Ten on Tuesday

I've recently reconnected with my past Speech and Debate Coach Elizabeth Dillow (from Great Falls High School). She keeps a pretty neat blog and one thing I really like about it is she does this list every Tuesday - called "Ten on Tuesday." She lists 10 things about the week, her family, etc - maybe includes a picture of her girls and posts it.

Many of my dedicated readers know that I've been struggling for the past year (ok 2) in my writing. Lots of excuses reasons that are really good bad mostly. So I'm adopting Elizabeth's 10 on Tuesday and making it my own to see if I can at least once a week post a list of 10 things going on in our life.

So here goes!


1. It's Spring Break for Maddie's preschool and we're trying to pack as much into our week as possible. Yesterday we knocked a bunch of stuff off our my to-do list. We paid our property taxes (OUCH!) and then had lunch at Hungry Howie's with my mom. We saw the chiropractor then came home so I could make dinner. I made some rocking shallot and rosemary focaccia with oven roasted sweet and white potatoes along with some country fried venison backstrap.

2. Wyatt is challenging me in ways that I don't think I experienced with Maddie. He has completely weaned (sob!) and since then has turned into a holy terror who tantrums, screams, yells at me and generally makes my days miserable off and on until he collapses in exhaustion. Everything is a battle suddenly and even the most simple thing is causing tantrums. He's challenging my gentle discipline philosophies like they've never been challenged before!

3. Mike and I harvested a truckload of FREE bamboo from my Felicia's backyard. This morning I built my first teepee trellis for beans this summer and I'm quite proud of myself! It's beautiful and everything was free or found growing in my backyard (saplings). I can't wait to see it covered with beautiful beans and peas  - maybe a cucumber too.

4. Fishing season is starting and it looks like I won't see much of my husband this summer. That's good and bad - good for extra money, but bad because it always puts a strain on family life when Daddy is gone so much. We're trying to squeeze in as much fun as a family on weekends and nights as we can before he's working every weekend.

5. Getting a dog was a mistake. Apollo is a nice dog, but he's still a puppy and obedience training only goes so far when you don't have time to enforce it every second of the day. He steals toys and food, still gets up on the counters at times and I just don't understand the need to sit in the backyard and bark for hours - you'd think he'd lose his voice!

6. Wyatt and I found a worm this morning and put him in a jar with some compost and fruit scraps. He's enjoying watching it tunnel around the glass jar.

7. My garden is starting to take shape! The peas are up a few inches tall now and the potatoes are peeking out of the soil. I have two asparagus spears up and can't wait until next year when I can actually harvest them! I should probably plant more soon. My tomato plants have flowers and i'm hoping to see some tomato seeds sprout soon (i had to start over). I have volunteer potato plants in the backyard where the old compost pile was and I'm excited to say there are some baby potatoes on them! I can't wait to have new potatoes!

8. For the first time in 5 years my bed is not on the floor. I'm sick of our bedroom being the family dumping grounds and this weekend we cleaned it out and made it look halfway nice.

9. I'm taking the kids to see How to Train Your Dragon this afternoon and I think I'm as excited to see it as they are.

10. I love the Spring. I actually like getting up early before the kids are up - sitting at the table drinking my tea or coffee and listening to the birds sing. I built that trellis this morning before Maddie was ever even awake! I dread the coming heat and humidity of summer. For now I love being able to leave the doors and windows open.

Introducing Apollo

It's funny how things fall into place sometimes. 

We started talking seriously about getting another dog - a few months ago. Mike was dead set on a German Shorthair Pointer - a dog that I had absolutely no interest in as a family dog. From the research 

I'd done myself they came across as energetic and bred to kill/retrieve birds. That wasn't going to work with my pet hens!

I pleaded for something like a Welsh Pembroke Corgi - I love those little dogs. However, they're herders and are known to nip ankles and bums of little ones so eventually we dimissed that breed as a possibility.

Now before someone leaves me a scathing comment about rescuing or adopting from a rescue society let me say that I brought that up several times. We even looked at some rescue societies for the purebreeds, but didn't see what we were looking for.

Some of you may know that we previously owned a Doberman Pinscher. Her name was Mae and she passed away last year at 10 years old. She was a rescue - we adopted her when she was 5 years old. When we got down to the knock down drag out discussions of which breed we were going to get I finally told Mike that the only pure bred dog I would consider would be another Doberman.

