January Menu

I have my January menu mostly together.  And I'm printing it out to hang on the fridge, so that I'll remember the plan and stick to it.  December I made a menu and pretty much disregarded it all month long.  This month I'm going to do better. Which means that I'll cook the seafood that DH requested, instead of writing it on the menu and then "forgetting" to buy the stuff for it (j/k.  I really did forget to buy the stuff.  Because I forgot to look on my menu to see what I had planned).  If it's on the fridge, I'll see it.  That's the bottom line.

Reality

Have you read the story "A Fish Out of Water" by Helen Palmer?  In the story a boy feeds his fish to much and the fish grows to giant (and very unrealistic, though humorous) proportions.  Reality?  When you feed a fish too much - HE DIES.  Poor Rainbow.

Recipes

We've put our toys into a rotation system and yesterday the kiddos wanted to get out the kitchen and play dishes.  So we put away a different set of toys and got them out.  As I sat folding laundry, "N" and   "A" started bringing me food from their restaurant.  Here are some of their recipes:

Shredded Milk - especially good for babies and toddlers - by "N"
1 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 oz blue chocolate
1 oz red milk
1/2 bag of peas, juiced (add the juice, not the peas)
purple milk

Stir well.  Serve to the child.

Chocolate Milk - by "A"
yellow chocolate
brown chocolate
white milk, just a little bit
lots of milk

Chocolate Pudding - by "N"
1 Tbls pink chocolate
1 Tbls purple chocolate
2 oz cheddar cheese
1 oz smoked bacon

2 Things...

First, I had a couple of errands to do at the mall, so I told the kiddos that if they were good, we'd play at the play area when we were done.  They did great, so we went.  I saw a little boy get his face pushed around by another little boy and he came crying, deservedly so, over to his mom (who happened to be sitting near me).  She calmed him down and then reminded him to play nicely, even if the other boys weren't.  About 5 minutes later, this same picked-on little boy, was pushing my son out of the tree house RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS MOM who was in a conversation with her friend and didn't notice a thing.  I called my son over, he waited a minute and the other boy got tired of sitting in the tree house alone and moved on.  My son went back to play.

My point is, that I completely support going to the play area (obviously, since we were there).  But it's not a place to go and then forget you have children, letting them run rampant until they need you!  Children do need to learn to interact and socialize, but it's a learning process and you, as the parent, need to be involved to help teach your children proper behavior, not just tell them something and then never help them learn how to behave, or even supervise their learning.  It was good that she told her son to be nice, but not good to not see him push my son out of the tree house, instead of teaching him that "being nice" is sharing the tree house.  I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt, that she was watching one of her other children, but she wasn't!  She was deep in conversation with her friend (I know this since I was sitting right next to them).  My son wasn't hurt.  I bet he doesn't even remember  being pushed out of the tree house.  But it was a good reminder to me to part of my children's play, even on the sidelines.

And now I don't remember the second thing...

But these are our cute bunnies, Fluffy and Puffy! (since I needed a picture)

Yep.

This is for all mother's of newborns.  Especially those newborns who have their days and nights confused (I'm not going to name any names). Here's being incredibly excited for when he turns 6 weeks old, when all things start to normalize and routine-ize (according to "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Weissbluth, who has yet to let us down on all things relating to children's sleep.)

(Thank you very much to my good friend from North Carolina who now resides in California for introducing us to this amazing book).

Pumpkin Patch

I love pumpkin patches!  I'm not sure why, since I didn't grow up around them.  In fact, my first trip to a pumpkin patch was when we were living in North Carolina, and N was 6 months old.  Now, however, they are a much looked forward to tradition in October.  Except last year, because we grew our own pumpkins.  Which was fun, except that we didn't get to visit a pumpkin patch, since we had plenty of pumpkins already.  This year we didn't plant pumpkins, since I didn't want to miss out on going to a patch.  We did, however, have one volunteer pumpkin plant, which produced one pumpkin. We decided that it would "S"'s pumpkin, since he didn't get one from our garden last year.

