Free Stuff

Get some free stuff from Vocal Point!  I just signed up to get a sample of Mott's for Tots treats.  Click on their link, become a member and join.  Vocal Point is pretty cool - they do a lot of samples which usually come with high-value coupons.
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Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?

I see a dozen toddlers looking at me!

With trepidation, I took the boys to Toddler Time at the library this morning.  Last week I hauled them out of there just 10 minutes into the program because they would. not. sit.  On anything - the floor, my lap, the kiddie chairs, the big chairs.  Nothing.  They knew they could "play play," as they call it, and wouldn't wait for one story, one song, one anything and were digging into the toys and running around the crowded room while the librarian read and all the other little kids, two sets of two-year-old-twins included, SAT THERE.  "Play-Play!  Play-play!  Whaaaa!" they whined as I dragged them out.  Determined to teach them a lesson, I told them we left because they were not obedient.  I had two unhappy campers in the van that morning. 

However, I am just as determined to teach them how to be good citizens as well as to love the library and reading, so off we went again, this Wednesday morning.  This time, I deliberately showed up late so that we only had to sit through one or two stories before playtime.  I told them exactly what to do - to sit in the chair or my lap and listen to the librarian and if they did, we could stay for "play-play."  I should tell you that playtime is just a couple of bins of toys set out on the floor for all the kids after the stories and songs.  They are all the same types of toys we already own, but since they are different, they are better.

And they quietly walked in, each holding my hand.  One sat on the last remaining kiddie chair, the other sat on my lap, patiently waiting for the librarian.  At that very second, when I thought success was within reach, she started handing out FELT animals for the kids to stick on the felt board as she prepared to read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."  The whole thing fell apart, but not just for my kids - ALL 12 or so kids were two years old!  There weren't enough animals, the kids were sticking them to board out of order, ripping them down, putting them back up, taking them from each other, and my kids were looking at me wondering what they were supposed to do - for just a split second - then they jumped in the fray.

Sigh.  We were so close!  They barely tolerated singing "I'm a little teapot" and "Shake your sillies out," before the toy bins were loosed.  The second those toys appeared, they were good as gold, though, and even HELPED CLEAN UP!

Library storytime.  Sounds so relaxing, doesn't it?  Not for us.

Berry Sweet

Our Fun Family Fourth of July was berry sweet!  Hubs and I took the boys strawberry picking to a nearby farm that we've been wanting to visit for years.  It was the first time for all of us, so we weren't sure how it was going to go, but it was a success! 

Mama and her berry sweet boys

Our little berry farmers

N actually picked some for the basket, M ate more than he contributed, and we all picked about 6 quarts of berries in less than a half hour.  The boys had a blast and so did we!  On the other hand, I had 6 quarts of berries when we got home yesterday, so I spend a good portion of the afternoon hulling, cleaning, freezing, and baking.  I'm glad I did because I found SEVERAL half-eaten berries in there that would have spoiled the whole batch.  I tried my hand at Strawberry Mousse Pie with Graham Cracker Crust. 

To eat or not to eat, that is the question

Here's the dessert in question!

It tasted as good as it looks, but to be accurate, I should call it Strawberry Mousse Pudding because it didn't set!  Our sons and guests were gracious recipients and gobbled up the mess, leaving behind no evidence that I created such a debacle.  My Food Network dreams have been dashed.  I'm lowering my expectations to putting myself through Culinary Home School.  (Ha!  If it hadn't been done already, maybe I would blog about that!) 

We are making some new friends in our new town, a couple who will be our new pastors when Canvas Church is launched in September.  They've got little ones and out of state families just like us, so we celebrated the Fourth together in our backyard, family-style.

Hubs and PJ showing the kiddies how to do sparklers

N FREAKED when we lit a couple of fireworks!

He did, however, enjoy the marshmallows...several times!

We grilled, the kiddies played in the shark pool (and no one peed), for the first time ever, we built a campfire at 6:00 so the kids could see it (and I could nearly die of a heart attack trying to keep them away from it) and have roasted marshmallows, and the daddies showed the kids how to do sparklers because even the oldest at 8 wouldn't touch them (thank goodness!) We lit a handful of fireworks that our neighbor brought over to show the kids, which was highly entertaining for all (except one)!  M and N barely made it through all of that and passed out at 8, but the older ones stayed up to watch the neighbor's and city's fireworks at 10.  We made some great memories singing our own patriotic songs in the middle of the road (because the trees were in the way otherwise!).  A great time was had by all. 

Handsome hubby practicing fire safety

Testing

This is a funny picture of N in NC last weekend.  He's thrilled to be wearing the beads!  I called this "Testing" because I'm trying to figure out how Picasa works, and blogger just told me I'd exceeded my photo limit and that I need to purchase more space. Uh...what?  So tired to upload another photo the "old" way and here it is.  I'm one of those old-fashioned kind of gals who likes to read the directions in a book, so I'm having a real hard time teaching myself Picasa online.  Any tips?  My photos are getting really messed up here, so I need a system, quick!  Like my old one.  It wasn't broke...okay, the computer was broke.  (sigh)  I quit for the night. 

