Contracts 101

Legal and Binding Contract drawn up and entered into record this 30 day of June 2010 by Number 1:


The minute Number 2 wakes up, he or she may not screech for a day.  If Number 2 is to screech, he or she must give his or her Bakugan to Number 1.  But if Number 2 is not to screech, Number 1 must give his or her XBox to Number 2.


Number 1 signature


Number 2's signature


Witness Mom, signature

Another day, another story,
Em

Holy days

While most people consider Christmas, Easter or All Saints high holy days the baintrain begs to differ.  Their favorite place to worship during the summer is the First Church of Fireworks.

 

They come by it honestly, though.  Mainbain is a true priest of said church, and has bowed to the power of pyrotechnics for years.  He even calls ahead to make a shopping appointment with his proselytes.

What new convert wouldn't enjoy worshipping at this altar?

My opinion:  he converted the baintrain with this one little phrase:  go get the matches...

 LIB

Sleepwalking Hide & Seek

I'm pretty sure Number 4 just made up a game.  A heart-stopping, thrilling new game called Sleepwalking Hide & Seek.

I put him down for my favorite part of the day AKA, Naptime, and went about doing very important things: lunch, People magazine, Facebook, etc.  Somewhere between skimming photos of Zac Ephron's abs and chips and salsa, I heard an odd noise.  In true concerned parent form, I sent Number 1 and 3 to investigate.

"Mom, where is Number 4?"

"In his bed napping," (Wow, Zac has grown up since High School Musical!?!")

"Nope, he's not in there."

"Ha. Ha. He is in his room."

"Really, Mom.  He's not in there."

Not in his bed.  Not in his room.  Not in his closet.  Not in my bed.  Not in my room.  Not downstairs. Not upstairs.

After calling his name 50 times and looking under every bed and in every closet, Number 4 calls out sweetly from beside the china cabinet in the dining room.

"You scared us to death! Do not ever do that again!"  Cue the hysterical tears.

Back to bed and asleep again in 15 seconds.

Another day, another story,
Em

Thomases' Law

I've been gone for 30 minutes on way out of town for a girls' weekend trip to beach with NO KIDS.

First report: 2 out of 5 kids (1 mine & 1 not mine) have thrown up in the car my sister-in-law is driving.

Another day, another story,
Em

Destination Houston

Unlike the 16 Balls in the Air Tour of Memphis (photo tour w/info in captions), the recommendations for Houston, Texas are neither free or especially inexpensive.  Retail therapy does have its place!

If you happen to find yourself in Houston (hopefully for very different reasons than my own), you just might want to hit a few of these spots which have become our Fave - Must Do - Lucky Charms.

First, with all seriousness, I cannot say enough about MD Anderson Cancer Center.  Chances are, you know someone affected by cancer.  We all do.  This is an amazing place that I hope you never have to visit.  If you or someone close to you are facing cancer or looking for a place to donate to make a difference in the lives of people bravely enduring cancer, consider MD Anderson. 

La Madeleine
We have been having lunch here from the very first trip to Houston 3 years ago.  The day after my surgery in fact, I remember taking teensy tiny bites of pasta salad while having lunch here with St. Joel and my parents. La Madeleine serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Desserts and French pastries are HEAVEN. The Croque Monsieur sandwich is one of my faves too.  It is a chain restaurant with many locations (sadly none close enough to Tennessee), but doesn't feel like a chain. Our favorite location is at Rice Village 6205 Kirby.

Crave Cupcakes
The best cupcakes we have ever eaten!  And we have tried a lot, I mean A LOT of cupcakes, just to see how they compare.  St. Joel's fave - red velvet.  Mine - anything with chocolate. Be sure to wash them down with an old fashioned glass bottles of milk for sale also and pick up your desserts BEFORE dinner because they close at 8:00pm most nights.

Pappasito's
This Mexican restaurant holds a very special place in our hearts AND stomachs. On the very first trip we took to Houston in 2007 for appointments at MD Anderson, understandably overwhelmed and nervous, a friend called and instructed us to go to Pappasito's at Kirby and Richmond and there would be a gift card waiting for us with the hostess. We have eaten at the exact same location each and every time we've gone back for my checkups. The Wave Margarita with sangria is my personal favorite stress reliever. St. Joel always orders Pappa's Grill for dinner. The tableside guocamole is the best I've eaten. And every time we go, I think of the Hall's and their huge gesture of friendship.

