Day Dreaming

I was bit by the garden bug as soon as we bought our house.  Then I was bit by the canning/freezing/preserving bug.  Then I was bit by I want to share and sell all this.  So many people want to eat the fresh and local produce but don't have the time or space to grow it.  Why I can't I do it for them?  Then I wanted to start sharing my canning ideas.  Why can't I sell produce canning boxes.  I put all the fresh produce they need to go home and can it up?  Why can't I have canning classes and teach?

When I first started it was so scary and I tracked down a lady at the hardware store and she set me up and told me how to can.  I don't come from a home of gardeners or canners.  I had to teach myself.  (My mom is an amazing gardener... but she specializes in flowers not produce.)  My Aunts are produce gardeners so I picked their brains a ton on helping me with starting seeds to planting hows & whens!!  So thankful for their knowledge and willingness to teach little 'ol me!

I think it would be so fun to set up a produce stand!  My in-laws have the perfect location right off a busy highway.  But I live an hour away.  I also think it would be so fun to be part of a farmers market.  My husband does not.  Loading trailers and trucks on an early Saturday mornings sounds like zero fun to him.  Oh I have pinned so many great produce cart ideas!!

I am back to thinking how I can do this and from home and not have to leave.  It isn't easy at this stage in my world to get out of the house.  So... produce boxes is my main thought now.  Selling just produce and then selling canning kits.

I have started my seeds.  I have started seeds before... but never the important ones like peppers and tomatoes.  I have just stuck to flower, herbs, lettuce, and the direct sew seeds.  So far (knock on wood) all is growing and looking amazing... for it being like 20 degrees outside, zero sunshine and snowing every. single. morning!!

I have:
13 Sweet Peppers
5 Jalapenos
12 Pepperoncinis
13 Orange Tomatoes
13 Super Sauce Tomatoes
38 San Marzano Tomatoes
5 Cherry Tomatoes
22 Celery
22 Lettuce
18 Parsley
18 Cilantro
18 Dill
18 Basil
48 Zinnia (Flower)
24 Cleome (Flower)

I also jumped right into needing a logo to go with this dream.  I started scratching out logos and taping them to the side of my fridge.  If anything I want personalized canning labels for my own jars so it won't be wasted.  I hand out my canned items a lot so it will be fun to have a good label on it.

My next step?  Planting all these seedlings in the big garden and putting a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears into making them grow and giving me an abundance of fruit.  Enough for ourselves and extra to sell!!

Oh and praying for it to stop SNOWING and the sun to come out and warm the ground!!!

Here is to day dreaming and seeing where it takes me!!

The Vitamin Story

I had to run into the vitamin store today. My vitamins store is inside the mall so I have to bring all the kids with me.  I knew what I needed but there was someone else in front of me so I just wondered around waiting my turn. 

Meanwhile Melanie is grabbing bottle after bottle.  She grabbed one.  Dropped it.  It broke.  Glass bottle.  It is a tiny store so everyone heard and knew it was me, that crazy lady who just fed her kids donuts and brought their wiggly bodies into a tiny vitamin store with glass bottles!!

Since when did they start packaging vitamins in glass bottles?!

So the guy comes and takes the broken bottle and I go to the counter to checkout.  He is scanning my other items and I ask him if he needs me to pay for the broken bottle or heck, maybe it is a vitamin I need.

He says, "Well unless your husband is having troubles in the bedroom..." 

Ah.  Um.  Oh.  No.  Nope.  He's good.

He says, "Don't worry about it."

My goodness.  My children get me into some weird situations!

The kids and I are reading a book right now and it was talking about that in every family there is a "naughty one" and a "good one".  So Max says, "who's the naughty one in our family?"  To which both Max and Mallory say, "MELANIE!"

Week 11

All Three.

The only posed part of this picture is Mallory's pretending to take a giant bite.

Otherwise they all sat here together to eat apples.

Right now they are all at a stage of eating.  Eating non-stop.