So that started it - hours were spent pouring over breeder websites (there aren't many close to us) and the puppy sale websites (where breeders, etc list their dogs). We discussed color and sex, along with whether we wanted ears cropped or not and how much we wanted to spend on a dog.

Prices for Doberman puppies range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. We knew we weren't looking for a show quality dog or a breeding dog - we just wanted something that fit the breed standard and had parents with good dispositions and solid pedigrees. Championship bloodlines weren't a priority, but making sure that it was healthy and free from some of the diseases that can affect purebreeds  was something we wanted to take into consideration.

We're actually on a waiting list for a little of puppies due to be bred and born sometime this summer. We're waiting to hear back from another breeder in Alabama who is planning to breed her dogs this summer.

Like I said, it's funny how things happen sometimes...

Mike's mom, Paula, called him one day last week to say that someone in Crestview had a litter of AKC Doberman puppies listed in the online classifieds. He didn't call me immediately - but in a later conversation mentioned it casually and said maybe I could call.

So I called - and there was one pup left - a black and tan male. I called Mike back and we agreed that we wanted to at least go look at him - even though it most likely wasn't the dog we were looking for.

We arrived after dark (without the kids) and met the puppy - who was very friendly and seemed to like us enough. He allowed me to pick him up like a baby and curled up in my arms and just laid there. Our only concern was wanting to see the pedigree, which the man didn't know its location and wanting to meet the parent dogs. It was dark and the owner refused to accommodate us that night. We agreed that I would return the next day.

I talked my sister into going with me (thank you natalie!) and we drove up to go meet the parents and see the puppy again.

Well, you know the rest of the story....

We named him Apollo - which ironically means "destroyer."

So far he's not living up to his name, although the house training is a bit of a challenge at times. He's the most mellow puppy I think I've ever met! He plays some and sleeps a lot - eats food like he's never been fed in his life and drinks so much water it's a wonder he doesn't pee gallons (close to it though!).

His birthday is October 23, 2009 (he shares a birthday with my best friend Rebecca's husband, Brett!) and when I weighed him at Petsmart he was 22.5 pounds. He's going to be a big dog and I have to say part of me is glad he's a male even though I prefer female dogs. He is a bit protective and I like that - it will come in handy when Mike is out of town and I can rely on him to alert me to strange noise that go bump in the night.

The kids enjoy him and since he's on the mellow side they're having a better adjustment I think. The cats are another issue - he was around cats at his birth home, but he barks and playfully growls and paws at our feline friends and they are none too appreciative. I don't think Azzie has come off her bookshelf in 3 days! Pumpkin is warming up - he's the one who has never been around dogs much at all and was the most standoffish and mean to the puppy. He swiped him really well across the face this morning. Tarmak is ironically the most friendly towards him - odd for the scaredy cat. My hens are a little traumatized and he's working hard on learning not to chase them, but they run from him so that makes him want to chase even more!

Most importantly is that Mike is in love with him - and I find a lot of joy in my husband being so excited about something! At this moment he's in the recliner with the dog curled up in his lap. Apollo sleeps on the floor on Mike's side of the bed and is now spoiled by going everywhere with us in the car. He is working on his crate training as well because once the summer heat sets in he won't be going with us as much.

So meet Apollo - he's a sweet little guy and has melted into our family so well it's like he's always been here!

I'll post a picture of that same scene in a few months when the dog is close to 100 lbs!

We miss you Daddy!

We are really missing you daddy! 

Tonight when Wyatt saw this picture he said "I miss you Daddy."

He keeps running into the living room saying "I think Daddy's home."

Even Maddie misses him - and she's always the one who protests over the hugs!

They both want him home and so do I - we miss you honey :) Come home soon! 

A moment to think..eh. write

My house is quiet - but only because Mike and the kids are at church and I've come back home.

I've been reading this book - Raising Your Spirited Child - and today I read the section about extroverts and introverts. Not speaking really about personality or social skills - but about how you recharge your energy.

I'm definitely an introvert - I need personal space and alone, quiet time to recharge and refresh.

With two toddlers - it's not something I get a whole lot of these days. So when I'm grumpy and sullen - it probably means I haven't gotten any time to myself.

So I asked Mike if he would lead the class and take over all the "Mommy" duties of church and I would come home for some much needed quiet.

Mike is leaving to go out of town in about a week - he'll be gone through the end of the month - so my quiet time is even more important knowing I won't get a break while he's gone!

