Summer Evening

When dinner is over, the dishes are done, and the sun is just ducking behind the trees, I love to steal a few minutes on the front porch swing.  The boys are usually playing in the back yard.  So it is often just me and my husband, or me and Lucky (my kitty).  Enjoying the quiet.  Definitely a finer thing.

Tonight, though, the swing will be empty. 

We’ll all be out back, celebrating my son’s fifth birthday with a neighborhood cookout.  There will be a campfire, hotdogs, marshmallows, and tents, good friends, light sabers, and lots of boys.  Oh, and of course, cake and balloons, which the birthday boy wanted to see the minute he woke up this morning. 

Guess I’d better get cracking!  There’s a party to throw!  Which, by the way, is another finer thing in life!!

Linked to:   Photo Story Friday,  Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, and Finer Things

Save With Disposable Diapers!

During vacation, I found some wonderful plants I haven’t found around here.

Among them were a couple of citrus scented geraniums, some lemon mint, and some peppermint.  Oh my goodness, do they smell heavenly!  Here you see them after twelve hours of travel, and weeks of neglect following our vacation.  Sad, sad, sad.  Luckily, they can take abuse.

The mints are wonderful in tea, and the geraniums can help to keep mosquitoes away naturally if you put them around your patio.  Or you can pot them and keep them in your kitchen to enjoy! (which is what I chose to do!)    

Potting soil can dry out pretty quickly in an indoor climate.  And the kind I had on hand wasn’t the expensive kind with those fancy water absorbing crystals advertised in more expensive potting mixes.

However, I read somewhere recently that you could pull a clean diaper apart and shake some of the dry moisture beads into the soil as a frugal alternative.  The same material that keeps your baby’s bottom dry swells and gels, retaining precious moisture in your soil.

I thought to myself, that makes sense to me.  So, I decided to give it a try.  I wasn’t exactly sure what I was doing.  So I may have just added fuzz to my pots.  But I think there were little beads in there!  Lol!

My family had a good laugh at my expense.  But hey, what are we mom’s for if not to provide constant entertainment for those who have nothing better to do but watch us?

And now?  My plants are thriving in their new homes!  And after three days, the soil is still damp. 

We’ll see if the tip on diaper matter continues to work for me as time goes on!  If you’ve ever heard of this, or tried it, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Check out all the other tips over at We Are That Family!  And share one of your own with us!

A Lovely Surprise

 

This Spring, my husband picked up a rose bush from Aldis.  It was a dormant plant packed in sawdust, and I was skeptical.

But this bloom says it all. 

He has made everything beautiful in its time…

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Bargain Bike!!!

We stopped in to Goodwill today after my oldest son’s orthodontics appointment, and look what we found! 

He was so excited!  It’s a brand new Mongoose stunt bike priced at a fraction of the cost of new.  The tag said it needed brakes.  But I was fairly confident that it just needed the cables adjusted.

He wasn’t real thrilled at the little skull design on the frame.  But he said he could just cover it over with electrical tape if he wanted.

So, we decided to buy it for an early birthday present for him (his birthday is coming up in mid-August).  Unfortunately, there won’t be a surprise on his actual birthday.  But, thankfully, he didn’t care.

We took it home and I tightened the brake cables.  It turned out to be a pretty easy fix.  I even swapped out the mongoose seat (above) for an extra gel-type seat we had from another bike.   

To say he is thrilled with the bike is an understatement.  He has always made do with yard sale jalopies.  So this is his first new (at least it looks brand new) bike.  And it is very similar to his best friend’s bike. 

To say I am thrilled would also be an understatement.  (Shopping for a twelve year old can be tough.) 

So, all in all, I think we both had a great day!  Sigh.  I love Goodwill.

Logic Is Optional

Hey, where did my week go?  How on earth can it be after midnight, Friday already?

Well, I guess that’s O.K.  I have gotten a lot done.  Just not in the way of blogging. 

When I looked at my calendar on Monday, I realized that my oldest son was going away this weekend,  my two oldest boys go to camp the week after next, and the following Wednesday they start back to school.  WHAT??  So soon?

It gave me the sudden urge to go through everyone’s closets like a mom possessed and see what still fit.  

This always snowballs into a monumental task around here.  Did you ever notice how much boys HATE to try on clothes??  Hmm, well, maybe it’s just me…and mine.

I am happy to report, though, that the boys survived, the clothes are all sorted, and we seem to be in good shape for camp and the start of school. 

Plus, my kitchen is a little more organized. 

