We have a quote book at our house now, so anyone can write down a funny comment. This is extremely helpful because I used to forget to write things down, but now someone always pipes up and says, "Quote book" or they just go write it themselves. This also leads to many a random thing written in the quote book that is not all that funny, but at least the kids are amused by their own silliness. Here are a few from the last five months that I enjoyed.
_______________________________________
Daisy and I are reading a book online. The book has questions at the end.
Mom: What is a baby cat called?
Daisy: MITTEN!!
_______________________________________
We were watching the end of General Conference and President Monson exited the stand with his daughter. (Previously, he always left with his wife.)
Mom: Cute, now President Monson goes out with his daughter.
(June gave me a quizzical look)
June: Mom, I thought you meant "Goes out with" the other way.
________________________________________
Kami: Kendyl, ya it's a bisexual name.
Mom: Do you mean unisex??
________________________________________
June: Which is it? Alfalfa or Omega?
________________________________________
Robyn: You know why I don't eat broccoli? Because it is a plant and if we eat it, we are ruining nature.
________________________________________
Pearl: I want to go to Hobby Lobby
Mom: Why?
Pearl: Because I want to buy something.
Mom: Where's your money?
Pearl: In your wallet.
________________________________________
During prayer I was whispering to Pearl what to say. I was having her bless everyone in turn. Everyone had been named except mom.
Mom: (whispering) Who is missing?
Pearl: (silence) ??
Mom: (giving up) Please bless mom
Pearl: (Hesitating) Please bless our bum.
________________________________________
June was reciting the Young Women's Values
June: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good works.......Industry??
________________________________________
June and Robyn were playing a fantasy game with mythological characters.
Robyn: It's a hypocrite!
June: No, a hippogriff.
________________________________________
Gotta love mixed up Christmas Carols.
Pearl: Here comes Santa Claus, dressed in a snow white gown!
________________________________________
After school we were talking about who had fallen on the ice.
Mom to Pearl: Did you slip on the ice today?
Pearl: No. (shaking her head) I slept (slipped) on my bed.
________________________________________
June: So, 1/4-1/5 is what, Robyn?
Robyn: Well, 5-4 is 1, so....one oneth?
________________________________________
We were talking to Ivory about when she would get baptized.
Tyler: You don't have to get baptized on a Saturday.
June: I think you have to pay extra to get baptized on a day that's not Saturday.
________________________________________
Ivory brought home a book about Martin Luther King Jr. She had read it out loud and was quizzing Daisy on what she heard.
Ivory: Did he become a minister?
Daisy: Yes.
Ivory: Did he get a shot?
Daisy: No.
Ivory: Yes. He was abolished. It means someone killed him.
________________________________________
Daisy: I know what wine is.
Mom: What is wine?
Daisy: Teardrops.
_________________________________________
Daisy has a different bus driver in the morning than she does in the afternoon.
Daisy: I wonder if my first bus driver is married to my second bus driver? Because they are both really old and they have cracked skin.
_________________________________________
Ivory: Why does your water bottle say insulted? (It says insulated.)
_________________________________________
I was tucking the littles into bed.
Pearl: This morning when I woke up, I was sick.
Daisy: Yeah, she was.
Mom: Oh, what kind of sick?
Daisy: Morning sickness.
_________________________________________
Pearl possibly listens to too much pop music. She sang this medley to dad the other day.
Pearl: What does the fox say? Ring-ding-ding-ding-ding-a-ding. Radioactive, radioactive. I missed my mom and dad for this?
(props if you recognize all those songs.)
_________________________________________
While eating small ice cream cups, Ivory mentioned that she had eaten enough ice cream that she could see the bottom of her cup. Then Daisy chimed in.
Daisy: I can see my bottom a little bit. A tiny crack.
_________________________________________
And finally one of my favorites. Tyler and I had gone to a play, In the Heights, and there were plenty of Spanish words throughout. At one point Tyler leans over, trying to be helpful.
Tyler: You might be a little lost. Abuela means Aunt.
Maleen: Abuela means Grandma.
Tyler: Yeah, that's what I meant.
_________________________________________
Hope these made you smile once or twice.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
It is Amazing What Happens in 8 Years
I was looking through old pictures around the time Ivory was born. It made me sad that I didn't have a blog back then. It doesn't seem fair to the older girls that we missed their younger years. I may have to start doing a Flashback Friday or something of the sort and get some of those photos on the blog.