A Few Pics

This summer has just been crazy!  I remember I hadn't uploaded the Handycam pics for a couple of weeks, so here are some you haven't seen.  This little camera just hangs out in my purse or diaper backpack for quick pics of whatnot.  A few from last weekend's NC trip:

Our first morning - look who slept between us all night.  It was not a good night.

Saying good bye to Grandma and Papa K. M is sad to go (actually, he's sad to be held.  He wants to run around like a mountain goat).

Everyone on the deck!

Cousin L, me and M hug good bye.  L was sad to see us go.

Darn Picasa!  How do I 'save' the pic once I 'turn' it?  Here's why I don't know: I never get a single minute to look it up.  Now that I've uploaded a couple pics and started writing, guess what?  The fellas are stirring from their naps, and I need to hustle to get a snack ready before I get them up because they wake up CRABBY!  I have time for just a couple more:

Cobb Salad with Classic French Viniagrette and Sourdough bread, today's lunch.  It was fabulous.  The boys hated it.  But I am determined to eat real adult food every now and then.

Daddy and the boys wearing their specs at MBS

M driving the playset at a friend's house on Tuesday

As for the Cobb Salad, I took a pic because it turned out so beautifully.  I'm not going to toot my own horn, but it was seriously delicious.  My cooking experiments is another blog post altogether, something along the lines of me discovering that I'm not the only college-educated-professional-turned-stay-at-home-mom who needs a creative outlet. 

As for the specs, it was too cute.  I keep them in their 'flying' bags with books, so they can be all studious while reading on the plane. 

And if you recognize the swim diaper M's wearing in the last photo, thank you. I was unprepared for the swimming party Tuesday (remember the flying debacle on Sunday and Monday) and you saved my sanity by giving me two swimmy diapers at the playdate.

Happy Fourth Tomorrow!  Enjoy spending it with family or friends, which is what I hope you're doing!

Hot Stuff

I bought some new makeup on Tuesday, inspired by my sister-in-law who spends a LOT more time on her eye makeup than I do, but whose makeup I borrowed on Monday because I had none (remember, our bags flew to MSP but we flew to MBS?).  Since Hubs was home and entertaining the kids this morning, I put on my new makeup so I looked kind of like this, just about 9 years older and 9 (or more) pounds heavier:

Auntie L's pretty eye makeup

When I went to get dressed, I realized that all my capris were in the dirty clothes basket because nothing can be worn a second day if I've been with my kids!  Today's high is expected to be 94, very hot for our area.  My skirt options stunk: a white linen or a long denim.  The boys and I were headed to a farm for a playdate.  Hm...what about a sundress?  So I slid on this little number, the one I wore for the birthday bash:

My mom's vintage dress

She might take offense at my calling it vintage, but just so you know, mom, people are paying lots of money to buy dresses like this at vintage clothing shops!  I've never been so "dressed up" to go to a playdate, but I knew I would be miserable squeezing into a pair of jeans today, so I went like this...well, you can just imagine how fab I looked...and had a great time!  I sipped icewater on the shady farmhouse porch and watched 3 two year old boys slide down the yellow swingset slide into a kiddie pool a the bottom.  (Okay, M did it once and HATED it so he sat in the cozy coupe most of the morning.)  We all stayed cool. 

I'm not sure if it was my being all dressed up, the boys behaving (gasp!  maybe THAT'S it!) or the fabulous hostess who baked her own bread for our lunch, but it was the best morning I've had with the guys in a while.  Maybe I'll wear this dress all summer. 

Wedding Pics

Here we are, all dressed up and ready to party!

My sis reads the scripture passage

My brother in law, the Music Man

What my sons were doing while my friends recited their vows

My parents are all smiles, dining with the grandkids at the reception

Uncle J, Aunt L, and my littlest niece just 2 months old

K the bride dances with her daddy

How we celebrated most of the reception: outside!  So we tried to take a photo on the rare occasion all 4 of us dressed up.  How do you think it went?

No, you are not a mountain goat!

Whew, that was close! 

Three out of four smiles is pretty good, don't you think?

Hey, there, photographer!

Bro, that guy with the camera makes me nervous

Even if it were straight, still it's not The One.  You know, The Christmas Card photo you try to get all year? 

This is more like it!  Way more fun!

Me and the beautiful bride

Giving K high fives goodbye.

Attending a wedding with two toddlers is something that everyone should do once in their lifetime.  I can check it off the list now!  Great fun was had by all, especially when it was time to eat cake - if you look closely, you can probably see it all over our clothes (which reminds me I need to take some things out of the washer)!  Congratulations and best wishes, K and J!  We love you!

The Newlyweds