Hey folks, sorry I've been AWOL.   I've been sick.  My parents were in town for a visit, etc. etc.  But, alas, here I am.

We had a wonderful birthday party for all four of the kids this past weekend.  All their friends from Lifegroup came and we hosted it at a local "inflatables" place.  They all climbed, jumped, slid, screamed etc.  (Myself included)  It was a blast.  Instead of gifts, we did a book exchange.  I know that buying four gifts all at once would totally stink, so that's how we handled it.  I just tell the kids that the party is their gift and their friends are coming to celebrate them and that's plenty.  Amen?

Besides, the new books they get are always so cool.  And the friends get to go home with new books as well.  We had so much fun planning the goodie bags, too.  The kids learned how to budget as we shopped (at dollar tree) and we ended up spending only $1.00 per guest.  Amazing.

Now that the grandparents have left, we are back to school as normal.  It was a tough day getting back into the swing of things.  Tough for me too.  AND...I travelled across town for my daughter's dance class only to realize it had been cancelled due to the holiday.  We ended up at a local indoor kids' playland for about an hour so they could unwind for a bit.

I am in utter disbelief that I'm about to have a 3, 5, 9 and 11 year old.  It does go fast.  (Sometimes, I wish it would go just a BIT faster)  However, during church this past Sunday, I jotted down some goals for my almost 9 year old.  I am going to write her a letter for her ninth birthday and share my "vision" with her -- of course she can feel free to add -- but I just want her to know that I see wonderful things for her future.  I told her that we are winding down her childhood as she moves from this place into her "tween" years and there are some things she needs to work on and accomplish as we go forward this next year.  For whatever reason, that jargon really works with her.  She wanted to know if she could hang the list on her wall to remind her of the areas she needs to work on.  That's my girl!

Allright, I'm toast yet again.  One day this pace will slow down.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I will be selling my jewelry creations at a booth on Valentine's day.  Much of my attention and free time has been on this endeavor, which is another reason for my blog-neglect.  I will post pics soon.

Later.

Happy New Year!  I'm sitting here in faith that something will come for me to write about.  Actually, I just wrote a giant entry and lost it all due to stupidity.  Try, try again!

I wanted to introduce you guys to my friend Angela at allthreeboys.  She is a wonderful wonderful friend and mother to her three sons.  Super smart, giving and such an encourager!  - I think that anyone who has ever known her would say that.  Go on over and say hello, post a comment and welcome her to the blogosphere.

Took me sooooo long just to write all that (including the part I lost).  I better resurface downstairs before trouble begins to brew.

Happy 2008!

I distinctly remember the taste of peppermint in 7th grade.  Someone handed out candy canes as I sat there doing nothing but getting high on sugar, staring at the tiny classroom tree decorated with reject ornaments from everyone's homes.  

Fast forward the scene to yesterday afternoon.  I had my car full of kids and groceries (discount, mind you).  The weather was cold and dreary as we passed our local middle school.  I looked at the faces of each child as the crossing guard led them to safely pass.  Every kid had their own place in the crowd, you know?  The loud-talker, the popular one, the groupies, the loners, the jocks, etc.  Almost like they were wearing their titles on their clothing, it was so painfully obvious.  I wished for them that they could each be home with their families.  Just learning and being who they are.  However, as I looked up at the marquis,  the plastic letters indicated one more week before Christmas vacation -- or whatever people are allowed to call it these days.  As I surveyed my vanful of children, I pictured how their quirks, intense interests, odd learning styles, etc. would work against them in a public school environment.  The things that I love SO MUCH about them would be the punchline of many jokes among their peers.  Just another confirmation that my kids are right where they need to be.

As for us, SCHOOL'S OUT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!    We are lounging around, basically wasting skin.  And it's been marvelous.  Tomorrow night, our friends are coming over and we will spoil them with some good home cookin' and then hang out and maybe play games or something.  Here's my menu:

Roasted Cream of Garlic Soup "Shooters" (served in champagne flutes with croutons)

Bacon wrapped pears w/ goat cheese on spinach (I think I just shed a tear over that one)

Those are the starters that we will serve to them as they take off their coats.  Remember, there will be seven small children about so we will pretty much be standing/sitting/standing/sitting the whole time.

