doll shoes and memories

How do you feel about doll shoes? You know- baby doll shoes, those little tiny sometimes black patent shoes the size of a teensie tiny foot? Do you remember when you were little, having little tiny doll shoes? Did you have lots of them or not many at all?

I had more doll clothes than doll shoes. My mom tirelessly sewed my dolls new outfits. I would come home from school to a new coat for my dolls in the winter and a short set for summer. My dolls had towels, purses, their own dolls, panties and yes, even shoes.

I thought about my little doll shoes today when I saw Stella sitting with her legs crossed on my little brown school chair. Stella is Kid4's first doll. She loves Stella! Stella joins us for all of our trips and accompanies Kid4 to bed nightly. She is a faithful little doll, soft, warm and full of love for my kid4. There she sat with black patent leather shoes on today and it made me think back to my choldhood, to my dolls and to their shoes.

I asked my darling girls to gather some of their doll shoes so I could put my hands on those little tiny darlings and remember good carefree times.

crafts, closets and crap

This weekend I seriously need to clean out my crafts closet. When I first moved to Georgia I was so organized, I had a nice big closet all labeled, each craft in its own bin, all organized and beautiful.

When Kid4 said “Momma I want to paint” I would simply answer “What color beautiful little girl”. When Kid3 said “Oh mother dear I need buttons, tape and lots of glue for a project at school” I would sweetly answer “My darling Kid3 they are right here in the closet all put away in the proper place”. When Kid2 wanted to do a pipe cleaner project with Kid4… well you get the idea right?

So at this point I have craft boxes in my garage closet, the boy’s closet downstairs, some in my own closet and others in the attic… It’s embarrassing and I cannot get anything done, not a craft, not a sewing project, not a single day of painting for Kid4, I can’t find the Styrofoam noodles, I have no idea where the paint is, the colored buttons are hopelessly hidden… I’m a mess.

I have to force myself to clean this mess up and straighten out my unorganized craft less life. I am going to ask the kids to bring the crafts to me from far and wide. I am going to reunite them in the closet and bring them all together again at long last!

Wish me luck… trust me, I’ll need it!

Don't you just love a Kelly's Korner linky party?

My bed and pictures of only Mr. B. and I

I recently added these vinyl words

This is my favorite saying!

I thought I would add myself to Kellys linky party really quick, all I am going to post is my bed because my room is just not quite done yet... still not sure where I should put everything, still a big TV in here not exactally where I would like it... so much to do, so little time... such is the life that I love!

Road advice

Dear me,

I would like you to think back on these few items and remember this advise when you plan your next trip.

Love,

Me

1. Dress Kid4 in something printed. Light pink dress+ chocolate soy milk at breakfast + BBQ sauce for lunch = disaster!

2. When packing road trip clothes in one overnight bag so you don’t have to dig in your actual bag before your arrival, pack at least 1 nice outfit. 3 days on the road+a Dr’s appointment+ a breakfast with father in law+ only yoga pants and tee shirts= disaster!

3. check headphones BEFORE you leave. Non working headphones + new movies+3 days on the road + stop at Wal Mart for new headphones= disaster!

4. Remember to band the cell phone chargers with separate rubber bands when travelling. Five cell phones + home and car chargers + glove box =BIG KNOT (disaster)

5. remember to wear flip flops while driving. Tennis shoes + socks + taking shoes off tired feet + stopping at gas stations in a hurry to get anywhere = disaster

And I saved the best advice for last

**drum roll please**

next time FLY!

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tall brown sock bedlam

I have to tell you a story about Mr. B and brown socks.

Mr. B. doesn’t share well, he never has, and I think it stems from having a little brother? He doesn’t like to share things and he is very neat and clean, so having kids was a bit of a stretch for him. Another thing about Mr. B. is that he likes good socks. If your ever in search of a present for him go with socks- seriously! So he found “tall brown socks” that he loves. He likes the way he feels, he likes the way they feel in his shoes, he likes everything about his special “tall brown socks”. He does not take kindly to ANYONE taking his “tall brown socks”….

I would just like to take this opportunity to point out to you that my kids, my TEENAGE kids DO NOT WANT Mr. B’s “tall brown socks”! I try to tell him this when they go missing. I often say “Honey, the kids don’t want the ‘tall brown socks’, they honestly don’t”. Let’s face it, they have never worn them, have you ever seen teens wearing tall brown socks? It’s not going to happen!

