OMG!!!

I can't seem to get my head wrapped around all that's going on.
         HUSBAND,   
                       KIDS,
                         HOUSE,
                              SCHOOL,
                               BIBLE STUDIES,
                                         FRIENDSHIPS,
                                            GOODIE BAGS, &
                                                    DANCE CLASSES!

This is what my weekly journey consists of...and guess what I forgot.......BLOGGING!!!

                                  
                                     

Holiday Weekends

It's Labor Day! This weekend I have watched three movies, been shopping at three stores, made three course meals twice, washed & folded three loads of clothes. It's been pretty labor intensive but I wouldn't change a thing. Hope you've enjoyed yours!

"POP"

I love this picture! I love this picture because of the collage of paper fans on the wall. This masterpiece (I'd call it that because I know from a crafters point of view, this was no picnic in the making but the reward was sweet) reminds me of LIFE. Alot of us have the everyday gray and white things that we have to take care of. And vvery now and then our routine offers us a bit of "pop" and that's the great mustard color you see here in this picture. When you dig a little deeper, you can see that even the whites and grays have some texture or patterns to them that are not quite all the same. Hence, even on our most routine days, there's always something that looks or feels just a tad bit different than the day before it.

I wish I could recreate this and hang it on my wall behind my bed to remind me the little unexpected joys or challenges that each day brings and of course that the "POP" of change is never too far away!

More science before school starts

So, we did do more science projects however; we didn't do such a thorough job as the first time with all the notes and such. Here are two more that were and weren't successful due to not realizing that we didn't have enough materials and not enough time.

Lava Lamp!

We kinda needed a little more oil!

An alka-seltzer

It did fizz and do some bubbly stuff but because of the lack of oil, the effect was minimal.

Next - Making chocolate melt!

So we put chocolate in the upstairs bathroom, in a shaded spot outside and in the lawn which was very sunny. The ants got all over the chocolate that was in the sun and even though Atlanta feels terribly hot to us, none of the chocolate melted all the way in the sun or in the upstairs blazing hot bathroom. It was fun to get the kids doing something different so next year, I have time to prepare and have ample supplies on hand.

E=where did this week go?

I'm pretty sure I left you guys thinking about math and science projects and you're probably on pins and needles to see the kinds of things we did. I too am so excited to share them with you; however we only managed to do one. Well...one that worked.

The first one was writing in lemon juice on plain paper then holding it up to a light bulb and being able to see your writing. Not sure why it didn't work but it didn't. You see, this whole journey started when JT said he wanted to be a scientist. So I had the genius idea to start with experiments at home by teaching him how to write down his observations, his hypothesis, results, etc. The next one we did was great.

HOW TO MAKE AN EGG FLOAT IN WATER

Simple, all you need is water, alot of salt, a tall glass/cup and an egg.

For observation, I asked him to place the egg in the plain water and we watched it sink to the bottom. So now we know that getting it to float does not happen naturally.

This is what the water in the cup looked like after adding 5 tbsp of salt. The step after this is to stir the salty water together and then pour in clean water on top being careful not to mix the two. You want the cup almost full of water.

Now he's gently putting the egg in the water being careful not to drop it in and...

VOILA!! A floating egg!

To be completely honest, the first time we put the egg in it didn't float but JT remembered it was because we hadn't stirred the salt into the first cup of water. "Great observation", I said to him and he was correct. Mixing the salt water before putting more plain water in made all the difference. The density of the salty water made the egg almost float right where the salty water ended and the plain water began. The egg floated for a few hours until we took it out. Science is an amazing thing!

Summer Boredom

Now that school is around the corner, I think the kids and I have both reached the summer boredom stage. Lots of lying around, cleaning up and for a little bit of excitement we go swimming. I can't seem to peel myself out of bed in the mornings and all day I feel as though I'm just dragging around. Blahhhh!!!

This week to spice things up I want to hold my own science and math camp at home here for the kids. This will surely be challenging for me as I will have to prepare before hand for all the different ages of the kids to be entertained. I am also going to have to go shopping for some needed materials. Overall, I'm going to aim for three days this week so stay tuned to see if we can turn these last few weeks of summer boredom into excited and funfilled days!

Long distance relationships

I don't have any idea how the time has flown by so fast, nor do I have any idea of how I've been meaning to blog all the important summer activities and just didn't make it. So much is happening with the kids, family and friends...this summer is sure to go down as a memorable one.

This year has been a year of change. Not as much for me as it has been for alot of my friends, but I am feeling the effects of their life changes in a major way. I have three dear friends that are relocating permenantly or temporarily. Either way, there is going to be distance between us for periods of time that I hadn't accounted for. The fact is however, that God has assigned them new tasks and while I will miss them, I know our relationships will endure the miles.

This is Fancy Nancy! My lovely friend that teaches me so much and is actually like my sister from another mother. We enjoyed some karoake at USPlay with more friends. Good times, we'll always be connected.

