As I pushed my loaded cart around Kroger this afternoon, the soothing Muzak tunes were interrupted periodically by "inter-office" calls between Kroger employees. For example, "Karla, call for the meat department - 4689", "Greg, report to the deli" etc. What really made me laugh out loud (yes, I know, it seems I laugh out loud a lot, and I really do...) is when Brooklyn, after each page, yelled up to the ceiling in the general direction of the intercom- "OKAY!" Every time. It was one of my funnier Kroger trips.

As August is 6 weeks old today and he STILL has Thrush, I placed a call to his pediatrician to have them call in more medicine for him. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it, and it doesn't appear to be affecting me in any negative way, it didn't seem urgent. But still, I am ready for his little tongue to be normal tongue color, rather than coated with white. As usual, you never get anywhere near the doc without going in. So I was chatting to his nurse, explaining the situation with the phone held between my ear and shoulder on one side and August held up to the other shoulder, burping him. Mid-conversation with the nurse, I realized August was GUSHING upchuck over my shoulder.

Every now and then, he just overfills his little tummy, but refuses to stop nursing. The result is that his tummy says enough FOR him. Usually a few minutes after I disengage him and start burping him. That was the case the other day. A few pats to his back and that triggered it - a GEYSER of milk shooting across my bedroom. Somehow, my clothes were left untouched, but the floor was covered. Three big gushes of this stuff happen over my left shoulder as I calmly continue to pat his back and never miss a beat in my conversation with the nurse on the right shoulder.

When I hung up the phone, I assessed the damage and sighed. More floor cleaning to do. But at least I accomplished my goal and got some medicine ordered for the little puker. And I felt pretty tough not even flinching throughout the event. It made me laugh to think that this is what I've grown into. All part of being a mom, I guess.

I suppose it's inevitable. As often as I kiss little August's tiny mouth and as often as he pukes...it was only a matter of time before I kissed his little mouth right as he spit up. And it happened. He spit up right in my mouth. I nearly gagged. I hope my milk tastes better to him going down than it does coming up! Or maybe that's why he's spitting up! I surely hope not...

I am posting this recipe in response to a blog entry posted by my friend Liz (Mabels House). She is an incredibly talented writer and blogger and I love seeing inside her truly creative and wonderful head through her entries. The other day, she discussed her attempt to make some chocolate pumpkin muffins. I believe her final product was less than what she had hoped for. SO, I post this recipe to offer her hope! I believe this is the best muffin I have ever had.

I first tasted it in Lexington, Kentucky as part of a welcome bag for wedding guests of Rick & Charis. The bag contained 4 muffins. A really sweet considerate mom would have given most of them to her husband and daughter, but I think I devoured almost all of them. I was hooked. So much so that I pestered the new groom to get the recipe for me so I could bake them and eat them to my heart's content. He was gracious enough to comply. Here is the recipe. May it bring you as much pleasure as it continues to bring me!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter melted (I recommend unsalted butter - the real deal)
1 cup chocolate chips (or more if you're inspired and feeling chocolatey)

Toast the almonds (put on a pie plate in an oven at 400 and give them about 5 minutes. When you start to smell them, they're ready). Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. Whisk eggs, then add pumpkin and butter. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds to pumpkin mixture. Fold pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients until just moist. Don't over-mix, as is the secret with all muffins. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

A tip in baking: when you smell the stuff, it's probably done or VERY close to it, despite the time on the timer.

While this seems like a fall recipe, I have enjoyed it all summer. But you're in luck cause once school starts, it's officially ok to start doing "fall" things. So get to baking!

And Liz, please give these a try. I KNOW you'll like them. Maybe too much!

I love to cook. And Bake with a capital B. I can literally get full reading a cookbook. It's as though I absorb the foods as I read the recipes! I read cookbooks cover to cover like they are regular books. In fact, I can't begin to use a cookbook until I have explored every recipe. I don't mind spending some time at it, either. While I understand the 5 ingredient mentality of cooking, I don't cook that way. I like buying strange and exotic ingredients and using them in crazy recipes. I've been known to buy an ingredient and find a use for it later. I like opening my cupboards and knowing I'll find things like almond paste, chocolate cocoa nibs, espresso powder, apricot peach chutney, black peppercorns, cardomom pods, saffron, every imaginable type of flour to cook with, Guittard chocolates, interesting molds, vanilla beans.

