We're off and (almost) running!

For two of my four children, this past Monday was nothing new, but for my youngest son, it was the next milestone in his young life. . . . the first day of kindergarten!

He was excited, and then nervous, excited again, and then nervous right before we walked through the door. He did just fine, of course. He walked into his classroom with a little apprehension, but he didn't cry. Didn't even wave bye to me, the little traitor.

That's ok. There will be plenty of tears when the girl starts school. Oh, wait . . . that will be me crying, not her. Well, maybe her, too. We'll see.

Anywho.

I wish I had gotten a few more pictures of him, but we were running a little later than I would have liked. Don't forget to add  in the one-mile hike to get to the classrooms because we had to park way over in BFE.

But here's my little man. Awww, isn't he a cutie? See that half smile/grimace/fidgeting-thing-with-his-hands? That's the nervousness kicking in as he's about to go in his classroom.


Here's the whole crew just before we headed to school for our one-mile hike.

See? There's Matt's excited smile.

And Todd . . . I can't believe I have a 6th grader who's two inches taller than me and in the marching band this year. YIKES!

My Zack Attack is in 2nd grade. 2nd GRADE! And he has the same teacher that Todd had for 2nd grade. I know he'll have a great year.

And my little miss Laurie. We all thought she'd be lost without her 'brudders'. I figured she'd ask me where they were at least 10 times a day. But you know what? She hasn't asked. Not even once. I think she might be enjoying the quiet just as much as I am.

That's sibling love for you. ;o)

I's gettin' mah edumacation!

FYI:


I married my high school sweetheart right after high school. One week after I graduated, to be exact. Well, more like 9 days. Yes, I'm a child bride.

Since my sweetheart was in the Navy, we moved up and down the east coast 4 times in 10 years and even visited the west coast once.

In there somewhere we had four children; Winken, Blinken, Nod, and Bo Peep.

After the military decided we were too good for them, we moved back home to the great state of Alabama. We've been back home for almost 6 years.

I've worked in fast food, department stores, daycare centers, catalog stores, dentist offices, had a home daycare, and even ran a newspaper route for a few years. 

Finally, after all that, I'm going to college.

I know, I know. I could've done this before I had children. I definitely had time and distractions were few with my sweetheart gone on deployments all the time.

But I am the Queen of Procrastination! Why do something now when you can put it off for 16 years?

I did the math (Math! College Math! YIKES!). I will finish my degree 20 years after I graduated high school.

Did I mention I'm the Queen of Procrastination? Yeeeaaah. That's probably not something I should brag about. 

Figs, figs, everywhere there's figs!

I've been trying to get my Martha on, but let's face it, I'm no Martha.

If I were I'd have a whole staff of people to do everything for me, especially the tedious-less-than-fun stuff.

Ok, enough complaining.

Figs. Right.

I love figs. Not as much as I love chocolate, but they're pretty darn tasty. When I think of figs I automatically think of Grandma Gregson's fig preserves. There's just nothing else like it.

So, when my mom asked me if I wanted some for canning, my immediate response was yes, not realizing how long, tedious, and HOT the process was going to be.

Washing the figs.

Cooking the figs.

Cooling the figs . . .  for 6 HOURS!

All the lids sealed! Woohoo!

For the record, there were several steps left undocumented. Remember, I said tedious? Yeah. More like pain in the butt and too complicated for my non-Martha self.

But, they're done, thanks to the help of my one and only staff member, my hubby. 

I think if we ever attempt this again we'll go with the method my grandma used and Ian's mom used. It might not have taken us 10 HOURS to finish if we had used their method.

Lesson learned:  Trust in the old ways, young one. Moms and grandma's know best.

Quiz Time!

Here's another quiz I found over on Kimberly's Korner . I like quizzes. They're fun and cause me to think about something other than cleaning, cooking, or wiping a bum.

Here we go!

1.If you had $5000.00 to spend on plastic surgery what would you have done?

I'd have the boobs reduced and a tummy tuck. But, I'd have to lose some major weight first for the tummy tuck to look good. Maybe I'll just throw in some lypo in there too and forget the losing weight part, but then that might put me over my $5000 limit. Ok, shutting up now. Moving on.

2. Do you watch Soap operas and if so what is your favorite and why?

I don't watch them. I weaned myself off of those YEARS ago. (Wow, that makes me sound old.)