Shopping:
Katy Mills Outlet Mall
The Galleria and surrounding area
The Woodlands
IKEA

Hotels:
In the past few years we have stayed at many different hotels in every price range.

Rotary House International is adjacent to MD Anderson, God forbid you ever need to stay within the medical district. Very convenient, comforting and affordable if you do.

Hotel Zaza - Hollywood meets Texas Swanky, across from the Houston Museum of Fine Art.


Springhill Suites - Very nice and near Reliant Park, Hermann Park Zoo.

Hotel Derek - Ultra modern, hip and cool, near The Galleria.


Renaissance Greenway Plaza Hotel - Very nice, convenient, comfortable place to stay.


Another day, another story,
Em

Investing 101

Another day, another DOLLAR,
Em

Another Lucky Day

 Photo from Cygnus921 @ flikr

If yesterday was an ice cream cone, today is a perfect cupcake!  In honor of Em's check up being all clear, I thought this post warranted re-reading.

Happy cancer free Tuesday!

LIB 

I think cancer was a gift. Maybe that's easy for me to say because mine was the "lucky" kind. One surgery to remove the tumor on my tongue followed by checkups and CT scans every few months (600 miles from home). Serious, but nothing really, compared to what so many people - friends, family and strangers - are going through every single day. I didn't lose my hair. I didn't lose my ability to talk or swallow. Mine was a journey not a battle.

I thought I knew 2 years ago what was truly important. I was grateful for my blessings: my husband, my boys, my health, my family and friends. I enjoyed life more than I complained about it. I took opportunities and even some chances. I didn't need cancer to teach me to appreciate my life. But that's exactly what it did. I guess cliches become cliches because they're true.

I Know

Yes, I know it is all different.

Now, I know what is important.

I know who I love.

I know who loves me.

I know what I truly have.

I know it can all be gone in a moment.

I know every moment matters.

I couldn't know if it had never changed.

Another day, another story,

Em

St. Joel Day

Happy Father's Day, St. Joel.

What he's doing to celebrate today, tells me I chose the right man for the job.

Another day, another story,

Em

aha moment: Juggling it All

Liberty recently participated in Mutual of Omaha's Aha Moment tour of America.

Please enjoy her uplifting look at motherhood and her Aha Moment.

aha moment: juggling it all.

Open Letter

RE:    Summer Vacation


To whom it may concern,


This whole summer thing is not really working out.  So far the choices of daily activities around here are quite clear:  A.) Go out and spend money on food and/or activities or B.) Stay home, watch TV, play video games and fight.  


The balance between my role as cheery cruise director with an expense account and bitchy flight attendant on the red eye from Hong Kong is sketchy at best.


A good day: I make it to my 5 o'clock cocktail without breaking out The Banshee Scream.  


Did I mention it's 110 in the shade?


If you and your children, are growing organic produce, reading the classics or handcrafting anything this summer, I don't want to hear about it.  If you're children are not watching any television, but instead are enrolled in a French immersion preschool program this summer, don't even look at me. If your kids sleep past 9AM, gladly eat whatever food is prepared, occupy themselves productively and do not so much as utter a cross word to one another, I got some ocean front property in Tennessee to sell you.


I threatened to put them all in day care (with or without an actual job to pay for it). They called that bluff.


52 days until the first day of school,
Em

An intellectual recipe

Take a group of active boys

 Some hot afternoon summer sun

A stack of $1.50 books from Goodwill

A bag of treats and prizes, and you've got a simple summer reading race!

I'll let you know who wins, the goal is 10 books in 10 weeks...so far limabain is the leader.

Lib
**Check out Rachel and Lisa and Jen, and Michael - recipe mavens!
***And Kristin whose tips are fabulous...

Honest Mistake

While at the pediatrician's office today for Number 1's check up, we
watched a sweet infant being weighed.

Number 3 loudly exclaimed, "Where's his wiener?!?" just before the
mother picked up her beautiful, naked baby girl from the scale.

Another day, another story,
Em

Summer love

My gratitude list seems to grow exponentially in the summer.

