Monster Trap

Seriously?  We don't believe in monsters.  Any monster talk is frowned upon in our house.  So where they got this concept?   I haven't the faintest idea.  Maybe their imagination is as big as their mother's?

Some pictures don't need any words.  Are you sure you want a peek into our lives today?  Things can get pretty wild around here.  Slip on your flip flops and follow me around for a few minutes...if you can keep up!

{giggles floating down the hall}

Rise and shine, mommy.

It can't be morning already.  I just laid down.

Change a diaper.  Brush some hair.

Water's back on....hallelujah!

"Can you fix me "o-yum?" (oatmeal)

Water and feed the chickens

Sort the gigantic pile of accumulated laundry. {plug nose}

"Mom, can you fix me "o-yum?"

Start the water for oatmeal.

Frown at the dark storm clouds gathering.

Start first load of clothes in defiance.

Stir "o-yum" and brown sugar into water...hand it to happy little camper.

Stare with bored, irritated eyes at the miles and miles of dirty dishes.

Decide to drink a cup of strong coffee.

Feed the dog.

Carry water to the garden.

"Why are you under MY bed?"

"I don't care if that's the only place you can see the glow-in-the-dark beads.  Get out of there!"

"Pick up your floor...it's a pig sty in here!"

{whispered} "Moriah, what is a pig sty?"Alexis

"But, mom, we have to leave all the toys on the floor so that the "monsters" will trip if they come in our room!"

Uh, huh.  Last week it was

 "we have to push all the toys under the bed so no bad guys can hide under there."  

"Mom, did I think of that excuse as a kid?"
Wow, it can't be only 8:05 am!

count your blessings

#202 how hilarious clothes makes you smile

#203 a cup of coffee in my I Love Lucy mug

#204 strong laundry soap

T' Time {#49}....from Kansas

My Take the Time to guest poster today is one of my best friends (and next door neighbor) growing up.

"Hi!  I am Christina.  I am a Missouri girl through and through...but am currently loving life in Kansas!  I am married to a gorgeous man named Zach and we have 3 super ornery children.  Ok....they are cute too (they look just like their daddy).  We've got Caleb who will be 8 in a couple weeks.  Riley Jo is 6, and Silas just turned 4 in October.

I am a lucky girl who gets to be a stay-at-home mom and homeschool all 3 of them.  And in my spare time I love Photography, Music and Art.  If you were to walk in my house right now...you would be tripping over my Ukulele (that I just got this year...and am still trying to find time to learn).  As well as my camera equipment laying all around my desk.  (I know.  I really need to get organized!)....and probably about 5...make that 6 unfinished art projects.  There are just not enough hours in the day!  {smile}

Today I thought I would share with you a craft we did last week.

  My  kids really enjoyed it...and it was super simple!

First.  Run up to Salvation Army or Goodwill and buy an old hymnal!

Tear a few pages out and let your kids cut them into strips.

* Tip of the day: Glue sticks work much better than Elmer's

Put a dab of glue on one end....and push the other end onto of the glue.

  Hold for just a second...and then loop the next strip through and repeat.

This is SO old school...I know....but I love the vintage Music paper!

   I really like it when the kids can do a craft...that I am not embarrassed to hang up!

  LOL  And this is one of them!  {smile}

The next thing I thought I would show you how to make..are Pom  Pom's!

This was a first for me...and all you need is yarn, scissors and a fork!

Then cut another long piece of yarn.  (from #3) Wrap around the fork until you reach the end.  (#4) Pull one of the short yarn ends up and over through the middle of the fork.  Now you should have both strands on one side.  

(#5-7) Now you get to choose!

You can either cut the loops on either side while on the fork...

or you can pull the yarn off....and cut the loops.

  Once all the loops are cut....you will have a pom pom!

I tied my 4" strands...so that they could either hang on the tree...or you can attach them to a ponytail holder...or make the loop small...and the kids can wear them as rings!

  Fun stuff!!!

There are so many different crafts out there for Christmas...but I hope this one is simple enough for everyone to enjoy...as well as for the momma's to enjoy displaying!   {smile}"


You can see more of Christina's beautiful photography HERE.
I {love} Christmas time,

Cool Boy Goop

Well, I'm kinda determined to be the coolest sister out there.

I'm enjoying spending time with my 3 little brothers. 

Mom and Dad went somewhere yesterday

and the boys and I had the run of the house. 

