minds Mr. Smith wins over each year, but he had a lasting impression on one. I have to admit, I was secretly hoping for the Steelers to pull out a victory as well. I didn't want Braden to have to return to school Monday morning and face his classmates defeated.

Way to go Steelers!