Play Dough

 Sometimes I think of all the fun, creative stuff I used to do when I just had a preschooler, toddler and baby at home.  My teacher genes were still kicked in high gear and I couldn't wait to "teach" my kiddos the way I used to teach kids with special needs.  One thing we did was have a theme each week.  Take teddy bears for instance.  We would have bear-themed snacks, read only books about bears, count bears, sort bears, color bears, do bear crafts, learn bear poems and songs.  Well, you get the picture.  It was all so fun for me to come up with our weekly theme and hopefully they will have fond memories of it.

So now that the family has doubled, sometimes I feel guilty for not having the time to do the themed weeks and all the fun activities that went with it.  This past week I remembered homemade play dough.  I have never made it for the younger 3 Fish Sticks and totally forgot about how much my older 3 had loved it.

I got out my best recipe (after trying many, long ago) and made a batch, letting each Fish Stick choose their color.  It was a huge hit!!!

Next thing you know, 3 school kids come home and say, "Hey, how come they get homemade play dough and we don't?  Please let us play.  Please make us some."  So now we made another 3 colors and my counter top has been covered with 3 gallon buckets of play dough toys and I sweep my floors under the bar an additional 3 times a day.  At least with 6 different colors, I can quickly identify the culprit of the majority of crumbs under the bar.

Maybe edible peanut butter play dough will be next!!!  YUM!

Homemade Play Dough
2 cups flour
2 cups water
1 cup salt
4 TB. oil
4 tsp. cream of tartar

Mix everything well with a wire whisk.  Cook until dry, stirring with a wooden spoon.  When cool enough to handle, knead until smooth.  Add food coloring and knead.  Store in sealed container.

Apple Orchard

 We got to join the 5th grade on the first field trip of the year to Morning Glory Apply Orchard.  I had taken the Fish Sticks there 2 times in the last 9 years but it had been a long time.  The 5th grade girls just love Lydia!  After 1 hour into the trip, I told one of the girls that Lydia could walk...they didn't have to hold her.  Immediately 2 girls turned around and said, "But I'm next."  "Yea, and I'm after her." 

 We toured the orchard, seeing the trees and hearing about pollination, threats to the crop and growing healthy apples.

 Next they took us inside to learn about making apple cider and honey made from apple tree nectar with samples given out!  They got goodie bags with 2 apples and a coloring book.

Nonie joined us too and we enjoyed a picnic on the grounds.  It's so nice to tag along on the school's field trips and not have to plan my own.  The Fish Sticks love them!

Anniversary Surprise

 As I told you, we celebrated our 16th anniversary on Friday.  I had to run a Fish Stick into town after school for a birthday party and left 2 big Fish Sticks to babysit little Fish Sticks.  When I returned, I found this sign, balloons, a banner and a precious card (which I will share later.)

 Here are the sweet culprits to this deed.

They also told me that they made my famous recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  I had to laugh because I knew we were almost out of flour and butter and totally out of sugar and chocolate chips.  I actually ran into the store on my way home to get those things.  They said they figured that out too late.  They had crushed 1 cup of sugar cubes to make the sugar and used 2 TB of butter instead of 10 TB (due to their math error) and sprinkled powder sugar on the top in case the lack of chocolate made them in need of sweetness.  They named them Anniversary  Blobs, and one of them refused to eat them.  They were actually good.  They were sweeter because of the love that they were made with.  I've got some pretty thoughtful Fish Sticks!!

Lizard Spa

AB took this video with her camera.  Yes, those lizards are real.  Yes, they are alive.  The Fish Sticks seemed to think they were actually "relaxing" and "sleeping."  I think they were scared to death that they fainted.  Either way, they were being pampered for sure.

Good Byes Aren't Easy

 Our 2 day visit quickly ended and our day to drive home came.  We left at 8:30, right after breakfast.  Poor little Payne had just woken up and was shoved on the couch for a final cousin photo.

 Good byes are never easy but it helps to know when you will see them next.  Our next visit will be Thanksgiving when all Payne kids come to our part of TN for turkey and fellowship.  Until then, we will surely miss our Oklahoma cousins.  Thanks so much, Rachel and Eric, for being such wonderful hostesses to the crazy Fish Sticks.  We love you dearly!!!

DVD player, snacks, pillows, blankies, crayons, paper, Veggie Tales, Barney, Super Friends, juice boxes....we are set to go!  And thanks to Dad of the Year, My Man, for holding down the fort with 3 school kids while we were gone.  You are irreplaceable!! 

13.1

I dedicate this blog post to my big sister and her amazing accomplishments this past year.  God brought a special friend into her life last year soon after her 40th birthday.  My sis was at a low point in her life, discouraged by her poor healthy and weight gain over the years.  Her friend, who is a personal trainer, told her that she was going to help her and so Katie's journey began.

This summer, her friend/trainer told my sis that she was going to run in the Nashville Women's Half Marathon.

 This past Saturday I was there to witness this amazing accomplishment.

 Her trainer and good friend, Doreen, ran alongside of her.

 Mom and I were there to support her and cheer her on with her family.