This particular morning I was feeling very over whelmed.  Which lead me to just take pictures of what was overwhelming me.  

Melanie

She wants to be held.  A lot. She follows me around like this.  She was fresh from

the tub and so I put her in her underpants since we had a day at home and I thought

I would watch her and stay on top of it.  Well I got distracted and found myself 

doing laundry downstairs and when I came up she was sitting on my bed

trying to hack into the kindle to watch Doc McStuffin.  

Too late.  She peed.  On my bed.

Maxwell

Then I looked into Melanie's room where the big kids were playing and it looked like this.  Blood pressure is rising at a rapid rate.  Why?  Why do they have to destroy every room in my house?  Not only destroy but rearrange things.  Garbage on top of the dresser?  Eh!  

Mallory.

She is my creative child.  I am constantly chasing around art projects and (deep breath) throwing them away!!!  I would drown in paper if I kept everything. Right now she is saving her money to buy a pack of printer paper.  So she can have paper whenever she wants.  I am scared if she is successful in this because... the paper... every where!!  The other day (no lie) she was in the recycle bin digging out cardboard and cutting them up and doing Lawrd  knows what with it!!  I love a creative soul... don't get me wrong.  It is just the constant trail of creativity I find that leads me to another creative trail that leads me to another creative trail...  

This pile was just done in one afternoon.  I gathered it all into a pile, though, to get a picture.  Then scooped it right into the garbage careful to turn it all upside down so she doesn't see any of it peeking out when she looks in the garbage for cardboard.

So I have been taking lots of cleansing breaths and trying not to freak out over small things

. . For example: checking out Christmas books in March and then having to read them 7 times!!  Nooo!!!  Make it stop!!  

Week 10

Maxwell

We had beautiful weather this week.  We were getting so much sap we had to empty bags half way threw the day.  Max really liked helping me with this!

Melanie

After we collected all the sap we went out for our first bike ride of the season.

Maxwell was determined he heard the neighbors calling him up to play so we

stopped for a quick visit.  Melanie instantly spotted the baby doll and was carrying it

around.  I still had my camera with me and couldn't resist a picture of muddy spring

knees, windy pony tail, and a baby doll in her arms!

Mallory

I sent the kids out side after lunch one day to get wiggles out before school.

When I walked by the window there was Mallory in a tree.

They have been trying to climb this tree for awhile and it looks like this may be the year for

successful tree climbing.

Maple Syrup Season 1

Jesse and I can get real geeky and want to live off the land.  Well last weekend was one of our geek-out moments.  Jesse's mom came and got the kids to go see puppies and we had a few hours to ourselves.  So we went to a maple syrup supply store and got the low down on how to do this.  Not to mention that I read a few blogs the week before and felt like I was walking maple syrup expert!!   

We have six trees in our yard and we did two taps per tree.  It is a small amount - but I think (or I am hoping) it will turn out just perfect for us.  We don't eat a lot of syrup.  We are more honey people.  But when we want syrup - we will have some from our very own back yard!!  

Speaking of honey... we have already gone down that rabbit trail of getting our own hives and bees.  I took a test to see if I could be a bee keeper and NOPE!  Failed.  Highly afraid of getting stung!  Where Jesse is all about the challenge and thinks a little sting here and there is not a problem!  

Jesse and I got all the trees tapped and ready before we had to pick up the kids.  The maple syrup store threw in a hat for us for free and it didn't fit Jesse's head real well.  I made a silly comment like this could be the lucky hat and we need to wear this when we are doing our maple syrup work so I had to wear the hat because it didn't fit him.

After the trees were tapped we walked back out to our river... I mean where it floods on our land.  Jesse likes to joke that we have a house on the river!  The kids love it when it is frozen and they have their own skate pond!

We had the trees tapped by noon and the next morning we had 5 gallons of sap!!  We boiled it down to these two jars and will finish it off later.  We all tasted it this far and it is already sweet and tasting like syrup.

