A Bar

Sugar Plum works so hard to please.  When it comes to doing homework, nothing beats completing it perfectly without help.  Yesterday she was doing homework while I was outside doing who knows what.... climbing on the van to repair the garage door opener, rescuing cats from roofs, yelling at texting-and-driving teenagers as they drive recklessly past our house... whatever, it doesn't matter.  As I entered the mudroom, I noticed Maisie had placed her homework on the mudroom floor where I be sure to see it right away.  I didn't really 'get' the assignment.  Something about gnomes or something like that.  I think really means syllables, but apparently I'm out of the loop.  Her word for the bottom picture made my heart swell and also dread having to tell her the picture was actually supposed to be that of a cub, not a 'bar'.

 

 

 

How Things Change

A year ago August, Kratt wandered into our lives, literally.  During the first weeks of him being around, I struggled through a range of emotions in regards to having a 4-legged-animal living in my home.  I stressed over the thought of fur balls, bugs and mud being tracked into our home by way of this cat.  God only knows where he'd been and what sort of temperament he had.  Would he scratch my kids, piss on my pillow, puke hair balls for me to discover on the kitchen floor?  

 

 However, it wasn't long before Mike was smitten with this creature and the girls stopped being afraid of Kratt.  Ross thinks of him as a 'brother' of sorts and the two share a tight bond.  I was the odd-man-out and it was evident I would need to change my attitude.

 

14 months later who'd have thought...

• for the past 2 weeks our white bath mat would have dirty paw prints stamped onto it?  And the greater question;  that it wouldn't phase me?

• that just this morning I used a ladder to climb onto a neighbors rooftop in order to rescue Kratt (who somehow managed to climb on the roof through the night, but couldn't make it back down?)  Sorry, no photo of this one, thank goodness.

I'm not all the way there yet.  Kratt and I both know where we stand with each other, but at the same time I can't help but notice I've come an awful long way.

His evil eye is almost as good as mine.

A Little Faith

If I were given the opportunity to write my children an instruction manual for life, I'd be the first to admit I don't have many of the answers.  However, there is one thing I do know for sure.  One thing I want them to hold onto with all their might.  That would be their faith.  Not the kind of faith you find in a church pew, but the kind of faith that comes with taking chances and experiencing new things. 

 

 

 

As I watch my girls play in a leaf pile, I see what so many of us adults lose somewhere along the path of life.  My girls jump into a leaf pile with complete faith.  Faith they're going to land in the center of the pile, faith there's not something under those leaves that could be sharp...or alive, faith that that even if they don't hit their target, they'll recover and try again. 

 

 

 

I pray each of their lives becomes a uncommonly beautiful bouquet of experiences.  Some of the flowers in their bouquets may turn out to be weeds, some may not thrive for long as others, while some may end up being the most beautiful wildflowers they hesitated to even pick.  I want my children to have the confidence and the faith to never be afraid to try new things.  They will (as will we), miss 100% of the shots they don't take.

 

 Life is like a camera, just focus on what's important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don't work out, just take another shot.

Personal Taste Tester

I'm obsessed with cooking.  Always have been, always will be.  I blame my ancestors.  I've been striving to perfect, already perfect recipes.  Luckily for me, I have an willing taste tester on call. 

 

Her name is Molly... Moo... Molls.. Moo moo... love bug... baby girl.  She answers to all.

 

 

Taste testing can be exhausting.

 

If you were wondering, that's kale on her cheek and chin.  Kale tends to do that when it's not clinging to your front tooth.

 

 

Mom-tested... Molly approved.

Random Discoveries

Just a few random discoveries which may or may not be of interest to you...

1. To remove saturated urine and odor from a pillow-top mattress, have no fear.  Simply combine 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1 tbsp. baking soda and 1 drop liquid dish soap in a spray bottle.  Do not shake, gently swirl.  Spray the affected area, blot with towels and allow to air dry. Discard any remaining solution as it will not be effective after 20 minutes. 

I was amazed at how well this worked and just as relieved I didn't have to sleep on the wet area Molly left on my side of the bed.

2. If a cat happens to urinate inside your shoes/boots, again have no fear.

  Simply spray the shoes with Nature's Miracle (found in your favorite pet supply store) and allow to dry.  Place the affected shoes in a plastic bag and toss with a large handful of baking soda.  Shake the bag as though your making puppy chow.  Set aside for several days.  Remove shoes from the bag and wash with warm water in the bath tub.  Set next to the dehumidifier for astonishing results.  Next time, make sure the cat doesn't accidently get locked in the mudroom overnight.

3. When buying fully-cooked rotisserie chicken, keep the following in mind.  You can buy a rotisserie chicken for $6.99 or more at a grocery store which shall remain nameless.  That bird will yield a maximum of 3 cups shredded chicken.  Trust me, I've done the math numerous times.  I recently discovered, you can buy a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco for $4.99 which will yield (hang onto your hat)... 7 cups of shredded chicken!  Just some food for thought.

Didn't want to leave you hangin' for a photo, so here ya go!

Blast Off

Today was the day.  It was the annual troop 121 Rocket Regatta.  Ross' rocket has been sitting in the cupboard above the stove since July as the event kept getting delayed due to weather.

 

Mike helps Ross with his rocket.

Ross counts down for take-off.

Meanwhile, Molly was terrified and found comfort on Papa's shoulder.

And it's off!

Success!  Papa and Maisie watch from below.

 

 

Molly told me during the last 15 minutes of the event, "I'm not scared anymore!"

Exposed

I'm aware that by sending my kids to public schools they will inevitably be exposed to things they might not otherwise be.

 

Yet, for some reason I was thrown off guard when Sugar Plum came home from kindergarten telling me she knew what the 'b' word was.  Of course, Ross began chuckling to himself while scavenging the snack cupboard.  I turned to Maisie with a look of surprise and she confidently assured me she knew exactly what it was and would whisper it in my ear. 

 

Her whispering was more like a normal voice, therefore we all heard Maisie say the 'b' word. 

I replied, "Yes, that is correct.  Please don't repeat it in this house."  

 

That's when Ross turned from the snack cupboard with a look of confusion and it was obvious he was wondering if he had believed the 'b' word to be pronounced differently all this time. 

 

If you didn't know, the 'b' word Maisie came home from school with is.... Butt Itch. 

 

I'm going with it.