My sweet Rebecca! Another friend that is moving on. She is now in Philadelphia with a new job and new opportunities. I'm so excited for her and I can't wait to go and visit her there.

A most cherished longtime friend, Shawn (with newborn T.K.) is moving with her family to Florida. We have so much in common and have walked through so many things together, I can't believe she's leaving but I know that her family is going to be so blessed by this move.

So while I've been busy with the house and kids, I've also been very busy spending quality time with those I value so much. I know that with these friendships distance will only make the heart grow fonder!

Just news

Here are some pics from recent days at my house.

This really isn't a good picture but this was one delicious Duncan Hines apple caramel box cupcake. One of the yummiest cupcakes I've had in awhile.

Now, this picture shows how good they really were because little lady here actually starting eating the cupcake wrapper for more yumminess.

Kenannator all ready to jump in the pool at the YMCA. Our favorite place to go in the summer because there's so much to do for all ages.

Monday night we had salmon croquettes, collards and jasmine rice. Nothing fancy but still good. My dishwasher is broken so we use paper plates alot!

Tuesday night, I served roasted chicken which cooked in the crockpot for 5 hours (my first time ever), argula salad, new potatoes and leftover biscuits from breakfast...no sense in letting them go to waste. Tonight will be taco night, stay tuned for more! Still guess blogging for my girl Ellen, check it out!

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Tonight I am puzzled by emotions. Wearing them on my sleeve and not sure what piece goes where.
Tonight I want to sing, dance and cry a warrior cry, but really what good will it do me...or them?
Tonight I've decided that a change must come but I'm not so sure how its gonna get here.
So, tonight, tonight, tonight (cue Phil Collins music) I'll just blog and let the puzzled emotions on my sleeve try to piece themselves together on a day when I really feel like being bothered by them.
Because... tonight, I don't.

Not sure where that came from, I guess that's what blogging is all about. At any rate, tomorrow is a new day and I will be guest blogging on my friend, Ellen's blog while she's away How Does Your Garden Grow. She is visiting Europe for the next several days and I have to say that I wish I were in her shoes. I've never been and I can't wait to go but it looks like it'll be at least 15 more years before I get there unless I plan on bringing the kiddos with me or giving them a mini-vaca to Grandma's house. Whenever it happens, I'm sure I'll love it and finally get to practice all the French I took in high school because I wanted to understand ballet more. Go figure!!

Summer, Summer, Summertime!

I've been talking so much lately about baking so in this post I'll share some exciting photos of the kids and what we've been up to since school got out. Being home with 4 kids is alot of work. I am always trying to maximize the moments with learning, playtime and exercise. It sometimes wears me out trying to keep them on a schedule because I'm constantly saying, "No, not right now" or "We're not doing that today". 

We've got some really good friends out in Kennesaw that we went to swim with this past week. They're moving to Florida soon, so sad! She has three kids and is pregnant with her 4th so needless to say we didn't get to do alot of relaxing girl time but we still had a blast!

This is cutie patootie Ben with preggars mommy in the background.

I had to include this pic of the youngest boss of them all and of course the big brother who always finds a way to show his pearly whites.

Later on in the week, Ray and I decided to try our first Zumba class. I sent a message to a few of her classmates moms to see if they would bring their daughters too. We were both nervous and unsure of exactly what we were signing up for but it turned out to be TOO FUN!! There was some salsa moves, belly dancing moves and a few moves where I was thinking, "Should my daughter be doing that?" All in all, she said she enjoyed it and wanted to go back this weekend. This is her and her classmates that did make it. I had hoped they'd look wiped out but you know they were camera ready!

We finished out the week with a dinner to Maggiano's for Father's Day! We were delayed in getting dressed because it was storming a little outside and the power went out. Can you imagine shining flashlights on yourself in the mirror to make sure your clothes match. Boy aren't we a spoiled generation. Ray took the family pic while we were waiting for our table, I think the Zumba workout had finally kicked in and she was no longer in the cheesing mood.

After we got to our table we realized that Andre 3000 was finishing his meal right next to us. Celebrity moment!! The conversation was good and the food was pretty good too, check out Christy enjoying the onion strings. Hilarious!!

so far...so good!

Is it okay to enjoy this?

I've had a major sweet tooth lately and boy did I find the right recipe to cure it. Paula Deen's Best Bread Pudding Recipe. I know, I know, you can easily go to her website to look it up so what I'll do is just show you the delicious pics that I'm sure will make you want to bake some yourself!

How did I forget the brown sugar & butter goo that went on top to make it look all carmelized like the picture below.

Yes, I had to take the first scoop of it right out of the oven. And finally the best part!!!

It might be easy to miss but there is a delicious brandy sauce poured on top. I'm sure by now you're experiencing the yumminess. I worked out twice yesterday just to be able to eat this with no guilt! I might have enjoyed it too much.

The secret is out!

