Going on Day Four

My sweet William is still very sick. We're currently waiting for a call from the doctor to see what we should do. Hopefully he'll recover soon. Despite feeling horrible and being unable to talk (except for a raspy squeak), he has been so sweet and patient. Wish us luck...

Almost there...

After a trip to Target with my kids and seeing all of the Halloween decorations there, the kids insisted that we decorate our house when we got home. So though it was still September, we pulled out the Halloween decoration, along with our autumn things. In the evening, our home is lit by spooking candles, haunted houses and jack-o-lanterns.

weekend

Despite our week of illness, doctor's appointments, and everyday business (and a fair bit of complaining by me), our week ended on a good note. After a busy morning, we were able to enjoy some family time - doing the things we love together. The week days full of school, work and activities tend to push and pull everyone in different directions. An afternoon at the art museum, followed by a stroll through the zoo was just what we needed to regroup as a family.

Sick afternoons

Whenever illness enters our house, it forces me to slow down and spend more time sitting with sick kids and doing things that they enjoy. Claire has been home, fighting off some sort of virus - poor thing. So far, none of the other kids have gotten it, but it's only a matter of time. We spent yesterday afternoon playing Legos, watching "Phineas and Ferb" episodes and reading books together. The kids love having an attentive audience, and they love having someone put together their intricate Lego sets.



Our piano is a source of joy in our family. It gets played everyday by someone. Now that Claire is taking piano lessons, hopefully she'll be joining us soon with her little songs. Rose too is a big fan of the piano. She dances to the music and loves to play herself. Playing piano with Rose is a bit challenging, seeing as how she has her own technique...

Hopefully our family will be back in working order, but in the mean time, we're trying to enjoy the quiet, down time.

New Discoveries

My Rose is a master at "faces". She can give quite the look - offending many. I try to tell people to not take it personally, she does it to everyone. Her looks continuously crack me up. This morning, she discovered her nostrils. First one side...

...then the other.

Silly girl; she is hilarious.

I've SO Bean There

I have an excess of dry bean/peas. I'm not sure how I got into this predicament - but I am overloaded with beans. My bags of beans compares with my friend Stephanie's chocolate chip stash. So my brilliant sister had a great idea - cook the beans in a crock-pot. Now why is that a brilliant idea, you ask? Well, dry beans are dirt cheap compared to canned beans. The only problem is, well, they're dry (hard, inedible, useless except for homemade bean bags, bean art and maracas). Soaking and cooking are a hassle, because you can't go anywhere whilst the beans simmer away on your gas stove for 6-8 hours only to not be done. So that's where the crock-pot comes it. Throw in a bag of beans, water and turn that puppy on whatever setting for however long and let em' cook. Just add more water as you need to. Hours later, you have perfectly cooked, cheap beans to be frozen and used whenever. I just did some Great Northern beans to be used this week in some white bean chili I plan on making Thursday. I'm telling you; super easy, cheap and healthy!

Ready to be frozen for later meals

We bought a deep freezer a week or two ago. The only problem is, now that we've bought it, we're out of money to buy anything to put in it. I did however, make a double batch of some yummy Cinnamon Oat Scones to tuck away in my new deep freezer. They're perfect for breakfast or a snack. Delicious!

In the scone-baking process

Now that it is almost (in 1 hour, 23 minutes) autumn, I have busted out the pumpkin puree and whipped up a batch of chocolate-chip pumpkin cookies. As you can see, they were well received.

As I have mentioned before, I have been in a cleaning-out frenzy. It resulted in a trunk full of items to be donated to Goodwill. My front seat is also full. We are so blessed, that I feel donating our things is better than trying to sell them.
And finally - we are ready for October and the Halloween festivities. Costume plans are in discussion and old costumes are making their way out of the dress-up box. Even Rose is getting in on the action.

What is it about fall that just makes me want to bake and cook up soups? Is this just me or do you have the same feeling?

Calling all people with a better 'eye' than me!

We need to repaint our house before we sell it. It's not only because I don't like the current maroon/orange combo we have going on, but because the paint is peeling and dirty looking. So here's the problem: I know what color to paint most of the house - white because that's the color of the gutters and garage door. White works; but my problem is with the trim. So here's where I need help: what color do I paint the trim? The brick is a terra-cotta color; I've been thinking green, but I don't know. So here's the house:

This is upclose with the brick, trim and white all together.

So PLEASE suggest something, if you can. And let's be detailed people, none of this "Blue would look nice" business. Give me shade descriptions and why it would work with the orangy color. Thanks! I'm relying on some of my very artistic friends/family here - HELP!!

