The Apple Doesn't Fall Too Far From the Tree

See this child?

She makes me nuts sometimes, absolutely, completely, going up the wall, NUTS!  Some days she wakes up screaming and whining, and when it is time to go to bed, she is still screaming and whining.  She is hard headed, stubborn, and a force to be reckoned with; one minute I want to wring her neck, and the next I want to hug her and kiss her all over her sweet little cheeks.  I wonder how one child can make you want to scream, smile, cry, and laugh all in one day.  I often ask myself, where in the world did this child come from?!!!

That is, I asked myself that until yesterday, when I came across an old letter my mama had written to my granny when I was 18 months old; here is an excerpt:

"...Carrie got a card from Mrs. C and from her great grandmother Clyburn.  She excitedly ripped them apart. In fact, she bathed with MaMa's yesterday morning, and it came apart in a million pieces.
    If I didn't know better, I'd almost believe Carrie just dreams up things to torment me.  She's just gone bananas the past few days.  It's like she's saying, "I'm 18 months old, and you'd better take notice because I'm my own person."  She slaps and pulls hair, and wehn you tell her to stop, she goes into a tizzy.  She screams and gets rigid all over.  It's a temper tantrum, I guess.  She'll come up to me with a book, and if I don't stop what I'm doing immediately, she goes beserk.  We took her out for walks Saturday and Sunday, and she got so mad when we tried to get her to stay with us.  Oh yes, and now she has to have her dolls wrapped in blankets.
...Well, Sunday night Carrie was awake until after 3:00.  Last night she tried the same trick of waking up and screaming.  We let her scream, and it was simply awful, but it worked.  I really had to wrestle with myself not to go in there to her.  What she wants is to have me sleep on the floor beside her bed..."

I guess what they say is true, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Here is the tree,

and here is the apple (well one of the apples).

Atleast, she is a stinkin' cute apple!

Moments

I love when I catch moments like these, priceless!

Tell me another one pleeeaaasssse.

Lately Brooke and Braden want to hear story after story about my childhood.  The stories really aren't that exciting, but they sit there completely enraptured and entranced by my every word.  I've told them about how I got my crayons back from the little thief in second grade who tried to steal them (like I was really going to let her get away with it), how I kept a friend from stealing scissors from the church we went to for after school care, about the time a friend threatened to not invite me to her birthday party, because I wouldn't give her my new toy (she invited me anyway by the way), and about how my sister and I used to play cops and robbers and how we would pretend our bed was a boat and the carpet was the ocean filled with man eating sharks.  I also told them about how I told my second grade boyfriend I could see his underwear hanging over his jeans, only to have him inform me that he could see my cute Hello Kitty panties also hanging over my jeans; can you say EMBARRASING?!!!!  Of course, I also pointed out that this same boyfriend bought me a huge Valentine's Day card with an iron on inside; it was my first official romantic gift.  I remember feeling mixed emotions; I was thrilled that John had gotten me a sweet card with the AWESOME iron on, but I was a tad embarrassed that my card was the biggest in the classroom.  It didn't help either when everyone told his mother (she was our room mom) how much John loved me; you know, the whole Carrie and John sitting in a tree, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 

Well, last night Braden and Brooke wanted Rich and I both to share a story from our childhood, and I went first. 

See the sweet, angelic first grader above; yes, that would be me (the one on the right), and I admit, that I may have not had the best control over my temper.  It also might be possible that I was a little hothead at times; I may have gotten into one or two, or ten fights growing up (usually defending someone in my family I must add). 

Well, our story takes place on a school yard playground oh so many years ago.  Everyone was playing happily, running, laughing, and flirting; that is, my first grade boyfriend was flirting, with other girls, OH NO HE DIDN'T!  He must have temporarily lost his mind, so I will just ask him to stop; I know that should work.  So to continue our tale, I saunter over to Tyler, and politely ask him to put an end to his flirting; the heat must have gotten to him, because he actually said no.  To protect the innocent, I will simply say I may have, possibly, attacked my boyfriend, and my hand may have come in contact with his face a couple times (my dad would have been proud; he is the one who taught me to punch).  Well, to make a long story a tad shorter, I had to hug him in front of the whole class and say I was sorry, the last thing I had any desire to do at that point.

