Spring Break 2012

For Spring Break, Zebby-do joined the throngs of others who flocked to the mountains and spread their wings on the slopes of Breckenridge.  It was his first time skiing and he had a blast.  Thank you Nonnie and Papa.  

He was super excited about riding on a plane...

and a ski lift...

Zeb was the first in our (little) family to go on our (larger) family's annual skiing vacay. They quit asking us several years back, and who can blame them?  I'd get tired of hearing heck, no, too.  

  My parents shocked us by asking Zeb to go and we shocked them by saying yes.  Michal was a  bit disappointed to miss out on all the fun, but her tears dried quickly when Non and Pop handed her a brand-spankin'-new iPod touch.  Everyone has a price.   

In efforts to even out the fun factor, Lee and I loaded up the three younger kids and headed to...

It was a great time, for sure!!  I totally recommend at least a half day there.  There's a modest entry fee that includes the mermaid shows, animal shows, a boat ride, and a small water park.  Kids 5 and under get in free so it was cheaper than a movie for us (even without the popcorn!).  

I was not expecting to see a merman...  times are a'changing.  

The kids were super happy about meeting this beautiful mermaid.  Liliana got a little fresh and rubbed her mer-thigh.  She was determined to have the full experience.  

Who doesn't love a good photo op?  My mom swears I look JUST like her in this picture.  I'm not really seeing it.  

Ah, ah, ah.... Ah, ah, ahhhhhh....

I don't think I'll be cast for Ariel anytime soon, but I do like my mermaid body!!  

Lots of Pea-fowl at WW!  And Liliana chased EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. THEM.  

Liliana liked this statue so much she decided to give her a goodbye kiss.  Gross, I know.  

She's five.  What do you expect?  

We called it a day at the Land of Mermaids and crashed at a local hotel.  I could write a series of posts of why I HATE staying at hotels.  Another day, my friend, another day.  

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The next day we loaded up in the m.v. (that's short for Mini Van) and headed even farther south to Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter the Tail-less Dolphin.  For reasons I will never understand, my girls coaxed us into driving 5 hours and spending nearly $100 to see this dolphin-with-no-tail.  Meanwhile, we have hundreds upon hundreds of whole dolphins a mere boat ride away from home.  If you catch them at the right time, it's breath-taking. 

 But they have tails.  

I must admit the movie Dolphin Tale is a good one.  The story is amazing.  The righteous part of me is screaming about the millions of dollars being spent on this dolphin when there are kids dying of starvation every day, but the story is amazing.  

Here she is, in all her prosthetic glory...

Winter has had several tails.  The girls were able to hold Tail Number 18:

We also met a turtle...

and had some fun at the sting ray tank...

So I totally missed it, but Lee had his 15 minutes of fame when a kid fell into the stingray tank.  He heard a splash and then a scream.  In that dream-like slowness, he turned--- knowing it was Liliana.  Alas, it was not; BUT, being the super-hero he was born to be, Lee rescued unknown child from sting-ray peril.  Bravo, Lee! Bravo!

This is one of my favorite pictures ever...  Sister love, right there, folks... Sister love.  

The CMA is small.  I mean, NOT BIG AT ALL small!  I asked a staff member about the daily traffic.  "Before the movie," she replied, "we had about 200 a day.  Now, we have an average of around 4,500 a day."  

Good grief!!!  It cost our family of 5 around $85 to get in the door.  

Winter is a dang rich Dolphin.

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Our quick trip came to and end.  It was great to be home.  We sent the kids inside to get ready for bed and 2 out of 3 followed orders.  Liliana just didn't quite make it...  

Good night, sweet heart.

Kids say the darndest things...

As every parent knows it's impossible to remember all the crazy stuff the kids say.  I've decided to start an ongoing post where I record the odd, sweet, and funny things that come up around the house.  

I wish I could remember them all... Like the time Zeb told the dog to "Shut-down" instead of shut-up; or the time Liliana insisted that 1+1= 11... which makes total sense, if you ask me.  

Henry, with his new-found English, never ceases to crack me up.  The other day Liliana told him that he wasn't smart.  He said he was smart.  She said he didn't know what 2+2 equals.  He said he did know what 2+2 equals.  She said, "Well, Henweeeeee, what does 2+2 equal?"  And with more confidence that I have ever seen him muster, he replied, "2+2 equals W!!!"

