Summer Daze

new years resolutions..

2012-01-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

So I made some new years resolutions this year. It's been going pretty good so far. My favorite challenge that I issued to myself was to make a treat just for the Mr. each week. So on Monday's Lil Bit and I drop the kids off at school, then we head to the grocery store for the weekly shopping, then we get home unpack and put our aprons on. I have also been making my own granola bars and muffins each week for the kids to have in their lunches as a side item or snack. These are fairly healthy, containing pumpkin, flax and dried fruit. The granola bars have been a huge hit, and not just because I generously drizzle them with melted chocolate chips. For just under $12, everyone in our family can have a granola bar a day (the Mr. takes two because some times he doesn't get to eat any lunch) They are just as tasty as cliff bars, and as I have packed them with seeds (but not nuts so they are school safe) whole grains, flax and oats I feel pretty good about feeding them to my kids. I chop them all up and put them in the fridge for the week.. Yum!

The Mr.'s treat each week is not healthy. It has been designed to sate his 8:00 craving for an entire bag of chips, or not-been-cooled muddie buddies, or entire pound of m&m's. This challenge has been great for me. So far I have enjoyed setting aside some time each week to do something specifically for him. Thus far I have done simple chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels, the first week, last week an oreo crust peanut butter chocolate pie.. and this week straight from pinterest...
SLUTTY BROWNIES..

http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html
Umm I just tried one , you know to sample.. DELISH, probably you are drooling just looking at them.
In case you are wondering they are called slutty because they are so EASY, and everybody wants them.

I just bought all the ingredients at ALDI (where I shop now because I am trying to get our budget under wraps before the big fall change*) I baked some for the family to enjoy in little individual silicone muffin cups (available at dollar store) (Costco eat your heart out) and then made 1/2 a pan for The Mr. to have all to himself. (you too can own a 1/2 brownie pan for $1 at the dollar store).

So if you are not on pinterest yet.. I highly suggest checking it out, although it is something of Craft Porn and mildly addictive.. it has opened up a whole new world of ideas possibilities and deliciousness.

*big fall change.. for the first time in 7 years I will not be coaching a fall sport. While I look forward EAGERLY to all those free afternoons with the kids, I will be missing the paycheck that used to accompany that sacrifice. So we need to trim $601 from our monthly budget. Totally doable right?

We'll see!

some things i never said as a kid

2012-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

So Miss H came home from school and told me this funny story..

"I was sitting in class today and I was reading my Guardians of Gahoole The Journey book, and it was getting very interesting, and then I tapped the page but it didn't turn." Here she giggled a little bit and then finished, "I forgot I was reading a book not a Kindle! Isn't that the funniest thing, how can you forget you are not reading a kindle?"

She is quite hilarious and her sense of humor is developing, but it got me thinking about all the things that have changed since I was kid.

ear rats grazy horse

2012-01-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

After Miss H gave us a detailed account of the life of Grazy Horse, a great Native American she learned about while watching the history channel. Cubby chimed in, "Umm I think you have too much ear rats, his name is CRAZY horse."
I couldn't resist... "Umm I think you have serious troubles if you have Ear Rats.. the rest of us are just having ear WAX."

he looked stunned.

a long jacket..

2012-01-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

So, no big whoop that I make things, and sew things and craft and mod podge. I am blessed with so many opportunities to be creative and have in my basement crafting lair a myriad of supplies and inspiration. What I lack really is not opportunity, but motivation (and funding). From time to time.. the PERFECT combination of time, inspiration, attention and gift cards all come together and viola....

but the very very best part (although this is possibly the most awesome thing I've sewn in a while, and is giving me just the little nudge I need to get started on Easter) was Miss H saying she loved it. "It is warm and perfect and I love it.)

That was the best.
Better than it coming out looking handmade, not homemade... better than completely lined with adorable black with fuschia flowers.

She loved it.
Big time.

and that has made all the difference..

So obviously she needs some cute headbands or a scarf.. I'll just have to get right on that.
but my mind is drifting now to Easter.. several years ago I made this.. for Miss H, and I did actually crown it "THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER MADE"

It's "Penny" by Wendy Schoen in white linen with madeira applique in baby pink with hand embroidery on the bodice. Thes best part being of course this adorable cut out in the back..

I am thinking of making it again for Miss H in her current size, and having Lil Bit wear the original. And with only needing to make one Easter dress, couldn't I whip out a few capelets like these? just saying.... I'm all sewing motivated now that I've been met with a little success and gratitude.

Christmas SlideShow

2011-12-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I will (someday) catch you up on Miss H and Cubby's seventh birthday, and their triathalon, and Lil Bit's number three birthday and Thanksgiving, and Cubby's first gym meet as a team level gymnast... but for now... please enjoy Christmas!

Another free picture slideshow by Smilebox

a moment

2011-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

an amazing thing happened here.. Miss H has been working to finish up all her projects for the fair. She just had a few sewing things to work on since she completed her art work over the summer. She had a long list of things we had bought fabric for and anyhow..

I was watching her work, giving advice when needed, and apparently sometimes when not needed.. she has grown up before my very eyes. As she was manipulating the fabric and pins under the presser foot I noticed even her fingers have stretched and lengthened so that they are ~~nimble elegant~~ mature. The sound of her quiet voice guiding herself through a proper pivot, and perfect backstitch was a comfort. She has become a wonderfully patient seamstress, her projects are beyond beautiful to me. It's not the stitch work, it's how much growth these new items represent. The handstitched binding on a quilt for kit, the serged seams on the cutest pair of tommy hilfiger eat your heart out sailor pants with adjustable waist, the double top-stitching on a denim skirt. She is a different child than last summer. Industrious, not busy.

As she was stitching the last button on her skirt I couldn't help but to kiss the top of her head like when she was an infant. "How did we get here to this moment?" my heart whispered, she doesn't need me, but she wants me, she's independent but inclusive. She's creative but careful. I am in awe of her!

Today as I was putting her hair into two quick braids for school she looked at me in the mirror and said, "you know.. I can do two ponies myself, but sometimes they come out crooked." I met her eyes in the glass and answered, "Well you probably just need more practice, I don't let you do your own hair very often, because I like spending time with you in the morning, and talking with you."

you know what she said, " I know mom, I like it too." **

What a blessing to be part of her journey... and I'm telling you if she doesn't come home with a purple ribbon from that fair I will make her one!

**also this was certainly true today, and I have recorded it here because I would like to remember that she said that, and that we had this glorious quiet patient morning where we enjoyed one another, because sometimes, it's not like that at all... not to ruin the post, but just you know for full disclosure.

Hannah's entries for the fair.. 2011

It's raining...

2011-09-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

It's raining, God always sends the rain to cancel my sport practice just when I think I can do no more. I love that about Him.

We have ended our honeymoon period with the new school, or so it seems. There has been a rash of "mysterious illness" amongst the school age children requiring each of them to take a "sick day". I'm terribly frustrated about that. WE LOVE SCHOOL, I keep telling them. We are RILEY'S we LOVE School, for goodness sake both your PARENTS TEACH SCHOOL!!! Your house has practically been a school for your whole life!!!

Why oh why would you want to stay here and clean your room, read, write in journal and work in a workbook when you could be at a magical place called school?

seriously? Why?

First Day of School

2011-09-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

We have made a switch to a new school this year. Which is great, because all the school age kids get to go to the same school. Its less than great because I am left at home with Lil Bit and she is a TYRANT. I had completely ~~underestimate~~d ~~misunderstood~~ romanticized the idea of being at home alone with my youngest child. And since she can use the potty by herself and get her own snack I had envisioned a bunch of time to complete my various mommy projects. Without the other three children to ~~distract~~ ~~entertain~~ run interference, Lil Bit has devoted all her attention to me. Suddenly she needs me to do EVERYTHING, I am now mommy, servant, praisegiver, playmate, and clean up crew. IT's EXHAUSTING! Also, our interests are not exactly aligned and she has alot of ideas about what we should be doing all the time. I would prefer coloring, arts/crafts, and reading. She seems to enjoy, making messes, being pushed on a swing and playing pirates. YIKES!

I do get all the snuggles, so that is a plus.

The decision about school remains to be proved positive or negative. They have lost funding for art and music so I have volunteered to come help, but I am terribly ~~teary~~ frustrated. I just picture them in there with their little friends all day with no music and art and I get sad. Like really sad. They have however been doing some interesting work, and they have had sharing, and also gotten to play with balls on the playground. So far they have not had any complaints. Except the day Miss H said she didn't need to go to go there anymore because of the Mrs. Wishy Washy incident. Apparently her teacher didn't let the children read, and then didn't even read the "Good" Mrs. Wishy Washy. I was terribly concerned when Hannah followed up my sympathies, with "If my stomach hurt would I still have to go?"

Yikes!!

I watched another little girl in the mornings all but the last two days of school, which is why I was so astonished to find Lil Bit unable to entertain herself. I have to say, nannying for a family in the morning might be exactly what I need, or this littlest one is going to have to head off to school.

I'll tell you who I'm not worried about at all is Little Daddy! HE LOVES school, also he has so far been seriously awesome about getting ready and remembering his belongings. He doesn't always remember everything he did for the three hours and forty five minutes we're apart, but he shares a good summary of his activities each day.

More on the kids triathalon.. soon.

a tricky question

2011-09-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

If a stay at home mom with four kids and a loving husband, works each afternoon and evenings as a field hockey coach, tuesday and thursday mornings as a preschool teacher, recurriculums the church nursery, volunteers to teach some music and art at the kids school, since they no longer have funding, wants to help a friend build lockers in her hall, cleans the upstairs on fridays and the downstairs on thursdays, and packs 15 lunches a week, which day does she do the laundry?

EVERYDAY!!!

I do laundry every stinking day and it is NEVER NEVER NEVER done. Also.. I miss working out.
and sleeping.

frustrated

2011-09-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

just found out from one of our new teachers that they lost their funding for music and art. WHAT?? How is that even an option? I will of course go in and help with some enrichment.. but people I am not a professional!! I sent my kids to school so that they could learn something they wouldn't learn at home. Seriously.. seriously regretting my choice. BIG TIME.

A letter to my Children

2011-08-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

I am sad to say it's over guys, the summer and my days of being outnumbered all day! While the calendar has weeks more of glorious outdoor weather, the three of you bigger kids are all nestled in their beds patiently and or anxiously awaiting your first day at a new school. I doubt I will sleep at all tonight guys, because I am so nervous about whether we have made a good choice for all of you.

Little Daddy you are by far the most excited. (You have spent weeks deciding on the perfect backpack!) This being your first REAL school experience you have been counting down the days since we got your "you're in" letter from this school. You are an amazing young man, and I wasn't exagerrating when I told Mrs. Hastings that I think you are "ALL KINDS of AWESOME". You have always been a very flexible, easy going child, Little Daddy, and everyone loves to be your friend, because you have exactly the kind of tender heart that thinks of others first, and feels genuine sorrow when you've made a mistake. I am not worried about you and school at all, because I think you have made up your mind to LOVE it like awesome sauce. I will miss the way you become all mine when the big kids are away, I will miss your great ideas and creative play, and I will miss the way you are so careful and helpful with your younger sister all day, even when she is driving you BANANAS. I pray for you that when you are overwhelmed at school you will remember that you have an inner strength and a loving heart. I will try not to be the last mom in the carpool line. But your older brother and sister will tell you, sometimes I stink at pickup line.

Miss H you have been trying to hide your excitement out of concern for Cubby and I love that about you. I know that you are made for school Miss H, you are your mother's daughter afterall and I have seen in you this summer a creativity and industriousness that is new. You are immensely capable Miss H, in a way that makes me feel so blessed to be your mom and to be part of your journey. Watching you unfold your imagination this summer has been amazing, and I don't think I will ever look at Harry Potter, the tooth fairy or Santa the same way again. I have learned about you this year that you are very attentive to expectation, and you strive for excellence, except when you are in a hurry. I'm so proud to have you as my daughter. I pray for you this year that you will enjoy your classmates and their gifts, that you will challenge yourself to grow into all the gifts God has given you and that you continue to nurture and love your brothers. You are a great strength to me Miss H and a wonderful helper. I will miss your giggle immensely, and I know Lil Bit will too.

Cubby, you are my most exhuberant child. Never could I have imagined such a creative and sensitive person! You are anxious with this big change of schools Cubby, and you are the reason I agonized over making the switch. You are ART with all its nuances and subletelys, you are expressive, and sulky at times, you believe in magic, You are faithful Cubby, and you are fiercely loyal. I know you are worried about all the changes and new faces and I pray for you to remember that you are loved. I pray that you continue to have a magnetic personality and a great sympathy for others, and that you hone your creative and artistic gifts. I pray that you have the courage to embrace this great change as opportunity. You are "No Ordinary Boy" to me, or to anyone that has met you. I will miss not knowing what to expect from you next, and watching you flee from the hallway when you've switched the light off. I will miss your hilarious faces all day, and I sure hope Mrs. Best enjoys them!!

