I'm glad to be home this weekend. I'll be able to do this blog hop the way it should be done!
On to the list...
1. I am thankful for car pools. Phoenix has begun high school soccer practices at the high school, which is 30 minutes away if I don't hit too much traffic, so I called a friend to see if she wanted to carpool. Fortunately for me, she had already made plans to be at the high school to meet her oldest daughter and exchange grandkids most days, so I only had to drive out there twice all week.
2. I am thankful for Giant. While all my kids are very good at helping out around the house if I ask them point-blank, Giant is the only one who is really good about jumping in without being asked. I have been doing a lot of driving kids around this week, plus quite a bit of canning. That boy emptied the dishwasher without being asked at least three times. He peeled potatoes. He did the hot water/cold water thing to the tomatoes to get them done faster. Every time I turned around, there he was, helping out. He made the week so much easier.
3. I am thankful for hand-me-downs. We went through the box of uniforms in preparation for school starting. Between the clothes worn by older siblings and clothes given to us by other families, I will have to purchase a grand total of 0 shirts, 0 shorts, and 6 pairs of pants. (Boys and pants do not do well together. I rarely get to hand those down until they are older and don't go to recess. I swear, they play harder and more recklessly in pants than shorts. Their pants come home all torn to shreds, yet when they wear shorts, their knees are just fine.)
4. I am thankful for friends who like tomatoes. I don't know why, but COW planted cherry tomato plants again. He is the only person in the house who eats cherry tomatoes, so we are buried in them. I hate to waste food, so the other day, I packed a bunch up in baggies and took them to soccer practice. They were gone in seconds.
5. I am thankful for Facebook. Ugh. Can't believe I'm saying it. My dad is probably yelling at the screen right now, "I told you you'd like it!" I have enjoyed the messaging thing so I can talk to people a bit more personally, and it is great for keeping in touch with my friends who've been transferred overseas. Plus, I'm having fun reading other people's posts. There are some funny people out there!
6. I am thankful for our new kitchen. (If you're fairly new here, I might have mentioned the kitchen once or twice back in November and December and the big reveal in January) This new kitchen has made canning sooooo much easier. The process doesn't take up the entire kitchen, so the kids can be in there with me. Even making lunch while I work. Sure, it still took me four hours to get all the potatoes done, but it was a much more pleasant experience.
7. I am thankful for the end of construction. The county decided to put a roundabout in at the intersection where the soccer fields are. For months, we haven't been able to get around from one side to the other without driving many minutes out of the way. That was bad enough. But add in the fact that my car pool from #1 also lives on the other side of that construction, and that construction becomes a downright hindrance.
Yesterday, as I was dropping one kid off at practice, I noticed they took down one of the signs blocking the road. When I went to pick him up, I saw they were about to take them all down. Instead of doing the usual drive around to go get Phoenix, I sat and waited. I called home to tell Buttercup that I was going to be the very first person to use the roundabout. As she was saying, "Are you actually sitting there waiting?" some jerk came around me and the work trucks to be the first person on the roundabout. I had to be happy with runner up.
Happy I am. Construction is done and my drive time can be cut in 1/300th.
8. I am thankful for Legos. For some reason, Buttercup brought the Legos up from the basement earlier this week. It's odd, seeing as how she has never, ever played with Legos. None of my kids have ever been big Lego fans. (Doesn't mean they haven't been given many over the years.) For three days straight, Star, Buttercup, Turken, and Cuckoo have been building things with them. Elaborate things. The houses are incredible pieces of work. Bathrooms with toilets. Bedrooms with beds and bedside lamps. Buttercup even went so far as to put vents in the floors of every room. My photos won't do them justice, and taking them at night doesn't help, but I don't want to catch heck for not putting photographic evidence.
