The "Big City Park"

Once in a while we venture out to the "Big City."

Yesterday, a dental appointment necessitated our visit.

The boys and I got to spend about an hour and a half at the park. The very nice, big city park.

Gabe was being VERY adventurous here. He practically crawls up the wide, railed steps to the slide, yet he climbed this wall that was about 8 feet high. I really do think he is afraid of heights, so this was big!!



Commanding the ship.


At one point some other boy, that was a year or two older than the other kids, came and "took over" the playground. He was wielding a short stick and saying the place was his "rocket ship." They were fighting off some sort of enemy too. (I was gathering that this, probably 7 yr. old, played A LOT of video games.) Anyway, after a while of Gideon not cooperating and playing along with his game, the boy stood at the steps of the slide and looked up at Gideon, who was at the top, and said, "I'm going to Blow up your Rocket Ship." After hesitating only a second, Gideon replied, "I'm going to Blow up YOUR Rocket ship."

I almost cracked up on the spot!! You go Country boy!!

(I had been hanging back and not getting too involved to see how Gideon would handle it. I was so thrilled that he didn't give in to the pressure to play that boy's game and that he wasn't intimidated at all!)




Gabe took my camera, at one point, and started clicking. After deleting about 6 pictures of the mulch here's one he took. (finger and all)


After some instruction on where NOT to put your finger while snapping, he took this pic.

I now see what he was trying to capture. The three adorable little girls that he played with. I'm going to have to keep my eyes on this little boy!!


Ready, set ... Race.


What a fun day!!


Now, "I'm going to blow up your rocket ship." Heee heeee heee hooo hoooo hooo that kills me!

Do Not Make These!!!

These are ridiculous and if you make them your waist line will regret it.


It all started with Facebook. Well, way before that actually. It started in grade school. That's where I first met Michele. Michele's family and mine had a common parallel. She grew up in a family of 6 girls and 1 boy. As you may know, my family is comprised of the opposite... 6 boys and me! Yes, I know, that's kinda comical, but if you think of the odds it's even funnier. We all went to the same school. The same small school. No, I mean S M A L L. ... as in 30 (or so) kids in K thru 12th!!!! I should insert, that since I'm the youngest in my clan, most of my brothers were already finished with school at this stage. (the school was not comprised of only our two families.)

Anyway, I have Michele's little facebook post about using these pretzles for a reward for her daughter, to thank for this recipe.

I need some practice on my shaping skills.


My first attempt is on the left. The one on the right is later on with some practice!


Baking.


Oh, yeah!


They were amazing. A M A Z I N G. I let the boys sprinkle their own cinnamon sugar on them after I brushed them with margarine.


I think this guy liked them too. He was away at a Preaching Conference and I welcomed him home with these!

Captions for this picture anyone???

Buttery Soft Pretzels from the kitchen of my sweet friend from childhood - Michele

INGREDIENTS

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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•
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• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping
• cinnamon and sugar mixture for topping or whatever else you want on your pretzels
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned. (Mine don’t ever take 8 minutes, but I am sure that depends on the oven.)
6. When out of oven brush with melted butter and sprinkle on kosher salt or cinnamon sugar mixture or any other toppings that you desire.
7. Enjoy!!
8. I do mine in my bread machine and it works fine.

- Thanks Michele you're a precious friend

Wreath

Last week I realized just how bare my front porch and door is. So, I got all inspired Yesterday and made a wreath for my front door!!

I'm not sure I'm completely happy with it, but I'll probably just leave it alone. I was wanting something that would last more than one season. Hope this will work for a while!!

I'd like to put a big black fancy urn with something tall and green in it there beside the door... but I just don't think I'll do it right yet. I'll probably end up with some pumpkins there soon anyway! Hmmm black urn with pumpkin on it would be cool...

a three year old boy

Are all 3 year-old boys this silly?? This one insists this is cake. I even had a red "A" piece of it. yum.

His wardrobe here is notable.


Apparently you have to be rather specific with 3 year-olds. After he used the potty I told him to get a new pullup and put it on.


And, being the obedient boy that he is, *sigh* he put that clean pull up on.....

Over his old pull up and over his shorts. Then he peeled his shirt off.

I think he stayed this way for about 3 hours yesterday!! .... and I let him.

A Crazy Night at Church

Yeah, well, that's a weird title but so was my evening.

It started out fine. ... just like any Wednesday evening... except we were a little earlier than usual. The boys played a little on the damp playground before I called them into the fellowship hall for supper.

I scrubbed their grimy hands and faces and we got in line.

After convincing Gideon that he really did have to eat we headed to our table. I was carrying my spaghetti plate, my drink, Gabe's drink, plastic ware and napkins as we chose a table. About the time we got there Gabe lost his plate. A three foot radius of Spaghetti covered the floor, table and a bawling 3 year-old.

