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Nebraska, the good life!  We are a hours away from heading out on a week long visit with family and friends.  I always look forward to going home.  It's like that big comfy chair waiting for you at the end of a long hard day.  There is NOTHING like being outside in that sweet Nebraska air.  It has a mix of corn, milo, and on a lucky day a hint of rain.  Nebraska is soul washing for me.  It helps me de clutter my life, my mind, myself.  There is no place on earth that makes me feel this way.  A lot of this is because my family is there.  Both my family and my military family.  We get to not just enjoy parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, but I also get to enjoy and soak up  life long friends, who have been through war with us....real war.  Who have felt the same worries of safety for their husbands.  We've called each other on those days where we just don't know if we can handle one more second.  We've made extra dinner knowing that this meal there will be a few more around the table.  Because a husband has left today on a plane, and his family doesn't want to be alone tonight.  So....I am so ready to go get my soul washed.

What it's not Friday???

This week has been VERY long!  Sean's parents arrived Sunday afternoon.  We had a great time visiting with them......well, I forgot what else I was going to say because I just looked to my right and saw the cutest most adorable child sitting on the couch.  I could watch that baby for days!  He got his hair cut on Saturday, I know I know!  Everyone loves his longer hair but it's hard to keep it out of his face.  He looks so grown up with that short little do....I digress.  So, the in-laws came and we had a great time.

  Took the girls to the "Journey  Museum".  It was quite interesting.  Starts off with stars, then dinosaurs and mammoths, then onto indians, and ends in the early 1900's.  The girls LOVED it!  They tried on period clothing and really go into the history.  Stuart was not too fond of the large rawring dinosaurs.   That night on our way to town we were talking about baptism.  Grace says "You are dunked in water and it washes your sins away"....

Sera: So who throws the ball?

Me: Ball??

Sera: Yeah, if you are dunked do they throw a ball?"

Me: No, no one throws a ball.

Sera: OOOOH so someone just goes up there and pushes the circle?

(at this point I realize she thinks baptism is like a dunk tank at a fair)

Me: NOOOOO!

Sera: So let me get this straight.....no balls are involved!?!

It took everything in us to answer her question seriously.  Now she knows, that there are no balls involved when you are "dunked" under the water to be baptized.

Monday was the best day weather wise.  We got to go outside and really enjoy the sun, but not so much the wind.  The kids ended up making chalk paint art all over the driveway....and on some other things!

And then we got creative.....

It was a great week....what do you mean it's not over yet?  Seems like Friday is never going to get here!  OH, our calla lilies are now growing!  It seems they grow an inch a day, it is very fast.....well, off to go spend some time with that cutest most adorable boy of mine!

Son*shine

Today was BEAUTIFUL!  Living in the north for a year now has given me a new definition of "warm".  I am used to at least 80 degrees in the beginning of May.  Not the 50's we have been experiencing.  So of course I took full advantage of this warmer weather!  (after Stuart's crazy long 4 hour nap).  So we went through the process of getting our shoes on, finding our jacket, grabbing my phone (incase the school called) only to get outside and realize, I forgot my sunglasses.  Have you ever tried to bring a toddler inside right after going outside???  It's more like dragging than walking.  So, I get the sunglasses go outside sit down......and he wants his lawn mower.  Only problem is, said lawn mower is inside because it's been too cold to play with it outside.  Again....drag the boy inside, grab the mower, and back out we go.  Plays with it for two seconds...."Bubbles" he so cheerfully points out.  We bought those new Crayola bubbles, you know the cool ones that are bright colors and don't stain.  Well, they are bright colors, but they are extremely hard to make bubbles with, mostly splatter, make a HUGE mess, and......wait for it.....THEY STAIN!  Orange, not such a good color all over your skin.  I decided I was wearing more bubble mix than I was blowing, so away they went.  I would not recommend them to ANYONE!  Unless you have some reason to punish yourself with stained hands and splatter all over your face and clothes.  Bubbles away we see Miss Julie.  He loves him some Miss Julie so we went to say "Hi" and wait for his girls to get off the bus.  

Then it was back home to play with chalk.....or shall I say to EAT chalk. 

 About this time he sees the older kids playing four square....BALL!  He is like a precision guided missile when it comes to balls. He sees his target and goes directly to it swiftly and without falter.   However, these girls are not having it and call "Interference" stopping the game.  He gets it, he's not getting the ball.  I distract him with yet more chalk and right about that time, his favorite daddy in the world shows up!  Like any boy, he jumps from my lap and runs to daddy wanting to drive his car....and like any daddy Sean does not refuse!  

A quick running of errands, eating of dinner, and back outside we are.  Only this time, it's time to play "Kick the Sugar" for those of you who do not know what "the Sugar" is....that is our 6 year old Maltese.  He has learned that kicking her gets a reaction.  Have you ever tried telling a toddler that kicking a dog is not nice?  It's like telling them to stop doing that really fun thing that gets that AWESOME reaction!  After about 10 minutes of that, God smiles on me and .... yawn, yawn again, rubbing of the eyes!  I, being a skilled seer of all things sleepy, realize it is finally the end of a long day and time for bed.  And that is where we went.  So, while I got zero domestics done today, Stuart got more "work" in than most days.  And I got to basque in his son*light and enjoy every moment of it.  Being a toddler is hard work!  Being his mommy,  best job I've ever had!

Bread: Food made of flour, water, and yeast mixed together and baked.

Food made of flour, water, and yeast or another leavening agent, mixed together and baked.....if it was only that easy and that quick!  However, the rewards of spending an afternoon with my girls, teaching them to bake was beyond any riches or time I would have got back from owning a bread machine.  

Gracie added all the ingredients of the package (Not enough courage yet to make it from scratch).  Sera got to add the yeast, Grace added oil and water and we began to kneed....Sera first for 4 minutes, then Gracie for 4 minutes then mommy finished it off for 2 minutes.  

We rolled it up, put it in a bowl on the stove, covered it and patiently waited.  It began to rise!  We had actually did it right!  Next step was punching it down, rising again, then baking!!!!!   After a day of waiting, working, and baking, we finally got to enjoy our home made bread with some butter and honey.  It was just as sweet at the girls who made it!

It is rising!

Team work, next time we know though to let it rise a little more in the pan

Cooling it to eat!

So yummy with butter and honey!

The girls were so excited about seeing something come from their own hands.  I was excited to spend that time with my girls, making memories and good eats!  Daddy even said it was good!