Family Day 2013

I didn't take the big camera to Family Day this year and I didn't think to take that many photos with my phone.  insert sad face

It was excellent weather and I really enjoyed spending the weekend with some of my favorite people in the world.

Uncle Robert surprised everyone by shaving his mustache exactly the way Daddy shaves his, 

and it was unreal how similar they looked.

She found a permanent marker.

Joshua talked Grandpa into trying on his old Navy Uniform.

It fits! (Well, sort of.)

Another one of the "twins."

From L to R:
Uncle Evan, Uncle Robert, Grandpa, Grandma, Mark(Daddy) and Aunt Melissa
Between the six of them, the family has grown to 68 with one on the way and two to marry in at some point.

Old Union

My oldest brother pastors a church in Hot Springs and we attend their recent annual meeting. The original building is very, very old and gives the whole area a very neat feel. We arrived a couple of hours early so Jason and the girls walked around the grounds discovering things.

The building on the far right is the original church building. That place has amazing acoustics.

Hadley Claire and Rachel Claire

Phone Photos

Watching Backyardigans in style
Eily, Ian and Nora
And The Umbrella

This nap took a very long time happen.
And then she woke up and threw up.
Nice.

Grandma found these leaves in a book.
She had put them there to press them two years before.
Isn't their color amazing!

Daddy and Eily
Every Morning
Soft lips

Zorro
Zorronaina
Aunt Bekah

An all-too-often Lucille Ball moment
Bringing home the kitchen sink
And pizza

This is how Clarkamus Bar showed up for math class.
I told her to stand still for a minute so I could take a picture.
She has a fancy way of standing.

Angle Baby
(except when she's have a 2yo tantrum)
I love her kisses.

Valentine's Day breakfast for my love.
Grandma's heart shaped cookies are The Best!
And they make my breakfasts look fancy. 

That's using your noggin'!

What do you do when you are at a church meeting and the little layer of tool starts to rip off the bottom of your dress?

You find your Mama, have her cut it all off, 

and then you turn the tool into a fashionable scarf!

iPhoto Booth is just too much fun

Our "Memu" for the week

I think since I actually sat down and planned a menu this week, I'm just going to type it up here instead of taking pictures each meal.

Monday
Refrigerator clean-out

Tuesday
B- granola cereal
L- pb&j, carrot sticks, kettle chips
S- popcorn, mixed fruit
S- Roast with veggies

Wednesday
B-popovers/apple slices
L- applesauce/orange slices/pretzels/shredded chicken/carrot sticks
S- popcorn/apple slices
S- Slow cooker flank fajitas/ whole-wheat tortillas/ cheese/ avocado/ cilantro/ spinach leaves/ sour cream

Thursday
B- pancakes/ banana slices
L- grilled cheese, steamed broccoli, apple slices
S- yogurt with granola, honey and frozen fruit
S- Spaghetti/ broccoli & cauliflower/ cantaloupe

Friday
B- Granola cereal/ fruit
L- leftovers
S- apple slices and pb
S- leftovers

Saturday
B- oatmeal/ cereal
L- pb&j/kettle chips/ strawberries
S- cinnamon apple slices
S- Chicken and rice casserole/ green beans/ salad/ applesauce

Sunday
B- oatmeal/ cereal
L- enchiladas/ refried beans/ brown rice/ green beans
S- popcorn/ strawberries
S- grilled cheese/ apple slices/ carrot sticks

Of course, we don't always eat these meals in the order that I write them, but I just put a check mark by the meals we have eaten and it helps me know what ingredients I still have in my pantry and refrigerator. Hopefully, this will help with ideas when your tummy comes calling!

P.S. Any any new meal/snack ideas would be greatly appreciated. I get stuck in a rut and we eat the same things over and over again. Preferably, nothing processed, or at least a menu that I can adapt.

P.P.S. Hey Mama's, need school lunch ideas? There are some great ones here, here and here.

Ha!

Part of Elaina's school today was to read the poem, Symon's Lesson of Wisdom for all Manner of Children.

I read the lines, "And, child, cast no stones over men's house,
Nor cast no stones at no glass windows;"

And Elaina interrupted saying, "Ernest T. Bass, you haven't heard the last!"

(If you don't get this, try watching this episode of The Andy Griffith Show.

The Mountain Wedding

Food Report

To spare the panic of the person concerned about our over-intake of organic food, I'm not going to share the details of our "memu."

 

 

 

This was supper last night. (sideways)

 

This was Nora's version of supper last night.

 

 

This was today's lunch.

 

If you need some food verification, just ask in the comments.

