Blattman Chronicles

She’s going there someday!

Annie’s room is painted, the bunk bed is finished, the drawers in the dresser are done. Just a few more final touches and we have 1 room down and 1 to go!

Hudson had his first game of the season over the weekend. We were so proud of him. He did a great job. He has grown so much as a soccer player over the last few years. He has gotten more aggressive and very willing to step in and defend or snag the ball for his team. The kid seems to be activating some dormant soccer skills. We're excited to see how it all goes! Way to go, Hudson!

So we learned some things about Annie today. The girl can run! If she is motivated she has a mad sprint that leaves everyone else in her dust. Annie is good at defense and offense. She had her first soccer game ever today and I was so proud of her. She was so close to 3 different goals today. The sweet thing stole the ball on several occasions, dribbled it down the entire field and then stopped right in front of the goal and walked away. Everyone on the sideline is yelling for her to shoot, but she was content that she had gotten through the melee and kept anyone from scoring and that is where she decided she was done. She just walked away from the ball. We were dying on the sideline, but so thrilled to see her engaged and playing so hard. What a wonderful day! Annie love you so much and are so proud!

I was so sidetracked with odds and ends, that I never let you in on our last big hurrah of the summer of 2013. When temperature started inching higher and higher, we took a quick escape to Palm Springs. I know, I know, it's an even hotter place, but we then had a fun little place to stay cool and enjoy our family. And enjoy we did! If I'm completely honest, my kids were a bit disappointed in the waterpark. The slides seemed like they were geared more toward younger kids. But it was hot so they did their fair share of slipping and sliding and loved it! There was plenty of time for games and just enjoying one another's company. Can you find 5 things in the picture below that are different, one being potentially catastrophic? That's right, bugs realizes she is missing out on the fun. She is all sorts of ready to deliver her own flavor!…and the kids didn't mind!

It is a fabulous Monday night whenever Will is in charge of the snack. Hello you beautiful, peanut butter, Nutella doughnut. Made with love and great competency by Will.

Annie is getting her first birthday party this year. We have the 5 year rule in our house…no parties before you are 5. Boy has she gone super girly with her theme. Too bad most of her friends are boys. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Annie Eating Hot Tamales is kind of like having hot lava in your mouth. me I know what you mean. Annie Hey mom, if everyone in Denver was naughty, would it get destroyed? jaw drop by me with a side of head swivel me What?! Annie Would Heavenly Father destroy Denver if all the people were naughty? me That's a good question.  I don't know, Annie…I just don't know.  It is possible. Can you guess what our family home evening was about?  That's right!  We started reading the Book of Mormon as a family and we were chatting about why Lehi and his family had to leave Jerusalem.  I guess Annie was wondering about real life application.  For the record, this conversation came 4 days after that family home evening.

A Flamingo Parade…who knew? I had just assumed that some of the flamingos had gotten loose and were on a rampage about their breakfast menu and they were calling it a parade as a bureaucratic cover up. They were passing out flamingo cards so I think it was a legit parade or more like a couple of trainers corralling 12 or so flamingos down the walk way, but it was still pretty cool. Truth be told, I grabbed Annie just as she was trying to ride one. I saw the fear in the trainers eyes as she lunged. Yeah, that would have been a fun one for the books. I don't have any pictures of it because it took me a few seconds to realize my camera wasn't focusing because I had extra filters on the lens. Sorry, no flamingo parade for you…you'll just have to imagine it. Either way, this was the first day I took all 3 kids to Sea World by myself…and without a stroller to boot. I was quite the site attached to the Baby Bjorn, rather it to me. Swinging my diaper bag over one shoulder, with the...

That's right! She loves her Grandma.

I love parties…especially costume ones and this year one of our friends was kind enough to host one. I was finally a nurse this year, but apparently, not the kind that Will was hoping for. Everyone brought great food and as always the company was spectacular. Everyone were good sports about dressing up and it made it that much more fun. I love my little brain donor!

I have never been one for enjoying a chorus of whining, begging or nagging. So from quite a young age, Will and I made our children quite independent. Hudson often times gets his own breakfast in the morning and will even make something for Annie as well. Hudson has been solid on getting his own breakfast if he is hungry for the last 2 years or so. On Saturdays he will even make himself a sandwich for lunch. Usually if my kids want something done they do it themselves. This independence backfires on occasion and a few days ago was one of those blessed occasions. My kids are free while I do piano lessons on Thursdays from 2-4(I'm maybe 15 feet away from them in the next room). The normal routine includes me letting the kids watch an afternoon movie with some snacks and Will comes rolling in the door as the movie finishes. Now that Hudson has gone full day, he gets dropped off in the middle of lessons on Thursdays so I don't get a chance to chat with him as he walks in the door. ...

