Properties of a Line

I like art.

I don't like planning lessons.

(Oops, did I say that outloud?  

Pay no attention to my degree in Art Education, or that I Homeschool my poor children!)

 Well, today I found a sheet of trash ties.

I'm a corner tier myself, no need for silly wire ties.

 So I entertained the kids with a little wire dude.

 Then the pesky teacher in me came out.

We started talking about properties of line.

What a line is, what is can look like, what it can do...

 I think this was Liv's example.

 George made a donkey.

Don't ask, he said it was a donkey.

Really, when was the last time you saw a donkey.

He might be closer to it than you think!

HE just watched Shrek, so there.

Liv was a little more simple.

It was a cat face, specifically, Jovie our kitten.

I love seeing them learn about art!

Swirly goodness

How have I never made cinnamon raisin bread before?

I love cinnamon raisin bread.  

I especially love it when the bread is soft and sweet where the optional glaze/icing is, well, optional.  A good bread should stand alone.  

Even pancakes!

(Yes, a good pancake should be able to be eaten warm and without syrup.

Syrup is just extra for those who feel extravagant.

My kids and Troy always feel extravagant.

No respect for the sweet breads!)

Back to CRB

 How easy is this?

I used this mega dough recipe (makes about 6 loaves) 

and used part of the dough for 2 loaves of cinnamon raisin bread. 

 The kids were happy to help spread out the raisins and swirl the honey.

 All in all, my CRB was my fav.  I'm making that again soon.

(The cinnamon rolls are in the freezer for Saturday morning, so they don't count.)

No icing needed!

Planet Earth Repercussions

I thought buying the Planet Earth series would be a fun addition to our homeschool.

I'm always looking for extras to add to what we are learning.

If the extra is on CD, DVD, Or video game form, the kids think I'm the
"Best Teacher EVER."

I figured there would be some talks about the predator/prey scenes.

I hoped it wouldn't get to graphic.

The skittish ones (Liv and me) are fairing Ok.

I guess I talked too much about it.

The kids are totally into the idea that animals eat each other.

We have even had to relive the Great White eating the Seal about 800 times.

They plan on making it "breach" in the bathtub.

Tell me kids that aren't homeschooled do weird things also!

Keeping it Fun

Lunch can get a little mundane.

I love leftovers.

The kids don't.

Most days, I don't care if they like it or not.

(Ohhhh, mean mom!)

Some days, I feel fun, over the usual mean.

Bring on the cookie cutters!

 Ginnie is not impressed.

She chose the flower but just wanted to eat the bowl of fruit.

 The older two were a little more receptive to lunch time fun.

 George made a dying dinosaur.

 Liv made a bunny.

Virginia decided she liked the flower sandwich, so I had to pull it out of her mouth to get a picture.

She promptly ate it all.... 

I'm still not sure if she was into lunch time fun, or just hungry.

New Layers

"Anyone seen Virginia?"

"Oh, there you are."

"Ummmmm...."

 "What is this?"

 "Oh dear."

"Wow, the sneaky one might have gotten away with it if the hair wasn't on the floor!"

(And her brother was sitting right next to her and tattled.)

((Way to try and stop her, big brother.))

(((Sigh.)))

As if I'm not Queen every day.

Troy always goes out of his way to make sure I'm Queen on my birthday.  He even surprised me by taking off work to give me a total day free of the usual duties.  He took care of the kids and made a gourmet meal, down to the last details of a homemade Caesar dressing and cleaning the kitchen!  

I love that man!

 After sleeping in, getting a peaceful shower, and getting dressed, I came downstairs to the best breakfast ever!  Chocolate banana waffle with fresh whipped cream, and chocolate flavored creamer for my coffee.

Then I got to run away!

I met my friend at a near by nail place to get pedicures.  It was wonderful, and relaxing, and perfect.

Then I stopped into a few consignment and antique shops that are not fun to check out with kids in tow.  I didn't even have the radio on as I enjoyed the silence in the car.  A rejuvenated me came home to happy kids playing outside and the house smelling sooo good.

 Troy had a royal spread.

Caesar Salad with homemade dressing, rosemary potatoes, bread with seasoned dipping oil, orange carrots, and grilled rosemary lamb chops.

 He is really becoming the grill master!  They were cooked perfectly!

 By this point, I was just barely aiming and shooting.  

One tends to forget the rules of composition when hunger strikes.

 As if dinner wasn't enough.  Do you know what he made?

 Oh yes.

Tiramisu paired with a chocolate wine.  Heaven.

