Sunday, July 27, 2008

Photo Fun

Here we find Ben is hiding something behind his back that
he does not want me to see (and take away).

This is Annie (opps, I mean Isabelle) just hanging out around the house.

This is our doll house. The other night I made the kids popcorn for an after dinner treat. The next morning I was doing some cleaning when I noticed this. Lovely. Ha! Ha! Thanks Ben! No wonder he wanted his bowl refilled. I couldn't help but laugh at this very unexpected surprise!

I have been trying to remember ...to stop and smell the flowers. Isabelle reminds me that this is a must do. Just don't smell the ones with the bees in them!
Happy SUNday Family & Friends!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Duck, Duck, Goose

Don't refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase
- that's what wild geese are for.
~Author Unknown


This summer has felt like a wild goose chase, that is for sure. Ben constantly runs away, time constantly runs away.... Let's see here's a little update: Currently the kids are laying together on their old and worn elmo couch. They are watching charlotte's web and drinking some lemonade. I just drank 2 cups of coffee and am trying to decide how to pursue this day. Much to do.

Lately (even as I write) Isabelle has been wearing her Annie wig again. She wore it to the grocery store and park yesterday. Her favorite topic of converstaion latey starts out like this: "when I am a teenager, I can....blah, blah right? ". Ben is saying more and more words every single day. His favorite current thing to say besides: NO! is: I DUCK! (i'm stuck). hehe. I am preparing for both of their upcoming august birthdays (she will be 5 and he will be 2). We are keeping things very simple and low key this year. We also have to start preparing for school already which is so crazy to me. Noah's sister (Elizabeth) and her family are in town visiting so we have been spening some very nice time with them. I just love to see the little cousins together. They will soon be embarking on their next journey which is to move to Germany! The garden has kind of turned to crap, we really haven't been weeding it! We are still getting things from it, but not as if we would if we were maintaining it properly. I have put my Etsy business on major slow down for the summer. I just don't have time to make things right now. I do have some wholesale opportunities in the works and I hope to start building the shop up more in the fall. Ben has really been helping set the table! He opens the fridge and basically puts out whatever he thinks is needed (salad dressing and ketchup when not needed to go with spaghetti). what a cutie. I love to watch him run. so funny. He is really into his Thomas the train engines. He has 2 and he takes them everywhere with him...even to his NAP. o.k. that's all I can think of to misc. ramble about at the moment... Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Bad Haircut?

I don't think it's so bad. really. I mean sure, there are a few misc. pieces sticking up here or there...there are a few longer and a few shorter than the norm, but for the most part, I think I did o.k. giving Ben a haircut...myself. People were starting to comment that he looked like a Beatle and that gave me a clue and a sudden urgency to start chopping! Ever since Noah saw it yesterday, he just won't let it go that he doesn't think that "the do" is quite up to par. He insists that there is a bald spot (there is not). Now, I am starting to feel bad for my little Ben. Maybe, I am making him walk out into the world as the Obvious HOME Haircut Boy.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Isabelle at Dance Class

I had the pleasure of attending Isabelle's last dance class for the summer. Parent's were invited to come see what the girl's have learned in their six weeks of practice. They learned 2 song routines, some tumbling moves and basics. Honestly, she learned a lot more than I expected that they would in that short amount of time! She had such fun doing this class and I truly enjoyed watching her in action last night! Hope you do too! (So...I had major video upload problems...so this is not the video I wanted to show nor is it right side up...but it will give you a glimpse of the wonderful performer! haha)

Sunday, July 13, 2008

We are Family

We attended a family barbecue in Chicago this weekend...I just wanted to share a glimpse of the event. These are a few of the photos that will eventually make it into a mini scrapbook that I am going to make. (It's not too often that Noah and his 5 siblings, father and some special aunts can all have the opportunity to be together in the same place, so I defintely think this was a special day and we all survived! :)

We attempted to get all 5 cousins on the couch at the same time for a wonderful amazing photograph...as you can probably guess...we couldn't really accomplish such a task...the forces of toddlerhood were defintely against us.
Don't most of us feel this way at family gathering? haha

The Spread.
You are her protector. You are her provider. You are her playmate. You are the man who will set the standard for all other men in her life. She will have to search high and low to find someone that can compare to you. (this is Noah and Isabelle walking to the car at the end of the evening. I was actually taking a picture of the beautiful church that was lit up across the street, but then they came into my sight, I decided to capture them instead).

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Sandbox Days

To see a World in a Grain of Sand and Heaven in a wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour.
~William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence," 1810
Oh Yes, Splendid Summer Sandbox days are among us. Bugs, and dirt on noses and humidity. Lemonade and popsicles and garden green beans. Fireworks and lightening bugs and the smell of brats on the grill. Sunscreen and Watermelon and scratched knees. Chalked hopscotches and bunnies hopping all about and berries on the bush. Dandelion Bouquets..these are the things that these days are made of. Sure these days are nice and they are sweet and they are swell. - I can't finish this musing because the kids are screaming and I can't think properly. I think Ben hit Belle and ran away with the spoon.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Champion Skillet

Breakfast of Champions! I am a Champion so I wanted to share my breakfast with you. j/k. O.k...so please excuse the somewhat blurry photo, I don't know what is going on with my super grand camera: recently I touched a button by accident, changed a setting and can't seem to get it back to super great mode. I will have to work on that... AnyWHO.... this is one of our favorite breakfasts in the summer. It is not the healthiest item that one could choose to eat...but on Sunday mornings - it makes a nice filling delightful meal. Let's call it: CHAMPION SKILLET since I am quite out of names at the moment. Get out your cast iron (or non cast iron skillet)skillet - Ingredients include chopped up: Bacon (cook this first and use the grease for the rest of the cooking...) , Zucchini, Squash, onions (I would so leave this out if it was up to me), potatoes (these need to cook the longest first) and I think that is it. If you have other grand stuff to throw in like green pepper or whatever else that you fancy, well that's super too. Spice it up with salt and pepper and you have yourself a SUPER great dish.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Happy Red White & Blue to You!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck
Running Rugrats
Isabelle won't take off these glasses...she has been wearing them for the last couple days. She says they are her seeing glasses and she can't "hear" without them on. One side arm is completely missing, yet she wears them dilengently. She also wants to know why she can't go to Chinese school, because she does go to Chinese restaurants. She also wants to know if playing poker includes poking eyes out. Ben has ice cream sandwich on his face. I think he needs a haircut. His newest word is: GOSH.
Our black raspberries have started to ripen.
Ben apparently does not like them . Isabelle can't get enough of them.

Yum.