I set my plate, drink, Gabe's drink, forks and napkins down and proceeded to help poor Gabe. His shorts, sock and shoe were covered in red sauce. I stripped socks, and wiped him off with the napkins. Then I wrangled the farthest noodles into a smaller pile. I set off with his right "croc" to wash it in the bathroom sink. (Don't ya love washable shoes!! I was praising the Lord he was not wearing sneakers.)

Someone volunteered to get Gabe a new plate of food so I headed to the kitchen for something to clean with.

But before I left for the kitchen some folks just sat down at the end of our table. I was sure to warn them, "Join us at your own risk," I said, as I sped off for a cleaning rag.

About the time I arrived with huge, wet paper towel in hand I looked up to see the table filled and Overflowing with my full cup of Tea. Our poor friend, whom I had earlier warned, was mere inches from the waterfall of Southern Sweet Tea pouring over the edge of the table.

In disbelief I asked if he got wet! He said, "No." Whewwwww! So I used the aforementioned paper towel on the tea instead of the now sticky pile of noodles and plate and garlic bread that had landed practically under Gideon's chair.

So, I'm on my hands and knees working on this sticky mess when Gideon comes over to me, "Momma, I pooped myself." It was at this point that I cried out loud. No tears, more like the deep wailing sort of grief. You've got to be kidding!! So, I said, "Go back and sit in your chair. You're third in this line and there's spaghetti, garlic bread, sweet tea and ice cubes before you."

I finished cleaning the mess as someone graciously brought me the 55 gallon trashcan. Patience thin, face flaming, boys teetering and plates untouched I said, "We're going home." So, I rounded them up and took them to the van.

We got there (all the way across the cemetery) and Gabe announced that he had to go poo poo on the potty too. "Well, you might as well," I told him.

I got everyone changed and wiped and presentable again ... and only got poo under one fingernail.... which I scrubbed mercilessly and headed back to church.

We ate our now cold food in the almost desolate fellowship hall. Gideon still wanted to carry on his one-sided dinner conversation, but I stifled it and told him to eat because he had already missed Children's Choir practice.

I had to be thankful though because that was some of the best tasting spaghetti I've had in a while and I didn't have to cook it! ... at least I told myself that over and over until I could go from completely frustrated to thankful.

I'm happy to say that the boys had a good night at church with no other incidents. I did wait until 9:30 to come home from choir (which ends at 8:45) so they'd already be tucked in bed!!!

Did I mention that one of the ladies who cooked the spaghetti offered some to me to take home?? Oh, yes she did!!! I told her it was delicious, but I didn't care to see any spaghetti for a good long time. I think she understood! We had a good chuckle.

I love my sweet boys, but they do exhaust me!! I can't wait to "hit the sack." as my Daddy would say. Good night!

Best Friends

Would you believe I have 3 Best Friends?

They are my Hubby, my Mom and Wendy.

Today I want to tell you about one of them.

Growing up as the youngest of seven was lots of fun, but came with its challenges too. We moved a lot. We stayed mostly in the same rural county in Pennsylvania, but sometimes a school change was necessary.

When I was in second grade it was one of these times. We were changing schools... and in a big way. We went from a huge Christian school in Maryland (to which Mom drove us 1 hour each way... every day) to a tiny Christian school in Quarryville, PA.

That was where I met my best friend.

I arrived, midway into my second grade year, to find the only other second-grader praying for me!!! As the only one in her grade (the class held first through third grades) she had been praying for another student to come.

Be careful what you pray for because the Lord may just answer "yes!!"

We could not have been more different.

She was quiet and reserved. I was loud and obnoxious.
She was a girly girl. I was as boyish and they come.
She liked to swing and talk at recess. I played ball.
She loved dressing up. I hated every moment of it.
She took school seriously and excelled. I tried to slide by.
She was always early. I was mostly late.
She had well-balanced adorable lunches. I had teen-aged boy size lunches.
She was Baptist. I was Methodist.
She liked to please her teachers. I liked to aggravate them.

And we could not have been more the same.

We had looooong straight blonde hair. Hers always longer than mine by a good 10 inches. (today mine's longer!)
We were short. We are still short, almost the same height.
We loved the Lord.
We stuck together.
We stuck up for one another.
We could talk for hours.

Miraculously, we got along perfectly!!

Our teachers had nick names for us because we were always together (wish I could remember one of them right now!! Perhaps someone could help me with this.) One year we were even the two Angels in the school Christmas Play. Can you imagine me in a halo! I'm sure they were laughing their heads off about it! I still remember where we stood.

Second grade has been a few years ago for us now. We are still friends. .. close friends. We email and facebook all the time. We still talk over our days with each other.

