word cloud

OMG this proves I suck as a mama. 5 kids names are huge. 1 is tiny. He's right...it sucks to be the middle child!!!

catchin up

This week has seemed really crazy. I think because D threw his back out on Sunday and then we had some friends over that afternoon to brew beer. I don't know. It just seems like there wasn't enough down time this weekend.

The big news of the week? Kelli started preschool yesterday! So very exciting for all of us. It's nice to go back to our homey little school when Emma went for 2 years and Clay went for just a few months. I really love the school and their program and the teachers, too. And Kelli was sooooo very ready to go. She's so different from Emma going. Emma had the same teacher for 2 years and she still acted so shy and quiet when I dropped her off. Kelli got out of the car yesterday and started running. Then she stopped and asked where the door was. She didn't know where she was going, but she was READY to go!

And Jack E did pretty well without his best friend/playmate/boss around for the morning too. He and I ran an errand, then he played on his own and then he watched a movie with D. Kelli had a birthday party in the afternoon too yesterday so she had quite the day.

Now I am just trying to get on top of stuff here. Yeah, right. Mt. Washmore will never be a hill again, I swear!

Better go before the kids start trickling in from school.

Valentine's Day ain't what it used to be!

I always give D a hard time when Valentine's Day falls a little short because on our first one together he gave me a CAR!

We were recently engaged and I didn't have a car. Our wedding was just a few months away and I'd need a car then. I honestly don't know if he planned to do it all on Feb 14 or if it just turned out that way, but every Valentine's since then just kind of falls short!

Yesterday for example. Jack E was up coughing like crazy just after D left for St.Arbucks at 4. Since Jack E was in Kelli's bed, he woke her up too. They played dollhouse for a while, and kept trying to convince me it was morning. Still dark out means it's nighttime, kiddos!

Finally, I relented around 6:15. By then Trey was up complaining that they were having a late start because of the snow. Remember he had a "special" valentine to give someone! I was trying to get my pink chocolate chip pancakes going. (Yes I really did that to my poor children!) And I had to cut rice krispies treats into cute little heart shapes for them to give to their teachers. And cut up 2 pineapples for the 5th grade chocolate fondue party this morning.

I got to the elementary school a little before the party was supposed to start. It was delayed too. Now I'm worrying about Jack E coughing on everything in sight...and trying to keep him and Kelli out of the chocolate and fruits and treats.

We did last through the whole party, though. And they really only had 1 plate of chocolatey stuff to snack on. Then we had to run to the market to pick up wheat berries. I grabbed some sushi for my special lunch too. On the way home, I drove through KFC and got some little chickens for the kiddos. Two small kiddos can be cheap to feed.

As soon as we finished lunch and I got Jack E down, Trey was calling to tell me he's sick. After all that chocolate, it's no wonder!!! I tried to talk him into feeling better. I really needed the baby to sleep and to get some stuff done. It worked. I picked up and started dinner. While I was picking Trey and his friend up from band after school, Aleena's math teacher called. There are "some concerns" we need to get together to discuss. Great!

I got back home, and talked to D about our lovely daughter. She was awesome at elementary school, but the freedom that middle school has brought has been a lot for her to handle. We just keep taking privileges away and she just hasn't seemed to get it. I think the phone call home...and the 2 D progress reports helped her get a better picture.

So I spent over an hour and a half doing math with her. D and the other kiddos made cheese. D and I were going to try to go out for a little ice cream treat, but after both being up since around 4 and then dealing with the kiddos and their stuff, we were just not in the mood. He watched Lost while I fell asleep on the couch.

Just another day in paradise!

maybe girls are a good thing

This morning we had one of those crazy Colorado storms come through. We were literally wearing flip-flops all week and now it's been snowing all day. Because of that, the elementary kids had a 30 minute delay.

You would have thought the world was ending by Trey's reaction. He was up by 6:20 dressed in a button down shirt and smelling VERY good. He was looking for a hairbrush and the detangling spray. He even sprayed on some hairspray to make it stay nice. Then he brushed his teeth and used mouthwash.

This is usually the boy that I have to remind to brush his hair and teeth each morning. He usually complains about it, but still gets it done.