Oh, and here's my work closet. I haven't painted it or anything yet. I have plans to make a message/idea board to put up on the right wall and possibly a peg something or other to hold bobbins, etc on the upper left side. I can't take over the whole closet, I still have to store our movies and CD in there since there is no where else for them to go (the cabinet next to the chair) and all of our photo albums are up higher, along with the bath towels on a high shelf above my little "table". It's not great, but it's out of the way, I can close the door on it, but open it up to the living area and keep an eye on the kids too. So while not perfect, it's something!

A moment for peace

Today was one of those days that when it's over, I come home, sit on the couch and not feel an ounce of guilt when I veg for two hours to mindless TV. I need at least two to three days before I can think of anything "Girl Scout-ish". Tomorrow my calendar is empty (except for the usual school stuff) - the first time all week. While there are those crazy, chaotic days; it makes me appreciate the days when I have nothing going on. Too much of one or the other is SO not good for my psyche. I try to mix up my week - a busy day, followed by a day at home to get some things done. It works well, when my schedule (and the kids') allow it.

Ways I like to spend my "off" time at home: knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, writing in my journal, looking through magazines, reading blogs, listening to music, watching a good movie while folding laundry or other sedentary chores, playing the piano, reading, doing crafts with the kids, to name a few.

I have a couple of posts I have been thinking about, but haven't had the time to put together; so maybe tomorrow is the day. I hope you all get some time to yourselves this weekend to regroup and refresh yourselves. What are some things you do when you have time to yourselves? Just curious what others like to do.

Going Ons and Such

A few thoughts I've had today: there are far too many baby/birthing shows on TV and frankly, they just creep me out. I am super excited to try out a new floor cleaner I bought today, and that same excitement makes me a little concerned for my sanity. A man in front of me at the office supply store bought a flat-screen monitor for his computer and purchased the extended warranty. I then saw him tying his new monitor to the back of his motorcycle with twine and I thought "I hope your warranty will cover that too...".

Rose's favorite pastime with the curtains...

My current project is carving out a little work nook for me in our hallway linen closet. I'm not quite done with it; it still needs paint and a few storage items. My friend Amy gave me a few great suggestions. Any time I'm working on improving the spaces in my home, I bring in Amy and the woman has the best ideas. Amy, that's the real reason I invited you over to dinner yesterday...

I'll post pictures later. Instead, enjoy a few of my cuties.

Fabulous

Rocking out to Sharpay.

Criminal

I am in a desperate state right now - one that Ryan hates - I am purging my house of anything and everything that is stressful, unused or unloved in any way. I have suddenly become overwhelmed with my life and since I can't cut out Young Women's or Girl Scouts, I'm cutting out things in my house. I just gave a stack of denim that I was saving for some future project to my friend Amy who is currently using denim for one of her projects. I'm in full-blown closet-cleaning-mode. Nothing is safe from my wrath.

So as I was going through a purse that was headed for the Goodwill box, I looked through it just to make sure I hadn't left anything it it. Sure enough, I found:

-receipts from toys bought for Claire's 5th birthday
-$7 in cash
-a city recycling brochure
-an unpaid St. Louis parking ticket for $10

Yes, that's right. I'm one of those people who don't pay their parking tickets. Actually, when we lived downtown, the parking meter people are absolutely vicious and we received several parking tickets for expired meters - most by only minutes. We always paid them. This particular ticket was dated the day we moved from our loft downtown to Illinois. I had left 11 minutes lapse on the meter and I was probably so sick of the city by that point, that I stuck it in my purse and totally forgot about it. So hopefully nothing comes of it. I do have an Illinois license plate now, if that makes a difference. And I'm not a bit sorry; those meter people can go jump in the river...good riddance.

Falling Off the (very small) Bandwagon

Actually, it would be more like jumping off the bandwagon, screaming desperately to get off. This bandwagon to which I'm referring is using cloth diapers. I've been using them for several months with Rose, and I used them for a stretch of time with my other two kids. But with the consistency of Rose's poo, the smell and mess is just too much for me to be dealing with right now. I need to simplify my life right now and no matter what people say, cloth is a giant hassle and always will be no matter what new miracle diaper cover, etc, they come up with. My good friend Collette continues on and I salute her efforts...as for me, I'm done (at least for now). So I made a trip to Sam's Club and picked up a giant box of disposables. And I haven't looked back.

ready to be pack away

While writing this, I got a phone call from Collette, informing me that she just bought a pack of disposables diapers. We have been beaten into submission. No one survived this war.

Only a brother...

can make me laugh like this.

First

Claire started 2nd grade this year.
Hooray for school!