The 1st swim

Last night I gave in and let the kids go for their first swim of the season. The water was already up to 74- apparently all that nasty heat yesterday was good for something!
They had so much fun- it was a blast to watch them again.
Yesterday when I made supper and turned on my oven I smelled gas. It has happened one other time, last night was worse. When Mark got home he said the house smelled like gas and when I went outside and came back in I could really smell it too. So today I called my gas company and although most come out and will check that for free - mine only comes out to check for gas leaks on the outside of the house. So lucky me I get to pay for a repair man to come out and look at it- starting at $65 and then whatever repair on top of that- ughhh! I pray it's nothing major and just a small simple gas leak. I sure want it fixed though- I ended up with a headache last night- so if I'm acting weird today it's just because I've been gassed!

On a different note- I'm just really curious who's reading this blog since my numbers have been going up as of late. If you read this post would you please, please, please leave me a comment??

Peach Fruit Tart

Here's a recipe that will blow you away! This was so easy but it looks so pretty.

Freestyle Fruit Tart:

1 ready to use pie crust
4 oz. cream cheese- soft
3 c. sliced fruit (apples, peaches or mango)
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1 tsp cinnamon sugar (3/4 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
Ice cream

Preheat oven to 450. Place pie crust in greased 10 inch pie plate. Carefully spread cream cheese in center of crust.

Toss fruit with sugar and flour. Spoon over cream cheese. Gently fold edges of crust about 2 inches over the fruit, leaving center uncovered. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over tart.

Bake 25 min. or until crust is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbly. Cool slightly before lifting out of pie plate. Cut into slices and top with ice cream.


This was so fun to make and it turned out great! I used frozen peaches that I just thawed in the microwave. It literally took about 10 minutes to put this together.




Doesn't this look good- Next time I'll be more careful not to get the cinnamon sugar mixture on the pie plate!

Memorial Day

We had a nice but very busy weekend. Mark worked on the van all weekend- getting closer to being done! We went to his mom's on Sunday at the campground and the kids got to swim- the pool was heated very nicely to 80 degrees. They loved it. It turned out to be a very nice day weather wise also. Ruth and Brett were there also so they had kids to play with. We also got the gardens planted and the pool set up.
Here are some pictures:
The kids in the pool at the campground:








Here's Uncle Brett taking one of his favorite little girls on a walk


Nick and Arianna cleaning up the poo in Mack's kennell- look at Arianna's face- she's so happy to be helping!!



Beach Babes- laying out after the sprinkler

Where babies come from

Mari brought my girls the happy meal toys from McDonalds yesterday. They were the baby ogre's. So the girls are playing with them and Arianna mumbles something about wondering how baby ogre's are born. Without missing a beat Halle the wise one spits out....
Anna- it's just like humans... it just happens!

I cracked up. Apparently all my precautions to not get surprised with another one are in vain since it just happens!!!!

End of soccer

Last Saturday was the end of the soccer season. I was really pleased with doing soccer with Arianna. She really loved it and it wasn't a sport that was overwhelming with practices and games.
We really had the best coach of them all. He was a very calm, supportive coach who wasn't yelling all the time- (there were a couple like that).
I just hate it when the coaches or the parents get so competitive. I don't feel that's a good emphasis for the kids at all!
Arianna got a trophy at the end- all the teams got the same trophy- there were no first places or last places- very cool!
The really special thing was that her coach bought all the girls a really cute bracelet and engraved their names and they had a little soccer ball on them. I thought that was so sweet of him!

God Bless America

Halle said she had a song for me yesterday... Thought I'd share!

Nick's going to hate me for this!!

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Expert bed maker

I'm frustrated- I'm trying to post a very cute video on you tube and it's not importing to my blog. I'll keep trying. In the meantime .....
Halle told me she made my bed better for me yesterday. She wanted me to come and look. I checked it out and told her she did a really good job and then she goes on to explain:
If you look closely there are 3 pillows. In her words thats "just in case someone sneaks in in the middle of the night and then they'll have a place to put their head"
I wonder who she's talking about that would sneak in in the middle of the night?
Any guesses????

