Have a look-see.

We had our pictures taken last week. They turned out amazingly. Check them out!

New look?

You all know how I love a good makeover. I decided my blog could use a proverbial pixie cut of its own.

Hope you like it!

Wordless Wednesday.

Peekaboo.

La Chaise (la SHEZ).

That's how you say "the chair" in French. I remember that from 7th grade. Along with, "Gabi mange le reveille-matin," which means, "Gabi ate the alarm clock."

Don't ask.

But anyway, why am I talking about chairs? Oh yes. Because it's the 24th, which means The Smush is one month older (and wiser, too).

I can't remember if I told y'all or not, but as of July 30, he weighed 15 pounds 5.5 ounces and was a statuesque 27 inches long. We've already discussed his future and decided he will play volleyball for the BYU Cougars someday. Especially if he keeps up his growth rate. He's in the 90th percentile for his height!

Come to think of it, both of our kids are tall. Why? Have you seen us? We're not.

Life for The Smush is good. He started eating rice cereal recently, but he's not sure what to make of it yet. Some days, he slurps it right off the spoon like it's ice cream. Others, he spits it out and cries like it's ground-up rice.

He does like bananas, though. I found this out when last week, in desperation, I peeled one back and stuck it in his mouth to get him to stop crying. He definitely stopped crying and started sucking on it. Hard. Like it was the last banana he'd ever eat.

Meanwhile, Bubby got very excited and said, "Can we take turns?" She loves bananas, too.

Smush is a happy, easygoing baby. We all adore him.

Now, go tell everyone the new French phrase you learned today, and enjoy the quizzical looks you're going to get when you translate it for them.

Guy Smileys.

When we were 3 or 4, my mom put my twin brother and me in these little community classes offered by the city we lived in. I remember very little about it, except for two things. One -- the arts and crafts unit, cleverly called "Peewee Picassos." I wore one of my dad's old T-shirts as a smock. My mom even saved some of my artwork from it and passed it onto me when we moved into our house.

The other thing I remember was during the "cooking" unit (I have to use quotes because I seriously doubt we did any real cooking), we made these things called Guy Smileys. Yes, they were named after the toothy game show host on Sesame Street. I never forgot it because I had a strange affinity for Guy Smiley, plus I thought they were pretty nifty-looking snacks.

Today, I looked in my pantry and noticed I had the ingredients to make Guy Smileys. The cogs in my head started turning and I knew Bubby and I had to make them. I figured she'd love them, and I was right.

So, here's how you make Guy Smileys.

Ingredients:

a red-skinned apple
peanut butter
mini marshmallows

Cut the apple into moon-shaped (or smile-shaped) pieces. Easiest way to do this is cut the apple in half from top to bottom, then cut the halves in half, then cut the quarters in half. You'll have 8 slices in the end.

Spread peanut butter on one fleshy side of each slice.

Arrange 4 - 5 mini marshmallows on the peanut butter, like teeth.

Finished product:

Bubby had so much fun sticking the marshmallows on "all by myself."

See how easy-peasy that is? If you have toddlers, hop to it! This could also be a fun pre-school refreshment on a day about dental hygiene or something. Or maybe a Halloween appetizer. I don't know; let your imagination run WILD!

Santa Barbara: Solvang and the beach.

At the beginning of August, Dill, Bubby, Smush and I took a grand road trip to the beautiful city of Santa Barbara, California, otherwise known as "heaven on Earth." We have gone there on several occasions since we met. I've told Dill if we ever have enough money to live there, we're going. Even if it means we have to pitch a tent.

Anyway, the trip was really a family reunion of sorts. We gathered to celebrate the 80th birthday of Dill's wonderful Nana (she doesn't look a day over 60 and I have the pictures to prove it!). Every single one of Dill's siblings was able to come and we had a great time.

On our first day there, we took a short trip through the mountains to a Danish village called Solvang. I worried it might be a tourist trap, and it was -- but it was an AWESOME tourist trap which I highly recommend everyone visit. Solvang is sunny, cheery, and feels like Disneyland, minus all the overpriced merchandise and endless lines of people.

Dill and Bubby, enjoying Solvang. Check out the windmill in the background. Totally legit.

The shops in Solvang were so cute. If you like novelty toy stores, bakeries and bookstores, Solvang is for you.

We had two missions to accomplish in Solvang. First mission: ebelskivers. Ebelskivers are a breakfast food, basically round doughnuts covered in jelly and powdered sugar. They are delicious and highly fattening. Perfect vacation treat.

Mission: accomplished.

Bubsy hearts ebelskivers now.

