Happy Weekending

Sooo excited it's the weekend!

Hope yours is great.

We will be just hanging out around here.

- Doing a little car shopping (this money-pit van has got to go!)
- Taking the big girls to see Brave.
- Celebrating a birthday with friends.
- Getting miss Rosie to sit up without crying the whole time.
- Planning our 4th of July.

St Louie Whirlwind

I have been missing here for a few days. A week actually. Things have just been crazy busy this summer (why why why?) and although, I love it, I feel like with having all my girls home I can barely breathe some days. I have decided to spend less time on the computer and more time with them.

We are back after a quick little trip to St Louis this last weekend. We hit the road last Friday around 10 am, but didn't make it too far before car trouble hit pretty hard. Sweet Meg and a tow truck saved us and well, we were all packed, had a hotel reserved, and still really wanted to go... so we rented a car and tried again.

We headed straight to dinner at Pappy's BBQ (super good - they ran out of food at 7:30pm) then to the iconic Gateway Arch.

Crazy thing is that to go to the top you have to squeeze in this little capsule and it transports you up. Good thing our littles are little.

The 630' up didn't even phase a few of us.

We have had too many bad nights in hotel with the girls in the past, luckily this trip they all were champs about going to bed. Even the littlest miss.

Saturday was spent at The Magic House exploring, pretending, giggling, and wearing Easy and I out. The girls could have gone on and on there. They were having so much fun we skipped lunch.

We had an early dinner at Pi Squared and enjoyed some pretty delicious deep dish pizza. Hitting a restaurant with 4 kids is always a little tricky. I was so grateful we were there for dinner at 4pm avoiding the crowd and the wait.

Word came around quickly that Ted Drewes was a must for frozen custard. We bribed the girls into eating all their dinner and busted over there as quick as we could. The place was crazy! There were lines everywhere, a wedding party getting custard all dressed up, and oddly enough no seating so everyone just stands around eating on the sidewalk or chills in the back of their trucks/cars.

We got to the hotel just in time to take a quick dip in the pool before bed.




Sunday morning we attended church then went to the zoo. The zoo was a real treat because it was free, but the heat of the day was pretty much unbearable so we just hit up a few favorites and called it good.

Last, but not least we grabbed some grub at Fitz's and a case of soda made right there in the restaurant's bottling room. Miss Rosie sat in a highchair like a big girl and wanted to eat everything in sight. Meanwhile, all I wanted to do was eat her cute chubby yummy face.

We got home at about midnight Sunday and I think we are just barely all rested up.

Too bad the weather here in Arkie has been killing us. 104 today plus humidity is so not cool. That and we have been dealing with the van being in the shop.

Ugh.

Car troubles are the worst.

Morning

7am this morning

Often in the morning my room serves as a gathering place for little bodies.

Sleepy eyes, wild hair, giggles, sour breath, warm little bodies all piled onto the bed.

They want to hold the baby, she wants to lay her head on my chest, yelling that she took her spot, whining for cereal, wanting a show, tickles, pulled hair, elbows flying, finally the baby crying...

and we are up.

Easy Father's Day

Have you ever seen so many scowls in your life?!?

I promise that Father's Day wasn't quite this rough!

It did, I admit, have a few hiccups which I take full responsibility for (under cooked chicken), and a mom demanding pictures right after church and right before feeding hungry bellies their lunch.

Seriously though, my girls have things pretty good with this guy. When I don't take the time to answer their mundane questions he, in turn, gives logical and informative explanations. When I tire at the bedtime routine, he gladly will read story after story and ensure that no tooth goes unbrushed. He is affectionate, playful, careful, patient and thoughtful with them. I only hope that they are taking notes and will settle for nothing less than a man like their dad in the future.

Easiest handmade Father's Day gift ever!
Just the end of a foam brush dipped in acrylic paint and dotted on a blank tie from Target :)

First thing in the morning they gave him his hand painted tie, notes they wrote about him, pistachios, and chocolates.

After church they enjoyed snuggling with him and then he got a nap while I got busy with dinner.

His only request was Naan for dinner, which he got. I also made the previously mentioned, (undercooked) Tandoori Chicken, Basmati Rice, and grilled asparagus.

For dessert I made my very first Angel Food Cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It was so good I think it made up for the chicken.

Angel Food Cake
Recipe from my dear friend and culinary expert Amy F.

