Food Jags

All three of my kids have gone through a food jag or two, but Elijah is the King of the Food Jag.

For his entire year of kindergarten, he ate Eggo pancakes for breakfast every.single.morning.

Then in first grade, it was black forest ham (plain, no bread) for lunch every.single.day.

Once he got to fifth grade, he wanted to start buying lunch.  Progress, I thought!  When asked what he was buying, he answered "chicken sandwich" (you got it:  every.single.lunch).

I have always lived by the advice not to make my kids' diet an issue, as long as they are eating a variety of things in a week.  Elijah does eat a lot of fruits and some vegetables, so I don't worry too much.  But I'm telling you, if I have to make another pack of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast (his current jag), I may just scream...

Do your kids go on food jags?  What's the oddest jag they've ever been on?  Do you like Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls?

Yellow Springs

Joe and I love to hike.

We have passed that love on to our kids.

For now, most of our hikes take place within an hour's drive from our home, but someday, we'll venture further.

On Labor Day weekend, we went with a group of friends to Yellow Springs, OH, on a perfectly gorgeous day.  One of those days that make you yearn for caramel apples, hot chocolate and hayrides to the pumpkin patch.

We didn't satisfy those yearnings; instead, we found hairy caterpillars, huge catfish and took a detour to Young's Dairy Farm for some homemade ice cream.

The kids sighed when I pulled out my camera...

Except for Gabe, aka Storm Trooper, who is always willing to pose for Mom :)

This brother-sister pair (Sam and Emily) are the perfect complement to Elijah and Isabel; the four of them get along amazingly well, and have had a great summer hanging out together.  This is a pretty typical scene of them being silly...

Joe's demonstration:  "How to Skip a Rock"...clearly riveting to this audience.

We hiked about two miles down into the forest, exploring caves, (skipping rocks), and finding treasures.  On the hike out (and up), my little Storm Trooper gave up and asked to be carried.  Talk about a workout!  I must have a comfy shoulder, though...he was out cold for at least a mile!

Are you a hiking family?  Any good trails near your home?  Would a Storm Trooper make you feel safer in the woods?

Recent Gabe-isms...

(Don't even ask...secret agent, maybe?)

You all know this boy cracks me up on a daily basis, right?  Really, he keeps the whole family in stitches, except when he's getting into their stuff, but that's another post.

The past couple of days, Gabe has been struggling with a cold/allergies/lots-of-snot virus.  Yesterday, he told me we were "gonna need to cancel school" since he was "so sick".  (Didn't work; I made him go.)  Today, he balked a little at getting on the bus.  He looked at me and asked, "do I have to go to school FOREVER?  even in Heaven?!".  (I reassured him that Heaven school would be awesome, if there is one.)

Gabe loves to take pictures with my digital camera.  This morning he took one of me in scary-momma-form (you know, crazy hair/no-makeup/t-shirt-and-sweatpants).  When we were marveling over his awesome photography skills, we came to that picture.  I said, "oh my, that's a scary one", to which he replied, "I think you look beautiful, Mommy".  Melt.My.Heart.

Lately, he has been obsessed with the weather.  Watching Stormchasers on Netflix, reading books about tornadoes/thunderstorms/floods from the library; you name it.  At least every other day, he asks me, "Aren't you glad we don't live in Tornado Alley, Mom?  Aren't you?  Wonder what Tornado Alley looks like..."  (I know he is picturing a town where tornadoes are constantly swirling in the sky!).

Most of the time, Gabe loves his big brother.  But sometimes, when Elijah is aggravating the crap out of him, he will shout "Wijah, you're such a Woser!"  (He can't say his "L" sounds well...).  Then it really ticks him off when we laugh, but we just can't help it!

Honestly, I could go on and on, but I'll save some for a later post.  Gabe-posts always seem to bring a smile to everyone's faces :)

Confessions

I have a confession to make.

I am not the ultra-cool hip chick that you all think I am.

(Oh, you didn't think that?  Well, keep that to yourself then, would you?  Thanks.)

Although I do own some great push-up bras and hot cleavage-baring shirts, most of the time I'm in a plain shirt and a pair of comfy jeans (sometimes even yoga pants).

If given the choice to go out for a night on the town, or sit at home with a bowl of popcorn and a Mike's Hard Lemonade...I'll choose home nine times out of ten.

When deciding on my theme for the year of 2010 back in January, I chose "frugality".  (Note:  I will never choose this one again...frugality sucks; 2011 can't come soon enough).

During my two hours of daily free time, when all the kids are in school and I could do anything I want to do, I choose making cards in my scrap room over a pedicure or shopping trip every single time.  Sitting downstairs, creating cards for fall or Christmas, listening to some of my dad's favorite CD's that my mom just gave to me...this is MY happy place.

