Another Milestone Reached!

One got the roll of TP for the other to put on the holder...without being told!!! I really think this is an in-born trait in females! And my girls worked as a team! Without fighting about it!
I am very sure that this will not be a trait that I see Teddy pick up...as he will spend all his time looking for the very visible package of TP on the shelf in front of him and then still have a female get it for him...and I sigh...as I am very sure this is his in-born trait!

A weekend away

Teddy is getting braver all the time! He had all the accessories in place!

We can enjoy the lake again! The road is open and the lake/river are safe to play in again! Over 5 weeks were "lost" this summer for many of us at the lakehouse...and for others...the whole summer and possibly many more! Can I say...it was soooo nice to enjoy it again...as a family! We had a wonderful day with Daddy...on a trip to town, at the pool, at the lake, on the golfcart, on the deck, in the general store for an ice cream, and finally...on the couch for a movie! The lawn is dried out for the most part...some green grass...some dead grass! The piles of the clean-up process dot the landscape...we were able to drive back into the hardest hit areas...total destruction with minimal salvage to be sure. I "saved six pieces of our dock by chaining them to the tree" when the water started to come up...and Ted found two more of our sections. We were able to drag the two pieces and load them on the golfcart and "bring them home". As the water continues to recede, we could tramp around and find the last two sections. I think we would need to be armed with waders, lots of bug spray, and possibly a tetnus shot!Maybe by the weekend the water will have gone down enough to put the dock and boat in...it all depends on how much it rains up north!

Double Dating

Last night, we took Mom and Dad with us on an adventure! We drove into the Chicago suburbs (which was an adventure when Ted is at the wheel!) and went to a Greater Vision Concert. Oh what a wonderful time!
The man who has been their tenor for the last 13 years is moving on to start training for the ministry. The man who is taking his place was with them last night...and what a voice God has blessed him with! We cried through the songs Faces and God Wants To Hear You Sing.
We ate a a nice place where the food portions were gigantic! When you eat at 10 p.m...you don't eat as much! We all took half of our meals home. When you laugh and talk while traveling...it makes the trip go soooo much faster! Midnight...haven't seen that hour for awhile!
What a wonderful way to spend a Friday night!

A Milestone Reached!

Count with me...
and you will see...ONE...
TWO...
...all...THREE! Yes...they can all blow up their own balloons...all mommy has to do is tie up the slobbery ends! They are very good about wiping the ends off on their shirts...thank you, my darlings!

Have A Sunny Day!

Thanks, Sara, for the pretty sunflowers! They are brightening our days!

Solitude ('i-tud), n. the state of being by one's self;

A big thank you to Aunt Sara for taking my children for a few hours today and giving me some peace and quiet! How fun is that!

My new favorite children's movie...

is Nanny McPhee! Another Mary Poppins-type-nanny-story. We have watched it before and borrowed it again today from the library! So far, Teddy and I were the only ones to watch it since we have a little "Nanny McPhee situation" going on with the girls today. They were sent to their room to find something...after an hour...no progress...and both girls are asleep in their beds. Hmmm...a tactic to get mommy off their case?They can be so stubborn sometimes! They chose not to eat lunch or watch the movie...are they sick? I wish, sometimes, that just a tap of a cane would make unpleasant times more of a quick learning experience! Won't they be surprised when they wake up and find that they didn't get out of the "situation"! sigh
"When you need me, but do not want me, I must stay! When you want me, but do not need me, I must go!"
I am going to find the books that were written by Christianna Brand...Nurse Matilda. There are three books that this movie was based on and they look to be a good read! Reminds me of the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books that we like!
Lesson one-go to bed when you are told.
Lesson two-get up when you are told.
Lesson three-get dressed when you are told.
Lesson four-always say please and thank you.
Lesson five-always do what you are told.

Date Night...the girls went one way, the boys the other!

The girls went to DQ for supper and to Toys-R-Us to spend some birthday money. "We" made some "wise purchases"! Ash got a new bag for school, Alisa a new lunch bag, and doll accessories for their dolls! They make wonderful mommies!
A stroller, a bathtub, and new outfits!
The guys headed out to the riverbank and grabbed supper on the way. Teddy was so excited to go fishing...and their patience was rewarded with two fish! Teddy watched a guy across the river fly fishing and after the man caught two fish rather quickly...announced to Ted that they needed to get new poles! Mind you...they just got new poles that collapse all the way for easy carrying!
The girls...well, they are such girls!
The boy...is getting braver about touching the fish! Teddy and Daddy have some really neat conversations...I was "a fly at the patio door" and couldn't hear a word...but the facial expressions were great!
Teddy thinks that all bait is "stink bait"...that is what they have always used for catfish. I asked him what they used to catch the fish...he said "nothing"...Ted corrected him "we used worms". Teddy's response was a funny look...guess he didn't bait his own hook!
This little exchange is funny if you heard Ted tell Teddy the other day during "fish talk" that Grandpa-Great would eat the bait when they went fishing..."we used shrimp when I was little and went with Grandpa". Eewww...raw shrimp!? Eewww...eat bait?! Stink bait? Worms? I am sure Teddy's mind is awhirl with lots of questions!

