Bink's Style Enchiladas

I was in the process of making chicken enchiladas on Sunday and Binks wanted to be involved.  I put him on the counter-top right in front of me and he quickly picked up on the idea of picking up tortilla shells and handing them to me to be filled.

However, he had his own little addition to the process.

He tasted each one.

Some he tasted more, some less, but each tortilla had at least one little tear in it from Binks.

Now, for any of you who have visited my house (and eaten there), this kind of thing has never happened before. It was so darn cute, though, and I knew that my mom had already seen the process and didn't seem to be squeemish about Bink's additional step, so I let him do it :).  Again and again.  Twenty tortilla shells later.

So cute.

Working on the House and Hava's Flesh Wound

It was a busy Saturday.  Fortunately, the kids still got fed.

Binks three favorite foods: blueberries, oatmeal and grapes!  He eats them more enthusiastically than candy or crackers.

 We got back to mudding and sanding this last weekend.

Evidence of little helpers.  It was too cute.

 Sometimes I feel like the man in "Follow Me, Boys" who carries around his law book and never gets to law school because of the awesomeness that he is taking care of "in the meantime."  This house will happen. However, not at the expense of the awesomeness of the meantime.

This man is amazing and central to our awesomeness.  He put in a full day doing mudding and sanding.  He works like his father and his work is perfect.  When it is finished, it will be beautiful.

Heading out to the stream to wash off

Papaya joined him right after the memory gave out.  Here she is posing like she looked when she went under with her father.

Meanwhile, the kids cleaned the house and took care of each other

Hava's excitement is that she jumped from one picnic bench to another (behind the church near the Palmyra temple)...and missed. 

11 stitches later, she will have a nice scar.

Thankfully, Oma is here visiting for a week, so she has not only stepped in when we went to the hospital, but has helped me with projects and just loved and supported us like only grandmas can :).

Here she is catching the only reception she can on her phone

Love this lady!

Letter: Q-dawg to Avot

(The email was titled: "Que pasa?")

Hermana Biesinger,

That means, "What's happenin'?" Do you have a new companion? What is her name (assuming that it is a sister and not an elder :O) Where is she from? Does she speak espanol? 

We had another flag football game yesterday. I'm not sure what the final score was but we were at least 65 and they didn't score at all. We are the only undefeated team. We have played all the teams except one. They forfeited because the mother/aunt of some of their players died the night before our game. :( They were also undefeated until that loss. We play everyone twice so hopefully they will field a team next time. 

A miracle happened this past week. I received the New York title to the Prius. Now I just have to fill out the registration forms and pay a fee at the DMV and I will finally be legal. I won't have to sneak around Medina anymore, making evasive maneuvers to avoid oncoming police.

Thank you for telling all about your investigators and members. In priesthood today I was going to share your story about the boy that didn't want to be in the school picture with the bad word in the banner. Unfortunately we didn't have a nursery leader and we had two priesthood leaders so I went to nursery and played with the snotty nosed little monsters, one of which was our own little zsaman. Cute little monsters.

Have a super P-Day. See some sights. Eat some good food. Write a nice long email with all your new experiences. 

Hasta la vista,

Paaaaaaddddrrrrreeeee

Letter: Q-dawg to Lek

Kelder,

I am so excited for you! I have never been to Papa. I was tutoring the Petersons, a senior couple in Kaposvar, last Friday. They wanted me to speak to them in Hungarian so I asked if they had met my son yet. They asked where you were and I told them that I didn't know because I hadn't received any info other than that he had arrived safely. They looked it up and told me you are in Papa and that your companion, Elder Young, is a great missionary. I also saw a photo from Bauer Istvan (the tall guy from Erd whose marriage to Eva we attended) with you and your tars. Pisti also revealed the fact that you are indeed in Papa. I saw in the photo that you have a bag. Where did you get it? Is it a leather bag? In the photo you are wearing a tie I used to wear. When I was over half way through my mission the first missionaries were sent to Papa to open it. Too bad you missed the Budapest Szent Istvan Napja celebration. What did they do in Papa? Did you eat any interesting or scrumptious food yet? What is the kozlekedes like in Papa? Busz, villamos, bicigli? We can't wait to hear all about it. Your "grandmother" in Szeged was disappointed that you didn't end up there.