Anyone else find it totally amazing that trees give us a sweet syrup?  Mind blowing!

Did you want to see the kids with the puppies?  Be warned your heart will be melted!  You will want a puppy!  

I mean for real!  Crossed puppy paws and sleeping on Max's shoulder?!  Stop!

Mallory is the puppy whisperer!  She loves loves loves loves puppies!  Which is no surprise she has two fighting for her lap.

Well Melanie shocked me with this one.  I thought she would like them but nope.  She didn't.

Shopping my Closet

One of the ways I can stay content (remember my 2016 word) is to get out of mommy-land!  I spend so much time in mommy-land I can get consumed and forget who Lynn is.  So I read a few fashion blogs, perhaps daily while drinking my morning coffee... and hopefully before I hear little voices and feet coming!  I don't find myself as being a fashionista by any means!  Which is why I read them.  Plus!  I stay home all day, every day, and I do not want to become a frumpy house wife.  So I have to stay connected to the outside world by reading blogs.  I also don't get to stores to shop so I have no clue what is on point and what is out... insert blogs!

Flip side - because I read so many fashion blogs I tend to not be content with my clothing!  I want or even think I need new clothing.  Another "disorder" I have is I refuse to pay full price for anything!!!  I never shop current looks.  I shop clearance racks!  Or sales - I really have to get a good deal though.  So I feel like I am always a season behind.  Got great summer clothes to push me threw the winter and now I have winter clothes for the summer.  Great!

Anyway - I was reading a fashion blog and she was working a pair of mustard yellow pants!  I have mustard yellow pants!!!!  I bought them 3 years ago (for like $6 on clearance) to wear to an ugly sweater Christmas party.  I swore I would figure out how to wear them again.  I never could.  But I held on to them, three years and counting.  This blogger's mustard yellow pants inspired me to try them again and I am feeling content about my closet today!!  

My shirt was bought off the summer clearance rack last fall and I can't wait for warmer weather where I can wear short sleeves again.  I am still loving the aztec print so I don't care if this style has gone to the wayside.  I am still going to work it.  Ha!  

I can not take a selfie alone.  I need someone in it with me!  

Thanks for letting me take my blog out of mommy-land and talk girly!!

Here is the blog that inspired my look!

http://sheaffertoldmeto.com/

In case you want a pair of mustard yellow pants to join this party!!

Week 9

Another week where I only got out the camera one day and this time I got the two little kids and not Mallory.

Melanie!

She does not play real well... unless I set the stage for her then she will.  I brought out the bin of little people and her castle and she played and was giggling hard!  In her own little world!  

Melanie's vocabulary this week has taken off!  She talks none stop and says so many words and understands so much!  We were leaving one day to take Mallory to choir lessons and Max was not coming with and Melanie says, "Where's Ma?"  I told her that Max was staying with Daddy his belly hurt.  And she says, "Daddy.  Belly.  Ma.  Owie."

**She calls me "Mum" and Max is "Ma"**

Maxwell!

The kids wanted to have a pajama party on Monday night.  So we got in pajamas and played a board game and ate chocolate.  

Wednesday night when we were leaving AWANAS Max collided with another kid there and as we got out to the van he instantly started complaining of a headache and fell asleep on the way home.  (Max has been complaining of headaches for about 6 months - and I think I narrowed it down to exhaustion and over worked/stimulated.  If I get him to nap he doesn't get headaches.)  Well Thursday morning he woke up puking and still had his headache.  He was sick for half the day and couldn't eat.  I had him take a nap.  He woke up completely better.  He ate supper like a champ and has been back to normal again.  I sure hope this kid isn't going to battle headaches/migraines.  Seems so wrong for my little 4 year old to battle headaches.  We don't get a lot of headaches around here so it isn't something he hears us say.  Headaches do however, run in the Frey side... and his doctor said they can be hereditary.  So bummed.  But if I can keep rested he does great... just now to convince him to rest is the challenging part!

Mallory!

