One less job for Daddy

Missy Blue and Seppy's  birthday present arrived in the mail today. We ordered a KidKraft wooden (kind of) kitchen set. I have wanted to get one for her for awhile but we were waiting until she really showed an interest. While at a wonderful toy store on our vacation, Missy would not leave the kitchen area and played to her hearts content with the kitchen set, baking cookies and making other culinary delights. And more often lately she has been playing with my old Holly Hobby set at my parents house.

I really like the wooden sets and it would be ideal to make one ourselves out of real wood but who has the time for that? I like all the fun gadgets like ice coming out of the fridge door on some of the plastic models but I really wanted wood and after looking at many reviews found this one for a reasonable price. Being that it is also for Seppy we got primary colors rather than the pastels.

George was excited to see it arrive and immediately wanted to assemble it. I thought this was a job that Daddy needed to tackle and they could help but John said to see what they could do. And so, George, with the help of his brothers, mainly Pete, have been reading through the directions and have almost completed the kitchen set.  I guess there is one less job for Daddy! And I think he is a little relieved not to have to worry about getting that done before the party this week.

On another note -- Missy Blue also knows it arrived and has been little Miss Nosy all day. We keep moving the project to keep her guessing but now that it is in the basement she knows it. At this point she thinks she is getting a shelf for her bedroom after she saw a portion in the garage but she is actually quite happy about that seeing as she thinks it would be nice to put her toys on. When it is complete we thought of a new hiding spot and will have it covered until the big reveal Friday night. Poor little girl has to wait 4 more days! Seppy on the other hand just goes with the flow.

Birthday Girl turns 5!

My little girl turned 5 years old! Where does the time go? We were watching videos of her growing up when she learned to walk (at 18 mos!), of her first words, dancing around while the boys wrestled, etc. and how fun to watch but yet how much more it makes me realize how much she has grown in such a short time.

[caption id="attachment_782515" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="2 years old"][/caption]

This year Missy Blue has become more of a little mother. She is more often found carrying her babies around wanting them to be in a makeshift blanket sling around her, singing and reading to them. But she also likes to mother little children. When we were visiting our friends she always wanted to be near their little boy with down syndrome. He is close to the same age but she would watch out for him, showing him how to create pies with playdough, read books with him, sit next to  him in church, etc. Not in the way a friend plays with a friend but in a mothering way. More recently we were watching a friend's little boy who ended up having a fever. Missy Blue didn't leave his side. She made sure he had toys to play with, didn't crawl out of the living room, and lovingly held him close. She is a natural Mommy and I love watching her!



Missy is a sing-songy little girl and many of her sentences come out in song. Often she sings in cheek music and we can't understand a word but the melody is pretty. She loves to sing and has started to be more vocal in the children's choir rather than just shyly standing with her fingers in her mouth as in years past.

She is very much interested in clothes and is more particular about what she wears than I would like her to be. I have decided that it is easier to shop without her. My sister and I took her to try on dresses for Easter and that was a chore. I had one I liked but of course she had one she liked better. I am hoping that down the road her tastes become more similar to my own or we may have some problems.

I was encouraged to hear a story of Missy Blue showing consideration to others this summer. A man from church mentioned that while we are at a picnic Missy was in line for a dessert ahead of him. There was one cookie left but she looked behind her at the man and said, "Oh, did you want that one?" He thanked her but told her to enjoy the cookie. Does that ever make a Mama's heart glad, especially seeing as evidence of kindness is not always present at home.

Missy does enjoy her brothers and it is fun to watch my girl in pink trying to keep up with the guys. From time to time I think how much she would enjoy having a sister as I so enjoyed my own. But then I realize that she knows nothing else and has a great time with her brothers.

I have repeatedly told Missy Blue she is growing up too fast and it brings tears to my eyes to think about. Today as she obviously tires of hearing me say that she responds with "Jesus did it!" :)

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Little Boy Haircut

My Baby boy is growing up so I finally gave in and gave him a real haircut. He had such sweet curls and during the summer they would spring up nicely but being that the humidity has ended and cool temperatures are the norm his hair now looks more straggly. I was looking at pictures of the other boys at his age and they looked so much older which is because their hair was shorter. To me Seppy still has a baby look and his curly hair helped with that. But alas, he will turn 3 in two weeks and since I could put his hair in a ponytail I figure it is about time. It sure was hard to make the first cut and while it gives him a completely different look  he is still cute as can be!

[caption id="attachment_782500" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="I wet it a bit to show the curl but usually it looks longer and a bit straighter."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_782501" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="I am still keeping it long on top."][/caption]

Our Vacation Part 3 -- Visiting Friends

[caption id="attachment_782478" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Still at our campground -- riding the pedal carts for FREE! There are advantages to being the only family at the campground. :)"][/caption]

The last portion of our vacation was spent visiting friends of ours in lower Michigan. Their family stayed with us in May when they came for a wedding and we had so much fun together. John and I started wondering why we never had visited in the 5 years they have been away and so it was time.



Our friends live in the country and we were able to park our motorhome on their land, connect to power and we were set. Although the boys slept in the house with their friends for the most part. We had a wonderful weekend just living life with them -- visiting the local Amish stores (my favorite was a bent and dent with amazing deals! -- pull-ups for $3!!!), canning salsa that ended up super spicy, spending a rainy day at a boys football game followed by a horse show that we watched from the van while eating chili to warm up.  The kids rode horses and played to their hearts content while  John and I stayed up longer than we can remember just talking with K & L.

[caption id="attachment_782480" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Tank LOVED riding horses!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_782482" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Even Seppy had a turn"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_782479" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Playdough time"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_782477" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="John and "K" listening to the football game"][/caption]

While it is always hard to say "goodbye", after a week of being on the road we were all ready to get home. I think Lincoln was especially ready. We had him along and he was couped up more than he had ever been and was ready to be inside a house again but he did travel really well.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. :)

Mmmm Monday - Roasted Kale

I haven't posted a recipe for awhile and this may not appeal to all of you but it is my new favorite healthy snack. I went out to eat with a friend to a local Italian pizzeria and in the small grocery store attached to it they were selling roasted kale. I tried a sample and it was so crisp and tasty and I knew I could make it myself so I went home and found out how . There is a mixed reaction to it in my family with a couple enjoying it and the rest tried but will pass call it "green paper".  Being that we can get it in abundance down on the farm I am making it quite often.

ROASTED KALE

Rip Kale into pieces. I do a few large leaves per batch. Keep the pieces a little larger as they shrink down. Coat lightly with olive oil (or melted butter) and spread out on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt (needs quite a bit in my opinion) and this last time I tried grating Parmesan cheese over the top which made it even tastier. Bake in a 350 oven until kale is crisp as a potato chip without any sogginess -- maybe about 10 minutes at the most. Now you have "green paper" :) or rather Kale Chips.

[caption id="attachment_782468" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Looks like just a plate of lettuce but it is actually crispy kale."][/caption]