I got A's in both Organic Chemistry and Genetics, and made the Dean's List this quarter.  (Told you I was a geek.)

I rarely watch TV anymore, since Lost ended and Glee has not yet begun (anybody know when the season starts?).  The local librarians know me by name; I'd rather read a book than watch reality television any day of the week.

My ten-year-old daughter has better fashion sense than me.

There, now I've burst your bubble.  Can we still be friends?  Do you have any confessions to make, or are you Joe Cool personified?  Do you want to receive a handmade Christmas card from a confessed geek like me?

It's time!

We had so much fun last fall, we're doing it again this year.

These two great friends of mine, Diane and Monica, along with three other awesome women, are coaching another Girls on the Run group, this time composed of 15 fifth grade girls.

Isabel and her girlfriends are just as excited!  We'll be meeting two days a week for ten weeks, helping these 10 and 11 year old girls to learn self-confidence, healthy living, and the power of feeling good in your own skin.  Oh, and we'll also be doing a lot of this:

And I'm sure at the end of the race, I'll be doing this again...

Shedding tears of pride for my incredible daughter, who is becoming an amazing young woman right before my very eyes.

Here's to another great season of GOTR!  If you're interested, check out www.gotrcincinnati.org , especially the GOTR video on the sidebar.  Guaranteed to inspire!

A good husband is...

one who helps coach every single sport his children play...

one who loves to hang out with his wife's friends, and even make them his own...

one who isn't threatened by his wife's love of two other men (or even Armando, her beloved Acapulco-an waiter)...

one who is an amazing dad to his children...

one who still wants to go on getaway weekends with said wife, and knows how to have a good time while there ;)...

My husband is that husband and more.  He tolerates my bad moods and knows how to calm me when I'm stressed.  He is even-keeled and never fusses if the dishes are dirty or the house is a mess.  He knows how to cut down a tree with a rope and a chainsaw (smile if you read that Facebook status).  He cheers me on when I get A's in BOTH chemistry and genetics!  And he makes sure we never doubt his devotion to our family.  Not only is he a good husband, he is a great one!

Breathe.

Grades aren't yet posted, but class is over.  I survived organic chemistry and genetics (and so did my family).

I have to work one more shift, then I'm off 'til Sunday.  We have a huge pig roast that we're invited to on Saturday, the forecast says 77 degrees and sunny, and I am like a kid, counting down the days until I can have FUN without a big test or term paper hanging over my head!  My next class (English) doesn't start for three weeks, and I am going to enjoy every minute!

We had a great birthday party at our house this past Sunday, celebrating Gabe's 6th year.  White chicken chili, homemade corn-avocado salsa, chocolate cake and white cupcakes (with some margaritas and bahama mamas thrown in for the adults).  Lots of friends, family, and Lego sets...what more could a boy want?

Gabe started kindergarten on Monday.  He hopped on that school bus without even a glance back at me (which was a good thing, since I had a few tears streaming down my face...being honest here).  He did NOT get sent to the principal's office on the first day, or the second, though he did confess to me last night that school is "a little boring".  I told him it will get better...

Elijah is liking junior high, more than he expected.  He scored 100% on a spelling test and got his name written on the board, since he was one of four in the class of 400 kids to do that well.  He was a bit sheepish in telling me about it, but also a bit proud.  All that reading pays off, I told him.  (LOVE that my kids are readers!).

Isabel adores her new class and teachers this year.  We are picking up her flute tomorrow, and band starts next week (did you know I started playing the flute in 5th grade, too?).  I was so stressed and exhausted by the time I got home from school last night, and that sweet girl of mine laid in my bed, massaging my back and telling me all about her day.  We are both looking forward to the start of a new season of Girls on the Run, and training together for the big race in November.

We finally convinced my mom to make the move to Lebanon, after many years of trying.  We got her settled into a cute little apartment five minutes away, and she stops by for dinner or just to chat, and it's so nice to have her around.  Gabe especially loves having his two mamaws close by...he loves on them every time he sees them.

In a couple of weeks, our schedule will be hectic again.  Elijah has baseball and basketball, practices and games.  Isabel has band and running, and I will be coaching Girls on the Run, going to class and still working two nights a week.  Gabe hasn't chosen a sport/activity yet, and I'm relieved...maybe this winter we will give indoor soccer another try.

For the next couple of weeks, though, I am simply going to breathe.  Clip coupons, make some meal plans, read, help with homework, volunteer in Gabe's class, visit with my friends and family and enjoy this time that I have been given.  My kids are growing up right before my very eyes, and I want to savor every second of it.  And I am going to do just that.