That Wednesday in May

We're continuing our discussion on the Bama Trip, during the last week of May.   And that Wednesday was one epic day.

Frist,  we were supposed to meet up at a bowling alley for a play group.  However, when we arrived there was no play group--instead the whole lot was filled with movie production vans... to shoot a movie?!  In Bama?!  Really?!

Since the drive to the bowling alley was 30 minutes away, and the boys were so upset that they couldn't bowl, I headed over to the next closest alley--15 minutes away on a complete different highway system.  And of course when we arrived, that alley wasn't open for another 35 minutes.   So we then decided to was a good idea to check out the Chick-Fil-A, get some drinks/early lunch, and play for a bit till the alley opened.   And that's what we did!

After 45 minutes of play and eat, we went to the bowling alley, strapped on some shoes, and bowled to our hearts content!  The first 4 to 7 frames were not toucher, but then it all started to get really old.  Luckily Grammie (my mom) showed up to help us out for the last bit.

After bowling we packed up, and tried to met up with a friend to go swimming!  I got a little lost in the back rounds of Bama, but she was able to find me and then led us where to go.   The swimming play-date was great.  It's so nice to catch up with a LONG time friend--one who has known you since you were 5, and she was 3.   It was also pretty hilarious watching our sons play together:  5 total.  We'll have to catch up again, for sure!

I honestly don't remember what we did after we came home.  Probably watched a movie and chilled out.

Eli wanted to take a picture, but not look at the camera.  Crazy. 

Takes for ever for their balls to get down the lane.  

And when the ball gets there, sometimes it's disappointing the lack of a boom!

High five!  

 

Magnolia--An Obsession

My parents have two huge magnolia trees outside in their front yard.  Me and the boys arrived in Bama just as the bloom started to begin.  

The smell is intoxicating, the flower is gorgeous, and Shannon becomes hypnotized by it all.  

So Memorial Day Happened

And we were invited to a pool party with some long time family friends.  It really was a great day.  Good, good, good hamburgers (thanks to my forming skill, and Dad's grill skill), good company, good pool fun.  Just a good day.

However, at one point, Titus decided to go and explore an inclosed play house.
Then there was much terror screaming!  Mom (Grammie) and Dad (Gramps) rushed to get him, and he came out scared and hurt.  Poor thing got--not one--TWO bites/stings from a wasp... On his lips!  One on the top, then one on the bottom.  Broke our hearts.  We didn't have really anything for him, except an adult Benadryl.  He took it, then promptly passed out.  The next morning his lip was normal size once again!

Poor baby:

Intro to Bama Week

On Isaac's last day of Kindergarten, we hit the road to Bama!  Hooray for some good 'ol family time. 

Before I go into all the festivities, I'll just talk about a major theme which I tend to be obsessed with:  the great doors!  

These were some pictures I took back in Georgia, before leaving for Bama.  A rain storm.  An freashly edged sidewalk.  And of course a severed extension cord, done during my hedging of the hedges.  

Then we arrived in my hometown.  Hello, beautiful! 

 I'm also a bit obsessed with my parent's ancient home:

My parents have a bee hive in their cedar tree.  It's amazing!  They never sting us, but are super busy and super loud! 

Poem of the Month

I got this Amazon gift card for participating in a survey about Eli and his stay in Primary Children's Medical Center.  [My post about these surveys HERE]

What in the world to buy?! 

Then I heard this interview with Caroline Kennedy, and her new poetry book for children.  Solid.  I'm getting that.  Plus another one of her books!

The pictures are gorgeous, the poems are fun, and the boys will actually want to read a few each night (when I remember to bring them down).  

Books on my lap.  And yes, I am wearing a blue bathrobe.  It's my "Matt's Deployed Uniform"!  

So I'm going to pick one from the Poems to Learn by Heart by Langston Hughes called "Bad Morning."
It's pretty much about misplacing things, which happens to me all the time!  Even as I type I don't know where my wedding ring is, nor where my spare 4runner key is located.  Oh, I'll find them, know worries.  But there is defiantly daily frustration when dealing with my brain.  


Bad Morning 
by Langston Hughes 

Here I sit
With my shoes mismated.
Lawdy-mercy!
I's frustrated!

Working on Food

I've been enrolled in this "Feed Kids Healthy Food" class, from Coursera, the last month.  It's been good and insightful, made me realize how far we've (me and my fam) have come... but still, we got a long way to go!

For the class I watch little videos, then take quizzes.  The videos have been pretty insightful, in how to prepare healthier meals, etc.  I was so inspired that I even retried a breakfast smoothie!  Holy smokes!
(I've had epic failures with smoothies for the boys.  Plus Eli hates all thing cold and sweet--he pretty much goes into cardiac arrest when I hand him a chocolate milk shake--so it's not exactly "fun" for me to serve them to the boys.)

IF ANYONE HAS GOOD BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE RECIPES, share please!!!

Titus's cup.  With his hands.  

Then at the end of the week we are supposed to upload a pic of a meal we cooked (given by assignment), explain the meal, then judge 5 peer's work.  This course is currently being taken by over 22,000 students, which lots of them are international.  It's been fun reading the forums, learning about different culture food habits, and trying to figure out what-in-the-world-did-they-cook? and how-do-they-think-that's-delicious?  Of course I give A+ to everyone... hard for me to see people fail.

Assignment 1:
a dish containing at least 3 veggies, which can be served alone or as a first course.

My first stir fry!  And it sucked!  But I got high marks, since the picture is amazing.  (Put too much plum sauce.  The Dudley Boys do not like plum sauce.)  