The World's Ugliest Bowl

I was doing my Family Day shopping at Harps the other day. As I turned the corner, I saw this.

I'm just so confused by it. Almost as confused as I was by the Hello Kitty microwave in Target.

Who in the world would ever consider this a good purchase? It is just so, so ugly and the picture on the back looks faded and old. I just can't imagine someone who specializes in marketing, looking at this and saying, "Yes! I'll take one hundred. That's sure to be a high seller!"

Thursday

This week has been about school, painting walls, painting the bathtub, planting flowers and cleaning up throw up. That last one hasn't been too fun but I think I can say for the moment, we are all well. Nora is still cranky from recovery but the signs of the virus have disappeared.
And just in time because this weekend is....Family Day!! One of my favorite weekends of the year. Some of our company is arriving tonight and the rest of the family is coming in tomorrow. I'm so excited!  Be gone, virus. And STAY gone!! I've got some serious family lovin' to do.

The exit (and Dora)

This morning, a few minutes before my alarm was to go off, Nora started crying from her crib. I hopped out of bed in a bright and happy mood, completely full of energy. You know, like I do every morning,  and went into her room. As I neared her crib, she suddenly stopped crying and just lay there with her eyes closed.

Could it be? Was she really going back to sleep? This was too good to be true. I turned and started back towards the door but then the crying started again. I turned and walked back to her crib; it stopped. Slowly, slowly, I crept backwards and sat on the edge of Claire's bed and waited, trying not to get my hopes up and trying not to breathe too loudly. She didn't move. She didn't cry. Then I started the most ridiculous exit of her room. I slid my bottom down towards the floor, trying ever so hard to put all my weight on my wrists and not on my knees. I can't tell you how many times those popping knees have ruined a good stealthy exit. I made it to the ground without incident and very, very slowly crawled towards the door. It was the strangest crawl I've ever performed, as I tried so very hard to not move in a way that would cause any pressure on any type of joint that is known to pop. As I was crawling across the floor, I started laughing. What a crazy thing for a grown woman in her thirties to be doing, first thing in the morning. The things we parents will do for a few extra minutes of sleep. I made it to the door and cracked it open. It didn't make any noise. I slowly slithered myself through the small crack and then, as I slowly pulled the door closed, reveling in my moment of triumph, the door made a very loud squeak. I froze.  Nothing happened. I pulled it some more. It squeaked. I froze. Nothing happened.

There is no dramatic ending to this story. I am lying in bed, about to get up and start my day, and Nora is sleeping in her crib. The exit was a success and I'm pretty sure my knees will be sore for the rest of the day due to that ridiculous crawl, but it will be totally worth it. :) A quiet morning with a few minutes to myself makes such a big difference in our day. 

Also, if you have ever seen an episode of Dora the Explorer, you must watch this. Hilarious. 

http://youtu.be/TnpTcrtsN3U  ( I can't get the link to work so you'll have to copy and paste. But do it. So very funny.)

Lunch

I've had several requests that I post pictures of what we eat at meal times. Today was the first time that I've remembered to take a picture.

Eily's Lunch:
Organic Popcorn
Toasted Whole-Wheat Tortilla with organic Monterey Jack Cheese
Organic apple slices
Not pictured- a fruit medley
Eily was too quick and had that gobbled up before I had my phone ready.

Sort of

It's the middle if the week. Sort of.

Is the week going as you hoped it would? Mine is. Sort of.

I am in the middle of several home-updating projects. I'm learning that I can do projects and keep up my home. Sort of.

We have finished all the required school work each day. Sort of.

I'm ready to be finished with all projects.

FOR SURE!!!

Monday Morning Musings

This has to be quick because it's 9:13 am and we haven"t even started school yet and there are still a couple of hooligans that are wearing their pajamas.
Here are a few things I have thought of this morning.

1) I think it's ridiculous when a young, newly wedded couple buys nice, fancy, forever furniture. Unless they aren't wanting to have children.

2) I thought of this I was was writing a note to a friend and saw the ink all over my coffee table.

3) For the record, Jason and I have never bought any nice furniture except the bookcase in the schoolroom that my cousin custom built for us, and I don't plan on getting any nice furniture for a few more years. What's the point?

4) The weather is amazing. Windows are being opened as soon as I get the morning started.

5) Nora keeps waking up dry and so we are able to make it to the potty each morning. I'm hoping she catches on soon how this all works so that I can actually start training her.

6) I feel a need to plant something.

7) We have a lot of church scheduled for this week and I'm really looking forward to the meetings. 

Khaki Bear was cold when he woke up from his nap.