The Flying Wasp..errr Falcon

"I christen thee, the Flying Wasp"...any Caddyshack fans??

After many turns and snickers last year,  we did it...we have the Falcon working.  We can even start it without having to squirt a little gas at the motor to fire up.  We have been cruising and fancy free in our families '74 Malibu Falcon ski boat all summer long - the envy of all all our fellow bay friends.

Now, last year - we attempted but had to withstand the humiliation of being pulled in while friends laughed and did circles around us...they had warned us

Summer 2010 - Being towed in by the Brams, spectators circled around us telling us they warned us.

Summer 2011 - She's a go, look at that happy Captain

The Falcon in all its glory.

Nothing like a good Game Warden check to finish off the 4th of July holiday weekend (we passed)

 

 

 

 

Teaching the girls how you are supposed to sit on the Falcon - ALWAYS up front, but your feet should dangle over the side, still too young for that.

Family Day on the Bay - Fourth of July...with toddlers & kids aboard, these were definite signs that our rowdy group is finally settling down a bit.

Zucchini anyone??

We have our 3rd seasonal garden in full bloom.  Although, it looks more like an untamed bushy forest than a meticulously kept, weed-free piece of fertile land (clearly the meticulous farming genes from my Dad didn't trickle down to me)  But despite the way it looks we are quite fruitful in cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, scalloped & watermelon squash and zucchini.  

As I said in an earlier post, mice got the better of us earlier in the planting season and we didn't have half the plants that we had originally started with.  We won't be pickling cucumbers this season--kind of disappointing because our 2nd season of pickled cukes turned out so good, unlike the first learning experience of pickling crappy pickles.

We have had a plethora of zucchini to say the least...so back in June (yeah, this post may or may not be 2 months old) I was busy chopping, shredding, dehydrating, freezing zucchini to my little heart's desire.

Basically preparing for the harsh winter that is to come...pshtt yeah right!

Our fabulous wedding gift from our cousins - a dehydrator

Ready to make some salt & vinegar zuchini chips

Sucky!!  After 12 hours of use (2 batches) the thing caught on fire...WTH?!?!

TWATC...F (Friend Edition)

According to our Personal Roadside Assistant, Drew, Fishing with poles is for sissys.

TWATC - Stuck

With lack of details, I am assuming this is Energy's track hoe with his operator casually leaning against this very buried and stuck machine ...whoopsie!

Year of Smiling Faces: And Baby Makes 3, Vol. 2

Well, it looks like I have been slacking these past couple of weeks, better late then never I suppose!

See below - our new niece Maggie Mae...I can't believe she is almost 8 weeks already....bad aunt for not posting earlier!

Maggie Mae Motal   5.23.11  

Made in America

I just wanted to share that after writing and talking to Executive Producer, Mary Beth Lavender at ABC.com, we are now added to the list of "Made in America" companies in their "Made in America" Segment. 

Check it Out:  http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica/
Click on Texas on the map.

I also mentioned it on my New ICM blog, Confessions of A Panty Factory - but thought this was pretty cool to share on this blog because this is a huge part of my life.  I just hope we continue to grow and stay strong as a domestic company trying to make it in an importing world.

Thanks Amy F for suggesting and telling me about ABC's segment!

Here's a glance into New ICM's Sp 12 Line:

Our new Reversible Tutu

Year of Smiling Faces: And Baby Makes 3

Congrats to our good friends Jason and Sam for thier new precious bundle of Joy:

Charlotte "Charlie" Anne Prochaska
5/19/11
7.9 Oz.  -  20"

TWATC - Fishing Partners

The World According To Chad ... through text pictures on his phone.

Jason Hoelscher "all geared up" for the Betty Jo Memorial Fishing Tournament

The boys actually did very well in this tournament - came home with several checks and Jason came home with practically all the door/raffle prizes.  They recieved 5th overall, 2nd Spot Pot & 2nd Any Species.

Hensley's declare WAR!

