The Same, but Vastly Different

When the big kids were little kids, I was forever looking for things to keep us busy. There was no such thing as soccer practice, school, homework, farm chores, or long drives to get anywhere. Only being 20 mintues from downtown meant we headed that direction often.  After naps, off we'd go to spend a lazy afternoon.

It doesn't happen nearly as often with my current little kids.  We are now farther away, and have that pesky school pick-up right in the middle of the afternoon.  But when we do go downtown, we make the most of it.  We say good-bye to a nap and hello to loads of fun.

Yesterday we started with a trip to Indianapolis' fantastic zoo.  Where we can pet the sharks.

Where there is almost always a new baby for us to meet.

Where giant animals are up close and personal.

I do believe Turken is wondering if that bear can actually jump over and eat him.

For lunch, we headed around behind the zoo to have a picnic by the White River, a favorite spot for our family.  And you know we used our handy dandy lunch boxes!

I have been so many times that I could walk that zoo with my eyes closed.  Turken, on the other hand, had to check the map to be sure that we didn't miss anything.

Once he was satisfied that our animal-viewing was complete, all he and Cuckoo wanted to do was run.  So run they did.

 Down to the trashcan, circle it, then head down the path towards the water.

Up the steps and around again.  Round and round they went, only stopping for a brief sip of water every now and again.

Looks like we're going to have some work to do on that form, kiddo.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, but these cheeks aren't pink from the sun.

They ran for about 30 minutes straight before they decided to change it up and climb the big rock benches.  Turken is a big boy, days away from his 4th birthday, so he can simply walk across the divides.

Cuckoo, not so much.

He had to work hard to get his little self onto each and every one of those blocks.

But he never stopped.  He climbed each of those 10 blocks at least 5 times.

"I'm the king of the world!"

Hey boys, how about a cute photo on the steps together?

Not quite what I was going for.

I sometimes feel guilty when these two little ones have to spend hours on the soccer fields.  When their days have to be interrupted by a drive to pick kids up from school.  Basically, when they don't get the lazy toddlerhood their siblings received.

But then we have a day like yesterday.  I admit that their days certainly aren't the same.  But they are just as happy and full of adventure.

You Really Can (Occasionally) Learn From TV

I have a basic banana bread recipe that I got from my mom, that she got from my dad's mom.  Everyone finds it delicious.  No need to mess with it.

But I saw a commercial on the Food Network, and in a 5 second mention Bobby Flay said to melt the butter before adding it to your banana bread recipe.

We had some old bananas to use up, so we made some bread yesterday, and I tried it with melted butter. 

Guess what.  Better.  Never would have believed it.  Melted is better than creamed butter.

Here's our recipe:

Mix 2 eggs, 3 overripe bananas, 1 cup of sugar, and one stick of melted butter.

Add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp baking soda and mix again.

(We don't make bread with nuts, because my brother doesn't like them.  To the point that on Halloween he would ask every homeowner if the candy they were passing out had nuts in it.  If it did, he would ask if they had something else to give him.  Funny that I still don't put nuts in it, as my brother has only eaten my banana bread maybe once in 5 years.)

Bake in a loaf pan at 350 degrees for approximately 55 minutes.

Recipe doubles easily.  Bread can be frozen.  Can be baked in mini loaf pans for a shorter amount of time.

I don't know why, but Grandma and Mom always wrap the banana bread in Saran Wrap and then in aluminum foil.  So, of course, do I.

Have a lovely day!

So Glad You're Back!

Yesterday was a good day.

Every couple of hours, one of my boys came back home.

First, Star made it back from his first solo Boy Scout camp.  Let me tell you, there is no smell like the smell of a Boy Scout after a two-night camp.  Have mercy.

It was a reality TV themed weekend, full of challenges for the teams to complete.  Some examples:

Home Makeover:  The teams chose objects from a pile provided by the leaders, then decorated their tents with the objects.

Top Chef:  Each team had to make lunch for the leaders using ingredients given to them.  Some of the ingredients Star's team had to use were Kraft mac and cheese, Vienna sausage, and pineapple.