Several years ago, when my sweet Michal was 5 years old, she crawled up into my lap and said, "Mama, you're booootiful and I'm boooootiful, and we're lovers."  My heart melted as I said to her, "Well, come let's love, baby girl!"

Michal is definitely the lover of the family, but she has always been the funny one, too.  She was cracking jokes when she was tee-niny.  Her mouth has gotten her into a fair share of trouble, though.  She called Lee a stupid old man when she was just 3 years old because he asked if he needed to buy milk.  I guess she thought any smart, young man would know that there was an entire gallon in the fridge.   

Liliana, who is currently in speech, called our switch a "bitch" for several months during her 4th year of life.  Thankfully, she can say the "sw" blend now.  She also refused to call people people for several years.  She called them humans.  "Mama, wook at dat hooomen!"

My favorite memory of Zeb is when he was at that awkward, I want to make you laugh age between 3 and 4.  All parents know what I'm talking about.  The kid acts stupid and you're supposed to laugh.  One day, in an effort to do as such, he said, "Mom, look at this funny face!!  It's gonna crap you up!!" Of course I laughed, but not at the face he was making.  Before I recovered to correct him, he said, "Mama! If that face crapped you up, this face is really, really gonna crap you up, WATCH!!"  

Liliana started Kindergarten this year and came home telling me about a little girl with decorations in her hair.  I asked her if they were beads and she said, yes.  Then she asked me if I had ever seen a black person before.  Keep in mind her little brother is Ethiopian.  

Black History month opened up Liliana's eyes to different colors and races.  She was so excited to tell me about "Marfin Loofer who was a king and he's our pwesident, but he died."  She told me that "Marfin Loofer and God were friends and Marfin Loofer made it where everyone could drink out of the big water fountain.  Some people had to drink out of the wittle water fountain." I love that our schools celebrate Black History!  

Zeb, at 10, was telling me what Martin Luther King did for our nation and I was very impressed.  He named several specific things and then paused for a moment, cocked his head, and said, "And didn't he invent peanut butter, too, Mom?"

Michal, though Latino, thought she was black for several years.  She came home in first grade saying Martin Luther King did great things for people like her and another little girl in her class.  That same year, this was her self portrait:  

On several occasions she would talk about her and a little girl (who is black) being the same.  I was asked if I ever corrected her and, no, I never did.  I don't really care what color she thinks she is and is it really important, anyway?  She was a bit miffed, though, when we told her that her little brother was coming from Ethiopia.  "Well, that's not fair!  Now I'm not gonna win the dark contest anymore!"

Honestly, I thought Liliana was a racist for awhile, then I realized she was just mean (starting school assured me she had no concept of color, especially after the beaded hair and Marfin Loofer comments).  When Henry first came home she was a bit resistant to sharing.  She'd make comments like, "I don't share my milk with boys who were born in a village." In retrospect, I honestly believe that was the only difference she found in Henry... that he was born in a village; although she did ask me if Queen Helene's Body Lotion would turn her brown like "Henweeee."  I asked her if she wanted to be brown like Henry and she said YES!  I told her it'd take more than Queen Helene's, but she smeared it on thick, nonetheless.  We agreed to pray about it. 

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Feel free to visit My Own Dose of Funny.  It's my ongoing diary of the the things I'd like to remember. 

Dirty Words: Walmart & McDonalds

Although I have 1,000 things to do, I blog.  

Yes, blogging is quite therapeutic.  

And it's free.

And free is good.

And I know starting a sentence with "and" is a no-no.  I would tell you that I taught high school English for three grueling years, but I don't want you proof reading everything I write.  That would soooo screw up my therapy. And I'm no grammarian.  I don't even like grammarians (I do like you, Suzanne, but you're the only one).

Today I took the kids to the dentist.  Did I mention that there are FOUR of them?

Four sets of pearly whites.  Or butter-yellows.  Depends on the day and the kid.

 

I have to admit that the dentist is a big deterrent to us having more kids.  If only my teeth were part of my body!  We have great health insurance, but...

Today's visit was a mere $449.00.  Not a bad price for 30 child-less minutes with a stack of magazines.  I'm thinking if they'd provide multiple copies of People and Us Weekly it would totally draw in more patients.  They could even increase the rates.  I'd pay more, especially if they kept the kids back there longer.  Since when did dental care become so fast?  I should email them my suggestions.  