Brushing her teeth with Melanie.

Week 8

Confession Time!  I only had three pictures this week on my real camera!  And they were of Mallory.  Then I had to dig real deep for pictures on my phone of the rest of the kids!

Mallory!

She is devouring books!  This is one of the many that she finished.  

She finishes about 2 chapter books a week!!  

Melanie!

We had a beautiful week and we went for our first walk of the season and then came back and Melanie attempted to ride the trike.  Legs just aren't long enough yet.  So close.

Maxwell!

I started a mommy swap day with another homeschool mom who just happens to live 3 houses down the street!  So I had her kids this week for 4 hours.  Max couldn't wait to show them the hunting game on the wii.  So they all hunted and as you can tell the suspense was real!!

Week 7

Maxwell!

Last year I found a kids yoga you tube channel.  This gal tells a story while doing yoga moves.  My kids love it!  I kind of forgot all about it this year, but they didn't.  So they asked to do them this week.  Kids are so tough.  They do an hour of these yoga videos!!   And bonus!  There is a Frozen one now!!  

Mallory!

She got an American Girl doll when she was 4 (from her Grandma).  Because she got it so young it became a doll that was thrown in a toy box and left on the floor and under a pile of blankets.  The doll has had a rough life, but I guess she is loved!!  Mallory loves to wear matching clothes with her doll and loves to style her doll's hair.  I got her the hair style kit for Christmas this year and she loves looking in the book and attempting the different styles.  

It is a look alike doll and Mallory named her Freckles back when she got her.

Melanie!

She was horribly sick this week!  Fevers.  Coughing.  Not eating or drinking.  Not sleeping.  From Saturday night to about Thursday afternoon!  She did so much of this!!  It was super rough!  I forgot how awful it is when toddlers are sick!  She is all healthy again now!!

Heart Day 2016

Jesse asks me a few days before... "are we doing valentines?"  I tell him no that I was just going to make him a card I found that I loved and can I just tell him now so I don't have to make it.  He said yes.  That was our valentine moment!  

The kids had a valentine party for their homeschool group.  So I... I mean we... whipped up some quick valentines that they were super proud of.  

Group shot before they head to the party!

Max's was a target and a glo-bracelet!

Max was so funny writing his name on these.  He does a great job writing his name.  But!!  This was too much pressure to write it and he was so focused that he started writing it backwards!

Mallory gave out starburst.

Can we just cry for a moment how grown-up this girl is?!  My goodness!!

Melanie gave out goldfishes, of course!!

She could not understand how to show me her treat.  So she just got up and was done with it.  We tried!  

I usually have a special breakfast for the kids on valentines.  However we had church in the morning so I couldn't make anything.  Saturday afternoon I made them chocolate chip muffins and had them ready for them in the morning along with strawberries.  Well Mallory got up first and she set the table and got everyone's breakfast ready for valentines!  So sweet!  Right down to the drinks!

Week 6

Week 6 was rough.  Just for me.  I was cranky.  Ha.  I was in a funk.  Which means I didn't get the real camera out much.  So I don't even have separate pictures of each kid.  Lesson learned.  Take pictures even though I am in a funk.

Melanie.

Story hour this week was a valentine theme and then they got these straws from the story hour teacher.  Adorable!!  Melanie didn't get one but she was sure to take over Mallory's!!

Mallory & Maxwell

I didn't even have good separate pictures of these two.  Really bad lighting.  And Max wiggles and blinks so much that his pictures are constantly a hot mess.  I caught them in a still moment.  

Mallory reading to Max.  Max in a zone.  

Week 5

Melanie!

Have I told you that she is appearing to be left handed?!

Very much uses her left hand to eat and color and dip toothbrushes into the toilet with!!

{{Who keeps leaving the lid to the toilet up!?!}}

I feel like this whole left hand business has explained so much to me with this child! ;)

Mallory & Maxwell!

