Josie Posie's Puddins and Pies

My kids are all wonderful in their own unique ways, but Josie feeds us.
Often.
Fattening delicious food.
This morning she brought me coffee in bed,
just the way I like it.
And a buttery AND peanut buttery English muffin.
mmmmmmm.

Josie refuses to cooperate for pictures.

      

She later proceeded to make homemade oatmeal rolls

These aren't from today, but still......
and a two layer white wedding cake
with beautiful swirls of homemade frosting.

   

She then volunteered to peel potatoes
to go with my beer beef stew.
Because we sometimes eat something other than carbs.
Tomorrow she will bake and decorate
4 dozen gourmet cupcakes.
Without complaint.

She made these fancy petit fours for a tea party last week.

Josie loves the kitchen.

She is adorable in her apron. 
She thinks owning an immersion blender would be "heaven on earth."
She asked for a food processor for her birthday.

She makes hilarious jokes while peeking 

at her dough rising under a towel in front of the woodstove.

"[She] likes big buns and she cannot lie....."

Then she raises her expressive eyebrows and giggles at her own joke.

That kid.

This is a quick logo Addie sketched at a restaurant a few weeks back.

My girls are fighting over a missing "coral mildliner." Essentially, a high quality and very specifically hued highlighter used for their Bible journaling and color coding their homeschool assignment books. Because their assignment books are nothing if not pretty. There is also some drama about the gross misuse of a bottle of Thieves.  The house DOES smell especially lovely tonight. Ella, who we also suspect is capable of using half a bottle of conditioner during a single hair washing, has just announced that this essential oil combination smells a lot like eggnog. Yes, we have been listening to Christmas music already. 

Now, the older girls snuggled together in Josie's bed are yelling to the younger girls in the next room to shut their door. Something about the Lauren Daigle sing-along being too loud.

Sigh. This is my life. My wonderful, chaotic, drama-filled life. Admittedly, I get frustrated by the piles of fragile china strewn about the counters after yet another tea party and the disputes over who should get to wear that beautiful boho dress to church this morning. But truly, I couldn't have it any better. My girls fight over their Bible journaling utensils and the volume at which they belt out powerful worship songs, for Pete's sake! 

There you have it, my lovely daughters. A short blog post. After a VERY long absence. No one blogs anymore but I'll make an effort to do this. For you. Because you've been begging. Because you love to look back at old posts and relive the big and little, silly and sweet moments of your childhood. Except now you're almost all teens. And I'm going to be posting things like the gorgeous senior pictures we got back today. And the photo of Gwen "tending bar" at last night's Veteran's banquet.

The one where my sweet niece shows a spunkier side

My super sweet  soft-spoken niece, Chloe, has started a blog! I am so looking forward to more glimpses of her exciting life on the ranch and somewhat shocked by her unexpected sass as she recently publicly mocked me for my long blog absence! (Though now that I think of it, that girl could talk some serious Farkle trash;)  And so, after nearly an 11 month blog absence, at the urging of my lovely niece, I am ignoring the loud persistent call of Pinterest and taking a break from Instagram in an attempt to "bring it." Love ya girl!

I forget how to do this. Seriously.
........................................................................................
I may have to regress to my lazy facebook ways and simply post way too many pictures.....

 Look at this Katie Daisy journal I found while making a little stop in the adorable town of Galena, IL on our way home from our recent trip to Michigan!! I can't get enough of this happy artist:)

 Coming home from our trip to a broken fridge/freezer full of rotting food gave me a good excuse to pull out my pretty new thrift store rubber gloves. They were much needed....uuugh!

The day after finding the fridge of rotting food, the girls found this disgusting rodent on the deck. It was much too new to get there himself and the cats were nowhere to be found.....it was almost more disturbing to me than the fridge! What was it (too big to be a mouse) and where had it come from? Was there a nest literally overflowing with baby rats in the eaves of our home and were they on the verge of falling from their nest onto my head or down my shirt? Heebeejeebees were all around.

 On a more happy note, we were also welcomed home by a garden brimming with colorful veggies, trees laden with mini plums, and almost all my beloved zinnias....singing their bright infectious song.

 Steve's hops now have cones!!!

 Oh yeah! Found these letters at an adorable shop in Holland, Michigan.

Just the inspiration I needed to dig out my stash of vintage sheets and other pretty fabrics and start creating.

And finally, Addie was baptized! Something she had wanted to do for awhile and had included on our chalkboard  summer to-do list! I got emotional and wanted to break out in song......just like the zinnias. OH HAPPY DAY!!!