My heart overflows with the balm of thankfulness when I take time to observe...

...the passage of another successful baseball season,

 favorite fresh cut flowers,

 

 wrasslin' matches in the creek with Dad,

mother nature in action,

 

...Rumplestiltskin hay fields,

 

 and summer storms that hold a promise.

Every place and time holds a particular beauty, at least that's what my daddy says. What about your place and this summer?  

Hope it's filled with varied heart treasure...

Lib

Cupcakes for Capitalism

Seriously, I don't know where I come up with these things. Yesterday started like any other day. No plans for the 100+ degree W. Tennessee summer day. But by 1:00 pm, Number 2 had asked me for the 11th time what he could do for money. He's been running short on cash since our vacation to the beach. I mean he DID buy our pet turtle, Freddie, in Florida.

Next thing you know, we were staging a cupcake/ lemonade stand. Of course, I get carried away within 2 seconds and had to name it "We 'heart' Capitalism Cupcake Lemonade Sale".

I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than use the words 'teaching moment', but by damn, that's exactly what it was.

"Mom, what's capitalism?"

"It's what makes America great. It means that we are free to make, buy and sell things. Not all people or countries value that," I explained, surprising myself as it just came off the top of my head.

Number 1 got into it, "Yeah, that is awesome! We're awesome!"

It just kept getting better. We made the tasted-better-than-they-looked cupcakes (chocolate chip and yellow w/ chocolate frosting), lemonade and fruit punch. Mrs. Kelli came by just in time to help set up. Mommy Esquire  showed up with her 3 hungry boys. Neighbors stopped by to buy. Number 1 explained to each customer that they could write down a suggestion for a charity we could send some of the money too (we 'heart' capitalism but we aren't cold and heartless).

An hour in the blazing heat later, The Boys had a little money to enjoy and little money to share.

Another day, another story,
Em

You won't mind green teeth

There are a few staples I can't live long without.  One of them is spinach.  I adore it in any form: raw, sauteed with a bit of garlic, layered in lasagna, blended in smoothies (only works with the raw kind!), and quiche.  Mainbain and the baintrain don't quite share my obsession, they only tolerate it.  They roll their eyes when I add it to everything, and balk at the addition of it to their smoothies.  

Sometimes the stars align and everybody gets what they want.  This recipe created a new constellation over our house.  I get to eat spinach 2 meals in a row, and see all the bains enjoying it as well.  Skeptical mainbain even gave it his smile of approval.  I did have to use the mom voice coax a few of them into trying it, but after the first bite all agreed to eat it for breakfast as well as supper. As you can see,  they got into it before I could snap a quick picture.

::Breakfast & Supper Spinach Quiche::
makes enough for 2 meals for a family of 6

butter a 10x13 pyrex dish, preheat oven to 350. 


16 oz small curd cottage cheese
12 eggs
4 c. shredded cheese - I used a cheddar/monterey jack blend
1/2 c. flour, optional
1 t. sea salt
1 t. freshly ground pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 sliced green onions
1 small can chopped green chilis
12 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup melted butter


Get out your biggest bowl, call in your favorite egg-cracker, and mix all ingredients.  It will take about 10 minutes, and the batter will be much thicker than a traditional quiche custard.  Pour into greased dish and bake about 30 minutes til set and slightly browned.  


This meal will make you smile for a variety of reasons: you get two tasty, healthy meals for minimal effort, your non-salad, non-spinach eaters will gulp it down, you get to enjoy one of your favorite veggies. 


It's a win-win...try it!


Lib
**Check out Rhoda, Rachel and Jen, and kelly- recipe mavens!
***And Kristin whose tips are fabulous...

Weather Report

Mexicanjumpingbain may be a weather man in training.
At our all day baseball tournament he observed it's summer and it's hot!

"I like to sweat though, it tastes good and salty...and it keeps me away from boogers!"

At least he's honest!

LIB

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The Perfect Crime

AKA, The Great Gelato Heist

Code 2010 Section 14: Lying with Excessive Charming in Perpetration of Theft

A certain child who must remain nameless to avoid potential legal prosecution (hint: he did explain that "I am 'E' and I 'lie' ") pulled quite a heist last night at our favorite coffee/ gelato shop.  Luckily we are very good friends with the owners, or this might have been a plea for bail money.