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| bedroom |
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| She's been to the public pool. This one's private. |
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| Living room |
9. I am thankful for friends with gardens. There is a family at school with 7 kids. The mom is a superhero as far as I'm concerned. (Want an example? Her father passed away last year, and her mom doesn't like being at home by herself at night. Each and every night, this mom takes one of her kids over to spend the night with Grandma. The child sets an alarm, gets up and eats, gets dressed, and is ready for his mom to pick him up for school at 7:00. They have been doing this for a year!!!)
Anyway, this friend called me and said, "I know your green beans didn't do so well this year. Would you like some?" (Besides learning how to be a better person, she has also taught me many, many things about being a gardener.) Turns out, her beans did beyond well. She has already canned 100 quarts of green beans, and has 5 1-gallon buckets full of them sitting in her fridge. Three rows are just now getting ready to harvest. Guess what I'll be doing Monday?
10. I am thankful for fun kids' music. While I do appreciate (very much so) the music Lizzi put together for me, I can't take it with me everywhere I go. Thankfully, kids' music isn't all Barney and Disney. This is one song I crank up and sing/scream every time it comes on. Educational and catchy.
Now, it is your turn. Tell us what you are thankful for this week.
(For newbies: You will notice the comments on these posts will not be normal. It's more conversation than comment hit and run. All weekend long, co-hosts and contributors keep going back, commenting on other comments and adding to it all. Don't be alarmed. Don't be afraid. Just jump in and have some fun. If you need help translating Clark's, just ask for help. We've all been there.)
Have a lovely day!
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Bringing the Sunshine, Considerings, Finding Ninee, I can say mama, Steps into Parenthood, Thankful Me, The Wakefield Doctrine
Hmm, I didn't know that about the comments. I'll have to check back!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was a weirdo for not liking fresh tomatoes. Yuck! My hubby loves them.
I am so sorry you were robbed of the chance to be the first to use the roundabout! Jerk!
You are thankful for Legos?? Have you ever stepped on one?!
You really should. Sometimes, they go on and on, getting funnier and funnier.
DeleteI was thiiiis close to making a #11, I'm thankful that I haven't stepped on one yet. :) I've avoided the room as much as possible.
I thought you'd like that line. Now to see if Clark reads it... :)
Delete"..say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like..."
Deletelol there is no doubt that the Comments are one of the coolest thing here... that and the '2 dayedness' of the conversation. Though I have not yet managed to do a Sunday Post... it's good to have goals.
you two deserve the total credit for going against what 'everyone knows' which is that 'no one bothers with blogs on the weekend' well, I guess the 20 or 30 bloggers each weekend didn't get the Memo! (and...and! a Summer weekend! )
I will be back later in the day work calls...
I remember our cars were dusted by ash when Mt. St. Helens blew. How is it that I've never heard this song? It sure is catchy! "Oh, oh, oh, the mountain's gonna blow. . ."
ReplyDeleteWow, first-hand knowledge! I know, you can't help singing it, can you?
DeleteI love cherry tomatoes! Actually, I take potatoes (5 lbs), onions (two large), broccoli, carrots, green beans, green and red peppers (2 of each), cherry tomatoes (cut in half), celery (two packages), and sometimes corn ... cut them all up and mix them together in two big cooking pans, bake covered with tin foil at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes, and you've got one heck of a great vegetable dish that will last you all week. Just make sure you don't go more than 2 inches tall when packing in the pans or the top will be dry. Geesh, look mom, I'm a cook! lol I was actually driving back to Lexington from Bloomington the other day and stayed South going thru Mitchell to Paoli. Worst, slow 35 mph area for 17 miles I ever traveled. Didn't think I was ever going to get out of it. Glad your area is almost done. Good post!
ReplyDeleteRich, look at you! Who knew you had skills beyond Sarcastic Master? While I will not make enough to last me all week, (Remember? 6 kids? I don't have a pan big enough.) I will give it a try. Most of these are in our garden, anyways!
DeleteJust since joining FB did I realize you went to school in Bloomington! I didn't know you were from my neck of the woods! My husband went to IU for law school, so we were probably in the same town at the same time without even knowing it.