 She is an inspiration to me!  This photo on the right was taken Easter of 2010.  She has lost about 40 pounds and we are so proud of not just her weight loss, but her having run a 13.1 miles in under 3 hours and taking such great care of her body to improve her quality of life!!  She has worked her tail off and it shows.

You look great, Katie!  I am so proud of you!!!

Yard Fun

 We took advantage of the pretty weather and played with the kids in the front yard.

Payne, here, had had a bit too much of the lovin' from the cousins.  He was a bit smothered, I think.  

Just look at him.  Don't you just want to smother him too?

 Adde had just learned to ride her bike with training wheels.  Whoo hoo!

 Somehow I got attacked by kiddos and some Little Guy kept having a seat on my face!

Time with cousins and family brings this Mama Fish so much joy!

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

 On Day 2 of our time in OK, the temps dropped almost 30 degrees and it was rainy.  We headed to the home of an elderly man who is known in this town for his train that fills his yard.  He has built it himself and allows anyone to come see it and weather permitting, ride it.  Although the kids were not able to ride it, they thought it was awesome roaming his yard, following the train track and seeing all the neat things he had set up.

 Payne said "Brum Brum" the minute he saw this toy car display but was oh so sad when we set him next to the cars to take his photo. 

 The man's displays were sprinkled with bits of humor here and there.

(He even warned us about them before we set out.)

 My Little Man was in hog heaven with all the tractor and car displays.

 He had cut some tunnels out in his evergreen trees and even made a covered bridge.

 He had a play house that Ruth couldn't wait to play inside.  Instead she opened the door, screamed and came to me in tears.  There was a black and purple life-size witch inside.  The nice man explained to us that the witch was his pride and joy.  Someone snagged it before him last year from Lowe's and he had to wait an entire year to grab this one.  He was very proud of it.  I think it gave Ruth nightmares.  :)

 Like I said...humor scattered throughout.  :)

 Do you think this little, chunky man would fit into my suitcase???

And last he let us visit his workshop in the garage and see what he was making.  He had plans for another locomotive that he was welding and building to sell on the internet.

Rain or no rain, it was a super time.

There's just something small-town good about rapping on the door of a stranger and asking him if we can roam his yard and enjoy his creations and then letting him talk our ears off about his passionate hobby.

16 Years

Sixteen years ago today on the first day of fall, I walked down the aisle surrounded by friends and family to marry the man of my dreams.  I can not begin to tell you what a wonderful husband and father he has been.  God paired us up perfectly.  I knew when our childhood dogs had the same name and our sports numbers in high school were both 22 that he would be my soul mate.  :)  I am one blessed girl!  My Man, thank you for being such a leader in our home of godliness, generosity, wisdom, laughter and love.  I cringe to think what life would be like if God had not brought you to me.  You are the best!!  Happy Anniversary!

Soccer at 3

 When Aunt Rachel said we would get to come to Adde's first ever soccer game, we were so excited.  I played soccer in high school and college and so did Rachel.  The big difference was that Rachel won a ton of games and I didn't, and she got down-right aggressive on the field and I played for fun.  Isn't that what sports are for anyway??  :)  (Maybe if I had ever tasted victory, I might have acquired a passion for winning.  Oh well.)

So even though Adde is only 3, her mom has prepped her as best as possible by teaching her basic soccer skills in the backyard.  She was set and made it clear to us that we were all to scream and cheer her on.

Her coach asked, "What do you do with the soccer ball?'  To which the little girl next to A. said, "I can make an ice cream cone."  Then every 3 year old was making ice cream cones.  I think next year coach will remember not to ask that question.

She picked out her very own soccer socks.  What an ensemble!  It looks like my Roofie Poofie dressed her.

 I love this photo of the family.  

What I loved most about this game was my sweet, chunky nephew sat in my lap the entire time and dug everything out of my purse to play with.  Twice I didn't pay attention and had to grab my wrapped, feminine product out of his mouth.  YIKES!

 The next best thing about the game was how funny it was.  Imagine a field full of 3 year olds who have never been on a soccer team.  Whistle blows and only one little girl takes the ball and scores while all the others stand there just looking around wondering why their parents are screaming at them to run and kick.

 Then imagine all parents running out on the field, grabbing a hand and running, screaming their most enthusiastic cheers and encouragement, helping their kiddos to engage in the wonderful game of soccer.  Some kiddos smiled and run and some started crying.  Some had moments of both.

 And then imagine my adorable niece, so full of life and ready to be cheered by her large family of fans just minutes before the game, kicking the ball just as a blue opponent swipes it right out from under her feet.  "She took the ball from me!"  she cried.

It was a game I'll never forget!  Adde, we sure wish we could attend more.  It was too fun!!

When you get a soccer scholarship at the university of your choice like your Mama did, we will all talk about this game and laugh!

95 Degrees and Water Turned Off?

 So Day 1 we decided to go to a sprinkler water park with the kids.  Fish Sticks have never been so it was pretty exciting for them.  Got there and water was turned off for rest of season despite the 95 degree temperatures.  Bummer.  But there was a big play ground so we weren't sad too long.

 And these 2 adorable kiddos are 2 of the 4 reasons we came so far!!!!