California Girls

Check out these sweet California Girls....Madi & Imani.   We are thankful the Air Force sent our families to California at the same time...even it's it just for a short time.

My neighbor Tina and I took our kids out last night to the orchards behind our house to capture shots of all the kids together before we move.  We got chased away by a bobcat/lynx.  Glad we got great photos because we are not going back to that orchard...scared us almost to death!  California is FULL of wildlife.

Jr. Giants

 We have been busy with baseball all summer.  The last game is this weekend.  The San Francisco Giants have this Jr. Giants program for the kids...it's all free.  You get shirts, hats, gloves...and even tickets to their games.  When we went to a Giants games they talked about the Jr. Giants program throughout the 9 innings.  Steve has been pitcher and coach for the kids which has made it extra fun.

George And Abe Sitting In A Tree...

 ...aren't they the cutest couple for this time of year!

 I live in the most wonderful neighborhood.  My kids have so many friends and play all the time.  I have bought so many water balloons and pop its.

I know it's summer but I am enjoying cross-stitching for fall.  Cross-stitching takes forever too.

Piano

Our family got a piano. I love it!!! My kids play non-stop. I enjoy having it to myself when they are at school. Today I did some cleaning and decorating for Easter but took a few minutes here and there to putter out some Christmas songs. Now we are like the Partridge Family...we have my clarinet, Ben's trumpet, Madi's guitar and now we added the piano. We are set until Madi starts middle school...she is a future drummer.

Basketballs....

We are taking snack to tomorrow's basketball game. So I made the yummiest iced sugar cookies...my Grandma Kiehl's recipe. I juiced them up by sliding the cookies into clear bags and stapled basketball ribbon to them. Ben and Madi are so excited to share these tomorrow.
The 4 little feet that I made...they are getting big.

A new round of pj's for all...just for dad

To start this story...I am not one for tank tops or very short shorts (Capri's..the greatest invention ever) so that is what my kids are use to. So last week after I did a little shopping Madi noticed my new spaghetti strap nightgown laying on my bed. She was like what's this for. I told her it was my new nightgown so I will look beautiful when dad gets home. Well she new this was not my normal style and wanted me to try it on. So i did...it's silky and long...she said I looked pretty and it made me look skinny. After staring at me for a minute she jerked and blurted "What am I going to wear"? At first I was shocked, but said we could go shopping again so both her and Ben could get some nice new pj's for when our dad gets home. So we finished our shopping today and don't they look cute in their pj's...okay now we are ready, he can get home any day now!

Gobble Gobble

Madi wore her new turkey shirt to school yesterday. She of course helped me make it. She picked out the fall fabrics and traced her hand.













This picture of Ben and Madi was quickly snapped this morning before heading out for school. Madi was dressed up in her new Georgia skirt with lots of polka-dots all the way down to her toes and Ben in the same colors but showing spirit for our Atlanta Falcons. Steve sure is missing out on these two, they are so fun. But not too much longer....only a few more weeks!!! My kids have been so wonderful this whole time Steve has been gone. I am lucky to have such good Air Force kids.

Did you know...

...you can be a Mom AND a teacher? This has been a very busy but fun week so far. Monday I was at my kids school helping out and Tue. and Wed. I was a substitute teacher. On Tuesday even though I was subbing I got to sit with Ben and eat lunch. During lunch, a little boy who I didn't even know, came up to me and said "I didn't know you were a teacher, I thought you were a mom".
My most favorite things in life have everything to do with Homemaking....family, kids, house stuff, crafts. Since moving to Georgia just a little over two years ago, I have been so lucky. I have been making crafts to sale at one of my local antique stores and last year when Madi started school I started substitute teaching at their school. I have always loved kids. Even before being a mom, when I was in the Air Force, my first three years were spent in the Pediatric ICU at Wilford Hall. My second job the Air Force gave me was flying Aerovac out of Yokota AB, Japan. Every time a mission with a baby or child came up they would call me in. Most people are scared of the delicacy of tiny infants and children but this was my specialty. At church I always worked with the Primary kids or in Young Women. Besides being a mom I think I finally have found that being a (Kindergarten)teacher is my dream job.

They trashed it!