As usual, it was hot and humid.  The kids and I were enjoying the weekly concert in the town square park (by "enjoying" I mean I was listening to the jazz quartet while Numbers 1-4 ran around with sticks).  Ms. Kelli generously offered the alleged hooligan a bagel and a glass of water from her shop across the street.  She sent him over to tell her daughter who was working that she said it was OK for him to have A BAGEL AND A GLASS OF WATER.  He returns about 20 minutes later nonchalantly eating a refreshing cup of chocolate gelato (one of the best flavors available, in my opinion).  The subsequent interrogation went something like this:

Me, "Oh, did you decide to get gelato instead of the bagel?"

The alleged hooligan, "Uhhhhhh, not exactly."

Me, "What do you mean 'not exactly' ?"

The alleged hooligan, "I kind of made some things up."

Me, "You mean you lied and stole the gelato from our very good friends' shop?!?!?"

The alleged hooligan began to crack under the pressure. "Oh, I am sorry I didn't mean to it was an accident do I need to return it oh I am sorry I didn't mean to I was just so hungry for the bagel AND the gelato......."

At this point, my hopefully still very good friend, Mrs. Kelli, was laughing her proverbial ass off, trying not to look at the suspect.

A plea bargain was agreed to by all parties including $2.00 restitution from the defendant's personal funds in addition to a sentence of sweeping up and emptying trash this Saturday at the shop and no access to his iPod Touch for 24 hours.

Another day, another story,

Em

Today's Devotion

Today's devotion is brought to you by Number 3 from the backseat of the minivan this morning, "When it rains a lot the grass grows and a giant flower could grow and grow bigger all the way to the sky to God and he might think it is a gift, a gift from me.  Or I could just shoot it up to the sky with a cannon."

Another day, another story,
Em

In a Perfect World

If only...

I owned a Chik Fil A.


SpongeBob was educational.


I had a 5 hour hobby like golf.


I had a wife.


Breastfeeding 4 boys didn't make me a negative-A cup.


I got paid to watch Bravo.


Frozen pizza was healthy.


Childbirth affected men's bodies in the same way; plastic surgery would be 100% covered under insurance and guilt/ pain free.


Summer break was scheduled for 2 weeks in April.


I was paid hourly with overtime benefits.


Drinking coffee and margaritas with girlfriends was considered exercise.

Another day, another story,
Em

Craft Project Idea

For a lasting memory, this craft project is simple, inexpensive and
enduring.

Materials:
1 tube of ChapStick, any flavor
1 preschooler (could be done with group as well)
Any wall of your home, preferably near a main entryway

Directions:
Step 1: Leave preschooler(s) alone and go do something. Anything
really, shower, fold laundry, make sandwiches.

Step 2: Return and behold the artwork your gifted child created.

Note: No need for top coat of any kind. The ChapStick medium is soap,
window cleaner and hot water resistant.

Another day, another story,
Em

Camels, knights and dragons..oh my!

Stringbain and Limabain have been learning all about the Middle Ages and Medieval times for the last month.  Our inspired friend who teaches their history class recommended an end-of-the-school-year trek to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival. One Saturday morning we got up early and headed out to see some of what turned out to be pure boy heaven.  Not to mention completely entertaining for a few adults as well.  

A large percentage of the attendees spoke and dressed Middle English-y, which made for fun chatting with vendors and people who were apparently visiting from another century.

Butterbain was referred to as young page: a title he put to the test on the Dragon Joust.

Inspired by the human chess match, and after haggling with the wooden weapons vendor, Mexicanjumpingbain tested his fencing skills.  

Who could resist a camel ride?  Especially with some of my favorite squires...

Some things are timeless:  royalty recognizes royalty!

I have a feeling we'll have to return next year...some of the baintrain may have graduated to knights by then!

Lib

This Week's Juggling Act 6-9-10: The Usual

Four perpetually hungry, energetic, out of school 'til August boys 


AND


endless piles in various stages of dirty, unfolded, clean, stacked and folded laundry.


What are you juggling this week?
Em

Scrumptions Scrambled Sammies

The world of eggs just got a little bigger.