We found a good one this year!  It had a corn maze and tractors galore for the kiddos to climb on and "drive".  They had pumpkins of all colors, shapes and sizes.  They had mini-wheelbarrows, which is what my kiddos would say was the best part of the whole patch.

Confession:  That sentence above that reads "tractors galore for the kiddos to climb on and "drive"" originally read "tractors galore for the kiddos to explore", but then all I could think of was the scene in "Princess Bride" where the giant is rhyming and the really annoying guy says "No more rhyming and I mean it!" and the giant replies "Anybody want a peanut?".  So I had to change it.  (Maybe it's time to watch the movie again.  I can't remember the characters names!  Except for the sword fighter, and I have no idea how to spell his name!  Oh, and Buttercup and Wesley, of course.  I can remember those.)

He's Here!

Our "S" is here!  He was born on October 4th.  If you'd like to see his blog, comment or email me and I'll send you an invite.

Girls Camp Crafts and TMI

I've been meaning to post pictures of our girls camp crafts for awhile now (as in, since we got back in JUNE).  Better late than never, right?



This is a magnet board.  Mine turned out a little strange, but the rest were super cute!  Take a cookie sheet (make sure it's magnetic!), spray paint it (either all of it, or tape around the edges.  Both ways look good), and then add stickers.  Drill holes in the top and add some matching ribbon.  Finish it off with cute magnets and start leaving notes!













These button flowers were by far my favorite craft.  Use floral wire and choose some cute buttons.  I have plans to turn mine into hair clips for my kiddos, but haven't done it yet.

We stamped our own necklaces!  Our ward's camp director found a set of metal stamps and we stamped.  The part to remember is to use a sharpie inside the stamped letters/numbers, then immediately rub it off with a paper towel.  It helps the numbers/letters "pop".

The last one (that I took a picture of) was this pop tab bracelet.  It's not something I'll wear everyday (I'm definitely the wrong generation for that), but very cool to learn.










Now for the TMI - The OB says I'm dilated to a 1+!  I've never dilated before, so this is big news.  I've even been having contractions - which is a new thing to me, even though we're on our fourth.  We took a trip to the hospital, but came home an hour or so later.  The contractions weren't strong enough even though they were close together.  Since I was borderline gestational diabetes, if he doesn't come before Wednesday (Oct 3) I'm going to be induced.  So we're definitely having a baby THIS WEEK!!!  WAHOO!!!

Hot Air Balloon Festival

I love me some hot air balloons!  We recently had a festival and woke the kiddos up early to go see them off!  We weren't there as early as last year (thank goodness!  Last year we made it before most of the balloons!) and actually made it just in time to see the first balloon taking off!  There seemed to be something off, because quite a few of the balloons had a hard time getting out of the park without hitting the trees (the middle is all open field, but it's surrounded by trees!)!  The kiddos all got a helium filled balloon, which they loved!  "J" didn't like the sound of the fire inside the balloons and "A" wasn't so sure he wanted to touch one, but all of the kiddos had fun in the end!  Even more fun, was that after it was all over and we'd come home, we were finishing up breakfast and heard a hot air balloon!  We opened our front door and saw one flying over our neighbors' house, then it went and landed at the school next door to us!  We cleaned up breakfast and headed over to see it again!  DH was able to help pack it away!

Catch Up

Last week I was at a wedding, with my camera (just for fun), and there was no photographer.  Turns out he'd gone to the wrong temple, about an hour away.  So I turned into a wedding photographer thirty minutes.  Not that I'm anywhere near professional or even want to be. Being a portrait photographer was a dream that I dismissed years ago.  But it would have been so sad to not have any pictures around the temple!

"S" is due in less than 10 weeks (9 to be specific).  That is just CRAZY!!!  I don't have a full menu done for the month, but I'm working on getting some meals into the freezer, so that when October comes, we'll be stocked and ready to go (or not go.  ANYWHERE.)