I must have some deep-seeded need for occasional misery because we went to Walmart after leaving the dentist.  And then we went to McDonalds.   Don't judge me- on either count.

We don't go to McDonalds very often.  In fact, I don't think the four kids and I have ever dined in (and yes, I use the term "dine" very loosely).  For the last few years, I've blamed it on money, but I realized today that it has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECESSION.  We don't dine in because it is torturous in every way.  Complete agony.  

I'm thinking about writing a book about the experience and calling it 

28 Minutes in Hell McDonalds.  

Feel free to pre order.

I would elaborate on the hellaciousness of today, but then you may not buy the book.  And I need the money for the next set of dentist appointments, at which time I will buy my own copy of People before arriving.   

My therapy session must come to an end...  The kitchen counters are covered with kill-the-earth-plastic bags, and the groceries don't walk themselves to the pantry.  My chores (laundry, cooking, Pinterest) are never ending...

Oh, by the way... NO CAVITIES!!! Makes me smile for sure...

This little piggy went to the market...

The Purple Mohawk and Pink Flower belong to me...
Dang, I love those kids!

The kiddos introduced Bella and Victoria to the world today at our county's annual Swine Show. What fun!  Each year I'm blown away by how many people turn out to watch a bunch of crazy kids try to handle their crazy pigs.  Our kids did great, all things considering.  

"All things considering" boils down to the fact that our pigs were completely uncontrollable.  Need proof?  

More than once, I came home to un-caged pigs.  Whether they were trotting down the drive, chasing the goats, hanging out under the car port, or just taking a mud bath, our pigs enjoyed their frequent excursions.  

Here piggy, piggy...

I'd love to give you the chance to corral and cage 600 pounds of hog while your husband is hours away from home.  It's not as easy as you'd think.  

And I should have videod the it-takes-3-men-and-2-boys-to-get-them-loaded-into-the-trailer experience.  PETA would have had collective heart failure. 

Michal's pig weighed in at 315 pounds and Zeb's was a mere 265.  As my jeans will attest, we believe in eating around here; and our animals are included in that we.  

On our way to the arena we prayed.  We prayed that the kids and their pigs would do their very best and that they would win (there's good money in pig-showing, I tell ya!).  

Then it was time to get honest-- to get real.  The convo went somethin' like this:

"You know guys, you could win.  God could bless you and you could win.  But we have to remember that God blesses hard work.  And since you didn't exactly work hard with your pigs, it'll be a miracle if you win.  Next year, we need to work hard and then pray that God will bless us at the show."

It was said in utter love and honesty...  today was about learning. I don't want my kids to wake up one day to realize we've cheated them by petting and protecting their feelings.  Life is hard.  Life is work.  Life doesn't care how cute you are.  

Winning is wonderful and my children are winners!  But... I think loosing is an integral part of growing up.  Losing is a great teacher, a wonderful preparer.  

Michal walked out the door with 3rd place in Showmanship for her age (there were 10 or so kids in her division; she was the only girl that placed!) and 2nd place in the Class division.  I'm not an expert in all things swine, but Showmanship judges the kids, Class judges the pig itself.  Michal's pig was in the heavy weight class.  

Zeb placed 3rd in Showmanship and 6th in his Class.  He was also the winner in his division of the (drumroll please...) Greasy Pig Chase.  Yup, he chased a greasy pig and put it in a bag.  Kids will do ANYTHING for $15.  And that's what he won...  $15.  Why in the world I didn't take a picture, I do not know!  I guess I left my blogging brain at home.  

Next year, Liliana will be old enough to show and she is thrilled!  She luh-luh-luh-luh-LOVES the pigs!  

Nothing about that pig scared her.  NOTHING!

Henry enjoyed Pig Day as well.  In fact, he's becoming quite the little country boy.  He can drop his pants and water a tree with the best of 'em...

As much as I'd LOVE to have an IKEA or a Home Goods just minutes from my house, I have to say that I  am attached to our little life here in the country. I love the clean air, the open fields, and the swamp lands.  I love that I have chickens and pigs and goats.  I love that my son can pee on a tree in the middle of the biggest event of the year and nobody bats an eye.  If that ain't country...

My Valentine...

I love Valentine's Day.  I really do.  I know it has its critics.  I can hear them now...  

I'd rather you get me something for no reason- not because you have to get me something.

If someone has to tell you to buy me a gift, it doesn't count. 

