We’re off the rest of this week for a trip up to the northern parts, to leave the land of the hot and scalding and to hopefully get a happy little taste of weather to come. :)
This morning, actually, we woke up and the temperature was in the 70’s. That’s not happened for months and months – it’s been 80’s and 90’s for months on end! We had doors hanging wide open ~ it felt like autumn is coming!
We are so anticipating time with dear friends and family, and even the road trip time as a family. Preparing for three months in Colorado is big on our minds, and Ben has been working hard in order to prepare us to go. I understand it’s a season, and I’m fully supportive, but I will be very happy when we can have evenings and weekends together as a family again. :) But usually anything good takes sacrifice, right?
Letters.
From Cambodia. From my two sisters. ♥
Olivia.
This little girl has boundless energy and keeps me on my toes from morning till night. She does bring boundless laughter to us though, and I think I laugh at her more than I’ve ever laughed at a little kid. And, to be honest, I probably get more exasperated at her too. :) She’s turbo power in a mini-body.
I tried to take a shower on Saturday night, after a rather hairy day of taking care of children and Ben working long hours an hour away. I thought if I just finally make it to the shower I’ll keep my sanity. The girls had their baths, the house was mostly cleaned up, and I was ready for a little bit of peacefulness. Olivia had refused a nap all day, so she was tired beyond reasoning.
I was finally in the shower, girls playing outside the restroom, I thought. My loofah was all nice and sudsy, and it was that wonderful feeling of “all will be well with the world.” I don’t know about you other moms, but when I get in the shower, I just like to to be nice and quiet, and a chance to be all alone. For five minutes. I love my children dearly, but the shower is off-limits when I’m in there.
There were repeated commands of telling the girls to close the door and hey hey hey, play nice with each other. I lathered up one leg, ready to shave, when I heard the door swing open and both girls came in, Olivia needing to go potty. She hoisted herself up on the big potty, and I looked out the shower door just in time to see a stream hitting not the potty, but shooting out over the seat, onto her pajamas, and onto the floor.
Lathered leg or not, I was out of the shower, adding more wet (though of a different kind!) to the floor as I assisted the ending of that bathroom use. Then, because she had messed herself up, I just stripped her completely and brought her into the shower with me. First time for that, and she was thrilled.
Zoe saw the excitement of the moment, and before I knew it another little girl joined us in the shower. First time for her too. There were lots of giggles and squeals and they were really so happy and excited about how the day was turning out that I tried to join their mood too. :)
But that’s sort of how my days have been… I would not make a good single mom! And I’m so thankful that I’m not!
Zoe.
Zoe brings a different kind of style to the family. She’s big into getting herself dressed, and after I questioned this particular outfit and the matching ability, she assured me that “It matches just right! See, there are flowers on the top and flowers on the pants!” Oh, yes. Weak laugh. Flowers and flowers. Why did I not catch that? Real laugh follows. Oh well.
I won’t even stick a sign on her that says, “This child dressed herself!” :)
Pancakes.
We love making pancakes… We found a wonderful recipe that uses all whole wheat, and they are wonderful!
Lemonade.
The fresh-squeezed kind.
We absolutely love this, and keep it in the frig almost all summer long!
Recipe:
4 lemons
2 cups sugar
1 gallon sized container
Slice lemons very thinly, taking off ends and throwing away.
Put lemons and sugar in the gallon pitcher.
Taking your hands, squeeze lemons and sugar all together and until they are a sticky mess and it smells delightful. Do make sure your hands are freshly washed.
Let sit at least ten minutes, and up to a half hour. This helps the flavor be strong and sweet.
Mix with ice and water, fill to one gallon.
Sit on your front porch, or have a friend over, or just sip it alone. Delicious!
Note: be sure to take the lemons out of the lemonade before you refrigerate it. Leaving them in will result in a very bitter rind taste.
Also, if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, you can cut the sugar to one cup and add 1/2 teaspoon stevia powder, and mix as directed. I personally don’t care for this as much, but it does still give you fresh lemonade if you can’t have much sugar. Or you could use only stevia and increase it to 1 teaspoon.
This is also just wonderful if you slice a few strawberries and let them float on top. It gives a sweet lemony strawberry flavor and colors it pink without much effort.
And this was a very short post, for once in my life. :)
Happy week and weekending to you all! We’re off to a fun-filled week – first time out of state all summer
[very rare for us!]. Time with my dad’s side of the family, that I rarely see with living so far south. Time with friends that we love so much. Time with a dear aunt and her family. Friendship is such a precious gift!
Excitement reigns high!
And we’re off!
~clarita
I could very much identify with the first 3 paragraphs! :)
We are getting ready to head north this weekend (PA) to be with family (some extended)and I am looking forward to some cooler weather! We DID have 60 this morning and that felt WONDERFUL!! The windows were wide open till the heat got to be too much! (which state do you live in?)
Mmmmm….fresh squeezed lemonade!! :)
LOL Kids are always such great memories makers.
I’d sure love to sit down with ya and have some good ole homemade lemonaide!