Lil Bit..
you are not even little anymore.. I don't know why I keep calling you that. Just tonight as I was packing up the lunches I said, "Hey save that last serving of smoothie and I'll feed it to the baby." You have grown up too fast for my taste! You are a little spicy. We are going to have such a fun time at home together I hope. I have never had just one kid at home so I suppose you'll have to tell me what to do. Good thing you have alot of practice in that area huh? I am thinking you will thrive with me all to yourself for a few hours, and possibly relax a little. I am looking forward to all your great snuggles, a million puzzles and your fabulous back rubs.

Above all my little chicks, I love you like awesome sauce! I want you to love learning, and school and for the whole experience to leave you a little breathless with wonder and excitement, but also spurred to stretch into your fuller selves.

The Big Dealio

2011-08-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

All Righty...

So if you have been reading this blog you will already be aware that I did allow the children to go to school this year. So both Cubby and Miss H trekked off to what I thought would be the best of my their options. I bristled a little bit when we were alerted to the no backpack rule after purchasing backpacks for the school year. But navigated the ever confusing car-rider pick up line anyhow. I kept signing the weekly packet and returning it, and listening to the kids recount their experiences.

There was alot of fun happening at Kindergarten. There was dance twice a week, which sounded a lot like freeze dance and direction following. There was music, which consisted mainly of singing. In class there was something called "settle in" and math centers, which from teaching the investigations curriculum looks alot like playtime. There was art, twice a week, the products from which were mainly marker/crayon/pencil line drawings. After Christmas there was a Mondrian lesson, ASeurrat lesson, and a shading with pointilism lesson (I'm guessing was part of the Seurrat sessions). They watercolored some tulips for Mother's day. From their main teacher we took our turn with Brown Bear, and recorded his adventures. I waited for the "learning" the developmentally appropriate, the stretching of the children into more. But it did not come. I was told by the teacher that according to her assessments Cubby was a better reader than Miss H, (which is not accurate) and when I asked if during writing time they could be help accountable for more High frequency words with an additional list, or if she could write words they thought they would use during their writing that day in a bank for them the Mr. and I were told "Oh we don't really do that" When I asked Miss H, who LOVES to read why she wasn't bringing home books anymore she said that her teacher only had baby books in the classroom. When I asked the teacher if she kept a more challenging set of books somewhere she said it would be best if I just picked out books for Miss H because she didn't know what would be appropriate for her. What??! Certainly she's not the first kindergartener to read??! Don't worry, I didn't say that outloud.
They had a spring program, and I will admit the only picture of a school performance I had were my own elementary experiences and the program I witnessed as a student teacher at a school across town.
Cubby was crushed. The "Kindergarten" performance was actually a show to be preformed and choreographed by school of the arts dancers, and so the Kindergarteners were actually performing very little. Cubby spent more time "onstage" during our church's Christmas Eve family service, and.. I really wish they would have asked me to help with the costumes because they secured Miss H's headfeather to her head (along with the other 8 birds) with bright WHITE ONE INCH Elastic, and that was really distracting for me during the show. I MEAN REALLY distracting.
Anywoo we trekked on. I'm going to gloss over the part where the teacher seemed to insinuate that Cubby was a racist, because he is a history buff and quite imaginative. Because my heart speeds up when I think about it.
Both the kids really enjoyed having two "outside plays" everyday, although one one was supposed to be an organized game and it doesn't appear to have been so very often. (It's okay I just taught, jumprope, hopscotch, chinese jumprope, at home. Also the kindergartener's were not allowed to bring a ball to school, don't ask me why) They made some good friends.
We attended a few parties, I liked many of the parents we met they were great. The class is diverse in every way imaginable and fun. I really liked the way the teacher interacted with the kids, you could tell that she was a genuine nurturer. The kids sensed this too and really took to her, it is a comfort to send your kids off to school and know that the person watching over them enjoys them.

So the kids had a lot of fun. They learned very little. But they played some rhythm sticks in class, and wrote some funny journal entries (always in response to a prompt, and never a developed story) Also did I mention that the principal knows every student by name? I think that's pretty awesome. Last year she also taught a class because they needed to add a class to maintain class size, and she subs one day for each teacher in the building. All of that is awesome to me.

So.. I had just resigned myself to start over in a new year with a new teacher and seize the experience so to speak, just make the most of whatever the year offered and continue to supplement what I thought they were not getting at school. (So this year we did alot of journaling, reading and TALKING about what we read and Math workbooks.. because in the words of Cubby they only let us count to ten (they did eventually go higher but it took a LONG time)

When we got this call from another school saying they had spots for both Cubby and Miss H (and also a pre-k spot for Andrew) and my initial response was "Praise GOD!!" and then I wondered if it was the right choice. This school has art only once every two weeks. Music once a week (for 30 minutes) Enrichment is listed, and they go swimming part of the year at the local Y, but there's no drama, no first friday sings, no "performances" of any kind. Then I got all panicky.
The Mr. says I am impossible.

So I don't know which is right. Which IS right? Have I become someone who is willing to sacrifice fun in favor of time on task? Have I, who once had my surprise teaching evaluation when I had set aside a morning for my fifth graders to water color paint a response to one of our stories, become someone who is skeptical of the value of art? There is no gaurantee that this new school will give me teacher who will do the things I found so lacking in last years experience, and there is no guarantee that the creativity that is encouraged at their current school will be as treasured at the new school.

I had always thought that the biggest impact in a students school experience was the teacher, but what of school culture? The current school has a "we're so glad you're here" vibe about it. This new school seems to be, "we can't wait to grow you!" but what if my kids would grow just fine because I am so completely unnerved about them possibly not doing quality work? am I forcing them to sacrifice comfort and fun and creativity because I think I know better than them?

--Finally, did I mention that I loved school. I always loved school. I can recall nearly every teacher I had and usually a funny anecdote or memorable experience I had with them. I Loved my elementary school, and the distinct love I felt there, I even wanted Miss Gollub to adopt me. But my elementary experience had everything. Paint, sculpture, papier mache, throwing of pots, plays, performances, music, xylophones, recorders, soccer, flag football, swings, and when I told mrs. Brusin on the first day of Kindergarten that I didn't need to do this phonics workbook because I could already read, she handed me a first grade textbook.

How do I accomplish this for my own kids. Who have been reading HArry Potter this week?

SummerTime...

2011-07-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

We served Lemondade in The Shade to our congregation after worship this week. This is what we looked like.

Do you think that someday my kids will be less than enthusiastic about color coordinating? Also.. you can't see it so well here.. but my skirt is really cute, I cut it down from a dress that didn't fit anymore because I've been exercising.

see.. cute huh?

The kids were in a really great spirit on Sunday and played remarkably well together all day. Cubby and Miss H were very helpful as we kept the 2/3 nursery. Here they are playing "What time is it Mr. Fox" and Lil Bit is playing the fox. Her favorite time is 8 o'clock.. whereas Little Daddy almost always says "Midnight!" He loves the hunt!

We have been wrestling with a big decision and passing the summer away crafting and sewing and painting, and swimming. The Swim season is almost at a close, and I haven't snapped that many pool shots yet! Little Daddy is really working on his "free-style" it's a loose interpretation but it's coming, and Miss H and Cubby have really improved over last season. It is so amazing to me to watch them swim as actual stroke swimming is not something I have ever mastered, or been instructed in. One of the lifeguards at our pool has offered to teach me, and I fully intend to take him up on it, just as soon as Lil Bit is feeling better.

Summer Fun!!---

2011-07-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

It is summertime!! Which means Hours upon hours of togetherness around here! (Today we spent 6 hours pulling weeds) Maybe it was three.. but it felt like six. And you know that saying about many hands making light work.. some times.. many hands just means lots of work. The goodnews is that Miss H can work the pruners like a pro.. the bad news is THERE ARE STILL MORE WEEDS! AND TRIMMING AND CUTTING.. and also.. I can practically hear it growing out there right now!!
Should we ever move (which I'm obviously hoping is never) I think I want a smaller yard.

Some other things we have been up to..

Blueberry Picking..

(I also bought some local honey!)

Hiking... we are totally becoming outdoorsy I am even thinking of camping MAYBE

also a nice man taught Cubby how to light a match and start a charcoal grill. Something he will need to know for his new outdoorsy self.

We had the 4th of July.. which I almost forgot to document.. IT WAS SO HOT!! I spent most of the day in the pool where I couldn't really take pictures because I value our camera. Here's the kids and the Mr. He's been working out... can you tell? He really does a lot of work on his Hot Abs.

Here the kids are all comparing their hauls on the Money Dive.. which is the HIGHLIGHT of their fourth. I was sad we had to leave before the greased watermelon dive because I do think that one is hilarious.. but not sad to miss someone passing out during the underwater swim.

The Mr. did not get a picture of me participating in the "biggest splash" which I was shocked to find I did not win. Miss H did win the best trick.. Cubby had an unfortunate choke in mid air and didn't win. Which is too bad.. he does a great front flip, and can do a great back flip, although you really have to bribe him to get him to show it off.

There was a huge rainstorm... but it cleared up and we went to Lewisville to see the fire works.
I got a little grumpy at this point, because we couldn't get to our friends because of traffic, and there was a tree in the way of 25% of the fireworks, and also.. I really think the best place to watch fireworks is down on the beach at the end of Huntington St (tower 9) in CALIFORNIA. I am sadly reminded of this everytime I try to watch fireworks somewhere else.

Also.. we had Customer Appreciation day at Chick-Fil-A.. if you go bovine.. you dine FOR FREE.I told the kids to make their own costumes. They did great. I love Chick-Fil-A

My Former Athlete, and one of my favorite girls Sydney.. competed for the Youth Team USA and placed 8th. In France.. with her best jump of 4M. How awesome is she?

And.. tonight we watched Kung Fu Panda at BB&T ballpark.. I let the kids get their own candy and soda from the Dollar store.

The MR. and I smooshed our heads together for a photo.. Cuz we're still awesome.

and on the way out.. THEY GAVE US ALL BATS!!!

We've also been crafting and sewing and painting and we went to the theatre and we have a HUGE decision to make/finalize/discuss that I will tell you all about when I have my head around it.

Also.. I am having some sort of problem with blogger which is that it will not upload my pictures quickly AT ALL and also is making me select them one at a time. This makes me cringe.. so these are all small and low res because I had to image copy them from flickr.. which is not ideal i don't think. I will work on this. soon.

Wedded Bliss

2011-06-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

Today.. the Mr. and I celebrate TEN years of wedded bliss. It has been an awesome journey so far, lots of laughing, a little tears, some sickness an abundance of health, and a gaggle of children. We have struggled on some fronts and thrived in others and somehow we have found a balance... I love the man I married more today than ten years ago, differently, more completely and with a kind of gratitude I didn't know existed until I realized how flawed I am.

He is a great partner, a witty friend and a great masseuse. He makes me laugh and think.. there is no one I would rather be consistently outnumbered with.

Here is a little slide show.. of the 17,493 photos we have on the computer and the two shoe boxes of predigital photos we have.. there are 50 photos we are both in. So here is a little history of our wedded bliss through those select photos. I took the liberty of not scanning in the ones from college where we are dressed for "sketch" parties, or obviously intoxicated... because this is a family show.. and I will say that didn't leave much evidence from the first 4 years of our "romance". So you will just have to imagine how awesome looking we were at that point. My advice would be that our awesomeness would be the inverse of our visible exhaustion in the post baby stage.. as in the older we get the more awesome we were.. and all that jazz. Happy Anniversary MR.

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We've been in the mountains..

2011-06-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

We've lived very near to the mountains FOREVER but we haven't spent any time there really. We took a trip with the Mr.'s Family for almost a week at a house on Sugar Mountain.

AWESOME!! It was so incredible.. even the day it poured rain as we rafted down the Watagua River.

The Mr. Got some new Sunglasses for father's day.

Have you met the newest addition yet?

In the mountains.. on a walk.

looking for bears

"Cheers" with Papa...

it's grape juice... in case you were worried. The kids and Mimi were quite concerned I was letting Lil Bit drink all my WINE.

free paddle boats (Which I would call Canoes) This was a nervewracking experience to be in the canoe with a bunch of wiggly kids and an expensive camera.

cousins

walking on the dock.

Hiking Linville Falls

up up up to the top...

reading on the deck...

smore's... (all the really good smore's pictures are on Mimi's camera, because I was handed the wrong one.. in all the smore's flurry I could hardly put it down and switch!)

Gem mining (Have you done this ever?) you pretty much wash and sort rocks and it was very interesting for people of all ages.

see who is more interested here.. it's hard to telll..

Little Daddy's Haul... now we need a rock tumbler.

exploring a feldspar mine (not as interesting as a gold mine.. but you know.. still neat)

There's even more.. this is just a teaser.. not to mention all the fun we didn't catch with the camera. Like Karaoke..Baby Jack tunneling through the coffee table... Mellow Mushroom..
on the way out we hit the tanger outlets... and MAN oh MAn did we score at the gymboree!! I also made out like a bandit at LOFT. I love that place.

Swim Meet Tomorrow! Miss H is still not asleep so I'm thinking it will be a disaster for her.

Hi Ho Cherry O

2011-06-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

I had a few firsts today. First.. we went Cherry picking. Awesome.. and then to Pilot Mountain for a picnic..

