Sniffing, Sneezing, Coughing, Aching....

So we have had our first family bout with the nasty elementary spread cold. We have managed to pass it around to the entire family. A weeks worth of sniffing, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, I must rest! We had wagers on when the first round would hit. How far into the school year we could go. We knew it was only a matter of time. No matter how much hand sanitizer and anti-bac soap we supplied the school with, we still managed to bring home this unwelcome guest. Well, it has worn out it's welcome and it headed out. Beware, it's out there looking for a new home. Get your Kleenex ready.

Odds and Ends

Just had a few minutes while kiddos are in bathing and wanted to show you a few little odds and ends. This dessert is too yummy! Why? You ask, after days of cupcakes and birthday cakes did I make dessert? I had some delish peaches sitting in a paper bag on my counter all week ripening up and they were to that point. You know the one. Do I leave them another day or so and end up tossing them or do I take the bull by the horns and do something yummy with them. I did not have enough for pie which was my intention but did have enough for this delicious Summer Fruit Cobbler (a la Starbucks). Every year I wait for Starbucks to get this in the store. One of my very faves! Bonus my kiddos LOVE the fresh fruit in it. Blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches......YUM! And it's not birthday cake. Next on the list is my part Pele part Indiana Jones. Even to his soccer game (which he is actually enjoying, if it weren't for the practicing he'd admit he likes it), he has to bring along some part of Indy. Last is my sweetest little one. This is actually her idea of guarding goal. You can see from the smile, she's having fun though.

Best Birthday Ever

Yesterday was the sweetest of days for my sweet girl. She has had the anticipation building for so long I was almost afraid of a let down. But the day did not disappoint! We were insanely busy. We had three soccer games and two other birthday parties besides Trin's. We managed to make it to and through all of the above and had a super time. Trin's team won their game 4-0 and Trin and Olivia both scored a goal! Perfect. She had a terrific game otherwise too! That full size soccer field kicks their little butts though. They drag off the field at end of quarter, full of smiles, but ready to drop. At Hanna's party she even got a really pretty half face paint. You know those really expensive ones that you wait in line for at amusement parks, not to mention pay a fortune for. One of the guests mom is a very talented painter! It was so fun for the girls. We ended the day, in what my kids say is "best for last". We had a fun dinner with my mom and dad, had cake and she finally got to tear into a pile of presents. She LOVED them all! It was the best birthday ever!

I'll have to post some pics another time. I was busy snapping away with mom's amazing camera, so the pics went home with her. But they were great!

Bestest Buddies!

Cupcakes Anyone?

So today is cupcake day for me. I am baking and frosting three full batches of cupcakes. Two are yummy German chocolate and the other dozen are cinnamon spice. I am up to my ears in beaters, bowls and spatulas. My little kitchen has turned into a makeshift bakery. We have Harvest Carnival tonight at school. The German chocolate cupcakes are for the Cake Walk but before that we have Trin's classroom Birthday party and spice cupcakes. This is the most excited I have ever seen her for her Birthday. It has been at least two weeks of anticipation and planning. Invites have been passed out for next weeks party and her class party today starts a weeks worth of fun and celebration. Well, I hear another buzzer beckoning me, so I'm off to fetch another batch out of the oven, get a quick shower and start frosting! YUUUUUMMMY!

Too Much Fun!

She's so stinkin' cute! This is what I'm finally heading off to. Much needed shower taken, kiddos in bed asleep, invites done! I'm off to fall into my bed!

Survival of the Fittest

Okay. So, I had this grand idea that I was going to have so much spare time on my hands now that all of the kiddos were in school. Well, at least half of the day. All to myself. I was going to get so much done that I was not going to know what to do. HA! What exactly was I thinking? I have not had a moment to get anything done. It is really astounding to me. What happened? I have had an overly full calendar and have been running around and running too, but have not gotten one single thing done. My house is a disaster of confusion. Are we coming or going? Are you ready to be worn out? Here it goes. Since school started, I have worked four full days at the school, two part days. Taken all three of the kids to the doctor, twice. Myself to the doctor, twice. Tomorrow makes three times, in two weeks. We have had six soccer practices, three soccer games. I have run nine miles, walked six miles. Packed up and shipped numerous Ebay packages. Pampered chef party. Sold over three hundred dollars in magazine sales (and remembered to turn them in, barely). Done probably 100 hours of homework with the kiddos. Washed, folded and put away 10-15 loads of laundry. Packed ten sack lunches. Cooked and did dishes for countless meals. Bought family groceries and $50.00 in snacks for Chloes class. The list could go on and on....... Up next. Soccer, homework, dinner tonight. Doctors appointment tomorrow for me. Somewhere in here I have to buy and wrap birthday presents and fill out and pass out invites. Two dozen cupcakes plus brownies and chocolate milk to school on Friday for the Harvest Carnival Cake Walk and Trins B-day. Friday work at the school, Friday night volunteer two hours at the Cake Walk booth, then have some fun with the kiddos at the carnival. Saturday we again have three soccer games, two birthday parties to attend plus it's Trin's birthday, so we will be having dinner out!!! YIPEE! in the evening to celebrate as a family with her girly friend party next Saturday.....and it just goes on and on. Hopefully I will settle down and say no when asked to work at the school. After all, I have a sweet pink bunny costume to make! Not to mention the house. Oh, did I mention the house! EEK! Anyhow. I had to take a few minutes and update and show you some fun pics but now I'm off to get my peewee, get some groceries.....hopefully a shower in there somewhere!!! Love you!