Upon finishing the telling of my tale, Braden quickly asked, "What happened after that?  Was he still your boyfriend?"  I quickly responded, as the realization of how twisted he must have been to still want to be my boyfriend hit me, "Yes, he was still my boyfriend.  He was my boyfriend until he moved away at the end of the school year." 

Still trying to digest everything, Rich began his story; first though, let me show you the little ruffian, the rascal, the hoodlum.

Rich's story was one of woe, and heartache.  Rich had received a special ring one Sunday at church, a CTR ring, a ring that would be a constant reminder to always choose the right.  Upon receiving his ring, he naively placed the ring on his middle finger, turning his finger purple and scaring his teacher into hysterics; coming to her senses, she quickly ran and got his mom to save the day.  After getting the ring pried off of his finger and readjusted, Rich wore it with pride for maybe a mere week, before tragedy struck.  During this short week, he wore it to school, where a boy in his class asked him to give him his CTR ring. Rich refused at first, but the boy began to make empty promises to bring it  back to him the following Monday.  Alas, Rich never saw said ring again, hence the woe, the tragedy, and the heartache.  

So what are the morals of these stories?  What do we learn from these stories; what did the children learn?

I know, I learned that I had a temper as a child (okay, maybe that is not new knowledge), that I have better control over my emotions now than I did as a child, that first grade boys sometimes don't make the best decisions in girlfriend selection, and I learned to not let Rich go first next time! 

Next time, I will come out as the angelic child, and he will be the hooligan! 

Where are the stories about him tying his sister up and pushing her down the stairs?  Where are the stories about he and his brother sneaking snakes into the house to scare their sisters?  Where is the story about the time he changed all the clocks in his house to trick his family? 

Maybe in the future, I will do all the storytelling!

My Three Ring Circus

Sometimes making supper is not a simple task; it often feels like a sports event or perhaps a three ring circus is a better description: trying to juggle, get around obstacles, knives, heat, and four little clowns, a three ring circus I tell you!  Last night, as I was performing in the Maseda circus, I tried to take pictures of our four little clowns in action.

First in this ring, we have Colton, happily going through the cabinet, pulling out all of the pots and pans he can get with his precious little fingers.

In this ring, we have Braden doing his homework, asking questions every few minutes (also in prime trip location).

In this ring, Emma is feeding her baby, and requesting her picture be taken every two minutes.

 And in this tent, we have Brooke rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher; I am loving this performance! 

And in the big top, while juggling everything, I check on the pork loin cooking in the oven,

hurriedly cut the potatoes for our mashed potatoes,

and pray for strength.

I often wonder if all the work is worth it, but then I look over at my children devouring what I have prepared, and think, yeah, it is worth it!  I'm not just making dinner, I am helping to make memories: memories of delicious food, good company, good conversation, laughter, and family love!   

I think this little guy is feeling a lot of love, love of food that is!!!

Just in case you want to try the pork loin, here is the recipe:

1 4lb. pork loin, fat trimmed
2. t. garlic powder
2. t. salt
2. t. pepper
2 cups barbecue sauce
olive oil

*Preheat oven to 350.
* Trim fat off of pork loin.
* Mix garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
* Pour a little olive oil on the pork loin.
*Rub mixture of garlic powder, salt, and pepper all over the pork loin.
* Put pork loin on a cookie sheet or bar pan and cook for 45 minutes on 350.
* Remove from oven, pour barbecue sauce over the pork loin.
* Turn temp. down to 325, place back in the oven, and cook for 15 more minutes.

I love how simple and easy it is, but delicious too! 

*Of course it is only fair though, that I point out that we always use my Uncle Allen's homemade barbecue sauce, probably why it is always delicious!!!!  I don't know what we are going to do when we run out!  Maybe it is time for another trip to Sumter!

