The Thomasfolks »

I figure if she’s going to take over the family business someday, I’d better start training her early.

All kidding aside, she’s actually pretty good!  Torin took this picture of Parker and me.

In an effort to help boost our slumping economy, we promptly took the rebate check that we received from the Economic Stimulus Package and bought this cute little gazebo and some patio furniture for our deck.  It almost took another Act of Congress to get the thing put together (yes, we had to assemble it ourselves) but it’s finished now and all our neighbors are jealous.  We’re looking forward to spending time on the deck this summer without having to bake in the sun!

We have one chair in our living room that is THE chair.  This chair always causes a daily fight for occupancy during the morning cartoon time.  This morning, for example, Parker got up early and quickly marked his territory.  By the time Torin got up and came downstairs, Parker had already claimed squatter’s rights.  Her only hope was for him to get called away to use the bathroom or brush his teeth so she could assert adverse possession.  When that didn’t happen, she tried to eject him by force.

Ah, what a fun way to start the day.

Torin graduated from Preschool this morning.  It was sweet and cute and I didn’t get emotional at all.  I’m sure I’ll be much more teary and reflective when she graduates from Vanderbilt Medical School.  Honestly, the only thing that kept running through my mind at today’s graduation was thank goodness she wasn’t wearing her hot pink panties.  (And the fact that we need to work on “sitting like a lady.”)

Here’s Torin and her best friend, Olivia.

And here’s her other best friend.

Torin found this ice cream recipe on the internet and wanted to try it.  It takes 1 Tbs. sugar, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, and 6 Tbs. rock salt.

Step 1: Fill a gallon Ziploc bag half full with ice and add rock salt

Step 2: Put milk, sugar, and vanilla in a pint size ziploc.  Then put the smaller bag into the bigger bag.

Step 3: Shake for 5 minutes (you might want to put tape around the big bag in case it comes open).  We recommend wearing gloves because the bag gets cold.  It also helps if you’re in your underwear and you’re blaring Rascal Flatts “Life is a Highway” on the iPod speakers.

Step 4: Take the inside bag out and cut a little corner off, then squeeze the ice cream out.  It really does taste yummy!

I took the kids to the Ag Center to check out the frogs and the irises this morning.  The following pictures contain no frogs and no irises, but you’ll just have to take my word for it that we saw them.

This is Parker’s new favorite shirt because it shows off his muscles.  (His words, not mine.)