Like, check out this fabulous picture never before posted anywhere. (Possibly because of the extreme flattering angle.)
That would be the day before Ivory would make her big appearance. She didn't look the same as the other two. But they loved her despite her grumpy face.
Just kidding. She was a happy baby. Tyler and I were just teenagers back then. (When did we get so old?)
Fast forward 8ish years and suddenly, Ivory is getting big. (Well, older I guess, because she still isn't that big.) She asked for breakfast in bed, and I told her jokingly that I wouldn't do it. So she got up early and came downstairs. Oops. I still made breakfast. (Nutella French Toast - her favorite.) How old are ya Ives?
Ivory really wanted to open her presents but the rule is that all family members need to be in attendance. Although Daisy and Pearl usually sleep in a bit, they somehow awakened early that day, possibly with the help of a few siblings. Ivory dove right in. She got some art supplies which she liked. This sticker book was a big hit. (She had finished the whole book by the next day.)
She liked her mirror from Robyn. (Or maybe she likes herself IN the mirror. Takes after her Dad that way.)
Mom and Dad got her Ever After High dolls. I thought at first that it was a knock-off of Monster High dolls. (After all, Monster High girls are daughters of Monsters and Ever After High girls are daughters of Fairy Tale characters. Not too much of a jump.) But the book we found was written by Shannon Hale, and I like a lot of her stuff. To sum up: The dolls are similar, the EAH movie/show was pretty lame, but the book is fantastic. Ivory and I are only half way through, but it is really fun. I would highly recommend it for girls around 9-11. (And...ahem...mothers who are young at heart.)
While Ivory was at school, I made her a cake. Well, not a cake. She requested brownies, so I made them and put them in a tower. Previously, she had wanted an elephant cake. Combining all those ideas, this is what I came up with. Ta-da.
I went to pick her up from school and bring her balloons. Luckily(?) Tyler was home sick so he came with me as my photographer. Ivory was pretty excited.
I'm most impressed because Tyler was on the phone the whole time and I had no idea that he actually took pictures. Props, Stallion.
And because he was home, we didn't have to wait for cake. We dug right in when the kids got home. Ivory really got into the birthday song.
And then she blew all her candles out in one breath.
We haven't gone anywhere fun for her birthday yet due to Mr. Sluggo and his illness, but I'll be sure to post pictures when we finally do something.
Happy Birthday Ivy Spivy. You are the best!
Like, check out this fabulous picture never before posted anywhere. (Possibly because of the extreme flattering angle.)
That would be the day before Ivory would make her big appearance. She didn't look the same as the other two. But they loved her despite her grumpy face.
Just kidding. She was a happy baby. Tyler and I were just teenagers back then. (When did we get so old?)
Fast forward 8ish years and suddenly, Ivory is getting big. (Well, older I guess, because she still isn't that big.) She asked for breakfast in bed, and I told her jokingly that I wouldn't do it. So she got up early and came downstairs. Oops. I still made breakfast. (Nutella French Toast - her favorite.) How old are ya Ives?
Ivory really wanted to open her presents but the rule is that all family members need to be in attendance. Although Daisy and Pearl usually sleep in a bit, they somehow awakened early that day, possibly with the help of a few siblings. Ivory dove right in. She got some art supplies which she liked. This sticker book was a big hit. (She had finished the whole book by the next day.)
She liked her mirror from Robyn. (Or maybe she likes herself IN the mirror. Takes after her Dad that way.)
Mom and Dad got her Ever After High dolls. I thought at first that it was a knock-off of Monster High dolls. (After all, Monster High girls are daughters of Monsters and Ever After High girls are daughters of Fairy Tale characters. Not too much of a jump.) But the book we found was written by Shannon Hale, and I like a lot of her stuff. To sum up: The dolls are similar, the EAH movie/show was pretty lame, but the book is fantastic. Ivory and I are only half way through, but it is really fun. I would highly recommend it for girls around 9-11. (And...ahem...mothers who are young at heart.)
While Ivory was at school, I made her a cake. Well, not a cake. She requested brownies, so I made them and put them in a tower. Previously, she had wanted an elephant cake. Combining all those ideas, this is what I came up with. Ta-da.
