beautiful cash

The mac is dying, the one I'm typing on right now...  For the last 8 months I haven't been able to make movies because the sound stopped working on iMovie.  Then when I tried to get a book made for my sister in iPhoto I found out that our version is no longer supported, so no book.  Now the power source is getting flinchy.  It did this to us 2 years ago when we were in the middle of job searching, getting job, and moving.  Blessedly mom in law let us borrow her laptop for some crucial days. 

We had planned to get a new computer at the end of the year Merry Christmas!  But instead P is building us one now using money from the mini-van fund.  It's nice to have plans for the future and cash in an envelope to do them with.  We won't need a min-van for 10+ months.  Medical benefits start in August.  Too much info, I know.

The back yard has been flooding.  Luckily we live on a hill.  We've had fun going out each day to see if water was flowing in or out.  This picture is the flooded trail back around the oxbow.  But it's all a connected body of water right now.

We had our 3rd play group in a row here today.  I like these ladies and am happy to share this wonderful space with them. 

The front room is getting sorted out so much so that today I even vacuumed in there.  How's that for a statement on "this is how the furniture is going to be"?  I also counted up that we could easily fit 15 kids in there for a BYC.  The fire pit provides even more seating options but... you know, variety.

 We had a nice visit from grandpa and my brother S with family.  I think this picture serves as a warning to anyone who thinks they are going to get a nap on the couch.  He let them palpate his face for whole minutes.  He's the best grandpa we've got, and I feel so blessed that we've got him.  I mean really, how many grandpas would put up with this expression of love?

Apparently I'm sick a lot

This year I have been sick from February to June.  Sheesh!  It has been a rough year.  But only mildly rough.  I mean, it's been terrible, but we've been really blessed so that sort of balances a lot of hard.

I came across this really cute idea for making a book of the funny things your kids say.  I'm not the kind of mom to make one for each individual child.  So I was making one for all of the kids and going through my Facebook, journal and blog posts for funny things the kids have said.  Some great ones:

"Oh Man.  Try Again."  M age 2 crawling down the hall with an alligator puppet, growling, when the puppet falls off.

"Why?  It's coming!  Stay in your house!  Put up the hurricane shutters!"  G's warning to his 1st grade teacher that he wanted me to email her about the tropical storm.

In the process of going through these histories, I realized that I've been sick a lot more than I thought.  And with the same sicknesses we've had this year.  Maybe I'll start making a sickness calendar and draw a line for each member of the family who is sick each day of spring.  I think we may also have allergies that I just throw in with the general sick label.

So I printed these images out on legal sized paper (because I have a ream of it) and am going to sew them into a file folder (for a binding) along with some pages of photos, and DVD holders for the family DVDs.  I like the idea of this little archive. 


We're going to make the whole alphabet this summer. 

I also realized that I want to pay more attention to the funny things they say and do.   I love these wonderful children.

questionaire

What have been the best things you have done this year?
Sung with the children in Primary
Let people help me, sometimes.

What is your favorite sport to play?
Basketball

What would you liked to have done more of?
Exercise, Sing, play my tuba


What is your favorite candy?
Caramel

What didn’t you do that you wish you had?

What was your favorite book?
So far this year... Warriors Apprentice by Bujold
 
In what way have you changed this year?
I have a house to welcome people to, finally.


What is your favorite song?
Beautiful Dawn by the Wailin' Jennys


What areas have you improved in? What did you get better at doing?
Asking for help


What were the things I didn’t like most this year?
Ticks

What do you hope will change next year?
save more

What will your favorite memory of this school year be?

Geoff telling me "I'm deaf and hearing Both!"


What is your favorite video game to play?

Fire boy Water girl


What is your favorite thing to do during your quiet time alone?
Read

What is your favorite movie?

Maybe Enchantment but I don't see many movies.


What do you look forward to doing this summer?

Visiting my friend in Jacksonville


If you had a whole day off to do anything, what would you do?
Go on a date with Phillip

What is your favorite vacation spot?