That was a by-product of my hunt for what sport bottles and drink containers were still usable for lunches and soccer. (Why does every search lead to cleaning something you didn’t plan on cleaning??  And why doesn’t it work the same way with the male gender?  OOPS, did I say that?  Chalk it up to how tired I am at the moment.)

Anyway, the picture above shows a sampling of what I found in the kitchen.  Which brings me to the heart of this post. 

Pacifiers… 

My youngest has been “over” sippy cups and pacifiers for quite some time.  I just haven’t gotten around to pitching them.

As logical as it is to throw them out, I have to tell you, I’m finding it difficult.  Not the sippy cups, so much.  Those went right into the yard sale box. 

But the pacifiers… 

They are still sitting on my counter.  I haven’t been able to throw them out, yet. 

I get all nostalgic thinking back to how tiny those little hands were that held them.  And it makes me smile.

I think I’m having more trouble with this than I did when I sold our crib.  And that was pretty hard. 

Unlike the crib, which was taking up so much valuable space, and simply had to go, these pacifiers have sat unobtrusively for years (literally). They’ve been tucked into the back of here and there, all over the house. 

Taking up very little space.

Seemingly, still at the ready for a sleepy little baby.

Did you know that my baby turns five in just over a week? 

He giggled out loud to see that pile on my counter.  He’s incredulous that he ever had one in his mouth. 

But I… I can picture it.

I know it’s crazy that I haven’t gotten rid of them before now.  they’re old and yucky and no one would want them.  So I set them out in the open thinking I would eventually work up the courage or resolve or whatever to do the deed.   

But the longer they sit there on my  counter.  Staring at me across the kitchen every time I pass them by.  Begging to know what I plan to do with them. The more I realize that I still can’t toss them.  

What do you do when your baby is no longer a baby, and you happen across a stash like this?  A stash which sends a gentle wave of sentimental mush through your veins.  A stash which immediately conjures up the sweet fragrance of a clean baby?  And which leaves a smile on your face? 

I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.

I’m going to put them back. 

I’m going to tuck them away in the back of a drawer and smile each time I see one. 

For as long as I like. 

Because I’m a mom. 

And logic is optional. 

Call me weird if you like.  But my mind is made up.   

Yummy Chocolate-Oatmeal Cookies

My kids were pestering for snacks, and as usual, nothing I suggested was saying it to them. 

So, I handed them my new little cookbook and said, “Then, pick something and make it.”

My oldest took the challenge while I continued to type. 

After a few minutes, I hear his voice from the kitchen…

“I don’t think you have enough vanilla.”

“How much does it take?”  I asked. 

“Three cups.”

I had a spontaneous snort.  “Uh, no.  Look again.”

Laughter.  “OOPS!   Make that 1 teaspoon.”

After that, I snooped through the kitchen several times.  Each time giggling at my “gifted” son’s ability to follow a recipe.  I sure hope he has as much luck writing his papers next year as he did with these cookies.

Because he did not (no how) follow the directions!  And they still tasted great!  (Why does that never happen to me??) In what I thought would be a fatal blow to his concoction, he didn’t boil the first couple ingredients before he added the last three. 

He just kind of melted and mixed and globbed them onto the wax paper.  I warned him that they might not harden.  He didn’t care.  He was just delighted with how gross the goo looked.

But, they did (harden, that is), and were DELISCIOUS!  I’m not sure what the consistency should have been.  But these hardened (for lack of a better word) into the consistency of soft fudge with an interesting texture from the oatmeal.  Wow, were they rich! 

So, I bring this recipe to you and can pretty much attest that you can’t mess it up.  That is, unless you add 3 cups of vanilla.  Lol!

Yummy Chocolate-Oatmeal Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups oatmeal, uncooked
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine butter, cocoa, sugar and milk in a 2 quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, add peanut butter, oatmeal, and vanilla and mix well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper.

Yield: 24 cookies

Try to pace yourselves.  It’s probably healthier not to eat them all in one sitting.  And if you actually follow the directions, I’d love to hear how yours turn out!

To see what everyone else is cooking, visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.  Join us!

Is There a Reward For Work Done Well??

Barbara Johnson said once…

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.

Wow.  That’s true, isn’t it? 

At the moment, my boys wouldn’t appreciate the humor in that nugget of wisdom.

I’ve made them clean their room.  And they only just got done straightening the playroom.  That’s three days in a row of cleaning and straightening (they tell me).  The horror!  Surely I’m guilty of child abuse…

I’ve heard it all.  All the complaints, all the moaning, and all the groaning.  I’ve also heard every excuse in the book as to why they shouldn’t have to do the job, or do it as thoroughly as I’m insisting they attend to it.  Including, this, from Mr. Nameless, “But, I’m not a neat freak!” 