I thought "N" was an easy potty-trainer.  Then "A" was trained (trained here meaning that he tells us when he needs to go, no matter where we are) in 5 days with only 2 accidents (none of which were at night).  Now "J" thinks that she's ready to be trained and is training herself!  She tells us when she wants to go and we take her and 95% of the time, she really does something!  She's wearing pull-ups, though, because she doesn't always tell us.  And she hasn't woken up dry for quite some time.  "S" is going to have quite the challenge keeping up with his siblings!

DH changed jobs and is really enjoying the company.

Our A/C works.  Hallelujah!  (That week of 100 with minimal A/C was HOT!!!)

I'm working on making a plan for our first "official" year of homeschooling.  So far, the plan is to not have a plan, just do some basics and have fun.

July 2012 Menu

july 2012

This month I didn't go with a theme.  I went with my favorite summer meals.  Then added in suggestions from DH and other things that sounded yummy but not too difficult (or hot!).  I really, REALLY like doing my menu by the month.  I don't always follow it, but it's so nice to know that I have a plan (or at least had one at some point!).

Introducing...

Spot Nick.  He's our new Jersey Wooly/Mini-rex mixed rabbit.  The kiddos love him.  I love him.  DH loves him.  He's learning to love us.  We've had him for just over a week.  He loves to explore our backyard (with supervision.  I think he'd love to eat our garden and might be able to go through or under the fence.  He's small!)  

June Menu

With the heat of summer coming (not as much as my brothers have, of course), I decided to base our monthly menu around salads.  So, DH and I made a list of salads and I plugged them into the calendar.  Monday's are greens (lettuce is in the salad), Tuesday's are pasta, Wednesday's are whatever, Thursday's are creamy and Friday's are greens (again).  The last week of June I'm gone to girl's camp and DH said he'd take care of it, so I haven't planned anything.  And there are a few days when we don't have a plan and that's because I know that something will change (it already has, in fact.  Multiple times!) and we'll shift what we have.

June 2012
Here are some salads ideas that didn't make it into our menu, but might still get used, either this month or a different month:

• Grilled Chicken Salad
• Cobb Salad
• Chicken BLT Salad
• Antipasto Salad
• Cucumber salad
• Potato Salad
• Mandarin Orange Salad
• Spinach Strawberry

Have I Mentioned...

How much I love yard sales?  This morning I was on my home from volunteering with Bountiful Baskets and passed a yard sale sign in the neighborhood.  I'm a sucker for yard sales and thought I'd do a drive-by.  I noticed they had a 3-wheeled scooter.  "A" has been wanting a scooter.  I decided to stop and if it was in decent shape and $5 or under, I'd buy it.  Turns out, they had 2 scooter - a pink 2-wheeler and the 3-wheeler.  Each for $3.  Ummm, yes!!!  I didn't have cash on me, but the girl was nice and held them for me while I drove home to get money.  Both of the older kiddos were thrilled with their scooters.  "J" was quite disappointed that there weren't three.  

Flowers of California

I love the flowers in California!  I love that they grow all over the place!  I love that they're so colorful and beautiful!  Too bad they won't all grow here.

It's A...

BOY!

And I'm still hoping for 10-11-12.  Just for the record.

May 2012 Menu

May 2012

So, I meant to publish this at the beginning of the month.  We're not quite at the beginning, but we're not the the middle yet!  I decided to plan our menu this month around the cookbook Our Best Bites.  It looked to have a lot of real people food in it and things that my family would eat.  So far, we're doing good.  I've had to make a few changes (our oven stopped working - but not the stove-top).  And Sunday's somehow didn't get planned, but we haven't starved yet!  I put links in to the recipes that are on the website and the others, if they're good, I'll try to post on the recipe blog.

Really? (a slight rant)

Today we took a picnic to a nearby park with some friends.  We let the kiddos play for a bit, then we sat down to eat lunch.  Not long afterwards, 2 school buses pull up and students (1st or 2nd grade) start pouring out.  The teachers and parent volunteers lug big coolers full of sack lunches, the students eat their lunches (because the teachers say they have to before they can play) and then the students go at the playground with excitement.  Now, I have no problem with any of this, except:

WHY WOULD THE TEACHERS PLAN A FIELD TRIP TO A LOCAL PARK WHEN THERE ARE WAY BETTER THINGS TO DO ON A FIELD TRIP?  DON'T THEY HAVE A PLAYGROUND AT THEIR SCHOOL?  REALLY?  A FIELD TRIP TO A PARK?  REALLY?