Imagine cookie monster at your breakfast table...now multiply by 4 and swap cookies for these scrambled egg sammies.  That's exactly what happened when I served these.  Minus the crumbs...I don't think there was a single one left. 

They do take a bit of extra time - but I still had them plated up in less than 20 minutes. 

::Scrumptious Scrambled Egg Sammies::
Serves 4
 
8 slices bread - we love Ezekiel/Food for life
Cheese of your choice -I used sharp cheddar
6 eggs, scrambled how you like them 


Place bread on a baking sheet and toast at 400-450 til it starts to get crisp, about 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, get started on scrambling your eggs.  

Remove bread from oven,  flip over (this part is CRUCIAL to good cheese toast) butter and top with as much cheese as you like. Return to oven and cook til cheese is bubbly - about 7 minutes for really cheesy toast.


Finish eggs and keep warm. 


Simple Assembly: cheese toast - -eggs - -cheese toast.  It will be too many scrambled eggs for the cheese toast to comfortably hold. I would like to say I served this with a fork, but was too busy getting milk.juice.kefir.vitamins.  Plus, the baintrain is {still} part barbarian and they ate the eggs that fell out with their fingers.

You know that sound cookie monster makes? Make this and  multiply that nom-nom by how many kids are enjoying breakfast at your table! 




Lib
**Check out Rachel and Lisa and Jen, and
***And Kristin whose tips are fabulous...

The Cousin Carnival

Cousin Rita and her 2 boys (of course) came to visit from NC for several days, quickly the odyssey became The Cousin Carnival.  And what would a carnival be without a few side shows.  With no real plans, we ended up traipsing from Collierville to the Mississippi River and back.  I cannot possibly share all of our memories here, just a highlight reel.  See our 16 Balls in the Air Facebook page for more photos of all our Memphis adventures (several were free or close to it).  I am certain these boys will never forget the few, but special days together.  I know I won't.

Number 1, "Coming to Memphis and not going to Graceland would be like going to camp and not roasting marshmallows."

Number 4, "Daddy, are we going to get to see Elvis?"

Girls' Night Out Theme Music: Cowboy Guns in My Apartment and Pirate Girl
Number 3, "That is what Mommies do.  They TALK."  Number 1 adds, "Yes and men, they have to LISTEN."

After a LONG day at the pool, Cousin Rita gently suggested from her precarious perch in the minivan, "Quit 'finning' each other with the plastic sharks!!!"

Number 2, "This (The Peabody Hotel) would be a great place for hide and seek!"

Cousin W, "Oh! I thought we were going to a store that sold apples."

Number 2, when asked why he was only wearing one shoe, "I only want to put one foot in the Mississippi River."

"Number 4 (two hours past naptime) is really hanging in there with you big kids," I marveled.  Number 1, "No Mom, he's not 'hanging in there', he's IN there!"

Common refrain from The Elders, Number 1 and Cousin R, "What!?! We didn't do anything." 

Hanging out on Beale Street.  Can't deny genetics.

Another day, another story,

Em

The Truth

I don't call him SAINT Joel for nothing.

While I'm out to dinner with my cousin and a friend, St. Joel took 6
boys, YES SIX boys, to dinner, the Apple store, Shelby Farms to see a
herd of buffalo and out for ice cream.

Overheard

While headed to the city to get this taken I overheard the following conversation:

Stringbain (12): Mom's being "mysterious!"


Butterbain(4): No, she's not, she's being "baptized!"


Both used air quotes correctly.

The time is dwindling when stringbain is bound to the back seat.  He already drives our ancient volvo to the barn to get meat for supper from the freezers there.  Very little I have to say is actually still mysterious.  

Today I'm unwrapping the gift of his childhood's sunset.  A sliver of my heart hates to see the child in him get smaller, but the colors of his sunset are so vibrant, I'm eagerly looking forward to tomorrow.


Lib
*this post linked to Emily*

Celebrate good times

Does Kool and the Gang remind you of the skating rink?  And does the skating rink remind you of blasting cold air conditioning?   What about having to shield your eyes from sunlight when you walked out to go get in your car?

