Cinnamon Sugar Wall

Tonight while we were eating dinner of bacon, eggs, french toast, and whoops I forgot hot buttered toast.  During dinner PS was struggling with her chocolate milk in a straw, so R took off the cover for her.  Really not a problem she drinks out of cups with out straws all the time.  Later she went to climb down from her chair she knocked her cup, it fell off the table, did a little acrobatic flip motion, with chocolate milk cartwheeling everywhere before it settled on the floor.  The milk was contained to a small 6 foot area.  I just sat waiting for the cup to stop moving while R jumped up to grab a towel.  When he came back he crawled all over the floor wiping up the milk so I could wash the floors after we finished.  When he turned around to wipe under the table his only comment was, “good grief it is just like the government corrupt from the bottom all the way to the top.”

When the girls remembered they wanted toast, the were problem solvers putting the bread in the toaster and getting it out when it popped.  I put butter on PS toast while E and little A did their own, PS was with out cinnamon sugar, because she was too busy licking her butter off her toast.  Kerrygold for the win!  The girls were taking turns with the sugar shaker when R looked over and little A and asked “What are you trying to do build the Trump wall of sugar”?  We took the sugar shaker away from her.

What about your house, do you have a butter licker?  Or a political comedian like we do?

Go enjoy some warm buttered toast with hot chocolate soon, when I was little I remember on our coldest winter mornings, my mom would make us cinnamon sugar toast and hot chocolate.  It was so good, she always put more than enough butter and sugar on to make a little warm cinnamon-sugar crust.  It was lovely, then we could dip our bread crusts in our hot chocolate.
This was my favorite mug as a child.  It brings back hot toast hot chocolate memories.  It is old, and I assume one day it will be antique although the monetary value will be little, the memories are great.  Do you still have your favorite mug?  We keep it hidden in the top cupboard because we have lots of humans in our house who spill, things, drop things, and break things.
(and I am not just talking about the little kids…)

Go hug your kids, they need your love
jen

I Won’t Feed You Macaroni Ever

Tap time is precious at our house.  I look forward to it every day, and sometimes I look forward to tomorrows nap.

During Musical set work PS did not get a nap.  She usually fell asleep around 6pm and slept until the next morning.  Once the set was done we fell back into nap times,  although she does not always sleep she always gets put in her crib.

Today I heard her telling her baby and her sister O’s elephant Lottie, “I won’t ever feed you macaroni ever.”  I don’t know who does not like the good blue box, but she promises not to feed it to them anymore.

One evening PS found my purse, she opened my wallet and said “mom you have no money in here.”  I laughed and said ‘i know’ she asked ‘where is your money…”  it is the same question her daddy has been asking me for 23 years now…

Go hug your kids, they need your love
jen

 

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Ok I actually did NOT leave my heart in San Francisco, I left it in South Carolina.  Well, my heart and my daughter.  It was August, and I survived.  Dropping child #2 off in a far away state, for a great length of time is not any easier the second time around, and if I were to be honest, it is harder.  Harder because this time I knew what to expect, this time I knew how hard it would be, and I knew how long it would be until we can see the child again.

Since time and tide wait for no man, the princess graduated from High School in the spring and we began prepping for University.  I shopped until I dropped.  We shopped together, we shopped with friends, we shopped with family, we went a lot.  Each and Every trip I was reminded why we were going, it was hard.  But we did it.

August was deadline month.  Drop off day was looming, and while I was sad she was not.  Where I was inwardly cringing, she was outwardly celebrating.  She kept a count down that made her cheer, I saw her countdown and cried.

We realized after taking #1 to that University in that far away state, that taking everyone was not easy.  The princess decided after that experience she wanted to go alone, just the 3 of us.  Dad, mom and O, a month before departure she decided that we all would be going, Child #1 could not go, he had work, and classes to register for.  So we loaded the van, and Keith’s car with her things.  (we took 2 vehicles because Keith’s job changed and he needed to be back before Monday)  We had one last favorite meal and we left.

Her last porch picture.The van was so crowded.  We drove to our dear friends/family house and spent the night with them.  We loaded all of the things from Keith’s car and bought a mini fridge for the final 90 minutes of our trip.  The baby is in her seat next to R. O sat on a big desk ball, and J held a basket of things, the back row was filled, the back of the van was full and under every seat we had her things. I was given the responsibility of holding the fish and the plant.  I am happy to report both survived and are thriving in University life.The last 90 minutes were so hard for this mama.  I’m pretty sure if I was in the driver’s seat we would have come home instead of going to  that university.
(don’t mind the old lady reading glasses, I admit my eyes are old)One of the advantages of having a brother over 6 feet tall. (notice how tall her room walls are, he is standing on her desk, and still not at the ceiling, one of the benefits of being in the oldest dorm on campus.  Her closet is 2x at big as the rolling wardrobes the newer dorms have.  And she has above the closet storage that anyone who needs more space would be envious of, you can fit a toddler size mattress up there in the space.)He did much better than I figured he would.  He did not break down and cry, I did.Because her University is a Christian liberal arts university, we had family worship.  I am happy to report that I had the youngest child at the entire event.  My own little world is so diverse, from dorm rooms to diapers…  I love my little family!Giving her a family hug.  She loves the affection!Ta Da her dorm room.
Her roommate is sweet and a great match.
** a little room decoration update, the lights had to come down over Thanksgiving break, per fire code**Saying good bye was tough for this little girl, she has slept with O and been a constant shadow for years.  She left O and did not break down into sobs until we pulled into our own driveway.
It was the response I expected just not the time line I expected.Saying good bye was not so easy for this little girl either.  She loves O so very much.  R was promised a 15 sec hug.  He took full advantage.  When it was over O said “he hugs so awkward.”  I showed her the picture and said “No honey YOU hug awkward…”Holding her back from leaving us.  J was very sad to see her leave.Kisses for O.The last picture together for a long time.  I cried most of the way home.  Who am I kidding I cried most of the way up too, and I cry often at home.

She is loving the University, some classes are difficult and others are so fun!  She is being stretched and is learning so much, we miss her we are so glad she is happy and healthy.

So while part of my heart is far away, the rest of my heart is happily close at hand.

GO hug your kids, and tell someone you love them time moves just too fast.
jen

p.s. I get to hug that girly in 9 days I can’t give her a big hug!  We will have her for almost a month, although she is a starving artist now so she will be working odd jobs to earn some money for school.