Saturday Confessions

~erica

*I have a bonus day, I wasn't planning on being home today, we are in the middle of a baseball tournament, but right now I'm sitting in my warm house. We had our first game at 9 a.m. this morning, that meant the coach wanted us at the field at 8 a.m. I layered in wool and long underwear; packed lots of snacks, 2 blankets, a bucket of bubble gum, and my camera. We were there before the tournament organizer! As soon as the schedule was posted I was antsy- if we won then we got to go home until tomorrow morning same time, same place. I know its not about winning and losing, yada, yada. But if we WON.... When it started pouring during the second inning all I could think about was going home. We won. The other team had to stay at the field in wet uniforms and wait for their next game at 1. We got to eat a warm lunch at Burger King where they had warm toilets and warm water in their bathroom. It's the simple things that make me happy.

Jonah

*Baseball season makes me very thankful we share a home with my parents. I can go to tournaments and events and leave everyone at home, but the child who needs to be there. Granted the kids are now old enough to stay home alone, for the most part, and Ryan's here sleeping, but to not have to worry about them or worse, get them all up to go when its wet, cold, and muddy. It's a huge blessing!

*So, since today was not on my plan I don't have to make it count for anything. As soon as I'm done with this post and link it to Melissa's over at A Familiar Path, I am putting my pajamas back on and snuggling under a quilt and reading a real book, not a schoolbook. I did my housework and my homework yesterday since I knew this weekend was going to be spent at the ballfield (tomorrow we'll be there until at least 3 since we can't go home until we lose 2 games).

*I've been awful about posting this year. But by the time I finish my homework and housework and spend a little time being a mom I'm drained. I get on the laptop at night and play mahjonng or Spider Solitaire until I'm too tired and then I crawl into bed. This quarter I'm taking 2 online classes and it seems like I'm never done with the homework, I'm terrified of falling behind so I'm always reading chapters or typing up assignments. The laptop and textbook are in the bedroom and I can't get them until Ryan is up for the day so I can't do anything about WA State History (I can read Health, but no...)

*Thursday I took Arin on a date. We went to the college to see the Kenya Safari Acrobats and then to Dairy Queen. He doesn't play sports or chess so this time of year it seems like he never gets to leave the house or do anything. We had a great time, he proclaimed the show "Awesome."

*I have pictures lined up in my photo file for blog posts. I managed to get the birthdays posted but that's all. I write posts in my head all the time. I'm seriously considering Dragon Software for my laptop but I don't think it's waterproof and I do most of the writing in my head in the shower.

*The kids and I are going to The Dalles for Easter next weekend. I am really hoping its warm and sunny there or it will seem like a waste. Not really, the kids love going and I'm glad they like to go. Several churches put on a Passion Play (not sure what else to call it) all week. Friday night is the big event and they do the trial of Jesus on the courthouse steps, then make him carry his cross up the hill, crucify him, and take his body to the tomb. Half the town is in costume (and character, don't mess with the Roman soldiers). It's very powerful and the kids ask to go back year after year. Sunday morning they do the Sunrise Service at the empty tomb, too.

*Tovah and my mom walked down to the Greenhouse, it opened yesterday. I should go too but I'm still heading for the couch with my book...

Playing Hooky and Isaac's 13th Birthday

~Erica

I should be doing something right now. Studying, laundry, being with my family, anything. What am I doing? Sitting in my bedroom with the laptop watching Phineas and Ferb until its time for CSI. I had a Spanish test this morning so I don't have any homework (the oral test is not something that can be prepared for) and we went on our first Botany field trip this afternoon and don't have class tomorrow. I could be typing up my Pacific Northwest History notes or reading the next chapter in my Health & Nutrition book, but, no. I'm doing nothing, and it feels good to just sit and do nothing.

For Botany I have to prepare 30 specimens in a collection. They have to be native plants. My mom went through the book we are to use as our guide and found 43 plants that we have in our yard or across the street. There are another 5 or so that she just considers weeds that would count too. I don't see this collection project being a problem. My PNW research paper? whole nuther story.... I'm considering doing it on something about how the settlers brought in a lot of plants that have changed the "native" landscape from what it looked like when Lewis & Clark came. Finding sources is the issue.

Isaac turned 13 last month. That means 2/3 of my children are now teens (or if you want to be technical, half are currently teens since Nathan is almost 22). We made cupcakes I heard discussed on facebook- chocolate cupcakes with Lindor truffles, glazed with nutella. The truffles would have been better if we had just eaten them but the nutella glaze- YUM!

I wrapped his money in layers of tape and ribbon.

Rush tries to help his get the money out but they finally had to resort to scissors

Put the Nutella on while they are warm (or stick them back in the warm oven)

and spread it when it starts to melt.

P.S. Nathan's home! He came home from Afghanistan almost 2 weeks ago. We've seen him once and I may have taken pictures but I don't remember. I didn't expect to see him until at least Wednesday and the kids called us Monday afternoon while we were shopping at Walmart to tell us that they were at the house. We hurried home but the kids had taken over the conversation and wanted to show him all the XBox games that they had gotten this year. We took them out for Mexican and were joined by my parents and Cheyney's folks. Ryan's mom and her friend stopped by to say hi. Oh, I did take pictures! They're still on the camera, but I did take some of Nathan and Cheyney with Great-Grandma Hendrickson that evening.