I went to pick her up from school and bring her balloons. Luckily(?) Tyler was home sick so he came with me as my photographer. Ivory was pretty excited.
I'm most impressed because Tyler was on the phone the whole time and I had no idea that he actually took pictures. Props, Stallion.
And because he was home, we didn't have to wait for cake. We dug right in when the kids got home. Ivory really got into the birthday song.
And then she blew all her candles out in one breath.
We haven't gone anywhere fun for her birthday yet due to Mr. Sluggo and his illness, but I'll be sure to post pictures when we finally do something.
Happy Birthday Ivy Spivy. You are the best!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Ivory's 8 Year Gallery
The only galleries I ever take early are the 8 year ones, simply because I have to make an invitation. (We all know my normal track record of being woefully behind.) Ivory is a winter birthday and taking her pictures early only put her more squarely in the cold, snowy season. So, we embraced it and I told her we were going to take pictures in the snow. In fact, I was worried we would not have enough snow. Mid January, we had a nice snow fall in the evening and I took Ivory out of school the next day to snap some pictures. She was such a trooper. We would take pictures and then run back to the car to warm up. By the end of the session, she was a little popsicle, and was officially 'done'. I tried to take one more, but all I got was a frozen pout. I left that picture in there at the end just to remember how brave she had been. She is beautiful. I love her buckets. Also, take a look at the flower in her hair. I grabbed it as we ran out the door because it was white, but apparently it changes color in the sun. Ha ha. But I like the vivid color it turned out to be. Enjoy.
This last one was taken the next day when it was started snowing again. But it was really too blustery to take pictures. Still, I liked the picture with a few flakes in the air.
This last one was taken the next day when it was started snowing again. But it was really too blustery to take pictures. Still, I liked the picture with a few flakes in the air.
Ivory, we are so lucky to have you in our family. You are smart, imaginative, and fun. You fit in perfectly.
I Can't Wait...
Can't believe she is 8. She is very excited for the big event. More birthday photos to come.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Another Rung
Since I never did a Science Fair project growing up, the whole process is new to me. June (as you learned before) moved on to the district level from her classroom. She was very excited. I was....less so. The good news is that I have been very honest with her from the start. I have told her that although I want her to do well, I really don't like all the extra shuttling around and setting up.
A few days ago, we took June's project over to a High School and set up in the afternoon. Later, we returned so the students could sit by their projects and be judged. During this time (an hour and a half) the parents had to wait outside. Then, everyone was allowed to walk around and view all the projects. This was pretty cool. It was neat to see all the ideas that had moved on. (I wish I had taken more pictures. I know I am going to need good ideas later.) Here is June by her project.
Another hour and a half later, they had the awards ceremony. (This is why I was not so thrilled. It was 9 o'clock at night. I wanted the other girls to come see the projects, but that is a little late for them. Plus, Tyler was sick, so it was just Junie and me this time around.)
I think there were about 235 projects. 55 kids would move on to the next level and 25 kids would get an honorable mention.We all sat in a large auditorium and they announced the honorable mentions first. Even with all my humbugging, I will admit that I suddenly very much wanted June to move on to the next level. I knew it would make her so happy. And what parent doesn't want their child to stand out and do well?
They called each name by announcing the school first, so every time they said the name of June's school, my stomach would get tight waiting for the following name. I was also excited because I know a lot of the kids in June's class. I was hoping they would do well also.
June did not get an honorable mention. So that meant she would move on, or get nothing at all. We sat on the edge of our seats while they started to read those who would move on. They weren't in any particular order. They would just call ten or so names at a time and then let people clap and take pictures. Then the announcer would tell a joke or story and then read another ten names.
Then it happened. They called her name. Like I said, she was super excited. As a strange coincidence, there was a boy from her class, whose project had been next to hers, and he happened to sit in the same row as us, and he was called up at the same time. That was pretty cool. So I got a picture of them on the stage together. (Gotta love pictures off my phone.)
Yes, I am very excited for her. The next step is getting to take a day off school and take her project to BYU. I think I'll stop complaining and just go with the flow. I don't expect June to move much further anyway, simply because her project doesn't deal with major issues such as world hunger or innovative science, but I'm proud of what she has done. And I know she is an amazing kid.