I'm all out of sorts

Well this weekend didn't turn out like I planned. It's such a relief that it's God's plan and not mine that counts. If it was my plan this weekend would have been much different than what actually happened. Most of you know what happened on Saturday night but for those of you who don't here's what transpired.
We had our church auction on Saturday night to raise money for the youth. In a nutshell, a member of our church had a heart attack and died at the auction. He was only 44 and leaves behind a wife and 2 young girls. It all seems so surreal. He was healthy and just not someone you would consider to be at a health risk.
To be there when this happens and witness his wife and one of his daughters sit there and wait to see what happens to their loved one is something I will never forget.
What a witness she was to her child. She hugged her daughter and told her "Whatever happens we'll be alright, we know that God is holding us in His hands"

Church yesterday was extremely difficult. I can't imagine how the praise team got through it. He used to be a member of the praise team so that just makes it even more difficult. The words to the songs were so incredibly fitting (not a coincidence!) I couldn't sing half of them. I kept seeing the praise team struggling and then I would lose it all over again. It was so hard but I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. It was truly a blessing to witness the church body holding each other up in a difficult time like this.

You see.. things like this aren't supposed to happen to young couples that are so close to our age.. except that it does... and it just did! May 19 will always be sketched in my memory- because it was also the 4 year anniversary of my moms death- also by a heart attack.
I find myself just hugging Mark and being so thankful that I still have my husband and our family is still intact. I know that life can change on a dime- one day you're here and well and the next instant you can be gone. Witnessing it just makes it seem so much more real and possible.
Give your family an extra hug today- in fact every day!

Flashback Friday

These are pictures from 2004. I don't have a lot of pictures from that far back saved on my computer so this will have to do! They sure are cute though!!

The bus driver probably hates me right now!

It's been an interesting morning over here. It started off with Nick oversleeping- he did manage to make it out to the bus on time. I got the girls up and we proceeded to get ready. About 1/2 hr before we go out to the bus, Halle asks when daddy is coming home. I tell her tomorrow and she got a little teary eyed but nothing too serious.
All was well until we are standing out at the bus stop and I see the bus coming around the corner. Halle starts crying and saying she doesn't want to go to school today.
I looked her square in the face and I told her- We aren't going to do this today. You are going to march yourself on that bus. She is still crying and the bus is now here. Arianna and Hannah get on the bus and I start walking Halle up to the bus and she's fighting me and crying. I ended up just putting her at the top of the bus steps and walking away- giving the bus driver an "I'm so sorry" look- I walked into the house.
I hate this- she loves school- I think she's just really ready for Mark to be home. She cried last night for him too. I know she's probably fine at school right now but I hate leaving her like that.
The bus driver (who was a sub no less!) was probably shooting daggers into my back as I walked away but I wasn't going to start that because she pulled that on me much earlier in the year and I don't want her thinking every time she cries I won't make her get on the bus and I'll drive her to school.
Thank goodness she doesn't have school tomorrow so we won't have to deal with it in the morning again!

Artwork

I've had this picture in reserve for a day when I had nothing and good news- todays the day!
Halle's at school so we're all in good health!

She came home a couple of weeks ago with this picture from school.
I told her she did a really good job and that I loved her tiger!
Her reply was (with the duh mom voice)

It's not a tiger mom... it's a tigress!

I don't know how I missed that this was a female tiger and not a male!

Update

Well as per usual here's how my morning went.
We get up and Halle is still feverish. She's crying on the couch because her throat hurts. I make the Dr's appointment for 11:15. I will leave around 10:15 for the appt so I put her in the tub around 9:30. She's still fussy but we get the bath done. She gets out and dressed and as I am helping her she feels cool as a cucumber! I say to her "How's your throat?"
Her answer......

Fine!
What! Why does this always happen? Well if I cancelled the appointment this late they will charge me more than my copay so off we go (me with my tail between my legs)
We get there and when Dan comes in he asks how we're doing and I tell him we're both just fine! I then apologize and tell him whats happened.
He tells me don't worry about it and checks her out.
Her fever is gone but the virus she had has been going around and he's seen lots of it. He said even the older kids were saying the throat pain was really bad. OK- that makes me feel a little better. He explained that theres a chemical your body gives off during the day but not at night and that's why the symptoms always get worse at night.
She's doing much better and is seeming more like herself so I think she'll be good to go for school tomorrow!
I'm definitely glad she's feeling better- I don't like it when the fevers last that long!