Yes, I know.

Sigh. 

That’s part of the reason a two hour job has taken three days.  That, and the countless times distractions have lured them away from the task.

So, I’m facing a struggle every mom grapples with on occasion.

Am I being too demanding?  Am I expecting too much?  Should I help them finish?  My mom said on the phone today, “Don’t be too hard on them.  We always went easy on you…”  CHokE, CoUGh…Really?  Well, maybe that will be another post…how moms change when you put the “Grand” in front of their names, and their memories go, too.

But seriously, how do you handle the constant complaining?  Or the blaming of everyone else for what happens?  Or even their threats to just quit?

It’s never easy being a mom.  But it’s even harder, when great and capable kids refuse to step up to the plate, buckle down, and work together to get a job done in a timely manner.

This time, I’ve stood firm.  Although the phone rang countless times over the last few days with invitations to this friend’s house or that, I didn’t let them off the hook.  I also didn’t get down in the trenches (much) to help.

It’s hard.  Because you really do want them to have fun, and to do things with their friends.  It’s  hard to say “No, I’m sorry, but you can’t go”. 

But is extending a deadline (again), or lowering expectations, really helping them? 

When I look at it that way, the questions fall away.  There is nothing to consider.  If I love my boys, I will make them finish, and finish well. 

Some day, they will have a real job (I hope!).  And a real boss.  Their boss won’t struggle as I do.  He will expect the job done, and done well.  That is, if they are to have the opportunity to work again the next day.  Otherwise, their boss will simply get someone else for the job.

Teaching a good work ethic is a rotten job.  It is a thankless job (especially, at the moment).  But it is one of the most loving and important jobs we as moms can do for our children.

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.

Our walk in service to the Lord is the same.  It takes time, and commitment, and endurance, and often, hard work.

At some point, we all want to be able to say…

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.  I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness…

2 Timothy 4:7-8

And we want our children to be able to say that, too, in whatever they set their hands to do.

Vacation Log: Fishing With Grandmom and Grandpop

While we were in Pa, we spent several nights fishing with Grandmom and Grandpop (my parents).

The boys took turns catching Blue Gills, Large Mouth Bass, muddy sticks, and tree branches (just to keep things lively).  It got pretty hectic at times. 

I found myself giving impromptu lessons on taking the hook out, casting sideways, changing the bait, and moving slowly.  Lol!

My parents brought their chairs up to the pond so we could visit while we fished.  That was nice, especially since my dad’s health has been shaky this year.  It was nice to see him getting around a little better.

I couldn’t help remembering the countless hours I spent fishing here as a little girl.  My brother taught me early on that if you caught it, you were expected to take it off the hook.

There were five years between my brother and me, so I reckon he had more patience than most.  But unless a fish really swallowed the hook, I was pretty much on my own.

I’ll never forget one time I really needed him.

It was a warm summer day and I had gone up to the pond to fish with what would later become my sister-in-law (his wife).  I’m not sure how old we were.  I’m guessing around 12. 

We each had a pole, and took along a baggie of cut-up hot dog to share for bait.  We settled down on the edge of the old wooden dock to relax and talk. 

I’m not sure who caught the fish.  But as was our habit, we swung the fish over to the bank where we could manage the hook easier.

All at once, we saw a streak of grey.  In the blink of an eye, my cat Sweetie had claimed the little Blue Gill as her own, including the hook!  With a soulful meow that was half growl, she began shaking her head and pulling on the line for all she was worth.

Horrified, we dashed to pin her down (no easy feat) and see what we could do.  With claws a-flying, the fish a-flapping, and me pretty much in a panic, we realized in no time that we needed help.

We called down to my brother who was walking across the yard, beyond the pasture.

“Dan, (not his real name) come quick!  We need your help!”

“Whaaat?!”  He said, in that half annoyed tone used only for me.  He didn’t even pause his step.

“We caught the cat on the hook!”

With an overhead gesture of throwing a ball, he yelled, “Throw it in the tub and I’ll take care of it later.”  He kept on walking.  The tub was a real tub sunk into the ground and fed with water from the pond’s outlet.  We used it to water the steers on the other side of the fence.

Realizing he misunderstood, we clarified.  “Not a cat FISH, a CAT!!!”

To my utter frustration and annoyance, he burst out laughing.  He laughed all the way up to the pond and could barely get a hold of himself to do the job.  If I hadn’t needed his help so badly, I would have clobbered him.  That’s a brother for you.

