Five Brown Kids

Oh, how I love thee!  ( See here for a timeline... ) Blythe loves animals.  She hyperventilates with excitement when she sees dogs. And she chases cats all around the neighborhood.   This was the perfect event for her.

Jaxon had the state championship for Odyssey of the Mind at Appalachian State University this past weekend.  We turned it into a little mini-vacation and rented a cabin in Boone.  It was a splendid weekend.   A hot tub and a little stream, so pretty much perfection. Boone Bagelry for a little fuel after spontaneous and before the long term problem.  Those chain mail shirts are made of pop tops and I never want to see them again.  So much work.  Drove Jaxon crazy, therefor drove me crazy. Harriet was out for a funeral so they improvised. 818 lbs! The best, most devoted coaches ever. They know what they are doing and coach to perfection! While we waited for the award ceremonies the kids climbed trees and tossed balls and ran around like hooligans. They held the most weight by 10 lbs and had the cutest skit and the best spontaneous answers.  Another first place win and another trip to OM worlds for Jaxon!  So happy ...

I had a Peter Ripple overdose of pea soup in my childhood.  But some time in my mid-thirties it started to sound really good again.  Time cures everything.  I love, love, love it now.  Smooth and creamy, and a little salty.  Delicious. I use this recipe from Word of Wisdom Living . Ingredients: 1# ham bone with a little meat attached 4-6 cups water, or enough to cover ham bone 1-2 bay leaves 1 cup split peas, rinsed ½ tsp thyme, dried 1 T olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 T butter 1 garlic clove, minced  1 new potato, cubed 1/2 tsp salt (but taste first as the ham contains salt) 1/2 tsp pepper, freshly ground 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes Tabasco sauce (optional) Directions: 1.  Place the bones with meat in a suitable pot with water and bay leaves.  Bring to boil and simmer 2-1/2 hours.  Basically, in this step you're making stock. 2.  Remove the bone from...

It was a fun and busy Easter weekend. Basketball tournament, swim practice, and lots of parties. Here's Blythe at the neighborhood egg hunt relishing her first and second Easter egg ever!  We had a great time with a party hosted by some of Emily's friends.  The egg hunt in the beautiful backyard was great.  The house was my dream style - loved getting to check it out. The Easter Bunny left a great egg hunt for the kids Sunday morning.  Love this picture of Jaxon on the hunt.  It's serious.  Blythe was thrilled with a few eggs full of fish crackers and fruit snacks.  There is a really cute video you'll have to see another time. Sunday we hosted lunch with some best friends and an investigator of our church.  Ate lunch in the back yard in the sun and then watched conference.  The 7 children were reasonably pleasant for 2 hours of conference.  Some slept, some listened. We ate Easter dinner at the Fosters and it was all fabulous! ...

Taye loves scouting.  But I'm not sure that he will ever earn his Eagle Scout.  Swimming + school keeps him really busy.  He makes pasta and pies and cheesecake and bruchetta and he doesn't have a cooking badge.  He's a ranked swimmer and he doesn't have a swimming badge.  In my book he's already a well rounded and accomplished Eagle and he's not just doing it for the badges! Taye makes the pasta and I make the sauce. Housemade Noodles 2 cups flour 1 tsp salt 3 eggs 1 tsp olive oil Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and knead until you have a nice smooth ball. Tear it apart into four small balls, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins. Roll each ball through the pasta machine (or use a pie crust roller by hand) starting at the thickest level and repeating until you get to the thinnest level.  Then send each strip through the cutters or cut into thin strips with a sharp knife.  Let the noodles dry until it's time to eat a...

Scotia left a note for the tooth fairy that she would be happy to build the tooth fairy a house if she just replied with her height. Apparently the tooth fairy is 6 inches tall and likes green and flowers and would be delighted with a new house. 

Just to make all the Ripples jealous