Yesterday, Little Miss turned a much anticipated, 6 years old. She did manage to sleep the night before, partly due to being exhausted by a late night baseball game, and falling asleep in the car. The boy's are very proud of her new status as a six year old. She just seems so big! I've done this 6 year old thing four times now and it feels the same each time. "How did this happen?"

Each of us wrote a clue or riddle that led her to a present. The clues are pretty simple, yet we were impressed she was so quick to figure them out.  

 C gave her a Lego kit she has been wanting, so she can play like them.

You can just barely see a soda can in the corner of this picture. It's a six pack of Dr. Pepper. Since visiting the Dr. Pepper museum in Waco, Texas the kids love Dr. Pepper made with cane sugar. There was an old fashion soda fountain at the museum that sold sodas with a squirt of the syrup and carbonated soda.

So for the three spring birthday's, I ordered a case of cane sugar Dr. Pepper from the Dublin, TX shop.  

So many smiles.

Mike made the birthday pull-apart cake, and I placed the five flower n' butterfly candles on top. And then had to run back for the sixth.

I can remember the day she was born.

 When this little girl entered my life I was a little numb.

Don't get me wrong. I love raising boys. I expected to have many more.  I was over-joyed when my girl was born. But no tears flowed until my Mom and the three boy’s walked into the room … carrying gifts wrapped in pink tissue paper.

That did it.

The pink tissue paper put me over-the-top and it hit me.

God saw fit to give me a baby girl.

My cup over flows.

It's beautiful! Gorgeous! A cool breeze is blowing through the windows.

We're in the kitchen this morning talking and remembering those in our family and in our lives that have served this country. A sweet time.

I'm playing with cabbage and potatoes. Not so much sweet as smelly.

Happy Memorial Day!

Daddy sat.

She snuggled.

The End.

Our Christmas celebration was foiled by a flu bug that I am not sure has left the building. I'm here not to lament, but to share with you the little joys that made the days bearable.

J got hit first, two days before the holidays. He took time during his recovery to read Little Miss a Beatrix Potter book.

Ironically, Little Miss spent her Christmas Day, taking many little naps with her new pink dog she found peeking out of her stocking.

She did have a fabulous Christmas Eve celebration at the in-laws. (Mine not hers.) Stockings hung, meat  & stinky cheese fondue, carols on the piano. And then wham! We saw Christmas at 12:30AM. Poor girl. She is on the up swing, but it’s a battle for such a little thing.

Mike and I love to watch the kids give each other Christmas gifts. Gifts they thought long and hard about. Emphasis on long here. They had me out shopping only days before Christmas. I’m all over a good day out shopping but not 2 days before Christmas.

I am happy to say, that with good cheer I barreled through traffic to make my kids’ wishlist’s come true. Enough about me.

 Just look at the joy on Z's face.

He's opening  his very own 12 pack of cane sugar soda from his thoughtful brother.

I don't have a picture, but I have joy too, as I wash and I clean, and get through this nasty bug myself.  

You'll just take my word for it.

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Our favorite sugar cookie recipe is still Martha's.

A family tradtion

Our California blood is not yet acclimated to the cold weather.

It was a beautiful sunny day but the chill kept us bundled up.

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The men of the house took it upon themselves to pack the majority of our Thanksgiving spread, including 3 different pies, a tort and the whip cream.

He's thinking, "Pick one already!"

Our tree hauler

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So back to Saturday, when I announced it was time to hunt for their baskets. Being the kids are becoming avid gardeners, and working so hard in the garden on this particular day, we wanted to give them their gardening themed baskets early. What fun we had and the whoops and thanks told us we made the right decision.  J was the last to find his bucket, but he finally located it in a fruit tree. And to no surprise, the gum laying chicken's were a hit.

Ol' meat-head, as Mike affectionately calls her, decided to serenade us under the over-flowering camellia bush. Not sure what got into her.

Look at this bush from another angle? Amazing isn't it? We've never seen it this full of blooms. I hope it can hold its own weight, because we just can't get ourselves to prune it back, cutting off all its beauty. Besides that, this season a small flock of finches has decided to make it their hang out. So not only is it a bright sight to behold but it can carry a pretty tune. Makes the mess the birds make bearable, for in their frolicking they knock blooms off onto the ground and make a pretty big, pink-y mess

 Last Friday, my sweet friend Amy came to visit and gave Mike and I a date night while she dyed eggs with the kids. They had a blast while we did dinner and shopped for garden related E*aster baskets.  Thanks Amy!

