Makers, Bathers, Besties, Growers - Our Story

Makers...

Bathers (Rose's first time with a party watie. She loved it!) ....

Besties...

Growers (We have actual vegetables, people!)...

Our Story - 4.15.11

One of the two main reasons I keep this blog and allow myself to spend time on it is because I want my children to have something to look back on when they are grown and to remember these sweet days we had together. I want to be able to look back and remember too. So, this week I came up with an idea I am pretty excited about.

A little over a year ago Ron bought me a real fancy phone and since then it has been not only my phone but my go to camera. Any given day there are anywhere from 10 to 150 pictures on it. It is handy because my phone is usually with me and my actual camera usually is not. Anytime something precious or unbelievable happens I can quickly grab my phone and immortalize the moment. I have noticed that the pictures on my phone tend be a pretty good portrayal of exactly what is going on around here at a given moment. Those pictures tell our story quite well.

I have decided to take a little time and the end of every week or so and let the pictures on my phone do just that. Tell our story. The parts of story that I know I will forget unless I find a way to make sure I remember.

So here we go:

I have been pretty concerned about whether or not Rose is growing enough. She is such a scrawny little thing and anyone who knows our other girls knows we don't make scrawny babies. At her one year check up the doctor said she is doing fine. She is just 25 percentile weight and 75 percentile height. So no worries as long as she is eating and growing which she is. He said "You can always fatten em up later, but once the fat is there it is had to get rid of it." Don't I know it.

Speaking of Rose there's a new kid in town. Look who is too big for her britches standing up and snacking like her sisters!

She is still our little Baby Rose though too.

The Babingtons upgraded to the seven quart crock pot this week. We have five real eaters now!

My nine months pregnant sister in law graciously did a photo shoot of my girls last weekend. The pictures are glorious! I am going to cheat and post one here so you get the idea. This picture is obviously not from my phone but is just to prove the point. She is really quite talented.

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What is even more remarkable than how adorable Afton looks in those flowers is the lengths Judy Kay was willing to go to get shots like that from her three...shall we say... spirited models. Yes, at one point you see her pregnant belly (housing a full grown baby who could live outside the womb) practically resting on the sidewalk. And it wasn't all that cool outside that day, people. We often get strange looks when we say that we moved here for no good reason other than to be near Ron's sister and her family. Maybe if the people who think that is odd could see the pictures below the would begin to understand.

My mom stitched this picture when I was about 12 years old. She recently asked me if I wanted one of her old cross stitching pieces. Of course I did! I have such fond memories of watching my mom work through many such pictures. I finally got it hung in my bedroom and it warms my heart every time I see it.

Things have been moving at a pretty break neck pace for us since late February with no sign of stopping until the end of summer. I get overwhelmed easily. I am not an especially neat person but chaos really gets to me. Ron recently took all three girls to Afton's ballet class (no small feat) and then kept them out on errands for an additional two hours so I could catch up around here. I would thoroughly clean one room and then sit down and read a chapter of my book and repeat. It was so relaxing and rejuvenating. Not sure what this says about me but I enjoyed it about as much as I would have enjoyed a day at the spa. And I missed my girls. There is something good for your soul about having the opportunity to miss your children. By end of the evening I remember thinking someday (someday too soon) my house will be this clean all the time and then, oh, I will long for the days with my sweet baby girls.

My sweet baby girls (well, the two biggest ones) played an actual board game by themselves for the first time this week. They had a lot of fun and actually followed the rules of them game instead of just messing with the pieces. May seem like a small thing to you but it's quite huge really.

Oh and this little big girl had her first raisins this week. She was fan!

Possibly Nothing To Dread

1. Today for lunch we had grilled cheese sandwiches. Rose had Tender Sweet Peas. She loves eating food. It is so adorable.

2. Tonight for dinner I am making "balsamic chicken with baby greens and sun-dried tomato gnocchi". It is from a recipe card I got at Publix. I adore Publix. I have long prided myself on not being a fancy pants. The first time I stepped into Publix those days were over. I love that place so much as soon as I am done grocery shopping I start thinking about the next time I can come back. It is pretty out of control!