What to do?  What to do? 

I know...let's make slime!  I know...I'm really cool.

I've made this with my princesses a few months ago and they loved it.

I was kinda unprepared for the goofy "boy" jokes

that went along with the slimy, squishy substance. {grimace}

This stuff is really easy and makes a fun touchable oozy stuff

that is great to play with.

I take 1 cup of water and dissolve a teaspoon of Borax in it.

Then, in a seperate container I stir together

 1/2 a cup of Elmer's glue and 1/2 cup water. 

We add the food coloring to this. 

 Combine the 2 containers together and stir...stir...stir.

After it starts to come together, we use our hands to squeeze it.

This part takes awhile...perfect time for the goofy jokes.

I slowly pour off the water as it forms into the firmer "substance".

Levi found that a straw makes really big bubbles.

 Jacob's had a harder texture. 

Not sure why.  He found out his worked like a bouncy ball.

Cool Boy Goop Recipe

1 1/2 cup lukewarm water (seperated)

1 teaspoon Borax

1/2 cup Elmer's Glue

food coloring (optional)

Have a lovely day,

 

count your blessings

#70 young men with sandy blond hair

#71 disposable containers

#72 food coloring

knock his tail feathers off!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway ending Wednesday night!

a few snippets of conversations with my sweet Allie bug

"mom, I always eat the frosting on the cake first

...so I don't have to share that."

"mom,  I just killed a mosquito.  I knocked his little tail feathers off!"

 {giggles}

"mom, can you put some mosquito spray on me?  

can we buy cocklebur spray?"

"mom, are you going to put beer, on the sore, on my foot?"  

{mom gives her a surprised, confused look} 

suddenly it dawns on mom she means "alcohol".....rubbing alcohol that is!

Lie Still

Riding home from Church

  sitting by Princess Eden

rare

usually I plant myself by the little {precious} a/c vent 

 front of the bus.

  

Princess Eden leans over and whispers,  

"Mommy, you can lay on my lap."

I glanced at her tiny little lap and gently laid my head in it.
She took one little hand and patted my head and the other one rubbed my shoulder.  My little 3 year old princess {proudly} told the others that she had "put mommy to sleep".  Hey, if they'll believe it, I'll lie really still. {shhh}

Wanna Play House, Mommy?

Woke up freezing this morning.  Thought I was dreaming!  The temp gage on the wall says it's 77 deg.   I could really get used to this.  Thank You, Lord, the cool air is so refreshing.

 Wouldn't it be nice to be able to view the world through their eyes?

In my 7 year olds mind... there's no need to clean up the toys.  It's easier to play with them when they're all spread out.  Also, cookies and milk make a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

My princesses had all their dollies spread out under the tree today.  They had blankets and pillows and the whole sha-bang.  Alexis called to me as I was hanging out my third group of laundry on the clothes line, "Mommy, Wanna play house with us?"

I'd already swept and mopped the floors...cleaned bathrooms....(you get the picture?)... in my house, so why not join them in "theirs"?

Truth is, "the grass is always greener....yada, yada"  I had a lot more fun playing house in their house...then in mine!
  
Getting down on their level today,

What a Girl Needs

"Mom, when you don't hold me for a week or two...it feels...
        like you've not held me for a week or two."  Princess Alexis

Talk about a 2x4 between the eyes.

At 5 years old, Alexis, is tittering between wanting to grow up and still clinging to mama wanting attention.    She loves being held and rocked and she glows with pride when I acknowledge her accomplishments.   She loves for me to take a minute or two and rock together.

(princess Alexis playing in the rain yesterday)

It is an important part of growing up.

There's curiosity of
life and new adventures
                     but a girl  needs
that secure knowledge
    knowing mama's arms will always be there
              and she'll listen when life gets tough.

p.s. Thanks for always being there, mom.  Love Maria Jean

tiny Baby Potty Training

"There has never been a house mess or job so gross and disgusting that the mom didn't feel obligated to clean up."  Until now.

 I just paid Princess Alexis $1.00 to stick her skinny little hand down in the murky potty water to retrieve the baby's pacifier.  Yes, I know....{gag}.  How did the pacifier get in the potty, you ask?  Good question.  6 month old Brynlee put it in there!

I was encouraged to start infant potty training after seeing some of my close friends do it...and accompolish it.  Don't turn me off.  The first time I heard about babies using the potty I scoffed {huuuuh!}.  Then I put it out of my mind as "just weird".