We had a cherry tree in our yard when I lived in Northern California.. but it was nothing like these. Miss H said, when she shimmied up the first ladder... Hey this is just like Chutes and Ladders! and the first time her bucket slipped, Carrie callled out. Hey "It is Hi Ho Cherry-O!"

I have never been so in awe. Cherries are always a highlight of the summer, but to see them dangling like little juicy rubies from a tree overhead is quite a sight, they must have been quite tantalizing we ended up picking 12 pounds worth!

Little Daddy was quite the picker, and loved climbing the ladders! At one point as he was depositing black cherries by the handful he sang an original cherry song.. which I wish I could recall the words to. He is not generally a singer and he must have been inspired by the absolute beauty that surrounded us. Even Lil Bit shimmied pretty high, although her shorter arms left her picking a little slim.

We also discoved a yellow wax cherry, that is the most divine thing I've tasted (although on the way home I bought some hickory smoked sharp cheddar from a farm stand on the state line that was pretty tasty too). They are a little bit tart with a sweet finish. A feast for the eyes and a delight on the tongue.

also at the farmstand I let the kids all pick some food for a picnic, The boys choses apples and the girls tomatoes.

Rachel chose a pint of heirloom cherry size tomatoes, a wonderful array of pinks and reds and yellows. I can't tell you how they tasted because she gobbled them all up before we reached Pilot Mountain.

What a blessing to have great friends with great ideas!
and I think we might head back to Pilot Mountain for a little hiking.

big and little

2011-06-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

See this face..

Yes.. I know you're thinking.. she's so adorable. She drove me BANANANANANNANAS today.

We are having a little struggle around here, because she thinks she is big, but she is little. She wants to do all the things the big kids do.. ALLL OF THEM!! And when things don't turn out the way she wants

SHE WHINES!

The problem is, that sometimes I forget she is little because she does do alot of things that big kids do. SO when she screamed at me the whole way down to the pool (yes, it is less than 400 m.. but with a kid screaming at you it can seem much longer) because she saw I brought the swim jacket which she thinks she doesn't like. I kept thinking in my head..

WHY IS SHE ACTING LIKE SUCH A TWO YEAR OLD????

Oh Yeah...

because she's two.

And then of course she loved the swim jacket and was saying, "look at me I can swim, Look Mommy I can float on my back. Look Mommy I can twirl."

and then she said...

Can a do a backflip off the diving board?

and I said sure...

but when she climbed the ladder and saw how high it was.. she turned right back into a two year old.

Kid needs more of this..

She did sneak up to me after dessert and say "I say thank you to you for my oreo salad, mommy. Can you forgive me?"

not quite you're average two year old.. but definitely a keeper.

FAshion Show

2011-06-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

An exciting thing happened today... Miss H upcycled her first pair of jeans!!

I have made many shorts this way. There was something magical about her choosing to make them bermuda length, and stitching them up while in her underwear. You'll see she is using the "HELL-NA" Hello Kitty needs a tune-up. I'll have to get right on that, because the kids have projects lined up on the ironing board already.

Take one of the Mr.'s Faded non SMOD compliant collared shirts.

Add one industrious, creative, completely wonderful six year old.

Get one, really cute, almost looks store-bought I can't believe she made it herself, swim coverup!!

Do you see how cleverly she used the ribbing from the original sleeves. I had tried to get her to make bias tape in red with white polka dots and add some red polkadot pockets, but she wanted this simple/classic look.

She's amazing.

Here as promised are some things that I have sewn for myself inthe last few months.

Channelling Donna Reed and Easter

Cutesy Circle skirt and Jackie Oish Boucle Shift

I love them all, especially the skirt which didn't even take an hour. The Jackie Oish sheath is a boucle, and a testament to why you should always have a friend help you set your hem length. It's about 1 inch too short. Mimi has the same floral fabric to make some skirts for the girls, so I'm hoping she gets those finished soon, because we all know I love the coordinated family look. Maybe I can talk the boys into bow ties.

sunday Sunday SUNDAY!

2011-06-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

This is how the boys came up to breakfast this morning.

I think they thought they were cool like Papa Mike...

And look how cute they looked heading into church!!

Thank you Mimi Viv for always sending such adorable things for my little gang. And seriously when you dress them all coordinated.. they are a little bit like a gang.

Today is my birthday

2011-06-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

and if you saw how cute I looked in my new workout clothes this morning you would be so jealous! But you won't because i didn't get a picture before I worked out.. and so I will not be reenacting that one!
and then if you saw how cute I looked in my new circle skirt and tanktop, with new birthday sunglasses you would be so jealous!
and if you saw the humongous oreo salad giant cupcake brithday cake the mr. was whipping up for my birthday you would be even more jealous.

Now if I can find a birthday babysitter, the Mr. said he would take me out and show me off.. well that's not exactly what he said.. but you know the Mr. he rarely talks like that.

Any whoo.. hopefully I will actually get a picture taken but.. in the meantime. Here is our newest family portrait.

So before you say anthing, we did get the boys haircuts, I think the day after this photo was taken.. if I post a pic of little daddy now you will be blown away, because he is practically shorn and it makes him look considerably older. Also, the photographer insisted on taking a picture of The Mr. and Mrs. even though we explained there was no way we would be purchasing it, I don't love it, but hey that's how it goes some times.

Consequently, this is my "Channelling Donna Reed" dress that I made myself for church. I LOVE IT!! The bottom is a circle skirt with a few pleats. I have been sewing a few things for myself, (even though what I would really love is to buy everything at the Anne Taylor LOFT). Perhaps I will show you some pictures sometime.

Anywoo I am having a fabulous day! I know you are so jealous.

laughter!

2011-06-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some funny things you might be interested in:

Three nights ago when the kids were wrestling.. Miss H said,"stop your crushing me and hurting my back" to which Cubby replied as he was getting up "Sorry it's because of my sexy abs."

I stifled a pretty big laugh, and brought the subject up at dinner.
"So when you said it was because of your sexy abs, what did that mean? what are sexy abs?"
"You know like hot abs"
"No, I don't know. What are hot abs? Are they on fire? Do they need an ice pack?"
"You know like when girls at the pool are trying to act all hot, and so they lean on the garbage can and their belly buttons are sticking out..."
(here I tried for a stoney I have no idea what you mean"
So Cubby Added..
"It's when these teenager girls wear black dresses and high heels and they put blue stuff on their eyes.. and then they take their purses like this.. (and here is where his arts based education is really paying off because he got up out of his chair and stood with tilted hip and and shoulder and put on his pretend purse) ... and they walk like this.. (now you've all seen teenage girls trying to act hot with their sexy abs.. now picture cubby doing it)."
"Oh" I said.. (inside I was a raucous giggle volcano) Why do they do that?
"I don't know".. whew! at least he's not completely corrupted yet.

-----
as we were driving down the road.. just lil bit and I she says out of no where..
"mom, when those alligators come in my room you are going to have to get them and you can throw them out the window because I don't think alligators can climb on leaves of the tree out my windows. So that's what you hafta do. Okay? Got it?"
here is where I made my big decision.. to just go with it,
Okay.. I'll throw them out the window.

---
The Mr. was trying to convince the kids to go shopping to buy me a present. They were not that interested.
Cubby: "WHat SHOPPING??!?!? I can't go shopping I'm too tired!!!!?! (notice the exclamation points, in this case those mean exceptionally whiny and perturbed) I was downstairs and I was yawning down there!!! AND I already got mom a present (here my dear husband innocently asks what and my ears prick up) TODAY at school I was singing for her and other things and she REALLy liked it. (it's true I did like it)
Little Daddy: Well I'm going to give mom a hug, that's a great present and that is what she really wants.

Mother's Day---

2011-05-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

So this was one of the gifts that the kids brought home from school for Mother's day. Can you guess what I must have worn the Friday before Mother's day? I know so cute!!

So you may not be able to read the text.. but the highlights of their interview about me..

My mom looks prettiest.. in a light blue dress (C) when we go to church (H)

While I am at school my mom.. I don't know what she does on monday, on tuesday she shops, on wednesday and thursday she goes to bible study, on friday she goes out and looks for stuff (C) She does fun stuff with the little kids.

My mom's eyes are green (C) light blue(H) .. perplexed that my children are obviously blind I also asked this question of the younger kids brown (A) and Rachel said Gold hmm flatterer!

According to C my favorite thing to do is sew and make hairbows, but my dear daughter is quite convinced my favorite thing to do is have a little rest. either of these could be correct.

Apparently, Miss H is convinced that I am the best coach, while Cubby thinks I rule at sewing.

The pictures were great, and the interviews quite insightful. I had a great Mother's Day, especially the little rest and steak dinner. we also have the most adorable family of blue birds (made of pottery) nesting on the downstairs mantle in the family room.

Mother's Day does mean that summertime is right around the corner, so we are beginning to assemble our fair entries.. here are some of the projects the kids have completed already. I love filling our summer's with arts and crafts am excited with all the sewing projects the kids have lined up!

Cubby- Deacon Deacon in oil

Miss H Sundress

Miss H- Aslan in oil

Miss H- Red eyed tree frog

Little Daddy-Alligator (painting on wood)

Miss H-Mixed media (marker and chalk pastel)

I would really like to do some batik fabric painting but I am having trouble finding a book on it from the library, and I thought a pottery wheel would be fun..

Also.. the pool is open! I haven't brought my camera down there yet, and it is still that awkward week when the younger kids don't remember that they love swimming.. but.. finally! Summer is just around the corner.

strawberry field

2011-05-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Strawberry picking! And although dear cubby was terribly disappointed I would be taking the younger kids while he was in school, I forged ahead any ways.. because sometimes I am not a super mom, sometimes I am an easy way mom. Although I did promise him we would go one time with everyone. Here's some pics.. you know.. cause it's all about the documentation.

As usual my "helpers" were 100 percent helpful for approximately 12 minutes, and then they were only interested in eating berries. Which is okay, since it does make for good photos. Unfortunately, it also means that they don't contribute much to our gallon, oh well! at least they weren't complaining.
and seriously.. can you even believe lil bit's hair??

The final stretch

2011-05-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

When I get a minute I will update you on where I have been all spring.. and how awesome it is to be a coach. But for your interim entertainment I give you this...

Cubby and Miss H have now trooped off to Kindergarten 163 times... as a group we have accrued 9 tardies (three of them because of the stinking Thursday train I don't remember until the last minute, one when Mimi had to take the kids to school, and a few lost shoes/car keys/ why are we even going) I think our abscence total is 5 3 days off for a broken arm, 1 fever, 1 dentist appointment, and one day the sun didn't come out and I just couldn't hack it)

Anywhoo... so subtracting our fails I think we have made it like 149 times. Well today.. ATTEMPT one hundred and SIXTY FOUR.. I was naively thinking things were rolling along nicely.. healthy lunches packed, kids dressed (except Rachel because sometimes she's a pain) and I am putting the perfect ponies into Miss H's new shorter hair (I chopped 8 inches off ) when what comes skipping down the hall but Cubby....

IN HIS BATHING SUIT!!!

What??

Yes after successfully getting dressed and preparing to get into the car he elected instead, to return to his room and put on HIS BATHING SUIT!!

Really? After 163 tries? Bathing suit?

In his defense swim practice does start today at 5:45 did he not think 3 hours would be enough time to change?

I did not handle this well people.. not my best moment.
blessedly there are only 16 more days.

Better Family Portrait

2011-04-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

I thought this might make some of you laugh.. see I tried to select the best one available.. thank goodness for digital photography!! we would have had an entire roll of less than stellar... although this are a little more realistic..

still here...

2011-04-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

I know it's been forever.. and I have every intention of posting and updating... and basically catching up on what I've fallen so far behind on! But.. in the meantime..

A Very Merry White Christmas!!!

2010-12-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

I love family life, I love the anticipation and buzz that happens when we are all waiting for something fantastic, and Christmas around here creates double the buzz because it's Christmas and Little Daddy's brithday... when you couple these two events and you have four kids.. let's just say exponential may not cover it.

A success all around, cinnabon for breakfast, santa deliveries, skyped in grandparents and cousins, wii games, a light lunch and SNOW!!! inches and inches and inches of SNOW that is STILL falling. Birthday presents, family movie, steak dinner with mashed potatoes, homemade birthday cake with Handmade candles. A few arguments.. one little lady has some boundary issues, and also really likes unwrapping presents that don't belong to her.

So the highlights of Christmas Birthday 2010...

10. Cinnabon (we really only get it once a year)

9. Handmade Candles

8. Shrinky Dinks being a big hit despite the doubts of Mrs. Claus

7. New Decals for the girls room courtesy of Sure Cuts a Lot software

6. Little Daddy slicing his own birthday cake.

5. The fist pump followed by a hug when Little Daddy opened the gift Miss H had selected and purchased with her fair winnings. "This is the best ever"

4. The Mr. Not even suspecting he was getting to go to one day of the MASTER's this spring!!

3. Lil Bit chasing everyone with her play hypodermic needle saying, "Just relax dude.. just relax"

2. Snow!!

1. The mock faint of a new four year old when he finally laid eyes on his new RECLINER!!

Also.. there was this miracle.. called Lil Bit took a nap...

