Quotable Kiddos

I don't know if they are just talking more (probably) or I'm just listening better, but we have heard a lot of interesting things in the last week. I thought I'd better write them down before I forgot that sometimes I get to giggle at these kids'o'mine.

Will (age 6):
Why isn't "XXXmen" about superheroes? ... seems like there are three X-men, why can't I watch it?
I think this show looks like a good one for kids. "Playboy" is about a boy playing.
Side note: although these channels show up on our list of possible shows, we do have them locked so they won't be viewed in our home.
When we drove past a golf course, Will asked if it was a park. Allen explained that it was a golf course. We hid our giggles when he asked, "Is it the Golf of Mexico?"

Maddie (age 3.5):
Mama, when you were gone, you missed a lot of my hugs.
Mama? Can I bring spring inside or do we leave it outside
As Ben and Jon were running around and giggling, Maddie eavesdropped on the groceries. She held a cup up to the refrigerator door, pressed her ear to the base, listened and concentrated, then declared, "I hear children playing in there!"

Jon (age 3.5):
Today was Jon's day out with me while Ben and Maddie were at mother's day out. I'm glad I had my notebook in my purse to capture his words. When I asked what he wanted to spend the day doing, he told me he wanted to go to the library. We went to the library, had lunch with Daddy, then went to get a book and cookie at Barnes & Noble.

As soon as he saw the big brown library, my little guy proudly proclaimed: "Mama, you're the BEST!!" ...I think I'll keep the title for a few hours anyway.
You and Maddie are FEEE-male. I am a male-man.
I want to take a nap at the bookstore in the big living-room chair.
Why does the milk [container] have a cow on it? Cows don't drink milk, they eat grass! That cow is just silly!
I got a few more chuckles as we stood in line to buy the book he chose. He held the book on his head and shouted from the line, "Ma'am! I'm getting this book!" He said that continuously as we waited our turn and walked up the register.When the lady took it from him to check out, he finally stopped saying it.

Ben (age 3.5):
As we were travelling in the car, we were listening to the stock report on the radio. Ben, whose favorite color is blue, was obviously listening to the report. "BLUE chips? I love blue chips!!"

Lists, Baseball, and 84 Meals

Looking back on the last few entries. It seems that time is crunching me too much lately, and all I have time for is lists. Looking around my house, I have found several more: a list of things to do this weekend, a list of things to do this year, a list of books to read this year, a list of plants I've put in the garden, a list for the grocery store, a list for WalMart, a list of what we have to eat this week, a list of what my friends and I will be making Monday, a list of everything I need to have and do to be ready for when they get here, a list of the baby stuff I need to gather for Jason and Jenn's baby (to come), a list of what to pack for next weekend for me, same type list for the kids, and now, a list of my lists.

It's been a busy week, but one I couldn't tell you much of what we've done since I've already forgotten. I think I've been working on those lists. Allen is working weird turn-around hours, and tasks are being rearranged. Even though I had meals neatly planned and meat thawed, by the end of the day something happens and we end up choosing to eat out. In the last four days, I've eaten out seven times. Ugh!

Last night Will had his first baseball practice. We took the little kids and let them run and play while we kept an eye on what was happening on the field. Ben, Maddie, and Jon were disappointed that they didn't get to play, but Ben and Maddie soon got over it. Jon, on the other hand, was heartbroken. When we told him he couldn't play baseball that night, he spotted a soccer ball by the goal and insisted he would play soccer. When the coaches passed the hats and jerseys out to the players, Jon threw his hat on the ground and held his hand out for a new Texas Rangers cap . . . which he didn't get. He was so frustrated that he marched up to one of the coaches and told the coach he was ready to play, too. Maybe we'll consider letting the little ones play soccer this summer, who knows? Will won't admit he was loving it, but he sure looked happy the whole time. He was first to offer to play outfield while most of the other kids lined up to learn to bat. He happily fetched the ball and took it back to the coach. When it was his turn to bat, he missed all ten times, but he looked so happy to be trying. With the weather perfect and Will so happy to be learning it was almost perfect. The down side was that we didn't get away until nearly seven, and that's when our kids are usually heading to bed. We had dinner and everyone crashed. Yes, everyone of us. I even forgot to make Will's lunch so he got to buy his lunch today.

I hate that we are eating out so often this week, but on the otherhand, when I'm running on empty somethings have to give. I'm trying to be okay with the food. Tonight, I'll have a healthy home-cooked meal on the table, and tomorrow morning I'll start the crock pot and have another. I'll get caught up.

