Ham 'n rice bake

Threw some comfort food together with leftover bits tonight and I have to say it was very tasty--and most of the kids thought so too (miracle!)--must write it down, because I never do write these things down and then if Reuel asks for it months later I have no idea.

In a cast iron pan with a light coating of leftover bacon grease (probably why it was good right there), saute diced leftover Easter ham; remove.  Saute chopped onion in 2-3T butter, add in generous grinding of pepper, generous pinch nutmeg, couple sprinkles of dry thyme, ~1/2 t. salt.  Add 3T flour, make roux.  Add 1c. broth + 1c. milk, boil and stir to thicken.  Add in ~2-3c. chopped fresh spinach, stir to wilt.  Add in ~1/2c. grated cheddar and ham, stir til melted and blended.  Add in ~3c. cooked rice, stir it all up, test and see if it needs a little more salt.  Sprinkle with grated cheddar, pop in 350 oven til melted and beginning to brown on top.

Nigara Falls vacay

Just got back from a whirlwind Niagara Falls mini-vacation, where we met up with Aunt K. and surprise guest, Nunu!  Great fun seeing the sights and spending 2 nights with the falls out of our window.  Always impressive to see that much water falling that far!!  And to imagine the experience of those witless ones who've gone over in barrels and the like.  We had a gorgeous weather day, a really pretty good weather day, and a not great weather day, but they were all crowd-free just before tourist season begins.  WIN!!  The kids really enjoyed the trip, even though it was quite a bit of driving back and forth between Sunday and Wednesday.  Thanks to Aunt K and Nunu for joining in the spontaneity!!

Many discussions were had about desiring to go home with all 3 children.  Asher found some rocks to climb and jump on instead of Falls-fencing :}

Still thawing out...volume was still way down because the lake hasn't thawed out just yet.

There's our hotel beneath/to the left of the round tower...in the curvy part on floor 11.

Behind the Aunt...

Behind the Falls...

Best we got...obstinate children!

Such gorgeous green-blue water.  You really want to jump in, except for that nasty drop.

The view out of our window...aaah!  Lovely to sit and watch.  The mist plume particularly low here.

Easter 2014

...just the egg hunt part!


Two excited little boys hit the lawn running for eggs.

This was some intense egg-chasing.

Eden was still at the starting lineup figuring out what was going on.

Better get out there Eden or the pickings will be slim!

Catching on...

And, eureka!  There's candy in these eggs!  Not a single egg hit her basket after that.  Each was opened, its contents dumped into the basket, and the eggshell dumped unceremoniously on the grass behind her.

Boys discussing where the final hiding spots might be.

The mailbox!  Nope, but nice try.

Almost 7!

And sporting two new top choppers.  And he came down with what I am 90% sure must be the flu.  The actual flu is going around.  We've all had something a bit different lately so I'm not sure who has had the flu and who hasn't, but Owen and Reuel are the strongest candidates for actual influenza.  Asher was in the ER with croup in the middle of the night last week so who knows how that was related.  And I've had a cold or aches or chills and some combination thereof from about 4 separate viruses in the last 6 weeks.  Almost everyone I talk to has had a HORRIBLE spring for illness after a virtually completely healthy winter.  We counted our eggs way too soon :}  Owen could not walk this morning, his legs were so painful...assuming that was joint/muscle pain.  Good grief!  He's hanging in there now by midday (and walking again).

Yellow belt test

Owen and Asher have been working hard at getting their yellow stripe (on the belt) in karate.  Here's a clip of their test.  The camera takes a dive when they turn to face me...didn't want to distract.  They did a great job!

https://picasaweb.google.com/104074210619117775955/April102014#6000753258328282322

Frozen frenzy!

You must not have elementary school-age children, or your children must not go to an institutional school, if you are not fully familiar with the movie and soundtrack from the recent hit Disney film Frozen.  If 4 and 7 year old boys are into singing songs from it, it has fully pervaded their culture.  I was just remarking to a friend over the weekend that yes, the kids enjoy the movie, but no they are not singing it around the house.  Then I captured Owen tonight with these tidbits...I had no idea he knew that many lyrics!

