Who Needs Toys?

Here's Madeline and I experimenting w/ Emily's Bosch Mixer-- We whipped up a 1 batch of whole grain bread dough=6 big loaves and a double batch of chocolate chip cookies. We made a HUGE mess! We had to grind the grain first, then mix up the bread. Madeline had fun "digging" in the flour and dumping things.She has on her cute lil' apron that Auntie Krista whipped up for her.

Snitching...busted!


Cleaning up...who needs toys, when you get to play "real-life" like this? I put one knee behind her, up on the stool, and we wash dishes together. All my kids love this! We get water and soap everywhere...and maybe even taste a few bubbles!
Cleaning up the floor...while we were in the midst of our mess-making, the boys came home and dumped a bag of trail mix (accidentally) on the floor. Justin hurried off to a meeting, so the kids "helped" me clean up. I told them to run get the vacuum and the broom, so we could clean up the mess. Instead of rushing them off, to make another mess, they were quite content to work the "grown-up" contraptions...and help clean up!
In real life, she looked much tinier there at the kitchen sink...

The boys, manning the vacuum. After they figured out the suction, they started suctioning themselves and laughing hysterically.

Consensus on the Bosch Mixer: I LOVE IT! I think I'm going to make the plunge, and invest in one! I was impressed w/ it's ability to churn out 6 loafs of bread dough in no time. All I did was dump in the ingredients, and it did the rest, incl. about 20ish minutes of kneading. The dough comes out either ready to freeze or rise and bake. Our fore-mothers would be jealous of all of our modern-day "servants"(appliances) :)

The double batch of cookies was a snap to make in it as well. My lil' hand-held mixer, just doesn't cut it, most of the time. :) The Bosch is a handy machine, b/c there's lots of attachments. I need a food processor and meat-grinder...so it's a very justifiable investment. :) The meat-grinder attachment is what sold Justin on it, I think. :) I think he also finds it amusing that his wife would spend her hard-earned $$$ on a kitchen appliance. Hmm...

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TOYS OF A DIFFERENT SORT...

Madeline: The Audience

I have an old viola w/ 3 strings, and a violin, that my kids LOVE to practice on. Whenever I get out my viola to practice, they love to get out their vlns and "practice" too. Samuel even has to get a music stand and some music. I haven't taught him anything on the violin, and he's picked up a lot, just by exposure and observation...

Maybe I need to invest in some smaller (durable) violins for them. The interest is definitely there. I'm cautious about starting them so young, but I may re-vamp my position, since they have so much fun. :)

William's playing the viola d' gamba...I think.

What are my guys excited about this weekend??

Check it out at http://fathersoncamp.org

Random Photos From Last Week...

This post was started a week and a half ago! I guess I got busy! So, here's lots of random shots of what we've been up to.

Here's a picture of our "nanny"--my sister Therese. W/out her, and my family (mom, sis's, gma, and Sarah), we wouldn't go out on dates nearly enough. It's crazy trying to squeeze them in, as it is. It's nice to be able to call spur-of-the-moment and get a sitter--an enthusiastic Auntie, at that! William thinks we should go out on dates, more often--he and Therese (and maybe my Dad) are kindred spirits. He always has somethin' up his sleeve, and pretty much is always smiling.
So, back to our date...I'm playing in an orchestra this semester, so Justin went along to the concert, then we got a bite to eat, afterward. (We went through the drive-through, b/c I was too embarrassed to go into a restaurant looking like Martha Washington.) The October Concert is a Dress-Up Halloween Concert, hence the lovely get-up. :) A friend of mine actually made the dress--isn't it pretty?! She graciously let me borrow it. :)
The boys getting ready for the Father/Son Camp! Justin's in charge of the rifle range--so they had lots of fun setting things up!
Madeline: The Maestro
What's she thinking here? Conducting? Counting? Hmm..



Cuddlebugs...



The Pumpkin Project: A Jack-O-Lantern
Justin turned out all the lights so they could see the pumpkin all lit up! After I took the picture, I realized the lovely background...but this is the one where they're all 4 looking. :)
William helping scoop out the pulp and seeds. He and Samuel were scared of it. Ha!
Eeewww!
Yum?
Justin cracking up that they were grossed out by his *fun* evening project.
The hands-on-Dad that had to do most of the work himself...they all thought it was quite interesting!
Landing the flip! Our new favorite thing to do at Mom's. I love to jump on the trampoline w/ my kids...especially now that I'm not big & pregnant! William gets a little freaked out if we jump too high, so after he gets off, Samuel, Isaac, and I have fun! It's great exercise.

Cool action shot!

He's very funny when he tries to jump
--"Watch this Mom! 1 leg!"--
Woohoo!
...and we all fall DOWN!
Madeline's jumps...

Last Tuesday night, we had dinner w/ some sweet friends of ours. Here's are three w/ Russel. (He's expecting a new sister in a few weeks!)
Love the hood!
My lil' munchkin...I like to see her walking through the house w/ this on...she looks like a little pink dunce!
William, our night owl, decided to wake up at 5 in the morning last week! Samuel somehow sensed that we were having a party w/out him. So, we were able to drink coffee and have devotions as a family before Justin left for work at 6.