Facebook Morning...

My morning has been so full of "Facebook" moments. I'm embarrassed to say I thought one of them up during my breakfast prayer. That one won't get posted, just on principle. The first one was "Teaching Evan Zombie fighting strategies!" He is in love with Plants vs. Zombies. Really, who isn't? The second was "15 minutes and a change in the routine was all I needed to not scream at Anna in the morning" She has been having such a hard time getting things done in the morning lately that I feel I am yelling at her right up until she heads out the door. Today was MUCH improved. She even had time for a little Taylor Swift this morning! "Mission Accomplished" was one for Riley. He forgot to do a book report project, mainly because I actually burned up his rough draft (oops! You needed those scribbles?) So he came home yesterday so sad that he had to write the alternate ending instead of the poster, because he couldn't find his rough draft to turn in for approval (really am sorry about that). After a brilliant pep talk from me, he did both the alternate ending, which his teacher required, and the poster, just because he wanted to. I may not be the best at everything, but I am a good Mom. (except for the whole "yelling at Anna each morning and burning of homework" thing...) There were so many more this morning, but by now, they are all out of my head. Actually, there's never much in there anymore. Happy day to you all!

Recent projects...

Anna's dance class is doing the cutest little Jazz number this year.  They have these really bright costumes and her dance teacher asked if I could make a feathery little head piece to go with them.  This is what I came up with.  It looks so cute clipped in Anna's hair.  I've made 7 so far, only 3 left to go.  I had forgotten how much I love a glue gun!

We (Brandon!) also took out the sod in the side yard so we could get the garden started.  It turns out there is a lot of room out there.  I've planted some things (a little early, I know), and I can't wait to see it sprout and grow.  I'm excited to get a few more things in the ground.  This year we are going to grow lettuce, lots of colors of carrots, onions, radishes, corn, potatoes, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes and some herbs.  In the backyard, we will grow green beans, cucumbers and peas on the fence.  I'm really excited because it has been a few years since we've had a  veggie garden and I love picking things fresh and eating them.  Hurray! Grow, veggies, grow!

Thanks, babe!

I love you!

Spring Break Science

Riley asked me a question that gave me an idea.  Riley asked why he feels so hungry only an hour after eating breakfast.  I explained that he might be making pour choices in breakfast.  That some things practically dissolve in your mouth when you eat them, while other things need to be "eaten" by stomach acid which takes awhile and makes you feel full longer.  He asked what kind of food takes longer.  So I took some time to explain that foods that have lots of protein or fiber usually take longer that foods that are just fluff.  To make the knowledge stick a little better, I thought I give them a visual. We took a container of water and added: Cooked rice, oats, pancake, cake, tortilla, pasta, apple, raisins, gummy, peanut, cheese, apple jacks cereal, ritz cracker, gogurt, sugar, crunchy nut cereal, lunch meat, white bread, wheat bread, and carrot. We simple put these in the water and left them for over an hour.  After that hour, we gently stirred and  saw what things pulled to pieces and mushed and what things stuck together.  Then we dumped the water into a mesh strainer and ran water over it for about 30 seconds. We dumped what was left on a paper towel.  Left were pieces of rice, oats, tortilla, pasta, apple, raisins, peanut, cheese, lunch meat, wheat bread, carrot, and apple jacks.  I was happy with the out come except the apple jacks, but Riley pointed out that its a new higher fiber recipe!  The gummy actually did not dissolve, but I asked the kids why the sugar dissolved, but not the gummy, which is mostly sugar.  Anna said it was probably the "other stuff" in it.  I told her that it probably contained something like gelatin that makes the sugar hold a form, but does not make it healthy.  So we counted it out.  But overall, the kids got the idea about how making healthier choice with food really effects them.  I've never been the best example of eating healthy, but I've worked at trying to be better and to teach them so they at least have the knowledge.  This was a fun way to visualize how making better choices can help them not feel so snacky all day long.  A good thing to learn at the beginning of a week home with food in the house all the time.  Here's to a good start to a long week. ~Pam

I need more sunshine...

It has rained here for so many days in a row that I can't even count them.  This is probably the rainiest it's been in forever and it makes every day LONG!  So I have updated the blog to be bright.  
Other than the rain, not much is going on.  Baseball has started for Riley and all of his games are on turf, so no rain outs unless there is lightning.  So we have a lot of baseball and a lot of rain.  Hopefully one of those will change soon.  I'm hoping for sunshine or lightning!  Next week is our spring break and we're going to have some fun no matter what the weather is like.  I can't just sit around the house for days with all three kids.  Rain or shine, we have to do something!