We're back from our trip to Birmingham. We didn't really get any answers but still I feel a little bit better. The doctor would like to do another CT scan - but this time with Wyatt sedated - and do more views of his sinuses and tonsils and adenoids. We had blood drawn for more immunoglobulin panels - this time also checking the subclasses. He said that Wyatt's tonsils are huge, but it was up to us if we wanted to remove them. Basically he said we could be as aggressive or conservative as we'd like - but that if it was his child he'd err on the side of conservative. We agree - although it's still frustrating having a child who just can't breathe out of his nose because it's so impacted with crud all the time. 

As a small act of mercy - Wyatt slept all night last night - it was the first time in more than 6 months.

So we're waiting for the blood work to come back and we'll see what that says. Right now we're scheduled to return to Birmingham for the CT scan on April 14th, but we have to find out how much money it's going to cost first...deductible's suck!

I'm relieved to say that I'm now officially a La Leche League leader :) It has been a long time coming and I'm happy!

I still need to write Maddie's letter - and I'll get to it soon - I hope.

My garden is starting to take off - I am so excited! My seeds are all sprouted and growing well - I just put little tomato seedlings in the ground this weekend and transplanted some melons and cucumbers. My spinach and chard are up and the peas are starting to climb the fencing!

Even though my intentions were pure - I know I'm still going to buy a few of the "genetically modified" vegetable plants - just to jump start some of our harvesting... I want to try growing sweet potatoes again and I can't start those from seeds!

I'll post pictures one of these days.. another thing on my to-do list.

The rest of the story

Every day I start with the intention of writing something - anything! - but it hasn't happened. The more days that go by the more upset I get with myself for not writing - about the kids, our life right now, the garden, birth stuff, etc.

So I'm going back to making lists - because that has always worked in the past to get me back into writing. If you see something of particular interest - leave me a comment and let me know you'd like the rest of the story and I'll make an effort to write it out.

Maddie's 4th Birthday party - the birthday garden

Wyatt's naked romp at my parents house - "I spit it out mommy," as he pointed to the puddle of pee on the floor.

Gardening adventures - what's growing, seeds, etc.

Doula certification on hold...

Wyatt's upcoming trip to see a pediatric ENT at UAB (University of Alabama-Birmingham)

La Leche League Leader accreditation

The drama in the birth community and other petty onslaughts (might only be available through LJ).

Grandma Grace is back - and oh so happy to visit with Wyatt on Mardi Gras.

"No- I not take a nap!" and other dramatics by the two-year old in the house.

"Excuse me, you don't talk to your mother that way!" and other interesting things Maddie says to her brother and others - but doesn't practice herself.

Dear Madeleine - on your 4th Birthday (this will be written in the next week).

Busy season for Mike coming up - lots of away time from us - starting in mid-march (gone for 2+weeks then)

So hard to start again...

I feel like it's been weeks since I've written anything of substance in either of my blogs. I've been caught up in the self pity and frustration that came with my laptop's accident - it's incredibly difficult to type on a keyboard where the space bar sticks and every other key you hit doesn't work the first time. I've had to compose a certain rhythm to my typing - trying to remember which key I need to hit twice before the letter appears on the screen. For someone whose fingers fly at the speed of my thoughts - having a keyboard that isn't up to par is enfuriating.

And because I've not been writing I have guilt - guilt over not capturing the little moments that I want to remember - guilt that I'm not staying true to what brings me peace - guilt that I haven't even taken more than 2 pictures of my kids in the last 3 weeks!

All the guilt aside - we have been having fun just enjoying life. We're working on the backyard and have successfully constructed one of the 4x8 foot gardening containers - 2 more to go! I never thought I would find so much excitement in the prospect of dirt and seeds! Last night I stayed up until almost midnight pouring over the website at Rare Seedsdreaming of what my garden is going to produce this summer. So far I've decided on three different types of eggplant and 2 types of cucumbers and some zucchini and a summer squash called lemon squash.

I'll be trying my hand at exotic fruits like "Yellow Wonder Wild Strawberry" and "Giant Cape Gooseberry." I'm thrilled to plant the 5-color Silverbeet Swiss Chard that Barbara Kingsolver writes about in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and am even going to try planting some "Marina de Chioggia" pumpkins which hail from Italy and are a prized winter squash for soups and roasting.

I've yet to pick out my tomatoes - the choices are just too many and I feel overwhelmed!

