handsful

…we must be!  Six bikes in a row, with an extra little rider on one.  We broke out of the neighborhood tonight, going down the main road for about 3 miles total.  It was great.  The kids loved the adventure of being out amongst traffic!   I’m sure we’ll be doing that a lot more, and hopefully my legs won’t be quite as sore as they were tonight!

In her co-pilot seat complete with bunny helmet.  I promise, she loves biking even though she doesn’t look so happy here!  She asks to go biking all the time, with her sign for “bike”.  Yes, that’s a boo-boo on her eyelid.  The girl is such a dare-devil, she always has some kind of bump or scratch. 

Speaking of being daring, here’s Ethan deciding to give his hands a break. 

Abbey and Marley enjoyed cheerleading camp last week.  Here they are on the last day, when all the girls performed for their parents.  They did great :) 

Lots to say, but not many pictures.  We’ve been busy, and most of the time haven’t had the camera with us (gasp).  I’ll add the pictures we do have, and give a quick run-down on what we’ve been up to!  As you can tell, I wasn’t sure what to call this post…

• This weekend, we took our ski boat out on the river.  This was Lainey’s second time on the boat, but first to take a dip in the river…surprisingly, she loved it.  Hee hee.  The big news is that Ethan got up on his wakeboard!!  He’s been trying to do that since last summer, and we were whooping and hollering when he did it on Saturday!  There are no pictures because I knew I couldn’t handle Lainey AND the camera.  Making sure she stays seated while the boat is in motion is a full-time job.  We’ve decided that we need to get a “point and shoot” kind of camera, one that is much more portable than our Nikon, just for times like that.  Take it from me, he looked great and the smile on his face was priceless. 

As a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, I feel it’s my duty to tell you that Lainey did NOT want to wear this.  She allowed me to put it on her, took one look, and started frantically signing “all done”.  It’s true.  But, I convinced her to keep it on for a few pictures.  This is the NC State cheerleading outfit that both Abbey and Marley wore when they were little, and I tried it on Lainey today to see how it fits.  It’s still a little big, so there is room to grow…and, maybe with time, she’ll learn to like it.  ;) 

• About a week ago, Randy and I bought ourselves an early anniversary present.  Bikes!  We decided that we wanted to be able to take bike rides, all 7 of us.  Randy’s old bike is OLD and not usable.  About a year ago, Abbey took mine (and passed hers down to Marley).  So, a trip to the sporting goods store was in order.  We also got one of those cute hook-on toddler seats and an adorable helmet with pink bunnies, so Lainey rides on Randy’s bike.  There are no pictures (yet) because we’ve been going in the early evening and it’s been too dark. 

What IS this thing mama put on me?

• Have we mentioned yet that Lainey is the next Houdini?  Honestly, she’s really good at getting out of something or into something.  For instance, she’s figured out how to unbuckle the latch on the straps of her carseat.  More than once, I’ve looked behind me to see her with both arms out, dangling out the front of her seat.  Not good.  We now have a plastic thingy holding the straps together that Randy found at Home Depot and she’s not figured it out (yet).  And, that’s not all.  She knows how to step on the pedal to open the gate between the kitchen and front room…can unlock all the doors in the house…and, can unbuckle her booster chair at the table.  NONE of our other kids did any of this.  Fun, fun. 

Guess who made dinner tonight?  Abbey decided she wanted to prepare our meal for tonight and spent this weekend looking in my Southern Living Easy Weeknight Favorites cookbook for her plans.  She made Molasses-Grilled pork tenderloin (with help from dad on the grill), Southern Fried potatoes, Sesame knots, and Polka dots for dessert.  I helped some, but Abbey did most of the work and was very proud of herself….and so were we, it was all SO good!  We sorta skipped a veggie tonight, oh well :)  Here’s a shot of dessert…

• Today was our 6 month post-adoption visit from our social worker.  China requires a 6 month and 12 month post-adoption report to make sure that everything is going well.  Our SW will write up the report and send it to our agency who will then forward a copy of it to the CCAA, along with 4 pictures that show Lainey with her new family.  He was very happy with how Lainey is doing, saying she looks very comfortable in her new home.  Our official 6 months home isn’t until next week…you know I’ll do a post about that! 

This is our last full week of summer, with our 8th year of homeschooling beginning 8/21.  A 7th grader, 3, 5th graders, and a very busy toddler trying her best to get into the middle of it.  Should be fun. 

