a few things on my mind these days...

* This morning we went to school and met Charley's teacher.  It was ALL.  GOOD.  I wrote a check so he has some lunch money.  We saw where his locker is.  I didn't pull out my camera...kind of proud of myself.  Just livin' in the moment...at the moment.

*As we get in the car the last couple days I get sick to my stomach when I buckle Henry.  I look at him and how distracted he always is with his brother.  And I think, in less than a week, his little life is going to change.  It will be good - eventually, but at first his little world is going to be rocked.  Gearing up for some good one on one time with the little guy.

*There's a little Green and Gold time coming up in our near future.  Miss Syd will hang out with my mom but the rest of us will be cheering on the Pack!  The boys will love it.  My camera will be clickin' up a storm.

*It is raining today.  And it is just what I needed to get the laundry done and the packing finished.  I considered yesterday as Charley's last free day of summer because I knew we would be stuck at home today packing for our last summer road trip.  So today is his last lazy day at home. 

*The end of our summer seemed so overwhelming a few weeks ago when I was telling friends about all that we had going on.  But now as we are down to the last couple days...I have LOVED the fun and the choices.  We have slipped in friend time and the distraction of travel was wonderful for this time of the summer.  I think I will plan on doing something similar next summer.  As the boys are kind of done with the parks and the biking and the sprinklers.  They are fighting over the tiniest Lego pieces and can't keep their hands off each other.  So venturing out into the world has been perfect.

*Any locals hitting the farmer's market on Sunday.  I would love another big bunch or 10 of basil.  But we won't be here.  Let me know if you would consider picking some up.  I will even make you a couple containers of pesto for your freezer. 

*Sydney is now eating breakfast and dinner.  She opens her mouth and enjoys each bite. 

*Do you think I could host a wedding in our backyard...a dance in our cul de sac?  Haha!  We have been asked.  I guess I would have to do a little bit more with our flower bed up front.  The question was all in fun...I think.

This summer we had natural fun.

Fun in nature.

There were just sticks.

Ferns.

Trees.

   

and brothers.

 

and grandma!

Imagination.

And a little sister watching....

her brother build with concentration.

She wondered...

 

and they posed.

They attempted the picnic lunch in their fort...as just brothers.

But before I made it back to the kitchen they had snuck to the deck.

There were moments this summer where the play was natural.

And then today, our last free day of summer, when I ask Charley if there is anything else he REALLY wanted to do this summer....he shares his desire.  And it is COMPLETELY opposite of playing with sticks in the silence of the woods.  With a deer running by, stopping to stare, and the boys finding their confidence and stepping towards the creature.  Nope, today will not be filled with this kind of fun.  But it will be fun.  Stay tuned to find out what Charley wanted to do - on this last day of summer, at home...with nothing on our agenda. 

Pesto like the Pio*neer Woman

The Pio*neer Woman and I have something in common. Yesterday she posted about a staple in our house...

PESTO!

Pretty proud that my picture looks almost exactly like Ree's!


And on Sunday Ed had bought out the farmer's market of all their basil.  He worked hard on prepping the leaves.  And yesterday while the boys played outside, windows were open so I could hear them having fun with the neighbors, I finished the task. 
My recipe I got from my friend Molly's mom.  She actually took an afternoon, a few years ago, and showed me her ways.  It requires some of this...

And a bit of this...

Along with this stuff...

Ingredients:

2 cups packed fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts ( I use walnuts)
3/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese..I use Parmesan
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
3-4 fresh garlic cloves for 1 pound of pasta
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Process all ingredients in your food processor until well combined.  Refrigerate if not used immediately.  When serving, bring to room temperature or slightly heat.  Add to 1-2 pounds of pasta.  Serve with additional cheese. 

Now our family LOVES this meal.  I make a batch and actual split it up into four ounce little containers and freeze them.  So our pasta is only lightly covered in the pesto.  Since a single batch makes a few small containers for our family.  My boys prefer pesto covered pasta to red sauce. 

I also will freeze batches in ice cube trays, pop them out and keep them in zip bags in the freezer.  Then when I want to add it to a sauce like alfredo (the best!) or mayo for a sandwich spread, I have smaller quantities to deal with. 

Our farmers market is loaded with fresh basil right now and they sell it in large bunches for a dollar.  I have found that it is cheaper for me to just buy it rather than starting it from a small plant.  The cheapest way would be to of course start it from the seed.  But I just haven't gone that far yet. 

Pesto is a favorite...and now we are stocked for the winter.  We have 17 meals of it in our freezer.  And if I can swing it I will will do another batch.  Because when I am stumped on what to make for  dinner...I love hitting up our stash of pesto for an easy and healthy-ish meal. 

Traveling with my girl

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone so pardon the spelling and grammar errors.

Updated: Family picture video

try this one for a bigger picture...I think.




This is my first attempt at an iMovie. Let's see if it works. Here are a few pictures from our family photo gig.

Today...