In the 'do you want to build a snowman' song, keep in mind that he had watched a video of the voice actor, Kristin Bell, singing the song, and had seen how she made her voice sound like a preschooler's in this first verse, so he's trying to sound young and singing really nasally.  But he still has a sweet little voice (I'm his mama, again I offer that disclaimer).  Click on the 2nd black square...bringing 2 videos up for some reason.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104074210619117775955/April9201402#6000489102571484914

Here's his version of Let it Go (started too low, oops).  He didn't mind me taping because we've heard so many people singing it SOOOO badly and he will always say, "I can sing it way better than THAT!"  So I told him to prove it and let me record it :)  Click on the 1st black square:
https://picasaweb.google.com/104074210619117775955/April9201402#6000488563532474210

Memories :)  Technology is good for some things.  Love my little wants-to-be-18 in a 6 year old's body.  And speaking of 6-year-old bodies, today was our routine dentist appt. and as soon as I could catch the dentist outside of earshot I asked him to PULL. THAT. TOOTH!  And give Owen warning of course.  I told Owen that it would get pulled at the dentist, but I didn't want any pushback by giving him time to stew on it.  Oh my.  It was wedged and furthermore, his gum had grown back into the tooth!  They had to give him novocaine to take it out!  That was one expensive stubborn streak, and I had no idea it could get to that, or else this momma would have yanked that sucker long ago whilst pinning child to floor with knees!  He knows we won't be giving his teeth that much time to fall out on their own in future :)  He has a perfectly adorable little toothless smile now (actually the new teeth are already 1/4 down) and whistles when he talks.  I think he was actually proud once it was out, he kept rubbing his tongue over his new choppers.  I have to grab a picture tomorrow whilst Reuel pins him to the floor.  He seems so grown up and then as I'm putting him to bed: "Mom, I'm going to put my tooth near this side of my pillow near the door.  I think the tooth fairy probably slips through the crack in the door.  I was thinking about it and I imagine her looking like Princess Elsa (from Frozen) even though nobody probably knows what she really looks like.  TOTAL BELIEVER!  Very sweet.

Roof time

Boys whose Dad lets them get up on the roof are very happy boys indeed.  As Owen scurried up to the top, I was thinking of the Little House in the Praire TV episode where either Laura or a boy is walking the roof rail at the school.  How times have changed!

Aunt Debbie and Almost-Uncle Lucas!

We were MOST privileged to receive a visit from the very popular Aunt D. and Almost-uncle Lucas (or OOcas, as Eden calls him in her nightly prayer).  We had so much fun!  Very exciting to add a member to the family, and a great one at that!


Breakfast at the El Salvadorean buffet!

Outside the JFK library on a blustery day

Always a ninja, never just a boy!

The traditional Irish Dancing show may have gotten a little long for some customers.  Visual evidence of just how fazed we are by toddler tantrums at this point in the journey. 

 The Duck tours weren't open for the season just yet, so the boys got to go in 'that red thing' at the Museum of Science.  I could not count how many times I've been peppered with requests to ride it.  They were mighty pleased!!

Walking back to the car in Cambridge...my New England boys have no desire whatsoever for a jacket if the temp. is over ~37.  It's been cold, and I'll admit, 40 feels pretty balmy lately.

Sick Daddy

Daddy is suffering from the flu (or something like it), but he's not too sick to read his babies a story.  Oh, that these days could last a little longer (the time with the kids, that is, not the flu)!

Asher--the symmetry phase

Before I get to the title topic, a note that Owen STILL has not lost that tooth yet!!  It is incredible.  I think he holds it in all day with his tongue.  I have noticed when I am brushing it that he pushes against it with his tongue to keep it in place.  Now that is stubborn.  Dentist visit on Wednesday that I a counting on to take care of it :)

Now, a spotlight on my sweet Asher.  Who can't love this face?

Remember the puzzle phase?  Unlike his big brother, Asher tends to get interested in something and dive fully in, completely immersing himself in his current obsession.  It's quite fascinating to see his brain working on understanding something and toying with it over and over until one day he's done, and moves onto the next thing (hasn't touched a puzzle in a good long while).  Lately, he has started playing more with drawing freehand rather than coloring in pictures, and he is fascinated with symmetry.  I think his drawings are fun and impressive!  Here are some of his symmetry studies in order of how he made them: 

Ok, so he didn't quite get things flipped perfectly here as he was aiming for, but he got the 1 flipped!

I think it's amazing how he figures out how to make mirrored marks on either side of an axis!  Maybe that's a normal skill.  (We mom's are an easily impressed set when it comes to our own kids, yes?)

This one was given to Daddy when he got home from work and Asher made him guess what it was.  After many wrong guesses Asher finally yelled gleefully, "NO Daddy.  It's a MICROROBOT!!!"  Of course!