Eli's Halloween Project

I have to share this cute and fun project with you! We made a lacing plate that creates a spider web! First, Eli painted his hands (which was wildly popular) and made overlapping handprints on a white paper plate. After the paint dried, I aded eyes to his "spider." With a hole punch we added holes around the edge of the plate, including one coming from the top of the spider. A strand of black yarn creates the web, which can be laced over and over to create new and different webs (and increase hand coordination). So simple, so quick, so fun!

And, most of all, he is SO proud of his little spider!

Birthday "Weekend"

What a weekend we have had with our 10-year old! She started with birthday pizza with Grandma Kathy, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa on Friday night.

Then, the Haunted Hill Run. The whole family and more participated! Megan ran the 1-mile fun run with her cousin Evan. They had a great run, and it looked like they had so much fun!

Emily ran with her friend, Ellie. Both of them had great runs!

 Then we had some friends and family over for a wiener roast. The weather was nice, the food was good, the company was great. 

The evening ended with ice cream cake and punch (there was TOO much sugar at our house), a lively and competitive game of hide-and-seek, a tough game of Farkle, and the Cardinals' World Series game.

Thanks to all who were able to help celebrate our "double-digit" girl!

Happy Birthday, Emily Rose!

Is it possible? 10-years of joy already?

Emily, I can't even tell you how much anticipation your dad and I had to meet you the first time. Finally holding our first miracle from God was the most amazing and emotional moment.

We have so many wonderful memories with you ...

... the time you beat me and your dad at your first game ever of Monopoly. And you did it with the cheapest two properties on the board!!!

... watching you fall in love with all animals. You will always be our "animal whisperer."

... watching you learn new skills. You have a determination that drives you to keep going and never give up! And I have learned that some things you learn best on your own, without Mom's help.

... getting to the top of the St. Louis arch to hear you loudly announce, "So this is what Chicago looks like!"

... your passion for world missions. 

... how you are Eli's second mother! 

... the first time you saw newborn Megan. You thought she was YOUR baby. You peeked in her mouth and announced, "No teeth!"

... your ambition! 

... your amazing ability to avoid viruses, even when the rest of the family is sick.

... helping you tinkle on the side of the road to Burlington during the flood. Our lane of traffic is stopped and we don't know how long it will be until we can move again. Of course, as soon as I get you out of the car and pull your pants down, our lane of the highway if opened and we hold up a long line of traffic as you cheerfully moon them all!

... listening to you play the piano.

I don't know what I would do without you, baby doll!

We love you!!!

9 months

Frozen Fruit Cups

This one of our family favorites. It is one of the few foods that will keep Eli sitting at the table for 20 minutes, and it gets requested by the girls more than any other recipe. It is time-consuming, so plan for some quality time at your kitchen counter. But it is well worth it! And what a wonderful treat to fill the freezer with!

Frozen Fruit Cups

2 c. water

3/4 c. pineapple-orange juice concentrate

3/4 c. lemonade concentrate

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

2 firm bananas, slice and quartered

1-1/2 c. grapes, halved

1-1/2 c. quartered strawberries

1-1/2 c. peaches, cubed

Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and add concentrates until dissolved. Set aside juice to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine all the fruits and put about 3/4 c. in each plastic cup. Top each fruit cup with juice. Cover with foil and freeze.

These do freeze hard, so we set them out on the table before a meal so they thaw slightly before we eat them, or microwave for about 15 seconds. Otherwise, we play "archeologist" trying to dig out fruit treasures!

My Idea of Menu Planning

Menu planning. 
We all have to do it in some way or another. 
Well, unless we actually ENJOY the kids asking, "What's for dinner" at 5:00, and having to answer, "That's a good question!"

I used to use a more traditional menu plan. It was a calendar that I would plan out daily meals. It worked ok, but I realized that I had trouble sticking to it. 

Some weeks I could deliver the meals to the table exactly as they were scripted on paper. But other weeks, we would have one or two busy days and it would throw off the whole menu. I might be too busy (or not home) to get the meal preparations done in time to get it cooked. Some days have interruptions (many of them welcome) or an impromptu trip to the park. Some days as it was time to start meal preparation I would realize that the meat was still frozen. And so, I became frustrated with my menu planning.

I decided that I needed a more flexible menu plan -- one that allowed for interruptions, busy days, and my mistakes. 

Now, instead of laying out a calendar of meals I make a list of meals for the week. (I am careful to make sure there are some quick meals on the list.) At the bottom of the page I include vegetables, side dishes, breads and desserts to choose from. I purchase all the groceries needed for the week. Each day I browse the list and decide what will work for that day. I cross off the meal as I use it, and freeze as many leftovers as possible. Who doesn't love an already prepared meal just waiting to be thawed out??

It has worked for me!!! What works for you?? 

Basket Cleaning

We don't have a huge house, but it is spread over three floors so toys get strung out all over during the day. It seems as if I can spend a lot of time picking up toys every night. The thing that frustrates me most is coming into our bedroom after a long day to be welcomed by a room full of toys. 

I don't mind that the kids play in our room. In the summer, oftentimes it is the only room in the house that catches a nice breeze. But, I still don't like a room cluttered with toys. As hard as I try, I cannot be at peace with a messy room. 

After many failed attempts at reminding these little people to carry their toys off to another room, I put a basket in our room. At the end of each day all the toys and books go into the basket. Then, on Saturday, we carry the basket through the house and return the toys to their homes. 

So far, it has worked for us.

On Saturdays (when I am attempting to do a good pick-up of the house -- the remains of a week of toy-shuffling and school projects), I take a laundry basket from each room. I start in one room, and, as I clean, I put things in the basket that don't belong in that room. Working from room to room, I put things away that are in the basket. This "basket cleaning" has saved me SO much running around, up and down steps.

Now, if only I can figure out how to get the laundry to fold itself and put itself away!!!

What works for you? What makes your cleaning easier?

This is What Happens . . .

. . . when your farm-loving 9-year-old kidnaps 

your camera.