Ticking things off our summer bucket list on a daily basis.   Only a few things yet to do..and a few substitutes to make...like we won't be hopping on a light rail, just me and the tribe, who even thought that was a good idea...new mom of three...hopping on public transportation with an infinite amount of patience...well, patience isn't around these days in infinite amounts.  But we did conquer a ferry ride over the great Lake Superior.  So there!

Children's Museum Summer 2011.

That is independent face painting...not war wounds.

Summer thoughts that I have appreciated these days:

Learn to Love and Let it Go...Memories on Clover Lane

This is my favorite blog and it's focus is on older kids and it is totally helping me realize that this summer passing only means more fun summers ahead, where my children are older and more capable of fun rather than constant entertaining and helping.  Each stage is a thrill.  71 Toes or Life on my side bar.

How to lose your sh$# prior to school starting...Mrs. Flinger
Most of the blogs out there right now are reflecting on the summer ending.  And most are all agreeing that it is time.  And it is okay to do a happy dance and anticipate the fall changes.

Back to School, Back to Sanity....Huffington Post  Thanks Kristen for posting on facebook.

Today:
*Relishing a possible day of not leaving our house...although nothing is for sure.
*Labeling school supplies.
*skipping prunes with Syd since she broke out by spoonful 4 last night.
*my lego tower will be bigger than my boys. just sayin'.
*packing my bag because tomorrow Syd and I leave on a jet plane.  Eeek!  Mama, daughter, carry on, and...camera...can I do it?

Grace

My mom tells me that when I was little, as she tucked me in at night, I would say thank you.  I would say, "Thanks mom for taking us _________."  Wow, was I cool or what.  My boys don't do that...but as we pulled out of Grandma's driveway today, waving goodbye to Grandma after a most excellent visit...

Henry said, "We did so much fun stuff.  I don't want to go home. I want Grandma to come with us."  And that right there, is his way of saying thank you.  And that makes my heart swell. 

Arriving home I realized that we have about two weeks...yep, two weeks from tonight we will be sitting together for dinner discussing Charley's first FULL day of first grade.  MAN, I am in a panic. 

But he is ready...he proved it by doing the monkey bars over and over and over at Grandma's house.

So, tonight these boys are settling in to their new sleeping spots.  Bunked.  And how cozy it is.  It makes me want to sleep in a bunk bed again.  Their life is so good.  Driving home today it hits me again, that we get this one chance to make their one childhood strong, steady, memorable, filled with moments that push and help them grow.  Yep, one childhood.  Isn't that kind of overwhelming as a parent.

Tomorrow...summer's coming to an end.  Time to embrace each moment.

Of course I will start my day with this:

Grace for today:

1.  Redbox movie app...I was able to find a Redbox on our ride home to rent a movie that kept the boys quiet and happy the entire drive. 

2.  Sydney fell asleep after eating pears and oatmeal at dinner.  She did the head bob and we all giggled.  Then I took her up and put her peacefully to nigh night!

3.  Sad to leave but nothing beats coming home, once you are there.

4.  Happy Birthday Kimmer!  Love you! 

5.  Sydney lit up when daddy walked in tonight. 

eeeek! bunk beds here we come!

 And when we get home, these two will be sleeping in bunked beds.  

Daddy worked on bunking them while we were here. 

They are pretty excited.

If I don't go home...

will time freeze.
will summer pause.
will Charley's first grade year not start.
will this summer of having a 6 year old, 3 year old, and 7 month old last forever.
Probably not.

Daddy misses us.
We left last Thursday on an adventure north to visit his parents, Grandpa Ed and Grandma Charlie. Some might say I am am Daughter-in-law of the year and other's might say they are Mother and Father in law of the year...putting up with me and my tribe for many days. Either way, it is easy to visit, relax, and be there, with or without Ed.  I am lucky to be a part of such a wonderful family. We planned to stay until Sunday. That turned into leaving on Monday, and that finally ended with returning home on Tuesday...which is tomorrow.

It is hard to travel on my own with three...and when I get somewhere and unload everything it is hard to imagine leaving...add to that a Grandma that plays, the fresh north air sleeping, woods for the boys to play in, and yummy meals...it makes leaving hard.

Plus, we had lots of things on our hopes and dreams list for this week...

Blueberry picking

 Notice Charley's hand was up shoving his picked berries right into his mouth. 

 Even grandpa had to do a drive by and check in with us!  Making sure we hadn't been eaten by a bear!


Visitor's Center - three times...once coming into town, once for a Smokey the Bear meet and greet and just plain exploring, and then this morning for a timber/ logging mini class.

Ferry Boat ride out to the island... the boys were excited to get to the island and we kept explaining that it was the boat ride that we were trying to enjoy.  But on the island we also got ice cream and sat by the lake and the boys actually played in the water in their clothes. 

Ice Cream...twice, smore's, donuts...

Pickles...we learned how to make them and we all helped!

This was the first trip where the boys really got into playing in the woods.  Grandma helped them construct a really neat fort built with sticks and ferns.  I will share more pictures of that soon.  But Henry LOVED going out and playing lumberjack. 

As I reflect back on the summer... 

I am so glad that we have done all that we have done.  And this trip, I am so glad that we took our time leaving.  Because we fit in so much fun.