It was a very, very good day. 

I love being 29!

St. Patrick's Day Happenings

  I'm not a Holiday kind of person.

I love some made up holidays though,
like Tooth day,  Half day, and Rainbow day,

There is freedom in made up holidays,

No expectations, no rules, I can bail if I feel like it.

Yes, I have a problem with commitment.

So I down play most holidays.

(Easter is the only exception, but that is another post)

This St. Patrick's day we did the minimum.

 Add a little green to the outfits.

(Poor Maggie was short green in her wardrobe, so a diaper had to do)

There will be no pinching my baby!

 A little spinach in our frozen strawberry and yogurt pops for snack.

A little minty green in dessert.

And yes, we snack waaay too much.  It is not a holiday thing.
Unless I get forgiveness for it being a holiday....

Don't ask Part 2

What goes through his head?

I'm sure there is no thought to how sticky his face might get.

I hope he is no mind to grow up just to think those silly things.

Don't ask.

I didn't.  

I don't plan to.  

These are the times I just shake my head.  

Sigh.

When I was young...

I wanted to join the circus.  

I don't know where that idea came from.  

I don't even think I really believed it myself, but I said it enough.  

(Goodness, I wouldn't even go inside a building to get my picture taken by a live tiger when I was in elementary school.  I stayed shaking, and probably crying, in the car with my Mom while my Dad and little sis went in.  I know, I'm lame.)

But sitting next to a live tiger for fun 

and working my way up the circus ladder are two different things.

I figured I'd be on elephant poop duty at first, then concessions, ticket sales, stage makeup and costumes, then maybe a little clowning around.  But eventually I would become Ring Master!  

How else does that happen?

It even went as far as making a deal with my Mom near the end of high school.

When I came to her with dowloaded applications for the circus, she said I needed to apply to at least 2 reasonable colleges.  IF I didn't get in, then I could run away to whatever circus I desired.

She never questioned me, or belittled my ideas.  I'm sure she knew me well though that I would just argue and decide not to listen to her input if she did that.

Or maybe, just maybe she knew I would be Ring Master of my own circus sooner than I planned.

Yes, I was (and still am) on poop duty, concessions (that consist of 3 meals a day, plus snacks in between), I pay the bills, organize and am in charge of all wardrobes, and of course there are times when we all act like clowns. 

Welcome! Welcome! One and All to the Stouffer Family Circus!

All his idea.

Yes, those are cuccumbers.

On a Popsicle stick.

I guess it must make veggies taste better.

The little dude is getting some muscles.

I noticed his biceps in one of his many pauses at dinner where he rolls up his sleeves to show us.

I love that he thinks every bite of healthy food immediately gets stored in his arms.

Maggie Moo

 This precious little baby.

Even though Ginnie tries to claim her as one of her own dolls, she is all mine.

Troy has a minority share, when I'm feeling generous.

I want her to stay little.

I wonder if I keep her in her current clothing size, it will keep her from growing, just like Asian women did back in the day with their feet.  (Would that make her all disfigured and gross?)

Maggie is sitting up by herself, but so help me  if she tries to stand I will knock her down!

I'm starting to see myself as the crazy cat lady, except I end up with 33 babies instead of kitties.

But let's just be honest.  

When you see that pudgy little hand holding on, and those fat cheeks that are just so round, there is no going back to normal.  Baby crazy you become.

I'm going to embrace it.

They begged for a Cowboy dinner

It was the only night we had together that wasn't raining, and it was COLD.

 This little baby fire pit is fun, but it doesn't exactly create warmth.

 Troy was just trying to be manly and not wear a coat, but let me tell you..... Brrrrr!

 George wanted to help break up the wood.

 The poor boy tried and tried.

 It was a little stronger than we thought.  

Even jumping on it between the walk and a rock didn't help him.

 But he does persevere.... we are all impressed.

 Mags and I hung out on the deck a few mins at a time, just to take a few pics and go back inside.

 Troy did the real bonding.  

I'll wait until summer for that.

 We still haven't perfected the correct positioning on the dogs on the skewers.

 Ginnie plays more of a foreman role.

Like her Momma.

 Liv tried to enjoy every minute.

 George is..... well, he is just George.

They brought their dogs in to eat at the table before making s'mores.

Ginnie wasn't too keen on that either.  

It ended up being a sticky mess, her coat needing a washing,

and an argument over how a s'more is built.  She decided to play with it over eating it. 

This is why we can't live on a ranch.  There is no sense of s'more protocol.