But today is Valentine's Day and he had a special chocolate rose to give to a special girl.

Maybe if he keeps this up he'll even shower without a fight!

maybe I'm jumping the gun a little

This morning I ran out the door to take Aleena to school BAREFOOT. Then I met D at the gas station with some stuff he forgot he needed today. I was wearing flip-flops!!! I love being barefoot and flip flops. Literally my foot wear of choice as long as it's 60º or more.

But it's still February. And there is still ice on the streets. I gotta go paint my toenails!

pop tarts

The other day my kiddos showed me how much our family has changed in the last decade. Pop tarts used to be quite common around our house when Aleena and Trey and even Clay were little. They were easy to eat and the kiddos liked them. I bought the cheaper store brand ones so I felt better about it all.

But I've changed my views a lot about nutriton and food additives and avoiding artificial and processed foods. So Jack E and Kelli have never actually had pop tarts before. Maybe Kelli has once but we can't really remember. I got them one the other day at a gas station for a "special" treat. Kelli ate about half of hers. Jack E took 4 or 5 bites then wanted a clementine. He said "Jack no like it. Jack want a clementine." Yes he often refers to himself in the 3rd person. Aleena was so surprised that I had actually bought them pop tarts and only mildly surprised that Jack E didn't like it. She reminded me that he grew up on farm food. We made all of his baby food from fresh organic produce. He grew up only eating mama's homemade bread (until about the last year he's had store bought.) He has just been raised in a different way than the older ones. And he seems to be doing just fine. Even if he would rather have a clementine than a pop tart!

tingling on my nose

I woke up this morning with that familiar tingle on the end of my nose. I've only had a cold sore 2 or 3 times before, but I always get it in the same spot. At the base of my nose in between my nostrils...icky!

I ran out to the drugstore quickly and got some abreva. Hope it's gone soon.

Emma and D went to the Father Daughter Dance at the elementary school last night. They were there about an hour. I don't think Emma talked to anyone. Or danced either. She ate a cookie, had her picture taken with Daddy and then they were done. He'll have 1 more sedate dance with her, then Kelli will be able to go to the dance. I'm sure she'll be a little more lively than Emma!

Kelli is starting preschool in just over a week. She is just so much Kelli all the time. I'm looking forward to someone else getting to enjoy her for a few hours each week. I know that will help me to enjoy my time with her more, too. On the downside, I will finally have just one toddler at home with me. That hasn't happened since 1997 and she was still napping twice a day then. I have never had to entertain a 2 year old by myself. Am I up to the task?

We'll see!

passing of the boogers

Last week Kelli told me she was sick. Her symptoms?

the cough-es
a sore "neck"
boogers
and the "bless you's"

Not quite medical terminology but descriptive nonetheless.

Now Jack E has snot running down his face. And a fever. And he just hid behind the couch to poop. Like the green cloud isn't giving THAT away!!! LOL

how things have changed!

Twelve years ago yesterday, I became a mama for the first time. It was the first time I nursed a baby. The first time I held a little being that had just moments before been inside of me. The first time I felt such incredible love for a person I had just met. The first time I had that feeling of "I am so strong...I am a mama who just gave birth to a wonderful baby!" The day I joined the club of mamas everywhere.

Nine years ago today I became a mama for the 3rd time. D and I were suddenly outnubered by our children. We had 2 kids in diapers again after about a 2 month stint of only having one in diapers. It was the beginning of a kind of chaos I had never known. And I began to love.

Happy day to Aleena who is now a beautiful 12 year old girl. Yesterday a boy hurt her feelings by saying he didn't know why a boy would like her. D failed in trying to explain to her that he was probably freaked out by how much there is to like about her.

And happy day to Clay-Clay. My sweet guy. I think he is finally getting the fact that school work is not a suggestion but really an expectation. And he hasn't cried since like Saturday!!! Actually.

Something else that has changed. This has nothing to do with our family, but with the area of food that is so important to me these days. For Clay's birthday, he wanted banana chocolate chip muffins to take to school. I have a recipe that I use that is from a scholastic cookbook from when I was a kid. It was published in 1977 in fact. When I compare this recipe to ones from today, one of the huge differences is the amount of sugar. Only 2 T of white sugar and 2 T of brown sugar. And it is supposed to make 24 muffins. Notice I say "supposed to" because I make this batch into 12 muffins. And they are just regular sized muffins then. It would 24 small muffins.