I heard of it again when my good friend, Maggie, showed a picture of her tiny little baby above the potty.  Humm, interesting.  My sis-in-law and I started discussing it and told each other we were gonna try it also...that was back before we were expecting or even anticipating expecting.  It's so much easier to talk big sometimes.  Lo and behold we both got pregnant and had our babies.  She started working with her baby and they got the hang of it.   I was pretty amazed.

Princess Brynlee's first few months were crazy.  We were living in Missouri for her birth, then when she was 3 weeks old we left for Baton Rouge to prepare everything for returning to the Island.  Busy...busy...busy....just doesn't describe it.

After returing to Jamaica, things settled down and we got back into our routine.

On her 3 month birthday, Brynlee and Mommy started her potty training.

It went like this.  We went potty before morning feed, after morning feed, maybe every 45 minutes to an hour after that.  We always tried before naptime and immediately when she woke up.  Research on the subject advised using a word the baby would learn to recognize.  Because of her extremely short attention span and my unwillingness to continually stand in the bathroom and repeat (excuse me) "pee-pee" 500 times, we came up with the "potty song".

It's a catchy little ditty that goes like this,
"Brynlee go pee-pee in the potty like a big girl, Brynlee go pee-pee in the potty like a big girl,
Brynlee go pee-pee in the potty .....pee-pee in the potty... pee-pee in the potty like a big girl.

Sung to the tune of "She'll be coming 'round the mountain".  Don't ask my why..it was the first thing that came to my mind at the time.  The song was forbidden to be sung by anyone.  And the word pee-pee is not mentioned in other rooms of the house or in front of Brynlee, unless whispered to mommy.

Each time we stayed there only through 2 verses.  Never more, unless I could tell she was trying.  It does take some time of "mommy watching" her baby and learning their little "signs" when she needs to potty. Don't think it is All Time Consuming.  I carried her around on my hip or sat her in a chair beside me and continued on with my other duties.

I tried dribbling a little water on her, but that didn't work with us.  She just got ticked off at the cold water.

It honestly only took 3 days and she understood that mommy got soooo excited when she'd go pee-pee during "our" song.  By the end of 5 days the smart little squirt would regularly go on command, especially after she'd been sleeping.

End of 1st month I was so impressed with how intelligent my baby was.
End of 2nd month I got busy with life and thought "this is a hassle taking her potty so often."  Who has time for this?
Before the end of 3rd month I'm so happy I worked with her.  She always goes (excuse me, again) poo-poo in the potty.  I rarely change a dirty diaper.  To me that makes all the work worth it!  She doesn't understand to hold her pee-pee all the time so she still wears cloth diapers.

I don't know if it's for everyone.  I was really impressed with how fast she caught on.  If you have any questions about it I'd love to answer them.

Don't worry we threw the paci away!

Just Grin

Yes.  My 3yr old is wearing thick stripped tights.

Yes. It is in the upper 90's.

She found them today and said they make her happy.

How can I argue with that?  

To justify it, later she took the rest of her clothes off.

...except for the thick tights.

life with my kids......

Princess Alexis and Princess Eden were arguing...again.

Mom is fed up.  "Turn to your sister and tell her you love her."

{silence}

Mom says, "I waiting," in a threatening voice.

{silence}

"Why won't you tell your sister you love her????"

"I'm shy," says Princess Alexis

Two kids sittin' on a couch.  

Mom walks through room and says, "pick up that toy."

No one moves.

Princess Moriah says, "Alexis you have to do it 'cause you were sitting closer to her and heard her first."

Mama Got Her Sunshine

Sometimes there are those little glimmers of sunshine that help me get through my day.  You know those days where you feel like a stretched bungee cord ready to {boing} any moment!! Don't act like you never have them.  Well, if you have perfect children and husband and live in an a/c environment with a maid...... nope, I still wouldn't believe you.  

Here is a few instances recently where "mama got her sunshine". {nod head}

{mom lies limp on couch} {arm over eyes....fan on high speed}
a little voice says, "you sick, mommy?"
"no, just stir-crazy"
"maybe you should watch Donald Duck.  Make you feel better."
mom cracks open one eye and asks, "do have have an chocolate?"
{pause}
"you can have the rest of my piece of cheese."  
{mom eyes limp piece of luke warm cheese.}
"no, thank you.  Mommy feels better."