It will take me a little bit to "remember" how to put a movie up so you'll have to trust me about the mock faint.

I hope your Christmas has been Merry and Bright!

can't hardly wait!!

2010-12-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

So the preparations have been made,

the presents are wrapped, the cookies are out,

the children are asleep, the birthday cake is frosted,

and the Mr. and I are awaiting just the right moment to dash up to the attic (well he will dash!) and get out the Christmas. The season has been awesome, our joy was immeasurable today watching Miss H and Cubby play Mary and Joseph in our Church's family service, with Little Daddy bedecked as the awesomist shepherd you ever did see. Lil bit played her part well as an angel, and a good time was had it seems by all.

Perhaps the best time of this Christmas eve was a last minute visit (no not this one!)

One of these years I'm bound to get a hallmark version don't you think?

The visits were to two older members of our congregation, on which both my daughters offered to accompany me. YAY! Both visits were joyful, and reminded me again what a great gift it is to be a mother, to be a mother to wonderful people, and to have so much to be thankful for. As much as I am guilty of delight at things to be unwrapped, I am pleased to find myself contented and grateful for these moments I am able to spend with people, hearing about their lives and sharing their joys. Let us not forgot my family train is generally a circus, and I am always pleasantly surprised at those who welcome it in and embrace it. I am delighted to have sons and daughters that bring joy to others and to me, children in whom I can see the desire to love others well. It is an amazing gift to be surrounded by people better than yourself, and to be able to claim them!

And little daddy will be four FOUR tomorrow.. can you even believe it!!

Here we are in our Christmas Jamma Finery wishing you the very merriest of Days! May the peace and love that came embodied as a babe lying in a manger fill your heart and home and may the hope that He brings to this world light your path.

Much love!!

Christmas means crafting...

2010-12-21T15:51:00.000-08:00

We have been crafting and crafting around here.. Miss H received a candlemaking kit from our dear friends and after reading the directions I set her up with a rotary cutting board and tool and she went right to town. She made a selection of tapers and pillars, and then got the brillant idea to make some birthday candles for Little Daddy's number four birthday!

Then she embellished some of her candles.. She made a family of three... and then this..

I know.. it totally looks like it came right out of a magazine! I love her!

Although we have a stack of fabric that needs to turn into pajama pants I have been obsessed with a photo project I discovered around Thanksgiving.. you can see it here.. So obviously I don't have enough cash lying around to just fill my house with these treasures so I did a little google research and have been working on a few pieces.. I am not so pleased with the color transfer method, although I only did a paper version (and nearly rubbed my finger prints off!) but I think I could get hooked on the transparency method... I love the look alot more than simple decoupage, even though it is obviously more time consuming.. but I've not perfected it yet.

here's a sample..

It's beginning to look alot like CHRISTMAS!!

2010-12-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that in SIX short days it will be The BIG DAY!! Little Daddy will be F-O-U-R, and we will celebrate the greatest day of LOVE!

We've been baking! Gingerbread, and some treats that never made their photographic debut but were delicious none the less (Rice Krispy Wreath's especially)

She is not a great "helper" cooperative and enthusiastic yes.. but her output is just about nil..

The Mr. whipped up a batch of these...

Hmm Buckeye Balls!! You'll notice that one is missing in this picture already.. I can hardly control myself around these treats, and The Mr. doesn't even pretend to try.

It Snowed!! We celebrated by eating the December snowflakes..

And with a freak commuter time ice/snow storm we got a whole day off school, and was able to remember all the reasons I loved being a stay at home mom.

We played Wii (did I mention that one day this summer I left the Mr. alone with the kids and when I came home we owned a Wii?)

I also took a hilarious video of Lil Bit and Little Daddy dueling it out in "SwordPlay" Lil Bit loses everytime, but one can't help enjoying her gameplay.

We cuddled in our jammas and opened Santa's workshop and ate homemade mac n cheese on this snow day.. if this post wasn't already so long I would post my recipe.. it's amazing.. but you can't eat it very often because it's terribly unhealthy. (We usually balance it out with oatmeal at breakfast and collard greens and blackeyed peas for dinner) Here is Lil Bit mashing up the topping.. She's not angry, her mouth is full of "friend in me" crackers (which is how she refers to Toy Story. Our Mac n Cheese begins with bacon and is topped off with Cheez-It crumbles... and what comes in between is a cheese heaven let me tell you..

Santa's workshop opened..

The elves put in some serious time sewing pretty with Hello Kitty.. Miss H whipped out aprons, and burpcloths, and placemats in a truly impressive fashion. There was wrapping and singing and gift packing and post-officing as well..

Check out this fine cutting! HE's getting so grown up, although I'm not sure why he's cutting lefthanded.

Can you guess who this is for?

If you are reading this Abby, close your eyes.

Finally today at church we lit the 4th candle of advent... I'm sure this is where I should submit a mini talk about the meaning of the season.. but the meaning of the season was more than clear this afternoon watching Cubby, Miss H and Lil Bit caroling at the retirement community for some older members of our congregation. I love that we have found such a wonderful church home that provides abundant opportunities for us to share the Peace, Hope, Joy and Love that is brought into our lives through relationship with a Heavenly Father.

Here are a few pics.. from the fourth Sunday.. Six more days and we will have four candles of a whole different sort!!

A new low..

2010-12-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

I'm so embarrassed at how long it's been since my last post. Missing, probably forever from our family history.. the school conference that broke the camel's back, the pre-thanksgiving fun! Baby Jack! Thanksgiving, black friday, christmas tree, my new job, the last go deacs game of the season, the first snow, my other new job, the cast came off! Letters to Santa the advent candles, the candletea, the crafting melee, the ornament party, Outbreak at Kindergarten! Lil Bit's new do, so I'll do my best to some it all up and select a ~~few~~ ton of pics..

We are having SO much fun!! Although I am also frequently exhausted and intermittenly quite grumpy from all the fun. Cubby has grown to an enormous height, so much so that I had to buy him new pants and gave him firm instructions to stop growing for a few weeks at least.. also he is writing a book, which is awesome! His arm is all better, and actually he complained about it so infrequently that a few times I forgot it was broken at all, except that he no longer sucks his fingers which is AWESOME. so now I am thinking Miss H should get a cast to end her thumb-sucking. Is there a doctor that would put a cast on a kindergartner for no reason other than I find her thumbsucking and occassional sneaky nose picking to be so annoying my skin crawls? She continues to be exceptionally helpful and a great big sister, so I am trying to let these joys outweigh the shortcomings.

Little Daddy continues to be a delight and is really thriving with C and H off at Kindergarten (which is not my favortite by the way) He is becoming quite the little reader and has nearly polished off the first sight words box and collection 1 of BOB. He has also been excited because the big FOUR is coming in less than two weeks and you know what that means.. A beard (according to him!) and a Library Card. AWESOME!

Little Bit who we have been calling Pinky and Little Pink or Red Riding Hood finally got over her sinus infection and seems to have the worst allergies of all the family, so she is taking an allergy medicine everyday. Her attitude has improved dramatically, perhaps being able to breathe has increased her tolerance for us. I did have to cut her hair because she refuses to let me wash it or brush it and it was constantly looking tangled and less than beautiful. When wet, her curly top stretched nearly to her little buns, but I tearfully chopped it into a chin length bob. I'm hopeful it will grow back.

Here are three of my favorite pics from the last month and you can watch the slide show to see the rest of our fun.

Slideshow generated with Smilebox

The After party

2010-11-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

So we went trick or treating.. awesome fun. Little Bit was so in to it.. except the scary parts. We came home with quite a haul. Couple the 37 lbs of chocolate each child brought in, and the Costco size sugar candy bag we bought to give out, although we did not get a single trick or treater (burned out street light)
means we have 7,429 lbs of candy to each..
Lil Bit said she'll handle all the lollipops.

see her here in a sugar daze

This is not her offering to share, it's her telling me to STAY BACK!

you can no have my candy, you need get your own trick or treat.

the best time of the year...

2010-10-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween.. I mean LOVE IT!! it is so much fun! I have thoroughly enjoyed all the excellent crafty time and projects with the kids.

This is also my favorite of all our seasonal book bins that I bring down each year. Although I still have not secured a copy of Mrs. McMurphy's Pumpkin, or The Spider and the Fly (I'd love an audio of that one too!) I loved every rendition of The Little old Lady who wasn't afraid of anything, and a new favorite around here "Big Pumpkin" which is a new telling of the gigantice turnip story I first heard from my Story time idle Karen Robertson. (She is so awesome, and I try and lift her ideas whenever possible).
Here I am in my crafting lair... Miss H snapped this picture while I was applying the 24 eyelets that make the lacing up the back of her Queen Susan dress. See that crop-o-dile.. let me just say.. AWESOME!

I really enjoyed the process this year of making the costumes, I did not make the boys, just two great dresses for ladies.. but the ensemble..

Priceless!

We also made some great crafts from my friend Brooke's blog.. elleandkate

Ping pong balls and little LED tea lights from the dollar store, and presto.. instant eyeball fun. The boys are using them as nightlights.. so fun!

Well I hope you are all off for some great adventures. I know these Kings and Queens of Narnia can't wait!!

DIY Halloween..

2010-10-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Of course it's a contest.. I did not turn in any entries at the fair, and if you read this post here you know that that has lessened my bragging rights considerably around here. I mean these kids are started to hog the creative spotlight so to speak.. (I know I couldn't be prouder!)

Cool Whip Ghost on a mini cupcake

Well I am entering a little contest over at elleandkate, and while you all know that I am super SUPER competitive.. I am really hoping to win because Miss H and Rachel LOVE LOVE LOVE their elleandkate jewelry, which they wear to church and school all the time, and I as their mother would love to let Cubby or Little Daddy pick some out to give them for Christmas, it is after all never too early to teach your son that women love jewelry right?

Anyway, here is a little selection of my Halloween fun so far, and a tutorial on my super favorite one.

Mummy

Mummy Dogs with spider sauce

Zombie Meat Loaf

Zombie Loaf.. hot n fresh

October Hair Accoutrement

Eek there's a bat in your hair!!

And a spider!!

SNACK-o-Lantern

We have been trying to limit the number of prepackaged items we use. One place that gets very tricky for us is packing the kids lunches. At the beginning of the year I made a few vinyl lined zippered pouches for snacks that have been working quite well. With the halloween challenge I took it to the next level!!!

I LOVE IT!! you can tell it's a mummy and a ghost right? I had wanted to make a pumpkin and some candy corn, but I of course don't have alot of scraps on hand. I had this great idea for a spider with ribbon for the legs, but we didn't have any black, so then I thought about using thin white ribbon to weave a web, and attatching a spider ring to it, but I went with this instead, because I have really been loving the mummies lately, and last year I made Miss H the cutest little hairbow that was a tiny ghost wearing a pink hairbow, but she lost it..

Anyways.. Seriously... I LOVE THEM!!

Better than ZipLoc!

For each snack pouch you need this stuff here...

1 6 inch zipper

1 fat quarter of fabric. or so..

1 piece of iron on vinyl about 6 inches by 12 inches....

felt and ribbon to embellish...

some 1 inch strips of white fabric to mummify the mummy ( or chesse cloth would work too)

Instructions:

1. Iron Vinyl to lining fabric following the directions on the insert. Trust me.. read the directions, I have to read them everytime right after I try to wing it and screw it up so just read the directions...

2. Cut your shapes.. 2 outsides and 2 linings (Vinyl) for the mummy I just traced a saucer, for the ghost I just eyeballed it, you probably can tell that. Stack it all up so it matches nicely with the right sides of the lining facing in and the right sides of the outside facing out make a small snip on the top somewhere, and also on the bottom this will allow you to keep everything lined up just right.

3. Embellish your outside pieces to your taste and stitch the embellishments down. Remember you want to be able to toss this ziploc in the washer machine so don't skimp on the lockstitch.

4. INSERT ZIPPER.. don't panic it is just like making a sandwich..

Place the embellished side of your snack pouch face up, place zipper face down place vinyl lining piece so the vinyl side is touching the zipper (inside the sandwich) Pin zipper into place and stitch using zipper foot.

Repeat on opposite side carefully making the zipper sandwich again.

5. Unzip zipper and lay snack pouch so that the right sides of the vinyl are facing each other, and the outsides of the snack pouch are facing each other. Stitch around the outside leaving a gap in the bottom of the vinyl side so you can turn it. Go ahead and verify again before stitching that you left the zipper unzipped or you will be really frustrated.

6. Turn the item right side out and tuck the lining inside the pouch. Stitch the opening closed.

7. Pack with snacks and enjoy!!

Seriously, I want to eat popcorn and candycorn out of there right now.. I mean cucumbers and carrots with dip.

The Breaking Point

2010-10-16T23:07:00.000-07:00

Yep.. they're not as sturdy as you'd think!

I wasn't there. (I know I'm a terrible mother, don't add to my already overflowing guilt!) All reports indicate he was exceptionally brave, and because I don't have a cell phone, The Mr. will second Cubby's exceptional bravery when they reduced the fracture of his radius and ulna. Apparently, he did not stick the dismount from the parallel bars.