My house


What did you do this year that scared you, but you did anyways?
I don't think I did anything scary.  Well, maybe pulling down
poison ivy in the back yard.

What is your favorite animal?

Horses.

What is your favorite restaurant?

Smokin Ds on US1 and 206


What is your favorite lunch?

Philly Cheese Steak from Farahs.  That was the most delicious
lunch I ever had.  It's not something to eat everyday though.

What is your favorite (non-video) game to play?

Multiple Solitaire

Complete these sentences:

A home is a place where where Phillip is.
A parent is a person who is responsible for children.
A child is a person who is learning to be responsible.

Extravagance

Thursday we went to the Tax Collector and got our registration stickers.  Then we walked all the way down the long corridor to the Library.  When we got home we were so exhausted we collapsed in a pile of books and read.  Nice!

 Friday we executed a plan we've had in the works ever since my psychiatrist/sister said that some people in our family aren't able to do things that will create good memories because they're obsessed with money.  I realized that P and I both suffer from this malady.  We're willing to save up and buy nice things.   But we are very unwilling to spend money on experiences, aka we're misers.  Great!

So we took the kids mini-golfing and they had a blast. 

 The kids loved this hole that dropped the ball down into a lower green where the "real hole" was.

 lP and P are adorable.

She's 5!

People have been asking if M is 5 for 2 years now, so it's about time she finally had the official birthday already.  We were so blessed to have a bright and sunny morning that did get really hot, but only just...really hot, and there was a breeze.  Check out this cake!  Can you believe it?  I can't.

 Rain-bow-rama!  Her sunbeam teacher SW made this for her.  SW's 5 year old son G pointed out that she got the colors backwards.  I still don't know that critical fact of science.  

 Not just rainbow decorated cake, but vibrant rainbow cake inside. 

 And the rainbow out of a bunt cake on top!  It was amazing and delicious.

 Behold the rain cloud non violent pinata.  The kids pulled the strings to unlace the bottom and have the candy fall out.  It was sort of a fail because it burst before everyone had had a turn, and then there was not enough candy apparently because a lot of kids were upset.  I love a pinata but I don't like the part where kids are fighting for candy. 

Here's M with her sidewalk chalk counterpart.  It was a great day.

help me help you

Today was crazy in a lot of ways.  I find myself hoping that the dear C family who is in town, will take me up on my offer to have them over for dinner.   But it's getting late and I don't think they want to intrude.  Please intrude!

I finally gave out paper invites to M's birthday party and one mom emailed that she could bring a cake or cupcakes if I wanted.  Seriously?  I love making the kids birthday cakes, but if I don't have to buy one, and it makes M stare with amazement that her sunbeam teacher would make her cake... good deal.  

 

And often, I have to call out "P come take a picture of this because we're doing something really cute!"

grace

We've been blessed recently to watch sweet children for various friends as they've dealt with hospitalizations.  I'm so grateful to not be having a hospitalization right now.  I'm grateful to have this lovely home where we can invite friends.   I'm grateful for this fabulous couch that can be moved into countless configurations, including this favorite "The rocket ship".

the carpet

 The pink carpet in our "great room" (let's face it, it's a great room) is so soft and lush.  We love it.  P has told me that we'll replace it with something as soft when it finally can no longer be made presentable.  It's so fun to have a soft ground for all the laying around, airplane rides, tumbling, and coupon shopping we like to do.

 We had a nice Memorial day lunch with the Ps.  BBQ Chicken on potatoes!

 lP is very coordinated.  Sometimes even I get anxious about the things she climbs up on.  Other folks are always terrified.  Well, now I've done it.  She has 2 left feet.  Really. 

The sole of her right shoe had worn a hole in it so I put a new sole on it.  Unfortunately I put a left sole on it.  So sometime soon I'll replace the sole of the left shoe with a right sole.  And lP will continue terrorizing playground populations at will.