Sorry the trip home was so long, though.
Oh, come on now. For a kids' song, you have to admit it's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteTomatoes? Eh. Things made with tomatoes? Yum.
Yes, I've seen that BBQ thing done. I don't eat cherry tomatoes, though, so I don't eat tomatoes on the grill.
She really is incredible. I get calls from her on a semi-frequent basis asking if I want something.
Yay for Giant!
I cannot believe you haven't had one, single Lego out for your niece and nephew. I figured Legos would be a go-to toy for you! Get on it!
In your dreams, sister.
As you know my kids just started soccer this past summer and my older daughter loves it so much and so at least for her it looks like we will definitely be soccer parents ow for the foreseeable future and of course whatever big sis does little sis wants to do, so she too will be playing more soccer in the fall. One good thing, I don't have to deal with crazy dance moms anymore, because of soccer they are no longer taking dance lessons. Seriously, some of these dance moms were worse then those crazy pageant moms you see on TV. Even said though and so glad you did have a great week and the legos are truly impressive. I didn't know they made Flat Screen TVs for them, but wow!! Thanks as always for co-hosting this wonderful hop!! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't get too relieved about the dance moms. My husband once stumbled onto the show "Dance Moms" and loved it, simply because, as he says, "They're just like soccer parents!" No sport has such crazy parents as soccer. There are good soccer parents out there, though, and we've been on a couple of wonderful teams. I hope you get some of those.
DeleteThey don't make TVs for them. My kids made all that stuff out of normal, plain Legos.
I am so jealous you have a garden....and all those cherry tomatoes! Love them. You didn't ask but here's my cherry tomato story. As a child of 10 or so my aunt and cousin were visiting from CA early summer. We ate dinner in the dining room, all 6 of us. After finishing, the adults left assuming (correctly) the 2 youngest (my cousin and myself) would clear the dishes etc. We did, eventually, but not before eating more...cherry tomatoes. Except we played with them first putting them between our teeth and "popping" them. It was great fun. What wasn't fun was cleaning tomato off the walls. =D
ReplyDeleteAwesome story!! (And I always like it when people tell stories in the comments. I love it when something I wrote triggers a fond memory for someone.) While that popping is fun for kids, that is mainly the reason I don't like them. I can't stand the feeling of them popping in my mouth. But wait! You just gave me an idea! We may just have to have a cherry tomato popping contest outside with the kids! We certainly have plenty of tomatoes.
DeleteI agree. Too many things are dumbed down for kids. Of course, the most classical music my kids have ever heard is on Bugs Bunny...
ReplyDeleteI do love tomato soup. I shall have to look a recipe up for that... Unless of course we have a popping contest. (see comment from Girlie)
Don't. No. Not. going. to. do. it. (And I am a stubborn one. Once I write it like that, there is very, very, very little chance it will happen.)
don't laugh! the 'secret' classic music in the Bugs Bunny cartoons was excellent... still love the Barber of Seville (with Elmer Fudd) great re-writing of the libretto I'm such Rossini would have approved
ReplyDeletehttp: space //www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWRZut6klgE
(if you want to watch the youtube clip you will need to solve the puzzle of the non-active url!)
I can relate to the new kitchen. My previous house had a very, very small kitchen. I've a big one now and it makes a world of difference. I'm thankful for that too.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for many things. If you just look around there are so many blessings.
Have a terrific day. :)
Big kitchens are a dream come true.
DeleteFeel free to write them down and link them up! :)
Oooh I love cherry tomartoes. I could just eat them by the tub load... mmmm now you've got me wanting them... *off to the fridge I go*
ReplyDeleteI really want a new kitchen... hell I actually want a new house but shh...
Enjoy!
DeleteI won't tell.