Puppy love

This blogging thing is addictive.  It’s become more than just updating friends/family on our goings-on here in FL.  It’s become my scrapbook, journal, record book, etc.  I automatically evaluate if something that we do/say/experience is “blog worthy”.  Oh, that’s funny…I should blog that.  Lainey is doing something new…I should blog that.  Payton has a new goofy face…I should blog THAT.  lol…  It doesn’t even matter if anyone else is reading it (though I hope they are…I love comments), it’s just great fun putting our lives on paper screen. 

For instance, here are my african violets.  I’ve had these two big ones FOREVER.  I brought them from our old house, so that’s at least 4 years and I know I had them years before that.  They bloom constantly.  The little one is my attempt at rooting a cutting.  I had it in rooting hormone and vermiculite for more than a month, and little tiny roots grew.  Last week, I put it in the pot with soil, and it seems to be holding it’s own.  I thought I was going to lose the two big ones, because they had become so overgrown.  I read up on how to “fix” that online, and I ended up cutting ALL the roots off.  That was hard to do!  After weeks of having them re-planted and under bags to increase the humidity, they are thriving now.  So cool!!

Don’t these look yummy?  They are.  I’ve tried a few recipes out of Earl “Bubba” Hiers’ cookbook, and so far they’ve been so good.  Earl is Paula Deen’s brother.  Not sure of the cookbook’s name, my mom-in-law Kathy had it here when they were visiting and she made some copies from the book for me.  These are called Star’s Cookies.  Not sure why they’re named that, but…

2 sticks butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups uncooked old-fashioned oatmeal

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups Rice Krispies

375 degree oven…cream butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add the other ingredients to this mixture and mix.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes…although mine browned in 10.  You MUST let them cool on the sheet about 5 minutes before taking them off to cool on wire racks. 

I usually use a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat, but I only used the all-purpose this time.  I like to use Sucanat in place of regular brown sugar, too.  I’ll experiment with ingredients next time.  Oh, and I had no time to chop pecans this time around…next time, I’ll be sure to do that.  I love pecans. 

We’ve had SO much rain lately, that everytime we think of getting in the pool the sky darkens and storms for the next hour.  Tonight, they timed it right and took a dip after dinner. 

 

Nope, we didn’t show her how to hold her pencil, she’s just doing it right.  Although, now that I think of it…she is very good at copying what we do, even if she only sees it one time.  So, maybe she noticed how the kids were holding their pencils??  Regardless, I’m impressed :) 

The many faces of Lainey…

I’m not a professional, but I think those are some really advanced swirlies she’s making! 

Yes, I’m a dork and took a picture of my daughter after she got off the bus from her last day of marine science camp.  :) 

She loved it this year even more than last year!  She worked (and played) hard and earned a grade of A based on her journal entries and tests.  Way to go, girl!! 

I love sleeping baby pictures…I found her this way one morning when I was getting her up.  Notice Tiger, Puppy, and blanket are all very close by. 

This is from today…the kids had 3 friends over to play after church.  We decided this was a good reason to make funnel cake.  They agreed!  See the chef hard at work in the background, making one for Lainey and I to share. 

Also, in case anyone has gone back in the archives recently to see our China trip or before, you might have noticed that some of our pictures are very tiny and there are weird squares and/or question marks mixed in with the text.  Well, when we made the switch to this new blog, the transferred posts got a little weird.  The picture problems, we think, are because Shutterfly (where we store and order our prints from) now only allows the thumbnail pics to be copied over…which, we’re a little bummed about.  So, I’m working little by little to delete the little square guys and to try and fix the pictures.  Like I have nothing else to do.  ;)

Those who know me know that I hate clutter.  That’s not to say that there is never clutter in my house, far from it.  With 5 kids, those who make the mess far outnumber those who clean the mess.  (Randy could be in either group, depending on the day).  And, don’t get me confused with germ-a-phobics.  I’d much rather be re-organizing my pantry than sterilizing it! 

