The Guarinos

Just posted this cute little family on the other blog. 

Hungry for Hunger Games

It's Monday.  And I just don't feel ready for it.  In fact it's almost 4 pm on Monday, and I still don't feel ready for it.  We couldn't get a sitter this weekend, which is a regularly scheduled and essential part of our weekend (apparently, since I'm going batty).  And now I feel like I'm suffering from lack of rejuvenation and total and utter depression that I'm like the only person on the planet who hasn't seen The Hunger Games.

I usually don't worry about seeing a movie when it's new. I read and loved the Twilight books but lost interest in those movies the second I saw Kristen Stewart and her overly shifty, downcast eyes and irritated expression in a preview.  We still haven't seen the last one... or two... I don't know.

But The Hunger Games.. I think it's the only book I've finished in just a couple of days. I'm not that kind of reader.  There are too many other things that steal my "free" time, sadly, and I don't make reading as much of a priority as I wish I did.  I'm so sad when I finish a really great book, but it takes me a long time to get into another one and sometimes a long time to get through the first half of whatever I finally choose before it really pulls me in.

The Hunger Games was a serious exception though, like it is for most.  And was such a fascinating, fast story.  From what I can tell so far, I LOVE who they've cast in most of the roles... and I especially love the face of Katniss... I'm a little nervous that Peeta might look too little-teenage-heart throb- and less .... like he does in my bread-scented dreams..... just kidding.  But I haven't heard anyone complain, so maybe I won't feel like that once I've seen it.  I'm dying.  I think we'll have to do a week-night date.

The photo? Just because.

Now you see it, now you don't.

Yesterday it finally happened.  6 and a half-- and she lost her first tooth! A two-dollar tooth apparently. Luckily she filled us in on the tooth-fairy's rules she's learned from friends.  I was a little nervous to see those darling little teeth start to go.  But I think this smile's pretty rad.

summer

  This was my first official senior I think. ?? I don't know why I don't do more of these.  One lovely girl who's not sneaking fruit snacks between shots and does everything I ask!? This was fun.  More on the other blog.

Boys

 Everybody says boys are different.  In to everything.  A girl will look at the book shelf and a boy will tear it apart.  I'm not sure yet if this is the case for us-- since I feel like my girls, at this age, did their share of destruction.  But now that he's up on two feet, and faster every day, he's definitely into EVERYTHING.  I woke up the other night thinking my missing flip flop was definitely at the bottom of a trash bag already taken out, or floating in the girl's toilet.  It wasn't.  But it will be-- some day.  I'm sure.

I just hope it's not my wedding ring or passport, or something more important.

It's crazy how quickly you forget and stop protecting your house from these tiny, bald misfits.  The older ones hit 3 or 4 and you think you can leave bathroom doors open, trash cans exposed, cuisinart blades in the lower cabinet. (!!oops!)  It's like I'm starting from scratch each time.

But when he sticks his tongue out like that--- like he's working so hard, with such fervor and focus--- he can get away with murder. (Let's hope not literally with all the scissors and staplers up above.)  This boy has my heart.

Californians for a Cure

Getting the word out.  

Did you know a YES vote on prop 29 will raise the cost of a pack of cigarettes by $1 and DEDICATE that money to cancer research?  

Doesn't it seem absurd that the Tobacco industry has won a fight to raise taxes on cigarettes 14 times in a row, and we haven't won once? 

I think it's a no-brainer.  Even if I was a smoker, I think I'd still think it was a no-brainer.  It's like telling me that the price of Oreos is going up, and the extra money will be used to help with childhood obesity.  And I actually like Oreos (who doesn't? Who can't finish a row on accident with a glass of milk?)  But I like children more.

My friend, Missy started a blog about it. (Prop 29-- not Oreos.)  She's awesome.

Also, here's the official site.

Homemade Chocolate Lara Bars

 I love Lara bars... or at least the chocolate peanut butter lara bars--- how can you not?   I especially love what Lara bars are made of ...  and while I'd never actually had a plain old chocolate lara bar,  when I saw this one on pinterest, and saw that it would take like five minutes, I knew I had to try it.

And I am obsessed.

I decided to throw some oats into the second half of the mixture to see if it turned out anything like these chocolate oat bars I used to eat when I worked at Good Earth in Provo a million years ago.  I'm sure they're not as good as I remember.... but they're one of those memories on a pedestal.  Anyway, that's what the little balls are.  I thought they'd be an easy little bite-sized treat.  They were good--- but they're better withOUT the oats.  And so easy.  Especially if you have a huge thing of dates in your fridge from Costco that you were already worried you weren't going to get through....

Anyway-- here's the recipe:

• 1 cup walnuts 
• 1 and 1/3 cups pitted dates 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 T cocoa powder- (I did 4)
• optional: a pinch of salt
• optional: chocolate chips or even a piece of a chocolate bar or baking chocolate (of course I did, I used mini chocolate chips because they were handy and oh so cute.)

Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor, Magic Bullet, etc. (No need to blend the dates first; I just blend everything all at once in my MB. Form into bars. It might help to put dough in a plastic bag and close the bag, then shape into a bar. (Feel free to experiment with different nut combinations. I often sub almonds or cashews for some of the walnuts.)

Just felt like I should share.  I'm hoping maybe just maybe it could replace my most recent cookie dough problem. ... maybe.

FINN

Always a sweet treat

Just a few minutes before, I'd called down from where I was getting ready, "Mila, you doing ok?" 

"Yeah! I'm just playing!" she says, convincingly.

And then literally, within five minutes, I come down to find her all tucked in on the couch with Rapunzel-- out cold.  During Finn's nap.  A quiet house.... ahhh.... few things are better.

February in instagrams

I love that as long as you put them in a grid, you can include WAY more pictures than anyone would ever want to see.  Or at least I tell myself so.  At least there's no major scroll commitment. That's something.

 right? 

The pictures cover: 

-valentines

-my new barstools, (only the most important things, obviously)

-some kite flying and a nice child-taken shot up my nose

-Mila letting Finn pick her boogers in the back seat "because it's making him happy!"

-Ross's annual mancation

-a trip home to San Diego to see Nana and Papa while Ross was on mancation

-a game night with Nana and Grandpa B.

-cookies- cookies- and more cookies

-Finn walking, then two weeks later REALLY walking

-Sophia winning two metals at her first track meet

-Ross recovering from Kidney stones 

- And lots of other random teensie tiny memories I decided I couldn't possibly live without.

PINK

So I taped a big piece of seamless paper to the wall in my garage and wanted to see how the light would turn out out there.  Then I grabbed the kids off the trampoline and asked them to come help me for like five minutes.  They were already playing a game on the tramp involving these hats?? Judging from the picture above, I'm thinking something with aliens?  Also judging from the picture above, I think Mila will be an uber famous actress someday.

Have I mentioned that Sawyer lives right behind us (or to the corner of us) and climbs over the wall to play every day?  They don't have any fun together.  Clearly.