Yes, we all enjoyed fishing.  And telling stories.  The two go hand-in-hand.  Someday, my boys will no doubt laugh over the trees and murky sticks they caught, as we now laugh over that cat.  And my little guy will remind everyone that he caught the biggest fish.

Today’s summer fun and family times are tomorrow’s memories.  I’m so glad we added to the treasure chest of stories to be dragged out at the next family gathering.  I’m also pretty tickled that no cat was hurt in the making of the memories!!

I’m sharing this story with friends from PhotoStory Friday, Thankful Thursday, and A Thousand Word Thursday.  I hope you’ll join in the fun and share something with us!

Vacation Log: Lake In Wood Resort

O.K., we are really home now.  But I wish we were still on vacation.  Even my little guy said this morning that he wishes that vacation would start all over again.  He really liked our cabin…which I think translates into him really liking bunking with his big brothers. :)

Lake In Wood Resort is located Narvon, Pennsylvania.  For the last few years, we have been renting a cabin here and using it as a home base (of sorts) while we catch up with family and friends.

This is the cute little cabin we stayed in this year.  Although it had a kitchen/dining/living room plus two separate bedrooms with beds enough for 2 adults and  4 children (plus a hide away bed), my oldest still chose to sleep in…well, see if you can guess!

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the last time we vacationed here, he slept in a top bunk and fell out in the middle of the night!  (…and broke his foot in the process!!)

We loved the porch area.  Although the weather was spectacular, it would have come in very handy had it been rainy.  Here are the boys enjoying ice cream sundaes.  Vacation doesn’t get any better than this…

The pool at the resort is beautiful, and usually the boys spend every free moment enjoying it.  There is a beach entry wading pool (foreground), a three foot pool with an island and fountains (behind), plus an adult pool.  Inside an open building, there is another pool as well as a hot tub. But given the very cool nights, and the amount of rain they had recently had, the water in the pools was FREEZING COLD!  The one time we went swimming, they lasted all of around eight minutes.  Lol!

We played mini golf instead! 

That was a hoot!  I’m not sure which was more fun to watch, the boys trying to remember and record their own score, or the boys trying to retrieve their balls from under the shrubs!

We also spent some time at the playground.  Check out the spider’s nest (red thing) in the picture below.  The boys loved climbing all over this thing!  There is actually a spot to sit in the center of the web, where a real spider would lay in wait. Great image, eh?

See the bikes?  Kind of looks like our yard does at times!  My oldest took this picture because he thought it was funny that all the bikes were on the ground at the foot of the bike rack!  (I say no funnier than all the dirty clothes on the floor next to the laundry basket…) 

Coming back to the campground late one evening, we were awed by the moon-lit sky.

I’d definitely recommend a stay at Lake In Wood if you are ever in that neck of the woods.  Although the resort has its own Cafe, it is also only a hop skip and a jump away from Shady Maple Smorgasbord, a dining experience like no other!  Just in case you are extra hungry.

Vacation Log: Maryland…to Pa July 2009

Over the Fourth of July, we visited with my husband’s side of the family in Chestertown Maryland.  We headed to Rock Hall to catch the local fireworks and it was just a beautiful night!  I can’t believe the beautiful weather we have had during this vacation.

Anyway, we spent several days at Mom Mom’s and had an awesome time.  We appreciated her hospitality.  With three boys, we pack an awful lot of commotion.  But she was gracious, as always. We miss seeing her on a regular basis!

After saying good-bye to her, we headed north, to Lake In Wood Campground, where we are staying until Sunday.  It’s our third year staying here, and I can’t wait to share some of the things our family loves about this place! 

But that will indeed have to wait.

We’re off to visit with friends from our old church. 

Checking In…And Sharing Pictures from Knoebles!

Wow!  Where is time going??  Don’t you wish that during vacations you could add a few (hundred) hours to every day?

We have been having so much fun! And busy days make for a very tired bunch of kids (and parents!) come this time of night. 

But since the troops are all sleeping and I still have a little steam left, I thought I would show you more pictures from our visit to Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pa. 

These were just a few of the many, many rides we enjoyed.

The Balloon ride was a super family ride.  But I seriously recommend sitting on the “going forward” side if you want to keep your lunch!  During this trip through the air, I was not…(Ugh!!)  But turning in the seat to watch the rest of the family and to take this picture did help.  Lol!

These little race cars were a HUGE hit!  I’m not sure who got more excited, the little guys driving…or the families cheering them on!  What a hoot!!!  It was amusing to see my two older boys lamenting that they were too TALL to participate. 