E*aster day was relaxing, as we spent our morning and early afternoon at church and then visited with Mike’s Grandma. 

The egg hunt happened towards evening followed by target practice with the BB guns. Not sure how we moved from hunting eggs to BB guns, but it was good time.

Little Miss and I awaited our turn at target practice

lounging with the big dog

and taking in the gorgeous spring sunset.

New Year's Eve we made personal pizza's for dinner and cheese fondue. Oh, my. This fondue recipe is amazing. Creamy and easy. 

Grandpa Rich & Grandma Carmen came over for dinner and a movie.   And then Mike and I attempted to stay up for Pirates of the Caribbean 3. We didn't quite make it to the end and had to finish it this evening. A good ending? to this trilogy.

This morning Mike made dough for pull apart, and the helpers were right and ready to roll, butter and sugar the little dough balls.

The new train was set up and running on time, until it was time to head out to see National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Not as good as the first, but entertaining for none the less.

School is planned out for the next 2 weeks. We are back at it again tomorrow. Piano, dance & acrobats don't start up again until the following week, so this will give us a chance to put in some full day's. We are so very ready to get going again. Vacation is nice but routine is good.

This is what our sweet girl with three older brothers looked like on Christmas morning.

The doll was from C, the robe from Z and the gun and purse are from her Dad and I.

It’s like this ….

Her very best friends are her brothers. And after learning the hard way, we know now not to leave her out of group purchases. No matter what they may be. She may wear pink, have tea parties and push baby strollers around, but she’s still up for the hunt. And does not want to be left out.

Yesterday, she was quite concerned she would miss out. I was giving her a bath and asked if she wanted to play a bit. Her answer was, only until the boy’s were done with their chores, and then I was to come get her out when they were ready to go hunting.

This is important stuff.

It was the same when she asked for a purse. Specifically, she wanted a Mommy purse. Nothing too small. She needed to fit her stuff in it, and the little girl purses just weren’t big enough. Don’t tell, but it used to be her Mommy’s purse when her Aunt Marcie got tired of it. We girls take care of each other. 

We decorated cookies with our dear friends. An annual event we haven't missed since the beginning of our friendship 11 years ago.

Took a detour to see Christmas lights. This is one house. One. Not a big house either.

Spent the weekend before the 25th, celebrating at my parents.

My Mom made Little Miss a doll sized quilt that matches Little Miss' quilt.

And of course some snow play.

Christmas Day was spent at home and next door at  the in-law's. Lot's of playing and good times. The kid's hit the traditional pinata, which of course spewed candy and toy's all over the grass.

Toy's enjoyed by not just the kid's.

"No. No! I will not kiss you!"

never lose a chance to make them. - Francesco Guicciardini

Little Miss get's her face painted at her friends' harvest party.

The fishing tournament/trip to the lake was a no go. Strange to say. We were pretty much packed, trailer load, and all hyped up annnnnd we decided for a number of reason’s not to make the trip. For one thing, we have a child with a very real fear of thunder. Last spring we had an unusual bout of thunder that was unloaded right over the top of our house. That just set him off. There were 2 day’s worth of afternoon thunder showers predicted for this past weekend in that part of the Sierras and we dreaded putting said child through it. Sparing you the other reasons, we still had a fantastic weekend. The kid’s were momentarily disappointed but understood our reasoning’s.

So on we marched …. Not ones to be held down. We woke up the troop’s bright and shiny Friday morning for their first experience at garage saleing. J picked up a wooden bat for 3 dollars, that weighed at least 25 pounds, and was split down the middle 3 day’s later when his Dad crushed one into the orchard.

Interestingly, at few stops we made, people asked why the kid’s weren’t in school …..

“We homeschool.”

 “Oh, well that’s fantastic. You are a brave Mama, blah, blah, I could never do that, blah, blah, blah.”

Tell me something new.

“Here’s some book’s. Take them. You’ll get good use out of them.”

Say what? Seriously. People were giving us stuff. Little Miss just smiled and she walked away with free stuff. – a wooden rabbit, a bell and of course books. Crazy!

We did meet some super nice people and a former teacher. She was getting rid of many of her classroom books. What a find! I ended up with 25 books – great condition and many on my wish list for the kids – for $19.50. Mike was so good to me. He just stood there and held out his arms for me to load. And the kid’s? All four grabbed a book and promptly planted themselves on the ladies grass. Yep, that’s my blood runnin’ right there.

The car loaded with treasures, we did brunch and headed for home. A good day.

 Cleaning up her $2.00 teasure

Little Miss can now spot a yard sale sign 3 blocks away. She’s hooked. Free stuff.

