I say "smile"...

...they hear "suck in your bottom lip."

my garage

My garage has been a mess forever. I bought a shelving/workbench unit when we first moved in, and placed things on its many surfaces, but the workbench has been just a big heaping mess for quite a while now. We had put into place no way to hang the garden tools and fishing rods and ladders and all the other garage stuff.

Yesterday we attacked with all our might and got it done. Pegboard up, additional fishing supplies shelf hung, 2x4s screwed into the wall to hang garden tools, work bench cleared, garbage disposed of, floors swept, mouse droppings removed, all done.

But this post is not about how clean my garage is, but is instead about what a dork I am because I do believe I have gone out in the garage and looked at the finished product no less than ten times. Just to look, and stare, and behold what is a project that will last for more than five minutes, two hours, overnight.

Dishes -- never done. Laundry -- never done. Cleaning -- never done. But my garage is done. That feels really good.

homeward bound

Last night at church Adam borrowed a friend's GPS so he could check it out. Joey asked me what daddy was putting on the windshield and I explained to him what it was and what it did. Joey looked at me a bit quizzically and asked,
"Oh? Did Daddy forget the way home?"

He cracks me up :)

all is well

Hello.

I still want to blog, but all my brain power is either sucked away by the sweet little baby growing inside me or by the new task of homeschooling.

We started two weeks ago, and I have started this blog to journal our little homeschooling journey. Well, we'll see how long I keep it up.

I will still post here. I think. Maybe.

Hope you are having a great Monday. I need to go make dinner now. Parmesan crusted chicken - the recipe off of the Hellman's jar. If you haven't made it, you should. It is yummy, I promise.

at the beach

When we told Katie we were going to go to the beach, she excitedly told us how we would see "sea lions, and dolphins, and elephants!" I had her repeat the list to me a few time before I realized those are the three animal pictured on the gray page in her book of colors.

We didn't see any sea lions, or dolphins, or elephants, but we had a great weekend trip to Cape May, NJ. We spent our days on the bay side, which is great for the kids with the calm, shallow water.



Joey loved the water, and Katie did too. I loved that Katie took a nap right on the beach blanket.

At one point in the day, I watched Adam play in the water with both Joey and Kate, and as I enjoyed the scene of my three favorite people, a little kick in my belly gave me a smile--almost like my fourth favorite person didn't want to be left out of all those ooey-gooey feelings of love.

Next year, there will be three kids in the picture. I am twenty weeks into this pregnancy, and it still surprises sometimes that I will soon have three children running around. But at the same time, I can't wait for that new baby smell, and a fuzzy little head nestled under chin. However, new baby means winter and Christmas and I am ready for neither, so I will delight in these warm, summer days, where the children don't outnumber my hands yet.

sounds perfectly reasonable

Yesterday evening I was folding laundry on my bed while Joey was in the tub in our master bathroom. He was having a great time splashing around with his plastic dinosaur figures. Ranny, the tyrannosaurus rex, was getting the most play time as Joey made him perform acrobatic dives into the tub again and again. It was great entertainment while I folded the laundry. Then there was a break in the splashes, a quiet moment, and I hear:

"Mom, do they kill baby dinosaurs and then paint them to make these toys?"

Can you just imagine those cold-hearted dinosaur farmers painting all the poor, slaughtered dino-babies? I mean, you'd think there would be an easier, more humane and cost-effective way to produce toys for all the dinosaur loving children in the world.

painted faces

Friday was the last night of VBS and the much anticipated festival. Joey had a super time, especially since Adam was able to come because of his new job schedule. At the face painting booth Joey asked to have flames painted on his cheeks so he would look like a fire-breathing dragon.



Katie wasn't able to participate in many activities except eating popcorn all evening long and getting a flower painted on her cheek.

(that's popcorn in her cup)

All the teachers and volunteers did a great job, and made a fun and memorable evening (and week) for all the kids. I am so thankful for all the hours they gave to make it possible.

one tomato

It is times like these, when posting a photo of the first tomato picked from my garden, that I realize what a dork I am.

welcome

We made this poster yesterday to welcome Adam home after he had been away for two weeks to participate in a corporate training program in Columbus, Ohio.

The kids each picked out a piece of poster board to make their daddy a welcome home poster. Katie picked out the red, but when it came time to create, she fizzled out after the little orange scribble at the bottom of the board, so I helped her finish. Don't you love how the tracing of my right foot highlights my beautiful bunion? Ick.

Joey picked out yellow and on one side drew a picture of a huge ocean liner, and on the other he inscribed a lovely message to tape to the front door to greet Adam when he arrived home.




Obviously there was a slight lack of forethought as he began the greeting, but Adam had no doubt that he was indeed welcome. And Adam was certain that the poster was truly intended for him because Joey was sure to write Dad M. It really is best to include a last name initial when welcoming your dad into his own home, just in case another dad would come to the door and see the poster and be confused.


So, welcome home Dad M. Our family just isn't complete without you.

pool in a cooler

What perfectly normal, not weird activities do your children find to do on a beautiful summer evening?

Catch fireflies?
Ride bikes up and down dusky sidewalks?
Relax on a blanket and watch the stars come out?


My children fill up a cooler with the dirty water that has been in the kiddie pool for far too long




jump in with their clothes on

and enjoy!

Which is why I ask what normal and not weird things your children do, because very rarely do my children do the normal thing, and very often they are weird. I'm pretty weird too, so we make great company. (I don't jump in coolers full of dirty pool water though.)

i love her face

on the cob

It is summer. Corn on the cob is certainly a yummy summer treat. Corn straight from the farm (or from the bin sitting in the produce section at your local Giant supermarket.) Either way, yum.

And because photos of my children eating corn are much more cute than pictures of me eating corn, I give you these:

Kate started on the cob

but quickly decided the grab and shove method was much more efficient.

Joey was actually telling an animated story in the first shot, but that was basically how excited he was to eat the corn.

After we were done dinner, I cut the corn off five more cobs. Any creamed corn, corn casserole, corn-y favorite recipes I should make with it? Please tell me all about it.