Now I am hungry for cherry tomatoes and garden fresh green beans... and even a big box of Legos! I bet we still have some in a storage box somewhere! :-) Nothing is more fun than watching an old toy or activity get a breath of new life and interest... and if it keeps the kids happily and creatively occupied for a couple days, that's a HUGE plus for a busy mama! Sounds like your summer is fully of activity, soon school will be on again. I wish my kids would have had uniforms back in the day, I know most kids aren't crazy about them, but they just make good sense, save parents lots of money, and eliminate that "status" issue thing! Another great list from you, yours are always like a breath of fresh air, reminding me of home and the growing up years!
ReplyDeleteWe keep most of the toys in the basement/dungeon, so anytime we bring something up, it gets lots of use. No one has ever really chosen the Legos, though. I am quite happy that they did. (Doesn't just about every family have a box of Legos somewhere?)
DeleteUniforms are wonderful! There are a few public school districts around here that are even going to them. Great idea, I say!
Thank you! I'm glad you like them. :)
lol... something in a Monty Python, perhaps? or maybe a Young Frankestein lol
DeleteOur house is 150 years old. I think the technical term is cellar, but it has a feel of a dungeon for sure, especially when it floods.
DeleteMonty Python! One of our favorites!
I was shocked when I got to be an adult and discovered that the Barber of Seville and all others was actually well-known, classic music.
ReplyDeleteLizzi, I doubt my kids will actually put tomatoes in their mouths, even if it's just to pop them. We don't apple schmear, but the boys do have apple wars with the bad apples. Basically, throw them as hard as they can at each other.
Aww...you have much to be thankful for! When my kids were little, I used to be SO thankful when they found an activity that kept them busy--and QUIET---for a long time. LEGOS are great!
ReplyDeleteI certainly do. As long as the activity keeping them quiet doesn't involve anything like drawing pictures on my wall with permanent marker. :)
Delete@ Christine lol I was the same... in fact I think a wrote a post once to the effect of 'hey! this opera? it's like a story and everything'
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of sneaking in music (of all sorts) into cartoons and such.
What a great list...and thanks for the reminder of hand-me-downs. Even though we don't have school uniforms, I am thankful we didn't have to buy practice uniforms for soccer due to hand-me-downs. They are the best.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks again for the cherry tomatoes...they were gone from our house quickly! We'll be happy to take any others you may end up needing to get rid of! :) But just to emphasize the point: no thanks on the green beans! YUCKO!
Kids songs are some of the best...and some of the worst. As you alluded to, it depends on who is doing the singing. :) Thanks for sharing a new one to me!
Which reminds me, I have loads of practice shirts to pass on to some yet-to-be-found U8 or U9 player.
DeleteI'm sure there will be plenty more, unless I get around to making the soup Lizzi suggested. I don't have time to cook with all the canning to do!
I thought you'd like that song, being that it's educational and all. Geography, anyone?
WOW what a culinary, kitchen transformation! I would be mega thankful for that as well! Its fabulous! I love your whole list but I am also so partial to leggos...When my kid grew out of them luckily he left them behind for me! He was probably sitting somewhere in the house thinking "thank Goodness, she's quiet!"
ReplyDeleteI know!!! People walk in and quickly look around to make sure they are in the right house.
DeleteHahahaha!!! So many funny images going through my head with the Lego story...
I love the new Legos that are out. My girls had a kit a couple years ago that actually built The Crabby Shack where Spongebob works. It included Spongebog, Mr. Crabz, and little lego crabby patties! I think I enjoyed it more than they did. lol. I don't see a link to include this as a blog hop on my page? Didn't want anyone to think I just wasn't trying. Great list!
ReplyDeleteThey are getting quite detailed and specific, aren't they? The ones my kids had were all sorts of different old sets they mixed up and used willy-nilly. I wish they had SpongeBob ones. I would love that! Ours are more of the car/flying machine variety.
DeleteYour page looks just right. Only the hosts have the linky part.
Thanks for joining in!
