In my defense, I have a cleaning CD of “fun songs” that make it more fun to, well, clean, and that song is on there, along with many others...

Tonight, I have successfully posted my archives from October, November and December of 2004, when all my bloggy fun began…</nerdiness>

I guess since I am wildly tossing my rigorous blogging schedule aside, I will just chat. Let me know how you like that format. You cool cat.

To start, my wonderful and handsome son turned 4 years old! When he woke up he came into the kitchen and said “Good Morning, Mommy!” He always does that. He is always up about 10 minutes after me regardless of when I get up (maybe it's the coffee grinder!?!) Or if it is before I am out of bed, he is at the stage where he comes in bed with us – which is really fun because we have some really neat talks and playtime before the other sibs come to life. This morning, I reminded him , “It's your birthday! You are four years old! Happy Birthday! How does it feel to be four?!?” He puts a hand on his hip, looks down to the ground shaking his head and sighs, “Not good.” “Not good,” I query, “Why not?” He solemnly responds, “Because I can't drive!” Can't drive!?! I cracked up. I had no idea that was on the list!

Of course, his birthday was not something I didn't expect. I remember his birth vividly – Elton John night on American Idol. It was horrible! And I was so looking forward to it. It was not a great labor either. And I didn't even get a big ole hamburger after! And I was so looking forward to that because I had the best hamburger EVER after Sissy was born! All water under the bridge...

When Andre woke up today he had bad back pain – a muscle spasm, I think, that just would not release. Well, this meant he was unable to go to church with us and was just in horrible agony. It also meant that we would not be able to stay for First Sunday Lunch -- and I had the prettiest little presentation for my roasted pork tenderloin, wild rice and homemade cranberry sauce. So much for my vanity! I really wanted something good after that mediocre lasagna I made last month!!! Anyway, Sissy was also supposed to go to a birthday party in the afternoon. That also would not work out because of the other children. Sissy took the disappointment rather well considering how excited she was about the whole thing! I am very proud of her!

The good thing is that lunch was ready when we got home from church without my having to do any work. Except. It seemed wrong to be home without recognizing The Boy's Birthday. We had planned to celebrate it next Saturday because with my working on a project it has been crazy... So my remedy? Though I do not like doing this unless it's necessary, we went to the Dollar Tree and got some gift bags and tissue paper, and went to Albertson's and got some “squishy bread” (yeast rolls – the children's fave) and a cookie cake for an an impromptu Birthday celebration. I wanted some special things. Sissy and I had picked up a couple of presents for him on Saturday, so we gave him those, with the big gift to come at his real birthday party on Saturday – when we will have Dad's homemade pizza and a cool birthday cake and some Transformer plates, or something! He loved everything he got! He got 2 Lil Kinz doggies, a black lab (named Rex) and a dalmatian (named Smokey) from Sisters (He's been dying to go to Webkinz World since Sissy got her horse for Easter), a pouch of pirate treasure from the Disney Store (which has been jingling in his pockets ever since he got them – and can I tell you how amazed they were at lunch when I could hold those gold coins over my eyes with no hands (Saying, “Look! I'm dead! I'm dead!”!)!Hilarious! They tried, but their little eye sockets just couldn't hold them in -- I actually thought Sissy was going to end up inserting it like a contact! Anyway, they thought Mom had some mad skilz!) and a little stuffed T-Rex from Disney's The Robinson's that was discounted to a dollar store price (named Dino)!

Then, rest.

Then, a walk. Then, PB&J, a Sunday evening fave. Then, reading – oh how I love to read to those little ones! Who aren't so little anymore. Sissy is physically getting so big. And her vocabulary -- I expect nothing less than her having a better vocabulary than I will ever have by the age of ten! One day when I asked her if she remembered to do something, she exclaimed, “Oh no! I was in such a haste, I plumb forgot!” And then when she was talking about someone being teased, she said that others “mocked and taunted them.” And when her doll was sick, I heard her saying she must keep her wrapped up tight in a blanket or she would catch a “death-cold.” There are a dozen others that I cannot recall! I love that she loves to read! And I just hope we can give her emotionally and spiritually everything she needs. And the Boy? He is only a couple of pounds and a couple of inches smaller than her! He seems so much older because of that. And I have the same concerns for him. He went from a baby to a big boy. And my little Priddy. She is so melodramatic! If she falls, she stays in the position she caught herself until someone attends to her! And her feelings get hurt very easily. Too easily? Today Andre moaned in pain as he was trying to get off the couch and she just bowed her head, slumped her shoulders, I could hearing sniffling starting and then the crying. It is truly pitiful. She will be good for all of us to be attentive to our tone and will encourage us to be gentle, even with hard words, and we will be good for her, for her to learn not to take offense too easily. I love families (especially mine!). I love how the flaws and weaknesses of each family member helps another to be strong, patient and self-disciplined! And obviously the strengths of one another are great encouragements, too – but as sinners, we too often see the flaws first!