A few days ago, we took June's project over to a High School and set up in the afternoon. Later, we returned so the students could sit by their projects and be judged. During this time (an hour and a half) the parents had to wait outside. Then, everyone was allowed to walk around and view all the projects. This was pretty cool. It was neat to see all the ideas that had moved on. (I wish I had taken more pictures. I know I am going to need good ideas later.) Here is June by her project.
Another hour and a half later, they had the awards ceremony. (This is why I was not so thrilled. It was 9 o'clock at night. I wanted the other girls to come see the projects, but that is a little late for them. Plus, Tyler was sick, so it was just Junie and me this time around.)
I think there were about 235 projects. 55 kids would move on to the next level and 25 kids would get an honorable mention.We all sat in a large auditorium and they announced the honorable mentions first. Even with all my humbugging, I will admit that I suddenly very much wanted June to move on to the next level. I knew it would make her so happy. And what parent doesn't want their child to stand out and do well?
They called each name by announcing the school first, so every time they said the name of June's school, my stomach would get tight waiting for the following name. I was also excited because I know a lot of the kids in June's class. I was hoping they would do well also.
June did not get an honorable mention. So that meant she would move on, or get nothing at all. We sat on the edge of our seats while they started to read those who would move on. They weren't in any particular order. They would just call ten or so names at a time and then let people clap and take pictures. Then the announcer would tell a joke or story and then read another ten names.
Then it happened. They called her name. Like I said, she was super excited. As a strange coincidence, there was a boy from her class, whose project had been next to hers, and he happened to sit in the same row as us, and he was called up at the same time. That was pretty cool. So I got a picture of them on the stage together. (Gotta love pictures off my phone.)
Yes, I am very excited for her. The next step is getting to take a day off school and take her project to BYU. I think I'll stop complaining and just go with the flow. I don't expect June to move much further anyway, simply because her project doesn't deal with major issues such as world hunger or innovative science, but I'm proud of what she has done. And I know she is an amazing kid.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Grazing
I would like to have one topic on which to write a post, but it doesn't seem to be that kind of month. Or perhaps I am just not in that kind of mood. There just tends to be all these tid-bits that don't hold their own, and so go nicely in a blog salad. Oh, and speaking of salad...
I get bored easily in the kitchen. Well, that isn't the right word. I love to cook, but I keep wanting to find new things, and try new recipes. On our anniversary, I picked up a fun cookbook by Michael Symon's. I have been using recipes here and there and have liked almost everything I have tried. Plus, I have tried things that my younger self would never contemplate preparing. Last night was Bricked Grilled Chicken with White Bean Salad. There are so many reasons I wouldn't have made this even a few years ago. But make it, I did. Well, I got the ingredients out. Tyler is always in charge of the grill, and I happened to be picking up a child when the salad needed to be made, so he did that as well. (But, I practically made it.)
It was fantastic. Check out Tyler cooking the chicken under a brick.
And the finished product.
I'm still not sure if I like olives, but the Kalamata olives in this were perfect. Mom, you must be so proud that your pickiest eater turned out okay after all.
The weather around here has been okay. (Superb compared to half the country.) It rained enough to finally melt the last bit of snow that was hanging on. The sport court was once again revealed and all the kids rushed out to play. Nothing like a nice sunny day to draw all the bears from their den.
I would love to remain snow free for the rest of the season, but I'm not holding my breath.
Tyler got a new toy at work. It is called a Cintiq and it is used for drawing. (Tyler has been dabbling in cartooning and animation. That should be a good blog post one of these days.) He took all the kids to see it and they each made their own original piece of artwork.
They have no idea how spoiled they are. Tyler brought his Wacom pad home and the kids have been using that as well.
Our President's Day was very low-key with children reading, doodling, and hanging out. Daisy donned these head phones and sat against my new backrest. (News flash: There is no music playing on the headphones, she just digs their stylish look.)
Some people (read: Pearl) can't stand being left out. If you leave, there is no guarantee you'll get your spot back.
And so ends another episode in the life of the Cazier's. Stay tuned for a big birthday coming up and yet another moment at the Science Fair.
I get bored easily in the kitchen. Well, that isn't the right word. I love to cook, but I keep wanting to find new things, and try new recipes. On our anniversary, I picked up a fun cookbook by Michael Symon's. I have been using recipes here and there and have liked almost everything I have tried. Plus, I have tried things that my younger self would never contemplate preparing. Last night was Bricked Grilled Chicken with White Bean Salad. There are so many reasons I wouldn't have made this even a few years ago. But make it, I did. Well, I got the ingredients out. Tyler is always in charge of the grill, and I happened to be picking up a child when the salad needed to be made, so he did that as well. (But, I practically made it.)
