Bath tub babies!

I haven't compared baby pics for a long time, but Clara's definitely developing more of her own look these days. Here goes...

Bieber Baby!

Even the youngest member of our family has Bieber Fever!!!!

Crunchy Broccoli Slaw

This is my staple salad lately. I made is a few years ago and then forgot all about it until recently. I have tweaked the original recipe a bit and even baby Clara will eat it. Just wanted to share!

1 package broccoli slaw salad mix (with pre-packaged lettuce)
1/8 cup almond slivers
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1 package Ramen noodles uncooked and broken into tiny pieces

Dressing:
1/2 flavor packet from Ramen noodle mix (use the chicken flavor)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp white vingear
(premix dressing)

Mix up the salad, toss the dressing on and refrigerate for an hour or so before serving.
It's so yummy! You'll be addicted too!

Fresh and yummy

A few years ago we planted a garden for the first time. It was a bit of a disaster. The deer ate everything except the cucumbers which we had so many of we were begging neighbors to take them. Each year our gardening skills have improved. We've figured out what grows well here and what doesn't. This year is going to be our best year yet! I LOVE having fresh fruit, veggies, and herbs in the back yard. We know they are chemical free and they taste extra good! This year we planted watermelon, tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, (grapes and blueberries take 3 years to produce fruit and our bushes are 3 years old, so we're keeping our fingers crossed for these two to produce this year) basil, italian parsley, cilantro, and mint. Cade wrote the words on the signs and Cora drew the pictures! So fun!




Every Friday night we make pizzas for dinner. Tonight they were extra yummy because I used garden tomatoes, parsley, and basil for the sauce. As you can see these yummies are already getting lots good use! :)

pi day

Today is 3.14 so at Cade's school they had pi day. It is also Albert Einstein's birthday, so Cade's school had Pi/Einstein day. The kids were either supposed to come wearing circles on their clothes for pi or dressed as Albert Einstein! They got to purchase tickets to pi their teachers in the faces. They had all sorts of events. The highlight was that they all stopped what they were doing on 3.14@1:59 (pi= 3.14159...) to eat a round (moon) pie! Super fun day!
the young version of einstein!
cade and one of his teacher's after he pied her!


the pie line up left to right (mrs. alexander, mrs. ganem (principal), Sonny Dixon, Ms. Nissen, Ms. McPipkin)

A noteworthy outfit

We have a big girl friend that passes down some of her gently worn items to Cora. Cora's always so excited to get a box. Today she got one and decided to create her own outfit!

Dance Party Time!

two nights ago this was the 7:30 conversation.
cade: can we have a dance party?
me: ok, but only 3 songs because you have to go to bed soon.
cora: i'll be right back.
cade and i choose songs.
cora appears, like this...

rob laughs.
i try not to cry and wonder where i went wrong.
then i realize the fact that my four year old owns fish net tights may have something to do with it.
cade says: i'll be right back.
he returns like this...


rob laughs.
i try not to cry again when i realize that my son evidently thinks "gangsta" is cool.
for that i cannot be held responsible.
i blame justin bieber.
but i guess i missed the video where bieber goes gangsta.
i do not foresee an 8:00 bed time now that we are changed out of pajamas into costumes for a 3 song dance party.
stress or embrace?
those are my options.
we embraced it and danced!!!

August and Everything After

In September of 2008 I took Cade to his first ever soccer practice. Cora, then 2, played next to me as I sat in the grass. Down just to my right sat another mom watching her son with her precious little blond girl who looked to be about Cora's age playing beside her as well. We gradually made small talk. I had just gone back to work after being off for the past few years and she had just gone back to work part time as well. The boys were the same age. The girls were too. We saw each other at games throughout the season and chatted briefly each time. The boys took an immediate liking to each other and they seemed like a nice family.

At the time I had NO idea the kind of friendship that would blossom out of this meeting. I had no idea that when my daughter was diagnosed with cancer (only days after soccer season ended) that this sweet woman I had just met would call my house not to say, "Call me if I can help" but rather, "I'm going to do something to help you. What would be best? a meal or a play date?" I had no idea that she would become my instant go to friend when I was running a few minutes late for carpool. I had no idea she would become the one I called when I needed and idea of where to find a pink turtleneck in Cora's size or when I myself needed a cute dress for my brother's wedding. I had no idea they'd become our trick or treating buddies. I had no idea I'd grow to know that her daughters favorite things are her daddy, cheese quesadillas, and polka dots (in that order.) I had no idea that my son would beg to ride to school in her van instead of mine in the mornings because she always had fun books and sugary treats. I had no idea that her little girl would be the friend Cora always seemed to laugh with the most and fight with the least. I had no idea that she and I would both be in a frantic tizzy to find a good school fit for our boys for first grade. I had no idea she'd always send two desserts in her son's lunchbox because my poor son never had any. I had no idea she'd insist on taking baby Clara on her "free morning" just so I didn't have to tote her along to a germy doctor's office..... I just had no idea what a big part of my life she would become! Besides Rob, she's my current co-parent. She's real, she's genuine, she's kind, and she's honest. But she's leaving, moving away to Greenville, SC to live in the same town as her relocated husband (who's been there since August), parents, sisters, and childhood friends. It's so happy for them, but I am sad! :(

My Bible study group worked through a study this fall on The Blessings of Friendship. I took away a lot of things. One of them was that in the Bible Jesus had many groups of friends, but he had a small core group of close friends (Peter, James, and John.) Throughout our lives our small core group of friends grows and changes. God provides us with the people best suited for us at each season in our lives based on our experiences. (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4) When we did this part of the study, August immediately came to mind. I truly feel like God provided her for me for a season of life. The season of cancer. I don't think it's by chance that she came into my life just weeks before diagnosis and is now moving out of my daily life just weeks after Cora's last treatment. Not many young moms have any type of experience at all with cancer. It is isolating. August was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 just 3 months after the birth of her precious daughter. When I met her in 2008 I had no idea she was just ending her cancer journey as we were just about to start ours. Although her experience and mine were totally different, she knows the worry, the pain, and how hard it so to parent young children as you are battling the battle of a lifetime. I felt like she, more than most others, knew where I was coming from. And although the majority of our conversations have nothing at all to do with cancer, it's just so good to know that you have someone who has been there.

So my sweet friend, I just wanted you to know (as you are one of my 5 blog reader) how much I love and appreciate you. You will be missed dearly here, but you are not getting rid of us this easily! We will visit and we will force you to come visit as well. See you in three weeks! Thanks for everything!
Mandy

btw, if anyone reading this wants to start a carpool, I'm now available! :)

Out with the trash!

Clara is a M-E-S-S!!!
Cute, funny, and mischievous. innocently mischievous.
no drawer goes unemptied, no glass goes without being overturned, and no Lego or Playmobile scene goes with out being destroyed.

This morning Cade, Cora, and I were trying to tidy things up. (SHOCKER!) And Clara was working against us at a speed so great that we had no choice...

But please don't go call DFACS. We took her out before the garbage man came! ;)

Back Eyes

Cora had her cute friend Alex over for a play date today. Here's the lunch time conversation...
Cora:" Alex, did you know my mom has back eyes?"
Alex: " what?"
Me: "back eyes. I have eyes in the back of my head so that I can see everything Cora's doing even when I'm turned backwards. Does your mom have those?"
Alex: "no, but my grandma does. My mom has security cameras in every room so that she can always see what I'm doing!"



Evidently my wardrobe isn't the only thing that needs updating!