Weather Report

For my sister, Michelle, who is flying here tomorrow and appears to be a little concerned about the weather, I have taken these photos just moments ago of the our present weather condition. Sunny and melting. No worries at all. :)


No really, we are buried, again! The kids have not been sledding this time, but working on a birthday Lucy snowman. Should be a fun week! Can't wait for Aunt Michelle to get here!

Homemade Hummus

I have tried and failed (really failed!) to make homemade hummus before. It just never seems to turn out the way restaurants make it, and I haven't found a good store-brand that I like. The last recipe I tried, I ommitted the Tahini because I couldn't find it at my grocery store. But a friend just emailed me this recipe and it is really yummy (tahini or not)! I put in way too much garlic (I did one HUGE clove instead of the suggested 2), but other than that it was great! Even Annabelle ditched dipping the pretzels and dipped her fingers instead!
Hummus
2 c chickpeas, drained but liquid reserved
1/2 c tahini, optional
1/4 c olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
salt and black pepper
1 T ground cumin
juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed

Blend ingredients, adjusting seasonings as necessary.

Yummy Snowmen

I got this idea from FamilyFun.com. We did it with the kids at James' story time today and James loved it so much he wanted to do it again with Lucy and Caleb. They loved it!!! Its just bananas, shredded carrots, mini chocolate chips, and a grape for a hat. Yum Yum! We have to make something fun out of all this cold weather!

Post Office

There is a reason that Bryce gave me a mail scale for Christmas . . .

A couple of months ago, I had to take something to the post office for Bryce (probably job applications or something) and it just so happened that the kids had off of school that day or something, so we all had to go together. It was approaching closing time, and anyone who has kids knows that it is extremely difficult to go ANYWHERE quickly with 4 small children. Just getting everyone in the car takes 10 minutes sometimes! So, we are in a hurry. We get to the post office and remember that the main st. office closes early. Ok, everyone back in the car so we can make it to the main post office. We hurry inside, but being the polite person that I am, hold the door open for the man coming in behind me so it didn't slam in his face. Instead of him grabbing the door open for me to go on, he just walked right passed me. Oh. ok. Well maybe the two girls behind him will grab it so i can proceed to the line with my 4 kids. Nope. They rushed right passed me too (remember, its close to closing time). Whatever. So I get in the long line. The kids stayed close, except for Annabelle whom I had to just hold (who was fighting that idea). As I got closer to the line, Lucy and James started to get up onto a little platform where they display boxes and gift wrap and such. I snapped at them to get down, and they quickly obeyed by hiding under the little counter there. Next thing I know, the postmaster is calling out, "Who's kids are those?"
"ahhh, mine?"
"Well, they keep messing around with our bell button under that counter!"
"GET OVER HERE. RIGHT. NOW!"
everyone in line was staring at me, some experienced mothers with pitty in their eyes - but it didn't help. I was so embarrassed. I swore I was never going to take the kids to the post office again. And I hadn't until today . . .

Like I mentioned before, I got a mail scale for Christmas so I could print lables and ship from home. Well, we sold a book on Amazon and I couldn't figure out the media mail online. So, I had to go in. I only had Annabelle and James with me, but it is 10 degrees outside today (not including wind chill!); yes. TEN. yuck. Anyway, I went in, we were the only ones crazy enough to be there in the cold, so no line, luckily. I went up to pay and realized my wallet was in the car. So I bundled up the kids, got my wallet out of my car, locked the car. Shut the door. WAIT! MY KEYS ARE SITTING ON THE FRONT SEAT!!! AHHH! oh boy. So I went in and paid and had to call my wonderful neighbors to go into my house and drive my spare key to me. I am so thankful for them!

So, that's my post office story. If anyone could help me know how to click-n-ship media mail, it would be very helpful.

December gone, Welcome 2010!

Happy New Year! We had a wonderful Christmas together followed by a fantastic New Year Celebration in Shreveport, Louisiana. The kids just make Christmas so much fun! December 26th we drove 15 hours to see Bryce's sister and parents. We enjoyed many game nights, talent shows, charades, kareoke singing, jello-slurping, shopping times, and being together.


Now its back to real life! I've been busy this week putting Christmas away, shopping, January organizing and budgeting, and looking for a house to buy! Its nice to have a break so I can feel motivated to get things done again!

Christmas Eve

My kids are fascinated with this German Nativity and beg me all month to light the candles on it so they could watch it spin. Today, I lit it up! The kids are so mystified by it! I love the look in their eyes as they light up at the little beauties of Christmas.

We spent the day with some friends roasting hot dogs in the snow. Tonight we will go to a musical fireside as well as the regular Christmas Eve festivities. My favorite day of the year!

Winter Wonderland

Yes, the Mid-Atlantic snow storm hit us yesterday and today! It was amazing how fast the storm came and started to pile up. It took me 40 minutes to pick up Bryce from school less than a mile away yesterday after the storm had only been going on 20 minutes! It was so beautiful to watch the snow fall. The kids were dying to get out there and play in it, but we were trying to convince them that playing in a snow storm would be miserable. We finally did let Caleb go out just at dusk because he was dying to shovel the side walk.
Here he is with the shovel BEFORE he left it outside and allowed a foot of snow to hide it very securely on the ground! (I miraculously dug it out this afternoon!)
We found sitting around the house playing and singing Christmas songs and eating treats and hot cocoa was better than being out in the storm.
Today we played in it like CrAzY! Pictures to come . . .