Thankful

I'm simply thankful today that Mr. GT's family, who was in a car accident tonight, are all right.

They are shaken up, bruised and sore, but they are alive and at home tonight.

Don't Let the Baby Make Coffee, Either

You've read the funny-ha-ha about baking a cake with a toddler, right? (note from me: I was going to link to the story, but would you believe I cannot find it online??? Unreal. Send me the link, if you know where it is.) Well, today I'm going to tell you how to make coffee with one.

Walk bleary-eyed to coffee machine, toddler chattering non-stop at an ear-splitting level behind you.

Rinse old coffee out of pot. Clean out yesterday's filter and left-over grounds.

Turn off machine toddler has turned on. Send toddler to fridge to get coffee grounds.

Stop toddler from putting grounds directly into machine basket.

Put filter in.

Get vacuum to clean up coffee grounds toddler has sprinkled on floor when "missing" the filter.

Guide toddler's hand in putting rest of scoops into filter.

Turn coffee machine off again.

Add water.

Wipe up counter from toddler's "help" adding water.

Allow toddler to finally turn machine on.

Send toddler to get cream from fridge and spoon.

Put sugar back from the very teetering edge of the counter.

Lift toddle off of counter and get OWN cup (breakable) from cupboard.

Push cup back from teetering edge.

Push cup back again.

Carry toddler to different area of house until coffee is done perking.

Allow toddler to put sugar in bottom of cup.

Wipe sugar off counter.

Wipe toddler tongue marks off counter where toddler "wiped" sugar off counter.

Dump 4-5 tablespoons of sugar from cup back into sugar bowl.

Pour hot coffee into cup.

Wipe coffee off counter from toddler moving cup at last second before you poured.

Allow toddler to stir.

Wipe counter from coffee sloshes.

Allow toddler to add cream.

Pick up cream carton and thank the Lord the toddler likes to screw caps back on before bumping carton over.

Clean up more stirring sloshes.

Allow toddler to lick spoon.

Enjoy coffee.

Wonder why sugar sticks to spoon when making the second cup. Oh, yeah. Toddler licked it..... sigh

Don't Let the Baby Poke the Potatoes

It's a job best done only by adults. Strong adults. Adults with the power and strength to penetrate the skin with the fork.

File This Under: You'll Laugh About This Some Day!

For her kid birthday party, RoseBud wanted to go swimming. So off to the pool we went, RoseBud, two friends and Daisy, Pepper and Banana Boy.

The night was a blast! The 3 girls had fun. My 3 middles hung together and swam. Pepper right away decided she'd like to go down the water slide, so her sweet big sister RoseBud took her up and down the first time. Daisy and Banana Boy were too chicken until 30 minutes before we had to leave. Then, once they'd tried it, they LOVED it!

The kids are big enough now (Sunshine stayed home with Mr. GT) that they can go where ever, it's not such a big place that I can't see them, and there is free Wi-Fi! So my laptop and I lounged in a deck chair. What a great evening!

At 8:45, I took my 3 littles into the "hot pool" to warm up, then got them out and dried off and changed. The night had gone by like a dream. No outbursts from BB, everyone got to do what they wanted to do. Very fun.

So now the plan is for me to run Daisy, Pepper and BB home, while the big girls stay at the pool. I'll be back in a few minutes.

I'm collecting coats and goggles and towels and suits when I hear a familiar wailing noise. I look up, and here come BB across the deck AND HE'S SOAKING WET! Soaking. Wet. Shoes and all.

No one saw it happen, but apparently he went to tell the big girls they had to get out of the pool (they didn't) and he tipped over.

I'm thankful he got himself out right away and safely, considering he was fully clothed! He's a pretty good swimmer for 6.

But, boy, was he MAD at being wet through and through. I kissed the top of his head (it was dry) and sort of hugged him without getting myself too wet. Put his coat on and trudged him out to the van. I called ahead to Mr. GT to be ready at the door with a big towel! (and he was)

Poor BB. He did stop wailing by the time we got home and Mr. GT scooped him up in the towel.

When I got back to the pool, there were little frozen tracks all the way from the front door to where we had parked. It made me so sad.

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

Our house is germ central. I have been sick for over 10 days. Each of the kids has had it or is getting it or is getting something new. Grandma and Grandpa came for Banana Boy's birthday, even though I warned them we were sick. Grandma said, "Oh, I NEVER get sick! We'll be fine." I figured Grandpa would catch it, though.

Ha! Guess who's sick! I talked to Grandma last night and she's in rough shape. (Really, I don't think it's funny. I know how she feels!) Grandpa's fine.

So don't expect to hear from us for a while yet.

cough, gasp, choke, sneeze

Works For Me Wednesday

Today's Works For Me Wednesday topic is what toy is an absolute keeper in your house?
(Yes, I know today is Thursday. I started this post yesterday and never got around to finishing it.)

So, if we had to move to a deserted island and could only bring 5 toys, what would they be?

Well, sand toys, of course! Just kidding.

1. Probably Playmobil. The kids play with this more than anything else. And if they could only bring one set, it would be the Playmobile bunnies.

2.. Wooden blocks.

3. Into the Forest (this is a board/card game I can't stand and they choose it hands down over and over again to play with each other.)

4. Bananagrams. This is our current favorite game

5. Snap cubes. These are a math manipulative. Colored cubes that snap together. My kids love to build stuff out of them and creat elaborate figures.

Now, this list was actually hard to come up with over the span of all 5 kids. It would be easier to break it down by kid...

Rose Bud...her tiny flocked animals. At 13, she STILL plays with these!

Daisy..Playmobile Bunnies

Pepper... Playmobile Bunnies

Banana Boy...if you ask him, he'll say horses. He's on a horse kick right now and thinks he loves horses. Strangely, he loves to think he loves thme but doesn't actually play with them so much. What he REALLY plays with is the wooden blocks.

Sunshine...play kitchen. He plays with this more than anything thing else he has.

And here is a GREAT perspective on Christmas gift giving I lifted from To Love, Honor and Vacuum

"But let me chime in on the toys anyway. What we did last year for gifts for Christmas was give one Gold gift, one Frankincense gift, and one Myrrh gift. Or, in translation, we gave one gift they wanted, one they needed (like underwear!), and one to nourish their soul."

Banana Boy Calls It

Who will be the next president of the United States?

"I think it will be that Marak Obama, because McCain was in the war and probably he's tired."

Amazing what they pick up when we think they aren't listening... (not that he heard it here)



And who does Sunshine's vote go to???

"Nun-sine."

I guess he's a write-in candidate.....

Sheep Dash

Here's a fun little game.  See how you 40 year old mamas compare against your Wii-pro 9 year olds.

Sheep Dash