I like buying crazy cheeses (if only I could remember to label them once they have been opened and placed into a ziploc bag) and building exotic sandwiches. Or experimenting with things like homemade marshmallows. I've tried things to great success and others I've tossed as soon as I tasted them. I scratch through recipes I don't like and put smiley faces by those I really really do. I put a check by every recipe I've made and try to constantly attempt new recipes. If I had my "druthers" I'd bake night and day. Or make fancy things like chocolate truffles and molded or dipped chocolates. I'm crazy about fancy chocolate - preferably really dark and bitter. But since we do have to eat something other than dessert, I also enjoy cooking. I don't do much with meat. Chicken sometimes, rarely beef, and absolutely nothing else. I LOVE fruits and vegetables and shopping at the Farmers Market. Although I confess I get intimidated there. All the people and rows of thousands of veggies. I never know if I'm paying too much and it's so hard to price-shop with all the people around. But I really do love buying local produce and organic food, so I try to be brave and ask questions and not worry about how stupid I seem to the little Asian woman when I don't know the difference between all her herbs. Or have a clue what to do with all the crazy different green things she's selling.

I'm glad I have a brave husband who isn't afraid to dig into whatever dish I put before him. And thank the Lord, he's not a meat and potatoes kind of guy (which there's nothing wrong with), cause he'd seriously go hungry in my house. He didn't bat an eye when I made a tortellini soup last night with absolutely no meat in sight. Just spinach and tomatoes and tortellini. He WILL tell me if he doesn't like something, and usually I know before he says it if he will or won't. And bless his heart, he tolerates my obsession with soups. And I confess, I am obsessed. I could live on nothing but soup. The possibilities are ENDLESS! And with my immersion blender, I can puree things till the cows come home!

I should also add here, before anyone gets any ideas...I am not a true cook in that I can whip things up just by perusing my pantry and seeing what ingredients I have. I envy those people in the way I envy people who play the piano by ear (my brother Michael). I need recipes to cook and I need sheet music to play the piano. Once I try a recipe, I may then add my own touches, but I have yet to discover the inventive, creative cook in me, if she exists. I may always need the foundation of an existing recipe. In another life, I would love to have gone to a professional cooking school where you learn to build dishes from scratch with just a few ingredients, but that didn't seem to be God's plan for me. So for now, I'll utilize the skills of those who HAVE gone to those schools, made successes of themselves and written cookbooks to share their brilliance.

But I'm rambling...or is it just blogging? This whole entry began with my intent to tell you about my two newest cookbooks. Birthday gifts from Kyle. And SPOT ON! I love them. I'm still in the perusal phase, but as soon as I get down to business and pull on my apron, I'll let you know.

I need to give my beloved husband a PUBLIC thanks for his wonderful blog sabotage. I was totally shocked and delighted when I read his unexpected entry! Now everyone else can see why I love him as much as I do! He's just amazing! He stole my heart the first moment I laid eyes on him, and continues to make me fall more in love with him every single day. He knows me so well and is so good to me and our children. I could not be more blessed. I thank the Lord for him daily and pray that God will continue to bless him for his faithfulness, to God as well as to me and our family.

Kyle and I just returned from a weekend at our Farm. It was so relaxing, as it always is. The weather was so UN-Summery for Arkansas. Almost cool! Very windy, overcast and very conducive to swinging on the porch swings with a good book. I read the latest Patricia Cornwell book while Kyle and Brooklyn played in her kiddie pool. August slept and ate and slept some more. And...MILESTONE- he smiled at me for the first time on Sunday which happened to be my birthday! Made me almost cry. What a gift.

As the weather was so nice, Kyle thought Brooklyn might like to take a small 4wheeler ride - very slowly, of course. Well, at first Brooklyn said No Thanks. Then she decided she might like to ride the BLUE 4wheeler. So she and Kyle headed down to the yellow barn which houses the 4wheelers and tractors and other equipment. She even expressed some excitement at seeing the blue 4wheeler! But once she and Kyle sat down on it, the story changed. She suddenly BURST into tears and said in no uncertain terms that she DID NOT want to ride the 4wheeler..I don't wanna ride it...I don't!

So I was kind of surprised when they showed back up at the farmhouse only moments after leaving...until Kyle explained her change of heart.

But here's the funny part. I relayed this little excerpt to you sort of in my own words. In Brooklyn's words, what she really says is: 4weird. I'm not kidding. It took us a little bit to decipher exactly what she was saying, but it is most definitely not 4wheeler, but rather 4WEIRD. And she's insistent. We tried to correct her, but she stood firm on her own pronunciation. Sigh.

Oh, and thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes! It made my day, truly.

This blog has been sabotaged. That's right folks, unbeknownst to the usual author of this page, Brooklyn, August and The Husband have snuck onto the computer and covertly added an entry of our own. I fear you underestimate the sneakiness.....

