Berry picking.

Cabota riding (it was off and in a safe place with Pappap looking on and constantly warning them.:))

Big cookie*  making–well, Rachel and I.

Fire works watching.

And lighting.

And more watching at Grandma’s house.

And then home to watch the neighbors fireworks from our backyard–can you say free, huge display well into the night?  And catching lightening bugs with uncle James.

And then inside to watch the rest of the fireworks on the Boston Pops (the only station we get), and to point out all the instruments in the orchestra, then to sleep in sleeping bags on the floor for the night.

*The big cookie flag recipe:

1 cake mix (we used trader joes)

1 egg

1T oil

3T water

Mix and bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  This also makes wonderful regular cookies, especially with chocolate chips.

Topping:

You can use ready made icing or cream cheese–we used goat cheese mixed with vanilla, soy milk, and honey.  It tasted similar to cream cheese icing, really.

Add berries in flag shape.  Fight off kids, insisting on waiting until actual celebration time to eat it.  Fight off kids somemore.  Give in while waiting for hot dogs to cook only to realize that forgot paper plates or forks.  Insist again on weaiting.  Eat when return home in the wonderful AC. Done.

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4: 8-10

Inspired by this post at As We Walk.

The old row boat is definitely pointed.

The kids pointed multiple times.

The sticks for roasting were definitely pointed.

But I think…

that maybe…

my baby brother’s machete is the best “pointed” thing of all.

For more “pointed” photos, check out Tnchick.

It used to be that little girls were said to be made of  sugar and spice and everything nice.

Nowadays our society tries to make them into sweet little strumpets as early as possible.

One of my favorite things about our lifestyle is the ability to allow our girls to grow at their own pace.

To go slow and steady,

to put on the trappings of adulthood they are ready for,

to wait on those they are not,

to mature into little ladies

before

They start to look like them.

One of my favorite things is the togetherness of my children.

Sure they fight but the stigma of “brother” or “sister” is lost when they are constant companions.

Brother and sister take on their old meaning of loved one.

Their companionship and friendship is a blessing.

Though they may not recognize it until they are older.

And when there is discord they are learning to fix the broken ties,

quickly and effectively,

Which will also be a blessing in the future.

It was too cool to swim,

so we went a wandering:

berry picking,

poison ivy avoiding,

edible/usable weed finding,

plant and bug identifying.  Exploring.

I should note that Esther loves reading books with small excerpts and explanations and is an expert on bugs insects and fish, while Rachel is my plant expert–teaching Essie to recognize poison ivy has been an interesting experience.

So I spent all day baking instead of painting I like I planned.  It was nice and cool and I needed to make bread, and if I am going to make bread and have the oven on anyway then I may as well go ahead and bake as much other as I can think of.  The kids and hubby got 10 dozen cookies, a cake, bread, and 2 loaves of quick bread, not to mention a crock pot of beans and some confetti rice* for dinner out of it so they are happy.

I got a self portrait doodle out of it so I am happy.  (As I mentioned to Jonatha–hubby suggested that I looked like a 1950’s housewife in one of those awful ads: “Use our wonderful baby soap, with full lye” or Eat our wonderful health food, now with more Lard.”–I think I look more like a gypsy or some weird bohemian chick, especially since my hair is done in multiple braids, not cornrows but close enough.)

In the meantime my large house painting is laid out and ready for me to start on, I have a small but full page  doodle in the works, the bills are paid, made plans with mom to drive down to the Trader Joes 45 min away on Wednesday, the laundry is sorted, the kids folded and put away the 4 baskets of laundry that have been  soaking up the stink in the basement, and Issac and I fixed the crack in the tub so now we can take showers again (the lack of a non-leaky tub is the very reason why my hair has spent the last week up in mini braids, well that an how easy to care for and cool they are,) AND I managed to stay home meaning I didn’t use gas.  It has been a productive day.

*We call it confetti rice though I believe it is different than what most people think of when you say confetti rice.  I am all about quick easy meals–cereal and fruit is perfectly acceptable in our household.  My confetti rice is quick and easy and everyone LOVES it, and and I love it because it is cheap:

1 can tuna with olive oil (you can use the broth version, I don’t but you can.  Plus, if you don’t do tuna you can leave it out or use real honest to goodness meat, or if you don’t buy meat because it is too expensive but want some protein in their you can throw in some TVP which I do occasionally though hubby won’t eat it if I do.):))

2 cups leftover rice (in this case it was aborio, but whatever you have)

2 cups mixed soup veggies, frozen (you can use whatever frozen or canned veggies you all like, my kids like the little soup ones and I HATE canned veggies unless they are green beans)

garlic and onion powder and salt to taste (I like lots of onion and garlic powder and a little bit of salt)

Fry all of it together until warm.  Do not, I repeat, do not cook this until the veggies all turn brown.  Ick.  The kids won’t eat it, and that is just gross.  No, you have to just get it warmed up so everything is bright and colorful–kids LIKE colorful food whiich is goo dbecause it is MUCH healthier when the veggies have their color.

Give the picky eater a small sample and insist she come to the table and eat the sample up before going back to her game.  Picky eater will finally taste it then ask for seconds.  Eat it up while still hot.  The end.

Hosted by Peggy @ The Simple Woman

FOR TODAY, 6-30-08…

Outside My Window…is green, green, green.
I am thinking…that every single time I start to do something I find something else I need to do and then that gets interrupted by something else.  I am thinking I need some omega 3 and magnesium.  BRB.

I am thankful for...Rain, so I don’t have to water my flowers, coffee so I can stay awake, the ready availability of the Bible here in the USA, that it still speaks to us today, and God’s provision of a new drawing table (half off at the thrift shop) and the space to put it in.

From the kitchen... I hear the whirr of the now working dishwasher (I just spent an hour or so pulling gunk out of all its drains because the kids did a slapdash job with the dishes when I was out of town.)  Next time THEY clean it out.

I am wearing...a new top from the thrift shop–so thrilled at the whole extra long shirt trend that means t-shirts long enough for my long body are now available at the thrift shop, and my long black cotton skirt, and a headful of braids–the perfect summer hairstyle.

I am creating... a list (I hate lists) of all the projects I need to do this week–I need to finish laying out the large house painting I need to ship by the end of next month, need to do more bunny paintings for hubby, need to find the email of the lady who wanted me to illustrate her book (it disappeared when I lost my email archives 2 weeks ago.)
I am going... completely insane.
I am reading...too many books when I should be getting work done–last week I read at least 10.  This week my goal is to get my work done THEN read.
I am hoping... to get this painting laid out and painted by the end of the week, to write this weeks posts today so I can work straight through on the painting, and to get my house back in working order after the skanky dishwasher only washing part of the dishes all week.
I am hearing... rain and the fans–it is cool enough despite the 90% humidity to have the house open, and should be for the next few days.
Around the house... the kids are playing video games, reading books, eating.n
One of my favorite things...right now is having a new drawing table.  My old one is wonderful, and antique  but was too big and awkward for the office so is relegated to the basement.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: God willing I will paint, paint, paint, and draw some more, get the overdue library books dealt with and returned so we have a clean slate.  Talk my mom into taking a trip down to Trader Joes–an hour away.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.

11 They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.

13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:

15 wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

16 The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17 There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees.

18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys. ^[b]

19 The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.

20 You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

21 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.

22 The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.

23 Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.

24 How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

25 There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.

26 There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

27 These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.

28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.