Our subjects have changed from boys and clothes, to our children and laundry.

She has a little girl with curly, blond hair and I have 2 little blond boys. It seems fitting.

We still chuckle about ME turning out to be the "Pastor's Wife". You just never know what God has for your life! He certainly has a sense of humor!

I made Wendy's Home-made pizza last week because she's much more domestic than I am. (This is only my second time making pizza from scratch. Last time was over two years ago and I used her recipe then too.)

So here's the pizza that started this whole blog post!

Toppings:
Pineapple
Onions
Green Peppers
Ham (leftovers from the freezer)

Here's the dough that I hand kneaded. I must say it was a really good stress reliever and I was a little dissapointed when the timer went off, yes, I timed it so I wouldn't knead it too much or not enough...

Gabe put the cheese and toppings on his all by himself. Gideon did too. They really loved it!

Here's ours! MMMMmmmm

The only problem I ran into was that we had to eat pizza a few more meals after this!! It makes a ton!! Next time cut recipie in half!!

Isn't it crazy that I found my life-long best friend all the way back when I was a little second grade "Tom-boy."


Lots of fun and so yummy! Thanks for the recipie and your friendship Wendy.

With permission I am posting the recipe:

Pizza - 2 Large
2 pkg dry yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 C oil
4 C flour

Sprinkle yeast on warm water and dissolve. Add sugar, salt, oil and mix. Add flour (one cup at a time) stirring till stiff dough forms. You may need a little more flour. Knead on a generously floured surface for about 5 minutes. Let dough rest 15 minutes while you prepare topping ingredients. Divide dough in half. Makes 2 large pizzas. Grease pizza pans. Stretch dough to fit pan. Top with toppings. Bake 400 degrees approx 15 minutes. Check for brown bottom.

Coffee table, lolipops, children's choir and reading

Here's a great coffee table we found. This just speaks to me on so many levels.
First, as the Mother of two rambunctious boys.
Second, as a beautifully finished piece of furniture.

But, I didn't buy it because I had $12 left in the furniture budget for 2009.
I thought of robbing the boy's piggy banks... after all they'd love it!
Anyway, Hubby talked me out if it primarily with the argument, "We want that room to be a peaceful place... we don't need fooseball in the middle of it."

If it was up to me I'd put a ping- pong table under the carport...anyway.

Point taken. It's still a little sad. It really is just SO cool.

Huge lolipops from Daddy after waiting on a hospital visit.

Gideon sang in the Children's Choir Sunday. Flip - flop boy sang out even though he wasn't completely sure of all the words... as he told us later. He thought he was cool in his robe though... perhaps the only reason he was willing to sing!!

These two love to read. Actually I have three boys that are avid readers... well, One can Actually read. Gideon took this picture! We might have to get the boy a camera with some actual mega pixels soon! (he took this with my little camera) The boys have one of those kids cameras... which is really durable... but the quality is SO bad. Anyway, he just loves to take a picture. I refuse to post the one he took of me just after this one...

Gideon is 5 !!

He was just a few hours old here. (Before I even had a digital camera!!!... we bought our first when he was about 4 months old!!)



We've had a great day! Gideon chose where we would eat Sunday lunch... McDonalds! Then we came home and opened gifts, then we ate cake. The boys are playing with all the Birthday loot right now and later we are going to watch the new "Thomas" movie with popcorn.

Here's his reaction to .....




His Cake!! He chose Lightening McQueen. I tried to make the corner of the racetrack but I was too exhausted from the busy day to pipe it properly.



I think Gabe enjoyed it too!!


His favorite gift!! The new "Thomas the Tank" movie came out Sept 8th just 5 days before his big day!! Thankfully we were able to get one!! Monroe target was using rain checks!!



A squinting, happy boy!!


Handy Manny...



Gabe stole it right away!!


A happy boy and his Puppy. (Puppy sang "Happy Birthday" to Gideon after the family did!!)



Contentment.



What a precious 5 year old we have. Just before eating his cake he said, "Mom, Dad, Thank you for giving me such a nice surprise Birthday!" And then he came to me and wrapped his arms around my neck and gave a wet smacker on the cheek and said, "I love you Momma"

He says he'll always hug and kiss me even when he's taller than me..... and I'm going to hold him to it.

First Day of Preschool 2009

Yipeeee preschool is back in session!! Happy faces all around!

Today was back to school for the guys.

Don't forget to feed the dog first.

They were excited about their new back packs!

There's the "school" in between the boys!

This is Red Hill's first "Mother's Morning Out" program and it has been a good start.

The verdict is in:
Gideon said, "I don't want to go home!"
Did you like your teacher Miss Cindy, Gabe? "huh"

And so, we have a successful first day!!