Happy Birthday Jenny!

Wow 35! You'd never know it by looking at you.

So, you were born on your due date which tells us why you always worry if you are late. You were born very easily and really gave us no worries until you were about 18 months old and had to spend several days in the hospital. It used to break my heart that they tied you down to the crib so you wouldn't tear out your IV. One good thing came out of that visit~~you were potty trained right away because you didn't want that little bag attached to you!

You've always been a beautiful, adventurous girl. You could make up games that kept your sisters occupied for hours. I know they have their own version of the story but this is your post and we will celebrate!

You've always had long pretty brown hair. Remember back in the day when I would match your yarn ties and earrings to go along with your outfits? I remember you and Chris were the very best of friends growing up. One of Grandma's favorite stories is how Chris made you a grilled cheese sandwich when she was babysitting you.

Enjoy your special day Jenny! Let us know if you hear from Franna.

Oh Just Wait...

Oh, I can hear you now...doesn't look like much too me. Ah, but to me it is the promise of

many things to come. Would you like to pick a pumpkin with us this fall? Here is the beginning of the fun.
Pretty soon this beauty will be the star of a swiss cheese and tomato sandwich.
Have faith!

Twins just waiting for harvest.

See you soon!

Identity Crisis?

Sorry kids to shock you this way. When your Dad was in High School, he had a bit of an "Identity Crisis".

The first time he dressed as a girl, we all just looked the other way. This picture, taken in 1970, is proof of a tortured soul.

His alibi was "Spirit Week". Yes, we've all heard this excuse many times.

"Read Me A Story"

Jenny and I have been having discussions about homeschooling and reading and learning styles this week. I'm so happy she has found her niche. You might want to visit her blog~~

www.vintagemommy.blogspot.com

to get a glimpse into her style.

I came across a couple of great quotes this week which really zero in on my love for books and reading. If I had followed my heart in the early training of our children perhaps things would have turned out differently. As it is, we have 5 of the most amazing, deep thinking individuals I have been blessed to know. Anyway, the quotes:

"Wear the old coat , buy the good book"

"Your book bill ought to be your biggest extravagance"

All five of our children have immense, divergent vocabularies. They are deep thinkers, artistic, philanthropic and just plain nice people to be around. I credit this to an amazing God, a support system that continues to baffle me and the love of good books.

Oh Yum!

Oh Yum!! If you've been following my posts about this new method of bread making then you'll be up to date on the method. Today I used almost all of the bread dough left in the tub to make bread to go with our spaghetti. I left a little bit in the tub to "feed" the next batch.

My oh my~~this is good stuff. The last loaf was so much better than the first. The book recommends not washing the tub to further develop the flavor of the dough. I don't think I'm quite that brave. I'll probably give into washing it every now and then just to keep it "clean".

You MUST try this! It will change your way of making bread forever.

You Are Safe

Over the past few days the dogs in our neighborhood have taken to barking at anything.

Our Bella needs only a little bit of encouragement and she joins the chorus. Sometimes I think she doesn't even know why or what she is barking at.

At these times I have to draw her in very close and tell her "you are safe". She has to lay down, all the way down at my feet. This gives me the opportunity to run my bare foot over the length of her body as I keep repeating to her "you are safe". Even though her eyes remain open and her ears are alert, she trusts me at the moment to tell her she is safe. After awhile she calms down and forgets the ruckus outside.
If we could only learn this lesson.

Don't Try This At Home !

In a recent Facebook posting I mentioned that I wanted to make pink popcorn. Wow, you would have thought I wanted to mint Hundred Dollar Bills!

I'm here to tell you~~DON'T DO IT!!

If you really want pink popcorn, find a store that sells it, buy it online, or make a special trip to the zoo. The stuff "they" are telling us to make is completely bogus. It reminds me of those cheap books we all like to buy around the holidays that encourage us to make "homemade mixes, layered in jars". Come on, you know the ones. We cut a cute jar topper out of our fabric stash, (with pinking shears of course) tie it with some ribbon or raffia we have, and make a homemade tag.

Don't tell me you haven't done this. I have, too many times to mention...AND I'm so very sorry if I have bestowed you with some lousy hot chocolate mix :-(

Back to pink popcorn. If you find yourself in a candy store or the zoo~~please bring me back a log of that sweet stuff. I promise, I'll make it worth your time.