Got Cilantro?

Ashley planted two rows of cilantro in her garden this year. Wow, did we have a bumper crop of cilantro. I wasn't sure what to do with all of it so I gave away 2 gallon sized ziploc baggies filled with it, and froze the rest. I'll give you our cilantro recipes as we begin cooking.

Worked at the fruit/veggie co-op today. Lots of great foods. Started salsa, pickles, and chopping the fresh herbs that were delivered. I still have a partial case of apples leftover that HAS TO BE canned TODAY! Tim took Tyler to the Crawdad Festival so I will get busy as soon as the twins take their afternoon nap ~ if they take their afternoon nap...

Four-Wheel Drive Friday

Ohh! What's happening?

Ha Ha! Stay in Aiden. I'll get you.

Tyler is getting his exercise today!

Normally, it is Aiden who is pushing his brothers in the car. Today, he was able to get a brother to push him. Good thing they have four-wheel drive!

Tyler is such a photo hound! He is always saying, "Take picture me, mom!"

Who can resist those dimples?

Because I Don't Twitter....

80 Characters or Less? Isn't that the twitter thing?

OK - lets give it a try...

Isaiah hit his head on our slate coffee table.

Robyn rushed him to the doctor's office 40 minutes away.

7 Stitches were sewn into Isaiah's forehead.

Robyn had to sit down to avoid passing out.

Isaiah came home and tackled Aiden then bit him. (Guess Isaiah is feeling better.)

Robyn gets to wake Isaiah every 45 minutes.

This is going to be a fun night.

I don't think I made it...

I Have No Words...

OK, lets get this straight... I do have words. Lots of them. However, I'm not sure what to say when I see this.

It should be saved for Wordless Wednesday, but I feel compelled to briefly discuss Mongolian Spots. (at the end of this post)

Aiden is always busy. He seldom stops for anything. This particular day he was rushing from one side of the patio to the other hammering anything he could. My knee was in hammer's reach therefore, I received a reflex test. Yep, they work. Here is the thing ~ he was simply using his diaper as a pocket. This is why, 90% of the time, my children are fully clothed!

Boys are Weird!

A little about Mongolian Spots:

A couple of years ago, when we first met Tyler, I saw marks on his back and was concerned. I was immediately informed that they were Mongolian spots and that they would fade. Hmm... ok. I then never thought about them again. (He is now three, and although he still does have a few spots, they are considerably lighter.) Then, last year when the twins were born, I came into contact with Mongolian spots again. Only this time, I was a little frightened. (I had forgotten about Tyler's spots ~ he wasn't living with us yet.) The twins were brought directly to me at birth. Of course I opened up the blanket and examined every little detail. The nurses very calmly said that the marks were Mongolian spots and that many Hispanic babies are born with them. My pediatrician said that although it is no big deal, with the babies being adopted, I needed to educate myself, my family, and anyone who would be in contact with the boys. She documented all of the marks, and she checks them at every visit. Here is what I found out about Mongolian Spots...

(by the way, I don't usually even notice their spots. It wasn't until I saw these photos that I went, Hmmm.... who else doesn't know about Mongolian spots?)

What is it?

Mongolian spots (also known as "slate grey patches") are nothing more than dense collections of melanocytes, the skin cells which contain melanin, the normal pigment of the skin. When the melanocytes are close to the surface, they look deep brown. The deeper they are in the skin, the more bluish they look. Either way, they are not related to bruises or any other medical condition. They do not predispose to skin cancer or any other problem.
Who gets it?

At least one Mongolian spot is present on the great majority of babies of Native American, African, Asian, or Hispanic descent. They are also present in about one in ten fair-skinned infants. Despite the name, Mongolian spots have no known anthropologic significance, except for being more common in darker-skinned infants.
What are the symptoms?

These flat birthmarks can be deep brown, slate gray, or blue-black in color. They do sometimes look like bruises. The edges are often, but not always, indistinct. They are most common on the lower back and buttocks, but are often found on the legs, back, sides, and shoulders. They vary from the size of a pinhead to six inches or more across. A child may have one or several.
How long does it last?

Mongolian spots are present at birth, and most of them fade (at least somewhat) by age two. Most have completely disappeared by age five. If Mongolian spots remain at puberty, they are likely to be permanent. Fewer than five percent of children with Mongolian spots still have any by the time they reach adulthood. Those who do tend to be the ones with multiple, widespread spots, or with spots in unusual locations.

from:http://www.drgreene.com/21_1143.html

Wordless Wednesday

Caution: Do Not Drive Faster Than Your Flinstone Feet