I don't have a Facebook account. People close to me would tell 'Get one already!!!!!'
ReplyDeleteHappy blogging! ;o)
I just got one recently. Don't cave unless you really want to.
DeleteThank you!
I am thankful for Facebook too, though it annoys me at times! Yes, I am annoyed though thankful for what construction can do too. I think you asked about my suggestion viz my pets blog about the use of lemons...yes, I refer to the diluted juice of a lemon ( not rubbing one directly on the dog, of course)! Wiping your pet with a bit of the juice, diluted with lots of water, can repel fleas.
ReplyDeleteI am very particular about who I befriend on facebook. I refuse to be friends with anyone in town or people that I know would just make me irritated.
DeleteI didn't know that! Very good tip. Thank you!
What a fun list! All those kiddos and tomatoes and what a wonderful, busy life you have. :) I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'm enjoying Lizzi's blog hop more and more!
ReplyDeleteWonderful and busy, for sure.
DeleteI'm glad you're enjoying it. We want it to be lots of fun for everyone.
I, too, am thankful for Legos but have a love/hate relationship with them. I love the fact that the space shuttle we recently put together came with a teeny tiny red cup for the "dashboard" and that my son will bring it to me and let me share a sip from it. That part, and putting them together (he can't do them on his own yet) is a blast. When they come apart and I'm not sure which pieces are for the space shuttle and which are for the rocket, and which are for the airplane and they're all so dang TINY, err...not as thankful. Love the hand-me-down one. My brother sends their old clothes to my son - and we then give them to a friend who sends them to her sister in El Salvador. A like to think of it as being green, globally ;)
ReplyDeleteExactly! Love the big box of Legos for the kids to make their own. Can't really stand the sets that have to be put together just so, and then never taken apart. Legos are for putting together/taking apart. Models are to be glued together.
DeleteFor the little boys, we get clothes from my sister. Her kids have more clothes than anyone on the planet, it seems, which has meant I've spent about $50 on the little kids over the course of their lives. Hand me downs are the best kind of eco-friendly!
Lmao I love the note for "translating" Clark's comments. How long has that been up? Have I already commented about this? My memory is going to hell!
ReplyDeleteHmm tough to come up with 10 things about soccer? Oh I dunno... I'll help:
Seeing [my] kids enjoying themselves engaged in a passion they love.
That their passion involves actually being active over sitting around in front of the TV.
Meeting/engaging other soccer mom's and/or parents to compare notes how thankful (or thankless) you are about bringing your kids to play soccer.
Soccer involves kicking balls not associated with anatomy.
Though it's sometimes humorous watching someone with [figurative] balls, kicking a [non-anatomical] ball into someones [anatomical] balls.
That the above hasn't happened to one of your sons.
That one of your children were the deliverer of the above [solely for humors sake].
That injuries aren't anywhere near as frequent as they could be.
There are a few more for you! You're welcome!
*drops mic and walks off stage*
Okay, I'm back. But only because of Legos! I love me some Legos, and think it's awesome they are playing with them. I have to say I am really impressed with what they have built! I don't think my houses ever got so elaborate. I wonder what inspired them to start using them (Buttercup especially). I'm glad you showed pictures or I would have thought you were mentioning Legos solely for my benefit for some kind of [figurative] brownie points! Well played ;-)
I love cherry tomatoes! I would have totally taken some baggies of them. I have 2 tenants that grow mini gardens out back, and a lot of the time they share their goodies if a strong yield. This mainly consists of tomatoes and cucumbers I believe. It's always great to see them planting away and tending to their gardens.
I'd be very thankful for hand-me-downs as well. Clothes aren't cheap, so any way to save a buck or ten is all good in my book!
I don't even want to discuss construction >.< Some of our main roads have been cut down to one lane for the entire summer. It's so bad I attempt alternate routes, which are fine except when not being familiar with how much time said route adds to travel when attempting to make it to a movie... GAH!