It was fantastic. Check out Tyler cooking the chicken under a brick.
And the finished product.
I'm still not sure if I like olives, but the Kalamata olives in this were perfect. Mom, you must be so proud that your pickiest eater turned out okay after all.
The weather around here has been okay. (Superb compared to half the country.) It rained enough to finally melt the last bit of snow that was hanging on. The sport court was once again revealed and all the kids rushed out to play. Nothing like a nice sunny day to draw all the bears from their den.
I would love to remain snow free for the rest of the season, but I'm not holding my breath.
Tyler got a new toy at work. It is called a Cintiq and it is used for drawing. (Tyler has been dabbling in cartooning and animation. That should be a good blog post one of these days.) He took all the kids to see it and they each made their own original piece of artwork.
They have no idea how spoiled they are. Tyler brought his Wacom pad home and the kids have been using that as well.
Our President's Day was very low-key with children reading, doodling, and hanging out. Daisy donned these head phones and sat against my new backrest. (News flash: There is no music playing on the headphones, she just digs their stylish look.)
Some people (read: Pearl) can't stand being left out. If you leave, there is no guarantee you'll get your spot back.
And so ends another episode in the life of the Cazier's. Stay tuned for a big birthday coming up and yet another moment at the Science Fair.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Who's Watching?
The Olympics are on. I like the Olympics. Besides the fact that there are amazingly talented people in the world with emotional back stories and pure determination, it is a great family bonding event. We plunk the kids down and we ooh and aah together. On commercial breaks, we run and get jammies on, or brush teeth. And when the inevitable bed time comes, the girls moan and I promise to tell them what happened the next day. (We don't have Tivo or anything that records, so we just watch NBC in the evening. I guess that means we will never see curling. Oh well.)
June seemed really affected by the twin (Mulder) boys from Netherlands who medaled in speed skating. I read more about them, and I loved that their mother gave birth to them a day late, so she wouldn't miss watching a speed skating competition. (Wow, the Dutch are serious about this sport. Check out the story.)
I won't be around tonight, so I will be the one begging for news. I am interested to see how Shaun White does. I think I like his hair better this year.
Oddly, I didn't plan to sit down and write about Olympics. It just came up. I have other little tid-bits to share with you today. Let's start with valentines. I got this idea off Pinterest (where else?) but I didn't have the exact supplies. But I really like how they turned out and they were easy for the girls to put together.
I have mentioned before that I am not a breakfast mom. We eat cereal most mornings. We stick to the regulars, but we like to branch out and try something new every once in a while. I am a huge fan of Reese's Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so when I saw this cereal, I had to get it.
Um...mistake. It is NOT good. It is just not the right kind of peanut butter flavor. It sits on my counter and no one eats it, for obvious reasons, but I can't bring myself to throw it away. (I don't like to needlessly waste food.) I'm trying to decide if there is anything that I can make with it. I have thought about rice krispy style treats, but I'm worried I'll just be wasting my marshmallows. (I really should just throw it away.)
Switching gears to delicious, I made this yesterday.
So good. But the best part was that June walked through the kitchen and I enlisted her help. It was really fun to bake with her and we made one of the fastest easiest pie crusts of my life. (To be clear, it was the same basic recipe I've always used, it just seemed to be much easier this time. Mom, if only Grandma could be around. I think I am finally close to Snow White status.)
I'm on a food themed roll, so let's talk 'bout eggs. You know how hard boiled eggs are horrible to peel when the shell sticks to them, and instead of having a smooth egg, you have this chunked up mess because pieces of egg keep sticking and pulling away with the shell. (I know I am not the only one this has happened to.) In searching for a solution, I have tried many things. Some people say put oil in the water, or salt, or baking soda, or other random things. I think there are solutions based on when you put the egg into boil (before it starts to boil, or after it comes to a rolling boil) or how you cool it down (with ice or cold water). I have tried many of them to no avail. And THEN... (duh, duh, DUH!) I found it!! And I am so nice, I will share it with you.