He has not been terribly excited about having a splint, and the swelling has been pretty bad, but there have been some highlights.

The first night when I went in there to situate him in the bed, he said, Do you think I could have a little prize, because I was really brave in there." When I asked what he would want for a little prize, he said, a glow in the dark dollar store sword, some art supplies, and some pirate books.

C and H both got to stay home from school one day! and Cubby has been home two school days. It has been so nice to have them all home together.

He is really cuddly when he can't bounce all around.

Listening to his one thousand and one ideas for how to decorate his splint.

He did say at one point, "I don't think I can get dressed" when I asked him what he thought he would do for the next six weeks he said "Six Weeks! I guess I better go work on that"

(He did manage to get it figured out by the third day)

A package and a card have arrived for him, both items prompted a fist pump (of the good arm) and a Yes! I knew it, it's because I broke my arm!! Also, all these handmade cards came home with Miss H from kindergarten.

Watching him try and figure out how to do everything one handed, and have to ask for help from his sisters (yes even Lil Bit) and brother has been great. I love watching him navigate this new territory.

and the very best... his insistence on an "orderly line" if the field hockey girls wanted to sign his "cool cast"

He's doing pretty well and doesn't complain about the arm... so I'm giving him some extra ice-cream for calcium and sayingmy thanks about it not being his dominant hand.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2010-10-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

We went to the Dixie Classic Fair.. Again.. and again.. and again..

I love the fair, it's true, I'm always talking bad about it, like it's uncool, but secretly, I LOVE the fair. (Of course, when I say fair I do not mean the Midway area where all the teenagers are congregating and looking for mischief) I mean the petting zoo and the exhibits and all the little 4-H kids with their show animals. I love looking for the gigantic pumpkin and cheering on Little Swifty at the pig races (here's a tip number 4 is a RUNT and comes in last everytime)

I admit ashamedly, my mouth waters when I think of fair faire. No not the dreaded krispy Kreme cheeseburger dripping with grease and laying sandwiched between two YES TWO doughnuts. I mean actual hand-dipped made fresh before your eyes corndogs, and roasted corn stuck with a sturdy stick and floating in a vat of melted butter, I mean the perfect, oversized granny smith apples freshly (as in no plastic packaging) perfectly coated with caramel and roasted almonds (or pecans because we are in the south afterall!)

I do love the rides, at least I did as a kid, now of course my parental goggles make them all look rickety and dangerous, I was thinking that probably next year the kids will be wanting to participate in the "wristband" days, and there will be no end to my worries. Good-bye kiddieland bumper cars hello deathtrap zipper. (which I say ironically because I probably have 8,397 zipper rides under my belt.

By far my favorite part of the fair is the "education" building where they display the handicrafts and fine arts of entrants from all over the county. The first time The Mr. and I went took the kids in there, Miss H said, "Look at all these things that people can make with their gifts". Well each year now we have let the kids enter items they have crafted, and see if they would win any ribbons. This was Little Daddy's first year and check this out!!

Here's the returner's with their winnings.

I know.. they're amazing!

She's TWO!!

2010-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

I can't even believe it, I mean I can because she's been acting two for quite some time now, but, TWO?!!!

We love this littlest Riley and all her crazy hair. She has thus far been the most challenging, and has an advanced sense of sass and naughtiness, but I'm hopeful that we will be able to steer all that "spirit" in a positive direction, or at the minimum, a direction that will not drive me batty.

She is quite the conversationalist, tells a great knock-knock joke (here's a hint... whoever is at the door, she doesn't know) She can run and jump and loves calling attention to her lastest mastered feat. "See my stretches, See my splits, see my artwork I make it for Mimi and Colin.. TOP IT! don't touch it! it mine!!!) She can identify all the letters of the alphabet, shapes, colors, and most numbers, although S, 2 and 5 still give her pause. She can dress herself, and after months of using the potty is very close to not needing diapers at night. (Which will be AWESOME!!)

Her favorite song at this point, "Good Morning God" followed closely by Holy Holy Holy. Her favorite activity is probably riding her tricycle, which she will pedal only when you are not looking. Lil Bit, loves scissors, which makes me very nervous for the next 6 months, because she loves scissors the way Miss H loved Sharpies.

She makes me giggle, she makes me cry, she makes a big pit of frustration in my belly, and then melts it away.
She still does not accept the fact that I am not only her mother but also C H and A's. Just today she shouted at Little Daddy to "Get off my Momma!! You have you DADDY!!"
She pulls hair
Today she threw a tantrum so intensly that she wet her pants.
She refuses to take a nap or be still when she is remotely sleepy and instead falls asleep about 12 minutes before we have to get the other kids from school.

I love her.

She'll make me a better mom yet.
If she doesn't kill me first.

She's probably going to be a star.

Birthday..

2010-09-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

SIX!! Impossible I say!!
I was awakened this morning by a flurry of footsteps and Cubby put his face about two inches from mine and said,
"Mom, I'm Six!! Can you even believe it?!!"
I can't believe it!!

The days are long, but the years are very short.

We celebrated in the usual way around here, with a simple cake and some presents and quality time with just our family.

Again I made the kids cakes to their specifications, although, I'm thinking I should take a class because Miss H's taste is exceptionally complicated. Also. I hate fondant.

But she loved it, and as usual I relished the opportunity to prepare something her way instead of mine, with her color choices instead of mine, and to pray for her.

Cubby's cake was much easier.. his current love, Chronicles of Narnia and he dreamed up a cake in the shape of a shield. He has such a great imagination and creative heart it is impossible to be around him and not get caught up in his enthusiasm. I am amazed to be able to say he came through me.

Awww.

It is impossible to put into words how much I love being the mom of these two kids. I am bowled over with Miss H's care of her baby sister, general helpfulness and logical thought. Cubby's imagination and artistic nature are a wonder to me, and his ease in making friends, and loving others are a delight. If only he could manage to get the ants out of his pants!!

Happy Birthday!!

First Day Of School

2010-09-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

when the alarm clock went off this morning, neither The Mr. nor I were incredibly excited.

but Cubby and Miss H were...

Still Sleeping!!!

Not to be deterred we awakened them, got em dressed and ready

fed them a healthy breakfast and dropped them

off at school for the first time!!

I left them in these capable hands..

and departed with this Handsome Little Daddy who was ECSTATIC!!

and saw this ominous sign about 5 blocks from the school.

Yes, I know, DRAMATIC!!

In all honesty, as I drove away I did have a huge feeling of relief, that the school decision was made, that they would be going, and they would be in the same class. It took about three hours for me to become addicted to the special silence created in their absence. Little Daddy has become quite the big brother, and conversationalist without the older kids around.

Some favorite moments in our first 2 weeks of kindergarten..

Little Daddy snuggling into me on the couch to read his THIRD Bob Book and saying, "I just love being home with you mom."
Little Bit racing to the locker room saying "get my shoes I need to get my Sissy"
Little Daddy, saying "NOOOOO!" When I said it was time to pick up the kids.
Little Bit saying, " Where my Sissy?" I answered at Kindergarten she says, "Again?!! AWW MAN!"
Little Daddy throwing a fist pump in the air after dropping the kids off and saying, "Let's go home and learn to READ!"

There has been some rough moments as predicted. I've been "scolded" several times because the drop off and pick up areas are an enigma, not to mention my frustration at their insistence on running the whole thing backward so the kids have to get out on the drivers side. Not being present for lunch and snack leaves me constantly hoping the kids remember they have to eat food to survive. There was also the morning I discovered Miss H had given Kit a haircut and I was immediately dreaming of driving to school and dragging her out of kindergarten to ask what she was thinking!! I didn't, and I had to wait all Day!!!

While C and H are enjoying being there, and I am also enjoying them being there, how much they will learn while they are there is unclear at best. The Mr. made me promise to wait through last Friday before I set foot in the classroom because of the number of "erks" I have gotten only hearing the kids point of view.

Two kids were sent to the principal last week (neither of them mine)

On the third day of school Miss H asked if it would be okay if she brought her own book to read

The kids were all grumpy when I picked them up one day and when I asked what happened they said, they didnt' get to do any silent reading because Ms. K said only she would get to do reading today.

They have not had computers.

One day they spent their second recess practicing walking in a line, sitting in circle, filling up their water bottles, in Miss H's words, "Some of those children are not very good listeners mom"

Miss H said one day, "My table is a disaster"

They have yet to learn anything, in a way that makes me wonder if they will learn anything.

So, I am not completely happy about the situation, and probably the most frustrating part is the attitude of the majority of parents that the school is perfect. Which it is not although it does seem to be improving thanks in part to there decision to adopt a math program the county adopted 10 years ago! and the lack of a clear approach to literacy that can actually be communicated unnerves me!!

I saw someone screw up the carpool line on Thursday, when I REALLY REALLY needed to get in and out in a hurry, and when someone went to explain the problem I smirked a little, not because they were getting in trouble, but because I felt pretty certain they would ask how they could avoid this situation in the future and the answer would be I don't know!! Because I had just had the same situation explained to me a few days ago by a not so friendly Hairy Scary woman, and when I said, how do I know when to bypass the line and when to wait in the line she said, "I don't know, it's been like this for eight years, and it doesn't matter because you have to move RIGHT NOW!!"

Thanks lady.

SO.. rough road ahead, but I am hopeful we will be able to navigate it. For Goodness sake Cubby will have a heart attack if he doesn't get to do Peter and the Wolf.

Things in The mail...

2010-08-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

We love mail.. I'm telling you, Cubby and Little Daddy can hear that guy coming a block away.. and everytime I manage to sneak the mail out of the box I am FOUND out and bowled over with chants of... anything for me? me? me?me? me? Even Lil bit get's in on it, although she is usually persuaded with a mailer of some kind... well the latter half of the month hit us big time at the mail box much to the children's delight. Mimi took a trip to Canada and sent a postcard everyday... I had wanted to preserve these little correspondances in some sort of book but the children refused to part with the ones that had been addressed specifically to them, in some cases snuggling the postcards as they slept...
Any whoo.. and then there were packages..

These adorable dresses from Mimi Viv which Miss H had slated to wear for her first day of school, but just couldn't bear to wait five more days and wore to church instead...

An entire box filled to overflow with things to do and make and puzzles and a whole book on how to give your American Girl doll the best tea-party ever from my Sister In Law who had somehow managed to find something so exactly perfect for each child that they squealed yes.. squealed with delight. Including this little baby seen here...

seriously this litle dolly revealed a creative play we had not previously seen in Lil Bit... she cooked for baby, changed baby's diaper, told baby to use the potty, explained that baby would like to watch a little pongebob, put baby in time out, and slept with baby. She did however REFUSE to share baby, or name baby.. well you can't have it all.

And last but not least.. these things arrived... because to quote Miss H the twins are "finalee going to school." (and apparently they could use it!)

and no.. this next photo is not staged.. when I came home from Field Hockey practice the Mr. told me to look at Miss H.. and of course I brought the camera...

yes.. she is sleeping with her backpack on, and also... clutching her lunchbox... clearly this is a girl who is very excited about school!!

Go DEACS!

2010-08-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

It was a suppose inevitable that our kids would root for the Deacs.. and with the Mr. coaching there this year on top of Cubby and Miss H taking field hockey there our allegiance has obviously grown.

We were so excited to participate in Fan Fest again!! And we look forward to another great season sitting on the Hill.

Look at these kids getting fired up!!

GO DEACS!!

Where to begin..

2010-08-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

So.. we have been a little BUSY around here what with all the basement work and quick out of town trips, and more basement work, and swimming and field hockey coaching and getting The Mr. settled in his new school, and Cubby and Miss h getting moved up in Gymnastics and more basement work.. and getting together with old friends, and missing our school year friends... and Go Deacs Fan Fest.. and FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL!! anyways.. my apologies to those who have been watching Lil Bit shake her booty for an entire month!! but it really couldn't be helped.

The booty shaking or the lack of updating that is..

The basement progresses...

To a level that might almost indicate "done" but not quite. But the end as they say is in sight, so that's something.

We have built the lockers and cabinets ourselves, tiled the bathroom and laundry room, and the fireplace, installed laminate in the playroom and now we attempt to floor the craft room. I have decided that I would really love to own a KREG JIG after watching Tom build some things, and if you do not have a sweet mudroom locker system like you see here.. I super reccomend it. The corner will eventually have shelves for storing pool things and out of season gear (aka snow pants) but as you can see the project has spiraled out of control. so we are trying to get the main things done so we can get all the "stuff" moved out of the garage. YIKES!!

I can't wait!!

shake your oompa loompa

2010-07-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Although Miss H has given up dance, I have a sneaking suspicion there may be another recital in my future.

Also.. does anyone know how to get better quality uploaded videos? This is shot in HD so it looks great on my camera and on my computer as I go to edit.. but really less than stellar here..

Doing a little painting...

2010-07-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

So we started with something like this...

The blue being for the bathroom and the red for the laundry room.

The wall paper will line the back of the bookcases in the family room and my crafting area.

So with a house full of young helpers, we got right to work!

Their idea's of course being different from ours..

Still somehow we got it closer to done..

That wall next to the fireplace is where one day we will be able to play Wii.