3. Favorite clothing brand?

Favorite clothing brand? I know there are other brands out there besides Faded Glory and Cato's Fashion, but nothing else fits my pocket book. Or, my butt.

4. An afternoon shopping spree at your favorite store or maid service for a year?

I have to choose just one? I would have to choose maid service and save the shopping spree for after I have my lypo and boob reduction.

5. Would you ever vajazzle?

I don't even know what the heck that is. And probably don't want to know.

6. Favorite Disney Princess?

Belle.

7. Last movie that made you bawl your eyes out?

I can't think of one. But I did tear up over an Anita Renfroe song the other day. Boy are my hormones out of whack or what?!

8. Have you ever broken any bones and if so what?

I fractured my wrist when I was two. Does that count?


Ok, your turn! Who wants to give it a go?

P.S. I googled vajazzling. I really DIDN'T want to know. And my answer would be no. Not no way, not no how.

Miss Laurie Lou is 3!

My sweet pea is 3.

When did this happen? (About a week ago.)

Yes, that's true, but WHEN did this happen?

Where did my baby girl go?

She's still a little peamite and my baby girl, but she's potty-trained. She names her baby dolls. She loves shoes. She has pierced ears, which she asked for, and she has a sense of humor. She loves Dora, Minnie Mouse, and animals.

She can also hold her own with her brothers when needed.

It's usually needed quite often.

How can so much personality be rolled into one little person?

Moving on to the birthday party.

We had a simple family party. We grilled burgers and dogs and let the kids play in the pool. Ian got his Martha on and made pink, purple, and orange (Dora colors!) layered cupcakes with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting. The frosting didn't turn out as planned, but it wasn't bad. *Lesson learned: Follow directions. They're there for a reason.*

Opening presents with help from big brother.

Showing off her loot. A princess crown and jewelry from Granny.

I finally made her tutu that I planned to make last Christmas. Better late than never, right?

Check out the ensemble she put together before she left for maw maw's house. The tutu, Dora sandals from Granny, purple socks for gloves, and her winter hat. BEE-U-TI-FUL!!!

I almost forgot the cake part. This was after lighting the candle the second time. She was a little excited and blew out the candle before we could sing to her. (I just realized I didn't put 3 candles on her cake. Oh, well. Blame crazy mom syndrome.)

Yay!!! She got it on the 1st try . . . again.

The girl loves chocolate. What can I say? She gets it honestly.

She also scored a new swimsuit from dad and a new beach towel from her brothers. Maw Maw and Paw Paw gave her her very first fishing pole. It was a pink Dora fishing Pole. Did I mention this was Dora party? Anywho, she proudly tested out her pole yesterday when we took the kids fishing. 

And you know what? Those little rubber fish that come with the pole for casting practice really hurt when you get whacked in the head with them while you're trying to drive to the fishing hole.  

The Accidental Family Day of Fun

What the heck is that, right? Well, I'll tell you.

Our outing started something like this.

Todd went on a little camping/fishing over-nighter with an uncle, a couple of cousins and and bunch of boy scouts and other leaders I don't know.

It was in the middle of nowhere.

And when I say middle of nowhere, I mean it. I live in the middle of nowhere. But this was beyond that.

I was concerned about him going because he didn't know most of the boys, except for the cousin and two young men from church, and most of these boys were older than him. But he wanted to go, so we let him.

Then came the text this morning. "I'm ready to go." Hubby asked, "Are y'all finished or are you just ready to leave?". Todd's reply, "I'm ready to go."

We loaded up our other three and hit the road.

We finally made it to the vicinity of the camping area when we met my uncle on his way out with Todd and the two young men from church. They were heading to another creek to swim and chow down on some watermelon. Hmmm . . . didn't Todd say he was ready to come home?

Anywho, Todd hopped in the van with us, but he didn't have his sleeping bag, etc. with him so we had to go all the way to the camping area to retrieve his things.

Enter sand bar.

Aaaannnddd . . . . we're stuck. This was after many attempts to get unstuck.

It didn't work.

We are REALLY stuck.


After trying everything we could think of, changing drivers and pushers(even had Todd as a driver which made me nervous as heck) several times, and burning our feet on the HOT sand, I said a little prayer to myself because my children, who were too excited by the events unfolding,  refused politely declined. I gave it another try while Ian was looking for something to dig us out with and decided to give up wait it out.