So what does that say about the way we have changed how we eat in the past 30 years? We add a lot more sugar...and our portions are much bigger. No big secrets there, but still just surprising when I see it in print like that.

can I tell you what a dork I am?

Wait...I think I already made that confession here before.

Anyway. This morning I was pulling off my jammy top (man, can you tell I'm a mama?!) and my necklace went UP MY NOSE. And it hurt a lot. And it even bled.

How do I explain that one?

Guess it's a blonde thing!

Jumping back in here!!!

Yesterday afternoon I just felt like it had been the best day ever. I had cooked some really amazing foods. Chicken and barley and vegetable soup. Roasted root vegetables. I ground some more wheat and had yeast bread rising and another loaf of quick bread to go with dinner in the oven.

I felt so on top of it. The wheat germ bread we had with dinner was so AMAZING. The yeast bread wasn't so great. I used the recipe for basice whole wheat bread from Laurel's Kitchen. The dough seemed really soft. The recipe says it will be, but I think that mine was TOO soft. It did great on the first and second proof, but it just didn't rise anymore once it was in the oven. Aleena had 4 pieces of it for toast this morning so it can't be all that bad, huh?

That has been my concern with getting into milling my own flours. What if it's not good? But then I realized that it's BREAD. How bad can it be honestly? It's flour and yeast and water and a little fat and a little sweet. How bad can that be really?

So I've been jumping in and just trying to figure it out as I go along. I realized today as I was reading Flour Power that I have used all my soft white wheat in really the wrong way. I guess that's best for cookies and quick breads and the like. I have just used it in hte mix with my hard red wheat which should have been the base for my flours for my breads.

So I am off to look for more grains today. I'm kind of excited. It's really fun...and it's not like the kids don't devour bread around here! And now that D is doing more construction type work, he's eating more carbs. Not a ton, but he's taking sandwhiches in his lunch. And a loaf of bread with dinner sure does make the meat and veggies go farther! Plus it's still good bribery to get Kelli to eat her dinner.

the energizer bunny has an outage

One of my blog friends, Kathy, referred to me once as the energizer bunny. There are days and days where I just go and go and go. There are things I need to finish and it's hard for me to stop until I'm done.

Well, having the flu has brought me to a halt. I can't believe how wiped out I am. This morning after my shower I wanted to lie down and rest for a second before I finished getting ready. That is so unlike me. And right now, the laundry is piled high to the sky and I just don't have to energy to do it. I had the boys carry it all downstairs because I knew I couldn't carry it. I'll have to do it all down there and then have them haul it all back up here.

I like being strong and having lots of energy. I guess after doing WW for this long, I have become accustomed to just going and going and going. And as a mama, I don't always have a lot of choice in the matter. These kids gotta eat...they need help with homework...diapers have to be changed...and they spill stuff. Mama has plenty to do. And I have always just done it.

Today I might just take another nap.

gosh

That's all Jack E is left with after his weekend with the flu. He continued throwing up and having yucky diapers all day Friday and Saturday. It got really bad Saturday afternoon and I wound up taking him to after hours care for an IV. Little guy was getting quite dehydrated. So hard sitting there with my boy with an IV in his hand. He just was dozing off and on most of the time.

Sunday he was still pretty out of it. Took a couple of big naps and just really laid around all day. I had to take him back to have him rechecked Sunday night. Doing OK. Yesterday he was still sleepy.

Today? He's fighting with my 2 little girls I nanny for so he must be doing alright!

He's left with the "gosh" though.

I had to take Trey to his lacrosse game on Saturday. I was going to just drop him off and come back and put Jack E down for a nap. He fell asleep while I was gone, so Aleena went to put him in his crib. I guess he woke up but she thought she could just read to him and he would go back to sleep. I decided to stay and watch the game since she had it under control.