Friends, this has been going on for years and years. When one or both of any of the infamous “tall brown socks” are missing it’s bedlam around here. Mr. B grills the kids about the socks, feeling like they have taken them (again) even though they never have. They usually turn up behind the dryer, sometimes in the boots of Mr. B. sometimes still in the laundry, sometimes in the closet… you know… the secret sock commune…? I’m sure you have one too!

While Mr. B was gone this week the kids and I cooked up a “tall brown sock” treat for Mr. B. We had so much fun and here is the picture of what we did to him.

sink or swim friends, sink or swim...

How did your kids learn how to swim? How did you learn how to swim?

Did someone throw you in a lake until it was perish or swim? Did someone gingerly teach you day by day working so sweetly with your fear of drowning? Did you all by your brave self get in that water and work till you figured it out?

I don’t even remember actually learning, I just know that I spent many many hours and summers in Elk Lake at our family cabin getting deeper and deeper until one day I must have been good enough to swim… errrrr…. dog paddle. I don’t consider myself a swimmer really, I consider myself able to hold my head above water and thrash my arms and legs around enough so I don’t drown.

I lived in Hawaii for 11 years and when you have a boogie board or windsurf board strapped to you there is no need to swim so I did not officially learn to swim at a certain time in my life.

2 years ago I put Kid4 in swimming lessons and the teacher wanted me to dunk her over and over whether she was screaming or not and I was sick about it. She assured me that it was the best thing. By the end of the lessons, Kid4 was not only NOT swimming she was also scared of the pool all over again. If it’s sink or swim she would rather sink!

Here she is “swimming”, we have let her play *hold the dunking* in Bat Girls pool everyday sometimes 3 to 4 times a day and she believed in herself enough to venture out alone. She amazed us today as usual. The proud Mr. B. called me to rush right over with the video camera and get this new adventure on video.

Congrats Big girl, another big day to celebrate!

silly summer schedule is slowly sucking my seconds away from me

What are your summer days like? Are they busy, lazy, crazy?

Mine can be frantic like you read about last week when I was busy visiting my mom and dad, alien hunting, zipping around the zoo, chasing after Sweet Chad and Kid1 on their skateboards.

Some days like today, I stick a roast in the oven, do vacation laundry all day even though I did laundry at my moms every other day we still had a days worth left…! I also went couch shopping with Bat Girl and found a couch we loved, bought it and brought it home. I also went swimming with the kids and had peach cake with our best friends. Some days I decorate all day, or sit and read blogs, like when Harper was born, I was a nervous wreck and I spent more time than I care to admit checking on her- I almost called the hospital myself to check on Kelly- I was sick with worry. I prayed all night seriously.

My today looks a lot like this-

Getting up early (830) to make breakfast sandwiches for the kids who will be joining me at the free summer movies in Warner Robins.

Heading out to the movie at 920 to get there in time to get a good seat and deciding between the Tale of despereaux and Mall cop. (I’m rooting for the mouse movie) We’ll watch the movie and I will enjoy the kids that join me- of course Kid4 will come- it’s really a summer activity for her.

After the movie I’m going home and making lunch, today we had hot ham and cheese with cantaloupe- YUM! I will put the spaghetti and meatballs in the oven to simmer till they are ready to be devoured by my hungry crew at dinner.

Then off to take the kids to be delivered to different spots. Kid1 and Kid3 are going to different friend’s houses to spend the afternoon. Kid2 and Kid4 are going with me to David’s bridal where Kid2 will have her final fitting for her bridesmaids dress for our darling Big Girls wedding in August. The girls and I will probably have lunch together and a little girl time.

Home again, home again for a swim at Bat Girl to cool off from the heat of the sweltering day and then I’ll probably start bread for dinner and check email and take a breathe for a minute until… dinner time. Then I’ll serve dinner, start dessert, and probably have another swim while Kid1 does the dishes (oh wait he’s still out). They will sit in the sink… I’m too tired!

Somwehere in there Mr. B. will come home from work, play with Kid4, pick up the boys and eat dinner.