3. I will be honest. I am dreading cold and flu season. Last year we were whammied. Here is a partial list of the illnesses we encountered: Hand Foot & Mouth Disease, mysterious purple ailment, H1N1 x 2, pneumonia, strep throat x 2, not to mention the numerous bouts with ear infections and tummy bugs. Oh yeah and pregnancy. Not an illness, but you get the idea. Anyway, so forgive me if I am already bracing myself for this year. We have all been healthy now since April. I am enjoying it but in the back of my mind the closer we get to fall I keep picturing a conveyer belt trying to pull us into sicko land. We are walking along in the opposite direction just fine right now. Still I keep thinking any day now one of us will drop off and then another and then another. And then medicate, rest, repeat until spring gets here. I know. Such a terrible, unpositive way to think. I just have that conveyer belt in my mind. We are blessed that we have never had to face any truly terrible illnesses and we are blessed that we have access to medical help when we need it and we are blessed that we all feel great right now. I am indeed thankful deeply for those things. I guess when I see that conveyor belt in my mind I will battle it away with that list of blessings. It is impossible to feel thankfulness and dread at once and I have so much to be thankful and possibly nothing to dread.

I Am Very Happy and I Know It.

1. We ate one of our Sunday pizzas for lunch because this week on Sunday we will be eating potluck at church. My new church has potlucks that are more delicious than most weddings. Last time there was pork tenderloin. Seriously. Yum. I should tell you all about my Sunday pizzas but alas time.....so bottom line about three or four years ago we started eating a frozen pizza for lunch every Sunday. On paper plates of course. It is a beloved tradition now. We get DiGiorno Pizzas from Sam's in a three pack for $12. Makes Sunday afternoons as peaceful and enjoyable as they were meant to be. Well, there I went and told you all about them.

2. Tonight for dinner we are having chili. Yum. I don't prefer meat in my chili so it is vegetarian. I threw the following into my crock pot:

1 large can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can red beans
1 can black beans
1 can cream corn (experiment)
2 pack chili seasoning

It will sit there on low all day and the be served with red onion, shredded cheddar, and sour cream. Can't Wait!

(Ashley Holden, if you are reading this you should try it. It is so easy it can't be considered cooking. It is so yummy it can't be considered not cooking! If you do not own a crock pot please tell me now so I can have one Amazoned to you immediately!)

3. I love my new house, town, church, life. I am very happy and I know it.

That is all for now.

The Kind of Information I Can Use.

Found out some things I didn't know or hadn't thought of recently. One is if you leave your shower curtain open after you take a shower for long enough to let it dry less mold will grow in your shower and your bathroom will smell fresher. Now this is the kind of information I can use! Maybe everyone else already knew that but I didn't. Makes sense though. Just make sure to close it later or you will get mold on your shower liner.

Also, if you need help knowing how to make sweet tea and everyone you ask makes it seem like an unknowable mystery then just go to grits.com. It is pretty simple really.

Another one is if you need a warm compress a disposable diaper will work great. Just pour hot water into one and hold it on the spot that needs it. The water can even be infused with whatever kind of healing herbs you want! I put all of our outgrown newborn diapers in the medicine cabinet to use in times of need. Works great for mastitis or other nursing issues.

Cabbage on the affected area knocks out mastitis as good as an antibiotic. Email me if you want more details.

Like I said this is the kind of information I can use.

Systems were made for man, not man for systems.

Now that Ron works from home (Yeah, he works from home now. It's been a pretty eventful three months since we last spoke.) the pathetic lunches I had been making aren't going to work. I mean they weren't that pathetic for a one and two year old which is who was eating them, but they simply won't do for a grown man. What have I been eating all this time? Spaghetti. I have eaten spaghetti pretty much everyday for lunch for the last three years. Weird? A little. But I like spaghetti and eating it after my kids were asleep while catching up on the news was sublime. Eating spaghetti for lunch everyday would probably be a lot less sublime for my husband. So, now that he eats with us (which we are LOVING) I have started a new lunch regime. I had no intention of getting to the most hectic time of my day and then having to scramble to figure out what I could make for lunch for an entire family. I also had no intention of getting the least bit fancy with cooking right in the middle (and most hectic part) of the day. So I came up with an old fashioned rotation of simple lunches. The way I always envision people in the fifties did with dinner. "Oh, it's Tuesday. It's spaghetti night!" Don't tell Ron I got the idea from the fifties. He hates the fifties. Anyway here is my rotation:

Monday ~ Peanut butter sandwiches

Tuesday ~ English muffin pizzas

Wednesday ~ Wraps

Thursday ~ Grilled Cheese

Friday ~ Turkey Sandwiches.