You think roses are gonna make up for all those years you've left the toilet seat up? 

Uh, huh...  there's an ulterior motive behind that box of chocolates...

But the way I look at it, if my husband buys me a gift, AND I DON'T CARE THE REASON, I'll take it with a smile on my face.  I like presents and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  

So this year, my strong man set me up with this...

The pendant on the right says (when translated) born in my heart, and it has Zeb and Michal's initials on the back.  The Hope pendant has Henry's initials on the back.  I adore them both!

I'm a huge fan of earthy, chunky jewelry- especially when it supports a good cause!  And these do.

For my fellow lovers of adoption...  this link will take you to the etsy store from which my man ordered.

Later, I'll add a 3rd charm to show my love for Liliana, who is special in every way.

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Later, he sent me a text that read:

I love that man! He is my dream come true!!  My sweet, sweet dream come true.
(Sure glad I didn't marry a nightmare...)

And I know you're wondering what's blurred out...  ;)

In the making...

I am a creator.  

Each and every day, I create; and the result is both seen and unseen-- tangible and intangible.  

I can show you the "house" that Lee and I built but you'd have to come and live with us for quite a while to experience the "home" we've created.  

You can touch the dresses and scarves I've made for my girls, but the confidence and quiet beauty I strive to bless them with is a little harder for the eye to dicipher.  

In my heart I know my unseen creations are far more important than anything that can be seen.  In this area, I pray that I am successful- for it is imperative that I succeed.  

I am not alone.  I live in a home and a world full of creators.  We are all creators, whether we realize it or not.  All of us.  We are each and every one created in the image of The Creator. Therefore, it's only natural that we create.

So let's create something beautiful today.  Whether it be a mood (an aura, if you please), a meal, or a nice piece of art, let's create something beautiful.  I promise we'll feel better because of it!

I plan to create "encouragement" today. Hopefully, I succeed!

In the tangible column of my recent creations, I've been having quite a bit of fun.  Probably too much!!

I'll share a few things I've been working on and leave you with an excellent recipe! 

Not yet finished, this quilt top is for someone very special.  I love the fabrics as they have a certain earthy, hippy feel.  If it matched anything in my house, I'd be tempted to keep it- or at least make another one for myself!!  Hoping to finish this bugger by the end of the week.  

When Jesus spoke of the white washed tombs with the bones of dead men inside (Matthew 23:27) He may have very well referred to my closets.  So many of us try to look good and perfect on the outside, but on the inside- where it really counts- we're a mess!!  So it goes with my house.  What you can see is in pretty good order.  It's what's behind the closet doors that will scare you to death!  So I've been working pretty hard lately on getting my closets cleaned out- and I started with this one.  Before I tackled it, you couldn't even see the bottom two shelves and you definitely couldn't walk inside.  Since cleaning this one, I've organized four more, but I still have a lot to do!  And I don't even wanna think about the attics...  

I attend a Life Group at my church called A Stitch in Time.  We have a really good time creating together.  This last week we made grocery bag holders.  I am loving mine!!  

Interested in learning to quilt?  Craftsy.com is offering a FREE Block of the Month class complete with videos and printed directions.  You make 2 blocks each month and then in November and December you put them altogether and have a quilt!  It's a lot of fun.  I've made 3 blocks so far...  

These blocks are all VERY easy to make.  And it's not too late to start!!  You can access January's lesson with ease.  If you want to learn to quilt this is the (free) ticket!

Before grouper season closed I sent my husband fishing and he delivered!  His mission was to fill my freezer so I could make Grouper Chowder all winter long.  We've never been big fans of frozen fish, but we gave it a try and it worked!  We're not planning on frying, baking, or grilling any, but it is wonderful for chowder.  

Want to make your own?

... and I'm sure any fish will do.

Grouper Chowder

Ingredients:

1 large box Chicken Broth

Chopped Onions (I use a lot)

Chopped Celery (2-3 stalks)

Chopped carrots (I use a lot-- we like carrots!)