Happy times to you while you’re away! Love your girls and these {im}PERFECT pictures of them and all their uniqueness going on. :)The lemonade looks fabulous. I’ve been making it this summer too, but never tried squeezing them by hand! Looks yummy!! I’d like some right now, please, served with a huge stack of delicious looking pancakes. :) Oh, and you did know, didn’t you, that you’re girls are always going to burst into the bathroom and be “bad” now that they know they can get a shower out of the deal?? Tsk. Tsk. That’s what you’ll get for rewarding them so grandly!! And you’ll all have richer memories because of it, I suppose. :)
Oh Clarita, you have no idea how glad I am to know that my girl is not the only one who “pees like a boy!” :) I have changed countless pairs of panties because of streams over-shooting the toilet.
The lemonade looks wonderful!
Love your lemonade recipe and photos. I’ll try it on the weekend. But I’d like to use honey instead of sugar.
I laughed and smiles all through this post! The shower scene sound very, VERY familiar! I can remember Jude opening the shower door and handing me a go-gurt to open… “Umm, little busy here son.”
Love the picture of Zoe’s outfit!! She still looks darling :) Gideon when to the grocery store with me wearing a long sleeved striped shirt with plaid shorts and his camo. rain boots :)
Have a fun trip Clarita! Cute bra by the way ;)
Happy post…
and the pancake recipe, please.
So fun to see what is happening in your world these last few weeks. That shower story is too funny. Is it wrong that I am having trouble keeping from picturing it all??
Your girls are so adorable. And good for you that you are able to go and visit family before you go to Colorado.
this is perfect! i am having friends for a bbq on friday evening. i put fresh lemonade on the menu, but still needed to search out the perfect recipe! and i just found it!
hope you have the best of times away with your family!!
and, letters from faraway places, from family? THEE best!
Oh you are just so cute and happy!
I wouldn’t make a good single parent either. I hate when we’re going through a long work day/weekend spell. (or market season! It’s fun at first, but gets old by Sept.)
Have a Super fun time with family and friends! Enjoy your trip and hopefully the weather will be kind. It’s been gorgeous around here….70’s and 80’s.
Happy Tuesday to you. =)
I forgot…cute bra! lol.
And the lemonade…it looks wonderful!
Ok, I’m done now. =)
…a short post… i guess for you it was! i loved it, as always. my favorite picture was of your bra wearing monkey! the lemonade sounds amazing… must make some soon!
I love fresh lemonade, we have it a ton also … southerners have iced tea, we have lemonade ( I wish we could grow our own instead of having nasty imported mexico ones). I love polka dot bra’s, little girls (and big ones too) that dress themselves and think that purple and purple match rather then clashing, Family vacations and cool mornings! Enjoy your time away … sounds much deserved!
yum- on the lemonade!! and the pancakes. My mom used to make all whole wheat and they were my all time favorite.
showering with little kids in the house and only one adult has been a stress of mine as well. =) things happen, funny things and sometimes scary things.
letters from sisters….sweet thrills!!
Hope you have a wonderful relaxing time with your family!!
i love strawberry lemonade!! and this is the exact same way i make my lemonade.:) (the best way in my opinion!:) and its really easy! instead of just slices of strawberries, i usually put crushed (not totally smooth, but chunky)strawberries in mine…and about the potty/shower story-i loved it!:) a mom’s life is sometimes hard (feels,at times, that all i do is GIVE ),but its well worth it!:)…have fun up north!!!!!:)
I feel for you moms and you definitely get a A+ from me. I totally understand about having a few minutes by yourself after having done lots of babysitting myself.
I’d love to come visit with you on your porch and have a glass of that fresh lemonade. It looks so yummy!
Blessings on your trip and have fun!
how did i miss this post?? it showed up here out of nowhere. a nice little surprise in my sunday morning as i get ready to teach sunday school. :)
ok. so my fav part of this post was the part where you said zoe thinks things match if like flowers on the top and the bottom match– that could not BE more elle!!!! so yes, i was nodding all through that.
i loved the shower story too… and the pretty bra picture. :)
i love the picture of the lemonade in front of the fan. great setting. keep posting– they always fill me with joy.
wonderful to SEE your face. happy trails, friend.
@floridabreze – We live in Georgia, but only about an hour from the Florida line. And yes, we know about heat too. :)
@mlt10202002 – Oh good! Hope the lemonade was what you hoped it to be! :)
@cupajava – isn’t that just the best recipe ever?! everyone always raves about it. :)
I hope you had a wonderful weekend with your family! That lemonade sounds wonderful!! We need to catch up again sometime soon.
sweet sweet first shot. i don’t know but it almost makes me teary.. well, i DO know why. being far from family, i get the preciousness of a handwritten letter from those you love!
the lemonade looks yum and so pretty – if a drink can be pretty. :) and your kiddos are too funny and cute and i love them!
ps. nope that shot of girly w/ her shirt up isn’t inappropriate – – but, i’m not probably the best judge of appropriateness. ;) i just think it’s a classic kid move – shirts up, clothes off, underwear on the head. all that stuff! :)