The carving of pumpkins commenced a few days ago. We all had our own game plans and got to work. The big question now remains. Can you tell who carved what?…best o’ luck. Just so you know 2 of us had to team up. The other 2 went solo.

What ever happened to Cinderella’s pumpkin after the ball came and went and that glass slipper was lost? All that wonderful pumpkin smashed onto the roadside, covered in mud and left over fairy dust…what a waste! If only she had made cookies. Cookies always make difficult things easier to endure…step-sisters included! Here is a fabulously, easy pumpkin cookie recipe. Not to mention quite healthy as cookies go. Okay, and just one more plug – very good for food storage! Props to my dear friend, Carmen (and one of my old students, Elle) who gave me this recipe. Ready?!…3 ingredients! ~2 cups of pumpkin mash (15 oz. can of pumpkin for you users) 1 box of spice cake mix (Don’t add any of the normal ingredients the box says to. You only need the cake mix!!  In case I was unclear, no eggs, no oil, no water!!) 1-2 cups of chocolate chips (I am a lover of dark chocolate, but you do what you want) Mix in a mixer or with a giant spoon. Spoon onto a cookie sheet. They don’t really spread and g...

Our ward Chili cook-off sparked something in Will this year. He made a fabulous black bean Brazilian Chili (say that 10 times fast). As he was adding the bacon and the sausage I couldn't help being a little surprised with the sausage. Who gets sausage in links these days, anyway? It looks like we do! For those of you who ate it…don't worry, he didn't use all of the sausage. Hopefully, this prevents any possibilities of imminent heart attacks. Now that Will has proven that he can cook, I think I will be adding him to the chef lineup.

So I secretly want to be a superhero. When I was younger I walked around most of my life thinking I was indestructible (That feeling now only occasionally favors me with its presence). Of course the Heroes show is just feeding my delusions. I'm amazed each week at the introduction of new super powers. The writers are so creative. All of these thoughts have led me to wander down an interesting path cognitively. What power would I have? I was joking with Will the other day telling him that I should have eyes that glow red and burn through or melt things. Honestly, if I could chose, that probably wouldn't be my power. Maybe I would fly or be really quick. Can you imagine having all of your chores done for the day in a few minutes? Oh well, I have been dealing with the notion that I am infact NOT a superhero, but can't a girl dream?

We wanted Hudson to see the elementary school he would attend next year so we took him to the Harvest Festival they had over the weekend. What a fabulous festival! Hudson was almost fearless in the face of the "flying bathtub ride." He and I rode together. He can take on spinning tea cups like nobody's business, but I thought he was going to puke and then pass out on the ride, poor little guy. The picture doesn't give the ride justice. It shows us at the end of the ride when it was getting ready to stop. The ride actually gets significantly higher and spins just like the tea cups(hence the little steering wheel in the middle). He tried his hand at everything, ring toss, pumpkin ring throw, fishing, and the bottles. He climbed the inflatable climbing wall several times. While Hudson and Will were in the haunted house, I took Annie to get her fingers painted. Hudson beat us back to the car after everything was said and done. This is how we found him. Even though he didn...

This weekend found us at the pumpkin patch with some of our friends. We had so much fun. Annie and Hudson were content to roll around in the straw and climb the bales. OH my little turkeys!! Despite the discontented faces on the children they really did have fun, especially with all of their friends. I just think the idea of having to stop for a family picture in the midst of all the fun was not their favorite! Of course Annie fully enjoyed the pumpkins with ALL of her senses. How can you not love this little pumpkin licker? I always had secret aspirations to be an ice cream taster. I had to add this picture of Hudson. The pure energy and joy of fall is almost tangible with him. It's impossible not to smile when he's like this. Annie is just good with exploring the world around her. She even found enjoyment with flinging rocks and dirt. Talk about turkey in the straw...

Hudson has officially started piano lessons. Normally, I would refuse piano lessons at such a young age, but since I'm not charging him for it I figured it couldn't hurt. We are starting very simple. He is focusing on the C major scale and pushing all of the keys down separately. It is amazing to watch him sit at amazing the piano mustering all of his power to push a single key. His hands are so dwarfed by the keys he plays and the bench upon which he sits. I am so excited to take this single step. After all, isn't that how all great journeys begin? Aside: I have had to bribe him with chocolate chips on occasion...after a scale and sometimes after each measure. I don't see any opera composing for him in the immediate future.

So lately I have been getting calls from my mom some afternoons to hear updates on my brother, Brian. Usually, I can hear screaming fans(okay, very supportive parents) in the background cheering their kids on as she talks to me. In all his Junior glory, Brian has taken up another sport. Since lacrosse isn't until the spring, Brian has added cross country to his fall lineup. Run Forest...I mean Brian, RUN!! Props to my little brother Brian for making Varsity this season and lettering in track.