To My Loyal Readers

I'm taking a little blogger vacation (if you haven't noticed), so I'm sorry for the scarcity of posts. I'll be back soon.

Until then, I wish you a wonderful Summer!

Simple, Easy and Good

It's a typical Tuesday for us: laundry, making big mud messes outside, and the usual walk around Shaker Lakes.

This recipe for 5 Can Taco Soup (thanks again, Stacey) is simple, easy and delicious:

1 can tomato soup

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 taco seasoning packet

Mix, heat and serve. (I like to add cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips).

This recipe came in handy when we'd gotten home from the beach and didn't have anything to eat. I opened five cans, ripped open a seasoning packet and in 10 minutes we had dinner. I like that.

The Erie Lake

Weekend fun trip: beach-bumming on Lake Erie.
This picture doesn't aptly display Finn's taking to the water. He loved it.
Miss Lucy situated herself right on the blanket next to the food and dove in, strawberries and all!
What boys don't love playing on the beach?
And, lest I not put myself in this post (I was at the beach too, afterall), I will include this picture with my apron. Pregnant, barefoot and in the sweaty kitchen....that's how I'm spending my summer.

Monday's Agenda

CLEAN
THIS
HOUSE!

(I'm going a little nutty with the clutter...wouldn't it drive you nuts?)

Call Me Crazy, But...

... I think this potting container would make a great modern-style baby bassinet. Maybe everything is a nail when you've got a hammer (or baby on the mind, in my case)...

What do you think? With some cool, retro, soft fabric to soften it up?

Fun in Waking

Lucy woke up crying at 10:30 PM last night because she wanted her poopy diaper changed. What she didn't know was that downstairs her Daddy was playing Battlefield. Then, she found out and wanted in on the action.

I hope Battlefield isn't habit-forming for her, like it is for her Daddy. Time will tell...

Beautiful Things

01. Fresh fruit and vegetables
02. Kids playing outside
03. The smell of sugar cookies baking
04. And, the creative combobulations of children.

(I went to get this black thing out of Lucy's mouth last night and she had fit it nice and snug around her two bottom teeth. We couldn't stop laughing at that one.)

Swirling, Twirling, Babied Wednesday

I don't know if it's the abundance of children here today...
...or the season of Spring, but my mind is a blender of things I want to do or try.
The blueberries (and other fresh produce), purchased on a recent trip to the store, have got me thinking of possibilities of edible concoctions...

...while there are lots of other things on my mind.

To name a few:

01. What can I make out of paper as a temporary, seasonal home decoration? Maybe something for my plain fireplace?

02. How can I spruce myself up a little everyday without having to shower and get totally "Sunday ready"? (I won't even post a picture of myself right now. I'm glad that children don't judge their mother's state of primpiness.)

03. What can I do to make my workouts really count? It's getting so hard to get motivated to run when all I can think about is how hard it is to 1) push the stroller with two kids, 2) run with a growing papoose on my front end, and 3) pound and pound on my joints with all the running.

04. What things can I buy that will make me totally "happy"? I am in the mood to buy something and it doesn't mean I have money or anything I need. I just feel like having something new.

05. How can I savor the moments of having young children? Make handprint paintings or go outside and have an all-out mud puddle extravaganza?

I've gotta run stop a little squabble taking place feet away from me. That happens with five kids five and under.

De-Mulletifying

This past weekend: "Uh, mom, I don't think you should be using that on my head."

Me: "But Lucy, you have a mullet. Those things are not in fashion, and plus, we don't live in Idaho. (hahahaha)"
Lucy: "Well, okay, I guess it's not that bad. I don't want to look like baby Gallum."
And, later that evening, Travis dresses her in Finn's pjs to complete the buzzed-head look. I hate it when he does that! I look at her and see all boy.

Weekend In Review

At the Nature Center, about a mile and a half from our house, where we walked on Saturday (Lucy is busy pooping, I'm sure, in this picture).
If there's water, you'll find him there.
Throwing rocks, of course!
Little Skunkie got in a dirt war with her brother. (Notice two different shoes. We temporarily lost the pairs). I am inside cleaning the kitchen and hear loud cackles- the mean, devilish kind- outside.
It was the two rascals throwing dirt clods at each other. The bathwater was pitch black after that one. I'm just glad they weren't throwing dirt at me!