Labor Day Lesson’s

How to change a bike tire 101

Mike’s bike.

No. I’m not joking. The kid’s and I got it from a local Salvati*on Army.

It. Is. Awesome!

 Isn’t the double wide seat cool? And it even came with a speedometer, and a timer. Why? So you can set your time for how long you want to ride - minimum 30 minutes 6 day’s a week, you know. Mike reinforced the basket with clamps; the duct tape looked a little worn.

After all the tire changing, we rode to the grocery store to get dinner makings.

I totally blew it. I forgot my camera.

Mike on the bike, groceries in the back end, sucking down a caramel frappichinno.

 A self proclaimed picture of athleticism.  

And I didn't get the picture.

I walked out this morning to the orchard to investigate a commotion.   I was invited to join the animal trackers.

Apparently, the dogs were playing tag with a grey fox. Our resident encyclopedia explained the circular pattern the foxes take and so therefore this fox is probably …….  and so on.

Then the farmer showed up, wondering himself.

So we walked a bit, searched some more and called it done. We were out foxed.

J is out in the garden doing some extra work

to pay off his new bike.

The rest went with Mike to check the Claribel Ranch and turn on more sprinklers. Makes me crazy knowing what they saw last time they were out there and brought home!

Tonight, we will be out at our friend’s home on the Tuolumne River for a BBQ, swimming and fireworks. We are hauling over our garden goods. And it is so good. Peaches, plums, zucchini, tomatoes and spinach and herbs for a salad. It’s supposed to be over a hundred degree’s today so I am flying around trying to get all the prep work done this morning.

Stay cool, be safe and Happy 4^th!

I think we have a new Memorial Day tradition in the making.

Our young, early apricot tree came ripe and Mike lept at the chance to make some jam. Oh ya, it’s gonna be a double batch year!  

J was the one who spent the most time in the kitchen from beginning to end. I was once again, happily on KP duty. I will never forget the days of canning & jamming with all little ones around us. I’m tired just thinking about it. J was a trooper and genuinely loves the process, or maybe it’s the time spent in the kitchen with Dad, sipping on Vanilla Cream floats,

sweat droplets on their foreheads, fan in the kitchen window trying to combat the heat from the stove,  screaming siblings outside engaged in a water fight ……

Good times, more memories.

There have been years, for one crazy reason or another I dreaded them coming. It was the worst feeling. I could blame it on commercialism, but I don’t have to participate in that. I could blame it on laziness, but that would be an excuse to be conquered with prayer.  Maybe its the hurried rush, gotta get it right, big plans that have to happen. I know your thinking it's not about that. It's about Jesus.

Ya, me too.

So I started praying in July that I would be excited for the holiday’s. And I am.....

As is tradition, we went hunting for the perfect tree. This year we reminded ourselves width can be deceiving while laughing about the years the tree took up over half of the room. So we erred on the side of small. It is the perfect tree and was the most beautiful day! Turkey leftovers out of the back of the car, a stop in an old town to see the lights and pick up a few holiday baking essentials at our favorite kitchen store and of course singing carols - a little too loudly.

Of course 3 boy's walking through the forest would find

a skull with teeth and the fangs laying beside it. Of course.

I did it! I roasted my first Turkey. Done but not dry. Or so my family tells me, being that I don’t partake in meat eating myself. We spent Thanksgiving with just ourselves: Mike, Me and the kids. It was the first time we had prepared all of the meal and we didn’t want to subject some unsuspecting soul to a lousy feast. I am usually just the pie maker for the holiday’s. But not this year!

Mike made his soft, warm rolls for dinner and pull-apart for breakfast.

I babied a Turkey & whipped up some delicious side dishes all while stepping

over this beast.

Who was afraid of the popping noise these guns make.

(I am a sucker for a scared dog. During a lightening storm you’d likely find this and another dog under the school table acting as foot rests.)

My hunters went "hunting" for Coyotes, wild hogs and coons that keep eating the fish out of the pound.

C won this Giant bubble maker playing our Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Bingo game. But it was S who enjoyed it the most!

Finally, the table - minus the 3 year old who fell asleep on the rug just before the dinner bell.

Great Grandma came over for dessert. Apple Pie and no sugar pumpkin pie. No sugar because I forgot to put it in. Oh well, not so perfect.

Perfect was enjoying each other. Even after I lost at Pictionary.

                                       Apprentice pie maker

french toast = tomb

circle cut out = stone

berries = the blood shed for us on the cross

powdered suger = our sins are forgiven

O! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Robert Lowry