Eliza Claire is really into writing and drawing this week. This is her "cat with long fur."
Friday, November 19, 2010
Eliza Claire's Art
Eliza Claire is really into writing and drawing this week. This is her "cat with long fur."
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Always Family
With the approaching holidays I have been thinking often of two of my nephews that I haven't seen in almost five years. Actually, I think of them very often as Rehm and Ruby have similar mannerisms, expressions and personalities to them.
The oldest, Justin is now in college. I haven't seen him since he was a freshman in high school I can only imagine how he has changed. Every time I play a board game with Rehm I am reminded of Justin. Justin always jabbered 90 miles a minute the entire time you were playing a game with him. Rehm does the same exact thing. When he does it I always tell him he is just like his cousin and think fondly of all the times I played games with him. Justin and Benjamin were both very interested in robotics and now so is Rehm. I wish next week he was going to get to visit with them and get to talk shop. I wish Justin and Benjamin were going to have to endure playing a board game with Rehm and be annoyed by the incessant jabbering so we could remind Justin that we endured plenty of that from him when he was nine.
Benjamin is now a junior in high school. He was just starting middle school the last time I saw him. I especially remember Benjamin when he was the age the twins are now. He had curly brown hair and the most mischievous smile you've ever seen. He was always full of energy and just adorable. Ruby has several expressions and mannerisms and just a level of exuberance that reminds me of Benjamin when he was her age. I've remarked several times lately about how much things she does reminds me of Benjamin. I wish she could meet him so that she would know who I am talking about when I say this.
When I was thinking about them today, it made me sad. I miss them. I miss watching them grow up and seeing the people they have turned into. I know we didn't see each other that often - maybe three or four times a year, but they are family and even though we don't get to see them these days they are still connected to us in ways I can't put on paper. In expressions on my four year old's face and in my nine year old's interests. My older two children remember them but the twins obviously do not. I hope they don't think we don't care about who they are and what they are doing these days. We do and we miss them and would love to have the opportunity to let them know.
I'll be writing something similar to this in their Christmas cards this year. Given their current ages they will probably roll their eyes while thinking I'm a crazy, wacky, old aunt, and they'll be right. But, I hope at some point they will understand that they are and always will be family and that we miss them very much.
Jenn
The oldest, Justin is now in college. I haven't seen him since he was a freshman in high school I can only imagine how he has changed. Every time I play a board game with Rehm I am reminded of Justin. Justin always jabbered 90 miles a minute the entire time you were playing a game with him. Rehm does the same exact thing. When he does it I always tell him he is just like his cousin and think fondly of all the times I played games with him. Justin and Benjamin were both very interested in robotics and now so is Rehm. I wish next week he was going to get to visit with them and get to talk shop. I wish Justin and Benjamin were going to have to endure playing a board game with Rehm and be annoyed by the incessant jabbering so we could remind Justin that we endured plenty of that from him when he was nine.
Benjamin is now a junior in high school. He was just starting middle school the last time I saw him. I especially remember Benjamin when he was the age the twins are now. He had curly brown hair and the most mischievous smile you've ever seen. He was always full of energy and just adorable. Ruby has several expressions and mannerisms and just a level of exuberance that reminds me of Benjamin when he was her age. I've remarked several times lately about how much things she does reminds me of Benjamin. I wish she could meet him so that she would know who I am talking about when I say this.
When I was thinking about them today, it made me sad. I miss them. I miss watching them grow up and seeing the people they have turned into. I know we didn't see each other that often - maybe three or four times a year, but they are family and even though we don't get to see them these days they are still connected to us in ways I can't put on paper. In expressions on my four year old's face and in my nine year old's interests. My older two children remember them but the twins obviously do not. I hope they don't think we don't care about who they are and what they are doing these days. We do and we miss them and would love to have the opportunity to let them know.
I'll be writing something similar to this in their Christmas cards this year. Given their current ages they will probably roll their eyes while thinking I'm a crazy, wacky, old aunt, and they'll be right. But, I hope at some point they will understand that they are and always will be family and that we miss them very much.
Jenn
Backseat Conversation
Ruby: I love you, hook 'em Longhorns!
Me: do you mean you love the Longhorns?
Ruby: Yes!
Eliza Claire: No, Ruby! We're asposed (supposed) to love the Aggies!
Guess which one will be Daddy's favorite today?
I did tell Ruby she could love any team she wanted. I know Michael would disagree.
