Mini Post Monday

• Have you heard of or seen the show, "Jamie's Food Revolution"?  If you haven't, you really ought to check it out.  British chef Jamie Oliver is trying to wake up America to how our food choices are literally killing us and spark change in the way we eat, especially in the way we feed our children in the public schools. I know I do not eat perfectly and I could stand to lose some weight, but as a family we have decided to permenantly change our eating habits one at a time and have been doing that for almost a year.  We feel so much healthier and look forward to continuing to make new changes.  This is what he is all about. You can watch full episodes or clips from the shows here.
• I know St. Patrick's day was a while ago, but I haven't really posted much here since then.  Even with our allergy restrictions, we managed to have a green breakfast, which the kids loved! 

Green apple pear oatmeal with green water.  Kinda bland, but the boys thought it was the best!
• I had so much fun with Joanna last week.  I hope that someday we are able to live closer.  Until then, I dream about that cruise we are going to take when neither of us has children too young to leave behind.  Hey Jo!  I told Jerry that we should drive there with our four kids and that he and Del could stay at your house with your six while we cruise away.  I thought they could do home improvement projects together.  He wondered if there would be any projects done with ten kids underfoot, but I don't know - it sounds like a perfect plan to me!  Don't you think so?  I mean the older kids will be old enough to help with the younger ones, right?

Me and Jo fixing Sunday lunch together.  We spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen, and I must say it is much more fun to spend that much time in the kitchen when you have a friend along for the ride!
• At this point the bathroom remodel is basically done, with only small finishing touches to take care of.  We got a mirror up!  Isn't it great?  The rest is really up to me.  I need to find something to hang on the wall above the toilet, a way to add a towel bar to the big tile wall, and a soap dispenser/tissue cover set that matches.  Then it's done!!  Jerry has already moved on to the next project.  He's ripped up the only remaining linoleum in our house and put down tile.  He still has to grout that tile, but then we are up to the other bathroom remodel.  It never ends, I tell you!

• T-Ball is in full swing!  We are absolutely loving having the boys in T-ball.  We go to the practices as a family and while one boy is in practice, the rest of us are running around playing or working with the other older boy on ball skills.  They had their first games Saturday.  Aaron's team did really well.  He played third base, throwing the ball to assist in 2 outs and scored 2 runs plus had 2 RBI's.  Ethan's team has only practiced twice, and that showed.  Ethan was in the outfield, so he didn't see any balls other than the ones he hit off the T.  But his hits were great and he ran like a pro!  I do think that with some more practice, his team will get a win eventually.  Until then, it is like a comedy show for the parents!  We've never laughed so hard, and the neat thing is that the kids are having a blast, too!

Aaron's team just before their first game.  Aaron is the fifth from the right on the back row.

A great hit from Ethan!
• I've lamented before how much time I spend making pancakes for breakfast for my allergic family.  But I found a pancake recipe that I am super excited about.  Up to this point, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, we have had no options for breakfast other than oatmeal.  We like oatmeal just fine and it is economical, quick, and easy, but sometimes I get tired of eating it over and over and over.  I saw this recipe on a blog and gave it a go this past Saturday.  It is SO good!  It will become a permenant part of our menu!  Even if you can eat "real" pancakes, it is a great way to add whole grains and fruit to an otherwise nutrient deficient meal once in a while.  If you do try the recipe, I guess you should know that I used watered down coconut milk instead of the juice that was called for, and also added more of it than is called for.  I like a thinnner batter.

Mini Post Monday

This picture sums up why I am not going to write much today.  I have only a few more hours to be part of the "Jos," plural, together in the same zip code.  After 4 1/2 days of watching movies, shopping, having tea, playing Scrabble, and talking, talking, talking, it is going to be hard to get back on the airplane to go home.  I do miss my husband and other two kids, and it will be nice to see them, but the time I've had here has been sweet.  Thank you Joanna for being such a wonderful friend and hostess!  You are the best.

Totally Random Tuesday

• I didn't get up a Mini-Post Monday because I was too busy getting ready to go see Joanna!!!  Woo-Hoo!  I leave Thursday morning, and I cannot wait!
• My middle son turned five last week.  It just isn't possible! 

Ethan got to open two small gifts first thing on his birthday morning.  And, yes, Joanna, he is wearing an Ohio State shirt.  I didn't plan it that way, he just really likes this shirt! 

• The key to a successful 5 year old boy's birthday party is to over plan.  Otherwise, much wrestling ensues.