6-7 Diced new potatoes

2 small cans Potato Soup

Tarragon, Sage, Parsley, Thyme, Garlic, Rosemary, Salt and Pepper

Milk (4-6 cups, depending on how thick you want it)

Diced Grouper (get all the "red" out of it so it doesn't taste fishy; we chop ours about the same size as a Chic Filet nugget)

Cheese

Directions:

In a larger pot, bring your veggies to a boil in the chicken broth.  Reduce heat and cook until they are soft.  Add in potato soup and stir until it's dissolved.  Next, stir in milk slowly.  Make sure to keep the heat on low as your milk can curdle (yuck!).  Throw in the fish and the spices and let it cook for about 30 minutes.  Excellent with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and scallions (which I always forget!).  

I have always used fresh veggies, but if you're in a hurry you could always used frozen.  I don't recommend canned.  An excellent cook named Alison gave me her recipe several years ago and I've slowly adapted it to make it mine.  I'm sure there are 1,000 ways to make this yummier and easier, so have fun with it.  Take mine and make it yours!

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I love comments!!  If this little post has inspired you to "create" let me know!  And if you try the chowder, I'd love to know how you like it.  It's a big hit around here!

20 years and Only One Crash

I am proud to announce that I have been driving for 20 years today and have only totaled one vehicle.  Thankfully, it wasn't mine.  

Yup, 20 years ago was one of the most exciting days of my life...  I turned 16 and headed out with my dad to make myself an honest, law-abiding gal.  Sopchoppy was the place to grow up when it came to driving.  As long as you drove slow, stayed in your lane, and didn't run over any thing alive, you could pretty much drive when your legs were long enough to reach the pedals.  My best friend and I would steel her sister's mustang convertible and cruise the streets of Sopchoppy like we were hot stuff.  And for 13 year olds, we pretty much were; at least by Sopchoppy standards.  

Waking up today wasn't quite so exciting, but it was wonderful nonetheless.  Lee slowed his routine a good bit and took the kids to school.  Old friends and new sent birthday wishes via text and email.  I even got a phone call from a friend who is drastically under-the-weather.  

My dad took me to lunch and I ate some of the best fried shrimp in the world!  Living minutes from the Gulf Coast has its advantages...  

Henry accompanied us to lunch today and was soooo excited to eat with his Papa.  On our way out, as my dad was paying the bill, Henry and I were chatting with another family like ours (there's always a sense of "family" when we meet other inter-racial, adoptive families).  The conversation went like this:

Him: Is your husband a pastor?

Me: (choking/almost throwing up in my mouth) Uhmmm, no.  That's my dad.

Him:  Oh, I'm sorry.

Me:  (turning to my dad who was walking up) Hey dad, he thought you were my husband.  (Chuckle, chuckle) Like I married some old man who couldn't have kids and we had to adopt.  

We all laughed, especially my dad who was standing a bit taller after the honest mistake.  If only the guy could have laid eyes on my mom...  She's the epitome of class- always prim for the moment!

He was right, my dad is a pastor and I invited his family to our church.  River of Life is an inter-denominational, inter-racial church that loves Jesus.

I love my church.  My family is a mini-prototype of River of Life.  We have whites, blacks, latinos, and a few asians (adopt from China?  Sure!! Sign me up!).  I feel so blessed to be a part of a church where my family fits in.

Getting back to my birthday, some girl friends and I got together over the weekend and had a sewing party.  We sewed and laughed and ate and laughed and then laughed some more.  We had the best time!!  

They cooked me an amazing, organic, gourmet meal and gave me some amazing fabric.  Oh, you'd like to see...  Thought you'd never ask!!

I adore it!!!!  Maybe one day I'll bring myself to actually cut it.  

And here's what I bought for myself...  (I do give the best gifts!)

(On a side note... how in the heck do I make these pictures stay the right way?  I rotate them in photoshop, but they don't stay.  Errrrr...)

And from my family...

(and before you feel absolutely sorry for me, this is EXACTLY what I wanted...)

Yep!  I'm a clothes washing woman!!  For my special day, my husband bought and installed that new set of magic on the left hand side of the picture.  Clothes go in dirty and come out clean.  How awesome is that?!  And now, I can do all my laundry in half the time.  That, my friend, is a good gift.  Happy birthday to me!!

I would like to tell my parents "thanks!"

 For having me... for choosing LIFE for me... for choosing not to kill me between the ages of 11 and 17... for loving and supporting me... for making me laugh... for giving me great memories.

And dad, I'm sorry I called you an old man today.  And I'm sorry I single handedly turned your truck into a tiny tin can back in 95.  On a happy note, I haven't had a crash since.  1 crash in 20 years is pretty good, don'tcha think?