Just the two of us...

Momma and Papa actually ate dinner without the little cubs, sort of. The other day we were at a friend's and someone took our two bigger ones for a short walk. So we ate yummy fish tacos while the baby slept. It reminded us of simpler times. We could actually carry out a conversation from beginning to end! Not that I am complaining at all about my life. I was just, hmmm....surprised that things seemed so different while we ate that night. 

I guess it just means we should hire a baby-sitter and go out more often.

If only it didn't take over an hour to get to..well, anywhere.

So weird..

Someone asked me recently "When was the last time you sat down for the entire length of the meal?" Now I have an answer.  

Ok, only of interest to mom's....

Ok, even better then the needle-felt pressure foot I found last month is this link to new exciting quick easy meals for the kids!

 I can't believe I never thought to check out what the websites bellonging to my favorite magazines? Mothering's pretty great, next I'll check out Hip Mama! Here I come Ariel...

Parenting Advice

For the most part I don't care what anyone thinks about me, but watch out when it comes to judging my parenting skills!! Strangers that is - I can take friends comments much better. I think really, it's one of my core values...if someone isn't hurting someone else, then really, why do you care?
Here's what I am leading up to and venting about. We went to a beautiful outdoor festival a few weeks ago. I actually had all the kids presentable and sun screened ahead of time. That's my new trick.
Sunscreen before we leave- it's much easier then driving to your adventure and then trying to apply sunscreen as your kid writhes around trying to get away from your grip and over to whatever all the other kids are doing.

Anyhow, we had been there maybe five minutes when this woman taps my shoulder, and points to the baby in my front pack. 

"He's sun burnt" She says very mater-of-factly.

"No, he's not" I say (WHY OH WHY AM I NOT CAPABLE OF JUST SAYING THANK-YOU?!)

Because I know that he has sunscreen on and there is no possible way he's burnt already. I am also think that perhaps his shorts have ridden up and his little legs are rubbing on the front pack. I'm sure that's what is causing the 'sun-burn'

"Well," she tells me "I pushed on the sunburn and it turned white and went back to pink. That's what sunburns do" 

Like I didn't know that-how stupid do I really look?

How dare she have the audacity to touch my baby - that's what told her. And I turned away quickly. And then I felt bad, because truly she had been trying to help. She just crossed the line. My line. The one that I created, and need to stop drawing. 

Weekend trip or Are you really my daughter?

Well we are off to the Benbow Arts and Crafts festival. We are going to camp with a group of wonderful friends. So today, one of our homeschooling projects was to create a list and then pack. Little Blue Eyes wrote her list out, crossed everything off as she packed it and has been ready for 4 days now, her pink leapard print wheelie bag sits on our porch ready to be loaded into the truck. 

I, on the other hand, have yet to find our tent.

My thoughts on Motherhood

Happy Mothers Day!! 

Here's my quote of the day:

When you have a child you are inducted into a club you never knew existed. 

The dues are VERY high, and there is no way out.

Ever. 

You can't explain how cool it is to people who aren't members 

- they won't get it. 

Even on the worst days you don't really wish you could leave. 

It opens your eyes to experiences you had forgotten, and

 shows you ones you would never have otherwise seen.