The funny thing is that a lot of what is using my time lately is making and menu and grocery list. The ladies at my MOPS table had asked me how I prepare and freeze meals without making them taste like constant leftovers. I decided to show them how I do it. So bright and early Monday morning six of my friends are coming over with their preschoolers. Two are planning to play with the kids outside, the others will be inside preparing all these meals. Six meals, two of each, for seven families. Eighty four meals and seven loaves of bread. It has been the longest grocery list I've ever made, and it's quite a puzzle trying to figure out how to fit everything in the freezers or fridge. Trip one to the store was done yesterday with Maddie, and the nearly thirty pounds of onions have already been delivered to someone for chopping. This afternoon 30 of the 50 bell peppers are being picked up by someone else who will be chopping. (I still need to buy the other 20). I am having fun, and we all will learn what to do and not do to make this project work.

I've spent long enough writing, that now I need to get back to rearranging the freezer for shopping trip #2.

My Everyday

Everyday I . . .

. . . get up.

. . . shower.

. . . put on moisturizer.

. . . brush my hair.
. . . brush my teeth.
. . . kiss and hug Allen.

. . . hug Will, Ben, Maddie, & Jon.

. . . eat breakfast.

. . . have at least one cup of coffee.
. . . change a lots of diapers.

. . . check my email and Facebook.

. . . read For Better or For Worse.

. . . read my devotional.
. . . walk through my garden.
. . . talk with my children about Jesus and God.

. . . . get the mail.
. . . sit in the office chair

. . . make lunches.

. . . eat lunch.

. . . drink water.

. . . do a lot of laundry.
. . . listen to music.

. . . pray.

. . . wait in a line.

. . . check the menu.

. . . make a homemade dinner (almost everyday).

. . . read part of a novel.

. . . sit in my rocking chair.

. . . tell kids to get back in bed.

. . . read a magazine or browse a catalog.

. . . talk to Allen.

. . . hold my children.

. . . sing lullabies.

. . . clean my sink.

. . . kiss my kids goodnight.

. . . brush my teeth.

. . . kiss my husband goodnight.

. . . get eight hours of sleep.

Everyday, I WISH I would. . .

. . . wake up in a great mood.

. . . enjoy the day.

. . . count my blessings instead of troubles.

. . . snack on broccoli instead of jelly beans.

. . . control my temper.

. . . stay cheerful.

. . . work out.

. . . be creative.

. . . enjoy the day and count its trials as joys.

Happy Easter!!

Today was a wonderful day! After Allen made us all a tasty pancake breakfast, the kids got dressed and hunted for eggs in the backyard. We gave them the rules, which were MUCH different than the other night at the neighborhood hunt. Instead of eating candy till their bellies hurt, this time, they would gather eggs, then we'd put all of them in a bowl to share evenly. On your marks. . . get set. . . GO!

 And they were off! The kids scurried to all corners of the yard, but Maddie quickly burst into tears because someone else picked up a pink egg and she assumed all pinks were hers. After we urged her to continue things went fairly smoothly. She somehow convinced Ben and Jon to cooperate with her and, in the end, neither of the little boys had pink or purple eggs, but Maddie had only those two colors.


Jon and Will were definitely FAST -- they both filled their baskets to overflowing before Maddie even had a handful.  The kids had fun, especially when we let them have one small treat before lunchtime.

Allen and I got some plants put in pots while the kids napped, and I spent a good part of the day cooking. We pulled out the Greek cookbook we got last summer and used the internet to help answer some questions I had about the recipes. Dinner turned out so much better than I ever imagined even though we made a few substitutions to the original Greek instructions. We had moussaka (an eggplant and meat dish) with a Greek country salad with sheep's-milk cheese (feta), and a delicious tzatziki dip and pita that we have often. Allen made homemade lemonade with some Meyer lemons and we felt like we were on vacation again. Delicious!. . . but now I know why Greek women feel like they cook all day. . . they DO!

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures that Allen and I took.

Oh, What a Beautiful Day!

The day started beautifully! The fog settled around our yard, but the sun was shining so brightly. I stepped out onto the porch to take it in and had to go back for the camera. The photo doesn't do justice to the REAL picture, but you can get an idea. . . sadly you can't smell the sweet scent of jasmine and lilacs on the breeze or hear the melody of the avian symphony. It was a beautiful morning!