We spent some time out in the yard this past week.  Chad was been nurturing his pride and joy (the garden, not me),  Cussing this d@mn wind out here on the prairie that may be harming his pride & joy and re-landscaping.  As I was following him around the yard, supervising his work, I noticed these little holes in the mounds of our dirt.  These holes are some what systematic - what is that snakes?? Do they make holes like that?  Hmm...

Shortly, after as Chad was watering a newly transplanted bush, he whistled for our big, bad wiener dog, Rowdy to check something out....Mice!!  A damn family of them living in those little holes.  All the dogs got their piece, but Rowdy was the general in the covert operation, I mean he was bred to do this kind of stuff.  Rowdy got a couple, Wiley caught one and played with it across the yard (see video below), & Gracie scooped it up in her mouth and exterminated not long after.  I actually felt bad and let the other two get away.  Good, that's taken care of.......
Well, not exactly, I have just became aware (it took a while for me to connect the dots) that those little varmints are the root of our little holes and have tore up our garden....this means war...a no pity kind of war...rat poison kind of war!  I mean if I have seen  I am very much an animal lover, I understand the circle of life but some times don't care to see it. But those varmints have eaten all 8 varieties of squash.  Yes, Chad got a little over zealous on the squash seed purchasing; butternut, scallop (bulk & package), zucchini, acorn, Mexican, white and just plain ol' yellow.   Ugh!!! 

I have put out some "special" food for those rodents and hopefully we will be able to recover our garden.

Rowdy hard at work, Wiley supervising (a lot like Chad & I :)  )

Is the Dog mightier then the Pipe?

Answer: Yes

Everything intact here...

not so much here....

The suspected culprit.

Hell Fighter Chad

This past weekend a gas well about 2 miles south of us blew.  Chad had a crew working out there and was supervising the crew.  He had asked me to bring something to him and I couldn't resist taking his picture...my lil' hellfighter.   Hellfighter is a John Wayne movie that Chad grew up watching - the summary is as stated:

The story of macho oil well firefighters and their wives.  The adventures of oil well fire specialist Chance Buckman (based on real-life Red Adair), who extinguishes massive fires in oil fields around the world.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063060/

Chad the Hellfighter

The Bill-less Betty's

So, a couple of weekends ago, the boys went over to JP & Amber's to help JP clean out their koi pond.  The task at hand was completed so that left time to put in some beers, a few chicken wings, and a couple of hands of 42.  Pretty much a normal Saturday night, until... Dean shot out of his chair and decided that the bill on LJ's hat was bothering him and he sawed it off....eventually all the guys had thier bills sawed off.  See a picture below.

Then, it was a remake of the ever so famous scene from the movie "Blow"...see below as you see LJ imitating the silver screen as Johnny Depp...quite mesmerising.

Victim #1

Dean in Action

The Bill-less Crew

Apparently Chad & I owe somebody something.

Year of Smiling Faces Vol 1

So after some thought I realized why this is the year of smiling faces.  It is chock full of new beginnings: marriages & births.  We were honored to help celebrate the marriage of two friends, Judd & Erin  - a beautiful wedding to start the new year!  

Last weekend, was a baby shower for Heather & Matt for the arrival of Ms. Sidney in February.   Of course the questions were flowing...a sample of a few:

Q: Do the frilly cloths give you baby fever?
A: No, reminds me of work. 

Q: Aren't you guys ready to have a baby around?
A: No, where in our wee house would we put a baby?

Q: Really? You aren't ready for a baby?
A: No, we don't have money to have a baby now.  Plus, we want to get our finances in order.
Q: Well, you know you will never really be ready for a baby, but you will manage like everyone else.

Ugh!  I know this is what happens...first it's when are you going to get married? then when are you having a baby? then when's baby #2 coming?   The jury is out on when that will happen.

Sorry - no pictures of the happy occasions mentioned above.  I will try to get pictures for future posts - posts with out pics = boring! :) J/K

Here are a few from this year:

Wylie - she replaced our cat, doing a fine job..look at the fear in the mouse's eyes.

Delicious grapefruit off of Peggie's tree - you have to appreciate a grapefruit with good size wedges, better then the store.

Cabbage from our winter garden (see below)

I don't know why it won't save right....