When I was serving in Szeged, for service we would visit a home for disabled youth and play games with them. There was one boy who was probably about ten years old who almost always had his hand in his pants. When we arrived he would get excited and shuffle towards us with lip-handed arms extended saying, "Papa, papa." I always remember that when someone talks about the city you are serving in. :)

We had another flag football game yesterday. I'm not sure what the final score was but we where at least 65 and they didn't score at all. We are the only undefeated team. We have played all the teams except one. They forfeited because the mother/aunt of some of their players died the night before our game. :( They were also undefeated until that loss. We play everyone twice so hopefully they will field a team next time. 

A miracle happened this past week. I received the New York title to the Prius. Now I just have to fill out the forms and pay a fee at the DMV and I will finally be legal. I won't have to sneak around Medina anymore, making evasive maneuvers to avoid oncoming police. Did I ever tell you about the time I was pulled over in Hungary? Actually I was pulled over three times, but only twice while I was driving. I was also questioned twice when I wasn't in a car. And that was all before I was a scary bald guy. Don't have any run-ins with the rendorseg. 

Have a super P-day! See some sights. Eat some good food. And write a nice long email about your trip and your first few days. 

Szeretettel,

Apuuuuuu

Q-dawg's and Loco

This picture made me laugh!

I love Q-dawg's family and the relationship he has with them :).

 Speaking of Q-dawg, here is an excerpt from a letter he sent to Lek, referring to pics Lek sent of his current apartment:
Ismerem azt a joghurt dobozt. Yeah, a pull up bar. Do you have three beds in your apartment? Or do you re-arrange the furniture between pictures? Is that a scale by your bed, pudgy. Looks nicer than any apartment I stayed in. Cool pics!

I love hearing his dialogue with the kiddos and he consented to let me put some more letters in here as "his perspective." Woohoo!

 Here are pics and a little note he sent recently:
Here are some pictures I have on my phone. Spooner pointed out the "marshmallows" so we got a picture of them. One word to describe our family...loco.

Here is Binks: cruisin' for a bruisin'

My boys like driving at whatever age they can...is this legal?

Maybe not legal, but super cute!!

Speaking of "loco":

Spooner found some traveling stamps...and got ready to be sent!

Trying to capture my boys without wiggling and blurs is almost impossible and I haven't figured out how to do the sports activity capture on my camera yet.  Sigh.  Oh well. I wanted to capture all his emotions, though, so I left the blurry ones in :).

Finally still and...expression?  No idea what that look means! :)

Because our house defies all logic in its construction, we try to capture what things look like before we put the drywall up for future reference with electric and piping.

For those who have visited us or see our house, you will know what a big step this is!

One year later...last rooms drywalled!  My brother Dave's words were prophetic.

Yah, ummm...did we say "loco"?  And there is Spooner with one of his staples: leftover oatmeal.

Two of my boys...love 'em.

And my darlin' Lil, helping out in the kitchen!

Love this face :)

They made trace outlines of themselves for Primary a few weeks ago to talk about modesty.  My kids loved it!

Again, it is all about expressions...

Greenwood Hills Farm Paradise

 Here are some pics from the Moores Farm...amazing. If you ever have a chance to come by this area, stay at their bed and breakfast.  The company, environment and food is amazing. (Request her oatmeal cake.  Yummmmmmm.)

Feeding the animals:

 The kids love driving the gator.

Papaya insisted that I take a picture of this blossom

I insisted she be in one of the shots :)

This one's for you, Opa

Pipalicious with the farm house behind.  Yes, it is always that beautiful.

 Inside fun!

 The Moores have good friends (Jack and Midge) who let us come and swim at their pond.  They are some of the most dear people ever.  Jack would follow Binks around and snuggle with him while I was in the water with the other kids, insisting he was fine.  Jack even taught Spooner how to pee on a tree. :)

Midge made snacks for the kids every time, even though I insisted she didn't have to and brought my own.  The kids loved it!

Evidence that I did bring our own snacks :)

After all his swimming lessons, Spooner was confident enough to first try the water this way and then by the end was floating on his own with his blue float-y

Angie was engaged as always in nurturing and loving all of us.

 A "Liliputian-eye" view of the farm:

Pictures from the woods immediately next to their house, where there is also a fire pit and seats for hot dog and marshmallow roasts.  (You really should come!)

Angie got out their horse, Deedee, for the little ones to ride on.  She is an older horse, but is good for the little ones.

 

 Meanwhile, Binks was pressed against me, sure that I should be doing something besides watching and filming the girls.

See the pain, Mommy?  How can you not appreciate how much I am suffering?

Good times...