Maybe the scouts would come back to camp soon. Heavenly Father was obviously testing my patience and heat resistance.

So, we piled out and trekked across the HOT sand.

I thought of Lehi and his family, and others in the scriptures, traveling for several years on the HOT sand and was thankful that this was only a small inconvenience that would hopefully end soon.

I did something very unlike me . . . . I tried to make the best of it. (I guess that means I'm a grumbler.)

And you know what else? I usually don't have my camera with me. Today was different.

We found some treasures on the 'beach'.

We waded in the water.

Waved at one of several boats that went by while we were there.

Found more treasures.

Had a few sweet moments between siblings. (My favorite shot!)

Showed off muscles! (Changed my mind. THIS is my favorite!)

Now this. You might think they were . . .  um . . . peeing relieving themselves in the water since there were no 'facilities' for miles. But you'd be wrong.

Well, I take that back. I can't be sure about the girl. Water seems to have that effect on her.

I like to pretend this would've been our tent and canoes if we'd actually been camping.

But we weren't.

And it's not.

We don't even own a tent or canoes.

Moving on.

Shovels!!!!!

Dad working on digging us out.

It didn't work. Ian ended up calling my parents to see if someone could come pull us out. My dad, sister, and her hubby were coming to our rescue.

Aren't we a pair?

A pair of what I don't know.

Now these two are a pair.

This was Todd after several trips to the van for various things (sunscreen, band-aids, and I can't remember what else). I got the feeling he didn't like trekking across the HOT sand.

Toes in the not HOT sand. It was still warm sand though.


 While I was goofing off documenting our accidental day of fun . . . . . . 

Ian did this! Woohoo!

Free at last!!!

We had to quickly call off the rescue squad so they wouldn't make the long trip out to the middle of nowhere.

And after all that, Todd still left his sleeping bag behind.

Sunday Sweets . . . or sweetness . . . or whatever

I have no spiritual thought today because I'm just not in a spiritual thought kind of mood. I suppose I could be if I really, REALLY tried, but my brain is exhausted. And when my brain is exhausted, my body is too.

I'm having a terrible mother day . . . again. I don't normally think of myself as a terrific mom, but I like to think I hover somewhere along the 'ok mom' border. Today, I crossed the border.

All pity-partying aside, I really think it has something to do with the type of birth control I'm using. I haven't been this *lovely* in quite a while. Oh, I still had my hissy fits, don't get me wrong, but lately it has been BEYOND hissy fit.

Just ask my poor hubby who was woken up from a dead sleep this afternoon. And he has to work tonight and all day tomorrow.

So, lack of self-confidence and parenting confidence and change in hormones . . . that's where I am today.

I guess I can only take so much being screamed at in church by a soon-to-be 3 year old. Then add to that the temper tantrums of the 11 y.o. and 7 y.o. which then leads to the tackling of the 7 y.o. by the 11 y.o. who fully knows better but seems to have no regard for his younger siblings. Thankfully this was not at church, but we hadn't been home 5 minutes. Geez, Louise! I'm raising a bunch of neanderthals!

Anywho, I do have a recipe to share.

I found this one over on Our Best Bites. You can print the recipe over on her blog if you like. She also has tons of other great recipes.

We love French Dip! This recipe is super easy, especially when you know you have a busy day ahead or if you just don't want to heat up your kitchen during the hot summer months. It's also freezable.

French Dip Sandwiches

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (or more...6 would be VERY generous servings!)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. You can't mess this up.The longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. When the meat is ready, shred with a fork. Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melted. And don't even think about walking away--things can go from lightly-toasted to on fire within a matter of seconds when you're using your broiler. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

FREEZER DIRECTIONS:
Prepare roast through the searing step; after meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container (think Gladware), cover with onion soup mix and bouillon, and freeze. When ready to cook, put it straight into the crockpot (frozen), add 2 cups of water, and set to high until warm or, even better, simmering. Turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.


If you don't like french dip, you can easily turn these into Italian hoagies.  Use the same basic recipe, shred the meat, place on the bun, drizzle with some Italian dressing, top with mozzarella cheese, and pop it in the broiler or toaster oven to melt the cheese and toast up your bun. You can finish it off with lettuce and tomato, too. Whatever makes you happy. Enjoy!