This area will be my crafting area..

My dad promises he is coming to build in some storage and and secretary style desk a la pottery barn.

We got this room worked on too..

She's standing in the closet that is going to change my life with it's storage capacity.

Here's a full playroom view.. I'll bet it looks even more awesome when all those "items" aren't cluttering it up.

I can't hardly wait.. except The Mr. is deserting us for an ENTIRE 8 days.. I know I throw up a little when I say it. YIKES!! so probably this is it on progress for a while.
I would like to take this opportunity to admit that the basement project has been the LONGEST "two weeks" of my life.

A day at the beach

2010-07-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday America!

2010-07-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

Having Too Much fun to write right now!
I love the fourth of July,
I miss you DAD and Rosie...
But we are working our way through an All American Fourth.. right here.

Where did the time go?

2010-06-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

I don't know who was more excited about this moment... Cubby ordered these flowers a month ago to give to Miss H after her recital.

She was thrilled to be done with ballet and to have an entire dozen roses in her room.

Here we are hamming it up watching "The Sandlot" at BB&T park. The open air movie was an AWESOME idea!! I hope they do it every week.

They gave everyone free popcorn and a drink. Lil Bit was insistent upon ensuring everyone's popcorn was as tasty as hers.

Here's Miss H warming up at the City County Swim Meet, Both the 6 and Under relays won medals today.

They really look like swimmers here.

Go Sharks!

Little Daddy is Bit's favorite...

I love these girls.

in case you were wondering...

2010-06-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

this is what I looked like on my birthday...

necklace made by little daddy
This was my haul.. not pictured the gift certificate to the LOFT the Mr. surprised me with, and necklaces made by Cubby and Miss H. and cards from Aunt Dorothy and Gramma Haynes.

This is how Lil Bit thinks you wear goggles...

This is what Cubby and Miss H look like getting warmed up for their first swim meet..

I know.. not the best pushup form ever...

a little birthday

2010-06-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

Because everything is better with Bacon, Lil Bit offered me hers and said.. happy Dirthday

Then this arrived! 38 sheets of gypsum drywall minted right here in North Carolina

These men arrived and humored me by letting me take their picture.. and then they proceeded to hang the drywall..

In between the insulators came and insulated but they were gone so fast I didn't get a pic.

We baked a cake...

We had a surprise luncheon!!

Cake and presents await!! You may not be able to see but those are See's candies lollipops in a flavor called ROOT BEER!! Who Knew such things existed?

I am totally loving my birthday. The Mr. is taking me on a real date, and also I have a gift certificate for new clothes for my smaller heinie.

Loving it!!!

aging

2010-06-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

My birthday is coming, and so we have been talking about aging and getting older. The Mr. and I would both love to freeze life just now where it is, because it is difficult to imagine it getting better, and so we told Little Daddy that he would have to stay three, and on his next birthday, he would just have to be three all over again.

"No, I gonna be four on my Birthday"

No, you'll just have to be three again, what is so great about turning four?

"You get a beard."

Yes, he really thought he would get a beard for his fourth birthday. Granted I think the Mr. did have to start shaving in fifth grade.. but really four?

A beautiful thing

2010-06-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

So I was preparing to sew up some samples for the girls sewing club, and Miss H got to work on her lemonade on the lawn skirt. Months and Months ago she found this very very loud lemon print at the Joann's and said, "Ohh Mom, this would just be perfect for lemonade on the lawn!" How can you argue with a five year old who wants to sew her own skirt to wear while she pours lemonade for the congregation after services? I did find myself incapable of argument and purchased enough for two, one for demonstration purposes and one for her to sew. I cannot even tell you how my eyes bulged when she selected JUMBO bright yellow rick rack, but you can't argue with her finished product. Paired with a $5 perfect t-shirt from Target it screams summertime, and lemonade on the lawn. And how cute does Lil bit look flashing her "Ponge Bob panties?" I know she's such a cutie!!

Miss H's only comment on sewing such an adorable skirt, "Mom, next time do you think we could start earlier? I'm so tired!!" We had to wait until all the other children were sleeping to be able to sit down and work in the office (still missing my playroom!!) She finished at 9:30, not bad for an hour and a half.

This summer is going to be GREAT!!

the distraction...

2010-05-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yum Yum... Seriously... these are good. The new batch of fruit leathers.. SUCCESS! and what might you ask was distracting me causing the first batch to be a little over cooked?

Well, This..

Became

Because Phil.. who is doing the work in our basement.. found a way to get all those pesky exposed ducts that really ruin the look of our basement ceiling.. up into the floor joists, for a price that was almost not over budget. And while this does extend the length and scope of the project, we will end up with a much nicer basement playroom and family room, and before the summer ends he tells me.

I am really starting to adore Phil, and I try to focus on that idea when I am tripping over all the toys that now live in the office but somehow migrate all over the upstairs.

We added this..

to go with this..

don't be distracted there by my brand new insulation and studly wall, we are talking keepsake heirloom wall people!
State Meet Tomorrow!!
Much love,

Little Update... few words

2010-05-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Feeding time at the Zoo... Kindly notice Lil Bit's outstretched hand. She's a big fan of teeeets.

Swim Season is upon us. These two are not on the team...

Can you spot Cubby (the perpetual ham) and Miss H (the die hard pupil)? This was their second day of swim practice. YAY!

We went strawberry picking..

ate some.

Actually, I made some really delicious fruit roll-ups, but when I put them back in the oven to get them PERFECT, I forgot them and they got too crispy.
I will take a picture of what distracted me from strawberry bliss... but not till tomorrow.

Much love,

Menu Monday--Roasted Pork Tenderloin Gives Two as BBQ Pork Sandwiches

2010-05-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

are you popping over from TSP? Thank you I love that place! For the next six weeks (and possibly longer if my ego is properly carressed with comments and I stay organized) I will be sharing my best tips and tricks for menu planning, including several of my give two menus. You know the meal that you cook once, but gives you two great dinners.

This recipe uses a v shaped roasting rack and pan.. but you can always roast the veggies and meat separately in a roasting pan and baking dish.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin w/veggies
1 plain pork tenderloin (I shop at costco and get them in a 2 pack)
1 tablespoon rubbed sage,
1/2 tablespoon rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme,
3 tablespoons olive oil
coarse kosher salt (a pinch at a time!!)
Pepper

1 green apple, 1 pink lady apple, 4 peeled sweetpotatoes 1 yellow onion diced into 3/4 inch chunks, 1 head broccoli, rinsed and chopped additionally, two whole unpeeled sweet potatoes pierced several times with fork)

Directions:
Rinse tenderloin salt and pepper lightly if desired (I usually pepper only)
Combine spices together and mix,
Rub tenderloin with 1 tbs olive oil on all surfaces, then pat spice mixure onto pork.
toss chopped veggies and apples with olive oil additional pepper and a pinch of coarse kosher salt (less is more)
Put veggies in the roasting pan place meat on roasting rack and slide into a 350 degree oven until pork is done. Pork is done when a thermometer reads 165 degrees and juices run clear.. usually 25 minutes per pound. Put the pierced but unpeeled sweet potatoes directly on the oven shelf next to the roasting pan and let them bake.

Serve: Pork cut into medallions from one side of tenderloin, with a scoop of roasted veggies.

Give Two additional ingredients --
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup favorite BBQ sauce (we use kc masterpiece)
Hamburger buns
1/4 cup apple juice (or orange), and possibly more to taste

After dinner directions:
Shred remaining pork and put in tupperware with bbq sauce and vinegar
Slice roasted pierced sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop flesh with a spoon. combine with leftover roasted apples, onions, sweet potatoes, in blender, processor, or mixer with whisk attachment with 1/4 apple juice mix/blend/process until smooth adding additional juice to get desired consistency.

Put in reheatable container and fridgerate till tomorrow.

Serve Give TWO meal.
Reheat pork in sauce in microwave until heated through and steamy (or on stovetop you may need to add two tablespoons of water).
Reheat Mashed Sweetpotatoes in microwave or in oven.
Serve pork on hamburger buns with a side of sweet potatoes. Collard Greens, southern style fieldpeas or green beans rounds out the place nicely.

Let me know what you think. The flavor of the two pork meals are very different and can definitely be used for back to back dinners, but we like to spread it out and go meatless a day between (usually with lentil soup which we then turn into liesagna).

Let me know if you try it, and what you think!!

a long week

2010-05-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

It was a long a busy week, punctuated at odd intervals with extreme business, and then lengthened by periods of circling...
In the middle of a day filled with this lovely face from Lil Bit.. a mysterious package arrived which I let Cubby open with me because I was on my last ounce of mommy control let me tell you.. and do you see those adorable flip flops.. WELL they are mine mine mine!! And they are better than flip flops.. they are SWITCH FLOPS. They were a gift from my super hip Mother in Law in honor of Mother's day.. and let me tell you they kept me smiling all day!!

The Yard men finished renovating the yard.. It looks so much better I cannot even tell you!! They also replaced an ailing cherry tree with a real apple tree. So exciting! I'm hoping it doesn't go the way of every other tree we've had in the yard.

Miss H had her dress rehearsal for her first and only ballet recital..

I wish I would have gotten a slose up of her hair, she insisted on a braid bun, and it turned out fabulously! So of course I had to snap the pic as we were rushing out the door, so maybe she'll let me do it again.

Finally, this just cracked The Mr. and I up.. at lunch today the kids all took their mandarin oranges and slipped them over the rims like they were enjoying cocktails on a sunny beach, not chicken nuggets in the dining room.

so cute!! Speaking of cute.. guess who's been sitting on the potty? I know Lil Bit can you even believe it? I'm not getting my hopes up just yet, but there really will come a day when we will be diaper free.
Also.. the workmen have been working away downstairs and they have made a big mess that will soon be my new basement crafting lair, playroom, den, study, and guestroom. They have also framed in the most lovely closet I have ever laid eyes on. I can hardly wait for the electrician to come through and light it up!!
Happy Mother's Day!!

Holding Pattern

2010-05-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am in a holding pattern.
Tires are bald
car needs maitenance
Building Inspector not available for questions
Door Installer not having proper equipment
Husband at work
Basement NOT FINISHED
I would love to be sewing and watching the kids through my new windows but they are not installed or delivered or possibly even ordered yet.

It is a beautiful day, if only we could accomplish something other than nothing.

As I have loved you, Love One Another

2010-05-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

It has been YEARS since I have given a talk in church. I am sharing this message in service tomorrow.

18 months ago, our youngest daughter Rachel was born. And in the first months following her birth what I had regarded as my body’s retaliation against my 5 years of pregnancy and little exercise, a natural part of getting older (I was afterall practically 30!!) worsened. At every increasing sign and symptom I thought, this is manageable.

I prayed for the pain to cease, I prayed to understand how to heal it. I prayed for a solution to what was wrong with my body. I neglected of course to consider the state of my heart, the depth of my pride.

My spine began to tilt, and my back began to hunch under the weight of my independence. Still I thought I didn’t NEED someone else to drive my kids to school. I didn’t NEED someone else to hold the newborn baby, I didn’t NEED, well I didn’t NEED anything, because I was JUST FINE, even though I looked a little like Quasimodo.

As the pain increased so did my stubborn desire to not be a burden until the simple act of cooking breakfast for my children took all I had. I lay on the living room floor, unable to feel my right leg save an explosive nerve pain in my knee. Under my own shallow breath came the unmistakable silence of a choking child. “He’s choking” Hannah and Connor called out. Lifting my head I could see that they were right. But 8 feet lay between Andrew and I. And the thought of moving even one inch brought me to tears.

I crawled the distance in the most excruciating pain I had ever imagined, and in that 8 feet I prayed that my child, born himself on Christmas day, would not be the price of my pride. I toppled the chair he was seated in, and turned him over my explosive knee and the unchewed morsel loosened, and he breathed.

And I cried.

Because I was relieved, because I was in agony, because I was ashamed, because I had been blessed with a second chance. And I tell you with great shame this is what it took to rein my pride.

Renewed in faith, stripped bare of pride. I confessed my need to the care committee and the fruit of the spirit in this congregation was harvested and laid at my feet. It is love expressed in a casserole cavalry one night after another. It is Mrs. Simes homemade strawberry freezer jam and perfect biscuits (which are now a staple at our house!) It was Mrs. Wright’s macaroni pie which fed my children meal after meal while I mourned my Grandmother’s death. The fruit of the spirit is the infinite loads of perfectly sorted and folded laundry (the likes of which I hate to say has not been seen again in our home). It is the attentive ear to all my greatest fears while driving me to endless appointments. It is the simple tender act of pushing my kids on the swing. The fruit of the spirit is abundant in this community, families that I had only seen for moments as I herded my children through the church set down their own work to take up service for me, to love us, to feed us, to heal us. My gratitude to you for your answer to my need, your desire to love someone as obstinate as me, to lay down your own work to shoulder mine is immeasurable, and your working on my heart has been for my good.

I previously understood the new commandment to mean we should serve one another, but Highland's love and care for my family taught me the commandment is more fold than that. We are to serve one another, to encourage one another to share each other's joys and burdens, but also we are to see in one another the power that God has given to console and comfort one another. When we choose to live independent of one another we close ourselves to one of God's greatest gifts, the Spirit that lives and moves in his people encouraging them to do His will.