Today's activities...just add water

Like Tuesday...it will be hot again...which means more popsicles and lots of water!
The slip and slide has sprung a leak...so we will use the sprinkler...if we can keep Teddy from picking it up and antagonizing the girls with it!

The lakehouse update

The water, sewer, and electrical are now all back on! As you can see, the yard is just now trying to make a "come back" after being under water...the daisies around the tree stump...uh, not making it! I didn't take pics of across the way from us...dead grass, chunks of wood, timbers, garbage, standing water with green scum, and bugs! The smell isn't as bad as I thought it would be! The clean-up really hasn't started in most places because there is still standing water and the clean-up that has started is very minimal...which surprised me! Water levels are still up high enough that there is still no access to the lake...which is very sad. There are people around the campground...but it is very sparse! We wonder what the impact on the whole campground will be!
For now...we are thankful for the use of the nice pool! The kids were like fish and poor Grandma was mobbed when she got in to swim and cool off!

A post for my cherry friend...

...you are right! Strawberries, sour cream, and brown sugar....YUMMO! We are off to the lakehouse pool and to check on the electrical situation...we long for the lakehouse life!

Conversations at lunchtime

Little Miss Chatterbox came home today! There was some discussion about what cartoons were watched this morning..."Did you guys watch Super Sleuths?" "NO...Teddy kept changing the channel." "I did not...I wanted to watch 24." "Daddy put it on 2." And then more arguing ensued and Teddy said, "Mom says we are not to have the remote...only to mute the commercials." Little Miss said, "Well, when Daddy leaves he gives us the remote to guard and..." Oh...the noise...and arguing...my achin' head! Then in a huff, Little Miss says, "I didn't have any of this fussin' at Grandma's house...cause there were no other kids there!" No kidding!? It was pretty quiet here too! "Grandma...where are you?! Do you take returns?" Teddy had his SS bag sitting on the table with the craft of the day...5 loaves and 2 fish...I thought it would be good to hear the story from him...so I asked him about the plate...
"The story was about a boy...um, Mordecai, and his loaves of lunches. He gave his little fish and breads to God...'cause God was there and there were a lot of people. He used His magic and they packed up a whole bunch of lunches and everyone had a lunch!"
Little Miss was not having it..."God divided it and passed it out to everyone. That is the truth! Me and Ash have heard this story before."
Ashlynn, feeling a mite perky, agreed..."Teddy, she's right, He peeled it and everyone ate and were stuffed. God doesn't do magic, He just does it."
I can't help but sit here and laugh out loud...I couldn't when it was playing out because I had to concentrate to remember it all! Ted, I even wrote down parts so I could remember...it was too good not to! I am still wondering why pastors think they have to present God's Word with 20 points and 15 sub-points and numerous illustrations...no high and mighty mumbo-jumbo here! I think if we practiced "child-like faith" on a daily basis...not just at the point of salvation, we would have a closer relationship to our Heavenly Father! He just does it...no questions need to be asked...that is good enough for my children...easy to understand
...and everyone had a lunch!

A Monday Moment for Mommy

With one sister gone and one sister fighting a fever, this little boy found many things to do to keep busy today. One...was to water the flowers for me. He carefully showed me "I didn't cut these ones here, Mom!" Bless his little heart! He took this job seriously and did a great job...even without his sisters to tell him what to do!

What to do...what to do...when it is beautiful on a Sunday afternoon...

Walk around the yard and look at all the pretty flowers that are adorning our yard...
...snap a few pictures...because the little dainty flowers are so pretty! Then...blog about it...because that is what your husband tells you to do during fits of guarded-laughter when you show him...
...THIS! This is what the youngest male of our house found to do with the cutting tool when Daddy was done with it...only Daddy didn't know it because he was up ten feet up in the air...our neighbor told him it wasn't a good idea when he noticed what he was doing...and then...Mommy came out to see how it was going...
...no more little blue and yellow flowers. The cosmos and bachelor button greens cut into lengths usable for salad. The daisies were perfect length for boutineres. I guess it is a good thing I took pictures earlier...and Ted was kind enough to remind me that this was blog worthy and to take more pictures. I was sad...I am sad...why did he do that? He is here every day when I am watering and planting and weeding...why?

I am glad I didn't ask him...Ted answered for him..."he is a boy...be thankful that is all he cut," and then went to talk to him. An apology with teary eyes and a hug around the neck makes this Mommy thankful for a caring Daddy and husband! He reminded me that this flower in our garden was tended...and it is more important than the little flowers that met their demise today! My first response was to "let him have it for ruining "my" stuff...again". My second response was "why haven't I taught him about weeds...he could have had a grand time!" The right response was to say "I forgive you and I love you!" At that point...he was more tender than those little plants he "took care of " and how I responded was very important! Another lesson learned in the garden today!

If Sunday is the day of rest...then...what...