It's pretty easy. Take a tack. (You know, your common thumb tack.) And poke a hole in the bottom of your egg. Just be careful. Too much force and you will be holding an uncooked egg. But it hasn't happened to me yet, so I'm sure you can do it. Then you plunk those eggs (with holes) into a pot of boiling water. Cook them for the normal amount of time (what? 10 minutes or so?) and then take them off the heat. Let them sit, or run them under cold water. Whatever you need to do to make them easy to handle. Then crack and peel. It is important that you get under the second skin. There is the shell and then the translucent thin layer over the egg. If you break that thin skin, the whole shell should slide right off. Try it. My kids do pretty well now. Last night we had eggs and Ivory peeled her egg shell off. It looked like a winter beanie with the side braids.
I have never refrigerated one for long to see if the shell still comes off well, but I'm having one for lunch, so I will let you know.
Two last things. June had a project to do in school that used scrapbooking materials. She got into a jar of flowers and I have found them ALL over the house. Although the kids made a mess with them, they do find beauty in the chaotic as well.
I guess that is the trick with having children. Find beauty in the chaos.
Lastly, 100 days of school have passed. For the Kindergartners, this means making a poster with 100 items on it. I forgot to take a picture at home, so when I was at the school, I figured I should get one before the buttons were pulled off. Check out the bee with his stinger.
Well, I'm off to make lunch and listen to The Croods in the background. My kids have really enjoyed it since it came out on Netflix. Pearl still can't say the 'K' sound, so she asks to watch the 'Proods.' Ha ha.
p.s. Eggs out of the fridge: Shells came off beautifully.
June seemed really affected by the twin (Mulder) boys from Netherlands who medaled in speed skating. I read more about them, and I loved that their mother gave birth to them a day late, so she wouldn't miss watching a speed skating competition. (Wow, the Dutch are serious about this sport. Check out the story.)
I won't be around tonight, so I will be the one begging for news. I am interested to see how Shaun White does. I think I like his hair better this year.
Oddly, I didn't plan to sit down and write about Olympics. It just came up. I have other little tid-bits to share with you today. Let's start with valentines. I got this idea off Pinterest (where else?) but I didn't have the exact supplies. But I really like how they turned out and they were easy for the girls to put together.
I have mentioned before that I am not a breakfast mom. We eat cereal most mornings. We stick to the regulars, but we like to branch out and try something new every once in a while. I am a huge fan of Reese's Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so when I saw this cereal, I had to get it.
Um...mistake. It is NOT good. It is just not the right kind of peanut butter flavor. It sits on my counter and no one eats it, for obvious reasons, but I can't bring myself to throw it away. (I don't like to needlessly waste food.) I'm trying to decide if there is anything that I can make with it. I have thought about rice krispy style treats, but I'm worried I'll just be wasting my marshmallows. (I really should just throw it away.)
Switching gears to delicious, I made this yesterday.
So good. But the best part was that June walked through the kitchen and I enlisted her help. It was really fun to bake with her and we made one of the fastest easiest pie crusts of my life. (To be clear, it was the same basic recipe I've always used, it just seemed to be much easier this time. Mom, if only Grandma could be around. I think I am finally close to Snow White status.)
I'm on a food themed roll, so let's talk 'bout eggs. You know how hard boiled eggs are horrible to peel when the shell sticks to them, and instead of having a smooth egg, you have this chunked up mess because pieces of egg keep sticking and pulling away with the shell. (I know I am not the only one this has happened to.) In searching for a solution, I have tried many things. Some people say put oil in the water, or salt, or baking soda, or other random things. I think there are solutions based on when you put the egg into boil (before it starts to boil, or after it comes to a rolling boil) or how you cool it down (with ice or cold water). I have tried many of them to no avail. And THEN... (duh, duh, DUH!) I found it!! And I am so nice, I will share it with you.
It's pretty easy. Take a tack. (You know, your common thumb tack.) And poke a hole in the bottom of your egg. Just be careful. Too much force and you will be holding an uncooked egg. But it hasn't happened to me yet, so I'm sure you can do it. Then you plunk those eggs (with holes) into a pot of boiling water. Cook them for the normal amount of time (what? 10 minutes or so?) and then take them off the heat. Let them sit, or run them under cold water. Whatever you need to do to make them easy to handle. Then crack and peel. It is important that you get under the second skin. There is the shell and then the translucent thin layer over the egg. If you break that thin skin, the whole shell should slide right off. Try it. My kids do pretty well now. Last night we had eggs and Ivory peeled her egg shell off. It looked like a winter beanie with the side braids.
