Kitchen Lessons

Brad spent most of ths evenng cleaning the oven. It was long overdue, but it's just one of those things I never get done.

He should probably get Husband of the Year for tackling this job. It was pretty gross. But, while I do the majority of the cooking, it can't be completely my fault.

Remember this summer when Lexi and Tess were on a baking frenzy? I think a few pans of their famous monster bars must have overflowed in the oven.

A six-course meal, calls for fancy china.
Amazingly, only one glass got broken!



And a few weekends ago, Lexi had both Tess and Taylor over for a sleepover. They are so good at thinking of things to do. This sleepover was all about cooking. They planned, shopped for, and cooked Lizzy, Morgan and I an entire meal. We're talking a six course meal. It was actually delicious. But the best part wasn't the food in my belly (although I do love food!). The best part was watching them work together and plan this big project. They learned how to slice potatoes and cook noodles, but they also learned about teamwork, following directions  and organization.

Perhaps their next lesson will be how to clean an oven....



The Chefs







Morgan-Cam

Brad's aunt gave me this today... it's totally Morgan... I wish I had a "Morgan-Cam"!

Big Brother Jake

Jake acts like he doesn't like his sisters, but the truth is, he loves them. He especially loves Lizzy.

Yes, they clash a lot. Everyday, actually. Multiple times. I get so tired of refereeing their arguments. But I know they fight, because they love each other, and because they are so much a like.

Tonight, Jake finally admitted how much he loves Lizzy. He just discovered my Lizzy-isms Blog. Now I can't get him to stop reading it. He is sitting at the computer, laughing hysterically. A few times, he's been laughing so hard, he fell off his chair. At one point he said to me " Thanks for showing me this Mom. It's so funny." He's even become an official "follower" and told me if he's ever sad, he's going to go read some Lizzy-isms. That, he says, is the best way to make anyone smile.

So think what you will. Poor Jake. The only boy with three sisters. But I know the truth. Jake loves his sisters. And Jake wouldn't know what to do without his sisters, especially without Lizzy...because without Lizzy, Jake says "there would be no sunshine, and also no Lizzy-isms."

Breaking Point

I hit a breaking point of sorts tonight.

It's been a long construction season and a busy fall sports season. Not to mention speech, Faith Formation, work, and the other everyday adventures that four kids bring. I've been handling the chaos pretty well, until this week.

I'm not really sure what happened, but suddenly I have no patience left for my children. I am trying not to feel sorry for myself.. I know there are people who do the parenting thing solo all the time, and my hat is off to those parents. I couldn't do it.

Tonight, I decided when the going gets tough, the tough make salsa.

I gave the big kids chores: one gave the little girls baths, the other folded and put away two loads of laundry. While they did that, I made salsa.

I've never made salsa before. I don't even really like salsa that much. But tonight, it seemed like a project I needed to tackle. I have boxes of tomatoes I picked from the garden now sitting in boxes in the basement. I have been patiently waiting for them to ripen. Tonight, there were enough red ones to make two batches of salsa (one batch takes 18 tomatoes). I stopped after one batch. But I gotta say, I'm pretty excited about this salsa. It looks, and smells, just like the stuff we buy.

But I'm even more excited about this salsa, because it may have saved me from doing, or saying, something I know I would regret. I was at a breaking point tonight. I was either going to freak out on my kids, or do something constructive. I'm so happy I chose the latter. I'm pretty sure they're happy about that too.

And the best part is, I have more tomatoes...waiting for the next time I need a "break".

Sweet Baby Morgan

It must be tough being the fourth child.

Lexi is 11 and responsible, and busy.

Jake is 9 and suffering from major middle child syndrome.

Lizzy is three and, well, she's Lizzy. See more at lizzy-isms.blogspot.com

And then there's Morgan. Nearly 11 months old, and the calmest, sweetest, mellowest baby ever. Sometimes she's so mellow, we forget about her.

I suppose when you live in a crazy, busy house like ours, and you're the baby, you sort of have to be mellow. The poor thing was dragged to her first basketball game at just ten days old. She still takes some of her best naps in gyms, and the buzzer never even wakes her.

While I love having such a mellow, patient, easy-going baby, I can't help but feel a little sorry for Miss Morgan too. Case in point, last weekend's photo shoot. It was supposed to be a photo shoot for Morgan. But Lizzy managed to steal the show.

The pictures of Lizzy are amazing, and I love them all (see just a few at lizzy-isms.blogspot.com) But what you won't see there are the equally amazing pictures of sweet baby Morgan. Again, the photographers managed to capture her easy-going personality, just like they captured Lizzy's Punky Brewster style and personality.

Here are a few of my favorites of sweet baby Morgan:

 

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Better Late Than Never

I was so good about keeping up on pictures with my first three kids. But poor Morgan keeps getting forgotten. I had her three month pictures taken when she was four months old. And now I finally got her nine month pictures taken... she's ten months old. Oops.  But, the ten month picture will hang on the wall, with the rest of the Morgan pictures. And if anyone ever comments that she looks so much older, bigger, etc in her nine month pictures than the other kids do in their nine month pictures, I will just smile and nod. Hey, at least the pictures were taken... better late, than never!

Sleeping Beauties

I am sleeping on the couch tonight.

I've been kicked out of my own bed.

Lizzy didn't have a nap today and she was an absolute mess from about 6:00 on. Bless her heart, at about 9:00 Lexi finally finished her homework and offered to watch a movie with Miss Lizzy Crabby Pants. I was so relieved, as I was trying to get Morgan to sleep at the same time. It didn't even dawn on me until it was too late.... they went to my bedroom to watch a movie.

By the time Brad got home and I got Morgan to bed, both Lexi and Lizzy had fallen asleep in our bed. They are both snoring. And they're cuddled so cute, I just don't have the heart to move them.

So, I'm on the couch upstairs tonight, and Brad is on the couch downstairs. I can hear him snoring all the way up here, so maybe it's a blessing that these sleeping beauties took over our bed! This bed mix-up could mean everyone will get some much needed rest!