Families that PLAY together STAY together!

We are sliding in to our summer here.  There is still school left to finish up from this year but I have loosened up about the schedule.  We’ve been sleeping in a bit.  The kids just might get to play before Mom is ready to kick off the day.

This week we took off to go to St. Louis.  Steve had a class Tuesday night, so we threw together some traveling food for the hotel & we spent Wednesday playing at the City Museum.  It is a TON of fun but if you ever go be ready for a real work out! 

Steve & the kids have been complaining about sore muscles & knees since we got back.  Think of it as one big jungle gym that you climb, slide down & explore!

There are so many things I am thankful about this trip. A year ago if you’d told me I would be crawling through tubes & in to small spaces I would have laughed at you.

Yes that is a high as it looks. 

 

Since my hip surgery in January I have been slowly getting back to normal. 

Each of the kids & Steve said to me multiple times that they were glad I could be with them at the Museum.  It was challenging—I won’t say it was a breeze.  Stairs are still not a lot of fun & I am so slow. 

I did manage to climb the 11 stories to go down the really LONG slide!  It is possible to do crazy things with your family when they are cheering you on!

It was hysterical when the kids would go in to a new place they would holler back “Mom, you can do this one” or “Mom, don’t come in it is UGLY!”  They were really looking out for me. 

 

It is challenging to get away right now, since it is Steve’s busy time of the year at work.  We don’t always get to spend a whole day hanging out together unless we plan to run away!  I am planning and plotting for the next one!

Food for Traveling

We made a super fast trip out of town yesterday. 

I knew it was coming but wasn’t sure we were going to be able to go or where we were going to stay.  Steve had a class to go to so I was on my own when we arrived around 6:30 p.m.

What I didn’t want was 4 starving kids & me having to find food that was close to the hotel and inexpensive.

Instead I cooked at home.  Weird you say?  You thought I was leaving town?  I did and I brought my slave with me.

Before I went to town for a few groceries & the girls Bible study I put my plan in to action.

Step 1--I grabbed a package of BBQ Chicken out of the freezer.  I defrosted it in the sink in cool water enough that I could break them apart.

Step 2—Next, I dumped the chicken in the crock pot & turned it on High.  Normally I do this on low all day but I was short on time.

Step 3--Elizabeth grabbed 6 potatoes, washed & wrapped them in foil, and stuck them in the oven on 300 degrees.

We were gone for about 3 hours and when we returned home the chicken & potatoes were done.

Step 4—I dumped the “juice” from the chicken, put the potatoes in the crockpot & replaced the lid.(I didn’t want sauce to spill in the suburban)

We packed up the suburban with our clothes, games & the food.

Step 5--2 hours later at the hotel I shredded the chicken with a fork & we had BBQ chicken sandwiches with a baked potatoes.(It was still very warm!)

The perfect end to a busy day.  I love using my crockpot & freezer to make life just a little bit easier!

 

Toad Stalker, Say Cheese!

 

Linked up at Sweet Shot Tuesday

Crowded Garden

I love tomatoes. 

You would know that if you could stand beside my garden spot.

Last year we had around 25 tomato plants.  This year there are 33.  I think I am probably at the max for this spot. 

And yes I know I am CRAZY to have that many plants!

The really cool thing that I am thankful for is that I canned/froze enough diced tomatoes for our family for 9 months.  Not to shabby for around a $5-10 investment.  It isn’t usually that much but I bought some t-posts for holding up my fencing.  So hopefully this year we will go for a full year without buying tomatoes from the store.

Since I bought those posts I am changing how I “cage” my tomatoes.  I used to use the normal circular cages.  That took up A LOT of room.

Now I am using what I call a trellis but it is just some fencing that we used to keep the dog out of my flower gardens.  Using the t-posts to keep the fence upright seems to be sturdier than the circular cages which seem to blow over whenever a Missouri thunderstorm comes through.

It allows me to plant things a little closer together.  It is SO much easier to weed and water everything.  Speaking of weeding.  I do have helpers who are great at pulling weeds & finding those yucky tomatoes caterpillars!

Gardening should be a family thing!  My men turn over the soil, I plan it out, the kids & I plant & everyone helps with weeding & harvesting.  Here is a prize from last year!