Ashlynn is running a fever today...we made it to church this morning and she has crashed in the chair since. Not sure what is wrong...but a popsicle made her perk up a little!
We are blessed with good neighbors on our street! One of them noticed a piece of our siding flapping in the gale-force breeze today and came over to let us know...
so Ted was roused from his start of a peaceful slumber to climb the ladder and re-attach the offending pieces...
...and I learned that he is not keen on climbing up on wobbly scaffolding...especially...in gale-force winds! We are thankful for our helpful neighbors...once again!

No Solitude Saturday...but that's ok!

Uncle Jon and his helper Teddy put the last pieces together for our second boys bathroom on Saturday. He gave us the "list" of things to get and we hit Walmart last night for the mirror, shower rod, tp holder, and hooks. I promised not to over-accessorize this space for the men in our house...just a couple of baskets for the "beauty products" and maybe a "manly sign" for the wall! Thank you to Uncle Jon and his hard, skillful work!
White walls and trim, silver, red, and gray floor...and everything works superbly...Teddy couldn't wait to use the toilet, sink, and shower!
The bees were busy outside!

Soggy(sog'i), adj. soaked; wet.

The definition of our day...a day that hoped for plans spent at the lakehouse pool...what else do you do when it is to be high 80s and possibly 90? Well, God changed the whole weather plan these last two days...and here we are...facing another soggy day filled with unending snacks, movies, good books, computer times, and thoughts of what to do next. I feel the sogginess soaking into my spirit too...time to do something for others! Thinking outside the box that is home.
Afternoon update: The sun now shines and the kids were able to swing...while I make supper to take to Mom and Dad. I wanted to spoil them a bit especially since Dad needed a little TLC! The house smells of shredded chicken (for taco salads) in the slow-cooker and baked cinnamon-sugared tortillas to accompany the homemade strawberry sauce to go over vanilla ice cream. The house now has sounds of pathetic-mom-attention-getting sobbing and screaming as siblings gang up on each other...whapping the eldest with the pirate sword that once seemed like a good idea for the youngest's birthday.
Tomorrow's word...solitude...

The coneflowers are attracting monarch butterflies!

This Is Summer...in a cup!

Teddy had a taste test of this the other day with Uncle Kenny and ordered one for his drink on Tuesday night's date to Taco Bell with Mommy. Of course, I had to try it...not many males like frozen strawberry drinks in our family...yumm-o! I couldn't stop thinking about it...and since the girls were still with Grammy, we ran a little errand to get a treat...rather, another sample for Mommy to try and figure out how to make something similar at home...I think I might be able to do it! I can't afford $1.89 times 4 very often...because I know the girls are going to like it! Granted...it is much cheaper than the moo-lattes...maybe not as fattening...? but the sugar content has got to be out of this world! My mouth is watering as I describe it...it is worth a try!

A memory from yesteryear...

We found this book that Mom has been looking for on amazon.com the other day and ordered a few! How exciting to sit and read a good book with good illustrations!

"Count the rainbows...not the thunderstorms."

I saw this little saying on a rubberstamp today while browsing "Addicted to Stamps" website...and it is very fitting for today! Since we cannot see any rainbows...there is no sun peeking out through the clouds...we can count snacks we have eaten and movies that we have watched! Many activities have been visited...but the one that keeps drawing us back...the constant desire for snacks...smores in the microwave (note to self to clean it...yikes!), apples, animal crackers...
...and the TV and VCR/DVD and a variety of movies! The girls went to Grammy's house for the night and this is how I found Teddy after they left...poor guy...missed his race car DVD. sigh What did I expect...after Little House on the Prairie, Monsters Inc. (found on TV by accident!), Alice In Wonderland (girl's choice), Toy Story, and the drone of race cars!? Lest you think we are TV junkies...this does not happen all the time!!! And for the record...I think the only one that was watched entirely in the same room was Toy Story...because we just picked that up last week at Salvation Army for $.49! Cheap fun for a rainy day!
Now it is time to recycle some of ours!

4th of July Fun!

4th of July

She sent the pic...I had to share!!!

After umpteen years together...they are still in love...and still happy!

Look what happened at our house on July 4th!

Thank you, Uncle Kenny, for two more yellow swings! No more fighting over the "lower swing"!

The new swingset was built and the kids are enjoying it! But not today...it is humid and nasty

and I can't get them to go out and play. It just isn't a nice play-outside-kind-of-day...and they are whining about it. They come by that naturally...their momma doesn't like the humidity either! Water would be fun, but the threat of rain/storms off and on has this momma thinking it is too much work for a Monday...so we will play inside...only for today!

One woman's trash is another's treasure!

I saw this in a garbage pile on Friday night...Ted wasn't convinced that "I needed this" for the yard. When Mom came on Saturday morning, I asked her if she noticed if it was still there...she had noticed and was going to let me know (great minds think alike!)...so "Hi, Grammy...everyone pile into the car..." and we went to pick it up! It was so exciting!
Rather than spending $200-$300 on a new wicker loveseat...God provided one for free! And He allowed it to be there long enough for me to go pick it up! I bought 4 cans of spray paint for $1.79 each and I am watching the "end of summer season sales" for a cushion...the ones I have my eye on are 30% off right now...light blue with floral print...a perfect place to sit and watch the kids ride bikes and read...and like Ash says "drink your coffee"! Come and visit!