Okay, they are still a little pathetic, but I am getting no complaints. I have such peace of mind not having to think something up everyday. Wednesday is the only day I will get the least bit fancy. I want to try a new wrap recipe every week. Until winter comes and then I will switch Wednesdays to soup. So, what kinda wrap did we have today on Wednesday? We didn't. We had English muffin pizzas. Systems were made for man, not man for systems.

My Birthday Cake Portfolio

I like making birthday cakes for my kids. I have never been accused of being a perfectionist which makes for some interesting cakes, but it also makes making "interesting" cakes no big deal and a lot of fun. Below find all the cakes I have made so far. Looking forward to making as many more as I can! (More on our precious birthday girl tomorrow on her real birthday....FYI three years ago at exactly this time I had been in labor for 18 hours with just 11 more to go.)

(Afton turning 1)

(Afton turning 2)

(Ponder turning 1)

(Afton turning 3)

I Think It Is Finally Sinking In.

1. Today for lunch my kids had bananas and peas and milk.

2. Not totally sure what we are having for dinner tonight. I am leaning toward black bean stoup. Here is the recipe. It is really, really good. I never have tried the Monte Cristos in the recipe, but I am sure they are probably good too.

3. The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the best books I have ever read half of. If it is so good why don't I read the rest? Not sure. Its moment kinda passed. It may have another moment again someday.

4. I can't wait to have this baby. Somehow I lost weight from this week to last. (Let me assure you it was not from not eating whatever I want or doing any physical activity beyond that which sustains my life and preserves the lives of my children.) I read that weight loss can be a sign of impending labor. "A loss or leveling off of weight may occur in the last few days before labor starts..." I think was the exact quote. My question is what is meant by the last few days? Like 3 days.....awesome. Like 20 days.....no duh. It's the last month of pregnancy. In that sense, of course, it is the last few days. I have been googling everything else I feel to see if it is a sign of impending labor as well. Pretty much it is all just symptoms of pregnancy. Yep, I am pregnant alright. Anyway, I am thankful that this pregnancy has been smooth and that all signs point to a healthy baby girl. I can't wait to meet her. I feel more ready to mother this child than I have with any of my other pregnancies. I have gotten a chance to see twice now how fast babydom slips away, so I plan on savoring this infancy rather than being eager for the next milestone or my first chance to sleep all night. One of the (many) things that makes baby-ness so precious is how quickly it is gone. "Enjoy them. They grow up so fast." I can't go to the store with my kids without an old lady coming up and telling me that. I think it is finally sinking in.

Hmmm.

1. My kids don't eat chicken nuggets for lunch everyday or even every week. Just everyday that I have time to write my blog. Hmmm.

2. Tonight for dinner we are having good old fashioned loaded baked potatoes. Potato based dishes always so go badly for me, so we will see.

3. Today at the obstetricians office the receptionist told me that the doctor said to go straight to the hospital to have the baby. "That sounds awesome," I told her, "but are you sure that is my chart?" It wasn't. Bummer.

Spice Is my Favorite.

I mentioned earlier I wanted to to do a lot of baking this holiday season. I did as much as I possibly could but I didn't really do much in the end. Still it was lots of fun and very yummy. I think I want to make it a tradition every year. Much more convenient when I am pregnant and all those extra calories don't matter as much, but hey, that is what my new treadmill is for, right? Anyway I didn't fall in love with any new recipes during my experience, but I re fell in love with one that I learned last fall. I love it for two reasons -- because it is ridiculously easy and amazingly delicious. Easiness is a feature I appreciate in my extra curricular activities at this time in my life. So here is my go to pumpkin muffin recipe (if you are indiginified by the use of box mixes read no further) :

Take any box cake or muffin mix (I have used yellow, chocolate, and spice. Spice is my favorite.) Follow the directions on the box replacing the oil with a can of pumpkin. How easy is that. And it is SO yummy and SO moist. Love it. Also good with chocolate chips! Yum!

Just Getting Excited.