Notice how neither of the girls that were invited to the party participated in this activity...I let them be a bit more rowdy than our normal house rules allow since it was a birthday party and all.  And look at the smiles - they had a blast.
• My big boys now have the nicest floors in the house.  Jerry finished putting down Hickory hard wood floors in their room since we had to throw out the carpet after the melting snow leaked in and caused mold to grow everywhere.  I wish I could put it everywhere - it is so beautiful!!!  They love it because they can slip and slide across the floor now.  Hours of entertainment, I tell you!

Ooh, aah!  Isn't it lovely?
• It is ant swarm season.  I hate ant swarm season.  Since none of our windows actually fit well enough to keep ants out, we kill tons of ants every day.  These are huge winged ants, too.  During the height of it, the one window they prefer to swarm will have hundreds of them each day.  We spray around the inside of that window, so they're dead as soon as they come in, but still!  I don't really like vacuuming up hundreds of huge, winged ants every day.
• Joanna asked what the asterisks marks by some of the books in my reading list were, so I thought I'd post that just in case anyone else was wondering.  Toward the end of last year, I challenged myself to break out of the reading mold I am most comfortable in and start reading more noteworthy books.  I rarely read non-fiction, and I want to read more classic literature so I can be better prepared to go back to school for my Master's degree someday (big dream...may not happen, but a girl can dream, right?).  I decided it might motivate me if I could actually see the distinction in my list, so each book with asterisks is either non-fiction or of some literary significance.  I am interested in pursuing a children's literature degree so I am trying to read through all the Newberry award winners, and then the others are considered "classics" by the powers that be.  There.  Now you all know.  Don't you feel better?

Andrew gets this super smile every time I give him an oatmeal cookie.  I think I'm packing 10 of  these for the plane ride to Joanna's house...
• I prefer peanut butter with chocolate over any other chocolate combination I can think of.
• I need some coffee.  Strong coffee.
• I need some ideas for how to celebrate my birthday next month.  How does one celebrate the big 33?  Send any and all ideas to my sweet husband, okay?
• Our allergies make birthday cakes pretty much out of the question, but it turns out that as long as the birthday "cake" item has some frosting and a candle, no one cares!  By the way, these allergy friendly oatmeal cookies are the best oatmeal cookies I've ever had!  Not all allergy foods are gross.

Mini Post Monday - The Lame Edition

We are finally well, but struggling to catch up with life, so I think this will be a rather lame excuse for a Mini Post.  Be that as it may, here goes nothing!

• That was the nastiest virus I think I have ever had.  No one in our family escaped uneffected, and I am very glad it is over.  I am also thankful that Jerry and I weren't sick at the same time!  He did such a good job of holding down the fort while I holed up in our room, hiding from the kids, while I was sick! 

I just love this picture of Ethan and Andrew playing together.  They are really starting to form a neat bond as they now enjoy each other's company and are able to play things they both enjoy!
• The boy's bathroom is finished except for a few details.  They are now using it for showers, teeth brushing, and all other normal bathroom functions.  I still need to find a trash can, a mirror, a shower curtain I like, and a towel bar.  Other than that, it is finished!  Woo-Hoo.  Of course, I don't have a picture since this is the "lame edition" and all.
• T-Ball season has officially started.  Aaron has had two practices so far and he just loves it.  Of course, I don't have a picture...I did take the camera to the first practice with me, but I was still a bit sick (as was Andrew) and I was lucky just to make it home with all my children in tow.  Ethan has had two practices scheduled, but both have been rained out.  I really hope he gets to practice some before his first game!
• Aaron had his first all-day Cub-O-Ree this last Saturday.  I just love Cub Scouts.  They are so family friendly, emphasize good values, and teach the boys great skills.  Aaron had so much fun.  Ethan was able to do a lot of the activities with Aaron's pack, too.  Andrew, Jerry, and I were just along for the ride!  I hope to put up more pictures from this soon.

This is part of Aaron's Tiger Pack (plus Ethan) piled up on top of their Cub Master!  It's a really great group of boys.

Skirt for Marie?

 These are all the pictures I took of the skirt. The fabric is actually a bit darker than what is pictured here.

"Super-Mini" Mini Post Monday

There won't be a regular Mini Post Monday today because we are battling a nasty stomach virus!  It hit Ethan and Andrew first on Saturday, then me yesterday evening, and Aaron during the night.  So far, Jerry remains healthy, and we are praying he stays that way.  The boys are acting almost normal, but I am still quite miserable.  So for now, this is about all I can manage!  Hopefully I'll be back on track for next Monday's edition!