We ran a few errands, visited the brick and stone store to consider patio options, grabbed a picnic lunch and enjoyed it at the park. The kids played on the playground while Allen and I got a brief bit of quiet. Since the park was crowded, the quiet didn't last too long then we were up and chasing around our crew. On the way "home" we detoured, zigzagging across East Texas for about two hours so the kids would all get some uninterrupted rest. The countryside was painted with the blossoms of trees and wildflowers. Last night I read a passage in Anne of Green Gables that kept coming to mind:  

Spring had come once more. . . the beautiful, capricious, reluctant spring, lingering along . . . in a succession of sweet, fresh, chilly days, with pink sunsets and miracles of resurrection and growth. 

What a perfect way to describe our spring, especially this Easter weekend! It was a beautiful afternoon (and not a bit chilly)!

After dinner all of us played in the backyard. The weather was still perfect and we still had plenty of evergy left to burn off. Allen, Will, and I tossed the football and frisbees. Ben and Jon twisted the swings so they could spin. Maddie picked weeds wildflowers completely oblivious to the ball being thrown over her head. It was a beautiful evening!

Just a couple April giggles (so far)

Yesterday was Ben's day out with me. It wasn't too exciting for him since we ran a lot of errands going by Sam's, the March of Dimes office, a farm feed-store, and WalMart. When I asked him what he wanted for lunch he said he wanted breakfast, so one of the highlights of his day was eating eggs and pancakes with daddy at lunchtime, then we went to the preschool early in the afternoon so he could enjoy the Easter party with his class. We got there just as the kids were getting ready to decorate cookies. The teacher quieted the children and held up a homemade cookie shaped like a cross. She asked the class, "Do you know what this is?" Maddie and Jon were anxious to shout out the answers while the other kids sat in quiet wonder. The both raised there hands and shouted in unison: "A CACTUS!" It would've been silly if just one of them said that, but since both shouted it at the same time, both teachers and I were nearly in tears laughing so hard.

Today, Allen and Will had the day off. All six of us piled in the car to drive across town to get some chicken wire to attach to the fence posts for the vines to climb. Maddie was being quite the stinker saying whatever she could to make her brothers mad. Allen told her to quite teasing her brother and she spoke back, "Daddy, I'm not teasing my brother. I am teasing the window."

A few minutes later, Will boasted, "I know THREE French words." When we asked what they were, he started the list: "Ooh-la-la,. . ." at which point we belted out our laughter thinking that was all three. Big oops on our part because he then added, "Bonjour! and ze, as in look at ze cars." We still kept laughing, but at least he joined in.

The day has been pretty dreary with a few sprinkles but lots of clouds. The kids watched the chicks at the farm-supply store and we did find the wire. We stopped at a patio store for some ideas and plan to go in tomorrow to talk to a designer about some hardscaping. For now we are hoping the rain stays away so the neighborhood kids can have a good time hunting for Easter eggs this evening. Hopefully the flashlight egg hunt will be followed by an open-window evening of living room camping. Now to go grill those hotdogs. . . .

Waiting for the blossoms

I am so excited, and I can wait to see the garden in bloom! So far, lots of last year's plantings are peeking through the dirt, but its too early for the flowers yet. I may have a few others that will come in, so the list may grow. We've also planted a bunch of annuals and herbs, and I had to get a few seeds started just in case I have room later (if something else doesn't survive.) If everything thrives, some of the greehhouse plants will be put in pots for the summer.

Returning attractions (the ones showing up so far):

• Lavender (the purple kind)
• Lantana
• Butterfly bush
• White obedient plant
• Alaska Shasta daisy
• Super Shasta daisy
• Balloon flowers
• Hydrangea
• Daylilies
• Monarda
• Astilbe
• Carnations
• Clustered bellflowers
• Butterfly blue scabiosa
• Asters

New this year

• Hazel trees (they make hazelnuts)
• Cotton lavender (with yellow flowers, seems like they should be called "Yellows" instead of lavender)
• Rosemary
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Oregano
• Marigolds (cream and orange varieties)
• Verbenas
• Petunias
• Cherry tomatoes
• Purple bell peppers
• Phlox
• Lithodora
• Lilac
• Carolina jessamine
• Pink jasmine
• Beauty cross vine
• Bougainvillea (for porch planters)
  

Seeds in the mini-greenhouse:

• Cosmos
• Marigolds
• Morning glories
• Thai basil
• Dill
• Chives
• Onions
• Sweet peas