Why, you ask? Is it because we think we can do better? Heavens, no, that's preposterous. This is only a temporary diversion, Ashley will be back soon to keep you up-to-date on the Floyds, share design projects, and wax poetic about family, God, love, and other musings.


The purpose of this particular blog-kidnapping is to celebrate our wonderful Ashley's birthday, coming up on Sunday. This woman is absolutely the love of my life. We met at freshman orientation, and never before or since have I met anyone that stirs my heart the way she does. I still have days when the sight of her, a sideways glance, or an unexpected laugh make me want to hold her to me and never let go. This is my girl, the one who believes in me, the one I'll spend the rest of my life trying to deserve.


But God didn't put her on this earth merely for my happiness. From what I've witnessed, she means so much to all of you as well. Her humble wisdom, ready smile, and culinary generosity are well-known. She makes adorable children, too, have you noticed? I think if you scroll down this page, there may be one or two photos to offer as proof. This once career-minded woman is now having a blast raising our kiddos. It's such a joy to see the woman I love become such a beautiful mother. For these and infinitely more reasons, Happy Birthday, Ashley. We will love you infinitely and always.

We took advantage of an unseasonably cool day to introduce some tennis basics to our daughter. We had just bought her a new racquet, after all! She was enthusiastic, if nothing else. She refused to wear anything other than her jellies and upon dripping some water from the water bottle onto her pink shorts, promptly stripped them off. So begins her tennis career.

In between swipes at the ball, she insisted on running over to August's carseat to check on him. After a brief assessment, she'd rejoin me and Kyle as we shook our heads in wonder. She's so unpredictable, this one! A tennis player, maybe, but first and foremost, a big sister!

Oh, and since Brooklyn seemed to be getting into it, we decided August must look the part as well.

I have this winter hat that Brooklyn discovered this past winter, and she has claimed it. She wears it perched loosely on her head and it dips over her face, casting this big shadow over where her eyes should be. She also loves to pull the whole thing down over her face, very much resembling the bad blue guy from Pac-Man. She has no idea how hysterical she looks while wearing it...hysterical but also sort of baby-thugish, too.

Brooklyn went with me the other day for her second official haircut. This time, we had a camera on hand! She was so excited to have a real hair cut and get to wear the special Robots haircut bib!

The other day, Kyle and Brooklyn were upstairs and I was downstairs with August. Kyle said to Brooklyn, "Let's go downstairs to see our family." Well, in Brooklyn's mind, that meant, let's go see Mommy! So, unbeknownst to me or Kyle, she connected the dots on her own to mean Family=Mommy. She has begun to refer to me as "Family" as though that were my name in addition to Mommy and Ashley. We have tried to clear it up by explaining that all of us are parts of one family. That she is part of it, I am part of it, August is part of it and Daddy is part of it. She nods and seems to get it. But a few minutes ago, I was laying down with her as she napped, reading a book, and she woke up momentarily to look for her pacie (which had fallen out of her mouth). Her immediate words upon waking were, "Where's my pacie, Family?" As I plugged it back into her mouth, it was all I could do not to fall off the bed laughing. Clearly, the concept of family is anything but clear to her.

As I write this entry, my husband and daughter are in the kitchen, warming up some frozen peas and leftovers from lunch (poppy seed chicken) and singing, "NEEEWWW YOOORRK!" I can't begin to describe how delightful it is. August is asleep on my left leg which is bent with my foot crossed over my other leg. And the Olympics are chattering away behind me. What a great way to end a weekend.

This is a very busy month for our family - the Dennis family, that is - birthdaywise. Rachel turned 18 on the 2nd, Josh turned 27 on the 13th, Zach turns 25 today!!, and my birthday is the 24th (I'll be 31) and Lauren turns 25 on the 26th. As I said, a very busy month of birthdays! So, to all who find their age clicking over to a higher number during these 31 days of August, CONGRATULATIONS!

We love you like CRAZY!

For those fans of Arrested Development (and clearly there were not enough...although I will refrain from ranting about Fox), that header was for you.

When left alone with the kids and a camera, Kyle tends to get snap-happy! I am not complaining, though, because he usually gives me great blogging material and plenty of fodder for my photo albums (how's that for alliteration?)

We rarely turn our tv on, unless it's to watch movies. For several reasons: 1) our tv is a piece of dogdoo. The reception is like watching images through a sandstorm, plus we don't have cable, so there is very little ON at any given moment; 2) we don't get into most sitcoms or if we do, we just wait until the full season is available for rental (or borrowing); 3) who has TIME to watch tv?; 4) our rabbit ears (which are necessary to watch ANYTHING) are more like ears that have been chewed, bent, pulled off, repaired multiple times with duct tape and are remarkably inept at picking up passing channels.

