Old Things Revisited - part X

I have reached the end - for now - of old things revisited. The last thing that I wanted to write about is Jenny May. My mother-in-law and I have done a lot of canning this year; some of which were apples. All those peels and cores! What do we do with all that apple spaghetti? Recycling at it's finest: (the first picture I just wanted to put up because I thought it was so funny. She is laying out there with a bunch of penned up roosters. Funny lady!)

Old Things Revisited - part VIIII

In all fairness I need to put up Butterfly Personified's first assignment of the year as well. It's a good thing that its a good one. It's called a Bio Poem and it goes like this:

Butterfly

Student, sister, friend, girl,

Relative of Grandma

Lover of butterflies, books, and the piano,

Who feels happy, excited, and imaginative,

Who needs a good book, a piano, and a piece of doodle paper,

Who fears snakes, spider, and moving to another state,

Who gives courage, kindness, and entertainment,

Who would like to see a butterfly with black and white cow spots, the sun wearing sunglasses, and me graduating from school,

Resident of Podunkville,

Personified

I love getting to know this girl every day!

Old Things Revisited - part VIII

It's a little late to announce this now but, SCHOOL STARTED! We have started our third year of home school and things are going very well so far. Dash's first assignment that had to be turned into his master teacher was an autobiography. There were questions that he had to ask and then he had to turn it into a book and design a cover. It was just way too cute and I had to put it up here. I couldn't share it all because it had a little too much information than what I want to put on my blog, but there are still some fun pages up.
He titled it 'The things I like to do'. Why, I'm not sure.

This one says "I was born February 12, 2001. I was born in Ft. Collins, Colorado." There is the cute little nurse handing the precious bundle - Dash - to his proud Daddy. If you look to the right - the object that is not colored - that would be my legs.

This one asked what he has done so far in school. He answered, "I have done paper work for school. I don't like it." What a shocker!

This one asks about his pets. He said, "I have a cat named Max and he is really fat. If there is too much noise he hides." So true.

This one asked about his friends. He said, "I have a friend named Malachi and he is really nice."

This is the page that asks about what he likes to do. And of all the things to put he said, "I like to do Karate. It is hard but fun." This is coming from a boy who didn't want to do Karate anymore because he said he didn't like it. So we switched to swimming. Oh well.

This is my favorite page. It asked him what he didn't like. He said, "I hate cleaning the sink and toilet because it stinks!" Amen brother! You should aim better, huh!

This page was very sweet and he really does do this. It asked him what he does that makes him proud. He wrote, "Giving things to people and being nice to others makes me proud." I didn't coach him one bit. He thought that up all on his own.

Great job big guy!

Old Things Revisited - part VII

We have almost made it to the end of catch-up posts. This little ditty is short, but sweet. It is a conversation that Dash and Princess Buttercup had one morning - not too long ago - while eating breakfast. I was busy helping Hulk so I didn't see what happened. My attention was drawn to the two cuties when Dash said this:

Dash: (shaking his head and laughing affectionately) "Princess Buttercup, you are so weird."

Princess Buttercup: DASH! Don't call me that. That's not nice. Uncle Jeff calls me NOT weird!"


Dash: "But your weird." (he really was saying it in a loving way.)

Princess Buttercup: DASH! I'M NOT WEIRD! I'M A FREAKIN` PRINCESS!!! (she hollered through gritted teeth.)
I suppose it's nice that she knows she is a child of God!

Old Things Revisited - part VI

BUTTERFLY PERSONIFIED'S BIRTHDAY!!! I can't believe that she is eleven! She was so excited about her birthday this year.
I can't remember what we had for her birthday dinner. I know that she picked what she wanted but when I asked her, she couldn't remember either. So, it was memorable for every one.

She picked what she wanted for her cake and how she wanted it. She is usually very particular about things. And it was chocolate. A girl after my own heart!

She was freaking out about her presents this year, if you couldn't tell.

She got her Nintendo DS this year with a couple of games - thanks Grandma's and Grandpa! OUCH! for mommy and daddy - hooray for her! When we told her what the stipulations of getting the device were she didn't know what to think about that, but I have never seen her work so hard before, to earn playing privileges. What a good girl.

I love ya sweetie!

Old Things Revisited - part V

FARMER BOB'S BIRTHDAY!!!! He is one year closer to diaper dependence!!!! Just kidding. Ha, ha, ha. When he reads that he'll probably remind me that I'm a year older than he is.

It was a quick celebration for him, as usual. When your a Trooper you don't get holidays off. EVER! So he came home on his lunch break and we had Salsa Chicken for his birthday meal - not his first pick but it was still very tasty - and then we had cake.
Look at all those candles. Few!!!

All in all it was pretty good. His birthday present was a filing cabinet. I tried giving him one last year, but he didn't like it. So he exchanged it, intending to replace it with one he liked. He didn't. So this year I forced him to go online and look. By George, he found one that totally rocks. We both love it. AND, since it cost twice as much as my original purchase last year then I'm covered for both years. Awesome!

Happy Birthday babe, I love ya!

Old Things Revisited - part IIII

HULK'S BIRTHDAY! He is one more year closer to diaper freedom!!!!! This MUST be celebrated, but the crazy boy doesn't like cake! It's a sacrilege, I know, but it's the truth. So we had Zingers instead. What's funny about it is, what are Zingers made of? CAKE! He won't have anything to do with homemade - or even store bought from the bakery for that matter - cake but he'll down two or three Zingers or Ding Dongs with out breaking a sweat.
We started his evening with one of his favorite meals - top ramen.