I’m constantly trying to tame clutter, and put things back where they belong (I think I keep Sterilite and Rubbermaid in business just with the tubs and bins I buy).  One thing that drives me bananas is trying to keep kid’s toy parts together.  The other day, I was in Lainey’s room, going through her toys.  We bought her a set of stacking cups before going to China and it was one of her favorite toys that we brought on the trip.  I noticed that the blue cup was missing and couldn’t find it anywhere.  What good is a set of stacking cups when you’re missing a cup??  They won’t STACK anymore!  Later on, I found the cup mixed in with another bin of toys in the family room.  But, then I couldn’t find the rest of the stack.  Good cow! 

On the subject of things that make me nutty, Lainey in her carseat pushes all my buttons.  I give her books beside her in the seat, and secure her baby laptop with the velcro strip so that if she drops it, she can still pull it up to play with.  About 5 minutes into the trip she tosses the books.  Mind you, I already took her shoes and hairbow out because those would have been the first to be flung into the back of the truck.  After playing with the laptop for a few minutes, she tosses it down.  She notices that it’s hanging and goes back and forth…pulls it up/tosses/pulls it up, etc.  She then starts undoing the velcro strip that attaches the toy to her carseat.  I explain that, if she continues, she’ll lose her toy for good…mama can’t help while she’s driving.  She grins and keeps working the velcro.  The toy is now set free, and lying on the floor of the truck.  She fusses, pointing furiously to the toy that got away, and I grin.  With nothing else to do, she rips the car seat pillow from behind her head (also attached is toddler-friendly velcro).  It’s now just her and her clothes, and she’s not yet learned how to undress while clipped in her car seat.  It’s just a matter of time.  As we near our destination, I look back and see her licking both hands and then rubbing them all over her legs, like she’s applying sunscreen.  Toddlers…

After her nap, she insisted on having all 4 of her purses to play with!  She loves things she can put things in…just like me. 

Lastly, Teresa (http://www.continuingthejourney.blogspot.com/) “tagged” me a while ago to participate in a “Six Words that Describe You”…I have to describe myself in 6 words and then tag others to do the same.  Check out both of Teresa’s blogs (her other site is listed on my sidebar as Teresa – Carson), she has a beautiful teenage daughter, the cutest adopted little guy from China, and she’s going for it again with another adoption from China! 

1. Non-confrontational:  I’ll do anything to avoid a conflict, uncomfortable situation, argument, etc.  I just don’t want to rock any boats!  I’m sure it isn’t my best feature, but thankfully my husband is the exact opposite and absolutely thrives on everything I avoid.  Hey, it works. 
2. Non-competitive:  Winning, being better than so and so, getting there first…just doesn’t matter a lick to me.  I’m just in it to have fun.  Randy?  See above…exact opposite.  Two of our kids are like me, and two are like Randy.  Lainey is still a question mark, although she definitely leans more toward her daddy. 
3. Organized:  Like I’ve said, I love having everything organized, categorized, in neat little bins and baskets.  Ahhhh….
4. Busy:  I’m honestly a little stressed about summer ending, because come fall it’s gonna get crazy.  Let’s see…speech therapy, gymnastics, piano lessons, co-op classes for the kids, baseball, horse riding, basketball and cheerleading.  And, of course, homeschooling.  I’m sure I forgot something. 
5. Happy:  Sounds corny, but I’m generally a very happy and easy-going girl.  Sure, I get down and stressed (see #4), but all in all life makes me extremely happy. 
6. Which brings me to…Blessed:  Honestly, why do I deserve all this?  I don’t.  I’ve got a wonderful husband who loves me and tells me so everyday, 5 amazing, fun, healthy kids (when there was a time in our marriage when we thought we’d have none), the privilege of staying home to teach our kids, great relationships with my friends and family, the best church, and a God who loves me just the way I am.  Can it get better? 

I’m tagging Pam, Patricia, Janet, Rebecca, and Cindee – give me your 6 words!

The picture I’ve been “meaning” to get for months now.  We bought the kids their “big sister, big brother, little sister” shirts in China.  Better late than never. 

Busy days, lately.  What happened to the laid-back summer I promised myself?  Abbey is in her 2nd week of science camp…which I have to wake up at the horrid hour of 6am to get her to the bus stop.  I realize that’s not early for some, but it is for me!  The trips go to a Power Up Club each morning this week, which is our church’s version of vacation bible school.  The kids are loving it all, despite the HOT weather we’re having this week.  We’re thankful for our pool! 

One of Abbey’s many faces…she’s a very sweet and funny 12 year old.  Usually! 

Ring around the rosie…

Marley before…

…and after!  She loves it!