I have never refrigerated one for long to see if the shell still comes off well, but I'm having one for lunch, so I will let you know.
Two last things. June had a project to do in school that used scrapbooking materials. She got into a jar of flowers and I have found them ALL over the house. Although the kids made a mess with them, they do find beauty in the chaotic as well.
I guess that is the trick with having children. Find beauty in the chaos.
Lastly, 100 days of school have passed. For the Kindergartners, this means making a poster with 100 items on it. I forgot to take a picture at home, so when I was at the school, I figured I should get one before the buttons were pulled off. Check out the bee with his stinger.
Well, I'm off to make lunch and listen to The Croods in the background. My kids have really enjoyed it since it came out on Netflix. Pearl still can't say the 'K' sound, so she asks to watch the 'Proods.' Ha ha.
p.s. Eggs out of the fridge: Shells came off beautifully.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Pretending to be Grown Up
What makes you feel grown up? I know I have children. My oldest is quickly catching up to me in height (granted, not hard to do) and she will be in Young Women's this year. So I should feel like I am the adult.
And yet...
Sometimes I just feel like a kid with kids. I still want to roll down the windows and turn my music up really loud. I want to sleep in and have someone else take over. Perhaps growing up simply means that you accept the responsibility that you may not want. I mean, who really wants to support a whole family and pay taxes.
I shouldn't gripe. Some days I DO want to clean the house and be in charge. Just not every day. And making dinner every evening DOES mean that I get to chose my favorite things to eat. (Trust me, the kids are not always happy with my culinary selections.)
I am just surprised how little I have changed, while still changing in gargantuan measures. (Is this making sense to anyone else?) Do my parents feel like big children? When my children grow up, will I feel they have caught up to me? This thought process is pretty exhausting. It is a good thing that life has slowed down enough that I can take the occasional cat nap. In fact, my 'baby' brought blankets and such to cover me and keep me cozy. You might also check out that the new couches on which I am slumbering.
We finally have furniture in 'Carnegie Hall.' Ivory was crushed that we took away her gymnastics run-way, but we gave her the downstairs (dubbed 'Atlantis') now that the Houck's are vacated, and she was appeased.
I know it is February, but I feel like time has been slowing down in a way. I haven't been taking pictures and that gives the false impression that nothing is happening and therefore nothing blog worthy has been missed. I checked my phone and the last picture I took was on Tyler's birthday. See? Where is my head at?
On my regular camera, I have taken a few more. I made cookies the other day after Ivory had a small emotional episode because I wouldn't buy her stale cookies at Barnes and Noble that were 50% off. (They didn't even look good. They were just shaped like elves. Does that tell how old they probably were?) I told Ivory I would make her fresh cookies. And I did. Pearl is evidence as she licks the spoon.
We went skating the other evening, but I didn't take pictures. Since Daisy's goal is to learn to skate by herself, we all packed up and I forked out the cash for the whole troop to go. (I conveniently chose dollar skate night.) Robyn is quite assured on her blades. June...is working on it. Ivory and Daisy are both trying to keep their feet under them. And Pearl was digging the scooter. She was a pro, scooting around the rink, although her paranoid mother made her stay close to the edge.
I love all the space in our new home. It seems there is room for everyone to spread out and not be pushing on someone else's bubble. But they still enjoy playing together and making up new games. (I miss using my imagination like that. Maybe that is a sign of growing up...not being able to do imaginative play as easily.) Here the girls made up a game using the glass table. Robyn was pointing out cards from underneath. It actually looks relaxing.
That's all for now. A week until Valentine's Day. Are you ready? I guess it really depends on how or whether you celebrate. As for me, I am getting ready to put together another 120 or so Valentine's. Good thing my slave labor comes cheap around here.
And yet...
Sometimes I just feel like a kid with kids. I still want to roll down the windows and turn my music up really loud. I want to sleep in and have someone else take over. Perhaps growing up simply means that you accept the responsibility that you may not want. I mean, who really wants to support a whole family and pay taxes.
I shouldn't gripe. Some days I DO want to clean the house and be in charge. Just not every day. And making dinner every evening DOES mean that I get to chose my favorite things to eat. (Trust me, the kids are not always happy with my culinary selections.)