Jenn
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Camping
We went camping at Krause Springs the weekend prior to Halloween with Rehm's Cub Scout pack. Due to a birthday party that Charlotte could not miss, Rehm and Micheal went out early Saturday morning and the girls and I followed them around dinner(supper, for those of you confused by which meal I'm referring to) time. As most of you know, I am not a fan of camping and have in fact only had the pleasure on one other occasion. Arriving late after everything had already been set up and everyone had already figured out where everything was did not help me at all. Honestly, for the first half hour after the girls and I got there I was, um, somewhat witchy, or something. It didn't help that when I went to get our dinner, I found it covered in ants or that when I opened the door to the tent everything was in a huge pile right inside the door and there was plenty of dried grass on the floor. Once I got the girls fed and the tent straightened and organized to my standards I was a much happier, um, camper.
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| Waiting for dinner |
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| The gigantic ant hill about 20 feet from the door of our tent. |
Everyone had a great time and the campground was wonderful. The bathrooms were spacious and clean! They were so nice that I regretted not bringing stuff to be able to shower. In addition, the springs and creak/river/stream that was on the property was awesome. We had a lot of fun exploring in the woods and around the stream.
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| He really isn't as close to the fire as it appears. Isn't the heat wave neat looking in the picture? |
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| This tent is much better than the last time we went camping! |
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| This time my four year old isn't as tall as the tent. |
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| Isn't this the coolest tree? As a kid I would have insisted on camping inside it, I think. |
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| Breakfast |
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| The cypress trees were just amazingly huge |
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| Sweet Sisters |
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| Somebody slipped on the wet rocks and sat down in the water. Oops. |
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| Yeah, that's about how I feel about camping, too |
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| Part of the falls from the springs into the natural pool. |
This is the first time we had camped as a family of six and the first time in the 8 person tent. The tent was a huge improvement over the last time we camped (make sure to watch the slide show). There are definitely some things that got added to my camping packing list for next time, like a flyswatter and a broom, but on the whole I would be willing to go camping again, I think...
Jenn
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Dance Class
I am currently taking a Mommy and Me dance class with Ruby and Eliza Claire. Yeah, I'm not really sure what I was thinking when I signed us up for this class. Well, actually, I do. It was the only dance or gymnastics class at the YMCA that would work with their school schedule and they loved their first dance class so I wanted them to be able to continue. But I really, really wanted them to take a class that did not include me!Luckily the class is only six weeks long and we are halfway through - though we did miss one class because the girls were sick last week, bummer!
The girls love the idea of me taking the class with them. The reality is a bit different though. When actually in the class Eliza Claire is usually somewhere half a room away from me, dancing her heart out, completely oblivious that I am there; and Ruby is in a puddle on the floor mad because I won't hold her for the entire class! I am busy trying not to completely embarrass myself and set a good example of participating for the girls. Did I mention the class takes place in a room with several large windows facing the main walkway inside the Y? Oh and when you are well past 30, haven't taken a dance class since you were in elementary school, and have no natural sense of rhythm preschool dance class is, well, um, hard! Between being on tip toe for the majority of the hour and trying to have "ballerina" posture I leave the class very sore.
To answer the questions I know you are dying to ask: The class is only ballet. I don't have to wear a leotard (thank God!) or ballet shoes. I don't know if there will be a demonstration at the end or not but if there is you will not be invited and no pictures will be taken. And, yes, on the whole I'm very glad I moved waaayyyy out of my comfort zone and did this with my girls. I only hope that one day the appreciate the physical sacrifice and loss of dignity I have suffered for them.
Jenn
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Misunderstanding
The garbage collector now thinks I am a complete and total nut.
I had a bowl of leftovers in the fridge that I meant to throw out on garbage day last week. I waited too late and they had already emptied our garbage by the time I got down to take it out. So this week I was determined to get rid of said leftovers as I did not want them in the fridge for yet another week nor did I want them in the garbage can getting really nasty for an entire week. The leftovers happened to be in a bowl, covered with press and seal, that I apparently lost the lid for so I was tossing bowl and all.
When I went out to throw away the leftovers the cans had already been emptied. I could hear the truck a few streets over. I was determined to get rid of the leftovers so I loaded everyone in the van for preschool and brought along the leftovers. I stopped on the street the garbage truck was on, grabbed my leftovers and approached the closest garbage collector. I explained that they had already gotten the garbage on my street and asked if "I can please give you this," while extending the bowl. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked what it was. I'm thinking what is the big deal can you just throw this away? My response was something along the lines of "just some leftovers I don't want to leave in the fridge until next week." He finally took in and almost stealthily placed it in the back of the truck with the rest of the garbage.