Before my experience, I thought it was more valuable to be the one serving. But now I understand more fully that neither serving or receiving is more valuable, because both are His will. We give for the glory of God, and we are put in need and receive that God may be glorified, His works seen and shared among us.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2010-04-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

After four days of fever hovering just below 103 Lil Bit awoke today looking like this.

Snotty nose and crazy hair aside, that budding smile was a welcome change. She was a MISERABLE sick child.

Mimi and Papa had come to visit to help out with the track meet. Which went well, but didn't make as much money as we had hoped, but anyway then we went out to the ball game!! The local Carolina League team built a new stadium right around the corner from our house. So off we went..

It was awesome!! I don't know if it's every minor league team or what but they were showering us with gifts!

We saw a home run! Miss H got to sing on the microphone for Take me Out to the Ball Game! Little Daddy and I were on the Jumbotron and both Cubby and Little Daddy got to take home a ball. At the end of the game, they let the kids run around the bases.. it was aweseome!

So #24 Seth Lomar You should be expecting some fan mail, because Cubby is your new number one fan.

Gotta Love a local team..

Then we went for pizza and ice cream!

Best day yet..

They're gonna put you in the movies..

2010-04-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

Love Bark, George? Us too.

Hollywood here we come.

Psst if anybody knows how to make the movie as crystal clear as my HD recorder recorded it, please let me know.. I"m not as techno savvy as I used to be.

a very good man

2010-04-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

It is Cubby's day to clean the hall bath. I should have taken a before picture, because one of the shorter members of our family opened 19,273 band aids of various shapes and sizes and left the bits of wrappers strewn all about. There were 79 toothbrushes, flossers and toothpaste spots covering the sink and a toliet paper dispersal to rival the quad of our alma mater.

He got right to work. He worked so industriously and independently that I actually forgot he was in there. And when I remembered, I found him in the kitchen playing with the garbage can. As I have committed myself to asking questions this week, instead of assuming.. I asked calmly.. "What are you doing?"

Well, he said tipping his head to the side and gesturing with his hand. I needed to empty this bathroom trash, but this kitchen trash was all full so I had to..." He continued, but the bottom line was this... After replacing the empty tissue roll with a full one (miracle number 1) he then went to put the empty in the trash (miracle #2) realizing the can was full he went to empty it (#3) found the kitchen receptacle full emptied it and combined the two (#4) then I kid you not put a new bag in the emptied kitchen trash can (#5). He then asked if he could go outside and work in the yard (#6).

Parental Slip

2010-04-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

so at the Costco today
Cubby says,
Hey they have those swimsuits out again, I already have a great swim suit, and swim shirt. But I do not have one of those swim hats. Hey can I get one of those swim hats?

"No because swim hats are for dorks" --- I know, I am a terrible mother. But seriously, growing up next to the ocean, swim hats just aren't in my picture. I already have stretched my limits of "cool" to include swim shirts, which was a stretch lemme tell you.

"What are dorks?"--- oh crap now I'm in trouble, and here is why I love love love The Mr.
"People who wear swim hats."

I know.. he's the best.

2010-04-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

On Thursday we had a little bit of trouble getting out the door, and so I missed the Body Flow Class I usually take at the Y. That's okay.. there was a Yoga class starting up right as we walked in.

Let me preface this little story by explaining.. I don't think I am a Yoga person. I am not flexible, my muscles (what little is left of them) do not "relax" as I breathe, I do not enjoy being still, and when uncomfortable I do not like to focus on the discomfort and breathe it away, generally I stop said discomfort by sitting on my big old buns. Hence, the lingering presence of big old buns in my life, I'm just not really a "fighter" anymore.

Anyways... I am setting up my little green mat and preparing my mind for an ENTIRE HOUR of STILLNESS, as the instructor sets up little LED tea lights throughout the room while patiently explaining how these make great focus objects and as we relax into the poses we can move this light into our bodies. I tried to only roll my inner eyes, because I really don't go for this sort of mumbo jumbo.

It went about as I expected, we were doing the seated forward folding which always gives me painful flashbacks to the sit-n-reach we had to do in middleschool. When I caught sight of her. This 60 something woman whose head was on her knees while her arms extended past her TOES!! I know she was a veritable pretzel.. and then I really looked at her and she had a workout ensemble...

Don't misread me here I do not mean outfit. I certainly don't mean the ratty t-shirt and tights from college that I squoze into sported. I use this phrase ensemble to indicate that EVERY aspect of her workout couture was color coordinated, including, I exxagerrate not, her JEWLERY!! She was sporting some sort of beady sparkly necklace and matching dangling earrings and BRACELETS.

Seriously people!!! so If I was unable to focus previously because of my not so great at yoga problem, I certainly was struggling after seeing the ever rare vintage Yoga Barbie pretzling her brittle extremities into shapes unknown.

I just kept wondering, how does she hold her arms up with all those bracelets? When we were upside down in Gorilla I kept listening for a little chortle indicating her chunky sparkle necklace had become lodged in her windpipe and she would now need me to heimlich it out.

I am certainly not a glamour girl, I am pretty clearly a jeans and t-shirt girl, but Yoga Grannie Barbie got me thinking, would I enjoy this process of whittling my self into some semblance of my former self if I were color coordinated and properly accessorized? Well I couldn't contemplate it any further because when I strained my own aging body into happy baby Yoga Grannie Barbie cut a big old toot!!! Apparently she relaxed a little to far into it. So then I had to work on not erupting into giggles.

I was dying to ask her if her workout ensemble was resistance training, or some sort of super saturday sale dash training, or if after her shower she would switch to another whole set of accessories that would coordinate with her leaving the Y ensemble. Did all that fashion planning make her feel pretty when she was working out? I do not feel pretty when I work out, I feel pained, weak, and very sweaty. Not pretty. Maybe I need some earrings.

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-04-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

Because it's Tuesday
Because the workmen "fixed" the water problem
Because the sun shined today and the pollen tide ebbs
Because Cubby sang his heart out at choir practice today
Because we got tuition assistance for Redeemer.
Because Little Daddy used his muscle buns to give Little Bit a good push on the swing
Because I didn't raise my voice until 5:45 today
Because I did triangle pose on both sides today
Because this view has been a mother's pride for more than 60 years

Because God is great and He loves.

Some Interesting Developments..

2010-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

The Mr. turned 34.. I know can you even believe it?! Unfortunately his birthday occurred amidst one of the most hectic weeks we've had to date! Yikes.. so his cake was sadly store bought. But delicious nontheless.

The kids have been working on jumprope tricks. We've been having a lot of fun with a big jump rope, but they don't quite have the hang of turning their own yet. Here we are doing some fancy tricks. As a side note.. we have also been enjoying some other playground games. Mostly clapping games. I was hoping to introduce them to chinese jump rope, which I used to love love love, but I couldn't find one around here anywhere.

We had our first family power outage on Thunderstorm Thursday. It was a fairly violent storm, and The Mr. insisted we go down to the basement (which had been partially dismantled in preparation for the waterproofing). We drug a few things out and had a blast for two hours by candlelight. Miss H practiced her "Old MacDonald Had a farm" on the piano read some funny poems from, Where the Sidewalk Ends, had a candlelit picnic.. and cuddled. Here's a little pic I took via self timer.. I know you can hardly even tell the power was out because the flash is SO SO SO awesome!! On Friday Cubby said, "Hey can we just pretend the power is out and go down and have fun together again?"

We are geting the basement waterproofed, and so the paneling had to come down. I had some excellent workmen here to do it and haul it all away. Look at what we found behind the last panel!!

Isn't that adorable!! I know, I am totally going to put our kids prints below it. I have said many times how much I have loved living in a house where I knew a little bit of the history, but these little handprints were a great reminder of how families have more in common than we think. 46 years!! It's just amazing to think of a family doing all the same things we do within this very set of walls. Here's hoping the waterproofing holds another 40 or so years!!

Finally, Little Bit (who is now 18 months old!!) can put on her own pants. Evidence below. I just couldn't bear to pull them off and turn them around when she was so proud of herself.

I am compelled to make a list of all the words she can say, our trip to zoo really expanded her vocabulary, and she has started making some two and three word sentences. She is still a little bit of a bully, but I am hopeful she will outgrow that. She will right?

Easter Pics

2010-04-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

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Don't forget to read the next one too!!!
Much love to you all on this Easter Sunday!!

He is not here.. He has risen just as he said.

2010-04-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day we have had! A fabulous Resurrection Sunday. It has been an wonderful mix of great weather, encompassing love and great joy and thankfulness.

I know some of you are counting on pics, and here are some... and more to follow soon, I just want to spend some time enjoying this day.

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A Stitch in Time...

2010-04-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

Saves nine.. or ten button holes.

A first I tell you, that the Easter dresses are done before Easter.
Here is the back...

Can you see those five perfect little buttonholes going down the back behind those mother of pearl buttons. No? Oh well let me assure you they are PERFECT. Miss Martha of Knit One Smock Too, put them there for me, perfectly aligned and sized and in less time than it took me to mark them I tell you. I LOVE LOVE LOVE her. (So does Miss H!)
So it is a very very good Good Friday, and I can't possibly put into words how great it feels to be preparing to celebrate Resurrection Sunday with new handmade dresses on my lovely daughters. I enjoy sewing for people, because it is such a wonderful way to pray for them, while you are working. When I work with needle and thread I feel as if I am stitching my heart and faith up right in there with the fabric, and I love when these things are worn by those that I love. Last year with it's complete dirth of handmade items because of my back was tough for me. Easter Sunday with it's parade of Strasburg outfits on my completed family was a difficult to stomach..it's not the look, it's the love.

I love it even more when Miss Martha does the button holes.
Can't wait to see them paired with the bracelets I purchased from a very young entrepeneur via etsy.

(Also just wait till you hear about that we took the kids to the Zoo.)

prayers please

2010-03-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

We pray to the Lord, Lord hear our prayers..

I am supposed to be downstairs sanitizing the basement AGAIN because last night's torrential downpour flooded us one end to the other. Literally utility room to garage door.

I am grateful for the minor miracle that I did not start the pump before heading up to bed, because the floor drain was clogged, and no water that seeped in the utility room last night went down, but at least the water from the crawl space wasn't piled up on top of it.

My laundry room and bathroom wood floors are RUINED. When you step in there it goes squish splash squish splash, and the wood is black from underneath.

It makes me cry a little.
I am trying to remember that these are just things, this is just a house.. that these are not the Eternal Things for which I should labor, but it is hard to hold that thought amongst this muck.

I was just celebrating one year of being able to walk upright... an anniversary that I am glad comes at this time of Easter and Passover. Praising God at how that infirmity taught me so much about how to trust people, and let them love me. And now of course I am wondering what exactly He has in mind with this little test that is going to stretch me again.. (um well beyond my current limits I think).

What I want to be doing finishing Easter dresses. Wouldn't it be nice if one year I finished them not on Easter morning? Of course each dress has 6 button holes. So, that won't be stressful or anything.

What I am doing is whining and complaining and procrastinating, and considering buying lottery tickets.

prayers please.

Oh no she didn't..

2010-03-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

I am recording this here for posterity and hilarity.

I take the kids swimming at the Y on Fridays, because I'm just a real go getter...

Following the swim I shower all the kids at the Y, and I irresponsibly let them stay in there as long as they want, while searing hot water and gallons of soap run down the drain. Then while I shower I let them dress themselves and blow dry their own hair, which they seem to think is FABULOUS.. even Little Daddy loves this luxuriousness. Oh yes, I let them brush their teeth there too.

Anyways.. it was admidst all this mayhem fun, that my vanity was once again bruised..

I rush out of the shower and am trying to slide into my bra and panties while still remaining coccooned in my towel a la middle school, when AAACKK my towel untwists itself and falls around my damp ankles.

"Uh Mom you're nudey" says Miss H with an undertone of disdain disapproval.
"Yeah, I'm trying to get dressed hurry quick" I answer kinda huffy because the YMCA locker room does give me mild flashbacks to middle school.

"Okay, I'm just going to try not to laugh."

What?!! Aren't I still supposed to be the most beautiful woman they've ever seen? I thought I had at least five more years before I would be cowering in shame at the state of my body.
and let me just take a minute to remind you little missy, that I didn't always look like this!!!

Seriously, I did proceed to ask her exactly what she would laugh about (I know playing with fire.. not a good idea right?)

"Oh well mom, it's just that sometimes when I see uhhh" (Big pause here and also some blushing) whispers.. "boobies... I laugh."

Well, I don't know if that made me feel better or worse. (Where exactly is she seeing boobies? Where did she hear the word boobies? Why does she think breasts are funny?)

Here Comes the SUN!

2010-03-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

Finally!!

I feel slightly crunchy from it, but there was no way I was blocking any of the sun's rays today. This has been an endless winter.

I'm thinking spring is just around the corner!

