Little Wife On the Prairie





When you are everything to everyone, well, you had better act like you have it all together.



Monday, March 31, 2014

Spring Break in New Mexico

And the zoo fun beings!

There is always that element of danger at the zoo.  Falling into the water at this point in our day would have been a bad deal.

My sweet girl

Zaddie was impressed with the giant catfish.

My Weebies.

Asher my man.  Growing up.
 
A mama-selfie

3-2-1 and teenager.  She is a pretty sweet one.  Micah loves her Toto.

On the train to the aquarium.
 
This was my favorite part!  The aquarium restaurant  is worth the cost.  The giant tank is amazing.

Oh Weebies.  Love my girl.

We were there when the diver went in to feed the turtles.  Very cool!


They had some pretty impressive things in that tank.

The result of our day.
 
A precious car-load of happy and exhausted kids.
 
Back at Grandmother and Popper's Micah had to see some of Grandmother's tiny shoe collection.

She is just one of a long line of little girls who has tried to stuff her foot in one.

Maybe the bear?

 

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

The business of being busy.

I hate that word.  Busy.  I say it all of the time. 
 
"Not now, mommy is busy."
 
"Oh my gosh we have been so busy!"
 
"Sorry I didn't call you back, I got busy doing something."
 
 
I hate that we are too busy for anything.  But we do choose things we love to be busy with so that makes it better I guess. 
 
During this season cooking has become a bit more difficult.  I really have to be on my game to have nutritious meals that everyone likes planned and ready before we have to take off somewhere.  So I put a ton of work into my meal planning, grocery shopping and pre-cooking.  My kiddos don't always appreciate the time I spend.
 
Last week, I had made a quick fried rice with some yummy veggies and grilled chicken.  I spent 30 minutes cooking only to have my kids turn up their noses and say they were not hungry.  I felt defeated.  Matt, he felt mad.
 
So he called a family meeting and without talking to me about it, declared the next week, "Mom's week off from cooking"  I was shocked and a bit miffed.  I didn't want my kids eating cereal for a week.  But then he laid the ground rules.  No cereal, the kids could cook mom-approved meals, and dad could help but not mom.  The goal was to show them what a nice thing it is to have all of their meals prepared for them.  Doing it yourself is not so much fun.
 
I have to admit, I didn't like it as much as I though I would.  And I might have cheated a bit by buying things like rotisserie chicken for the kids to prepare.  It just felt wrong to not be caring for my babies.  They had to do everything on their own, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  There may have been some mac n cheese employed.  They are just kids after all.
 (I might have also helped with packing lunches but don't tell dad.) 
 
In the end, they really did a great job and I enjoyed the break.  I think we might employ a once-a-week kids night for cooking.  They learned a lot about the kitchen last week and I think it's good for them! 
 
 



This guy had a Texas performance at school.  Doesn't he look handsome?

This baby found some lipstick.  She was very proud of it.  When I asked her to smile, she did this...

Goofy!

Signs of Spring are all around.  I am sooooooo ready!

Speaking of busy, these girls are back in production.  I am sure there are babies already growing in their cells.  See the pollen on her leg, no clue where she is getting it but it smells a little like hay. ( I was able to smell it when one of the clumps fell off and I picked it up to see what it might be.)