The Meal will consist of my famous Citrus Roasted Chicken (2 of them) with carrots.

I will sautee some thinly sliced sweet potatoes with all the nutmeg, etc.

My friend is bringing a delicious salad.

Our neighbor gave us a beautiful chocolate eclair wreath (another tear)

We will serve lattes (the house specialty)

And for the kids, I made a peppermint white hot chocolate.

HO HO HO!!!!

I let the chicken stock simmer all night on low.  During homeschool this morning, the kids listened to our CS Lewis, The Silver Chair audio book as I finished making the chicken soup.  We ate it for lunch and dinner.  I will freeze some of it because it was so much.  The big kids went on to their math video and worksheets, then they wrote a letter to their great-grandmother.  After lunch, they had an hour of silent reading.  Olivia finished up her fourth book in the American Girl "Samantha" series.  Bailey read a giant biography on George Lucas. 

We forgot to fold laundry.  I don't know why, but I really wasn't on top of it today.  I think I'm the one with visions of sugar plums this year.  When's Christmas break again?

After dinner, I went off by myself to do a little Christmas shopping (and birthday for Ella & Ava).  Ella is chomping at the bit for a birthday celebration.  We will do a small family-only deal on Tuesday and then in late January we will have a giant extravaganza for all four kids since the birthdays run so close together.  We have stopped doing gifts at kid parties and ask that each guest bring one book (new or used) to exchange.  We LOVE adding to our library and it's alot of fun to see the different titles that come through. 

We've been enjoying our evening fires this year.  It's been wonderful to have everyone gravitate toward the living room rather than to the four corners of the house.  We're keeping it colder than usual to try to save on the ridiculous gas bill.  The fireplace has become our natural gathering spot.   Hope that we're really saving energy and not just freezing in vain : )

Next week, we have a Christmas party (grownups ONLY!!!!!  - YEEEEHAW!)  Oh my gosh, was that out loud?  Anyway.  Like I said, we have a Christmas party with our wonderful church lifegroup.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I've also got to bake and decorate Ella and Ava's BD cake for their little celebration. 

I'm officially finished Christmas shopping.  Although, Jonathan and I do the same thing every year.  "DON'T get me anything!"  But then, we both secretly break down and get something for the other.  The gift of the magi, right?  (I love that story)  Anyway.  I really, really, really haven't gotten him anything this year.  Really.  Oh dear, maybe I should make up one of those coupon books or something.  Well, inspiration will strike.  It always does. 

Stay tuned.

When I first got married, all I could do in the kitchen was toast bagels and warm up Campbell's soup.  Now, for me, cooking is a hobby.  It evolved from the fact that 90% of my life is spent in the kitchen anyway.  Might as well enjoy it, right?  When life hands you lemons, use the zest in rice dishes and poultry, squeeze some over seafood and juice the rest.  Oh, and plant the seeds so you can grow your own. 

Anyway, it took me a long time to learn how to cook "big meat".  I still can't do beef very well but birds are my thing.  My favorite grocery store had a 6lb chicken for $4.00.  Here's how I turned him into a delicious dinner for tonite:

At 3:00 I pulled out his innerds and washed the body cavity.  Then sprinkled all over with salt and pepper.  I made a marinade in the blender with garlic, dijon mustard & olive oil.  I stuffed the bird with chopped onions and some rosemary sprigs from my garden.  Then poured the marinade inside and out.  Trussed him up.  Baked at 375 degrees for 2 hours.  Ding.  Dinner is served.  I save the bones etc for stock.  I love to smell homemade stock on the stove.  Yum.  I did cheat and make instant mashed potatoes but used the homemade gravy to flavor it and my husband couldn't tell the difference.  Again, yum.  Ahh....yum.

No dessert for me, though.  I always flirt with the whole diet thing this time of year.   I'm a very bad dieter.  I guess I just don't care enough to make the big effort.  Why all of America is SO obsessed with being teeny-tiny, I'll never know.  I really hope that my girls avoid all of that nonsense and just stay healthy inside and out.  And CONFIDENT!!!! 

(Amen, sistah!)

Alright, gotta clean up.  Later.