We found a little restaurant that only charged $3.99 for a plate of three. So, we each ordered a plate and scarfed 'em right down. And we didn't care that it was practically lunchtime. Who says you can't eat ebelskivers whenever you want? Tyrants, probably.

Smush and me at the cute restaurant.

Second mission: miniature horses. I had found a Web site about Solvang prior to our trip, and lots of people gushed about the Quicksilver Miniature Horse Ranch. Well, I like animals, and I especially like animals who happen to be smaller than normal, so I said, "We're going!"

Mission #2: accomplished!

Squeeeee!

Sometimes, they even walk the little guys around outside of their pens and you get to pet them. Double-squeee!

Solvang was so much fun, I decided then and there we would never take a trip back to Santa Barbara without including it in our plans.

Later that day, we headed to the beach for our niece's 7th birthday party. It was cold, windy and not very beach-like. But, we had a good time, anyway. Somehow, being surrounded by family makes everything better.

Two freezing guys.


Bubs and me.

Next time, I'll tell you all about the Fiesta Celebration and Nana's birthday.

Adventures with the SWAT team.

Sorry, this post is a little late, I know. But trust me, the story is worth it.

So, last Tuesday around 3 p.m., Smush woke up from his nap and wanted to eat. He always eats during the 3:00 hour, the same time Oprah is on. So I sit on my bed, turn on Oprah and feed the baby. It's a daily ritual.

So there I was, sitting on the bed, watching Oprah. It was the episode where she interviewed that crazy Octomom lady. I'm watching intently, trying to wrap my brain around having 36 kids or however many she has, when I hear a male voice outside. Shouting. Something about, "Police", "immediately" and "hands up."

I thought maybe it was part of the Octomom craziness, but then I heard it again. So I put Smush down and went to my bedroom window, which is on the side of my house. We live on the corner, so a street runs along the side of my house where my bedroom is located.

I looked out the window and what did I see? Not popcorn. This:

The freakin' SWAT team, lined up in formation at the door with their guns drawn, ready to go in.

Frantically, I opened the window to better hear what was being shouted over the intercom:

"This is the Mesa Police. All occupants at (address) must immediately vacate the home. Come out slowly with your hands up. We WILL use force if needed!"

Holy $@!#!

(Thankfully, that was not MY address they were yelling about. Otherwise, I would probably be "Mom the Jailbird" by now.)

As you can see by the pictures, the front of the home in question faces the street that runs alongside my house. They are directly behind us, but our homes are not separated by a fence, so they really feel like our next-door neighbors. Which means I was really, really freaked out.

I ducked down below the window and said, "Bubby! GET IN HERE NOW!" She was on the computer, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I crawled to the other side of the room and grabbed the phone. I called ... my mom.

"Hello?"

"MOM! THE SWAT team is outside my house! They have their guns drawn and everything?"

"WHAT? What did you do?"

"Nothing! It's my neighbor, the guy directly behind me!"

We talked for a little bit, then I let her listen to the police shouting at the occupants over the intercom. I watched two men come out slowly, walking backwards with their hands up. They were cuffed and taken to the curb.

The police gave whoever else was in there another chance to come out, and then they sent the SWAT guys in. It was seriously crazy. I felt like I was watching a movie. Only it was real and it was in my backyard.

One guy remained in the SWAT vehicle with his gun ready, just in case someone tried to escape:

(They didn't have to use the battering ram after all.)

Then, they brought in a K-9 and let him sniff out the place. I heard him howling like crazy. My mom heard him over the phone. She suggested I call my husband.

Well, that's probably a good idea.

But first, I had to call KPHO. The news station I used to work for as an intern. If anything was going on, they'd certainly know.

They had no idea, but they were certainly excited. The assignment desk lady told me to call back in 20 minutes and they'd try to figure it out.

In the meantime, my eyes were welded to the window. My heart was pounding. Those bullets could easily blaze through my walls at any moment. I'd have been a goner.

Eventually, the SWAT team came out, looking rather carefree and jovial. So, it was obviously nothing.

I watched them jump into the vehicle and drive away. Guess that was the end of it.

I decided at that point it was safe to go outside to talk to the officers who were still on the scene. See what the heck happened. Well, I opened my door and to my surprise, there was one of the detainees, gettin' put into the back of a patrol car. Like, 10 feet from my doorstep.

So I shut it really quick, opened the front window and took this picture:

I then called KPHO back and they told me it was just a search warrant for an aggravated assault case. Mesa Police are now using SWAT for all search warrants. Seems a little excessive. Could have been a murder, for all I knew.

Disclaimer: Usage of the SWAT team does not necessarily mean it's serious. But it COULD be. So, you probably shouldn't be snapping pictures like a crazed papparazzo. That's all.