Found the camera!

Yes, Yes, I know... it's been forever... but, I lost my camera (it was under my bed, in case you were wondering)!

School:  Not much is going on... my goal is to work with The Little's every day, we have some cards to work on logic, they love it... but, apparently, I'm not needed ;)

In our Bible study, we recently talked about the Tower of Babel... TW decided to build one with dominoes and then make a silly face (I wonder who taught him that!)!

We also made a salt dough map of Upper and Lower Egypt (and the Mediterranean and Red Seas and the Nile, just in case you were wondering what all the blue was)!

I recalled last week that Smaug's birthday was coming... I've been pretty teary over it, and keep  forgetting that it's looming!  I did decide, though, that we should have macaroni and cheese (with more BBQ meatballs) for his birthday dinner, because, man, can our kids tear up some cheese pasta!!!

 

Mr. E got attacked by TW's pencil during a game of bounce on the couch with Daddy (why TW had a pencil in the first place is beyond me but it probably involved school work that should have been being done)!

We had a breakfast picnic one morning when the power went out... J took this shot because he loved the fact that Pretty Girl was crossing her legs!

I had to go shopping by myself :(  TW decided to push a cart, and Berry decided she wanted to be in it... even though this looks promising, it was not... never again!

TW has decided he wants to make the pizza's for pizza and movie night... this is what he came up with :)

Smaug knocked over one of our lamps, which broke the halo portion and dented, the already dented shade.  We got these lamps right after we got married and have done nothing with them except move them 5 times.  So, we found new shades and some spray paint and spruced them up a bit, maybe they'll stay this way another 11.5 years.  Anyway, the reason I posted this picture is because they girls have taken to calling them the Beautiful (or Pretty, depending on the girl) Light... "Daddy, may I turn on the Beautiful Light?" :)

We have had a lot of thunder, lightening and rain recently.  J took this picture outside our garage, and here it is for Grandpa Mac!

In Other News:  Hopefully I'll post sooner next time, since we have a lot of events and adventures coming up!  Oh, and Grammy, I am not ignoring your e-mail :)  We are, hopefully, doing our pictures next week (barring anyone scraping up their faces)... I'm thinking we are heading to the group shot rather than individuals :)

Another Book Review

So, I mentioned that I got two books in the mail, and since I've been done with it for about 2 weeks, I suppose I should write my review :) The second book I got from Bethany House to review is called The Deposit Slip by Todd M. Johnson.  There are very few genres that I dislike (science fiction being one of them, I can swallow a book here and there, but I don't run for them)... so, please don't be surprised when I say that is a suspense novel :)  The story takes place in Minnesota... which kind of reminded me of Iowa and it was a nice feeling.  It's all about a lawyer solving a mystery (another great genre) involving a deposit slip found in after one of the character's fathers dies.  The lawyer (Jared) has to battle time, community animosity, and other crooked characters to find out the truth.  And along the way, he finds out a bit about himself (i.e. you get some warm fuzzy feelings).  I completely enjoyed this book, it even kept me entertained on the treadmill!

Book Review

Last week (or so, my weeks get messed up, frequently), I got two books in the mail from Bethany House to review.  I love free books.  The first envelope I opened (and so, the first book I read) is called Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman.  I have to admit, that I totally judge books by their cover and sometimes don't read the back cover.  That's the case with this book.  I saw the title and the picture and thought, I usually enjoy these books Woo Hoo.  So, I started reading and got into the first paragraph and then read the back cover.  "Ohhhh, so not what I thought, goody".  The book is not about people who are already Amish, but suburbanites living an Amish lifestyle for a reality TV show.  I'm not sure how much of the things my character's did was plausible, but I didn't care.  I was hooked from page 1.  I took the book on the treadmill with me, it took me to bed at night, it nursed the baby with me, we hid from the kids in the bathroom together, "brushing" our teeth.  It was a glorious 2 days (I can't read non-stop).  I highly recommend this book, it's easy to read, it's enjoyable and the people (moms and teenagers alike) all seem real... and if your a romantic, there's a bit of that thrown in as well.  Enjoy!

It's August!

So, I thought I had updated this blog thing more recently than my camera tells me :)

Daddy was showing TW why we don't store steel wool with wood shavings... it took him forever to get it to spark :)

TW has been having night "terrors" (he just runs around and cries about nonsense)... we have been waking him up right before we go to bed to try and help this (hasn't helped, because he refuses to wake up)... J brought him out to watch the Olympic's during a swim final... he was obviously really excited about the gold we won!

TW also read a Boxcar Children book in 3 days!

Mr. E and Berry got out TW's special paint (illegally).  I was putting on make up and heard the two playing in the toy room... but then, they cackled.  I immediately went to spy... after having a minor heart attack looking for the "non toxic" label (it was there), I took a picture and then bathed this little monster.

In preparation for the new Hobbit movie coming out, we 1) read the book and are 2) watching The Lord of the Ring series.  TW gets to watch about 30 minutes a day with Daddy... who has to explain what's going on (I still get the town names confused).  TW does not like suspense, but he doesn't seem to be care about scary orcs (I still avert my eyes)... he made this necklace/ring to match Frodo's!

Lost another tooth... number 3!

A new school "game" all about grammar and building sentences ;)

Learning about Pharaoh Menes, who united Upper and Lower Egypt.

My achingly swollen feet after I got "attacked" by some fire ants... and someone else's feet.

The kids figured out that if they put Smaug in a bucket, he wouldn't wreck the train tracks :)

Practicing gymnastics on the "old mattress"!

Getting adjusted (our chiropractor uses an adjustment "gun" rather than his hands to align our bones)!

Weird shot, but I threw out the old, ratty baby car seat... the one each of the boys has used.  I cried.

And now, a meatball making secret that I learned from some website.  I used to hate making meatballs... it was messy and they never turned out round and involved too much grease... but then I read something and I am a meatball making fool (and the kids and J tear them up).  So, first you get a big 'ole pot of water boiling (like the size you cook your spaghetti noodles in)...  a rolling boil!  Then, you make your meatball... use whatever meatloaf recipe you have... I usually throw in some garlic salt, pepper, an egg, some bread crumbs and dried onion (tinier bites).  Then you roll your balls... I have made TBSP size for plain meatballs or big spaghetti balls, and I have used 1/2 tsp size to stick in spaghetti-o's.  I have used ground turkey, ground chicken and ground beef... the higher fat beef is better for the smaller balls! 

 Then, once your water is rolling, you start adding the balls.  I generally add the whole pound at once.  But if you do more than a pound, you may need to do several batches.  Let the water come back to a roll and then boil for about 5 minutes.  The balls will go from sunk to floating.  I stir occasionally with a slotted spoon.  Then I take them out with the same spoon and do whatever with them.  

This past week, I added some homemade BBQ sauce, tossed them in the oven for 25 minutes or so, and called it yummy!  I think I'll have to cook more next time :)

Smaug caught Pretty Girls cold (so did all the other kids)... and ended up going to the doctors office because I ran out of albuterol for the nebulizer!  Poor guy did not feel very good.  He ended up getting two treatments at the office, having a fever of 102 (which was 99 that morning), and having a "pretty bad" ear infection on one side!  He is feeling much more chipper now :)

I took distractions with us... but they did not last very long :)

In Other News:  TW informed me this morning that he has another lose tooth, and Smaug took 2 steps today :)