More than likely we'll hang out with Bat Girl and the Shadow, swim and laugh until we’re too tired to hold our heads up, take everyone home, pick up the house, get showeres and CRASH.

Friday will be much quieter I hope!

weekly menu's for a busy family

What does your weekly menu look like? Do you make a weekly menu, a monthly one? I try too, I don’t always, I try to though. I think it’s the best way to plan out the week and I LOVE to cook and plan meals. If I had a ton of extra money I’d buy the best ingredients and cook until everyone around me was as big as a whale!

My week’s meals often look like this:

Monday
Pastor Ryan’s Mexican lasagna
Garlic bread (Texas toast at Wal Mart)
Apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Tuesday
Tator-tot casserole
Green beans
Yeast raised rolls from the Duggar family recipes
PW’s chocolate cake

Wednesday
PW’s brisket
Orange glazed carrots
Yeast raised biscuits
Leftover chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream

Thursday
Nachos with leftover brisket meat
Chocolate chip cookies

Friday
Bruschetta, turkey and cream cheese bagels
Sun chips with hummus
Leftover cookies

Saturday
Taco Salad
Brownies

Sunday
Smoked pork butt
Roasted roma tomatoes’
Pastor Ryan’s bread
Peach cake (Paula Deens cookbook)

That’s an idea of a normal week for us. If we’re having a busy week I might plan for French bread, or breakfast burritos, I might plan something easy like spaghetti or ham sandwiches. If I have a lot of time on my hands I might plan something I have never tried before like Ryan’s Carbonarra… I tried it though and it’s to die for!

I use LOTS of recipes from online; I have books and books of recipes too. I read them like stories, I love to read a good cook book. I have my old trusty favorites but try The Pioneer Woman’s recipes, seriously they are fool proof and delicious! I love the Duggar family recipes too, they are easy to make and simple ingredients.

Yes, I make a dessert almost every night. I know, I know... I probably shouldn't but I love to bake, I love the memories the kids and I are making by sitting around making desserts, and how they are excited to see whats following dinner, it's like a surprise each night. I love it, I doubt I will ever change. If you want dessert come on over!

the road home is suppose to always be shorter... THIS was a very long trip!

The girls loving up on each other.

Here they are about to make the big dog pile into the car

YES! that is one extra kid you see! Kid2's lovable friend T joined for a night in Mt Perfect! They laughed and cackled till 2 am.

Darling niece all the kids and sweet Chad in Dallas having dinner with family.

Here we are heading out for the 1st leg of the trip to Mt. Perfect.

The proud NMMI summer leadership camp graduate

Here we are saying our goodbyes to my family.

I’ve got my baby back, baby back, baby back….. (from camp- oooooooh I missed that little boy)

We are settling in the car today and heading back to Mt. Perfect to say goodbye to sweet Chad, this time probably for a long time! I think his mom won’t let us keep him because he’s such a sweetie, totally understandable!

We are piling in the car and going to listen to camp stories from Kid 3 the whole day. I can’t wait to hear about the ropes course, Carlsbad caverns, The Goddard museum, his new friends and all the wonderful he did this week.

Our day is- Kid3’s graduation from leadership camp at 10am, heading out as soon as it’s over, (we’re pretty much all packed), one picture of everyone by the car or on the campus, shove in the car, ride till we meet Pa-paw Mr. B.s sister and our darling niece for dinner in Dallas late tonight, then some lovin’ from pa-paw and then on to Mt. Perfect to spend the night and rest our bones. Sunday we are waking up and meeting friends for breakfast and then headed home.

Let’s do a kid AND bag check

Kid1, Kid2, Kid3, Kid4 and Sweet Chad – CHECK
At least 2 bags for everyone including Xbox, rock band and things we have collected while we travelled- CHECK
1 cute tall wicker dresser, 1 cute short wicker dresser, 1 medium cute wicker dresser and 2 cute wicker nightstands- CHECK
1 Kramer poster (from Seinfeld) for the boys room- CHECK
2 1940’s snack sets that I collect my mom got for me- CHECH
All our blankets and 2 sleeping bags- CHECK
2 diaper bags, even though she doesn’t wear diapers anymore and one rubber maid bin full of toys that Kid4 didn’t even look at- CHECK
2 skateboards- CHECK
And everything else imaginable- CHECK!