That is when I realized that he thought I was trying to give him the leftovers! And that I had driven out of my way and gotten out of my van to do so! Of course by this point I was driving away and it was too late to explain that all I was trying to do was get the blasted things in the garbage truck and that I was not trying to pass off my leftovers on the garbage collector! I was mortified, but of course had no way to right the situation with out making it much, much worse.
In the end, I got what I wanted - the leftovers tossed. I just hate it came at the price of having to hide from the garbage collector for the foreseeable future.
Jenn
I had a bowl of leftovers in the fridge that I meant to throw out on garbage day last week. I waited too late and they had already emptied our garbage by the time I got down to take it out. So this week I was determined to get rid of said leftovers as I did not want them in the fridge for yet another week nor did I want them in the garbage can getting really nasty for an entire week. The leftovers happened to be in a bowl, covered with press and seal, that I apparently lost the lid for so I was tossing bowl and all.
When I went out to throw away the leftovers the cans had already been emptied. I could hear the truck a few streets over. I was determined to get rid of the leftovers so I loaded everyone in the van for preschool and brought along the leftovers. I stopped on the street the garbage truck was on, grabbed my leftovers and approached the closest garbage collector. I explained that they had already gotten the garbage on my street and asked if "I can please give you this," while extending the bowl. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked what it was. I'm thinking what is the big deal can you just throw this away? My response was something along the lines of "just some leftovers I don't want to leave in the fridge until next week." He finally took in and almost stealthily placed it in the back of the truck with the rest of the garbage.
That is when I realized that he thought I was trying to give him the leftovers! And that I had driven out of my way and gotten out of my van to do so! Of course by this point I was driving away and it was too late to explain that all I was trying to do was get the blasted things in the garbage truck and that I was not trying to pass off my leftovers on the garbage collector! I was mortified, but of course had no way to right the situation with out making it much, much worse.
In the end, I got what I wanted - the leftovers tossed. I just hate it came at the price of having to hide from the garbage collector for the foreseeable future.
Jenn
Monday, November 08, 2010
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Friday, November 05, 2010
Little Grown Ups
Ruby and Eliza Claire are playing vet. I'm the vet. Their animals need special food to eat. Ruby just told me that the food was on sale at the grocery store. Then she informed Eliza Claire that if she went to Target the food was much cheaper than the vet because it was on sale there. I think they've been on too many errands with Mommy recently.
Jenn
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Homemade Tomato Soup
I have not had homemade tomato soup in years. I used to love my grandmother's but it is a recipe I have never gotten from her and just something I've never made, well, until yesterday.
I have a spaghetti sauce recipe I love. I could literally drink it. I decided to use it as my base for my soup. It worked perfectly. The end result was yummy. I just had the last of the leftovers for lunch. I'm sad it is gone. I'll definitely have to make it again.
Homemade Tomato Soup
1 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes
1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes*
1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
4-6 large cloves of garlic peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
1-2 medium onions quartered
1 stick of butter - the real stuff not the fake stuff
1 32 oz. container of chicken broth
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup fat free half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the first seven ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for at least and hour. Use an immersion blender to puree. Stir in baking soda. Once it stops foaming add the half and half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through and serve.
Last night I served the soup with garlic and cheese flavored croutons and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. It was delicious!
In case you are wondering the baking soda is added to reduce the acidity in the tomatoes to keep the half and half from curdling when it is added. Thanks mom for the tip.
*This would be better with all San Marzano tomatoes but since they cost 4 times as much as plain old whole tomatoes I used only one can of San Marzano and finished with regular whole tomatoes.
You can definitely play around with the amount of butter or use a mixture of olive oil and butter. I used fat free half and half because that is what I had at home. If I had regular half and half I would use it but definitely cut the amount of butter down then. And if you don't like a creamy tomato soup this would be great if you just left it out and added another cup of broth.
I served the soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Last nights were homemade brioche with sharp cheddar. If you are doing a lot of sandwiches I find that buttering the bread, assembling them on a cookie sheet, and baking them in the oven is quicker and takes less of my attention than doing them in a frying pan. I usually bake them at 350 for about 15 minutes(or until golden brown), turning them once.
I have a spaghetti sauce recipe I love. I could literally drink it. I decided to use it as my base for my soup. It worked perfectly. The end result was yummy. I just had the last of the leftovers for lunch. I'm sad it is gone. I'll definitely have to make it again.