My gardening journal is started - with my seed choices and the year. I hope to add lots of notes to help expand my choices in 2010.

Maddie and Wyatt are growing up so quickly. It's been crazy to see and hear Wyatt's vocabulary and speaking explode over the last few weeks. Last night he called me back into his bedroom and talked for almost 5 minutes about the basketball that is stuck up in the rafters at church in the Community LIfe Center. He was so funny - very concerned about it and adamant that it needs to be fixed.

My little princess is almost 4 years old and I find myself constantly wondering where the time has gone. It's so hard for me to accept that she'll be starting VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) next August and then ready for kindergarten in just about 18 months from now. I'm still trying to decide if she'll go to public school or if I'll try my hand at homeschooling. I am very interested in homeschooling but doubt my ability to stick to a routine or schedule. Lisa Ausley - our senior pastor's wife - keeps telling me that I will be a fabulous homeschool mom and that she has all this faith in me. I love that she's so encouraging... I just have to convince my husband that it will work out.

The busy season is about to start again and once again I find myself not ready for the time I'll be left to myself. Mike has a busy schedule already - which is a huge blessing in the light of our economy's current state. He's going to be gone half of March and there are several other week-long trips on his books.

I'm looking forward to taking my doula certification workshop and am excited to already have a client or two lined up. My goal is to finish my certification requirements before the end of this calendar year.

Whew - it feels better just writing all of that!

Sometimes the hardest part about writing is starting again. We writers tend to sit and obsess about all that we wanted to write - pictures we should have posted or taken, things we wanted to say, memories we wanted to remember - and suddenly weeks have passed and we've nothing to show for it other than a happy family.

The first words are hard - but it's best to start from where you are in this moment than to try and pick up where you left off.

A new year - new possibilities

It seems strange to me that it's already new year's eve. In reflection I don't know what to say about 2008.

There were some great things that happened and also some not so great things.

We are no closer to reconciliation in family matters than we were last year - perhaps even further away. Mike and I struggle with this on a daily basis - we want peace, but it hasn't come to us. Our marriage is stronger these days because of our unity on this issue - but the situational stresses are still hard on us.

Maddie is a precocious almost-4-year-old. She is polite and sweet but at the same time often spoiled and I'm very much ready for the dramatic whining and crying phase to go away forever. She's doing well in preschool and looking forward to next year. We're trying to decide if she'll go full-time or part-time next school year and I'm trying to come to grips with if I really want to homeschool as I'm hopelessly disorganized and have no routine bone in my body! I believe in homeschooling and I'm very wary of our public schools here. I want my children to learn for the sake of learning and not because they need to pass a test. I want to see the light of excitement for education that I had and still have. 

Wyatt - my little man - turns 2 on friday. I'm having a hard time coming to grips with this. He's my baby and still very much a baby in so many ways. I'm thankful that all my friends were right - boys love their mommas. Yesterday he came up to me and said, "Mommy, I love you." It was the first time he's said that - he's been saying I love you, too - for a while now. But this was unprompted and genuine. I love how he wraps his arms around my neck and lays his head on my shoulder and whispers - I hold you or I got you, or love you too. It warms my heart always. He's such a funny little guy - with an amazing sense of humor. I know every parents feels the same way - but he's got a special talent for funny I think. Even his little friend Nicklaus goes around telling people that Wyatt is a funny little guy! (Nicklaus is 3). 

This year will bring some change for me - I'm taking my Doula certification in February and already have a client or two lined up. I also have no choice but to finally face my fears when it comes to dental work (and the financial expense) and will have to make decisions about what I'm going to do to save my teeth (long story). I'm hoping that we will be able to travel some more this next year. I loved visiting Portland and want to take my family to Montana in the next 2 years. I miss the mountains and want my family to experience the splendor of God's beauty and grace. 

The question of whether we'll have another child is also weighing on my heart. I'm going to gather my medical records and send them to a local midwife to have her review them. I trust her opinion more than my own doctor at this point and her thoughts will have a big part in whether we add to our family. I have a lot of fears about another pregnancy - I've had such a hard time with both of mine. But I know that I can do things to help with some of the issues and prayer will help with the rest. Mike and I love being parents - we love our children and while we should be happy with the two we have - and we most definitely are - the subject of baby #3 keeps coming up. 