On being awesome

I was awesome today.
And yesterday.
And maybe even a couple days before that.

There. I said it.

If my self-praise rubs you the wrong way,
perhaps try substituting the word "productive"
from here on out.
That may read a smidge less arrogant.
But really, I WAS.
I was productive and awesome!

I posted a bit about my awesomeness on facebook yesterday
but was gently reminded that it was the Lord's Day.
Oops.
*delete post*
*hang head in shame*
Seems my awesomeness doesn't always know
when it's time to take a break
from being so awesome.

So.... ya wanna hear about it?
My recent bout of awesomeness?
Why don't I just type it up quick,
Recent Awesome Accomplishments
Resume Style.

• completed Seasonal Wardrobe Change et closet cleaning for all four girlies
• made applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling
• canned applesauce, apple butter and pears
• made meat pies
• baked cookies
• made delicious beer cheese soup
• edited and ordered photos
• had girls write letters
• put letters and photos in the mail
• made silhouettes for a friend
• worked out at fitness center before picking girls up from school
• catch that? (cross running and weight lifting off my list)
• almost caught up on laundry
• filled back of Suburban with donations
• recovered two bulletin boards in girls' room
• discovered fabulous grey, pink and yellow color scheme for master bedroom
• hung photos and art in color scheme with hubby pronouncing it my "best work"
• washed and french braided three heads Sunday night 
• found all girls' library books before library day
• shaved legs
• painted nails
• filled out forms
• removed make-up before bed

And this List of Awesomeness is
not even all-inclusive!
Wow.
Sure feels good.
Gettin stuff done.
At this rate, I may come to the very end of my
To-Do list
(has that ever happened?)
and have to take out an ad in the local paper:
Awesome for Hire.
Because I am.
Awesome.

Also, in case you still find

my shameless boastfulness

obnoxious.......

I promise to soon share with you

some things that are in no way

awesome.

About me.

And my house.

And maybe my abs.

Because I am not always so awesome.

But speaking of awesome,

Steve is threatening to start 

The Sing-Off 

without me!

Ben Folds.

Sara Barellies.

A cappella harmonies.

AWESOME.

Happy Annibersary......Happy Annibersary!

Yup. 13 years ago we headed on over to
the Little Log Wedding Chapel of Gatlinburg, TN
to get ourselves hitched
with a ring from a quarter machine
and our recently married BFFs
as witnesses.

We were happy.
Relaxed.
No huge event to stress over.
Just us.
And my hardy mum.
And our love.
And the rest of our lives together.

Today I am home.
Still too sick to care for the babies in nursery.
So Steve is off
with four excited little helpers......
anxious to read and cuddle and build towers
with all the little ones at church.
I am so proud of my girlies:)

They brought us breakfast in bed this morning.
But I hadn't taken my thyroid pill.
And neither of us really like PB and cinnamon toast.
So they happily consumed the fruits of their labor
and went outside to play.
(the best gift possible;)

This morning I will make meat pie.
Just like Steve's grandma's.
And maybe some kind of apple dessert.
Steve will watch the Lions cream the Vikings
(because he has money riding on it.)
The kids will get along like angels
and clean their rooms.
(ha!)
I will shave my legs.
Steve will wear his cologne.

And we will continue to live happily ever after.

see photos of our big day in this post

Today.....

I am sick. Burning cough of fire, tears streaming down my face SICK.

I am still not over the fact that this dumb cold kept me from Josie's field trip to Seed Savers Exchange and a fish hatchery on an absolutely perfect fall day. (Martha Stewart buys her seeds at SSE......only the best for Martha!)

I am feeling nostalgic......listening to Huffamoose, an amazing concert my insanely hot boyfriend took me to at the Blind Pig.....before we were married.......13 years ago tomorrow (the marriage part....not the concert).

I am hoping hubby wears a spritz of his very old Abercrombie cologne.....instantly transports me back to those crazy mad love days. *sigh*

I need to accept the fact that I cannot serve tacos to my family without the table looking like we have something against our plates. I mean, really, even Steve has to drop huge clumps of meat on my favorite freshly washed tablecloth!

I should be out picking pears with the rest of the family, but I'm really enjoying having the house to myself right now. 

OK. I'll go out. Just to take a few pictures.......

 Steve in a tree.

 Teamwork.

 The kids' favorite downed apple tree.

That still grows apples:)

 Good for climbing, jumping, and possibly occasionally peeing in!

running over

No. I haven't actually started running.
Though it IS on my To-Do list.
Toward the bottom-ish.