I know this picture has NOTHING to do with the rant topic above.  But we are all of us enjoying strawberry season.  YUM!  A box of strawberries is only good for one meal around here.  And nobody gets as many as they want.  

Fruit Trees!

I am loving our fruit trees!  Their flowers are so pretty!  Hopefully we'll get some fruit from them, but if we don't, they're worth it for the flowers!

Kid Speak

N: Mama, how do you bow up?
M: What?
N: If you don't bow down, you have to bow up.
M: What are you talking about?
N: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego wouldn't bow down to the king, so they must have bowed up.


Reading a book-
N: Her eyes sparkled liked rhinoceros.
M: Rhinestones.
Both: {Hysterical laughter}


Dropping "A" off at his speech class, with a previous discussion about how I wouldn't be staying-
M: Can I have a kiss?
"A" runs over and gives me a kiss.  Followed by a tight squeeze.
A: I miss you!
M: I'll miss you, too! (except I don't think he heard it because he was already running back to the toys)


Singing "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" with "A"-
M: On his farm he had a ___
A: Daddy pig.
M: E-I-E-I-O.
A: Not you.  Just me.  There a daddy pig  (pointing with his foot).  There a Daddy pig  (pointing with his foot).  In sister's room a daddy pig  (pointing with his foot).  There a daddy pig  (pointing with his foot).
M: Old MacDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
(repeat with mama pig, piglets, milk cow and beef cow)


"J" isn't much for words yet, though she tries.  But she has learned the hand motions for "Popcorn Popping" and it's adorable to watch!

Our "Popcorn Popping"!  So pretty!

Lots to Catch Up On...

I've been a little MIA on the blog front.  Not that it's abnormal for me.  But I have actually thought of blog posts and then just not written them.  Apparently the ideas weren't that important.

I remember there was one about fried chicken.  My friend (whom I knew a long time ago and then her family moved and then we happened to see each other and the grocery store - except that it's awfully good that she recognized me because I totally didn't recognize her - and now we're friends again) told me about this place that sells their pre-fried day old chicken in 5lb bags for $6.  All you have to do is reheat in the oven and it tastes fabulous.  So I tried it.  And it really is good.  And with no mess from frying?  I'm all over that!  So, if you're ever in my neck of the woods and want to get some for yourself, let me know and I'll give you the phone number.

Then, of course, there's the annual "SPRING IS HERE" post where I show you all of my pictures that prove spring is here - tulip leaves, crocus flowers, popcorn on the apricot tree - but you'll have to check out my 365 blog to see those, because I want to jump straight to...

We're having a baby!  My official due date is Oct 10, but I'm hoping (right now, because by October things could definitely change) to but it off for a day, because I think that the birthday 10-11-12 is incredibly fun and want my child to have it (again, by October I could change my mind and want my child to share my birthday 10-1).  This has been my easiest first trimester, with more (not complete) energy and only feeling sick at night, usually after the kiddos are in bed.  We're super excited!  The older 2 kiddos are excited, though they don't understand that they're going to have to wait a LONG TIME until the baby comes.  They're ready to have a baby RIGHT NOW.

SOLD!

I just made my first sale on KSL classifieds.  I feel like such a grown-up!  I had a few different inquiries about the dresser, for exact measurements, specific photos, etc.  The one who actually bought it though, called on the phone, made an offer, and came a couple hours later to pick it up.  Handed me the cash and left with the dresser.  Now I'm trying to figure out what else I can list...

Picturesque

Is this not calling for a family photo session?  Not in this light, of course, with all of the unseemly shadows.  But in the late morning (10-ish) it would be perfect.