I'm not sure what the year will hold for Mike. They will continue to try and hold on to the clients they have and hopefully things with the economy will change and they'll be able to expand a bit. I know there are days ahead when I'll be on my own - which is the worst part of being a captain's wife. It's not that I don't like my time alone - I do. It's the no break with young kids that wears me down. 

This year I'm expanding our garden and hoping to use raised beds instead of planting in the ground. I think I'll do much better that way. I'd like to get to the point of growing at least half of what we consume and then trying to buy locally as much as possible. I'm also planning to get a few chickens for eggs this spring. 

I'm excited for what 2009 brings. My kids are getting older and less dependent on me for every little thing and that's exciting (and why I would want to have another baby and start over is still perplexing to me!).

I hope your new year brings you peace and love and happiness. 

A new stove!

Mike took Maddie out Christmas shopping last night and this is what they came home with! If you read the house falling apart blog I posted a few months ago you'll know that about three years ago our oven mysteriously stopped working on our gas range. Luckily we have a small- 1969 wall oven that is original and still works wonderfully. However lately the main burner on the stovetop has been acting weird. The flame is out of control at even the lowest setting and it's been scorching my pretty pots and pans! I have also missed having a larger capacity stove with multiple racks - as mine only has one rack and the size inside is very small. 

I am beyond impressed (and a little concerned about the amount of money spent, but it was all bonus money from good customers). Thank you honey! I love you!

2008 Christmas Letter - Electronic Edition

2008 Hinze Happenings

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our friends and family!

We’ve certainly had a busy year! We started off the New Year celebrating Wyatt’s first birthday - and find it hard to believe that we’ll be celebrating his 2nd in just a few weeks! The end of January took us to Portland, Oregon where we had a fabulous family vacation and enjoyed the wedding of Anne’s best friend Heather MacDonald. We loved Portland and all it had to offer for young families! We mastered the Light Rail Transit System and never even rented a car! The kids had a blast as well and were great travelers. They really loved the Children’s Museum in Washington Park. We hope to go back some day soon and have even been dreaming about moving to the Northwest - when we win the lottery. We also took the kids on their first cruise in September - with Carnival Cruise Lines and had a great time. We drove to Miami, stopping to see friends in West Palm Beach. Our cruise took us to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico. We can’t wait to go again.

Mike has had a busy year - taking several tuna trips with the “Mixed Nuts” and its owners, doing a few boat deliveries and taking care of the business. Integrity Boat and Yacht is staying busy despite the poor economy and we feel beyond blessed that things have stayed the same for us. In early December Mike went on a hunting trip with the Mixed Nuts gang and shot 2 deer! Unfortunately he was only able to recover one of them. We’re thankful for the meat and have been enjoying lots of venison. He’s coaching Upward Basketball again this year and is trying his hand at 2nd and 3rd grade boys compared to 10th graders last year. He said he’s got his work cut out for him - but he loves it. He also is in high demand to work in the church nursery - Ms. Karen asks for him personally!

Anne is staying very busy with the kids as usual. She had oral surgery in February and also had her wisdom teeth out at the same time to get it over with. She coordinated the annual Ladies Tea at church - hiring the caterer, collecting door prizes and organizing the 25 hostesses. It was the largest attendance ever - with more than 200 women in attendance! She’s still working with moms and babies - teaching breastfeeding classes and doing private consultations. At some point this year she hopes to be accredited as a La Leche League Leader, too - it’s a long process that takes many months. This coming February she is taking a DONA birth doula workshop (professional labor assistant) and plans to complete that certication before the end of 2009. Check out her website at www.wombtobreast.com. In her spare time she is also singing in the contemporary praise and worship band at church several times a month.

Madeleine is almost 4 years old and in preschool now. She started at the Wesley Academy at our church in August. She goes twice a week and loves her teachers and classmates! She’s singing in the Wee Cherubs Choir, too and we have to say that they are adorably cute. They’ve had a few concerts this year and they’re just too precious. She remains the silly, girly girl who loves all things princess and dress-up. She also loves to create “collections” which are abstract works of art from found objects in the yard. She has quite the artistic touch!

Wyatt is no longer a baby - but definitely a little boy. He’s still snuggly and cuddly, though - which makes it a little easier for Mom - who is not ready to let him grow up yet! He’s turning two in just a few weeks. He’s talking like crazy! “Mommy, look at me,” strikes fear into Anne’s heart each time he yells it out! He’s adventuresome - a climber and mischievous. He is now sleeping on the crib mattress on the floor - thanks to his older sister who taught him how to climb out of his crib! He has the greatest personality and sense of humor and is always keeping us laughing and smiling.