Well, it might not have had the blasting air conditioning or the aura old dingy carpet affords,  my kitchen doubled as a skating rink the other day.  The boys were dying to go swimming, but I had to mop the floor.   I'm not much of a mopper  - ask my fairygodmother -  but a recent fly outbreak necessitated it.  It was just plain unhealthy - I even had a nightmare about a swarm of the dirty pests over taking a corner of our house. 

So, we made a deal: they would help me by sock mopping, and I would take them to the creek.  They happily cleared out all the stools while I swept and filled the bucket with not-too hot soapy water.

 First you take the sock...then you put it on and dip your feet/legs into the bucket

Skate around in wet feet, hopefully remembering to encourage them to poke their toes into corners.

Consider it  BIG TIME funwork when they start mopping with all 4's!

Lib
*this post linked to Kristen at WFMW*

The easiest breakfast is one you don't have to make

We received a package from Texas via Fedex yesterday.  Inside all the bubble wrap was this sweetly wrapped box:

The contents were even sweeter!

I ordered 2 dozen scones from my darling and talented friend Lisa at Sweet Savour Bakery to serve for breakfast and share her goodness with you.  I know it was sacrificial and selfless, don't feel obligated  to break your fingers leaving me a comment about how thoughtful I am....

We received a dozen Gluten Free Lady Jane scones, which Stringbain and Limabain blissfully sampled and decreed sublime. Each bite of these is better than the last.  We also got a dozen of the Cinn-full Walnut, and here I must warn you: it would be easy to eat the whole dozen and not share them with a single person in your family!  

If you'd like to enjoy more of the sounds aahhh and yummm at your breakfast table, here's the recipe:

:: Easiest Breakfast EVER::

Click on the link and contact Sweet Savour Bakery. 

Peruse her menu and make *difficult* decision!

Place your order and check your driveway/backdoor every single day while waiting for Fedex to deliver your very own box of goodies. 

Serve them up on something special.  Seriously, treats like these don't get delivered everyday. 

Listen to the symphony these treats create.

Guaranteed enjoyment for everybody!

Lib

*disclosure, sweet Lisa didn't give a single thing, er scone for this post. 
Check out Rachel and Lisa and Jen - recipe mavens!
And Kristin whose tips are fabulous...

Epic FAIL

There's no way anybody can get it right 100% of the time.  

That understood, I tend to think my failures worse than other peoples; they feel like an unrelenting bruise, leaving my heart sore and throbbing for days and weeks. 

Mexicanjumpingbain and butterbain share a room.  Getting them in bed late - by late I mean 10:45 -  on Sunday night, I was past my point of patience.  Mainbain wasn't home yet, and everybody was suffering the I want's, I need's, I'm tired's and general whininess.  I felt like my spur-of-the-moment-alien-mom decision to finish the movie we'd been watching, instead of going to bed on time, was reaping rotten rewards. 

The accusations in my head piled up like freshly stacked wood, drowning out the sweet, albeit a bit whiny-tired voice of MJB.  After tucking butterbain into the bottom bunk,  I bent to pick something up, simultaneously turning to see the Mexicanjumpingbain's freshly painted sword.  Amazed at how beautiful it was, I got busy praising his creativity and color scheme... but shut my mouth in response to his scratchy-trying-not-to-cry-7-year-old-voice: "You're just now noticing that?! I've been asking you too look at it for the last 5 minutes!!!"  

Yes. He yelled his teary voice at me, and I totally deserved it. That voice I'd been drowning out?  You guessed it.  His voice, asking me,  then begging me to tell him what I thought of his new masterpiece.  To notice him.  I hadn't heard him because I was too busy with my own internal dialogue, consumed with all my *supposed* mothering sins, all the while committing one.  Epic moment of failure. My soul shriveled from the knowledge of what I'd just done. 

He hopped up on the top bunk, turned away from me and blurted good night,  which was more of a wouldyoupleaseleavenow?  I apologized, smothered him with kisses and stroked his soft, blond hair praying for no lasting soul damage as he drifted off to sleep.  

Early the next morning, he awoke with smiles which signified my forgiveness. My heart was still reeling from the harsh thwack of the soul-spanking I received.  I obviously need to be snapped back to the present, and remember it's a gift.  To what's important...and it's not a list in my head. 

I don't have a guarantee for tomorrow, just for right now. And right now I choose to pay attention to their hearts and mine and love them all. 

Lib