Home Sweet Home

I'm back! And have so many random tidbits to share. We had a great time. Lake Tahoe was beautiful. Just beautiful. Truly the perfect summer spot. We swam in the lake and went hiking. My husband took the older kids river rafting and to Six Flags. I got my day in San Francisco (and saw a bear on the way home *shudder*), where my only goal (and just about the only thing we Bart novices accomplished) was to eat some gnocchi at E'Angelo's (hands down THE BEST Italian restaurant in the country, by the way). I also made my husband stop in Reno on the way home so that I could stock up on good travellin' eats at Trader Joe's (I've never been). It was all just perfection! (And sorry for so many parentheses.)

I learned that 3 days in the car with 4 children will either make or break you. It was tough. I mean, TOUGH. But I managed to make note of some funny things my kids said. And I have to share those, of course. Because if you can't laugh in hindsight at your unruly charming children, the population would be fast dwindling.

Day 1: Jonah keeps saying "This is the best day of my life!" (I should have asked him to remember that for days 2 and 3)

Day 1: While reading "Is there really a human race?", there came a part where mid sentence there was a page turn. Jonah just could not resist finishing it himself and made us all laugh right out loud: "If we don't help each other, we're going to..." (page turn) "JAIL!". Lol. (The word was actually "crash", and it's a cute book by the way, if you're searching.)

Day 2: We're using a restroom at a gas station and I (of course) ended up with both of the older children in my stall. My 5 year old is extremely impulsive and it didn't take him long to fidget the door open to innocent bystanders while I was still, er, "going". To add insult to injury, he says out loud, "Mom, you're STILL pooping?!" Ugh.

Day 2: The DVD they were all watching began to skip and Jonah throws up his hands and says, "That's it!"

Day 3: Jonah (this kid is full of funnies) was getting very restless, and we still had a few hours to go. Every hotel we passed he told us, "We could stay there! Oh oh, we could stay there!" So, in trying to redirect him, I said "Jonah, look at the beautiful clouds!" To which he sourly replied, "They're horrible!"

Day 3: Adriana, giving her father a sideways glance, says to me "Mom, I've got to talk to you in private. Can we have hot chocolate tonight?" (I admit it, I am "the fun parent".)

And I remembered my camera! (But we forgot the stroller. Sigh.)

My muddy buddies


Grandpop says something funny


Being silly with Aunt Emily


The most photogenic cousin


And again


This one's for Morning Glory


Feeling triumphant


Anyone know what these are? Wild geese?


Drewby sneezing (lol)


And discovering stars


The oldest and the youngest


Could they be cuter?


Beach babe


Fun in the sun


Lots of cousins

As much as I enjoyed my time away, it is good to be home. I'll be slowly making my way around to your blogs. Still getting my land legs back. ;)

"I need a vacation" pie

If you've seen the cute little movie Waitress, you get it. What do you think should go in my "I need a vacation" pie? Chocolate? Definitely.

Let's see. Preparation for this family reunion has required:

-portable menu planning (there will be 2.5 days of road travel, so we can't eat anything that is too crumbly, not self contained, or causes constipation)
-a collection of busy, formerly unknown activities
-the laundering of every item of clothing that we own, should anything need to be added to the suitcases at the last minute
-cleanage of the house (I always ask myself why on this one, but who wants their neighbors to think they're pigs? And who wants to walk in the door and be greeted with normal, everyday life so suddenly? No, I want to come home and be fooled into thinking I am happy to be back.)
-the gathering of buckets, towels and an emergency change of clothing for all (in case we have to endure another puke fest)

Our only cost for this little vacation will be:

-a new jar of marjoram (which Drew dumped all over my kitchen this morning while I was on the phone cancelling some appointments)
-5 lbs., at least
-several hours of sleep, as the day usally ends later and beginds earlier when you are travelling
-lots of patience (did I say we will be driving for 2.5 days? THERE AND BACK)
-10 days of blogging
-oh, and about $3,000.00

We will gain:

-funny memories (this year we actually have a stupid human trick to offer in the family talent show)
-a favorable tan
-some great pictures, if I remember my dadgum camera
-some semblance of a "break" (at least, that is what I am told)

Hmmm. Perhaps I will also need an "I need a vacation from my vacation" pie.


P.S. Woman to Woman will not be happening on July 24th. We will resume on August 14th.

Hot bread!

Today my kids and I are making bread for our neighbors. We'll be going on vacation later this week and are having them watch after Isabella (our kitty) and my flowers. Just thought we'd share this easy recipe with you!

We're still in the rising stage...

