Answering the Go Local Challenge

I'm honored to be a guest blogger for a good friend of mine, Heather of Living Senses! She shared a post of mine with her readers on Monday. Click on over and check it out!

Heather is spearheading Go Local 2009, a challenge to eat and prepare locally grown food. I admire her dedication to this cause -- she is quite the expert at gardening and food preservation! While I'm not operating at her level -- yet -- my post at Living Senses is all about our first foray into vegetable gardening. Who knows? Maybe I'll be canning by the fall!

In the studio with Uncle Scott

Hmm. Could this be a peek into Kellan's future? 

His Uncle Scott has a pretty sweet setup -- electric guitar, amp, headphones -- and Kellan was quite happy to help take his act from solo to duo. And I think Kellan actually showed Uncle Scott a thing or two, including how to use a guitar stand as a microphone. 

Scott generously provided his guitar skills to back up Kellan during U2's "Elevation" and "Vertigo." Scott also helped him learn a couple of new songs (new to Kellan anyway) by the White Stripes and The Black Keys. Then Kellan treated us all to some of his new material, "Flying" and "Halloween."

I'd say this could be a musical match made in heaven.

Horses, ice cream, cotton candy and horses

Every year the Children's Home Society puts on an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social complete with carriage rides, a bounce house and clowns. Most years, we forget about the event until we're driving by and see everyone cleaning up. Not this year! (Thanks, Michael.)

Kellan enjoyed a delicious cup of chocolate ice cream with sprinkles and tried cotton candy for the first time! He didn't really like it though. Which is a-okay by me. I'd really prefer that he not like spun sugar.

Another big first: Kellan's first pony ride! He rode like a pro. Check out the video!

Our Hawaiian Getaway!

Look at us! Don't we look tan and refreshed? Betcha didn't know we recently snuck away for a Hawaiian getaway! Probably because we didn't have to go very far. Just about 10 minutes from our house, actually. Michael's tan comes from soccer coaching. Mine comes from the bottle.

This photo of us was taken at the lovely Ono Hawaiian Cafe. It's a great place with great food, and a relaxed vibe that instantly makes me feel like I'm on vacation. My former place of employment treated us to this meal, thanks to the generous gift card they gave me during my last week on the job. And I was more than happy to enjoy the gift. In fact, we all did. 

I tell you what. I am really enjoying having dinner with my two favorite guys every night, instead of shoveling down food at my computer keyboard in the newsroom. 

Kellan's first bowl of cereal

Sometimes I think I take this healthy eating thing a little too far. 

For example, last week I decided Kellan was ready for his first bowl of cereal. His spooning skills have come a long way, so I looked over the cereal stash for something reasonably healthy. I pulled out Uncle Sam. Now, I bought this because of the "toasted whole wheat and flaxseed" description on the box, which sounded pretty healthy. What the box does not say, however, is that you might as well just eat the box itself. It probably tastes better than the cereal.

But I figured if it's the kid's first bowl of cereal, he doesn't know the difference. Am I horrible, or what? This kid has no idea there's a whole world of Captain Crunch and Froot Loops out there. And I'm happy to keep it that way. 

Sure enough, he gleefully gobbled it down. At least I chopped up some strawberries to sweeten up the cardboard crunch. I'm not a totally horrible mom. I hope.