It is my cup that is running over.
I am having an exceptionally joy-filled morning.
We all slept in......
until the girls came and piled in our king-sized bed.
Except lil Gwen....
who woke up, got dressed
and immediately hiked thru the woods,
balancing across that long downed log
to their fort to retrieve
the backpack she had dug out of
someone's free garage sale box.
Wow.
If you only knew what that hike entailed...
I swear.
In my old age I have become
a balance-impaired scaredy cat.
When I crossed that log,
Addie had to come back and hold my hand!
Perhaps my hesitation is just intuition
that my bones are becoming brittle.
Ha! I sound like an old woman.
Add lifting weights to my to-do list.

Pears and apples are coming out of my ears.
I picked just the surface last night
under the light of the moon.
While Steve "practiced" boiling a huge turkey fryer
full of water
over an open fire
in preparation for next weekend's visitors
and some home brewing.

I am washing a load of adorable Baby Gap outfits
I couldn't resist from a garage sale yesterday.
A new with $34.50 tags
pink and frilly heirloom dress
for one dollar!?!
Yes, please.
As I was admiring my deals last night
the girls were begging us to get a foster kid
or adopt a baby.
We love the babies!

The air is cool and crisp.
My favorite.
Impossible not to be bubbling with joy
over all God's simple blessings
this delicious morning.

an update

Don't worry.
The tears have been replaced
with lots of check marks
on my to-do list.
Who knew a girl could accomplish so much?

Excuse me while I go finish
assembling the lasagna for
tonight's dinner.
And yes,
it is only 12:29 PM!

Have a wonderful day!
I know I will.

(The girls have adjusted just fine as well
.....to everything except the mandatory hot lunches)

all alone.

I just dropped all four of my girlies off for their first day of school.
Sorry. No cute photos documenting this momentous day.
Couldn't find the camera:(
They were excited.
And a little nervous.
Wanted to know everything that would happen.
I didn't have all the answers.
But I guess that's a part of growing up.
Leaving the predictable routine of life at home
and heading out into uncertainty of the real world.

I know I am probably making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.

On the long drive to town I gave them all a little pep talk.

Be awesome.
Let your light shine.
Don't be shy.....
because Mimi says that shy people are really just selfish......
only thinking about themselves.
Look for someone ELSE who is nervous
and do your best to make THEM comfortable.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Don't be afraid of the bathrooms and pee your pants
like I did when I changed schools in the middle of first grade.
(they got a kick out of that.)
Have no part of gossip.
And don't necessarily believe everything they tell you.
(We are not Catholic).
Addie wondered if it was wrong to do the sign of the cross.
I think that is what "the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" thing is called......

I think I covered all the important stuff.
But I am wishing I could be there to hold their hands.......
Keep Gwen company in a crowd of strangers
so she doesn't feel alone.
Like I feel now.

This will be a good change.
I hope it will.
I know it will.
But for now, I am sad.
Tears streaming down my face....
Like seeing my little Addie struggle up the steep steps
onto a school bus of big strangers for her first day of Kindergarden.
Times 4.
They are all growing up at once.

Give me this day to be emotional.
And then on my next day off
I will conquer the world.

a little more summer

After much deliberation, we have decided to put the girls in private school this year.
Big changes are ahead and my nest will soon be very empty,
at least during the day.
There are definite pros and cons
to both homeschooling and private school.
A con for private is that it starts mid-August.
So we are busy trying to cram some summer fun
into the next couple weeks.

Here are some pictures from this past week
along with lyrics to a Trace Atkins song
that gets me every time.

I’m lost in her there holdin’ that pink rod and reel
She’s doin’ almost everything but sittin’ still
Talkin’ ‘bout her ballet shoes and training wheels
And her kittens
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

I say, “Daddy loves you, baby” one more time
She says, “I know. I think I got a bite.” 
And all this laughin’, cryin, smilin’ dyin’ here inside’s
What I call, livin’

And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She’s already pretty, like her mama is
Gonna drive the boys all crazy
Give her daddy fits
And I better do this every chance I get
‘Cause time is tickin’
(Yeah it is)

And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
Yeah, aww, she thinks we’re just fishin’
We ain’t only fishin’
(This ain’t about fishin’)

Addie wanted company on a little island, 

so she carried Gwen thru the muck.

Ella slipped and fell....

leaving a big mud spot on her white shorts.

Josie tried to help me get a picture from behind....

....but Ella wanted nothing to do with such a photo.

Sure wish I knew how to arrange photos.

Anyone know of a good tutorial?