Amazing Race:  Each team had to choose which roadblock to complete.  They could either light 10 matches with a magnifying glass or start and keep one fire lit for 10 minutes.  All were surprised when the group that chose to light the matches finished in just a few minutes.

Survivor:  After each challenge, there was  meeting to vote on which team lost points.  The winning team had an immunity necklace, but each of the other teams lost either 10, 20, 30, or 40 points.

It was the perfect camp for him to go to as his first one.  Teams were assigned, so no awkward searching for a team.  The weather was fantastic.  Most of the troop went, so he really got to know a lot of the boys.  He had a great time.

Hubby came home around noon to a round of cheers and hugs.  (I think I cheered the loudest.)  The little boys were thrilled with their souvenirs; the bags of peanuts and pretzels from the plane.  He wasn't home long before I went and laid down for a rest.

Finally, at 5:00 Phoenix got home from his work weekend in southern Indiana.  I am so very glad that he had the opportunity to go.  Those kids worked their tails off, but had some fun along the way, too.  Because the boys aren't 16 years old, they couldn't help in the buildings in town.  They were assigned a farmer's field, which was approximately one square mile.  They walked back and forth across that field, picking up all trash that they came across. 

Phoenix was astounded at the things they discovered.  Astounded by the force of the tornado that could send these things into the middle of a field.  They found car keys, shingles from several different roofs, a Harley Davidson jacket, a license plate, a little boy's shirt.  He said the thing that really struck him was when he found a coloring book.  Some of the pages were obviously colored by a little hand.  He was sad for that child and wondered where that little person was.

Volunteers were told that if they found any papers with a person's name on it, the paper needed to be turned in.  Phoenix did find a bank statement to turn over.

It took 35 people 5 hours to clear that field, filling truck after truck with debris. 

Along with field clearing, they helped organize the food pantry donations and clean up the yards in a neighborhood.

Sunday morning, they went to 8:00 Mass, then got back out there, tackling another farmer's field.

After the work for the day was done, Phoenix and a couple of other boys went to a nearby playground.  There they met several families with small children.  Those kids were enthralled with the big, stinky, filthy boys.  And after that labor-intensive day, when most people would just want to drop and rest, Phoenix and his friends pushed those little kids round and round on the merry-go-round. 

Here's a fact that I did not know. 

When FEMA comes in to help with a disaster area, any money they hand out is actually just a loan.  It must be paid back.  However, volunteer labor is deducted from the total repayment amount.  Phoenix had to keep track of his time, and the town was able to deduct $8 per hour from the total owed to FEMA. 

There is still much, much more work to be done.  It is predicted that it will take two years to get everything cleaned up and rebuilt.  If you would like to help, one way is through Catholic Charities.  They are setting up a schedule of workers to take trips down.  They are also taking donations.  You can go to www.archindy.org/cc/disaster for more information.

I am once again astounded and grateful for all of the people who work so hard to make other people's lives better.

Whether it is a few Boy Scout leaders who plan and present a weekend of fun for a group of boys or a sixteen year old boy who organizes a group of volunteers to help a town recover from tragedy, I am both humbled and inspired. 

Keep praying for those in southern Indiana

Have a lovely day!

I'll Be Waiting For You!

So this is what it's like to have big kids.

What it is like for them to live lives of their own.  To experience things of their choosing without their parents.  To get some independence.

Phoenix is on his way to help with the clean-up from the tornadoes in southern Indiana.  I'm so proud of him.  Instead of staying home and having fun with his friends, he chose to spend two full days of hard labor helping farmers clean up their fields.

Buttercup is at a friend's slumber party.  And it was just decided that she would be going on spring break with a different friend's family.  I'm so proud of the way she handles herself, with the way she chooses her friends.  I don't have any concerns about the party or the trip.

Star is on his first Boy Scout camping trip.  Without his older brother to show him the ropes.  Without his dad keeping an eye on him.  He was so excited to go.  And I'm so excited for him.  It is good for him to be out experiencing things without his siblings.  He will finally get to gain some independence for himself.