1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour or sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract

In large mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile sift powdered sugar and flour together three times; set aside.

Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat it with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
Sift one fourth of the powdered sugar mixture over beaten egg whites fold in gently. Repeat folding in the remaining powdered sugar mixture by fourths. Poor into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter to remove air pockets.

Bake on the lowest rack in a 350° oven for 40 to 45 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake; cool thoroughly in pan loosen cake from pan

Never Again

So a few months back a friend of mine pinned a quilt to one of her boards on Pinterest. It was of a spectacular triangle quilt. I mentioned how much I loved it, she mentioned we should make it, and the next thing I know I'm standing in front of the cotton solids at Hobby Lobby picking out colors. What?!?

I should preface this all by saying that I am not a quilter. In fact I have never in my life actually made a quilt.

Anyhow, I acquired a triangle ruler from a quilter-friend and we finally found a night to get the pieces cut out. I had no idea, but that was the beginning of a huge nightmare for a girl that loves to just "get things done." Quilting is a long, tiresome, patience-practicing, finger-aching, cursing, crying, business.

After a month of figuring it out, piecing, watching tutorials on YouTube, consulting my quilter-friend, and plugging away at it I'm sooooo happy to say that...

It. Is. Done! And I'll never make one again!


Here is the breakdown:

1. Laying it out after cutting. I don't know how many times I about sliced my fingers off.

2. Pieced and looking pretty. I also have no idea what to do next so it sits in the corner for 2 weeks.

3. Prepping for pin basting. This is where you think you are almost done, but no no no my friend you are not even close.

4. Machine quilting. Enter tears. The puckering cannot be stopped.

5. Machine binding. Getting close!!!

6. Finally hand stitched opposite side of binding. Happy dance here with sore fingers held high!

Huzzah!

Highs and Lows

Every week that I teach the 12-13 year old girls at church I ask them what their highs and lows have been for the week.

Here are mine as of lately:

Lows:

Easy working like a mad man. We are really missing him lately.
Sewing the binding on my quilt by hand really sucks. My fingers are so sore.
Girls tattling non-stop and fighting over who gets to be Roo's mommy for the day or hour.
Dealing with the squash bugs that have invaded my zucchini.
Easy was bit by a tick a few weeks ago and now he has a funky rash around it. Getting it checked out today.
Rosie is scooting!

Highs:

I found the perfect sunburst mirror and it was even relatively cheap! Finally!
I've hit the Yoga mat again. My muscles are achy and fighting me but it feels so good!
I'm almost done with my first quilt ever! So exciting! I will never do one this big again.
My big girls are swimming. Actually swimming!!!!
Rosie is still nursing like a little champ. My last 2 quit about this time.
Popsicles, heirloom tomatoes growing, grilled corn on the cob, watermelon, strawberries, breakfast smoothies, all so delicious!

Weekend!

We are going to:

1. Practice sitting (Rosie)
2. Watch The Naturals play baseball
3. Farmer's Market
4. Catch up on laundry. Blech.
5. Watch more Downton Abbey
6. Mountain biking (Easy)
7. Go to a baby shower (Hays)
8. Slip N Slide

I think it's going to be a good one. :)

Little Dancers

The girls had been preparing for their dance recital for weeks.

Blondes made me nervous. Every time I asked her to practice in front of me she refused and said. "I don't remember it!" or "I need a partner!"

Mae, being the oldest in her class, knew her dance by heart and little Roo being the youngest in Mae's same class could surprisingly follow right along by watching Miss Lana do the moves.

The night of the recital I got them all dressed, hair done, little stage makeup on, and packed into the car. Easy met us there with flowers for his little dancers. I was so excited for them! And yeah, also nervous. Luckily it was a very tinsy tiny production just on the stage at the church. Absolutely perfect for them!

Much to my delight Blondes did amazing and remembered all her parts! Plus she smiled. Score!

GM shook, jumped, spun, and was also so good at remembering.

Roo?

Oh yes, little Roo...well she just stood there. Frozen! Just like a deer in the headlights. Haha! The best part is that her little friend Claire who is just a few months older than her and her opposite on stage did the exact same thing!

Wanna watch it? (ahem, Grandmas and Grandpas ;)


Go here.

This is what it looked like

the weekend I turned 30.

Pretty much the best weekend ever.