Christmas Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone had a great morning and enjoyed a very lazy day playing with all their gifts.

Christmas Eve

All dressed up and ready for Christmas Eve services

 

Charlotte trying out her hand at picture taking

 

Eliza Claire having a turn behind the camera

The Weatherbys are making us laugh

 

 

 

 

Leaving church heading to our annual Christmas Eve Gathering

 

 

 

 Ready for Christmas!

Winter Band Concert

 

This is was our first experienc with having a band member in a concert.  I was so impressed with how they sounded and the magic the band directors have worked with all these sixth graders. 

It was impossible to actually see Rehm during the concert.  But I knew where he was because I could see his bassoon sticking up.  It is the left most "pipe" sticking up in the middle of the picture.

Proof I'm not a Texan

Mid afternoon I decided to go check the mail. I didn't think twice about the fact I was barefoot and it was in the upper 90s today. The mailbox is probably 150 yards away, if that much.

About halfway there, my feet were a bit hot, but there were shady spots along the way that provided relief. Then I hit the last third of the way that has no shade. The sidewalk was HOT!

I get the mail and decide on the way back I'll walk in the grass on the curbside of the sidewalk to give my burning feet a break. Two steps in, I have two feet full of stickers. Trying to get the stickers out, while standing on the burning sidewalk I drop all the mail.

I collect the mail and hobble home on my burned, full of splinters feet. I think, as of midnight, I've finally removed all the stickers/splinters.

Did I mention their was someone sitting in a car on the opposite curb from the mailbox? I'm sure he got a really good laugh.

It is kind of funny, I guess.


Jenn- Posted from my iPhone

Too Funny

Charlotte, Ruby and their friend Kennedy are playing a pretend game. In the game, Charlotte and Kennedy's characters are arguing over which one is Ruby's true mother. Charlotte exclaims, "She's my daughter! How else do you explain my stretch marks!"

I can't stop laughing.


Jenn- Posted from my iPhone

Runny Nose

Me: Ruby you've got a runny nose.

Ruby: I know. Every time I sneeze snot comes out and I never bothered to got a tissue.

Oh, how I love this girl.


Jenn- Posted from my iPhone

Another Eliza Claire First

Last week Eliza Claire became the first kid in the family to have teeth pulled. Charlotte will argue that she was first as the orthodontist pulled one of her front teeth that just required a bit of wiggling. It did not have to be pulled he just did it because she was there and it was really lose

EC went to the dentist at the end of June and we learned she had an abscess and would need at least two teeth pulled. I told her that if she wiggled them a lot she could probably get them out before her appointment. She said, "No! I want Dr. Watts to pull them!"

The morning of the procedure she told me her "tummy felt a little nervous."



Dr. Watts staff was amazing. They were so kind and patient and nurturing.



She did a great job.






Now I just have to get used to the gapped tooth smile.






Jenn- Posted from my iPhone

A Reason to Save your Empty Milk Jugs

My girls are going to day camp this week. Camp requires them to have a disposable lunch that will be put in a community cooler.

I was trying to decide what to put their lunches in so they wouldn't get smushed. That's when I remembered something I had pinned on Pinterest! I have mentioned how much I love Pinterest, right?

Anyway, I remembered I had pinned milk jug lunch boxes. I had not necessarily planned to use them as lunch boxes. I had thought there were many, many things they could be used for.




Luckily, I have been saving milk jugs so I have enough for camp this week.

I packed their lunches in a gallon size zip top bag and then put the entire thing in the milk jug box and duck taped it closed. I think they turned out pretty cute.

I could not find my original pin today. A quick search on google led me to several sites with the directions. I think today I glanced at lifehacker.com to double check my memory. I don't do the scoring they suggest and mine work just fine.

Jenn- Posted from my iPhone

Cauliflower Wraps or Pizza Crusts

Yes, like everything else in my life right now, this came from Pintrest.  How did I ever get anything done prior to joining Pintrest?  Ah, but I digress.

I try to eat a pretty low carb diet most of the time. It just works for me.  One problem is finding a good bread substitute.  There are times when I need a quick meal I can eat on the go.  A lot of my go to low carb meals do not fit the bill.  So I when I found this recipe  and this recipe I thought they would be perfect for when I need a sandwich or it is family pizza night.

Like with any other recipe, I made changes.  Here's my modified version

Cauliflower Wraps
1 bag frozen cauliflower, thawed
3 eggs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
2 Tbsp ground flax seed*

Place cauliflower in food processor.  Process until very fine.  Add Parmesan cheese and seasonings, pulse until well combined.  Pour mixture in a bowl and mix in eggs.  On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet make 6-8 inch rounds.  I made mine pretty thin, probably 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes.  Flip them over and bake another 5 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Mind did not come out crispy.  But the flavor is good and they make a perfect sandwich wrap.  I plan to freeze them and grab them as needed.

*One recipe called for ground flax seed which I intended to add but forgot.  Next time I plan to add it.

Jenn

Fifth Grade Graduation

Walking the halls to the cheers of the parents and students

 Our graduation ceremony is held at a local park where they do a bridge crossing ceremony. 

 

 

I stayed and had lunch with Rehm.  I was surprised he wanted me to, but he did so I was more than happy to hang out with him.  I apparently left too early though, as I missed him singing "Sweet Caroline" during the karaoke fun with two of his teachers

Wow, middle school! 

Update on the Dog Treat that Wasn't

In case you were wondering, a terry cloth soap pouch can hang out in a dog's stomach for a week before said dog decides to barf it up.  The good news is, he barfed it up.  It would have been one expensive soap pouch had it gotten stuck and had to be surgically removed.  Not to mention, it would have been a very painful experience for the dog. 

I can honestly say, I've never been happier to clean up dog barf than I was yesterday.  I'm sure it is directly related to how thrilled I was that the silly thing was no longer in his system and a threat to his health and my pocketbook.

Note to self, don't leave the ivory soap where the dogs can get it.

Jenn

Time Travel Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time Travel Day happened sometime in May and I never got around to uploading the pictures.  The kids came home from school one day talking about what they wanted to be for time travel day, which was coming up two days later.  Rehm wanted to be a Roman emporer, Charlotte wanted to be a goddess and Ruby and Eliza Claire both wanted to be cave people.  My first thought was, "Good luck with that!" and then for some crazy reason I decided to indulge them and try to make costumes.

Rehm and Charlotte thought they were going to use their sisters white bed sheets to make their costumes.  I knew this was a really bad idea as I knew the state the sheets would come home in.  I got the crazy idea that I could sew costumes!  Yeah, I know, crazy thinking, especially since I had not had the sewing machine out in at least 10 years. 

I came up with a plan for the costumes and headed off the the fabric shop.  When I left the fabric shop with way too much money in supplies I had that crazy sinking feeling "Crap! Now I have to actually do something will all this stuff!" Suprisingly, they all turned out exactly as I invisioned. 

The good news is, the next time anyone needs a toga, Egyptian, goddess costume, I've got it covered.  Ruby had me cut the jagged edge off of her dress and hem it so she can wear it this summer.  I'm sure we will get a lot of use out of these costumes.  And, even if we don't, they were worth the time and effort to be "The Coolest Mommy, Ever!" for at least a day.

Oh, Rehm got to school and someone told him it looked like a dress.  We had to look at pictures of statues of Roman emperors, who were all wearing white drappy things, then he came to terms that he really was appropritately attired for his character and was fine with it.  Gotta love the internet.