I make, or so I've been told, the best Lemon cookies ever!! If that's true then this recipe is sure to win you a few friends. Here's the step by step...Good luck!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The ingredients are 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of oil and a box of lemon supreme cake mix. Yep, that's all!

I always beat my eggs and oil in together first.

Add in the cake mix and at first it'll look like the top picture but if you keep stirring, it'll look like the bottom pic. Having a little helper is always fun too! Use a big spoon and not a fork or whisk because it gets pretty gooey.

Roll them into little balls. This is such a great recipe for parties or classes because the one box makes about 60 cookies unless if you like them big. Bake them for exactly 10 minutes.

Viola! Great Lemon Cookies that'll melt in your mouth. Hope you enjoy!

I am woman hear me ROAR!!

It is a wonderful thing being a woman. God made women to be completely phenomenal in so many different ways. There are not many other beings like ourselves that are able to go, go, go or sit and sing a lullaby after cooking a 5 course meal and still feel the air beneath our wings.

I am a woman. A woman that has learned her worth after years of having not a clue. A woman that is looking forward to the milestones that are ahead. A woman that is maturing daily. I am aware of this maturity, not because of lack of energy or zest for life but because of the decisions and choices that are shaping me. Time changes, seasons change but women...we evolve! I feel Phenomenal even when the decisions I make may not make sense to others. I feel Phenomenal knowing that I am knowing me more and more each day. I feel Phenomenal and it feels good.

...Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Maya Angelou-Phenomenal Woman

Two are better than one?

It amazes me how even when your life is so full of things to do, people to see and places to go, we can still feel an emptiness inside. What is it that makes life feel full? When you feel the most complete is it after an event, a moment with someone or just time alone?

I'm a people person. I love being around people and building friendships. I am starting to believe that it may almost be to my detriment. You see, I grew up an only child. I had to love spending time with myself and finding contentment in my private time. Now, I enjoy having moments alone but I'd rather spend some QT time with a friend or two. The problem with this is that seasons of life change and your friends do too. So what your friendships may have looked like in January could be a little different by the time May hits. Isn't that crazy? It is but it's so true.

So what do you do? You could spin your wheels trying to make things happen or you can get back to that one friend that isn't seasonal even if you treat Him that way at times. Really God and family are the most substantial relationships any of us have. They are always here to keep us grounded and centered on what really matters. We had some good family time to keep me grounded this week with campaigning, a birthday celebration and a lazy Sunday.

 A Paula Deen chocolate cake recipe!

 Oops, something went wrong. At this point I wasn't so thrilled.

For the man of the house. Turned out cute, huh? Tastes yummy!

She came up with this slogan on her own. I love it!

This is the kids building a Star Wars Spaceship. This went on all day. They had hammers, nails, markers and spray paint. It was great to hear them working and fighting together to get this one thing accomplished.

All in all, the bible does say that "two are better than one". However, if you're having a hard time getting the two together just remember that the "One" is more than enough.

All hands on deck!

So, lately I've realized that I need all the help I can get to keep my house running smoothly. Realistically, my oldest two are the only ones who are most helpful but there are those times when I need for ALL hands to be on deck. "Everyone (even my babies) do something please!!"

This particular day, I had my oldest two helping with dinner, "Chicken in a Bag". Kids always know how to season the food just right! This Sunday dinner wouldn't have been complete without the "Mini-tart Apple Pies". Here's the before...

They were so yummy, I didn't get a chance to photograph the results of the kids pies but take a look at the scrumptious after photo of mine...

Of course I had to drizzle a bit of caramel on top! And to be completely honest, I ate half of his too. He was simply moving too slow!

I guess having everyone lend a hand isn't a bad thing, no matter what the ages of the children are. It helps us to bond, teach and learn but most of all, enjoy the fruits of our labor!

The week in a glimpse Pt 2

The week was CRAZY!!! We were literally all over the place trying to get things done for all the family functions that were occuring. Let's see, here are some pics of the fam at the races. We were engulfed by the noise & nitro methane even more this year than in years past because we sat closer to where they start their engines.

I don't think Kenan took his earphones off at all the entire time we were there. He refused even while walking to the car to remove them, after 6 hours I think he was pertified of the gunning noise. On the other hand, I'm not sure what JT was doing in this picture. He looks like he's asleep but feeling peace...I don't know. It's kinda impossible to even think about sleep at a place like this.

This is probably the first time we've ever taken a picture at the races. He is normally so into it that I can't get him to budge. And yes, he is on the phone...Hilarious! I wonder if the person on the other end could even hear what he was saying.

The very next day at 6am, we had the Kirkwood Spring Fling Festival. It was supposed to rain all day but it ended up being a few drizzles. I took my handy dandy Raina with me and boy was she helpful all the day long. This is the table we did for the Kids Area.

I was running around trying to get all the schools and teams in place for the kiddies to enjoy and Raina sat faithfully by the table and kept the kids in order while playing the lollipop game. It was a success and I am looking forward to it next year.