The Luck O the Irish

2010-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

So I saw months ago on Fly Through Our Window the cutest little stamped onesies, and since I am not so secretly dying to own a YuDu I thought I would give it a go for St. Patty's day.. In typical Summer style... I bought all the craft supplies, but stalled out at buying shirts because the cheapest places to get them are Wal-mart.. which I almost never go to, or Target.. which I totally avoid like the plague because I am a complete sucker for all their marketing ploys. .

Anyways.. at 11:00 pm last night, I crept into the kids closets while they slept to find some shirt to make ST. P's because there was no way I was traipsing out to Wally World at that hour.

I used these awesome clear acrylic stamps that I found for $1 a set at AC Moore, and just double stick taped them to some building blocks because I don't have any of their fancy acrylic blocks. I quick ironed the freezer paper on the inside of the shirts to keep the paint from going through.

I used a sponge brush to paint the So Soft fabric paint on the stamp and stamped away. I was in bed before midnight! So this totally beats the buns off Valentine's Day with it's buttonhole drama in the easy department.

I think they are pretty durn cute.. but it probably helps that I think the kids are cute to start with!

Pizza Palace

2010-03-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Gotta love having those aprons! They are getting quite a workout!

We made our own pizza, dough and all (The Mr. made the dough late Friday night since the meet got cancelled) and it got really fun when he demonstrated how to toss it like a professional!!

All the kids tried it.

I wouldn't recommend letting Lil Bit toss yours, because while she tosses quite well, she can't catch at all.

Served them up with Creamsicle floats...

YUM!

On a side note... Blogger says Bad Request everytime I try to upload pics.(Hence the few number of pics!) Frustrating!!

projects

2010-03-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

So I was let in on a decorating secret by Katherine about Leisure Fabrics and was finally able to go. I got a ton of fabric and did a little makeover on our living room. Did I ever tell you we've been living here for five years with no curtains? So we took some advice from a couple of friends and their mothers and came up with this.

I love love love having a cushion along the whole hearth! We were tempted to make a cushion behind it (inside the fireplace) so the kids could use it as a reading nook, but we decided letting them play in the fireplace was a little weird. We do plan to get a screen to go in front that will mount on the brick, but haven't found anything big enough yet. It does feel a little bit more "homey". Now of course the dining room and office need more work.

Superman Prayer

2010-03-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

We have been rolling our blessing block faithfully, and I have been delighted with the prayers the children have come up with.

Today at lunch, in superman style..

Thank you God For giving us Love (Mommy)

Thank you God for giving us Creation (Cubby)

Thank you God for giving us Family (Miss H)

Thank you God for giving us Food (Little Daddy)

Thank you God for giving us Friends (Mommy)

Thank you God for giving us Fun (Cubby)

Thank you God for giving us Christ (Miss H)

Thank you God for giving us Food (Little Daddy)

In Jesus' name..

Amen

One Year Ago

2010-03-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

It has come, and like so many other sadly anticipated days it snuck up.

Has it really been a year?

There have been whispers over this year, her breath on my heart, her gurgling laugh in my ear, a sudden golden butterfly alighting in my sight. Purple crocus emerging after a never ending winter. Reminders of a love that wanted happiness and comfort for those around her.

I was guilty at her birthday of crying quietly, still wracked with guilt that Lil Bit would celebrate a birthday three days prior, never having held the hand that had so frequently held mine as a child.

I am guilty still of having a heavy heart when I plait up Miss H's long blonde hair, wondering how many perfect plaits does it take for this act to become a celebration of Gramma's love, and no longer a twang of guilt for me to remember I wasn't there at the end.

It has been a year of firsts for Little Bit, but also a sad division of life between having her and not.

Gramma was formidable, stern, but also fiercely protective and loving of her family. She had a quirky sense of humor, an unmistakable laugh and a hope, always a hope.

I still call it Gramma's house, it's been a year and I have not been back to California, and somewhere in my heart I know that when I do I will feel this loss anew.

We grieve differently as christians, having the hope of resurrection, but still we grieve, for the undone, unsaid, unremembered, unshared, unsavored. The unending conviction that not enough was done with what was given.

Like most of my childhood I recall mostly the times I fell short. I remember Gramma rebuking me as I climbed into the back seat of her car to be whisked away for a weekend rescue, "Summer, you really could do more to help your mother." I was 11. The disappointment, and quiet, not angry tone, brought me to silent tears, if she saw me in the rearview, she didn't comment.

I remember one summer trip we took to Gramma's house, I was supposed to sleep with her in her bed, and I chickened out at the door and crept to the very outside edge of my aunt's bed. I still can't tell you (I couldn't have been more than 5!) what it was that was so intimidating.

I don't want to bother you she would say at the beginning of our phone calls, since our visits had become so few with all of america between us...

It's no bother Gramma, I was just going to call you! (Literally, my hand had been on the phone)

"Kiss the babies" for me she would say at the end.

I will Gramma.

I will Gramma, I promise.

He changed his mind..

2010-03-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

We went to Costco like we do every Sunday after church. and he just dropped it into the cart. I couldn't even believe it. Let's just get it he said, I am tired of walking past it every week.

Cubby was ecstatic....

I was elated (and a little guilty, because we all know the waterproofing is now up to $18,000)

I wonder if the tipping point was learning the sewing machine I dream of is $4500

Sometimes The Mr. is a little lax with the budget.. but I think this time.. I'm not going to argue.

Last Night

2010-03-07T12:19:00.001-08:00

Last night, we all put on our aprons that the kids stitched up using this tutorial and made a spaghetti feast.

You can see here that Little Daddy was insistent that The Mr.'s apron match his. (so insistent that I had to return to the store!!)

Here is little bit being very "helpful"

It was fun, it was delicious, it was just another little night of family fun. Next Saturday.. Pizza!!

Tooth Fairy

2010-03-04T05:21:00.000-08:00

She didn't want to give the tooth to the Tooth Fairy immediately which I thought was odd. She wanted a "proper" tooth fairy pillow, so we did some research. Which means she sat on my lap while I imaged searched "tooth fairy pillow". She fell in love with this one here. So cute, and so easy easy easy. Of course when we went to get the little door hanger plaque to make one similar, ACMoore had a million other cute things to turn into tooth holders. She opted for the little box, which we decoupaged, and she sewed a cushion to fit inside. I also found some adorable little baskets to hang on the doors that I hope I can convince the boys to use (should their teeth ever fall out). Right before bed she went to write a note (which you can see in the picture). She said to The Mr. "Dad, where are the scissors, I need to write a teeny tiny note." Of course he asked why the note needed to be teeny tiny, to which she responded, "Because the tooth fairy is teeny tiny".

You probably can't make out the note.. because it is so teeny tiny. "Hi Tooth fairy cAn yuo give me a box of gum" . So of course the Tooth Fairy's husband rushed right out and got some, because even though there was no punctuation, and a missspelled sight word... the message was pretty clear.

I don't know if you were aware that there are a whole host of tooth fairies and that they are assigned to different families. The kids were pretty worried we might get a stingy one, or one who left nothing at all. Well, our tooth fairy leaves special coins, gum, and golden glitter footprints. I thought maybe the tooth fairy would leave a little note about taking good care of your teeth and not knocking them into trees and train tables, but The Mr. said, "No probably not."

So I was wondering, if I went to the dentist to get my erupting (and painful) wisdom teeth pulled and left them, would I get the dslr camera I've been dreaming of? The Mr. said, "Probably not."

amazing feats

2010-03-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

The boys doorway now has a Chin-up Bar affixed, (which I have only smacked my head on once) and all the kids, even Little Bit have been working on their upper body strength. Here's Little Daddy...

(Well maybe not really, But Miss H knocked out two in a row! Amazing!!)

Can you believe this??

This is Cubby signing the AVP (Audio/Visual Policy) For Kindergarten. We have tossed our hats into the ring so to speak... we find out what our school assignment is in a few weeks.

Amazing feat here as well... Miss H helped me on Sunday afternoon to cook dinner, and while we were chopping stuff for the stir-fry that night we managed to prepare dinner and side dishes and a few lunches for the entire week. That's right!! In under two hours we made dinners for a whole week.

Also did you notice something missing?

Yep... it's gone. Unfortunately there is no new tooth on it's way just yet. She just might be the cutests little snaggletooth I ever saw.

Do you see this sunday hair? Yes, I know!! Amazing!!!

Finally, look at this picture of both subjects looking at camera!! AMAZING!!

oh wait.. I meant here..

(Well close enough!)

Miss H and Lil Bit are sporting new looks that Mimi Viv and Auntie Winter sent through the mail, now if someone could send a box containing things for the boys perhaps I would have an amazing feat about lack of whining!

We have also started soccer and Field Hockey, and the older kids have a performance coming up in church. Woo hoo. It is an amazing life.

Sick Bay

2010-02-26T12:31:00.001-08:00

There are some weeks that fly by because we are so busy, everything runs smoothly and there are other weeks in which the drudgery of parenthood seems to stall time. This was a week of the latter. TGIF, friends, because I literally thought this day may not come.

The kids were all sick this week, off and on, in shifts of course but the combination of quarantine and LAUNDRY that results from 4 kids having the throw-ups well, lets just say hope springs eternal, but it doesn't make time go any FASTER.

I have learned some important things this week...

1. You know you are a mother when even a child vomiting all over the dinner table does not deter you from finishing the steak dinner that blew the grocery budget.

2. When you have multiple children and 2 of them have thrown up you start looking at the others like little ticking puke bombs.

3. Children do actually tire of you asking, "Are you going to throw up?"

4. Our children do not tire of telling me about their diarrhea (aka waterpoop), their need for popsicles, or their desire to just lay around and watch "pongebob"

5. A child who is given a popsicle to recover from throwing up will claim their belly hurts so often you will need antacids.

6. Your husband, who can usually be counted upon to handle creepy crawlies, snakes and the like, is not be a reliable helper in the vomit department; and even though the puddle of undigested bits are blocking his path to his clothes and bed, he will look at you pathetically and tell you "I can't."

7. There are apparently two kinds of children, the as seen on TV kind who lay lethargic and weak because of vomiting, and the kind who run around on high speed leaving general destruction, puke, and then continue on full blast. We have the latter.

8. Issuing puke buckets to every child and demonstrating their proper use and storage, means you will have to wash every item you own, and THE CAR. -- I mean every item except the buckets.

9. Little Daddy does not understand (or perhaps does not want to??) the feeling that indicates imminent vomit, and so he will actually call you to him, look at you, and VOMIT.

10. Probably my cardio workouts will be even easier this week since my heartrate has been elevated from the stress of possible spewage all week.

Finally, It was (parts of it anyways) nice to have some time to just be all together and not do much or go anywhere (I mean except for the puke).

Yee--HAW

2010-02-22T18:08:00.001-08:00

I'm talking actual square dancing, people. With a caller and a big circle and traveling couples, and a promenade the whole SHE-bang. I loved it! The kids loved it! Even The Mr. admitted to a feeling not unlike love about the experience.

So of course the kids enjoyed picking out some cowboy outfits, and we were lucky enough to have a friend with some great items. A quick trip to the Goodwill outfitted me and Cubby got some boots.

By the way, those of you not familiar with Goodwill shopping might want to get aquainted. We found a slew of gymboree shirts for Miss H at $2 each, tap shoes and cowboy boots for dress up for $2.50 . I also scored on piano instruction books at 50 CENTS a piece. (I found 14!! of the speciality books that retail for 6 dollars each, so I now have just about no excuse for not practicing very much anymore.)

The point of the chili dinner and square dancing of course was fellowship with church members and I have to say, objective met! So much fun, and so many faces!!

(you gotta love those little ponies!!)

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

A fun time was had by all, although we did reap the "rewards" of feeding the kids doughnuts for breakfast in that they were all hopped up, all morning!!

The Mr. revealed his great surprise which was this Valentine's Bouquet of decoupaged hearts and letters suspended in an etched glass vase filled with Dark Chocolate. I know... he's amazing.

As one good turn deserves another, I treated Him to breakfast in bed.

We ate....

and Churched

and now we are all resting up for our square dancing Chili date....

Valentine's Day Preparations, and Hello Kitty to the Rescue

2010-02-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

We made some really great Valentine's this year.

We started as we usually do with these things...

We melted and mixed...

We shaped and dipped...

We sprinkled...

We celebrated...

We taste-tested.

The test was a success... we ate them all up, well we may have given away four.

In other news... Hello Kitty to the rescue.

I was able to use Miss H's machine, to put the aforementioned horrendous buttonhole issue to rest. Of course this was after two more hours trying with the Elna. (Which I have inappropriately been calling the HELL-na behind it's back because it has created the illusion of simplicity with the reality of time-sucking complexity.) The ironic part of the whole situation is after spending countless hours mastering the button holes so they would be absolutely perfect (which they aren't but they are as close as Hello Kitty could muster), I had Miss H try the skirt on, and the itty bitty little thing put it on without UNBUTTONING IT!!! Hmm if only I had realized that days ago. Although, honestly I thought it nearly impossible, as I had cut it out to have a 3T size waist... she slid it right over her teeny buns without even blinking.

I'm excited to see the girls Kit included outfitted up tomorrow. I am also excited to see what The Mr. spent all morning working on with the kids in the basement... Also.. did I mention we are going square dancing tomorrow.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!