All in all it’s been a great year. We’re thankful that our kids have been healthy and we’ve been healthy as well (except for Anne’s feet, but that’s another story!). We’ve been blessed to visit with many far away family members this year and look forward to more visits this year. We’re not sure where our travels are going to take us this year - but we’ve been talking about a trip to Montana to visit Anne’s haunts - or we may head up to Indiana to spend time with her Aunt Rachel and Uncle Larry in beautiful Indianapolis. We’ve also talked about going to Texas to visit some of Mike’s family or maybe even to upstate New York to see Anne’s grandma and aunts and uncles. The possibilities are endless!

We hope you are blessed as well and have a wonderful year in 2009. 

You can keep up with most of what we do by reading our family blog:

http://www.thehinzefamily.blogspot.com

Mike, Anne, Madeleine and Wyatt

I've mostly given up sending out Christmas cards - the time and expense is not rational for something that usually gets thrown away. Last year I sent out an electronic version and it was well received by most. So without further adieu - here is the 2008 edition!

December Photo Project- catch up! December 11-14, 2008

Well I've been taking pictures every day and even loading them into photobucket, but I just haven't had time to sit and write blogs for the last few days.

So I'm compiling my December 11-14th pictures into a larger post.

December 11-12, 2008

We had some rain over the weekend and I ventured out to my winter garden to see how it fared after the torrential downpours. The lettuce was a little beaten down, but it has since sprung back up and looks about ready to pick!



A neat effect on one of my broccoli plants - anxiously waiting for it to flower!


Some water beads on a broccoli leaf



My eternal green onion bucket - which I'm sad to say no longer looks this good as Maddie picked most of the longer stalks today while she was making soup! She also tormented my rosemary...


Snowflakes as the sun was setting - the only kind of snowflakes we'll get here in Florida!



December 12, 2008

Christmas Reflections at DeFuniak Springs-






December 13, 2008

Our 4th annual cookie exchange was a huge hit!



A rare picture of Mike and I together and dressed up to boot!



December 14, 2008

We went up to Crestview after church to have dinner with my grandmother. We took a few family pictures of the four of us...
Maddie sang at church in the morning - so did I - and we all dressed up in our Christmas best.


Wyatt in his suit






Mimi and Maddie:

December 3-4, 2008 DPP

ok - I got a little sidetracked yesterday - by friends, family and a very nasty migraine that very nearly required a trip to the emergency room (and since I have no coverage when it comes to headaches - you know it must have been bad!)

So here are pictures from yesterday and today :) in no particular order...

Maddie took this one of me watering the tree - it was really dark and turned out kind of funky when I fixed it.

Maddie, her new glasses from Aunt Nat Nat and our decorated tree. Check out my paper chain!

One of my many advent calendars. The kids put all of the pieces up and I decided that they could just play and rearrange it and that would be ok.

This is a really neat advent calendar that Maddie's preschool sent home. Every day you add angel and there is a vocabulary word that pertains to Christmas and a corresponding line from a Christmas carol.

The centerpiece on my table - fresh rosemary from the yard

Another Maddie picture - the kids have their own rendition of the nativity

The first decorations on the tree - maddie's hairbands.

I thought this was a funny picture - Mike laying on the ground fixing the tree

Wyatt, Papa and Daddy go to Bass Pro

ok - I was there, too - taking pictures - but it was a man's trip for sure.

They looked at guns, hunting gear - tried on a camo jacket on wyatt and ended the outing with wyatt trying his hand shooting a bb gun with his papa.


Even though I'm a little gun shy - it was cute and watching my dad and Mike compete against each other to get the high score was hilarious. I'm so glad they're such good friends.



















Lovies for Papa

The Many Silly Faces of the Hinze Family

A little over a year ago we invested in an Apple computer - a MacBook to be exact. It is a fabulously fun thing for our family - especially the Photo Booth application. One of Maddie and Wyatt's favorite thing to do is to take ridiculously silly pictures. I've gone through all of them and pulled 105 of the silliest ones. they're in no particular order - so have fun seeing how much we've all changed over the last year (except mike- he doesn't seem to change much other than more grey hairs!)




If you've made it this far - you're dedicated - and in for a treat! Maddie and I took THESE pictures this afternoon - they are what inspired me to find all the silly face pictures and post them for you guys!