1. Today for lunch the kids had chicken nuggets. Yes, again.

2. Tonight for dinner we are having what I call Aimee's chicken. I got the recipe from my friend Aimee. She has her own home business cooking so as you can imagine it is quite good. I will just say it involves chicken, garlic, basil, and yes, cream cheese and bacon. Yes, maam! Check her out .

3. We got our new portable crib in the mail yesterday. It is where baby Rose is going to sleep while she is little and still sleeping in our room and as long as we live in this house. I adore it. Strong words, but I do. It's nothing fancy, but I love how it matches our bedding and I just can't wait to put a sweet baby in there. No, I really can't wait. I took one of Afton's baby dolls and wrapped it up in a receiving blanket last night and put it in there. I know....out of control. Just getting excited. That's all!

4. This month I have been reading Matthew 5 to the girls at lunch. Today, for the first time in my life, the Beatitudes cut me to the heart with conviction. I guess I had never paid too much attention to the meaning. Today I really heard the words. Wow.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called the sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

~ Matthew 5:3-10

Way, way, WAY too much.

1. Today for lunch my kids had chicken nuggets. I had them too.

2. Tonight for dinner we are having homemade pizza made from all the ingredients I have leftover from my meal at the Christmas cabin. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are making pizza for 22 people and you are wondering how much pizza sauce you will need let me assure that two six pound cans in way too much. Way, way, WAY too much.

3. Speaking of Christmas I am usually a very strict adherer to the no Christmas music, decorations, etc. before Thanksgiving rule. I just like to keep Christmas Christmas to keep it feeling as special as it is. This year I cheated, though. I started a week early. I had swine flu about a week and a half before Thanksgiving and it was a pretty gloomy place around here. I decided to brighten it up by busting out the Christmas music early. I feel like it really got us through. Still the day Christmas was over I was over it. Couldn't bear to hear another fa la la. That has never happened to me in my life. So I think I will stick to the not before Thanksgiving rule from now on. No regrets about this year though. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

4. Speaking of swine flu. It wasn't so bad. The fear of it before it hit was worse than the actual sickness. Two out of four of us got it. Those two were the two in the high risk categories. Me'n Ponder. (A child under two and a pregnant lady.) I mean I definitely don't want it again and it was sad seeing my baby so sick but in comparison to what so many people suffer we were lucky. I am trying to find a balance between not taking my children's health for granted and realizing what a gift it is (I know there are parents all over the world with truly sick children who would love to trade places with me on my children's sickest days.) and not fretting over it in a fruitless and faithless way....worrying. I think the happy medium between complaisance and worry is gratitude and I think that is where we are meant to live as Christians. May God give us the grace to do so.

Do Not Be Overcome With Evil But Overcome Evil With Good

1. Today for lunch my kids had apple sauce, provolone, and turkey. With milk. Afton calls provolone "holes cheese". Some might think that is swiss cheese, but not to Afton. For some reason that is the name she has given to provolone.

2. Tonight for dinner we are trying a recipe I got from my friend's blog. Brie Chicken. Oh my goodness that sounds so yummy. Find the recipe here. Not sure if I should use my whole wedge of brie or just part of it. Is there such a thing as too much brie? I doubt it.

3. I've been reading Romans 12 everyday with the kids at lunch. Wow.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil: cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep you spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21

I Must Have Been a Pill for my Mom to Feed.

1. Today for lunch the kids had bananas, carrots, and yogurt (or yotes as we like to call them around here). Ponder is getting so good at feeding herself. Not only did I not have to feed her I even went to my bedroom to change clothes while they were feeding themselves lunch....ALONE! This is huge! Ponder also climbed the stairs leading up to our house today all by herself. Also huge. Don't tell her Daddy. :)

2. Tonight for dinner we are having chicken pot pie. I can hardly wait. Another thing I used to HATE as kid, but love now. I must have been a pill for my Mom to feed. Bless her heart. I remember when my family would have hotdogs she would make me a hotdog bun with peanut butter on it. What a sweetie! Our recipe tonight belongs to my mother who somehow made it through 18 years of finding something I was willing to eat.c

3-4 cooked (boiled) chicken breasts, cut up into bite size pieces.