I am just surprised how little I have changed, while still changing in gargantuan measures. (Is this making sense to anyone else?) Do my parents feel like big children? When my children grow up, will I feel they have caught up to me? This thought process is pretty exhausting. It is a good thing that life has slowed down enough that I can take the occasional cat nap. In fact, my 'baby' brought blankets and such to cover me and keep me cozy. You might also check out that the new couches on which I am slumbering.
We finally have furniture in 'Carnegie Hall.' Ivory was crushed that we took away her gymnastics run-way, but we gave her the downstairs (dubbed 'Atlantis') now that the Houck's are vacated, and she was appeased.
I know it is February, but I feel like time has been slowing down in a way. I haven't been taking pictures and that gives the false impression that nothing is happening and therefore nothing blog worthy has been missed. I checked my phone and the last picture I took was on Tyler's birthday. See? Where is my head at?
On my regular camera, I have taken a few more. I made cookies the other day after Ivory had a small emotional episode because I wouldn't buy her stale cookies at Barnes and Noble that were 50% off. (They didn't even look good. They were just shaped like elves. Does that tell how old they probably were?) I told Ivory I would make her fresh cookies. And I did. Pearl is evidence as she licks the spoon.
We went skating the other evening, but I didn't take pictures. Since Daisy's goal is to learn to skate by herself, we all packed up and I forked out the cash for the whole troop to go. (I conveniently chose dollar skate night.) Robyn is quite assured on her blades. June...is working on it. Ivory and Daisy are both trying to keep their feet under them. And Pearl was digging the scooter. She was a pro, scooting around the rink, although her paranoid mother made her stay close to the edge.
I love all the space in our new home. It seems there is room for everyone to spread out and not be pushing on someone else's bubble. But they still enjoy playing together and making up new games. (I miss using my imagination like that. Maybe that is a sign of growing up...not being able to do imaginative play as easily.) Here the girls made up a game using the glass table. Robyn was pointing out cards from underneath. It actually looks relaxing.
That's all for now. A week until Valentine's Day. Are you ready? I guess it really depends on how or whether you celebrate. As for me, I am getting ready to put together another 120 or so Valentine's. Good thing my slave labor comes cheap around here.
Monday, February 3, 2014
There's No Man
Today is sunny and more snow is melting. But since it is still February AND Utah, I'm not ruling out another winter storm here or there. There has been a good amount of snow this winter. Nothing over the top, and certainly not like that weird winter where it snowed once and melted the next day. (Really bizarre, that one.)
I, as per usual, have avoided the outdoors as much as possible. And the kids are old enough that I can send them out to play without having to gear up myself. Plus, this is probably a good thing, because June has outgrown all the snow-pants around here and has borrowed mine a few times.
The girls finally went out to build a snowman. I think they are fairly standard as Cazier snowmen go. (I would like to point out that this only applies to Utah Cazier's. I can almost guarantee that my nephews could build an awesome snowman in Idaho. Really, we should have them show us the ropes some year.)
First I give you Ivory and Daisy's snowman.
Robyn and Pearl built theirs a little higher, but I think the name wasn't as creative.
Speaking of famous snowmen, I guess the girls went and built a snow(wo)man, named Lucy, in the neighbor's yard, which I never saw. But I did see this note that was left on our door the next day. Not a bad likeness.
Maybe next year is the year that I build a great snowman. I can feel it in me. The problem is, I would just rather sit down and read a good book.
I, as per usual, have avoided the outdoors as much as possible. And the kids are old enough that I can send them out to play without having to gear up myself. Plus, this is probably a good thing, because June has outgrown all the snow-pants around here and has borrowed mine a few times.
The girls finally went out to build a snowman. I think they are fairly standard as Cazier snowmen go. (I would like to point out that this only applies to Utah Cazier's. I can almost guarantee that my nephews could build an awesome snowman in Idaho. Really, we should have them show us the ropes some year.)
First I give you Ivory and Daisy's snowman.
Robyn and Pearl built theirs a little higher, but I think the name wasn't as creative.
Speaking of famous snowmen, I guess the girls went and built a snow(wo)man, named Lucy, in the neighbor's yard, which I never saw. But I did see this note that was left on our door the next day. Not a bad likeness.
Maybe next year is the year that I build a great snowman. I can feel it in me. The problem is, I would just rather sit down and read a good book.