food!!

Food. Food, food, food.  Something that the whole family enjoys. Both the preparing and the eating. It is a real source of smiles when we're out at a restaurant and the boys in particular suggest that we try making some of these at home. Doesn't matter what it is, but they are sure we could figure out a way to make it at home from scratch., Awesome :)

Yesterday we made wraps. Not the first time we've done them, but it really is much easier to simply buy flour wraps instead of make them. But I wanted the home made ones yesterday, so I got the kids involved. Lots of flour and giggles later we had a nice stack of about 16 or so warm on the counter under a cloth napkin.

As I started wiping up the paste, I mean flour, the kids's imaginations just took off. They were grabbing wooden spoons, hunting for the toy dishes (ended up using some of our actual dishes), some forks, the empty juice pitcher... so many things left their spots in the kitchen and moved to the living room.

They had dialogue with each other about who was making what food, what everyone's order was, then they sat down, prayed, and had a "meal". As far ass I could tell, they had eggs sunny side up, toast, juice, and who really knows what that Monkey prepared. They did pretend bed time, pretend wake up, then the game morphed into restaurants, where Smarty made a logo for his "hamber mania" that was his burger place, Sergeant had a soup restaurant, and Girlie had a fruit place. They made little menus (like 3 or 4 items on it and crazy prices!). When I told them they had to take their playing downstairs Smarty decided that they absolutely NEEDED the coffee table down there so he convinced his brother to take an end and they actually got it down without marking up the walls!

They played and played. Working on the menu (Smarty NEEDED it printed off from the computer so he typed it out himself) and making a grand old mess, but they were happy, they were busy, and I was able to get as much of that fine, powdery white flour off of as many surfaces as I could. Then set about to finish preparing the meal. Hubby came home from work in the midst of this, Ran the printer and encouraged them to add more (who has a restaurant with only 3 things??)

yummy chicken salsa tacos!

Everyone had lots to eat, going back for seconds. After forcing some toy and dishes clean up and then having some ice cream cones we all went to the park to play catch. Even Monkey hit the ball (Daddy might have helped) and they were all tired by the time came to put pjs on and brush their teeth. Hooray for a great crew!!

In a nutshell

Crazy fast summer holidays! And packed with activities. Hard to believe that it's September 2 today and everything starts up again tomorrow.

There was the incredibly successful VBS at Shearwater Chapel, a trip out to Cape Breton, Dr appointments, playing in the sun and fog, trips to the library, and wonderful food. always wonderful food!

The oldest turned 9! That Smarty is growing up way way too fast. Taking the time to slow down and enjoy the moments with them doesn't make the time pass any slower but it sure will store up those memories to take out and polish when they are bigger . Smarty discovered Origami Yoda. It's a series of seven novels and there are instructions to make the different characters in the stories. So the kitchen table has been covered with pieces of paper, tape, and him branching out from the instructions and using his imagination to expand that craft he is working on! And listening to the play, knowing that all four of them are playing nicely and they aren't plugged in is fantastic. I don't mind picking up bit of paper and consistently reminding them to tidy up after themselves if the end result is as satisfying ass that!

Girlie lost her first tooth and she was beside herself with excitement! It's been loose for a bit, and the adult tooth was coming in behind it (not underneath it) so only some of the root had dissolved. We experienced this with a few of Smarty's teeth so we knew when we were about! She was determined that it needed to get out but didn't like to work it herself because it hurt, so momma set about doing it. I'm very practiced at it now! I tried before bed but thise lips of hers!!! As soon as my fingers were anywhere near that pearly white those lips moved up. And they are strong! She's going to play a brass or wind instrument... But it did't come out that night. Before Daddy left for work the next morning he held her lips down and I rolled up my sleeves (figuratively). But it came out! And she was over the moon! Couldn't fall asleep that night, didn't want to stay asleep, but the Tooth Fairy came and brought her some plums as she requested in a note. Which she promptly shared with everyone. Such a sweetheart!

She is both anxious and excited for school to start tomorrow. At bedtime her anxieties come out as she's fighting sleep. Some nights she's crying because she misses preschool, some nights it's because she misses Alberta, other night it's that she thinks school wil take forever and ever and ever and she'll miss being home. Sounds like concerns her brothers have had. It'll sure be an adjustment. It always is.

Sergeant is excited for school. Last week he wasn't, this week he is. He says he's looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. And he's really hoping he has the teacher his older brother had in Grade two. He keeps trying to placate Girlie by saying that she'll see him every recess and lunch time, and he can play with her, and help her with the rules, and, and, and... It's very cute.

Monkey suddenly decided last week that she wanted to toilet train! We've been trying off and on, not usually worth the fight (since it'll happen eventually...maybe?) but she started one day and every time I turned around she was in the bathroom going pee! That went well for a couple of days and now she seems back to where she was before. Hopefully it'll pick up again with the older kids being in school. She mentioned that she wants to go to preschool but she can't do that until she's out of diapers and pull ups. Maybe that'll be thee incentive.

Hubby has tomorrow off work! For the first day of school and for our 10th anniversary. Yay! Since we don't know how many anniversaries we'll be in the same time zone for, we're taking advantage when we can! So together we are dropping the older three off at school, taking assorted pictures and giving the needed hugs (mostly Hubby needing them from Girlie) we'll go to the MFRC and drop Monkey off there so we can have a morning date :). Go for coffee, spend some time, grab some lunch.  Then we'll pick up the toddler, maybe get her down for a short nap, then do the pick up of the older kids. Done done! And, just becasue, we'll find a McDonald's with a play place for supper for that first day of school.

And the race continues Friday, when Girlie turns 5!!! So many milestones in one week! First tooth, first day of school, finally 5 years old. She requested a lemon cake in a bundt pan with cherry frosting. We'll see what Momma can produce! I'm sure it'll be awesome.