Giant might as well be gone, he is so engrossed in the Saint Louis/Memphis game.  I would not be surprised if this child is a cell-phone toting, money making, bling-wearing bookie before he is 16.  The child lives for analyzing both basketball brackets and football pools.  At this moment, the brackets of the entire family are spread out on the floor in front of him.  He is circling and crossing out, laughing at those who chose unwisely, figuring out which family member still has the chance to win it all.   I love how his brain works.  Always thinking.  Just praying that he uses that brain for good.

Even Hubby is gone, enjoying himself on his annual trip with his friends.  And I'm glad.  He rarely takes the time to do something for himself.

The little boys are sleeping, worn out from two days of non-stop mahem.  With Hubby being gone, they have had to get up at 6:30 to get the big kids to school.  We then have breakfast at a "fancy restaurant" according to Cuckoo.  Can't say that I've ever called Bob Evans fancy, but who am I to say.

Errands, bible studies, packing, running big kids to practices and camps and parties, eating at our school's fish fry, and on and on and on.  Yup, they are worn out. But they have had good attitudes about it the whole way through.

I'm happy to see how things are playing out.  What great people my babies are becoming. 

I always wondered what I would do with a few moments to myself. 

Now I know.

I'll blog about them.

Of course.

Actually, I Just Need a Rainy Day

I feel a meltdown coming on.

With all of this fabulous weather, nothing is getting done around my house.

I have a rule that if God gives you a gorgeous day, you are to enjoy it.  Get outside and play, play, play.

The problem with that rule is spotlighted when you have a whole string of gorgeous days in March.

An entire week of playing leads to one messy house.

It starts with me not getting my cleaning done each day, because I am out with the little boys.

Things get worse when I let a weekend go by and don't give anyone cleaning chores to do. 

And we hit rock bottom when the kids pick up on my lack of cleaning leadership.  They totally take advantage by not doing their normal, daily routine.

I cannot walk through a room without stepping on something.

The piano room is littered with 200 Matchbox cars.

The kitchen floor has crumbs all over it.

Books are scattered in the TV room.

An entire box of soccer gear has been dumped on the landing.

Dirty clothes have overflowed the hamper and are all over the bathroom floor.

Random socks and shoes show up everywhere.

And then there are the surfaces.

A pile of clean clothes has sat on the couch for 5 days.

Papers and magazines cover the counter and end table.

Boy scout books and school projects take up the chair in the TV room.

Are you getting tense just thinking about the mess at my house?

If something doesn't get done today, I will lose it.

And it won't be pretty.

Hubby is out of town until Sunday, so he can't help.

The rule will have to be broken.

The children and I are going to get something done around here.

The hammer is coming down.

I'd put my foot down, but I would probably hurt myself on a toy penguin left on the floor by Cuckoo.

Honey, Mama's Don't Toot!

Have you ever noticed?  Little people repeat just about everything they hear. 

Yesterday, Turken asked me to look at his picture of Harry Potter.  The conversation continued with him asking me, "Who is this with Harry Potter?"

"I don't know, honey.  Who is it?"

"Justin Beaver."

Ha!  I love you, little boy. 

Because I know kids repeat everything they hear, we only listen to a kids' channel on the radio.   SiriusXM Kids Place Live has been our channel of choice for years.  They have introduced us to many, many fun, toe-tapping songs from many imaginative people.

But the folks at the radio station forgot one very important thing about kids.  They repeat everything!

Cuckoo is now quoting this song each and every day.

Fun and toe-tapping?  Absolutely. 

Funny lyrics for young and old to enjoy?  Most certainly.

Something you want your two year old to sing all day, every day?  That would be an emphatic NO!!!

Picture yourself pushing two boys through a crowded grocery store.  Out of nowhere, one little boy belts out, "Mama Tooted.  She may say that she did not, but Mama Tooted."

