schoooooools out for the summah!

School starts in 86 days!!

Just kidding.  Mostly.

Let's do this!!!

running over...

Just a few things reminding me on this Monday that despite those extremely pesky irritable notions on my insides, this life is indeed grand.

My cup runneth over...

my rugby boys

When a girlie puts on her dress-up clothes and decides to hit some balls, its best to Get Out Of The Way, Chuck!!

The focus is all off in the picture, but I had to include it b/c she looks a lot like pics of when I was three.  Don't you think, Aunt Charlie?

 We are babysitting our neighbor's rescued kitties.  Nothing quite like syringe feeding and cuddling these 4 babies to make my uterus ache!

 Oh my worrrrrrrrrrrrd!

 Its so sweet to see each kid relate to them in their own way.  

 He just lays on the floor and lets them snuggle all into him.  So gentle.  He's going to be such a great man someday.

 She squeals like they are mice instead of kittens if they come within a foot of her. She plays with them by "Mama I will run around their box and sing and dance la la la and hop and whooooie that's how I play with them!"

Books in his fort.  Libraries are the best.  I've been thinking lately....we need libraries for things like dishes and fun shoes and sports equipment and nail polish.  Wouldn't it be fantastic if every week we got fun new bowls and cups like we do books?!  Someone get on that!

Last, have you made the edamame dip yet?  We can't stop.  The Chachi Band recommends it with garden mint tea in the company of a chia pet.  Side note:  Have you ever grown a chia pet?  They are absolutely sick and disgusting to have on your counter til they get big leaves.  Ew.

edamame dip

This is one of our favorite after school/after naps snacks.  I miiiiiight have eaten that whole bowl with a spoon.  Hypothetically.

 Ok fine, I shared, but only because he made me.

These are in the freezer section at the grocery store.  One bag is the exact amount you need - a scant two cups.

 

Here you go...

2 cups shelled edamame - uncooked (to quick-thaw them, rinse cold beans in cold water for a minute)
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
1 clove garlic (or less)
3/4 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. (approximate) olive oil

Pulse all but the olive oil in the food processor until it is well blended and fine.  Then, with the blender still going, drizzle in as much olive oil as you like until it is smooth.

 Mmmmmm-mmmmm-mmmmm!

fancy trick

I'm posting this movie because when we found out Sage had Marcus-Gunn Jaw-Wink Syndrome, like a good paranoid mama, I hit the internet.  There were no videos of kids - just babies and college students.  I wanted to know what it would look like when she was a little kid.  So now we know...and if you're bored or interested or a crazypants mama like me, you can too...

The nerves between her left eye and jaw are crossed....whenever she flexes her jaw, her eye winks.  When she was a baby, she winked every single time she sucked on her bottle, now you really only notice it when she's looking down and taking big bites.

Its for life - and won't get worse or better.  She will likely need a minor cosmetic lift on her eyelid in the next 20 years.  Her vision isn't affected. 

She knows she has a "fancy eye trick" that makes people smile.  We think she's absolutely perfect...it seems normal that she has a party trick to match her run-at-life-no-holds-barred personality!  We have never met anyone who has Marcus-Gunn....I'm hoping we will eventually so she can see it on someone else.

So here ya go....sorry for the cupcake all over the place....but you know, when you're three, life is cupcakes!

Advance the video to 2:35 to see it best.

CLICK ON THE YOUTUBE LINK ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT ON THE VIDEO TO WATCH IT.

Amazing Race

We did it!  They raced.  And it was err..... amazing!

It really was fun to put it together.  So much work too.  All 16 girls and 9 grown-ups were extremely good sports.  The girls gave it their all, and we had a HOT, fun afternoon! Sara Jane, DeeDee, Jena, and grandparents...I owe you a kidney.  You were champs to let me boss you around.  Let's be real - YOU are why it all worked out!

If any of you want to do a party, let me know - I can send you pdfs of all the clues, race flags, etc.  And if you live close by, borrow our clue boxes and finish mat.  Hours of work...I would love to spare you some!

Thanks to Amy Sharp for coming along and capturing the fun. She's got talent!

  

They got first!  And I promise we didn't throw it.   Eva loves that show and has been begging to run an Amazing Race of her own for the past 3 years.  I was worried she would freak or have a break down or something, but nope. 

After the finish line, we had lemonade, snacks, and cake and watched the race film.

 

 

 So check that off.  Fun and done!