I love Sundays! I love the rest and the preparation to begin working on my clean slate on Monday!

Hopefully some pics to follow this week!

Lil Sis is hilarious! That girl has spunk! She is toddling all over the place and only resorts to crawling when she grows impatient with her progress. Tonight, we were all kind of wrestling and I was blowing on Andre’s belly making funny noises. Lil Sis squatted down, looked at his belly, said something to his belly, apparently scolding it, then stuck out her tongue and blew a big ole raspberry right at his belly. It was really funny! She is also starting to give hugs. We LOVE that!

Sissy is doing great practicing her piano this week! Hopefully things are starting to click. And she is reading a load (duh). The Boy is following suit, though. The other day while were driving somewhere, he confidently announced to me that he was on Chapter Four! I found that very cute.

They were playing picnic tonight, and I just love it. I had an old picnic basket (originally valued at like $140, that I got for maybe $30-$40, I think), that is lined with this cute green gingham fabric and has a matching tablecloth and cloth napkins and cups and plates. I loved it, bur never used it. So I decided to put all their play food and dishes in it and BOY! do they have a great time! Sis tries to make the table look so pretty and set the food just so, and the Boy just can’t wait to start eating. They also like to cook their meals.  The Boy likes to play the mean cook in Ratatouille, yelling something about rats getting out of his kitchen. It is very funny! He takes his roles very seriously.

They were playing school, too, which is very funny to me because Sissy was at school all day! Those two games are probably my favorites for watching them play. I have the opportunity to see them acting out roles which reveal how they see and perceive things. And admittedly, I have heard them saying something like I would say, and immediately determined to put an end to that phrase or tone!

I think this girl needs her pillow and blankie! N’Night!

We basically started tracing and cutting the pattern out between 2.30 and 3.00 on Saturday and I finished up the hair and “dress” about 11.00 Saturday night (I was a bit obsessed at this point, but was able to listen to a sermon two times while I finished the hair and dress -- in other words, 1 ½ hours!).

We had some problems. The stitching is not even, especially around curves. Her head is not rounded as much as I think it ought to be (again, because of curves). The legs look like a horse’s legs/hooves. The dress can hardly be called a dress -- but I could not stand to see her “naker baker” until I learned to sew a doll’s dress!!!  I messed up ironing on the doll face, but I still think it turned out satisfactorily. I think a pretty face is a must for a doll (and I can not stitch, draw, or paint well!).

It was fun and I look forward to trying a bigger size doll for Sissy (it was difficult to turn everything “inside out”). I do like the hair. I thought it turned out rather cute.

Her name is Little Sunshine.

I obtained the pattern from here.

Here is the new cookie recipe that I got from this book (thanks to my sweet Aunt Mary for the book and the children-sized cookie sheet! She always gives gifts that the children use for years!). 

½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla (I use 1 tsp.)
1 ¾ cup flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I use mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer (thank you to the wonderful in-laws for my wonderful Kitchen-Aid mixer!), combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter is smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients, except for the chocolate chips.
When the batter is smooth and creamy, stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop dough by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden (I am not sure how you tell when brown cookies are golden, but my oven runs hot (and I like them chewy) and I baked them for 6 minutes).
Remove cookie sheet from oven (it is a child’s book!), and let it cool for 1 minute before removing the cookies.

All my children, and the children at school, loved, loved, loved them!!!

Finally, although, my perfectly perfect hubby shared some of his changes to the original pizza dough recipe last week, they totally did not work for me! I respectfully dissent (and I can because I am a lawyer! ) to his changes and recommend trying the original recipe and changing as experience leads you!