Over lunch one day a meeting of sorts was going down.  They both wanted to make a tunnel in the snow.  Mallory announces that we need to draw a plan.  Gets scrap paper she finds in the junk drawer, a broken crayon and starts drawing out their plan.

Max very much doubted her plans and asked her the same question over and over and over and over and over and over and over until I freaked out and said, "MAXWELL!!  Don't say the words 'what about the look-out tower' again!  She obviously has a plan that you can't see and you just need to trust her!" He wasn't happy with me! 

Lunch was over.  I sent them on their way and told them I would do their lunch chores since they were so very excited to get started on this tunnel.  Got all the chores done, put Melanie to bed and looked out the window to check on them because it was time to start school!

Oh! My! Word!

They made a tunnel!!

I grabbed the camera and ran!

The snow was not packing this day!  So they had to shovel and scoop it into a mound and then they had to make a tunnel!

A month or so ago my mom told me I think Mallory is going to be an engineer. Watch out for her because she is going to be drawing plans on napkins and writing out plans on tiny scrap paper and you will find them every where.  Then this day happened - where she drew a plan on a scrap paper and went to town and did it!!!  

Max was her doubting and fearful side-kick!  He may have doubted but he took orders and followed directions like a champ!!  Fearful because he wouldn't try the tunnel first because what if it fell on him.  So Mallory had to go first and she says, "Yeah!  Max made me go first and then he tells me if it falls on me he is going to stomp more snow on me!"  Always cracking jokes and clowning around Mr. Max!!  Showing those focused and determined ones that there is always room for a laugh and some fun!

A Special Friday

The house is totally clean... top to bottom!  A candle is lit.  Kids are outside and the baby is sleeping!  Hot coffee!  I curled my hair! I ate a cookie!  Some mornings are just too good!  Today was one of those!

Melanie has finally started liking baths again!  There was a period where she would run the other way in fear.  Now she is constantly trying to climb in.  I let her today.  Baths and I don't get along.  The part of raising kids I could do without.  Bath time!  Ugh!

I tried to have a better attitude today about it.  She climbed in and I grabbed a book and was in for the long haul.  I knew this wasn't one of those fast baths.

It wasn't long before the others heard the splashing and came running.  I normally wouldn't let this happen but my better attitude must of been just right and I let them all climb in.

I know I have said this a million times - BUT- Mallory is the best big sister!  She takes so much time with each one of the kids!  She slows down and does baby games with Melanie in the tub!

We have a giant tub downstairs in the bathroom... yet I never use it because it takes so much water and takes so long to fill and then they get in there and I can't reach them.  So the tiny tub it is.  At one point I looked over and I all these little heads were looking back at me.

Being Content

I decided to go with rest of the world and pick a word for 2016 and it is... content.

I want to be better at being content.  Most of all I want to be okay with being a stay at home mom and a homeschooler.  Those jobs are hard on me sometimes.  I have a hard time relating to people outside my bubble.  When I get in social events (which is rare) and I get asked what do I do {after they have asked every other single person with big amazing careers} and I tell them I stay home.  I get the "ooooh" response and they don't know what more to ask.  I most definitely do not freely say that I homeschool because that opens up a whole other can of worms and odd looks.

I want to be content and proud of being a stay at home mom and homeschooler.  If I really think about it, it is a rare and unique jobs that I should be proud of.  Sometimes I get responses like, "Oh I wish I could of stayed home."  or "I always wanted to homeschool."  I actually get to do these things and I have a husband is super proud and willing to support our family all by himself!  One of my favorite things he told me once when I was having a rough moment... If it was easy, Lynnie, everyone would do it.

Some of the ways I have found that help me be content is to enjoy the perks!  Enjoy not getting dressed and out the door by 7.  So I drink my coffee and stay wrapped in my blanket as long as possible because this is a perk of my job.  No guilt allowed!  I take a nap once a month because it is a perk I get.  No guilt allowed!