Pressing Apples

Creating traditions with my kids is so much fun, (when I remember to do it). Making memories and having fun. For two years now we have been pressing apples for cider. It started off as a simple phone call to mom and as always, she had the answer. I said, "Wouldn't it be fun to make apple cider with the kids!" Her reply is the essence of my mom. "Don't you remember I have an apple press". She has everything! Somewhere, somehow, she has done it, tried it, thought of doing it, or bought the supplies for it. She is a wealth of knowledge and supplies. Remember the bunny costume story? Anyhow.... We got a bit of a late start last year. My mom and the older gentleman that had the orchard ended up picking boxes of apples in a rainy, muddy atmosphere and one chilly fall evening, we pressed the apple cider. This year she remembered our newly started tradition earlier in the year and got some already picked apples. I took the kiddos up after school and we had a blast. It was a gorgeous fall afternoon and we laughed and drank cider as dad turned and turned and turned the press. The kids each gave a valiant effort at turning but decided they liked the fruit of the labor better and also liked making the turning harder for grandpa by tossing in as many apples as possible as fast as they could. We had so much fun! (and some great cider too) Super memories!

Lime Green Walls

The big question to be answered is "So, how was the retreat?". Here are the responses, in no particular order, as I'm still trying to recover and get my thoughts into a coherent pattern. It was nerve racking. So much so, that I do not even remember what we had for dinner the first night. It was beautiful. The awesomeness of God's creation on display for us. The food was incredible. I think I gained at least five pounds. They were always feeding us and giving us snacks and candy! We kept joking about the amount of working out we were in store for once we rolled home. It was filled with tears and tons of laughter. I realized that God can move and apply the message to me even if I'm guarded, quick to judge and sceptical. Our speaker was a gorgeous, barbie-esq young lady with what I feel is a very limited perspective and experience in life. It was hard, to say the least, for myself and some others to swallow her words and digest the message when they trials seemed to be a bit shallow. She did admit to us that this was how we might feel, and we did. But, God still used her words for His good work. It took some soul searching, prayer and hard determined work to not just throw up my hands and say, "Are you kidding me?". She told us this story about moving into a house that had lime green walls in the master bedroom and it was a major trauma to her. "Are you kidding me?" But again, God used her words for His bigger purpose. We laughed SO SO much. I adored the ladies in my car and cabin. The six of us had some really great in depth conversations, prayer and lots of laughter. At times we sounded like school girls with the incurable giggles, which was awesome. It was a super time of rest. They allowed us chunks of time to simply enjoy the surroundings and rest! What is that? Right! Oh yeah, and we went to a wedding on Sunday. More about that another time. I am already planning to go again next year. I'm thankful for the persistence of my friend to get me there and for the covering of prayer from all of you. My kiddos survived the weekend and so did my house. I have a VERY hectic week this week, so the rest was timely. I'll get back to you soon about the week. Right now I'm off to switch out some laundry, stir dinner and turn it to a simmer for later, get my kiddos in the car for soccer, back to school night, homework, dinner, showers, more laundry and fall into bed for the 5 am alarm clock.

Love you!

First Day of School

Aren't they the cutest ever!

Everyone is off to school! So much excitement to get back into the groove of things and to see friends. We LOVE the teachers that the kiddos have been given this year. We are finally done with the chaos (and expense) of shopping for school supplies and the mountain that was in my living room is now gone! YIPEE.

So hard for me to say goodbye to my peewee today, but she is going to have so much fun and learn so much! I still get her all to myself for the afternoons:-)

I'm off to get my things together for the women's retreat. It's odd packing for only one person. Don't do that very often. Pray that it will be a time of blessing and and rest and that my kiddos will survive the weekend! Hee hee, just kidding. (I think)