What's Cooking

I made these kale chips.  Justin loved them.  The kids hated them.  Such is life!

I also made strawberry preserves.  They are very good! Even if the recipe says it is jam...I'm not sure the technical difference, but we always called this preserves...

Friday Funny

Nate, as Justin's driving: I want you to drive so fast the engine explodes, and we can walk home!

Nate, after hearing the girls ask a few riddles: What has a neck and no eyes?  A clock!

Mom's Night Out

I don't get out much without the little people, so it has to be something good to get me out in the evenings.

A group of mom's from our playgroup got together last night though.  I skipped the dinner, but joined them for the movie Mom's Night Out.  I've heard that the critics panned it.  Oh well, I often disagree with the critics, so maybe that's why I liked it.

It was funny and so many of the facets of the lead character's life were so relatable...mama, blogger, home schooler.  It was a lot of fun.  It was also one that I can show my kids some day--there was no husband bashing and no disrespect of the children.  In the end everyone rises to the challenges put before them.  It was a joy to watch.  Oh, and if you go, stay through the credits--there were some snippets at the end.

 



*I wasn't compensated to review the movie and purchased my own ticket.  I just wanted to pass it on to others who might enjoy a good laugh!

Friday Funny

We had the girls' cast picnic to follow up from their play yesterday.  We've had rain, rain, and more rain.  So much so that the kids were actually praying in the back seat that it would stop by the time we got there.  God was gracious enough to answer their prayers, but there was still plenty of mud.  When we gathered up to go home, I placed the two children with the muddiest backsides in the back seat, so I could spread out the one quilt I brought with us over their seats.

Nate: "I did play not in that rear-end dirt." [sic]

Me: "Really?" trying not to laugh

Nate: "Yeah.  I call it rear-end dirt 'cause they kept landing on it with their rear-ends [as they fell off the merry-go-round]."

Me: "Okay then."

Play Time

The girls were so lucky to get to be in a production of Beauty & the Beast with other local home schoolers (They were kindergarteners to 12th grade--the fellow playing the Beast actually left the final production just in time to head off to his graduation!).  It was fun for them as they practiced, and they did a great job performing.  It was particularly fitting for this to be their first show, since I took them to see it, as their first show four years ago!

 

My gals were town children and enchanted napkins, so no large parts to study for.  It was a fun introduction to musical theater.

waving to cars at Chick-Fil-a on a publicity night, in costume, left to right (R, Gabby, and Kate)

 

leaving stage together, Gabby to the left and Kate is the third napkin from the right

We drove a ways for practices, so Nate, Ellie, and I spent some time in a different part of town.  We often grocery shopped, when the weather was cool enough to not spoil our food; we frequented a Starbucks; we visited a lake; and we spent time chatting in the van while we waited.

I thought Nate was a really good sport, all things told.  He often wanted to stay home and play, when we were running off to rehearsal.  Thankfully he tended to cheer up once we got out of the house.  I showered him with plenty of praise for his goodwill towards the girls and the occasional cookie with Mama's coffee didn't hurt.

He was so excited for them to do the production and he was so proud of them too.

 

Even Ellie was impressed (here with my Daddy & Mama).

 Our little brood with Lumiere, the Beast/Prince, and Belle

The girls were so sad to see the play end, but they have great memories, and perhaps we'll join the cast again next year for a different show.

Nate's Half Birthday

1. What is your favorite color? orange
2. What is your favorite toy? police garage
3. What is your favorite fruit? apples
4. What is your favorite tv show? Ninjago
5. What is your favorite movie? Three Musketeers
6. What is your favorite thing to wear? rock 'n roll pajamas
7. What is your favorite animal? giraffes
8. What is your favorite song? heavy metal
9. What is your favorite book? Busy Day, Busy People
10. Who is your best friend? James & Cy (friends from Sunday School)
11. What is your favorite snack? Cheez-its
12. What is your favorite drink? soda
13. What is your favorite breakfast? toast & bacon & eggs
14. What is your favorite lunch? peanut butter sandwich, and corn, and broccoli
15. What is your favorite dinner? fried drum sticks, broccoli, mashed potatoes
16. What is your favorite game? Candy Land
17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? imagine Harry Potter
18. What is your favorite holiday?  Easter
19. What do you sleep with at night? bear, tag blanket, and my monkey
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a digger man, a fireman, an artist, a dad, and an owner of animals

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, my love!

It's been a few years since we celebrated your 21st birthday together during finals week...the first of many.  I am so grateful for you!  Thank you for your provision for us, you love, your care, and your companionship.

Love,

Mother's Day...

Over the years this has been many different things for me.  It is always a day to remember my mother, of course.  Her virtues and triumphs.  I laughed over a greeting card I saw this past week.  It said something to the effect of, "You made me who I am...so you can take the blame or the compliment."  It isn't the one I purchased, but I laughed enough the children asked me to read it to them.

There were several years after we were married, but my arms were empty, that I hated Mother's Day.  It actually was so hard we didn't attend church one of those Sunday's because the, "Would all the mothers, please stand?" and the pink carnations that were handed out (whether I was skipped over for not having children or given one by mistake) just stung too much.

Then we had the littles.  Motherhood is not exactly what I had pictured in my mind.  Is anyone's dream of the future ever quite what they had envisioned?

There is a little less singing and a little more bickering than I had in my head.  But there is such a depth that I couldn't have dreamed up.  The way that the children light up at each other.  The true joy in seeing each other succeed.  The way they make each other more...  I see their qualities intensified through their relationships with one another.

I am so very grateful that I get to wear the title Mama.  And I'm thankful for my Mama who first showed me how to do the greatest job of them all.

 My Mama & Me (1980)

Happy Mother's Day!

Spring Time

Our days are busy with wrapping up school books; practice, practice, practice; and living life.  On Friday though, the big girlies had a long practice, so we dropped them off and actually came all the way back home.  Nate, Ellie, and I threw a frisbee in the back yard (Okay, Nate and I threw a frisbee while I carried the baby on my hip) until I managed to get it stuck in the honeysuckle growing amongst the trees.  The baby got to slide down our little slide, which she fussed for every time I caught her and swooped her up to the sky.  It was a beautiful day.  It is a beautiful memory.

Our garden is going in bit by bit.  Our strawberries are a mix of blooms and green berries, and our tomato plants are in the ground and have cages and stakes at the ready.  We have nice neat hills ready for our squash, zucchini, cucumbers, kale, and whatever else Justin has picked out this year.

My rose bush is starting to bloom and the elderberry bush has taken off enough that we might actually get berries from it this year.  I made a little herb garden indoors to start it early before the threat of frost was past.  I took it out to get more direct sun, but when I went to fetch it something had taken the dill plant, roots and all.  I suppose we'll have to try to plant this one over again!  Our garden seems to have several predators--between rabbits, birds, and perhaps some racoons (though we haven't had trouble with them lately)--so hopefully we can grow enough for all of us this year!

Friday Funny

Nate: I want those ninjas.

Me: Well, Daddy took them, so we'll have to chat with him about it.

Nate: I think you should chat with him because he's more likely to say yes to you.