Off to the Dr.

Well we're going to the Dr. today. Hopefully I can get in right away this morning. It was a long night last night. Halle kept crying in her sleep. She's still feverish and she's really complaining of her throat hurting. She said that yesterday too- I didn't see anything in her throat and I still don't see anything but I can't get a good look either. Today at the bus stop my neighbor told me she ended up at the ER Saturday because her little boy has strep. We'll see what the Dr. says. I just want her to feel better- it was so pitiful to hear her last night.

Poor little biscuit

Look at my poor little sweetie. She just doesn't feel well at all.
Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.
I'm praying the rest of us don't get this- it's just me and the kids since Mark's out of town- he picked a fine time to go away for work didn't he!

A mixed bag

This weekend was mostly good and a little bad. On Saturday we spent the day cleaning because my mother in law was coming over on Sunday. Saturday night we went to the WhiteCaps. It was so much fun! The weather was absolutely perfect. It was a good game too- it was tie up until the 5th inning at zero. Then we scored 2. It stayed that way until the 8th inning when we took a turn for the worse. They scored 3! Then in the 9th inning we started picking up and got a runner to 3rd base but that was as far as it went. It still was a fun game to watch though. They had fireworks after. The kids all were surprised how much fun it was! Sorry the pictures aren't great- I had to use my camera phone!







Sunday was nice. The kids all made really nice cards for me. I told them not to get me anything- my Mothers Day gift is sitting in my driveway!(It's a Fathers Day gift also!!)
The bad was that Halle was sick on Sunday. A fever of 102.5 and a cold. Just not feeling well. She's home from school today too- still has the fever. Hopefully that goes away today. She's really bummed to be missing school- especially since she doesn't have that many days left.
Looks like nice weather this week- I'm loving this weather- I wish it would stay like this all summer and not go to the hot nasty stuff!

A tribute to my mom

I don't know if it's because Mothers day is just a few days away, but for whatever reason I've been missing my mom lately. There are so many times now that I'm a mom that I would love to be able to ask my mom questions (like how did you deal with Terri!)
I think everyone takes their mom for granted a bit- but I know for sure that I did. I just assumed that everyone grew up in a family like mine where you had a mom and a dad and siblings and everything was pretty much perfect!
Now that I'm older and see more of what the real world is like I know how blessed I was and still am.
When I think of mom I think of a loving mom- I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she loved me. I think of a calm mom- I don't know if I don't remember it but I really don't remember her yelling at us (I'm sure it happened occasionally, but I truly don't remember it)
I think of a wife who loved her husband. My parents didn't fight in front of us- what a great example they set for us.
I think of a mom who was a great mother to 4 children. I struggle with 3- she did an awesome job!
I really miss my mom but I'm so proud that she was my mom!
Happy Mother's Day!

What a heartbreaker!

Arianna was so excited this morning because she had a new outfit to wear to school.
She's also been waiting for the lilacs to be fully in bloom because Mark told her she could take some to school for her teacher. She's been asking all week and today was the day.
Isn't she cute- Her hair is really starting to get cute again after the cut. I love the curls- she's so lucky to have curls!!
In a few years I think we're going to be in real trouble with this one!

Baby birds

You might be wondering if we've moved our naughty corner and if Halle is taking a "time Out" here. The answer is no. I just wanted to share with you all the view I've had of Halle for about 90% of the time the past few days.
She discovered a birds nest under our deck and figured out that if she gets down she can peek through the slots in the wood and see the nest. It started out with 4 eggs and 3 have now hatched.
She is obsessed with these babies. She's constantly running out there and checking on them and she's always telling us to be quiet in the house because if the french doors are open then we might disturb them while they sleep.
Last year we had a nest in a tree out our bedroom window and we could watch them get fed and it was really neat.
I wish the nest was still there because it's kind of cute when Halle gets hunched all down like that- Me--- not so much!!!!

Poor Nick!!