Assignment 2:
Breakfast containing a veggie or fruit, a good grain or carb, and a protein.

Half a bagel, half a banana, baked egg mini muffins.  Got high marks, though I'm pretty sure an international student tried to write something meaningful, but it got lost in the translation.  Boys loved it, since they eat this stuff easily anyway.  

Assignment 3:
A balanced dinner meal, with one protein, one veggie, one grain/carb.

Brown rice, steamed broccoli, creamy crock-pot chicken.   Did NOT get the best marks, seeing how the picture is soo sad.  (I'm at my parents' home, and quickly had to throw this pic together before we ate our Sunday Meal.)  Boys liked it, though!  

Okay, I've actually enjoyed this class. Though have gotten a little overwhelmed sometimes.  I tried to participate in a Google+  Hangout with other classmates, and it sorta was fun.  Mostly I realized "all the food ever grown is bad for us all," and that, "even if stuff says organic, it's probably not good for us."   Grrr... Things get out of hand quickly, when fear starts to control the discussion.  But from the class its self, a lot of good info.

I was pretty inspired, though didn't have to change our habits.  (I already serve the veggies first, the boys have learned that good stuff comes later if these green things are forced down.)  This course was like a boost of confidence!  I've come a long way!  Understanding general nutrition, CHECK!  When me and Matt first got together/married, I was very lost in the proverbial sauce.  It's been a long road, but I think we're finally in kicking in a higher gear.

Though Titus, who is a great eater, is not a fan of carrots.
He thinks he is so sneaky, saying he has to use the restroom, and then spits his mouthful of carrot in the sink.
"She'll never know," I'm sure he thinks. 

Here are some other foodie pictures I took during this last month:

No idea how the mango fell apart!  But it did.  Hilarious. 

Cheese, glorious cheese!  I'm happy to try it!
Tillamook is a beautiful cheese, and sooooo affordable in the West.  I so sad.  an 8oz for 6 bucks.  What?!
Glad it is stocked in coastal Georgia, though.  I now know where to get my special occasion cheese!  (<< yes, there is such a thing.) 

... i cry...

My last meal from our cleaned-out-for-the-summer-fridge:
A bite of chicken, a scoop of greek yogurt, a huge amount of kale!
It was actually all really good.  

Phone Purge: Adventurous Boys

I told Matt that I need to get the DSLR out, and he was very much in agreement.  This phone-camera-thing is just too easy!  And right now I love easy... but then I also love the quality of the DSLR.  This is all besides the point, since I did NOT even pack the big camera for our summer long hiatus from Georgia.  Trying to be LIGHT, Light, light.

I'm looking through the pictures on the phone and I'm trying to group them into themes.
Today's theme: life with boys.  My boys, specifically.  My boys are goofy, and funny, and playful, and creative, and mischievous, and pretty much up for a good time.  "Down Time" rarely happens.  (And when it does, you can bet your two cents that I'm crashed on the couch taking a 15 minute snooze.)


Isaac is a little builder, and loves for me to take pictures of his creations.  This one an AT-AT (Star Wars) he whipped up 2 minutes before school.  (Then Titus wanted a picture with his cup.)

They love to play "lava game."  Jumping from cushion to cushion, and trying to not get burned by lava-carpet.  

And there are too many trampoline games to count.  Seems like "Make Titus Cry" is a favorite, but really they do play well together.  Titus the Tiny is just so much lighter than his brothers that he easily gets thrown around and banged up. 

As a general statement, these boys aren't really into arts and crafts.  Titus is the only one who enjoys coloring and painting.  I pretty much have to force a crayon in Eli's hand, but Isaac's starting to realize that he can draw ARMY scenes which is helping boost his enthusiasm. 

A few weeks ago we were invited to a "paint party."  The boys' friend turned 5 and was throwing a party at the local pottery place.  It was actually a lot of fun, and none too disastrous.  Titus and Isaac picked out a tank to paint, while Eli got himself an elephant.  Isaac only wanted one color for his tank--forest green.  Eli and Titus were way too overwhelmed to choose any, so I picked them out.  It was fun watching the boys enjoy themselves in a new environment.  (We have the finished product at home, all glazed and fired, but I have not gotten pictures yet.  Just going to have to wait for 2 months!)

Titus' tank

Eli's elephant

Isaac's itank.  I mean, tank.
Seems like there was a pattern going, but apparently not. 

 Me and the two littles spend lots and lots and lots of time together.  And they also have to run errands with me too.  I had to go into the mall the other day, and low and behold, a HUGE merry-go-round was before our eyes (two levels tall!).  These two were extremely set on riding.  And I'm like, "Why not?  I should buy my children's happiness anyway, since their father is gone."
Eli had his eye on riding an alligator, and Titus was stuck riding a zebra.
Eli was scared at first (needing to hold my hand), and Titus never had any anxiety, feeling free as a bird.
They both threw an enormous fit when it was over, enjoying the 5 minutes of dizziness so much.

They are all pretty determined little buggars.  "Don't play in the 4runner!" I say (yell).  "Whatever," is the apparent reply.
They drag their own chair out of the house, open the doors, and have a blast for 2 minutes before it gets too hot.  Mother knows best, boys.

And Titus.  He won't hesitate for a second in taking his pants off and peeing on the fire ants.  That child hates fire ants, and loves to watch them suffer in his bodily waste.  And he doesn't do a straight stream, BIG swopping motions--going back and forth, creating large soaked areas.  After he's done, he proudly says, "I pee on 'da Fire Ants."