whatever

the farm

we invited ourselves out to uncle gary and aunt janet's farm again.

and they even cooked us dinner.

they are always so good to us.

we brought waffle...not a good idea.

their dog Ray is trained to fight off other dogs or stray animals on the farm...to keep it safe.

duh.

why didn't we think about that?

there was a minor dog fight...waffle was very confused about what the heck was going on.  

but we got everyone settled and split up and everything was fine.

totally our fault.

we are still such babies at this dog owner thing.

anyway...the farm rocked.

like always.

lauren took off with my camera and explored the space.

(it was killing me...)

but look at all these awesome pictures she got....

gary has this very cool weenie roaster...cooks an entire package with one stick.

the corn was perfect.

and janet made a dessert that will probably make a blog appearance very soon.

sean was full of questions about planting, tractors and harvesting.

there were two baby kitties.

annie held (choked) them the entire time we were there.

i love the little meow of a tiny kitten...but not the claws.

janet had a scavenger hunt for the kids!

seriously....it was  a page long and they ran from one end of the farm to the next over and over.

brilliant idea.

they were so into it.

janet you are too cool.

it is so calm out here.

green all around.

quiet...except the birds chirping...or an occasional rooster.

kansas is at it's most beautiful right now.

the wheat is up and swaying in the wind...the temps are low...everything is green.

i love it here.

sigh.....

it'll be gone...and he'll bring it back.

oh my.......

so funny.

miss megan

that's what these kids call me.

i'm their sunday school teacher.

they are always so happy to come in and play.

we had a good time taking these pictures...they showed me the turtles...i gave them candy.

win - win.

i am friends with their parents too.

so i think it wasn't too bad for them taking pictures...even though i didn't bring them candy.

we were at the arboretum for the rest of our time.

the weather was so beautiful.

everything was blooming.

it was gorgeous...i don't know why i don't come here more often.

that hair is my favorite.

oh yeah...her smile too.

and her big big eyes.

but oh that hair!

good times.

thanks eric and elizabeth...your kids are always fun for me.

i especially liked reading them books during wardrobe changes.

i am going to bring annie back to play there soon...i'll call ya!

check

 7 carry-on suitcases packed

 7 carry-on bags packed...filled with surprise goodies

 notes written to dog sitter

 emails sent out about things i forgot

 laundry done

 4 flats of flowers planted before they died

 3 dvd players, 2 iPods, 2 phones, 1 PSP, 1 DS, 2 cameras charged

 swimsuits packed

 reservations set

 lawn mowed

 trash taken out

 doors locked

 windows closed

CHECK!

california here we come!

(don't worry....i have the bloggy all set to auto-post so you won't miss even miss me.)

and thanks for the suggestions about what to pack to entertain the kids.

i got them all stocked up.

adjusting

so we are here.

summer break.

the kids are already telling me "it's too hot to go outside."

we are two days in.

oh my.

we had a full week...in a good way.

full of friends, achievements and good old fashioned hard work.

lauren was promoted from 8th grade.

they had to wear those shirts...lauren was so embarrassed.

we were proud of her for making it through.

jr. high is over.

she made it....it was bitter sweet to watch another milestone pass for her.

four more years is all we get with her.

strange feeling.

wasn't she just born?

wasn't i just feeding her a bottle?

didn't she just learn to walk?

when did this woman appear in our home?

scott had a birthday party.

and he is offically at the stage where birthdays and parties are a bit of a let down.

he had some friends over to go swimming and eat pizza.

but really ALL they did was play basketball.

for hours.

they didn't even come in for rainbow cake!

obsessed.

man....they are cute.

peter from chicago came to visit us.

he travels to kansas for his work and sometimes we get to spend some time with him.

the kids were so happy.

and he brought "specials" for everyone.

(peter...annie has used all her band-aids up already.  :)

we took him out for some local yumminess.

this is why we go to breadbasket for ice cream cones instead of dairy queen...

self serve and craig makes them giant!

ahhh....small town.

and there were campfires, gardening, photo sessions, cleaning, weeding, neighborhood parties, 

bike rides, crafts, sleepovers, sprinklers and games too.

craig just walked out the door with all the kids for the whole day.

i am in charge of laundry and packing for california.

big job.

can you think of anything that is a MUST HAVE for traveling with your family?

or for surviving an airport with five children?

tell me so i don't forget anything.

thanks!

the suitcases await.  

happiness is....

eating the rainbow.

to ease my guilt of how honestly UNhappy i was that it was the last day of school...

i made a cake to help them celebrate.

i had seen versions of the rainbow cake and decided "today's the day!" to make my own.

it's not too difficult.

but it does take some time.

i just used TWO white cake mixes.

following the instructions on the box.

then i divided it up into 6 bowls evenly which turned out to be 1.5 cups in each bowl.

i had all these Wilton Icing colors already...from all the other birthday cakes i have done in the past.

