Harrison and Millie watching the events
Tom pinning Harrison's Tiger patch on his shirt.
Harrison and Jotham showing off their trophies
I remember as a child, we used to "give up" something for lent. I never fully understood why adn we never really stuck with it consistantly. This year I am trying hard to help my kids understand the sacrifice and directing that time and energy otherwise spent on the activity to God. Last year the kids and I "gave up" fast food as it had become a real convenience. This year we are doing the same even though we only really eat out/fast food once a week if even that (not counting my drive thru to get a Coke to feed my habit) So, this year we are giving up fast food, even for my Cokes! The kids seem to have a grasp on the idea, just last night Nick asked if he and I could stop while we are out on our "date" and I reminded him why and what it meant. So, this morning we picked my mom up at work and he said "I know we can't go to McDonalds yet, because God loves us" Then Abby chimed in with her explanation.
I have also given up computer time during the day, from 9am to 7pm. Yes, I am blogging right now and it is 11:53am, but I can justify (can't any addict justify a relapse?) My main problem during the day with the computer is the five minutes here and there that turn into 30. The "oh, I'll check my email real quick" or "I just finished laundry so I'll check facebook for a minute" Now that my computer time is limited to just the evenings, in which I am sharing it with Tom and also wanting to see my couple tv shows, I haven't taken time to update my blog lately and it is a good method for keeping friends and family current on the happenings of our crazy family! Thus I am justifying my blogging!
For the longest time, when I was working and for a bit after the twins were born, I would spend time digging through cook books, finding recipes and planning our dinner menu. I would generally do a two week period of time and then shop accordingly. I would make sure I had everything I needed for the menu and save a list for the second week of the perishables that wouldn't last long enough to buy ahead.
I don't know exactly when I got away from it but I have decided to start doing it again. Dinner was so much easier! I would post a calendar that had the dinners written on it as well as the pages/titles of the cookbooks I would be using. I would plan crock pot dinners if I was working, or make something in the morning if it would be a busy afternoon. It was actually easier when the twins were little because I knew what we were having and I could get most of the prep work done early, so when the dinner-hour-fuss-out would start, I would just pop a pan in the oven and it was taken care of!
We also always used to have a big family dinner on Sunday evenings. I would make something yummy and even though we generally eat dinner as a family almost every night of the week, there was something about the Sunday dinner that was just a bit more ceremonial and special. Sundays lately have been chaos: I take the kids to church and then generally out to lunch or to run errands, Tom stays home to study and sleep. By the time we get home, it is late afternoon, the kids want to play outside and I try to take Elbert to the dog park or just get a little bit of sanity time for myself before the weekend is over. Before I know it, 5pm is rolling around, nothing is thawed and there is no plan. This Sunday was my turning point. I made my choice to get back into the menu planning and Sunday dinners as I literally made PB&J, cut up carrots, sliced apples and grapes for dinner!
Yesterday was shopping day. I went to the Fruit Basket to get a bunch of fruits and veggies, as I do almost weekly anyway. Then on to the grocery store with my list in hand. I now have everything I need for dinners for the week! Last night we had a chili chicken casserole. Tonight it is Hobo burgers. Wednesday quiche, Thursday barbecue meatballs, Friday I am going to attempt to make pizza crust so the kids can make their own pizza's for our Friday pizza picnic. I have never had luck using yeast before so wish me luck!
So far I only have three kids in school and I am starting to realize the chaos that goes with that. Take Valentine's Day for example: Three kids in classes that require cards to exchange: 16 cards each for the twins and then 20 for Harrison = 52 cards. Harrison went to town with his, writing names and signing his. He did have trouble with a few because the lines are so incredibly short, it is hard to fit a name with ten letters written in 1st grade lettering! Nick and Abby are in the same class, so they each needed 16 cards. Thankfully their teacher just wanted their names on the cards, instead of putting the "To" spot filled in, so the kids can just pass them out. Abby happily signed away her name 16 times, Nick had a little trouble but did finally get his done. His cards were teeny and shiney, so it was hard to write with a pencil on them.
Then comes the party time. For most of the twins parties at school this year, I have cheated and wimped out, just sending what I needed to send while the other Mom's seem to put together the goody bags and make the amazing cupcakes and treats. So, this time I promised Nick and Abby that they could bring something fun. We bought heart cups at Walmart and filled them with candy, a pencil, a deflated balloon and I think something else. So then Harrison comes home and announces he wants the same, sorry but not this time!
I noticed the cards don't have envelopes anymore, just the little flaps to fold the edge under (which ripped on most cards that Abby tried to do herself) and they don't come with a "Teacher" card either!
Nick and Abby have their party today, Harrison has his tomorrow and then can we be done until the next school party?
Harrison and his cool RC Car he got for Christmas
The tour begins....
Mr. Dan showing the boys a metal plate with the images burned on it, he explained that they do one plate per color and use oil and water to get the ink to print onto the paper. One boy asked "If you make the metal plates here, do you also make paper plates?" Wrong kind of plates kiddo!
On to the HUGE printer....
The boys standing by three stacked rolls of paper
Tom goes to work all day, five days a week, from 7-4. I take care of the kids all day with duties stretching into the evening and night and all weekend. Tom does some things around the house after work too. So, it is debatable about who works harder.
My personal vote for the hardest working family member is....drum roll.... our washer and dryer! They are loyal and always ready for action at the turn of a dial and push of a button, they never argue or whine or want to sleep in, some days they get a day off, but always have to pay for it later with extra work. Sometimes they work all day long with hardly a break between loads, working well into the evening, right up to the time the last load gets rotated and the house goes dark for bedtime, only to start up again bright and early before the first kiddo is off to school.
So, Harrison came home last week with the assignment that he had to make a book character out of recycling. We looked through books and came up with some ideas, then browsed our recycling collection and came up with Elmer the Elephant. We had one of the big pretzel jugs from Costco, milk gallons, some card board/paper board, soda cans, a 2 liter bottle and of course, the glue gun. 
Elmer's tail, the ring from a bottle of spaghetti sauce
His body is the pretzel jug, his head is a 2 liter bottle, eyes are milk caps, trunk is the hanlde from a milk jug, ears are cut from a milk jug, legs are soda cans and his patchwork body is made from cut up boxes.