My Birthday Boy

Has it really been a year already?!

How is that you feel like you are going to be pregnant forever, but once the little bundle of sweetness is here, time starts to fly by?!!!

It seems like it was just yesterday I was in the hospital staring down at this precious face: counting toes and fingers, taking in the new baby smell, and kissing those chubby cheeks.

Now, that it has been a year, I guess a lot hasn't changed; I still love to play with his little fingers and toes, and  kiss those irrestible chubby cheeks.  Of course, now I have to catch him first!

To celebrate his first birthday, we had a family party at home.  Initially, we were going to have a few families over, but we decided to keep it just family after the snow fell the night before Colton's birthday.  It was a monster themed party complete with monster toes, monster scales, monster puss, monster boogers, and two monster cakes, one for us and one for Colton to devour, and devour he did! 

Here are pictures of our little celebration:

Basketball Game

Well, for those that don't know, we (meaning Braden) are trying another sport; this time it is basketball.  Actually, I don't know if basketball would be accurate; after watching their game last week and this week, I think it deserves it's own name, because what those boys were doing on the court was a mixture of basketball, football, and wrestling.  The boys attempt to dribble the ball down the court (actually some just run with the ball, they could care less about dribbling), the boys tackle each other to the floor, and then once on the floor, they try to wrestle the ball from each other.  Yes, it is quite entertaining!  Last Friday, the boys were especially ruthless, Braden included!  Yes, I was so proud; we finally found a sport where he will be aggressive!  Who cares if he and the other boys ignore the rules for now, right? 

Here are some pictures I took Friday; there would have been more, but I had three children climbing all over me.

Getting some practice in before the game:

Getting a pep talk from the coach before the game begins:

Got a little football action going on:

Enjoying his snack after the game:

Just Saying

I love, love, love this adorable, precious boy!  I love him from the top of his sweet little head down to his kissable baby toes!!!!!!!!

Just saying.

Do you blame me?!!

I can't help myself!

Have you noticed...

...that you can put the word party on the end of almost (notice I said almost) anything and make it fun?!  In the Maseda house, we do this quite a bit: pizza party, ice cream party, movie party, cleaning party, dance party, room cleaning party; of course in our house, music is also always a must for all parties, but music is playing in our house 90% of the time anyway!  Well, a couple nights ago was no exception.

It started out as anything but a party; I was getting out my recipes for the night and preparing for our nightly supper ritual, only this night, a certain little girl, who had just received an ADORABLE apron for her birthday, wanted to help.  I had just pulled my recipe binder out of my cabinet, when I hear, "Mama, are you making supper?  Can I cook with you?"  I looked down into her beautiful blue eyes, thought about how much longer it would take to get supper on the table with a little helper at my heels, but relented, knowing irreplaceable memories would be made.  It was an opportunity to share my love of cooking with my oldest daughter, to prepare her for her role one day as a wife and mother, and to spend precious time with her; so I got her new apron off of its assigned hook, and began to help her put it on and tie it in the back.  We pulled the kitchen stool over, she climbed on top, and the cooking began. 

Brooke stared at me with wonder, as I explained how important it was to first look at your recipe, checking to make sure you understand all of the instructions, and then to collect all the ingredients.  I discussed how having all of your ingredients readily at hand, makes the process smoother.  I then turned the reigns over to her to make our cobbler for the evening.  She put the pie filling in the crockpot, and then began to break up the cake mix with a fork. 

About this time, three other hoodlums came into the kitchen, two who wanted to cook, and one whose only desire was to get into everything he could get opened.  Being the sweet sister and fellow party lover,  Brooke welcomed the help; they mixed, they cut, and they had fun! 

How do I know they had fun?  

I know, because in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, I hear Brooke exclaim,

"Mama, it's like we are having a cooking party!" 

See, what did I tell you? 

Take a thing or an activity, put the word party at the end of it, turn on the music, and let the fun begin!