Girly Songs

I made a huge crock pot full of chicken and dumpling today. A crazy night scheduled where, once again, everything falls in the same time frame in opposite ends of the world. The whole house smells like home. It is very strange that the weather is warm and muggy. Even stranger that I crave things like chicken and dumplings and beef stew on days like this!

Janey stomping through the house, sighing loudly like they poor martyred victim she is. There.Is.Nothing.To.Eat.In.This.House! ::stomp:: I.Am.Starving. ::sigh:: To.Death. ::stomp:: The next few sighs are mine. As I list the things available to alleviate her imminent starvation she rejects each one choosing instead to go up to bed and cry herself to sleep.

I have a new phrase for the girly-angst-drama. It is called "writing a song". 'Woe-is-me' lyrics, and 'my-life-sucks' rhymes. By the way, there is *plenty to eat in this house!

Silver

it came as a surprise

that the silver lining was actually

red and green

Birthday Girl

The birthday girl turned six this month. She acts more like 16, though. She is sassy, and smart. And too cute for her own damn good!

She has been anticipating her birthday since the day after her last one!

By some stroke of luck, the kids had off school on her actual birthday. Janey wanted a Nature Party, and planned it herself.

The kids painted birdhouses,

made their own trail mix,

and had a choice between 'dirt' or 'sand' cakes.

Forget luck, the planets must have been aligned, because with a bunch of kids, all ages, there was no fighting.
Everyone got along, and had a great time.


Janey is already planning next years' party!

Holy crap. It is August. I'm not quite sure how it got here so fast. I feel like we have done nothing this summer, but in actuality we have. Thankfully I have photographic evidence for when my kids start complaining that they are "soooo bored, and we never do anything fun". Not that my sweet kids would ever whine or complain. Nope, never. They need to be thankful that we have done anything. The weather has been atrocious. Hot, hot, hot, and humid. My new found ability to sweat profusely (thank you middle age) has become quite the life of the party. A dishcloth is the latest fashion accessory for the girls as they play. All the better to wipe the sweat from your eyes!

The girls and I did enjoy an escape to the beach. It was really hard to come back! Actually, we stayed for 2 extra days (thank you MeMom).

Our cousins came in from Washington State, and the kids picked up like they had seen each other yesterday.

Janey, the non swimmer, proved how fearless she is when we all went to the lake.

We even corralled the big boys to come to the zoo with us.

A miracle in and of itself! Going to the zoo on one of the hottest days of the year is great! The crowds are way down. See my attempt at finding the silver lining?

You know it is hot, when even the African animals look like they are going to pass out.

A few more weeks of summer vacation left, and I am sure we can try to pack in some fun. Unless it stays this hot. In which case the girls and I will spend some bonding time in the a/c with our new guilty pleasure: Wife Swap.

From here to there

It is crazy how fast we got from here:

to there:

Danielle and Teddy. Friends from the first day of school to the last.

Having a ball

One step closer to being a teenager, my kid already has the rolling eyes and attitude perfected!

What could be better than having your birthday at the beach? Not much, I would have to say.

Well...maybe having a bowling party with (almost) all your bff's would be good too.

But best of all would be having a mom who totally rocks at making an awesome birthday cake!

Time for a little break

With the crazy schedule of late the girls

and I are off to the beach for a little break.

I probably should have been a little more clear on what kind of break I meant.

Because THIS is not it!

Hostage

I have been a bad blogger. Not so clever, and not so funny. As with most things, it is not my fault. I am being held hostage by my yard!

Who knew that having a graduation party in July meant that you needed to start yard prep in March??

I have had lots of help.

Lots of good luck as well, and our veggie garden is doing quite well already.

We have some new additions like swiss chard and broccoli, as well as tons of peas.

Shelling peas is when I am glad I have given birth to so many helper slaves!

I told my sister that I thought our strawberries were on their last legs. I would probably pull them up and start over. Well....I think they heard, and now I am overrun with berries!

Waiting in line at Ikea for hours to purchase rain barrels was well worth the money I will save on my water bill!!

Can't wait till the point when I can relax and just ENJOY the garden. Oh, who am I kidding?? I will always be able to find something to do in it!

Field Trip

In my almost (but not quite) 40 years of life I have never been into the city of Philadelphia.

Into RFK Stadium to see Pink Floyd, yes. Into the convention center to see Finding Nemo on Ice, yes. But into the city? Not until this week. And never with over 100 5th graders!

The weather was as chilly, and rainy as it could be.

The puddles morphed into small lakes, and the many open parks available for lunching were drenched.

The Liberty Bell was great to see.

A few days after our trip it was evacuated because of a suspicious white powder. Wouldn't THAT have been a field trip to remember?!?

We got to see the actual chair George Washington sat in.

Benjamin Franklin's grave.

It was a field trip that inspired a lot of thought....

And was a lot of fun!!