Then, check out my guys on the big Ferris Wheel below!  I had to chuckle when I spotted them in the pink gondola!  :) I’m surprised they didn’t give up their spot in line to get the more masculine blue car which came next!!

Among the thriller rides, this next one was the boys’ favorite.  It happens to be a ride that I’ve only ridden two times in all my years of going to Knoebles.  The second time happened only because I forgot how terrified I was on my FIRST time on it!

It was called the Fandango (I think) and the crazy thing not only swung back and forth to the point of being almost  up-side down.  It also rotated.  ‘Nough said.  No amount of begging from my peanut gallery could get me on it this year.  Though they cycled through the line probably eight or ten times each.  Several times each day.    (My guys are just left of bottom center.)

Speaking of peanuts, by dinner time, this one was in serious need of some down time.  After falling asleep on his daddy’s shoulder, he finished out his nap on a picnic table.  The rest of us took in some ice cream.  Shhh…don’t tell him what he missed! 

(There are tons of tables, by the way, under huge pavilions right on the grounds.  We often bring a cooler, plop it on a table, and visit it throughout the day when we are ready for lunch or a snack.  Just one more thing I love about Knoebels!) 

It wasn’t long before we were ready for more fun!

And who doesn’t love the swings??

 

 

 

If you’ve never been to Knoebles, I simply can’t recommend it enough.  It has everything you can imagine in the way of rides, from coasters and thrillers,  to things your toddler will love!  And since there is no admission fees, there are tons of Grandparents who tag along to enjoy the day!

It is an AWESOME family park.  Thus, the reason we go there when ever we can fit it into our trip to PA! 

Oh, and one more thing.  While we were there, my son lost his little digital camera.  We didn’t realize he had lost it until we were looking for it at Mom Mom’s house in Maryland.  Two days after our park visit.

We called the park office and described the camera (which incidentally had our last name written on it with a sharpie) and they said they had it, believe it or not! 

I offered to pay to have them ship it to us.  But the staffer said no, that they don’t charge anything. They are just happy when people call and so they can get things reunited with their owners.  How cool is that???

The two things that stand out to me are… first—that the atmosphere at the park is one where people do the right thing and take things (even valuable things) to lost and found, …and second—that the park goes over the top to make it so completely family friendly!

Totally Cool Dude…All Done In

After two days on the road, it’s no wonder that this is how the little guy arrived at Knoebels Grove Amusement Park.  EVEN with his older brothers bubbling over (loudly) with their excitement at all the rides they could see from the parking lot.

But no worries.  It wasn’t too hard to get him moving once he spied the rides!  We spent the evening in the park enjoying “Family Night,” where they let you ride all the rides you want for a fraction of the all-day ride pass.  Oh what fun!

We go back tomorrow for the day with our friends.  I can’t wait to show you some of our favorite rides!!

For more fun pictures, check out Five Minutes For Mom!

Day 1: 417 Miles

Today was a dream day as far as travel goes.  The weather was beautiful, and the boys were relatively content.  Sigh.

I’m so thankful for Lego’s and DS’s.  The little lap tray I picked up at Toys R Us turned out to be a wonderful asset.  I debated whether it would be worth the room it took up.  But it definitely was!  My little guy built, and rebuilt, and modified his Star Wars Lego’s speeders countless times and the little side pockets held all the loose bricks.

The older two mainly occupied themselves with their new Nintendo DS games.  I picked up Lego’s Indiana Jones, and Lost in Blue 2 for the trip.  I haven’t heard much about the Lost in Blue game.  But I hear plenty of comments like, “Oh, COOL!”  and “Awesome!  You gotta see THIS!!”

Ahhh, the silence (well, accept for the constant shooting sounds of the little guy, and the whispering sounds from headphones) of contented boys.  There is NOTHING as soothing on a long trip.

By three this afternoon, we made it to the Cabela’s in Wheeling, West Virginia, and had plenty of time to explore.  This is always a highlight for us.  The boys just love the exhibits!  My son took this picture of the African Elephant.

Pretty cool, eh?  It looks like my son was about to get stampeded!  Lol!

I picked up two Coleman camp chairs for a great price!  They even had the sun canopy, cooler, and cup holder!  We’ve never had such fancy chairs!  Our tattered economy line camp chairs date back to when they first came out with them, and my husband has been lamenting his lack of a cup holder every time we use them.  Now, he won’t have to beg to sit in one of our neighbor’s chairs when we all go camping!

It’s the little things…:)

Well, it’s late and we have lots more traveling to do tomorrow.  The boys are already settled, and I’m turning in…

We’ll see if I can get online at the next hotel.