After a full day of motherhood, mom picks up baby, retreats to the sanctity of her bedroom.  She closes the door and sits in front of a loud fan.  Typically, 8 seconds go by before someone knocks on the door. Mom closes her ears.  What?  You didn't know you could close your ears?  Uh, huh, you can.  My kids do it all the time.  Knocking persists.... and persists.  Nearly 3 minutes go by with the incisive knocking!  Finally mom cracks or snaps (either one describes it pretty well).  "What do you want?  Can't I just have a few minutes of quiet just to myself????"
The knocking stops.   After a few seconds of silence, a quiet little voice says, "I brought you my bankie'"   {awwwww}
Somebody got hugged.

"Mom, you want to......??...??"
{Exasperated} mom erupts, "no (!!!!)  I have to start the laundry... wash the dishes... sweep that floor... clean the bathroom......etc...etc...."  {mom starts running around in tight little circles with hands over her face}
A calm little voice says, "No worries, mom.  Sit down and hold my baby."
Mom takes baby doll.  Mom loves holding babies.  The little princess was right, she does feel better.

Feelin' Soggy

I give up.
The battle with the rainy season has only begun and I'm already weary in the fight.

I slumped heavily against the door post and looked at the rows of laundry strung in and out through my veranda. Ugh.... dirty clothes.  The idea flitters through my head that it might be easier to just take up wearing leaves like Eve.  Less laundry....beautiful phrase.  When the princesses get dirty I just through that outfit out in the yard and go pluck a new one off of the good ole' ba-na-na tree..... sounds like a good plan to me.  Crazy whitie.  My neighbors might complain.

Princess Alexis comes up and says, "I know.  It's exhaus-perating.  Isn't it, mom?"  I smiled at her combination of exhausting and exasperating, crossed my eyes, and said, "Yep."  We looked out across the mountains and there was a mist coming our way.  Alexis asked, "is that rain or sog, mom?"  Sog meaning fog.  My little princess has a new thing now and she randomly asks me, "are you impressed with me, mom?"  For true, she always seems to amaze me.

Hi, ho...here we go.  During the drought it is super sunny and  hot all the time....tropical right?  My 1st load of laundry is usually done drying when I start putting my 2nd load out.  During the rainy season flash showers come with no warning and clothes seem to take 2 days to dry...tropical right?  According to my calculations and the vast amount of clothing my children (and husband) get dirty.....we are soon to run out of clean clothes.

As of this moment, there are a few items completely drenched hanging on the line in the back yard.  The rest of yesterday's laundry is hung haphazardly across every available inch of dry space on my covered veranda....hoping to catch a breeze.  While the storm clouds mock me.  And some think that living on a tropical island is all about laying on the beach.

Don't feel bad for me, there is a lovely cool breeze today.

Cowboys in Flip-Flops

Well, there's a first time for everything.  Who's to say Dale Evans didn't own a pair of them?

Two of my princesses were playing Cowboy and Indian today.  I love their imagination.  They even got Drago in on the action.  Compared to them he is about the size of a horse.

I heard Alexis calling Eden "Nacogdoches".  

It's off of a cowboy movie they watched with daddy.

Ok, I'm gonna show you a picture but you have to promise that you'll control yourself.  No licking the computer screen, ok?

Some call it a Texas Sheet Cake, that's what Prince grew up calling it.  My Grandma called it a Cowboy Cake.  The princesses call it "Favorite Cake".  No matter what you call it...it's dreamy good.  I took it to a meal we had, after morning church service, last week...and it was gone fast.

Cowboy Cake Recipe
2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup water
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 176 degrees C.  Grease and flour a sheet cake pan
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Beat in the sour cream and eggs.  Set aside.  Melt the butter on low in a saucepan, add the water and 5 T. cocoa.  Bring mixture to a boil then remove from heat.  Allow to cool slightly, then stir cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Hide the bowl from the kids so you can lick it clean in a few minutes.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (in my oven it is about 15 minutes)

Icing  This is really what makes it...."rub your belly" yummy.
6 Tablespoons milk
5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(you can add a cup of nuts if you wanted...we don't)

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 5 T cocoa and 1/2 cup butter.  Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.  Stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, then fold in the nuts, mixing until blended.

You have to time this just right.  To make it right you spread the frosting over the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven.  But, don't make the frosting to soon, or it will get hard.  Prince loves to eat the cake warm.  Enjoy.