Summer day??? all you need is a waterhose!

 Growing up, some of my fondest memories are with my cousins. Canoeing, swimming, building forts, Star wars, sleep overs... they were great!!! Hotrod and his cousins are building the same kind of relationships and they have so much fun together!!  Here are the pics from my last trip home...enjoy!!!

 This is my favorite picture!! Oh, what you can do with a water hose!!!

My Nieces!!!! (and hotrod)

When I went home last week, I stayed with my sister and got to see four of my beautiful nieces!!!  We had a great time doing a "photo shoot".  Here are some of the pics!!!

Oh, wait...Here is Hotrod!!

13yr Cicadas...whew!!

Every year I hear the cicadas during the summer, but I have never paid them much attention.  Their sound says, "summer is coming!!". This year our part of the nation is experiencing the "shock and awe" affect of nature.  The 13yr cycle Cicada!!! Wow!!!

Just in case you are not getting this "pleasure" here are pics to show what is going on in my yard. 

(ok, I am listening to bon jovi as I write this, and it is proving difficult) :)

This particular Cicada is dead.  How do I know??? I staged him using a stick, and look at his eyes.  They are black.

If you can imagine hundreds of these discarded shells around the base of every tree in my yard...you get the picture.  You can now see why Princess is having a hard time walking in the grass this season!

If you look close, you can see the slit that is cut in the back to allow the mature Cicada to slip out of it old skin.  I know! Cool right? (ok, I am a former bio teacher!!! Give me some slack!)

This one chose to do things different and molt upside down!

Ok, here is a live one.  See his eyes?  They are red and if I tried to poke him with a stick, he would very clumsily fly off.

"Hello, Mr. Cicada!"

You really don't have to stare at me like that.

This is my favorite one!  This little guy chose to molt on my Lamb's ear.

You will find scenes like this all over my yard.  It makes you wonder if they all planned to molt at the same time.

"Hey, Tony, how's two o'clock for you?"

I know, I am tired.

Samuri Hotrod Vs. The Sho-gun Girl

Hotrod's fortune cookie is strangely specific, "Seek a challenge amidst drying laundry."

 Sho-Gun Girl proclaims, "Your speech does not match your words...prepare to die!"

CLANG!  SWISH!  SMACK!  HIEEEEAAAA!

Sho-Gun Girl yells, "Crouching Tiger!"  Samurai Hotrod counters with, "Hidden Dragon!"

Samurai Hotrod and Sho-Gun Girl break for some Kung-Pow Beef.

Samurai Hotrod attempts the delicate "Silly, Drunken Crane" technique.

Sho-Gun Girl simply sticks her weapon in her opponent.

CRASH!  SLAP!  SPARKS!  SPECIAL EFFECTS!

Careful, Samurai suitors...this girl is packing!!

(Thanks to Dad for the narration!)

How not to make a Bunny Cake 101

Matt has one tradition that he likes to do with the kids at Easter.  I typically stand back and let them do it together.  What is this lovely tradition???? A Bunny Cake!  Matt's Grandma Helen made him a bunny cake every year growing up.  He has such fond memories of it, that he wanted the kids to experience the same thing...

so...

year two of the bunny cake...

I am not quite sure we have it figured out yet...

how hard can it be??? right???

some things just require the touch of a grandmother...

a grandmother has had years of mothering and doing experience...

It was getting late, and I don't think I allowed the cake to cool completely.  Well, homemade, whipped icing does not hold well under heat. 

That is my disclaimer to the following pictures...

I know baby...it is not what it should be!

(actually, she was upset that she did not have any jellybeans yet.)

Notice the pride in Matt! (please note sarcasism.)

OH YEAH!!!!!! The only bunny cake that gets held together with skewers!!!!

Like I said...hot cake, homemade icing...lots of coconut....

Wait, is that cake coming apart and leaning???

Seriously...is it falling??? I don't know! I am laughing too hard as I am trying to take this picture!!!

OH MAN!!!   S..0..S!   S..O..S!   BUNNY DOWN!   BUNNY DOWN!!

There is no hope for this hare.

What else were we supposed to do??

We don't stand on ceremony on Planet Swordland.

"Wow, do these people not know how to do anything?? Someday, I will be in control."

"Oh well...it's good!"

So long to this year's Bunny cake... we will try again next year. 

Have no fear, mom got some cake, and it was good!!!

(no real bunnies were hurt in this masacre)