2 cans cream of potato soup

Bag of frozen veggies

About 1/2 cup of milk

Pepper

Two pie shells (the kind you can roll out like Pillsbury)

Put a pie shell in a Pam'd pie plate. In separate bowl combine chicken, potato soup, veggies and milk. Add more milk if you need to ... you want it moist but not running over the edge and swimming in liquid. Pepper everything -- no need to salt it because the soup is salty enough. Put the other pie shell on top. Trim the edges and crimp them shut. Poke several steam holes in the top.

Cook at 375 for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the crust is brown.

Like I said I can't wait!

How Cute is She?

1. Today for lunch my kids had apple sauce and carrots. Apple juice to drink.

2. Tonight for dinner we are having Roman Pasta.

1 lb pasta (supposed to be linguine, but I usually use spaghetti because who has linguine lying around and this definitely a meal of things I just have lying around.)

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

2 T minced garlic

Heat the oil in a pan. Add garlic. Cook it until it is light brown. Toss it with the pound of cooked pasta. If it seems too dry add some of the pasta water. Couldn't be easier. Super yummy. Obviously this is easy to fancy up if you want to....add chicken, add basil or choped green onions... add anything! We like to have ours with fresh tomato slices.

3. How cute is she?

Almost three years old. WAY too big for her britches. Knows how she thinks things should be and demands that they be that way. Very intense. Loving, tenderhearted, so smart it surprises me everyday. Loves to have fun. Loves to be noticed. Loves to be loved. A very good big sister. A daughter so preciously eager to please, eager to learn, eager to understand. An exquisite little eager spirit that I pray for the patience to always treasure and never to squelch. I am blessed beyond accounting to have such a dear soul as my own sweet baby girl.

All in Time.

1. Today for lunch my kids had peas and apple sauce. Separately, of course. Mixed would be disgusting. I hate mixed food which is why I have a really hard time with casseroles. For dinner tonight we are having vegetarian chili. My chili recipe is the epitome of nothing fancy, but it is yummy to me. Here it is:

1 large can tomato sauce.

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can red kidney beans

1 can black beans

2 packs chili seasoning

In a crock pot on low all day. Serve with shredded cheese, diced red onion, and sour cream. You can also add a can of corn if you feel like getting crazy. And I would totally add jalepenos if my family would let me. They won't.

Someday I would like to make my own tomato sauce and dice my own tomatoes for the the chili. Maybe it could even be from tomatoes I grew myself. Maybe I could even develop my own chili seasoning. All in time. Not there yet.

2. If anyone needs a new Pandora station for the day I recommend starting one with the artist Jay Ungar. Let me know what you think!

It's Nothing Fancy.

1. Today my kids had yogurt and whole wheat tortillas for lunch. They had milk to drink. Afton drank hers out of a big girl cup. I am trying to eliminate sippies from her life by the time she turns three.

2. I started a new menu planning system this week. I think it is actually too mundane and obvious to share, though if anyone wants to know what it is I will gladly do so. Anyway I am pumped about it. I feel like it is going to make dinner time so much more fun and also make eating out so much more fun because we won't be doing it out of desperation but because we want to.

Tonight I am making Continental Chicken. It was classic around my house when I was growing up. I hated it then, but I love it now. I have enjoyed my friends sharing recipes and meal planning on their blogs lately so I will give you this recipe. It's nothing fancy...just like me.

Family size can of cream of mushroom soup.

8 oz. Sour Cream

Four chicken breasts.

Pop all that good stuff into a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Voila. Super yummy and super easy. I love crock pots. I just hate cleaning them. Serve over rice.

They Make Everything We Already Enjoyed So Much More Enjoyable.

1. Today for lunch my children ate cooked carrots and whole wheat tortillas. They had water to drink, which they hate, but I am trying to teach them to love.

2. Here is a thought that has been bungling around in my head for a few years and I have decided to release and share. When your loyalty to someone or something for whatever reason requires you to hate or at least not to love someone else (particularly another Christian) I think it stops being loyalty and starts being sin. I would like to hear other thoughts on that.

3. Ponder is obsessed with feeding herself now. Pretty soon I won't have anyone to feed at the dinner table. I will just sit there and eat. Amazing thought really! I haven't done that since August of 2007. Even after the baby is born I will have six good months where my only responsibility at a meal is to eat it. Pretty exciting!