But we make an exception for the Olympics. So, for the last week or so, we've wiggled and jiggled the rabbit ears, trying to coax some sort of a solid image onto our screen to watch the thousands of swimming races, keeping track of Michael Phelps' epic events, even watching the women's marathon - go Romania! - and trying to stay awake long enough to see who wins what for the women's all around gymnastics! Although, seriously, how many times and how many ways can the question be asked: "What does this mean for you?" I mean, COME ON! How many different ways can the question be answered? But I digress.

Even Brooklyn has gotten into the Olympics, although she INSISTS they are the "LIPSTICKS", not the Olympics.

I had my worries the first two weeks, but I think August is coming into his own. Definitely getting cuter. And looking more and more like his big sister - which is NOT a bad thing. :)

Our hopes are high...and her racquet is brand new, pink and ready for action!

Already time seems to be going by so fast! Today, my little boy is one month old. How is that possible??? He's already SO much bigger than Brooklyn was. I pulled out my Brooklyn photo albums and compared August to pictures of his big sister. Bearing in mind that he started out a little over a pound larger than Brooklyn and over an inch longer, it still amazes me how much bigger he is than she was. If that makes any sense. Just going by my pictures, it looks like August is already as big as Brooklyn when she was 4 months old. It makes me sad that my tiny baby isn't all that tiny! I mean, he is...but he isn't...

Just a little hi there and hello from Ingrid. Every cat needs a voice.

Brooklyn has accumulated several bathing suits this year, and remarkably, I've had to purchase NONE of them! Thank you, God! Anyway, Kyle threw this tasty number on Brooklyn the other day, and she thought it was wonderful. I didn't QUITE agree, but she refused to part with it. She got a little confused and kept saying that "Poop" was on her swimsuit, instead of "Pooh." We finally had to correct her when we went to the pool and she kept saying it. I would hate for the other pool-goers to think there really was POO on her shirt, instead of POOH!

August and Brooklyn got to spend some time with their Floyd grandparents a few weekends ago, and being the busy mom that I now am, I am just now getting around to posting pictures of it!

It is from this sweet scene that I snuck away to fold laundry this afternoon. A wiser woman with a shorter to do list might have joined the two on the comfy bed and slept some, too. Lord knows I needed the sleep! But I opted to tackle some items on my list...I'll join in on the nap tomorrow.

A midnight check upon our little Brooklyn in her big girl bed seemed to indicate that she had, in fact, DISAPPEARED! As her Daddy's heart stopped momentarily in terror, it started once again as he caught a glimpse of baby skin. Seems she'd turned herself sideways in the bed and managed to hide under the duvet cover. A few moments later, she had turned completely the OTHER direction, still mostly hidden by the duvet. Definitely worth capturing on film.

And for anyone wondering, this lovely bedding set came from Serena & Lily (serena&lily.com) excluding the polka dot sheets which were a steal from TJ Maxx.

At his 2 week visit to the doctor, our little August weighed in a 9 pounds, 3 ounces. A whole pound larger than at birth. Momma was congratulated by the doctor as having "super milk." Alas, it is true.

Smoochy smooch, little brother.

What do babies dream about? Angels? The memory of being in the womb? The sound of their mommy's heartbeat resonating through their heads as it did for the 39 plus weeks they grew in the womb? The face of Jesus?

Or perhaps, just jamming out on an air guitar...

Oh sweet baby...would that time would be kind and slow down just for us. To linger over these moments instead of feeling them swoosh by like a rushing wind. Trying to savor every sensation once again, yet knowing I will blink and you'll be two. Time is truly a bandit, cruel and greedy. If only we could play Robin Hood and steal it back and redistribute the sweet, long moments so that nothing is missed or rushed or hurried. Just lingered over and tasted without end.

Does it get any better than this? Holding my newest little baby with my other precious baby snuggling into my shoulder? Life is just about as sweet as it can be during moments like these.

Thank you, Jason & Jennifer, for our new awesome shirt!!!! Brooklyn wears it with pride!

Doesn't this picture look like something for Ralph Lauren?

I made a crucial mistake several months ago when I fell behind in updating my photo albums. For starters, I have Brooklyn's baby book to maintain, her photo albums (of which there are several!), our family photo albums (for which my mom keeps giving me pictures and I keep stacking up with the intent to place them in their spots, but have yet to do) as well as a Christmas album. I have now added August's baby book to the stack of albums which need to be addressed. Fortunately, I at least sat down today and was able to record crucial details such as name, date, time of birth, weight, etc. The rest will come. However, as you can see by the bench and its heavy-laden contents, I am quite behind. What happened to all the hours in the day? Just where, oh where, do they go??