(find them at walmart, hobby lobby, micheals in the cake decorator isle but not the CAKE MIX isle)

also you could use the gel colors in the cake mix isle...i think it's the same thing.

the drop kind of food coloring will NOT work for these bright colors...your rainbow would be pastels.

and if you only have five eggs...you can call your neighbor for one more.

even if you JUST went to the store to buy the cake mix ten minutes before.

add a teaspoon of color into each bowl and stir.

it's so easy a four year old can do it.

i used 9" round cake pans.

make sure you grease them well with shortening or baking spray.

this is a crucial step in making fancy cakes that i think some skimp and then you are screwed stuck.

my cakes were done in 12 minutes.

flip them out on to cooling racks and let them sit till they are completely cool.

it is pure happiness to make.

even the dishes are happy.

just keep baking & don't think about the kids will be home for three whole months in two more hours...

i made the cool whip frosting i have shared before to frost this.

when you make a layer cake you have to cut your cakes to make them flat....but you knew that.

i don't have a picture though.

you take a big knife (or even a tool that is made just for flattening cakes) 

and you cut off the round part of the top of the cake that rises in the oven.

you can let your kids or husband eat that so they leave you alone while you frost the cake.

(you stay away from that turkey...you'll get worms!....name that movie)

then you layer it up...rainbow style.

spread frosting in between each layer.

then around the whole thing.

(do you know the trick about putting a skim layer of frosting first to seal in all the crumbs...

stick it in the refridgerator to harden...

then another coat after that of thick frosting?  yes, you did?  ok...sorry)

i didn't show the other kids so when we cut it they were so surprised.

the lighting makes my purple layer look weird.

but it was purple...i promise.

we had lots of other kids here playing and it was a hit.

i heard sean say "do you want some cake?  my mom made it for the end of school!"

smile.

cake can solve the world's problems.

the end.

the end of my freedom. 

the end of my quiet home.

the end of having the computer all to myself.

the end of doing my own thing.

the end of taking a shower without kids walking in...then screaming & covering their eyes.

for three months!

how did this sneak up on me so fast?

here are some pics that were on my camera this week...with very little rhyme or reason.

my niece maya.

can you guess how old she is?  

this doesn't look very safe does it?

i used my happy pass.

i needed them.

what a good grandma.

she played candyland, UNO, memory, guess who and go nuts...over and over.

annie loved it.

flowers from the garden.

the peonies are super fabulousand they are my favorites

because they are so darn easy i just get to enjoy them with practically no work at all.

this drawer was funny to me today.

i was going for the seeds and thought...what an odd combination of things in here.

but maybe everyone keeps their 08' pool passes with their toothbrushes & 4 year old formula holders.

i said there was no rhyme or reason.

you were warned.

so back to THE END....

it's also the start of some good things.

tomorrow is the time for sleeping in.

time for suntans and sprinklers.

time for boxes and boxes of ice pops.

time for painting in the driveway.

time for siblings being forced to play together...bonding...giggling...making forever memories.

i think i will survive.

i think i am ready.

maybe.

can i just have one more week to decide?

sydney

i love the name sydney.

it was always on my list for girl names.

i "met" sydney's mom shannon through a link.  

i linked her...and she came over to see who was linking her.

i stayed at her scrapbook retreat home.

and loved it.

if you can get here with your girlfriends....you should.

i am going to do go back too.

she asked me to take pictures of her youngest daughter.

it was special girls day.

sydney was as smiley as could be and loved having her OWN pictures.

are you ready...because she is the cutest little blondie you've ever seen....

so happy.

the entire time.

oh it gets even better....

i couldn't stop clicking away with miss sydney.

she brought her dance costume.

it was A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.

her mom wanted some in her costume that would be very different 

from the typical "dance picture"

i'd say we accomplished that.  

shannon...i hope these are all you were expecting and more.

there are many many more to see.

i can't wait to get back to maple memories!

thanks.

oh annie.

 

she burst into my bedroom this morning dressed in yellow from head to toe.

she shouts "MOM! wake up!  it's yo' big day! yo' gonna plant yo' gaw-den!"

later while i was trying to do some exercise 

(with a dog in my face and little annie laying on top of me....)

she grabs her leg and winces.

she says so seriously "i hurt my uncle."

we walked to the kids' school with waffle.

he feels free to use every yard as his toilet.

annie very honestly asks me, "why don't dogs have to wipe?"

i was digging in the garden (because it was my big day) 

and when i would find worms (she pronounces it like waums) 

i would call to annie and she'd come get them from me.

i could hear her talking to them "worm....meet worm.  worm...meet worm"

then shouted  "MOM! they like each other!  my worms are friends!"

and then she had four worms.

and she said "worm...meet worm, worm, worm."

four times in a row.

i wanted to just scoop her up and keep her four years old forever.

instead....she started bawling on the trampoline at 8:10

i took her to bed and i fell asleep in their bed while talby read the bedtime book.

just messin'

with pics of my sunshine girl....

when you click on this it looks better.

all i can think of is the muppets....janice...yeah like fer sure man.

none of these are "awesome" but it's fun playin' over at picnik making them all different.