This week I couldn't take his hair anymore so I told him we were getting it cut yesterday. For whatever reason his normal place wasn't open yesterday so we went to another person. Now we've had a bad experience before when we went somewhere else but when we got there and I saw that it was a girl probably about 24-25 years old and very "in- looking" I felt confident.
She asked me what I wanted for his haircut and these were my exact words:
I'd like it to still be long but just give it a little bit of a style.
Pretty clear- wouldn't you say!!
So she starts and I start reading my magazine. There is my mistake because apparantly I should have been watching every move she made because when I looked up I about died.
She cut soooooooo much off!
She finishes up and by now I'm hovering over them cringing with every little snip she made- (she was just evening it out so I couldn't say anything)
She asks me - is this short enough or would you like it a little shorter!!
"No- it's plenty short" I said!
Here's my boy before:



And here's my poor boy after:


He's been so good about it- I apologized profusely after we got in the van. It's a good thing his hair grows quickly. I think it makes him look like he's 8 years old.
I never thought I'd say it but I want his long hair back again!
We will never go anywhere again to get it cut besides Rachel. I told him at least he won't have to get his hair cut for a very long time!!!

Bubbles and more bubbles

At supper last night Halle mentioned that she wanted to help me. She started listing off things that she was going to do for me.
Later at night she came out and said she wanted to wash the table for me.
I got her a washcloth and got it wet for her and quick took a picture of her being so helpful!


I went about my business and later came into the living room and there was a very distinct smell- cucumbers!
And then the panic hit me- and I asked her if she was using soap. Yes she says- she wants it to be very clean.
Well let me tell you- it is very clean!!
I started with a new bottle of soap and this is what it looks like now!












Do you have any idea how long it takes to get that much soap off a table. Oh well- it was the thought that counts!

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A Heather update

Go here to read the update from Heathers hubby. It sounds like so far so good!!
What an inspiration this family is!

Pray

In case any of you don't know- Heather- who we did the fundraiser for is having brain surgery today. She is at Mayo and decided to go with surgery.
Please keep her and her family and the doctors in your prayers today!

Girls and their flowers

I wanted to just mess around the other night and take some pictures of the girls. I love taking pictures! These are a few of my favorites!

Arianna's soccer

Here are some pictures from Arianna's soccer game on Saturday.
She's still loving soccer- so fun to watch her play. We have 3 more games and then this season is done already. It went so fast!

The vote results...

edited to add: Brenda just voted and she also is a very wise woman who see's the sweetness of Halle- she votes for the naughty but more cute category also!
(Just had to give credit where credit was due!)


The results are in for Halle.
She got 4 votes in the cute but more naughty category and
1 vote in the naughty but more cute category.

Thank goodness for Julie who apparently is wise way beyond her years and is able to see what's really in a childs heart. She is the 1 vote in the naughty but more cute category. Apparently all Halle's extended family doesn't know what they're talking about!!!!!

I think my vote as her mother cancels out everyone elses and I vote that she is naughty- mischievous would be a better word- however she is CUTE beyond words!!!!!

Thanks for voting everyone- stay tuned for future mischievous but cute events in her life!!

I'm taking a vote

I'd like to get a consensus on the following subject:




Your choices on this vote are as follows:
1. Cute
2. Naughty
3. Naughty but more cute
4. Cute but more naughty

I'd like to give you a little background on the above subject so you can make an educated vote.

On the cute side of the vote:
-always gives mom lots of hugs and kisses
-always tells mom and dad how much she loves us
-almost always shares her toys willingly
-picks mom lots of flowers
-says the funniest things
-look at that smile- oh wait- maybe that mischievous smile belongs on the naughty side
-Is almost always a joy to be around

Now to counter the cute and to give info on the naughty:
- Well I can only think of 1 thing right now! Go back up and look closely at the picture- notice anything?????










SHE CUT HER BANGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have only been growing those bangs out for over 1 YEAR NOW!!!!!!

I didn't notice it right away yesterday but at the supper table all of a sudden I noticed it and she just looks at me like what... no... I didn't cut my bangs mom....
with a little smirk on her face.
Finally she admitted it and tells me she doesn't like it in her face. I asked her what she did with the hair and she tells me she was at centers at school yesterday and she just left it on the floor.
WHERE IS THE TEACHER SUPERVISION I ASK????? Just kidding- I know they can't be everywhere.

So anyway- you be the judge and let me know where your vote falls. I'll tally them up and let you know the results later.