We’re off.

The time of their lives

My kids and sweet Chad had the time of their lives Wednesday at my mother in laws. Mr. B.’s Mom is a really fun person and the kids love to be around her and Grandpa Red. He is the most amazing guy I’m telling you- This guy is a first class Grandpa and all around perfect guy. We love Grandpa Red around our house.

Mr. B. took the big kids up north to his Moms Wednesday and Thursday and you just won’t believe what they did there.

They skinned HUGE rattle snakes and made memories like they would have never had a chance to make anywhere else. Grandpa Red and Mama G showed the kids and Mr. B. the time of their lives.

I wished I had gone, but Ki4 just isn’t game for the wilderness, hunting and skinning animals- it hurts her heart so I stayed down at my parents with her and we had a nice time too. We had some quiet time all alone with Gran taking walks, loving on the dogs and being excited to hear all about the time Daddy and the big kids had.

Grandpa Red, Mama G- The kids had the most amazing time thanks to you! Thanks a million and we can’t wait to have our next adventure up there with you!!

We met in Ruidoso and had dinner

Mama G and Kid4 hugging around on each other. Kid4 loves MamaG

the twins.....?

awww... look at these two

skinning snakes and preserving hides

snake guts- why are boys SO GROSS?

city slickers

uhhhh... gah-ross!

rattlesnake -palooza!

Here they are about to get on the road for the big hunting trip

Do you believe? (dedicated to Brandi)

I love Roswell. It’s fascinating, the aliens, the desert, the dairies and did I mention aliens?

We had lots of fun here in Roswell, we visited the little zoo, went to parks, took long walks with the dogs, Kid4 rode her scooter around the block many times, the boys rode their skateboards all over town and my darling kid3 was at camp and loving it all week long. We had a time that’s for sure.

Today we packed, cleaned and tried to put things back where they were when we got here. My mom is giving us a cute little white wicker bedroom set for Kid4. We rented a Uhaul and packed it today... so much to do. We fit in a little visit to the museum too.

Here are a few pictures of today’s adventures.

favorite things to do with Gran

Painting her own face

using the doggie door

playing at the alien park with Gran

posing with friends

Baking a chocolate sheet cake.

VERY dirty window

Mr. B. loves to have clean windows... in fact I often tease him for wasting time on trips because he will stop and clean the window and you WILL NOT see him get gas without also cleaning the window. To him get gas and clean window go hand in hand.

I miss Mr. B. and his window cleaning abilities!

Things to do in Roswell

All the way to New Mexico just to see a long horn!

I'm not even thinking about the bird mites she might get in her eye!

Have you ever been to a teeny tiny zoo? I love a tiny zoo, there is something so untouched about it, so secret. I grew up visiting little zoo's and have tried to take my kids to every zoo we have ever been near enough to visit.

The little Roswell Zoo is no exception. It's wonderfuly private, sweetly untouched and not commercialized. It's a nice place to spend an afternoon, evening or just an hour.

Gran, Kid4 and I spent a couple of hours there yesterday. We saw animals including a black bear, a peacock, an eagle and lots of donkeys. For 25 cents we rode a little train and for 50 cents we had an icee! We had a wonderful day, and all for 75 cents each....

You CAN'T beat that!

bored questions...

Kid4- Mama.... where do babies get borned from?

me- well... ummmm.... you know....

Kid4- they get borned from eggs like birds right?

me- well kind of, you grew in mommies belly in kind of like an egg.

Kid4- YES, I grew in an egg I'm like a bird, I like birds!

She was quiet, I hated to explain it any further at this point... after all she is newly 5 and doesn't really need to know the gorrey details!

cardines

The car got OUT of control messy.

They slept to pass the time



a view without the kids

Kid4 still smiling!

Kid2 just waking up- can you believe that flourescent colors are back in style?

Kid4 was being a ham

Kid3 sat up front for the final destination!

Behind the boys was packed all the way to the roof. No room. The hole behind Chad's head was tha bag that kept falling on him. He held it in his lap.

Our car was so full I don't even have the words to tell you how packed in we were. We are taking a U-haul trailer back so we aren't worried about the trip home but the trip here was more like Mrs. Sardine and her sardine kids!