Combine:

2 c warm water
1/4 c sugar
2-3 T yeast (more in higher altitude)
1 T molasses or honey
2 T - 1/4 c oil
1 T salt (scanty)
1/2 c powdered milk
6 or more c flour

Knead 100 times (this is where the kids come in handy, lol!). Place dough in greased covered bowl in a warm place. Let rise to twice original size. Punch down. Let rise again. Punch down and form 2 loaves. Place loaves in 2 greased bread pans. Let rise. Bake at 425 for 30 mintues. Place foil over top after 10 minutes for a softer crust. Butter tops when done!

Enjoy!

It must be July

We are mid summer and the heat and hum drum is finally getting to us. To fight summer boredom, here are a few suggestions.

1) Have a planned activity every day. It does not need to be a load-up-the-car-and-go-spend-a-small-fortune kind of activity. In our house, for instance, we have the same schedule every week:

- On Mondays we cook/bake something. This week it was sugar cookies with M&Ms in them.

-On Tuesdays, we do something outdoors. Last week, for example, I took the kids to the garden center and let them pick out some flowers to plant. They helped me weed, dig the holes, and clean up, and they had a blast.

-On Wednesdays, we have a learning day. Every week is different - one week my little boys were dying to look up information on trains on the internet, another week my daughter reviewed her times table.

-Thursdays are library day. Since our trips are rather short (the kids always seem to know ahead of time what books/subjects they want to check out) I get take out for lunch on the way home. After we eat, we sit down with our pile of books. I always check out 3 or 4 of my own children's books from the library that I am dying to read to the kids. This week those titles included: HUG (a picture book for Sasha) by Jez Alborough, Is There Really a Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell, and Ruby Sings the Blues by Niki Daly.

-Fridays are the day we set aside for our creative outlets... play dough, painting, and arts and crafts. At the beginning of the summer, my kids and I made a "Mommy and Me Mix" which you are listening to. They designed a cover for the CD at this site.

I see a real benefit to having something for my kids to look forward to and count on EVERY DAY. One of the perks is that they are more likely to leave me alone to accomplish what I need to do. That may be laundry, or that may be blogging. ;)

2) Help transitions go smoothly by creating a schedule board for your kids. I have two - the top is for my daughter, who can read (although I keep notes on it for myself from time to time - such as dinner ideas). The bottom is for my boys, and was made using boardmaker.

To further help the boys understand the order of things, I have the board low enough for them to reach, and they take each item of the list as it is completed, and put it away in a box. If you are out and about and could use this sort of thing as you go from one place to the next, the pictures can be kept on a key ring.

3) Let your children help out. Usually they want to (and usually when you DON'T want them to, lol). Figure out a way for them to feel useful. Even consider rewarding them (my kids love quarters!) My 2 year old loves to put wet clothes in the dryer. My 5 year old loves to take them out. If I turn on some good tunes, they will ALL help me dust.

Hopefully these ideas will help you all get over the hump that is July. It seems that just as you get settled into a routine, those three pesky little words - "I'm bored, Mom!" - creep up on you.

--------------------------------------------------------

I've been nominated by Kasie Sallee at The Art of Life for the Rockin' Girl Blogger award. I've been secretly anticipating this award. Lol. Some just strike your fancy, ya know? ;)

I have just recently "met" Kasie, and I cannot remember how exactly. Via my craft lovin' blogs somehow. I think. Anyway, if you are not familiar with her site, you should stop by. Kasie is an amazing pencil artist. She does exquisite work!

I'd like to forward the Rockin' Girl Blogger award on to Kristi at A Beautiful Mess (who actually got on the phone with me in my beginning blogging days to help me customize my look... tell me that doesn't rock!), my dear MOF Emlouisa (who needs to post again already! she's a hoot), Morning Glory, my Woman to Woman co-host and someone I deeply admire, and the amazingly creative Zoe from Fresh Preserves, with whom I've gone on many an adventure. I know I am supposed to nominate 5. At least I think that's right. But I'm almost certain my 5th person has already received this award. She rocks that much. Amber, the Crazy Bloggin' Canuck is never a dull read!

I found Woman to Woman yesterday to be very valuable. I'd heard a lot of the tips mentioned, but some of them were worded such that I saw room for improvement, or different ways to accomplish the same goals. I have already selected a few of your suggestions and put them to use. Thank you!

As I read everyone's responses, the thought occurred to me that selflessness is really a BIG key to happy relationships... and I don't just mean in marriage, but also parenting, in friendships, even with business relations. We live in a world where there is a FINE line between selfishness and certitude. We have been taught to fear getting left behind, or forgotten, and so we assert ourselves and we focus on "me". It is when we lose sight of our connections that we REALLY get left behind, or forgotten.

As a mother, I have fallen into patterns where I try and try to fill my cup and just don't seem to get what I am after. My husband and my children suffer when I begin focusing too much on my needs. And those needs are never quite fulfilled because it's not just about me right now. I am part of a whole, a family, and only when we stay connected do I feel fulfilled. It's all about balance and moderation, but also priorities.

Thank you again for all your wise words and experiences!