Homemade Tomato Soup
1 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes
1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes*
1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
4-6 large cloves of garlic peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
1-2 medium onions quartered
1 stick of butter - the real stuff not the fake stuff
1 32 oz. container of chicken broth
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup fat free half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the first seven ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for at least and hour. Use an immersion blender to puree. Stir in baking soda. Once it stops foaming add the half and half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through and serve.
Last night I served the soup with garlic and cheese flavored croutons and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. It was delicious!
In case you are wondering the baking soda is added to reduce the acidity in the tomatoes to keep the half and half from curdling when it is added. Thanks mom for the tip.
*This would be better with all San Marzano tomatoes but since they cost 4 times as much as plain old whole tomatoes I used only one can of San Marzano and finished with regular whole tomatoes.
You can definitely play around with the amount of butter or use a mixture of olive oil and butter. I used fat free half and half because that is what I had at home. If I had regular half and half I would use it but definitely cut the amount of butter down then. And if you don't like a creamy tomato soup this would be great if you just left it out and added another cup of broth.
I served the soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Last nights were homemade brioche with sharp cheddar. If you are doing a lot of sandwiches I find that buttering the bread, assembling them on a cookie sheet, and baking them in the oven is quicker and takes less of my attention than doing them in a frying pan. I usually bake them at 350 for about 15 minutes(or until golden brown), turning them once.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Halloween Installment 3: School Celebrations
Ruby and Eliza Claire had a costume parade and celebration last Thursday. Eliza Clarie kept insisting that she was going to wear and Indian costume they had in their class at school and that she did not need to bring a costume. I insisted that we take her monkey costume in the car with us because I just did think this was the case. She even made me braid her hair so she would be ready for her Indian costume. Of course when we got to school and I asked the teachers about it there were no Indian costumes. They had started talking about their Thanksgiving celebration and Eliza Claire had gotten confused on when she would get to wear her Indian costume. She was a bit disappointed but happy to be a monkey in the end.
Rehm and Charlotte had a character parade on Friday. They are supposed to dress as a character from a book.
Rehm and Charlotte had a character parade on Friday. They are supposed to dress as a character from a book.
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| All of the kids in Charlotte's class were mice. They all had different books with mice characters. |
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| Rehm as a very disheveled Harry Potter |
Gross!
If reading about vomit bothers you STOP READING NOW!
Michael and I were woken up this morning by a very cheerful Charlotte skipping into our room. This is our typical weekday wake up. However, this morning instead of Charlotte saying, "Good Morning, Mama!" she said, "Mama, I threw up in my bed during the night and have dried throw up all over me!" Yeah, in a cheery voice! How in the world can you be cheerful about dried up throw up? Of course at this point I'm thinking OK, she gagged and got a little bit of something on her, no big deal. There is no way it was a real episode. She couldn't possibly sleep through that! I was wrong!
Michael got Charlotte in the shower and I got her room cleaned up. She seems to be fine now. She had only one or two pieces of candy after trick or treating so this was not a candy overload. I think she coughed in her sleep and triggered it as she has a very sensitive gag reflex. I'm still just amazed that she could get sick and never wake up or realize it until her alarm clock went off this morning. She has done this as a toddler and even then I thought it was strange but it seems extremely strange for a seven year old. Upon further reflection, I decided I would rather clean up vomit at 6:45 am than 3 am. But still, I just don't get it.
Aren't you so glad you checked Mayhem Mania today? Yeah, I don't know why I felt the need to share this, either.
Michael and I were woken up this morning by a very cheerful Charlotte skipping into our room. This is our typical weekday wake up. However, this morning instead of Charlotte saying, "Good Morning, Mama!" she said, "Mama, I threw up in my bed during the night and have dried throw up all over me!" Yeah, in a cheery voice! How in the world can you be cheerful about dried up throw up? Of course at this point I'm thinking OK, she gagged and got a little bit of something on her, no big deal. There is no way it was a real episode. She couldn't possibly sleep through that! I was wrong!
Michael got Charlotte in the shower and I got her room cleaned up. She seems to be fine now. She had only one or two pieces of candy after trick or treating so this was not a candy overload. I think she coughed in her sleep and triggered it as she has a very sensitive gag reflex. I'm still just amazed that she could get sick and never wake up or realize it until her alarm clock went off this morning. She has done this as a toddler and even then I thought it was strange but it seems extremely strange for a seven year old. Upon further reflection, I decided I would rather clean up vomit at 6:45 am than 3 am. But still, I just don't get it.
Aren't you so glad you checked Mayhem Mania today? Yeah, I don't know why I felt the need to share this, either.