Thirteen!

How shocked was I when I hopped on the scales today-first time since before the camping trip-and saw I had dropped a couple more pounds!?  Excited enough to use double punctuation.

Who knew all that blood loss on the trip due to skeeter hordes was going to come in handy.  I do know that when a person my size starts feeling lightheaded from blood loss, it's time to rethink warm weather camping.

Luckily, the less-thrilling memories are fading, I can only recall peals of laughter, the warmth of fire and friends and the yummy food.  And of course all the animals other than the blood-sucking kind.  It really was an animal-heavy trip, I can't recall ever seeing THAT many critters before.  If Ben will ever heal from his latest poison oak infestation, I will have nothing but fond memories left.  : )  It's the same amnesia that makes me want to have more babies and get back on a ride that JUST scared the beejeebers right out of me.

Rainy Days and Mondays

Today is the day that Chandler and I are the same height.  Soon, she will loom over me like Jake does and then Ben will outgrow me as well.  *sigh*


Anyway, here is Goliath, I mean Chandler, making Frank Lloyd Wright's favorite breakfast scone.  She actually showed me the mixture of dry ingredients and told me what they were so I would 'know what's in the little pre-mixed packages I like to make'.  I am just glad she is old enough to get some pioneer skills because I have failed her since she was about 4 and realized I did not actually MAKE anything.

These are a nice, basic mix and then you can dip the cooked muffins into a mixture of melted butter and then roll them in sugar and cinnamon for more flavor.

They were quite good!

The next day, she doubled the batch and I got muffins in bed for Mother's Day!  She put applesauce in the second batch.

We re-purposed a corner of the living room into our nature study area

So far, it's been a huge hit, the kids are spending about as much time collecting bugs and looking them up as they are playing on their DS...es. DS's?

SUNDAY:

We went to the JSU frog pond for Mother's Day.  Yes, it was what I wanted to do.  It's ME.
We stopped at Gadsden at the playground and spun on this thing.
I am surprised it's still in operation, it's totally dangerous!  We loved it, we spun and screamed for half an hour, then wobbled back to the van.

Here I am doing a self-portrait at the frog pond!

On the way back through Gadsden, we stopped at took a picture of the bridge because when I lived in Gadsden, I loved going to the river walk, but I did not own a camera.
They added fountains since that time, so I took a picture of them, too.

They go off right at 9, so if you are taking pictures and your battery dies and you stop to change it at 8:59, you won't get a chance to take another picture.
  

Sixteen

Oh dear.  


Well, I am not too shocked.  Just need to get it going back the other way again! 


This week's plan:

Hiking twice, mowing once, I will make sure I am not snacking after 7-I can't really say I have been paying attention.  I am replacing one cooked meal a day with fresh fruit smoothies since so many things are in season and on sale right now.  I had blueberry and grape in the blender for breakfast!  Maybe some protein powder would help extend the staying power, fruit alone is good for about an hour.  


I just finished the most exciting book: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly.  I am all kinds of gung ho about nature study again.  Maybe that will lead to some exercise as well!  

May Underway

It's nearly a week into May already.  What the heck!

First, the play went well, then it went away.  It was amazing how CONSUMING that thing was, then it ended and we walked around for a day getting the tattered edges of our lives back together.  Now, it feels like the play was over months ago instead of just Sunday night.

Monday, we mowed and tinkered around the house, did some laundry and ran the vacuum for Tuesday.  

Tuesday, we had several friends over.  I love doing that!  It had been too long, I think the last lunch here was Chandler's birthday in February.

we talked about...everything and for hours on end.

We have a camping trip coming up in 2 weeks, everyone is so excited.  Matt found out today he can get off after all-that has been up in the air back and forth.  I finalized the rough draft for our vacation with his mom in June, we figured up his hours he will accumulate after that and we will be able to take a week in September if we use Labor Day in there.

I am so excited!  It's a great life when a camping trip with your family and friends looms just ahead like Christmas Day, filled with fun and who-knows what!  Every trip is like a holiday and a family reunion all in one.  : )  The very best kind of thing.