Awesome.  Really.  I would have died laughing if it would have happened to someone other than me.

Although, if I would have seen this happen to someone in the middle of church on Sunday, I most certainly wouldn't have laughed.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as nice as me.

I don't get to relax any at home, either.

Let's say Cuckoo is working on a puzzle.  Most parents would be thrilled that he is occupying himself in such a productive way.

But most people don't have children who physically cannot work a puzzle in silence.  Every single one of my kids either chit-chats or sings while putting the pieces in place.

So, when Cuckoo works on a puzzle, he invariably begins to sing that song.

The rest of the kids hear him, start giggling, then join along.

If Hubby is home, he doesn't put a stop to it.  No.  He sings it loudest of all.

As far as my family is concerned, this is the best song ever put to paper.

Argh!

All of this singing is making me jumpy.

Everywhere we go, I'm on alert. 

Go to bible study, anxiously watch to see if he goes near the puzzles.  Gotta shut that down real quick.

If we're in a room full of kids and one of them toots, Cuckoo will most certainly blame it on me.  Loudly and clearly.  So I am forever ready to grab him and go before he can utter a single word.

I am to the point where I am going to have to write to Mr. Keller Williams.

I really need him to write a retraction song.

I need him to tell the truth.

I need his next song to be super catchy, played often, and titled, "I was wrong.  It was the dog."

Here Birdy, Birdy, Birdy!

I woke up today with a desire to simply stay in bed.  My body is in a bit of a revolt, no doubt from volleyball, yoga, and tag with the kids.  But get up I must. 

I actually had a discussion with myself about how much TV I could let the boys watch without feeling guilty.  Then I opened the front door.

I am convinced that God put birds on this earth solely to tell us to get our rear ends outside and see what He has in store for us.

The birds were practically screaming at me when I opened that door.

So, without even bothering to change out of our PJ's, the boys and I threw on some shoes and headed out to play Hide-and-Seek with those birds.

You'd think that with the number of birds we heard, finding them would be no problem.  You would be wrong.  It took us an eternity to even find a dependable robin. 

So we took a break to do some pondering.

Cuckoo asked, "Why is my lawn mower wet?"

He wondered, "Might you be kind enough to tell me how you attained that height?"

And finally Turken wanted to know, "Why would God make, let alone someone plant, a tree with deadly thorns on it?"

We left the thorny tree to again look for the birds we could hear all around us.  Most especially a woodpecker hiding somewhere in this tree.

 We looked until our necks hurt and our eyes were watering, but no woodpecker.

We took another break to look at the flowers.

We went around to the back of the house, and Tada!!!

A bird!

Sure, it's a bird stealing a bit of the dog's food.  Nowhere near the natural habitat bird we were looking for, but a bird nonetheless.

In our joy, Turken forgot about the thorns, and we returned to the fallen tree to explore and ponder some more.

Things like, "How does grass grow in a dead tree?"

And, "Where are all of the birds that belong to all of these nests we see?"

And then we heard it again.  That woodpecker couldn't be far away.  I left the kids at the tree to track it down.  (Little boys aren't exactly good at sneeking up on a bird.  All bird activity stops when they try.)  I have no bird tracking skills, so I went in blind. Although I did discern that he was pecking at a dead limb.  I searched the treetop for the dead branches, and...

I found him!

In my excitement, I screamed for the boys.  Blasted bird few off in fright before the boys could even yell, "What?"

But that one sighting opened the aviary gates.

Birds were everywhere.  We saw the crows we'd heard cawing all morning. 

We saw birds with red heads.  Birds with shimmery feathers.  Birds perched way up on top of the barn.

The kids were so excited, they took turns doing happy dances on the cistern

and victory swings on the tree rope.

And while Turken was swinging, wouldn't you know that another woodpecker started pecking right above our heads.  Turken found in in seconds.

Can't say that my body feels any better after our two hours of bird-watching.  Actually, it's even a bit worse.  But my mood has improved beyond measure.

When those birds talk, listen.  They cannot tell a lie.

Have a lovely day!