Childhood

On our way home from errands today, it started snowing.  Very tiny snowflakes.  The kiddos were so excited!  As soon as we got home, they began dressing themselves to go outside and play in the snow - snow pants, snow boots, coats, hats, mittens - they were ready.  They were quite disappointed to get outside and see that there was no snow.  When they asked me about it, I had them go outside and call for snow.  So they did.  "Snow!  Come down snow!  We're ready for you!"  It was adorable.  But it still didn't snow.  So they came inside.


What does the picture have to do with the story, you're asking?  Absolutely nothing.  I just like it and it makes me happy, thinking that pretty flowers will grow again in a few months.  Pretty flowers are a lot more to photograph than brown grass.

Baroque Playdough

This is "A"s snake.  He was especially proud of the snails large tail.

There's that part in "Beauty and the Beast" where the clock (I don't remember his name.  It's been a long time) says, "If it's not BAROQUE don't fix it."  I completely agree with him (on most things).  I found a new playdough recipe on Pinterest (so much fun!).  I tried it today.  Not so good.  It started burning in the pan before it was done, and then it was too sticky - because I didn't cook it long enough because it was burning.  And I'm no playdough rookie.  I've been making it for a long time. 

The silly thing, though, is that I found a recipe (it's the February recipe.  I just turn it whatever color we want at the time) a while back that I love!  It smells delicious (which helps  me not gag as much when the kiddos eat it) and it feel smooth.  Plus, it ALWAYS turns out.  So after throwing away a batch of red (from the new - not improved - recipe), we made pink (with the oldie-but-goody recipe).  And it was lovely.  And so was the purple (made from the good recipe).

I know this photo is upside down.  It's right-side-up on my computer.  I don't know what happened.  "N" made it.  Isn't it sweet?

Adorable-ness

$0.75 for the file box (I love DI!), $0.00 for the box (because I didn't buy it for the box.  I bought it for the bags that were inside of the box.), $0.00, for the material (leftover from a different project) and Wallah!  (is that how you spell it?  It looks goofy) an adorable file box.

("N" didn't like my word, "adorable-ness".  She thought "cutie" was better.  Just so you know.)

A Day

I was going to post this picture on my 365 blog.  But then I decided not to, because today is not a day that I want to have published when I make my book at the end of the year.  

Last night I fell on my knee hard at hockey.  I've been limping for most of the day.  I should have iced it when I got home, but since I didn't get home until nearly midnight, I was tired and just wanted to sleep.  So I did.  Sleep, that is.

This morning, while picking up toys so that I could vacuum, I ran {into the wall} and stubbed my toe.  On the opposite side as my knee.  It's currently black and blue.

While prepping to head to dance class "J" dumped out the diaper bag - and all of the crumbs at the bottom of it - onto my freshly vacuumed floors.  And after filling "A"s snack of honey-nut cheerios, I dropped the container and cheerios scattered across the kitchen and dining room floors.  So "N" and I swept them up - because we now have a kiddo broom and the older two are super-excited to sweep anything.  And I want them to keep this love of cleaning so I can't naysay their help.  Even when we are supposed to be walking out the door and I could have had the job done in 2 minutes instead of 10.  

This is after I cleaned up most of the mess and then thought to myself, "I should blog this!".

The day wasn't full of bad luck.  We made ice cream to go with our school about cows.  The kiddos are still loving their calendar notebooks and doing a fantastic job.  "A" has blown me away with what he can do.  I'm mostly done with the task of decluttering that I gave myself for the week.  "J" found her shoes when I asked her to, which is a first for my girl!  "N" helped me vacuum her room (she's been scared of the vacuum for as long as I can remember)!

Winter?

The calendar says that it's Winter.  My grass is still green.  My kiddos are wearing jackets (some days).  We've been to the park.  We're riding bikes (and trikes).  We haven't bought a sled yet this year (maybe we won't?).  DH hasn't had enough snow to snowboard.  It's proven that it's Winter just long enough to get my vehicle good and dirty.  I'm hoping that Spring, and Summer and Autumn don't forget what they're supposed to be like and turn into Winter!

My 365

I just started another blog.  It's for a photographic 365 project.  The goal is that I'll take - and post a picture a day.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm hoping that it's as fun as I think it will be.