4. I caramelized my own onions last night. They were quite good, thanks for asking. The thought of doing that a year ago would have terrified me just because it sounds fancy and I am afraid of doing fancy stuff. I have learned, though, pretty much everything I ever try ends up being easier that I thought it was going to be. Except labor. That was much, much harder.

5. We are going to "make puckins" with Afton tomorrow. That's make pumpkins for those of you who don't speak two year old. I love how easy it is to get her excited about things. She is pumped about "fall time". All she knows is that involves "puckins" and "rainbow trees". What a precious delight having little children is. They make everything we already enjoyed so much more enjoyable. Well, maybe except for sleeping.

My Weak Spot For Chipotle Has Developed Into A Passionate Love

 I am getting dangerously obsessed with Chipotle.  Ron and I have always had a weak spot for it in our hearts and our eating out budget, but since I have been pregnant and eating (and on bad days even  cooking) a lot of our regular foods grosses me out my weak spot for Chipotle has developed into a passionate love with which there is no reasoning.  I said this to Ron last week, "When Chipotle is SO delicious, SO affordable, fills you up so SO well, and serves wholesome food you can feel good about putting into your body and feeding to your children why would you ever eat anywhere else including your own home?"  He just looked at me for a long time and said "You are making me nervous."  Don't worry, baby, I am making myself nervous too.

I Probably Won't Bake Something New Everyday

1. I don't have time to have a fancy blog with long double proof read posts, but I do miss having a way to remember my thoughts as my days pass me by, open my life to my friends and acquaintances, and leave a record for my children of their infancy and childhood, so I am back, but keeping it simple.

2. I have decided to bake my brains out this holiday season and I can't wait! I have always loved the idea of holiday goodies everywhere all season long. That was how it was at my Nana's house growing up. There was never a day without a pie or some candies or special bread or something yummy! It made everything so special. I have been wanting to make the holiday season a celebration everyday all season long and I can't really think of an easier or better way to celebrate than with food. My only drawback has been all those calories. How could I make festive goodies everyday and not end up as fat as a Christmas goose myself. This unanswered question has been what has kept me from ever embarking on my holiday baking mission. But I got thinking....what with me pregnant and all and not really supposed to be worried about calories and not really supposed to be too worried about my weight this will be the perfect season to try my experiment.  So here we go!  Well, beginning November 1st (Ron's birthday and my official start of holiday season) pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie will start things off and will give way to Christmas candies, cookies, and ciders as our thoughts turn from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  It is going to be yummy around here!  I probably won't bake something new everyday, but when the last treat runs out I will know it is time to start something up!  I think it is gonna be a fun way to keep all that we have to celebrate in the forefront of our minds.  If it turns out awesome I will keep doing it in years when I am not pregnant.  Fattening up for winter is good right? Plus I will never be wanting for a New Year's Resolution!

3.  Afton and Ponder went to Chuck E. Cheese's for the first time in her life yesterday.  That place is so fun!  I had forgotten.  We were on a fifteen hour ride home from Florida and we wanted pizza for lunch.  The only pizza place at our exit was Chuck E. Cheese, not really the kind of place you want to stop on a fifteen hour trip.  We really wanted pizza though and I told Ron the kids don't even know what it is so they won't ask to play unless we bring it up.  We could just eat there like it was a regular pizza place and they would be none the wiser.  Good enough plan, but once we got inside the fun took over.  It started with me!  As soon as I saw the skeet ball machines I told Afton me'n Daddy were about to get nasty on some skeet ball.  She had know idea what that even was.    Then there were the tradional singing animals, (Afton adored them of course.) , the blue screen kids could dance in front of and then be put up on huge TV screens so everybody in the restaurant could see them, the five free tokens that came with our food that we just has to use!  We were sunk.  Fun was going to be had.  The trip would have wait.  Our pizza was disgusting, but we left thinking there was no where better we could have stopped!  After a couple of rides on cars and horses and merry go rounds Afton was a new kid, totally renewed for the trip.   Just getting to see the singing animals and watch her sister dancing on a big TV screen was enough to lift Ponder's spirits.  Ron and I did try our hand at the skeet ball.  Let's just say together we didn't make enough tickets to buy even the cheapest toy.  There is always next time though, and there certainly will be a next time!