Summer Survival Tip #1

The Field Officer's Guide to Restoring Order in the Camp

So, your little soldiers are out of school for the summer. Suddenly, noise and chaos reign where once there was order and quiet. Some parents get frustrated. Some parents begin yelling. Some tell their kids to go outside and play. Some parents start handing out spankings.

I prefer to hand out chores. I turn into a general commanding the troops.

"Kaity, put away your dishes."
"Joe, put your dirty socks in the laundry room."
"Kaity, put those comic books back on the shelf."
"Joe, grab that diaper and put it in the Diaper Genie."
"Kaity, throw these papers in the trash."

Suddenly, they're too busy to be irritating. And the house looks nicer. And an added bonus is that after a few chores get meted out, the children cotton on -- and then they disappear. They skitter away and hide, playing quietly upstairs because they know that if they make any noise it will give away their field position -- a tactical error that will inevitably result in being given another chore.

It works every time.

Movin' On Up

So, last night Selah spent the night in her new crib in her new room! Upstairs. Far, far away from Mommy. She slept fine. Me, not so much. Selah is bunking in with Kaity, and they really did great last night. She had outgrown her bassinet long ago, but I had to get the crib painted and put together and the room set up before she could move up there. I finally finished painting on Wednesday and after a day or so of drying, Jeff put it together yesterday evening.





I love how girly and feminine this crib set is. I bought a practical set that could go either way when Kaity was a baby, and that's what she and Joe both used. It was fun this time to pick out one that's "all girl"! Kaity helped me choose which one would match her room best.
Of course, Joe told me the other day he wants a boy next time (!). I told him he'd have to talk to his daddy about that! Then Joe said I should have one "in about 29 years". And you think Sarah in the Bible laughed! We'd have to name him Isaac for sure.

Kaity Ballerina

The girls danced to "Wonderful Merciful Savior". It was completely beautiful.

Cuteness

I am trying to get a post together of Kaity's ballet recital last weekend, but for now enjoy these pictures of Selah. She fell asleep in her swing this morning while I was cooking/eating breakfast.

Taste of Home Cooking School

Thursday night, my mom and I and our friends Sandy and Stefanie went to a Taste of Home Cooking School. It was fun and we saw lots of great recipes prepared.

Here's the Elvis impersonator who performed before the show ...



The host for the show was Michelle, a pretty redhead who kept us entertained with her funny stories. She also sang for us at the end of the night, and her voice was amazing!

Charlotte's Web

Last fall we went to a local theatre for a production of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Yesterday, we went back to The Rose of Athens to see Charlotte's Web. Once again, we were very entertained and much impressed with the production. The costumes were so original and creative, and the show itself was fun and interactive and engaging for the children and adults in the audience. We'll definitely go back for more!



Left to right: Wilber, Templeton, Gander, Goose, Sheep.

After the show, the cast and crew sit on the edge of the stage to have a question and answer session with the audience. The kids really like that!


And here's a bonus, edited photo of Selah and me...

So THAT Was It!

Joe was yawning this morning while giving me an answer to the question of why King Xerxes chose Esther for his queen. I had to struggle to keep a straight face when he replied that the king chose Esther because "he admired her booty"!

Happy Mother's Day!

I celebrated Mother's Day with handmade cards from all three babies, my favorite meal (chicken cordon bleu, potato-leek gratin, and green beans), and my husband cleaning up the kitchen.



And by the way, Joe's hands are clasped together in every picture because he is hiding 6 green bean seeds pilfered from his lunch plate.

Six Flags!

Today we went to Homeschool Day at Six Flags! We thought it was great and that Six Flags did a really good job organizing everything. Kaity and Joe had a blast. They got to ride their first roller coaster -- the Dahlonega Mine Train. Kaity didn't like it much, and neither did Joe at first.

Kiddie ferris wheel.

Airplane ride. Joe's in the backseat, but you can't see him because he was too interested in the machinery of the ride. :)

That's the Ninja in the background.

Jeff and Joe on the bumper cars.

Kaity driving a bumper car.

Jeff and Selah waiting for me and the big kids to finish up on the Carousel.

Of course we had to go to Monster Plantation ... which is now Monster Mansion. Very PC.

Joe loved the Mine Train so much that he asked to ride it again before we left.

Kaity's Haircut

At long last, we went today to have Kaity's hair cut. It was beautiful long, but she and I were both ready for something different. When Daddy finally gave us the green light, off we went! Of course, we had to take before and after pictures ...



Our beautiful girl ...

You should have seen all the hair on the floor of Joy's shop!

Oh, Those Home Schooled Kids

Two reasons my kids wouldn't survive not being homeschooled --
Number 1 -- The picture says it all.
Number 2 -- How many big sisters get to snuggle their baby sisters during the middle of handwriting? Naturally, I do realize that this is a stall tactic. "Mommy, can I hold Selah?" A sweet and effective one, though!
Just for fun, because the kids were being complainy, I told my spoiled crumbsnatchers all about A Day in Public School. About how they'd have to get up early, ride a bus, sit in desks most of the day, recess for only fifteen minutes(!), the being quiet part ... they were properly horrified. They promised never to complain again and to always do their schoolwork with a smile.

Just kidding! But I have discovered that I can threaten them with a simulated Public School Day. They really don't want that!

Carrot Zucchini Fritters

I don't eat nearly the veggies I should. In the tradition of the South, however, I've found that if you batter and fry something it makes it delicious! Herewith, my recipe for Carrot Zucchini Fritters.

1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 egg
1 medium zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry (no need to peel!)
1/2 cup shredded potato (I use refrigerated hash browns)
1 large carrot, shredded (I use 5-6 baby carrots)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Oil for frying

Stir together veggies, butter and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add to veggies and stir just until combined. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 inch oil over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, drop in 1 tablespoon of batter at a time, flattening it slightly into a little patty as you go. Fry for 4-5 minutes until golden, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. (You don't want them to cook too quickly or the potatoes won't be done. You also don't want to make them too big or the centers won't cook.) Drain on paper towels.

You can dip these in your favorite salad dressing, don't dip them at all, or stir together my handy-dandy dipping sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream
juice and grated peel of 1/2 a lemon
2-3 tablespoons of your favorite herbs (I used oregano, parsley and green onion last night)
dash of salt, dash of pepper

Happy 3 Months, Selah!

Milestones in a baby's life are always bittersweet. I love watching my babies grow and change and learn. I love each stage in its own way. Yes, even the early days when you wonder if they'll ever stop crying. Because it's all over so, so soon. And then they are surly teenagers. On that note, I have precious baby pictures for you!

Happy 3 month birthday, little Selah-Belle!

Going ...

Going ...

Gone!
She almost got herself flipped over last night while wallowing around on the floor. The next two pictures I took this morning after she'd had breakfast and playtime, and had fallen asleep on the floor. Because you can never have too many pictures of your baby sleeping like a frog with her thumb in her mouth. Couldn't you just pinch those chubby little legs?!