I also have been trying to stay connected with the outside world and not stay in my bubble.  Talking to grown-ups helps so much!!!  Texting is my very best friend these days!  I have another homeschool friend and we text daily!  Sometimes hourly!  Something about being able to have someone who gets the same struggles and highs as you is just huge for me!  She can tell me about her bad day and I can trump it!!  Or vise versa!  And honestly I can't talk on the phone right now!  So much noise in here!

I love to read!  I typically read a lot of self-help books, I guess.  In the mornings {during my coffee drinking quiet time} I am currently reading, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World by Emily P. Freeman.  I am not crazy in love with the book because sometimes I think I live too many small moments.  I need more fast-moving moments.  Ha!  Seriously!  We went to the cheese store last week and we all got in the van I squealed, "When was the last time we went on an adventure!"  Um... the cheese store and adventure!!?  Yeah.  Small-moment living right here!!  

My other book I am reading that I picked up a whim is, We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  So good!  A book I typically wouldn't read because it has a whole lot of bad parenting and it involves kids getting hurt.... but I tough it out and can't put it down!  I have been trying to read at night instead of scroll around on Pinterest.  Helps me feel more content in my cooking and fashion and the way my home looks.  : )

Lastly!  Podcasts!  My sister-in-law and I chat weekly (via email because she is old school, but I love her to the moon and back.  She just got a smart phone over Christmas and I tested her to see if she could do texting and she totally failed!  So we email!) and she tells me one day that she is addicted to podcasts.  I have listened to them but not really.  I just have a radio series I liked as a kid and it is still on so I listen to it on a podcast app.  Well she perked my curiosity and I started searching around and found one that I am hands down head over heels for.

Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey.  She has all these inspiring women on her show and they chat about life and favorite things and books and just good and girly!  It makes me feel like a grown-up for a bit when I listen.  Plus I can take it with me anywhere!  I have been listening in the shower.  I have been listening in the van when I am driving my Swagger Wagon from here to there.  I just put the kids audio book on and turn the speakers to all the way in the back and they can listen and I am all up front being a grown-up!  Its great!  Poor Melanie who sits in the middle and has to listen to both going at the same time.  I need a privacy glass between my seat and the rest of the van... that way I can hear my stuff and the kids can listen to their stuff and we are one big happy swagger wagon!

Here is a quote that a {homeschooling momma} friend sent to me and I just love it.  It is taped to my bathroom mirror and I read it hourly!

Press on today.

Your role is no accident.

And it is great.

Week 4 Pictures

Not going to lie I had 2 pictures on my camera when I thought about it this morning... 

so I grabbed a few moments today!

Maxwell.

About two years ago he gave me one huge mega scare and ended up with croup.  

I never experienced it first hand before and of course rushed him to the ER in the wee 

hours of the night.  So now he gets it about every year and it is still very scary, but I

 don't panic - as much.  Last night was the night.  Mallory 

woke me up about 12:30am and said Max was making a funny noise with his throat and 

she got him a drink and he was still making the funny noise.  I go downstairs by him to 

discover he has croup!  A little cold shock outside therapy and some hot steamy shower 

therapy and in our bed he went.  Well Mallory wasn't about to be alone so she slept on our floor.  

We have never been the parents with kids in our bed.  If they got scared or needed us they slept on the floor.  I didn't want him on the floor I wanted him elevated so in he went.  Oh my goodness.  Knees in my back.  Wiggle.  Wiggle.  Throwing legs over us.  As soon as Jesse got up for work Max moved all the way over and crashed hard.  He slept until 8:30 and I snuck in for some sleeping pictures.

Melanie!

She has a bit of cold as well and she was looking so darn cute in her hat as we ran a few errands this afternoon.  That nuk face!!  I am sorry... I love it!!  

Any crazy baby stories from the week?  Um.  She is currently addicted to 

marshmellows and wants them all day long.  She was dipping toothbrushes in the toilet 

this morning.  She has been saying "Where's Daddy" when she wakes up and he is gone already.  