We stayed home ALL day. My kids had so much fun playing with the neighbors. OOH look what they did to Steve's room. The pics are almost the same except my silly girl. See she can be crazy here at home but at school she barely makes a peep. Example...The school called me Thursday, Madi had an accident and needed a new set of clothes. She is in first grade and hasn't had an accident since she was like 3. Well her teacher was giving her an oral exam and noticed sweet Madi twitching and dancing a little during this one on one quiz. Her teacher asked what was wrong. Madi then said she REALLY had to go to the bathroom so the teacher said run...the pee leaked out while she was running to the bathroom. Poor girl was so embarrassed but she needs to learn to speak up....these pics are proof she's got a little of me in her.

Mrs. Teacher

Last year when my youngest child started Kindergarten I signed up to be a substitute teacher. Today I subbed for the first time this school year and just 1/2 day at that. When my front office called me Monday to ask if I would be interested in this job they told me it was for the Moderate class...not just anyone would want to do it. There are 3 kids and 3 teachers. One of them has Down Syndrome, one with CP with other things and I am not sure about the other one. I was excited thinking I may like it but also nervous. I LOVED it. It was amazing. There is so much love and patience in there. During circle time we showed them three pictures of the three kids in there and their challenge was to point to the picture of themselves. When they did it you should have seen the three of us teachers clap and cheer. They have the coolest stuff in this classroom...a small trampoline! The one not so little 1st grader with Down Syndrome went to go jump. He can't jump he just bends his knees and bounces a little...he was laughing so hard yelling jump jump jump and we all clapped and joined in jump jump jump. It was just the most wonderful experience for me. On my way out of the school I had to check out through the office and told Wanda anytime they need a sub for that class I would LOVE to do it. I am still in awe of what happened as I am writing this...can ya tell?


It's almost September and September makes me think of apples...apple pie, apple upside down cake, caramel apples, apple crisp and my moms applesauce cake. The other night before Steve left the baking bug got to me so I made some yummy applesauce cake. It's easy!

1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup raisins

cream butter, sugar and applesauce. Add flour and spices and then raisins.
Bake in greased and floured loaf pan or three minis.
Bake 40 min. at 350 degrees.



(yes here is my recipe card from when I was a teenager. I tell my husband if there is a fire my recipe boxes are on the list of things to grab to save)

Maybe it's because my mom made mini loves...but I love them. When I make batter and do this it's easy to share a little loaf and still have some for my family.

I love to serve my little loaves sliced on my long skinny Japanese dishes. I LOVE blue and white. When I was younger and in the Air Force, stationed in Japan, my friends thought I was a crazy single girl buying so many dishes...but I had hopes to one day get my dream job of wife and mother and do all things I get to do.

Are those curtains?

Nope... they are my vintage red handle pieces. My kitchen here is HUGE and I love it! The red handle stuff was hanging on the wall where the white hutch/desk is and it was in front of my window but I moved some things around. I love having my Lazy Boy recliner in there. It makes a nice place to sit and stitch or do whatever while I am waiting on things to cook. My friend Leslie had done this in a window back in Germany...she is the decorating queen. I love using things in a unique way.

Today was Ben and Madi's first day back to school. I am thrilled with their teachers! Last year Madi had Mrs. Fletcher for kindergarten and now this year Ben got Mr. Fletcher for 3rd grade. Needless to say we love the Fletcher's! Both kids think it's cool...Ben I think likes have a man for a teacher. Both of my kids wanted me to come eat lunch with them today...everyone keeps telling me that one of these days they won't want me to so of course I was there. Ben has lunch 1130-1200 and Madi 1200-1230 so it works out well.

Oh What do you do in the summertime?

Swim!!! Ben and Madi have been swimming almost everyday this summer. Whether it's at swimming lessons, a friends house or at 'our pool'. Our pool we have to share with our entire neighborhood but it's the kids favorite thing about our new house here...our neighborhood pool. Sometimes there are lots of kids there and sometimes we get the whole pool to ourselves. Last week my dad came for a visit. He rode his motorcycle all the way here from Washington DC. I think playing in the pool with Ben and Madi all weekend was his favorite thing to do too.

Mr. Patriotic and Ms. Independent...they can't get enough of PaPa's bike. PaPa did take them both for a cruise around the neighborhood.