OOOOOHHHHH! YUMMY!!!!!!

Then we brought out the Zinger delight. When he saw the fire on the top he kept shrinking back and wouldn't try to blow them out so Farmer Bob had to get in there and help the process along a bit.

One, Two, Three.......

CHOW!!!

Hulk got dazzled by his presents and ditched the cake. When he opened the cards from Grandma's and Grandpa he stared at the money like it should do some spectacular trick. I took some pretty good oohing and awing from all of us before he got excited about it. But when his big present came along he freaked out! I had to put the videos up because it's just too cute. One is of him opening his present and the other is of him waiting sooooo patiently for Daddy to get it out of the box so he could play with it. They are not in order, but no matter.

Old things revisited - part III

This summer we had so much fun going camping with our friends and their kids. Butterfly Personified brought a friend, and Dash and Princess Buttercup's best friends are brother and sister, so that worked out great.
We went to Hocking Hills State Park in southern Ohio. I love it there. It is one of my favorite places that I have ever been to. We went on a hike called 'Old Man's Cave' (my particular favorite). I was really disappointed though. There was hardly any water anywhere. Normally the waterfalls are gushing, and this time, they were all pretty much just a trickle.

This is the 'Devil's Bathtub'. The water falls from the upper slide down into a bowl, swirling around in there before it overflows onto the lower slide and continues down the river. Here again, trickle...trickle. Even though it was still gorgeous.

We found this beauty and I had to take a picture. Lucky for it, I don't have the desire to poke things with pins behind the thorax and bring them home. She is lovely though.

Exhibit B of trickle...trickle. The kids are pretty cute though.

Butterfly Personified and her pal.

We went on a hike called 'Ash Cave' and when you get to the end of it there is a huge waterfall (usually) and a big pond that is surrounded by sand. All the kids had a blast in the sand - yuck - but what I loved is that Butterfly Personified and her friend made these little Inca sand mounds. BP topped hers with this flower. She searched all over for the rocks to use. I just love that girls brain!

Her friend made one with stairs and a mote!

In their spare time the would go to a little secluded place that was close to our camp site and they made this fort. They gathered all the tree branches to stand up around for the walls. Their little luxury hut has a fire place, chairs, fern carpeting, and a nice open airiness. All I have to say it that the next kids that stayed at that site had it made!

We got there on a Thursday and left on Saturday. It was just a short run but it was certainly packed full. I was so exhausted when we got back and very, VERY, thankful for my soft bed - we slept on the ground - and a flushing toilet!

Old things revisited - part II

Here is part II of past events. This summer we were able to go to Indiana and visit my brother's family. We haven't seen these guys since Dash was little. A long time ago. We were only able to go for a short time so we packed in a lot of stuff.
The first day we hung out at the house and recovered from our long drive to get there. We did get an hour or so at the park though. Dash is becoming quite the dare devil. He used to be scared of everything, so sliding down the pole is big for him.

Princess Buttercup has always been a dare devil and being outside it one of her most favorite things. There she is in her pretty, prestine, white dress, rolling around in the dirt. SUPER!

And of coarse Butterfly Personified is with her special pal, Hulk, doing whatever Hulk wants to do. She just loves that little guy.

The next day we were there we went to Michigan City Beach at Lake Michigan. The kids had so much fun, and yes, I braved the sand that I so dearly HATE, and sat on the beach for almost four hours. In a swim suit too!!! I always have inner turmoil about that one. Do I put the swim suit on and be comfortable myself but at the risk of horrifying all onlookers, sending them screaming in terror OR do I leave my clothes on and let everyone remain in ignorant bliss? Hmmm....

This was a fun little scene of Princess Buttercup. I was so happy I got it. She had no idea. She was just excitedly playing and splashing.

Butterfly Personified and Dash had a blast with these boogie boards. They did a pretty good job but I'm glad their in swim lessons for the winter. Next summer I'll feel a little better about things.

I forgot any sand or water toys so poor Hulk was stuck with a cardboard fruit snack box. Did he care? Not a chance. He played for over an hour next to me in his little swim diaper filling that box, his shoes, my shoes, and anything else he got a hold of with sand.

The last day we were there we went to a water park. The kids had a blast of coarse but for some reason Hulk decided that he didn't like it. Don't ask me why but he was just starting to enjoy himself after we'd been there for more than three hours and it was almost time to go. Boy did he scream!

Ahhh, good times, good times.

Old things revisited - part I

Since so many things have been happening for about the last four months or more I haven't really been able to document some of the things that I really wanted to. For example: Mother's Day! Now, normally I don't get presents on holidays - except Christmas - and I'm lucky if I get a card. Farmer Bob just isn't that kind of guy but don't be to hard on him. He has other wonderful redeeming qualities that make up the difference. But this last Mother's Day not only did I get a card but I got TWO presents.
The kids and Farmer Bob got me those cool rubber spatulas that can withstand heat up to 450 degrees. Cool! I also received a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker. Yummy! I enjoy it tons!

On the card front, they all drew me a picture and Butterfly Personified put them all into a book for me. Here is the cover - mangled bean pole writhing in the wind - me.

My mans superb art skills.

Butterfly Personified's handy work.

Dash giving me a present.

Princess Buttercup in all her majesty.

And Hulk at work.

You also can't leave out the part where Milk Maid Supreme made dinner for everyone - yeah, I still have to do that part - and then, in my freakishly uncoordinated way, I explode dinner down the front of the stove, myself, and the floor. Hooray for me, but what's new. It was a great day anyway!