Mud Kitchen = Clean House

This morning I set up a mud kitchen for the kids. After cleaning out the pot of dirt and ants I poured into the pool, the kids quickly got to work.

And I got busy cleaning!

After almost two hours, the kids came in wanting a drink. Taven looked like a poor pitiful soul. They took a little break in the now clean book nook.

Then headed back out again.

I kept cleaning! My husband will be so proud.

After a bit longer, the kids came in and took a bath. Wow! My husband is REALLY going to be proud! And after the bath, I cleaned the tub!

I know it may not look that clean (especially to my mom), but some stuff just doesn't scrub off. Big improvement, I promise. However, I'm not getting to laundry folding today...

Alaska, My Love Affair

I know I've mentioned that I went to college in Alaska. Sometimes I start missing it and dig out all of my old pictures. That gave me the idea for this post. Now I can just come to my blog to remember.

Growing up in Texas I somehow fell in love with Alaska...or the idea of Alaska. I had never been there. I would go to bookstores by myself just to sit down and browse through those big Alaska coffee table books. Luckily for me, in Alaska, out of state tuition is nearly the same as in state tuition and after a little bit of bugging, researching the financial aspect, etc., I convinced my parents to let me go. My mom walked me to the terminal (this was a few weeks before 9-11) and said her goodbye. I boarded the plane for a place I had never been and where I knew no one. I landed in Anchorage with one hockey bag full of belongings and another hockey bag full of hockey equipment, hailed a taxi, and headed for my new home. 

I lived in the on campus apartments at UAA. Two of my roommates, one from Sand Point, Alaska, and one from Nome would become two of my best friends. My other roommate (from Wisconsin), a gymnast on the school team (lol), would become one of my worst enemies. Just kidding. Well, we had our differences. Anyway, I made friends, always trying to get them to take me to their home towns (I had no car but wanted to see as much as possible). There was a lot of fun had, many adventures, too many to write about here...

A Long Weekend

We had planned on going to our family beach house for the three day weekend, but with bad weather expected Friday and Saturday and bad tires on my car, we decided not to. On Saturday, we hung out at our friend Aidan's house.

Aidan gave us a lot of clothes, toys, books, and workbooks that he no longer uses. When we made it home and explored our new "treasures" we found a tracing book! Maybe you don't find this as exciting as I do, but I was just commenting on Verdemama's blog the other day about how I use to love tracing books but don't really see them anymore. It is Eaden's favorite now!

My sister gave us that lapdesk Eaden is using and the girls love it but only having one soon turned into a problem. So I made another one.

And now the girls have become workbook crazy.

 Eaden has started to invent spelling! I helped her with the sh and ch sounds. This is a recipe for pizza.

Recipe: Pepperoni, mushrooms, cheese, and olives

On Saturday, we made good use of our zoo membership and took my mom, sister, three nieces, Aidan and his mom to the zoo. Then we headed over to Hermann Park and the Butterfly Exhibit.

Today, Monday, we are cleaning, doing yardwork, taxes, and both girls have gymnastics.

My Advice and Blogging Complex

I've come to learn that I don't like reading or receiving advice. I don't like parenting books. I really don't like people (I know they mean well) telling me I should or should not do something with my kids. Even when I agree with them, I don't like it! What is my problem? Soon enough, every blogger in the world is going to hate me...or at least be really annoyed. I know I've given advice plenty of times, stankin' hypocrite! You know what? I have a blogging complex too. I really hate it and yet I do it all the time. I just want someone to hang out and drink beer with. None of y'all are over here drinking beer dang it! I blog primarily for my family to keep up with what I'm doing and the fact that I have other readers just makes everything a little more interesting. Well maybe with all my I hate your pretty blogs and parenting advice, I'll have less readers. I read blogs primarily for ideas. Ideas for activities to do with the kids, new pursuits, whatever. However, I keep coming across advice! Telling me not to sign my kids up for planned and guided activities, to let them sleep in my bed, to breastfeed them until their six,....you know. Oh crap. I'm being offensive. And I'm rambling. Well here's a picture.

 

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks Soulemama.

Doo Bee Doo Bop

We made Dad love bugs as seen at Progressive Pioneer.

Made these matchbox valentines for the girls, but can't remember where I saw them! Anyone know?

Felted wand as seen at A Natural Nester

Mud Pie Kitchen as seen at Let the Children Play. We are planning a major upgrade to our "kitchen."

A valentine for my husband.

After watching A Dolphin Tale, dolphins are Eaden's new obsession.

Craft supplies and fabric

Organized!

Now for the rest of the room....