Just imagine how much fun Twitter would be >.>
Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink
I actually giggled when I wrote it. :)
DeleteThank you so much for coming up with positive aspects of soccer. I really needed to read/see that right about now. I'm great at telling my kids to keep a positive attitude about things, but about soccer, I've been a real drag lately. I needed that kick in the pants to get me back to my normal happy self. :)
Just today, a friend made a comment about Legos only being for kids up to about 7. Buttercup started giggling nervously, so I had to put this woman in her place and let her know that LOTS of people play with Legos a lot longer than that.
I wear hand-me-downs, too. Love them. (when coming from the right person. My daughter won't (understandably) wear the clothes my grandma hands down to her.)
And you don't do well with unfamiliar roads. I seem to remember a story of you getting lost and running out of gas...
No. I will not imagine. Ever.
Ha! Trying to teach Jak the art of gentle persuasion are we?
DeleteACK up to 7 years of age my ass! I still play with them >.> Even this weekend while cleaning I was checking out my little prison tower with seated crossbow sentries...
DeleteI almost ran out of gas, it was a close call lol
I'm generally a gentle individual, but sometimes I'm more like... look... this is how it is... either shit or get off the pot. Actually that is said to me more than I ever say it, because I'm pretty indecisive >.< *sigh*
I'll give it more time...
Shhhhhhhhhh dayum gurl.
DeleteI have to confess that the weekend was almost over before I got around to doing my 10 things post this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why it is, but if I know I've got something to do (such as posting), you can guarantee that there will be something, or someone, that will prevent it :)
I absolutely adore the Lego homes - our whole family used to build stuff with it, and try to be as original as possible - and that was when Lego was quite basic, so I'm very envious of the new stuff out now :)
Oh, and I loooooved the Mount St Helen's song! Lol
That is fine! We're just glad you got it in!
DeleteI know the feeling. I've been wanting to get on this computer, but from 6:00am until 9:30, I was gone or busy. Frustrating, isn't it?
There are all sorts of new things. Some of the options are adorable. As long as they aren't in some big, complicated set, I'm good with them.
Glad you liked it!
Love your list, I just feel bad that you only got 2nd place in the new road derby.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Me, too. Especially since I had been on the phone with my daughter at the time, telling her I was going to be first.
DeleteDon't you love it when the kids find a renewed interest in an old toy or game? And use it for the forces of good and not the forces of evil? Very creative, your bunch!
ReplyDeleteSurely you followed that car that went around you at the roundabout and keyed it when he parked? ;)
I'm glad you're on Facebook, too!
I do, I do! Yes, I certainly appreciated the Lego rediscovery much more than the foam swords rediscovery.
DeleteUnfortunately, no. I had a kid in the car and didn't have that on my list of things to teach that day. :)
:)
A new kitchen?! That is awesome. I have a small galley kitchen in my apartment and we often have too many cooks in the kitchen at one time. There are a lot of "oh excuse me" or "right behind you" comments in our kitchen space. Cannot wait someday to have a kitchen with plenty of counter space, walking room and maybe even an island! (gasp!)
ReplyDeleteOh, I can relate to construction. In Minnesota, we have two seasons: Winter and Road Construction Season. Minnesota is a mess in the summer. There were three detours to get to the farmer's market yesterday. Incredible.
Love Legos and any excuse I can get to build with them. I love when our classic toys are still popular for kiddos these days. You built some pretty awesome houses!
For 18 years of marriage, I lived in horrible kitchens. The first being the most awful by far, which is really saying something. I hope you get your new kitchen soon!
DeleteI have actually heard that about Minnesota before. There's a small window of opportunity to get those roads done.
I am all for classic toys making a comeback.
Don't forget learning the music of Carmen AND getting a lesson in Shakespeare on Gilligan's Island when they performed a musical version of Hamlet.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JQ8yF04y9o
p.s. tomatoes are gross unless they are made into ketchup, salsa or tomato sauce.