About 15 minutes before I was supposed to come home, Jack E started complaining that his tummy had ow's. Aleena was freaked out he was going to throw up again. (It's really not pleasant when an almost 2 yo pukes all over then runs away from it because he doesn't realize that it's coming from him to begin with!) She started saying "gosh, gosh, gosh" then Jack E did a huge diarrhea. So now he calls his yucky poops "gosh".

It was kind of funny when he was in the exam room Saturday night with the doctor checking him out and he kept saying "gosh gosh gosh" as he more than filled his diaper.

At least it's funny now...

fun friday

Since all the big kids are in school all day, I have been trying to do a "fun" thing with Jack E and Kelli on Friday mornings. It's not difficult to do something out of the norm with just the 3 of us. And it's usually been librabry story time with some new books and a new DVD for the week.

But so far today...Emma tripped over a fire truck and spilled half a box of cereal on the floor, Kelli has spilled orange juice (thankfully AFTER I cleaned up the rice cripies!) and Jack E has thrown up twice.

Fun this Fiday is NOT!!!

wish me luck...

where have I been?

in the kitchen of course!!!

This summer has been a strange one. I have felt crazy busy with life, but I haven't done as much canning and freezing as I did last summer. Maybe it was just working and not having many days of being home that made it feel so crazy.

The past 2 weekends I think I have made up for lost time, though. Last weekend, I did a TON of tomatoes, some green beans and a bushel of corn. This weekend I froze another 4 bushels of corn. I think we have enough for the year, now. Between cut off the cob corn and corn on the cob, there is enough frozen to have some every other week for a year. And since I will only have to go from the end of September till the middle or so of July, I should be OK. LOL It will taste so good this winter to have corn on the cob.

This fall marks a new era for me. We have 4 kids in school ALL DAY and 2 kids home ALL DAY. There are no middle of the day trips to pick anyone up from preschool or kindergarten. Of course, Kelli is absolutely dying to go to preschool. She is really ready, too, it's just a matter of paying th tuition right now. Besides, I kind of enjoy hanging out with her as the big girl. I should say that most days I enjoy it. There are some days I could sell her to the gypsies without a second thought.

It's also a new phase in that Jack E is almost 2 and has apparently secured his place as "baby of the family". Hard to believe that but it seems to be the case. He is at my favorite age right now. I just love this toddler thing. And he is soooo easy going. If only he would speak in sentences of more than 2 words. He makes his wishes known...even if it does take a while for mama to figure it out.

Well, this is more than I have blogged here all summer! LOL I will really try to do better about that. In all of my spare time-HA!

Jack E's words

I saw a blurb about this last night on the news. Good thing my Jack E doesn't watch these or he might not say ANY words!

iron chef

you know that show on food network where they have a mystery ingredient and have to come with as many ways to use it as possible?

I think the mystery ingredient should be ZUCCHINI!!! And nothing exotic...just regular stuff that we all have on hand and the kids will eat.

Bet that would be a popular episode with vegetable gardeners everywhere!!!

totally thought I was chocolate!

You Are a Lemon Cake

Strong, sexy, and overpowering. You know who you are, and you're not afraid to show the world your fabulous self. You're confident, charming, and extremely popular.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

fat dreams, fat pictures and a crappy realization

First, I had a dream last night where I saw myself naked (like I don't see myself naked every day?!) and I was shocked to realize how overweight I still was. In my dream I remember thinking, I thought I looked good? I am still crazy fat!!! Guess my subconscious still thinks of me as a fattie and not a hottie.

Second, here are a couple of pictures for me to see how far I really HAVE come. The first picture is when I was about 6 months pregnant with Jack. I'm asking Kelli (who is always naked) if she would like to put on her swim suit to get into the pool. The second pic is of me and the kids shopping last Christmas. I got a BIG OL' BUTT!!! I had been on WW a couple of weeks and had lost maybe 5 pounds by then.




And today I realized that my driver's license has my weight listed as 180, which was a total lie at the time. Problem is, I weigh a LOT less than that now. And my stupid license doesn't expire till 2012. Stupid Colorado and their stupid 10 year driver's license!!! :P

potty time

Is it pathetic that I fantasize about going potty without an audience and without hearing my name being called from the recesses of my house?

Don't answer that...