And when I say work she says, "Oooooh".  I think it is so sweet and cute so I will ask her 

"Where's Daddy?" and she flung her arm down and said something which totally sounded like "Work!" with a bit of a grunt.

Mallory!

First, can we just say how super sweet this girl is that she was so concerned about her 

brother last night that she is getting him drinks of water and coming to get me to help him.  

Then refused to sleep until she knew he was okay. 

I had a day where I was down and sick with a head cold and Mallory took it upon herself that she should stay in her pajamas and play legos.  

Dad! I think Melanie is...

A few weeks ago Jesse and I both had separate meetings to be at.  His was professional and real and mine was a Mom's Homeschool Meeting where we were having a surprise baby shower for one of the moms - I didn't want to miss it!  Jesse wasn't going to be home in time for me to leave at the start of the meeting so I called in our favorite babysitter and she came to watch the kids.  

Jesse comes home and babysitter leaves and the kids are downstairs and Jesse comes upstairs to do his thing.  A little moment later Mallory comes up and says, "Dad!  I think Melanie is drinking from the toilet!"

Jesse - Why don't you stop her?

Mallory - I am not sure if that is what she is doing.

Jesse goes downstairs and finds Melanie bent over at the waist in the toilet just having the time of her life!  She has crayons and all kind of toys in the toilet!  Water splashed all over herself and the floor!  She has a Popsicle stick (from the kids art project earlier in the week which was to make a boat and float it) and is sticking it in the water and then carrying the water on the stick into her mouth and sucking it off.  Over and over and over and over!

Yup.  She was drinking from the toilet!

Jump ahead a few days and we are at our friends house for supper and their son's birthday.  We are all in the living room watching the Packer game and all of sudden I realize Melanie is missing and has probably been missing for awhile.  Go look for her and she is in their school room and has found the fish bowl sitting on their window seat.  Melanie is sticking her hand into the fish bowl and then shoves her entire hand into her mouth and sucks the water off.  I am not sure how long she did that for before I realized she was gone.  Her sleeve was pretty wet.  Wonder what their fish thought?  Wonder if Melanie tried to grab one?

Today (Friday) I found her in the bathroom sticking her fingers in the big kids toothpaste spit and eating it!

I am sorry.  It is gross.  I know!  Believe me!  I almost lost it when I found her today eating the toothpaste.  

Never take your eyes off this one!  She has a whole room full of toys and yet she would rather do these things!  

Week 3 Pictures

This is so hard to pick just one picture of each kid!  Plus I have also challenged myself that they can only be pictures from my real camera... no cell phone pictures.  But I am so out of camera use that I am back to shooting in auto mode!  Shhh.  Don't tell my camera teacher!!  

Mallory.  All the pictures I had for her were art pictures.  

She is working on a book about her family.  This is not an assignment.

Just something she made up and is doing.  One of her school assignments (about two months ago) was to write a book and it turned out amazing.  I will blog about it one of these weeks.

Maxwell.  Have I expressed how much this kid is into hunting?  Dressed head to toe in camouflage.

He is also interested in Indians & Cowboys.  We started reading the Indian in the Cupboard.

The kids are loving it.  They have been reciting lines from the book.  I just told them today there is a movie to watch when we finish the book.  So we may be doing nothing else until the book is finished so they can watch the movie.  The Indian, Little Bear, carries around a knife and well... Max went and dug up his knife and spent a day carrying it around and talking like Little Bear.

Melanie.  I was making supper this week and she has a radar that goes off and she has to be in the kitchen looking in my pots and pans.  Well I put her on the chair to color while I chopped.  I walked away to stir and came back to her full-on on the counter.  She had drank the rest of my water and shoved an onion in my glass.  All in the matter of 2.8794 seconds!!!  

Yes she has no pants on.  I changed her and as soon as I got a clean diaper on she rolled and high-tailed it out of her room to which I threw my hands in the hair and said... Fine!  Who needs pants!  So if you like your meals properly prepared by people with pants... my house isn't the place for you!